So it is second semester and seniors are getting acceptance letters and starting to think about which college they will choose to attend. What a great feeling!! Unfortunately, the acceptance letter often gives a false sense of security to seniors who think that once they are admitted, what they do second semester doesn’t really matter! WRONG! Colleges can, and do, rescind acceptance letters every year. If you are a senior feeling pretty good about your acceptance letters and where you will attend, take warning! It is important that you do not suffer the crippling disease known as Senioritis.
Senioritis is a serious condition that afflicts seniors during their last semester of high school. Symptoms include lack of motivation, procrastination, cutting class, being satisfied with a barely -passing grade, extreme lack of interest in course work, skipping homework, daydreaming, and wearing sweat pants to school more often than usual.
If you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms, then beware. There are consequences! Every year, colleges revoke their offers to students who did not maintain their grades or complete what they reported they were going to do in their applications. Case in point; when I was a high school counselor, I had a student who was accepted to Cal Berkeley. He wasn’t doing well in Physics second semester so he quit going to class (classic senioritis symptoms). When his final transcript was sent in at the end of the year, he received a “Dear John” letter telling him that they were breaking up because he reported that he was taking Physics but he dropped it second semester. They could no longer honor their offer of admission! Tragic! So it is June, he has already told all his other schools “Thanks but I am going somewhere else”. Now he has lost his spot at the college of his choice and has nowhere to go!
Besides withdrawing their offer for admissions, some students may lose financial aid that is based on merit. A significant drop in class rank, or GPA can have a detrimental effect. Some colleges may still admit the student but place them on academic probation. That simply adds more stress on the student as they make this enormous transition from high school to college.
A few tips:
- Keep your head in the game for just a few more months.
- If you have already been accepted and have decided where you will go, read the fine print in the acceptance letter. Be sure to do what they say.
- Once you get your financial aid award letter, read it carefully so you understand requirements to keep the awards (money).
- If anything happens to change what you reported in your application, contact the admissions office and let them know.
So Seniors, remember that you are on the last lap. Keep the goal in mind and don’t forget that graduation cures Senioritis!
