Recommendation Not Up To My Expectations - What To Do ???

[BAFF213]

OK, the consensus is that it's not bad - I'll change the title of the thread then.  Maybe I overreacted.

I guess I'll admit that it's not bad, but it's certainly not great.

Its not that bad. I think the two most important consideration are  1) does it add anything new that an adcomm would look favorably on that wont be in my other two recs? and 2) are the other two recs likely to be MUCH better?

If yes to 1 and no to 2 then you should send it.
If yes to both its a tossup IMO
If no to 1 and yes to 2 then you should make it inactive
If no to both its a tossup IMO

Sorry for writing that in such a weird way but thats the way I view it. I think it would help your situation a lot if you have read your other two LORs...it would help you evaluate what to do much better.

[HKrustofsky]

This letter really isn't that bad. The sentence about being at the top of your class in terms of writing ability stands out and is by far the most important thing said in this letter. The rest is what makes up an average LOR. Can you ask him to revise? Maybe take out the part about not being familiar with your written work since that seems to take away from the very next sentence, and maybe add some more specific info. I asked all 4 of my recommenders to revise their letters. I did my best to sound very thankful and appreciative so I didn't come across as ungrateful. Sounds crazy but they were glad to do it. Good luck.

[AMB22]

Although asking would be weird since you already gave him a gift, it could be a big help if he revises it. It seems like he COULD write a lot more but he didnt really want to take the time. Maybe offer to revise it and make it longer for him and then if he can add or take out as he sees fit. You could either rewrite if for him or give him an outline of how you think he could make it longer and better. If hes open to that its worth a shot.

EDIT:

Also, if he is open to that you could have him weight his letter towards weaknesses in your app. I remember you saying you were dissapointed with you lsat so you could ask him to put in statements like "works well under pressure" "excellent at thinking quickly and logically on his feet" etc to show you ahve the skills that the lsat is suppossed to test. That could help offset you score in your app and reassure adcomms. He could even mention directly that he was very surprised or something you did not do extremely well and that he beleives you have the skills, etc. It also makes the letter longer.

The other advantage to this is that it gives you an angle to ask him to revise it. In other words you could approach him and say you recently realized it may be good for him to take such an approach and that you would like him to revise his letter if possible...and then if he agrees you can also address your other concerns about the letter with him and suggest ways he can improve and lengthen it. That might be easier than approaching him and just saying you wanted a better letter.

This letter really isn't that bad. The sentence about being at the top of your class in terms of writing ability stands out and is by far the most important thing said in this letter. The rest is what makes up an average LOR. Can you ask him to revise? Maybe take out the part about not being familiar with your written work since that seems to take away from the very next sentence, and maybe add some more specific info. I asked all 4 of my recommenders to revise their letters. I did my best to sound very thankful and appreciative so I didn't come across as ungrateful. Sounds crazy but they were glad to do it. Good luck.

[BAFF213]

Its not that bad. I think the two most important consideration are  1) does it add anything new that an adcomm would look favorably on that wont be in my other two recs? and 2) are the other two recs likely to be MUCH better?

If yes to 1 and no to 2 then you should send it.
If yes to both its a tossup IMO
If no to 1 and yes to 2 then you should make it inactive
If no to both its a tossup IMO

Sorry for writing that in such a weird way but thats the way I view it. I think it would help your situation a lot if you have read your other two LORs...it would help you evaluate what to do much better.

1.  Yes, slightly.  It probably adds a little that the other recs might not have mentioned.

2.  Yes, probably.  One of the other LORs is written by a writing teacher (in the business writing program).  She is an "English-y" person and is a very good writer obviously.  She knows exactly what to do I'm sure.  She knows how to "show, not tell".

The other one is by a former lawyer.  She is very intelligent and is a great writer.  She writes in a really logical way too.  And also, she really liked my writing.

Might I add that both of these women were on sabbatical this semester, so they obviously had plenty of time to write my LOR (unlike the LOR that I posted above, which was obviously somewhat rushed).

