<p>So Duke gives you the option to include an optional, personal recommendation. I plan on including an additional recommendation from my wrestling coach, who was also my math teacher for 9th and 10th grade. </p>
<p>Will his rec still only be considered a "supplemental" recommendation (that has no official bearing on the app) even though he was my teacher for 2 years? I feel like his rec should have more weight than a parent's or a sibling's.</p>
<p>That would be perfect. The supplemental rec is meant to look at a unique side of you, and a coach’s perspective would be really nice (I had my debate coach do mine). And just like you said, that perspective would be unique and different that would help the admissions officers understand you better, as opposed to a parent or sibling who are just going to say good things about you. If you have a chance though (and if your family and coach are willing) let them both write recs for you, read them, and submit which one you like better.</p>
<p>honestly, both my mom and my best friend wrote supplemental letters and I couldn’t choose which to send because they were about two very different things, so i sent both and was accepted so i think it is find to send two if need be. otherwise it sounds like the letter from your coach would be a great and sufficient addition to your application</p>
<p>And just throwing this out there, I didn’t send one at all and I was fine so by no means is it a requirement</p>