Phillip Bohl Faculty, Students, The Basics

Caruso Law School Computer/Technology Recommendations

If you are just starting out at Caruso Law, or heading back to school and looking to upgrade your system, please review the below information before purchasing your new laptop!

Nearly all Pepperdine Caruso Law Students use laptops for class, exams, and homework. While laptops are not required, they can be a very valuable tool in law school.  The following recommendations take into account services and applications that are often used in conjunction with Caruso Law classes and other curricular and extra curricular activities.

The Information Services team at Caruso Law provides assistance in configuring your laptop for the network. Please think very carefully before choosing a laptop brand or other hardware/software choice outside the recommended list, as you may be limiting your potential sources of support.

As a law student your laptop computer is a key tool.  Please keep this in mind as you think about how you will use it, the software you install on it, the websites you visit with it, the files/attachments you choose to download and where you store it when you are not using it.  You will want it to be functioning at optimum levels.  Theft, drops, malware, and other untoward variables will detract from your laptop’s ability to help you succeed in law school.

Below are the minimum Computer/Technology Recommendations:

  • Internet: Strongly recommend a rock solid internet connection with a minimum 20 Mbps down and 10 Mbps up.  This exceeds the minimum requirements for synchronous Zoom sessions (the absolute minimum is 600 kbps in both directions while recommended minimum is 1.5 mbps) but note that if you share your internet connection you will need more bandwidth to ensure a reliable, continuous connection.  Also please note that the age of your hardware (router, modem, cabling, computer) will play a significant role in reliability.
  • Manufacturer/Model: Dell Latitude Series/Apple MacBook Pro or MacBook Air
      • NOTE: We strongly discourage the use of Microsoft Surface computers.  Microsoft Surface systems may provide some challenges with ExamSoft software, this software is used by most students to take exams at Caruso Law and is used by the California Board of Bar Examiners for the state bar exam … along with most other state jurisdictions. 
  • Display: Minimum 11” screen – for improved readability, consider 13” or larger
  • Operating System: Windows 10 /Mac OS 11 or better
  • Processor: Intel i5 processor, Apple M1 processor, or greater (Make sure your system is compatible with ExamSoft)
  • RAM: 12GB – 16GB is recommended
  • Solid State Drive (SSD): 120GB or higher
  • Integrated WiFi or WiFi adapter: Newer is often if not always better
  • Media Drives: None necessary, but it’s always good to have a few flash drives handy. Keep in mind that these don’t last forever, don’t rely upon one flash drive to keep your work safe. AND have a backup solution.  LESS DOWN TIME
  • Battery Life: 4-6 hours, much longer is much better.  MORE UP TIME.
  • Spare Laptop Charger: If you plan to bring your laptop with you, keep one for home and one for travel.  If you lose one you have a spare.  NO DOWN TIME.
  • Warranty: 3 year parts/on-site labor. LESS DOWN TIME.
  • Security Lock/Cable: Don’t ever walk away from your laptop if it isn’t secured.  LESS DOWN TIME
  • Malware Protection Software: Make sure you have Anti-Malware installed.  Use the firewall that is build into your computer’s operating system.  MORE UP TIME.
  • Personal Printer: We strongly recommend HP Laser Printers with an extra toner cartridge.  NO DOWN TIME.
  • BACKUP System: There are two ways to do this, traditional backups where a copy of all your files (or just critical files) is made to another storage device either over the web or to an external drive of some kind OR storing your files in the “cloud” to start with where they are backed up by that service provider (think Apple iCloud or Google Drive).  We strongly and urgently recommend a reliable automated backup system AND synchronizing your law school materials on a cloud-based service like Google Drive or iCloud. LESS DOWNTIME

Please visit the Minimum System Requirements page for the ExamSoft/Examplify system requirements to ensure that your system is compliant.

The Dell Latitude series is designed for a professional enterprise user and is not what you will find in a consumer-focused retail store.  We have found these systems to be very reliable and strongly recommend them to both students and faculty for their personal computing needs.  This recommendation is not meant to dissuade you from other manufacturers or even other lines of Dell computers, however, we know this line to be a great fit for a law student who needs a solid, reliable system for three years of challenging work (plus the Bar exam).

