For the first time, the state of Missouri has made it mandatory that juniors in high school take the ACT.

At OHS, this means juniors will be taking it on Tues. April 28: the day before their other state mandated test, the EOC (End of Course exams). For juniors, EOCs are taken after completion of a biology class to determine whether the information has been adequately covered, and some teachers make it up to 25 percent of the students’ final grades.

With all of these important tests now within a 48 hour time limit, juniors are experiencing high stress levels as they try to prepare; many have to study for upcoming finals in other classes and AP tests as well.

Some students find it hard to fit in so much studying on top of after school sports, jobs, and other homework. Often they are forced to sacrifice sleep or their social lives, and since it has been drilled into them that junior year is perhaps the most important in determining their future and college careers, it becomes even more imperative that they do well on the ACT.

“It’s not cool that it’s at the end of the year when we are already stressed enough with finals and end of the year projects,” said junior Mikayla Smith.

Hopefully, the students will be able to adequately prepare despite the difficulties, and the test results will reflect their hard work.