<p>Having a recc that mentions a concern that the student needs to work on – such as being more consistent in their efforts – may make the recommendation more believable than a 100% glowing recommendation. I’ve heard, for instance, that Harvard admissions officers take more seriously alumni interviewers’ reports when the interviewers mention something that a student should work on improving. Of course, if a recommendation mentions a serious concern such as the student’s lacking ethics or being a narcissist, that probably would greatly hurt the student’s chances of admission.</p>