Last school year, the state of California required all high school seniors to pass an exit exam in order to receive their diplomas.

As graduation day neared, the mandate left more than 100 Napa Valley Unified School District students in limbo. These students had not passed the test on their first try, and would be taking it in May. But the results would not come back for weeks and weeks, meaning they wouldn't learn their academic fates until will after the caps and gowns were just memories for their schoolmates.

In the coming weeks, the test results will be released for those last seniors. If their performance is consistent with the rest of the seniors in the district, nine out of ten will receive diplomas in the mail.

Now, the district is focusing on next year's exam-takers.

This summer, the district is offering a special course designed for entering juniors and seniors. To the district's surprise, younger students are the ones signing up for the class.

"I was expecting to have older students ... but it is good to see younger students wanting to get it done," Scott Merkner, teacher of the class, said.

The class, being held at Vintage High School, has 10 sophomores, four juniors and two seniors.

For the sophomores, March will be the first opportunity to take the test, as underclassmen are given more than one chance to pass.

Before a recent session, 15-year-old Natalie Covarrubias was intimidated by the thought of the exam. After taking the one-month long course, she's confident in her ability to pass the exam.

"I thought the exam would have hard problems, (but after reviewing) I realized I knew more than I thought I did," she said, as she helped explain a math problem to her friend.

The course is math-focused, and helps students by using strategy-based teaching, so students can understand the nature of the test. There wasn't an English review offering this year because only two students signed up. Those students are receiving individual help from Merkner.

"They feel a lot more confident after the strategy class," Laura Ryan, administrator of intervention and assessment, said. "They have an approach as opposed to being overwhelmed."

Fernando Borrayo, 15, a sophomore a Napa High, saw the benefits in taking the review course and opted to take it instead of another elective.

"I thought it was a good idea to review for the exit exam," he said. "I want to be prepared and review."

The biggest challenge for students was learning the material in just 20 days of class. But, to help them after the class, students are allowed to keep their thick review books.