<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0QC443_1GuESgdO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0QC443_1GuESgdO00" width="1200" height="737" ></figure>I hope everyone enjoyed Halloween, because as soon as the clock struck midnight on Nov. 1, finals season began. I have countless presentations and readings to finish, and an exam worth most of my grade is approaching quickly. Even though I’ve attended class and completed every assignment, one test could still ruin everything.I find finals season to be one of the most stressful times of the year. Students put in significant time and effort through attendance, participation and presentations during the semester, yet the tasks we spend the most time on barely count. Why should final exams carry the heaviest weight when most coursework comes from other assignments? Final exams should not count for more than 20% of a term grade.I do believe in end-of-semester assessments to ensure students learn. But when a single test counts for a quarter or more of my grade, the anxiety is overwhelming. According to a 2022 study by researchers at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, students experiencing higher academic stress also reported worse mental well-being, regardless of race or gender. That anxiety can hurt test performance and mental health. Knowing one test could ruin your grade is enough to make anyone spiral.Imagine you have a 95% in a course, but the final is worth 35% of your grade. You get a C on the exam, and suddenly you have a B. It does not matter if you kept an A all semester. Your final grade does not reflect that effort. The fear of a grade dropping can seriously damage a student’s health. As stress increases, students get less exercise and less sleep. When other grades — like weekly homework assignments — offer more chances to improve, it makes little sense to force students through the aforementioned emotional instability of finals.Projects and writing assignments should count for far more than tests. Students are more engaged and better able to apply what they’ve learned through these tasks. I find testing to be more about memorization than actual learning. Ask me about a final I took last year, and I probably can not tell you much about it. But ask about an essay I wrote, and I could talk for hours.For those who doubt students will be prepared if final exams aren’t most of the grade, look at the International Baccalaureate program. IB moves past memorization to encourage real skills that meet clear criteria. While it’s an international curriculum, several U.S. high schools follow its guidelines. Students don’t just receive grades — instead, teachers use observations and checkpoints to evaluate understanding. The program strongly encourages project-based learning, rather than an exam format. Research shows IB students are three times more likely to attend top 20 universities. Even without set finals, it’s a rigorous program that helps students excel at higher education institutions. Being able to do more than memorize is a skill schools value. Final exams don’t always measure up to this standard, unlike writing and projects. Grades also have lasting consequences. Pitt merit scholarships require a 3.0 for renewal, and unaffiliated scholarships set their own standards. As someone who relies on financial aid to attend university, final exams are even scarier knowing they could affect my ability to stay in school. A 20% cap on exam weight would definitely make me feel better. For students considering graduate schools, final exams can create immense pressure. Graduate schools examine undergraduate transcripts in detail to ensure students are prepared for the intense workload of a post-graduate degree. In STEM subjects, many students plan to go into healthcare, which requires additional education, while tests are often weighted the most in their grades. GPAs determine graduate school acceptances and shape future professions. One test should not have the power to change an entire career path.We should be learning from our courses instead of just memorizing for a test. Final exams should not override the rest of a semester’s entire workload. Our grading system should reflect our effort — with a 20% cap on final exam weight.Please feel free to email and chat with Olivia Bowen at [email protected]. Olivia is a first-year student majoring in public policy with a minor in political science and a journalism certificate.</div></body>

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I hope everyone enjoyed Halloween, because as soon as the clock struck midnight on Nov. 1, finals season began. I have countless presentations and readings to finish, and an exam worth most of my grade is approaching quickly. Even though I’ve attended class and completed every assignment, one test could still ruin everything.

Opinion | One grade shouldn’t be everything

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I hope everyone enjoyed Halloween, because as soon as the clock struck midnight on Nov. 1, finals season began. I have countless presentations and readings

Opinion | One grade shouldn’t be everything

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