<p>I thought a thread about dealing with schools' counselors could be helpful for high school students. so, any tips on talking with counselors?</p>
<p>Don't come off as being overly confident or self righteous when it comes to discussing your dreams.</p>
<p>Don't try and impress them. Chances are they've dealt with students on both extremes-brilliant and well...not-so-brilliant. And don't forget that they have your academic record right there, so they know about your accomplishments...they don't need to be reminded.</p>
<p>Also, remember that before anything else they're there to help you. So if your counselor is not focusing on what you want or need from them, request to switch counselors (your school may not let you, but it's worth a try!).</p>
<p>treat them like a friend. they r there for ur success and they will help u reach ur goals and potentials. and i agree with the other posts that u shouldnt come off and try to impress them. they wont be impressed. when u talk to them, u have to present urself as who u really r and they will work with ur strengths and help boost up ur weaknesses.
make sure that ur counselor is extremely helpful in what u do throughout high school and ur dreams for college</p>
<p>be modest and polite.</p>
<p>it'll impress them more than your grades.</p>
<p>I'll echo the rest of the people on this thread, but above all BE POLITE. I've seen some terrible-mannered high schoolers who never ever get their way because the counselor dislikes them. Say please, say thank you, and know when to shut up.</p>
<p>Some people say I'm 'sucking up' but I usually give my counselor a nice Christmas gift (like the bon bons I made) because I harass her all year long with approvals, changes, and rule-bending. It doesn't excuse all my offenses but it kind of shows her that I'm not trying to be mean and I appreciate all she does for me.</p>
<p>^I don't think that's sucking up, I give a lot of my teachers gifts (in addition to the ones I give my friends). They probably work harder than the rest of us but students rarely thank them for all their effort.</p>
<p>And yeah...having your counselor like you is a HUGE advantage.</p>
<p>My counselor only fought me on my schedule in 9th grade because he didn't think I could handle a full schedule. So I went the year with the free period I didn't want and he saw how mature I was about it...and now he uses all his power to give me the classes I want at the times I want, and if I want to add or drop a class he doesn't even care as long as my parents are okay with it.</p>
<p>Do your best to make your counselor like you...it WILL come in handy later.</p>
<p>You should definitely look to your counselors for advice, but they are not the end-all say-all in matters and shouldn't be your primary source for advice. Like they say in the movie Election, would you take advice from someone who drives a mini van?</p>
<p>Like other said, you should make friends with your counselors. They can do a lot to help you. But if they try to get in your way of something you want (e.g. a class), don't let them.</p>
<p>...What does the type of car they drive have to do with anything? Some of the most intelligent people I know drive mini-vans because they have children and/or they just can't afford a better car. Big deal.</p>
<p>But I digress. I do agree, though, that the Counselor shouldn't have the final word. If you do have trouble with your counselors, ask your parents to step in. Because no matter what your school says, your parents have the final say, and if your parent calls and asks for you to be (for example) taken out of a class, the school has to do it.</p>
<p>Ask them a couple questions that you already know the answers to. For example, you know your friend has Spanish 2nd hour, and you want to be in that class. Don't go to your counselor and say, "I want to be in the 2nd hour Spanish class." Instead, say, "Is there any Spanish class during 2nd hour that I could take?" They like it when they feel that they are really helping you, and asking questions allows them to feel that way.</p>
<p>don't bug them with every little problem you have.....it will annoy them.</p>