Letter of recommendation for National Merit Scholarship

[MBH]

Letter of recommendation for National Merit Scholarship – does it have to be an academic letter of recommendation? Or can it be from a non-academic person such as a swim coach?

 

I need to make a decision to sign up my dd in an online class or cc class, if the letter needs to be an academic letter of recommendation. Or maybe I can hire a Latin tutor.

 

What do you think?

 

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[Cedarmom]

We called and asked. They were vey ambivalent in their answer and said things like "whatever you feel best represents your student" We did go with a college professor. I do think it helps to impress the board (and some colleges) to have a couple of classes taught bysomeone other than you.

[KnitWit]

All of our paperwork last year said it should be someone who could confirm what you report academically as well as give a perspective *other than* the other info given.

 

Ours was written by a family friend, whose wife also uses much of the same curriculum I use, AND he is a college professor. He confirmed the academics and spoke of her character and talents.

 

She was chosen as a finalist :)

 

adding...my dd had NO outside classes...we have done it all *in house* :)

[Kathy in Richmond]

Since no one academic teacher knew my kids for more than a single out-sourced class, we used our piano teacher who knew them for virtually all their school lives. National Merit was fine with that choice.

 

~Kathy

[Gwen in VA]

We went with a fellow who had had my older two in a few online classes.

 

I was nervous about having a rec written by someone who had never seen my kids in real life, but the NM folks seemed happy with the rec.