Those who have followed this blog, or really any information about our office, know how excited we have been about remote proctored exams. We are thrilled about this convenient and secure testing option for our applicators. You might wonder how I can be excited about exams, especially that for so many School’s Been Out Forever! Taking any exam can be stressful, but this blog will help explain the process and ensure that if you are Testing From Home, What You Need To Know is all right here.
How Do I Find These Exams and Sign Up?
What is this new testing platform, what is remote proctored testing and why should I care? The new platform is exactly like the current exams in the county extension offices, just available at home. The company Everblue specializes in hosting these exams and making sure they run smoothly. It allows you the freedom to test anywhere (so long as you have internet and a webcam) and anytime, so from sunrise, to the wee hours of the night you can Take It Easy and take your test wherever you are comfortable.
If this sounds like a great way to test, your next question is likely “how do I do this testing?”. Good news this process starts the same way it always has. First you need to get a voucher, basically Your Ticket To Ride the testing train. For a video on this process please see
Once a voucher is in hand from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), examinees return to UF/IFAS Pesticide Exam Website (https://pesticideexam.ifas.ufl.edu/) and schedule their exams. For more information on how to schedule see
From here you can choose to test in the county extension office closest to you. Alternatively, you can select to test via remote proctored exams, which cost $26.13.
How To Successfully Complete These Exams
The remote proctor exams are a little different than testing in person. Because of that we are providing some helpful hints that will make for a better testing experience. Just like reading and following a label, the first thing to do is to read and follow ALL the rules for these exams. Below we will discuss some of the unique parts of the exam and how to be compliant.
The first important part is to make sure you can test in a secure location, without other people. You want somewhere without distractions, other people, to truly enjoy a moment in The Sounds of Silence. This is also to ensure that YOU are taking the exam on your own…no phoning a friend for this test.
Along this theme, we really don’t want any Smooth Criminals getting additional assistance here, no outside resources. You can’t have phones, watches, notebooks, extra computers, its just your brain and the computer to pass the exam. I know there are some killer tunes listed here, and you might want to listen to them just DON’T do it during the exam, no headphones allowed either.
Although all these rules and surveillance can make it Feel Like Somebody’s Watching you, it’s necessary to ensure the integrity of the exam process. This means doing a good room scan before the test to show your surrounding environment.
You will notice in my video I have a phone on the desk, notes laying about, generally a cluttered mess…not good for testing (I will clean up I promise). You need a clear, secure environment to test.
While you test the webcam will record the exam for review once the test is complete. The key to this is having a clear view of your face, particularly the eyes, for the entire test. So, strike a pose, Vogue, and show off that beautiful face. Luckily there is a self-view on the exam so you can ensure your face is visible.
Category Exams With Math
For some of the exams there is a math part, which has a few special rules associated with it. If You Walked 500 Miles, and then walked 500 miles more, how many miles would you have walked to be the person that showed up at the door? Math questions are ALWAYS at the beginning of the exam and MUST be completed first. The exam has instructions in bright red letters telling you to show your blank scratch paper and at the end to rip up that paper, all where the camera can see. Once you finish the math section first, there is no going back, and no more scratch paper allowed.
Outside of that it is making sure to read all the rules and expectation for the exam. Have reliable internet and check that your computer meets the technology requirements for the exam. Set up a secure location, leave everything but yourself and your computer outside the test space, take a deep breath, and go pass that exam. Just like a pesticide label, read and follow all instructions and you will be on your way to success.
I know this blog has been very punny and full of songs, but hopefully you see that this new testing platform can be easy to use. It allows you to test on your own time in your own environment, which can be a huge help for those with test anxiety. If the technology is just too much, or the cost too steep, you can always test in one of our wonderful county extension offices, for free. Even if you do test using Everblue, I encourage you to check in with your local county extension office as the county faculty there can do so much more than just testing and would be delighted to help. Now that we have reached the End of The Road, it is time for me to say So Long Farewell, and until we meet again Bye Bye Bye.
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I couldn’t help myself and got WAY too into the playlist. If your mind is as strange as mine, here is the playlist with all the songs and some of the alternate options I rejected.
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