Asking for letters of recommendation before grades come out Forum

[studebaker07]

I am coming down to the wire as far as how much time I have before my transfer application is complete (about 1.5 months).

I already asked one professor to write a letter of recommendation but she declined (ouch).

Anyways, my only other option is to ask professors I have had this semester but who have not yet posted grades and are probably still grading exams. Furthermore, it might be quite some time until grades are posted, and waiting until they are posted would likely put me past the deadline for the application.

Has anybody on here asked their professor for LOR's before grades have been posted?

**Also, the school I want to apply for transfer into does not require that an applicant provide any letters of recommendation; the letters are optional and the school accepts up to 3. I don't know how advisable it is, but it is possible for me to apply without obtaining any letters of recommendation.

[junelsatonmonday]

i asked two professors i had this semester (grades wont be out for a while) and they both said yes. i had planned to ask them all along so was pretty diligent about going to their office hours regularly, talking in class, etc. so they knew who i was. it's worth a try - the worst thing that can happen is they say to wait for grades. you have nothing to lose

[starstruck393]

Have you considered applying without them, and then sending them after grades come out?

[yabbadabbado]

Don't you have first semester grades by now? Ask the profs you had first semester. You can always send letters after grades come out also. Transfer decisions are based on grades/class rank, not rec letters, so don't get too fixated on rec letters.

[studebaker07]

Don't you have first semester grades by now? Ask the profs you had first semester. You can always send letters after grades come out also. Transfer decisions are based on grades/class rank, not rec letters, so don't get too fixated on rec letters.

I asked my one professor from last semester that I did not have this past semester and that is the professor that declined to write one (even though I did well in her class and she knew me well outside of class).

The only other option is my crim law professor from last semester but her and I did not get along well and she gave me my lowest grade.

I think I will just contact my professors from this semester and ask if they would be interested in writing a recommendation for me. If not, I can manage without letters I believe since the school I want to transfer to doesn't require them. I can do well with my class rank I believe.

[KMaine]

Not to be mean (o.k. maybe kind of to be mean), but why do your Profs hate you so much? I think my problem would be that my professors did not know me well enough, but one of your first semester Profs refused to write you a rec. and the other you "didn't get along with?" Anyway, maybe you are wise to send it in without letters of recommendation if your application is otherwise strong. They will probably just figure you don't want to burn any bridges at your current school before you actually transfer.

[studebaker07]

Not to be mean (o.k. maybe kind of to be mean), but why do your Profs hate you so much? I think my problem would be that my professors did not know me well enough, but one of your first semester Profs refused to write you a rec. and the other you "didn't get along with?" Anyway, maybe you are wise to send it in without letters of recommendation if your application is otherwise strong. They will probably just figure you don't want to burn any bridges at your current school before you actually transfer.

I see what you are saying. I actually got a long great with the professors who declined to write me a letter of recommendation. I think her problem was more a conflict of interest and, perhaps, a personal animus to sending students to a school that ours is, supposedly, in competition with. And the other professor that I didn't get along with, I think I can safely say that no one got along with her (she often told us that we were "failures" as law students).

Nevertheless, I will just go forward with the application process and let my numbers, resume, and personal statement speak for themselves.

Nevertheless,

[iheartlaw]

i'm in a similar position as you. it's hard to tell what you should do. I know I can get a letter from my first semester prof, but getting the 2nd or 3rd one will be a bit more difficult considering my grades don't come out for another month still. someone earlier suggested waiting till grades are posted and then asking... but does that put you in a masssive time crunch with regards to going complete?

[starstruck393]

i'm in a similar position as you. it's hard to tell what you should do. I know I can get a letter from my first semester prof, but getting the 2nd or 3rd one will be a bit more difficult considering my grades don't come out for another month still. someone earlier suggested waiting till grades are posted and then asking... but does that put you in a masssive time crunch with regards to going complete?

Apply with 1, send the others later?