| Topic Name: |
Law School Letters of Recommendation - Beware |
| Message Name: |
That sucks! |
| Date Posted: |
06/01/2001 |
| In Reply To: |
Todays article on the front page of "vault.com" on job references made me remember my little problem with a law school letter of recommendation.
It has been a while since I applied to law school, so I don't remember the exact protocol for submission of these letters.
I had 3 college professors submit letters on my behalf. I not sure if it was by choice, or a requirement, that they be submitted in sealed envelopes with the referrers signature on the seal.
The profs I chose were those who I knew liked me, remembered me, and who gave me and A in their class. Two of the profs let me read their glowing recommendations. One of them did not. The prof that didn't, always complimented me on the work I was doing in his class. He gave me in A, one of the few he awarded, which was based on written assignments. I had saved my writing assignments and mailed them to the prof, at his request, to refresh his memory on my work.
A few weeks later I received the letters in sealed and signed envelopes. I called the prof asking him if he could send me a copy of what he wrote. He denied my request saying he never lets students read his letters.
In all, I applied to about seven law schools. The first five, my top choices, all rejected me. I held out on sending two applications until I heard from my top choices.
My LSAT score was 34, on the old grading scale that was being used, not the best, but good enough. I knew people who were being accepted to some of same schools that I applied to with the same or lesser score than I had. They also had a lower GPA in a less rigorous major than I.
At this point I thought something was very wrong. I didn't know why this was happening. With the two sealed letters I had left from the prof who wouldn't let me read his, I opened one and I was aghast to read a scathing letter of non-recommendation. There was no reason for him to have sabotoged me like this, and I didn't have the guts to confront him on it. I was worried he would have called the other schools personally, those that I didn't apply to yet, if I had told him off or questioned him.
I applied to the other 2 schools without the letter of non-recommendation. Both were of the same quality as some of the others I applied to, but chose as last choices because of where the schools were located.
I applied to both and was accepted to both.
My advice to those applying to law school: If a person won't let you read their recommendation letter, and they mail them sealed directly to you, add one more school you have no intention of applying to and open it. Don't trust a person who won't let you read the letter, which is common practice among many profs. If they don't let you read it, and they plan on mailing them directly to the school, don't use them as a recommendation. |
| Message: |
Did he give particular reasons as to why he wouldn't recommend you for LS? I am curious.
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