We do not recommend tablet-based systems. Nor do we recommend netbooks or Chromebooks.  You are certainly welcome to buy them but we don’t believe they will meet your needs in law school.  In fact, these systems do not work with ExamSoft Examplify at all so that should be a compelling reason to avoid the Chromebook/tablet acquisition unless you already have a serviceable laptop that meets the ExamSoft minimum requirements. Essentially, you can bring any device you want to law school. However, if you want to take exams and keep pace with the challenges of law school, you should purchase a high-quality, business class laptop, not a cheap, or off-brand version found on sale at a big box retailer. Remember, you want a system that is reliable and will last you through completing the BAR EXAM. You don’t want a machine that may crash in the middle of an exam!

MacBook ProThe Pepperdine University Computer Store (an online referral site) offers generous discounts to Pepperdine University students on software (MS Office is no cost to Pepperdine students and employees) and hardware. These discounts are often more than the typical education discounts that you will find online. The Computer Store can be accessed 24/7 online.

For purchasing as an enrolled Pepperdine student, please visit the Pepperdine University IT Department’s discounts for students web page or call Pepperdine University Tech Central at (310) 506-4811.

Please note that using a computer on the University network requires that you agree to the University Computer and Network Usage policy.

Kenneth Cox Students

Update Examplify to Version 2.8.5 (Windows)

Please follow these steps to ensure a successful update of your Examplify software to version 2.8.5. This guide will walk you through all the steps of the Examplify install launcher for the new version.

If you need to re-register or re-download Examplify reference this page. If you re-download Examplify rather than just update it you should also follow these instructions.

After initially downloading the installer the InstallShield Wizard program will prepare the install on your computer and show you its progress.

When prompted, continue through the first welcome screen by pressing “Next” to continue with the install process.

Next you will be prompted to read through and agree to the End User License Agreement shown on screen. In order to continue, select the bubble next to “I accept the terms of the license agreement” and then select the “Next” button to move on with the install.

From here you will be able to press the “Install” button on the lower right of the installer window to begin actually installing Examplify version 2.8.5 on your computer.

The InstallShield Wizard program will show you the progress of your install and automatically continue to the next screen that shows the completed install.

After you have completed your install and selected “Finish”, Examplify will automatically open and prompt you to read and agree to the “Software License Agreement” before continuing. If Examplify does not open automatically just open it from the desktop icon as you normally would and continue from there.

Once you have completed the install and agreed to the Software License Agreement you will be brought to the Examplify home screen and can continue from there.

How to update/download Examplify on Mac

If you need any technology assistance, please feel free to reach out to Information Services at (310) 506-7425 or support@law.pepperdine.edu.

Kenneth Cox Students

Update Examplify to Version 2.9.2 (Mac)

Please follow these steps to ensure a successful update of your Examplify software to version 2.9.2. This guide will walk you through all the steps of the Examplify install launcher for the new version.

If you need to re-register or re-download Examplify, reference this page.

Open Examplify as you normally would, and accept the prompt to update your Examplify version to 2.9.2 in the launcher.

The new version installer will open and prompt you to accept terms and conditions. After accepting that prompt you may continue through the installer steps to download the new version of Examplify. This download will require about 440 MB of storage on your computer.

Once you have agreed to the Terms and Conditions, you will be prompted to actually install the software. By default on a Mac, the software will be installed onto your hard drive. This install destination can be changed with the “Change Install Location” button on the lower right, but it is recommended that Examplify be installed onto your hard drive.

Your Mac’s software installer will then prompt you to enter your password (or Touch ID if you have it) in order to verify the installation. After doing this you will be prompted a second time to allow the installer access to “System Events” on your computer. Select “OK” to continue with this install.

After verifying and giving the installer permission to control “System Events” the installer will show your software install progress and show you the successful installation screen below when the process is complete. From there select the blue “Close” button in the lower right and then select “Move to Trash” when prompted to move the Examplify Installer to the trash.

After you have completed the aforementioned steps, Examplify should open automatically and prompt you to agree to the user Software License Agreement before continuing to use the software. After agreeing to this you will be taken to the normal Examplify home page and will be able to use the software as instructed from there.

How to update/download Examplify on Windows

If you need any technology assistance, please feel free to reach out to Information Services at (310) 506-7425 or support@law.pepperdine.edu.

Hong Kha Students

Examplify – Missing Download

A small number of you experienced an issue last semester with Examplify during finals.  The problem was that after downloading an exam in Examplify, that exam did not appear in the downloaded exams. This is a known issue with the software and one that ExamSoft is working to remedy but in the meantime, we have a workaround.   

