Letters of recommendation in advance

[adam007]

Dear Stacy,

Is it feasible at all to gat some letters of recommendation now and use them in an application in 1yr or 2yrs time (I plan to apply in fall 2008 or in spring 2009).

The reason for this is that I'm working now with couple of executives who could support my application (by writing recommendations). If I wait a year or so, they might not be in the position any more, they might leave the company and - more importantly - my relationship with them won't be as strong as it is now. So I was hoping that I can ask them for letters now, and use them when I decide to apply.

Does it make any sense?

[Stacy Blackman]

Your question makes sense, but it may not be the best strategy. Most schools have very specific sets of questions that may change year to year. Recommenders need to submit their write-ups online. You may want to ask them for general references, and this will help them for when they have to write the actual rec, but you will not be able to just submit what they have written. Also, in 2 years, they might not be as relevant, as schools will want a more current insight into your performance.