BYU Testing Center Review

The only thing I love more than taking a test is waiting forever to do it. This place does everything it can to make sure both happen.

Nash knows what's up. I will never forget the times in the Testing Center. #CsGetDegrees

I like taking tests here. Ever since they did the construction here, the lines have really sucked, but otherwise, its not as bad as people make it out to be.

It's a testing center, the most stressful place to be on BYU campus. An absolute ZOO during finals week. I feel that after all these year they'd figure out a better system but sadly they haven't.

Google asked me to rate the testing center right after I took a three hour midterm.

Always packed during finals week (which is to be expected). The music room upstairs is very nice for those of us who can concentrate better during a test when there is soft background noise. The testing website and BYU iPhone/Android app have feed from a camera so you can check the line conditions before heading over to take a test. To avoid largest crowds, don't try to take a test on the last day that it is offered.

Looking for a cozy place to spend your Friday night? I couldn't recommend the Testing Center more. Don't believe me? Just see for yourself! The place is almost always packed and sometimes people stand in lines that stretch all the way out the building just to get in! Just make sure you check out their dress guidelines or the bouncer will turn you away.

This place literally changed my life. There have been several times in my college career when I was in desperate need of a place at which I could take a test. And then like a revelation it hit me: "THE TESTING CENTER!" Works every time.

Great place, nicely managed, friendly employees, etc.

You know what? For all of the epics that are told of the grand adventures experienced in this building, I expected great things. My own first experience was calm, easygoing and manageable. I was pleasantly surprised by the open floor plan- adjusted for social distancing- and the wonderful demeanor of all the staff. Thanks BYU testing center!

Great to be able to take a test at your own desired time, but sometimes the lines got too long. And they turned me away as a freshman because I had a little stubble on my chin

Plus sides:
you can take as much time as you need;
You can take your test on your own time whenever it is convenient (during the testing window, usually 3 days to a week depending on the class size);
More prayers are said here on a daily basis than in the rest of the utah combined
Down sides:
Lines have been more than a mile long during finals week (weaving around buildings all the way to the JFSB or back side of the ESC);
Teachers can write tests to be as long as they wish (the average test length for upper division physics is 4 hours with my longest taking from 8:30am to 2pm);
Food is not allowed;
If you take the test on the last offered day there will be a $5 late fee
Suggestion:
Make food allowed again;
Place a second camera to view the stairs so we can know just how long the testing apocalypse lines are;
Give out free chocolates to testers

I couldn't give this place a higher rating, especially at the end of the semester! Sometimes, when I can't sleep, I just walk on over to the Testing Center. It is the perfect place for star gazing. Overall, a 10/10 experience.

Beautiful location to take tests. the zen is really felt flowing through the narrow windows. The drinking fountains are cool and refreshing and the lobby a place of solace. Would recommend this testing center to anyone wanting a truly ethereal experience

Ironic that the closest place to hell on earth is on the Lord s campus.

A great place to come and take an L. As you wait in a minimum 45 minute line and witness many students suffer anxiety attacks, you have the opportunity to ponder how your life led you to a building that is the equivalent of a prison.

Once you conquer the Disney world line you begin to realize you are not in line for splash mountain, but rather in line for a ride called "mental-breakdown".

Once they check your ID card, they will hand you the test; But, before you enter the testing room you see one of your fellow soldiers dismissed after waiting in line for 45 minutes just because of his 5 o'clock shadow. So glad I could not see his distracting scruff during my test, otherwise I would have failed even more. And I am so glad females are the judge for male grooming on whether or not they are "up to standard," because they understand facial hair better than men.

After you finish the test and shed a final tear, you can exit the building. As you walk outside you see many sad and hopeless students in line, but you smile because your test is over, and your test results guarantee your college career is over as well. "Its a good day" you say to yourself as you walk back to your apartment with only faint memories of the suffering you experienced...

Came for the comfortable seats, stayed for the pencil sharpeners.

It's a decent testing center. Very beautiful building. Avoiding the long lines is intuitive enough to do. Just plan ahead to take your midterm or final in the mornings and/or on the first days the test is available. The late fee is good incentive to help encourage students to do this, so it makes sense to me. The last University I attended also had insanely long lines during the busy season, so I don't think it's fair to negatively rate a specific testing center for something that's par for the course elsewhere in my opinion.

