T14 Schools and ExamSoft Forum

Emma. · Post by **Emma.** » Fri May 18, 2012 2:28 pm

Hey Guys,

My school (UChi) is considering instituting ExamSoft for exams next year. They are selling it to us based on a variety of supposed benefits, and note that the vast majority of schools use some kind of exam-taking software.

I'm hoping TLS can help me out by letting me know what your school uses, and if it isn't examsoft, how the process for taking exams works. Currently we just write exams at Word and then upload to a website... It is a pretty smooth procedure, and I'd hate us to have to take on some clunky exam software.

For those of you with examsoft (Penn? CLS?), what do you think of the program? Does it run smoothly with macs?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Emma.

lawyerwannabe · Post by **lawyerwannabe** » Fri May 18, 2012 2:40 pm

At Duke, for every exam that is not a take-home exam (a.k.a. for every in-class exam), we use ExamSoft. There are two versions of it (one for Mac and one for PC) that get updated every year.

At the beginning of the test, you input the course name and professor. Then, you select how many questions (essay and/or MC) will be featured on the exam.

When the proctor says you can start, you simply click "Start" at the bottom of the prompt.

At the end of the exam, you select finish and it is automatically uploaded to the school. It seems to be a pretty efficient and seamless system that I have had no problems with up to this point in my law school career (just finished 1L).

I think the reason why it is a good system is because once you are in your exam, it restricts access to the internet and may curb cheating. The only way to access the internet is leave the software by finishing your exam.

HTH.

lawyerwannabe · Post by **lawyerwannabe** » Fri May 18, 2012 2:41 pm

Sorry. Double post.

presidentk1 · Post by **presidentk1** » Fri May 18, 2012 9:58 pm

lawyerwannabe wrote:At Duke, for every exam that is not a take-home exam (a.k.a. for every in-class exam), we use ExamSoft. There are two versions of it (one for Mac and one for PC) that get updated every year.

At the beginning of the test, you input the course name and professor. Then, you select how many questions (essay and/or MC) will be featured on the exam.

When the proctor says you can start, you simply click "Start" at the bottom of the prompt.

At the end of the exam, you select finish and it is automatically uploaded to the school. It seems to be a pretty efficient and seamless system that I have had no problems with up to this point in my law school career (just finished 1L).

I think the reason why it is a good system is because once you are in your exam, it restricts access to the internet and may curb cheating. The only way to access the internet is leave the software by finishing your exam.

HTH.

a lot of what u wrote is true according to the company but not reality

everything exam4 attempts to block, one is able to bypass

i downloaded the software to try it out and was able to find a method to get around it
if I could do it, many more could as well

tomwatts · Post by **tomwatts** » Sat May 19, 2012 12:41 am

I like that when you Google "examsoft," the third result is, "How to Cheat and Bypass Examsoft." I don't know anything about it (we use exam4, which is not the same, apparently), but that's just a good sign overall.

JusticeHarlan · Post by **JusticeHarlan** » Sat May 19, 2012 8:42 am

Emma. wrote:Does it run smoothly with macs?

It works better with Macs than with PCs.

The Duck · Post by **The Duck** » Sat May 19, 2012 10:14 am

Michigan uses Electronic Blue Book (EBB). It seems to work pretty good. Bypassing it much much harder than Examsoft (when in blocked mode).

Emma. · Post by **Emma.** » Sat May 19, 2012 10:14 am

Thanks guys. Please keep the anecdotes coming. I have a pretty good sense of how ExamSoft works, but it would be especially useful if I could get a general sense of which of the top schools use it, which use something else, and which use nothing at all.

09042014 · Post by **09042014** » Sat May 19, 2012 10:20 am

How TTT, NW lets us take them whenever, using whatever. Examsoft is for trashy schools with cheating problems.

rad lulz · Post by **rad lulz** » Sat May 19, 2012 10:23 am

Only T14 people can have opinions about ExamSoft, brehs

Emma. · Post by **Emma.** » Sat May 19, 2012 10:32 am

rad lulz wrote:Only T14 people can have opinions about ExamSoft, brehs

Eh, sorry... I have no interest in being elitist, I'm up for hearing all kinds of anecdotes about ExamSoft.

