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I'm using the common application to apply to most of my schools. I was looking over the teacher evaluation part last night when I noticed that there's no place to sign to waive your right to read the recommendation. Does anyone else have this problem? If so, what are you planning to do about it? Am I totally missing something?

By Y17k (Y17k) on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 10:37 pm: Edit

same question here

By Nee21 (Nee21) on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 12:29 am: Edit

please help someone!!! Y17k...what are you going to do?

By Mzhang23 (Mzhang23) on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 01:54 am: Edit

Sign it.

By Nee21 (Nee21) on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 05:51 pm: Edit

sign what? the teacher rec? won't that confuse admissions officials to randomly see the applicant's signature on the teacher rec?

By Nee21 (Nee21) on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 11:18 pm: Edit

bump

By Nee21 (Nee21) on Friday, October 01, 2004 - 04:54 pm: Edit

Northstarmom, please respond

By Dcmom3 (Dcmom3) on Saturday, October 02, 2004 - 02:32 pm: Edit

Our high school has you sign a waiver in the registrar's office that is good for all college apps. Don't know about how that works for the Commom Ap. Check with your h.s. guidance or registrar's office.

By Nee21 (Nee21) on Saturday, October 02, 2004 - 06:56 pm: Edit

Dcmom3...that's what I did, but my guidance counselor is clueless...she has yet to answer a question I have for her with something other than "Hmm...I'm not sure. I don't know; I'm sorry." Thank you for the advice, though.

By Nee21 (Nee21) on Sunday, October 03, 2004 - 06:00 pm: Edit

bump

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 01:52 pm: Edit

you have a right to read your recommendation? common app recommendation? (early action harvard app here)

By Voronwe (Voronwe) on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 05:44 pm: Edit

If you don't waive your right to read the app, it is looked at as MUCH less valuable --- almost worthless. I have no idea where the thing is to sign for the common app, sorry to say - I thought it was somewhere right on the teacher app. If nothing else, I would just write on the darn thing, "I waive my right to read this" and sign it. Otherwise it really is, I repeat, worthless.
I am a former Ivy interviewer.

By Nee21 (Nee21) on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 08:22 pm: Edit

thank you so much Voronwe...I figured that the rec was completely pointless b/c the applicant can so easily influence it...but i'm still clueless about how to waive my right...i'll talk to the teachers i gave the recs to and see what they say

By Pappap (Pappap) on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 11:08 pm: Edit

Here's the law, per the Buckley Amendment (FERPA in academic circles). You have the right to view the recoomendations submitted to the school at which you matriculate. You do not have the right to view recommendations sent to schools (a) you don't get into and (b) schools you get into but choose to not attend.

There is no place on the Common App to waive your right to examine the recommendations. As far as the law is concerned, the application you submit, the recommendations submitted on your behalf, are as open to you as are the grades you receive. (Interesting to note: I don't know what the law is on your ability to view notes posted to your record by the admissions committee that admitted you).

By Voronwe (Voronwe) on Tuesday, October 05, 2004 - 06:14 am: Edit

No one doubts that the law says you can LOOK at it. That's not the question. The facts are that if you can look at your recommendations before they are sent in - or even after - the teacher will feel constrained to write in a certain way - but far, far more important is the fact the Admissions Office will KNOW that this was not a TRUE recommendation because of the fact that the teacher would not be as free to write what they want.

This was not a question about the law, which is irrelevant, BUT HOW AN UNWAIVED REC AFFECTS ADMISSIONS. And as a person with 30 years university experience, I GUARANTEE that an unwaived rec is not looked at with any respect - at least in the top schools I have worked with (there will ALWAYS be anecdotal evidence from other schools, so tat does not negate what I am saying!)

If you go to Interfolio.com, where college students have their teachers submit recs, there is a waiver. My kids' were STRONGLY urged to sign because as the profs themselves said, there is no point doing a rec otherwise.

By Nee21 (Nee21) on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 12:05 am: Edit

Voronwe...my question, actually was how to waive my right to read the rec if i'm using the common app...there's no place to sign! can i give the teacher a piece of paper where i've written "i waive my right to read this recommendation" and sign and date it?

By Nee21 (Nee21) on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 07:50 pm: Edit

bump

By Celebrian23 (Celebrian23) on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 07:55 pm: Edit

i have a question, what if we see the rec after the school's decision comes in?