How to Get Glowing Law School Recommendation Letters

In a previous article, I discussed the importance of writing an eye opening law school personal statement. In this second "Get into Law School" installment, I will outline how to get glowing law school recommendation letters. Competition at the nation's top law schools is intense, and another way to separate yourself from the crowd is by securing recommendation letters that are unique from the average "template" recommendation letters that many professors write and every law school admissions officer reads.

Most law schools require at least two recommendation letters, and many law schools now accept up to four recommendation letters if the applicant desires. There are keys as to who should write the letters and what they should write about in order to make the recommendation section of your application a powerful one.

Get Personal

If you are thinking about applying to law school, it is time to make some connections if you haven't already done so. If you are still in your undergraduate studies, volunteer to research for a professor or help out in any way you can. If you are in the workforce, seek to develop a deeper relationship with a manager or supervisor at work who can later vouch for your abilities. Law schools are most interested in your academic aptitude, so ensure that at least one of your recommenders is a professor or other person qualified to make a judgment as to your academic abilities.

If you don't know them well, they probably won't write a "glowing" recommendation

When you ask someone to write a recommendation letter for you, they will usually agree to it. Many individuals who may get asked to write these types of letters a lot probably have some sort of "cookie-cutter" recommendation letter on their computer. They will change the name, add a couple nice thoughts to personalize it a bit, and send it on its way to your prospective law school. Law school admissions deans can snuff these out in a heartbeat, and your recommendations won't add any real strength to your overall application.

These "cookie-cutter" recommendations won't necessarily hurt you, but they won't really help you either. Ask someone you know well to write the letter. It doesn't matter so much if the person is a Senator, president, dean or otherwise, they should simply know you well and have had experience working with you or observing you closely. It is better to have a young professor who knows you very well and can write specifically about your future performance write a recommendation for you rather a seasoned professor who may have more national clout if the seasoned professor doesn't really know you well. Go as high up the prestige chain you can, but only go as high as people you know well.

Tell them what to write

Most recommenders want you to tell them what to write. It is a good idea to ask yourself, "In an ideal situation, what would I want this person to say about me?" Tell them. Let them know what you would like them to write about. Be specific. They won't mind as long as you aren't telling them to write things that aren't true. They will welcome the suggestions and appreciate any reminders. You can remind a professor of a specific project that you scored an A on, or a research assignment that you finished with great accuracy. If you leave it all up to them, they may leave a few things out that a law school admissions officer would have wanted to know in making a decision on your application.

Have them write specifically

The recommendation writer should write about specific experiences with you. It is definitely appropriate for the recommender to sell your strengths and abilities, but if the entire letter is nothing more than high-praise with no background, your letter will be weaker than it could have been. It is best if your recommender can back up your attributes with examples. It is one thing to say that an applicant has a "strong work ethic." It is much better if the recommender says, "She has an outstanding work ethic. To illustrate, her work on a project went above and beyond expectations." When your recommenders give specific examples, your recommendation letters will stand out from the crowd.

Give them plenty of time

Recommenders are often bombarded two weeks before the law school admissions deadlines with requests for recommendation letters. You don't want to be in that category. You will get a generic letter that won't carry much weight. These hurried letters are easily recognizable. Professors, business people, and the like are very busy. Give them as much time as possible. Say, "I wanted to give you as much time as possible because I know that you are very busy." Ask them if they are comfortable writing a letter for you, tell them your expectations for the letter, and make certain they feel they will have enough time to complete a well thought out and personal letter.

Many law school applicants approach most sections of their law school application with vigor and then gloss over the recommendations without much thought. Don't let this happen to you. At top schools, a personal letter can put you above the average applicant who gave little thought to his or her recommendation letters. It is your future and your chance to shine. Follow the tips above, and you are sure to score a glowing recommendation.