DS really pushed himself and did really well this past junior year, but I’m noticing a slight dip in his grades. Is this common during senior year? I warned him about senioritis before the start of the school year, but I’m wondering if the stress of the entire college app process is just wearing him down. Standardized tests still need to be take, and college essays have still to be finalized on top of the normal school homework, tests, ECs. Last night, he was supposed to study for a test and turn in homework for his language class, and he said, “I’m tired and going to bed, one bad grade won’t hurt me.” Also, noticed 2 missing homework in another class.
If he applies EA/ED grades for the first semester may not be considered (depends on the school). RD almost certainly will consider first semester (except for the UCs/CSUs). Admissions frequently have a clause in the letter which states the senior grades must be commensurate to grades supplied previously. General guidance after being admitted is no Ds, Fs or felonies. A C shouldn’t kill him.
My understanding is that schools do look at 1st semester grades and course rigor in the admissions process. When my D applied ED the HS was asked to submit her first quarter grades. For RD applications my S the HS provided first semester grades I believe. A small drop shouldn’t be a huge deal, but a precipitous drop would be a red flag.
EA/ED may have first quarter grades and at least the Tufts AO who used to post here on CC said that if they were a cause for concern that was a common reason for a deferral.
Definitely first quarter grades of senior year will be reviewed. Some colleges request senior mid year transcripts which would be the first two quarters. (especially if the student is borderline acceptance) For example if he is deferred from Early Action to Regular Decision. Even if he is accepted to a school regular decision admissions does not like to see a student slack off senior year.
Some colleges want to see first semester senior year grades for those who apply as high school seniors.
All selective colleges want matriculants who applied while in high school to send in final transcripts during the summer after graduating high school in order to verify previously reported course work and to see that the student did well enough in it. Admission offers will typically include this as a condition of admission (though some schools may state a specific threshold of grades and GPA, while others may vaguely state that they expect the student to do as well as before).
From my experience, sending in first quarter senior year grades can make a difference for EA. The college I eventually chose had told me that I would have been deferred to RD without them, and who knows what would have happened after that.
In addition the HS must provide the final transcript and if there is a huge drop in grades an acceptance can be rescinded. (B’s are fine).
This is a parent with a kid who was deferred from ED, then WL at most of her top choices during the RD round, and was considering transfer freshman year if she didn’t get off the WL. Of course, this was a worst case scenario for most students, but it did happen to D1. If she didn’t keep up her senior grades, there was no way she could have gotten off her WL schools.
My only advice to all seniors is DO NOT let your senior grades go. You need the first quarter (interim grades) for ED/EA, and first semester grades for RD. Senior grades are the last indications to adcoms on how you will perform in college, so make them look good. Some students forego ED/EA because they want another semester grades to show adcoms how they would perform in college.
Another issue is that some of the courses in senor year will provide the foundation for the college level courses. For example, if you slack off in calculus in HS it will likely impact your sucess in calculus 2 in college.