With the end of the year comes more exams. But it also comes with the question: are they worth it?

Mr. Clark, a teacher at JA, believes that finals can be beneficial. “It’s a summative assessment of everything you’ve done for the semester. It also helps you prepare for other things, because in college you will have to take finals. This is just a step to help guide you.”

Finals don’t show up on your transcript, but it definitely impacts the percentage you end up with in that class, due to it being worth 20% of your final grade.

Students such as Jordan King, a junior at JA, says that taking exams are a waste of time. “They might not help our grades and it’s not a good indicator of everything you actually learned if you’re not a good test taker.”

“I think that if we can hold an 85% average for the semester, then I think we shouldn’t have to take them, just like the seniors do,” another student, junior Kendrah Larson, said. “If you can hold that average, then I just don’t see the point in taking them.”

The best way to stay calm for finals is to get lots of rest and study with any of the free time you may have.