Recommendation Letters

Well, it was bound to happen. We have taken something as completely personal as a recommendation letter and turned it into an all-electronic survey complete with radio buttons and checkboxes. Unfortunately, a lot of colleges have turned away from the classic letter of recommendations and gone with this easier to complete and completely impersonal online version. Here is an example question:

Please specify your recommendation

* I do not recommend X.
* I recommend X.
* I strongly recommend X.
* I recommend X without reservation.
* I give my highest recommendation to X.

Hmmm… What is supposed to be the difference between the last two? I guess we are just saying that if I give them my highest recommendation that this is the absolute best person I could possibly imagine and that I would never consider anyone else even close to this individual. Wow! I’m not sure I could ever check that box.

Whatever happened to a short letter/essay on the qualifications of the person. I say bring THAT back!

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