SofTest
Download SoftTest Self-Install Instructions
The following information explains the policies related to the use of personal computers in law school examinations. In response to concerns about fairness to all students, these policies and deadlines are strictly enforced. All students are expected to be familiar with these materials and to comply with them fully.
This memorandum provides important information regarding use of personal computers for examinations. Please review this entire memorandum carefully. Note there are two separate deadlines each semester:
- the SofTest Response Form is due at the end of the seventh week of class
- the deadline for installing the updated version of SofTest is during the last week of class. Both deadlines will be widely publicized in the Advance Sheet and elsewhere. If you plan to use your PC in your examinations this semester, you must install (or reinstall) the software, and you must meet both deadlines.
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Policies Regarding Use of Personal Computers in Examinations
The decision to allow or prohibit students' use of personal computers in examinations is at the discretion of each course instructor. Most faculty allow students to use PCs in examinations; you should not hesitate to confirm with your faculty whether you may use your PC for your examination.
Students are responsible for mitigating problems related to computer malfunctions. A student whose PC malfunctions will be expected to hand-write the examination in bluebooks. If an individual student's PC malfunctions, the start of the examination will not be delayed. All examinations will begin promptly at 9 a.m. or 2 p.m.
Students using PCs must have the exam software running correctly no later than fifteen minutes prior to the examination starting time. Students using computers must have their systems working problem-free no later than 8:45 a.m. for morning examinations and 1:45 p.m. for afternoon examinations. A student whose computer is not functioning properly fifteen minutes prior to the examination will be required to move to the writing room to hand-write the examination in bluebooks. It is the student's responsibility to arrive at the testing room with sufficient time to have his or her computer system operating correctly well in advance of the fifteen-minute deadline. A student who arrives too late to comply with this procedure will be directed to the writing room to hand-write the examination. The proctors' clocks will determine compliance with this requirement. We will make no exceptions to this policy.
Law School computing staff will be available during the forty-five minutes prior to the examinations to respond only to major system-wide operating problems (e.g., building power failure or a batch of faulty SofTest bluebook diskettes). Computing staff will not be available before or during the examination to resolve operating problems with individual students' personal computers.
There is no appropriate lock-out software available for Mac computers. Therefore, students who wish to use personal computers for examinations will be allowed to do so only with IBM-compatible computers.
As in all examination settings, all students are expected to comply fully with all examination procedures, and all students are expected to comply fully with all instructions from the examination proctors. These rules will be strictly enforced for all students, including a student whose computer malfunctions. All students are expected to read and comply fully with these rules and procedures. Claims of "lack of notice" will not be adequate to excuse violations.
Election to use SofTest is final. A student who changes this election after the deadline will be prohibited from using SofTest in subsequent semesters.
Important Deadlines
The "SofTest Response Form" must be completed and returned to Room 104 no later than 5 P.M. on Friday of the seventh week of class. This deadline is firm. We will not accommodate requests submitted after the deadline.
You must install the SofTest software no later than the publicized deadline during the last week of class. Even if you installed SofTest last semester, you must go to the Computer Lab to reinstall the updated software and test your installation using an actual exam disk. If you do not install the updated software, you will not be allowed to use your PC in the examinations this semester. You must install and test the updated software by the deadline or you will not be allowed to use your PC on your examinations. (Students who plan to rent a PC--or to borrow a PC for examinations--may seek special permission from Wendy Chapman to install the software later.)
