October LSAT Flex Issues

Comments

• 4 Likes

  Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 105 karma

  That experience was awful. I cannot even go into explanation right now because I'm so upset
• 3 Likes

  garbage.flood Member

  October 2020 edited October 2020 186 karma

  Same, same, same. Technical difficulty nightmare. I wrote about my experience on a post yesterday.

  Just breathe... it's behind you now and it'll be alright...

  Still... so sorry it was so frustrating for you.
• 1 Like

  Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 105 karma

  @"garbage.flood" I'm going to do that. Glad its over now. Thank you
• 2 Likes

  parkdan7070 Core Member

  October 2020 50 karma

  Can you please share your experience with ProctorU? my exam is on Thursday and really nervous about random tech difficulties
• fruitjam Member

  October 2020 70 karma

  I'm so sorry to hear that Despite the issues, you worked hard for this exam. Please treat yourself to a nice day!! I hope that your results still reflect your efforts.
• 1 Like

  mamraj.mahboob Member

  October 2020 57 karma

  I did my test at 11:50, no proctor issues. Proctor connected within a minute of me connecting, and everything was OK.
  In between sections, the proctor wanted to check something in my system preferences (to confirm my 'file sharing' option was off), and while she was checking it, she ate 30-40 seconds of my next section's time, so that was annoying.
• garbage.flood Member

  October 2020 edited October 2020 186 karma

  @parkdan7070, I can't speak for @"Lawyer Looch" but I certainly had a lot of technical difficulties yesterday. Our experience may not be the norm, but you should be prepared for anything.

  Wait times to hook-up with a proctor can be very long, ranging from 20 min. - 1 hr. My test was scheduled for 9:10 AM and I didn't get started until 9:30. I got disconnected from my proctor at the very end and as a result did not “check out” until 4 PM! I had some technical glitch that no one at ProctorU could seem to figure out. Eventually I was able to get reconnected with someone, but obviously it was a very long and frustrating day.

  I would just recommend that you try to stay calm if it happens to you. It's not the end of the world if you get disconnected. They will give you the time you need to complete the exam. I would also recommend scooping up an Ethernet adapter if you have the time and are planning to use a device that lacks an internet cable hookup. I would not recommend relying on a WIFI connection. I can only imagine how much more difficult that would have made things.
• Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 edited October 2020 105 karma

  I wrote LSAC a long email. I will post it in separate comments
• Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 edited October 2020 105 karma

