It’s exam season at Brighton High School, which means it’s time for studying, cramming and pulling those dreaded all-nighters. As most people know, BHS has quarterly exams, which means students are tested four times per school year. The exam is worth ten percent of a student’s quarter grade, and the two quarter grades of a semester will be averaged out. However, there is some controversy surrounding exams at BHS as to whether we should have quarterly or have semester exams. Personally, I believe that quarterlies are far better than semester exams for several reasons.
For one, with quarterly exams, you don’t have to memorize as many things. If students had semester exams, they would be tested on about five months of material, as opposed to only two to three months. I can hardly fit everything I need on my notecard for science, so there is no way I would be able to fit everything I needed if students tested each semester. Additionally, think about the wide variety of topics in each subject that would now be grouped together on a single test. Having quarterly exams is definitely more practical than semester ones.
Another reason why semester exams are not the way to go is that students now get a fresh start every couple of months. Once a quarter is over, every BHS student’s grade returns to one hundred. I don’t know about anyone else, but I don’t think I could keep my grades very high if the marking periods were every five months. If you have a bad grade in math at the end of one quarter, you have a chance to bring it up in the next one. Quarter exams provide students the opportunity to keep their grades on the higher side.
Some BHS students share my opinion about quarterly exams.
Sophomore Alexis Alford said, “I feel like there is way too much stress around semester exams. You have so much material to remember, compared to knowing a smaller amount of material with quarter exams.” She added that the best way to do things would be to have no exams at all.
“I like quarterlies better because between each semester it gives you a blank slate and allows me to reset. I feel like semester exams would cause me to feel more overwhelmed,” said sophomore Riley Body.
“I like quarterlies because it’s easier to digest all the material and show that we understand and comprehend it,” said sophomore Astin Myers.
Quarterly exams clearly trump semester exams in every way. My last point to make relates to the grading system. A quarter exam is worth only ten percent of your grade, while a semester exam would be worth twenty. That means a singular exam could greatly impact your overall grade. Quarterly exams are far more sensible, and students are more likely to achieve higher grades.
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