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Laptop Exams

Laptop Exam Policy for Students

SPRING 2008 LAPTOP EXAMS

The Spring 2008 Semester ExamSoft registration and installation period begins on Monday, March 31, 2008, at 8:00 a.m.

To take laptop exams, students must complete the items listed below by the absolute deadline of Wednesday, April 16, 2008, at 12:00 a.m. (Central Time).

  1. Check to see if it is permissible to take your exams on laptop.
  2. If you did not attend the mandatory laptop meeting held in the Fall 2007 semester, you must view the instructional slides in lieu of the meeting at http://www.law.smu.edu/registrar/examsoft/, by the April 16th deadline.
  3. Register with ExamSoft and pay the initial $25 Academic Year license fee (expires August 31, 2008). You can re-download and re-install SofTest if needed during the Academic Year without paying another license fee.
  4. Log in to the SMU Dedman School of Law's ExamSoft web site, http://www.examsoft.com/smulaw, to download and install SofTest (remember to Register SofTest at the end of the installation); and download an Exam File template for each laptop exam you are going to take.
    • NOTE: Every law student must have SofTest, version 8.5, installed on their laptop to take Fall 2007 laptop exams. You can check the SofTest version by opening SofTest, clicking the Launch SofTest button and looking in the top, left-hand corner of the SofTest opening window. Also in the SofTest window, look under SofTest Status to see that your Registration says Complete.
  5. After your SofTest installation, download and take the required Mock Exam. You can download this Exam File template by opening SofTest and clicking the Download Exam Files button and downloading "Mock_Exam.xmz" to your laptop. There is not an Exam Password for the Mock Exam. Type any numbers in the Exam ID blank and the Begin Exam button will become available so that you can start the Mock Exam. When you have taken the Mock Exam, upload the exam file like you would a real exam. After you have taken and uploaded your Mock Exam, you can take as many Practice Exams as you want prior to exams to familiarize yourself with SofTest.
  6. Make sure your Wireless Internet Connection is working before the deadline.
  7. You must have any viruses or spy ware cleaned off of your laptop before the deadline.
  8. If you would like to set up a time with one of the Lawtech staff members to assist you with Wireless Internet connection, a virus or spy ware problem, or on how to disable your anti-virus and/or anti-spy ware software before exams, please e-mail them at lawtech@smu.edu before the deadline.

Download this one-page checklist to follow to prepare for laptop exams.

ExamSoft's Frequently Ask Questions

YOUR LAPTOP EXAM HISTORY

You can log in to your ExamSoft account at http://www.examsoft.com/smulaw and click the "Exam History" button to see what exam file templates you have downloaded to your laptop and the date and time you downloaded them.  Also, you can see what laptop exam files have been uploaded and the date and time they were uploaded (this includes your Mock Exam).

YOUR LAPTOP

  • Your laptop must be a PC running Windows 2000, XP, or Vista
  • Your laptop must be in good condition (no hardware or software problems).
  • MacIntosh computers are not supported by the Law School's IT staff. See "Laptop Exam Policy for using MacBook (and MacBook Pro) Computers running Windows XP or Vista" below.
  • Your screen resolution must be 1024x768 or higher.
  • PC system requirements for installing SofTest.
  • If you have hardware or software problems, you must fix them well before the deadline. You are welcome to e-mail the Lawtech Staff for assistance.

LAPTOP EXAM POLICY FOR USING MacBOOK (AND MacBOOK PRO) COMPUTERS RUNNING WINDOWS XP OR VISTA

ExamSoft, the seller of SofTest exam software, claims that SofTest will run on a MacBook or MacBook Pro computer running the Microsoft XP or Vista operating systems in conjunction with Apple's Boot Camp software. (As of November 6, 2007, Boot Camp is no longer available to download from the Apple web site, since Boot Camp is included in the new Leopard operating system.) For more information on Boot Camp, visit http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/.

Students may use at their own risk SofTest on a MacBook or MacBook Pro running the Microsoft XP or Vista operating systems with Apple's Boot Camp software. Students who encounter computer-related problems while writing an exam on a MacBook or MacBook Pro must be prepared to handwrite the exam, since the law school’s Information Technology staff does not have MacBook computers and is unable to support them. If you have questions about using SofTest on a MacBook or MacBook Pro, visit http://www.examsoft.com/smulaw or call ExamSoft customer support at 866-429-8889.

STEP-BY-STEP SOFTEST INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Read the step-by-step instructions (in Adobe Acrobat Reader--PDF format).

You can to save these PDF files to your computer and print them if you wish. If you have questions, or need assistance, please contact Debbie Seiter at lawtech@smu.edu.

RE-EXAM AND POST-EXAM CHECKLIST FOR EXAM DAY

The following handouts are checklists you can print that are helpful to have with you on Exam Day (in PDF format).

On exam day you need to go to your exam room at least 30 minutes early and start SofTest as quick as possible. It is important that you open SofTest into the secure mode and stop at the screen with the red stop signs at least five (5) minutes before the professor starts the exam.

OTHER THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • Know what your Exam PIN number is. Your Exam PIN number is your unique identification you should use instead of your name, SMU ID number, or social security number. You must write your Exam PIN number on scantron sheets and paper bluebooks to identify yourself. Also, your professor may ask you to handwrite your Exam PIN number on the hardcopy of your exam.
  • Your Exam PIN number is automatically entered in the Exam ID blank when opening your exam file template in SofTest. DO NOT change this number.
  • Check the exam schedule. Exam room assignment information is added to this schedule during the week before final exams.
  • Know your ExamSoft username and password. Your ExamSoft username is the same as your 8-digit SMU ID number without the hyphen. Your ExamSoft username and password will be sent to your SMU e-mail address before the registration/installation period begins.
  • The Law School does not provide laptops for exams.
  • After taking your SofTest exam, you must upload your exam after your computer restarts in normal mode. If you need assistance, ask the laptop exam proctor. You must have your exam file uploaded within an hour of taking the exam. At least one Lawtech staff member will circulate among laptop exam rooms to assist students in uploading their exam file when needed.
  • Do not format your hard drive, send your laptop off for repair, or delete encrypted exam files before you have received your grades. If you need to have your laptop repaired, contact someone in the Law School Registrar's Office and set up a time to have a copy of your encrypted exam file retrieved first.

If you need assistance, please contact Debbie Seiter or ExamSoft Technical Support.

Be Aware:

Remember that there is always risk involved when taking a laptop exam. For example, your computer might freeze while you are in the middle of typing your exam. If this happens, it is your responsibility to get a paper Bluebook from the proctor and handwrite your exam, as you will not be given extra time.