Hey everyone,
I was looking through the recommendation requirements for the schools I’m applying to and I saw that Harvard has a bunch of options, one being a family member. In what case would someone do this?
Probably if you felt like a certain family member could provide valuable insight into your character that would a) not be found in a teacher/counselor recommendation and b) be of some importance to the university you are applying to. If you don’t think any of your family members would have a valuable story or insight about you, it would be pointless to submit it. When you submit an optional rec like that, the admissions person reviewing it will be trying to find some special remark in there that a teacher/counselor/coach couldn’t say and that you felt was very important the school know. If there isn’t anything special in there, it probably won’t hurt you, but it won’t benefit you, either.