Your concern regarding your son’s situation is valid. Counselors mislead students when they leave out the part that their high school will assess their courseload when they apply to college. I believe they do this so the freshman transition to high school is not overwhelming, but it does not address that ultimately it is up to the student and how much they want to challenge themselves. As you found out, there will always be students that opt to take all the honors courses no matter what the counselor advises. As your son opted not to take the most rigorous social science course he could this year, apush, there are others that are taking it along with all the other honors that are possible. These are the kids that the counselor will state are taking the most rigorous courses. As your son will be taking the most rigorous load jr and sr years, that is what she can state to the colleges he applies to.