The 2018-19 school year brought about a new change to Seymour High School. For most students the final exam schedule was going to be changed for the worst. Much stress has been put onto students who are taking more advanced classes to graduate with honors. The cons of the new change are that students in the advanced classes are the ones who get stuck taking all of the tests, up to 6 or 7, in a two period day. The stress behind all of the tests may encourage advanced students to drop some harder classes. The students that do not end up taking any finals are not pushed to exceed in their certain classes, lowering preparation for future college finals. With the old final exam schedule, students had an hour and a half before their final to study and ask questions. If handled correctly by students, it was a great resource to do better on the test. The Administration had a problem with kids abusing their time before their final. It goes with the saying “a rotten apple spoils the whole barrel.” Many students are feeling the pressure with the new change.

A few pros of the current final exam schedule would be if you are a student not taking advanced classes, then you get a relaxed two last days before break. Another pro would be students would only be testing over two days instead of four, which in the long run leaves students cramming for the finals. This is a pro but overall a con.

As students who have gone through taking up to 6 finals in a matter of two days, the four day period of testing is the way to go. A lot of students definitely would agree. A push for the old schedule would be favored by many upperclassmen and incoming upperclassmen.