A question in need of answers

[threeplusfire]

So I'm using my journal in a weirdly public way. But what the hell... I'm torn at the moment.

If you had two recommendation letters from your all-time best professors sitting in sealed envelopes on your bookshelf, and the person in charge of the scholarship said you could open them and read them, would you?

Comments

[avva.livejournal.com]

Yeah, do it. Consider these caveats though:

1. If they're full of praise, don't take any of it too close to heart. Recommendation letters are traditionally skewed towards fake praise, even more so in recent years because some students actually sued their professors for candid letters. Even very good and honest professors are liable to write letters full of nothing but stock praise, especially because the letters aren't meant for you to read.

2. If there're criticisms, don't be disappointed: be very thankful. Don't accept them as gospel truth; rather, study them carefully and reflect on them. Don't give in to any of the two extremes: either dismissing harsh words because you obviously know yourself better than the professor, or shattering your self-confidence because the professor is so much smarter than you and is obviously right. Reflect, then reflect some more, and find the middle road that is best for you.

Just my $0.02.

very thoughtful

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Very important things to consider. If I decide to open them, I'll come back and read your comment again.

My curiousity has been on fire ever since I picked the letters up Friday. One professor seems to have written a couple pages, as the envelope is definitely thicker than the other. Heh, oh it's killing me! I hope he didn't tell them about the time I told him to go to hell in Russian class. ;)

yes

[rinnywee.livejournal.com]

even if they have criticism, that can come in handy for learning from it

Re: yes

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

I used to be so fragile, I'd curled up and die from criticism. Especially of my writing, or my work. But I think I've come a long way in four years... I think some informed criticism would do me a world of good. Especially from people I have respect for.

However, that does not mean making fun of me when I can't roll my r's in Czech class, as a certain professor has done in the past. :P

Thanks for your advice/vote/opinion. And just think, in six days, I'll only be a few hundred miles away! :D

Re: yes

[rinnywee.livejournal.com]

yayayayayayayayayayayayayay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hope you get the package tomorrow

Re: yes

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Me too! Every day I wait for the mail man to show up at my apartment complex, and I ask if he has any packages for me. Heh, he must think I'm a loon.

Re: yes

[rinnywee.livejournal.com]

ahahahahahahaha

i really hope you'll like it *nervous*

Re: yes

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

I bet it will be nifty cool! *excited and bouncing with anticipation*

[zombiechu.livejournal.com]

Just to be devil's advocate I would say not to read it now. It might be interesting to make copies without looking and read them much later. But it seems as though some of the magic would be taken out of them if you read them before the scholarship people.

what an idea

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Now that is tempting. Get someone to make copies and then read them on the plane or something, after I've mailed off the scholarship stuff.

[warhol.livejournal.com]

I'd say "no" for the following two reasons:

1. They say little more than "Amanda is really great" and give a couple of examples of your coolness. (Though your reaction to those examples will probably actually be like, oh wow, so they thought that was impressive? I'm surprised they noticed!)

2. You'll feel a bit bad about it.

Just FYI, when I was in a similar situation, I did. (Probably many people have.) I don't think it was really that great.

eep

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

I think I might feel very guilty if I open them. But good lord, how many pages did Keith put in there? It's driving me crazy.

[sasha.livejournal.com]

Would the professors be alright with you reading them?

Re:

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

I imagine that if I asked, they would give me copies of the letters.

More advice you don't need...

[tinywarrior.livejournal.com]

If it were me, I'd probably make the decision based upon the understanding of the professors when they wrote them. If they knew you might be able to read them, I'd say have fun being nosy. If they wrote them thinking they were to be sealed and only for the eyes of the scholarship people, then I'd repay their kindness in doing you the favor by respecting the privacy they believed they had when they wrote the letters.

Re: More advice you don't need...

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Heheh. Now how to figure if they knew I'd read them without sounding like I'm thinking about reading them... ;) Maybe I'll just ask for copies.

[llafontaine80.livejournal.com]

The suspense would kill me. Yes, open them!

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Hehehe, oh the suspense!! I might just run screaming out of the house! ;) I wish the woman hadn't said anything about reading the letters!