by Lauryn Chavez | Staff writer
Semester reviews are being handed out in classes, exemption forms are being signed, and students are studying intensely as the first day of finals approaches on Dec. 18. Final exams will be during certain periods on specific days for information on the final exam schedule check Johnson’s homepage.
“The final exam is a required part of the semester grade, so final exams count as 20 percent of the final semester average,” Counselor Courtney Tarbox said.
Some students don’t enjoy taking semester exams because they’re worth such a sum of your semester grade. But for those who are feeling the same way the question is: Can I not take certain finals?
“Final exam exemptions are something that [was] created by the district to encourage students that have had good attendance and maintained their grades that they are able to exempt their final because they’ve shown demonstration through their coursework throughout the semester leading up to finals,” Tarbox said.
“Even though you are allowed to exempt three finals, the remaining four classes you choose to take the semester exam on should be chosen wisely. If you can’t exempt a final”, said senior Amber Lewis.
“Whenever you have a free class period, like your lunch, when you have a final exam, use those times to study and use all the extra time from the classes you’ve exempted to study for the ones you have to take,” Lewis said.
Having a good study plan will help finals run smoothly. But freshman, as well as new students to the school, need to know what finals are and when they’re happening.
“I know it’s like one week before winter break I guess. I really don’t know,” sophomore Paula Cubillos said.
There are things students can do to help them plan ahead for finals.
“So, new students, I think it would be good for them just to communicate with their teachers and be sure that they understand what the expectations are for finals and typically finals are cumulative for the semester so that is one of those exams that you don’t want to cram for that is something you want to utilize study time and be sure that you’re prepared because they are an important exam,” Tarbox said.
She encourages that you should meet up with your teachers and study accordingly to ensure that you’ll be prepared for your final. Tarbox emphasizes that planning will help ease anxiety for the final.
“For students that are nervous for their final, I think that what really helps is preparation because when you’re prepared you feel more confident and it can help ease that anxiety,” Tarbox said. “So I think if they get organized they can maybe make a study plan. And they can look at the schedule so they know how to plan for their finals because there are only certain periods that test each day so if they make a plan and know what final is coming up first and make sure they’re prepared for that, and just map out their study plan for finals for the week.”
