Older letters of recommendation...

[KlondikeDelight]

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Hi everyone,

I'm applying in June 2016 for fall 2017 admission and I was just wondering how important the dates on my LORs are. I graduated in 2014.

Here are the date breakdowns of my letters which I can reuse because they're all a part of Interfolio:

-the majority of my letters are dated for 2014 including my school's pre health letter
-1 letter dated in 2013 after researching with a PI
-1 letter dated in 2012 from the head of a volunteering experience that I'm still a part of.

I believe that my letters were good as that was the feedback I received. I am just worried that them being "old" is going to hurt me.

I could get a new letter from a class I took randomly in 2015 but I doubt it would be as strong as the letters from my undergrad professors.

Tips?

 

[Dr.TonySoprano]

why don't you try to contact your professors and see if they can update the letter's date?

 

[OJ_Was_Framed]

Use Interfolio in the future

 

[Val14]

You definitely do not want to apply with out-of-date letters. Ask your former pre-med office for a revised letter. They'll probably ask you for updates as to what you have been doing since they first crafted the letter. They may require a meeting. Explain your situation and ask the other letter writers, PI, and volunteer contact for revised letters, be sure to send them your CV with the request.

 

[KlondikeDelight]

why don't you try to contact your professors and see if they can update the letter's date?

I'll try but some of the professors are retired so it may be difficult.

Use Interfolio in the future

I did! I still have the letters available.

You definitely do not want to apply with out-of-date letters. Ask your former pre-med office for a revised letter. They'll probably ask you for updates as to what you have been doing since they first crafted the letter. They may require a meeting. Explain your situation and ask the other letter writers, PI, and volunteer contact for revised letters, be sure to send them your CV with the request.

Unfortunately, I've contacted the premed office and they won't allow for updates on my letter or for anyone who has graduated already.

I'll try and reconnect with old contacts but I do think it will be difficult to reach some of them so I may have to just use the older dated letters. Is this a death sentence?

 

[Throwaway692015]

Some schools allow work references in place of professor letters if you have been out of school for a few years, don't know which ones or even how many off of the top of my head.

I'm in the same boat as you

 

[KlondikeDelight]

Bumping this for some more opinions! Hopefully some adcoms can chime in!