The senior year of high school has long been considered a lost year, a time when many students have earned most of their high school credits and have been accepted into college. With few requirements and little pressure, students often slack off in a common affliction known as "senioritis." The year of slacking off, however, may have negative consequences once students reach college. According to David Conley, CEO of the Center for Education Policy at the University of Oregon, the heart of the problem lies in the K12 systemic structure, because many students are able to finish most of their graduation requirements by the end of their junior year. But faced with the need for college readiness and the growing competition for college, making senior year a capstone year has become a growing trend in high schools across the country. The author discusses how states and districts are adopting policies to make the final year of high school more rigorous.