Whenever a student on campus has questions about education or is merely confounded by the entire college system itself, naturally a counselor would seem like the most suitable alternative for the bewildered student. But what do the campus counselors really have to offer the students?

During my first semester at Bakersfield College, like any college freshman, I was baffled by the entire college setup. I had very little knowledge about the campus and was unsure about the direction I was headed. I made arrangements to see a counselor in an attempt to gather information about the school and make plans for the future.

When I first entered the small counselor’s office, I very eagerly introduced myself, shaking her hand before taking a seat in the chair beside her desk. The counselor merely stared at me impassively for a few moments before getting started. I expected her to seem more enthusiastic, the way most people are who earn their living contributing to the welfare of others. She started to show some signs of life when she began a steady line of questioning about my schooling.

Of course, I tried to impress her by giving her what every egotistical A-student has to offer – a long saga of minor achievements. As I was rubbing my knuckles against my blouse, I noticed that she had turned away from me and she was shuffling through papers on her desk. It left me wondering if she had been listening to anything I said. I tried prodding her for information about the college. She simply told me to visit the college’s Web site to learn more about the campus.

The only thing I did gain from the counselor was the kind of classes that I could possibly take as a college freshman. I never received the information that I so sorely wanted.

The two following visits I have had with counselors during the past year have been just as dissatisfying. Every time I’ve walked out of a counselor’s office, I have always been more confused than going into a counselor’s office, so naturally I try to do without seeing a counselor. As racked as I have been with unanswered questions this past year, I can only imagine what other students have gone through.