<p>In many college apps (including the Common App) it includes a section for your school counselor to evaluate you. I have several questions:</p>
<p>1) Why do college need this?</p>
<p>2) Will it hurt my chances if my counselor doesn't know me that well?</p>
<p>3) Are you close with your counselor?</p>
<p>4) How do I get my counselor to know be better? (she oversees 600+ students!)</p>
<p>(1) From what I get from it, colleges use a counselor recommendation because your counselor is most likely the only person to see your growth in your four year high school career, so they are one of the ideal people to seek a recommendation from since they will pretty much know every facet of your academic record.</p>
<p>(2) It can, but for the most part the effect of it shouldn't be significant.</p>
<p>(3) I had been in high school.</p>
<p>(4) Basically, standing out academically is probably the best way to be recognized which implies that s/he will get to know you better. I mean my counselor oversaw about 300 students, but she knew I was noticeably different both with my course selection and extracurricular involvement. Furthermore, at least at my high school, counselors tended to "compete" for which of their students were the most successful come college admissions.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot Tony! I thought I would need to sleep with her! jk... ;)</p>
<p>At such a big school, though, I think it's okay if you don't know your GC very well. I know of one school that doesn't do counselor recs, and the school notifies colleges of its policy. Their reason is that there are too many students for the GCs to write every one a rec. If you go to a big school, I think less emphasis is put on your GC's rec. After all, it's pretty hard for someone to get to know 600+ students well.</p>
<p>Also, in some cases, people get different GCs every year, so it's impossible for their growth to be evaluated. At my school, although you're supposed to have the same GC all four years, I was bounced around from GC to GC so that I only had the same GC for the last two years. </p>
<p>So if your GC rec is lukewarm, don't worry too much about it. Do your best to get to know her well when you have an appointment. Don't make unnecessary appointments just to suck up or whatever, since that would be wasting her time. Be assertive and knowledgeable. Impress her with your ECs and your grades. </p>
<p>I don't know how I got along so well with my GC; we just hit it off. Part of it was that I was a good student, and she was willing to work with me to do whatever it took for me to get into my first choice.</p>
<p>Also, at my school, parents have to fill out brag sheets for their kids to help GCs with the recs. Your school probably doesn't do this, since there are so many students, but you can do a brag sheet for yourself. List all your positive traits and explain each one. Have an activity resume. She may be too busy to read it all, but at least she'll be impressed by the initiative. And I'm sure she'll appreciate the chance to make her job easier.</p>
<p>If you want her to notice you from the so many students she works with, try to make some small gestures for her. You don't have to sleep with her(!), but you could find out when it's her birthday, for example, and tell her Happy Birthday. She won't expect it and I think she will remember you a little more than the other ones. I did it once to a teacher, with no purpose, and she started to like me more than my other classmates. Of course, you can find some other ways, but don't make inappropriate things.</p>
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At such a big school, though, I think it's okay if you don't know your GC very well. I know of one school that doesn't do counselor recs, and the school notifies colleges of its policy. Their reason is that there are too many students for the GCs to write every one a rec. If you go to a big school, I think less emphasis is put on your GC's rec. After all, it's pretty hard for someone to get to know 600+ students well.
