Year after year students face exam week each semester; a test no one wants to take. After learning day after day, students are expected to retain this knowledge and show their teachers what has stayed in their head. However it is possible to stay out of these tests by achieving the newly-set minimum grade of 90.

The question is should this be the minimum, or is a higher or lower grade more appropriate? The topic is controversial and one’s answer may vary based on where his grade stands.  A student struggling to get that final point to achieve exemption may believe the minimum should be 85. On the other hand, a hard working student may have well above a 90 and is satisfied.

“The minimum grade should be a 90 because that is an “A.” It shows that the student has put a lot of effort into the class and he deserves to be out,” said Tyler Leppert. “However if the class is more difficult then the teacher should be able to consider lowering the exemption grade.”

Also, a higher minimum exemption grade may prove to be a higher reward for those who achieve it. It can give more motivation for people to get higher grades rather than settle.

However Gian Salamoni has an opposing view. He said, “85 is a high enough. It shows that you have tried in the class and you have participated. I think that’s all you should need to be exempt. The exam isn’t necessary if you tried throughout the semester.”

This seems to be the more popular opinion on the exams. Many people question the need for an exam for those who have participated. Overall, the raised grade has seemed to upset many of the students and has caused them to be ineligible for exemption.