Guidance Counselors

OlympicLady
Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:27:39 +0000

In large public Middle and High Schools I have always said it is best to think of it as public assisted Home Schooling- at least in CA. It doesn’t mater if you are in a high ranking competitive school system. As we all know, planning, prep and selection starts at the latest 6th grade-not placed in advanced math in 6th grade, not on advanced track for science or english either. When 9th grade rolls around, game over for multiple AP’s- not enough time. Since each student is evaluated in the “context of opportunities available” at their school, the learning curve for parents is fast and steep in order to figure out how everyone else in maximizing the “available opportunities.”…

Really, the internet should be the great equalizer here, all the info is there but it must be sought out and managed by both the parents and students. S1 did have a private coach (that’s how she thought of herself) but mainly because it eased the tension between US, she could tell him what he needed to do and how to follow through. She also got us up to speed and out of dreamland when selecting schools- letting him know he could not be just your AVERAGE 4.0, he needed more. Wake up call for ALL.

S2 in private high school- he is much less motivated so experience told me best to have a VERY supportive high school guide this one.