Waiving LOR rights

[kc09]

I've never given much thought to this whole issue of whether or not to waive one's right to see letters of recommendation because my school said it was no big deal and it didn't matter either way. So of course I didn't waive my rights, because if it doesn't matter.....well, who wouldn't want to see them?
Well I just finished a sub-I and the program director offered to write me a letter. I told her it was her choice if I waived it or not and she said they should always be waived or they won't be taken seriously!!! Ahhhhhhh!! Had I known this, I would have waived all my letters!!! Anyone else in a similiar situation and have thoughts about waiving vs. not waiving??

Thanks! kc

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[staphaureus]

I've never given much thought to this whole issue of whether or not to waive one's right to see letters of recommendation because my school said it was no big deal and it didn't matter either way. So of course I didn't waive my rights, because if it doesn't matter.....well, who wouldn't want to see them?
Well I just finished a sub-I and the program director offered to write me a letter. I told her it was her choice if I waived it or not and she said they should always be waived or they won't be taken seriously!!! Ahhhhhhh!! Had I known this, I would have waived all my letters!!! Anyone else in a similiar situation and have thoughts about waiving vs. not waiving??

Thanks! kc

I've been told this too. It makes sense, if you don't wave it, then you can filter out the mediocre ones and only send in the strong ones.. On the other hand, I wonder if someone well known write you a letter... whether it maters at all.

 

[DwightKShrute]

Your PD is correct. If it isn't waived, it doesn't mean much.

 

[Llenroc]

I've always retained access to my letters while applying for medical school and residency. It's never been mentioned during interviews. I've done well in both processes so I don't think it's adversely affected me.

They give you these rights for a reason. There's a lot of nasty people out there who can and will **** you over. That's why you should retain access to these letters, because otherwise your squandering your rights.

To me, I put a higher value on this right than the right to vote.

 

[Law2Doc]

I've always retained access to my letters while applying for medical school and residency. It's never been mentioned during interviews. I've done well in both processes so I don't think it's adversely affected me.

They give you these rights for a reason. There's a lot of nasty people out there who can and will **** you over. That's why you should retain access to these letters, because otherwise your squandering your rights.

To me, I put a higher value on this right than the right to vote.

Um no, you seem to be operating under a misunderstanding of the point of the waiver here. They don't "give you these rights". You have them already. You waive them to allow writers to be candid. And yes, you absolutely take the risk that this person you selected is a nasty person who will screw you over. Because if you don't waive them, the school is forced to assume (1) that these writers are only going to write what they are comfortable with you seeing, which may not reflect how they actually feel about you, or (2) that there are other writers you got letters from, didn't like, and pulled because they said negative things about you. Which makes your letters less meaningful, because what someone says about you "behind your back" simply has more credibility than what they might say right in front of you. You have no way of knowing how not waiving these rights has hurt you. That you overcame this hurdle you placed in front of yourself is actually pretty remarkable, and not something others ought to attempt to duplicate.

Seriously folks, you ought to waive these rights because it gives your letters more credibility. If you effectively indicate you don't trust the letter writer any further than you can throw him/her, the PD won't trust him/her either.