Any advice on how to get a professor to move a test?

[Tennis Guy]

So, this semester is becoming pretty stressful for me. I always seem to have three tests in one week. I've been able to deal with it moderately well, but it seems that after Thanksgiving, I have a week that might destroy me, if I can't manage to get my professor(s) to move a test to a later date. I know that it's my responsibility to plan my schedule each semester, but these classes I had to take this semester and there really wasn't a way around it. So, that week I will have my microbio lab final, which is divided into a practical and written (50 points each) on Monday and Thursday respectively. My genetics test will be on a Thursday and my pathogenic bacteriology (pathogenesis) test will be on a Friday. I really don't know how I'm going to get through that week because that is basically four tests in hard science classes (even though the midterm and practical of my microbio lab count as one test)! My tests for my hard classes always seem to be the same week.

Ugh... it's so frustrating. If I can't manage to get my pathogenesis test moved it's going to be rough. I will go and talk to the professor about this... any advice on how to ask about this? I can't do poorly on my next pathogenic test because I think I will have to use my last test as my dropped because I don't think it went too well. How do you guys deal with weeks like this? I seem to prepare a lot, but I still get pretty overwhelmed and lazy/unproductive/paralyzed with fear when times like these come even when I space out my studying.

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[Doctor Strange]

Professors aren't going to move exams for one student, so don't go into this expecting any payout unless the majority of the class has this same exam situation.

 

[KnuxNole]

Do you mean move the test for everyone, or for you to take it after them on a seperate day?

I doubt the professor is gonna move the test date back because of 1 person. Unless the vast majority of the class is in the same shoes. Even then, the professor might not do anything.

Four exams is hell, hence why they call it hell week in undergrad, but I think it's doubtful that a professor would change an exam because a student has other exams on the same week. Maybe there are people who have done this who can chime in...but I don't think it's gonna go over well imo.

And how do I deal with it? Lots of coffee, trance music, thinking that after this week is over I'll reward myself with booze, finding a good library spot and do work.

Think of it as a pre-lude to multiple exams on the same day/week in med school if nothing else and press forward.

 

[NickNaylor]

I hate when people complain about moving tests because there are other tests the few days surrounding it. People in my medical school class actually did this 🙂confused🙂 last year. It's the height of ridiculous.

Unless you want to come across as a whiny kid who can't handle it, I wouldn't do it. You've already wasted time writing this post here and worrying about it IRL that you could've spent with your nose to the grindstone studying. I have little sympathy for people who's difficulty in life lies in taking freakin tests in college.

 

[DAPI]

Are you going to ask for your finals to be moved too? 🙄

 

[NickNaylor]

Are you going to ask for your finals to be moved too? 🙄

My undergrad actually had a policy that students with more than three finals on one day could request that one be moved and the professor had to comply. I suppose that's somewhat more reasonable, but still a little too hand-holdy for me.

 

[DavetheMD]

If this is stressful, how will you perform in med school? It's not the professor's responsibility to appease students that decide to take 24 credit hours of hard science either. We all make sacrifices in academia. Learn where/when to cut your losses.

 

[cortana431]

Do tests get longer as you take upper level classes? Im still in intro level bio chem and physics and the maximum time for each test for all the classes is an hour (hour and 20 minutes for bio) but myself and some others usually finish in about 30 minutes. in differential equations though, nearly everyone utilizes the full hour and 20 minutes time. but I wouldn't mind, currently, taking more than 1 test in a day, much less in 1 week.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I don't have anything to contribute other than that my grad program is awesome in that the epi and biostats programs try to coordinate schedules so we don't have that problem and i love them for it.

OP you've got plenty of time to start studying to make sure you're on top of that all by the time that week rolls around. Unless the majority of your classmates are all in the same boat as you and you could ask a really sympathetic instructor about pushing it back for everyone you're out of luck. I've seen that happen once, with an upper division instructor who knew us all and that we were not major slackers and we didn't really ask, more like it was mentioned and he offered to move it.

 

[def1]

I hate when people complain about moving tests because there are other tests the few days surrounding it. People in my medical school class actually did this 🙂confused🙂 last year. It's the height of ridiculous.

Unless you want to come across as a whiny kid who can't handle it, I wouldn't do it. You've already wasted time writing this post here and worrying about it IRL that you could've spent with your nose to the grindstone studying. I have little sympathy for people who's difficulty in life lies in taking freakin tests in college.

Yea I've never had a problem with tests being the same day or all crammed in one week. Unless you are one of those people who just crams the night before then I guess taking multiple tests in a week would be difficult but thats your own fault.

 

[bkprodigy]

I love it when pre-meds complain about college exams.

 

[Copernicium]

You think that the prof will move his exam just because of you? What makes you so special? It's even worse because you said yourself that

I still get pretty overwhelmed and lazy/unproductive/paralyzed with fear when times like these come even when I space out my studying.

