What if there are errors in a recommendation letter? Forum

[Rmdxthx]

I just wonder how it will influent my application

[NorCalBruin]

Honestly, if there are spelling/grammar errors, I wouldn't worry about it too much. They (the adcomms) realize that this isn't your personal statement, and these people aren't perfect. The important thing is that they say glowing things about you. One of my letters was from my Dutch Language professor, and she sent me a copy of the letter she sent. There were some minor grammar, diction, and spelling errors. But hey? Her first language is Dutch and she said nice things, so who cares? Another one of my recommenders wrote a two page, single space essay about how I'm pretty much the greatest person ever... but their grammar was iffy at times. But hey! At least the writing styles are different they know I'm not just writing my own recommendations. It's not a big deal, really.


Now if they claimed you got all A+'s and you really got B's... Or they said you won a medal of honor and you didn't, that might be trouble. And then I would worry and contact the schools to remove the letter from your file/application.

But if the errors you speak of are superficial, that's fine.

[NorCalBruin]

Hmmm... I think I just admitted that I saw my own letters of recommendation after they were sent in... I don't think that's allowed. So if anything, don't do what I just did.

[Pleasye]

Hmmm... I think I just admitted that I saw my own letters of recommendation after they were sent in... I don't think that's allowed. So if anything, don't do what I just did.

It's allowed. When you send your letters in you sign something giving up your RIGHT to see your LOR's, not saying that you won't sign them. Even if you signed that you're still fine because it's up to the professor whether or not they want to show you the letter that they wrote or not.

[JenDarby]

I definitely do not think they will hold this against you. I think grammar errors are quite common in these situations, and the message is the most important part. One of my recommendations was written by an employer, who is very intelligent/successful/well known/other meaningless crap. When it comes down to it, these days he signs off on press releases for our firm, and other people write them for him. HE actually wrote my LOR and it was frightening. Fortunately he showed it to me before hand, because some of his errors were truly shocking, so another person at the firm looked it over and helped him with edits.

[TLSanders]

Errors in an LOR are unlikely to have any impact at all unless they are so serious as to call into question the credibility of the author as a useful and valid source of information about you.