If something is actually happening it’s not a “myth.” It sounds like you set some expectations in your household to not let your kids succumb to senioritis, but that’s not the same as denying that the condition exists generally.
My kids HS (a highly ranked public school) had it’s back to school night a few weeks ago most of the teachers spent a good chunk of their 10 minute slots talking about it, and about how they structure their classes to front load a lot of the harder material or more ambitious projects because they know they will lose much of their seniors dedicated focus in the latter half of the year.
It’s not like these kids are suddenly MIA or failing classes – they’ve worked for years to try and get into competitive colleges are aren’t going to blow that. But they also spent years being “extra” on everything and operating at maximum stress level and usually there’s a cathartic period where they know there is nothing more they can do that will help their outcome and that there is a small window before the next years of new college stress. At least at our school, the teachers all seemed very sympathetic to it and some even encouraged the parents to not worry about it, saying it was “natural.”
I hate to be That Guy, but this is a central definitional issue for fields closely related to mine: The secondary definition of myth is a false idea, but the primary definition remains simply a belief or idea that is widely held, with no evaluation of truth or falsity—so it is entirely possible for a myth to describe things that are completely true.
The rest of your post, though, sure—senioritis exists. The issue worth discussing, I think, isn’t whether it’s real but why it’s real.
Son is submitting his REA application tomorrow. He didn’t want to go down to the wire but he had a big Central American basketball competition this weekend that had really absorbed him. Captain of the basketball team, he did a great job and earned All-Star honors (third place for the team slipped right through their fingers…heartbreaking). So after an exhausting weekend, he needs to finish polishing his essays.
I think I posted earlier in this thread about my son’s recommenders not having their recommendations done in mid-October. He tracked them down, they both assured him they understood he had November 1 deadlines and they would be done soon, both actually said they would be done in the next week when he talked to them about October 15.
Neither recommendation showed up as “started“ on the common app Saturday morning so he emailed them again. Both got back and said they would be done by the end of the weekend.
Neither is done.
He and I are both really worried. And frustrated! He tried to pick recommenders who he felt like knew him well AND who seemed like teachers who were on top of things. I’m sure there is some kind of lesson he can learn from this, although right now, I can’t see what it is. I guess he does still have about 12 hours before they miss the deadline… S23‘s part of the application has been in for almost 2 weeks, and I’m not sure what will happen if the recommenders get their part in late, or, even worse, not at all.
Many schools will accept late submissions (a few days late, not weeks late) for parts that are not in the applicant’s direct control - transcripts, LoRs, counselor letter, etc.
But some schools (UMD and Purdue come to mind) are very strict and need everything in by the deadline. So, it depends on which schools you’re applying to.
If these are required LoRs you’ll have a problem. If optional or “recommended”, then you’re still ok but of course, miss out on any potential boost these letters might have provided.
Whew! S23 submitted 10 apps. Still has to do a couple of honors essays that weren’t due at the same time as the apps, supplementals for one more private school with a Dec 1 deadline, a few foreign schools, PIQs for the UC application… and hit the submit button on Cal Poly.
Whoa. Do you have a link to the article? I’m interested in reading it as S23 might apply. We recently toured and visited one of S23’s former classmates who is a freshman there. It was our impression from chatting with the kid that Stanford wasn’t doing much to encourage social opportunities in those first few weeks on campus. But we chalked it up to freshman jitters/reserved personality. Perhaps, something is amiss in the community.
Hoping the adrenaline high of the weekend puts my son in a better college app mood.
He had the best game of his hs football life for him personally, got interviewed by 2 local papers then qualifed for state solo and ensemble the next morning.
My D22 had submitted just 1 app by 11/15 for her ED choice last year and she submitted UC apps by 11/30. She didn’t do anything with any additional app not until after 12/15 when she was deferred from her ED school. Not that she was super confident(may be), she just wanted wait till the decision came out. She was crushed and was really down for a couple of days, however, she was able to refoucs, and finish 20 more apps by 12/30.
For all parents who thinks that your kid is behind the schedule, do not stress out too much.
If your kid is detemined, he or she will finish all apps in time.
S23‘s part of the application has been in for almost 2 weeks, and I’m not sure what will happen if the recommenders get their part in late, or, even worse, not at all.
). Happy Halloween!