<p>^ small school? Because my guidance counselors don’t even check on us.</p>
<p>Mine told me not to worry about scholarships until the end of my senior year -_-</p>
<p>My school has 5 guidance counselors for around 2000 kids (one for freshman, the other four split everyone else by last name). My current counselor is a great guy and really helpful. There when I decided to take up full loads for dual enrollment, helping me plan graduating early, helping me plan an alternate plan when I decided not to graduate early, signing every form I need because he knows I can handle the courses I pick (bah, who needs a 15 credit/semester limit at the local college?). I also got to get into classes for people in higher grades, to avoid classes I didn’t want to take. He’s really nice and really helpful.</p>
<p>However, I received less than exceptional advising from my freshman counselor. Don’t get me wrong, she was nice, but I was lied to. “If you test out of Geometry and Algebra II, you’ll have to drive to the honors college your senior year to take a math class.” Bull, I could have done it, then taken Pre-Calc, AP Stat, Trig, and Calc. Or any number of classes at the LOCAL college. I got kind of bent up about that, but ah well.</p>
<p>I believe that guidance counselors tend to be more helpful at private schools than public schools, though this is only from personal experience.</p>
<p>Once I had a scheduling conflict where he randomly took out my lunch and the classes I wanted and on top of that he didn’t bother to call me in. And I’ve heard he sends in applications late =0</p>
<p>He seems to like me though because I’m probably one of the few that actually care about college/classes in my grade. He is also usually available to talk, but with advice I already knew most of the time.</p>
<p>From my experience, guidance counselors at public schools are there to make sure everyone graduates. Their job isn’t to offer expertise for the ambitious, CC-loving students who aim for the top colleges. Most of them are there to help average students sort out their drama and advise with scheduling conflicts. </p>
<p>Regardless, high-achieving students still need to establish an open line of communication with their counselors. After all, they will be writing one of your recommendations. Whether or not you need your GC’s “guidance” is a separate matter.</p>