Accepted Early Decision?: Five Things to Avoid To Keep Your Spot
Congratulations for getting accepted Early Decision (ED) to the top college of your choice. You deserve knowing that you have found your match college so early. YET, every year I work with students who lose their ED spot, because they enter what I term the “black hole of senior year.” If you mess up, a kid from the school’s waitlist will thank you.
Students: Truly, keep working hard. Mild senioritis is normal. Extreme is not. Enjoy your summer after graduation. Stay committed to high school.
Parents: You need to keep a keener eye on your Early Decision child than ever before. Contact the school once a month to keep track. Contact teachers and ask for any notifications of lower grades or conduct.
Please read and these examples and avoid THEM!!
1. Do not let your grades fall!! Kids ask all the time, can I let my grades fall now that I’m in to college. NO. What college would want you to slack off so much that your grades go down more than 1/3—B+ to B; A to A-? You must keep up the hard work. KEEP YOUR GRADES UP.
Faith got accepted to her top school. Then she chilled beyond belief in the spring and got two Ds. Her college contacted her and withdrew her acceptance. She had to go to summer school and is now back in but on a provisional basis with a GPA expectation.
2. Don’t skip class or start getting to school late.. Your teachers get very offended if you stop going to class. They can take action in more than just lowering your grade. GO TO CLASS.
Two years ago, Steven decided to start skipping some of his classes. His English teacher gave him a D third quarter, which he raised to a B. He received a C in another key class. In the meantime, his English teacher contacted his college, which withdrew his acceptance. He had to fly there and beg for forgiveness. Not wanting someone who couldn’t take his responsibilities seriously, the college made him take a year off and do an approved program.
3. Don’t get suspended for pranks on campus. You may feel you’re safe and can do things you’ve never tried before. Don’t even do a senior ditch day if your school has severe consequences.
Orren decided to push authority with a major prank on campus and got suspended. His school contacted his ED college, which required him to submit a series of letters proving his maturity to keep his spot. Are you kidding me?
4. Don’t do stupid things off campus. Again, your college will find out. If you get in trouble for drinking or doing something truly ridiculous on a school trip or event, trouble will follow.
Jenny had too much fun at an off-site school dance. She got busted by her school, which suspended her, and ED colleges require notification. Her high school notified her campus, which has a no tolerance policy. She now attends a community college.
5. Don’t drop classes. You got accepted to your ED college on the presumption your schedule would stay the same. You can’t drop a tough class without replacing it with another one. You must notify your ED campus of any class changes that you did not put on your application.
Mark got into college ED and decided to drop his math and foreign language class. When his counselor submitted his end of year report card, his college contacted him and said unless he took the classes over the summer, he was out. What a rotten summer Mark had.