Exam postponement policies allow students to defer exams due to illness, emergencies, religious reasons, military or legal requirements. Make-up exams are monitored and delivered on specific dates. Institutions have limited reasons for postponement, such as medical or family emergencies, but not personal reasons like vacations. Students should investigate their institution’s policies early.
Postponing exams is a standard policy at most colleges, universities, and higher education facilities that allows students to defer or defer course exams in the event of illness or emergency. These deferred exams are commonly known as make-up tests or make-up exams. Exam postponement policies vary by institution or system, but many specify the time and location where makeup exams can be taken. Deferrals may also be granted for religious reasons or due to military or legal requirements.
Standard educational procedure calls for periodic testing to determine student understanding of course material. Many institutions require comprehensive testing in the middle of the academic semester, often referred to as “intermediate terms” and again at the end of the semester. These last tests are known as “final exams” or simply “finals”. In many courses, the results of these tests represent a significant percentage of the student’s overall grade for the semester. Exam postponement policies ensure that students do not miss these important tests due to unexpected circumstances.
At one time, an exam postponement was considered an easy alternative to a rigorous final exam. The make-up tests were sometimes not monitored as closely as the exams in the original classroom. Some instructors used the same tests that other students had already taken, which created the possibility of cheating. In modern times, deferred exams are provided in such a way as to keep cheating to a minimum. They are delivered on a specific date or dates, in a monitored location, and are often different from the original exam.
Most institutions have a limited range of reasons they will accept for postponing an exam. If a student cites a medical reason, a doctor’s note is usually required. A family emergency is another common reason for a student to request a deferment. This does not necessarily mean a death or illness; some educational facilities award them for a sibling’s wedding or other important events. In any case, the administrative office may require independent verification of the reason for the postponement.
Other reasons for postponing an exam include religious holidays, military commitments such as US National Guard training, or court appearances and jury duty. Personal reasons, such as travel plans or vacations, are usually not valid excuses for requesting a postponement. Some institutions, however, will allow a postponement in cases where a student has multiple final exams scheduled for the same day. Most educational institutions have a defined deferred procedure, which may include application deadlines. Students who think they may require an exam deferral should investigate their institution’s policies at the earliest possible date.
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