Senioritis! Do not let this happen to you...

Seniors, check out the following comments from colleges in reaction to performance deterioration in senior year. Do NOT let this happen to you!

· Stony Brook:

Your final high school grades have been received.  We note with regret that your performance in some academic subjects has declined from the level that led us to offer you admission.  While it is not clear to us what has caused your academic slide, we can say with reasonable certainty that matriculation at Stony Brook will be much more difficult if your senior year level of effort is continued after you enroll.

The purpose of this letter is to alert you to our awareness of your final grades and to urge you to reflect upon the attitude and work habits during your final year in high school that produced such disappointing results.  Meanwhile, in the time remaining before the first day of classes, we urge you to develop an improved outlook and re-dedicate yourself to achieving a level of performance commensurate with your ability.

· An Ivy League School:

I was concerned to learn of the reasons for and details surrounding the significant decline in your senior year grades at XXX High School.  Your very disappointing academic performance and your explanation of the factors that contributed to it raise serious questions for me about your ability at this time to be successful in an academic environment.  After reviewing all of the information you shared with me, I am faced with a very difficult decision.

I underscored my expectations for the successful completion of your academic year in your offer letter of early admission in December.  The last sentence of the fifth paragraph of my letter states, “While we have every reason to believe you will complete this school year successfully, please remember that this offer of admission is contingent upon your continued strong academic performance”.  Furthermore, as stated in our freshman application materials, “The university reserves the right to withdraw your offer of admission if you show a significant drop in academic performance” prior to matriculation.  While I would like to avoid taking this step in your case, I remain concerned about your readiness to face the demands of the freshman academic experience this fall.  

I am, therefore, writing to inform you that, although I will not be withdrawing your offer of admission altogether, I have decided to defer your offer of admission to ______________________ University for one year.  I encourage you to use the coming year to reset your priorities so that you will be ready to immerse yourself in a rigorous academic environment in the fall of 2011.  As you map out your plans for the year ahead, please be in touch with the Assistant Director of Admission, ___________________, who oversees our deferral process, to gain approval of your plans.  In addition, Mr. __________________ will send you some paperwork to fill out which will assure your place in our class that will enter in the fall of 2011.  Mr. _____________________ can be reached at __________________.    

    

(Student’s name), this letter is a difficult one to write, and must surely be a difficult one to receive.  You are so talented and have so much to offer.  I am hopeful that we will be able to welcome you to __________________ University in September of next year with the same confidence and enthusiasm I did in my original offer to you last December.

                                                                  Yours truly, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid