Child at private school. They do not meet with college counselors until spring 11th grade. The advisor is more of an emotional checkpoint. Parent and child select classes. No one really helps or advises on courses or tracking or electives. Just wondering how other schools do it.
My school is similar, but the help is there if you need it. You just have to be assertive enough to get to know your counselor and make an appointment to ask for help. However, my school is a public and each of the five counselor has 450 or so students under them. I find it odd that your child isn’t encouraged, or dare I say forced, to get to know his or her counselor better being at a private school. The only time you truly are requiremed to meet one on one with your counselor is sometime during the first semester of your junior year to talk about college.
That is way too late. My son’s private school started in 10th grade when they talked about and administered their first PSAT, and made workshops - including visits, financial aid, etc. open to parents even in 9th grade. For the kids college counseling started early in 11th grade, and college representative visits were open to both juniors and seniors in the fall. The academic counselors talked a lot about balancing classes for college applications, and helped with college selection, essay topics, would review essays, and suggested fixes for any deficiencies. Most of the kids in his school went to top 30 colleges.
They also provided Naviance access.
Our HS did not start college planning until 11th grade either. It was fine.
My S20 attends a small private school. (SMALL. About 30 students per grade.) At the beginning of the school year, they announce the college rep visit schedule. Freshmen are invited to attend as many info sessions as they like, then starting in tenth grade, students are required to attend a certain number each year (2 or 3, I don’t remember).
As for course selection, at the end of 8th grade, students each met with the counselor to craft a tentative four year plan. I’m amazed at the support they provide. Lots of workshops, guidance, and accessibility. (I have cell numbers of most teachers and administrators.)
My D18 attends a large public magnet school, where she has to be much more proactive.
I forgot to mention that in the fall, all of the current juniors at my S’s private school took a field trip to an LAC about two hours away for a special tour.
As a public school parent, I’m surprised to read the OP’s post. My kid’s overworked GC has 450+ students assigned to her. But they start as freshmen with a 4 year plan, noting that there are differences based on whether you are targeting highly selective colleges, our in state universities, community college or vocational training. And they meet with all students in January by going to the English classes (which is an easy way to hit all freshmen, all sophomores, all juniors) with a presentation about class selection for the next year. Students who want to (or whose parents want to) can make an appointment for a one-on-one session with the GC about class selection and planning. For the last few years the school district has paid for all sophomores to take the PSAT to help prepare for taking it junior year. College representative visits and financial aid and essay workshops are well advertised. Sometimes it takes patience to wait for an appointment or get a response from the GC because she is also dealing with discipline, health and attendance problems in her assigned group, but eventually we hear from or meet with her.