Applying later => Getting LORs before I leave: What's the protocol?

[yusername]

My situation, phrased poorly:  Hi Prof, for financial reasons, I've decided to work for a bit first, but still intend to apply to grad school.  Would you be able to write me a LOR now, because I'm afraid you might forget every trace of my existence by the time I actually apply?

General advice here seems to favor asking for LORs before I leave, and I

Comments

[mbwahl]

Here's what I would do:

Tell the prof you're about to start applying for jobs. Would he be okay with you listing him as a reference? ("Why certainly!") And you're going to be sending out those resumes in the next couple of weeks - could he have a letter ready in case someone requests the references? ("Anything for my star pupil!") Alternatively, you've discovered a grant/scholarship/prize/fellowship that you conveniently don't have a fireman's chance in hell of winning - I recommend the Watson. Would he please recommend you? ("Of course yusername, you *deserve* that money!")

Now he has written the letter. You can't store the letter yourself, so just politely ask the prof if he would hold onto it as you plan on applying to grad school soon.

[dragondaisy10]

this response made me smile =)

[yusername]

Thanks! I like your second idea a lot.

Think I'll have some problems implementing the first: I've the impression that job references are listed so that employers can call/email them directly to ask questions, and these references wouldn't need to have letters on hand. (Hence asking for a LOR for a job might be weird.) Also, it would be difficult to find out if they actually did write it.

Applying for a long-shot academic something could work out though. My first thought was perhaps to send in an app to 1 or 2 schools with the cheapest fees so the profs could write them (and force/punish myself to write an SOP in the process -- guess if I make them do work, I've got to do something as well...) Though now that you mention grants/fellowships, I do remember that workshop I considered applying for last summer...

[mbwahl]

Oh yeah, come to think of it, you don't need LORs to apply for jobs. *blush* Since I've already tipped my hand: the only jobs I've had outside of academia were at fast food joints. Well, good thing you caught it, and not him/her/it/them!

[wcolsher]

Check with your school's career services office - many have credentials services and will keep a file of LORs (graduate and professional) for you. I believe there are also some commercial credentials services as well.

[crazypumpkin]

I graduated in 2001 and didn't ask for a LOR until 2005 for my first attempt at getting into grad school. One of my old professors happened to still have an evaluation of my work in his class and he based his letter on that evaluation. Two years later, and I've asked him for another one.
So what I'm trying to say is that professors can and do write letters years after you've had them. I would suggest talking to the professors you are interested in getting letters from and explaining your intentions. They may be willing to keep a file on you so that when you come back at a later date, they have something to refresh their memory with.
Best of luck!

[yusername]

Hmm... I'm actually trying to avoid this situation as much as possible cos I'm not terribly good at keeping contact with people I don't see on a regular basis. I do intend to try to send some friendly updates so that when I actually apply, I won't just be a statistic, but I just want to be on the safe side and do as much as possible to "lock in" their memories at the moment.

It is a relief to know that many profs are agreeable to writing good letters even after a long period of time. I'll go talk to a couple of them about my plans see how they respond...

[crazypumpkin]

I didn't keep in contact with the professor who wrote my letter either. I even work back at my alma mater now and he doesn't recognize me in the hallway when I pass him, even though I've introduced myself a few times :)

[yusername]

Great -- it's nice to know that Prof's don't mind doing this. I could ask for their opinions on references files as part of getting general advice about grad school... and see how it goes from there.

May I ask if you used the reference service in the end? (i.e. Your adviser and profs sent an initial letter in 1998) Or did your Profs agree to write you the letters in advance, and then actually get down to doing it when you applied in 2002? (based on the package you gave them)

[comodulate]

what about asking for the lor without indicating that you won't be attending school for a year? Then you can apply, and once you get in defer admission.