When to get a LOR

[pwr99]

I will be graduating from college this spring and am planning on applying to law school for admission in the fall of 2010.  Should I get my LORs from professors now or wait until 2010 when I plan on applying?  I can't seem to find any advice on this matter. 

Does anyone know if law schools prefer recommendations that are dated closer to the time of application?

[secondsblue]

I would think you'd want to get them now, since the profs will remember you. Who cares if you don't apply for awhile? It doesn't change the recommendation.

[jms297]

With such a delay between your grad and application time I would suggest using a site like Interfolio.com- this allows your prof to write you a recommendation now while you are fresh in their memory and upload it to your account on the site. Then when the time comes to apply you can fill them in on any adjustments in your plans/goals, perhaps tell them where you are applying, what you've done since graduation etc, and then they can tweak the rec to match, instead of writing something from scratch when they may not remember you as well.

[Willy Beachum]

Get the recommendations now so they're uploaded onto LSAC and ready to go in 2010.

Here's what Yale Law School has to say:

And if you are currently in school and planning to take time off before applying to law school, take the opportunity to approach your professors NOW, while your brilliance is still fresh in their minds, and get their references filed with LSAC (with which you can get an account for five years).  That way, when you finally do apply, your academic references will be only a mouse click away!

The full post: http://blogs.law.yale.edu/blogs/admissions/archive/2007/12/05/reference-this.aspx

[Ninja1]

Get them now. You'll be fresh in your professor's minds (a big thing) and you'll have time for fallbacks if something doesn't come through (seriously, I had a friend that waited almost a year for a LOR that never came).

Also, try to get at least four. Some schools require it, most don't, but you'll have plenty just in case.

[elizzy]

how many letters of recommendations are necessary??

[non parata est]

Get the recommendations now so they're uploaded onto LSAC and ready to go in 2010.

Here's what Yale Law School has to say:

And if you are currently in school and planning to take time off before applying to law school, take the opportunity to approach your professors NOW, while your brilliance is still fresh in their minds, and get their references filed with LSAC (with which you can get an account for five years).  That way, when you finally do apply, your academic references will be only a mouse click away!

Yale Law School said I'm brilliant!

[Ninja1]

how many letters of recommendations are necessary??

Depends on the school. Most only require two, some want three, and a few that I've seen want four. I haven't seen anywhere that wants more than that.