Laptops have become an indispensable item for succeeding in law school. Recognizing this, the law school requires students to own a laptop running a supported version of Windows or MacOS. If you do not currently own a laptop, you will need to purchase one. If you currently own a laptop but it is more than two years old and/or does not meet the requirements below, now would be a great time to invest in something new. Remember, you will be using your laptop a lot over the next few years, so you will want something reliable- especially because this laptop will be carrying you through to the Bar Exam as well. If you buy new, we recommend extending the manufacturer warranty to at least three years (if possible), so you will be covered throughout your time at the law school.

Your financial aid budget for your first year of law school includes an allowance for a computer purchase.

Drexel Accounts: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Once you’ve set up your Drexel accounts, they will require “multi-factor” sign-in. The first factor will be something you know: your account password. The second factor will be something you have: a phone or phone number that’s associated with you. You may already be familiar with similar phone apps or text messages for securing your other accounts.

The Multi-factor Authentication is managed by Drexel University IT- For details, you can check their page here. If you have issues, feel free to contact Lawtech at lawtech@drexel.edu for assistance.

Minimum Hardware Requirements

Drexel University Information Technology (DUIT) provides up-to-date computer hardware recommendations for incoming students here.

Minimum Software Requirements

For Windows computers, we require Windows 10 or 11, and the University has already begun its shift to Windows 11. Both operating systems are currently supported by Exam4, which is our exam software, but this may change over your Law School career.

For Apple computers, Mac OS 11.7 (“Big Sur”) or newer is required, and similar to Windows 10, will likely sunset before your Law School experience is over. We strongly recommend updating to the most recent operating system update your Mac supports, and consider replacing your computer if upgrading to Mac OS 13 (“Ventura”) isn’t available.

Whichever operating system you use, please make sure you’ve received the latest operating system updates. You should contact LawTech regarding operating system upgrades to ensure compatibility with Drexel systems and the Kline School of Law exam software.

Chromebooks, which run Google's Chrome OS, as well as laptops running other operating systems (Linux, etc.) are not supported as they may not be compatible with the various systems and services you'll use at law school and are definitely not compatible with Exam4. Likewise, tablets running mobile software (iOS, Android, etc.) are not compatible with Exam4. Students may use such devices, but should not consider them to be a substitute for a laptop.

You will be using your computer for research, reading and writing. During orientation, you will be introduced to the team from the Legal Research Center (LRC), who will help you get accounts with various web-based legal research systems (Westlaw, Lexis-Nexis, etc.).

Drexel Students will have access to Microsoft Office365 through their Drexel account and will be able to install the software locally to their laptops as well as access applications through the web through portal.office.com once their MFA is set up. All electronically submitted assignments must be in MS Word (.docx) format. Students also have access to Adobe Express Premium through adobe.com via your Drexel email.

Software Requirements for Exam Software

For on-campus students only.

The exam software we use (Exam4) is currently available for Windows 10 and 11, as well as Mac OS X 11.7 ("Big Sur") and newer. You can find more information about Exam4 and its current requirements here.