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In reply to the discussion: My high school counselor said I wasn't "college material". Well, guess who passed the CA bar exam? [View all]rufus dog
(8,419 posts)I graduated in the 80's and had the opposite experience, coasted through school, sold my books early SR year (third week of classes) for beer money. Long story that I won't go into but my counselor called me in with three other top student going to college on scholarships and basically embarrassed me into the college route.
Now my kids counselors SUCKED. My oldest lacked a bit of confidence so I didn't believe what she was saying about her counselor at first. My kid had a 4.5 gpa, top 20 of her class, and the counselor would discourage her from applying to certain schools. Wife and I went down to college night and the counselors were extremely discouraging. "Parents and students had unrealistic expectations," "we only have so much time to help kids search." This was 2009 so at the end I went up to talk to them. A few parents in front of me were a bit hostile, which was understandable. I took a different approach and offered a suggestion. (again 2009) I stated that there were probably a lot of parents in my shoes, due to the downturn I had extra time on my hands, so I offered to come in a couple hours a day twice a week to help kids do internet searches for college acceptance rates based upon the kids GPAs. That way the kid could have some confidence to apply to a few schools locally, could consider the JC route, and identify some out of state options. Told them there were likely a lot of other parents that had some spare time to help. I got a blank stare, then a comment that she would have to run it by the Principal. She turned away, so I asked if she wanted my number, she said no.
So I am elated at your story, and suggest you send an email to your HS with your story. I was able to talk to the Principal at my kids school during awards night. Just shooting the bull with the guy but told him I was less than impressed with is counselors, didn't provide detail but told him if they were my counselor I likely would have never gone to college.