Lazy counselors or lethargic students?

By: Taarna Wiltsie

Posted: 10/1/07

Palomar holds articulation agreements with UC and CSU schools. This makes it remarkably easy for our college to provide transfer guidelines and to help students stay on top of their scholastic progress. Many of the resources a counselor can provide you; but most are actually available for students to research on their own.

Be informed. You can view comparable class prerequisites necessary for your major on Palomar's Web site and detailed instructions for transferring to any UC or CSU. Specific courses for each major are outlined.

You can even start the transfer application process online. With these options, students should be taking action when it comes to their future.

Another way for students to find out information on their own is Transfer Time, an event that happens every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in front of the Student Union in which Transfer Center staff is available to answer your questions. They are also available Monday through Friday at SSC-24A.

The Transfer Center also offers a link to every school, alphabetically and by state, for those considering an out of state college.

Palomar College is home to roughly 30,000 students, and of those students there are only a handful of counselors.

Taking a proactive role in one's future is necessary in order to ensure advancement to the next education level.

Figure out what questions you have and contact the school you wish to transfer to. You should be able to find out what classes to take and in what specific order. Even if school officials are unable to answer your questions, chances are they know who can.

Back in high school, counselors would always repeat the same thing; "Contact the counselors for the school you want to transfer to."

Is this quickly forgotten? I often hear students voicing their complaints that they don't feel their counselors are preparing them properly by giving them advice on what classes will meet multiple requirements.

This is my fourth year at Palomar and my first year meeting with a transfer counselor. I wish that I had paid more attention to my ever-looming transfer status during the first few years.

It is important that every student take an active approach toward their future.

Many student are unaware that racking up unneeded credits can actually hurt their chances of receiving financial aid.

Once you hit 60 units, "They start to give up on you," as one counselor so elegantly phrased it.

A common misconception among students is that counselors at Palomar aren't helpful and can be downright mean to students. I have had personal experiences with a counselor making me second guess my choices but have not had a counselor who lacked knowledgeable in the area that I needed guidance in.

If a similar experience left you with a bad taste in your mouth, don't write off counselors completely. Take responsibility for yourself, because a counselor is absolutely necessary to successfully transfer.

Try making an appointment with someone else. You are here for an education. Don't let one person's unprofessional and disrespectful attitude discourage you.

It is important to remember that as in any situation, there will be some people employed by the college that should really consider another line of work. For the most part though, I have found that the staff and community at Palomar truly want to help.

A counselor should be a resource to keep you on track, answer your queries and boost your morale. If they are not doing all that, then ask for someone new. After all, it's your future at stake.