As the year progresses, there are more and more tests that students are required to take. Towards the end of semester, students have to worry about doing well in their final exams. Finals, being sone of the toughest tests of the school year, can make students feel very tense and nervous. They ultimately have to give it their all because the finals score can either make or break their grade. Not doing well in a final could even result in having to retake the class. If students are on the edge with a D, the finals can be either a blessing or a curse; it can either boost their grade up to a C or drop them to a F. While trying to prepare for finals, students also have to try and stay on top of the current lessons going on in their classes. Typically, teachers do not start their review for the finals until about 2 or 3 days before the exam. Overall, finals are overly stressful for students.

    One of the main reasons students stress so much over finals is because that is the grade that goes on their transcripts. Colleges do look over these grades and the exams can have substantial influence over being accepted or rejected to universities. Numerous students have high expectations when it comes to grades and the college they want to attend and therefore, if students do not do well, they might not get into the school they hope to attend. Not doing well in a final could cause many consequences such as having to go to summer school or having to repeat the course the following school year.

    Moreover, all students have more than one final to worry about. On average, students have around 4 to 6 finals, which means they have to try and cram up everything they learned all semester. Usually students only have about a week to study for all of their finals because teachers are still going through more curricular activities. Additionally, most finals are harder than just a regular chapter test. For procrastinators, it is especially difficult to try and study for so many exams. Some students may wait to study until late at night, resulting in lack of sleep. Taking a final on little sleep can cause a student to perform poorly.

    Finals are not always stressful for students but also for the teachers. Trying to review for a whole semester in just about a week may become overwhelming. Trying to ensure that students do well in the final and making sure that the entire curriculum is addressed and mastered can also add extra stress on teachers' shoulders. Shortly after finals are done, semester grades are due meaning that teachers need to grade all tests from all classes in a short period of time. Finals week is a time of much stress and anxiety, for both students and teachers alike, and students must try not to procrastinate or perform poorly on these important exams.