Confidentiality / "Relinquishing Rights" to Access Letters?

[phil413]

Some schools ask for the applicant to sign a waiver of confidentiality relinquishing our rights to access the letters. What is this? Are we expected to sign it, does it make a difference one way or another, is one way more advisable?

 

Thank you!

 

[fuzzylogician]

Just do it. Search one of the ten thousand times this has been discussed on the forum for details. 

[SportPsych30]

It absolutely makes a difference. If you want your LOR to hold any value to the admissions committee, you need to waive your right to access the letter of rec. This makes it so that the letter writers can actually write whatever they want to say with out worrying about how you will feel about it. The admissions committee will view a letter as tainted if you do not waive the legal right to access it.

Hope this helps, and happy application season!

SP30

[phil413]

Thanks, and sorry for reposting the question!