Laptop Recommendations
At San Joaquin College of Law you can use a Mac or a Windows laptop. The following software you will be using during your educational experience:
- ExamSoft - This software is used for taking your exams - Minimum requirements for ExamSoft
- Office 365 - While you are a student, you will have access to Office 365 and will primarily use Word to write your papers.
Online Program Technical Requirements
Internet Connection: For optimal performance during Zoom meetings, it is important to ensure that your internet connection meets certain bandwidth requirements. While Zoom only requires a minimum bandwidth of 1.5Mbps to function, our experience at SJCL suggests that speeds below 5Mbps are insufficient for smooth two-way interactions. Therefore, we recommend a minimum bandwidth of 15-20Mbps for a better Zoom experience.
For example, when viewing the professor writing on the in-classroom whiteboard, a minimum bandwidth of 5Mbps is necessary to ensure that text is legible. For video calling in a classroom-style setting, the following bandwidth recommendations apply:
- For 1080p HD video: 3.8Mbps (up) / 3.0Mbps (down)
- For gallery view receiving: 2.0Mbps (25 views), 4.0Mbps (49 views)
To ensure a quality video chat Zoom session, your internet service speeds should ideally fall within the range of 10 to 25 Mbps download speed and at least 3 Mbps upload speed. If your current internet service does not meet these recommendations, we recommend contacting the SJCL helpdesk ahead of time to explore alternative options.
For more information, you can refer to Zoom's bandwidth requirements at: Zoom System Requirements.
Camera: You may use the built-in web camera in your laptop. For a better experience, we recommend a stand-alone camera at eye level with a resolution of 1080p.
Microphone: You may use the built-in microphone in your laptop. For a better experience you can use a headset. A headset will be required if you experience feedback issues during class.
General Recommendations
Although there are inexpensive laptops available, SJCL recommends that you purchase a quality computer that will last you for the duration of your law school experience (4-5 years).
Your first decision is a Windows or Macintosh based system. If you have always had one operating system or the other, then we recommend that you stick with what you are used to as both will work for law school.
As an SJCL student you have access to educational pricing and almost every brand has an education store. If you have a question about a specific model of laptop you can email it to the Help Desk at helpdesk@sjcl.edu and we will review it.