Letters of Evaluation Online

  

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions


May I have the letters in my file placed in a specific order?

Although in the past we have placed the order of letters for particular institutions applicants may be sending to, we no longer do this. LEO does not allow for control over the order of letters and the order changes each time a new letter is added. Because of the high volume of files we must process we cannot stop to manually order the letters.

What is a Letter of Evaluation file?

A Letter of Evaluation file holds generic letters, usually confidential, which may be used by an applicant to academic institutions for the purpose of employment or admission to a graduate or professional school program. This would include application to medical, dental, or law school. Files may not be used for any other type of employment. If you are applying for academic employment you may also choose to have copies of transcripts from schools where you have earned a degree held in the file. If you are using your file to apply to a graduate or professional school program you may not include transcripts in your file as they are not accepted by schools as "official." We do not hold other materials such as CV's, resumes, abstracts, writing samples, or teaching evaluations. Any file opened as of September 2005 will be maintained for twenty years from the date opened and then permanently inactivated.

What fees are involved with LEO?

One-time File Establishment fee = $40.00; File Processing Fee (per school, not per letter) = $10.00; International File Processing Fee = $12.00; Overnight Priority Service = $35.00; 2nd Day Priority Service = $25.00; International Priority Service = $50.00; Fax (no International faxes) = $25.00; File retrieval fee for archived files = $40.00

What are the technical requirements to use LEO?

The LEO system requires a recent web browser (Internet Explorer 4 or Netscape 4 and higher). To view certain documents including the Evaluation Forms, Adobe Acrobat Reader 4 or higher is required. If you do not have the Reader, it can be downloaded from Adobe for free.

I’m an alumnus and am not currently enrolled at the University of Washington. What steps do I take to use LEO?

In order to use LEO you must have a UW NetID. A UW NetID is available for all eligible alumni and former students even if one graduated prior to 1999. If you recall your UW NetID you may proceed and register for LEO. If you do not yet have a UW NetID or have forgotten it, you should sign up at (https://uwnetid.washington.edu/newid) for one.

How long do you keep the file?

All files opened or entered into the LEO system as of September 2005 will be kept twenty years and then will be permanently inactivated. Prior to September 2005, files opened for graduate professional school application will be kept 7 years and then permanently inactivated. Prior to September 2005, files opened for application to academic employment will be kept 20 years from the point of last contact and then permanently inactivated.

What forms of payment do you accept?

Payment can be either through a credit card charge on LEO (Visa and Mastercard only), or if you wish to pay by cash or check you will need to come by or mail your check to: UW Career Center 134 Mary Gates Hall, Box 352810 Seattle, WA 98195

What is the refund policy?

The UW Career Center does not refund file establishment or file processing fees. If you feel you have a special circumstance, please notify us in writing and we will consider on a case-by-case basis. In the event a refund is granted, there will be a $4.00 processing fee.

How do I get the Evaluation Forms?

Once you have registered with LEO, you can proceed to the next set of screens by hitting the button "Evaluation Forms" where you will "Start a New Letter of Evaluation Form". You will begin to submit your evaluator's name and their association to you. LEO is here to walk you through the process. LEO will produce the forms for you to print and give to the evaluators.

What do I do with the printed Evaluation Form?

Your next step is to hand deliver or send it to the evaluator who agreed to write your letter. As a courtesy, provide an envelope (stamped if necessary) for them to return to the UW Career Center. The mailing address is at the bottom of each Evaluation Form. If a letter is hand delivered it must have the evaluator's signature across the seal. The letter is NOT returned to you.

How many letters are held in my file?

A maximum of 10 letters can be placed in your file. If you have an Academic Employment file you may have a mix of transcripts and letters but may still only have 10 documents in your file.

Should my letters be confidential?

University of Washington students and alumni may establish either a confidential or non-confidential letter of evaluation file, in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and University of Washington WAC 478-140-010. It is very important that you make this choice carefully. You should consider what is customary in your field and the preferences of your letter writers, but please note that many schools will not consider non-confidential letters. This is particularly important if you are applying to Medical, Dental, or another Professional school program. The Center for Career Services staff may not review letters for the purpose of rank-ordering or otherwise selecting certain letters over others on the candidate’s behalf.

When should I obtain letters?

Your letters should reflect your academic courses or experiences throughout your degree. Do not fill the file too early with only freshman letters, but try to balance the letters, possibly one from your freshman year, one from your sophomore year, and the rest during your final years. Show growth, maturity and experience throughout the years.

