LORs: waive access, or not?

[MaryEP]

I've always thought that letters were more credible when an applicant had waived access. When I did this is the past, letter writers would often give me a copy of the letter AFTER it was submitted: I think we both interpreted "waive access" as referring to viewing the letter before submission. However, I noticed that CASPA has now changed the wording of its instructions in the "Letters" section, clarifying that "waiver" means that the letter writer sends the letter on the assumption that the applicant will NEVER see it. While I appreciate the clarification, it raises some questions.

 

Did you waive access, or did you have some idea of what evaluators said, either before or after submission of their letters?

 

My thought is that seeing a letter, even after submission, could help me evaluate what went wrong with an unsuccessful application, and what I would need to do to be successful in the future. However, I don't want to make that result more likely by making a good letter less persuasive by failing to waive access.

 

I will also be posting this on the pre-PA Forum, but wanted to avail myself of the insights of those who have already made it through this process, and gotten in.

 

Thanks in advance!

[OpSite]

I waived my right to see my letters. I knew all of my LOR writers very well and was extremely confident in their assessment of me academically and personally. I'm not on an admin board so I have no idea what their thoughts were on the matter, but I was always told to waive access. IMO (which is probably not worth much), as long as the people writing your letters have known you and are aware of your skills/personality/academic prowess you'll be fine in that manner. Choose wisely and you'll have no worries. And if, for some reason, you are not accepted this cycle, contact each school and ask what you could have done to present a stronger application. From what I gather, they will tell you.

[greenmood]

I waived access, and I think you should too. The only reason not to waive access is if you really need to read the letter, and the only reason you really need to read the letter is if you don't trust the writer to be truthful, direct, and persuasive. If you don't trust the writer, you shouldn't have asked for a letter. When you do ask for a letter, make sure you ask the writer to be honest about his/her ability to write a *good* one. Most of these people have done this before and will not be offended by you covering your bases.

 

I had an idea of what my evaluators would say because I knew all of them really well. I knew they'd give me a copy of their letters no matter what the wording was on CASPA, because they wanted to write letters for me. The letters were gifts, and the givers wanted to see my face when I opened my presents.

[flyingsquirrel]

My understanding of the waiver (for CASPA and all other university applications) is that you are waiving access to the submitted letter. This means that neither CASPA nor any of the schools to which you apply are permitted to share the letter with you (before or after an application decision is made). The letter WRITER is not bound by this waiver at all and is free to share or not share the letter with you at any time as they see fit.

[fyrelight74]

I did not waive, but my referrers had let me see it in advance anyway. I didn't ask to see it; they just told me, "I've got that LOR completed for you, see?" It didn't affect my chances to get in.

[Just Steve]

I waived. I have no idea or not if it matters, but one of my strongest attributes is playing the confidence game, even if on the inside I am a bowl of jell-o. I figured I walk into an interview trying to look calm, cool, and collected, then they ask me "so what did you think of your LOR?" followed with "why did you feel the need to see it?" I'd be sunk.

 

To each their own...best of luck to you.

[MaryEP]

Thank you very much for all your helpful suggestions.

 

My question was occasioned by my decision to ask for a LOR a professor I don't know all that well, but who taught a small-group, semester-long seminar I took recently, in which I demonstrated skills I think committees would find interesting. In the end, I decided I knew him well enough to trust he would "put my best foot forward," and waived. He submitted his letter earlier this week.

 

I did ask him to please let me know if he felt he couldn't write the sort of letter that was needed, and heard not a word. ;-)

[polarbears11]

I waived mine. But even if you don't, I'm almost positive you can not read them through CASPA anyways.