  To whom it may concern,

  I took the October LSAT flex today. After months of studying and putting in my best effort, I was positive coming into it. I got set up my dad’s office since it has the fastest internet in my house, I checked that my connection was good (about 300 megabits per second) and logged into ProctorU. Come 9:10, when my exam was set to start, I clicked ‘begin’ and the process of checking my video and microphone connection happened almost immediately, but I was told my lighting did not pass the test. I turned my light on brighter in the room and pressed ‘retry’ to recheck the lighting. This time, it wouldn’t seem to load. I waited 20 minutes, attempted to speak to multiple technicians, but nobody was responding or could help me. I was afraid of exiting out of the window in case I wouldn’t be let back in. After 30 minutes, I took the risk of closing the window and reopened, logged back into ProctorU and after only a minute, I was set up and ready to receive my proctor. I felt a wave of relief when my proctor said I wasn’t too late for the test. 
  My proctor was very helpful with getting me ready for the test, checking my surrounding, etc. I started the test with the Logic Games section. About 5 minutes into the section my test was interrupted by a screen saying I was disconnected from the proctor, and my test was also stopped. I opened the chat box with my proctor and told them it had disconnected. They helped me get back into the section but before they could, they had me go into the system preferences of my computer and do a lot of troubleshooting, then eventually I had to reboot my computer. This was not by choice, but what my proctor, who had control of my screen, was requesting of me. With nothing else to do, I obliged. My computer screen went black for about 15 seconds then came back on. I was terrified. The proctor then told me I could begin my test again and that my test was paused at the initial disconnect, meaning I wouldn’t lose any time in the test. But as I started the test again, I am almost positive I lost time in the section. At least a few minutes had passed that I did not get back in that games section. I finished the section, regardless, putting in my absolute best effort and trying not to think about what had just occurred.
  I began my Logic Reasoning section next. 20 minutes in, I coincidentally check my time and see that I have 15 minutes left. A few seconds later, the same disconnect that happened in the Logic Games section occurs. This time, I tell my proctor I have disconnected yet again and they lead me back into the exam. This was only a detour of about a minute and I did not lose any time in the section but was sufficiently paused at the time of my disconnect. As I am working through the section, suddenly I see a notification bouncing at the bottom of my screen from my proctor, and I think, “why is my proctor messaging me while I am trying to focus on my test?” Of course, I don’t react or respond to the notification and continue, although I am very distracted by the bouncing icon. A little while later a new tab suddenly opens on my browser and disrupts my test. It is not your average pop up, but a ProctorU support page requesting that I submit a survey regarding my technical assistance. Mind you, this was during my Logical Reasoning section with about 10 minutes left while completing the most difficult questions in the section. Stunned and disappointed, I immediately close the window. Again, I see a notification at the bottom of my screen from my proctor. I ignore it and haphazardly finish the section, however the interruptions undoubtably affected my performance negatively.
  As soon as the time is called for the Logical Reasoning section, I have 60 seconds before the Reading Comprehension section begins and I check to see what my proctor had said. There was a second chat box opened (I assume it was because I had to re download the zip file that allowed the screen sharing by the proctor) and in the text box it said something along the lines of, “you have left the testing screen” presumably talking about when the tech support survey screen appeared 10 minutes before. To be honest, I don’t remember exactly what the chat box told me, but I was worried my test had been flagged for something completely out of my control. This carried into my performance on the Reading Comprehension section. I remember the chat saying I had been disconnected from my proctor, but the first chat box with my initial proctor was still open. So I messaged them defending myself and saying, “I did not leave the screen, a new tab opened during the test from ProctorU and I closed it within seconds”. I now had 15 seconds left until my Reading Comprehension section began. Petrified that my months of hard work had been for nothing, I finished the third section without any disconnects, and my test was complete. 
  This experience has left me feeling rather defeated. I went into this test with a great mindset and countless hours of studying under my belt. I find these technical issues to be extremely unfair and unprofessional. The internet speed in my house is impeccable and has never been an issue before, so I am left searching for a reason why my test would disconnect multiple times. Luckily I do not suffer from a diagnosed anxiety disorder, because this would certainly be something to trigger a panic attack during the test. That being said, it it can be reasonable expected for any normal person to be affected negatively by the stress of this type of circumstance. Thankfully, I was able to stay composed and complete my sections, but I did so with fear in the back of my mind rather than the 100% concentrated focus I expect when taking such an important test. 
  This was one of the most pertinent days of my life and to go through this nightmare is beyond disheartening. I had read about technical difficulties similar to mine since the first flex test in August on the 7sage forum, and I prayed nightly that I would be luckier. Unfortunately, this format of the LSAT does not only favor those with intellect, but those who are lucky enough to not experience a technical difficulty. Where is the justice for those of us who have lost time on our sections, for those of us who have planned out an entire year based on taking a specific LSAT date and have etched out the perfect amount of time to complete applications but are now impeded by uneasiness and worry as we may have to take the exam in January and apply later than the rest of the pool, or even worse, wait another year to apply to law school? As future law students, we deserve a lot better than this system of consistent failure. I sit here, still, in utter shock and I wonder if I will be able to attend a satisfactory law school next fall. 
  As a reparation for my suffering today I request a full refund that I may use to take a later test, and a confirmation that my test has not be flagged. 
  

  I look forward to speaking further about this situation. Until then, have a great day.

  -Lucia Izzolo
• Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 105 karma

  this may be too long for a comment, I'm going to make a separate post.
• 1 Like

  WouldRatherBeEating Alum Member

  October 2020 456 karma

  I checked in right on time and my proctor was available immediately after I finished my automated part of the checkin process. Before the exam, I asked if he could pause my test if he had to call or message me and he said no. However, he did help me adjust my webcam when I asked him if me bending down my head like in logic games would be an issue, so that was nice. On the slightly negative, I guess I lost stable internet once during LG for about 30 seconds and I’m pretty sure I lost those 30 seconds.
• a_b_cdefg Free Trial Member

  October 2020 2 karma

  @"Lawyer Looch" Can you please share the response you get, if any? I am so sorry this happened to you.
• sakethsaran1998-1 Alum Member

  October 2020 246 karma

  Correct me if I am wrong but if there is a loss of connection or any interruption we won't be losing time from the section this time right? @"Lawyer Looch" @"garbage.flood" Im so sorry you had this experience.
• garbage.flood Member

  October 2020 186 karma

  @sakethsaran1998, it's difficult to say. You shouldn't lose time, but obviously @"Lawyer Looch" didn't have that experience. Luckily I got disconnected after I had already submitted the test...
• 1 Like

  garbage.flood Member

  October 2020 186 karma

  @"Lawyer Looch" Shit. That absolutely sucks. I really hope you get what you asked for. So frustrating.
• Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 105 karma

