This is the first time that freshmen are taking the finals. The majority of students in ninth grade are not sure what to expect and most don’t know how to prepare themselves to ace the test.
At the end of 8th grade, there are many fun activities and great memories to look back on. However, at the end of freshman year, students are expected to take finals, which is a series of tests. Finals are arguably the largest test of the year that are timed and are a cumulative grade. not to mention it is worth 10 percent.
“I would say most freshmen do get stressed about finals given that it is their first experience with cumulative high-stakes testing,” said English teacher Jason DelPiano.
A large portion of students have a hard time studying for finals because it is a lot of information they have to remember. Typically finals are on everything you have learned throughout the year.
“I recently created a study plan to organize all my studying over the next few weeks. Since there is such a large range of topics to understand, keeping a system is important so that everything isn’t just a bundle of work. I will also try to study as early as possible to ensure that I won’t procrastinate until the very last week,” said freshmen Erika Wang.
Although just the thought of taking finals seems very stressful, there are many things you can do to help prepare. “Some advice I would give is to start studying around the beginning to the middle of quarter four. It doesn’t have to be any serious studying, but starting to look back a little earlier might help you remember things a little quicker,” said sophomore Lauren Dumaresq.
Studying briefly around the middle of the fourth quarter can help a lot. Not to mention towards finals week the majority of teachers give reviews and study guides out so you can get comfortable with the idea of taking a test. “I make sure that the format of the final is crystal clear and aligned with the kinds of testing and expectations that I put in place throughout the year. There are no last-minute curveballs, and the week before finals is completely dedicated to review and prep,” said DelPiano.
Many upperclassmen who have taken the final exams believe that studying consistently and looking over the reviews your teacher assigned to you will help tremendously.
Some freshmen are studying by making review tests, study guides, and even games to help them understand information more. “To ensure that I will do well on the final, I have been making quizzes on each subject so I get a better understanding,” said freshman Aaron Charles.
Overall the finals are something you should aim to do well on. However, many students who have taken finals say there is no reason to stress and the majority of students who look over study guides and questions do a great job. “I do not think finals are something to worry about. As long as you review and study a little beforehand, chances are one can get a decent grade. Plus the final exam doesn’t affect your overall grade that you earned throughout the year,” said Dumaresq.
“Ask questions during the review week, pay close attention to teachers provided study guides, focus on the biggest and most important concepts from the year, and try to get enough sleep prior to testing days,” said DelPiano.
