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We have 3 different letter services!
Be sure you register for the correct one!
- PhD Letter Service
For applying to academic and postdoc positions
- Graduate Reference Letter Service
(GRLS) For applying to graduate and professional schools that
are not health science programs
- Health Science Letter Service
(HSLS) For applying to health science programs (i.e. nursing,
dental, medical,pharmacy, etc.)
What
is the GRLS?
How Do I Start a Letter of Reference
File?
I Have Opened My File, What's Next?
How to Obtain Letters of Recommendation
To Waive or Not to Waive-An Issue of
Confidentiality
How to Request Your Letters be Sent
Out
How to Get Copies of Your Non-Confidential
Letters
GRLS
Account Log-In
Waiver Forms
READ CAREFULLY!
GRLS GUIDELINES
What is the GRLS?
- The Graduate/Professional School Reference Letter Service (GRLS)
is provided as a convenience for graduate and professional school
applicants and those who write letters of reference for schools
and programs on their behalf.
- UC Santa Cruz Students and Alumni have the option of maintaining
a file of reference letters from their instructors or employers
supporting applications to graduate and professional school. An
official cover letter is sent along with the photocopies of your
reference letters to the school you apply to.
- This service cannot be used for employment or internship applications,
its only purpose is for applying to graduate and professional
schools.
- This program is funded solely by the fee for services you pay.
Career Center fees are non-refundable.
- Original letters of reference are kept for five (5) years after
your file's last activity (i.e. letters received or sent).
After five years, the file is destroyed on July 1. However, if
you wish to have your file retained more than five years, contact
us prior to the July 1 deadline, and we will hold the file for
an additional year.
- If a school requires use of their own forms, we will send the
forms with your letters. Your letter writers should complete the
forms and get them into the Career Center, or you can get them
in if your recommenders are not required to complete anything
on them. Make sure all supplemental forms have been received by
the GRLS prior to submitting your online request.
- Normally, graduate and professional schools prefer three (3)
letters of reference. Additional letters may not be read by a
selection committee. You may have as many letters on file as you
would like. However, since the number of letters requested by
graduate programs varies, please be sure to send the correct number
of letters requested (See "Graduate/Professional
School Application Process".)
- Confidential vs Non-Confidential. By law and policy, you have
the right of access to the letters of reference written, this
is a Non-Confidential letter. If you specifically waive the right,
this is a Confidential wavier. If you elect to waive access to
a letter, then you may never see the letter, nor can anyone comment
on the content of a confidential letter. If you do not waive your
right to read a reference letter, you may obtain a personal "unofficial"
copy of the letter in your file. The waiver option cannot be changed
once the letter has been received by our office. Any letter received
without a signed waiver form will be
held by our office as confidential. Due to a change in California
law, the recipient of recommendations will be informed whether
you waived your right to read the letter.
- Although some schools request that letters be included with
your application, they may accept letters from our office arriving
separately from the rest of your application materials. You may
request sealed copies of your non-confidential letters to include
in your application packet. If your letters are confidential and
you are required to submit them with other application material,
bring your materials with a stamped, addressed envelope to the
Career Center. We will enclose your letters and mail the packet
for you.
- We do not have RUSH service! During peak application
periods (Nov. through Feb.), allow 5 working days for us to process
and mail your requests. During the "off season" it may take only
1-3 days. Requests are processed in the order received. To speed
your letters to the schools, you may use Federal Express at your
expense.
- Reference letters cannot be faxed to schools.
- It is important for you to make sure the school has received
your letters. Occasionally, a school does not receive the letters
we send. There are many reasons why this might occur: incorrect
address on the envelope, problems with the mail system, or filing
errors at the admissions office. If a school has not received
your letters two weeks after they are mailed, we will send another
set.
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HOW DO I START A LETTER OF REFERENCE
FILE?
For EXISTING GRLS CLIENTS
registering on-line for the first time please follow these instructions,
they differ from the instuctions for new
clients!:
1. Click on the "Register Now" link at the bottom of
this Guidelines page.
2. Click on "This Form" under "Open a New Account".
3. Be sure to check the box at the top of the page so we
will know you are already a client.
4. Fill out all required fields and click on "Submit Form"
After you have registered on-line:
* The GRLS coordinator will update your account and enter the
names and dates of the letters you have on file.
