I graduated from high school two years ago. Since then, I've found out numerous things that would have been extremely helpful to know back then:

• I could have taken college courses while in high school.

• There are summer courses available for the classes required to graduate.

• Service-learning classes are great resume-builders.

So why didn't I know this all before graduation? Part of the reason is the counseling system.

I wasn't failing, nor was I in an advanced program where students graduate with college classes. Those were the kids always in the counseling office.

As a student who fell in the middle, I wasn't given much advice. Perhaps people thought I knew what I was doing. I had no idea.

My parents hadn't done the school thing for decades, and as an oldest child, I was figuring how everything worked. Not until my senior year did I realize that counselors were there for more than helping get your class schedule fixed or for assisting students in trouble or failing.

Parents, in the interest of time and money, encourage your kids to see a high school counselor. I wish I had.

Haeli Hauritz

Salt Lake City