Adcoms calling recommenders?

[Code Brown]

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seeing your letter is unethical... having a part in writing it is even worse. i am 100% on monopolova's side for this one.

And when I get to the interview process, I'll say the exact same thing 😉

 

[liverotcod]

My final thoughts on this topic: while I admire, and agree with, the ethical position presented by several concerning LORs, I this its application is misguided. There are two issues, confidentiality and prerogative. If a letter is marked confidential, or not addressed to me, then the ethical confidentiality issue is the ruling principle, and I should not read it. If the letter is not marked confidential, and is addressed to me, then there's no reason for me not to read it. The waiver form in no way suggests that I haven't read the letter, but rather only that I have ceded my *right* to read it as provided by law.

Another key ethical point here is transparency. If my interviewer, e.g., were to ask if I had seen a letter I had read, I would naturally answer "Yes."

 

[jeantm]

i would urge everyone to be extremely careful about rec letters. I had a professor who apparently had a substance abuse problem as well as a personal dislike for my research advisor , write me a rec letter for phd programs last year. Unknown to me she actually wrote about my advisor and his demeanor towards students (her impression that is), and as a result (according to countless adcoms) I was rejected to over a dozen programs!!!!!!! No, I am being completely serious and I would have never known had someone not informed me, otherwise I would have blamed myself for all the rejections. It is completely unpredictable when something like this will happen, but I will never ask an assistant professor for a rec ever again.

After this experience I too am questioning if I will ever submit a letter I can't read first?

good luck to everyone else

 

[SticknRudder]

I think that as your experience grows, you will find that this is a relatively common practice for letter writers to share their comments. It's kind of amusing that you should point out that the whole reason for waiving access is so that the applicant will not pick and choose which letters are sent. I did not have access to any of my letters, but my school's letter service actually screens the LORs and advises each of the students on whether or not they are appropriate, so as to avoid a negative letter.

The only purpose of the waiver, as someone stated above, is to prevent legal or otherwise confrontaions between a writer who writes something negative and in confidence about a student, not to protect a student from seeing a letter from someone who genuinely wants to write something that will be the most helpful to a student's application.

In short, chill. You're not comfortable, so fine. Other people are and that's their prerogative.

 

[pushkin]

I think the ghost writing stuff is really sketchy. I heard an adcom member once say something about how it's unacceptable. One of my writers asked me to pre-write part of my letter, and I wrote back to her saying I couldn't do that. She still wrote me a letter!

But this stuff about throwing your letter away if a rec writer SENDS it to you, intending for you to read it? Huh? How do the words "waive my RIGHT" turn into "deny myself the priviledge even if offered?" All the waiver means is that you've waived your right under the educational privacy laws to DEMAND to see any letters. Jeez, this is a legal waiver, not some moral command. Chill out people.