The question in and of itself is gloomy and may even be stressful, yet the answers can be quite different. Exams that are planned to take place at universities often cannot be postponed if there has been a death in the student’s or faculty member’s immediate family. However, there are choices accessible, particularly for a student who has suffered the loss of a family member or friend.
If a family member passes away during the test time, the university will let the student to postpone their examinations for up to three months without any kind of punishment, according to a spokeswoman for many different educational institutions. Students do not need to be concerned since they will only be required to make payments for the current semester before they are able to reschedule their postponed tests.
The policy of Harvard University states that if a student is unable to take an examination due to the passing of a member of their immediate family, the student is permitted to retake the examination at a later date. “If you would like to write an exam later than that, you will get two grades: one for the work done up to that point and then another grade when you complete the postponed exam,” says Emily Miller, assistant director of undergraduate studies in General Education. “This is because you will receive credit for the work done up to that point as well as credit for the postponed exam.”
Due to the fact that the university takes each student’s situation into careful consideration, it is not always necessary for students to provide extenuating circumstances in order to reschedule their tests. It is in the best interest of students and faculty members who miss exams due to bereavement to speak with their instructor about making up missed work. Because our policies on missed exams vary based on the type of course and the instructor teaching it, “our policies on missed exams vary by type of course and instructor.” After then, either the student or the teacher may utilize that dialogue to ask the other person for any specific adjustments that the other person is willing to grant,” explains Miller.
However, there are certain circumstances in which students are required to submit a letter of exemption along with their request to postpone a test, even if this is not a standard requirement at all educational institutions. Miller advises students that in order to get information on how to seek excused absences, which are evaluated separately from grades and other academic records, they should get in touch with the Registrar’s Office.
In the event that a student has to reschedule a test due to extenuating circumstances, such as a death in the immediate family, the University of California, Berkeley mandates that the student provide no more than two weeks’ notice. They guarantee this by requiring teachers to verify the legitimacy of the justification presented before giving authorization. According to a spokeswoman from the University of California, Berkeley, “Instructors are being requested to consider requests carefully using standards that were prepared by a committee of student representatives and faculty members.”