THEY DISAGREE ABOUT HIGH SCHOOLS

Dear Jellybean,

Let me get right to the point. Theres this special high school my mom wants me to get into called University High. She heard about it two years ago and now, every little thing I do, she always mentons it. At school, I'm always under pressure because my mom gets bad even if I get a B. The thing about University High is that they have very high standards on education. You go there and spend the entire day at school and they give you an excessive amount of homework (as in, seven hours worth. No joke). I've tried telling her and she keeps telling me that I should think of my future. The high school I want to go to, Bullard, has all the classes I want to take, whereas University has no classes I'm intrested in. My mom will think that I only want to go to Bullard because my friends are going there but thats not really true. I honestly don't think University is right for me. I truely want to go to Bullard. And yes, the kids don't do as well in Bullard as they do in University, but that doesn't mean I wont do well! I'm willing to do anything to be able to go and I know for a fact that my mom will get mad. Help me please!
-Des

Dear Des,

Here's a situation where you might get closer to getting what you want, by getting a guidance counselor involved.

Your mom certainly wants the best for you, but there are many things that make a school "good" for a young person. Academics are a big part of this, sure, and University High sounds like it's got that side of things covered. But if your mom is thinking about your college application, there are other things to consider, such as the opportunity to do extra-curricular activities, like sports or drama or volunteer work. These days, along with looking at a kid's marks, most colleges also give a lot of weight to all those other activities, that show you're a well-rounded person. Will you have a chance to do any of that stuff, if you're really getting seven hours worth of homework? Not likely. This is just the type of thing that a guidance counselor can discuss with you and your mom.

So talk to your mom, and make an appointment to see a guidance cousnelor together. If your school doesn't have them, call up the high school you want to go to (Bullard) and see if you can go talk to one of their guidance counselors, with your mom. To prepare for your meeting, make a list of everything you want to get out of your high school experience, and why. This will help to show your mom, and the counselor, that you're taking things seriously, not just looking for an easy ride in high school. Plus, it will help you to remember what you wanted to talk about.

Keep an open mind too - maybe there aren't really seven hours of homework at UH. Or maybe they have an awesome drama or travel abroad program that you haven't even heard about. If you and your mom are both willing to listen, as well as put forth your viewpoints, hopefully you'll come to a decision that is truly best for everyone.