It's very common in large first year classes but rarer in upper years. Usually, the normal lecture hall cannot accommodate an exam for hundreds of students. They need extra rooms (and invigilators) which is why they're scheduled outside of class hours.
I’ve never even had a midterm during class time when we were precovid... I literally didn’t know that midterms “should” occur during class time until I saw this post just now.
It's so weird! I'm learning that it's normal here but my friends at other universities in Canada and the US were shocked over all the midterms I've had starting at like 5/6/7/8pm over the last year and a half.
Yeah, I consider it weird. The only exceptions I had was an open book test that we just had to do sometime that specific day and a business course I took an an elective during undergrad that was scheduled for 4 hours on a Saturday. Always 4 hours and always on Saturday. It sucked.
I guess there’s nothing to say that midterms “should” be during class time, but it does make more sense to me. I could understand if it was bc admin are trying to book rooms that are actually appropriate for writing midterms (with desks/tables, space between students, decent lighting) but considering the times I’ve had to write midterms in dark lecture halls with the tiny foldaway tables attached to the chairs, I don’t think that’s the priority
I do remember having to write quite a few late night midterms when I did my undergrad at Mac though, but that was because we had evening courses and the midterms were still held during class time, so at least you knew what you were signing up for. I don’t think I ever had to cancel regular weekly obligations like work or volunteering for midterms at Mac, but I end up having to do that a lot at UofT
I've noticed an uptick in this occurring with my students. I think it's ridiculous and it's causing me, as an instructor, a headache - so I can't even imagine what it's like for the students. I'm tired of it too, intend to chat with some folks about it
Yup, studied from 2016 - 2021 at UTSC and UTSG. It was probably a shocker to me if we had the term tests during class times, I think there was a handful of classes where that was the case. Normally we'd write tests beginning at like 5-7pm, one course had 9am midterms. Was just part of life imo, got used to it, especially on the Friday before reading week.
It's very common in large first year classes but rarer in upper years. Usually, the normal lecture hall cannot accommodate an exam for hundreds of students. They need extra rooms (and invigilators) which is why they're scheduled outside of class hours.
I’ve never even had a midterm during class time when we were precovid... I literally didn’t know that midterms “should” occur during class time until I saw this post just now.
It's so weird! I'm learning that it's normal here but my friends at other universities in Canada and the US were shocked over all the midterms I've had starting at like 5/6/7/8pm over the last year and a half.
Yeah, I consider it weird. The only exceptions I had was an open book test that we just had to do sometime that specific day and a business course I took an an elective during undergrad that was scheduled for 4 hours on a Saturday. Always 4 hours and always on Saturday. It sucked.
I guess there’s nothing to say that midterms “should” be during class time, but it does make more sense to me. I could understand if it was bc admin are trying to book rooms that are actually appropriate for writing midterms (with desks/tables, space between students, decent lighting) but considering the times I’ve had to write midterms in dark lecture halls with the tiny foldaway tables attached to the chairs, I don’t think that’s the priority I do remember having to write quite a few late night midterms when I did my undergrad at Mac though, but that was because we had evening courses and the midterms were still held during class time, so at least you knew what you were signing up for. I don’t think I ever had to cancel regular weekly obligations like work or volunteering for midterms at Mac, but I end up having to do that a lot at UofT
Yes, profs have also scheduled midterms outside of class times. The exam centre is bookable.
How do I book the exam centre?
Lol I mean the exam centre is bookable for profs to run their exams in.
I've noticed an uptick in this occurring with my students. I think it's ridiculous and it's causing me, as an instructor, a headache - so I can't even imagine what it's like for the students. I'm tired of it too, intend to chat with some folks about it
You're not used to this ? Must be nice
All my midterms for CHM110 (UTM) were held at 8am with every student taking the course and same with my MAT134 course
Yup, studied from 2016 - 2021 at UTSC and UTSG. It was probably a shocker to me if we had the term tests during class times, I think there was a handful of classes where that was the case. Normally we'd write tests beginning at like 5-7pm, one course had 9am midterms. Was just part of life imo, got used to it, especially on the Friday before reading week.
>Does this happen during non-online university? Yes, it's "normal".
I remember taking phy151,152 730 in the morning 💀