Q. Senior Year Grades - Do Senior Year Grades Matter?

A. Many students relax during senior year, knowing that college applications will be out the door long before grades are reported. Is this a wise strategy?

Usually not. First semester senior year grades in particular can be an important part of the admissions process. Colleges that notify applicants of a decision in March or April almost always request first semester grades during January or February. This isn't just a formality--these grades will have at least as much importance in the admissions decision as the ones you already submitted.

Second semester senior year grades are a different story. Unless you're placed on a waitlist, you'll already have an admissions decision long before your final second semester grades are reported. That means you can relax a little: if you slip a few notches due to "senioritis," then you'll probably be OK. But if you neglect your schoolwork too much (say A's suddenly become C's and D's), you might be looking at academic probation or--in the worst case--a withdrawal of your offer of admission.

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