I need to write a letter of recommendation for myself.

How do I ask a professor to write a letter of recommendation when I've been away for 2 years?

• I have a question. How do you ask a professor to write a letter of recommendation for you for graduate school when you've been away from the university for 2 years? I graduated 1 year ago but I've been away from my home university for 2 years. I want to start my application for graduate school but I need letters of recommendation. The 2 professors that I want to ask have written me letters when I applied to grad school 2 years ago. Those plans fell thru. Bad economy, no job. Anyway, I'm ready to pursue it this year. Another thing: I'm not even in the same state that I went to school in. So it would have to be by email. The universities that I want to apply to have one of those forms to use for writing letters, which is always helpful. It asks specific questions and gives you room to write your recommendation at the bottom. I mean, this can't be an unusual situation, right? Aren't professors approached all the time for letters of recommendation for grad school?

• Answer:

  Whether your situation is unusual, I don't know, but go ahead and ask. All they can do is say no. Like you say, the professors are used to writing recommendation letters. If you ask in an email, say you will be mailing the form to him or her.