For the past three years, I had only missed two days of school. But this year I am a senior, and I have missed about 25 days of school so far. I know I am going to miss more later. I have been very depressed and I am starting to seek help right now. There are other factor that contribute to my absences that I can’t tell, but I swear I am not being absent for fun. I am having the hardest time of my life since I was born. Although I am absent most of the time, I do all my works. All the teachers know me for that, but they wondered why I have been absent?? I told them I am fine and I just need break for everything. Some students wonder wether I am pregnant??? But only the school nurse knows what is wrong with me because sometime I goes and talk to her. And I am not pregnant by the way. Life is so unfair. Why everything have to happens at the busiest time. I am a very dedicated students, but I have lost hope in everything and I have give up on life. All I do is stay in my room and cry all the time. I am not in a good term with my mom as she does not even care whether I goes to school or not. I told my dad, who lives back home, to send me back to my country because I have at least my family who can help me go through the hard time. Although I don’t want to be in school, I am stress out that I will end up on street for wanting to quit school. Now I cant control myself and I just want to be in my country because I came here to study. I was wondering wether a high absenteeism in your senior year will reduce your chance of being accepted in a top colleges??? Sorry for the lengthy story!!!
You need to talk to your guidance counselor. Many schools have attendance requirements for graduation. Colleges don’t look at attendance records when you are applying but they do require proof of graduation. If you don’t graduate your acceptances will be rescinded. Our school will not award credit for class if the student is not present for X% of classes even if it is an excused absence unless special arrangements have been made. You need to know the rules for your school about excessive absences, this should be covered in your student handbook.
Please make sure you provide your school with whatever documentation they need to make sure your absences are “excused” or you could also run into truancy problems depending on the laws of the state you are living in.
I’m glad you are seeking help and I hope you feel better soon. Remember you are a senior and this is your last semester of high school you can stick it out, it’s not that much longer!
For the most part colleges only care about your GPA and test scores. Those will have the most impact. Keep those up and all is good.
I hope you feel better soon. Enjoy.
I agree that you need to check with the counselor to make sure your attendance will be good enough to graduate. Just because the school nurse is aware of your problems doesn’t mean that your absences are OK for graduation purposes.
Thank you every one. I will try to see my counselor and talk about my absences.
@Kcamara . Since you have been so depressed and missed so much this year, have you had time to submit your applications? Your main priority now should really be your physical and mental health. You sound like you need therapy and maybe some anti-depressions. Each of these takes time to have a positive impact. It is a lot to handle It will take you time to adjust. Trying to do College applications and all of the associated work is a ton of stress, even for students with a lot of parental support. It must be very difficult if your Mom is not supportive.
Please talk to your counselor regarding your options. If your grades are ok and you can muddle through, maybe you can graduate and take a year off before College. Can you go visit your family and come back to the U.S. next year for College. You could use that time to get healthy. If you are in crisis, is it possible for you to go now, and come back in the fall to repeat your senior year of high school. Either of these options might give you the time you need for yourself and also a way to improve your applications.
If you have already applied, and you have the funds for College, you should focus on graduating. If the school knows why you are out, they are excusing your absences, and you are keeping up your grades, the colleges will not necessarily know/care. Did your counselor address this in your letters of recommendation.
Njmom224 I am going to my country during summer time, and my dad said we can find solution together to my problems. He plead me that I finished this year, so I won’t mess up everything I work for. The problem is I am really trying to go to school, but it cause me more stress now as I goes to school. I apply for regular decision, and my counselor soon is going to send my mid term grade. The school does not know what is wrong with me because I don’t feel comfortable enough to tell them my problems. I only goes see the nurse. I am really worry that if they sees all the absences, they might wonder wether I take school seriously and I might rejected my application. My grade seems fine though, not as well as my past three year. I mean they will see the difference in grade and absence. This year i have so many b and A minus, where I used to have A plus if I work hard. I don’t know what to do.
Can you get some mental health treatment now? This might help your attendance for the rest of the school year. Also, think hard about whether or not you are healthy enough to go to college on your own if you don’t get treatment first.
That’s why I always goes to the nurse office so we can talk about things that are going on. But there is more to it than just mental health. I tell my dad that I need break, and I can just finish my college year later because I don’t feel healthy enough to goes to school. He told me just to finish this year and during summer when I go back to my country we will figure out. But I feel confuse and mad at myself. My teacher even told me that he does not have time for make up for AP student. I can’t just quit school. So I try to come to school and when I don’t feel well at times, I stay home. So far that is the best solution I found.