Emailing to request an LOR - a few questions

[thehauteculture]

I've read through these threads about emailing professors for LORs. I do not live impossibly far away from my undergrad university (an hour away), but I work M-F 9-5, so getting up to the school is challenging and costly (especially since I do not have a car). In addition, I am about to leave town to go visit schools for a week, so emailing seems like the most efficient means of communication over the next month--and some programs I'm looking at have applications due two months, so I want to contact my professors immediately. However, is it the best way to go about it?

Should I email a professor specifically asking for an LOR and then plan to meet them in person? Or should I try to schedule a meeting and ask them in person? Here is one of the emails I was going to send to a professor:

Dear [Professor],

Thank you so much for putting together [Publication] reception ceremony. It brought back memories of when my research class participated a few years ago! It was so exciting to be attending this second time as a newly-published author. And although I was disappointed I didn't get to see you there, major congratulations [receiving your recent award]!

Since graduation, I've been working full-time in [new city] at [a business], but I already miss the academic environment. With encouragement from [another professor whom this potential recommender knows], I'm beginning my graduate school applications. In particular, I'm looking at programs that concentrate in [this subject]. Because you have advised me on my research and subsequent publication in [Publication], I was wondering if you feel you could write me a strong letter of recommendation? If not, I completely understand. However, if you can, I would love to schedule a time to meet with you in person to discuss my applications in greater detail. Please let me know what time would be most convenient for you!

Sincerely,

Me

Finally, the question that's been bugging me most: what should I put in the subject line of the email???

[amlobo]

Well, I emailed my LOR writers, but I do live far away. I worried about contacting my undergrad professor because I have been out of school for six years, so it felt a little odd to be emailing him out of the blue to ask for a recommendation. In my email, I gave a quick update on my life, explained my reasons for applying, disclosed how many schools I was applying to, and asked if he could write me a letter. I attached a copy of my CV and offered to send my old papers from his class and my statement of purpose if he agreed to write the letter. My subject heading was "Inquiry from a Former Student."

My professor responded enthusiastically, and I actually liked being able to explain everything to him in one fell swoop instead of having a face-to-face conversation. I really don't think asking in person is necessary if you are no longer attending the university, and I personally wanted to secure a commitment as soon as possible so I could find another person if he couldn't do it. Letting the professors know early is good, as well, because then they can write the letter when it's convenient for them (which, obviously, may not be in late November when finals are approaching).

I say just lay it all out in one email, but that is simply what worked best for my situation. You can always ask in the email, then offer to meet up to discuss it further. Good luck!

[thehauteculture]

Thank you so much, amlobo! Very helpful response, esp. in regards to the subject heading.