  @WouldRatherBeEating Yeah that is similar to my situation with Logic Games except I'm almost sure I lost a few minutes. I hadn't been looking at my time but I had just started the section and usually I have enough time to finish LG (my best section also) and when the test got back up and running I only had 26 minutes and 50 seconds and I was on the first game! So there's some ambiguity there because I wasn't exactly sure of the time of disconnect, but I find the whole thing really unfortunate.
• Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 105 karma

  @a_b_cdefg absolutely!
• Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 105 karma

  @sakethsaran1998 You're not supposed to lose time but I had read some horror stories about people who lost multiple minutes of their section and I'm afraid that is what happened to me. I think it was because the proctor had to reboot my computer. I'm not sure though Thanks for the support!
• hopefulling Member

  October 2020 edited October 2020 905 karma

  I don't know if you know this, but you might want to update your message to change the reference that the issues with the Flex tests started in August. They didn't. They started with the first Flex test that was in May (after the March and April tests were canceled, they added a May Flex before doing another Flex in June, and July ... then August). They seem to have consistently had problems with ProctorU since the start.
  I'm still debating in my head whether the stress of ProctorU issues is WORSE than the relief of having a 3-section test at home. Or if I'd rather wait for an in-person with 5 sections!! Crazy. I'm still always shocked that these ProctorU issues haven't YET been smoothed out and instead continue to occur every test (just don't know at what percentage).
  From watching the forum comments, I have learned two things about Flex:
  1) DON'T use a Mac.
  2) DON'T use Firefox, use Chrome.

  Your lighting issues are concerning to me, I hadn't heard anyone have that issue before and my room is pretty dark. ... Plus, it's not like we can CHECK if our lights are bright enough before test day. And if they're not, then what??!
• 1 Like

  Kirsten Alum Member

  October 2020 82 karma

  I'm sorry that this happened to you! I also had "technical difficulties" with my proctor beforehand and was interrupted during my games which lead to me losing time. I immediately called LSAC after I finished and I spoke to someone who took my statement and said that they were going to recommend that I be offered a retake. Have you tried calling them too?
• 1 Like

  An_Skywalker Member

  October 2020 160 karma

  @"Lawyer Looch" could you talk a little more on what happened when your internet connection was lost? and what the proctor did after you reconnected? I'm also in an area with spotty internet and I'm taking mine on Thursday.
• Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 105 karma

  @hopefulling Ah thank you for catching that mistake, I'll update my message. Funny that you say don't use Mac or Firefox because that is what I used!!!!! URG!
• Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 105 karma

  @Kirsten So we had very similar issues! I have not called. I absolutely need to do that, because I think a retake is warranted. Do you know yet when you will be retaking?
• 1 Like

  Lawyer Looch Alum Member

  October 2020 105 karma

  @ashen03 So during the games section my screen abruptly says "You have been disconnected, close the window and your proctor will direct you" or something of that sort but while you're taking the test there is a chat box to contact the proctor. Once I chatted to the proctor that I had been disconnected, they began guiding me through my next step which was to open up ProctorU again. The proctor will guide you through whatever is going on if this occurs, so my advice is to follow their instructions and they will get you back into the exam. They literally type the password in for you on the LSAC site. You give them full screen sharing abilities before the test starts.
• Kirsten Alum Member

  October 2020 82 karma

  @"Lawyer Looch" said:
  @Kirsten So we had very similar issues! I have not called. I absolutely need to do that, because I think a retake is warranted. Do you know yet when you will be retaking?

  We did have similar issues although yours seem more severe than mine! You should definitely call LSAC on the dedicated Flex line (215-966-6640, if you need it). I didn't even have to wait to speak to a representative. Apparently we should be hearing back within the next day or two if we will be granted a retake on October 9th. Good luck!!
• hopefulling Member

  October 2020 905 karma

  @"Lawyer Looch" I was previously signed up to take a Flex (but canceled and rec'd a coupon for a later test ... I was hoping these issues would have stopped by now!), and so I had bought a new computer for the test (my desktop doesn't have a webcam and is quite old ... plus, I know I'll need a new one for law school exam/software). I had been noticing a trend with Firefox users (it's what I would have used). Ironically, with a new computer, the ProctorU scan FAILED on Firefox (all of the settings failed the test), but PASSED on Chrome. I imagine it's some setting within Firefox. I never use Chrome, but have it waiting for the Flex. It's just nutty!!

  Good luck if you're able to squeeze into the re-take day!! Especially to not screw with your application goals/schedule.
• VerdantZephyr Member ⭐

  October 2020 2054 karma

  What was LSAC's response?