I’m really indecisive about courses, and I feel like I may have annoyed my counselor by asking to change courses so many times. I also had asked questions to another counselor, just so I wasn’t bothering my counselor too often, and I think she saw me and didn’t seem happy I didn’t come to her. I’m afraid that my counselor recs won’t be strong so are they a major part of your application and do counselors ever write negative things about their applicants?
Only if you consider “indecisiveness” to be a negative quality.
Yeahh, I’m just worried that my counselor is angry that I asked another counselor about courses- I shouldn’t have, of course I should have just asked my own counselor, but I didn’t want to keep asking her about courses. It was a silly thing to do, since the other counselor just forwarded the question to her, but I wasn’t meaning to be rude or anything, but I’m afraid it came out that way.
A letter of thanks and apology might go a long way. I don’t think you should apologize for “getting a second opinion” (or trying to anyway). However, you might thank her for all the time she has spent with you, and say something like, “I don’t know where my head has been lately.” Just say how important making plans for college is to you, and you appreciate their patience. Keep it simple, but acknowledge if you have been a bit of a pest. Yes, it’s their job to help you and they get paid for this, but everyone likes to feel appreciated.
Going forward, do more of your own research. That means reading the course catalogs and student handbook. They’re published for a reason! Plan out what classes you’re going to take in the remaining years of high school. This makes sure you get all the graduation requirements in as well as checking that you have any necessary prerequisites done for higher level classes that you want to take later. Read a general book or two on the college application process. Doing these things will help you have intelligent and informed conversations with your GC. You can ask questions to teachers and department heads (set appointments, or ask questions during office hours or by email - don’t just grab them in the hall or before class if they seem pressed for time). Talk to upper classmen who have been through it to get a sense of the amount of homework and difficulty. Use all of your resources and have an “attitude of gratitude”.