I was wondering if they mattered for anything? The only thing I can think of is for wait list spots and to get in with better grades than others on the list, but the reality is that no one ever gets off of those and in, and most likely you are not the next candidate in. Besides this (if its true please confirm it), what else do they matter for?
Try your best not to get c’s, because you might get rescinded even though you passed the class.
My D did get in to her school from the waitlist. I don’t know if it helped, but she finished her second semester of her senior year with all As. She had sent the school her final transcript and notification of some second semester awards she won and told them she would attend if admitted.
My S got into his school ED in December of his senior year. With his scenario, all As his second semester were not as important, but he didn’t want to be rescinded. It potentially made a difference in the HS graduation program (our school noted the top 5%) and he had several AP classes which could mean AP credit at his school, so he finished strong.
One of his friends really slacked off, and ended up not graduating HS on time and had to take summer school to finish. And he was a National Merit Scholar!
DS got into his top 2 schools off the WL, and both in the first week of May. I suspect that good grades second semester, with a tough schedule, helped.
If you decide to transfer, they’ll matter.
College classes assume you’ve mastered high school material, so it’s worth it to learn it now.
Why slack off?
If your final transcript has deteriorated dramatically since your junior year transcript regarding grades, GPA, class rank, etc, you could run into problems with the school that you have decided to attend. They may rescind scholarships or other merit-based money, honors programs, or even your acceptance. It is rare, but it happens.
Yes, final grades matter. Colleges can and do rescind accpetances, especially at more selective colleges. I know that two kids at our school were rescinded at a prestigious LAC for getting multiple Cs, but the general rule is no D or F grades. Probably a C or two isn’t going to be an issue, but if you are trying to get off waitlist, you want those grades high.
My child attends a college that she got into from waitlist. (She got into 2 schools from WL. Yes, people are accepted off WL all the time.) They wanted her final grades, even though she wasn’t accepted until school finished for the year. This doesn’t mean you can’t relax a bit, but don’t get senioritis. Good luck!
Got into Brown off the waitlist - was before my senior year grades were out though.
You’re right that if your As and A-s become B+s and Bs that it won’t matter, but as above, slip too far and it absolutely does matter.