Today I went to visit my son's guidance counselor. I figured since "guidance" was part of his title, maybe he could offer some. I was so wrong. When I went to High School, I didn't get to pick & choose what classes I wanted to take. There wasn't honors or regents or AP. There was math, English, history, science, art, music, language & gym. I followed a sequence. Maybe it was because I was in a private school with only 80 kids in my graduating class. I don't know if what I experienced was normal for the time or if kids in other schools had more options than I did. What I do know is that I went to class, did my homework, got good grades, got into college and figured out what I wanted to do wi my life. Did that for a few years before I "retired" at the ripe old age of 27 and jetted off to Africa with my husband. I returned to work for a brief stint when coming back to the U.S. but my husband and I couldn't both have high powered careers And three kids, so I opted to stay home. Today getting into college is a whole different ball game. There is more competition. More kids opting to go to school. When I went to school I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with my life. I knew English was my easiest class and I liked to write. So I went to a liberal arts school, majored in English, minored in education and graduated with a degree in English and a liscense to teach. I didn't like being a teacher. I moved to NYC, got a job in an ad department of a magazine and from there moved into Public Relations. I loved it. I never knew that's what I wanted to do, but once I got there, I knew it was what I wanted to be. Today at my meeting with the guidance counselor, he wanted to know what my son wanted to do with his life. Even though he has shown interest in different things, right now he's not sure. My goal is for him to have a solid academic background so he has choices. Mr. Guidance was trying to explain that he needs to choose now. I just wanted to know what the best classes to take so he could get into a decent college. I have to say, I didn't find the guidance counselor very helpful. I Ended up choosing the classes I thought would give my son a good shot at his future. Nothing that will put too much pressure on him - so only 2 honors classes next year- but not completely slacking either. I thought college was what you did to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life... Now it's High School where you need to do that. Too much pressure. Too little guidance. My first born is an experiment. I try to figure out how I can best help him, learning as I go along so by the time I get to #3, I will have the system all figured out. Poor first born.