Abrams says this type of learning is particularly important for young adults who are ready to enter college because toward the end of high school, seniors begin to perceive high school as the same type of institution that educated them as young children when they had no academic freedom or autonomy. Abrams says that by senior year, "Seniors find it hard to be treated as children. They're ready to be responsible and to get out and about. Schools should and could develop an innovative curriculum to battle senioritis and give students more time in the real world."

However, students attending high schools that insist on traditional in-class curriculum until "Pomp and Circumstance" plays can wage their own battle against senioritis. Abrams suggests that seniors seek employment, volunteer or work at community internships to stay stimulated and to "take control of their learning and stay focused."

In previous columns, I've advocated that seniors, indeed all high school students, remember to have fun and enjoy the magic of high school. However, despite the fun, seniors need to take special care to avoid senioritis and its unintended and possibly drastic consequences.

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Joanne Levy-Prewitt is an independent college admissions adviser who works with students in the San Francisco area. E-mail her at jklprewitt@gmail.com.

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© Joanne Levy-Prewitt

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