Recently one of my professors didn’t want to let me make up a test because I had an unexcused absence, except that I did email hime and he just never saw it. Anyone else had a similar problem?
Can you print a copy and show him? Are you sure you had the right email address?
Did you use your own university e-mail address? And indicate in the e-mail your name an which class you were taking from this prof? Or not provide supporting info relating to the reason?
Agree that you can show the professor the email so he/she knows it was sent. But if you did not get a reply and it was an unexcused absence why did you assume you would be granted a makeup exam?
I see similar complaints all the time. Someone sends someone a text, an email, a facebook comment, etc. The other person doesn’t read it. Whose fault is that? Not all people use the same means to communicate as you do.
Did the professor specify the ways in which you could notify him/her? Do you know that he/she uses email? Did you notify before the exam?
If email is an appropriate means to communicate and the email address is the one they use, then it should be a simple mater of having the professor check their inbox, or maybe spam folder(!!!), to see if your email went thru.
Was your excuse one that was legitimate in the eyes of the professor?
Is an email sufficient for missing an exam? Normally that requires some sort of proof other than an email, unless the email had a doctor’s note. In which case, print that and show it.
- In your syllabus it will say how to contact the professor. That is almost always you emailing from your college email account to their college email account. Did you do that?
- Did you have a legit excuse? If you had the flu, that is one thing. if your parents wanted you to go on vacation that is not. If you had a basketball game but did not notify your prof in advance, and make other arrangements, that is also not legit.
- Did you include enough info? To: Professor X@college.edu From: Avarar@college.edu Subject: Physics 101, MWF 9:30 Will miss test
Professor X:
I know today is our midterm but I have come down with the flu…aches/fever/etc.
I will not be able to make today’s test because I feel awful.
I will be going to the Health center later today.
Please let me know when/how I can make up the test.
Avarar (Physics 101, MWF 9:30 )
- If they don’t see it, foward the email (it is in your sent folder)
Professor X, attached is the email I sent you at 8:30 yesterday.
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Do remember creating a make up test is extra work for a professor (but part of their job). Also you may get info on the topics on the test so they don’t want you to have an advantage.
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If the professor wont’ work with you, go to the head of the department, your adviser, or the Dean of Students to ask how to deal with this.
Agree with @bopper and would add 7) Did you wait until after the prof. had handed back the exams to the rest of the class to bring this up?