Letters of Rec if not planning on going for 1.5 years?

[LadyMactans]

I'm in my last semester as an undergrad and I'm looking at graduate schools now, but I don't plan on actually going for about a year and a half/ two years after I graduate. I will probably start applying after 1 year, but still not right away. I'd like to know when I should start asking for letters of recommendation. I won't want them sent in to schools until I'm ready to send in applications, but I won't be in school at that point so I'll need the teachers I want recommendations from to be ready. Should I have my teachers write them now and give them to me sealed so I can send them later or what?

[kfed2020]

Absolutely. Get them with you're still fresh in your professors' minds! Or at least make them aware that you'll be applying in the future and plan on asking them for recommendations at a later date. I imagine prof's are pretty used to this.

[fuzzylogician]

Definitely ask now, while your writers still have a fresh memory of you. If possible, have them write the letter now and save it on file so they can easily access and modify it later on when you apply. There's no point in having them give you the letters in sealed envelopes before you begin the application process, because most schools will want the letters electronically uploaded to their application website and others will likely have a specialized form for the profs to fill out.