Deadlines are the epitome of stress and procrastination for high school students. Periodic deadlines like the end of quarters and semesters can be especially nerve-wracking. There are assignments due, tests to be taken, and projects to be turned in. For students at YHS, quarter one ended on November 3, 2023. During this week, many summative tests took place. However, testing at the end of the quarter places unnecessary pressure on students to do well.
Junior Aidan Ring explains, “Piling the majority of summatives on the end of quarter one is unfair and stressful for the students who need to keep their grade up before the end of the quarter.” Aidan is among one of the many students impacted by benchmark tests. A bad quarter grade can ultimately translate into a student’s GPA, their eligibility for honor roll/academic awards, and early decision applications for college. Moreover, studying for these quarterly tests contributes to a poor state of mental health.
According to the National Education Association, “Standardized tests create test anxiety and some kids even have test phobia because they have just this one chance at getting it right” (Holland). This illustrates how quarterly tests also have a psychological impact on students. At YHS, many students frantically cram for exams on the night before or even the PIE/pride before the test. This is because quarterly tests place a heavy emphasis on doing well the first time as opposed to getting multiple opportunities. In turn, lots of students suffer from test anxiety and testing phobia.
On top of studying for summative tests at the end of the quarter, students must also complete daily work and homework assignments. Aidan Ring states, “Pushing summatives till the end of the quarter minimizes the quality in student work/grades.” Most students agree that studying for tests is more important than learning new material before the exam takes place. This means that students’ attention is shifted away from learning new things in school and put towards memorizing things for tests.
Ultimately, summative tests at the end of the quarter can impact students in negative ways. For example, one’s grade can shift drastically in a short period of time. Additionally, the end of the quarter causes a spike in stress and anxiety. Finally, the quality of students’ work decreases as cumulative tests approach. Testing at least one week before the end of the quarter would be much more beneficial, as students would have the opportunity to revise their grades and there would be less pressure on the deadline of the quarter.