Exam Information
Grades for the majority of courses at the Saint Louis University School of Law are based on one examination given at the end of each semester. SLU LAW faculty members may give one or two additional examinations, writing assignments or both during the semester.
No credit for a course in which an examination is required shall be given to a student unless the student takes and passes the examination under appropriate conditions.
Exam Rules and Procedures
All students are required to be familiar with and abide by the exam rules and procedures explained in this document and contained in the Student Handbook, Chapter 13.
All law students are subject to the Student Honor Code, found in the Student Handbook, Chapter 5.
To preserve anonymity in grading, under no circumstances should a student inform or contact a professor regarding an issue related to the taking of an exam. Any student with exam administration issues should contact Dean Jon Baris at 314-977-3675, Dean Christine Self at 314-977-2728, or Janel Esker at 314-977-2769, or come to the Student Services Office.
In only limited circumstances will a student be allowed to postpone an exam. These circumstances may include serious illness, religious obligation, family crisis, or serious illness or death within the immediate family. A student must contact either Dean Baris or Dean Self prior to the time of the exam to determine whether postponement will be allowed. The student will be responsible for providing sufficient documentation supporting the circumstances.
Permission of the professor and/or Dean Baris is required to withdraw from any course after the withdrawal period has expired. In order for the request to be considered, the request to withdraw must be made prior to the start of the exam period.
Scheduled exams: All first-year core curriculum course exams and some upper division exams are scheduled and must be taken at the scheduled date and time. Scheduled exam dates and times are found on the exam schedule available on the School of Law website.
Take-home exams: Take-home exams using TWEN or the Exam4 Takehome software are administered by the Registrar's Office.
Self-scheduled exams: Self-scheduled in-class exams may be taken on any day according to the times shown on the exam schedule. No advance notice of when students will take self-scheduled exams is required. All exams are ready for students beginning on the first day of the exam period.
Self-scheduled in-class exam blocks are 2, 3, or 4 hours in length. Knowing the length of your exam is important in determining when students can take a self-scheduled exam. The length of the exam is not necessarily the same as the number of credit hours earned in a course.
- 2-hour time blocks are for exams lasting 2 hours or less
- 3-hour time blocks are for exams lasting between 2:15 and 3 hours
- 4-hour time blocks are for exams lasting 3:30 and longer
All students taking an in-class exam on a laptop must use Extegrity Exam4 software. Only students who have registered their laptops, properly installed the Extegrity Exam4 software, and downloaded the practice exam file prior to the first exam will be allowed to use a laptop during in-class exams.
A copy of instructions for use of a laptop will be available in all exam rooms. Follow these instructions carefully in order to ensure your exam saves and prints accurately. These instructions tell students not to change any settings as students should not reset any of the additional features of the software including setting the timer, changing the font, etc.
Extegrity Exam4 allows the following three exam mode options for your laptop. The correct mode to select is determined per your professor’s instructions and is listed on the exam schedule and on each exam envelope packet.
Closed: meaning access to the exam answer document only, no hard drive or internet.
Open: meaning access to the exam answer document and hard drive only, no internet
Open + Network: meaning access to the exam answer document, hard drive and internet
If laptop problems occur, including the failure to pass the security scan:
- For self-scheduled exams prior to the opening of the exam packet, students will be instructed to either return at another available exam period or use a bluebook.
- For scheduled exams or if the exam packet has already been opened, students will be
required to complete the exam using a bluebook.
If you have any laptop issues, please notify the proctor. You may have the option to restart your laptop or you can begin writing in a bluebook. In either case you should continue your answer where you left off. You will not be given additional time to complete your exam if you have laptop issues.
The use of a laptop during an exam is at the student's own risk. Under no circumstance will a computer malfunction before, during, or after an exam result in a student being allowed to re-take an exam.
Extegrity Exam4 software installation instructions and other information can be found in the navigation menu on the left side of this page.
All scheduled and self-scheduled in-class exams are distributed in exam envelope packets in the hallway in front of the Student Services Office. Students must present a photo ID (this does not have to be your SLU ID) when picking up an exam. Distribution times for in-class exams (as posted on the exam schedule) are strictly enforced. Please note that the exam distribution time ends 30 minutes before the exam start time. Students arriving after the self-scheduled exam distribution time has ended will not be allowed to take the exam at that time and must return at another exam time.
