Asking for LOR...what should be included in the packet I hand them?

[TheNewGuy]

I'm going to be asking professors I don't have a relationship for LOR's (I goto a huge school), so I was thinking about assembling a packet of info to better help them write a LOR for me.

I was thinking about including:

1) a short biography...where/when I was born, high school, community college...how I was able to transfer...time at current school...why I want to go to law school.

2) a sample piece of writing

should I inlcude anything else??

[dta]

Include:

1. Your resume'.

2. The personal statement you plan to use for admission to law school.

3. The LOR request form from LSAC.

4. A pre-addressed and pre-stamped envelope so that the professor can mail his LOR and the LOR request form to LSAC (it would be rude to expect the professor to pay for postage or fill out the address on the envelope - you want the LOR then you do that legwork).

5. Writing sample, preferably a writing sample submitted for one of the professor's classes.

6. Your college transcript with the classes you took from the professor highlighted.

7. A nice cover letter thanking your professor for taking the time to write you an LOR.

[TheNewGuy]

What if I can't produce the personal statement in time?? I'm thinking about asking a prof for a rec this week, and I don't even think the essay questions have come out yet (for fall '05)...

[dta]

What if I can't produce the personal statement in time?? I'm thinking about asking a prof for a rec this week, and I don't even think the essay questions have come out yet (for fall '05)...

Every school's PS is pretty much the same. They all ask basically the same general question. You won't be writing a specific PS for each individual school. Maybe some plug-and-chug at the end where you say "In summary, I want to attend XXX law school because as I stated above ... blah blah blah", but that's it. Thus, there's really no reason you can't write a first draft of your PS now and include that in the packet you send your proff. Also, proff's are educated people. This would be a great opportunity to ask for input on your PS (i did and the input was instrumental to some minor revisions i made).

[TheNewGuy]

So in general, what question do most law schools ask you to answer for the essay portion?

[dta]

So in general, what question do most law schools ask you to answer for the essay portion?

There's lots of threads you can find on this board about that. But in general, there's not really a hard and fast "question" being asked for which and "answer" is expected. Rather, you are generally prompted in a broad way so that you write 2 pages that accomplish the following:

1. Tell who you are. Give a sense of your character and personality to the adcoms.

2. Explain some of your motivation for going to law school.

3. Describe some of your experiences that relate to #1 and/or #2 above.

Very general like that. You can't really write a "wrong answer" on your PS.

[jacy85]

don't worry about submitting your Personal Statement.  If I had waited for that, I wouldn't be asking for recs until mid to late August, which would be very late considering the fact I want all my apps in and complete by early Oct.

It's just as easy to incorporate into your bio (which I think is great to include) why you are pursuing a law degree.  If your PS was done, I would say definitely send it.  It's a great idea.  But the "why I want to go" bio, with a writing sample to demonstrate your writing skills, should cover the bases of what your PS is for.

[TheNewGuy]

don't worry about submitting your Personal Statement.  If I had waited for that, I wouldn't be asking for recs until mid to late August, which would be very late considering the fact I want all my apps in and complete by early Oct.

It's just as easy to incorporate into your bio (which I think is great to include) why you are pursuing a law degree.  If your PS was done, I would say definitely send it.  It's a great idea.  But the "why I want to go" bio, with a writing sample to demonstrate your writing skills, should cover the bases of what your PS is for.

I'm very nervous about giving my professor a bio/why I want to go essay. I'm seriously stressing over it, just as much as my PS. I have testmasters, summer school, PS, and now a bio I have to write. I don't really know what to say, or how long it should be...but I think my main concern is what they are going to think of my writing abilities (which I don't believe are all that strong).

[jacy85]

Honestly, if you feel unable to write a paragraph or two (about what you've done in school, extra curriculars you've participated, any and all honors you've gained, and why you want to go to law school, along with anything else that you would want your prof to know about you), then perhaps you should consider a career other than the law.  Much of your day that isn't spent reseaching is spent writing briefs, memorandum in support of motions, etc. 

So use this bio to work on those skills a little.  It shouldn't take you more than a half an hour or so, as it's only a couple of paragraphs.  I mean, this bio thing is just a casual outline for your professor to work off of, so they can get a better idea of what else you've been doing with yourself aside from your work in their class.  You can always get a more literary friend to look it over for you, but you really should work on those writing skills before heading into 1L...

(and haven't your professors seen your writing on exams/papers, etc?  They won't be expecting a grand thesis or anything.)

[TheNewGuy]

Ya, I just got my mid-term back (term paper) from my professor, I got an A+ on it, so I think I'll include that in my packet.

I thought my bio had to be 4-6 pages...a few paragraphs shouldn't be problem.