During admissions season, scores of would-be law students perch in front of their computers, trying to avoid the lure of Wii™ in order to finish their law school applications. Somewhere between writing a check for $70 to Duke Law School and resisting the siren call of Guitar Hero, these candidates will mentally run through a checklist:

Transcripts?
Check.

LSAT score?
Check.

Personal statement?
Check.

Letters of recommendation?
Umm…

You’d be amazed at how many students fail to plan their strategies for obtaining good letters of recommendation. One reason for this may be that students surmise because someone else is writing the letter, they have no control over its content. This kind of thinking couldn’t be more wrong. From planning long-term (platonic) relationships with your professors to wowing them in the meeting, there are things you can do to maximize your chances of a great letter. So, whether you’ve got two years or two months to submit your law school applications, the following tips will serve you well in your pursuit of the better letter.

Take multiple classes.
Taking several classes with professors can be a good way to demonstrate a sincere interest (or at least the illusion thereof) in professors and their fields. Just as the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, the path to professors’ esteem is helped by exhibiting curiosity in the discipline to which they have dedicated their lives. From a more practical standpoint, too, additional classes equal increased “stage time” to dazzle your professors with your astounding brilliance in class, on exams, or during office hours.

Participate.
Speaking of, there is no more effective way to cultivate a relationship with a professor than by contributing in class and going to office hours. Instead of furtively text messaging outfit advice during a global warming lecture, raise your hand and say something smart about the disappearing snows of Kilimanjaro. And don’t be shy about knocking on your professor’s office door or sitting in the front row. Asking probing questions, providing insightful in-class comments, and perfecting the useful art of schmoozing can smooth the path to getting a great letter.

Get involved.
You’ve exhausted your professor’s course offerings in Marxist ideology and bring an organic berry medley to her office hours every Tuesday. What more can you do to nurture that relationship? Run for president of the ”Socialist Alternative” chapter she advises. That way, she’ll be able to attest to your community commitment and leadership skills, in addition to your academic excellence.

Late in the day?
For those of you who have logged more hours at the campus bar than you did in class and the library combined, don’t panic—even if it’s the fall semester of your senior year. Begin attending and participating in class as much as possible. When you ultimately meet with your professor to request the letter (discussed more below), be honest about your situation. (Though feel free to omit your preference for two-dollar pitchers to lectures.) Candor can prove invaluable; your professor may very well recognize the difficulty students face in forging personal connections with faculty and agree to write a good letter on your behalf.





Do it in person.
For many students, asking a professor to write a recommendation letter can be nerve-wracking. Do not, however, indulge this fear by taking the path of least resistance and sending an email. In this day and age where you can purchase produce, pay bills, and score a Saturday night date online, approaching a professor in person demonstrates effort and respect. Not to mention the fact that it provides you with the opportunity to discern your professor’s response; if he or she exhibits some reluctance, you may want to find another writer. If you can’t ask personally, asking over the phone is still a better option than doing so over email.

Help me help you.
Walk into the meeting with a dossier to help your letter writer know what to write. Without direction, recommenders will probably write just what they know about you. This can range from classroom performance only, to nothing at all in the case of some students. To help buttress this knowledge, or create its illusion, provide copies of your resume, personal statement, noteworthy papers or exams, and other useful information. If the letter-writer is amenable, you can then discuss your aims in attending law school, and any other information you think might look good in a letter.

So, if you are planning to go to law school, keep on writing those term papers, volunteering with not-for-profits, and dedicating yourself to mastering the LSAT. But don’t forget that letters are an important piece of the application process, too. One in which you might have more say than you thought.