--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You want to go to college?” She’d have…" description: "\"“You want to go to college?” She’d have thought that he’d be done with school as soon as he graduated. “I’ve flirted with the idea,” he shrugged. “Gran..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/jacqueline-e-smith-30431_halloween_you-want-to-go-to-college-she-d-have-tho_1150825.jpg" --- # You want to go to college?” She’d have thought that he’d… ![“You want to go to college?” She’d have thought that he’d be done with school as soon as he graduated. “I’ve flirted with the idea,” he shrugged. “Granted, it’s been a rather brief and tumultuous courtship.” “Why is that?” “For some reason, Old Lady Grady doesn’t seem to think I’m ‘college…” quote by Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/jacqueline-e-smith-30431_halloween_you-want-to-go-to-college-she-d-have-tho_1150825.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/jacqueline-e-smith-30431_halloween_you-want-to-go-to-college-she-d-have-tho_1150825.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/jacqueline-e-smith-30431_halloween_you-want-to-go-to-college-she-d-have-tho_1150825.jpg) > ““You want to go to college?” She’d have thought that he’d be done with school as soon as he graduated. “I’ve flirted with the idea,” he shrugged. “Granted, it’s been a rather brief and tumultuous courtship.” “Why is that?” “For some reason, Old Lady Grady doesn’t seem to think I’m ‘college material.’” He emphasized the last two words with air quotes. “Maybe because she’s our guidance counselor and you call her Old Lady Grady,” Izzy quipped.”” [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A student feels discouraged by a counselor’s low expectations, highlighting self‑doubt and external judgment. **In simple terms:** Counselor’s doubt fuels insecurity. Key Takeaway Believe in your own potential despite others’ opinions. Themes self‑esteem education expectations confidence Mood reflective determined Type narrative motivational When to use this quote - high school counseling - college applications - peer encouragement Key Concepts Self‑fulfilling prophecy social pressure identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How does external judgment affect personal ambition? - What steps can counteract discouraging feedback? A Different Perspective Overcoming negative labeling can be challenging without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guidance counselor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guidance-counselor/) [Halloween](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/halloween/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Young adult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-adult/) ## Related quotes > [I had no idea what art was. There was one art class in high school, but it didn't make a big impression on me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claes-oldenburg/i-had-no-idea-what-art-was-there-was-one-art-class-in-high-school-but/) [Claes Oldenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claes-oldenburg/) > [After I'd gotten a year under my belt in college, I thought I'd outgrown my home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-hickam/after-i-d-gotten-a-year-under-my-belt-in-college-i-thought-i-d/) [Homer Hickam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-hickam/) > [When I left college I thought - based on a staggeringly inadequate understanding of how the world worked - that I might like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/when-i-left-college-i-thought-based-on-a-staggeringly-inadequate/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [All life lessons are not learned at college,'she thought. Life teaches them everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-life-lessons-are-not-learned-at-college-she-thought-life-teaches/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wanted to try something different. Most people my age go off to college; I thought I'd try out New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sky-ferreira/i-wanted-to-try-something-different-most-people-my-age-go-off-to/) [Sky Ferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sky-ferreira/) > [It wasn't until I was in college that I even realized how much I loved film and started to appreciate acting, this beautiful medium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/it-wasn-t-until-i-was-in-college-that-i-even-realized-how-much-i/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [When I graduated from college, I thought that I would probably never be an actor because it seemed like everyone was big by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-thought-that-i-would-probably-never/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I went to graduate school with zero expectation. I kind of backed into it. I wanted to go back to school because I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-minot/i-went-to-graduate-school-with-zero-expectation-i-kind-of-backed-into/) [Susan Minot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-minot/) > [Did you really think I would be this excited about college if I thought I'd be leaving my girl behind?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/did-you-really-think-i-would-be-this-excited-about-college-if-i/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [I think when I was in college I thought that, you know, like, sort of giving everyone an equal amount and spreading it around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-maccallum/i-think-when-i-was-in-college-i-thought-that-you-know-like-sort-of/) [Martha MacCallum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-maccallum/) > [Coming out of college I thought, I'm pretty good, I guess.' But once you're out there - it's a lot faster. The ball's being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-larson/coming-out-of-college-i-thought-i-m-pretty-good-i-guess-but-once-you/) [Jordan Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-larson/) > [When I was in high school and college, I thought everybody could think in pictures. And my first inkling to my thinking was even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/when-i-was-in-high-school-and-college-i-thought-everybody-could-think/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I wasn't raised to make history. In high school and family, no one around me was politically involved, and few of my friends planned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-haaland/i-wasn-t-raised-to-make-history-in-high-school-and-family-no-one/) [Deb Haaland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-haaland/) > [When I graduated from college I thought I was over with show business and was pursuing other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-chlumsky/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-thought-i-was-over-with-show-business/) [Anna Chlumsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-chlumsky/) > [After I left college I thought, very naively, that either you became someone interesting - an artist - or you went into academia. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/after-i-left-college-i-thought-very-naively-that-either-you-became/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) ## More by Jacqueline E. Smith > [“In my stories, I wrote Malcolm as fire and gold and power, but here in my arms, Colin is cedar, silver, and summer air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/in-my-stories-i-wrote-malcolm-as-fire-and-gold-and-power-but-here-in/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“I was supposed to earn my doctorate, become a literature professor, settle down with a nice, normal husband and raise a nice, normal family.