How tree pollen affects students' test scores
A Finnish study found that high school students tend to score lower on exams during spring days with lots of tree pollen in the air.
Researchers analyzed nearly 100,000 exams from Helsinki and Turku seniors between 2006 and 2020.
The effect on students
On days with more alder or hazel pollen, students' scores dropped—even for those without allergies.
For every extra 10 grains of alder pollen per cubic meter, scores dipped by about 0.04 points (on a 1-66 scale); hazel pollen had an even bigger effect.
Both low and high pollen levels made a difference: small amounts can catch you off guard, while big spikes are tough even if you take allergy meds.
Similar studies in other countries
Similar studies in Norway, the US, and the UK also found that more pollen means lower test scores for kids and young adults—sometimes by as much as 1-2% or even up to 70% compared to winter results.
Researchers suggest schools consider timing big exams outside peak allergy seasons to help students do their best.