A record number of students are taking proctored tests at the Distance and Online Learning center in Room 60 in the basement of Carver for finals this year. Students coming to take tests may be surprised to find that they may be waiting in line for house, a line that often extends around the building.

Brady Rebhuhn, junior in journalism in mass communication, waited over an hour to take her final for her Visual Principles for Mass Communicators final.

“It was really busy; our teacher recommended to take it either Friday, Saturday or Sunday, because it had extended hours,” Rebhuhn said. “Normally I don’t have to wait at all. It seems like it was pretty packed with people taking tests.”

However, it was not a complete waste of time.

“It wasn’t so bad. What it seemed like what it did was that everyone was studying in line the whole time,” Rebhuhn said.”It was sort of inconvenient, but yeah.”

She did not think it made a difference when taking the test and was not opposed to taking more exams at the center.

It’s good news for Rebhuhn, because the testing center continues to grow.

“We’ve had quite an increase in the use of the testing center,” said Douglas Bull, testing facility manager. “From the very beginning we’ve experienced growth in the center every year.”

The testing center hosts tests throughout the semester for numerous classes, and often rearranges them to ease the stress and traffic flow within the center. However, finals week presents its own challenge.

“Finals week is always the most stressful time. During the semester, you don’t have every course offering an exam every week,” Bull said. “Every course funnels in on the one week — that makes for a really large population of students coming to the testing center.”

The center will be administering more than 50,000 exams for finals week, all of which come from Iowa State courses.

“More instructors are wanting to use blackboard to deliver their exams so they are looking for a proctored location that they can then send the students to take those exams, and they just continually grow.”

On arrival students, taking exams should check in at the front desk need to bring their photo ID before taking the test and a proctor will direct them to an available computer. The students will need to provide the course name, section, instructor’s name and which exam they are taking.

“I think it’s going to to continue to grow. There are obviously some exams that are not conducive to this sort of delivery, but for a number of exams it works very well,” Bull said. “It gives students flexibility and I think it offers the students opportunities. If they’re not in class taking an exam, it offers some opportunities for students, and it gives them more values added to their tuition dollar.”

Basic testing rules apply to the proctored exams. Things like cheating, talking, cell phone use and using the restroom are not permitted. Also, students will not be allowed to navigate to other websites or use zip drives for the tests. Students will be provided with scratch paper but will have to return it when they finish the exam.

The computers will shut off promptly, and students will not be allowed to use computers after they shut off, and will not be admitted after the allotted closing time.

Students are encouraged to arrive early because the center only has 48 terminals, and they fill up quickly. Bull encourages students not to wait await until the last minute to take their exams, and instead should come in in the mornings so they do not have to wait in line.