senioritis

[Anonymous]

Wait...you mean the threats and grounding that I went through as a senior won't work anymore?

[Anonymous]

I told him no C's and I'll stay out of your business. Between the AP exams in May and Senior Experience. School was basically over by early May and there was no way a couple of B's on a quarterly report card were going to hurt his overall standing or jeopardize his college admittance. Enjoy the victory lap!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s perfectly normal. What specific concerns do you have op?

OP here.

specific concerns are:

procrastination is fine but missing deadline is not.
staying up to cram before tests and complete homework is happening often.
first semester, straight A's in math (college level) and one F has averaged that grade to a B. just relieved to have a B.
Second semester started with a F in math(multivariable calculus)... Math is supposed to be my child's favorite subject. so disappointing.
no enthusiasm to plan admitted students college visits.
checklists, reminders are not working.

an university has offered a full paid trip for scholarship interview to a top 10 college. my student did not even RSVP and missed the interview.
student is not even realizing that this will be a factor in college selection process.

my student is a very mature kid. but where has the maturity gone.

how much longer does this "senioritis" phase continues?

Was the university that offered the paid trip a university where he has been already accepted, or one where he has applied and is awaiting their decision on acceptance? Either way, blowing that was a very bad move. He's signaled to that university that he doesn't care about going there enough to pay attention to what sounds like a huge opportunity they dropped in his lap.

That alone would have made me have a real "come to Jesus" talk with him. I'd do it now, OP, and if you need to, tell his school counselor he's putting applications at risk. Is he telling colleges that he plans to study anything math-related in college? If so, those Fs will get noticed even if he thinks they're fine if he pulls grades up again. The first F is one thing--stuff happens, he recovered, a B in a difficult course is going to be fine--but getting that second F in the same class is a big red flag. He and you need to figure out if those Fs were because he really did hit content he totally didn't grasp or if he was just slacking/not handing in work. Involve the counselor because HS counselors do not want kids from their school losing college acceptances in the spring of senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is in 4 APs. He started a bit of senioritis in the first part of 3rd quarter and then reeled it in. Realized it wasn't worth risking his admission to a top 10.

Chances are, DS won't get into a top 10 anyway.

I am the PP. He is already admitted to a top 10. We just don't want to risk his admission being rescinded. And who are you to predict my son's chances of admission?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Was the university that offered the paid trip a university where he has been already accepted, or one where he has applied and is awaiting their decision on acceptance? Either way, blowing that was a very bad move. He's signaled to that university that he doesn't care about going there enough to pay attention to what sounds like a huge opportunity they dropped in his lap.

That alone would have made me have a real "come to Jesus" talk with him. I'd do it now, OP, and if you need to, tell his school counselor he's putting applications at risk. Is he telling colleges that he plans to study anything math-related in college? If so, those Fs will get noticed even if he thinks they're fine if he pulls grades up again. The first F is one thing--stuff happens, he recovered, a B in a difficult course is going to be fine--but getting that second F in the same class is a big red flag. He and you need to figure out if those Fs were because he really did hit content he totally didn't grasp or if he was just slacking/not handing in work. Involve the counselor because HS counselors do not want kids from their school losing college acceptances in the spring of senior year.

Thanks PP for the frank opinion.

university already accepted where the scholarship interview was missed.

Do colleges really look at each test grade? can you let me know how colleges interpret these 'F's.
first semester was a different math class (a dual enrollment) where one of the tests was a F and a B average.
after failing one test in the first semester, every test after that was a A. so I thought that student somehow learned and overcame the failure.

second semester is a different math class, and an F in first math test.
very disappointed with the grades.

[Anonymous]

This is kind of a weird but not untypical DCUM post. High School for most kids is about getting into college, and once they have all of their information submitted Jan. 1st, the rest really does not matter. I have heard of students who had their admission rescinded but it is very very rare, otherwise, no one will ever see or care about the Spring semester of HS. The student has to graduate but other than that . . . you should let up and as someone else said, get used to having no control. And maybe get used to having your own life, though that might be asking a bit too much.

[Anonymous]

Our school has a senior thesis requirement. Between that, APs, and maintaining senior privileges, the vast majority resist senioritis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Was the university that offered the paid trip a university where he has been already accepted, or one where he has applied and is awaiting their decision on acceptance? Either way, blowing that was a very bad move. He's signaled to that university that he doesn't care about going there enough to pay attention to what sounds like a huge opportunity they dropped in his lap.

