Re: Secure Letters of Reference

[David Wasieleski]

This will not answer your question, but to be honest, I actually show students a copy of the letter I write. If I ever have a question about whether they will really want me to write one (as in cases when there is an issue with a student that I feel I MUST include, and I tell the student this ahead of time), I show it to them before sending it. 99% of the time (actually it's more like 99.999% of the time), there's no problem. Part of the reason I do that is because if you cannot send a perfectly supportive letter, students have a right to know that. At least that's my opinion. Another part of the reason is because ultimately you can't be sure how secure the letter is.
David W.


At 10:45 AM 2/13/2003 -0500, you wrote:

As you undoubtedly know, a number of graduate institutions require their
applicants to submit all their application materials together, including
letters of reference, which are to be placed in envelopes, sealed, and
signed by the author. What I would like to know is, how can I be sure
the reference remains confidential?  What is to stop a student from
requesting along with a legitimate reference, a reference letter to
another institution they do not plan on applying to and opening that
reference letter? I had a reference form to fill out recently which
asked me if I would hesitate to send a relative or a friend for
counseling to this applicant (once they had received the proper
credentials).  I would, but I didn't trust giving that information in a
letter of reference I did not personally mail to the Admissions Office.
Does anyone else see any problems with this method?  Kathy Dillon,
Western New England College


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David T. Wasieleski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Psychology and Counseling
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698
229-333-5620
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/dtwasieleski

"It's funny in this age of illusion
 It's hard to tell what's fact or fiction..."
        --Tom Cochrane
          "Friendly Advice"


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