Expectation of privacy when meeting with HS counselor

At that age, if there was something the student wanted to speak privately about, I would expect them to tell the counselor so. If the counselor then didn't ask the other students to leave, that would be a problem. Students talk to counselors all the time about non-private things, so I don't think the counselor always needs to assume the student wants privacy. 

yeah, I would want privacy if I was going to be talking to my guidance counselor, too. I can't recall ever seeing other kids 'hanging around' in their office when I was in high school-- but then again, I thought our guidance counselor was a real knob, so...

Our counselors leave the doors open when discussing routine things like class changes, college updates. They close the door on personal issues, failing classes, and grad checks in which the student may not graduate.

However, if a student requested it, they would close the door on any meeting and a high school student should be old enough to make that request

That is very unprofessional on the part of the counselor. As others have mentioned, your ds shouldn't be put in the position of having to ask for others to leave when he has contacted the counselor requesting an appointment. The counselor's first obligation is to assist your ds with his academic issues, not to "hang out" with a group of students.

Re: The W vs. F. I dunno. Wouldn't an F be better to show that the student stuck with it and tried? As opposed to just giving up when the going got rough? There's learning to be done regardless of the grade earned. Just because a student earns an F doesn't mean they didn't learn anything. I think sticking with a class that you're struggling in, even if the final result is an F, shows grit.

You know, I think I read the op wrong. In my school each counselor has an office and those office open into a big room with computers, chaira, tables, copy machine...

I was assuming the students were not in the actual room, but in like a waiting area.

At no time do our counselors have other students that are not part of the meeting in the actual office, door open or closed.

Hmmm.  I don't know if I agree with you- at least at my high school.  Especially with standards-based grading in very challenging classes (ex AP Calculus).  We don't give extra credit.  Either a student demonstrates mastery on a handful of summative assessments throughout the semester, or they don't.

Also, high school students don't have the ability to "prioritize their workload for maximum success" like a college student does.  At least, not to the same extent.  Like, kids have to take a math class every year for their first three years of high school.  They don't have the option of dropping all math from their schedule so they can focus on other classes, then go back and pick it up later.  Our state- and district-mandated graduation requirements don't allow for that... kids would be in high school for 7 years.  Do colleges really want students to be taking the easiest classes possible (or, if I'm being too dramatic for you, just plain easier classes) just for a good GPA?  Really?  Wouldn't you (as an institution) be better served by a student body that doesn't shrink from a challenge?  That is more concerned about learning than a letter?

It seems like we (as a society) are trying to have it both ways.  We want students to be intrinsically motivated, learn for the love of learning, "I wish there wasn't so much emphasis on grades!  My kid is so stressed out all the time!"

But then a class gets hard and the first thought is "Drop it!  His GPA will suffer!"

I'm probably just testy because I've had probably half a dozen kids want to drop classes this week alone... and their current grade is a B or C.  They're "just not interested anymore."   Or it's too much work to get that C.  Why bother working when they can just take XXX class and get an easy A?  

Anyway... This is a tough week and a touchy subject for me. Carry on!!! 

The counselor is unprofessional. All conversations in the counselor's office should be private. The student should not have to request privacy.
On the second part, I'm amazed that students in high school have the option to withdraw from a class. At our school, schedule changes are allowed the first week or so of each semester and that's it. I would think withdrawing would be better than failing, unless retaking the class would replace the original grade.

At my kids' school you must sign up for an appointment to see the counselor. No one else is in the room with them.

On a side note I feel like when I sub for the nurse at the HS sick kids have no privacy either. They are in one room with 3 cots surrounded by curtains.

Kids need privacy in both places.