Law Schools

Bar Exam Software Debacle Causes Testing Delays Across The Country

How much does it suck to be taking the bar exam this time around?

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‘I HATE YOU, ExamSoft!’

Today is the final day of the February 2018 administration of the bar exam. Earlier this week, we tried to give test-takers a little pep talk to alleviate some of their worries by explaining that they’d already avoided the biggest bar exam biggest bar exam debacle in history, thanks to ExamSoft. Back in 2014, test-takers across the country were unable to upload their exam files, causing complete panic about the possibility of blowing states’ upload deadlines. Perhaps we shouldn’t have used an ExamSoft screw-up to calm the nerves of recent law school graduates, because the mere mention of the horrific incident seems to have summoned ExamSoft’s demons once again.

On the first day of the exam, test-takers were faced with widespread outages of ExamSoft’s Examplify software, which caused exam delays in several jurisdictions. Thousands of bar candidates were wide-eyed with worry when they tried to begin their essays and their exam applications didn’t work — at all.

This mess all started with a series of “URGENT” updates to ExamSoft that were made less than a week before the exam was slated to begin:

It was indeed a bad omen. Here are some reports from law grads all over the nation:

* In NY Bar Albany, Examplify software didn’t work for almost half of all applicants. Thus exam was delayed 30 minutes and everyone was freaking out.

* BREAKING: the software made by @ExamSoft is absolute crap and they offer no service when it locks your computer at inappropriate moments.

* In Florida it wasn’t working either and we started the examination about 45 minutes late. #examplify #barnightmare

* The fact that I didn’t cry/completely lose my sh*t when my Examplify wouldn’t work for 45 minutes today is probably my proudest moment, EVER. #barexam

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The software problems were eventually resolved, and test-takers had an extra 30 minutes to an hour tacked onto their first day of the exam to make up for the early delays. Today is February’s final essay day, and we’re hoping no one experiences any additional issues with the Examplify software. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for you.

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky has been an editor at Above the Law since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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