Check for tell-tale spots, or perhaps for a suspicious tan. There seems to be a lot of senioritis going around. Recurrent outbreaks hit America’s high schools each year, peaking when students return from winter break. After surviving SATs and ACTs, after filling out seemingly endless college applications, after writing essay after essay in search of scholarship dollars, senior year students feel entitled to some down time. Moaning and groaning about workload, many seniors let their grades slip and assignments slide. Yet, according to a report by the Institute for Educational Leadership, only 36% of seniors say they actually do six or more hours of homework a week.
While perhaps understandable, the second half of senior year is not a good time to slack off. Although colleges have contributed to the idea that “senior year grades don’t count” by admitting so many students on early plans, it’s important to remember that these same colleges want to see your final and often your mid-year grades. A serious decline in the grade pattern that won you admission in the first place, may lead to a letter from the admission director asking for an explanation. In some cases, accepted students have found their offers of admission rescinded. Dropping classes after you’ve mailed your application requires an explanation and may trigger an academic review.
But why are colleges so fussy about senior year anyway? Concerns about ill-prepared students abound. Some colleges find that as many as two-thirds of entering freshmen require remedial classes before they can begin college-level work, and many of these students never earn their degrees. A demanding senior year schedule including honors and AP courses or an IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma will help to ensure that you have the skills needed to succeed in college. So if there are signs of an outbreak of senioritis nearby, you might want to avoid those infected, and prevent a nasty surprise letter from your first choice college.
