This Alien Ate My Exam

The Fr*kking Securexam Remote Proctor I’ve talked before about how I hate studying online. Today, though, my gorge has risen to a higher level. I should have paced myself from the beginning, because I’m drowning.

I have one last 3-hour exam for my last class in social science methodology. In the past, I had to hire someone who wasn’t a family member or co-worker to babysit proctor my exam, usually for a fee. This was never a pleasant experience. My first exam took place in the dead of winter in a university hallway with a cleaning lady waxing the floors with one of those loud, electric buffers, because some elderly security guard wouldn’t even let my professor-proctor into a room. I’ve never received any help securing a location to take an exam, just online forms to fill out. So, after students complaints – MINE most definitely – and any terms, the university has now been using the Securexam Remote Proctor. Today, after paying $165.00 – more than I gave my proctor – and waiting 10 days for it to arrive in the mail, I sat down to install the beast. Well, as you might be able to tell, it didn’t install. I didn’t even get past the first step. I’ve called the university for support, and had to send an email…blah, blah, blah. I’m really pissed.

I signed up for intellectual challenges, not floor buffers and alien devices. I signed up, to share information with professors and grad students, not sit in cold hallways and my own house all day in front of a monitor. I signed up for professors, not adjunct pizza delivery boys some – but not all- who assumed I was I was deficient because I was studying online. I can honestly say online graduate study has been the most miserable experience I ever kept paying for. From the department head who replied to a mailed letter with a few lines in an email starting with “Perhaps you shouldn’t study here…” to the administrator who passed that letter to the department head, even though I mailed it to him alone, it has been one insult after another. Yes, I’ve learned all manner of new factoids and tricks, but the gems are smothered in the shit on a weekly basis.

I want my money back!


Filed under: Academia, Education, Spleen Tagged: graduate school, securexam remote proctor, troy university

Comments

Re: This Alien Ate My Exam

Baltimoron,

I'm sorry that you're experience with the Remote Proctor was not a good one.  Usually a 10 minute phone call solves 98% of most installation issues.   Software Secure would be interested in knowing what problem you encountered, and if you still need assistance would be happy to provide it.  Our product has helped students all over the world take over 500,000 exams, and we pride ourselves on the usability of the device and the satisfaction of our customers.

Let me know if we can be of help

Steve L.