More From the Bad Advice File

Picking up on yesterday's message about cr-ppy advice my clients have received from their guidance counselors over the years, I wanted to offer up another lump of erroneous counsel that I hear EVERY year.

This one's about AP classes.  As in, advice not to take the "extra" AP.

Look, I'm about to get controversial.  If you don't like where I'm coming from, you are free -- actually encouraged -- to unsubscribe from my email list (see link at bottom).  I'm not trying to get anyone's underwear in a bunch, my intent is to help you avoid making an easily-avoidable mistake that can have lethal side effects on your child's college admissions chances.

Frequently, school counselors tell students that it's OK not to take an extra AP.  You don't have to stress out, take it easy on yourself.  11th grade is hard.  

My issue:  that is not the right advice for everybody. 

If your child is gunning for an Ivy or slightly less competitive college, he or she will likely be competing with tens of thousands of applicants who maxed out their AP or IB classes.

If you attend a high school that permits you to take 12, 14 or more, but you chose to take "only" six, that  signals that you did not push yourself.  That you took it easy on yourself to get a high GPA. 

High GPAs are important, but so too is a little something that we call "rigah" up in Boston, where I and JFK hail from.

Contrast that scenario with a student who attends a high school that permits him to take only six APs, and he takes all six.  This guy will look more impressive to an admissions officer than the kid in the first example.

To be fair, guidance counselors see a ton of kids struggling with mental health, stress and related issues.  So the advice to take it easy is well-intended and correct.  For SOME kids.

Brace yourself for the controversial, politically incorrect of today's lesson:

I see many (that means, "not all") guidance counselors give this advice even to kids that obviously belong in that upper tier of aspirational schools?  So why do they recommend backing off to high achievers?

My belief: because they can't relate to these students.  Most guidance counselors were not high achieving, Ivy-caliber students when they were growing up.  Some of them are incapable of emptying their cups and giving objective advice that's separate from their own educational "journeys."

Yeah. I warned you that this could be offensive.   But that doesn't mean that I'm wrong.  Just obnoxious.

Bottom line:  when making decisions about what classes to take -- or, for that matter, ANY choice that will have repercussions when applying to college, i.e. every academic and non-academic, extracurricular etc. opportunity, make sure your eyes are wide open about the implications of those choices.

Tomorrow I'm officially launching my new, obnoxious, yet factual, book:  The Pocket Guide to Surviving Your Guidance Counselor's (Lack Of) Advice.   It will be priced very low so that I can hopefully "rush the charts" and make this book a best seller on Amazon.  And donate all gross proceeds to a charity that is near and dear to my heart.  Please keep an eye out on your inbox.

Speak soon,

-Andy "Ahhsk Not What Your College Can Do For You..." Lockwood