FERPA: Applicants & Recommenders Need to Know
- Wendy Williams
- Aug 3
- 4 min read
As students begin inviting teachers and counselors to support their college applications, they will encounter an important but often misunderstood question in the Common Application:
Do you waive your right to review your recommendations and supporting documents?
Before answering, students and families should understand what FERPA means, what rights are being waived, and how that decision affects the recommendation process.
What Is FERPA?
FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This federal law protects the privacy of students’ education records, including grades, transcripts, test scores, disciplinary records, and other documents connected to their education. Within the Common Application, the FERPA Release Authorization serves two primary purposes:
It gives the student’s high school permission to release requested education records—including transcripts, school reports, and recommendations—to the colleges receiving the application.
It asks the student whether they wish to waive their right to inspect recommendations and other supporting forms.
These are related but separate decisions.
What Does It Mean to Waive Your FERPA Rights?
When students waive their right to review recommendation letters, they are stating that they do not plan to request access to those confidential documents.
According to Common App, waiving this right helps reassure colleges that recommendation letters are candid and truthful. Some counselors and teachers may also have a policy of writing recommendations only for students who waive their right of access.
The waiver does not mean students are giving up all FERPA protections or losing control of their entire education record. It applies specifically to the confidential recommendations and supporting documents associated with the application.
It is also important to understand that FERPA access rights generally apply after a student enrolls at a college. Waiving the right means that the student will not later have the right to inspect those confidential recommendations maintained by the institution.
Should Applicants Waive Their Right?
In most circumstances, I encourage students to waive their right to review recommendation letters. Why? Confidential recommendations may carry greater credibility because the teacher or counselor can provide an honest assessment without concern that the applicant will later request to read the letter. A waived letter reassures the college that the recommender was able to write independently. However, the decision belongs to the student. A waiver must be voluntary, and a college cannot legally require a student to waive FERPA rights as a condition of admission. Students should read the authorization carefully, speak with their school counselor if they have questions, and make an informed decision before inviting recommenders.
What Does FERPA Mean for Recommenders?
When a student waives the right to review a recommendation, the recommender should write and submit the letter independently.
Students may—and should—provide helpful background information, including:
A résumé or activity record
A completed recommendation questionnaire or “brag sheet”
Academic and career interests
Meaningful classroom experiences
Accomplishments, responsibilities, or challenges
Application deadlines and submission instructions
Copy of Personal Essay for college applications
Specific qualities or experiences they hope the recommender can address
Providing this information is not the same as controlling the letter. The recommender remains responsible for deciding what to include and how to describe the student. Students should never write their own recommendation for someone else to sign unless a recommender specifically requests a draft and the school permits that practice. Even then, the recommender must independently review, revise, and approve the final letter.
Does Waiving FERPA Prevent a Recommender From Sharing the Letter?
Waiving FERPA means that the student does not have the right to demand access to the recommendation. It does not necessarily prohibit a recommender from voluntarily choosing to share it. However, recommenders should follow their school’s policies and use professional judgment. Students and parents should not pressure a teacher or counselor to provide a copy of a confidential letter.
The strongest recommendation process is built on trust.
What If a Student Does Not Waive the Right?
A student may choose not to waive the right to review recommendations. This does not automatically disqualify the applicant or prevent a college from considering the application.
However, the choice may cause a recommender or admission reader to question whether the letter was written with complete independence. Additionally, some teachers and counselors may decline to provide a recommendation if the student does not waive access.
Students considering this option should speak with their school counselor before making the selection.
FERPA, Common App, Naviance, and Scoir
Students using Naviance, Scoir, or another school-based college-planning system must still complete the FERPA Release Authorization within the Recommenders and FERPA section of Common App. After completing it, students should follow their high school’s specific instructions for requesting transcripts and recommendations. Some schools manage the entire recommendation process through Naviance or Scoir and do not want students sending separate Common App invitations. Following the school’s procedure helps prevent duplicate requests, missing documents, and unnecessary confusion.
Recommendations Are the Recommender’s Responsibility
Students are responsible for requesting recommendations politely, providing helpful information, and allowing adequate time. Recommenders are responsible for writing and submitting their letters.
Students should:
Ask in person whenever possible.
Choose someone who knows them well.
Request the recommendation well before the deadline.
Provide organized background information.
Follow the high school’s submission procedures.
Send a thoughtful thank-you note.
Monitor the application system to confirm submission without repeatedly pressuring the recommender.
Remember that students do not submit teacher or counselor recommendations themselves. Those documents are sent directly by the recommender or school.
The Bottom Line
FERPA is not intended to make the college application process more complicated. It protects education records while giving students an informed choice about the confidentiality of their recommendations. For most applicants, waiving the right to review recommendations supports a trustworthy and credible process. More importantly, students should select recommenders they trust—people who know their work, character, growth, and potential.
A strong recommendation should add a perspective that cannot be found in grades, test scores, or an activity list. It should help the admission committee understand how a student learns, contributes, responds to challenges, and engages with others.
At Williams Educational Consultants, we help students understand each part of the application before they make important decisions. From FERPA and recommendations to essays, activities, deadlines, and final submission, our goal is to replace confusion with clarity and help every student move forward with purpose—not pressure.
Your story. Your purpose. Your plan. Helping You Choose Wisely!
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