Exam exemptions are a double-edged sword. On one side there is the value of rewarding a student for a semester or even a year of hard work and academic excellence.

But on the other side, there is the value of exams as a learning experience.

Students entering college or the workforce are tested each day. It may be in the form of a written test or merely mastering a task or a skill.

But in either case, students are put under the pressure of an evaluation.

Without ever taking an exam, students are not prepared for the workforce or for furthering their education.

Granted, some students will achieve whether they ever take an exam or not, but they are in the minority.

Superior academic work can be rewarded in ways other than depriving the student of a valuable experience.

The students may not see the value of taking tests at the time, but later on, test-taking benefits are apparent.

Just something to think about …