Finals. Just that one word is enough to send a shiver down my spine. Every year, students’ joyful holiday spirit and relief that they have made it through the fall semester are temporarily crushed by the impending doom of finals. But, there is one gift that our school graces us with every year to keep that holiday spirit alive: the opportunity to exempt finals. Wow! So kind! So generous! Just kidding, don’t be fooled. While the opportunity to exempt final exams might sound like just about the greatest gift to ever grace an overworked, overstressed, burnt-out high schooler, one group of students have been robbed of this gift: IB students.

For students who are eligible to exempt their exams, there are a few parameters. A student must have a 90 or above in a class and have no disciplinary issues to exempt an exam. So if you meet those requirements, you’re in the clear! Unless you’re an IB student. For fall semester exams, IB students are not able to exempt exams for their core classes regardless of whether or not they meet the requirements of exemption.

As an IB student myself, I feel as though it is my duty to express the true injustice that IB students face come finals season. Many students work very hard to keep grades up throughout the semester and meet the requirements that one would to exempt an exam. Unfortunately, this hard work does not pay off for IB students in the form of exemption. “It’s frustrating to work so hard throughout the semester and then just have more work and stress added at the end of the semester,” said IB junior student Addie Nash.

The IB curriculum is rigorous, and I don’t think that’s a fact that any student would contest. The classes are difficult, the workload is heavy, and the expectations are high. So why are we, the IB students, not able to be rewarded for all of our hard work with a break at the end of the semester? Why are we not allowed the sigh of relief that so many other students get to have when they know their hard work has paid off. 

So the question stands: why are IB students barred from exempting first semester exams? I beg of you North Atlanta, have mercy on the IB students and give us a break. 

Sincerely, 

An overworked, overstressed, burnt-out IB student