* You will not be able to request letters be sent out until they
have been entered into the system.
* If you have an immediate request please email the GRLS coordinator
at grls@ucsc.edu with your
name, the address of the school, and names of letters you would
like sent.
* Once your information is updated, you will make all requests
on-line.
* You will also be able to:
-Keep track of which letters have arrived
-Edit your personal information
-View your account balance
-Check the status of past on-line requests. (Note: your requests
prior to your on-line registration will not be entered. If you
have questions about past requests you will need to contact
the GRLS coordinator).
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For NEW CLIENTS registering
on-line for the first time please follow these instructions:
1. Read the Guidelines over carefully
2. Click on the "Register Now" link at the bottom of
this Guidelines page
3. Click on "This Form" under "Open a New Account"
4. Fill out all required fields and click on "Submit Form"
5. Click on "Make Payment"
6. Print the page and send in your payment as instructed to the
Career Center
The fee for opening a file is $50.00.* Make the check payable
to UC Regents or pay with cash at the Career Center. The $50.00
includes an unlimited number of schools, envelopes and postage.
Federal Express requests will be paid by you. *Career Center fees
are non-refundable.
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I HAVE OPENED MY FILE, WHAT'S
NEXT?
WE WILL:
- Enter the letter writers' names in your on-line file as we receive
the letters. Letters will be entered by 3:00 P.M. daily. You will
receive an email when new letters arrive.
- Provide open office hours in the Career Center office to answer
additional questions you might have. We will take emails at grls@ucsc.edu
or calls at 831-459-2368 as well.
- Process requests daily and send out confirmation emails when
requests have been sent.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO:
- Download the Reference Letter WAIVER
FORMS here
You may need to download 
Adobe
Acrobat Reader to view and print the necessary Waiver Form.
If you are unable to download them, request them to be mailed
to you or pick them up in the Career Center.
- Give the Waiver Forms to the letter writers after you
have signed your chosen waiver option and listed the deadline
by which the letters must be completed.
- Download the Graduate
and Professional School Application Process and print for
future reference. You may need to download
Adobe
Acrobat Reader to view and print it. If you are unable to
print it, request it to be mailed to you or pick it up in the
Career Center.
- Make all requests on-line by: logging-in, click on letter requests,
click on new request, check which letters you would like sent,
fill in the address, check the mailing option, and submit. You
can enter a deadline date and additional comments if needed. (Note:
You will not be able to request your letters be sent until the
letters have arrived and been entered into the system).
- Once logged-in, you will be able to keep track of which letters
have arrived, edit your personal information, view your account
balance, make new requests and check the status of past on-line
requests.
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HOW TO OBTAIN LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
- Decide on your waiver options before the form is given
to the reference letter writer. Read the "To
Waive or Not to Waive" section. Any letter received
by our office without a signed waiver option by both you and the
reference letter writer will be considered confidential.
- Talk to your reference letter writers about writing the letters
for you. If possible, hand them a copy of your personal statement,
transcripts, narrative evaluations, a resume, and papers written
for their class. This will give them a broader knowledge of who
you are. You may also want to include a brief summary or outline
suggesting the basic content of the letter.
- Establish a deadline with your reference letter writers for
getting the letter to the Career Center. There is a space on the
Waiver Form for this. Be reasonable
and allow at least three to four weeks for a letter to be written.
If you have the time to wait, ask the reference letter writer
what would be the most convenient time for them to write the letter.
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TO WAIVE OR NOT TO WAIVE--AN
ISSUE OF CONFIDENTIALITY
Because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of
1974, UC Santa Cruz students who use the Career Center's Letter
of Reference Service can waive their right to read their letters
of reference. The decision to do or not to do this must be discussed
with your letter writers. Due to a change in California law, the
recipient of recommendations will be informed whether you waived
your right to read the letter.
Confidential Letter
* Confidential means that you waive your right to see the
letter. The service cannot show the letter to you or advise
you of its contents. The service will maintain the confidentiality
of a letter for the life of your file.
* Some school admissions personnel prefer waived letters,
feeling they have greater credibility. Knowing you won’t
see a letter, the letter writer may feel free to mention both
strengths and weaknesses.
* Some people will only write waived letters.
* Some people may feel that waived letters indicate confidence
in one’s own abilities.
