Being rescinded is rare yet possible for seniors

After the woes of college applications are over and school acceptances begin rolling out, there is one question on the minds of many second-semester seniors: What is the minimum amount of work required to avoid being rescinded from the college to which they’ve gained admission?

Most universities reserve the right to rescind students, meaning that they can take back an admission. Even if the student has already enrolled in the school, the college can still revoke admission if it doesn’t believe the student has kept up with coursework.

According to guidance counselor Eileen Allen, the “worst case scenario” is to fail to earn a qualifying grade in a required course for admission such as English. A complete drop in a student’s GPA would be the next level of concern.

“If you go from earning straight As to suddenly earning straight Cs and a D, [colleges can] say that you didn’t really hold up your end of the bargain,” Allen said.

Even so, rescinding usually doesn’t occur for every little grade slip or minor indiscretion. However, each college deals with its academic and conduct policies differently. While a few Cs only means academic probation for the first semester for one college, another might revoke a student’s admission altogether.

When students find themselves in a questionable situation, Allen said that it is best to disclose it to admission officers as soon as possible.

“It varies what [colleges] will disclose to you, but I think it’s in the best interest to be very open with the schools you’ve been accepted to,” Allen said.

According to a study by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, colleges say final grades are the reason for revoking admission 68.7 percent of the time. If it is too late to change a low grade, contacting the college to inform them of the low grade can go a long way; some colleges will let it slide.

In addition, Allen said she has yet to see a student be rescinded as a result of dropping a class. Guidance counselor Monique Young said there are also ways to fix bad grades “depending on when a student receives them.”

“Some colleges are more flexible and might be more lenient to let [students] do summer work,” Young said. “There are also a lot of colleges that [will rescind you] if you don’t have what you need by their deadlines.”

According to assistant principal Brian Safine, there have been several times when Saratoga High seniors have been rescinded in the past. Most occur due to low grades or logistical issues such as not submitting a final transcript. In a typical year, three to four cases would be considered a large number.

Of course, Safine added, “The ideal number is zero.”

Another almost sure way to be rescinded is to break the law. This includes illegal actions or suspensions for drug or alcohol-related infractions. Colleges will also reconsider admissions for plagiarism, cheating or any other disciplinary action.

Most colleges will send a warning letter before flat out rescinding a student. A warning letter is a good indication that a senior needs to put more effort into grades and extracurricular work.

With all the hard work spent on getting into college, a little more effort can go a long way so as to not get rescinded.

“Just know that every acceptance is conditional,” Allen warned.