Waiving the Right to View a Recommendation

[boomuntilnoon]

I've never understood how medical schools adcoms can decipher whether or not you have waived your right to view recommendation letters, unless they specifically ask you "yes" or "no" in the application. Of the 14 schools I applied to, nowhere did I see instructions on admissions websites or the application itself on how to waive your right to view the letters. The only instructions I ever saw were that the letters must be on official letterhead and envelopes.

Of course I remember in high school when my teachers and counselors would sign envelope flaps, but that was only with explicit instructions or designated spaces to do so.

I assume secretaries are the ones who open these envelopes and add the letters to our files... with 3 X 2000+ letters coming in, do they really take note of whether the flap is signed?

None of my professors signed the flaps... some letters I have not seen, while with others, the professors shared the contents of their letter with me... some of them even asked for my input on what they had written.

I think this waiver red tape is very arbitrary and should not put an applicant at a disadvantage.

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[Spitting Camel]

The waiving of your right of access to your letters is extremely important. Med schools don't feel like professors can write honest letters if they are not accompanied by a wavier. They may be inclined to say things that are not true because you, under the law, have the right to read them. Signing the flap does not do. You are supposed to enclose a format document explicitly stating that you waive your right of access as guaranteed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, or any other law, regulation, or policy. pm me is you want a template.

 

[Optimist]

My school made me sign the form that I gave to my recommender, who was then to enclose it with the recommendation and send it to the pre-health office. No envelope signing necessary.

I don't think I HAD to waive, but I assumed it was the normal thing to do.

 

[jesswise]

No choice here in Canada. You are simply instructed to give your forms to the referree, who will send it directly to the med school, and you never get to see them. Ever.

Jess

 

[bosco]

Originally posted by Optimist
My school made me sign the form that I gave to my recommender, who was then to enclose it with the recommendation and send it to the pre-health office. No envelope signing necessary.

Mine was the same... The form we gave to the LOR writer had a box that you could check to waive your right, and then a place for your signature below it. Because these forms got sent out with each LOR, the schools clearly knew if your right had or hadn't been waived.