Has any one had a positive experience w/ ProctorU?/How can I Not Freak out?

sarahisk

I've read so many horror stories about bad proctors on ProctorU from people who've already sat for the May and June flex tests. How do I go into the July flex with a positive attitude without feeling like the system is dooming us from the get-go?
Is anyone else nervous about this? If so, what have you been doing to help your nerves? If anyone has had a positive experience with ProctorU, I'd really appreciate it if you could share it here!

noonawoon

Yeah this was a big concern for me when taking the June test after hearing about the May test!

I will say, I had a very positive experience with the proctor in June and Dave Killoran also reported that, in aggregate, people had much more positive experiences in June. Not as many technology issues were reported and LSAC specifically said they added the option for proctors to pause the test to fix tech issues (they stupidly didn't have this in May, which is why we heard reports of lost time). I think LSAC took the feedback into account and improved the processes the second time around.

What I also tell myself to calm nerves is that, if I have proctor/tech issues, I will demand a retake from LSAC that week like some people have. Obviously retaking is never ideal, but I'd want to be able to retake as soon as possible to avoid throwing off my timeline.

sickomode

I was also really worried about this when I took the June flex, after reading several negative recaps from people who tested in May. But I think that LSAC worked out a lot of those problems before June, and things will probably be even better in July. I had a great proctor experience during the June flex, and basically didn't even notice my proctor was there aside from my webcam light being on.

I didn't succeed in doing this before my test, but I wish I had because the anxiety isn't worth it - try and remember that the people who had bad experiences are always going to be more vocal about it than those for whom everything was perfectly fine. The main problems that I feel were talked about before were them not allowing scrap paper/proctors being loud and not muting themselves. In my case, my proctor was completely aware that scrap paper was allowed (and I think this was true for most June flex takers), and worst case scenario if your proctor does forget to mute themselves, just turn off your volume. If they need to get your attention for whatever reason and you can't hear them because your volume is off, they can enable remote control of your computer and bring the chat box to the front again.

sarahisk

@noonawoon @sickomode Thank you so much for your helpful comments! You're 100% right about people with bad experiences being more vocal. It's so reassuring to know that June test takers had a relatively good experience and that LSAC is continuing to make proper adjustments in accordance with user feedback!

noonawoon

@sarahisk Yeah! Just remember that LSAC doesn't want to have to give people retakes, that costs more money for them. So they will continue to try to clarify instructions and improve the technology if it means they can avoid issues.

ARMANC74

That's not necessarily true, LSAC mostly uses non-disclosed tests probably over the last 2-3 years for the makeup tests that people write. They're not burning through new questions

studyingandrestudying

And law schools very likely want things to go well, i.e., one student and one take, as it would be concerning if a bunch of people had to retake because the online situation was an issue.

beyoncepadthai-1

I actually had a very positive experience writing in June. As with the others, the check-in process took about 5 minutes and the proctor was very pleasant and had clearly switched proctors several times during the test but didn't notice. I drove myself crazy worrying about technical issues during the test, but as long as you have consistent wifi connection, you will be fine! And from what I can tell, ProctorU is getting better at administering this test with each cycle that passes, so it's likely that things will go even more smoothly by July!

meghaneg

The biggest advice I can give you is to go with whatever happens. If you're prepared for the prospect that a technical issue may happen, you'll better be able to deal with whatever emotions come up if such an issue arises. I had a small technical issue at the beginning of the June Flex and a significant issue in the middle, but I was allowed to return to the section and didn't lose time (even though I had an hour between two halves of the section). I let my nerves get to me in that hour between halves of my LG section, and I wish I'd kept front and center in my mind that most problems CAN be resolved and that I would likely be able to complete the test with the proper amount of time.

Of course, I hope you don't have any issues! But staying calm and accepting the possibility of technical problems is my recommendation instead of reassuring you that you won't experience them.

SaulGoodman

@"beyoncepadthai-1" said:
I actually had a very positive experience writing in June. As with the others, the check-in process took about 5 minutes and the proctor was very pleasant and had clearly switched proctors several times during the test but didn't notice. I drove myself crazy worrying about technical issues during the test, but as long as you have consistent wifi connection, you will be fine! And from what I can tell, ProctorU is getting better at administering this test with each cycle that passes, so it's likely that things will go even more smoothly by July!

Your username!! The Mindy Project is so underrated...