That alone would have made me have a real "come to Jesus" talk with him. I'd do it now, OP, and if you need to, tell his school counselor he's putting applications at risk. Is he telling colleges that he plans to study anything math-related in college? If so, those Fs will get noticed even if he thinks they're fine if he pulls grades up again. The first F is one thing--stuff happens, he recovered, a B in a difficult course is going to be fine--but getting that second F in the same class is a big red flag. He and you need to figure out if those Fs were because he really did hit content he totally didn't grasp or if he was just slacking/not handing in work. Involve the counselor because HS counselors do not want kids from their school losing college acceptances in the spring of senior year.

Thanks PP for the frank opinion.

university already accepted where the scholarship interview was missed.

Do colleges really look at each test grade? can you let me know how colleges interpret these 'F's.
first semester was a different math class (a dual enrollment) where one of the tests was a F and a B average.
after failing one test in the first semester, every test after that was a A. so I thought that student somehow learned and overcame the failure.

second semester is a different math class, and an F in first math test.
very disappointed with the grades.

I wouldn’t let my kid attend that university. Our deal was you apply for all opportunities offered, or I won’t pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Was the university that offered the paid trip a university where he has been already accepted, or one where he has applied and is awaiting their decision on acceptance? Either way, blowing that was a very bad move. He's signaled to that university that he doesn't care about going there enough to pay attention to what sounds like a huge opportunity they dropped in his lap.

That alone would have made me have a real "come to Jesus" talk with him. I'd do it now, OP, and if you need to, tell his school counselor he's putting applications at risk. Is he telling colleges that he plans to study anything math-related in college? If so, those Fs will get noticed even if he thinks they're fine if he pulls grades up again. The first F is one thing--stuff happens, he recovered, a B in a difficult course is going to be fine--but getting that second F in the same class is a big red flag. He and you need to figure out if those Fs were because he really did hit content he totally didn't grasp or if he was just slacking/not handing in work. Involve the counselor because HS counselors do not want kids from their school losing college acceptances in the spring of senior year.

Thanks PP for the frank opinion.

university already accepted where the scholarship interview was missed.

Do colleges really look at each test grade? can you let me know how colleges interpret these 'F's.
first semester was a different math class (a dual enrollment) where one of the tests was a F and a B average.
after failing one test in the first semester, every test after that was a A. so I thought that student somehow learned and overcame the failure.

second semester is a different math class, and an F in first math test.
very disappointed with the grades.

I wouldn’t let my kid attend that university. Our deal was you apply for all opportunities offered, or I won’t pay.

So you know, OP, the comment immediately above is NOT from me (the person who posted about the "come to Jesus" talk above that).

The colleges aren't going to see every individual test grade, but the issue is that two Fs in a row indicate something is going on, whether it's pure senioritis or something specific in the coursework that is harder than he realized (or an issue with how it's being taught, which can happen--my DC has had some good math teachers and some duds, but "The teacher isn't good" won't wash as a reason for a flat-out F grade). I'd be concerned that colleges would see a strong math student dropping. If he goes below a B second semester they are not going to rescind on him but HE may be showing he's not aware how much responsibility is going to be on him next fall at college. The pulling up to a B last semester was fine, like I said, but the second F is the wake-up call.

Is he doing AP or IB courses? Those usually do keep seniors on their toes and can help stave off senioritis (as a PP notes above, quite rightly). My senior DC is in IB and well aware of the IB exams coming up in May, and friends at AP schools are also very focused on those exams. Does your son possibly think that as long as he does well on his AP or IB exams he's good, so he doesn't care much about individual test grades because he can just pull those up a bit? What messaging does the school give? Our public HS is pretty emphatic about seniors not slacking and that message does get across to most (not all!) of the kids.

[Anonymous]

I don't agree. Isn't senioritis about being burned out and wanting to take a break before the responsibility of college hits? I don't see how two F's in a row means anything except the kid got tired. May not have anything to do with what he can handle in college.

[Anonymous]

procrastination is fine but missing deadline is not.
staying up to cram before tests and complete homework is happening often.
first semester, straight A's in math (college level) and one F has averaged that grade to a B. just relieved to have a B.
Second semester started with a F in math(multivariable calculus)... Math is supposed to be my child's favorite subject. so disappointing.
no enthusiasm to plan admitted students college visits.
checklists, reminders are not working.

Even a top 10 school is not going to mind a B in college math class. They will see his final grades in his courses, that's it. They don't know if he's procrastinating or cramming or doing homework at the last minute or missing a few assignments. Tell him not to get any C on his final transcript and leave him alone. It sounds like maybe he never even had a B before, maybe that's why you're freaking out.

Both my older kid and my current senior were tired of all the college stuff by this point in senior year. DD didn't do admitted student visits and DS probably won't either. DD's excitement didn't ramp up until she attended orientation for her school (she did visit before applying). I worried about it a little at the time, but the temporary lack of enthusiasm turned out to be no big deal.