College Prep

Don’t let your freshman year pass by without seeing a counselor. It may be a
dreaded activity to you to schedule an appointment and sit down to discuss your
future, but you’ll be glad you did.


Nothing impresses a guidance counselor more than a student that is prepared.
By visiting them during your freshman year, you show initiative and a real drive to
obtain a quality education.

If you have questions, be sure to write them down before you go into see the
counselor. This also shows that you are thinking about your future and not just
when you are asked about it. This sort of drive shows counselors that you care
and will really pay off come time you need a recommendation letter.

Also, make an effort to let your counselor know who you are. While they attempt
to get to know all of their students, counselors see many students each day and
it can be hard to keep track of them all. Make yourself stand out by sharing your
interests, your summer plans and goals. When it comes time to ask for a
recommendation letter, your counselor will have a wealth of information to work
from. A generic letter is far less impressive than one with personal touches.

It is also a good idea to bring along a notepad to your appointment. You’ll
probably want to take a lot of notes. Keeping track of what your counselor says
allows you to make better use of the time you spend together. You can better

prepare yourself and come up with more detailed questions if you keep a record
of the information you’ve already obtained.