<p>So my GPA doesn't match up with the type of school i want to go to. I had a bad Frosh year and now despite my 3.85 sophomore year i have a 3.55. Since my frosh year I have been a finalist in a national essay contest, have gotten 2 800s and a 730 on the three SAT2s Ive taken, but my counselor still has me pegged as a poor student! GAH! She said my safety is this school that my cuz used as her safety. BY THE WAY. My cousin took one AP throughout high school (environmental) and literally got a 1 on the AP test. Next year I will be taking 6 APs (grand total of 9 throughout high school) and we have the same safties and some targets. </p>
<p>Your safety school, by definition, is one that you know for certain that you can get into, and that you know for certain that you can pay for. From that point of view (not knowing you, your cousin, or your state) your cousin's safety may well be yours too. So, I am not going to say that your counselor is being a ninny about the safety issue.</p>
<p>Where you and your cousin probably are different, is in which schools you can reasonably consider to be your matches and your reaches.</p>
<p>Think carefully about your choice of "safeties". Be clear that a school is not a safety if you are entirely unwilling to attend. You should like each of the schools (or the school if it is a state university that has to admit you period just based on your stats) well enough so that can learn to be happy there if you end up there.</p>
<p>Post your basic stats and what you are looking for in a college on the "college selection" forum and you will get many good suggestions.</p>
<p>Be nice to your GC; you will need reference letters from this person.</p>
<p>Congrats on the 800s and the 730! Maybe once the GC sees your SAT or ACT score he will catch on that you are a good student. (How about taking the ACT now? if it is great, show him. if it is not great, you never have to show it to anyone or any college.)</p>
<p>Too many kids assume that otherwise selective colleges are "safeties" because they have wonderful stats, not looking at the fact that these schools accept less than 25% of the kids who apply.</p>
<p>Perhaps your GC is simply trying to give you a reality check, particularly in these competitive times. IMHO, your GC is doing her job. It's really easy to steer kids towards reach schools; it's much harder to get kids to focus on safety schools, which everyone needs.</p>
<p>Remember, build your list from the bottom up (find safeties you love first) and you'll be much happier come next April.</p>
<p>I'll give you an Amen, but she may just be being conservative about safety schools. HOWEVER, you should be careful where she guides you for match/reach-if she starts questioning you there, I would have doubts</p>
<p>to veryhappy. the college process is an investment. if you want to go to a top college, and the advising you are getting at school isn't working out, i would suggest looking elsewhere. private counselors run the gamut in price depending on your location and their affiliation. i know some counselors in the Boston-DC corridor who charge over $200 an hour. I offer my service for around $50/hour because I do it on the side and I only have experience in the admissions office at one school</p>