The “senior slump” is the time near the end of the academic period for a high school or college senior where the student’s academic interest often lags. The high school senior might have already been admitted to a college, while the college senior might have already lined up a job. The winding down of studies often involves senior parties.
 
“Suffering from the ‘Senior Slump’” was cited in print in 1943. H. H. Remmers and R. D. Martin observed a “senior slump” in a 1944 high school study, and Gerald Clayton Carter of Purdue University observed a “senior slump” in a 1945 university study. Carter wrote:
 
“The “senior slump” has deep educational significance. Remmers and Martin found that high-school teachers rated juniors higher than seniors on maturity.”
 
“Senioritis” is a similar term for the senior year.
   
 
11 November 1943, Oak Leaves (Oak Park, IL), “Student Days,” pg. 9, col. 3:
Suffering from the “Senior Slump” at Reets Westgate’s hag party Friday night were: ...
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Halo effect in reverse—are teachers’ ratings of high-school pupils valid?
Author: H H Remmers; R D Martin
Edition/Format: Article Article : English
Publication: Journal of Educational Psychology, v35 n4 (1944): 193-200
 
19 October 1944, Oak Leaves (Oak Park, IL), “Student Days,” pg. 9, col. 2:
Let us solve your senior slump. The Date Bureau will fix you up maybe even with a man.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
The validity and reliability of instructors’ estimates of student personality traits ...
Author: Gerald Clayton Carter
Publisher: [1945]
Dissertation: Ph. D. Purdue University 1944
Edition/Format:   Thesis/dissertation : Thesis/dissertation : Manuscript   Archival Material : English
Google Books
Pg. 19:
The “senior slump” has deep educational significance. Remmers and Martin (23) found that high-school teachers rated juniors higher than seniors on maturity.
 
24 September 1948, The Ottawa Campus (Ottawa University, Ottawa, KS), “The Squirrel’s Net,” pg. 2, col. 3:
Maybe there will be a junior and senior slump as well as a sophomore slump.
 
20 October 1949, Rockford (IL) Morning Star, “Let’s Explore Your Mind” by Albert Edward Wiggam, pg. 15, cols. 4-5:
3. DO HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE SENIORS HAVE POORER PERSONALITIES THAN JUNIORS?
(...)
3. Apparently, yes. G. C. Carter, Psychologist from Purdue university, rated college students on six personality traits—leadership, intelligence, common sense, knowledge of college subjects, physical stamina, and co-operativeness. Results showed a “junior peak” and a “senior slump” in personality. Studies of high school student correspond substantially with this amazing finding.
(Google News Archive has this same column, five days later.—ed.)
 
7 March 1954, Morning Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), “College Group Classifies Failure” (AP), pg. 10-B, col. 4:
The “senior slump”: This is a malady that catches many superior students. After working hard for three years, they decide to"enjoy” life in their final college year. He expects favors because of past performance.
 
Google News Archive
23 October 1960, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, “Cloud Nine Turns To Senior Slump” by Pauline Gray, sec. 4, pg. 4, col. 1:
Is there such a thing as Senior Slump?
 
Google News Archive
15 February 1964, Daytona Beach (FL) Morning Journal and Evening News, “After First Semester: Seniors Seem To Slide Into Slump” by Nicke Carpino, pg. 9, col. 5:
The time hath arrived which is commonly called “Senior Slump.”
 
Google News Archive
8 March 1966, Miami (FL) News, “The Senior Slump” by Gary Brooks, pg. 10B, cols. 1-2:
I think the basis for my troubles is “senior slump”. This is a common disease (disease nothing, it’s an epidemic!) which causes students in the second semester of their 12th grade to float from class to class, mumble to themselves, and in general do absolutely nothing.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Avoiding High School Senior Slump
Author: Henry Weil
Edition/Format: Article Article : No language available
Publication: Change, 6, 9, 19-20, Nov 74
Database: ERIC The ERIC database is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education.
Summary:
The Freshman Year Program at the New School for Social Research is meant to be an alternative to the disaffection that appears in high school seniors. This freshman year establishes an interrelated approach to knowledge, while introducing students to a variety of educational disciplines. (Author/PG)
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Fighting High School Senior Slump: The Spread of an Alternative Senior Program.
Author: Taron Wade
Edition/Format: Article Article : English
Publication: Phi Delta Kappan, v80 n10 p763-65 Jun 1999
Database: ERIC The ERIC database is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education.
Other Databases: ArticleFirst; British Library Serials
Summary:
At several New York State high schools, seniors hold internships in architectural firms, Planned Parenthood, dentists’ offices, and television and radio stations. Some make documentaries or pursue independent study in various subjects. These opportunities arise through a program (WISE) allowing second-semester seniors to design and complete their own projects. (MLH)
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Guys: Ben’s life: senior slump - It’s a slow burn to the end of term.
Author: Ben Schrank
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Triangle Publications, c1944-
Edition/Format: Article Article : English
Publication: Seventeen. (March 2000): 86
Database: ArticleFirst
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Overcoming the senior slump : meeting the challenge with internships
Author: Randall G Glading
Publisher: Lanham, Md. : Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2008.
Edition/Format:   Print book : English
 
Urban Dictionary
Senior Slump
When second and third semester seniors stop doing their homework, give up on extra-curricular that actually requires work, develop mysterious illnesses, sleep until noon on a Tuesday, “forget” to go to gym class that just happens to clash with a sample sale and cut other classes to go home and hook up with their boyfriends or better have sex.
(...)
by LucieRibbons October 12, 2008