To avoid this interrupting your examination process do the following:

  1. Plan ahead: download your exam as soon as it is available and then reboot your computer.
  2. After rebooting, open Examplify, If you notice your exam is not listed under the “Downloaded” heading please contact Information Support immediately and we will give you access to an additional download. 
  3. If you notice this right before your exam you can come to the Law Library Public Services desk. But it’s much better if you plan ahead.

When you reach out for assistance, please provide us with:

  • Your first and last name
  • Phone number
  • The course and professor names related to the exam that is missing after downloading
  • The date and time of your exam

We will assist you as soon as possible to provide you with an additional download. After we modify your exam profile to permit an additional download you will need to restart your computer before you download your exam.
If you run into additional issues or have further questions please contact our Caruso School of Law Information Services team at support@law.pepperdine.edu anytime or call (310) 506-7425 during business hours. We can also meet you in person at the Harnish Law Library Public Services Desk.

Hong Kha Students

ExamSoft: Log In Through Pepperdine

These instructions will show you how to log in to ExamSoft Examplify through Pepperdine as your institution.

  1. Log in to the Examplify application.

In the top right corner, click on the Home Menu. In the drop-down, click Switch Accounts.

2. Select “Add New Account.”

3. Type in “Pepperdine” to the Institution ID box, and select “Pepperdine University School of Law (pepperdinelaw)”

4. You will be directed to a sign-in page. Enter the User ID and Password that was emailed to you. 

Hong Kha Students

EXAMPLIFY INSTRUCTION GUIDE

The following guide is intended to walk you through the process of taking your Fall 2021 Examinations.  Please read these instructions carefully.

Unless you are otherwise notified by your professor, all final examinations will be administered remotely as “open book/open note/open Internet” exams this term. 

  • You will have the ability to “toggle” between your exam attachment, electronic notes, the Internet, and your essay responses in ExamSoft. 
  • Your exams will be timed.  You are responsible for starting the exam at the time you are scheduled to take the exam and uploading your exam on or before the time the e-mailed instructions indicate you must end the exam.  You are responsible for time-keeping if you begin the exam later than its scheduled time.  If you begin the exam late, the timer may suggest that you have time remaining, but the deadline for uploading your exam is the time indicated in the instructions.
  • You are responsible for following the instructions as well as the honor code, which are included with every exam. Your exam submission indicates your certification that you have read, understand, and agree to be bound by the terms of the Pepperdine Caruso Law Honor Code, which applies with equal force to examinations submitted online.

For an instructional video that discusses downloading Examplify, taking a Mock Exam, Examplify features, and more, please view the video below.

Before taking your first exam, please do the following:

For further reference concerning requirements, installation and re-registration instructions and other features of Examsoft’s Examplify, please click here.

STARTING AND COMPLETING THE EXAM

On the day and time scheduled for your exam, an email will be sent to your class with exam-specific instructions, including the exam start and end time, password, and contact information should you require immediate assistance during your exam.

(Please note:  If you have been approved and scheduled to take the exam on another day or time, you will receive this information on the day/time your exam was originally scheduled.  Please save this information for the time your exam is scheduled. Your exam timer will begin the moment you enter the exam password. Do not enter your password until you are ready to take the exam.)

Once you have received the e-mail with your password information, please log-into Examplify and click on the exam you are taking in ExamSoft.

1. Under “My Exams” on the left-hand side of the screen, look for the name of the the exam you are taking and select it/click on it.

2. Enter the exam password that was e-mailed to you at the start of the exam.
(Note: this password is case-sensitive and must be entered exactly as shown).

3. Please read and acknowledge the “Exam Notice,” which is the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law honor code for remote exams. (A copy is attached to this document for your thorough review.) Please read and scroll down to the bottom of the screen before clicking “Next” to accept the terms of the honor code.

4. The “Exam Controls” screen will appear, indicating that the exam includes an attachment and instructions where it can be found under the drop-down menu, “Exam Attachments.”

5. The screen, “Please wait until instructed to start” will appear.  Please disregard this statement to start your exam by clicking “Continue.”

6. Next, please check the box, “I am authorized to start my exam,” then click “Start Exam.”

7. Once you have entered the exam itself, you will have the ability to “toggle” between your computer notes, the Internet, the exam attachment, and your response.

As indicated above, you may access the exam attachment by clicking on “Exam Controls” on the top menu, then “Exam Attachments” on the drop-down menu.

8. A pop-up window of the exam will appear on your screen.To open and/or print the Exam attachment in your PDF reader, please click on the printer icon/Print.

9. The exam will appear in your PDF reader and allow you to Print from its application, typically using the printer icon at the top of the screen.

