Preparing Your Test

Once your exam is scheduled with us, we work alongside you to ensure a smooth testing experience for you and your students. The timeline below provides an overview of the proctored testing process, including some of the steps you will need to take prior to exam day.

Steps for Instructors

Take the steps below to prepare your test for proctoring. 

6-12 Weeks Before the Semester

Request Services 

Once your request is received, we will review our availability for your preferred exam dates, length of your exam, and size of your enrollments. We prioritize online classes followed by large-enrollment face-to-face classes. We typically reach maximum capacity for fall and spring finals week within a month of our request for services announcement.

Instructors are permitted to utilize our off-campus proctor network and our online proctor SmarterProctoring for high-stakes exams in online courses. Face-to-face students should test on campus.

Request Services

Add Required Syllabus Language

You must disclose proctored testing fees in the course syllabus distributed on the first day of class. See the What to Tell Students page for syllabus language.

1st Day of the Semester

Since online courses include multiple proctoring options, we ask students to select their proctor within the first two weeks of the semester. Please emphasize the importance of proctor selection to your students on your first day of class, as it is vital to accurately forecasting service volume. If you would like a report on your students’ proctor selections, reach out to us at any time.

3-4 Weeks Before the Exam

Add Your Exams to Canvas

Be sure to align your exam title, duration, testing dates, and instructions with your testing services request.

Configure SmarterProctoring

If using SmarterProctoring, it is critical that you set up your exams accurately and well in advance. See our SmarterProctoring Guide for Instructors article for complete instructions.

1. Enable SmarterProctoring on each exam and give students at least 2 weeks in advance to schedule their exams. During peak times (like finals week), students should have at least 4 weeks. 
2. Add extended time accommodations within Canvas and SmarterProctoring before the registration window opens.
3. After students begin scheduling their exams, do not make any significant changes to exam settings without consulting us first. Certain edits may result in fee discrepancies, invalidated test appointments, makeup exams, and other issues we can help you avoid. 

14 Days Before the Exam

Finalize the Exam

1. In the Instructor Request application, review the exam duration, permitted materials, and special instructions for proctors. In-person proctors rely on this information when preparing their systems, materials, and staff well in advance of the exam.
2. In Canvas, finalize your exam content and ensure the exam instructions, permitted exam aids, time limit, due date, and availability dates align with what you provided in the Instructor Request application. We’ll take care of the rest of the Canvas settings in the next step.

Please contact us if your exam content will not be ready in time for us to configure settings.

5-14 Days Before the Exam

We Configure the Exam

ODL Technical Support will review your exam settings and configure your test for proctoring based on the approved methods. Configuration may include adding location-based instructions for testers, restricting exam access based on network location, generating a password, or enabling online proctoring tools. Exams held at the main campus Testing Center and OAS Testing Center use a network-restricted version. Exams held off-campus and online use a password-restricted version.

If you need to make changes to your exam fewer than 14 days before the exam, please consult us first.

5 Days Before the Exam

Review Exam Settings

1. Review your exam content and settings and contact ODL Technical Support before making any changes.
2. Adjust time in Canvas for any students needing extra-time accommodations. (Online courses will have two exam versions based on the proctoring method, so be careful to adjust time for the correct version. If you're unsure which version is correct, add extra time to all versions.) Contact ODL Technical Support if you need assistance with this step.

Send Reminders to Students

Remind students of your exam instructions, makeup policy, and Testing Center tips and policies. If using SmarterProctoring, remind them to review the Testing Online with SmarterProctoring page.

At this point, online students can no longer change their proctor through our system. Students can contact us if they need to select a different proctor.

During the Exam

Be Available Throughout the Exam Window

Stay available by phone throughout the exam window so we can reach you if there are issues during the exam. If a student contacts us about missed appointments, we will direct them to review their course syllabus for guidance on a makeup exam.

After the Exam

Coordinate Makeup Exams

After the exam, you can request proctored makeup exams at the FSU Testing Center or an off-campus proctor (assuming this is for an online course). Be sure to extend the due date and exam availability dates in Canvas. If you are using SmarterProctoring, also adjust the exam dates in their system SmarterProctoring for students taking their makeup exams online.

Excuse Students in the Gradebook

If you teach an online course, avoid gradebook discrepancies by excusing students from any version of the exam they did not take. For example, if a student took your exam in the FSU Testing Center, they should be excused from the off-campus/online-proctored version of the test. See Excuse Students from Testing Center Exams for step-by-step instructions.