<p>Spoke to GC who recommends local honors program at community college. GC recommendation is appropriate. However, I am worried that GC recommendation will be biased towards com. college when my son does not want to go there. S2 wants 4 year college. Should I talk to GC? Am I worried for nothing? Please advise.</p>
<p>meh, sounds like nothing. If your son doesn’t want to go there, he wont.</p>
<p>Like the guidance counselor’s recommendation letters to colleges? If so I don’t think anything you said here should cause any alarm. It’s not like they’re going to say in the letter that the university should reject you’re son because he should go to the community college.</p>
<p>There is nothing to worry about. Have your son tell the GC that he is going to a four-year college – end of story. He need not even apply to CC.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your excellent advice. You are right–my son should tell his GC that he wants a 4 year college. My worry is the GC will give a favorable report to the honors program at the local Com. College and an average report to 4 year schools because he thinks my son should stay close to home first year. Not to worry?</p>
<p>Usually, the GC writes one recommendation per kid, because he’s so overwhelmed with all the other things he has to do from testing to non-stop meetings (the GC and I are good friends at our HS so I know). Don’t worry about it. The recommendation is just one part of an application.</p>
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<p>I do not understand why your son is so taken aback by the recommendation especially when you just stated that it is an appropriate one. Going to community college is not a fate worse than death. </p>
<p>Some students need to attend community college because they need to put some distance between themselves and high school. </p>
<p>Some students attend community college because it is the most affordable options.</p>
<p>Some students attend community college because they have guarantee transfer/articulation agreements with 4 year schools. </p>
<p>Some honors programs at community colleges will guarantee him a seat in the Honors Program at the 4 year school. Is there merit/scholarship $ attached to the Honors program? Some programs will give free tuition (which is not a bad thing ITE), some give book stipends, priority registration and other perks.</p>
<p>Sounds like the honors program will give him smaller class sizes and more access to professors which is never a bad thing when it comes to transferring and could be very beneficial to your son starting out in college.</p>
<p>If I have a student that is SEEK/CD/EOPor HEOP eligible, I always recommend that they apply to the College discovery program at CUNY because you can only get into these programs as a first time incoming freshman and you are more likely to get into the program at the community college level. Once you are in, the money follows you wherever you go. So if the student is admitted to a 4 year program with out SEEK/EOP or HEOP and Community College with College Discovery, I tell them to take the community college and follow the money.</p>
<p>The questions that needs to be asked or reseached are: If my son does well and maintain the required GPA in the community college Honors Program, will he be able to transfer to the Honors Program at state flagship school? What are the benefits of attending the Honors Program at Community College.</p>
<p>Also we need to remind our kids that there are multiple roads that will take you to the same destination.</p>
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<p>Don’t paint all GCs with the same broad strokes just because your friend only writes one letter (i know teachers who are not worth a plugged nickel but I am not disparaging them). </p>
<p>I can also tell you first hand that it is not true and I know a lot of GCs. Depending on what the students needs many guidance counselors will write a base letter (covering GPA/ Rank/ ECs ) then individualize the letter for each school often adding something pertinent to that school (book award, selection to visitation program, sumemr program at the school, etc).</p>
<p>I agree with sybbie. If the guidance counselors’ recommendation is the honors program at the cc, it’s worth looking into. You say that S wants a 4 year college. Why? There may be a very legitimate reason (a particular major that is hard to transfer into, etc.). Or is it for social reasons or because that’s what others are doing? Is S mature enough to handle going away from home next year. Some very strong students are not. On the other hand does this GC “push” this option to most/all of the students?</p>
<p>I really wouldn’t worry about the recommendation latter regardless of what your S chooses to do.</p>
<p>You need very high test scores for this particular honors program, plus I speculate that it is harder to get into than a medium state school because it is a very small program and offers scholarships.</p>
<p>My son is ok to apply to the program that his GC recommends. Not 100% sure he will get in-when I looked into this program, they appear to highly value diversity–one or two of every kind of person so the competition is fierce. Plus my son’s over all application is fine for a 4 year university-medium quality state school.</p>
<p>I think the reason the GC recommends local com. college is because my son has Aspergers and living in a dorm requires flexibility and adjustments. </p>
<p>Son has successfully taken com. college courses during the summer. He has been at the campus and senses a commuter feel, and just doesn’t feel a fit.</p>
<p>Thanks, that explains a lot. Do you think that your S would do OK with dorm life? Perhaps he should apply to the cc honors program as well as some of the state universities that you have referenced.</p>
<p>I told my son to tell his GC I want a 4 year school and will appreciate your support with this.</p>
<p>Our strategy is for my son to apply to a few 4 year schools and after hopefully getting acceptances, to stay overnight and see if he thinks he can handle the dorm situation. He is already accepted to com. college and knows this option is available if he ends up deciding that he wants to live at home.</p>
<p>We have to find out if he can get a single room on a quiet floor. First step is to get accepted.</p>
<p>I really want to thank everyone for helping out. Your ideas and insights are very helpful.</p>
<p>You also might encourage your son to apply to the CC honors program as a “back-up” plan. Yes it is commuters, and yes he really wants a 4-year school right now, but if the GC thinks that it is a good fit, and since he already is familiar with the campus, if next April he doesn’t get into any place he likes better (and/or your family can afford) he will still have a place to go.</p>