<p>When I first stumbled onto this site I was holy*** I discovered the secret to Stanford...
I lurk around and heard that CCers know more than their guidance counselors.</p>
<p>Does this website have everything I need to shoot for the big universities? I'm a clueless freshman</p>
<p>It seems that High School LIfe is the most active section right?</p>
<p>Yes, there is quite a lot of information that one could gain here. Just make sure you don’t get overwhelmed and that you critically assess posters’ claims, as some misinformation is disseminated occasionally.</p>
<p>Over critical and exaggeration = most sections</p>
<p>But, some of the advices are very good.</p>
<p>HSL –> makes you procrastinate/slackerish (at least for me)</p>
<p>HSL is probably the most active section, but it is usually filled with random threads, unrelated to academics (although we appear to be having a bad week).</p>
<p>This website has most of the info, but you still have to do all the work obviously.</p>
<p>Umm.no. Folks here do not necessarily know more than GOOD guidance counselors. A lot of what is here can also be found by merely checking the obvious sites - colleges, College board, etc. There is a lot of echoing back and forth of opinions as well.
That being said, there is some valid information here.
If , however, you are a freshman, I suggest you just work hard and not think about college yet.</p>
<p>^^It took me a little while to gauge that last point, I’m just noticing that now…lmao.</p>
<p>HSL is rather active, but definitely not the best place here for college advice. Luckily you’ve got about a million other sub-forums that can help you out.</p>
<p>HSL is a great place to procrastinate though. :D</p>
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<p>In my experience, such counselors are hard to come by.</p>
<p>^True, mine just tells me to try hard and not overload with AP’s, which is contradictory. Lmao.</p>
<p>Silverturtle has it correct.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would get away from here…it becomes addicting, and looking at other people’s stats (like those who got into BOTH Harvard and Stanford, etc) would just decrease your self-esteem.</p>
<p>Go play Halo 3 instead. Or prep for the upcoming Math contests. Don’t be addicted to CC, just get your info and LEAVE!</p>
<p>Misinformation is common… just have to sort out which info is true and which is false
I agree with John… forum posting can be addictive.</p>
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<p>Nonsense, I’ve managed to post quite infrequently.</p>
<p>^ Your number of posts obviously contradicts your claim.</p>
<p>he’s been here since 2007, though that is a lot, and he’s probably being sarcastic. Now if you knew how many times I’ve posted on HSL, then that’d be a different story.</p>
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<p>I see you heeded my suggestion in post #2. :)</p>
<p>Re: college counselors
They vary hugely in both ability and time available. Most public schools - even very good ones, can’t afford more than one for every 100 to 400 students. Those counselors have to cover a huge range of material. Some kids have no idea how to even apply to college. Some need help in signing up for the SATs. Others are as informed (or more so) than kids here. With a very narrow slice of time per student, the level of effectiveness is modest in general. There are, of course , exceptions.
In many private high schools, it is a very different situation. The load for each counselor is somewhere between 10 and 30 kids. Counselors start to know the kids in 10th grade. They hold small group weekly meetings. They talk to the kids often. They know a lot about them. My child’s counselor knew his PSAT, SAT subject test and AP scores, summer activities, and general interests before the start of junior year. He now knows all of my child’s scores, has talked to him individually for probably a total of two or three hours, in a group for about 20 hours, and has read reports from teachers, an advisor, and surveys completed by my child and by me. He knows where all the kids in the current senior class applied, where they got in and where they are going. He knows current students at all the schools that he and my child have focused on. He was at a recent college fair, touching base with juniors and talking to the college reps. After the most recent rep visited, he talked to the rep and the students who talked to the rep. He was on ‘the other side of the desk’ in college admissions and estimates that he has read somewhere over 10,000 admissions essays.
All in all, he know more than the vast majority of posters here.</p>
<p>Yes, basically.</p>
<p>^^Your post is merely defending the existence of capable top college counselors. Has little to do with his question.</p>
<p>^Post above answers question however.</p>
<p>Ilikeyou - I was merely noting that not all college counselors are without merit as silverturtle seemed to suggest. (He may or may not have intended his comment to be taken that broadly.)
Really - what I would say is there is some good, some bad and a lot of obsessing here. I think there are quite a few better sources for most information, including good counselors.</p>