SENIORITIS
Senioritis refers to the habit of many high school seniors to slack off during the senior year, especially after they’re accepted into college.  This trend has become more and more common in the US, and its consequences can be very serious.  The level that senioritis goes to in high schools can vary. Most examples show a significant drop in grades, more substance abuse, laziness, dropping of extra-curricular activities and sports, and other loss of interest in school related activities. 

Senioritis is brought on specifically in those seniors that have been accepted to college. They are under the mistaken impression that they are already into college, and that high school no longer. This is entirely untrue, however, and it is very important to realize this.  Every college continues to monitor the performance of all their accepted students and acceptance to any college can always be revoked. It is estimated that each year, 3-5 acceptances are revoked from each of the more prestigious colleges in the US. In addition, if your record proves unsatisfactory to the admissions department at your accepted college, they can require you to write a letter to the director of admissions explaining your poor performance. 

Upon starting at a new college, as many as 50% of incoming freshman are required to take remedial courses due to their insufficient preparation, which often develops out of senioritis.  When the college experience is too difficult for many freshmen, they simply choose to drop out, and roughly 30% of freshman at 4-year colleges don’t make it to their sophomore year.  At two-year junior colleges, nearly 50% fail to finish their first year.  These consequences are serious. All of these statistics show just how many smart kids loose sight of what’s really important, and develop what is known as “senioritis”. The price they pay is often the price of their future.

COLLEGE LIFE
Once you begin college, how can you be sure that you will be fully prepared for the new lifestyle?  In addition to senioritis, there are a few other factors that lead to the high drop out rate in US colleges today.  The main factor that proves difficult for many students is the totally new lifestyle that being in college involves. 

Living Arrangement
Most colleges are boarding institutions, and so for many kids, it is the first time living away from home.  Many students will go to schools more than 2,000 miles away from home, and as a result, are only able to come home on holidays and vacations.  Many freshmen become homesick during their first year, and this can lead to many other problems. 

Another aspect of the living situation to be aware of is that many dorms are coed.  While you might have a roommate of the same sex, more than half the other people in your hall, and often right next door, may be of the opposite sex.  This, while to a lot of you this sounds like an awesome idea, but it can be very difficult for a number of students.  Simply having to share a small room with someone else can also be very trying, as many incoming freshman have never had a roommate in any situation before. 

For all the difficult possibilities, however, it can be a wonderful experience, and having so many people around you is a great way to meet people and create a solid group of friends.  The living situation is new to most, difficult for some, but if you really try to change and adapt, it will be a rewarding experience.

Heavy Course Load
Another factor of the new lifestyle that is important to be aware of is the work- load, and higher level of academics.  Many high schools do not do a good job of really preparing their students for the intensity of college academics.  You will have fewer classes, and more free time, but you will also have much more work than you ever had in high school.  For instance, while balancing four classes, you might find you have 130 pages of reading in one class, 100 in another, a 10 page paper due the next day for another, and an exam which counts for 50% of your grade in the last class.  This could all even occur on one night.  Depending on the difficulty of your new school, the change in workload could be gigantic. 

Be sure to research exactly what types of courses there are, and the workload required for all classes you sign up for.  Workload isn’t the only aspect of the higher intensity of college academics, as subject matter plays a huge role as well.  Discussions will be far more profound, and in depth, and course material will be much more challenging.  Often times you will be in a class with seniors and juniors. College isn’t called “higher education” for nothing!

A Face in the Crowd
The final important factor in adapting to your new college lifestyle will involve the overall community and experience of college.  For starters, some colleges and universities have as many as 60,000 to 70,000 undergraduates, so in essence you are living in a small town.  Often times, the number of students at your new college may be far greater than your high school or even far greater than the number of people living in your hometown.  This can be a humbling experience for many, as you realize that you are just another “face in the crowd”.  When students are part of a small school, they come to know and love the experience of knowing everyone, or at least recognizing every face.  In college, especially the large state schools, you will find that you can never stop meeting new people.  There will be many faces you don’t recognize, and it is important to be prepared for this.  The social experience at college is rich, however, and you will never find a shortage of things to do.  Everyday will require lots of movement, and sometimes your next class is over a mile or two away.  Sports and social events will also occur regularly and constantly.  This is a fun experience, but also tough for many people who come from small towns.

Being aware of all the differences in your new lifestyle will help you immensely in preparing you for the experience, but there is a lot more you can do.           

Important features of your new lifestyle

• Living away from home
• Living with other people, many of the opposite sex
• Having a roommate
• More course work
• Difficult subject matter
• Large number of students
• Large campus (often many miles wide)
• Constant social events and activities
• Cafeteria food
• Having very little $