Bad News

Colleges & Universities University of Virginia
1

<p>Hey guys,
Well I just got back from vacation (will write a long review of this latley because it was just so amazing) and I just found out some horrible news… My guidence councilor just got fired this summer (no wonder she hasen’t replied to my 5 emails) and now a new councilor that I’m assigned to is going to write my reccomendation… The bad news is, I’VE NEVER MET THE COUNCILOR… I know that he is going to do the classic fill in the name. One of the most important pieces of information to Adcoms and I’m having someone write about me that has never even met me… How should I go about this? Do you guys think that I should write in the extra information section of my app that my guidence councilor has never even met me?</p>

<p>MY TRIP</p>

<p>Alright, I’ve been on vacation for the last week and let me tell you, it was honestly the best time of my life. I love traveling and have been on ALOT of vacations (10 7day+ cruises, taveled Eroupe, these are just a few) but this one blew all my other vacations out of the water. </p>

<p>My parents mentioned to me that they were thinking about booking a catameran charter in the British Virgin Islands and I was against the idea. I love the water and boating, but I thought that I perfered boating on a cruise rather than a small boat (spoiled… I know). Of course my parents told me when I’m 18 I can decide what vacations I wanted to go on so I was sucked in. </p>

<p>However, as the time neared for my family to pack up and sail I began getting excited. I under-estimated the activities a catermeran contains. My family flew from NY to Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on friday and we stayed the night in a hotel right near the ferry and the airport. That night we went to one of my favorite island restaurants “the fat turtle” (fat-turtle.com). I got the red snapper sandwhich which was awsome then hit the sack for the night. The next morning we took a 45 minute ferry ride to Tortola and found our way to the captain for the week, Captain Jeff.</p>

<p>During that week sailing became my favorite vacation by far. The activities on board were endless for the whole family (remember the passengers included my parents, me, 15 y/o brother, 12 y/o sister, 10 y/o brother, 15 y/o brother’s friend, my aunt and uncle, Captain Jeff, Chef Adam). Every morning we woke up we were looking at a day filled with different adventures. We were able to scuba and snorkle every day at reefs that were just unreal. While we were sailing in between islands (we went to 2 islands a day) we fished and caught a load of different fish. The captain was one of the most educated, interesting guys I have ever met. However, my personal favorite part of the trip was the cooking (I know I’m fat, well not really but still…). When you charter a boat the boat comes with a Captain and a Chef. I have to say, I had some of the best food I’ve ever tasted in my life on the boat. We were able to catch fresh dolphin, lobsters, and other types of fish that tasted unreal. </p>

<p>Apart from the beautiful senery (please correct me on this) this trip was a family vacation I’ll never forget. My whole family was on a 60ft boat for one week stuck together. My family is big with fighting but on the boat it was different. My whole family got along perfectly and I had one of the best times of my life.</p>

<p>Links. </p>

<p>Fat turtle (amazing restaurant once you arrive on Saint Thomas) fat-turtle.com</p>

<p>Link for the boat: sailgrandoasis.com</p>

<p>Link for pictures: (will upload a ton of pictures once I get home, I’m still in Florida visiting relatives).</p>

<p>If you guys haven’t realized I love reviewing things. I don’t really know why but it’s just something I enjoy doing. I also wrote this because I know a couple of adults view this section, and if your looking for a vacation I highly suggest this. I’m usually like (ohh just another trip) but this was amazing. </p>

<p>One last thing,
Even though vacations over, it’s good to be back.</p>

2

<p>I would make sure to note that you have not met your counselor but also make the best effort at the start of the year through when apps will be submitted to get to know them! You can certainly provide them with a resume of your ECs, passions, interests, etc and information about yourself – that will help in their writing a recommendation. Also, let you new GC know what schools you are most interested in and why and follow up with enough notice before you need their recommendation and also with a thank you card after they’ve done so. Timing on this can vary as some students like to wait until they know where they are going to write a thank you to those that helped along the way letting them know where they are ending up based on that help.</p>

<p>Also, if you haven’t asked already, make sure to do it soon and pick the teachers who truly know you the best. These do not have to be your best subjects (some of the best recommendations can come from classes where you may struggle but show a strong work ethic). This way you’ll know you do have recommendations from people that know you well. </p>

