It's become such a grind with the common application and so many students needing one.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | August 15, 2022 9:35 AM |
They probably just read who the letter is from, not the content. When I asked a prominent guy in my area to write me a LOR for law school, he told me to write it myself and email it to him, and he would edit and sign it.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | August 14, 2022 9:05 AM |
They are read with an eye for the prestige of the writer and the connections that imply.
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | August 14, 2022 3:39 PM |
That's not really true r2.
But yes people actually look at your letters. Basically all letters are positive. The key is does this feel like a luke warn rec, could be a red flag for an applicant that was borderline. Or is this letter especially great and really explains something about the applicant, could push them forward.
It's better to get letters from people that actually know you and might really sing your praises than a generic letter for someone important that you barely know. Of course knowing someone important well would be the gold standard.
They are even more important for PhD programs/med school though.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | August 14, 2022 3:49 PM |
Fun Fact: Carmela Soprano threatened Jeannie Cusamano in order to get Jeannie's twin sister Joan to write a letter of recommendation for Meadow Soprano to get in to Georgetown.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | August 15, 2022 4:20 AM |
They're far more interested in how much is in your bank account.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | August 15, 2022 4:32 AM |
Isn't Cusamano the last name of Rachel Ray's tiny husband?
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | August 15, 2022 4:34 AM |
How do they know what's in your bank account?
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | August 15, 2022 5:37 AM |
I've read them as part of an essay contest for college scholarships.
What I looked for? As my grad school advisor once said, "Damned by faint praise."
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | August 15, 2022 7:57 AM |
I used to work at a decently sized university, and was acquainted with many people who were part of the admissions process. Yes, the letters were read, as were any included essays.
It may no longer be that way there, and/or may not be that way at other institutions, but in my experience they were read.
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | August 15, 2022 8:24 AM |
[quote] It's become such a grind with the common application and so many students needing one.
Because most students and parents/guardians remain ignorant in every bloody generation since the advent of modern education... and tend to put these things off until the student's final year.
People take more pains planning out preschools than they do universities... mostly because of the waiting lists, yet despite majors being more impacted than ever, they don't seem to feel the same pressures with universities.
But according to the lot that wants you to pay off their student loans, it's a lifestyle choice... a rite of passage... an experience. University is Eat. Pray. Love.
There are many avenues to gaining quality recommendations, but yes, often these are things that are cultivated over time. Many alumni associations offer a plethora of mentorship programs, some starting as early as the 5th grade. And there's many uni programs for even younger students and a couple for "mature" students or less common circumstances. . . which may lead to a recommendation.
And of course, there's the old fashion mixers.
It's not as if any of this is hidden information. . . but it is something that's frequently neglected and pushed to the back burners.
If you're dealing with the typical hopeful undergrad, then they might be better off taking a gap year and heading to a prep school or doing an internship to build up their qualifications and hopefully score a quality rec. Of course, the biggest obstacles in that many is affording it. As the types of beneficial internships are going to take them to overpriced locations and there's little to no financial aid for most prep schools.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | August 15, 2022 8:47 AM |
They are read by several layers of admission staffers before getting to the 'big league' admission officers. LORs are weeded out by the lowest level very much like book publisher 'readers'. Some of the worst and best decisions are made at that level.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | August 15, 2022 9:35 AM |