The place is pretty organized except during finals week. BYU-I has a nicer testing center.

It's great and the staff is great but seriously there needs to be better planning with tests (having more in class/online) or do something to avoid crazy long lines.

It can get busy during the big midterms and finals but they do make the best of it.

More prayers said here than in all the temples and monasteries on Earth. Students who work here need serious hospitality courses. Watch the camera available on the app to see what kind of rush is hitting the center. DO NOT CHEAT! 4 years of academic work will be removed from transcript, Christianity you know?

The lines are awful and the place is sorely understaffed. There are 4 or 5 computers available for check-in of students. After waiting in line for over an hour, I finally arrived at the door to behold than only one of them was staffed. This is ridiculous.

Listen to Nash. He knows what he's talking about. The testing center is a center for students to be tested. Truly, there is nothing like it.

I find that if I choose not to go to the testing center a certain semester, I simply don't do well that semester. 100% correlation to success.

Such a pain. Long lines, need to do a better job at scheduling. They used to be relaxed on the "Beard Policy" last semester, but this semester it is a NIGHTMARE. For example, yesterday I shaved in the morning. Yesterday at 5:00 PM I go to take my test and the girl at the testing center said she was putting a "grooming warming" on my account because I had a little scruff that had grown in since 7:00 that morning. This is the second time that a female employee there has called me out on a 5 o'clock shadow -- both times I had previously shaved the day off.

I've got news for you girls! Hair grows back. Fascinating, I know. You shave it off, then it starts to grow back. Employees need to calm down about facial hair and realizes that God created man and put hair on his face that grows back once you cut it off.

A couple of issues you should know about the testing center include:
1. Lines to take an exam may last 1 to 2 hours. The lines reach outside the building and are uncomfortable when it is below freezing, snowing, or raining.
2. During Finals some exams are scheduled in other buildings. 1-2 hour lines can form at those locations too. Those locations do not always have adequate services. Once I took an exam in the field house for 4 hours and no bathroom was accessible during the exam, this was unacceptable.
3. You may be charged money to take the exam during the last day.
4. You are not allowed to bring food. Some exams last 5 hours and food becomes a necessity.
Please improve the testing center to overcome these problems. Please especially improve the line with a waiting room that has seats and shelter.

Its not the place to take a date, but otherwise I couldn't ask for more. They have truly astounding service

Located in an attractive building on the outside, and a very efficiently run testing center on the inside. The center lets in a lot of light, so at least you can catch some rays while you are taking your test. Quick results afterwards. Make sure you shave before you go if you are a dude.

The testing center is a great place to people watch, not so great with the atmosphere. Especially around the end of the semester, you could almost cut the tension in the air with a knife. That being said, fairly efficient, clean. Little known fact: Upstairs there is a music room you can test in, would highly recommend if you want some other noise besides the frantic searches and scribbling of your fellow students.

'Twas the last night of finals, and all through the room,
#2 pencils a scribblin', and faces of gloom,
The business school students all dressed to the 9's,
While 'lawyers futurae' answered questions on crimes.

Football players were gone, and had long since been treated,
To A's and B+'s, they desperately needed,
The mathletes were sleeping, two hours deep,
In Euler and Euclid, and math much too steep.

But in yonder corner, what could be found?
A sleep deprived creature, you seldom see round,
His belt nonexistent, body odor to spare,
The smell of hot pockets wafts from his hair.

That lone engineer, with textbook wide open,
Searching the pages for something to hope in,
"'Tis futile," he thought, "I'll just never make it"
On a four question, open-book test you can't fake it!

Don't let that fool you, for short it was not,
Each of those questions - 90 minutes a pop.
"Show your work, Do your Best," professors encouraged,
But hour after hour, the geek got discouraged.

'Til a glimmer of hope shone at 9:45,
He hunkered on down, his pencil alive,
The music was playing, he could finally feel,
A fast nearing end to the drawn out ordeal.

He packed all his stuff in his wheeled Marvel backpack,
And opened a Snickers, the one perfect test snack,
Looked down at his paper, Greek symbols galore,
"I'm hoping for 50%, maybe more...."

He turned in his test, and mumbled a plea:
"C get degrees, that's good enough for me!"
Come take a test here, if you have the nerve,
Do your worst, break a leg, and pray for a CURVE!

It wasn't a bad testing center but now you can't take food in.

