So far this semester, have you had to take a midterm at the BYU Testing Center, only to find that the line extends and loops around the back of the Joseph Smith Building and the Brimhall Building, all the way to the front of the JSB?
If you said yes to this question, you are not alone. I know a lot of students that have had to experience the excruciating and long Testing Center line this semester. Having to stand in line for an hour just to take a religion midterm that you could be done with in 30 minutes is sometimes quite harrowing.
I understand the idea behind the Testing Center and why it exists, however, there are a lot of students enrolled at BYU every year. According to BYU Facts & Figures, there are 34,737 students that are currently enrolled this semester. 34,737 students? That is an insane number of students having to cram into a single room in the Testing Center. There is not nearly enough room to accommodate every single test-taking student.
Many classes have overlapping midterm dates, causing some students to take multiple midterms in a week. If BYU is expecting all students to take exams around the same time, there will definitely be a huge influx of students going to the Testing Center.This makes it difficult for the Testing Center to not have a line — creating the woeful, long, snake-like line that ensnares poor BYU students who end up waiting for more than an hour to take their test.
If BYU just made some changes to the test-taking process or the Testing Center, there wouldn’t have to be a long line of students all waiting for an hour just to get in to take their exams.
BYU could renovate the Testing Center to make it bigger and allow more room for students to fit. They could also hire more people to work there so that students aren’t backlogged while waiting in line.
Another option that would be highly beneficial would be to change the format of how tests are taken. If there are tests that can be done online, through a laptop or computer, professors should make the tests available to be taken online. There are plenty of good programs like Proctorio, which help ensure students won’t cheat and will be honest as they take their exams.With changes in technology, old test-taking processes can change.
A benefit of allowing students to take online exams from home would be helping cut the wasted hours of standing in front of the Testing Center, and giving them more crucial time to study. It is absolute painful having to wait in line and pull out your textbook and stand as you try to cram last minute information before the test. Not only that, who wouldn’t enjoy taking exams from the comfort of their home?
Let’s think about the students who have to wait in line in snow, rain and the hot sun to take their exams. No one likes waiting for an hour to do anything, especially to take an exam. BYU should make these changes for the benefit of the student body.
— Kristine Kim
Copy Editor
