University students applying to write exams a month late in mass numbers, officials say

An unprecedented number of students are requesting to write their final exams in January, a month after they were regularly scheduled, Western University officials say. 

About 1,500 students are expected to make the request this year, accounting for 15 per cent of all undegraduate students at Western's main campus, as well as at affiliated Brescia, King's and Huron colleges. 

It creates complications for how, where and when to schedule the make-up tests, but is also a sign that the school takes student achievement and success seriously, said registrar Marisa Modeski. 

"Universities have a goal not only to enrol strong, bright and curious students, but we also have a responsibility to make sure that those students are successful," she said. 

Students will begin writing the make-up exams after Jan. 11, 2024, a week after classes resume. 

Students can request make-up exams for a number of reasons, including if they missed the regularly-scheduled one, if they were ill or had other extenuating circumstances, Modeski said. 

"It's a trend that we've seen over the past few years, and it's also reflective of the enrolment growth that we've had at the university," she said. 

"Universities as a whole have become incredibly proactive and responsive to understanding the diverse needs of students today. The approach cannot be homogenous. So in recognizing the diverse needs of our students, that they begin from very different starting lines, we have to make sure that we're positioning students for success, and part of that is being accommodating to students need."