LoRs after a long absence from academia
Hi everyone,
I graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor's in English, having completed some upper division creative writing courses. Because of my health and finances I really did not consider grad school a possibility, so I did not nurse any relationships with professors in hope of future LoRs.
After university I spent one year dealing with illness and looking for work, one year living abroad working as a language assistant in a French high school, and am currently an English instructor in a French university (teaching Bachelor's and Master's level students). I plan to apply in the fall of 2012 to several creative writing MFA programs. My problem is obviously that I have no academic LoR sources, and because I will work until the end of June, it may be difficult for me to enroll in any summer programs that might produce a good relationship between myself and an instructor over the summer (and thus a LoR for the fall).
After reading through the archives about LoRs, I've come up with some helpful information but am still left with questions. So far I've read:
- Contact my old professors in hope that they remember me: prepare a portfolio of my accomplishments to jog their memories. (Three years might be a bit much.)
- Take a course or engage in an independent study with one of my old professors. (I would be interested in an independent study, but will still be abroad until the end of June.)
- Letters of rec are not as important in MFA applications anyhow (though I want my application to be as strong as it can be).
Can anyone offer advice? Have you taken any of these paths, and did it work out? Any input is much appreciated.
Cheers!
I graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor's in English, having completed some upper division creative writing courses. Because of my health and finances I really did not consider grad school a possibility, so I did not nurse any relationships with professors in hope of future LoRs.
After university I spent one year dealing with illness and looking for work, one year living abroad working as a language assistant in a French high school, and am currently an English instructor in a French university (teaching Bachelor's and Master's level students). I plan to apply in the fall of 2012 to several creative writing MFA programs. My problem is obviously that I have no academic LoR sources, and because I will work until the end of June, it may be difficult for me to enroll in any summer programs that might produce a good relationship between myself and an instructor over the summer (and thus a LoR for the fall).
After reading through the archives about LoRs, I've come up with some helpful information but am still left with questions. So far I've read:
- Contact my old professors in hope that they remember me: prepare a portfolio of my accomplishments to jog their memories. (Three years might be a bit much.)
- Take a course or engage in an independent study with one of my old professors. (I would be interested in an independent study, but will still be abroad until the end of June.)
- Letters of rec are not as important in MFA applications anyhow (though I want my application to be as strong as it can be).
Can anyone offer advice? Have you taken any of these paths, and did it work out? Any input is much appreciated.
Cheers!