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Whether applying to law school or graduate school, you will be asked to
submit letters of recommendation. In requesting such letters there are some
general rules of etiquette. Most faculty are happy to write a
recommendation. You should, however, be aware that writing a letter takes a
good deal of effort. The recommender is doing you a favor. Beyond taking his
or her time to prepare the evaluation, this person is putting his/her name
and reputation behind a statement endorsing you as qualified or competent.
Always be considerate of this fact when you ask and treat the recommender as
someone fulfilling a favor rather than meeting an obligation owed to you.
Whom should you ask?
Ideally, you should ask for letters of recommendation from those familiar
with you and your work. Letters of recommendation can be powerful statements
that provide detailed evaluations of your abilities to the admission
committee. A letter prepared by someone who does not really know you or your
strengths will likely be vague and generic. An ambiguous letter like that
can convey a poor impression of you as a candidate as readers may assume it
was simply written without enthusiasm.
You should only request letters of recommendation from those people you
are confident will give you a good evaluation. In approaching a professor
for a letter, it is perfectly acceptable to inquire whether he/she would be
willing to write you a generally positive recommendation. Normally, faculty
will inform you if they are unable to provide you with a favorable
statement. If you are not comfortable asking, or are less than confident as
to what a particular recommender is likely to say about you, you should
consider asking someone else.
It is also perfectly acceptable to inform the recommender of any
particular points you would like emphasized in the letter. For example, if
your are looking for someone to attest to your writing ability, or would
appreciate having any involvement in extra-academic activities emphasized,
inform the reviewer of this fact. Generally, it is a good idea to make
certain the recommender knows the specific purpose/audience for the letter
so that remarks are addressed appropriately. A letter supporting your
application to become an on-campus R.A., for example, may include different
information than a letter in support of law school admission.
When should you ask?
You should approach a recommender well in advance of the deadline. Ideally,
you should give the recommender at least 2-3 weeks notice. Most recommenders
will not take that long, but it is both inconsiderate and unwise to request
a letter on short notice. Remember, recommendation sources are doing you a
favor and may be busy or unavailable at certain times. A lack of planning on
your part should not leave the recommender with a last minute emergency
task. You do not want a letter that has been written by someone who was
rushed or annoyed by trying to meet a last minute request. In the event that
you are working under a tight deadline, however, and are forced to give
short-notice, you should definitely adhere to the following basic
guidelines.
Reference:
Sample Letter of Recommendation Law School |
