<p>brand_182:
Yes, it is "wrong" to ask to view letters of recommendation. Some might offer to show you, but asking is very rude and arrogant. Your teacher/counselor/employer is not required to write you a recommendation and many will say no if they feel that could not write a recommendation that would be beneficial to an applicant. If these are your favorite teachers, you should show some trust. They aren't out to hurt your chances and most embellish the truth at least a little. What would you do if they said something "bad" about you anyway? There would be nothing that you could do. In the future, always ask if the person would feel comfortable writing a letter of recommendation for you. If they say no, seek someone else.</p>
<p>I'm sorry noct but I don't see how in the heck it's "rude and arrogant" to view my teachers' recommendation letters. Explain this to me...seriously. Teachers could care less if you view their recommendation letters and in fact it helps to view them. It's pretty beneficial to view your recommendation letters if you ask me.</p>
<p>Do not ask to see the letters. Some teachers will return the letter to you in an unsealed envelope, meaning they don't care if you read it. Some will seal the envelope, meaning you are not to open it. If the letter goes right to the school, obviously you won't see it.</p>
<p>You really shouldn't look at your rec letters, especially if you check the box waiving your right to see them.</p>
<p>ask your teacher in a more subtle way. ask them if they want you to send the letters.
but it's best not to ask at all
I asked my teacher if he needs my help sending the letters, and I think he knows my intention, so he said no.</p>
<p>I think her recs would have been good nonetheless.</p>
<p>Don't hate me for saying that.</p>
<p>Good job, Nathan. You definitely did the right thing. Please keep us updated!</p>
<p>Yeah I never saw my recs- you can prob. guess that they right the same standard crahp for everybody- unless u talked to teach. everyday or something.</p>
<p>Teachers / counselors sometimes ask you to write it for them b/c they dont know really what to put themselves. You should send 'em a sheet about ur interests, career plans, activites, memories, strengths, weaknesses, unique stuff bout u... some type of worksheet that they can consult. My school made everyone do this... each conselour has like 150+ kids, so... you cant get to know them all. (they know a lil a bout each im sure, but for rec? prob not)</p>
<p>You can bust that girl if you really want to but its kind of harsh... i mean her cheating prob helped her +0.1 GPA, then she'll go thru embarassment of unnecessary rescinding of admissions. Wow you will have made the world a better place.</p>
<p>Its not like she won a 200,000 lawsuit from purgery- she only into a college that provides some oo's and aa's. Which college does not necessarily = sucess, but more importantly which person. The sooner you forget about her the better.</p>
<p>mmm I have a question... I'm an intl and teachers here aren't used to writing recs. They did it for me but I wasn't able to ask them to send them themselves, they gave them to me in a an envelope but none of them wrote their names or anything, they just assumed I would send them myself. Is this going to cause me trouble?</p>
<p>
[quote]
brand_182 writes: Is it wrong to ask to view the letters of recommendation before your teacher/counselor sends them out? I mean, I'm asking for recs from my two favorite teachers and I'm quite sure they both like me, but I'd hate for them to say something in them that may hurt my chances.
[/quote]
Yes, this is wrong. You want to be the judge who decides whether to send them in or ask someone else if they're not what you want, right? </p>
<p>Well, the game doesn't work that way. What does work is asking the teacher, politely but directly, if they can write a strong letter of rec for you or if they suggest you ask someone else. Simple question, simple answer.</p>
<p>"Our school says they will do nothing. "</p>
<p>Am I right in guessing that there's a flagrant cheating problem at your school? That tends to be what happens when administrators lack the guts to crack down on cheating. </p>
<p>"Cornell says they will look into it, asked me to call back in a week, and notified me that they take allegations like this very seriously."</p>
<p>Good. Please give us an update.</p>
<p>And good for you for reporting her. People like her shouldn't get away with stealing admissions that could go to honest people. I hope she's kicked out.</p>
<p>so...what's happening with this</p>
<p>If you want to see the letters, don't waive your right to see it, and oh yeah, some teachers will actually show it to you at the end of the year.</p>
<p>Yeah, tell us: did cornell expel that person?</p>
<p>I have no idea if Cornell actually expelled her or not. I have heard nothing from anyone.</p>
<p>I don't think her life deserved to be ruined by you guys though. That seems too severe.</p>
<p>Her life wouldn't be ruined if she were expelled for cheating on her recommendations, a consequence that IMO she fully deserves.</p>
<p>Being held accountable now for that kind of unethical behavior may prevent her from doing something similar or worse in the future, when what she did may be more public, cause more problems for others and when she may be old enough that people wouldn't give her second chances.</p>
<p>In cheating on her reccs, she literally stole a spot that some honest person could have had. That's why she doesn't deserve to be at Cornell.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Cornell probably gave her a law degree instead. :)</p>
<p>Am I the only one who thinks it's kind of stupid that this kid narced on some cheerleader? Sure, she did cheat her ass off, and she was dishonest, but it doesn't mean she wouldn't have been accepted otherwise (then again, that's beside the point, she still cheated). My problem is that you all want to crucify her, when in reality, it's NONE of our business. Yes, we can all go off on a self-righteous rant about how she took the spot from an honest, hardworking kid (from his description of her she seems like a good candidate anyway), but who are we to judge her and/or decide a punishment for her? </p>
<p>Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. You all have no right to judge her, and no right being in her business, she will pay for what she did eventually, stop being so self-righteous, although what she did may be despicable you're NOT the one that should be trying to get her in trouble, karma will catch up with her all on it's own.</p>
<p>hawk - don't try to force your own opinion onto others. if we don't judge her, who will? we think she deserves to be punished. i don't buy all that "turn the other cheek" and karma voodoo.</p>