The close of the first semester has caused confusion among many seniors who don’t understand what it means to have their GPA’s frozen. The lingering question in the hallways seems to be: can seniors stop turning in their assignments and not get penalized? The answer is no.

A frozen GPA doesn’t signify the end of a course, or that it’s okay to catch a case of “senioritis.” It just simply means that the GPA is not calculated again after the second semester. Because of this, many believe that it’s okay to begin to slack off since they are under the assumption that colleges won’t know, but seniors don’t be fooled! GPA’s don’t stay “frozen” forever.

“Many seniors believe that after the second nine weeks they’re done, but the grades will be updated in July,” CAP Counselor, Mrs. Stack, said.

Colleges require students to send in their mid-year and final year transcripts. Therefore, if seniors do begin to slack off the information isn’t kept confidential, and colleges often penalize them for their choice. Some students have even experienced getting revoked from a school after getting accepted.

“All colleges, regardless of where you’re going, whether it’s in the state of Florida or out, require a final transcript. If the college sees that from the mid-year point to the final transcript the grades have plummeted, they can and may rescind your offer of admittance,” Mrs. Stack said.

With this said, it’s crucial for seniors to continue to do the best that they can do and earn the best grades possible the rest of their high school career. Because they are so close to graduation and moving on to the next step in their lives, it’s important not to catch a case of senioritis! 

As defined by the Urban Dictionary, senioritis (noun) is a crippling disease that strikes high school seniors. Symptoms include laziness, an over-excessive wearing of old athletic shirts, sweatpants, and sweatshirts. Also, features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as graduation.

“I’m afraid I’ve already caught it! I used to think senioritis was a myth, but there really is some sort of spell on us seniors that takes away the drive to do anything,” senior Andrea Martinez said.

By staying on task, prospective colleges will see not only recognize those who are committed to their studies, but will also notice that these individuals are ready to embark on the journey ahead. 

The majority of seniors realize reality too late in the game, and the reality is that school isn’t over till May 27.

“If students says, ‘oh my grades are frozen as of February, the 3 or 4 months before I graduate aren’t going to matter,’ they are seriously wrong,” Mrs. Stack said.

Although it may be tough to stay on task due to the many upcoming activities planned for seniors such as grad bash, senior picnic, powder puff, and most important, prom, there are only a couple of months left to get it right!

For those seniors who are reading this article remember: you’re not done until you walk across the stage at BankUnited Center to receive your diploma on May 27!