While AP exams kick into high gear and seniors anticipate their last day, the fourth quarter slump begins to affect everyone in the building. As the days get warmer and the countdown to the last day grows shorter, students’ effort in their classes often begins to decline. Once AP exams are finished, the workload in classes decreases dramatically, often making the last few weeks of school feel like a waiting game until summer.
Despite the temptation to relax and stop checking Canvas, it is as important as ever to make sure effort remains consistent throughout the fourth quarter. While the MCPS current grading policy currently takes the higher grade when averaging semester grades, Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor has said that the grading system students know and love might be subject to change in upcoming years. In a memo to the Board of Education, Taylor said that changes to the 50% rule, grade calculation system and final exam policy are all possible.
If these changes are made, it will prevent some of the declines in effort that happen in the second and fourth quarters when a student has secured the grades they want during the first and third. It is also important to consider that teachers note the effort students put in, and it’s important to demonstrate care for your classes. “I always try to do my best every quarter because I don’t want my teachers to think that I don’t care about their class and I don’t want to get behind in my classes,” senior Anna Jeyachandran said.
For seniors, senioritis often hits the fastest and hardest during the fourth quarter. With only a few weeks left in high school, the need to stay the full day might start to feel like more of a suggestion, and assignments often fall by the wayside. Since most seniors are committed to college or know their post-high school plans, school can feel like a formality on their way to graduation. “I have been committed since mid-February and since then, I have found it way more difficult to put as much effort into my classes as I was before. I know that ultimately it doesn’t matter as much as it did before and as long as I end with decent grades such as B’s, I will be OK. It’s also a lot more difficult to put effort into AP classes because, even though I might get college credit for them, it’s not a big deal if I don’t and I would rather enjoy my time as a senior than study for AP’s,” senior Yana Kohli said.
This year, the school introduced a new schedule and policy surrounding AP exams, intended to boost attendance and reduce class time missed for exams. For the two-week period AP exams are being held, a block schedule is in place where morning classes are 90 minutes and rotate each day, and afternoon classes take place as usual. Students are also now required to be in school the day of their exam; a departure from the typical policy of a student being excused if they were taking an exam that day. While these new policies will may ensure higher attendance throughout AP testing, it is the first year the school has introduced and it is unclear if it has been effective.
