Can letters of recommendation for law school be written by high school teachers?

Question

I don't really have a close relationship with many professors. I do, however, have a close relationship with a high school teacher who would write an excellent recommendation. Is it okay to send one letter from a professor and one from a high school teacher, or would it be better to use a second professor, even if the letter won't be as good?

Answer 1

I strongly discourage you from using a letter from a high school teacher as a law school recommendation letter.

Law school admissions committees do NOT want to know what you did in high school, or what your high school teachers think of you. They DO want to know how well you have taken advantage of university-level courses. Your high school teachers, even those with whom you have a close relationship, have not been witness to your academic development over the past three or four years. They are not able to testify to your abilities in the arenas of close reading, clear writing, and critical thinking, because they have not read (and graded) the papers you have written in your field of interest (major).

Finally, it is not necessary for you to have a "close relationship" with a college professor in order for you to get a great letter of recommendation. Just choose professors who taught courses in which you got excellent grades, and in which you regularly participated in discussion.

Here's a fantastic description of how to get the best possible letters from your college professors. Points 5 and 6 will be of the most help to you.

http://www.yale.edu/iefp/fellowships/other/asking_rec_letters.html

Answer 2

A letter of recommendation can come from anyone...you might be better off having 2 college professors and the high school teacher all write one. Most professors will write you a recommendation as long as you did well in their class. I got a recommendation for graduate school written by a professor that I had for only 1 semester.

Answer 3

I would suggest that you get two recommendations from college professors and add a third from your high school teacher. Good luck!

Answer 4

Hello,
It would be ok to send 1, however since this teacher has not been involved academically with you since high school, she can not attest to your academic abilities beyond high school.
I would say draw up a resume and ask a professor to do one for you.
I am an independent college counselor with 13 years experience. E-mail me at [e-mail]