Please read this entire bulletin.
Test-takers will be permitted to use personal laptop computers which have installed and registered ExamSoft's SofTest™ software for the essay portion of the certified specialist examination.
This exam will be administered using ExamSoft's FlexSite Internet-based exam delivery option and is being offered to all examinees who have registered for the examination, and who sign up and complete registration of SofTest. ExamSoft Worldwide Inc., will manage signup and registration of SofTest.
If you wish to use a laptop computer to take the October 2017 Legal Specialist Examination, you must:
Beginning around Sept. 1, 2017, applicants will receive an e-mail inviting them to begin the process. You must complete the process no later than noon on Oct. 20, 2017, but you are encouraged to complete it as soon as possible. If your laptop computer or the software is not operational on the day of the examination, you will need to handwrite the examination.
It is your responsibility to be familiar with SofTest and your laptop computer prior to the examination, as technical support will not be provided before, during or after the examination session.
On the day of the examination, doors open at 7 a.m. Applicants taking the exam at laptop test centers must be seated no later than 7:30 a.m. with your laptop computer powered on and plugged in, at which time instructions for getting your laptop ready to use will begin. Give yourself time to find your seat and get comfortable. General instructions regarding administration of the examination will start promptly at 7:30 a.m. No extra time will be provided to ensure that a laptop computer is ready for use before the exam session begins or if you are not in your seat in time. Technical assistance will not be available. Examination questions will be distributed in hard copy just before the exam session begins.
Applicants are not required to have an internet connection during the examination, but are required to have internet access immediately following the examination to meet the upload deadline.
It is your responsibility to be familiar with SofTest and your laptop computer prior to the examination. Technical support will not be provided before, during or after the examination session.
Following the examination, applicants will have until 12 noon (Pacific Time), Oct. 25, 2017, to upload their examination answer file. If you fail to upload your answer file by the published deadline, your answers will not be graded.
On the day of the examination, those using laptop computers at laptop test centers must be seated no later than 7:30 a.m., with your computer powered on and plugged in at which time instructions for getting your laptop computer ready to use will begin. You should plan to arrive at the test center at 7 a.m.to find your seat and get comfortable. General instructions regarding administration of the examination will commence promptly at 7:30 a.m. No extra time will be provided to ensure that a laptop computer is ready for use before the examination session begins or if you are not in your seat in time. Technical assistance will not be available. Examination questions will be distributed in hard copy just before the beginning of the examination session.
If your laptop computer is not ready to begin at the designated time, you will be required to handwrite your answers to the examination. Applicants are not permitted to bring extra laptop computers, typewriters or word processors into the standard laptop test centers to use as backups.
After the morning session concludes, you will be asked to take your laptop out of the examination room, and you will not be able to bring it back into the room for the afternoon session. You may leave the laptop outside the examination room in the designated area by the staff table at your own risk.
To ensure the security of the examination process, applicants are required to use SofTest software to take the written portion of the October 2017 Legal Specialist Examination. The application provides a simple word processing program and is designed to be familiar to users of WordPerfect or Microsoft Word. It blocks access to non-SofTest files on an applicant’s laptop computer during administration of the examination and can be used on virtually any modern computer, i.e., purchased within the last three to four years.
To use a laptop computer during administration of the examination, applicants must:
Note about browsers: ExamSoft recommends Firefox or Google Chrome. Internet Explorer is NOT a supported browser.
Note about Windows 10 Creators OS: Please see ExamSoft’s instructions for information on how to certify devices with Windows 10 Creators for use on the legal specialist exam, or how to check your version of Windows.
SofTest minimum system requirements: SofTest can be used on virtually any modern laptop computer (i.e., one purchased within the last three to four years).
The specific system requirements can be found on ExamSoft’s Custom Home page for the California Bar Examination at http://go.examsoft.com/barexamsystemrequirements.
It is not possible to take secure exams through virtual operating systems such as Microsoft's Virtual Machine, Parallels, VMware, VMware Fusion or any other virtual environment.
External standard or ergonomic keyboards and equipment such as a mouse are allowed. These items may be wireless.
Note: The maximum size allowed of laptop computer screen is 17.3 inches.
In some cases on PC laptop computers, certain antivirus applications may block SofTest from starting properly or can affect SofTest's performance during an examination. Visit ExamSoft’s Knowledge Base at http://support.examsoft.com to determine if your laptop computer is running any of the programs listed and for instructions on how to disable your antivirus/antispyware applications before installing SofTest and how to re-enable them after installation is complete.
You must download SofTest through http://www.examsoft.com/cbls even if it was previously installed for use in law school or for a previous Legal Specialist Examination. Be sure to fully uninstall any prior version of SofTest before downloading and installing the newest version.
Installing SofTest: After you have received your admittance ticket, go to the Custom Home Page for the Legal Specialist Examination on the ExamSoft website at: http://www.examsoft.com/cbls. To begin the process, do the following:
If you have an email spam blocker, please add barsupport@examsoft.com and support@examsoft.com to your contact or safe list so that you can receive the emails that will be sent to you during the certification process and as confirmation during the examination answer file upload process.
You must complete the certification process no later than Oct. 20, 2017. We recommend, however, that you complete the process as soon as possible after printing your admittance ticket so that ExamSoft will have the opportunity to assist you in resolving any problems you may encounter prior to the examination. If your laptop computer or SofTest is not operational when the examination begins or at any time thereafter, you will have to handwrite your examination answers.
Downloading your exam file: During the laptop certification process, the Mock Examination exam file and a blank exam file for you to record your answers during administration of the examination will be automatically downloaded to your laptop computer.
Certification confirmation: After successfully completing the certification process, you will be advised on-screen and via email by ExamSoft that you have done so and that the two files have been downloaded (The October 2017 certified specialist examination file and the mock examination file).
The mock examination: The mock examination confirms your laptop computer is compatible with SofTest and provides users with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with procedures for opening, using and uploading answer files prior to the day of the examination. The mock examination must be downloaded and the related exam answer file uploaded to complete the certification process and ensure your laptop computer has been configured properly for use on the day of the examination and for the upload of your exam answer file. The mock examination allows you to practice using SofTest Software and uploading the resulting file, and it is a relatively quick process that does not involve answering any actual questions. You will receive an email confirmation after you have uploaded the exam answer file for your Mock Exam. Until you receive this email confirmation, the software is NOT certified and you are not ready to use it at the examination. For instructional videos and guides on taking the mock examination, please go to http://support.examsoft.com.
Additional copies of the mock examination are available, if needed, to help familiarize you with the SofTest application. Internet connectivity is required for downloading additional copies of the exam file and uploading exam answer files. NO internet connectivity is required while taking the mock examination. Instructions for downloading additional copies of the mock examination can be found at http://go.examsoft.com/barexam by choosing the http://www.examsoft.com/cbls. Authorization will not be granted for the purpose of having a backup laptop computer available in the event a laptop computer malfunctions during the examination.
You may check your certification status and view your download/upload history online at
http://www.examsoft.com/cblsand logging in to your account using the Exam Takers box.
ExamSoft Worldwide Inc. is a software developer specializing in computerized assessment and assessment administration programs.
SofTest is a high stakes assessment program developed and licensed by ExamSoft that enables exam takers to securely take examinations downloaded to their own laptop computers by blocking access to files, programs and the internet during an exam. Using SofTest, you will download an exam file prior to exam day and upload your answer(s) after the exam via the Internet. You WILL NOT require an internet connection during your exam(s). You WILL require a connection to the internet to download the exam file and upload your answers(s).