Proctored exams: another hidden fee
Some college courses have ways of squeezing more money out of students past the initial tuition amount.
February 21, 2023
There are some courses that require us to pay for proctored exams that are responsible for passing or failing a class. Financial aid is a savior for students like myself who cannot afford tuition, so having to come out-of-pocket to pay for a required exam should not be allowed.
Online-only students are already stuck with fees that do not benefit us, therefore, paying for proctored exams feels like another way we’re being taken advantage of.
“As an online student, I do not use the parking lots and I still pay the parking lot fee,” Daniella Heming, Cartersville campus health science major, said.
This is an example of a fee students must pay that should be tailored for online students.
Financial aid does not cover proctored exams students have to take. The reality of failing a course because you are unable to pay for one is unfair.
The idea that students have to take proctored exams to validate their success in a course may be a way of saying online-only students need some form of supervision. I think having to deal with Lockdown Browser is stressful enough, and I should not be worried about paying additional costs to potentially pass or fail a class.
Students have the choice of taking an in-person proctored exam or an online one. However, the online option is often more expensive, making it more of a chore for online-only students.
From my experience, there are no free proctored exams and the only way to take them is to pay up to $30 out-of-pocket for each one.
“If a student can’t afford to pay for them, they just automatically fail the class no matter how much effort they put into the quizzes and discussions,” Alexis Hall, Floyd campus English major, said.
Proctored exams are known to be taken for exams such as the TEAS and LSAT. Although still important, the stakes are not as high for a course final and do not warrant the extra cost of a proctored exam.
College students already have to pay for tuition, textbooks and other utility fees that may not even directly apply to us. We should not have to be concerned with paying for proctored exams out-of-pocket as well.
