Column: Giving Thanks For Final Exams
As another school year finishes up, there is much for students to be grateful for. From the crystal-clear plan many surely now have for the rest of their lives to the fact that not a single student was sleep deprived, it truly was a remarkable year.
Most of all, students at this time of year ought to be thankful for the perfect and flawless system of final exams. Finals are only rivaled by Google Glass as the invention that best fit seamlessly with the way humans function while having zero drawbacks.
For instance, finals come at the most convenient time of the year. The last few weeks of the year are when students have few other obligations, so they can invest extra time into studying for these exams. There may be a few other minor commitments such as preparing for internships and summer jobs, planning weddings, wanting to enjoy the warmer weather, packing, cleaning for white glove, finding storage units, saying goodbye to friends they may never see again, having some fun to maintain sanity, going to church, working and sleeping. But besides those few tasks, students can devote the rest of their time to studying, giving them more than enough time to prepare!
Considering the ample study time students have for final exams, professors often wisely make these tests worth more than anything else the entire semester. In addition, students realize this is the last assignment before summer, so their motivational levels are at the highest point of the entire year. In this sense, it is considerate of professors to make the tests worth several letter grades because it provides students the opportunity to end the year on a high note.
The exams themselves have also been proven to be the most effective way of measuring a students’ understanding of the class. As opposed to having several weeks to work on a large paper or project that demonstrates in-depth knowledge in a manner reflecting the students’ chosen career, professors and students both agree a two-hour test in which students quickly regurgitate as much information as possible is the most accurate evaluation method.
Despite all of these benefits, in recent years, several large school districts and colleges have foolishly done away with final exams. This news has come as trained professionals arrogantly believe they can creatively decide how to best test their students based on the field of study and the extensive time spent getting to know the strengths and weaknesses of each specific class.
More reasonable educators watch with bated breath and concern for the students as these Icarus experiments are sure to fail. It is not as if America’s education system is lagging behind other developed nations, so there is no reason to mess with an already flawless system.
Colleges and high schools alike have many ways to improve. Even if Gordon Ramsay and Julia Child were in charge of dining, students would still find a way to complain. However, in the midst of the craziness that is college, students and faculty can both be thankful for the inerrant and infallible system of final exams.