<p>Do colleges really care if the letter of recommendation on the common app is from an "academic" teacher? And what is an academic teacher, even? I assume it's like science, math, etc., but would Health count? I don't have close relationships with any of my math or science teachers, so if I absolutely need a letter from one of them, I don't know what to do.</p>
<p>Math, science, social studies, english, language. Not health. If a school specifies they want an academic teacher (and most do), it needs to be one of those. I don’t think you need a particularly close relationship with the teacher; I was never one of those kids who high-fived their math teacher in the hallway and joked around with them all the time, but I did my work and participated and got good grades and I’m sure it’ll be a decent rec. Don’t stress too much over it, just think what your best subjects were!</p>
<p>Couldn’t health be considered a science?</p>
<p>And what happens if it says that stuff about an academic teacher on the common app, but it’s not stated on the school’s website? Do I just go by the website? And what would happen if I just sent a recommendation from my health/web design teacher, will they just not accept my application? At this point I think I’m just going to have to send the recommendation I have and see if they send anything back.</p>
<p>Ehh, if you’re not getting credit for it as a science course, it’s not a science. Otherwise gym could technically be like, exercise science. Lunch could be a class on the digestive system.</p>
<p>If the school website says “any teacher” then I guess they mean any teacher, but I’d be surprised if not one school you’re applying to wants one academic teacher. I suppose you could just use those two and see what happens but personally I wouldn’t risk it.</p>
<p>i would not consider a health teacher an academic teacher. that’s just my opinion. however, if it does say any teacher, than i think the health teacher qualifies =]</p>
<p>sorry, to ask a question myself, but to those who responded do you think my psychology teacher would be okay? psych at my school is an elective, but i still think the class is academic, just like a foreign language (also considered an elective).</p>
<p>You have to look at what each school requests. Some schools require recs from a core subject teacher or two. For those schools you have to choose from the core areas: math, science, english, social studies, foreign language. Psych would not fall in those categories. Other schools are less strict and want any “academic” teacher. That is a broader requirement and clearly doesn’t include the football coach or your church pastor, but could include your psych teacher, or in my case a speech/debate teacher.</p>
<p>Psychology at my school is considered a social studies class because it encompasses just that: a study of social behaviors and processes. Maybe you should check with your guidance counselor.</p>