Should I get Letters of Recommendation now?

[whit92]

I know that I definitely want to go to grad school in the English literature/Creative writing fields, but I may not want to go as soon as I get my bachelor's degree. Should I still get the recommendations while I'm in school, save them, and then use them when I apply to programs? Will grad schools frown on older letters of recommendation? And when I say older, I mean that I might not apply for three to five years after my graduation because of military service.

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

I would not do that. 5 years is a LONG time and things change. On top of that you'd have to have waived access for years and years- you wouldn't keep the letters yourself would you?

I haven't got a good solution.

[NoSleepTilBreuckelen]

I think you could talk to the faculty you plan to ask down the road about it now and tell them that after your service you plan to apply to grad school. It'll be like giving them a heads-up for when you formally ask them for the letters when you apply. They may also have some great advice about programs for you to consider or funding opportunities.

[complexbongo]

My suggestion would be to not get the letters now. The reason being that you may accomplish extraordinary feats or receive awards or perform above your letter writers current viewpoint of you, and you want to have them write in credible detail about all of those achievements.

 

As an academic, you should always aim to improve and getting your letters now suggests that you are already at your peak. I'm sure that's not the case, so push forward and ask for them when you decide for sure that you want to pursue a graduate degree.