A system was put in place regarding finals when COVID first hit in 2019 and students went online for school. It was made where finals could only help a student’s grade. 

If a student scored higher than their previously lowest summative grade of the 9 weeks, the new test grade would replace the previously lowest summative grade. But if you scored lower than all of your test grades, the final would not count toward the student’s grade. If a student does not take the final, it does not impact their grade in any way. 

The policy has stayed in place for five semesters.

  “I appreciate it,” said freshman A.J. Smith. “It makes it less stressful and I know that if I need it, it can help me.”

In the past, finals counted for 20 percent of a student’s final semester grade. Students also couldn’t exempt finals unless they had three absences or less and at least an 80% grade average. If they skipped the final, a zero was placed in the gradebook.

The new system helps students prioritize. If they didn’t do so well in a certain class, they could study primarily on a particular subject instead of trying to spread work evenly throughout classes. 

“It helps me focus on the classes that I didn’t do so well in the last nine weeks by letting me be able to only test for those specific classes if I wanted to,” said junior Sara Snyder. 

Students are glad that system will continue for upcoming finals in the spring.