The Mid-Semester Dip: Why College Students Struggle This Time of Year

Posted on November, 06, 2025 by Susan Schaefer, M.Ed., M.A.T, Founder & CEO
 

The Fall Semester Dip may sound like a delicious snack that goes well with tortilla chips, but in reality, it’s a phenomenon that a high percentage of new college freshmen, as well as more seasoned college students, experience. The Mid-Semester Dip is a slump in motivation, productivity, and performance that happens 6-8 weeks into the semester. It is most common during freshman year and revealed to parents either during the weeks leading up to, or during Thanksgiving break. 

The Pattern usually looks something like this: 

• • The student starts the semester off strong and lets parents know how great everything is going.
  • About 6-8 weeks into the fall semester, the student may begin missing assignments and classes, and grades begin to decline. Students may not communicate this to parents because they feel confident they will recoup their grades.
  • It becomes clear to the student that their grades are not improving, and they may need to tell their parents and possibly make some changes, but avoid doing so. 
  • A crucial low point is reached, the student panics, and reveals to their family that they are struggling. The student frantically tries to recover grades.
  • The student gets additional help, strategies are implemented, and grades generally increase, but the semester does not end as strongly as it began. 
  • The student vehemently promises this will not happen again. 

Why The Dip Happens

Students with weak executive functions, ADHD, and mental health issues are especially vulnerable to The Dip. They can hold it together at the beginning of the semester because there is a lighter workload. But as the novelty wears off and the work gets more intense , more studying is required, and assignments begin to slip through the cracks.  Students get overwhelmed and shut down, and avoid doing their work because they do not have the tools to sustain the same level of progress over the course of the entire semester. 

Obviously, the key is to prevent the decline in grades before it happens, but this is easier said than done. 

Some ways to reduce the risk of The Dip.

• • Make sure the FERPA form is signed so you have access to their portal to view grades and assignments and can stay aware of progress in real-time.
  • Intervention is needed to break maladaptive habits and teach your student proper, sustainable strategies for academic success.  This is where an Academic Coach comes in.
  • Create a student contract with your student before the semester begins or when they are home for a break, outlining clear expectations you both agree on. 
  • If your student drastically reduces communication with you, they may be avoiding telling you all is not well in school. Initiate a supportive conversation and ask direct questions. 
  • Encourage your student to go to their professor’s office hours and get help, join study groups, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

As soon as you know your student is struggling, it’s time for an open discussion.  Your tone and body language are so important when discussing The Dip. Your student most likely feels disappointed and ashamed of their performance and may question whether college is even for them. Although you understandably may feel stressed yourself, take a deep breath and reassure your student that everyone has setbacks, there are ways to get help, and although things look bleak now, they will improve.

To learn more about how academic coaching can help your student get back on track, click here to schedule a free phone consultation.