A good recommendation will address academic aspects that may not be obvious on the transcript--does a student participate in class, try hard, work well with others? We can get some sense of this from a grade, of course, but a teacher or counselor can give us a very good idea of a student's hidden strengths.
We are also happy to review one or two additional letters from people who may know a student in a different way: pastors, employers, and parents--yes, parents.
While a parent recommendation may seem a little biased, we find their insights into the student's background, interests, ambitions, and talents to be quite helpful!