Joe Ruvido, a senior at Weymouth High School, agreed to allow The Patriot Ledger to follow him through his final year. This is his story, to be updated periodically throughout the school year.

May 3, 2006
Rite of Spring
Senioritis epidemic
strikes again

GARY HIGGINS photos/The Patriot Ledger

Weymouth High senior Joe Ruvido, second from left, goofs around with fellow seniors as they ride an elevator. From left are Mike Hardie, John Doyle, Mike Campbell and Eric Haugh. Alex Bobero is at rear.

Ruvido agreed to allow The Patriot Ledger to follow him through the trials and tribulations of his final year.

By EUNICE KIM
The Patriot Ledger

WEYMOUTH

It’s a little easier for Joe Ruvido to sleep in these days and a little harder to hit the books.
“You can’t concentrate as much,” said the Weymouth High School senior. “It’s harder to work and study.”

Ruvido is experiencing all the tell-tale signs of senioritis, an epidemic that hits seniors nearing the end of high school.

“It’s definitely prevalent. There’s no question about that,” said Weymouth High School guidance counselor Bonnie Miller. “Seniors just don’t feel like they want to keep studying or doing their work. They’ll tell me right out.”

Senioritis, which is typically marked by a declining focus on academics, gets worse after April vacation, Miller said. The reason? Most seniors have decided by then where they’re going to college.

“They feel once the decision is made, things are sort of over at school,” Miller said.

Ruvido, 18, agrees. With his decision to go to Brandeis University behind him - he’s already sent in his deposit - and fewer than 20 days left of class, he’s finding it more difficult to concentrate on school, do homework, and study for tests.

Ruvido, though, says he’s not blowing off school. He’s not tanking his tests, and his grades haven’t dropped drastically.

“It’s not like I’m getting D’s all of a sudden,” Ruvido said.

Studying for Advanced Placement exams has kept Ruvido and other seniors on their toes. Their scores on the exams will determine if they earn college credit and start freshman year ahead of the game.

Colleges are also doing their part to combat senioritis by keeping an eye on students’ performance senior year. Many college applications call for a list of senior courses, making it easy for admission officers to tell if a student has decided to take a light load.

Many also require mid-year grade reports or final transcripts. Acceptance letters often include warnings to students that say their admission is contingent upon successful completion of high school, said Richard Doherty, president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts.

“Any dip in grades of a significant degree might cause them to initiate a conversation with the student to serve as a little wake-up call,” he said. “The expectation is that (the drop in grades) will not carry into the fall semester.”

Weymouth High senior Joe Ruvido, left, says he’s finding it harder to concentrate on school. He walks the halls with fellow seniors, from left, Mike Hardie, Mike Campbell and Eric Haugh.

In extreme cases, offers of admission can be withdrawn, Doherty said.

That’s something Ruvido doesn’t want happening. It’s one of the reasons he’s still motivated.

“I don’t want to be rejected from (Brandeis),” he said. “That would be awful.”

Another incentive is Weymouth High School’s long-time offer to seniors: If you have a B average or better for the last two terms in a course, you don’t have to take the final exam in that class.

Other high schools are fighting senioritis by offering alternatives to regular class time near the end of the year like community service projects.

Some schools also threaten to take away senior privileges - like going to the prom - for extreme cases: students who repeatedly skip class or break school rules.

Despite the variety of attempts to curb senioritis, Miller says there’s no sure cure.

“Nothing is totally successful,” she said. “It’s human nature.”

Ruvido’s mother, Nancy, says her son has had senioritis for a while.

“He has that mentality that he’s almost out and all the fun stuff is coming up,” she said.

That fun stuff includes the senior flea market, prom, senior cruise, awards night and senior clam bake. Ruvido has also been busy attending functions at different organizations that are awarding him scholarship money.

“It’s all exciting, awesome stuff that’s happening,” Nancy said.

Ruvido said his focus has turned from school work to sports (he’s captain of the spring track team), his new band and just “relaxing.”

While the change is common, Doherty said it’s important for students to remember that college is tough.

Just as athletes don’t want to spend a long time sitting around and then try to compete, he said, “academically, you don’t want to run the risk of doing nothing for a long period of time and then find yourself treading water early freshman year.”

Ruvido understands completely. It would be a rude surprise, he said, to be overwhelmed academically as a beginning college freshman.

Eunice Kim may be reached at ekim@ledger.com.