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I was planning on to go to law school right after my BA but then decided to get WE and make some money as well. So I have three recommendations I got back at 2011.

I'm going to apply for the 2014-2015 cycle.

Do you guys think it's okay to use these "old" recommendations? Or do I need new ones?

If they're good, the age shouldn't matter much. This cycle, I used an academic LOR from my thesis advisor, even though I haven't worked with her since 2009.

If you've been working since graduation, I would try to include one from a current/recent boss if you can, though.

ScottRiqui wrote:If they're good, the age shouldn't matter much. This cycle, I used an academic LOR from my thesis advisor, even though I haven't worked with her since 2009.

If you've been working since graduation, I would try to include one from a current/recent boss if you can, though.

I don't know if they are good, but I'm sure it's not bad.

Was yours written in 2009?

If anything, its good you got the letters written while you were fresh in their minds

Sorry to hijack the thread but I figure a clear answer has been given and I have a related question. If you have a problem with this OP I'll make a new thread.

Anyway, if I under perform my numbers this cycle, don't have any obvious drawbacks to my application (e.g. CF issues), but haven't seen my LORs (professors won't ket me), should I get new LORs given that they could be holding me back?

Nova wrote:If anything, its good you got the letters written while you were fresh in their minds

Agreed.

PM'd.

One of my recommenders was 80 years old and that didn't seem to impact the admissions process at all. His persistent use of the expression "To wit" -- yes he showed me what he wrote -- was a bit annoying but likely impressive to anyone on the admissions committee familiar with Llewellyn's book The Bramble Bush.

raininthedesert wrote:One of my recommenders was 80 years old and that didn't seem to impact the admissions process at all. His persistent use of the expression "To wit" -- yes he showed me what he wrote -- was a bit annoying but likely impressive to anyone on the admissions committee familiar with Llewellyn's book The Bramble Bush.

LOL - I see what you did there

Same situation as OP. I used an LOR that was submitted in early 2011 this cycle and it was fine.

I have one over-the-top “most glowing” recommendations ever from a UG tenured professor (from when I was applying for a ’09 summer internship with the FBI). There was no mention in the letter about the FBI. I used it for LS and my SA but I wonder if the need ever came up again if it is too dated. I suppose if push came to shove I'd use it again.

drawstring wrote:Sorry to hijack the thread but I figure a clear answer has been given and I have a related question. If you have a problem with this OP I'll make a new thread.

Anyway, if I under perform my numbers this cycle, don't have any obvious drawbacks to my application (e.g. CF issues), but haven't seen my LORs (professors won't ket me), should I get new LORs given that they could be holding me back?

Never hijack another thread. Never.

I applied with old ones. You'll all be fine.

thewaves wrote:I applied with old ones. You'll all be fine.

According to some of the responses above and the PM's I got it seems to depend on the school and how old they are.

How old were yours? Did any of the schools (T14?) ask for new ones?

roranoa wrote:

thewaves wrote:I applied with old ones. You'll all be fine.

According to some of the responses above and the PM's I got it seems to depend on the school and how old they are.

How old were yours? Did any of the schools (T14?) ask for new ones?

2 years and none did. I added an extra for a few schools that I wanted to target. PM if you have any more questions.

First, understand that LORs usually play a very, very small role (if any) in most applicants' ultimate outcome. That said, there will be some people are going to be on that borderline at some schools, and in those situations an LOR could have some influence.

Speaking for myself, I get really annoyed when people submit only old LORs. The older they are, the more annoyed I get. I don't mind using an old academic LOR since it's hard to get those after you've been out of school for a while. But when the student doesn't even bother to get at least one current recommendation I'm left wondering if it is because they couldn't find anyone willing to write one for them.

Dean Perez

SPerez wrote:First, understand that LORs usually play a very, very small role (if any) in most applicants' ultimate outcome. That said, there will be some people are going to be on that borderline at some schools, and in those situations an LOR could have some influence.

Speaking for myself, I get really annoyed when people submit only old LORs. The older they are, the more annoyed I get. I don't mind using an old academic LOR since it's hard to get those after you've been out of school for a while. But when the student doesn't even bother to get at least one current recommendation I'm left wondering if it is because they couldn't find anyone willing to write one for them.

Dean Perez

I should keep this in mind. Thanks.

SPerez wrote:First, understand that LORs usually play a very, very small role (if any) in most applicants' ultimate outcome. That said, there will be some people are going to be on that borderline at some schools, and in those situations an LOR could have some influence.

Speaking for myself, I get really annoyed when people submit only old LORs. The older they are, the more annoyed I get. I don't mind using an old academic LOR since it's hard to get those after you've been out of school for a while. But when the student doesn't even bother to get at least one current recommendation I'm left wondering if it is because they couldn't find anyone willing to write one for them.

Dean Perez

So you're saying that you don't get annoyed by old LORs if they are academic ones?

roranoa wrote:

SPerez wrote:First, understand that LORs usually play a very, very small role (if any) in most applicants' ultimate outcome. That said, there will be some people are going to be on that borderline at some schools, and in those situations an LOR could have some influence.

Speaking for myself, I get really annoyed when people submit only old LORs. The older they are, the more annoyed I get. I don't mind using an old academic LOR since it's hard to get those after you've been out of school for a while. But when the student doesn't even bother to get at least one current recommendation I'm left wondering if it is because they couldn't find anyone willing to write one for them.

Dean Perez

So you're saying that you don't get annoyed by old LORs if they are academic ones?

Right. There's a legit reason to use an old acad LOR. For all LORs, if it's just one or two years I don't care. But when you start getting beyond that I view them as stale. I just read a file the other day for someone who first applied to schools back in 2010, I think it was. Their personal statement was 80% the same and all the LORs were from 2010. Since then they completed a masters degree so they could/should have at least had an acad LOR from that program. And they didn't bother updating their undergrad transcripts, either, i.e. they still showed In Progress for their final spring semester. The whole thing just struck me as lazy and made me wonder how much they really wanted to go to law school. Not things you want the adcom reading your file to be thinking about.

Dean Perez