As the school year comes to a close, students become eager to get out of the school hallways and into the lazy days that summer brings. However, this year some students might want to muster up whatever focus they have left and put it into passing the SOL’s.

In the past, SOL’s have simply been one more test that gets in the way of summer fun. Sure, students might stress over them, but pass them and it means one less exam in the final week of school. This year though, with the difficulty of the SOL increasing, the question is; how much should students study?

Typically, teachers do a good job of preparing students for the SOL, spending a couple of classes before reviewing a year’s worth of information. So, pay attention in class and minimal studying could be done outside of school.

Math is a different story. With less multiple choice and more typing in the answer, the SOL is reaching a new level. In the case of math, just guessing ‘C’ might not work too well this year. Instead, the saying "practice makes perfect" should become the motto for math SOL’s.

In conclusion, this year is the start of change for the SOL. Therefore, it might be time to crack open the books and study a little more than usual.