<p>Various teachor and counselor rec forms, including Common App, have a “privacy notice” section in which you indicate waiving the right to view recs after matriculation. I’d prefer not to waive access if I don’t have to, and as a precaution would want to have the right to find out what was written and sent to colleges. What happens if I don’t waive my rights on the form? </p>
<p>My main question is whether this waiver just applies to the specific school that you matriculate to, or is it a blanket waiver that covers all schools applied to? If the waiver is signed, under FERPA is there a process where you can you still gain access to recs as part of the high school record?</p>
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<li>colleges are suspicious if you dont waive your right to read a rec (at least this is what my college counselor told me). the whole purpose of the rec is to get a true description of what a student is really like without any influence from the student. if you really feel that uncomfortable about not seeing your recs than maybe you should get some other teacher to write them</li>
<li>A lot of colleges get rid of recs/dont save them so to answer your second question no you wont be able to read them. If you WAIVE YOUR RIGHt you are WAIVING your right to read these recs… you have signed your name, take it as a legal document</li>
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<p>thanks ije28- that’s generally what I’m finding, that not signing the waiver can cause the rec to be given less weight and raises questions about why there is reluctance to waive access, and waiving is highly recommended. </p>
<p>In reading the actual FEPA regs, it seems that the part about access to recs and the waiver of access applies only to postsecondary schools, not high schools. </p>
<p>So I’m still wondering, if the waiver is signed, is it possible to later request to the high school (not the college) to see the recs written by school (GC) as part of the student record, under FERPA access rights?</p>