Looming in the near future is not only finals, but the fast approaching date for final exemption forms, Friday, December 3rd.
“I’m not sure what class I will be exempting yet,” Eileen Huang, sophomore, said. “I think they should push back the exemption form due date, so we have more time to think about it.”
Huang’s thoughts echo that of many other students who feel pressured by the approaching finals and the due date for the exemption form.
“We already have stress from finals, the early due dates and the worry that my grades will drop just adds to the overall stress,” Collier Trager, sophomore, said.
Students need to have an A average in the class for both quarters to be able to exempt the class final, according to the District Policy Handbook. Many students, including Huang and Trager, want the policy to change to encompass either As and Bs or all grades the student is happy with.
“I think that if students set their own goals and are happy with a C then they should be able to exempt that final and keep the C in the class,” Huang said. “I wouldn’t be happy with a lower grade, but everyone has different goals and people deserve to exempt if they have tried hard in the class, but it hasn’t reflected in their grade.”
Although Huang wouldn’t be happy with a lower grade, many other students who do not have the option of exempting speak out their opinions about the rule.
“I think the policy is unfair in general,” Trager said. “Smarter kids get good grades and are able to exempt and kids without the good grades, like me, try hard, but still don’t get to exempt.”