I'm specifically trying to track down the exam software policies of the T14 schools because UChi is thinking about starting to use exam software, and they will be more likely to care about the policies of other schools they consider to be "peer" schools.

lawyerwannabe · Post by **lawyerwannabe** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:46 pm

O sorry. Duke uses EBB. I just figured it was all the same thing.

Dany · Post by **Dany** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:53 pm

Does it lock you out of all programs or just the internet?

lawyerwannabe · Post by **lawyerwannabe** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:56 pm

Dany wrote:Does it lock you out of all programs or just the internet?

EBB locks down your entire computer if the professor chooses closed book exam (which most do). I have never tried to get around the programs though (as some on here have said is possible with ExamSoft).

Dany · Post by **Dany** » Sat May 19, 2012 3:05 pm

Has anyone used it with an open book exam? How does that work?

berkeleykel06 · Post by **berkeleykel06** » Sat May 19, 2012 3:19 pm

UVA doesn't use exam software, just Word.

presidentk1 · Post by **presidentk1** » Sat May 19, 2012 5:14 pm

it is possible to get around ANY of these programs
its called a virtual machine
you run a computer inside your computer

these companies just scam deans who know nothing about technology into giving them $25k+ a month for the service

it doesn't stop cheating

Dany · Post by **Dany** » Sat May 19, 2012 5:32 pm

f7u12 wrote:
Dany wrote:Does it lock you out of all programs or just the internet?
With examsoft you're locked out of everything besides the application.

Oh god PLEASE do not let us get ExamSoft, Emma.

sidhesadie · Post by **sidhesadie** » Sat May 19, 2012 5:37 pm

Not T14, lol, but my school just started using examsoft this year.

It locks you down out of everything but the program. I'm sure there's a way around it, but given that we are in a room with students all around you, in my school you'd be caught in a second if you tried it (the screen you answer q's in is pretty distinctive.)

As for open book, you have to print all your outlines and notes and bring in a hard copy.

presidentk1 · Post by **presidentk1** » Sat May 19, 2012 5:38 pm

f7u12 wrote:
presidentk1 wrote:it is possible to get around ANY of these programs
its called a virtual machine
you run a computer inside your computer

these companies just scam deans who know nothing about technology into giving them $25k+ a month for the service

it doesn't stop cheating
That seems like a bad idea with proctors walking around the room.

because it takes all but half a second to minimize w/e else and get exam4 back up

listen, I dont condone cheating, all i'm saying is that the software is trash, it doesnt prevent anything

The Duck · Post by **The Duck** » Sat May 19, 2012 5:48 pm

presidentk1 wrote:it is possible to get around ANY of these programs
its called a virtual machine
you run a computer inside your computer

these companies just scam deans who know nothing about technology into giving them $25k+ a month for the service

it doesn't stop cheating

EBB detects when running inside a virtual machine. It won't even start on a native windows partition if VMware is also setup to run that partition virtual.

Emma. · Post by **Emma.** » Sat May 19, 2012 6:13 pm

So from the T14 so far, we know:

Mich and Duke use EBB
UVA and NU have no exam software

And while I guess it might be useful for some people to know how to circumvent these programs, that isn't really what I'm looking for. I just want to know what your school uses and how much of a pain in the ass is it for the ordinary honor code-abiding student.

LSATNightmares · Post by **LSATNightmares** » Sat May 19, 2012 6:19 pm

BU uses Examsoft. I have a Mac and never had issues with it. They always have tech support in the rooms in case someone needs help. There always is one person needing help, but it always works out.

ilovesf · Post by **ilovesf** » Sat May 19, 2012 6:29 pm

Dany wrote:Has anyone used it with an open book exam? How does that work?

We use exam soft. For open book you have to print your outlines and bring them with you.

Dany · Post by **Dany** » Sat May 19, 2012 6:30 pm

ilovesf wrote:
Dany wrote:Has anyone used it with an open book exam? How does that work?
We use exam soft. For open book you have to print your outlines and bring them with you.

That sounds awful. Ctrl+F is a godsend during exams for me.

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