diff --git a/common/test/acceptance/tests/discussion/test_cohort_management.py b/common/test/acceptance/tests/discussion/test_cohort_management.py
index 5ab2c2ef98..063a9f2158 100644
--- a/common/test/acceptance/tests/discussion/test_cohort_management.py
+++ b/common/test/acceptance/tests/discussion/test_cohort_management.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ End-to-end tests related to the cohort management on the LMS Instructor Dashboar
 
 from datetime import datetime
 
-from path import path
 from pytz import UTC, utc
 from bok_choy.promise import EmptyPromise
 from nose.plugins.attrib import attr
@@ -71,11 +70,6 @@ class CohortConfigurationTest(EventsTestMixin, UniqueCourseTest, CohortTestMixin
         self.instructor_dashboard_page.visit()
         self.cohort_management_page = self.instructor_dashboard_page.select_cohort_management()
 
-        test_dir = path(__file__).abspath().dirname().dirname().dirname().dirname()
-        self.files_path = test_dir + '/data/uploads/'
-
-        test_dir2 = self.instructor_dashboard_page.get_asset_path('.')
-
     def verify_cohort_description(self, cohort_name, expected_description):
         """
         Selects the cohort with the given name and verifies the expected description is presented.
@@ -323,9 +317,14 @@ class CohortConfigurationTest(EventsTestMixin, UniqueCourseTest, CohortTestMixin
                 )
 
     def _create_csv_file(self, filename, csv_text_as_lists):
-        import csv
+        """
+        Create a csv file with the provided list of lists.
+
+        :param filename: this is the name that will be used for the csv file. Its location will
+         be under the test upload data directory
+        :param csv_text_as_lists: provide the contents of the csv file int he form of a list of lists
+        """
         filename = self.instructor_dashboard_page.get_asset_path(filename)
-        # filename = self.files_path + filename
         with open(filename, 'w+') as csv_file:
             writer = csv.writer(csv_file, quoting=csv.QUOTE_ALL)
             for line in csv_text_as_lists:
@@ -494,10 +493,10 @@ class CohortConfigurationTest(EventsTestMixin, UniqueCourseTest, CohortTestMixin
         And appropriate events have been emitted
         """
         csv_contents = [
-            ['username','email','ignored_column','cohort'],
-            [self.instructor_name,'','June','ManualCohort1'],
-            ['',self.student_email,'Spring','AutoCohort1'],
-            [self.other_student_name,'','Fall','ManualCohort1'],
+            ['username', 'email', 'ignored_column', 'cohort'],
+            [self.instructor_name, '', 'June', 'ManualCohort1'],
+            ['', self.student_email, 'Spring', 'AutoCohort1'],
+            [self.other_student_name, '', 'Fall', 'ManualCohort1'],
         ]
         filename = "cohort_csv_both_columns_1.csv"
         self._create_csv_file(filename, csv_contents)
@@ -536,7 +535,7 @@ class CohortConfigurationTest(EventsTestMixin, UniqueCourseTest, CohortTestMixin
         """
         csv_contents = [
             ['username', 'cohort'],
-            [self.instructor_name,'ManualCohort1'],
+            [self.instructor_name, 'ManualCohort1'],
             [self.student_name, 'AutoCohort1'],
             [self.other_student_name, 'ManualCohort1'],
         ]
diff --git a/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_learner_profile.py b/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_learner_profile.py
index d32a489451..1b27c1b8b6 100644
--- a/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_learner_profile.py
+++ b/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_learner_profile.py
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ class OwnLearnerProfilePageTest(LearnerProfileTestMixin, WebAppTest):
 
         self.assert_default_image_has_public_access(profile_page)
 
-        profile_page.upload_file(filename='cohort_users_only_username.csv')
+        profile_page.upload_file(filename='generic_csv.csv')
         self.assertEqual(
             profile_page.profile_image_message,
             "The file must be one of the following types: .gif, .png, .jpeg, .jpg."
diff --git a/common/test/data/uploads/cohort_users_both_columns.csv b/common/test/data/uploads/cohort_users_both_columns.csv
deleted file mode 100644
index ee13b56c7c..0000000000
--- a/common/test/data/uploads/cohort_users_both_columns.csv
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-username,email,ignored_column,cohort
-instructor_user,,June,ManualCohort1
-,student_user@example.com,Spring,AutoCohort1
-other_student_user,,Fall,ManualCohort1
diff --git a/common/test/data/uploads/cohort_users_only_email.csv b/common/test/data/uploads/cohort_users_only_email.csv
deleted file mode 100644
index 7fb6a85400..0000000000
--- a/common/test/data/uploads/cohort_users_only_email.csv
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-email,cohort
-instructor_user@example.com,ManualCohort1
-student_user@example.com,AutoCohort1
-other_student_user@example.com,ManualCohort1
-
diff --git a/common/test/data/uploads/cohort_users_only_username.csv b/common/test/data/uploads/cohort_users_only_username.csv
deleted file mode 100644
index f33b77a0a2..0000000000
--- a/common/test/data/uploads/cohort_users_only_username.csv
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-username,cohort
-instructor_user,ManualCohort1
-student_user,AutoCohort1
-other_student_user,ManualCohort1
diff --git a/common/test/data/uploads/generic_csv.csv b/common/test/data/uploads/generic_csv.csv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bad83f6563
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/test/data/uploads/generic_csv.csv
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+column_1,column_2
+foo,bar
+foo,baz
+hello,there
+file_size,must_be_100_bytes
+the story,was
+very very very very very,interesting