Let's not over react here please.....
Our MOC's and Senators use evaluation forms. They tell the evaluator to type answers and attach extra pages if necessary. We (and others) simply re-created the form as a word doc, where evaluator could plug in their answers. Even had a Senator's office compliment upon the "professional appearance" of the evaluation forms and "wish more people would take care to make the form easy to use and readable." The intent was not to alter letterhead or forms. Simply to make the evaluator's job easier. So they could fill in the answers.
Yes, students aspiring to academys are outstanding, stellar, cream-of-the-crop. Yes, teachers, pastors, scout masters, etc will write glowing letters of rec. Which will sound like every other glowing letter of recommendation. So, with a little help: say a bullet point list of your accomplishments or what you hope they will emphasize in the letter, you can help them personalize your letter. The mission here is to help your letter writer and score a letter that stands out from all the other glowing recommendations.
I would never ask a recommendation letter to be addressed "To Whom It May Concern." It should be addressed to the MOC, Academy, whoever specifically. And it should state somewhere that "John Doe will make an outstanding midshipmen, cadet, because XXXXXXXXXX." With today's technology, a letter writer can change address, etc but leave the letter the same.
Furthermore, I never implied one should try to "intercept" the letters. Our Senators both asked for the application, evaluation forms and transcripts to arrive at their office in ONE PACKAGE. Evaluation forms in sealed envelopes with signatures across the back. Transcripts with school seal, in envelope. They do not want more than 500 kids sending in apps, then three evaluations for each arriving seperately followed by transcripts. The only thing they were willing accept independently was ACT/SAT scores directly from college board.
When I suggest providing envelopes for recommenders to use, I mean envelopes addressed to MOC if specified or back to us (two of son's recommenders lived over 700 miles away, we had to assemble the packet for the Senators office.) I was in no way suggesting we wanted to see what was in those letters. Although each recommender sent son a copy of the letter.
Following directions to the letter is the first line of judgment in these matters. Please do not berate us because the instructions from the MOC's and Senators was not identical to your experience.
And finally, I did a bit of asking around and found it is not uncommon for a person asked to provide a letter of recommendation to request a draft from the student. And, I do get around and move in professional circles that encompass several states. Yes, the MOC's, Academy expect the letter to be from the recommender. However, it doesn't hurt to provide them a resume, listing of what the academy is looking for, so they know how to point the letter.
Our MOC's and Senators use evaluation forms. They tell the evaluator to type answers and attach extra pages if necessary. We (and others) simply re-created the form as a word doc, where evaluator could plug in their answers. Even had a Senator's office compliment upon the "professional appearance" of the evaluation forms and "wish more people would take care to make the form easy to use and readable." The intent was not to alter letterhead or forms. Simply to make the evaluator's job easier. So they could fill in the answers.
Yes, students aspiring to academys are outstanding, stellar, cream-of-the-crop. Yes, teachers, pastors, scout masters, etc will write glowing letters of rec. Which will sound like every other glowing letter of recommendation. So, with a little help: say a bullet point list of your accomplishments or what you hope they will emphasize in the letter, you can help them personalize your letter. The mission here is to help your letter writer and score a letter that stands out from all the other glowing recommendations.
I would never ask a recommendation letter to be addressed "To Whom It May Concern." It should be addressed to the MOC, Academy, whoever specifically. And it should state somewhere that "John Doe will make an outstanding midshipmen, cadet, because XXXXXXXXXX." With today's technology, a letter writer can change address, etc but leave the letter the same.
Furthermore, I never implied one should try to "intercept" the letters. Our Senators both asked for the application, evaluation forms and transcripts to arrive at their office in ONE PACKAGE. Evaluation forms in sealed envelopes with signatures across the back. Transcripts with school seal, in envelope. They do not want more than 500 kids sending in apps, then three evaluations for each arriving seperately followed by transcripts. The only thing they were willing accept independently was ACT/SAT scores directly from college board.
When I suggest providing envelopes for recommenders to use, I mean envelopes addressed to MOC if specified or back to us (two of son's recommenders lived over 700 miles away, we had to assemble the packet for the Senators office.) I was in no way suggesting we wanted to see what was in those letters. Although each recommender sent son a copy of the letter.
Following directions to the letter is the first line of judgment in these matters. Please do not berate us because the instructions from the MOC's and Senators was not identical to your experience.
And finally, I did a bit of asking around and found it is not uncommon for a person asked to provide a letter of recommendation to request a draft from the student. And, I do get around and move in professional circles that encompass several states. Yes, the MOC's, Academy expect the letter to be from the recommender. However, it doesn't hurt to provide them a resume, listing of what the academy is looking for, so they know how to point the letter.