So I guess it's kind of a tossup, leaning more towards the side of dumping the mediocre LOR.

[BAFF213]

This letter really isn't that bad. The sentence about being at the top of your class in terms of writing ability stands out and is by far the most important thing said in this letter.

Yea but like you said, he really hasn't read much of my writing.  In addition, this is pretty obvious since my degree granting GPA is 3.88 (and rising).  You can tell I'm in the top of my class just from glancing at my transcript!

[BAFF213]

Thanks for the advice.  I am a pretty ballsy person, but I don't think I could ask him to write it.  It just seems kind of rude, like overstepping my boundaries.  Also, I just checked LSAC and saw that they have already processed his LOR (they just processed it this afternoon because I checked earlier today).

The idea about the LSAT was a good one though.  I don't think I would even have time to write the LOR right now even if he did give me the opportunity though.

Although asking would be weird since you already gave him a gift, it could be a big help if he revises it. It seems like he COULD write a lot more but he didnt really want to take the time. Maybe offer to revise it and make it longer for him and then if he can add or take out as he sees fit. You could either rewrite if for him or give him an outline of how you think he could make it longer and better. If hes open to that its worth a shot.

EDIT:

Also, if he is open to that you could have him weight his letter towards weaknesses in your app. I remember you saying you were dissapointed with you lsat so you could ask him to put in statements like "works well under pressure" "excellent at thinking quickly and logically on his feet" etc to show you ahve the skills that the lsat is suppossed to test. That could help offset you score in your app and reassure adcomms. He could even mention directly that he was very surprised or something you did not do extremely well and that he beleives you have the skills, etc. It also makes the letter longer.

The other advantage to this is that it gives you an angle to ask him to revise it. In other words you could approach him and say you recently realized it may be good for him to take such an approach and that you would like him to revise his letter if possible...and then if he agrees you can also address your other concerns about the letter with him and suggest ways he can improve and lengthen it. That might be easier than approaching him and just saying you wanted a better letter.

This letter really isn't that bad. The sentence about being at the top of your class in terms of writing ability stands out and is by far the most important thing said in this letter. The rest is what makes up an average LOR. Can you ask him to revise? Maybe take out the part about not being familiar with your written work since that seems to take away from the very next sentence, and maybe add some more specific info. I asked all 4 of my recommenders to revise their letters. I did my best to sound very thankful and appreciative so I didn't come across as ungrateful. Sounds crazy but they were glad to do it. Good luck.

[AMB22]

So I guess it's kind of a tossup, leaning more towards the side of dumping the mediocre LOR.

Read the edit to my post above. The more I think about it that might be the best route. Its a nicer way to ask him for a better recommendation and it could also help strenghthen a weakness in your application. If you do try that, go in with a clear outline of how you want the letter written and what you want addressed. The easier you make it for him the better.

[AMB22]

Ok. If you do decide to nix it though you should make it inactive ASAP....LSAC will send out an updated report possibly tomorrow with the new letter to each school you applied to if you leave it active.

Thanks for the advice.  I am a pretty ballsy person, but I don't think I could ask him to write it.  It just seems kind of rude, like overstepping my boundaries.  Also, I just checked LSAC and saw that they have already processed his LOR (they just processed it this afternoon because I checked earlier today).

The idea about the LSAT was a good one though.  I don't think I would even have time to write the LOR right now even if he did give me the opportunity though.

[writter]

I think the letter is quite weak.  At best it damns with faint praise.

[BAFF213]

I think I am going to cancel it, i.e. make it inactive, unless anyone objects.  I am doing this for a few reasons:

1)  Honestly, it really doesn't say that much about it me.  It is really general.

2)  It has a bad typo that may seem trivial but it sounds really bad.  "I know Corey for approximately six months" (second sentence).

3)  It uses the term "up to snuff", further verifying that he rushed through this.

I agree with whoever said that he does have a lot of good things to say about me.  I know he does and that's the reason why I was expecting a lot more.  It is just really clear that he was either a) busy, b) lazy, or both, and he rushed it.