<p>Yes. You’re lucky. Do you realize in how many schools the guidance counselors aren’t just dealing with college matters, but the messy stuff of life – getting help for the kid who has a substance abuse issue, or an abusive situation at home, or is in trouble with the law, etc. Or where the GC college focus is on getting scholarships and financial aid to ensure that some kids can <em>go</em> to college, not worrying about whether Buffy gets into Swarthmore or Amherst. Even in <em>affluent, upper middle class</em> suburban districts. </p>
<p>The very fact that adcoms have to adjust based on their internal knowledge that this school has intensive counseling and in that school, the GC filled in the blanks for Johnny/Mary/Suzy means that the whole exercise is so very pointless, IMO. It amazes me colleges still ask for it, because I think it’s a complete bit of nonsense.</p>