With finals quickly approaching, students sometimes complain about the wide range of topics to study and the stress put on them by the impending tests. Some “A” students complain that they should not have to take the final because they have already proven their comprehension.
In select classes, teachers offer high achieving individuals the opportunity to skip the test and take the grade they had up to then. Science teacher, Ms. Trani says, “In my class, if students have an ‘A’ in class they can opt out of finals because they demonstrated proper knowledge.” Some students seem to have the same view on the topic, such as Linda Kim (9) who comments, “I think they should get a break because they work hard all semester long for the grade and now we have to work even harder to keep it.”
On the other hand, some argue that the “A” students are subject to the test just like all other students and that it is a mandatory part of their course. Mrs. White explains, “My grade comes from participation and tests, so students need to verify that their grade is based on ‘I get it’ and not ‘I am just a good student.’ Students do work just to do it, not to understand it. They should take the test to prove their understanding, and what’s the big deal if you know it already?” In addition to the point of proving your grade, Jenna Hoover (11) adds that, “In most classes, you need to eventually know past topics later in the year. That is true especially in AP classes as you need to review in May for the AP test.” For students in both Honors and Advanced Placement courses, review throughout the year is mandatory and the upcoming final is only another test of retention and understanding, not a pointless way for teachers to stress out students. In school, review is an extremely important tool for success and retention. Whether you are a great student, or one just getting by, review is essential to do the best you can. Rather than looking at finals as an extra stress, try looking at them as a stepping stone to more advanced topic and you will study with a new mindset.
