<p>Ok so, If I do not waive my rights, and read the recommendation, I might be saving myself from humiliation. However, people say that it is proper "etiquette" to waive your rights...</p>
<p>Doesn't it make sense to be able to read my recommendations? I'm considering not waiving my rights... now, convince me otherwise!</p>
<p>if they let you read it, and you want to, why not?</p>
<p>A lot of people don’t really understand what the rights they are asked to waive actually ARE.</p>
<p>There was a law enacted back in 1974 named the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, with the funny sounding acronym FERPA. What it did was allow all students ENROLLED in a college to see the full contents of their file, including any reccomendation letters. The right to see your reccomendation letters as part of this file is the only thing you are asked to waive.</p>
<p>Note what this doesn’t mean. You aren’t waiving your right to see reccomendation letters for colleges you AREN’T accepted to, because you don’t have that right in the first place. You also aren’t preventing yourself from asking for a copy of the reccomendation letter from the person who wrote it. So really, why NOT waive your rights? Will you really care what your reccomendation letters said after you are accepted?</p>
<p>My guidance counselor encouraged me heavily to waive my rights (I think if I hadn’t agreed to do it immediately she would have pressed harder, but eventually probably would have given in and let me no waive the rights), she said that colleges find it odd of you don’t waive your rights, essentially they think you’re saying “I don’t think I’m all that great.” I kind of doubt it makes a huge difference.</p>
<p>I’d suggest you try placing yourself into the role of an AdCom at a school to which you are applying. Which recommendation would you place more weight on and which one would you be more likely to be skeptical?
<p>Which recommendation do you believe is more likely to provide more honest and thorough information? Which applicant is showing more trust in their recommender and in themselves?</p>
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<p>Why would you be humiliated? Teachers who write recommendations are instructed to give a truthful depiction of a student’s qualifications. If you don’t waive your rights, you’re essentially saying that you don’t trust what your teacher has to say about you–in which case, why are you asking that teacher anyway? </p>
<p>Waive your rights. It’s the classy thing to do.</p>
<p>Ah, I think I learned something new about this… Can anyone confirm what I understand?</p>
<p>So this applies ONLY to seeing the recommendation AFTER being admitted? It applies to absolutely NOTHING involved with seeing recommendations BEFORE sending them to colleges?</p>
<p>For example, it would never save me from sending a bad recommendation? That can only happen if I ask my teacher for a copy, which is an independent act from this entire rights waiver debate?</p>
<p>If so, obviously I will waive my rights, but, I will try to ask my teacher for a copy just in case.</p>
<p>I’ve heard that if you don’t waive your rights it looks suspicious. I’m not sure how the recommendations for other colleges are done because I’ve only looked at Columbia’s and they use their application, but the paper that you give to teachers has a place for you to waive your rights on it, so the teacher already knows whether or not you waived your rights.</p>
<p>Honestly, if you’re worried about getting a bad recommendation if you don’t waive your rights, then don’t ask that teacher for a recommendation. I think it would be entirely wrong for you to waive your rights and then personally ask to see the recommendation, because that seems entirely unethical.</p>
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<p>True, true…</p>
<p>By you not reading the recommendation, adcom feels it will be more honest.</p>
<p>If the teacher will still give you a good recommendation without you waiving your rights, why should you do it?</p>
<p>^ From what I understand, it’s not only to increase trust in the teacher, but for the admissions people as well.</p>
<p>Is it allowed for a college office of a school to refuse to send out an applicant’s files unless they check DO WAIVE?</p>