Pearson VUE wait times extremely high over the weekend

In the past few days, test-takers using Pearson Vue’s online proctoring service have experienced significant delays, with many reporting wait times of up to four hours. This issue has sparked considerable frustration and discussion across various online platforms, including Reddit and Discord.

Recent Reports from Test Takers

One user shared their experience on Reddit:

“The queue to take my Sec+ this afternoon online was 130. This is absolute insanity. They can't expect people to schedule a test and wait three hours or more to take it. Unacceptable.”

Unfortunately the user ended up rescheduling their exam due to the prolonged wait.

Similarly, another user reported a two-hour wait time for their Sec+ exam saying

“I was 160 on the queue... Is this experience normal?”

Community Feedback

We (/u/crucialexams) are frequent users of the /r/CompTIA subreddit and have seen a big uptick in comments from users sharing their frustrations and suggestions. It is not uncommon for the most upvoted comments relating to Pearson's online platform to be something along the lines of "Go in person whenever possible" due to the issues test takers often see but the hours long delays have caused a big uproar in complains and frustration with the online proctoring service.

Common Issues with Online Proctored Exams

Online proctoring gives test takers flexibility, allowing candidates to take exams from the comfort of their own homes and from anywhere in the world, but definitely have some issues compared to in-person exams:

1. Long Wait Times: As evidenced by the recent experiences shared online, wait times can be excessively long, causing significant delays and stress.
2. Technical Issues: Connectivity problems, software glitches, and other technical issues can disrupt the exam process, sometimes requiring rescheduling.
3. Strict Protocols: Test-takers are required to stay in front of their cameras, avoid looking away, and refrain from using their phones, even during prolonged wait times.
4. Inconsistent Experiences: While some users report seamless experiences, others face significant difficulties, making the online proctoring process unreliable. Your results may vary simply because you have a proctor that is more or less strict about the rules than others.

Our take on In-person vs. Online Exams

Like others, we always recommend in-person over online whenever feasible. If you have already scheduled an online exam or simply don't have any in-person options available to you, we highly recommend allowing all day to complete the process given the current wait times. Additionally you should be prepared before hand with a setup in simple room, nothing on the walls like pictures or mirrors, away from doorways and be sure no one else will be walking in the room you are in.