<p>Hi everyone, I am a sophomore and wonder if these are true about electronic recommendation letters…</p>
<li><p>After I submit my application, my recommenders will receive e-mails that require them to
submit recommendation letters. So I do need to notify them early to make sure them will
not too busy/on a travel when I am applying for graduate school.</p></li>
<li><p>As I said I am a sophomore, if I could find someone who is willing to write a recommendation letter for me, is it appropriate to say: please keep this letter in your computer for 1-2 years and wait until I apply for graduate school…?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Some schools (or the career centers) have service that allow you to store your letter of rec and will mail it to a specific address/school. That might be a good option if you want to ask for a letter but not ready to apply yet.</p>
<p>In some cases, at some universities (not all!), when you submit an application electronically, it will ask for the names and email addresses of your recommenders, and then send them emails asking them to submit their letters electronically.</p>
<p>You should not ask for recommendation letters until you are actually applying. It is not appropriate to ask professors to write letters and keep them for a year or two. Letters must reflect one's appraisal of a student <em>at, and up to that moment</em>, not years before that moment.</p>
<p>I agree with Professor X here. Additionally, I would suggest that in some fields it's very much preferable to have professors customize their LORs according to the school. Your professors can show a much greater level of commitment to your success by doing this and it will show.</p>