Students have been raging over the new policy MV has set in place as of 2023-24. All students are required to take the end of the semester exam. For many students, this brings up a larger problem.

As a junior who has attended three years of MV courses, I spent the majority of my time striving for academic success to be incentivized with no semester exams. I, along with many of my peers, participate in multiple extra curricular activities that, on occasion, hinder my ability to devote as much time as I should to my studies.

As a student-athlete, one of my main areas of focus is maintaining my grades.. When MV adopted the new exam rule, many kids didn’t bother trying anymore. According to staff, absences have been sky high because of the new changes. The old rule used to be a way of encouraging students to show up for school as a reward for not taking exams. 

On the other hand, students who are not the strongest at taking tests, yet thrive in daily work, are more likely to be affected. Students can hammer away at every assignment, scoring a high assessment, then take exams and obliterate their standing grade. This is very disheartening for all students.

In return, some students may benefit highly from this act. Some peers may be weaker in the class activities and daily studies, while their strong suit falls in the test category. The end of semester exam is something they look forward to rather than dread. Semester exams provide an exceeding amount of leeway for students who don’t take part in year-round assignments. 

My overall opinion on semester exams is that I feel the majority of students might have benefited more with the incentive of exam exemption. Students have an objective that is required to reach, with the excitement of satisfaction and dedication. In the future, MV students can only hope that the policy returns.