By: John Benson, Staff Writer

With a new semester starting, odds are many students will need to use the testing center in the Main Building, just south of Student Success Advising, but they can leave their pens and pencils at home.

The center, which has given out thousands of tests last year, has made one change this semester related to writing utensils. 

“The only recent change within the last year has been restricting pencil boxes to retain academic integrity,” Stephanie Miller,  who has served as the head administrator of the testing center since July 2018, said.

“Students can bring a clear plastic bag but there’s no reason to. We provide everything for a student to take exams from pencils and calculators to rulers and erasers,” she said.

“All you need is a student I.D. for academic exams,” she said.

The testing center’s fall hours are: 8 a.m – 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Saturday. The testing center is closed Sundays. 

“It’s crucial to remember and arrive an hour before the test center closes,”  C.J. Richards, senior test assistant, said.

He said the doors will lock an hour before closing, “so make sure to give yourself enough time to take the test.”

Once in the testing center students have until the center closes to finish the test they are taking, giving them an ample amount of time.

Richards said more than 5,700 academic tests (tests for OCCC classes) and over 1,700 placement/proctor tests (tests from other universities), were given last year. 

Some students such as Ike Onbyejaiku, nursing, said he has found the center useful. 

“It’s pretty cool. And I can take more time for the test in the testing center versus in class, where I’m limited by the class’ time,” Onbyejaiku said.

To get the most out of the time in the Testing Center, students need to be aware of the center’s requirements.

James Norum, computer science, said another way to be successful is to not wait to take a test. 

“If your teacher gives you a week to take a test, don’t procrastinate. Always give yourself enough time to take tests,” he said.

For more information about the center, check  the OCCC website under “Academics.” Then click “Testing and Assessment”. To visit the site directly, go to http://occc.edu/testing/index.html.

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