A question about applications.

There is an option to waive the right to see a recommendation form. What are the pros and cons of waiving that right? Any opinions on it?

Don't think I've ever come across it.

Recommendation form in reguard to what exactly?

By waiving the right to see a recommendation form, you're sending the message to the (college? employer?) that you trust the source to make you look good. By not seeing the recommendation, you can't influence its contents.

Cons: Well, unless you have three people (or however many they require) you know won't screw you over, you run the risk of having someone send a luke-warm or bad recommendation. If you don't waive the right to look, you can check it out before it goes in, and trash it if it's not to your liking.

A way around this is to say, flat out: "If you can't recommend me whole-heartedly, I ask that you decline to write a recommendation at all." It won't give you any guarantees, but it should help.

As I understand it, colleges prefer that you waive the right to see your recommendations, since that gives them at least an inkling that you didn't influence your recommendations. It won't be a major contributing factor as to whether you get the job/admission/? you want, but it may be a tie-breaker.

I waived my right to see my college recommendations. I don't think it made a lick of difference in my case -- the college I ended up attending pretty much offered me admission and a scholarship when I went in to interview, before I'd even filled out an application.

Good luck!

If so which?

Beloit College, 1993-1997. I don't know the relative weight grad vs. undergrad colleges put on recommendations.

You also could call up the school where you got your Bachelor's -- they usually have grad-school resources and might be able to shed some light on the recommendation procedure.

then waive the right to see the form. But only do this if you know that they are going to help you. It shows confidence in the impression you made on your reviewers, and they will put a little more emphasis on your reviews. I think that helped me a good bit when I went to grad school.