LOR after several year break from academia

[placeinspace]

Hi all,

From the beginning of deciding to pursue a PhD, my LORs have been the biggest source of anxiety for me, as I have been out of my MA for 4 years now. I am terrible at networking and didn't really stay in touch with professors, though I am confident my MA advisor will at least remember me. I've been told by some people helping me with my apps that it's silly to be worried, and that it's common for profs to write LOR even for those who have been out of their classes for a bit.

I guess I'm hoping for some anecdotes from any of you who also took a break and were successful in getting great LORs from past professors. Is it really as common as I've been told?

Thank you!

Edited August 17, 2018 by kgras13

[VickyG]

I'm also worried that the professor I'm asking would feel awkward since I have left academia for 10 years now. Advice needed. Thank you all.

[Joe VL]

I´m in a similar scenario. 

Perhaps here, in this forum, there are so many high caliber researchers/students/academics who worry about silly things that could perhaps impact their application to top notch schools that people like us, ordinary folk with a common problem (LOR after years out of academia), get neglected.