As a senior in high school, I have taken roughly 28 final exams. The weeks following Christmas break and leading up to the end of the school year are always the most stressful because of these tests. I’ve spent countless hours in libraries and coffee shops, cramming as much information as I can onto a 5 x 7 notecard in the smallest handwriting possible. 

This year, I have finally earned the privilege to exempt two exams this semester, thanks to my grades in class and my score on the writing portion of the ACT. This seems like a well-earned study break on the outside, but it’s actually useless. My rigorous schedule includes three AP classes and two dual enrollment (CAPP) classes, none of which I can exempt, according to the student handbook.This leaves my photography class as the only option, which arguably has the least stressful exam in my schedule. Therefore I believe students should be allowed to use their first semester exam exemptions on AP classes. 

It’s true that semester exams act as a recap of every unit learned in AP classes, and they may provide valuable practice that help boost students’ scores on their AP exams. However, limiting testing at the semester would increase class lecture time and promote higher studying rates when the final AP exam rolls around. If students do not take a first semester exam, they are more likely to study earlier units when the AP test rolls around. An article written on the District Administration’s website examined a school district in Maryland who cut out exams to test this theory.

Board of Education President Patricia O’Neill said, “You need to examine how the logistics of what you do, and the practices imposed on local schools that add stress and not value to the learning process.” 

According to the student handbook, a student must meet four requirements in order to receive an exam exemption each semester: no more than 32 blocks absent, an 83% or higher in the class they wish to exempt, no disciplinary referrals or failing grades in any class. If grades in AP classes are taken into account when handing out exemptions, why can’t they be exempted as well? 

Simply look at high school seniors nearing the end of their K-12 years. Many of us have already gotten into college and are counting down the days until graduation. Out of 271 students in the class of 2025, 190 of us scored an eight or higher on last year’s ACT, granting an additional exam exemption. Why can we not use it in the classes we wish to? Why does it feel like we are being punished when in reality we earned the privilege of these exemptions? 

“The AP classes are the only exams I want to exempt,” senior Addi Novack said, “and I’m annoyed that the only class I can exempt is art.”

So to the juniors preparing to take the ACT this year, don’t worry too much about the writing section. As of now, you might not even be able to use that exemption anyway.