Retain Access to LORs?

[TauPathology]

Ok, so my university has a letter of recommendation service that holds and collects letters for you and sends them out after secondaries. They give you an option to waive your right to see the letters in the file. A copy of your decision is sent along with every recommendation form to the professors writing the LORs. So my question is, should I retain my right to look at these files? Will it sit well with professors when they know I will be able to look at what they write?

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[rajad10]

Ok, so my university has a letter of recommendation service that holds and collects letters for you and sends them out after secondaries. They give you an option to waive your right to see the letters in the file. A copy of your decision is sent along with every recommendation form to the professors writing the LORs. So my question is, should I retain my right to look at these files? Will it sit well with professors when they know I will be able to look at what they write?

do you go to UF?

any yes, you want to waive your right to all your letters. if you don't waive, it looks fishy

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

do you go to UF?

any yes, you want to waive your right to all your letters. if you don't waive, it looks fishy

 

[CTtarheel]

I'm not sure that medical schools will even accept your letters, let alone actually read them if you haven't waived your right

 

[jackieMD2007]

You are expected to waive your right. The letters will be better if you do anyway.
Some profs will offer you a copy regardless.

 

[DoctaJay]

Yeah, waiving it is always the best solution. and you will probably be able to view them after your first year of medical school.

 

[leahmaria]

Yeah, waiving it is always the best solution. and you will probably be able to view them after your first year of medical school.

Do you have access to your admissions file after your first year of medical school?

 

[rajad10]

Do you have access to your admissions file after your first year of medical school?

wouldn't that be nice

 

[Haemulon]

Waive your right. If you want to know what the letters said, ask your recommender for a copy later on (if he/she will print one for you). I had one recommender provide me with an extra copy and I didn't even ask. Was a great boost to see the positive comments, but you should already know that your letters will be positive when you ask for them. So really no need to see them.

 

[dantt]

I'm not sure that medical schools will even accept your letters, let alone actually read them if you haven't waived your right

It's supposedly against the law to make waiving your right a condition of admission.

 

[TauPathology]

Yes I do go to UF. Thanks for all the input. I decided to waive the right, what you all say makes sense. The only reason I wanted not to was to make sure my LORs satisfied all the categories specific medical schools were looking for. Rajad10, if you know anything else helpful for pre-meds at UF, let me know.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[dr.z]

Waive your rights.

 

[Em1]

It's supposedly against the law to make waiving your right a condition of admission.

It's not an *official* condition of admission, but schools won't give your LORs much weight if you don't

 

[rajad10]

Yes I do go to UF. Thanks for all the input. I decided to waive the right, what you all say makes sense. The only reason I wanted not to was to make sure my LORs satisfied all the categories specific medical schools were looking for. Rajad10, if you know anything else helpful for pre-meds at UF, let me know.

Thanks again everyone!

well, i would remember to give the LOR service ample time before your deadlines. they take forever, especially since we have a new LOR coordinator.

 

[odrade1]

Yes I do go to UF. Thanks for all the input. I decided to waive the right, what you all say makes sense. The only reason I wanted not to was to make sure my LORs satisfied all the categories specific medical schools were looking for. Rajad10, if you know anything else helpful for pre-meds at UF, let me know.

Thanks again everyone!

Waiving the right is a good idea. If you have a competent pre-med advisor or letter committee at your school, they will let you know if one of your letters doesn't satisfy the requirements of adcoms.

Remember that although it is innapropriate to ask the letter committee, the adcoms, or your advisor how "good" the letters were, it is ok to inquire whether or not the letters satisfy the requirements of the adcom/letter committee.