Emma Dimig/Nubian Message
Students wait to be called to take their online exams at the Centennial Campus Testing Center in Venture IV on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018.
Yesenia Jones | Staff Writer
The Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications (DELTA) Test Centers unveiled a new appointment-only testing policy designed to eliminate wait times and avoid disturbing surrounding merchants.
According to Tim Petty, the associate vice provost for online and distance education, the decision to switch to appointment-only testing was made in November 2018 in collaboration with the property management company that manages Venture IV, the building that houses the Centennial Campus Test Center.
“The Centennial Campus Test Center is in a privately owned building and at peak times, walk-in testing was disrupting the business of other tenants,” Petty said. “DELTA worked with the property management company on a plan to reduce the disturbance. Testing by appointment was part of the plan as it will distribute traffic to and from the test center more evenly throughout the day.”
Petty also stated that the switch to appointment-only testing will eliminate wait times, with each student having a guaranteed time to take their exam.
Last December, students taking final exams witnessed wait times of approximately 4 hours, according to the WaitTime web application. The long wait times were created by a snowstorm that closed the University for multiple days. However, not all students have faced such extreme wait times in the testing centers.
“I haven’t really ever waited for an exam,” said Guimel Magallanes Hernandez, a third-year studying biological sciences. “At most the max was 10 minutes.”
Hernandez said the ability to walk in at your leisure and wait minimal amounts of time to take your exams was very convenient. This privilege will no longer be afforded to students as no walk-in testing will be permitted going forward.
“I personally do not like it because it doesn’t give me the freedom to take the exam whenever I want,” Hernandez said. “My exams this semester have a certain time frame, in that case, I don’t want to face any scheduling difficulties due to this new change.”
Some students worry that appointments will be limited and run out quickly, leaving inconvenient time frames to take their exams.
In order to avoid having less time to take your exam, DELTA suggests scheduling your appointment now.
“Appointments must be made at least 24 hours in advance, but DELTA encourages everyone to make appointments for all their exams as far in advance as possible,” Petty said. “Appointments can be made now for the whole semester.”
According to the Online Distance and Education website, students must also arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled exam. Failure to do so could result in less time to take your exam or cancelation of your appointment.
The website also states that appointments may also be canceled if the student is unable to provide a valid photo ID, which includes a Wolfpack One Card, driver’s license, passport, or military ID.
To schedule an exam, students must use NC State’s online RegisterBlast portal at go.ncsu.edu/takemytest. Exams for courses within the College of Sciences may be taken at the Cox Hall Testing Center. All others must be taken at Centennial Campus Testing Center.
Students can cancel or reschedule exams up to 24 hours before the original time by visiting the “My History” section on the RegisterBlast portal.
For more information regarding the appointment policy, visit the Online and Distance Education Frequently Asked Questions.