Students receive exam packets containing a paper copy of exam questions and possibly other materials provided by the professor. Students must not open the exam envelope until instructed to do so by the proctor at the start of the exam. The outside of the exam envelope bears a label with course title, professor name, student name, and exam number.
After picking up an in-class exam, students must proceed to the appropriate exam room. Room assignments will be posted outside the Student Services Office during the exam distribution time. Students must take in-class exams only in designated rooms.
Receipt sheets (which include the Honor Code pledge) are attached to the exam packet and must be completed and turned in when instructed to do so by the proctor.
Exam supplies including scratch paper, blue books, earplugs, and Extegrity Exam4 instructions are provided in each exam room. Students are not permitted to use any bluebooks or scratch paper other than those provided in the exam room or exam packet. Only earplugs provided by the School of Law are to be used and students are responsible to listen for time being called.
An exam proctor will begin reading exam instructions approximately 15 minutes before the exam start time. Students must be in the exam room with their exam at this time. If taking the exam on a laptop, it must be booted up and have passed the security check. Hand writers must not have a laptop with them in an exam room, unless otherwise allowed according to the professor’s instructions. A student entering the exam room after the proctor begins reading instructions will not receive additional time for booting up their laptop, passing the security check, and/or reading exam instructions.
When instructed by the proctor, write your exam number on the cover page of your exam, bluebooks, and any scratch paper you turn in as part of your exam. Handwritten exam answers must be written in blue books in blue or black ink. Number the bluebooks you use (1 of 1, 1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc.). Proctors will allow time to read the professor’s instructions. Other than counting the number of pages of the exam, students are not permitted to turn the page of an exam past the instructions page until the proctor instructs them to do so.
When taking a closed-book exam, no books, outlines, book bags, purses, or scratch paper (other than the scratch paper provided) may be at your seat during the exam. These items must be left outside of the exam room or in the front or sides of the exam room. Students may not begin to write anything, including on scratch paper, before the proctor begins a closed-book exam.
Students taking in-class exams are prohibited from having any electronic communication device, other than a laptop as allowed per the professor's instructions, during the exam. Students may not use another device such as an additional monitor, tablet or second laptop. Cell phones and smart watches must be turned off during the exam and placed in a bag or backpack. Violations of this rule may be considered an Honor Code violation. A clock in each exam room will be the official timekeeper for the exam.
Non-alcoholic beverages are permitted in exam rooms; however, the container must have a lid.
After the exam instructions have been read and the exam begins, the proctor will remain in the room. Any student who has a question or problem during an exam should see the proctor.
Students may use the restroom or take a break during an exam. However, all exam materials must be left in the exam room and no additional time will be given. Students must sign in and out at the front of the room with the proctor.
A five-minute warning and final time are announced in each exam room. Students finishing exams before time is called shall place all exam materials (the exam questions, bluebooks, supplements, etc.) in the exam packet envelope and place the envelope in the “Completed Exam” box in the front of the room before exiting the room. Extegrity Exam4 users must completely exit the exam before returning the exam packet.
When time has been called, students must stop writing/typing their answers, even if in the middle of a sentence. Do not continue writing after time has been called or penalties may apply. Place all exam materials (the exam questions, bluebooks, supplements, etc.) in the exam packet envelope and place the envelope in the “Completed Exam” box in the front of the room before exiting the room. Extegrity Exam4 users must completely exit the exam before returning the exam packet. After the exam is completed, laptop users will electronically submit exam files per the instructions provided in each exam room.
Do not forget to return the exam questions with the other material prior to exiting the exam room. Failure to return the exam questions could result in a violation of the Honor Code and other penalties.
After completing an exam, please exit the exam room quietly and do not congregate in the hallway outside the exam room as other exams may still be in progress.
Classrooms are reserved by the Student Services Office during the exam period. Please note the days and times that classrooms are being used for exams as specified on the signs outside each classroom door. During the times when the classroom has been reserved, students must not enter that room (or even open the door to see if someone is using the room), as doing so may disturb students taking an exam. This may result in a violation of the Student Honor Code.
While classrooms not in use for exams may be used by students during the exam period, individual students are not allowed to reserve classrooms during the exam period.
Students are to use exam numbers to identify themselves on exams. These randomly assigned numbers change each semester. Students must not use names, user IDs, Social Security numbers or midterm exam numbers. Exam numbers are provided on the label of each exam packet. They are emailed to each student individually at the beginning of the semester.