uncooperative guidance counselors

<p>Am asking this on behalf of a friend. Her son is #1 in his senior class (also suffers from Crohn's disease), 35 ACT, NMSF, etc., and has gotten all his application stuff in to schools. However, he's got a ditz for a guidance counselor who has overlooked getting his stuff sent in to the schools. So the kid/mother spoke to the principal about this, and he offered to take care of some stuff. Schools are saying they haven't received this stuff either, that was mailed along with teacher #2 recs. I know someone had this issue a couple of months ago, and many of you had excellent recommendations for how to handle it. </p>

<p>My first question... do schools tend to sort of overlook late information sent from the school? Meaning... they know that the students don't always have control over what they're asking other adults to do for them, so as long as the student's stuff is in on time, they are forgiving when it comes to school stuff trickling in after the student's deadline. I know my friend will be stepping when school resumes next week, but it's caused her great anguish to see such a good kid with such stress because of lack of adult follow through. She told me she struggles with how much, as a parent, to intervene. </p>

<p>I will pass along any suggestions anyone has to offer.</p>

<p>
[quote]
they know that the students don't always have control over what they're asking other adults to do for them, so as long as the student's stuff is in on time, they are forgiving when it comes to school stuff trickling in after the student's deadline.

[/quote]

based on what I heard from various college representatives, that is correct. But they still have to have the stuff eventually in order to evaluate the application.</p>

<p>I think the best way at this point would be to ask GC to fax all the documents, and give the student the fax confirmation (he can tell GC that he wants it in order to be able to prove to the schools that everything was sent in a timely manner)</p>

<p>I agree with the above. The important thing is that the student's application be sent in by the deadline. Recs, transcripts, score boards can follow later. Bear in mind that colleges accept January SAT scores.
However, given the lackadaisical pace of the GC and principal, it is a good idea to have the GC send everything asap. If your child is applying to many schools, faxing will be quite time consuming. It is perhaps best for your child to bring in a whole new batch of addressed and stamped envelopes and stand over the GC as the envelopes are filled with the appropriate materials. It would take less time than faxing. That assumes that the GC has taken care of photocopying the teacher's recs, generated transcripts, school profile and filled out his/her own GC rec!</p>

<p>Thanks for the info... I will pass it along. I guess I've been lucky as far as a guidance counselor go, with both my kids, but I know some families haven't been so fortunate. I don't think my friend had trouble with her older daughter, so it was a bit of a surprise to experience this with #2, but maybe it was a different guidance counselor (although I don't think so since it's a small school, so I don't know how many GCs they have). We don't see each other often, she lives in another state, so I just got this update from her today.</p>

<p>If the family can afford it, bring in Fedex envelopes, all filled out. The materials will arrive almost as fast as if they were faxed; it will entail less work on the part of the GC, and there will be a record of their being sent. It is, however, more expensive, I assume</p>

<p>FedEx doesn't come to our public HS, but the local post office has been very good about letting us have certified mail envelopes. It's lots cheaper, and you can track delivery online. Just a thought.</p>

<p>Good point. The idea is to make it easy for the GC to do his/her part as expeditiously as possible and being able to track the mail.</p>

<p>Our schools guidance office was terrific in getting all materials out within 2 days. However our son always gave them an addressed envelope along with a copy of the application materials he had sent in as a courtesy and so that they would not have to look up the address needed for each application.</p>

<p>I suggest that you call the college admissions offices to find out their requirements about timely submittals from his school's guidance office. If time is not of the essence, have him prepare self addressed envelopes with ample postage to minimize further delays. And follow up with the gc every day.</p>

<p>
[quote]
he's got a ditz for a guidance counselor who has overlooked getting his stuff sent in to the schools. So the kid/mother spoke to the principal about this, and he offered to take care of some stuff. Schools are saying they haven't received this stuff either, that was mailed along with teacher #2 recs.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I can tell you first hand that mid year reports from are not due yet because at many schools the first half (second semester grades) have not been submitted because the term is not over. When does your fall term end? If your GC were to send in the child's transcript now,it is very likely that it would only contain the information as of the end of their 6th term (junior year). </p>

<p>In NYS the last teaching day of the fall term is not until January 18 and the January regents exams do not start until January 22. The fall tem ends on January 29 (after all exams are graded).</p>

<p>For most schools, the mid year reports; 7th semester transcripts, profiles, updates to the ranking ,GC evaluations are due ~ 2/15 (the only ASAP dates arefor schools that have rolling admissions. Even then if the school is on the fence they will ask for the most recent transcript after the 7th semester grades are added).</p>

<p>As far as mailing information and knowing that the school received the information I recommend the following;
purchase a punch of stamped postcards
Have them addressed to your child at his/her home address
on the other side write: Received by __________ (name of college)
in either the lower right or left hand corner make a notation : GC evaluation, Teacher Recommendation (teacher initials), Application, Check etc.</p>

<p>Most schools are very good about stamping the card when they recieve your items and will mail it back to you. </p>

<p>In addition, many schools have on line system where you can checkif the school has recieved each component of your application from FA forms to transcripts (be patient as most sites are not updated on a daily basis. If you check on monday, check back around thursday afternoon.</p>

<p>A little off topic, but how badly is a generic, almost "fill-in-the-blank" type counselor recommendation looked at? This is while keeping in mind that the other teacher and supplementary recommendations are great.</p>

<p>Heerad - This is a great question for Dean J, who occasionally lurks/posts on CC.</p>