While the grades you earn in course work completed during the second semester of your senior year do not usually enter into the admissions decision, colleges do request that students provide a list of courses in which they are enrolled during second semester. It is assumed that these courses will reflect the same high quality as your previous work in high school. Taking "easy" courses or a reduced course load during the second semester is not considered the mark of a serious student.
Each year some seniors have a difficult time making up their minds about which college to enroll in after they have been accepted. In order to have more time to make a decision they send deposits to more than one college on or before May 1. This is called "double depositing" and is an unethical practice. Should the colleges involved determine that a student has "double deposited," admission may be jeopardized. It is an acceptable practice to deposit at one school and maintain your name on a wait list at another school. However, indicating to two schools that you will be attending by sending deposits to both should not be considered.
Admissions decisions are also contingent on the successful completion of all course work, and admissions officers reserve the right to question poor second semester performance and, in some cases, to reverse an admissions decision that has already been made. Some LHS seniors whose grades have dropped during second semester have received letters from the college they planned to attend informing them that their acceptance will now be re-considered. A letter sent by the University of New Hampshire to students whose concluding high school marks are considered unsatisfactory contains the following statements:
"We have received a report of your final grades for the academic year and consider them unacceptable. It is clear that your admission status must be reevaluated and, consequently, I have suspended your admission. If you wish to communicate with us about your circumstances, please do so in writing within the next five days. It is our preference not to talk with you or your parents until we have received your written communication. We will contact you again once we have received and reviewed your statement. At that time we will make a determination as to whether it is appropriate for you to meet with us. We look forward to hearing from you shortly."