ntn1985

Sorry for the long question, but it is somewhat of a complex situation. While many people on this forum write in saying they asked their professors too late, I appear to be asking too early. I graduated in 2011, but am not planning on applying to graduate school until 2014 or 2015, and perhaps a few years after that even. However, my letters of recommendation will likely be the strongest part of my application. I say this because two out of three of the people I asked offered before I even asked, many had close enough relationships that they requested, on numerous occasions that I refer to them on a first-name basis, and the one who didn’t said I was the most capable student he ever encountered. I asked them before I graduated, but, so far, none of them have finished their letters (one said he did, my class participation was especially strong and I feel that, to receive the optimum letter, I should have them write it while that is still fresh in their minds. If I wait until I apply, it will be about four years after I graduated. However, when I tried to procure letters, one of the professors, for example, who offered to write one told me that there would be no point in writing it until I was ready to apply, and he also said that if he wrote one this early, it would not have as much credibility. I told him that I understood, but I just wanted to make sure he wrote it while he still remembered me. He said he definitely wouldn’t forget about me, but if it would help he would write a preliminary letter and put it on file for me (via interfolio). Sorry for the long question, but it is somewhat of a complex situation. While many people on this forum write in saying they asked their professors too late, I appear to be asking too early. I graduated in 2011, but am not planning on applying to graduate school until 2014 or 2015, and perhaps a few years after that even. However, my letters of recommendation will likely be the strongest part of my application. I say this because two out of three of the people I asked offered before I even asked, many had close enough relationships that they requested, on numerous occasions that I refer to them on a first-name basis, and the one who didn’t said I was the most capable student he ever encountered. I asked them before I graduated, but, so far, none of them have finished their letters (one said he did, my class participation was especially strong and I feel that, to receive the optimum letter, I should have them write it while that is still fresh in their minds. If I wait until I apply, it will be about four years after I graduated. One of the professors, for example, who offered to write one told me that there would be no point in writing it until I was ready to apply, and he also said that if he wrote one this early, it would not have as much credibility. I told him that I understood, but I just wanted to make sure he wrote it while he still remembered me. He said he definitely wouldn’t forget about me, but if it would help he would write a preliminary letter and put it on file for me (via interfolio). However, he still has not done so and I do not know how to proceed. If it helps you answer, I am planning to apply to top 10 programs. Thank you to those of you who take the time to give a thoughtful reply.