Let’s face it – you’re probably getting hundreds of conflicting pieces of advice on the college application process. From the counselors at school, to other parents, to teachers, to friends and family, everyone thinks they have the secret to cracking college admissions.
How to Schedule a Meeting with your College Advisor (in steps)
We’re really happy that you decided to say hello and introduce yourself to your college counselor or advisor/a very crucial person in your college application process. This is a great first step. We’ve waxed poetic about how important it is to build and maintain relationships with teachers throughout your time in high school, and your college counselor/advisor is no exception. They are just yet another person on your “Get Into College Team,” and you should regard them with an appropriate level of importance.
What is the Role of a Guidance Counselor in the College Application Process?
Your college guidance counselor at your school is an instrumental person in your college admissions process. Though you mostly see them right now for occasional check-ins and receive emails from them, they will ultimately be someone who can be a true advocate for you throughout this process. Most important to consider, though, is that they will be writing you a recommendation letter. In the second round of admissions after grades and scores, their recommendation letter and your teacher recommendation letter are incredibly important factors. They write each student a recommendation letter, so it’s smart to get to know them early. While you can’t control the words that your counselor writes in their recommendation, you can certainly influence the content and tone with your actions. Here are some tips that we recommend for getting on your college guidance counselor’s good side.