Technology Information for Incoming and Returning Students
Laptop Requirement and Financial Aid
As a Scalia Law School student, you will make heavy use of computing resources including word processing, online legal research, and email. Scalia Law has a mandatory laptop requirement for all incoming students. Many incoming law students may already own a laptop that meets this requirement, so this educational expense is not included in the standard Cost of Attendance (COA) for financial aid purposes. However, entering law students who need to purchase a laptop to meet the law school’s program requirement may add the expenses of a new laptop computer, up to a maximum of $1,500, to the COA. In order to qualify, you must provide a copy of your receipt for purchase along with the COA Adjustment Request form found under the forms section of the Financial Aid website, to your financial aid counselor.
Your financial aid counselor can be reached at finaid@gmu.edu or 703-993-2353. If you have already borrowed the maximum amount in a Federal Unsubsidized Loan ($20,500) for the year, the additional cost will need to be borrowed through a Graduate PLUS Loan if you have eligibility. Laptop purchases must be made no later than the end of the first month of class.
Recommended Laptops and Specifications
The law school and George Mason University fully support both Windows and Apple laptops. We recommend name brands like Dell and Apple because of their excellent performance and extended warranties. There is an Apple Store located near the law school in Market Common Clarendon which provides excellent warranty support and repair.
Below is a list of minimum and recommended laptop specifications needed to use the law school’s software and online meeting platforms. If you have questions about your laptop and other equipment purchases, please contact the law school’s Technology Services staff at lawsupport@gmu.edu.
If you already have a laptop, please make sure it meets the minimum requirements. If you are purchasing a new laptop, please take a look at the recommended specifications.
| Minimum Recommended Requirements | Highest Recommended Specifications | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Ventura (13.5) | Ventura (13.5), Sonoma (14.5) |
| Processor (CPU) | Intel i5, M1, M2 | M3 |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB | 16 GB or higher |
| Hard Drive | 256 GB | 512 GB or higher |
| Warranty | 1 Year | Apple Care+ |
| Video/Sound | Built in camera and microphone | Headset |
| Minimum Recommended Requirements | Highest Recommended Specifications | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 11* | Windows 11* |
| Processor (CPU) | Any Non ARM-based processor supported by the OS | Intel i7, i9, or any Comparable AMD processor |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB | 16 GB or higher |
| Hard Drive | 256 GB | 512 GB or higher |
| Warranty | 1 Year | 3 Years or more |
| Video/Sound | Built in camera and microphone | Headset |
*The English (United States) Language Pack must be installed.
Printer: Laser or Inkjet
Laptop Exams
The law school uses ExamSoft’s Examplify which allows students to use a personal laptop to take their exams and is made available free-of-charge. Exam answers are saved over the Internet to a remote server, so your laptop will need to have a working wireless card. For minimum requirements for laptops running Windows or MacOS, see Examplify Minimum System Requirements. Please note that Windows emulators like Parallels, Virtual PC, or VMware and ARM processors MAY NOT be used with Examplify. The law school’s version of Examplify does not support tablets, iPads, Chromebooks, or any other device running an ARM processor. Surface Pros running Windows 10 or 11 are supported provided “S” mode is not enabled.
For more information, visit the ExamSoft website or contact our Technology Services staff at lawsupport@gmu.edu.
E-casebooks and Exams
At this point in time, e-casebooks are NOT compatible with secure ExamSoft exams. We recommend against purchasing e-casebooks. Before purchasing e-casebooks, check your syllabi and with your professors to make sure that you will be able to use an e-casebook for the exam(s). This only works if the exam is administered as an unsecured exam or an unsecured take-home exam. If it is a secure exam on ExamSoft, you will NOT be able to access your e-casebook during the exam.
Online Meeting Tools for Remote Classes
The law school’s faculty use Zoom for remote classes. Below are some resources to help you get started.
Zoom — gmu.zoom.us
- Register and Set-up Your Profile
- How to Sign In with the Zoom App
- Download Zoom Client
- Joining a Zoom Meeting (Video)
- Joining & Configuring Audio or Video
- Zoom Interface Guide
- Information on Features Available in Zoom
- Zoom Help Center
Software
For word processing, we recommend that you use Microsoft Office. The university provides all Mason students with access to Microsoft Office 365 at no cost through Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise. Currently enrolled students can download Office 365 from their Mason email account and install the program on up to five computers and five mobile devices. The software is free as long as you are a current student. The university’s Barnes and Noble Bookstore also provides discounts on software through their thinkEDU.com website.
We also strongly recommend that you use virus-protection software on your computer, particularly if you are a Windows user. See The Best Free Antivirus Protection for 2021 from PC Magazine for recommendations. For Mac users, PC Magazine has published this article: The Best Mac Antivirus Protection for 2021. The University’s IT department recommends the following anti-virus software for personal computers: Windows: Avast, AVG, Sophos, Microsoft Defender Antivirus; Mac: Avast, AVG, Sophos.
Email and Listservs
Mason will provide you with a free email account that you will be able to activate once you are registered. Your account is hosted by Microsoft on its Office 365 platform. Mason also provides a very effective and free anti-spam service that filters spam on Mason email accounts. Before orientation, you will be automatically subscribed to one of the law school’s student listservs. The listservs are one of the most important vehicles for communication within the law school, so you will need to check your Mason email regularly.
Online Legal Research Databases and Study Aids
During Orientation, you will receive passwords to Lexis, Westlaw, Bloomberg Law, Lexis Study Aids, and West Academic Study Aids. You will be provided training in all of these online systems by reference librarians as part of the LRWA program. Law faculty use either no course management tool, or they use TWEN or Canvas. You will be introduced to all during Orientation. It is NOT expected that incoming 1Ls access course management software before Orientation.
Wireless Network
The law school has a wireless network that covers the entire building. Students use their Mason Patriot Pass accounts to login. For more information, see Wireless Networking at the Law School.
Computer Lounge
The Law Library provides a Computer Lounge for law students that includes a Windows PC with dual monitors.
Security
Do not leave your laptops or other personal belonging unattended at any time while at Mason Square (the Arlington campus).
Contacts
For questions or more information on the school’s technology resources, please contact the law school’s Technology Services staff at 703-993-4855 or lawsupport@gmu.edu.