The halls bustle with students cramming as the day begins. Friends frantically quiz each other and try to recall all the content of the marking period as the warning bell rings. Some students click their pens, and others tap their feet, all waiting for the test to begin. 

This is how many students picture quarterlies. 

Quarterlies, normally held at the end of each marking period, were removed during the pandemic. The lack of quarterlies last year, causes students and teachers to be uncertain of their return and only current seniors with the perspective of firsthand experience.

“I had a lot of anxiety in the days that neared the quarterlies,” Omari Roach ‘23 commented. “The stress compiled with the multiple tests I had to take. Many nights were spent sleepless because of the studying I had to do.”

It has been confirmed that there will be no quarterlies this marking period. This change has led many to wonder what they are missing.  

Quarterlies were designed to be a gauge for lesson retention and end-of-marking period skill and content knowledge acquisition. Although some teachers found quarterlies helpful, some students disagree.

“The quarterlies were very unnecessary in my opinion. I think the goal was to show how well teachers taught the material to their classes, added Roach. “The quarterlies only showed how well students could cram and memorize material. It was only 10% of our grade, but its importance was stressed heavily. In no way were the quarterlies necessary.” Other students have exhibited similar sentiments about the exams, claiming they add unnecessary stress and do not aid in the long-term recognition of the material.

Because only current seniors have had a firsthand experience of quarterlies, underclassmen have expressed anxiety over the possibility of quarterlies returning. 

“I think the quarterlies would have affected me in a bad way. I just wouldn’t have any time to study for them with all the assignments and tests going on in just regular classes. I wouldn’t want my grade to go down because of the quarterlies,” said Priscilla Go ‘26.

“[Quarterlies] are certainly not necessary; I understand that from a teacher’s standpoint it analyzes how far you’ve grown, but really, I don’t feel it’s necessary,” Prisha Nair ‘25 remarked. She added, “we’ve gone the past two years without [quarterlies], and we can do it again. We’re going another year without them so what’s the necessity behind it?” 

A look to current college practices could prove useful.  Without a quarterly or midterm practice at the high school level, a questions remains if students will have the necessary practice in stress management and study skills to approach this kind of assessment at the collegiate level when the time comes.

Thus, while the quarterly continues its absence from Edison High School’s standardized tests this marking period, the future of this former staple and its usefulness remains uncertain.