I've never had a "pleasant" experience here. The workers always are chatting up a storm and gossiping with each other which only adds to the frustration. They really cram you in there too.

Waited for an hour and never got my food. I asked for outside seating and they laughed in my face. Good pricing. I always pay $5

There s nothing super special about it besides the paintings. But it has standard and old desks, long lines, and the typical tense atmosphere that comes with taking a test and possibly failing.

Not a great place for testing. The lines are usually long, the chair desks are too big and uncomfortable, the ac is always too cold, and the walls are very thin so it is usually kinda noisy here. Not to mention the honor code nazis...

I'm not a BYU student, and came here for national certification exam. The staff were friendly and courteous. It was cold in the testing room.

As good a testing center as could be. To some it may be a little intimidating to have row after row of dests in a big hall. There is also a classical music room that is often open to study in while you listen.

Everyone hates testing, but this place could improve with line updates online and a second or third camera to show the rest of the line other than the doors leading directly into check in.

Lines are awful, and usually you have to pay $5 to fail a test. Just have the teachers schedule tests during classes like any other university, that will also solve the problem of teachers being allowed to write 5 hour exams. We all love to take time OUTSIDE OF CLASS to take a test in a place that is miserable and understaffed by people getting low pay for a job that offers 0 transferable skills. 1/5 stars is much too high a rating for this, this scale should go down to -5.

Turn that AC on. I don t know how anyone can concentrate since it s like an oven in there

They have a good setup at the testing center and can get people through quickly, but it does get very packed during busy testing days and especially finals week. Be ready to wait in line if you need to and study some more! Make sure to bring a pencil or you have to buy one!

The employees are generally friendly, kind, and helpful despite the stressful environment sometimes and they do a good job.

The new accommodation rooms are nice, but in a horrible location. They are right next to the entrance with vending machines and if you are in one of the rooms next to the wall you hear constant chatter. The rooms don t block out noise very well in general.
Also some of the employees talk with other patrons too loud, so you have to deal with that as well. However, at night when there are fewer patrons I have found the accommodation rooms quite pleasant.

There is no way to talk to a real person at the testing center via phone. They just have a recording with random info. So if the website or recordings don t address your concern you are screwed.

One suggestion would be to have a camera outside the testing center...that way you could see how long the line is during finals. It sucks showing up for a final and finding out the line is all the way to the Eyring Science Center and you had no way of knowing.

Testing center is well set up, the workers follow the letter of the law and the spirit of the law, if you aren t following the honor code guidelines they are kind to you and offer you an exception if you haven t already used one. There are plenty of hours to go and take tests and there. There are also accommodations rooms, rooms that you can listen to some preselected classical music while you test. While I don t like having to go. It is an okay place to go.

Although nobody likes taking tests, this is a good place to do it as long as the line isn't 4 hours long. It's quiet, and the seats aren't uncomfortable.

10/10 would have a nervous breakdown in again! :D Best place to spiral into feelings of failure and inadequacy. The long lines during finals and surreal setup of endless rows of desks makes for the perfect place to feel so anxious you want to curl up in a ball and slip into sweet oblivion! Highly recommended to all students!

Great art inside the testing center... I could say that viewing the paintings was a factor in my poor test grades, but it wasn't. As far as the lines go, get there early. Take your test in the mornings for sure. During finals, the testing center tries hard to make it manageable but it really only becomes a pain when everyone decides to take their tests in the last few hours of the last few days.

This place gets way too packed, but it is nice to take tests on your own time.

Best place I know to take a test ;) I like to go to the music room upstairs, but the grey desks are the biggest, and best if you need space to spread out.

Often packed but I've learned how to work the schedule so that I'm there when there's rarely a line. Kind of an old building that need revamped or rebuilt, but overall not a bad place for taking tests

This is the largest college testing center in the U.S. The main room has about 650 desks. There are also additional smaller rooms with more desks, including a 'music room' that has soft classical music playing in the background for you while you take your test.

Freakishly long lines. Expect a two hour wait to take a test if you go near the end of finals. Even during the semester you will often have to wait a half hour or more. BYU really needs to find a way to resolve the long lines either by scheduling more tests in class, or by better managing the use of other facilities on campus for test use, or by expanding capacity.

