Proctored exams, how do they work, how much do they cost, etc, etc.

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by rickyjo, Jan 11, 2010.

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  1. rickyjo

    rickyjo Guest

    I have been avoiding any online classes that involve proctored exams, because I actually have no idea how they work. Who can proctor? How much does it cost? How far in advance do I have to schedule it? Does the idea of somebody watching you take a test make anybody else nervous? Where do I find these people anyway? I think I'm going to do some Penn Foster classes to get some credit I need, thanks ahead of time for your help!
     
  2. mbaonline

    mbaonline New Member

    I've never taken a test with a proctor but I help my students find proctors every term...and I've had students from about 20 states plus Israel, Morocco, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Germany etc.

    I always suggest that US students contact the nearest Community College and ask for the testing center. That works a lot. Or the CC library. Other ideas are the public library, a private high school, a technical college.

    These are normally free or small charge options - $5, $10 plus postage/envelope.

    Other options are paid test sites like Thomson or Kaplan or places where you'd take the GMAT or CLEPs. Those would probably cost more money.

    In small towns, the city hall is an option. Or in extreme rural areas I've ok'd the use of a minister or priest.

    Overseas, the US Embassy or other embassies work, as do English language
    learning centers.

    Good luck!
     
  3. TMW2009

    TMW2009 New Member

    Just to add to MBA's comments

    Most of the schools I've seen that have proctored exams require the proctor to have at least an AA degree, and be a non-family member.

    Your local library may have people in the position to proctor. LSU also has a Find A Proctor page that allows you to search your area.

    Find a Proctor
     
  4. rickyjo

    rickyjo Guest

    Thank you both. I'm sorry I should have specified, I'm in Colorado Springs, CO, USA...so all these options should be available to me. I have a large library very close to my home...for some reason I think they have a notary there (I may be wrong)...maybe they would have a proctor as well.
     
  5. Vincey37

    Vincey37 New Member

    Community colleges will work, but in my own personal experience you'll drown in a sea of bureaucracy. Having to fill out forms, schedule your appointment weeks in advance, etc.

    Try giving a local for profit campus a try. I found them much more accommodating and available - a real focus on the customer. There's one benefit of that business model, at least.
     
  6. rickyjo

    rickyjo Guest

    Oh heavens, there are a million benefits to for-profit if you have the money. Courtesy of the government institutions are evil. I loathe and despise bureaucracy from the depths of my soul and will take your advice. I have no desire to do any extra paperwork or suffer any unnecessary annoyance. May all unnecessarily inefficient systems cease to exist.

    That said, do the institutions that require proctored exams ever require you to go to a certain place or type of place? Do they limit your choices or can I go pretty much wherever I want? Should I clear it with them first? I'm still a little fuzzy on what makes somebody qualified to proctor an exam and if it is a universally recognized credential.
     
  7. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Back when I initially began graduate work in 1994 (prior to email) with City University (now City University of Seattle); I used a professor with the University of Houston-Downtown for proctoring. My recollection was that I paid him $25/proctored exam, but in actuality I don’t believe he wanted to charge any fee – just a fine gentleman. One major ease for me receiving proctor approval was that it was painless for City University to forward via U.S. mail (at that time) examination materials directly to another university professor and there was no bureaucratic paperwork to deal with; I dealt directly with the professor regarding proctoring. In fact, this UH professor thought that it was really cool that I lived in Houston but was taking graduate courses from a university in Seattle, WA.
     
  8. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    The college you enroll with will have their own requirements regarding proctors. Their requirements are usually posted on their web sites or in their catalog.
    For example here is the proctor site for LSU:
    http://is.lsu.edu/proctors/default.asp?level=CO&enr=0
     
  9. Havensdad

    Havensdad New Member

    Proctored exams are basically where you pay the college for some guy to sit in the front of the room, and ignore you and the other 80 people in their, eating Cheetoh's, and ignoring the 20 percent of the class who is copying answers off their hand...
     
