Hopefully you misunderstood the counselor. If not, find a better counselor.
The seven course pattern is required to be eligible for admission to UC. Every single UC applicant must complete this in order to be eligible for admission There would be no reason at all for IGETC to exist if the seven course pattern also satisfied the GE requirements. And of course it does not. Apples and oranges.
The seven course pattern is what you need to be eligible for admission. Once at a UC you must complete the General Ed requirements to graduate. These are two different sets of rules. Some or all of the seven course classes may apply to that goal depending on your campus, but you usually need additional classes. IGETC Is a set of classes that all UC campuses (outside of some majors such as engineering) will accept as satisfying their General Ed requirements.