vs. 
Last year my law school used SecureExam for our finals. This year my new law school (as they were on SecureExam last year too) switched to Exam4 software. The following are my top ten reasons why law schools should choose Exam4 over SecureExam.
10. It was rediculously simple to load and use. Unlike SecureExam, where an entire sheet was required (front and back in 10 pt. font) on where to download and how to use, Exam4 installation and use was a breeze.
9. Microsoft Word is NOT required to use Exam4. SecureExam required Word even though it used NONE of the Word functionality (spell check, formatting, etc.). Exam4 used its own word processing program that DID allow formatting options.
8. The user interface was super attractive. …which is important for me since I am stressed.
7. Need a few reminders throughout the exam to let you know how your doing on time? Well Exam4 lets you set your own reminders if you want them. Groovy. Where was that feature SecureExam, huh?
6. Exam4 has options for both open and closed exams. If the exam is open it lets you have access to all of your files so you can use them. If you are taking a closed exam, Exam4 locks out all of your other programs turning your very nice computer into a glorified typewriter (with formatting options) for a couple of hours.
5. If you were a law school, which I know none of you are, and you used SecureExam you had to buy separate licenses for Mac’s and PC’s. That’s right. SecureExam hates on Apple (and we all know how I feel about that). Or, maybe your law school did what mine did last year and said, “Gee sorry Mac people. We think your commercials are funny too, but we won’t spend the money so that 20% of our law students can type their exams. Why don’t you just find another computer or hand write your 4 hour Civil Procedure exam? I mean we told you not to buy Mac’s, because computers are not a big purchase at all and we wouldn’t want you to buy a computer that you actually wanted. Sheez, its like you want the world or something.” Exam4 does not discriminate. Apple? Windows? XP? Vista? Sure, come on in. We’ve got just what you need.
4. Exam4 saves extra copies of your exam on your hard drive just in case something goes wrong. If the exam doesn’t submit you can just fire up the program again and choose any exam you have taken from a list and re-submit it. This is so nice. I think I saw the IT department at my law school last year perform open heart surgery on some computers in an attempt to not “lose” exams.
3. SecureExam must be in bed with Microsoft or something. I mean the REQUIREMENT of Word and the “extra charge” for Mac licenses. Boo.
2. Did I mention it’s pretty and way easy to use?
1. Finished your exam? Know how SecureExam made you save your exam on the required flash drive? Then you had to go out into the hallway and stand in a line of 50+ other law students to print out your exam. This all added to the stress because you know that all those other FREAKS were still talking about the exam, causing you to question EVERYTHING YOU WROTE. Yeah, well in Exam4 you just hit a happy little button that submits your exam electronically over the intranetz. The program shuts down and seems to say, “Hey! Sorry we had to torture you with the exam. Hopefully you enjoyed the formatting options…and we just went ahead and emailed the exam to your professor, so why don’t you just go grab a beer or something.” kthxbai Exam4. I heart you.
6 comments
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December 20, 2007 at 1:03 am
Rick
I remember suffering through SecureExam last year! My new law school also uses Exam4. Zero problems. The timer functioned great. The submission process was instant each time. No lines, no flash drive, no snotty techies, and best of all my computer didn’t freeze up during an exam like last year. Oh, and not having to shut down a bunch of random programs after exiting the program was nice too!
December 20, 2007 at 1:18 am
diremirth
So true! It’s just so superior I am at a loss for words. Why aren’t all law schools using it yet? Those techs were snotty weren’t they? hehe. I had almost forgotten
December 20, 2007 at 1:22 am
diremirth
I hope Colorado is treating you well, Rick! Ready for BSG? And, what is with the waiting until March??? OH, the torture!
December 20, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Matt
Hey Em,
Can I just say how lucky you are to not have Secure Exam. This year has been 10 times as bad thanks to a major overhaul for Vista. Secure Exam now requires 300K of RAM (so all you 3Ls who have been using that older computer for three years with only 256K, you are screwed) (and can I just say that 300K for a bare-bones word processing program is absolutely ridiculous). Oh yeah, and Secure Exam was so late in upgrading their program that no one found out there were problems with their computers until a week before finals. The printing process when from slow to just downright annoying now. It hasn’t been compatible with a number of flash-drives so many people have had to purchase new ones. And it is still screwing up and forcing tech cannibalization in order to find some exams. So much fun. I haven’t had any problems so far, but have my last final in 3 hours, so we will see.
Matt
April 21, 2008 at 5:20 am
Michael in SF
I know it’s been like 4 months since your posting (just noticed it), but as half of the programming duo who created the Macintosh version of Exam4, I’d like to thank you for the compliments!
Feel free to send any Exam4 ideas my direction and I’ll run them by the boss.
October 24, 2008 at 6:19 pm
The Boss
I *am* the boss, and I’ll chime in: Thanks so much for your very nice comments. We’ve worked hard refining Exam4 for many years, and it’s quite gratifying to see such a glowing review.
Extegrity first committed to supporting Macs in 2003 when there were very few Mac law students, making it as much a matter of principle as a business decision. Times have changed, and there’s been an especially sharp increase this year at law schools nationwide. For students at schools where your exam software requires Boot Camp and a Windows OS, we encourage you to suggest your tech director or registrar contact us.
Thanks again!