{"id":2970,"date":"2014-12-08t09:00:20","date_gmt":"2014-12-08t09:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.catharsisit.com\/sat\/?p=2970"},"modified":"2018-06-26t07:06:05","modified_gmt":"2018-06-26t14:06:05","slug":"first-semester-senior-grades-how-important-are-they","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.catharsisit.com\/hs\/gen\/first-semester-senior-grades-how-important-are-they\/","title":{"rendered":"first semester senior grades: how important are they?"},"content":{"rendered":"

with the holidays just around the corner, first semester is…almost over. for seniors, this is a time of mixed emotions: inexplicable coma-inducing stress as finals sneak up like sadistic ninjas…and tear-inducing joy as the label \u201csecond semester senior\u201d becomes less a myth and more an ever-looming reality.<\/p>\n

this gif sums up emotions fairly well:<\/p>\n

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but as the year goes on and spring seems just around the corner, you might think: how important are my grades<\/a>, really?<\/p>\n

especially for early action applicants, the pressure to do well in school lessens considerably after an acceptance. suddenly, first semester grades may seem irrelevant. suddenly, you\u2019re falling asleep on classes. suddenly, you\u2019re booking trips to fiji in the middle of january. suddenly\u2014<\/p>\n

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alright, here\u2019s the real deal:<\/p>\n

first semester senior grades vary in importance from person to person. they are not as important as, say, junior year grades, but they\u2019re still worth caring about.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

the midyear report<\/h2>\n

many colleges ask for something called the midyear report. \u201cwhat is the midyear report<\/strong>?\u201d you ask, as you recline on your pile of tardy notices.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

this is a transcript of your first semester grades sent out by your school counselor! many colleges require it, but there are also many institutions which do not. on the common app, you can check which schools actually require a midyear report under the \u201cschool forms required\u201d section. for all other colleges, you can just visit their website!<\/p>\n

just a warning, though: don\u2019t feel safe just because your college doesn\u2019t require a midyear report. many high schools have policies which require that counselors send off midyear reports to all colleges you are applying to…even if the institution does not require it!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

context, context, context!<\/h2>\n

so what is the actual purpose of the midyear report? colleges don\u2019t want to see you slacking off senior year! as mentioned before, these grades will vary in importance depending on the context of the application. take a look at these three applicants, for example:<\/p>\n

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since joanna has had an upward trend so far\u2014despite bad freshman year grades\u2014colleges will be paying additional attention to her first semester senior year grades. because trends of improvement are so important in admissions, it\u2019s extra important to concentrate during the first semester of senior year if you had spotty grades as an underclassmen. this will prove that you\u2019re academically competitive, regardless of your past.<\/p>\n

darwin has had a fairly consistent record, so the midyear report isn\u2019t as important in his application. this does not mean first semester grades are pointless and he can go book that flight to fiji, however! if a college\u2014and especially a more prestigious institution\u2014requires the midyear report, chances are they will be looking at your grades. in darwin\u2019s case, however, unless this semester\u2019s grades are extreme outliers, his midyear report won\u2019t hold nearly as much weight as joanna\u2019s.<\/p>\n

theodore\u2019s midyear report will also be more important in his application. like joanna, theodore\u2019s grades show a pattern of change…but theodore\u2019s isn\u2019t as positive. in his case, the midyear report will be important for admissions officers because it\u2019ll determine if his performance junior year was a small slip-up or part of a larger trend.<\/p>\n

obviously, these three characters don\u2019t come close to encompassing every possible applicant scenario, but you get the idea! there is no concrete answer to \u201chow important are my first semester senior grades?\u201d everyone\u2019s file will be different.<\/p>\n

a good rule to live by is this: just try your best!<\/p>\n

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alright, alright. it\u2019s groan-inducing for a lot of seniors, i know! after all, isn\u2019t senior year supposed to be fun?<\/p>\n

still, though you should enjoy your last moments of high school, don\u2019t relax so much that you totally forget about your grades.<\/p>\n

allowing your academic performance to suffer can lead to a rescindment of your acceptance\u2014or even academic probation for your freshman year of college. that would just…well, that would suck.<\/p>\n

if you’re looking for ways to boost your grades, the video below offers some tips, even if your goal isn’t to get straight a’s.<\/p>\n