Is there a problem with a rec letter being a few years old?

[redrosesfi]

Suppose I took a course the very beginning of my post bac year and asked for a rec letter right after the course was completed and just saved it on interfolio for when I would apply in a few years. The school does not have a premed committee. Are there any schools that require letters to be brand new?

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[SpoiledMilk]

It's recommended that LORs not be more than 2 years old. If older then you will need to have the letter updated.

 

[redrosesfi]

It's recommended that LORs not be more than 2 years old. If older then you will need to have the letter updated.

Why is this though? Schools generally don't address this in their FAQ or section about Letters of rec, unless specifically stated. Also, I have a Letter from a few years ago which was a previous employer who I am no longer with, but it is a glowing letter that I would like to use. As it is medically related.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

It's just is bro. @gonnif @Goro @gyngyn may be able to articulate why. Perhaps they will give you the ok to use those letters.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

1) "what have you done lately?" This is an old Broadway audition adage about not relying on great performances from years ago but what you are currently like
2) Most of the applicant pool will have nice freshly dated letters from this year and that is what the adcoms will see.
3) While many schools have loosened their types of letters, I would say it is an expectation by an adcom evaluator to see 2 science and 1 non science academic letter. Exception to this may be for nontrads when a letter from a work supervisor is expected. Additionally, PI letters are expected. Letters from other sources, such as volunteer coordinators or doctors you shadowed are at best secondary and at worst seem like fluff
4) At the same time in loosening letters, there has been a marked increase in schools becoming stricter in the number of letters. This is solely due to increase in application
numbers and workload throughout the admissions process at a school. Many schools are now simply marking a file a complete and moving to evaluation queue when the max letter requirement number is met. So if you assign 6 letters and the schools max is 4, the first 4 letters that show up, get in the file, and the other 2 are essentially unused.
5) whoever write that letter for you can be contacted and asked to update.
6) After all this, you can used the dated letter. How much lessened impact it has from being older and non-academic will vary across schools and individual adcom members

Going off this, let’s say you get a strong letter from your direct supervisor of a prestigious summer internship experience. Since the coordinator can only write about what you did during the summer is an updated letter still necessary? I have read on here that schools want letter writers to only write about what they have directly observed. This letter would be in addition to the standard 2 sci and 1 nonsci letters, and all letters will be part of a school letter packet.

Also if letters are collected earlier and submitted to a school letter packet service is the date still an important factor? Finally would you also agree that as long as a letter is written within 2 years no update is necessary, and for non trad applicants (2 gap years) are older letters say around 3 years permissible?

Sorry for all the questions!

 

[Chromium Surfer]

Dont worry I charge by the question. But your questions are asking the "technical" aspects of what is allowable and expect some definitive answers. So here is the definitive answere: there isnt one. My main point is that many applicants that adcoms evaluate will have "fresh" letters. So balance what the letters say about you, what their age is, and dont worry about being an annoyance to a writer by asking them for an update. Example of would a letter dated three years ago telling me how great you are or a letter dated now saying that the writer still remembers you well and is impressed 3 years later. And you better make sure you have one letter in the packet or submitted that tells me how you are recently because "what have you done lately" is still needed.

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happen to tell this joke and story yesterday
(scene: man seeing a lawyer for the first time)
Man: How much do you charge?
Lawyer: $500 dollars for 3 questions
Man: $500 dollars!! Isnt that alot?
Lawyer: Yes it is, you have 1 question left

Real story: when I was a teen, I worked in a small diner/cafe in a ritzy area. A waitress was serving a regular customer who was a lawyer and asked him a question or two. It was a busy lunch time so it couldnt have been more than a minute or two. He sent her a bill for a few hundred dollars

Haha fair enough, thanks for the feedback it’s always appreciated!