When to ask for recommendations?

[LionelHutz]

I am taking the June test, and planned on applying this fall. I want to apply as early as possible (sept-oct) so I figured I should ask my recommenders before the current semester is out (end of april) to give them enough time to get them in.

Is this too soon? Should I wait until the middle of summer or when school resumes in late August to ask? Will this give them enough time that I might still be able to apply in September?

Thanks for any and all help.

[bamf]

I asked mine the last week of class last spring.  Keep in touch throughout the summer, get their advice on looking for schools to apply to and really solidify their opinion of how motivated and serious you are about the law school thing.  Then send them your resume and PS draft early September and go from there.

[n/a]

Definitely ask before school is out.  Let them know your timeline...

This will get it in their head as a summer project before they go making huge plans to fall off the face of the earth for 3 months... waiting for school to get back in is a big mistake... Im sure you know how busy professors get during the year

[Spartan Niner]

Profs can get very busy during the regular academic year, so I'd agree with the other posts about letting them know before the summer and keeping in touch.

I'm personally going to try to get recommendations from the professors I'm taking courses under this upcoming school year (rising junior).

[Astro]

There is only one rule when it comes to PSes:

THE EARLIER, THE BETTER.




Take it from someone who knows.  The weirdest *&^% can happen.  In my case, it did.  Three times.  Cost me a lot of stress and grief.

[iSalute]

There will be recommenders who take longer than you could ever believe. One of my recommenders took 3 months to get his stuff in. I thought it was going to kill me!

[just call me elle]

ask now. if you want to have them add letters targeted to specific schools they can do that later.