What is it that you are supposed to do if your guidance counselor is not very smart and highly overwhelmed by heavy load of work? What a child or a parent supposed to do?
Do everything yourself that you possibly can. In most cases the bare minimum he or she needs to do is upload the school profile.
Lot of people handle most of the process themselves. That’s what is great about CC.
What speficially are you wanting your GC to address?
Most GCs in the country are overworked and don’t personally know each kid. Colleges know this. It’s not a concern
Is this your kid’s GC or someone else’s?
Also, what exactly do you think this GC is not doing? Even my kid’s overworked GC got all of the required things done…and on time.
In another post, you write: “Our highly competitive and rigorous school regularly sends some National Merit Scholars to Baylor’s Honors College, University Scholars and BIC (Baylor’s Interdisciplinary Core) programs.”
Are you telling us your kid simply has the lone, bad (and stupid) guidance counselor? Or is this just a rant/vent post about something ephemeral?
What if it’s mid semester of junior year and so far only times GC agreed to see you in 2.2 years is for scheduling needs. What if he doesn’t reply to mails either? What if kid doesn’t have college educated parents to guide him? Where would he get information if there was no College Confidential? What good are these public school GC’s for other than required paperwork?
Is this about YOUR kid?
What exactly do you want the GC to be doing before mid semester junior year beside scheduling?
“What is it that you are supposed to do if your guidance counselor is not very smart and highly overwhelmed by heavy load of work?”
Address all of your emails and letters to him/her as if you felt exactly the opposite of how you have spoken here.
Shouldn’t GC guide students about standardized tests, college admission process, course choices, picking EC’s etc etc. At least tell about importance of SAT subject tests, timing ACT/SAT etc if nothing else.
Adding…both of my kids had very little contact with the HS GC. They saw the GC once a year to deal with scheduling…that was it.
They saw the GC at the end END of their junior year for a chat about college searches.
The GC got all of the required things done.
What exactly do,you want this GC to be doing? Answering emails about WHAT? Sitting with your kid about. WHAT.
Tell your kid to get the info from his/her peers at this wonderfully high ranked and rigorous school. Like I said above, this does not seem uncommon. I can understand being irked – but really, your getting bent out of shape isn’t going to help this. Plus, YOU’RE clearly on CC getting to draw lots of good info, right?
Also, do you know who frequently sees the GC? The kid whose mom/dad are on meth. The kid who needs money for an abortion. The kid who cuts himself. The kid with the eating disorder but no health insurance. The kid whose boyfriend slaps her around but she thinks it’s OK. The kid who is nosediving her grades due to smoking too much pot.
I’m very happy for your kid and the times he/she has actually needed to speak w/GC.
I spoke w/my GC 2-3 times during my entire HS years. Once to tell him my list of target schools and arrange transcripts and then to tell him I got into every college applied.
I know kids and parent should fend for themselves, ask others and go to a consultant or browse CC etc. but that doesn’t absolve GC from his responsibility. I’m wondering what are the responsibilities of a good guidance counselor?
“What good are these public school GC’s for other than required paperwork?”
If you and all your neighbors want to pay more taxes, I’m sure you could hire more GCs. Does the school hold a college info night? Do they have a handbook outlining the college process? Many families will read online and pick up books about the process (check your local library). Some even hire private counselors although I don’t think that is necessary.
I have two children, one who graduated high school last year, and one who is currently a sophomore. Since GCs are assigned by last name, they have had the same one. So, in 5 years of kids with this GC, I have never met her. Why would I need to? She has scheduled my kids classes satisfactorily, and transcripts and recommendations were sent on time. She is doing her job. I think the only kids that get more attention are those who are failing classes, are having disciplinary problems, or have some other special circumstances that require personalized attention. As for college planning and info, the school holds periodic assemblies for parents to educate them on the process.
@doschicos We do pay high taxes but it’s a Robinhood state, big chunk of our taxes are sent to needy districts.
^I thought that was true in all states due to court rulings. All children are entitled to a decent education.
I was responding to your tax advice.
“so far only times GC agreed to see you in 2.2 years.” See you?
OP, you ask questions for your son(s) and for others. You hint you are giving advice out to other families. Maybe it’s time to spill the whole story.
At my kids school the GC’s met with the kids every spring to talk about schedulilng for the following year. There wasn’t really any talk about college apps until spring of junior year–as I recall, the GC came to all of the junior English classes to talk in general about the process.
One of my kids did meet individually with a GC in freshman/sophomore year–because she had a lengthy hosptialization and the GC assisted with transitioning back into school. They’ve got lots of things to do besides college stuff.