Exam Week: Studying Or Satisfaction

Gilman has a very rigorous exam schedule compared to many schools in the Baltimore area. Most students take multiple two-hour exams over the span of a week, preparing them for college life. However, as with all schools, there are some controversial aspects of the system such as a week-long hiatus to focus on exams, testing locations that may be hard to concentrate in, and weighting differing between teachers. 

In many schools, exams lead to stress and excitement, but Gilman appears to be in a class of its own by the maturity and calmness produced during exam week. Connor Ward ‘26 spoke on how he handles exams. He stated, “Well, I don’t get nervous. I stay cool the whole time through it all. I don’t let it pile up.” Another student Henry Min ‘26 talked about his feelings on exams saying “I think overall, I’m excited because I’m excited for a break and just kind of being done for the semester.” Overall, most students seemed to think exams are not worrisome, and that a good student should be confident in their abilities. Part of this confidence stems from teachers’ desire for students to succeed.

A principal aspect of exam preparation is classes set up by teachers specifically for studying. Many students use this time effectively but some can abuse this time by working on separate classes or non-academic work. The engagement factor can sometimes be the reason for this abuse. Chase Carpenter ‘26 believes “The teacher is setting up 80 minutes of peer study time, and if the student really cares about their grades, they’ll capitalize on it. And for me, it’s really helpful in math, but for classes like French and English, I find myself dazing off and losing focus.” Henry also said, “I think having class time to study is helpful because my teacher’s there, and so if I’m confused or anything, I can just ask my teacher.”

Something that may not be deliberated by teachers, but can change the whole exam experience for students is the location of the exam. Interviewers say the senior tent is easily the worst exam location in winter. For a select group of students, exam location is not applicable as they take exams in a different time frame. When I talked to Toby Rosenband ‘26, he sarcastically stated “I’ve taken my exam in the exact same location every time…the library.” 

Exam Week and the week prior are times when most students become nervous wrecks. However, many Gilman students excel in these situations which explains the brilliance Gilman alumni have achieved. Multiple aspects of exams such as study sessions, locations, and emotions, can overwhelm both students and teachers. The main shortcoming Gilman students fail to realize is that sometimes it is beneficial to feel stressed or extremely excited when exams are forthcoming.