EOCs. No four letters can spike the stress levels of Texas students more than these four. Every year, sometimes twice a year, EOCs return to terrorize students everywhere, including at our campus. However, these tests don’t have to be such terrors. The best way to conquer a fear of anything is to learn more about it, and these tests are no exception. In light of this, the most common questions about the EOCs shall be answered here, so when the EOCs come again the fear shall not return along with them.

The cause of this fear is primarily the fear of failure. The consequences of failure loom over stressed students, the threats of grades, make-up courses, and belated graduations making the shadows ever more threatening. Well, if those students did a little research, they would find that there is a lot less to fear than what they make out. The EOCs do not affect grades, GPA, or class rankings. Even so, they must be passed for graduation purposes; it is a test to see if students have learned the material in each course. If a student fails, they do not pass the course. However, if a student actually does fail, then the EOC he or she failed will be available for retakes during the summer.

EOC test administrator Lisa Swan said the lack of effect on grades was a rather controversial point during its creation, and it was only resolved recently that the test would not affect grades.

Dealing with the shadow of failure is far simpler than most students imagine as well. Swan’s advice to “pay attention” is actually quite sage advice. The best way to be prepared for the EOCs is to simply pay attention in class. A good portion of the EOCs will be over topics covered in the corresponding class. As if that wasn’t simple enough for most students to cover, many classes give out EOC review packets as well that sometimes contain the exact questions used on the EOC.

The EOCs are nowhere close to being as threatening as they are made out to be. Once a man takes it upon himself to get to know a fear, the fear dissipates, and all that is left of that fear is understanding and respect for what once brought terror, as well as a little bit of confidence for when he must face it again.