Wait until next year?

I get calls from parents everyday. Today a nice dad called to ask why his son should wait until next year to start finding out what he can be doing now to prepare for college and university stuff. Apparently, his son's school counselor told him to ". . . wait until next year." Well, I have a problem with that. I work with counselors everyday to try to get them to help their students envision their future and to plan for it. How in the universe am I to get them to help their students think and plan that way when they can't seem to see the point. Personally, you can't start planning early enough for the big decisions that lie ahead.