A2Z 17: Letters of Recommendation and Singular "they"

Questions, comments, or requests for an episode? Comment below or email Dean Z at [e-mail].
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📄 Episode transcript 📄
docs.google.com/document/d/1K...
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⚡️Helpful links⚡️
Michigan Law Admissions: experience.law.umich.edu/
A2Z Blog: experience.law.umich.edu/a2z/
Follow Michigan Law on Instagram: / umichlaw
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Follow on Facebook: / umichlaw
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🕔 Time Chapters 🕔
00:30 First task - how many letters should you get?
01:09 What kind of info does the law school want to hear about you?
02:00 Are there holes in your application the LoR can fill?
02:48 Famous people don't move the needle
04:40 Academic LoRs
06:28 LoRs from an employer
07:32 Coaches, volunteer supervisors, alumni
08:40 Getting a "mix"
09:19 Who not to ask for a LoR
10:40 How to ask for a LoR
11:55 Give them a chance to say no
12:34 Recommenders asking you to write a draft
13:15 Grammar - the singular "they"

[@elizabetht308]

I can't believe people ask their parents to write their LOR! That sounds very entertaining to read lol

[@jonathanzearfoss5770]

Wow, this was a good one. Helpful to letter writers as well. Never applying to law school!

[@angelicagraceleeba4845]

Thank you for answering my question, Dean Z! This was super helpful!

[@isaacaldape2512]

I find your videos immensely helpful for my University of Michigan application coming up soon, thank you so much

[@Lucauer]

These videos are super helpful! Thank you so much!

[@hyojinlee]

This is great, thank you so much for this video :) !

[@hsy271]

Thank you for answering my question and for your insights as always, Dean Z! LoR is the only part I still need before submitting my application, and this video couldn't have come out at a better time. I'll make sure to approach my recommenders with your advice in mind.

[@JacobGust]

Thanks for the videos! I think an overview of the different uses for colons and semicolons would be a great grammar topic for the future.

[@GillianSeed]

I think the politician thing might have helped in the past. When I was applying for grad school my great aunt (born in the early 30's) was convinced that her father who was a long time assemblyman would have been a huge help to me for getting in if he was still alive.

[@elizabetht308]

I love singular they!! I'm singular they's number 1 fan!

[@b4u334]

My Mom and Dad know me best. Lol.

[@martinmbendera9405]

Is it oky for LOR to address "to whom it may concern"?

[@francoc7698]

Dear Dean Z, Thank you very much for your video! I have requested two rec letters from my professors. However, I emailed them my original personal statement when I requested the letters but changed my PS topics and "why I want to go to law school" later. I was wondering if it is necessary to ask my recommenders to update the letters since they may have included materials from my original PS. Thanks!

[@goldsunsilvermoon]

hi Dean Z! thanks for the video. I already submitted my application to Michigan Law but have not submitted a professional lor (I’ve been out of uni for 3 years), but after watching several of your videos, I think I should. How should I submit an additional lor to the law school? Do I get my recommender to email the admissions office, do we both email the office, or.....? thxx

[@umichlaw]

Good Q! The best way is to submit via LSAC, but also fine to have letter writer email our office.

[@goldsunsilvermoon]

@@umichlaw thank you!

[@mariasouza5922]

Dean Z, could you please help me? What about asking former college colleagues that are on their way to become academics themselves, for example already Master/Doctoral candidates? Are those perceived as friends and so inappropriate for writing a recommendation.? I assume they would be great for statements about social skills, team work, leadership, etc.

[@umichlaw]

These would not be great choices for a letter; you want to have someone who has been in a position to supervise you and your work, and who can compare you to other people. “College colleagues” does sound a lot like friends, and friends don’t have the objective distance that you’d want in a letter writer.

[@JGindi28]

When I submitted my letters of rec, I was prompted to affirm that I never read the letters. Wouldn't that preclude me from writing a draft for my recommender?

[@praxis4375]

Not necessarily. The recommender almost always makes some tweaks to the draft you sent them, so _technically_ you never read the letter they submitted to LSAC.

[@JGindi28]

I mean, even if that’s technically true (I’m sure it isn’t always), I’m not sure minor edits are sufficient to say you haven’t read it. If you read the first version of a book that’s later edited, would you ever say you didn’t read the book?

[@praxis4375]

This is actually a great example of the linguistic nitpicking that lawyers do. You can easily argue that you never read the specific letter uploaded by your recommender. The same thing could apply to a book. I might have read the rough draft, but the published version will be something new to me.

[@jonathanzearfoss5770]

Also nice explanation re pronouns!