@roycroftmom I don’t know if you read my description thoroughly, but I’m ABSOLUTELY grateful to be accepted to Cornell. I know not a lot of people can say that and may not even have the opportunity so I’m incredibly grateful for being able to acquire such achievement and attend such a wonderful institution. Also, when I said “heartbreaking,” I wasn’t referring to my acceptance to Cornell; I was referring to the fact that my counselor never even once listened to my suggestions and the plan that I worked so much on over the summer. I have friends whose counselors allowed them to apply to their dream schools through Early Decision and I was so happy for them, I have friends who have such great relationships with their counselors, and I have friends whose counselors aren’t really involved in the application process besides writing the recommendation and sending the transcript and they can carry on with their plans by themselves. My counselor was insightful and I know that he just wanted the best for me; he knew my family situation, my financial situation, and my test anxiety (I literally took the SAT about four times), but I don’t like how he made me feel so anxious every single time I conversed with him about college (everytime he asked me about college and I would mention an elite university, he would laugh at me) to the point that I even tried to avoid him. I know he has a lot of wisdom and experience, but I just don’t understand how a classmate of mine is able to apply to her dream schools when I didn’t have the chance. Maybe it may just be jealousy or regret that I’m feeling that I didn’t speak up a lot and that I just capitulated and wanted to get everything over with so I didn’t have to meet with him anymore. However, I just want you to know that I’m so grateful to be accepted to Cornell and I never expected it and this thread is not meant to be a way to undermine the magnificence of Cornell. This isn’t even about Cornell; this is about my experience with my guidance counselor and how he exacerbated my anxiety.
Also, you may say that my parents should’ve stepped in, but I’m a first-generation college student and my parents don’t know anything about how university works so I had to do everything by myself. Therefore, as a nice gesture, my counselor offered to help me the most, but it wasn’t assistance at all; it was just dictations. I would’ve been fine doing everything by myself since that’s what I’ve been used to, but he insisted to help. I also didn’t like how everytime I would mention an elite school, he would literally judge me with all his might and I could tell from his expression that he was thinking: “You actually think you can get into that school?” I’m surprised I didn’t burst into tears at every encounter with him, although I did when I got home.