Rant about Counselor

goldfarb1

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
357
Anyone else have guidance counselor problems?

This is mainly just a rant. My goal was to get everything in for the USNA app by the end of school. Went to my teachers to get my recommendations. They turned them in the next day. I put together a "little packet" of all the information my guidance counselor needs. My school sends very few kids to SA's, so in addition I basically wrote up a letter explaining the process, and how I also need to apply for nominations. I addressed envelopes to USNA and my nomination sources. All she had to do was put the transcripts in them and fill out the email they sent her. I gave this to her one month ago. I get a call from her yesterday that went something like this.

Her: So I read the letter you attatched with your packet. For the congressman and senators, are you applying for an internship or work program?
Me: Explained nomination process.
Her: So I'm writing a recommendation to tell them to nominate you?
Me: Essentially.
Her: You said I should have gotten an email from Navy?
Me: Yes, you should have recieved it when I turned in my packet.
Her: Well I may have gotten it, I may have not gotten it. But I'm going to need you to get them to resend it. When I write this, am I writing it like you would be applying to college?
(She definetly got it. Both my teachers got it the day of, and they use the same email servers. She probably ignored it and deleted it)
Me: No problem. Explained recommendation.
Her: By the way, today is my last day before summer so I won't be able to do any of this until we get back. When do you need this in by?

Well there goes an early application. What bothers me most is I went to the person in charge of the administrative tasks for the guidance department, and she specifically told me she would ensure that everything would get in by the start of the summer. I went to her one week before the end of school and the last day of school to confirm everything. And to top it off. School sends me a copy of my transcript, and what's missing? My math class. So it shows that I have no math for Junior year. So now I'm kind of glad she didn't send my transcripts in because now the transcript needs to be fixed. Oh the bureaucracy....
 
OK --heres what you do to fix this problem. Been there done that. Send her a NICE email retracing your steps of the original request and the time line. COPY your principal Ask in the email that since it is required by the US government if you should go through the school adm office or if she can process your requests. Trust me if you receive an appointment she will get the amount added to her scholarship total the first thing. Make copies of EVERYTHING and keep a folder at home where you can get to it if needed. I bet you get a reply very quickly once you copy your principal. Just be sure you are diplomatic in your wording she can make your senior year a royal pain if you make her mad and make your application process harder than it already is. also go to the school and get at least 4 copies of your official transcript and if you have to mail it all yourself. you may be requested more info from other places during this process and its easier to just mail anything you can yourself. when DS started his application process he had no help and i'm proud to say if you want it and its meant to be it will happen for you no matter what. DS is now in the class of 2014.
 
Anyone else have guidance counselor problems?

My counselor told me that going into the Navy would be stupid and boring, and that I shouldn't bother. :rolleyes: Thank goodness I'm moving schools this year!
 
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll go ahead and do exactly what you suggested. According to something posted on my school's site it looks like the counselors will be in one day a week, every week in June...so we'll see. If not, I'm going directly to the principal, explain the problem and get him to write a recommendation. I think once they realize that an acceptance to an SA is $400,000 added to their scholarship advertisement, and that an ROTC scholarship can be $150,000+ depending on where its awarded...they may start following the deadlines I set forth.
 
Sometimes communications from USNA hit a glitch in the form of school firewalls, so it may be necessary to have a different email address for school personnel, although the fact that the teachers got their emails from NAVY that doesn't appear to be a problem in this instance. Regarding the anti-military attitude that sometimes rears its head, you may be able to overcome the biased arrogance by involving your parents in a discussion of your aspirations with the guidance counselor - or your principal. It is unfortunate that the problem persists this long after Vietnam, but sometime soon the dissidents should be flushed out of the school systems by retirements. Otheriwse blackhawkmom gave you an excellent outline for action. Best wishes to you and your peers.
 
Last summer, my son needed alot of tanscripts sent, etc for ROTC. Any guidance counselor on duty was allowed to help. Go everyday until you find one to help resolve your issues.
 
To all who will be requesting transcripts...get a copy and check it first! We found a mistake on my son's as well. Thankfully it was before the school sent them out. Then, I met with the principle and explained what my son's goals were and what was going to be needed from the guidance office. I waited two days then went to the guidance office and got four official copies of the HS transcript (in sealed envelopes). The guidance secretary was not wanting to give them to me, but I insisted, and let her put the guidance office stamp over the back of the envelope, along with her signature. My son then made four packets of info (two to congressman and one for each senator.) Later that day, I had flowers delivered to the guidance secretary. Finances were very tight at the time, and I couldn't really afford them, but it was money well spent! Everything flowed after that.
My son's HS is only five years old. My son is the first to get a service academy appointment, and I believe the first to get an NROTC scholarship as well. The attitude from the guidance office was very frustrating at first. But, we just had the senior awards night, and I guarantee the school's outlook is a bit different now. Hang in there, and know that you are laying the groundwork for future applicants from your area.
 
I agree with bgo1964 that you may need to have your parents get involved. My son did lots of the work on his app by himself, but there were times when he just couldn't get someone to take him seriously. Unfortunately, no matter how mature and articulate you may be, some adults will not take a teen seriously. Hang in there. The process can be grueling, but the reward could be the fulfillment of a life-long dream!
 
MomoftheMagik

Nothing could be more true. Parents need to be involved. Not sitting on there hands.


RGK
 
Keep us posted as you take this journey-i may be a new plebe mom but as this is a help forum there are a lot of us that have experienced and overcome the problems you will have a long the way. i wish you much success in receiving your appointment and we are here to help you.
 
It is certainly frustrating when you're working with a high school administration that has no idea what a service academy is. If you say "Annapolis", they'll probably ask, "In Indianapolis?"

They'll think that you're enlisting in the Navy and that you want to swab decks for a living. They have no clue. And it's really too bad because the school gets an enormous amount of "credit" for a service academy scholarship. I think they value it around $500,000.

Yes, sometimes you really have to educate them in the process. When talking to people who are clueless, never simply say the "Naval Academy." To them, that sounds too much like the plain old Navy ... or a boot camp ... or like the "Police Academy." Use the full term - the "United States Naval Academy in Annapolis." The term "Annapolis", to many, is more familiar than the "Naval Academy" in much the same way that "West Point" has more name recognition than the "Military Academy."

It should be every candidate's goal to get started as early as possible on your application process and to get everything you need from you high school BEFORE school lets out for the summer.

The academy has a rolling admissions process and the sooner you can be considered, the slimmer the competition is.
 
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