"I think it's ridiculous that there are so many different programs as well"

I had a visitor from Zimbabwe say the same thing about toothpaste brands at the store. This is a Free Market.

"i would have expected a bit more help from people that have been in the business for so long, that (apparently) have the time to tell me (repeatedly) that I'm in the wrong section of the world of accounting,"

That's not what is being stated; you are Lost on the Internet. You are in the Wrong Web World.

"I'm merely asking for help using the computer they gave me to take the test."

No one can see your computer or what you are doing. This is a Discussion Forum. You posted in a ProSeries forum, but you are not using ProSeries. You are asking basic questions, so do what I did and use Google:

ProConnect 1099-Int

See how easy that would be to get results? Use that computer to do the research. I gave the link to the Form 1040 instructions. Go to the part for Line 10. Go to the info from the IRS for Sched A. Know what you should expect to see from the program you are using. Use the built-in Help system.

Here's what you are doing: You walked into an Architectural Office and you are complaining that no one will answer your questions on Basketball. And you keep standing here and complaining that no one is even willing to directly answer your questions, when you have been told the sports complex is in the next building. Then, you tell us how frustrating Sports can be.

"Can you possibly understand how maddening that would be for a "new accountant"?"

I taught QuickBooks to adults through a lifelong learning center for 15 years. If I ever caught one of my students trying to get answers from the Web and bothering a QB forum on the web, and not paying attention to the lessons and learning materials, you can bet they would never hear the end of it. That's no way to Learn. But, you have to know how to Teach, too, which is its own profession, and hard to do it well.

Let's assume your instructor has provided everything needed for your class and for you to learn. Now, why would the web-based strangers help you bypass those skill-building resources? How can you be willing to turn in work and include "This guy on the internet told me to do it like this." How does that make any sense?

You simply are Lost here.