As a high school senior, let’s face it – it’s been a tough few months. You had to figure out the college application process, sweat out completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), and even participate in a few hair-raising college interviews. But now all of that is behind you, so it’s time to sit back and have some fun in your last few months at high school, right? Well, not exactly.
If you feel a sudden urge to skip homework assignments, drop out of after school activities, and generally just “sit back and have some fun,” you could be suffering from a condition known as senioritis. According to the College Board, though, this could be a disastrous strategy. Read your acceptance letter carefully and you might notice a small disclaimer which states that the college can rescind its offer if your senior grades drop. Colleges can and do request copies of your final grades and can revoke their offers as late as July or August, even as you’re packing to get ready to attend!
Even if the college does still decide to let you attend, your senioritis could mean that you start out on academic probation or with less of a financial aid package than you were anticipating. Instead of starting out on an exciting new journey, you may have unknowingly placed unnecessary roadblocks on your path to success. What can you do to avoid these potentially negative situations and ease yourself down the road to college? Here are a few suggestions:
• Keep Up With The Class Work: There are only a few more months to go, and you have already demonstrated that you are capable of handling this amount of work. Besides, it will keep your brain in shape for your coming college classes.
• Participate Responsibly: There is nothing which says you cannot enjoy all of the activities of your senior year once you have been accepted into college, but try not to take things too far. An “epic” senior prank that ends up in misdemeanor charges will probably not turn out to be so funny after all.
• Plan Ahead: Think about what you can do this summer that might give you a head start on your college career. Perhaps there are some courses at a local community college, an internship, or a travel opportunity that will help broaden your horizons.
• Be Aware of Money Issues: Spend some time talking to your parents about the results of their FAFSA application, the Student Aid Report, and the financial aid offer from your college. Try to understand the financial impact your college career will have on you and your family. Start thinking now about what you can do to help lessen the financial load.
This is the home stretch and you have almost reached your goal of graduating from high school and moving on to college. Don’t let a case of senioritis derail everything you have worked so hard to achieve.