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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I also find that the public HS counselors lean way on the side of never wanting to stress the kids out, so they will never encourage the kids to take more rigorous load than the kid is wanting. In fact, I think they are always encouraging kids NOT to load up on heavy schedule. And then when senior year comes, they tell you just about every school is a reach because you didn't take the most rigorous course load. This is not the case with private HS. [/quote]

Our experience too.[/quote]

You should be asking these questions of the high school college counselor, not the regular guidance counselor [/quote]

[b]They don’t see the college counselor until it’s too late. There should some basic planning in 9th grade- or when a new kid arrives from out of state- that includes this information so they are making informed choices. Like PP said, 3 years needed for “advanced degree”.  And you might hear “4 years” but it’s never “of the same language, ideally including an AP in that language”.

If it’s too much to ask, then stop telling parents to let their kids take control of their classes and college applications. If I have to rely on Reddit threads to fill in gaps, that’’s beyond negligence on the school’s part.  But like multiple PPs have said, they’re so afraid of pressure, they’re not even having honest talks with them.  That’s not helpful either. It let’s kids down and encourages the helicoptering they claim is so damaging.
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In a perfect world you might be correct.  But you don't live in a perfect world. And you are in a large public school.  You misjudged the situation and you are trying to blame the system for your own failures.  Most parents engage early on in the college process.  They read books - a lot have been mentioned right here in old threads.  I read "What your college advisor won't tell you" and learned from that that Boys State and Boys Nations are considered to be big deals by colleges.  So I got working and my son did both and got a massive scholarship and into top schools.  I educated myself.  I didn't ever think the public counselor, nay even college advisor, had the time to address all the issues my kids might be facing.

When in your life do you NOT prepare for a decision that might cost your family anywhere between $120K and $$360K?  College is the SECOND most costly investment your family might make after a large mortgage, especially if you have multiple kids.  You do NOT leave this to the high school's "guidance counselors" which is what you did.  I'm sorry you didn't think this through but you and DH should have been on top of this from freshman year on and reading books, starting tours, watching podcasts, reading College Confidential, reading here, reading Reddit and asking questions of your high school college counselor - who will most certainly talk to you and your son and answer emails. That is their job.  Just because THEY don't reach out until junior year doesn't mean that you can't approach them.

In the internet world, your child could have googled "UVA foreign language requirement" and learned within 3 seconds that UVA recommends four years, as do the top SLACs.  To now blame a "guidance" counselor for suggesting whatever YOUR KID wanted to hear is just wrong.  I am posting in the hopes that other parents see this and don't make the same mistake.  YOU, as parents, need to be involved. This is a HUGE investment of time and money and you need to know what you are doing.  if you don't have the time to do this, hire a private counselor.  Some are by the hour and reasonably priced.  But never rely on what "guidance counselors" have to say about college admissions.  Go to your high school college counselor if you have a college-related question. How is this difficult?[/quote]

With all this lecturing you still made the same mistake. You said “four years of language”. It’s four years of the SAME language.  The day I consider college confidential and Reddit reliable information and “research” is a cold day in hell. [/quote]

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