I'm so curious!!!

[E'01]

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Is there a way to read our committee letter once the application process is over? I'm so curious as to what my committee wrote.

 

[DoctorOneDay]

I think it depends on whether or not you waived your rights (usually you have to sign a form stating whether or not you want to access your recommendations). Unfortunately, from what I hear, schools don't like for you to ask to see them (as if you don't trust them). I know how you feel, I'm dying to read my recs but I dare not ask.

 

[E'01]

heya doc. Yep I did waive my rights, but what I meant was, you know after we get into a med school, can we go back and ask to see our recc?

 

[DoctorOneDay]

Nope, that waiver still applies then.

 

[C U in MD school]

look it's very simple to see ur letters of rec. i will tell you all after we get it. please remind me. i just dont want to do it now because i dont want anyone to try it. trust me, it's so simple ur gonna laugh.

 

[E'01]

Cu in Med - umm is your plan legal??

 

[Djanaba]

of course not.

why not ask individual recommenders? Easier, and involves no waivers.

 

[Amy B]

Our undergraduate school uses its pre-med committee to act on our behalf and write a letter from the school. We have to submit letters of rec on the school provided form. On the top of the letter it says
"Do you waive your rights to see or be told about the contents of this recommendation." You then have to sign it. So ethically, asking your letter writer to tell you would be bad and unethical.

We can't find out. Period!

 

[Jalopycat]

My school does the same thing but they warn you ahead of time if the letter isn't going to be positive. I think that's only fair.

 

[leorl]

Weren't you given an indication when you asked your prof/advisor to write you a letter? If they write positive things, usually they respond with a grin on their faces and say, "I'd be HAPPY to!" And actually, usually when I ask for rec's, my professors act so flattered that students like/respect them enough to ask for it from them.

When I went to my premed advisor, she told me she only had good things to write about me. Usually your person gives you hints and reassurance before they even write the letter. If they don't think they can write you a good rec, they'll warn you.

 

[none]

Am I going to be at a disadvantage? My school (UCSD) does not have a committee. Instead, they have a program that compiles our letters directly from professors and then sends them off to the schools you request. In this particular setup, professors get to decide if the letter can be read by the student. All of mine have said yes...will med schools look down on this?

 

[E'01]

leorl you're right. Everyone I asked responded very enthusiastically. I don't think that my committee letter was bad in any shape or form. My interviewer was reading it in front of me. The only reason I started this post was because he never made any comments but made several approving/impressed sounds and I was just curious as to what he was reading.

Thanks everyone for your comments 🙂

 

[nochaser]

I also waived my rights, however, one of my prof's sent me a copy of his...hope the adcom police don't nab me for reading it!

 

[StitchEM]

why don't you ask your commitee or letter collection agency to mail your letters to yourself at a PO box or to a friend who will at like a porspective employer or something?

 

[jasmine]

Clever, DaniC, but I would say that's too risky a proposition...

The best way to ask someone if they will write a recommendation is to ask "do you think you could write a strong recommendation for me?" not "can you write a recommendation for me?" A good tactic, because recommenders will be honest - if they cannot, you'll know for sure, and if they will, you know you'll be getting a rec you can be comfotable with.