<p>Lastly, so very glad you had a great vacation – it sounds amazing!</p>

<p>And, no matter what you are doing – applications or typing updates for your counselor, please make sure to proof read and use spell check :)</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>I have both teacher reccomendations set, however, I’m applying to University of Michigan before the first week of September is over… Honestly, now that I’m thinking about it, my parents paid for a college prep school (similar to georgetown prep but a different jesuit college) the school is named ****** prep but I’m starting to think they should have named the school “screw me over prep” because it’s so poorly run. </p>

<p>And thanks for the response sally. I’m god awful at spelling and will scouer over my papers I’m handing into college to make sure I don’t make stupid mistakes.</p>

4

<p>Glad you had a nice holiday. Hopefully you are refreshed for a new year. </p>

<p>Admissions reps are very adept at recognizing a McRecommendation. It is frustrating, but you are not the only one it will happen to. To be blunt, if your previous GC was let go, this may have been someone you did NOT want writing your rec, no matter how glowing it may have been. I know you have respect for UVa’s admissions, and they speak highly of many, many admissions departments at other top schools. Trust that a bland rec will be seen as a neutral. </p>

<p>Try not to be frustrated with your school. They made the decision they felt best. Give your new GC a chance. Don’t knock them out with the very zealous nature we know you have for the college process. They may not be ready just yet. :slight_smile: Try to meet with them, let them know your target schools, and give them a resume. Be welcoming and tell them you are glad they are there to help you this year. Be sincere. They are human and will appreciate the warm welcome.</p>

5

<p>Thanks for the response a’s always iguana. I highly rcommend you go on a vacation like that.</p>

6

<p>Ahh, but I’m saving for my kids education. :)</p>

<p>It sounds awesome! Thank your parents. Family time is important. I’m sure they loved the adventure with their children.</p>

7

<p>Exactly, I don’t get along to well with my parets but that vacation was actually some god family bonding</p>

8

<p>WOW, UVAorBust, the same thing happened to me this year! I’m just going to suck up to my new counselor as much as possible so she can get to know me better!</p>

9

<p>Yea but I need my reccomendayion the first day of school</p>

10

<p>You can ask the principal (or someone on the administrative staff) who knows you well, write the recommendation and sent it to the new GC for “review” (very important to keep the new GC in the loop because they are the one who will get any phone calls from the schools) - Always give the new GC a list of your accomplishments… (Loosing a GC and sometimes the entire GC staff is not uncommon in distressed public high schools).</p>

11

<p>Yea but my school isn’t even distressed. It’s a private prep school that is very very poorly run. I honestly don’t know any of the administrative staff because they never make time to see us or respond to emails.</p>

12

<p>Take a deep breath. Your situation is not unique. Counselors retire. Counselors move. Their students still get into great colleges.</p>

<p>New counselors often work off notes left by their predecessors and conversations with teachers. They will be up front about their familiarity with the student.</p>

13

<p>Thanks for the response Dean J. It is just kind of frustrating because this councilor has been fired from 2 schools before my school. There were obviously problems with her before she came to our school. I don’t want to sound uncharitable but a guidance councilor needs to give her students guidance, and if the school knew te councilor couldn’t uphold to that they shouldn’t have hired her.
On a different note, I’m not applying early decision to Upenn. If a miracle happens and I get in I will always have the thought in my head that I coul have gone to UVA</p>

14

<p>We ran into a similar problem with my older son, except the GC was on medical leave. Each week S1 was assigned a different counselor du jour by his HS Guidance Office. We never knew who was in charge of his college applications since it changed on a weekly basis. After a couple weeks of this nonsense, I went to the guidance office, put my foot down, and asked for one GC to handle his apps. You might need to get your parents to advocate for you with the guidance office.</p>

<p>As for the former GC, I would RUN - not walk - to the guidance office on the first day/week of school & find out what the former GC left in your file. If the GC was incompetent as you allege, there may be important notes or recommendations missing. You don’t want to wait if you have to rebuild a college file. Get on it ASAP.</p>

<p>Blueiguana has good advice about approaching the new GC. And I second shillyshally’s recommendation to proofread your applications carefully. There are few things that will doom an application more than an essay or an app filled with typos & misspellings.</p>

<p>PS. the sailing vacation sounds fantastic!</p>

15

<p>C-o-u-n-s-e-l-o-r</p>