Most high school seniors are in "coast" mode.

They've adopted that very dangerous sense of teenage invulnerability. They believe they're entitled to slack off since their first semester is over and many students have been accepted to colleges.

This malaise, commonly referred to as "senioritis," is a growing problem for more than just high school administrators. More and more students are finding out, in the harshest way possible, that they are still accountable for their grades and their attitudes.

Most acceptance letters clearly state that the student's admission is contingent upon consistent academic performance. Simply stated, that means skipping classes, not doing homework and failing tests are not acceptable.

Colleges typically see mid-year grades right around now. Final year-end grades are sent, but often not until June or July. It's at this point when teetering students learn that they are on academic probation or that their financial aid package is being reconsidered. or in some cases, that their acceptance has been revoked.

Colleges maintain waiting lists with students who are eager to be tapped at the last minute to fill slots. The obvious problem is that it is now too late for students to recover from their academic mishaps and often too late to apply and be accepted to other schools.

According to a 2007 New York Times article entitled "Slackers, Beware," here are some of the consequences:

• The University of Michigan sent out three different letters to its incoming freshmen with poor final grades: 62 issuing gentle warnings, 180 requesting an explanation, and nine revoking admission.

• The University of Colorado at Boulder rescinded admission in 2006 for 45 of its accepted students, 10 of whom had already attended freshman orientation, selected classes, or met roommates.

• Twenty-three would-be freshmen found themselves without a college when the University of Washington revoked their acceptances during the summer because of poor final grades.

Tips for parents to help students avoid the senior slump:

• Show them this column. Assure them it really happens.

• Encourage them to stay focused. They have worked too hard to throw it all away.

• Congratulate them on their successes, but maintain consistent expectations.

If you're the parent of a slacking senior, take note, it is the beginning of March and there's still time for your student to regroup.