  10. major56

    major56 Active Member

    I can’t speak to your personal familiarity; however, in my case it was a one-on-one situation … just the proctor and me – and I don’t recall any cheetos. :)
     
  11. Havensdad

    Havensdad New Member

    Community colleges, such as the one near me, have open proctoring sessions. Basically, they have a set time certain days of the week, where you just "walk in" and sit for your exam. From what I have seen, this generally happens in one of the largest classrooms in the place, and some days it is quite packed...with a single guy up front, eating cheetos...
     
  12. MISin08

    MISin08 New Member

    The university testing center where I took all my CLEPs does it, for the same price as a CLEP. They need enough lead time for the materials to get to them via snail mail. Really handy, though I haven't had to avail myself of it yet. Could there be a similar thing in your area?

    Phillip
     
  13. cutedeedle

    cutedeedle I speak Geek. Will translate on request.

    I had a few exams proctored when completing my DL degree with U of Oklahoma. They listed the various types of "officials" who would be allowed to proctor my exams -- ranging from a university professor to a librarian to a priest, rabbi or minister. I chose the local CC after making sure they would agree to do it (it was free). The lady there was a secretary or some such thing. She put me in an unoccupied room by myself and left me alone, never even checked on me. Any college that needs proctored exams will be very specific about the requirements. It's not that bad, really!
     
  14. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    I have taken several proctored exams with the Univeristy of Iowa, and a proctored exam for Aspen University. At first, I was doing it at the local library, where originally they did it for free. After a few years, the library did not want to commit to these proctorings anymore. Why I don't know. All they do is sit you in a very public spot where they can watch you. When you are done, they collect all of your sratch paper, seal up the exam in the envelope that was mailed to the proctor, and that is it (after they mail back to the Uni). Oh, they also check your ID to make sure you are who you say you are.

    Later, I started taking my proctored exams at my local community college. They are easy to work with, and will give them on Saturdays. I think they charge $20.00. No big deal.

    See ya,

    Abner
     
  15. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member


    I have not seen any proctors eating cheetos, but I saw one eating about five twinkies, and another proctor was eating Zingers.

    Abner :)
     
  16. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    My experience is very dated, but I used the testing center at the UMass-Boston campus; it was $25 per exam, but that was many years ago.

    As stated already, every program has different requirements, but you generally can't go wrong if you take an exam at the testing center of a regionally-accredited college or university.
     
  17. rickyjo

    rickyjo Guest

    Well this does sound fairly painless. I think a one-on-one proctoring would make me nervous (having someone watch you while you work) but on 2nd thought I do that every day. People hawk me over my shoulder while I work on their computer at the vast majority of my appointments. It's a little different though, no matter how nervous I get (I hate shoulder watchers so much!) I can always just say I'm out of time and have to take the computer home (I warn every costumer of the possibility). One lady chewed gum next to my ear for two hours and questioned every click, every keystroke. I'm psychologically damaged from it (well, I was for a week or two!), and I guess I wonder if a proctor would be like that sometimes--but I guess I'm just being irrational. Not sure why it makes me nervous.
     
  18. major56

    major56 Active Member

    My 1:1 proctor didn’t sit next to me – only in the same room. If I recall correctly … he was probably catching-up on paperwork. :cool:
     
  19. cutedeedle

    cutedeedle I speak Geek. Will translate on request.

    Prolly cuz you haven't experienced it and it was scary for me too until I had my first proctored exam -- but nobody was in my room, nobody paid any attention to me! I s'pose every proctored exam and location is unique. Just take the plunge and do one. If you don't like the circumstances/location/proctor then you can try another.

    Don't be a-scairt!
     
  20. perrymk

    perrymk Member

    I imagine whoever runs the course can decide who is a suitable proctor. Quite a few years ago I needed a protcor for a pre-employment test for a state job. I was able to use the public library.
     

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