Letter of Rec from a Deceased Professor

[abraxas]

So I managed to get a letter of rec from a famous politician who taught a course at my university, which I kept with my universities letter of rec service. I'm probably going on to a one year MA at the University of Chicago (which doesn't give me enough time to get a letter from a prof there for a fall deadline), so I was planning to use his letter for PhD program references.

However, he recently passed away, and I feel very uncomfortable sending that letter out again. I'd feel uncomfortable if it was just a "normal" professor, but as a public figure his death is more widely known, which will probably raise some eyebrows with admissions committees. Should I use it in the future, or get another letter writer out of respect? I feel like I'm taking advantage of him somehow by using his letter.

[speed]

I think it's perfectly all right since he was alive when he wrote the letter

[neuropsychosocial]

So I managed to get a letter of rec from a famous politician who taught a course at my university, which I kept with my universities letter of rec service. I'm probably going on to a one year MA at the University of Chicago (which doesn't give me enough time to get a letter from a prof there for a fall deadline), so I was planning to use his letter for PhD program references.

Yes, I think this is fine. If it would make you feel more comfortable, you could attach an extra page to your application materials explaining the situation.

I think it's perfectly all right since he was alive when he wrote the letter

It would not be okay to submit a letter of recommendation that was written after the recommender died.

[pinot noir]

For some reason, I would be a little wary of this and at least contact the school to see if it's Ok...

[LJK]

Maybe use it as an 'extra' recommendation? Have 3 that are freshly written, then explain this one at the end of your application - there is usually a spot to add notes to explain something that is out of the ordinary in your app.

[kaykaykay]

As far as I know sometimes admission commitees call the recommender to personnaly ask them about a candidate (that is why you have to give a phone no.) . Of course this is impossible in this case. I would actually ask a trusted prof who has an experience with admission committees preferably in your area of interest to get all the ups and downs of this choice.

[SimilarlyDifferent]

The only problem that I can see with your situation is that there is little way for the adcoms to prove that he actually wrote the letter for you, and it isn't a forgery created after his death. Normally, they can and often will contact a LOR writer if they have questions or if they want to know more about you. The fact that they can do this if they so choose gives the letter a measure of validity that it otherwise lacks. That said - contact the department.

[abraxas]

The only problem that I can see with your situation is that there is little way for the adcoms to prove that he actually wrote the letter for you, and it isn't a forgery created after his death. Normally, they can and often will contact a LOR writer if they have questions or if they want to know more about you. The fact that they can do this if they so choose gives the letter a measure of validity that it otherwise lacks. That said - contact the department.

Well, since its through UCLA's official Letter of Reference service, I would hope that it would be valid and official enough for most schools, but I will email them and see what they say. Thanks for the advice!

[abraxas]

Well, basically the University's letter of rec service told me that grad schools trust that the letter is genuine since it comes from the official letter of rec service (or at least that they should trust UCLA's letter service). So that's that, then.