I plan on applying to many very selective colleges that use the common app. (UChicago, Princeton, Carleton)
Should I waive my rights to view recommendations?
I would really like it if your answers included justifications.
Thanks!
You don’t have to waive your right, but it’s expected, especially by selective colleges. Those colleges want to make sure the recommenders can speak freely and discuss both your strengths and your weaknesses. You’re almost shooting yourself in the foot, if you don’t. Colleges want to see you’re not afraid to have your recs speak freely. If you’ve chosen them, and know they are championing you, there is no need to worry. If you feel they don’t know you, meet with them. Our school had a “brag” sheet students fill out as part of the teacher request to ensure teachers are not missing any student accomplishments the student feels are important. One caveat, don’t fall trap to picking someone just because they are in your intended major you are putting down on the Common App. It’s much more important to identify teachers who think you’re awesome.
It is certainly expected to waive them- if you don’t, it makes it seem as though they are censoring their rec. Colleges want to read your teacher’s honest opinions.
It is expected that you will waive your right. Colleges want to get honest, uncensored recommendations and teachers (who don’t forget are doing you a favor by writing a LOR) often want to write a letter in confidence. You need to select teachers who think well of you. When you approach a teacher with a request, ask if he/she can write you a positive letter of recommendation.
@preppedparent @yonceonhismouth @happy1
I am pretty confident with my teachers’ opinions of me, but my teachers (small rural school) are not experienced in writing recs for students to very selective colleges. I plan to show this page http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs
to the teachers who will write my recs.
Is there any other information I should provide them will. (Besides the standard “Brag Sheet”)
I think your teachers will feel offended at a 17 year old telling them how to do their job.
I think that any teacher understands the importance of the letter of rec. Showing them that page may come off as rude, as the above poster mentioned. I would trust them to do their job.
@vickisocal @yonceonhismouth You have a point, but the webpage provides useful guidelines on what MIT wants (I’m assuming qualities MIT values are, at least, relatively similar to my other schools) from the teacher recommendation, what information is useful. I’ll have to think about it; thanks for the responses.
It would be incredibly rude to simply give that to your teacher. Instead I would ask the teacher if there is anything you can provide to help him/her with the recommendation such as your resume (if you have one), a list of activities, or some general guidelines that MIT published about writing letters of recommendation. If he/she says no, then you have to go with it.
Great ideas happy1.
@happy1 Thanks for the great suggestion!