Florida Bar exam moves online after fears the test would expose students to COVID-19
After criticism and a petition from law students concerned about COVID-19, the board that runs the Florida Bar exam on Wednesday relented and agreed to let prospective lawyers take it on-line instead.
The high-pressure, two-day exam to license prospective lawyers was scheduled as sit-down test in Tampa and Orlando on July 28 and 29. But after a Miami Herald story on the health concerns raised by students, the Florida Board of Bar Examiners announced the cancellation and stated there would be an online examination in its place on Aug. 18.
A petition pushing for the board to come up with an alternative to an in-person exam had garnered more than 1,600 signatures as of Wednesday. Other major standardized tests like the LSAT, GRE and AP exams had already moved to on-line formats in response to the pandemic, which is surging in Florida.
The new exam will be made up of 100 multiple-choice questions and three essay questions. A computer with a webcam and internet connection is required to take the test, but the board stated they would not be providing this technology for test-takers. Applicants must pay a $150 laptop fee if they had not already paid one and instead initially chose to write their essays by hand.
This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 2:54 PM with the headline "Florida Bar exam moves online after fears the test would expose students to COVID-19."