Reference Letter - Waiving right??

[Jackie B]

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Ahh!! I misunderstood the way the question was written and checked "No" for all my references, so I did NOT waive my right to have access to the rec letters. One of my references already submitted his letter. Does anyone know if you can call PharmCAS and ask them to change it to Yes? Does it look super bad if all my references have "No" checked off? Crud.

 

[xNeenax]

I did the same thing, but what's so bad about it?????😕

EDIT: darn, I just read what the waiving right was about too and made the same mistake you did x_x
In your case, I think the only way to change it is to call pharmcas because you can't edit your application after you submitted it.

I didn't submit my application yet, but I don't see an "edit button" or how to edit the information anywhere. I read that I can still edit it, but I don't know how. My references haven't submitted their letters yet.

 

[Digsbe]

Waiving your right to reed LORs is important because your LORs will carry more weight. I talked to my top school choice about this and they said it makes your LORs stand out better and allows for those who write them to write more freely because they know that you will not see the letter.

I think the only way to change access to reading your LOR would probably be to delete that LOR and set up that LOR again only this time waiving your right. Maybe the person who wrote it wouldn't mind submitting it again.

 

[xtsukiyox]

Ahh!! I misunderstood the way the question was written [...]

And I misread a pop-up box about "early decision," so now the box is permachecked "yes" even though my school doesn't do early decision. 🙄

Does anyone know if you can call PharmCAS and ask them to change it to Yes?

That would be my best guess. I'm sure it'd be far easier to waive your right afterwards than rescind your right. About this time of day when I called last week, they didn't have much of a wait at all and were really nice. Have your ID number ready.

Does it look super bad if all my references have "No" checked off?

From what I understand, it looks more honest to adcoms to have your right waived. I'd imagine it looks more confident too - if you picked good references, why did you need to see the letter? I wonder if a question as to why you didn't waive your right would come up in an interview (I'm guessing only if they have extra time & nothing to talk about 😛).

Keep in mind that I'm a first-time applicant too, so the last couple sentences were relatively uneducated speculation.

 

[scripNmyLV]

Waiving your right to reed LORs is important because your LORs will carry more weight. I talked to my top school choice about this and they said it makes your LORs stand out better and allows for those who write them to write more freely because they know that you will not see the letter.

I think the only way to change access to reading your LOR would probably be to delete that LOR and set up that LOR again only this time waiving your right. Maybe the person who wrote it wouldn't mind submitting it again.

I think your right especially since not all of the letters have been submitted. This would probably be the best way.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I think your right especially since not all of the letters have been submitted. This would probably be the best way.

I would want to make it as easy as possible for my references. So, I'd call PharmCAS first, then resort to deleting them if I had to after making the call.

 

[chrispharm]

I messed up on mine and just deleted it and resent it and then called my professor and he said he got two emails and just picked the 2nd one.

 

[Jackie B]

I called PharmCAS. they said it's too late for the one that was already submitted. So.....once a reference is submitted, you can't change the waiver status, nor can you delete it! That's stupid, what if you want to change a reference writer. I can change the other 3 that haven't been submitted yet....but I think a "1 No, 3 Yes" looks way suspicious compared to "4 No's". They might think something is fishy with that one Yes

 

[Jackie B]

Honestly though....I think most applicants don't understand this question either and check off either yes or no without knowing what's going on (like I did lol) so hopefully I'm not the oddball applicant who's checked off No for all of them. Whatever, it's a small part of my application...I don't think it'll make or break me