If you can only get your college-bound senior prone to senioritis to listen to three words of advice during the month of September, they should be "don't slack off!"

With school just getting underway, now is the time for your teen to get a running start. Colleges are impressed by a student with a 4.0, but even a student with less-than-stellar marks during past years can take advantage of this first semester to significantly improve her GPA and show colleges admissions officers something they love to see - an upward trend.

On the other hand, colleges will be wary of a student who suffer from senioritis with grades slumping near the end of high school - which could be your child, if she chooses this year to give in to senioritis.

It's important to remember that this year isn't like other years. Faced with looming SATs and application essays, fearing dreaded rejection letters and pressured by their college advisors and parents to get into the best schools possible, it's easy to see why many seniors' suffer senioritis and see their grades drop. Mindful of this, you should encourage your child to improve his grades, but don't give him additional pressure during an already stressful year by insisting on it. Even while encouraging him to succeed, help him to remain calm and keep things in perspective. Getting into a specific college or university shouldn't be seen as a matter of life or death.

If your teen does have one college in mind, however, there is an easy way to sidestep the adverse effects of senioritis and boost her chances of getting accepted. Early decision applications, which are usually due in November - about two months before regular application deadlines - enter a student into a binding contract with the school. If accepted, attendance is required. While this is a great way for your child to show a college that it's her first choice, it's important for her to only apply early decision if she is absolutely sure she'll be happy attending the school in question, because, if accepted, she'll have to go. Otherwise, she may be stuck going somewhere that's not a great fit.

Early action is also an option for those ready to get started on the application process. It is similar to early decision in that applications are sent in months earlier than otherwise required, and students hear back from the colleges earlier as well. Unlike early decision, students may apply to more than one college under some - but not all - early action policies. Students who apply early decision or early action and are accepted may save themselves from months of nervousness and worrying, but it also means that they'll have their work cut out for them sooner than expected.

If your child plans to apply early, then he should get started on her application now and not let senioritis take over. Many schools allow the Common Application - available to print or to fill-out online at CommonApp.org -, which saves time by letting students complete the bulk of the application only once.

Keep in mind that your teen is starting a difficult year. Try to decrease the stress by making considerate suggestions and offering to help whenever possible so that senioritis doesn't take full force. She may not thank you for it, but she'll sure be thankful!