Is it too early?

[Predent20192023]

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I’m currently a freshman at a 4 year university and I really connected with my psych professor. I think I want her to be one of my letters of recommendation but i don’t know if it’s too early to ask for this. I’ve seen differing answers on whether you should get professor to write it immediately or wait until you’re ready to apply. The semester almost over and I don’t know what to do.

 

[DiscoverWeakly]

I’m currently a freshman at a 4 year university and I really connected with my psych professor. I think I want her to be one of my letters of recommendation but i don’t know if it’s too early to ask for this. I’ve seen differing answers on whether you should get professor to write it immediately or wait until you’re ready to apply. The semester almost over and I don’t know what to do.

I would say to keep a good relationship with the professor. Continue reaching out over the next two years and build on the base you have. You could ask for a letter now, but recall that the letter needs to be confidential. AADSAS won't let you, as a candidate, upload letters of recommendation. We were able to utilize interfolio this cycle, but that was only after many students complained, so I wouldn't count on that for two years from now. So basically, the professor would have to write it now, but then sit on it for a couple years until you apply.
tldr: nurture the relationship, wait until you're going to apply, have them upload at that point.

 

[deleted980501]

You can apply to internships and I'm sure you'll need LOR for those. If he writes a letter now for an internship, then referring/updating that is easier than writing a new one 3years later.
Also, don'think a LOR from a psych prof counts towards the required LOR from science professor if thats what you're hoping for. Might help with pre-health committee letter tho.

 

[sunnyleo92]

I think you should ask her to write LOR and you can store it on Interfolio. Interfolio | Faculty & Higher Education Technology

 

[doc toothache]

Between now and when you are going to be ready for an lor, you are likely to get a lot of freezer burn on your package. As noted above, a psych prof is not exactly what dental adcoms are looking for.