Senioritis is a real thing for many high school seniors. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines senioritis as, “an ebbing of motivation and effort by school seniors as evidenced by tardiness, absences, and lower grades.” It is easy to have the high school “finish line” within reach and say, “I’m done,” and neglect or not try as hard to complete assignments or study for tests. However, students need to address senioritis before it has a negative effect on their future.

Most signs of senioritis are easy to spot. Some of the common signs of senioritis include:

• Lower grades
• Not completing assignments
• Cutting Class
• Laziness
• Lack of motivation
• Finding it difficult to get out of bed in the morning

There are many reasons students start experiencing senioritis during the second semester of their senior year. For some students, they feel burned out after pushing themselves very hard the previous years in hopes of creating impressive applications for college admission. Once acceptance letters start coming in, the student may feel it is okay to slack off. Other students get so caught up in senior year excitement and activities, such as prom or graduation preparation, that they neglect their schoolwork. Whatever the reason, students and parents should pay attention to the signs of seniorities and address them quickly.

Senioritis can have negative effects on a student’s future. Some of the negative effects can include:

• Offers of college admission rescinded
• Student put on academic probation
• Changes in financial aid offers

A common misconception students have is that colleges will never find out about their change in behavior. However, this is far from the truth. If school counselors do not notify the colleges right away, colleges will see the changes after you graduate. If your grades drop, it will show up on your final transcript that is sent to the college on your behalf. Counselors are also asked by the colleges to report any disciplinary changes. College may find out about the changes and may choose to change their decision in some way or another. Having colleges change their decisions or financial aid offers in the summer can be very disappointing to students, and depending on how late the change comes, can really limit their options.

If parents or students notice symptoms of senioritis, it should be addressed immediately. It is a good idea to figure out what is causing the senioritis and make changes if necessary. If senioritis has already made changes to a student’s record, it is recommended students meet with their teachers or school counselor to discuss their concerns and create a plan to address the issues. This will include determining if the change is large enough to notify the admissions committee at the college or colleges the student is considering attending.

The second semester of the senior year is still very important in college admissions. Even after admissions decisions are delivered, many colleges can change their mind and many let students know this in the acceptance letter. Therefore, students should continue taking their education seriously and work towards their goal of attending college.

Want to stay in the loop? Follow my blog to be notified when new articles are published. You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest for information on college admissions.