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<p>I disagree with this statement. In fact if you counselor has a large case load you need to make more of an effort to get to know your counselor not only for the reasons that Tony stated but any counselor worth his or her salt works to develop relationships with the admissions reps at the schools that their students attend. Colleges do contact counselors requesting additional information and counselors do contact colleges to advocate for their students especially for waitlist issues, financial aid issues etc.</p>
<p>Yes here comes some outing: (Giving my esperience working has a GC. CC was a really great resource because I took some of your counselor stories to the work place with me and tried really hard not to be the kind of counselor that most of you complain about. )</p>
<p>I know from my own experience a student that I knew but was not even on my caseload got admitted to a school where the FA was going to be onerous (this came out in a casual conversation). </p>
<p>I went to the NACAC isting of schools that still had openings (this list comes out in May), called 2 colleges, spoke to the regional admissions person and explained this student's situation. Student sent the application on-line, I faxed the rest of the information directly to the admissions rep. Both colleges gave a decision within a week and accepted the student. </p>
<p>I then contacted the admssions person at one school again asking if the student got admitted regular admissions or HEOP (we are from NYS and I knew that there was a good chance that the HEOP monies were gone). The admissions rep told me that she would speak directly to the HEOP coordinator and call me back. Less than 2 hours later the admissions rep called me back and told me they would take my student into HEOP (giving them virtually a free ride to school). Many counselors will go the extra mile to help students that they know.</p>
<p>It is not necessary to suck up. Make an appointment at the beginning of the year (even if it means you have to do it afterschool or during your lunch period). Ask them what can you do to help them to get to know you better and what can you do to help them write you the best possible recommendation.</p>
<p>Sybbie, it sounds like you are (were?) a great GC. It doesn't sound like you're the type CCers complain about at all.</p>
<p>Well, at my school for frosh and soph years, we could sign up to eat lunch with out counselor on Thursdays. She told us that it was very important for us to get to know her so that she could write a good college recommendation for us.</p>
<p>damnit my counselor retired, and she knew me pretty well. The new counselor has no idea who anyone is, and I've barely known her for a year. w/e....i doubt it'll matter too much</p>
<p>1) Why do college need this?
I believe it's because your counselor will have seen all your grades for each class, and can evaluate your academic performance over the years. This person can also comment on your participation in school events, sports, clubs and other activities.</p>
<p>2) Will it hurt my chances if my counselor doesn't know me that well?
If your counselor doesn't really know you that well, and has many students to write recommendations for, it's likely he/she'll just give a generic recommendation. They won't be able to give specific examples about what you've done and your strengths, and may not know all your talents. It could hurt your chances if your counselor doesn't accurately portray your qualities as a person and accomplishments as a student.</p>
<p>3) Are you close with your counselor?
I didn't even have a counselor. My headmaster wrote my recommendation for me and he knew me quite well. He also referred to my report book, certificates, awards and comments from teachers.</p>
<p>4) How do I get my counselor to know be better? (she oversees 600+ students!)
Can you schedule an appointment with her? So that perhaps she can advise you and so that you can discuss your application with her?</p>
<p>1) Why do college need this?
so they can reject the applicants who dont bother to get to know their counselor well. </p>
<p>2) Will it hurt my chances if my counselor doesn't know me that well?
yes you'll get rejected by every college</p>
<p>3) Are you close with your counselor?
yes</p>
<p>4) How do I get my counselor to know be better? (she oversees 600+ students!)
give her money</p>
<p>1) Why do college need this?
Since counselors deal with a lot of students, they can comment on you with respect to your entire class, whereas a teacher cannot provide that depth. Also, if you are evil/mean/sadistic...., somebody probably told your counselor, and she will in turn tell your colleges.</p>
<p>2) Will it hurt my chances if my counselor doesn't know me that well?
It depends. She may fill out her recommendation based on your grades alone if she doesn't know you. In that case, her rec will neither hurt nor help your application. However if she actually knows you, she can substantially help your chances. </p>
<p>3) Are you close with your counselor?
Close enough</p>
<p>4) How do I get my counselor to know be better? (she oversees 600+ students!)
Schedule meetings with her. Make sure she knows that you take hard classes, do extracurriculars, love school, blah blah blah.</p>
<p>It sucks for me because I had an amazing counselor who I really liked an respected, but at the end of my sophomore year, she was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), and did not return for my Junior year. This year, I had this new guy as my counselor, and I pretty much only talked to him about the ways the school was screwing me (not letting me take certain classes, messing up my transcript, etc.) But I think he is pretty impressed with my course load, especially since it's his 1st year.</p>
<p>Not to complain, but what if my counselor is lazy, dislikes and underestimates smart kids, and is virtually inaccessible?</p>
<p>nothing much u can do about it?
still try to get ot know him, lol
it's like the ops question, DUH we have to try to get to know our counselors.
if we can't at all there's nothing much to do , is there?</p>
<p>It doesn't necessarily have to be a counselor (at least, not on the Common App), just someone from administration.</p>