Although seniors have no doubt earned certain privileges through their hard work throughout four years of high school, there is no logical reason for seniors to be released for the summer a week earlier than everyone else. 

The schedule for seniors is set up in such a way that all finals are taken a week earlier than each of the other grades, leaving them to finish their school year a week earlier than the other grade levels. This schedule often upsets younger students, as they feel this “extra” week is unfair to them. 

The senior schedule does not really present any unfairness or injustice to the lower grade levels, but rather creates inconveniences for everyone involved. As the seniors are facing their final year of high school, it is entirely fair to allow them certain “privileges,” like events and, seemingly, a week-early ending to school. However, this “privilege” actually creates more problems than it’s worth.

Firstly, this school day schedule introduces unnecessary problems for classes with students of multiple grade levels. Teachers will have to complete their curriculum by the time the seniors finish school, as they will need to be ready for their final. This leaves an entire week of time that goes to waste, as it is too little time to introduce any new information or projects.

Because of this, the senior schedule wastes the time of teachers and fellow students, presenting an inconvenience to both groups.

Additionally, many seniors view this extra week as an inconvenience for themselves. Although getting out of school a week early may sound appealing from afar, when the time for finals comes around and seniors begin preparing for life beyond high school, their final days are unnecessarily rushed.

This also affects seniors’ personal friendships that they have made throughout their high school years with students of different grade levels. As the final days of high school come to be, the time that seniors and lowerclassmen get to spend together becomes increasingly precious. Often, seniors cherish their last school days spent with their friends, as life beyond high school can make it very difficult to keep in contact with these classmates. The bittersweet final days of school are treasured because, for many, it is the last time they will see the friends they have made within their classes.

When the final week of school is over only for the seniors, these goodbyes are rushed. Seniors have just finished their finals, and younger students are just beginning theirs, causing the focus to shift away from saying goodbye to their senior friends. This creates an unnecessary inconvenience for these pairings.

Graduating high school is not a simple or easy task. The four years dedicated to graduating take hard work and dedication, meaning that the graduating class of seniors deserve certain privileges and reliefs. However, their “extra” week off from finishing school a week ahead of other students becomes more of a time-stealer than a relief. This week robs seniors of proper time to say goodbye, as well as inconveniencing teachers and other students.