There are two different components to an application-- the kid’s application and the packet that goes from the high school. That packet contains the transcript, the letters of recommendation from teachers and guidance counselor, course descriptions, and I’m not sure what else.
My guess is that the counselors are right now swamped with the Early Admission/ Early Decision applications. Many of those deadlines are November 1, so the packets will have to go out in the next 15 or so school days.
After that, the guidance counselors can turn their attention to the slowly growing stack of Rolling Admissions apps on their desks.
The colleges know all this. That’s why even Rolling Admissions apps don’t have a 2 or 3 day turnaround; they simply sit and wait for the guidance counselors to have the chance to do their end.
In my school, and in my kids’, each college applicant fills out a form of some sort listing each school to which he has applied. Once the counselors get those forms… and can come up for a breath… they send their packet to each school on the form. If a kid adds in more schools in a week or two, he fills out more forms requesting more packets.
In my school, the transcript requests are color coded-- one form for EA/ED, another for Nov deadlines, one for Dec deadlines, and one or two other colors for deadlines after the new year. That way the deadlines can all be met.
And, while my kids’ school does all one color, they both applied early for rolling admissions, and had answers by or shortly after Christmas.
So… short answer to your question: the guidance counselors are in the business of getting kids into college. They know the deadlines and the procedure. As long as your child follows the school’s protocol and gets those transcript requests in, they’ll send the whole packet including the counselor letter of recommendation.