<p>I keep reading in many "chance" posts that the student says they have excellent teacher recs. Don't most students sign the waiver on the common app waiving their right to see the recommendations? How do all of these students know what their recs say? Do a lot of teachers voluntarily share the contents with their students?</p>
<p>My guess is that (at least this is why I think my recs are probably excellent) is that these kids have really great relationships with these teachers and these teachers have reputations for writing very good recommendations. Like, for example, I plan on majoring in biology and my AP Bio teacher (also had her for two other science classes) recently gave me some incredible compliments about my science acumen and I feel it's pretty safe to assume she stressed these compliments in my rec.</p>
<p>^ I'm wondering the same thing too.</p>
<p>I mean my teachers all say if they agree to write someone a rec, obviously it's going to be good (like they wont say anything bad about the applicant) but it's confidential so they're more comfortable writing it.</p>
<p>How do these other people get to read theirs? Doesnt colleges recommend signing the waiver?</p>
<p>My math teacher handed me the recommendation letter to proofread, and I give it to the guidance counselor. The teacher who is writing another one is going to give it to me because she said she isn't that great of a writer, but she'd do it and I can decide whether or not to use it (I'm sure it'll be good though, she's the nicest teacher ever and she likes me) and the other teacher I think is giving them to guidance.
I didn't use the common app or any forms so I didn't have to sign anything (I'm applying to SUNYs and my GC said not to bother if I wasn't doing the common app bc it's too much to make them fill one out for ever school I think, I would feel bad asking them to do that)</p>
<p>Signing the waiver doesn't mean that the teacher can't show the letter to you. It just means that if the teacher doesn't want to show you the letter, you cannot demand to see it.</p>
<p>Chedva - yes, I realize what the waiver means...that's why I suggested that teachers may be showing them voluntarily to some students. It seems more common than I would have thought, however.</p>
<p>Shrewd admission officers will notice whether the waiver box is checked or not. If it is signed that teachers never showed their recommendations to you, obviously the recommendations carry more validity and credence than those openly exposed to the you. By not allowing you to read their recommendations, teachers can write as honestly as possible without having to worry about hurting your feelings or discouraging you. By all means, they can write something terrible about you and still call it a recommendation! So yeah.... it's always better to sign the waiver and have your GC write that you were never allowed to read these recommendations.</p>
<p>what is this "waiver" that you guys are talking about? I don't recall signing anything that waives my right to read the rec letter?</p>
<p>^If you haven't signed anything, then you have the right to demand to see any/all teacher/counselor recs.</p>
<p>so if i didn't sign this 'waiver' that i was not aware of, would it negatively affect my admission chances?</p>
<p>I don't think so. I plan on asking to see the recommendations after everything has been submitted. However, usually you are getting your favorite/closest teachers to write them and they should generally be praising you.</p>
<p>Some teachers show recs to students even if the student waived their rights. It depends on the teacher... Other teachers just have reputations for writing really good recommendations.</p>