Students Stressed with Finals, AP Tests

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Kenzie Taylor

An answer sheet ready for bubbling in the answers.

Sam Capece

Copy Editor

As the last few school weeks of the year approach, students are antsy and their stress levels are high. Although the weather is finally warming up from a long winter, most students will be inside during May in order to prepare for their final exams and AP tests. AP tests begin the week of May 6th and final exams start the last week of school on June 3rd.

“Most of my classes are honors/AP, which means that the finals weeks of this year will be pretty full of both finals and AP tests. These exams consist of course content from throughout the year. Some classes will require an end of the year project, too”  junior Will Buck said.

Don’t stress too much because everything will turn out fine.  Try to take a lot of study breaks, that will give your mind a break, as well as having a bowl of fruity pebbles or something

— Jack Patterson

Most of these final tests take the form of a cumulative review, this means that there will be content from the entire year of learning. These tests may not be popular but according to the website Faculty Focus they are proven to promote deep learning and retention when properly studied for.

“I actually think a traditional multiple choice test is a good testament to how well you understand the concepts, but from a stressed student perspective, I’d like to see more projects as finals because they allow us to be creative and have fun while reviewing a year of information,” Buck said.

Some teachers may decide to switch the format of their final. There are countless options including projects like presentations online or on a poster, research essays, or a memorized skit. According to the Berkley Center for Teaching & Learning, these alternatives promote higher levels of synthesis, analysis, and evaluation and may be a way for students to display what they learned in a more authentic way.

“I really enjoy projects as I feel I can easily showcase my knowledge on a subject and also visually learn more about the course material”  junior Georgia Beutler said.

Multiple choice tests, although an easy way to test students on their cumulative knowledge, have their flaws. According to Education Week multiple choice questions can answered correctly by guessing and most teachers use them in order to get their grades in on time. This is because there are so many tests before finals that they need to prepare students for.

“I’m currently studying for five tests that I have this week by reviewing unit packets and using online resources. About half of this studying is on paper, the other half being on my computer” Buck said.

The weight of the final is a determining factor of how important a student perceives it. According to the Association for Psychological Science this can impact the amount that one studies for a final because it can save their grade. The association also mentions the importance of different types of exams in order to cater to the majority of students’ strong suits.

“I have to study for almost every class I have a different study method that I have made throughout the semester that helps me learn things the best. I have to change the way I approach different types of tests” freshman Emily Nauss said.

As students prepare for finals it is paramount that proper nutrition and sleep is utilized throughout the long hours of studying and cramming. According to Today’s Dietician it is recommended to get at least eight hours of sleep a night and have a nutritional diet as this can improve academic importance. Having a breakfast of grains dairy and fruit before the test can also help mental ability.

“Don’t stress too much because everything will turn out fine.  Try to take a lot of study breaks, that will give your mind a break, as well as having a bowl of fruity pebbles or something” junior Jack Patterson said.