Asking Recommenders to Write a Letter for the 2nd time

[Zouzax]

As I'm feeling increasingly negative at this point, and am already thinking ahead to the fall 2012 application cycle, I have a question: is it too much to ask a professor to second your recommendation again the second time you apply?

My department is really small- there are only 6 professors. This year, I asked the 3 professors that I'm closest to to write the LORs. They seemed a little surprised at how many schools I applied to (6). It's not that normal to apply to that many over here. I am thinking to email them within the next few weeks and ask them to save the letters they wrote for me, if possible, as I *might* need to send them all over again next year.

Has anyone had experience doing this? Were you met with a favorable response?

[Kathiza]

I asked my professors several times for LoR (for different things). They didn't mind. If it's a small department, you don't have much of a choice.

[Langoustine]

I'd say go ahead and ask. Kathiza is right, if you need them and those profs are the ones you thought best represented you this time you shouldn't have to switch to 'alternates' for the next cycle. I am getting a little antsy too but it is still early...I wouldn't seriously start thinking about that stuff until after this month.

I haven't had to do this with grad apps but I've def done it with job/internship apps. I checked with them before opening the floodgates and they always reply in the positive!

[newms]

I was in this situation last year, as by this time last year - while I hadn't heard anything yet, I had a sinking feeling that I wouldn't be successful. Telling my LoR writers was pretty hard for me because I know they expected that I would have been successful. I thought about doing exactly what you suggested, but I didn't tell my LoR writers that I wasn't successful until a couple of months after I got my last rejection. Two of them were very supportive and I think they re-wrote my letter, rather than using the same one again. The third didn't reply to my email, and he had been late in submitting a couple letters the year before, so I found another prof who gladly wrote letters for me this year.

I know I'm very fortunate to have profs who even after 8 years out of undergrad still believe in me enough to submit 10 letters on my behalf after submitting 4 last year, but I think you'll get a similar response if you let them know as soon as possible and communicate with them about your results. Perhaps you can let them know that you're intent on pursuing grad studies and that if you're not successful this year, then you plan on reapplying next year and ask if they'd be willing to support you again for next year. You could suggest that they save the letters they wrote for you, but I'm thinking that they might want to rewrite them.

I hope you don't have to go this route though and I hope that you get in this year.

Edited February 3, 2011 by newms

[Bukharan]

I think this is standard practice to ask referees again and again. Many people use the same referees applying for Master's and then for a Ph.D. So there shouldn't be any difference if you are re-applying. I hope your referees are easy-going.

[Zouzax]

Thanks all. I know I'm being a bit negative so early in the season, but I do want to notify professors asap before they erase the letters from their computers.

I'm a bit shy when it comes to asking people to do things for me; it took a lot of self-encouragement for me to even email the professors in the first place to ask for the LORs. I just want to get it out of the way soon, so that they're not surprised if I ask them to do it all over again next year.

My professors are actually pretty cool, the only thing is that they don't seem to really understand the American Ph.d application system. As I said before, they were quite surprised when I said I was applying to 6 schools. They're also surprised that it's taking so long for me to receive a response. I *hope* this year will be a successful one, so thanks for the positivity @newms

I'll leave the decision to rewrite up to them .. but if I know my professors, they would probably just send in the same one

[Vacuum]

Just let them know the results of this years applications whether it be positive or negative. If negative, just add on a 'would you be willing to provide a letter next year, as I plan on re-applying'. If positive, say 'thanks for writing my letter' haha!

[dubi]

I anticipated this very problem when one of the other interns mention the Doctor we research for was late submitting all of her letters. I gave all my LoRs a fake deadline, but one professor was still late. One professor stated she wants to be reminded prior to the deadline. It's sucks being placed in that awkward position, but I doubt anyone would be offended if you asked them to resubmit.