Lines are always ridiculously long, and the staff are rarely helpful. Heaven forbid your scruff for the day displeases them and you have to use one of their razors to shave. Nothing better than taking a 3 hour test while your face is on fire. Also, the people walking down the isles to make sure you re not cheating, need to be more careful to not bump people. Insanely annoying. I might just get this place because of the tests, but it still sucks to go there

The music room is wonderful and has windows; however it is crowded and the lines get awful most midterm weeks.

First, the idea of a testing center is great -- I can fit the tests into my schedule, and can spend virtually as long as I want on them. The music room is a nice touch. The testing center is not busy 90% of the time, and never before 12pm -- never had a problem with the testing center closing with proper planning. The live webcam view of the line is also a plus. Finally, they will turn off the lights on your at precisely 10pm -- if you think you might need a few more minutes, best to work right by the windows where they collect your tests so you can still see (also, workers will typically pester you less given your proximate location to the exit).

It is what it is. Try to avoid lines by taking tests on the weekends and not late at night right before they close.

Your soul gets sucked by the testing atmosphere. Great looking building. Great artwork. Good staff. Efficient.

Every time I need to take a test, the testing center has been there for me. Except when their computers go down. Then I get an extra 2 hours to study in line.

The food here is awesome! I always order the #9 with a side of fry sauce. 5/5 recommend.

Honestly this is the worst taco bell I've ever been to

Took many tests here...glad I don't have to ever again.

The people in line waiting for their dooms look devoid of all hope. Their pale faces with dark ovals under their eyes are absent of all joy. In fact, they're absent of all emotion. Just, empty shells of the people they once used to be.

When you finally get your scantron and test and find a seat, you realize that you are now on an unforgiving journey of bubbling your own way to oblivion. But wait, you know some of these answers! You think you can carve your own fate. For the first time in weeks you feel hope. Unfortunately, whatever fleeting hope you had is devoured by the testing proctors looming over you like wraiths. Much like dementors in Harry Potter that feed off of happiness. It was too good to be true. Your broken will and heart succumb to the fact that any path you take ends in your demise.

The turning of pages sounds like thunder in a brutal storm. When you don't hear pages turning. It's silent. Too silent. If you have ever wondered what death sounds like, this is it. You could quite literally hear a pin drop on the floor............ even though it's carpet. Minutes go by and it seems like hours. Hours go by and it seems like days. You finish your test. That's all you can really say for yourself.

You go outside and realized you parked your car a half-mile away. It's 8:34 in the evening, the middle of January, and it's 7 degrees outside. Many think that hell is a fiery dominion where you burn for eternity in agony, but no. It's here. It's dark, cold, quiet, and lonely. You could disappear and no one would know. Would anyone even care? You try not to dwell on the thought. The biting cold takes whatever life you have away from you, slowly, but surely. Your fingers start to numb, your mind sluggish. You feel as if this winter hell is slowly toying with you until your mind goes blank and you collapse, where it can then blanket your corpse with snow, never to be found.

You somehow make it to your car. You pause and reflect on what happened. You curl up in the fetal position and cry. The only thing you can think of is that you're surprised that your tears aren't freezing on your face.

You finally get home. Your only solace is a pot of ramen and Netflix. As you're watching Friends for the second time, you finish your ramen. You've had it so many times, that you don't even taste it anymore. You're thinking if you should go get some late-night McDonald's or Taco Bell, but then you remember your bank account is as empty as your heart. You go to bed, not quite hungry and not nearly as full. You cry yourself to sleep knowing that you not only have one, but two exams the next day. This is your reality now. This is your hell. This, is BYU.

The fact that we have a testing center really is a privilege. This gives us the freedom to take tests whenever we want, rather than during a mandated time at class. Lines will be long at times so check the website before making the woeful trek. Make sure you look at the old inscription that says "Library" (yes, it used to be BYU's library). This is by far the most spiritual building on campus measured (in prayers uttered by students).

I spent two years of my life helping people stay away from hell... and here I feel like I'm sitting right in it

The testing center has a quaint atmosphere that will remind one of earlier and simpler times. The staff is friendly and always are walking by to make sure that all is alright. Despite the large crowds, it is surprisingly quiet, letting one have a really personal experience. One is BOUND to come away feeling as if their life was in some way effected.

Abandon hope. All ye who enter here. But seriously, why not provide extra staff/desks for Finals? Also, why charge late fees when students have such busy schedules?