<p>When a college knows that you have seen a teacher rec (like when you don’t sign the waiver, or when you send in a copy of the teacher rec yourself), it unfortunately gives the impression that the teacher won’t necessarily be completely honest since the student and parents will have looked it over. It is advised by many college counselors, therefore, to select your recommenders very carefully and then waive your right to read the recs and have the school/teacher mail the rec to USC. It is important to give the teacher/GC a stamped envelope addressed to USC Admissions. Another way to do it is to have the teacher put the rec in a sealed envelope and then they sign across the seal. You can then put it in another envelope and mail it to USC.</p>