title. google’s not yielding any answers. (for inviting recommenders specifically)
Yes but you can’t add them on apps already submitted ( if I remember correctly).
1 Like
Depending on the school, they may accept additional recommendations by email or snail mail sent directly to the school. Check the school’s policy. As an example, here is USC’s guidance about additional letters sent directly by recommenders: Are letters of recommendation required for freshman applicants?
1 Like
Can I still assign recommenders after submitting my application? (commonapp.org)
This page says you can assign new ones, but can you change existing ones?
I believe they send the recommendations to the school when you submit the application, so you wouldn’t be able to switch recommenders or drop a recommender who has already submitted a LOR. You would only be add new ones (if the school allows for additional LORs).
What is the situation? Maybe if you describe what you are trying to do, someone would have a better suggestion?
not all my recommenders are done with their letters yet.
i can get them to upload only when i ask them to. i want to be able to assign them to a college based on what qualities they’ve highlighted. but i don’t know what they’ve written about yet.
plus, i don’t have all their emails - have to ask them at school, since it’s on a break. but i have some EA submissions to get through. colleges are allowing later uploads of LoRs but common app’s asking me to invite someone.
You are planning on reading your recommendations??
2 Likes
they’ve asked me to proofread it, please don’t tell me it’s not allowed??? i’ve already had to correct a couple of spelling errors, and from reading threads online it seemed like everybody reads their rec letters.
Have you already sent applications via common app? If not you can still waive you’re Ferpa rights to read the LoRs which you should 100% do.
It is too late if you have already submitted any apps. In that case I would have your recommenders email the letter to admissions directly, or send snail mail.
Do not read any more of the letters.
2 Likes
I don’t know of anyone (US domestics) who read their LORs. Are you international perhaps?
1 Like
Generally speaking you should be waiving your right to read your LORs otherwise adcoms can question the honesty of the recommendation.
3 Likes
no i haven’t submitted yet. i’ve not read it on the common app, my teacher showed it to me in school.
i am international, but afaik i’ve seen it on threads on reddit mostly by US applicants. perhaps a mistaken impression (?)
OK, thanks so much for telling me!
The vast majority of applicants waive their rights to read their LoRs. Here are the common app directions to do that: https://recsupport.commonapp.org/recommendersupport/s/article/Where-do-my-students-sign-their-FERPA-if-our-school-uses-Naviance
3 Likes
None of my kids have ever read a letter of recommendation, how many teachers are writing letters? Mine had 2 teacher letters and a guidance counselor letter.
Thank you for clarifying your international status.
As others stated, LORs hold more weight if the student waived rights to read them. Depending on your teacher’s experience with writing recommendations to US schools, an article like below may provide guidance.
I would not worry about minor grammatical errors. As long as the content can be understood that is what will be important to the AO. They want to know about you and are not evaluating the recommender’s writing skills.
ETA: I forgot to paste the link.
OP, as others have mentioned, you should definitely agree to the FERPA release in the Common App in order for the recommendations to carry as much weight with admissions as possible.
However, just because you have agreed to the Common App’s FERPA release doesn’t mean you can’t look at drafts or even the final version of a recommendation letter if a teacher (or counselor, employer, etc.) shows the letter to you. All that signing the FERPA release means is that later you can’t go back to the schools you applied to and exercise your legal rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and gain access to the recommendation letters in your file.
I don’t know how usual or unusual this is but both my kids (US students) were able to see some of their recommendations prior to submission to the Common App portal. If a teacher offers, you would be silly to say no.