ExamSoft 2014: Biggest Bar Exam Disaster Ever? Posted on 4 Aug 15:25 , 0 comments

Students in multiple states experienced delays and failures when trying to upload their bar exams this past Tuesday, July 28th, 2014. The two day bar examination comprises of a six hour all essay state portion and a multi-state (MBE) multiple choice portion given the following day. 
ExamSoft, the company which provides software for bar exam takers who wish to use their computers for the essay portion, experienced massive issues in the administration of Tuesday’s exam.  All computer test-takers are required to use this software, and must pay a fee, typically ranging from $100-$150 depending on the state, for the right to use it.

State Bars provide deadlines for when the exams must be uploaded, typically by Tuesday night, and the ExamSoft failure caused many applicants to miss those deadlines.  ExamSoft purportedly made arrangement with the states to extend those deadlines, but applicants were forced to stay up all hours of the night ensuring their exams were submitted, causing unnecessary stress and loss of sleep before Wednesday’s MBE.

According to ExamSoft, the delays were caused by a “processing issue” and it was “not at all a system-wide failure.” Vice President of marketing Kenneth Knotts told AP. “At no point in time was the integrity of their exam files ever affected.” ExamSoft does not seem understand the gravity of the situation.  The following e-mail was sent to applicants late Tuesday night:

 

Dear Applicant,

It is understood that you may have experienced delays in attempting to upload youranswers from earlier today. We are currently working to resolve the situation. In the meantime, we wanted to decrease your concern by reminding you that you have until tomorrow evening to submit your answers. We recommend that you focus your attention on trying to ensure you are rested and prepared for tomorrow’s exam and forgo continuing to attempt to submit your answers tonight. Please re-attempt to submit your answers by the upload deadline tomorrow. We appreciate your forbearance with the situation.

ExamSoft Support

 

Further, ExamSoft has made no efforts to issue refunds to any affected test-takers.  They are maintaining that all applicants agreed when paying and registering for the software, that there would be no refunds.

Read more on the story here:http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/barmageddon_bar_exam_takers_in_multiple_states_cant_upload_tests_deadlines_/?utm_source=maestro&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_email