Curious about letter of recommendation content

[coffee4drug]

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For people who use the letter-of-reference service and got admitted into a pharmacy school, have you ever got curious about what your recommenders wrote about you and asked to retrieve the letters to read their contents? Since you are admitted already, you probably won't need these letters anymore.

 

[patmcd]

I know partial contents from my rec letters since I had questions about them during my interviews. But I think its generally considered kind of rude to ask to see a rec letter, unless they've offered to let you read it.

 

[coffee4drug]

Thanks for reminding me of that. I should ask the recommenders for their permission before I ask to retrieve the letters, that is, if I get accepted into any pharmacy school. (After all, they were kind enough to help me in my application process.)

 

[twester]

I'd love to know what's in two of my LORs and I kinda know the gist of the 3rd. The only thing that matters is getting into pharmacy school. I am confident that I picked the right people to recommend me, my good relationship continues with them and I've resigned myself to never knowing the exact contents of those letters. That's just me, though.

Troy

 

[starsweet]

Here's another question... has anyone who DIDN'T waive the right to see their recommendations in PharmCAS been accepted to pharmacy school?

 

[Mentis]

I actually didn't waive my right...because I had no idea what it meant. Haha, is that a bad thing? I'd hate to make that recommendation useless because I didn't waive my right.

 

[karariki]

+90% students waive their right to read those rec letters.
if u don't waive ur right, it's still okey. but it'd make u stand out from the rest & the admission committee would question about it when they make a decision.
anyway, i didn't know we can retrieve these letters after getting admitted/rejected. i'm curious what prof wrote about me. 😛

 

[NCRxgal]

Here's another question... has anyone who DIDN'T waive the right to see their recommendations in PharmCAS been accepted to pharmacy school?

I didn't waive my right and thank goodness I didn't because one of them recommended only with reservations and gave me a piss poor letter only because he felt that the stress of me being pregnant and having a baby would limit my capabilities on pharmacy school. Man, he really could've messed me up if I didn't catch that....Can we say DISCRIMINATION!

 

[patmcd]

I didn't waive my right and thank goodness I didn't because one of them recommended only with reservations and gave me a piss poor letter only because he felt that the stress of me being pregnant and having a baby would limit my capabilities on pharmacy school. Man, he really could've messed me up if I didn't catch that....Can we say DISCRIMINATION!

Definatly a good thing you caught that. Thats exactly why I pciked peopel I have known for my entire college career and said they would write one for me even before I asked 😛

 

[karariki]

I didn't waive my right and thank goodness I didn't because one of them recommended only with reservations and gave me a piss poor letter only because he felt that the stress of me being pregnant and having a baby would limit my capabilities on pharmacy school. Man, he really could've messed me up if I didn't catch that....Can we say DISCRIMINATION!

woa. it's great that u caught that....or else it would def ruin everything.🙁.
the key is, from what i've learned, u have to be upfront when ask for rec letters. when u approach them, u must ask them if they can give u a good, strong rec letter. if they say yes, then give them the packet. if they respond in a hestitant manner or they tell u frankly that they don't think they can give a strong rec letter, then find someone else.
when u ask them upfront like that, they will be honest w/ u. if they like u, they will be willing to write it. if they don't, this is their chance to say no to u w/out feeling bad or obligated.
🙂

 

[Julianne]

Here's another question... has anyone who DIDN'T waive the right to see their recommendations in PharmCAS been accepted to pharmacy school?

FWIW, I did not waive my right and I have been accepted to one school (out of four) so far. I guess I never thought about it from the standpoint of the adcoms, but I suppose they could read something negative into it if they wanted. Personally, I think that would be a piss-poor excuse for denying anyone acceptance 🙂

 

[patmcd]

FWIW, I did not waive my right and I have been accepted to one school (out of four) so far. I guess I never thought about it from the standpoint of the adcoms, but I suppose they could read something negative into it if they wanted. Personally, I think that would be a piss-poor excuse for denying anyone acceptance 🙂

I seriously doubt it'd be a reason for a school to reject you. But I'd bet they wouldn't help you as much either.

 

[Tarutaru]

I seriously doubt it'd be a reason for a school to reject you. But I'd bet they wouldn't help you as much either.

Wrong. Private schools have and WILL reject on any basis they feel fit. Before asking recommenders to write you a letter, ask them upfront if they have any doubts that you will do well in the area you are applying for. It is just common sense. It is better to waive your right for recommenders and let them know that you waive your right to read the letter so the schools reading the letter know that the recommenders were at ease writing about you. You would only need to refuse to waive your right if you suspect the recommender will say bad things about you, which I wouldn't advise to get a letter from in the first place.

 

[ultracet]

I didn't waive my right and thank goodness I didn't because one of them recommended only with reservations and gave me a piss poor letter only because he felt that the stress of me being pregnant and having a baby would limit my capabilities on pharmacy school. Man, he really could've messed me up if I didn't catch that....Can we say DISCRIMINATION!

How was this discrimination?

 

[NCRxgal]

How was this discrimination?

I'm so glad you asked....This type of thinking is the reason why abortion rates in America are so high. Society forces us [women] to believe that their capablities are limited upon the bearing of a child. If that was the case, there would be no women in any worthwhile professions or fields. Every time a woman is fired, forced to take leave, or even denied acceptance into pharmacy school due to pregnancy or a fear that she might become pregnant, she has been discriminated against. What's next....are you going to begin denying people with disabilities acceptance as well, then those with terminal illnesses, etc. Where does it end? Give me the opportunity to flunk out of school before you assume that I will. Mothers don't need hand outs, we just need a chance.

 

[calrx]

I'm so glad you asked....This type of thinking is the reason why abortion rates in America are so high. Society forces us [women] to believe that their capablities are limited upon the bearing of a child. If that was the case, there would be no women in any worthwhile professions or fields. Every time a woman is fired, forced to take leave, or even denied acceptance into pharmacy school due to pregnancy or a fear that she might become pregnant, she has been discriminated against. What's next....are you going to begin denying people with disabilities acceptance as well, then those with terminal illnesses, etc. Where does it end? Give me the opportunity to flunk out of school before you assume that I will. Mothers don't need hand outs, we just need a chance.

I understand what you're trying to say but I also know that many Moms get accepted to pharmacy and other professional schools every year. I believe a woman's true self-strength becomes apparent when she is trying to achieve a goal that will benefit not only herself but her child as well. There's a certain level of underlying maturity that [usually] comes along with being a parent that I think many adcoms find admirable. I also think it can be obvious to an adcom who has her s*it together and who doesn't. It sounds like your recommender is just a jack-ass. Unfortunately, there are far too many narrow-minded people in this world. Put it behind you and kick butt in pharmacy school.