<p>I can also see GCs not recommending CC. The focus here is on top students getting into tippy top schools. The discussion of grades, test scores, and course choices are heavily skewed to the high achievers. For families inexperienced with the college admission process who are trying to determine the lay of the land, this site could be very intimidating and discouraging.</p>
<p>
GCs don’t fill out FAFSA forms, unless it’s for their own children!</p>
<p>Highly doubtful.</p>
<p>I’m sure glad I found it, though. I’ve learned a lot here over the years!</p>
<p>Our best one does. The rest are a pretty clueless bunch. This coming year the facilitators for the GT program will be required to teach one class a semester in addition to working with their kids. This #1 facilitator put together a class on college prep -searching, applying, filling out applications, finaid programs, summer programs and in addition the students will have to write a research paper on a certain topic. The catch - no GT kids can take the course because they are SUPPOSED to get that info from their own facilitators. They don’t because aside from this one facilitator the rest know squat. So, the kids who would most benefit the most are not allowed to take the course. I told the facilitator if I were a parent I would withdraw my kid from the GT program as it offers nothing for them compared to what this class would.</p>
<p>“The rest are a pretty clueless bunch.”</p>
<p>Ouch! The truth really stings sometimes.</p>
<p>Based on some of the ‘advice’ we have heard from them:</p>
<p>“You have to take SAT 1 before you can take SAT 2’s” </p>
<p>“Don’t bother with the Common App. No one uses it”</p>
<p>Highly doubtful.</p>
<p>Maybe we should start a thread on bad advice given from clueless GC’s.</p>
<p>My son’s GC put Johnson and Wales (known almost exclusively for hotel and restaurant management) on his list of colleges he should apply to.</p>
<p>When I called to ask her why she said “because he likes Boston”. Johnson and Wales is in Providence. BTW, he’s majoring in marketing or finance.</p>
<p>Unbelievable.</p>
<p>“Maybe we should start a thread on bad advice given from clueless GC’s.”</p>
<p>Can’t do it konabean … the CC server’s only got 40 Terabytes of storage.</p>
<p>I highly doubt our GCs read these forums. Our HS sends at most 1% of the kids on to Ivy leage and that ilk, the vast majority head for our excellent flagship. Another “chunk” attend some of the very good midwest privates that are “known” entities and another chunk heads to the directional state schools or leave the region on athletic scholarships. The last 1% head out of the region to parental alma maters, or to destination colleges that are known to the families or are privates that visit and have our very small HS on their radar screen. I can’t imagine our GC spending time researching the thousands of colleges to find alternative “fits” for the students. It would not be a valuable use of their time as the each have several hundred kids to keep track of. I also don’t expect or ‘want’ them involved in the individual family finances to the degree that would necessitate them “knowing” the universe of colleges. I do believe this websites is on the handout page of websites worth exploring.</p>
<p>With the GCs in our public school systems, you count yourself lucky if they don’t mess up THEIR end of the application process. The problem with that … getting back to the OP’s question … is that most parents I speak with take the attitude “Oh, my kid’s GC is guiding him/her through the college application process.” Obviously these parents aren’t helping there, and there’s no reason to expect that HS students would be familiar with the issues. So … who’s guiding, if not the GUIDANCE Councelors?</p>
<p>Our large NJ HS prides itself on its college placement. It distributes a list of helpful websites–and CC is NOT on it; some of the sites on the list are defunct; and none of the counselors and few parents know about it, despite my urging the head of Guidance repeatedly to publicize it.</p>
<p>I learned more from CC in my first day than from the GCs of both my kids combined.</p>
<p>I don’t get the sense that our GC’s read CC, but they do know about it. I’m pretty sure it was on a list of “helpful websites” they give juniors. It’s also linked to Naviance, so if you click on a college on Naviance, snippets and links to the most recent CC posts pop up. Sometimes my posts! (Ack!)</p>
<p>I can’t think of any real misinformation from my GC, though I winced when the GC of my older son said he could apply to Ivy’s “like MIT”.</p>
<p>My kids’ school doesn’t even use Naviance!</p>
<p>"My kids’ school doesn’t even use Naviance! "</p>
<p>My kids’ school can’t even spell it.</p>
<p>I had made a passing comment about concerns…and that we have heard from other parents about poor letters, without real insight etc…
I qualified the comment that it wasn’t parents at xyz school–at which pt the GC said something about CC…</p>
<p>“at which pt the GC said something about CC…”</p>
<p>Don’t keep us in suspense. Was it something good, or …</p>
<p>^^
just acknowledged that we parents can hear things from other parents through CC…</p>
<p>Made me realize that perhaps a GC might be able to distinguish a student or parent here IF the posts are revealing</p>
<p>Can I change my screen name?</p>
<p>:rolleyes:
made me think the same thing!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I don’t find this to be “clueless” on the part of the GC. Johnson and Wales may have been suggested as a safety school for your son. The fact is, they offer majors in both finance and marketing. Fact is, that its location in Providence is not far (50 miles / one hour) from Boston and that is a point often made about schools in Providence (my D attended college in Providence as well and that particular point was relevant to her).</p>