<p>I posted this over in the Parents Forum, but would love some input from NU students as well. <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1022771-evening-exams-midterms-friday-nights.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1022771-evening-exams-midterms-friday-nights.html</a></p>
<p>It would probably be best to post any responses over there, so the discussion can occur all in one place.</p>
<p>Interesting that you created an account just to post this.</p>
<p>Tests/exams are held strictly during class time and there are no Friday classes past 5, so what you heard is definitely odd. One possibility is the professor was supposed to give the exam earlier in the week but decided to give students more time and that was the only time that worked for everybody. Another is that it’s a take home exam/paper and can be submitted electronically. If that’s the case, the professor likely granted an extension since like I said, no class goes over past 5.</p>
<p>Brebeuff - midterms aren’t held strictly during class time, are they? I had a calc midterm outside of class (I think it was around 6 or 7 on a Monday evening).</p>
<p>My experience the vast majority of the time has been that exams (aside from final exams) are held during class. But I don’t think this is a rule, and based on my experience, it isn’t true 100% of the time.</p>
<p>To the OP: Depending on how often this happens, I would say that it isn’t that out of line. Missing out on a couple Friday nights here and there isn’t a big deal.</p>
<p>Now, if EVERY SINGLE CLASS had all of their midterms on Friday evenings, that would be ridiculous. But if it’s just once in a while, I don’t think it’s unreasonable.</p>
<p>I guess the departments I’ve taken class in have that unspoken rule but it’s not true for all departments.</p>
<p>Here is the schedule for the upcoming Finals - there should be none on Friday night.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.registrar.northwestern.edu/registration/class_schedule/4400/4440_exams.pdf[/url]”>http://www.registrar.northwestern.edu/registration/class_schedule/4400/4440_exams.pdf</a></p>
<p>Reading comprehension has been a problem here, as well as on the Parents’ Forum thread – the question was about MIDTERMS, not finals.</p>
<p>For some classes, the final is a midterm essentially (weighted the same, one of the evenly distributed exams throughout the quarter). But yeah, this question has been exhausted and the parents on the parents forum got a kick out of a parent (at least you’re claiming to be one) putting Greek festivities ahead of well-publicized midterm dates which could have been re-scheduled if there had been serious conflicts.</p>
<p>/endthread</p>
<p>The issue is not just Greek events, but also that many students are in performing arts groups (which, as someone mentioned in the Parents thread, are also an important part of college life), which often have Friday evening performances. Friday evening is also the sabbath for Jewish students.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings don’t give the profs enough opportunities to schedule evening exams (if they really have to be given in the evening in the first place)??</p>
<p>There’s typically class for other nights of the week so if you’re trying to combine a bunch of classes (consisting of a large number of students, like 100+ people) together for a general exam, one of the most available times that can work for everybody is Friday night if they’re not willing to go into the weekend. You should learn more about the circumstances in which the exam was given. Most likely, the professor would not have done it if there were other times available. Also, academics take precedence over social events, especially when exam times are published AHEAD of time and people with conflicts could re-schedule their other engagements that conflict with the exams. Students who are sick or can’t attend for religious reasons are excused and are scheduled for a make-up version. If they were actors in a performance, I’m sure that is also excusable.</p>
<p>proudparents6,</p>
<p>It’s been said repeatedly from the currrent students that having exams on Friday night is extremely rare, if there’s any. I am not sure why you keep making a big deal out of this. I personally never had one and never heard of anyone having any exam on Friday night. What more do you really want to talk about? Most professors schedule exams during class time but some may give it outside the class (perhaps because they want to give as many lectures as possible). If for some reason, certain professors decide to give the exams on Friday night, the school won’t stop them.</p>
<p>Sam, for how many forums have you been designated the official Thread Police?</p>
<p>Hi-
Has your child approached the Professor about the conflict? What did the Professor say?</p>
<p>I agree with Sam Lee here. Your relentless posts about this issue is actually a tad creepy. Anyway, I’m not sure how familiar you are with “hard” schools but I assure you the stress you feel for having a Friday night exam can’t even compare to the stress you’ll feel when you can’t do anything for a week besides study because you have five super hard classes that all have midterms/papers in the same week that you want to get all As in. Even if you were “free” on Friday night, you will NOT be able to go and have to have the discipline to say no. What are you going to do in that case? Ask your professors to lessen the workload conveniently just for you? Not going to happen.</p>
<p>If you’re concerned if your child will be able to handle this kind of stress or even a fraction of it, I would recommend against Northwestern and for that matter, other elite schools. If your kid (or you yourself) has already been rejected, count your blessings because he/she might not have been happy here if he/she shares your concern about a simple Friday night exam. The stress at these places can be overwhelming and I’m not even easily stressed out (at least when compared to you, I’m super chill). I don’t understand why, for you, this Friday-night-exam-once-in-a-while is not just a concern but an extremely impassioned overwhelming obsession. Like seriously? Lol.</p>
<p>Well said, brebeuff.</p>
<p>My S is a freshman at NU and, whether due to work load or evolving time management adjustments, he missed a home football game because … he had work to do. Oh, the horror! Not. He survived the experience. Thus far, he says the work load is pretty much what he expected for the Integrated Science Program. I haven’t heard major complaints from him. We’ll test the waters when we see him face to face for T Day. </p>
<p>As for this issue, I’m betting S would be in the “what’s the big deal here?” camp.</p>
<p>ETA: He just called on the phone. He’s not going to Harry Potter this evening because … the timing is bad for him, work wise, and thus not worth it to him to see it opening night. He said he’d catch it later. I see some good decisions being made here, I like, I like!</p>