Anonymous wrote:We have a counselor. Got a package. DC is a junior. So far is seems kinda pointless. They so far have given the kid a survey to identify their interests/majors, and have started the kid thinking about colleges and what they are looking for in a college. Similar to a prior poster, I am not sure the counselor is on the same wavelength as us in terms of college choices so this is annoying.

That said, our kid did need to take a survey to be able to articulate their preferred major. The kid does need some handholding to think about college preferences, and the kid also rejects a lot of what we suggest (could be our fault in how we communicate). The kid likes the counselor so hoping that this whole process will be more smooth than without. However, it's not rocket science. Your kid might be able to figure it out on their own, or you may be able to direct him or her.

We looked at another counselor who gave a few presentations on being point/finding your passion, but our kid needed a bit more direction and handholding to get from point A to point B. They weren't going to go out and start a project just based on going to a weekend seminar and listening to Ivy league kids say how they got there. This counselor was hourly so would have been cheaper, but I think our kid needed someone to break it down more for them.

Anonymous wrote:… are you more or less hands off as a parent? Do you still find you have to help with the application and school list? Does your counselor help figure out good fit schools and guide DC on the nitty gritty stuff in the application? Brainstorming essay ideas?

Trying to figure out the best type of counselor and how much it costs for someone who truly helps guide DC on all aspects. (Or are parents pretty involved regardless?). Not looking for someone who writes the essays or changes DC’s voice.

Anonymous wrote:bruh my private CC is such a bad fit for me. he keeps telling me to lie and pretend I'm interested in majoring in something I actually think is gross. also he keeps pressuring me to think about EDing to a place he thinks is more prestigious than the public school I much prefer. is he working for me or my parents??