Joesitz's comment that she's a smoldering volcano waiting to explode is interesting. For me, she's like a smoldering volcano waiting to expire. I just don't have a good feeling about her skating. I look back on her juniors skates and see all the seeds of her present issues there. It's not that she changed... it's that she didn't. What worked for her as a tiny tot just doesn't do it any more.
We'll see who's correct. I wish her the best but don't foresee much of a future unless she makes some big changes. But congrats on 4cc podium! She seems to like that competition.
I concur with RD and Spun Silver; a performance like this at 4CC keeps Caroline in the 6 - 10 placement range at Nationals. However, nothing about this performance says that she can break the top 5 at Nats. Unless she matures to a senior skater with solid jump technique, sophisticated stroking and transitions, the bottom of the top 10 is where she will stay.
I do think she WANTS to make progress in all those areas mentioned above, but she doesn't have the resources to accomplish it (i.e. the willingness to relearn the basics and work with a different coach.)