Can you read your Letters of Recommendation? Forum

[KrisKC]

On the lsac website if they have received your LOR, is there a way you can read the letter?

[devilishangelrjp]

Nope...

[im_blue]

Nope, you'll have to contact the recommenders to get a copy.

[amputatedbrain]

I thought you could if you didn't sign the part waiving your right to look at it, it's just that nobody doesn't sign that part because it's like telling your recommenders you don't trust them

[im_blue]

If you don't sign the waiver, then you can see your LORs after you enroll at the law school, because at that point your application is part of your educational record that you have the right to access.

[hsprophet]

It's up to whether you signed the form (which I would sign no matter what, you want to show that you have trust) and the letter writer.

My writers showed me the letters before they sent them. It's their choice.

[makingwaves]

Nope, you'll have to contact the recommenders to get a copy.

I took the advice of a post I read on TLS (I can't remember for the life of me who wrote it!). They said they were just politely asking for a copy of the LOR for their records. I've been doing the same thing, making it clear that these are for MY records just to be safe in case LSAC loses one/technology fails me, etc. and recommenders are fine with it. As long as you dont BS them, I don't think you'll have a problem.

[RickyRoe]

Looks like some people don't read the forms they sign, not a good sign for a future lawyer.

[BenJ]

I thought you could if you didn't sign the part waiving your right to look at it, it's just that nobody doesn't sign that part because it's like telling your schools that you don't trust your recommenders. [strike]recommenders you don't trust them[/strike]

Fixed. That's the real danger of not waiving your access.

[raperez129]

I never would consider not signing. I actually had one recommender that would not give me a copy, until after admission. Not sure what that was about, but he stuffed it into an evelope in front of me, and it was a LONG letter, as in several pages and it took extra postage.

I'm scared to assign that letter to any school........

[Xnegd]

I thought you could if you didn't sign the part waiving your right to look at it, it's just that nobody doesn't sign that part because it's like telling your recommenders you don't trust them

I didn't once....

....

..Good lord he was mad....

....very very mad.

Me and the Professor are no longer on speaking terms, sign it, always sign it. No matter what, sign it.

[jerzgrl630]

I didn't sign because I personally don't like waiving my rights and I don't see the big deal. Considering the fact that you cannot actually read the letters until you are admitted and attending school, I don't see the big deal. If a recommender reads the fine print, they should understand that and not take it as a personal thing, although I know that some people will anyway.

[manbearwig]

I didn't sign because I personally don't like waiving my rights and I don't see the big deal. Considering the fact that you cannot actually read the letters until you are admitted and attending school, I don't see the big deal. If a recommender reads the fine print, they should understand that and not take it as a personal thing, although I know that some people will anyway.

Well, considering it might raise a flag to both the recommender and the school you're applying to, it could indeed be a big deal.

Also, if you don't like waiving your rights, you're gonna hate the C&F portion of the bar.

[jerzgrl630]

I didn't sign because I personally don't like waiving my rights and I don't see the big deal. Considering the fact that you cannot actually read the letters until you are admitted and attending school, I don't see the big deal. If a recommender reads the fine print, they should understand that and not take it as a personal thing, although I know that some people will anyway.

Well, considering it might raise a flag to both the recommender and the school you're applying to, it could indeed be a big deal.

Also, if you don't like waiving your rights, you're gonna hate the C&F portion of the bar.

Yeah I know it might raise a flag, but no one seemed to care thus far. Again, since you can't read the damn things until you actually get IN to law school, it really shouldn't indicate that you don't trust your recommender. And to be honest, although I did not sign the line, I have not read any of my recommendations and I have no intention to request copies.

And yes, I know how invasive the C&F section of the bar is. I'll deal.

[hellojd]

I thought you could if you didn't sign the part waiving your right to look at it, it's just that nobody doesn't sign that part because it's like telling your recommenders you don't trust them

I didn't once....

....

..Good lord he was mad....

....very very mad.

Me and the Professor are no longer on speaking terms, sign it, always sign it. No matter what, sign it.

woah, really?

[Xnegd]

Yea, I was a Junior at the time. I was honest with him and told him I didn't know it was a big deal, and I was just curious what it would say. I apologized, and explained this was my first recommendation, and I was sorry, but he was very angry. He was so nice to me before then too which was why I was so surprised. to see his outrage

Coincidentally....his TA dropped her papers one day after class. I saw my rec (that he made her write it) and I got to read it since I helped her clean everything up.

It was "meh," I ended up not using it. I really liked him though, curiosity really did kill that cat here.