Senioritis (see nee your right us): n. Low academic performance among seniors in high school, usually caused by the end of college application process. Symptoms include noticeable absence from class, blank stares, and excessive chatter about graduation.

Because second semester grades won’t be released until after admissions decisions have been made, many seniors think their grades aren’t important anymore. Not true!

Second semester grades still impact several things:

1. Graduation: If you fail a required class, you’re not going to graduate. If you don’t graduate, you don’t go to college. Simple.

2. Scholarships: Plenty are based on yearend class rank and academic performance. If you’re requesting a review of your financial aid package, strong final grades can certainly help.

3. Offers of admission: A college’s offer could be rescinded if you mess up your final grades. And your second-semester grades truly matter if you’ve been waitlisted. By submitting strong grades for your senior year, you’re giving admissions committee one more reason to review your application favorably.

4. Advanced Placement: If you plan to take the AP or IB exams, you may be in luck. Most colleges give college credit if you earn a high enough score on these exams, which means you won’t have to pay to retake these classes in college once you’re enrolled.

Juniors! You will be working on applications in September, so start thinking about colleges now. Research online. Talk to friends who will be graduating soon. Talk to cousins in college. If you want guidance through admissions, call for a private introduction to our counseling.