No academic LORs? Forum

[gummybear]

Please do not quote.

173
3.8x
7 years out of UG with solid work experience
Applying to most T13

I have two LORs on hand:
boss of 6+ years
lawyer in my current field who has been a mentor

Despite a good UG record, I've had a difficult time securing academic LORs. A few former profs never responded even after polite follow ups. One declined for personal reasons. A few others left the school and I cannot locate them. One prof did agree to write for me, but our correspondence has gone cold (on their end) and I'm losing hope that the letter will come any time soon.

Should I submit my apps now with the two letters I do have, so that I can go complete and get queued up for review, then send the academic letter if/when it arrives? Are there any schools where this will hurt me?

[Platopus]

.

[wmbuff]

I'm not so sure. Some schools are pretty insistent about getting an academic LOR. Even at 11 years since graduation, I was able to find one, though I started asking before I took the LSAT.

[icechicken]

It sounds like you've done all you can on this front, and I agree with Platopus that you'll probably be fine with the recommendations you have because you've been out of college this long.

No, or even just one, academic LORs definitely hurts you at Yale, but you're a marginal applicant for YLS at 3.8/173 anyway. You're probably better off trying to scrounge up two academic recommendations for that school specifically, even if it takes till February.

At every other T13 school your numbers are going to dominate the conversation, and your numbers are solid. You might get a few head-scratcher rejections but you should have great options when all the dust settles.

[Yulifus]

Most schools ask for academic LORs if you are a recent graduate. If you've been out of undergrad for 3+ years. It shouldn't matter. You can also attach an addendum explaining that your undergrad degree is old and you were unable to get a hold of your former professors for recommendation letters.