Waived Right to See LoR

[vestigialtraits]

Anyone ever heard of someone being rejected due to not waiving right to see LoR?

[fuzzylogician]

No, but that's probably because I don't think there are too many cases where students get clear feedback about what got them rejected in the first place. I also think it's often not the case that there was just one particular thing that got someone rejected, as opposed to a collection of things that add up, the weight given to the LORs (if the right to view them is not waived) then casting extra doubt on an application that already had some question marks attached to it. 

[vestigialtraits]

That makes sense. Do you think not waiving that right matters much?

[fuzzylogician]

From the Applications FAQ: 

Should I waive my right to view my letter? 

Yes. Your letter will be taken more seriously if your recommenders are free to write their honest opinion of you without fear of retaliation on your part. If you do not waive your right to view the letters, they may be assigned less weight or even ignored by the adcom. Some professors will show you a copy of the letter anyway, and many others might not. You should only ask professors who you trust to write strong, positive letters on your behalf, and expect that you may never see them. 

 

How much adcom members will care about this will depend on the particular person and situation, so we can't know for a fact if it will matter or not (or how much). It's the conventional wisdom that you should waive your rights, because it could make a difference, and you don't want to do anything to hurt your application. It's worth noting that if you don't waive your right, you will only have access to LORs that are in your student file -- meaning that you have to be admitted to and enrolled at a school to be able to view the LORs that were submitted to it. If you're rejected, you don't have a right to view the LORs then (FERPA doesn't cover that). So, if you're concerned about a bad letter, this is not the best way to find out if you're right. And if you're just curious, well, then, too bad. I've never viewed a letter submitted on my behalf by anyone, including over the years letters by 4 profs for grad admissions and another 8 profs for fellowships/grants/jobs. Such is life. I know the letters are good, because people have told me as much in interviews, and I trust my recommenders to do a good job. 

[vestigialtraits]

Sorry to ask a question that's already been answered but thanks for posting the answer here.

[fuzzylogician]

No worries, happy to help