I thought the exam was today, and it turns out it was yesterday. It was not at the normal class time. I have zero idea what to do- the school has a policy that students may request a make up as long as they have a valid excuse (which I don’t).
If I don’t take the exam, I will most certainly fail, which I CANNOT. I want to be honest with the professor, but I’m scared if I tell them the truth that they won’t let me take the exam.
For some context, I have been pretty good all semester- attended every class, done the homework, done decently well on quizzes. I am also a dual-enrollment student (I’m in high school), so I don’t know if that would affect how lenient the professor is.
I’m really torn. I don’t know what to do. Please advise.
Indeed. And in fact, when I was teaching, I would consider this excuse understandable and therefore valid. It was really just a matter of credibility for me, and the quicker the student acts after the time they thought the exam was, the more credible it would look to me.
I’m a professor. This happens on occasion. The professor has lots of options. I think they will have some mercy on a dual enrollment student with good class standing, but it depends on how often it happens, their mood, etc. Newer professors tend to be more strict, as they are often disrespected and have to build their reputation. Experienced professors are a little softer. Be honest and apologetic and optimistic. If they have office hours, try to go. It is easier to get policy exceptions face to face, off the record. Another option (besides the makeup) may be to calculate your grade without the final - but that depends on how the course is designed and if the final is a significant measure of learning or just an additional opportunity to improve. Also, professors don’t like the word to get out that it isn’t a problem if you miss the exam, so be discreet (don’t ask in front of others). Good luck.
This happened to me my first semester of grad school. I had been out of college for decades and just didn’t know/remember that finals have their own scheduled time and are not during regular class time.
I was only an hour late and the professor let me stay the extra time because it was an honest mistake.
I agree with the others to contact the faculty and (very) politely apologize and explain and ask if there are any options that would be available to you.
I’m a professor. If someone contacts me after having missed the final, I let them make it up. It helps if they are really apologetic and take responsibility, but I’m not going to force a student to throw away a whole semester’s work because of one mistake. Especially given that you’re a dual-enrollment student, the professor will likely be understanding that you don’t quite have the hang of this yet. And if you’ve been diligent in the class thus far (as you appear to have been) it’s hard to imagine that the prof won’t be sympathetic.
I agree with all of the above but would add be ready to take the exam asap. Otherwise you have extra time to study which isn’t fair. Is the exam proctored? Then the school will have to pay for a proctor. I am hoping this works out for you and think it will!
The school will not have to pay for a proctor. These things are generally handled informally. Either there is a test center to handle makeups (which I suppose the school does pay for, but there is no added expense for a single student), or the professor will proctor when they’re in the office anyway, or an administrative assistant in the department will set the student up in an empty office, etc.
As I write, I’ve got two students taking makeup finals in my office (I’m not there). It didn’t cost anything, and the people overseeing it are paid to be there anyway.
I’m a professor, too, and I would absolutely allow a student who did well throughout the semester to take a make-up final. I agree with others: contact the professor asap, be apologetic and honest. Professors are humans :).
Since my dad was one of my professors, I knew most of mine since I grew up around them. They were all nice guys. One who babysat me is a engineer known internationally.
It cracked me up how intimidated my fellow students were of them. I told them the professors don’t bite! They want their students to succeed.
