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Fraserpan Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Questions about filling out a form

I need to ask my father to fill out a reference form my school sent me. There are a few questions we don't know how to answer. They are listed below.

1. Comment briefly on the family and social background of the applicant.
2. What do you consider to be the applicant's strong points?(include special abilities)
3. Please add any other pertinent remarks. (i.e. medical, psychological, drug or alcohol abuse, criminal record, homosexual or occultic practices, etc.)

My questions are:
1. Does it refer to the info like how many family members I have and what they do for living, etc.? Or anything else?
2. Does the "strong points" mean some ares that you are talented in like playing football very well or your quality, character?
3. If any of those mentioned in the brackets doesn't apply to me, should I generally say none or anything else?

Thanks!
  

Top answer

2. Your strong points are your positives. Anything like altruism, or persistence, or being good at basketball, etc.

— Inchoateknowledge

  • 2.
  • Your strong points are your positives.
  • Anything like altruism, or persistence, or being good at basketball, etc.
  • 3.
  • It refers to whether you have any genetic or adopted abnormalities.
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14 Answers
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2. Your strong points are your positives. Anything like altruism, or persistence, or being good at basketball, etc.
3. It refers to whether you have any genetic or adopted abnormalities.
1. How much your father earns it might imply.
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Hi,

There are some things about this that are odd to a person in N. America's culture. A father is not normally asked to give a reference for his son. references are usually given by someone out side the family. Also, some of the areas mentioned in #3, eg sexual orientation, would never be asked about on such a form in N. America. I guess every culture has its differences.

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Clive, I'm glad you answered this. I was feeling a great cultural divide and at a loss as to how to answer this.

I can't imagine anyone asking about homosexual practices in the same breath as drug abuse, nor can I imagine a father saying "He's a good boy, except for that devil worship and occaisional cocaine use" on a recommendation form. I'm frequently reminded, when I come here, that I
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Thank you for all your answers!

Clive, I have to tell you it is a school in the U.S., and the school asked my parents to fill it out.
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How astonishing! That form is a lawsuit waiting to happen!
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Hi,

Yes, that's truly amazing. May I ask if it is a private school of some kind?

Best wishes, Clive
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Hi,

I think those are what are probably called open-ended questions where the school wants you to provide any information and possibly all that deemed pertinent and important and in wanting so, leaving the task to you to freely give the information so they can make informed decisions as to your application.
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Hi,

I don't call asking you about your criminal record or your sexual orientation very open-ended questions.

Best wishes, Clive
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Something tells me it might be an evangelical Christian school perhaps?

I wouldn't answer those questions and I wouldn't want to go to a school that asked them!
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