I recently mentioned that my exam date was scheduled for
December 1st, but that plan has fallen through. My proctor works at the local public library,
and he does not work that day. He called
my house and spoke to my wife, and he told her that while he does not work that
day, any librarian could act as my proctor.
Not so fast.
According to the Penn Foster
College student handbook, all
proctors must be pre-approved by the school.
So, he is the only person who can proctor my test. Back to the calendar.
While I was at work, my wife called my proctor and
rescheduled the exam, for December 8th. This will not work either, According to the exam materials I received
in the mail, I must take the exam within three weeks of my proctor receiving
it. He received my exams in the mail
earlier this week. December 8th
is too late. If I were to wait until
then to take my exam, PFC would declare the exam invalid, and I would have
taken it for nothing.
The only other available day I can take this exam is
November 24th, next Saturday.
This means I now have only one week to study for six one-hour exams,
which is sooner than I had expected. But,
I am anxious to take the exams and get them behind me, so I will just have to
cram between now and next Saturday, provided that date will work for my
proctor.
I never thought I would be looking forward to taking these
exams, but the closer I get to the date (whatever it might be), the more I find
myself just wanting to take them and be done with them. After all, until I take these exams and get
my grade, I can’t begin working on Semester Two.
It would be easier, of course, if PFC simply had timed
online exams, like many other distance learning institutions. Some distance learning schools have done away
with exams altogether, and simply require the students to turn in multiple
graded assignments during their courses.
I won’t be able to speak to my proctor until Tuesday. Here’s hoping next Saturday will work out.