Is it best not to waive your right to see a letter of recommendation?
Asked by: Yazmin Stoltenberg | Last update: January 4, 2026Score: 5/5 (29 votes)
Not only are there strong reasons to waive your right to see letters of recommendation, but even if you don't waive your right you will not be granted access until after you are admitted to a college and have chosen to attend. In short, there is no real benefit to claiming the right to access, but a lot to lose.
Should you waive the right to see a recommendation?
You should definitely waive access to your letters of recommendation. If you don't, the people reading the letters have reason to suspect that the writers, knowing that you might see the letter, would omit (or at least soften) any negative information that they would otherwise have included.
Should I waive my right to read recommendations?
Schools are therefore obligated to give you the option to waive or retain your right of access. In our experience, you should ALWAYS waive your right of access to your recommendation. Recommendation letters provide a confidential, third-party perspective of the applicant's profile and achievements.
Do you waive the right to view the recommendation eras?
Only LoR entries that have been Confirmed for Upload with the right to view (NOT waived) may be uploaded by the applicant. All LoRs uploaded into the ERAS system will be watermarked with the full name on the AAMC account of the uploader along with the date and time they were uploaded.
What does "I waive my right of access to this recommendation" mean?
Students are also permitted to waive (refrain from using) the rights of access to their letters of reference. If you waive this right, that means you agree that you will not be allowed access to this particular item (the letter of reference) in your record.
Worst Letter of Recommendation I have seen in 2024 - LOR Nightmare
Should I waive my FERPA rights for letter of recommendation?
The short answer: YES. You should definitely waive your right to see letters of recommendation. Read on to learn how and why to waive your right of access to recommendations.
Should you waive your right to access?
Waiver of Access (FERPA) on the Common Application
Why should you consider waiving your right of access? Waiving your right lets colleges know that you will never try to read your recommendations. That in turn reassures colleges that your recommenders have provided support that is candid and truthful.
What does it mean to waive your right?
(weɪv ) verb. If you waive your right to something, for example legal representation, you choose not to have it or do it.
Are you allowed to see letters of recommendation?
It covers critical documents such as grades, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. Under FERPA, students have the right to access these records after enrolling in an educational institution. This allows students to review their recommendation letters.
Can you submit eras without letters recommendation?
While your ERAS application can be submitted without all your LORs, it's important to have them uploaded as soon as possible. Once you upload all 4 letters for a program, you can't change the assigned letter.
What does "not waiving rights" mean?
A non-waiver clause stipulates that if one party chooses not to enforce a particular term or condition in the contract at any time, it does not mean they waive their right to enforce that term or any other term in the future.
Is reading a right not a privilege?
Children have the basic human right to read.
Principals can champion that right with the school board, asking members to sign a pledge to guarantee that right in your community, as well as display Children's Rights to Read posters in the school, library, and offices.
Should you waive access to interview reports?
Generally, it's recommended to waive your right to review the interview summary. This approach is the norm and demonstrates trust in the process. College interviews are primarily evaluative and are meant to help colleges get to know you better (rather than being a gotcha-type situation).
Is it appropriate to ask to see a letter of recommendation?
Be gracious
Being gracious conveys professionalism and shows the person you're asking that you take the request seriously. While employers and teachers may receive many requests for letters of recommendation, they're likely to remember those who ask graciously, which may reflect in their recommendations.
What happens when you exclude a letter of recommendation?
If your recommender had already submitted a recommendation, it will not be included with your application, so you should only exclude recommendations you no longer want to have considered.
What does waiver of recommendation mean?
Applicants that do waive the right to view their recommendation indicate to the school that if they become a student at the institution, they will not be able to view their recommendation letters as part of their student file, even if the rest of their application materials are included in their student file.
Should I waive my rights to see recommendations?
Trust: Waiving your right to view the letter shows that you trust your recommender and their judgment. This might encourage them to write a more open and honest letter, as they won't feel like they need to hold back any information.
What happens if I don't waive my FERPA rights?
Failure to waive your FERPA rights could subtly signal to your recommenders or to the admissions officers that you don't trust your recommender to write a strong and compelling letter for you.
Do colleges actually read letters of recommendation?
When admissions officers evaluate applicants, they review both “hard factors” (quantitative measures like GPA) as well as “soft factors,” such as essays, extracurricular activities, demonstrated interest, and recommendation letters.
Why would a person choose to waive their right to trial?
It might be advantageous for defendants to waive their right to a jury trial for several reasons. These include the following: Imperviousness to Public Sentiment: In high-profile or contentious cases, opting for a bench trial can circumvent the potential influence of public opinion on a jury.
What does choose to waive the right mean?
In contract law, to waive a right means to voluntarily give up or surrender a right that one is entitled to under a contract. Waiving a right typically involves a conscious decision and is often manifested through some form of communication or conduct that indicates the intention to relinquish the right.
Can you read your letters of recommendation after acceptance?
Only you can decide whether or not to waive your right to inspect letters of recommendation. If you are uncertain, you may wish to ask the advice of people you know and trust (e.g. faculty, current graduate students, etc.).
What happens when you waive your rights?
To waive is to voluntarily relinquish or give up a right , claim , or privilege . It can apply to a variety of legal situations, such as knowingly giving up a legal right like a speedy trial or a jury trial , forgoing certain rights in a settlement talk, or not enforcing a term of a contract .
Are students allowed to see letters of recommendation?
5.17 Letters of Recommendation
If kept on file by the person writing the recommendation, it would be part of the student's education record and the student has the right to read it unless he or she has waived the right of access.
What does this mean I waive my right of access to this reference?
First things first, let's define what it means to waive your right to review recommendation letters. Essentially, by waiving your right, you're giving up your ability to request and view recommendation letters.