If your professor is unable to provide your accommodations on your Fall 2025 final exam and you need to use the ODS Testing Center, please review the guidance below carefully, as it contains essential details for scheduling and seating arrangements. For questions about JMU policies around providing reasonable accommodations, please reference Policy 1331 and the Student Testing Agreement (our policy and procedures).
For more detailed guidance on Accommodate, please review the Student Guide for Scheduling Exams. If you need additional assistance navigating Accommodate, feel free to reach out to us at odsexam@jmu.edu to set up a phone or Zoom consultation.
Scheduling
Deadline
The last day to submit a request in Accommodate to take your final exams with ODS is November 21. This deadline is in place to allow ODS necessary preparation time for proctoring the high volume of final exams.
- Requests must be submitted by November 21 for a proctored seat.
- Follow the link in this email for instructions on how to submit your request in Accommodate.
Exam Timing
- When scheduling, make sure that the date and time align with what you and your professor have agreed on. Double-check for accuracy.
- Avoid exam overlaps by reviewing your schedule carefully. If you have a conflict, contact your professors to arrange alternative times.
ODS Exam Schedule
- Exam start times with ODS will differ slightly from JMU’s official schedule in order to effectively provide accommodations. 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. are the only start times available through ODS during Finals Week. ODS will not be offering an evening testing block during Finals Week.
- The available testing blocks are listed below:
- 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Please check with your professor to determine which testing block you should select. It is recommended that you select the block that overlaps with your class’s scheduled exam time, unless you and your professor have agreed on another testing block
Space Availability
Limited Seating
- ODS has limited seating, so if no seats are available at your preferred time, contact your professor to arrange an alternate time that aligns with our available seats.
- Your seat will be reserved at the time that you reserve it in Accommodate. The approval process requires multiple steps from both faculty and ODS staff. This process can sometimes take longer than expected to complete, but it will not affect your reservation unless your professor declines your reservation.
Additional Exam Spaces
- To accommodate the high volume of requests for exam seats, ODS will utilize classroom space in addition to the existing ODS Exam spaces.
- Online Exam Takers: If your exam is online, bring a fully charged laptop as power outlets may be limited. Additionally, check with your professor if headphones or other technology are needed, as ODS cannot provide these.
- Seat reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis. ODS cannot guarantee that you will be able to test in a specific location.
Reduced-Distraction Environments
- Measures will be taken to maintain a reduced-distraction environment in all exam locations. Please note that we cannot provide a distraction-free environment.
- Sound machines will be in use, and we will provide ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones upon request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Exams reservations will open on November 10 and will close on November 21 at 5p.m. EST. No reservations will be accepted beyond that date.
Scheduling for all exams happens through Accommodate, which is located in MyMadison. If this is your first time testing with us and you need help navigating Accommodate, please call our office for assistance.
When you make an exam reservation request, Accommodate automatically sends an email to your professor to approve the date and time. If your professor does not agree with the date and time you’ve chosen, they may deny your request. This is why it is important to schedule your exam as close as possible to the original exam time.
Accommodations do not require a student to test in ODS testing facilities. If your professor is able to meet your accommodations, they are allowed to require you to test with them. Some professors are able to secure additional space for students with accommodations and provide a reduced distraction environment and extended time. Some professors will have you take an exam in their office. If they are not able to meet all of your accommodations, you would need to schedule an exam with ODS through Accommodate.
In order to maintain a reduced distraction environment and provide extended time, ODS must operate on a different finals schedule from the rest of the university. We will have two exam blocks: 8:00AM to 12:00PM and 1:00PM to 5:00PM. We suggest you speak with your professor to determine the best time block for you to take your exam. Most likely, they will prefer that you choose the time block that overlaps with the exam time for the rest of your class.
You will need to speak with your professors to determine which exam is able to be moved to a different day. ODS only has two exam blocks per day during finals week.
It is important to schedule final exams early to ensure you are able to get a seat in the correct time block. ODS has very limited capacity during finals week. If there are no more seats available during the time you need, you will need to speak with your professor to decide on an alternative time or space to take your exam.
We fill the classrooms at half capacity to ensure adequate spacing between students. We also utilize sound machines, ear plugs, and noise cancelling headphones upon request. Additionally, all students will check in at the same time so there will be less movement happening during testing.
YES. Please speak with your professor to determine what materials will be needed for your final exam. ODS does not have enough computers for every student, so if your exam will be online, you will need to bring your own FULLY CHARGED laptop. We do not have extension cords and cannot guarantee that you will have access to an outlet.
Additionally, make sure you have any supplies needed for your exam: calculators, rulers, pencils, headphones for language or music exams, etc. ODS cannot provide all materials.
The last day to submit a request in Accommodate to take your final exams with ODS is November 21 at 5p.m. EST. This deadline is in place to allow ODS necessary preparation time for proctoring the high volume of exams. Once the deadline has passed, ODS reservations are no longer available for Fall 2025 final exams. If there are extenuating circumstances that have caused the request to be submitted late, please email ODSexam@jmu.edu with a detailed statement regarding these circumstances.
You will receive an email once both your professor and ODS approves your exam. It is not uncommon for professors to wait to approve an exam until very close to the day of the exam. ODS has no control over this. Once your professor approves the exam, it will need to be manually moved to the “approved” tab by an ODS Exams Team member. Our team is processing a high number of reservations for Finals Week and strategically works through exam approvals in order of testing date and time. Please be assured that your seat is guaranteed from the moment you submit a request.
The easiest way to prevent issues during testing is to inform proctors of any questions, concerns, or missing materials immediately. Do NOT wait until you are done with your exam to tell proctors you need a scantron or your extended time isn’t showing in Canvas. We cannot fix an issue if we don’t know about it.
Due to the high volume of exams, ODS may not be able to reschedule your exam. In that case, you would need to speak with your professor to discuss alternative arrangements. This can get tricky if you have plane tickets or must leave campus soon after your exam. It is important to alert us of issues or conflicts as soon as possible.
