5 years out of undergrad, how do I get LORs?

[purple pen]

Hi,

I graduated 5 years ago from a large school. I tried asking professors for recommendations and all I got was "I don't remember you, I have way too many students to keep track of." I tried going through the Career Center, but they only hold letters for students written by professors. I was going to ask my employers, but I'm on a new job, and my old job has nothing to do with the field I'm going into. I'm running out of time and more then stressed.

Any advice? I'm applying for joint degree program and need 3 for each.

[coffeeandtoast]

I have also been 5 years out of undergrad, but I was able to contact one of my professors and he remembered me right away. Our department was small though.

The fact that the professors said that to you, in my opinion, is awful. I mean, they could even ask you for an updated CV, maybe copies of your assignments in their classes, and try to refresh their memory. Are you applying to an MBA program? A friend of mine just applied and got accepted into the WashU MBA program and she just had (3) professional letters of recommendation. She had been out of school for over 8 years. She had also just changed jobs, so she asked her former boss for one and then two in her new job.

Sorry this is not that helpful. I'm really sorry that your professors replied that way.

Good luck!

[tarski]

Agreeing with the above post- usually profs are accommodating if you print out all your old assignments and bring them in, or something along those lines. If that doesn't work at all, you could register to take some classes part time, but it sounds like you're applying this season?

[modernity]

Hi,

I graduated 5 years ago from a large school. I tried asking professors for recommendations and all I got was "I don't remember you, I have way too many students to keep track of." I tried going through the Career Center, but they only hold letters for students written by professors. I was going to ask my employers, but I'm on a new job, and my old job has nothing to do with the field I'm going into. I'm running out of time and more then stressed.

Any advice? I'm applying for joint degree program and need 3 for each.

How many professors did you try ? Did you introduce yourself, what classes you took with them, and offer any other information they might need to help jog their memory? I would keep trying for professors- you'd be surprised some profs who you only took a class or two with might remember you if you keep looking.

If there is anyone you are particularly close with at your new job, I would try there too. You might try your old job too - if you're that desperate for a rec, one is better than none, and they might be able to speak to some of your abilities.

Finally, if you can't find enough - I suggest going back and taking some classes/auditing, whatever you need to do to get in touch with some professors in the field you want to go into in grad school. This way you can build fresh relationships, and you can attend office hours, and keep in contact with them so they won't forget you. I know this won't help for the current admission cycle, but if you're that tight and your letters are going to be iffy it might be in your best interest to wait til next year - some programs/departments put a lot of weight on your LORs and three iffy ones could make it very difficult for you to get in.

[peppermint.beatnik]

Finally, if you can't find enough - I suggest going back and taking some classes/auditing, whatever you need to do to get in touch with some professors in the field you want to go into in grad school. This way you can build fresh relationships, and you can attend office hours, and keep in contact with them so they won't forget you. I know this won't help for the current admission cycle, but if you're that tight and your letters are going to be iffy it might be in your best interest to wait til next year - some programs/departments put a lot of weight on your LORs and three iffy ones could make it very difficult for you to get in.

I would recommend the above. Probably the best way to get a good letter at this point.

I don't think what the profs you contacted said was mean, they just could have phrased it better. If they can't write convincingly about you as a student, it's best they didn't offer to write a letter on your behalf--would be lukewarm, at best.

[hogmommy]

I have been out for more than six years and dealt with the same issues. Luckily, I was very close with one professor and maintained a relationship via email over the years, so she didn't hesitate at all. Another professor, who somehow taught both my cultural anth and bio anth courses and was the reason I majored in anthropology, replied that I should take a few courses as a non-matriculated grad student to build new relationships, but that she wouldn't write the rec. She said it was tough for me because I was a stay at home instead of working and indicated the student she chose last year had a LOR from an employer (she's at Stanford, by the way, if that helps anyone.) I took a class in the fall, did well, and that professor was more than willing to write for me.

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

That's awful.

I've been out of UG for over 8 years, and all my profs remembered me. I sent them all the papers I wrote in their classes, and got 3 LORs within 10 days. I did make sure to write long emails, reminding them when I took their classes, the grades I got, and the actual work I did. I was lucky, and they remembered me well.

I'd say write the profs you were closest to, that you did something significant with - I took 2 classes with one of my profs, one an independent honors study, a thesis writing honors seminar with another, and two intense classes with the third. Make sure you emphasize your achievements in their classes. Impress them by remembering things you studied with them. Send them every single scrap of work you did in their class.

If all else fails, take the advice written above, and enroll in some classes, do brilliantly, and get your new profs to write LORs. (you can use the same 3 for both programs, as far as I know...)

[UnlikelyGrad]

I concur with those who are telling you to take a couple of classes. It worked very well for me (out of UG 15 yrs before application season).

[Katzenmusik]

I am also 5 years out of undergrad. Fortunately I went to a small school, and two professors remembered me well. I also got LORs from a former employer AND one (as others have suggested) from taking college-level courses after work.

Ideally you would get at least one undergrad prof LOR, and many programs strongly discourage you from submitting professional LORs as opposed to academic... but in a pinch, an employer LOR and two non-degree college course profs would likely suffice.

[sajjad]

If you convince the professors that you really need their Rec. letters they will help you. Honestly, I had the same experience when I met one of my professors in B.Sc. program. He didn't even recognize me. But when I talk to him explaining the situation I was in he accepted to help me. I wrote the letter by myself and he just checked it!

[Think_Positive]

Hm... I'm going to disagree with a few people on this forum.

I think that if they don't readily remember you, they're not going to write a memorable letter of reccomendation either. I would be very concerned that it would be very generic and not playing to any of your specific strengths and characteristics.

I would probably go to your former employers. Since you're going in for Law and/or an MBA, those are skills that are applicable across a much broader range of professional skills, and not something you'd have to limit to academic references. Tell your employers abt the program you're applying to, and maybe even copy the mission statement of each school so they know what parts of their experience with you they should highlight for that type of program.

But I definitely think that a LOR from an unrelated source that really highlights you as an individual, will be better than just name dropping a relevant professor who writes a very generic letter.