On a sunny spring morning in 1986, Ferris Bueller looked out his bedroom window and asked a question many high school seniors ask themselves on a daily basis: "How could I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?"

A disease had set in. A "disease" that you yourself may experience over the coming weeks.

Senioritis.

Once college applications are complete, and especially after you've determined your plans for next year, senioritis can quickly get the best of you. While taking the remainder of this year lightly may sound great, it is important to recognize the symptoms and effects of slacking off as your high school career winds down. If you don't, it could cost you.

Senioritis could cost you money

Applications for scholarships and financial assistance are often based on your academic performance through the end of your junior year. If you are awarded any form of financial aid based on your grades, a poor effort during senior year could potentially cost you some serious cash. From Tips for Avoiding Senioritis by Jennifer Gross:

For example, Wilkes University (PA) gives merit-based financial aid based in part on class rank. "Four [students] this year were awarded one merit level based on their class rank at the point of application, but [their] final transcripts showed that their class rank had fallen to such a level that they no longer qualified for the original merit level," says Mike Frantz, dean of enrollment services at Wilkes. "The damage ranged from $1,000 per year to over $3,000 per year in merit aid."

Senioritis could cost you admission

Not only could senioritis cost you financially, it could also affect your admission to a particular college or university altogether. Similar to scholarships and financial aid, admission to college is based on your grades through your junior year (most applications are done in the fall of senior year). While your academic performance may have been stellar for three years, laziness as a senior could keep you out of some schools -- regardless of whether you were initially accepted.

In a letter from the University of Michigan Office of Admissions (September 2010):

We have reviewed final grades for over 6,100 students whose final transcripts were received to date and have contacted those who have had a serious decline in their academic performance during their senior year. If admission was revoked, AdmRevoke and PoorGr Mtr indicate this action.

The remedy

So what would we prescribe for a student feeling the onset of senioritis? Paraphrasing from Chelsea Pavero's Forget the Senioritis Excuses, Finish Strong, we suggest three simple things:

Don't procrastinate.
The more you put off, the more stress you create for yourself. Senior year is a very busy time that can be handled efficiently by planning ahead and keeping a close eye on deadlines and assignments.

Calm down.
You're not alone so don't panic. You have 200 classmates with the same stresses and uncertainties that you have. Take advantage of the resources you have available to you when questions come up -- counselors, teachers, parents -- yes, even parents.

Have fun!
It's your senior year -- enjoy yourself! Although there will be plenty to keep you busy this year, be sure to take some time for yourself and have some fun! There is nothing wrong with enjoying the fact that you are a senior!

When it comes to senioritis, Pavero's article puts it best:

Before allowing yourself to be taken down by the senioritis monster, consider all the years you’ve spent working towards the ultimate goal of graduation. From your first finger painting in kindergarten to your latest essay, everything has been leading up to that day when you can finally walk with your fellow classmates and say that you’ve completed your education. After twelve years of schooling, would it be worth it to give it all up for a few extra days to party, relax on the beach, or sit around at home doing nothing of particular importance? Think about all the sacrifice you’ve made, and that alone should be enough to finish the final lap of senior year, and with flying colors.

Feel free to check out some of these articles that can help you deal with your case of senioritis:

• Tips For Avoiding Senioritis by Jennifer Gross (NACAC, 2000)
• Forget the Senioritis Excuses, Finish Strong by Chelsea Pavero (The Torch, 2009)
• What To Do About Senioritis: Making Your Senior Year Count (College Board)
• This Year, Senioritis May Have Dire Consequences by Robin Mamlet (USA Today, 2009)