Yes, your assessment is spot on. I, like your daughter, had a regular high school schedule and sport, and music, and made many of the same choices. It’s why we’re trying something a bit different with the kid. So the combo of sport, humble school options, and tough scheduling means thinking outside of the box.
That being said, my kid’s school also caters to atypical students who have not done well at a standard type of school. They could use the suggestions. And so could students at schools that do perhaps offer robotics or the math team, but that doesn’t speak to them.
Although waiting until university can unlock many paths (@thumper1’s daughter had a great self-directed journey), why wait when kids can figure out some likes/dislikes now?
The examples parents of college students have provided are excellent! Would love for them to keep coming. It’s so interesting to hear how other students got where they did.