* Some writers do not care if you have waived access and will
still discuss the letter with you, or even give you a copy
of it. |
Non-Confidential Letter
* Non-Confidential means that you retain your right to see
the letter. The service will provide an unofficial copy
to you at your request.
* If you have several letters, you can read them and choose
the best to send.
* Some writers will write a more positive letter if they
know you will have access to it. They may write a much different
letter than if it was waived.
* If you read your letters you are sure that what you send
out is positive. With a waived letter you are not sure.
* You check the letters for errors, typos, etc. Also, some
letter writers may know you well, but write a short, non-specific
letter that may be of little use.
* Personal, unofficial copies of the letter may be obtained
for your own use. |
FACTORS TO CONSIDER
1. How well do your letter writers know you? What do you think
they feel about you and your work? Can they write a useful letter?
2. How well do you know your letter writers? For example, would
they tell you that they could write a strong, useful letter? Would
you be able to comment as to what the letter might say?
3. How many letters will be in your file? You may want to pick
and choose among them, and therefore not waive your right to see
the letters.
4 . The Career Center regards waived letters as "closed."
Any information about the content of these letters will have to
come from the letter writers.
NOTICE: THE WAIVER OPTION MUST BE SIGNED, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER,
ON ALL LETTERS.
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HOW TO REQUEST YOUR LETTERS TO BE
SENT OUT
Your request should include the complete address of the organization
and the specific letters that you want us to forward to the organization.
You may only make a request once you have verified that the Service
has received your letters. You will receive an email when your
letters arrive or you can log-in to your account to view the letters
on file. The volume of requests precludes us holding orders pending
receipt of letters from letter writers.
The Service processes orders on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once we have received a request, the Service will copy the letters
you have selected and send them by First Class mail or by Fed
Ex within 3 working days. During the busy months of October through
January, processing may take up to 5 working days. Submit your
requests as early as possible to ensure that your letters arrive
in time to meet application deadlines. All additional materials
(e.g. transcripts, statement of purpose) supporting your candidacy
should be forwarded directly to the institution. Your file can
only contain your letters of recommendation.
All requests should be made on-line:
- Log-in to your account.
- Click on "Letter Requests".
- Click on "New Request".
- Check the box of each letter you would like sent.
- Fill in the address including the name of the educational institution,
mailing address with zip code, and position title.
- Check the box for the delivery method you prefer.
- Click on "Submit Request".
- Repeat steps for each request.
- You can also enter a deadline date and additional comments if
needed.
- A confirmation email will be sent to you when your request has
been processed.
* If you are requesting that your file be sent overseas via Federal
Express, you must
add the phone number of the recipient.
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HOW TO GET PERSONAL, NON-OFFICIAL
COPIES OF YOUR NON-CONFIDENTIAL LETTERS:
- The GRLS provides you with one free copy of your non-confidential
letters. In order to request copies, all your letters must be
in your file. Verify that we have received your letters by logging-in
to your account.
- Once on-line, click on "Letter Requests", then on
"Request Copies". Click on the letters of which you
would like a copy and how you would prefer to receive them. You
can pick them up in the Career Center or have them sent to your
local or permanent address. Check your preferred delivery method
and submit.
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REMEMBER
- Once a letter is received by our office, the waiver option cannot
be changed.
- We only send letters to graduate and professional schools.
We do not send letters to employers for career or other positions,
for internships, or for non-academic scholarships.
- We will only send letters received by us that are mailed directly
from the letter writer or hand delivered with the letter writer's
signature across the seal of the envelope.
- Official copies of letters will be sent only to schools. Students
may obtain unofficial copies of unwaived letters.
- We do not release original letters to students. They are the
property of the letter writers.
- We will not change or modify any letter.
- Career Center fees are non-refundable.
PLEASE NOTE: We closely monitor the use of the Reference Letter
Service to insure that high ethical standards are maintained. We
take positive steps to verify the authenticity of letters. Forgeries,
efforts to obtain access to waived letters and other questionable
practices by users of the service will be investigated and, when
appropriate, brought to the attention of proper campus authorities
or the graduate/professional schools.
Contact the GRLS Coordinator, at grls@ucsc.edu
or 831-459-2368 for any further questions.
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Policies and procedures are subject to change
without notice. |
