College Admission Warning: Don’t Give Up Now Seniors!

“CONGRATULATIONS! Welcome to the class of (insert year) at (insert college name)….”

This is often as far as the excited college applicant reads in their acceptance letter. Even if you did read the next few sentences, rarely does the warning stand out. The wording differs from school to school, but usually, it reads something like this: “Keep working hard because we will be doing a final transcript review at the end of the year and your offer of admission is contingent upon the successful completion of high school with the same commitment to excellence that you demonstrated in your application.” In other words, “don’t take your foot off the gas, beware of your actions, and don’t screw this up!”

But what really happens if you do not hold up your end of the deal? Perhaps your grades sink, you face disciplinary trouble, or you make a misstep on social media. You are likely to receive a letter stating that your acceptance is in jeopardy. Yes, this does occur and most high school counselors and college admission deans have examples from unfortunate experiences where seniors have slipped. These instances can seem hypothetical, so I asked colleagues to share some specific examples and advice.

Let Us Count the Ways

There is not only one reason that a student could have their admission revoked. It is at the discretion of the school to determine when you have, or have not, upheld the same standards as when you were admitted. The following are circumstances that high school counselors shared in which a student lost their admission:

• Arrested on drug charges.
• Punched another 12th grader in the face in the second semester.
• Falsified their high school record.
• Dropped rigor in the classes that they were taking.
• Grades fell seriously and the explanation that the student provided was not enough to explain or provide context.
• Violated the Early Decision agreement by applying to several schools ED.
• Inappropriate social media activity.
• Assault of a sexual nature.
• Dismissed from high school for threatening a community member.
• Admission to a UK college was rescinded for falling short of the predicted results in the IB exam.

This is certainly not a comprehensive list. As a general rule, if you find yourself asking whether some action will cause you to jeopardize your admission to college, don’t do it!

From the Dean’s Desk

Jonathan Burdick, vice provost for enrollment at Cornell University explains, “in almost all cases, we rescind because we learn that the applicant cheated in classes or tests, or lied on their application.” He emphasizes to students that “it’s tempting to think of earning the chance to go to college as the goal, but in fact going to college is yet another big step in your journey of learning and self-discovery.” Burdick adds, “you can maybe take a brief vacation from the stress, but if you check out for 3, 4, 6, 9 months you risk being unready when that learning starts up again.” Don’t cheat yourself!

Lindsay Hopson, a school counselor at Woodstock High School in Georgia, says that she had a student who “dropped an Advanced Placement (AP) class mid year that was listed on their senior year schedule when they applied to college.” She explains that “the college said the student did not fulfill their commitment. Their admissions offer was contingent upon their performance in their senior year classes and dropping their AP class negatively impacted their performance.” Hopson warns, “If you have already submitted your application indicating which classes you were going to take senior year, ALWAYS check with the admission office before you make any changes to your schedule.” Don’t go rogue!

Greg Roberts, dean of admission at The University of Virginia, explains, “At UVA, we send two types of letters to students whose grades have declined since their midyear report. The first is merely to encourage them to finish strong and to let them know we noticed the grade decline. We might do this if a student made straight A’s but finished with several Bs, or a C, for example. This is the most frequent letter of the two.” However, he says, “the second type of letter is more severe. It is sent to students who have had a more significant decline in a course or several courses. We require these students to respond with a written explanation for the decline. After reviewing the explanation we will sometimes ask to meet with some for further discussion.” Roberts is quick to say, “We would never rescind without first meeting with the student. We rescind a few per year, typically, and we take these on a case-by-case basis, and we follow up. These are teenagers and senioritis is a real thing, for some, but there can be many explanations for a poor spring term. We thought enough of these students to admit them to UVA, so we owe them the chance to explain.” He warns that “if they take their foot off the gas, their grades decline, and there is no good explanation (or if they don’t seem to take it seriously) we will definitely rescind, but first we give them the opportunity to explain.” Roberts emphasizes “We have found that a poor spring in the senior year often translates to a slow start in college. It can be hard to regain focus and an academic footing. If they develop bad habits in their senior year, these habits can be hard to break once they get to college. They owe it to themselves and their teachers to work hard and perform to the level they are capable of, even though we know it’s easy to get distracted as they approach high school graduation and senior events and beautiful spring weather.” Don’t check out!

Lisa Keegan, vice president for enrollment management at Bucknell University, says “At my previous institution, we had a student stand up in a full auditorium at an admitted student program and ask how low their GPA could go before the university would rescind the offer of admission?” She advises, “Don’t put yourself in the position of asking that kind of question in spring of your senior year.” Don’t be that student!

Greg Zaiser, vice president for enrollment at Elon University, shares that they have had to rescind admission for “inappropriate use of social media.” He says that “students forget that when they sign the application for admission they are agreeing to the university’s honor code. An academic or social violation of that code can lead to consequences, including rescission.” He adds, “No one wants to rescind an offer of admission, but sometimes it’s necessary. And it’s challenging because if it happens between May 1 and the fall semester, which it routinely does, the student may have limited options for the beginning of their college career.” Don’t squander your opportunities!

Ed Schoenberg is retired from his position as vice president of enrollment management at Otis College of Art and Design. Reflecting on his career in admission, he says, “I remember a student who went from straight A’s for 7 semesters and fell to four C’s and 2 D’s in the 8th semester. We rescinded his offer of admission and he and his parents were shocked. They said that he didn’t fail any classes so he successfully completed his classes. He adds, “I pointed out to them that our letter of admission specifically said receiving any grade of D or F would lead to having the admissions offer rescinded. The student and his parents thought he could skate in his final semester without paying a price. They demanded that we refund their tuition deposit. We did not…..it was an expensive lesson in responsibility.” Don’t waste your money!

The last two-plus years have been difficult in so many ways, and have required students to be resilient and overcome academic challenges, isolation, loss, and a variety of related mental health issues. This reality calls for us all to be gentle with ourselves and each other. As seniors, the majority of your high school experience has been dominated by Covid, and you have pushed through! This is the first of many accomplishments to come in your life and career. If one of your goals is earning a college degree, and you have been admitted, keep your eyes on the prize and don’t give up now!