🙄

Come on OP.

 

[typicalindian]

I've got 5 exams between next monday and tuesday. suck it up mannnn

 

[Geebeejay]

Don't ask him. He won't move it for one kid, you'll come off as a little bitch (sorry for the language), and, quite frankly, EVERYONE in college has this problem one time or another - probably more frequently for science kids. Suck it up, life's tough, and study smart.

I love it when pre-meds complain about college exams.

Oh please, you were a pre-med what, 6 months ago? OP's got the wrong idea with this post, but why open that can of worms?

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

Professors aren't going to move exams for one student, so don't go into this expecting any payout unless the majority of the class has this same exam situation.

Let it go OP and tough it out.

 

[Moosepig]

The week after Thanksgiving you say? Sounds like you've got a whole week of no classes or assignments to study (Or at the least, 5 days depending on your school's schedule) prior to this week. Cases like this certainly are not fun, and often end up detrimental to your grade, but that is a part of college. Best of luck to you- you may find the coming gauntlet won't be as bad as you are anticipating.

 

[angemon89]

I've got 5 exams between next monday and tuesday. suck it up mannnn

Easy for you to say mr class of 2017 😛

 

[IncognitoGuy]

Nothing you can do. Grit your teeth and get through it.

 

[Ashley1989]

The only thing I can think of to contribute is to set a very regimented schedule before Thanksgiving break, so you can get some serious studying done during that time. I would also make a strict schedule for that test week, and stick to it. Have a set wake up time, bed time, study time, eating time, working out time, relaxing time etc etc. it might be helpful to micromanage that week that you have all your tests because then it's a matter of proper time management and endurance.

On the up side, you know wayyyyy in advance so you can plan accordingly. Good luck OP, you can do it!

 

[ribbondino]

Don't ask him. He won't move it for one kid, you'll come off as a little bitch (sorry for the language), and, quite frankly, EVERYONE in college has this problem one time or another - probably more frequently for science kids. Suck it up, life's tough, and study smart.



Oh please, you were a pre-med what, 6 months ago? OP's got the wrong idea with this post, but why open that can of worms?

This made me laugh hardcore.

 

[Yoseph101]

OP, start studying now and you'll be fine. Live in the library over thanksgiving.

 

[Mountaineer12]

The week after Thanksgiving you say? Sounds like you've got a whole week of no classes or assignments to study (Or at the least, 5 days depending on your school's schedule) prior to this week. Cases like this certainly are not fun, and often end up detrimental to your grade, but that is a part of college. Best of luck to you- you may find the coming gauntlet won't be as bad as you are anticipating.

👍

Just what I was about to say. If you know these tests are coming up and they're going to be rough start studying now. You said micro is a final so you can get everything down pat now so the night before you just have to do a light review. If you don't have the material for the other two yet then at least study during Thanksgiving break.

 

[Samiamm]

. I have little sympathy for people who's difficulty in life lies in taking freakin tests in college.

Omg you're so awesome and sexy naylor, I wish everyone in our nation was like you!!!

 

[music2doc]

So, this semester is becoming pretty stressful for me. I always seem to have three tests in one week. I've been able to deal with it moderately well, but it seems that after Thanksgiving, I have a week that might destroy me, if I can't manage to get my professor(s) to move a test to a later date. I know that it's my responsibility to plan my schedule each semester, but these classes I had to take this semester and there really wasn't a way around it. So, that week I will have my microbio lab final, which is divided into a practical and written (50 points each) on Monday and Thursday respectively. My genetics test will be on a Thursday and my pathogenic bacteriology (pathogenesis) test will be on a Friday. I really don't know how I'm going to get through that week because that is basically four tests in hard science classes (even though the midterm and practical of my microbio lab count as one test)! My tests for my hard classes always seem to be the same week.

Ugh... it's so frustrating. If I can't manage to get my pathogenesis test moved it's going to be rough. I will go and talk to the professor about this... any advice on how to ask about this? I can't do poorly on my next pathogenic test because I think I will have to use my last test as my dropped because I don't think it went too well. How do you guys deal with weeks like this? I seem to prepare a lot, but I still get pretty overwhelmed and lazy/unproductive/paralyzed with fear when times like these come even when I space out my studying.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DksSPZTZES0[/YOUTUBE]



Seriously, dude. You're just going to come off as a whiner. Yeah, exams suck. Get used to it. If you can't hack it now, it may be time to cut your losses. Med school gets way tougher than 3-4 exams in a week. Exams for us averaging just over one ever 2 weeks with most exams covering material from 2 courses for about 120-200 test items. (We have a hybrid block schedule.) Tests are on an application and synthesis level with an emphasis on details.