No-deadline sections of a personalized child development course and sections that had deadlines were compared in regard to proctor workload, proctor grading accuracy, and pressure on proctors. A total of 167 students in four sections of the course, and five proctors and one instructor per section, participated in the study. Students in the no-deadline condition had only to attempt the first unit quiz by the end of the second week of the semester and complete the course by the end of the semester. Students in the deadline condition had to meet five instructor-set deadlines that evenly distributed course work throughout the semester. Results indicated that proctor workload was greater towards the end of the semester in the no-deadline condition, that the rate at which no-deadline students completed course tasks accelerated during the last five class days, and that there were more grading errors in the no-deadline condition as the end of the semester approached. Proctors perceived more pressure on both themselves and their students at the end of the semester in the no-deadline condition. The use of deadlines is discussed as a way to distribute proctor workload across the term and to alleviate end-of-term pressure. A bibliography is appended. (Author/SW)