Dear Babs: What if I look at my recommendation letters?
Dear Babs,
Is it OK to open the envelopes that my teacher’s college recommendation letters are in? I’d really be interested to see what they had to say. I’ve heard some horror stories of people sending in college recommendations that were actually negative because the applicant didn’t read them first. Is it morally and ethically OK? Is it even legal? What can I do?
—Snoopy Student
Dear Snoopy,
Unless your teacher hands you a copy of your college recommendation letter and says, “Read this,” you should NOT, under any circumstances, open any envelopes containing rec letters. Not only is it ethically shady, but some colleges may disqualify your application as a result of your taking a peek. This is why most teachers and guidance counselors mail recommendation letters to the colleges directly-to help you avoid temptation. The privacy allows them to give their honest opinion of your work as a student and how you will fare at the college level.
That said, I can almost guarantee you that those “horror stories” you have heard about negative letters involve students choosing teachers who they did not do well enough in their classes. (I even know of a few bold students who asked for letters from teachers whose classes they were failing!) In fact, when faced with a student for whom they cannot write a decent recommendation, many teachers will either write a neutral letter or even decline a rec request to avoid hurting the student’s college chances.
Rec letters should be the easiest part of your application because your teacher is taking care of the work. But the choice of whom to ask for them can be hard. Here are a few tips:
Only ask teachers who truly know you. This might sound obvious, but you can’t imagine how many students remain silent in class all year, then ask the teacher for a letter of recommendation. Too shy to talk in class? Stay after class to ask a question or stop by to chat with your teacher about an assignment after school from time to time-that will show him or her you are conscientious.
If you need three letters, ask four teachers. That’s right _ ask for four different rec letters. Teachers get bombarded with recommendation requests at this time of year and there is a chance that your disorganized, Nutty Professor of an English teacher might lose your request on his or her desk. So avoid that pitfall and ask for a backup letter. The college won’t mind if you send along a fourth letter with your application.
Talk to your teachers about your college plans. It’s all well and good if your music teacher goes on and on about how great a drummer you are, but it won’t help much if you are trying to get into a pre-med program. Don’t despair, though-that music teacher can still write you an awesome rec letter by focusing on other aspects of your personality, like your determination to succeed and your “practice makes perfect” mentality. Don’t write off any teachers because of their subject matter-just talk to them first to help focus the letter in a way that will be most beneficial for your application.
Remember, teachers have lives, too, so be sure to ask them for letters early and remind them often about deadlines. A thank you note after the letters are mailed is always a nice touch.
Good luck!
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Dear Babs appears every Thursday on The Eagle's Nest
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