academic underachievement

n. Academic underachievement results when a student is not academically performing to the best of his/her abilities. This can be due to failure to complete assignments and/or lack of motivation. In addition, heightened levels of anxiety may interfere during tests, and poor organization or study skills may also lead to problems. Depression and low self-esteem have also been found to affect academic performance. This phenomenon can occur in gifted students and/or in students who have a disability. In addition, it has been noted that minority students often underachieve in the academic arena. Among other possibilities, this may be due to lack of opportunity, stereotype threat, discrimination, or possible cultural differences. Once it has been discovered that a student is underachieving academically, it is necessary to determine the cause to apply the appropriate treatment or intervention.  -EF