Finally, you’re in the last stretch of high school! You’ve survived midterms, homecoming, and hopefully the college admission process. You may even know what school you will be attending next fall. But as excited as you may be to finish off high school and go dorm room shopping, it is important to remember that you have a couple more months to go. This is not the time to slack off and let your grades slip. But don’t worry! If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to finishing high school strong.

Set priorities. 

During the second semester of senior year, many things are bound to happen. With college acceptances rolling in, senior activities being scheduled, and prom only a few months away, it can be easy to get sidetracked doing many other obligations. It is important not to put your schoolwork off. Your second semester grades are very important because colleges WILL see them and it will be hard to explain to admission officers that the reason your grades slipped was because you were doing other activities. Colleges want students that stay focused and committed to their studies and can juggle multiple tasks at one time.

Organization is key.

By organizing your time, you can complete your tasks more efficiently. You’ll have a better grasp on when assignments are due and the requirements for them. This can be done by writing outlines for upcoming essays, making checklists for upcoming assignments or writing down your tasks in a planner or bullet journal. You can also get a head start on the second semester course load by doing English readings ahead of time. By doing this, you can make it easier on yourself when it comes to future tests and reports.

Another tip that is often overlooked is organizing supplies and belongings. With so many papers being given to you, it is often tempting to stuff those papers in your backpack. But, you should clean out your backpack for the new semester so you can stay on track to achieving good grades during the last semester since it will be a lot easier to find assigned work. It is also wise to avoid a cluttered backpack by keeping a folder or binder to put all graded work or assignments.

Stay motivated.

One of the best ways to keep your grades up during the second semester is to stay motivated. Your work ethic has been solid for the last twelve years, why let it slip now? You can get motivated by setting goals for yourself. Whether your goal is to graduate with a 4.0, increase your class rank or make sure your shadow knows how to run the club next year, goals will help you continue your hard work for the remainder of the year.

Also, be mindful that colleges can take back acceptances. When you are, initially, accepted into a university or college, it is under the impression that you will continue your hard work until your graduation and that hard work and dedication will then come with you to college. But, letting your grades slip can raise eyebrows in admission offices because they want to see the hard work and dedication that they saw on your application. Though colleges don’t like to see grade drops, they can be lenient when they see an “A” student receive a “B” or a “B” student receive a “C”. Any grade lower than those will cause colleges to be curious as to why your grades dropped. So, it is in your best interest to not receive any grade lower than a “C’ in any of your classes.

All in all, you’ve worked hard for the past 12 years and graduation is right around the corner. All that’s stopping you from lugging your Twin XL comforter into your new dorm is the second semester of senior year. With a little perseverance and dedication, you’ll be well on your way to finishing high school strong so you can embark on the next exciting journey in your life.

For more ways to help you finish high school strong check out:

Four Steps to Conquer Senioritis this Year

How to Balance School and College Applications