Study.com

[Merlin]

Hi everyone! My MacBook Pro decided to die yesterday. I wanted to know if anyone has used an iPad for taking the proctored tests? I’m eligible to take 2 tests and now I’m scrambling to find an alternative to my MacBook. An iPad is a cheaper option for now and it’s in my budget. Paying $200.00 a month to study.com has no extra funds in my budget for a new MacBook. Any thoughts or experience?

You should take your MacBook Pro to the Apple Genius Bar to see if they can fix it for you. Its free if you're still under AppleCare, if not they should be able to give you an estimate of repair cost after they take a look at it. Even if it's not under warranty the repair price may be cheaper than a new or used replacement.

If your system is dead and too expensive to repair, you can take a look on eBay or Craigslist for cheap used PCs and laptops. We found my mother-in-law an older model (unused) laptop for $200 on eBay a few years back, so good deals can be had. You just need to be careful to avoid scams. Apple also sells refurbished hardware, but they are often not that much cheaper than new. You can find better deals on used Apple on eBay and Craigslist.

Either way, you cannot take proctored exams with a tablet (or a Chromebook for that matter). You need an actual Windows or Mac computer, whether it is a desktop or laptop. You might be able to use a Tablet PC like Microsoft Surface but that has its own challenges.

As MNomadic points out, there are free and cheap options for gaining access to a system to take the proctored exams. The library is often a good temporary solution. Many offer proctoring services and/or have desktops set up for that purpose.