I accidentally didn't waive my right to access LoRs

[w.benjy]

Hi, I'm an international student who's applying to PhD programs in English.

I'm new to this forum and not sure this is the proper place where I can ask this question, but please allow me. Yesterday, I sent out some of the links for LoRs, accidentally not waiving my right to access them. As soon as I realized this, I sent an email to the grad admissions to ask whether it's possible to undo my mistake. The upside is that I haven't completed the applications yet. The downside, however, is that all of my recommenders completed submitting their letters... I'm worried if there would be no way to undo this mistake. Has anybody had a similar experience? Would it affect the adcoms' decisions if I cannot undo it?

Any comments and opinions will be appreciated!

Edited November 18, 2017 by w.benjy

[imagical]

I did the same thing! I'm an international student applying for Education PhDs but went through a very similar thought process to you yesterday, suddenly realising that I hadn't waived the right to see my letters. I emailed the admissions office who told me to send a signed letter including my name, program I'm applying to, and names of my recommenders, and stating that I officially waive my right to view their letters. They also told me to tell my recommenders I'd done this, although my reason for changing this isn't because my recommenders asked me to but rather, like you, because I was worried about how adcoms would view my application! But now I just wonder whether having a letter to this effect attached to my application is drawing even more attention to the whole thing...