Normally, I’d be rejoicing when a professor pushes an exam to a later date, especially with physics, a subject that raises thoughts of suicide in my head, but, with the case of my final physics midterm, it raises some hassles because of capricious and perhaps, slightly imprudent, travel plans. I received an e-mail from my professor, yesterday, that our midterm, originally scheduled for April 16th, was rescheduled for Tuesday, April 21st, now, a day after my friend Ian and I return from our crazy weekend trip to Moscow. Arrgh, yes, while this now alleviates the stress of having both a chemistry midterm and a physics midterm in that same week, it adds a bit of pressure. Now, a weekend in Russia can’t be spent relaxing, but, rather will be spent working torque problems. And, one always has to consider the jetlag on return, and the potential for issues that might arise when one feels as if they’ve just chugged a Big Gulp of Lunesta. Finally, and perhaps the most frightening option to consider, what happens if Ian and I become stuck in Russia, for whatever reason? What happens if the inbound airplane goes mechanical in Washington, Dulles, and it takes days for a replacement airplane to arrive in Moscow? Could we take the exam remotely? Phone in our answers? Does being stuck in Russia count as a “good enough” excuse for missing an exam? (I bet that’s the first time the professor will have heard that one). In all cases, it definitely presents a bit of a hassle.
I’ve already called United to try change the tickets for the following week. Hoping I’d get a sympathetic agent who’d waive the 250 dollar international change fee because I’m a 1K member of United’s frequent flyer program, I got an agent who, very sweetly, told me that while the fare has dropped 40 cents, the only way to complete that change, is to plunk down 500 dollars. Ouch. I might start calling again, and playing the pathetic-student-with-a-critical-exam-angle. Hey, it sometimes works with credit card companies if you forget to make a payment.
For the Readers: What would you do? Would you cancel the trip? Try to move it? Take the risk and experience Moscow for the weekend, and then take the physics exam the next day? Weigh in on the comments, or waapblog@gmail.com.
Eeeeek, that sucks.
I’d call about 100 times and do lots of begging, praying for a nice agent.
In the battle for market share to Russia, AA has lowered the fare to $260 via ORD. I’m sure this doesn’t excite you as much since it’s AA vs. UA, but would be cheaper?
I’ll be going the weekend before. Love this deal.
Actually, it wouldn’t technically be cheaper. In the end, I say pay it…cough up the $500…and go. $600 ($360 plus $250) to Russia is still a good deal, especially since you used some vouchers…cash cost is even lower.
Any chance the professor would be sympathetic to taking it early or late?
Ryan (rwk32882) here. I thought I’d write you about your exam conundrum since it is something that I’ve been through on numerous occasions since I started graduate school.
One particularly horrifying example being the time that I had to take a “Discrete Stochastic Processes” midterm about 36 hours after returning from spring break in Vietnam. I will admit that attempting to study while suffering from a twelve hour time change defined “suck.” I didn’t do stellar on the exam and that probably resulted in my receiving one letter grade lower in the class than I would have gotten otherwise. This brings me to my main point:
What will you remember twenty years from now?
A) a less than optimal score on some obscure physics exam or
B) a weekend in Russia
I suspect the answer there is B. In other words, DO NOT CANCEL THE TRIP!
As you stated, there are a number of ways to handle potential scheduling conflict. While moving the trip to a different week would be a great approach (assuming you can convince UA to do it for free), I suspect that this will be very hard to pull off. Instead, I would focus your effort on the professor.
My method is usually to approach the professor (or the TA) in the class with an assertive statement such as: “I’m not going to be here on the exam date. Has a make-up date been scheduled?” In other words, don’t go in with an “asking permission” tone. Be assertive.
I think you have a fair amount of leverage here considering the fact that they moved the exam after you scheduled the trip. You attempted to schedule you trip around the exam and their rescheduling (not your actions) caused the conflict. Just make sure to inquire sooner rather than later as this exhibits responsibility on your behalf.
Also, keep in mind that any class of a reasonable size (say >20) is bound to have other students who are sick/unavailable that day. Chances are, they are going to have to offer a make-up session anyways.
Ok, well that’s what little advice I can provide. Best of luck untangling things! Let us know how it goes.
Thanks so much for all the great insight and suggestions, folks.
@Blake: I think I will try, at least a few times, to see if I can find a sympathetic agent. And, that fare from ORD on AA is unreal . . . sometimes I wonder why I’m not collecting on OneWorld carriers . . .
@livitup: Hmm, my friend and I were debating trying to take it on the original date. I’ll definitely try to check with her.
@Ryan: That’s excellent advice – ha, I’m glad someone else has had to deal with such a thing, and can provide some background. I think it’s a very pertinent point and logical to approach the professor and say that I was anticipating taking the exam on the original date, and unfortunately, the new date does not work for me. Good stuff.
Overall, I think I may try to go with a mix of seeing if I can find a sympathetic UA agent, and try to work with the professor.
Thanks, again, folks.
I’d work the professor first. How flexible is she? A few people in my literature class asked to take the midterm early since they were flying home from spring break before classes ended, and the professor had no problem with it. If someone had tried that in my economics class, it would have just added more weight to the final exam grade, which I wouldn’t like.
That’s just my opinion as I am a total grade whore who has to keep us his GPA to keep financial aid.
dude you need to work this professor until he bends. what’s the point of a pre-made schedule if he moves it around like this.
Tell the professor that you’re invited to a symposium of leading physicists in Moscow for that weekend, so you can’t make it.