Academic Letters

[GentleTim]

I've been out of undergraduate school for about 5 years, and I haven't done much to keep in touch with my professors.

My work experience has been good, and I will be able to get at least 2 very good letters from a boss and a collegue.

Is it important that I get an academic letter of recommendation, even if it isn't likely to have much personal information?

[nathanielmark]

if you have a cool prof they will prob write one.  you give them your resume and can give them some personal information and they will be able to write as good an LOR as any...

and i do think it is worth getting one from a prof.  i think it shows you are taking the process seriously in getting one even though you have been out of school for a while.

[GentleTim]

Good point, thanks.

[jacy85]

I think at least one academic rec is very important.  You're not applying for another job, you're applying to a rigorous academic program.  If there's any possibility you can get in touch with an old professor, I really think you should do so.  If you can't, then I would try to get another recommendation from someone outside of your working life.  Do you attend church regularily?  Can you get a priest/pastor/reverand to write one?  Do you do community service work?  Just to get another aspect of you that's not employment related and give a fuller picture of who you are.

[smujd2007]

You should always have at least one academic rec -like the above poster mentioned, you are applying to an academic/professional program, not going on a job interview.  You want as many different perspectives as you can get on the people.  And, at some schools, you can have more than two recs.  In your case, the two solid ones from your career world and one academic one may be suitable.