Getting a Recommendation Early? Forum

[victoremsemper]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering how the timeline works for professor recommendations. I'm a currently a senior set to graduate in the spring. Already taken the LSAT.

Not to be morbid, but one of my professors is quite old and in poor health, so I'm not sure how much time he has left. The reason this matters is because I took a small seminar class with him, wrote a research paper, and got a scholarship in his department with his recommendation. I know that he thinks highly of me, and he has offered to write one of my recommendations.

However, I'm planning to take a couple years off after undergrad to work (applying in the 2021-2022 cycle), but I'd prefer to get the recommendation sooner rather than later. How does this work with the LSAC? Is it even possible? If so, how would it look to adcoms?

Any help is much appreciated.

[Chinston Wurchill]

I'd recommend you contact him sooner rather than later. I was in the boat where I asked for a rec letter and stated I wanted to apply to LS and they said they'd be happy to write one but I wanted a year and they ghosted me. I think when professors get older, sometimes they don't have the greatest memory. Especially when you are off campus, it makes things even more difficult. Go on LSAC (I assume since you took the LSAT you already have an account) and go look at the process to request a letter of recommendation. long story short, you're right to act now even if you plan to go to LS years from now.

and from an admissions standpoint it's totally irrelevant when you request a rec letter. It matters much more that the recommender knows you well and can write a good one.