Frisco ISD doesn’t have finals, but dual credit students attending Collin College are in the midst of taking finals before the school’s winter break begins on Dec. 16.

“Collin finals is just like a midterm for AP classes except it is made by the teacher per class,” senior Jared Jones said. “It’s not that bad as in AP classes we usually have some form of Midterm to help us for the AP test in the spring. It is good practice as that is what we will experience in college.”

But while major and minor grades are a set percentage of grades in Frisco, it’s a different story at Collin. 

“Finals will differ depending on which classes,” senior Paige Swallow said. “Some of my classes are cumulative finals while others are just another test. Usually on the last day of class, you go in and take the final and then you’re done. Some of my finals are 50 percent of my grade and others are 15 percent.”

Never having taken finals before, Swallow has found it a bit of a challenge taking finals.

 “It’s definitely stressful because I don’t feel like I’ve been prepared in how to study for a final,” Swallow said. “I took a final last year for my English class but it has been different having to take four finals this year.” 

Although finals are new for senior Pierce Rupert, he doesn’t mind them.

“Finals really aren’t that bad,” Rupert said. “They’re basically just accumulative tests over the semester’s curriculum. You’re a  little more at ease knowing the entire course isn’t riding on one test after all the work you’ve done in the class through your the semester.”

Rupert believes finals can give him a glimpse of what college exams will be like. 

“I think taking taking finals now gives me an accurate representation of the college testing experience since it technically is a college test,” Rupert said. “It makes things like timing and general understanding of how they work easier when I go off to a bigger school.”