<p>Ok. So I have a problem. Before break, my counselor told me that if I apply to Harvard, then he wont help me get into Columbia (nor anywhere else). He'd just send in his forms and thats it. No schmoozing, no phone calls or anything.</p>
<p>So I agreed that I wouldn't apply to Harvard. Which was hard to do. </p>
<p>Now I want to apply to Harvard, and it's break. I have called my counselor several times. His wife gave us his cell phone # and e-mail address, yet he wont respond at all. I'm pretty sure he's avoiding me.</p>
<p>We dont go back to school until the 4th, when I can corner him and make him do it.</p>
<p>If i sent in all of MY stuff, and explained the situation to Harvard, would they still look at my app?</p>
<p>ivyboy, in the first place, all your counselor SHOULD do is send in his forms. I'm not getting any special treatment from my counselor. I actually don't know any counselors that call the school or "schmooze." Getting in is your job. Apply to whatever college you want, give your counselor your forms, and thats the end of that. If he refuses to do his job, talk to your principle. And remember that its in his best interests that you get into a good school because then he looks good, so he will write you a good recommendation. You should have talked to him and found out why he was so against Harvard instead of automatically agreeing.</p>
<p>Wow, that's ridiculous. I would absolutely report him to the principal, board of ed, superintendent, or anyone else in a position of authority. It's his JOB to get you into whichever colleges you want to go to. You should call the admissions office at least to get a personal opinion. And definitely apply. Do your part, and don't let him stand in your way.</p>
<p>it sounds like you're being crazy manipulated by your counselor. Harvard should definitely take your app, esp if it's just the counselor forms that are late. you probably shouldn't even mention your situation to Harvard...too much info, you know?</p>
<p>why would you need him to "schmooze" for you for columbia, anyways? I always thought that a GC just sends in the forms...</p>
<p>Harvard might wonder why he would refuse to help you get into any schools if you applied to Harvard. Harvard might get the idea that he doesn't like you too much. But go to Columbia anyway. It's better. :-) Just kidding, do what you want hehe.</p>
<p>But yes, send in YOUR stuff by the deadline. Counselor stuff doesn't really have to be postmarked by your deadline.</p>
<p>Yeah, i sent in my Stanford stuff by the deadline...even though it was the night of the 15th....and my counselor still refused to send in his stuff to Stanford because it was "late" and it'd be an automatic rejection.</p>
<p>My counselor told me flat out that he HATES the ivies except for Brown and Columbia (where he knows people or something) and he knows that if (haha, like it'd happen) I got into Harvard and Columbia, then I'd choose Harvard (He thinks its for the name, but really not completely so. Yes, the name Harvard is great, but I'd have access to MIT too - i want to go for engineering)</p>
<p>He already saw the valedictorian and another kid get deferred from Harvard. But really, he has made this process SOOOOO much more difficult than it should be for me. Oh well. Thanks for the advice guys. You're all great.</p>
<p>You have to know how to control your counselor. He'll respect you if your direct and straight to the point and tell him to his face that you want to apply to Harvard, Stanford, etc and that the schools need his forms.</p>
<p>Yeah, ok. I just had my mom call my counselor and talk to him. Again, He told my mom that if I apply to Harvard, then he wont help me get into Columbia.</p>
<p>Then thing is, I NEED his help. I need his reccomendation and my transcript, etc.</p>
<p>Unless.....could I have my principal or dean of students do it for me? Would Harvard allow that?</p>
<p>Oh, and he keeps INSISTING that all the ivies get together and figure out who is applying where. I know there have been threads on this and they all have come to the conclusion that this is untrue...right?</p>
<p>I got into Harvard EA--my counselor is fantastic, but she certainly does not "schmooze" with admissions. She wrote a complimentary letter and sent in the forms; I know that she does not make a habit of calling adcom.</p>
<p>If you are qualified for Harvard, having a hands-off counselor is not going to hurt you. In fact, some would say it is inappropriate for counselors to be butting into adcom. If adcom has a question or concern, they can call your counselor.</p>
<p>DON'T go behind your counselor's back--the last thing you need to do right now is get into a fight with the counselor, and your principal probably cannot go around the counselor completely. Just have him send the form.</p>
<p>(Lol, btw--my counselor is of a Columbia family, and she was still happy to write my recs to Harvard!)</p>
<p>:( I go to a private school where we have 1 counselor and like...no HIGH authority except for the Headmistress, and she is a complete idiot. Erg...WHY!?!?!?!?</p>
<p>The only thing that your GC is required to do is to send in the forms...how could he possibly refuse to do that without risking being fired?</p>
<p>A side note: you should be able to get into columbia and brown without help from your counselor (which is rather unfair to kids who don't have "connections").</p>
<p>If you really want to go to Harvard and truly believe that your counselor will ruin your chances, you should talk to your Harvard adcom about this issue. </p>
<p>Or you could make an ultimatum with you counselor and say that you won't apply to Columbia if he doesn't write your rec for Harvard. HA!</p>
<p>You're looking at this all wrong. I am assuming that your counselour has some sort of connection at Columbia if they can "smooze" for you. But in order to keep their connection the two have a sort of agreement that you accept this kid im giving you and he WILL go there. She doesnt want to break her relationship with the perosn helping students get into college. All she is saying is im not going to give you this extra thing if you apply to harvard, You counselour isnt ruining your chances she is just not going to do anything extra. I would take the connection at Columbia, but thats your call in the end.</p>
<p>That's a good idea - I will e-mail the regional harvard adcom. </p>
<p>cardinalsfan - you have some good points, and I know where he is coming from. But Harvard really is more of a fit for me than Columbia (honestly), and I REALLY want to apply to Harvard. </p>
<p>I wish my counselor were a human.....oh, if only</p>
<p>You said you go a private school where there is only one counselor? Don't you have other kids applying to Harvard??</p>
<p>And now i definitely think you're misunderstanding your counselor. He obviously has some connection at Columbia which he is willing to pull for you, but he knows that you would pick Harvard over Columbia, so he doesn't want to go out on a limb. I can't blame him. Figure out what you want and then tell him what to do. It's not his job to schmooze for you.</p>