I didn’t waive my ferpa rights because I’m an international student who was not aware of what it entailed. It’s too late for me to change anything. How will this affect my application?
Probably not at all.
Are you sure? I applied to some Ivy League schools, and most people I contacted for help told me to try my best to get my right waived. They said not waiving it would give my university a bad impression of myself and make my rec letters lose credibility
From another site:
“Admissions officers give most weight to letters that provide an honest and qualified assessment of the applicant. If you don’t waive your FERPA right, you could accidentally signal to admissions officers that you don’t trust your recommender or that the recommendation is less candid or genuine.”
Ime, it’s a teacher issue, not an adcom concern. The teachers want a private way to communicate, one educator to the colleges, without some hs kids or parents getting involved beyond some initial input. I have never seen an adcom react in a way that doubts the letter because the Ferpa went unsigned. Or even mention it.
Each applicant has to make his/her own best decisions. Do what makes you feel comfortable. Remember, during a review, they don’t have time to second guess what’s going on. Their impression of you is formed by much more than this one point.
If you do send a note, keep it short and to the point.
How does FERPA even apply to international students and their teachers? It’s an American federal law.
The universities are US based.
FERPA does not prevent any teacher, US or abroad, from showing the rec to the student.
But isn’t the right waived so that students don’t see the recommenders’ letters, or do I misunderstand? How could a US law govern what happens between students and teachers both based in another country, regardless where they are applying? (The rights don’t apply to these students in the first place, so how could they waive them?)
Again, FERPA does not prevent any teacher, US or abroad, from showing the rec to the student. What FERPA does do is that it protests student records and applies to any colleges that receives federal funds. Once that rec is sent, it becomes part is the student’s records. The law says nothing about what the teacher does with her copy.
By waiving FERPA , the student is waiving the right to see that part of his/her records. Many feel that a rec without the waiver will be less forthcoming and, at least ib the UD, many teachers will not do a rec unless FERPA is waived.
But getting back to the OP, not waiving will probably not impact admissions, unless the recs were what would have moved the needle from undecided to admit.
Are you saying that I can get my counsellor to send in a note mentioning that I waived my rights? I didn’t see my letters
I don’t think anyone said that. Regardless, you did not waive your rights, and nobody here will suggest having the counsellor lie.