Updating Date on LOR Forum

[Anonymous User]

If there is nothing really new of substance for an LOR writer, should I, nonetheless, ask them to resubmit a letter with OSCAR with an updated date? Wondering if it looks weird to a judge to be reading a LOR in September 2022 that is dated June 2021

[Anonymous User]

I would say if it's a year's gap, then yes. You're applying for different cycles, and it's likely that the LoR has some information that should be updated. It isn't uncommon for applicants to have old LoRs, but it's a flaw people can identify in your materials--sometimes that's enough to take you out of the running. Also, if you didn't get a clerkship from that June 2021 cycle, it tips clerks off to the fact that you struck out. Which again, isn't necessarily a dealbreaker, but not the best look. And if you did get a clerkship from that cycle, that's something your recommender may want to mention in an updated LoR.

[Anonymous User]

I would say if it's a year's gap, then yes. You're applying for different cycles, and it's likely that the LoR has some information that should be updated. It isn't uncommon for applicants to have old LoRs, but it's a flaw people can identify in your materials--sometimes that's enough to take you out of the running. Also, if you didn't get a clerkship from that June 2021 cycle, it tips clerks off to the fact that you struck out. Which again, isn't necessarily a dealbreaker, but not the best look. And if you did get a clerkship from that cycle, that's something your recommender may want to mention in an updated LoR.

They're not going to have anything new to say about me—clerkship or otherwise—but maybe it is worth to send a quick email and be like hey can you update the date?

[Anonymous User]

I would say if it's a year's gap, then yes. You're applying for different cycles, and it's likely that the LoR has some information that should be updated. It isn't uncommon for applicants to have old LoRs, but it's a flaw people can identify in your materials--sometimes that's enough to take you out of the running. Also, if you didn't get a clerkship from that June 2021 cycle, it tips clerks off to the fact that you struck out. Which again, isn't necessarily a dealbreaker, but not the best look. And if you did get a clerkship from that cycle, that's something your recommender may want to mention in an updated LoR.

They're not going to have anything new to say about me—clerkship or otherwise—but maybe it is worth to send a quick email and be like hey can you update the date?

If it’s just a date update and they have a faculty assistant, I think you can email them to do it.

[Anonymous User]

What doed this forum think the life span of a rec letter is before it should be updated? A year maybe?