Always a danger during second semester of senior year, Zoom fatigue makes the dreaded senioritis potentially worse. Recurrent outbreaks of senioritis hit America’s high schools each year, peaking when students return from winter break. After surviving SATs and ACTs (or the prep for and then cancellation of the same), filling out seemingly endless college applications, and writing essay after essay in search of scholarship dollars, seniors often feel entitled to some down time. Moaning and groaning about workload, many seniors let their grades slip and assignments slide. Keeping their cameras off and volume on mute, some students effectively hide during Zoom sessions.
While their attitude is understandable, the second half of senior year is not a good time to slack off. 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 In some cases, accepted students have found their offers of admission rescinded. Even dropping classes after you’ve submitted your application may require an explanation and trigger an academic review.
But why are colleges so fussy about senior year anyway? 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 college 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.