Here is an interesting article:
Very interesting twist on using FERPA.
A tad narcissistic, would you not say?
I am legitimately curious as to why anyone would care about what they wrote.
Because majority of people will not keep this information for themselves. The information will get out and It might shed some light on the mystery of admission to the top schools.
I’d just assume it’s all good since I was admitted. Sure students at Stanford have better things to do.
Actually, I would be very curious about what the ad coms wrote about my daughter at Barnard & Chicago – because her “stats” made her an iffy candidate, so I’ve always been curious about what factors influenced their decision – especially Chicago, where her app must have gone strongly against type. But that was 8 years ago… I’d assume that the schools toss most of the records much sooner than that. (A quick Google search of the college names and the words “record retention policy” confirmed my suspicions). So admitted students who want to see their own admissions files probably should make the request quickly.
There is also an article in the NYT:
I’d rather see what was said on applicants that were rejected. (My understanding is that this only applies to schools you were accepted to/are attending).
Yowza on students getting to see confidential recommendations despite having waived access to them in the admissions process. I wonder if some teachers are going to refuse to write letters of recommendation if this is the case?
I wonder how many other colleges do what Ds college does with graduating seniors.
Saves their application essays on why they should be admitted and hosts a graduation lunch to return them.
@arabrab - I believe I read that the rec letters written by teachers, GCs, etc. are only released if one did NOT sign the Ferpa waiver on the Common App. I think the goal is to see what the admissions folks wrote.
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. (My understanding is that this only applies to schools you were accepted to/are attending).<<<
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Yep, and why this amounts to a narcissistic exercise. What is the purpose of gaining access to your own successful application and the individual comments that supported your application?
My money is that this is probably fueled by parents who miss the bragging cocktail circuit. “Oh, yes, Super Snowflake did get accepted, but let me tell you what Richard and Erin wrote in the file!”
Some have a hard time to turn the page!
@xiggi From what I have seen by peeking on the Stanford Y i k Y a k, there are some URMs who are hoping to see whether or not that was a factor in their admission. Whether or not such information will be present remains to be seen - in about 44 days.
I can picture admissions officers all over the country hastening to shred old files and create cryptic codes for this year’s class.
I have to admit, I’d be pretty darn curious to see what my file said, given that I applied three times in three successive years and got three different results.
When I was applying for judicial clerkships, some chambers staff discussed my recommendation letters with me and even showed me the one from the professor I TA’d for. It was a hoot. (That professor usually recommends superstars, and I was an average law student who happened to nerd out/excel in his field. The letter was half praising me and half explaining why he was endorsing a student with such a mediocre transcript compared to his other TAs. But I got the job, so no complaints here!)
When my son graduated from high school he got his entire “permanent record” file from grades K-12. Included were his teacher recommendations for college which he waived the right to see. I always wondered if those were included by mistake.
For one reason or other I’ve seen a handful of recommendations for my kids. They are really fascinating. The orchestra conductor’s was so generic I knew he wouldn’t be used for anything else, but others saw things in my kids I hadn’t. Mathson creative? (According to Comp Sci teacher yes.) And like calmom I’d love to know what made Chicago take a chance on my youger kid whose grades and lopsided grades made it a super reach.
I think it would be interesting, and I would love to know what the teachers wrote about my D in their recommendations…I imagine she would too. I hope if she finds out, she will share lol. I really didn’t understand why we’d need to waive the right to see it. If they didn’t want to recommend her, they could have just said no.
It would be interesting to see any notes on the essays…most people like to get feedback on their writing. It would also just be good information for future applications…of your own…when you apply to grad school, or if you apply to transfer.
I am with @shoboemom i wish teachers will just say no to recommendations if they don’t have anything nice to say.