10. Please type your answer in the space provided. There is a  timer at the top of your screen. (Please note: It is your responsibility to start and end your exams on time.  Your exams must be uploaded by the exam end time and will not allow for a “late start/end time.”)

11. Once you are finished with the exam, click “Finish” at the bottom right hand corner.

  •  a. Before the time expires, you can upload your exam, as you typically do in
    Exam Controls as shown below.  
  • b. IF the timer expires, a screen will appear to inform you that your “Time Limit is Reached,” and the exam will be uploaded for you.  Please keep track of your time to ensure your exam is uploaded at the scheduled end time.

c. If the time limit expired and your exam was uploaded for you, you will see the following screen, which will indicate the status of the upload:

  • If you have manually uploaded your exam, you will be asked to confirm the completion of your exam. If you are certain that you would like to submit your exam, check the box and click “Submit Exam.”

13. PLEASE make sure your exam is completely uploaded. Wait until you receive the green screen, “Your exam has successfully uploaded.”  Do not close your laptop until you see this screen.

(Please Note: If you do not receive an email confirmation of your exam submission, please open your laptop again to complete the upload process.)

Once you see this  green screen, you may click “Return to Dashboard.”

HONOR CODE STATEMENT FOR REMOTE EXAM TAKING

The following statement will be attached to every exam you will be taking this term. By clicking “NEXT” and entering the password for your exam, you agree to the following:

By checking the box below, you certify that you understand that the terms of the Pepperdine Caruso Law Honor Code apply with equal force to examinations administered online.  [link to the full policy]

In particular, you are aware of the following non-exhaustive examples of prohibited conduct that specifically apply to exams:

1. to consult with any other person during an examination, unless expressly authorized by the instructor;

2. to edit overtime on an examination;

3. to obtain unauthorized information concerning an examination one is to take, without immediately informing the Dean;

4. to take an examination for another student;

5. to divulge the contents of an objective or essay examination (note: all exams being administered online this semester should be considered as designated as an examination ‘not to be removed from the virtual examination room’)

6. to intentionally and unnecessarily disturb others taking an examination;

7. to incorporate into work offered for credit any passages taken either word for word or in substance from any work of another without properly crediting the original author and work;

8. to submit as one’s own work the work of another;

9. to submit for credit work that has been previously offered for credit or submitted to a journal;

10. to submit for credit work prepared in collaboration with another without securing the instructor’s permission in advance of submission;

11. to improperly reveal to a professor one’s identity in connection with an examination which is to be graded on an anonymous basis;

12. to unlawfully possess, distribute, or use prescription drugs without proof of prescription, to enhance academic performance;

In addition, it is a violation of the Honor Code to willfully fail to fulfill the duty owed by every law student to report promptly to the Board Chairperson or the Dean all circumstances which he or she believes to constitute a violation of the Honor Code and to identify the person or persons involved.

An honor code investigation may include, but is not limited to, collecting electronic data from computers, phones, and other potentially relevant data sources.  Violations of the Honor Code are extremely serious, can cause sanctions including expulsion, and must be reported to the bar examiners as part of the moral character determination, thus potentially hampering your ability to ever practice law.

IF YOU NEED ANY TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO INFORMATION SERVICES AT (310) 506-7425 OR SUPPORT@LAW.PEPPERDINE.EDU. GOOD LUCK!

Hong Kha Resources, Students

How to Sign Up for Email and Text Notifications for Examplify

It’s easy to sign up for email and text notifications for Examplify.

Go to: https://ei.examsoft.com/GKWeb/login/pepperdinelaw

Log in with the same Student ID and Password as the one you use for Exampify when taking an exam.

Examsoft login page with the Exam Takers student login information highlighted.

Scroll to the bottom of the screen and enter your phone number for text confirmation and/or your email address if you’d like to receive email notifications.

Examsoft’s student portal with the Set Your Notifications highlighted.

If you have not received your email notification, please check your spam folder and report it as not spam.

A confirmation email in the spam folder with the spam folder and the report not spam option highlighted.

Text notification will look like this. Any issue with text notifications should be brought to Examsoft’s support team or your cell phone provider’s attention.

The lock screen on a phone with a text notification that an exam has uploaded.

This LawTech article details how to check to see if your exam has uploaded.

Please contact the CSOL-IS department at (310) 506-7425 or email support@law.pepperdine.edu if you have any further questions. 

Hong Kha Resources, Students

How to Check if Your Exam Uploaded

There are multiple ways to know if your exam has uploaded. 

