The College Conversation:

Senioritis: n. Defined as daydreaming about the dog days of summer when freedom reigns. A clear dip of grades is illustrated by procrastination on homework, and evident to teachers whose classroom seats are not as full as they used to be. It doesn’t help that we live in beautiful Southern California where seniors can’t wait to hop on their beach cruisers and head to the beach at 56th Street on the Newport Peninsula.

While this phenomenon is not new to our vernacular, the implications of senioritis are far more disastrous. The reality is that this state of mind can mean the college of your choice rescinding its offer of admission. This is especially true for athletes who skated by the normal admissions process as they were recruited to highly selective colleges with less than stellar grades.

For all accepted students: Review your admit letter with a fine-tooth comb. It clearly spells out that your admission is probationary, pending satisfactory achievement similar to the academic prowess with which you originally applied. I see this every year — the motto here is “what a college giveth, it will taketh away.�

For the California State University, which has seen deep cuts due to over-enrollment and under-funding, earning a D or below in what’s considered a required subject area, can inevitably mean a dreaded letter over the summer indicating “no dice.�

For the University of California, admission this year meant a 10th- and 11th-grade weighted GPA of at least a 3.75 for the average admitted student — excluding recruited athletes and special admits. With the implementation of lengthy waiting lists offered to second tier students, don’t make the mistake of forcing the UC of your choice to hand over your spot to another student.

Private schools have varying policies regarding a slip in grades, and it’s well worth your time to review the policy from the school of choice.

For all accepted students, seniors are required to submit their final transcripts to the university where they’ve declared their intent to register. Those transcripts are carefully reviewed for discrepancies between students’ academic performances when applying and how they ended their senior year.

For all seniors, as prom looms, keep in mind that it’s important to use your brain when considering whether to imbibe for this special occasion. Suspensions due to alcohol consumption or other similar activities can definitely affect your upcoming attendance at the college of your choice. And believe me, hiding this transgression is a recipe for disaster. School counselors are ethically obligated to report this information at any time, even after a student’s been accepted to college.

The rule of thumb here is to at least have the conversation — don’t expect that your high schooler knows this stuff. Most have common sense, but we all know the teenage brain isn’t fully developed (at least the researchers use that excuse), so some gentle reminders would definitely help.

LISA MCLAUGHLIN is the founder and executive director of EDvantage Consulting Inc., an independent college admission counseling firm in South Orange County. Her column runs on Saturdays. Please send college admissions questions to [email protected].