Who do I choose to write a Letter of Evaluation? How do I ask?

When asking a professor to write a letter of evaluation, make an appointment to talk with him or her in person, if possible. Bring papers or exams that you wrote for the professor. This opportunity to discuss your plans for the future helps the evaluator write a more informed letter. Ask the professor directly if he or she can write a strong letter for you; if you sense that a letter will be ambivalent or bland, it is better to ask someone else.

What should the evaluator say in the letter?

A letter for a Credential File should not be school specific; rather it should be generic so that copies may be sent to various institutions. The writer may start by specifying in what capacity and for how long they have known the applicant. They may describe performance on specific assignments and list any important accomplishment. Indicate the degree to which the applicant is recommended for the graduate program or academic position to which they are applying – without reservation, strongly, with some reservation, not at all.

Can I use a TA as an evaluator?

It is always in your best interest to have a faculty member write a letter reflecting your academic performance, so make every effort to get to know faculty through classes, lab sessions, and/or research. However, if you have an outstanding TA who knows your work, certainly you want to get the evaluation. The TA is encouraged to have the supervising faculty member countersign the letter

How do I know if the evaluator returned the letter to the Center for Career Services?

That is why LEO was created! You can check 24/7 to view the date it was returned to the UW Career Center.

Can I replace a letter in my file?

Yes, you may replace a letter as long as you do not exceed your limit of 10 letters. Any letter removed from the file cannot be reactivated at a later date. A letter can be replaced and updated by the original author. Remember to "choose wisely at first". If the letter has not been received, you have the option of voiding the letter on the View Evaluator screen and choosing a new evaluator. Otherwise, you will need to contact us at ccsfiles@u.washington.edu and let us know which letter you wish to have voided so that we may remove the letter for you.

Can I pick which letters are to be sent?

Even though you may have several letters in the file, you are always in a position to pick and choose which letters are sent to the admission directors or hiring committees.

Schools are asking for my letters of evaluation, what do I do?

That is the beauty of LEO! You can order your file to be sent by pressing the "School Applications" button. You will be able to: Pick and choose which Evaluation letter(s) you want sent to each school. Choose the method of mailing. Make a payment.

When will my letters go out?

We ask for 48 hours from the time you place a request to the time we send it out. We must receive payment prior to sending letters out. We may be able to process your request sooner than 48 hours, but guarantee it will not take longer once payment is received.

What mailing options are available?

Your file will be sent by first-class USPS unless you request that we send it Priority Overnight or 2nd-Day. Requests to send Priority or 2nd-Day must be received by noon. Requests received after noon will be processed and sent out the following business day. Requests to send out by fax must also be received by noon, otherwise they will be processed the following business day. The fees are: File Processing Fee (per school, not per letter) = $10.00; International File Processing Fee = $12.00; Overnight Priority Service - $35.00; 2nd Day Priority Service = $25.00; International Priority Service = $50.00; Fax (no International faxes) = $25.00

Can I fax or email my Letters of Evaluation to admission offices or hiring committees?

We are not able to email your Letters of Evaluation, but we may fax your letters if this is acceptable to the school to which they are being sent. We do not send international faxes.

The school(s) I am applying to want the Letters of Evaluation included within my application packet. What should I do?

Inform the school(s)that your letters will be sent from a confidential credential file service from the UW Career Center at the University of Washington within a few days. Schools have been very accepting of this method and we have not experienced any difficulties providing letters from a secure letter system.

Do you hold transcripts in the file?

If you are applying to a graduate or professional school program, do not have transcripts placed into your file. Schools do not accept transcripts as offical which have been part of a letter file. Transcripts must arrive at the school(s) you are applying to in envelopes sealed and sent from a transcript office in order to be official. If you have a file to apply for employment in schools only, you may have transcripts in the file.Please note: transcripts count as a "letter" and we hold up to 10 letters for you.

Is there ever a time when I may read my confidential Letters of Evaluation?

There are no circumstances in which we may send your letters directly to you or allow you to read them. We have no legal authority to change the status of your letters.

How can I view a non-confidential Letter of Evaluation?

Please come to the UW Career Center once the letter is received in LEO. You may also email a request to have a copy mailed to you.
 
University of Washington, UW Career Center
A Unit of the Division of Student Affairs 134 Mary Gates Hall, Box 352810, Seattle, WA 98195-2810
Information: 206.543.0535 | Fax: 206.616.4863

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