As far as LSAT testing conditions go, Penn State ranks last in the Big Ten and 327th nationally. Yes, that's right. Penn State, the multi-million dollar organization, where about 40,000 students come to further their knowledge in order to attain a job, ranks 327th nationally in LSAT testing conditions, according to a Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions survey.

Embarrassing? Just a bit. In the past, students have complained about cold temperatures in the testing center, uncomfortable desks, broken chairs and poor proctors. None of these complaints deal with the actual building where the test is taking place, and all could be easily resolved.

Fix the desks, fix the chairs and monitor the room temperature. Even the proctor problem is easily fixed. Allow the students to fill out a survey after the exam is over, rating the proctor's performance. If students feel strongly enough to complain, they will. In the least, the threat of a poor performance review (and subsequent loss of job) will encourage the proctors to be amiable and helpful to the test takers.

There is a larger problem at hand, though. In theory a university should utilize the best available space it has to offer for the LSAT or the MCAT. Not only are these tests significant and incredibly important to the person taking them, but also the university stands to gain from high student scores.

The higher the scores from a certain university, the better the university looks in the public eye, right? So, in theory, these students should be taking tests in some of the best environments Penn State has to offer. So, if the students taking these tests are complaining, what must the conditions for regular test-takers be like?

Ever take a Spanish final in Eisenhower? Remember those pitiful boards they supply you with to write on? Remember how poorly lit the auditorium was? Remember how close you had to sit to the person next to you, rubbing elbows in annoyance?

Or how about Osmond Laboratory? Those auditoriums with the 70-degree staircase sure make for a dangerous trip. Your ankles rub uncomfortably against the metal bar in front of you, and if you sit in the back you can barely see your professor. You feel like a bird perched uncomfortably on the edge of a cliff -- but, oh yeah, you're trying to take a final.

Let's face it: We've all taken a final in an awful environment, so when the Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions survey was released, none of us were surprised. This is a problem Penn State has had for a while.

Penn State rakes in millions per year in student tuition, and we shouldn't have to put up with these problems. If it's hard to book classrooms for finals, then maybe the finals session should be extended to two weeks.

At least it will give us a chance to take the test to the best of our ability, instead of wondering if it's us or the person sitting three inches away from us who has the horrible body odor.