School should provide basic testing supplies
It’s midterm season. For most of us, that means buckling down, catching up on work from classes we’ve missed, getting sick and staying up late at the library in hopes we’ll be rewarded with high marks on our exams. This is all standard for college students, except for one thing: Not all, but some departments or professors require us to buy our own test materials, such as Scantron sheets and blue books.
Surely, the school should be able to provide us with basic test items. After all, when tuition is paid for, it’s not exactly unreasonable to expect the department or professor to provide the materials for the class. Both Scantron sheets and blue books run less than $1 at the USC bookstore, but it shouldn’t be necessary for students to buy them for themselves.
Although $.75 might seem cheap, if you have to buy two blue books for five classes a semester, you’re looking at $15 a year for something that should be inclusive to all students. It’d be like paying for napkins at Moe’s — they’re required if you don’t want to look like a slob when you’re eating, but they are and should be complimentary.
At USC, we are given lots of benefits. Take, for example, season football tickets. But if things as pricey and extravagant as season tickets can be provided, why can’t simple necessities be given to us as well?
Some professors require we buy the Scantrons, then they proceed to grade the tests by hand. Instead of printing their own tests or having us write our answers down on normal loose-leaf paper (the only thing a blue book is made of, except the cover), we have to buy something special to help with the organization.
Another problem is that midterm season forces a tight schedule. This means students must find time to wait in line at the bookstore to buy the blue books and Scantrons, while trying to squeeze in valuable study time. It’s not as important as some other issues, but it is inconvenient and slightly counterproductive.
Perhaps we need to consider alternative options. Maybe the blue books aren’t necessary for students if the test only requires a name and an essay. If professors are going to grade tests by hand, the Scantron seems like a good way to organize the multiple-choice standard, but there must be a better option that can save students and professors time and money.
The organizational aspect of the blue books and Scantrons are certainly positive, but there are other ways to make sure a student’s test doesn’t get lost. After all, we’re students. We’re cheap because we’re broke.
More Like This
