<p>Hi Dad,</p>
<p>I understand where you are coming from and I do agree with your POV. However, there is just more than one side of the issue. I also think the bigger problem is that there is a catch -22 in high schools. Principals are also evaluted on their graduation, and the number of students that attend 2 vs. 4 year college/universities and very little of the budget is dedicated to college counseling/advising (it can be covered in our regular counseling duties, and when there is a shift in budget, it not considered necessary). </p>
<p>I don’t think any GC can adequately prep a senior for the college process from September to Nov 1 (the EA/ED deadline), but many administrators think differently. In my house, the college process started in 9th grade,I stress it to my caseload, but I cannot say that for a lot of students at my school. </p>
<p>I know a lot of kids in my school who get “fly-bys” as far as counseling concerned, becaue no news is good news, he squeaky wheels get the grease and 20% of our students are taking up 80% of our time.</p>
<p>There is an expectation that GCs come in and know college counseling, but for new counselors it is a fire baptism. College advising is not covered at least in most school counseling programs in NYC that I know about. I know my philosophy as a GC is that I want to be the kind of GC that I want my kid to have. So when I college counsel my kids, my parent cap is on my head at the same time. We have 10 GCs at my school and I am the only person who has ever had a child even go to high school so we do have a different frame of reference.</p>