As it currently stands the only students that may be exempt from finals here at Hawthorne High School, are seniors. Seniors can be exempt from all of  their classes (or none) depending on their marking period grades. Seniors are getting ready for college and should not have to worry about a final exam in their classes if they have already proven their comprehension of the material that they have learned. This rule is absolutely reasonable, but should be expanded to more students. A final exam often consists of all the material covered throughout the entire year. The single test grade counts as its own marking period grade. This means that exam grades weigh as much as two or three months worth of work, quizzes and tests. Students can take up to 2 exams a day for 3 days. Studying and preparing for these tests can be the most stressful part of the school year. Students that have earned A’s all year could have their perfect grade ruined by a single, extremely stressful test.

I can speak for most students when I say that final exams are not a very enjoyable experience. The hard work of students in high school often go unnoticed and exemptions would be a way to recognize these student’s work ethic. Giving students the opportunity to be exempt from finals can reward students that work hard, as well as encourage students to get better grades during the year.

Some people may argue that final exams teach students good study habits and can prepare them for college, but students that have achieved high grades all year have already shown their capability of studying for tests and quizzes.   

The purpose of final exams is to see if students have mastered all of the content that has been taught to them throughout the year. In my opinion, if a student can achieve a high A in any class then that student has already proven that he or she has fully understood the information. More final exam exemptions would also mean less work for teachers. Teachers often have to grade hundreds of exams in little time. With a high A grade, teachers can already see a student’s comprehension of the material.

With all of this said, final exam exemptions are a privilege that all students should have the opportunity to earn.