If you coast, you're toast

This Los Angeles Times story by Larry Gordon story ought to be posted on the door of every high school classroom in the state: It appears that some colleges are tracking seniors they've already admitted, and yanking their admissions if their performance tails off in the waning months of their high school careers.

That's a blow to the hallowed tradition of "senioritis." Kids used to be able to just about shut down once they'd received that anxiously awaited "big envelope" from a college. No more. In an increasing number of cases, seniors are getting bounced for poor performance in their last semester. And that usually comes too late to shift gears and get into another college.