Education is filled with challenges and milestones and for students at Forest Hills High School, one of those challenges is the dreaded “quarterly week.” This testing week, happening at the end of almost each marking period is a time of intense stress and academic pressure for students as they prepare to take multiple tests in their respective classes continuously. The first quarterly week during the 2023-2024 school year happened in November.
Quarterly week happens multiple times in the academic year at Hills. As the marking period comes to an end, students are caught up in an overload of tests, quizzes, and assessments that cover a variety of subjects, some of which are given on the same day. For instance, English and math quarterlies are issued on the same day, which makes it difficult for students to study for both the day before. This very intense and stressful exam week is intended to determine the student’s thorough understanding and proficiency of the subject so far into the year.
While exams are necessary for learning, the consecutive nature of quarterly exams can be difficult for students. Balancing multiple exam preparations is a great challenge for all grade levels. The pressure to do well in each subject, results in increased stress and sleepless nights for many students, knowing that quarterlies are counted twice as much as a regular exam. A member of Forest Hills’ Carl Sagan program, Radi Talukder, expresses to The Beacon, “It just feels like there’s another test on top of each other and you can’t get a break between them. I feel like the school should spread it out more.”
Time management is one of the main problems students endure during the quarterly week. Julia Skrodzka, a student of our law academy mentions, “Quarterly week is very stressful. I wish we had more time to study for each test we have for each class. Being in the Law competition team, taking four APs, working, and applying to college all at the same time, I already have a lot on my plate. It is very stressful knowing each quarterly is counted more than a regular test, and my final grade depends on it.”
The week is a reminder of the stressful and demanding expectations schools expect from students. While the stress is noticeable it also provides an opportunity for personal development and the development of key life skills. Having time management skills is a fundamental part of life that high school tends to instill in their students. Students need to learn how to manage the overload of work during college or even how to face any challenges they might face during their careers. However, regardless of the life lessons, many students would want more time to prepare for these exams knowing that it is a crucial part of their overall grade.
