<p>
[quote]
A) There are a ton of schools a lot more liberal than Stanford
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Definitely. When it comes to liberal, Stanford doesn't pop up as often as Cal.</p>
<p>My GC is the best. She does the annual 1:1 thing with the student and parents, so it's very reassuring to know that there's someone out there who will help you. It's only mandatory to meet with our GCs twice a year, so the rest is basically on your own.</p>
<p>In some ways, yes, in some ways no. Good because he sent out all my stuff very fast. Bad because he offered no help to me whatsoever. I went in there at least 3 times asking for advice/help and he did nothing. I told him I was worried about getting into such-and-such a school, should I apply to more safeties and he said "Do whatever you want." I asked him for advice concerning SAT IIs (i.e. should I take Math I or II) and he didn't even know there WERE two Math SAT IIs. Then a few weeks ago, I asked him for some help with financial aid negotiation and he refused; and because my mother told me I had to tell him that I got a scholarship to Tulane (I know, that sounds silly), I did, and he just nodded and said "Okay." I honestly don't think he cares.</p>
<p>Dude, I hate my guidance counselor... some peers of mine have actually had the gumption to ask her to slightly raise their GPA's or bump grades up to the next level, and she's done it... I wanna punch them...</p>
<p>Mine quit working at the school after my initial meeting with her my junior year, so I was left stranded senior year. Then the school hired her freelance to finish up with us, and then she moved away. So now I have a teacher advisor, but no GC. Go figure.</p>
<p>i dont have a gc...period..damn tiny weeny 5-12 private schools...i mean teeny...85 kids in 5-12...MY principal and my Headmistress do all the work my meeting to talk about colleges in jr year will be w/ my principal and my headmistress will mention more schools...And they would laugh if i applied to an ivy(IT would b a first in the 80 year history..and i am actually the only one slightly qualified to not go to ALfred state or NYIT or some other crappy school they send kids to every year) my goal is to go to a half decent school atleast</p>
<p>Me too. My guidance counslor wasn't exactly encouraging about my schools...he didn't believe that my safety schools were actually safeties, since he went to one of them. Other than that, though, he sent my stuff where ever it needed to go and did it in a timely fashion. He's also helpful and supportive about my acceptances and whatnot. He's not amazing, but he's not so bad either. :-)</p>
<p>We have two kinds of counselors at my school. The typical school counselor (2 of them) to deal with personal issues and the like, and college counselors. </p>
<p>Our guidance (non-college) counselors are awesome guys and are very easy to talk to.</p>
<p>My original college counselor (she was the head of college counseling) that I met with junior year got promoted to Academic Dean and was replaced by my favorite teacher. The other counselor then got bumped up to head of the cc office. For someone who's still picking up the ins and outs of the job, my counselor's pretty good. She was realistic and honest with my list...Stanford - "You've definitely got a shot, but you know how crazy it is." And the rest - "You should be in." (I got in to all my schools.) I sent her numerous drafts of essays (she was my english teacher for two years, so that was a plus), and my friend (who also has her for counseling) go into her office everyday (usually just to steal her candy, but sometimes just to chat. She's been good with emailing me or contacting me about scholarships and stuff (sent me one at 1:00 a.m. once--I happened to be online too), and I've had no problems with the office getting my stuff in on time (because the secretary in there is top notch when it comes to that).</p>
<p>ETA: Her rec for me was pretty darn good too.</p>
<p>My guidance counselor is a total flake (though I have to say she does know what Princeton is). For me she was all right but she belives everyone with a 1800 on their SATs should get into Harvard. She does not understand the whole process for college applications and she did not send in a bunch of kids GC recs for ED and so they were screwed. She also did not know anything about SAT II and told me not to take them when I told her about them because :they are a waste of money". If I had taken them I might be getting credit for some courses or could have applied to Georgetown like I wanted. Ugghhh, she is so annoying!</p>
<p>Mine told me that my chances of getting into UC's were low, that the private schools I was applying to were too much of a reach for me, and that I should apply to some CSU's or something. In the end, I applied to every UC except for Cal/LA/Merced, and got into all of them. SD moved me to Winter Quarter, but that's still counted as "accepted". I got into Syracuse...the other three private schools haven't replied yet. I fell like shoving my acceptance letters up his ass...</p>
<p>Edit: Whenever I went to him for help with my counselor forms, for private schools, he'd be a real ass about it. Hello? I decided to go to another counselor instead, and she was really nice about it. Good riddance.</p>
<p>Well, Bill, considering that you have a 2140 SAT and are a National Merit commended student, you should apply to mediocore State U and and to a community college.</p>