About

FERPA and Common App Link With Cialfo

  • LORs
Trevor H. Rusert

FERPA

In 1974, the United States Congress passed the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This stipulated that students could obtain copies of the recommendations and supporting materials that were submitted to colleges and universities by their secondary schools. Shortly thereafter, colleges and universities created the FERPA waiver, because they wanted honest feedback from secondary schools pertaining to students who were applying. 

If a student does not waive their FERPA rights it is an immediate red flag to a university admission officer. As such, we advise all students to check “yes” and waive their FERPA rights. Some universities in the USA will not accept letters of recommendation where the student has not waived their right to see it. Other universities do not even bother to read the letters. From their perspective, these letters are not seen with merit given that teachers and counselors may not feel free to write openly and honestly. 

It is important to note that a “recommendation” is actually a form that teachers and counselors complete electronically and submit to the university. The last question on that Recommendation Form asks teachers and counselors if they wish to attach an “optional letter.” 

When teachers and counselors at Graded agree to write letters of recommendation on behalf of a student, we are all agreeing to write them confidentially. This means it is written with the understanding that students cannot and will not see them. As such, it is an expectation that students waive any ability to see their letters of recommendation. 

If a Graded student does not waive their FERPA rights, it is the obligation of the Office of College Counseling to notify the teachers who have agreed to submit recommendation forms and letters. Consequently, the Graded teachers and counselors then have the right to simply complete the Recommendation Form on behalf of the student, check the boxes in support of the student, but decline to include the “optional” letter. Therefore, it is important that students understand this situation and what is expected of them.

Finally, it is worth noting that this should not come as a point of concern for students. The OCC reads every letter produced by teachers at Graded. When they agreed to write a letter, teachers agreed to write positive, supportive letters. It is our role to make sure that these letters are! Graded teachers do a wonderful, masterful job of supporting our students through these letters, and so we expect students to understand and appreciate this!
 
Link Common Application & Cialfo
 
At Graded, we will submit all of your supporting documents and transcripts to the Common Application portal using Cialfo. In order for us to do this, students must link their Common App & Cialfo accounts.  To do this follow these steps:
 

  1. Log into your Common App

    1. Add at least one College to your list

    2. From the Dashboard, click on the College

    3. Click on Recommenders & FERPA

    4. Complete the FERPA authorization form and be sure to check “yes”

  2. Log into your Cialfo

    1. Click on Recommendations

    2. Click on Link Account

    3. Follow the steps to enter your Common App email and password

 
When successfully linked, you are all set!