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/i-was-supposed-to-earn-my-doctorate-become-a-literature-professor/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“It’s strange. I’ve spent most of my life trying to convince everyone that I’m completely normal. You know, that I can’t see dead people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/it-s-strange-i-ve-spent-most-of-my-life-trying-to-convince-everyone/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“God, everything is wasted on the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/god-everything-is-wasted-on-the-living/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“After walking the Royal Mile, we visit Edinburgh Castle. Overlooking the city from the grassy hilltop of the Castle Rock, the fortress itself looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/after-walking-the-royal-mile-we-visit-edinburgh-castle-overlooking/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“Tonight, Dunadhar Castle is ours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/tonight-dunadhar-castle-is-ours/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“We’ll actually be staying several nights in Dunadhar Castle but one night, we’re going to be camping out at Loch Ness, just to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/we-ll-actually-be-staying-several-nights-in-dunadhar-castle-but-one/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“I haven’t even been here an hour and already, Edinburgh is the city of my dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/i-haven-t-even-been-here-an-hour-and-already-edinburgh-is-the-city-of/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“God, can you imagine what discovering the Loch Ness Monster would do to Luke's ego?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/god-can-you-imagine-what-discovering-the-loch-ness-monster-would-do/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“People tend to think that death is absolute, the one thing we can all be certain about, but that’s not the case. Death is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/people-tend-to-think-that-death-is-absolute-the-one-thing-we-can-all/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“Love was more than just a fleeting desire, or a brief glimpse into a fairy tale, or a flash of playful flirtation in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/love-was-more-than-just-a-fleeting-desire-or-a-brief-glimpse-into-a/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“You do know that I can’t just will mythical beings into existence, right?” “Not with that attitude, you can’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/you-do-know-that-i-can-t-just-will-mythical-beings-into-existence/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“Century and after century, headstones and grave markers were crafted, marble shrines to lost life and to bodies that could neither see nor touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/century-and-after-century-headstones-and-grave-markers-were-crafted/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“Michael had learned the hard way that nothing good came from interfering in the affairs of the afterlife.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/michael-had-learned-the-hard-way-that-nothing-good-came-from/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [“Someone always dies. Someone is always left behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-e-smith/someone-always-dies-someone-is-always-left-behind/) [Jacqueline E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) [Explore all 17 Jacqueline E. Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) ## More Guidance counselor quotes > [“But once when she was chatting with some stupid boy online, she described herself as the color of coffee with not enough milk. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jos-older/but-once-when-she-was-chatting-with-some-stupid-boy-online-she/) [Daniel José Older](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jos-older/) > [I think I was in high school, actually, and it was a guidance counselor or someone said, you know, you're just too loud; like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/i-think-i-was-in-high-school-actually-and-it-was-a-guidance-counselor/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [“We are not perfect. We are here to learn. Earth is one big classroom and God is our heavenly guidance counselor and teacher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-friedenfeld/we-are-not-perfect-we-are-here-to-learn-earth-is-one-big-classroom/) [Molly Friedenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-friedenfeld/) > [Wow,” says Peter, “when your guidance counselor tells you to die, you really have problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-selzer/wow-says-peter-when-your-guidance-counselor-tells-you-to-die-you/) [Adam Selzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-selzer/) > [I was born and raised in Pawnee City, Nebraska. I lived right next to the sale barn and I raised pigs. My dad was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-the-cable-guy/i-was-born-and-raised-in-pawnee-city-nebraska-i-lived-right-next-to/) [Larry the Cable Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-the-cable-guy/) > [I had been tracked from grades 1 through 12 in an accelerated program in the public school system in Memphis and had done well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/i-had-been-tracked-from-grades-1-through-12-in-an-accelerated-program/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [1. We are here to help you. 2. You will have time to get to your class before the bell rings. 3. The dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-mae-lagud/1-we-are-here-to-help-you-2-you-will-have-time-to-get-to-your-class/) [Joanna Mae Lagud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-mae-lagud/) > [If you know a good player who is tempted by pool hustling, introduce him at once to a career guidance counselor, a psychotherapist, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-byrne/if-you-know-a-good-player-who-is-tempted-by-pool-hustling-introduce/) [Robert Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-byrne/) > [That was a mistake, I guess, going out to California. They have these things called guidance counselors in high school. They drink a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-jo-campbell/that-was-a-mistake-i-guess-going-out-to-california-they-have-these/) [Bonnie Jo Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-jo-campbell/) > [I only learned what an engineer was from a college guidance counselor. 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And she's an alcoholic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/you-re-perfect-just-the-way-you-are-is-what-your-guidance-counselor/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) [Browse all 39 Guidance counselor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guidance-counselor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You want to go to college?” She’d have thought that he’d be done with school as soon as he graduated. “I’ve flirted with the idea,” he shrugged. “Granted, it’s been a rather brief and tumultuous courtship.” “Why is that?” “For some reason, Old Lady Grady doesn’t seem to think I’m ‘college material.’” He emphasized the last two words with air quotes. “Maybe because she’s our guidance counselor and you call her Old Lady Grady,” Izzy quipped.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jacqueline E. 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