After you finish the exam, Examplify will upload the file to their servers. You will see this green confirmation screen when that finishes. 

If you have signed up for email notifications and have not received one, please check your spam folder and mark the emails as Not Spam.

You can also log into ExamSoft using the same Student ID and Password you use to log into Examplify. 

Select the courses tab at the top of the screen.

You will see a list of all of your courses and if there are any notifications on, then there is an exam you need to download or upload. 

After you select your course, you will see any required action in red on the left. There are also columns showing your download and upload timestamps. 

You can also email your exam upload confirmation by clicking on the envelope icon.

This LawTech article details how to sign up for Examplify text and email notification.

Please contact the CSOL-IS department at (310) 506-7425 or email support@law.pepperdine.edu if you have any further questions. 

Hong Kha Resources, Students

Examsoft Support Information

So you finally finished that 3 hour exam. You’ve uploaded your exam file and got the green “All Clear” sign (cue enormous sigh of relief). Congratulations! You’re home free at last … but … you have your doubts … and you want some reassurance.

No worries!  The first thing you may want to do is check to see the status of the ExamSoft systems that run behind the scenes.   This site will give you the status of their systems in real time so you will know if for some reason an internet outage in some part of the country may be impacting the upload confirmation that you are expecting.  While rare, this has happened a few times and it’s nice to know that it’s just a slowdown.

For more support information visit their tech support self-help page for help fixing whatever ails your computer post exam. support.examsoft.com

If you experience a problem, remember that this is the exact same software used for your California Bar exam (and many other jurisdictions), so it’s best to sort out all these problems now, rather than when you’re sitting for potentially the biggest exam of your life.

You can also check out this page for the list of their latest minimum computer requirements for Examplify on Windows PC and Mac OS computers.

If you run into a message indicating that your computer does not meet the minimum system requirements like this one:

Image of the error message that says Minimum System Requirements Not Met

You should consult this helpful article from ExamSoft that goes over all the various things you can do to remedy this issue.

You can also check out this Quick Start reference list for all the support tips you might need.

And if you get Really lost, give ExamSoft’s tech support, use this form to enter your issue, use the live chat feature on that same page,  call at 866.429.8889. They’re just waiting to help!

Check here to find your Exam ID!

Try a Mock Exam to get an idea of how the software works!

IF YOU NEED ANY TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO INFORMATION SERVICES AT (310) 506-7425 OR SUPPORT@LAW.PEPPERDINE.EDU. 

Hong Kha Resources, Students, The Basics

ExamSoft Examplify

ExamSoft produces the Examplify examination software used by many law schools and state bar examiners. This software is a secure essay exam word processor (and also works with multiple choice). Pepperdine Caruso School of Law allows students to use this software to take their midterm and final law exams. If you plan to use your laptop computer to take your exams, Examplify is required.

For a list of relevant Examplify articles, please view the links presented in this article below.

Examplify can be downloaded (http://www.examsoft.com/pepperdinelaw) and installed on your laptop computer. To properly use ExamSoft’s Examplify program at Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, it is highly recommended you review the notes and instructions listed in the Exam Orientation Google Drive and Examplify Instruction Guide (for remote exam takers).

IMPORTANT: RETURNING STUDENTS – If you have not used Examplify during the current term, you may need to re-register your software for the current academic school year. To do this, simply follow the same steps for installing the program for the first time. Login to the Examsoft website listed above, and click on “download” to accept the new academic year’s user agreement and download Examplify. Follow the prompts for the installation and when prompted, accept the new academic year’s student agreement again within the program and then follow the remaining prompts to install the latest version of Examplify.

Before attempting any exam, we highly recommend downloading and running a ‘Mock Exam’ within Examplify. This will help ensure that the software is functioning properly on your computer prior to exam day.

For tips on how to maximize your remote internet experience, please click here.

For an instructional video that discusses downloading Examplify, taking a Mock Exam, Examplify features, and more, please view the video below.

Relevant ExamSoft Posts:

NOTE:  ExamSoft will not support Mac OS beta releases. For more information on ExamSoft’s Mac OS requirements, please visit the ExamSoft website.

24/7 ExamSoft support. Live chat with a real person, not a chatbot.

For Student Test Takers Tech Support and Help, please contact the ExamSoft Test Takers Support line at 866.429.8889.

IF YOU NEED ANY TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO INFORMATION SERVICES AT (310) 506-7425 OR SUPPORT@LAW.PEPPERDINE.EDU. GOOD LUCK!