General Questions
When I come to Chicago-Kent, can I get an email account?
Answer: Yes. Every student at Chicago-Kent gets an
account on the school's network, and this provides them with an email account.
This email address can receive messages from anyone on the Internet.
Can I do my word-processing at the school?
Answer: Yes. Since every student has an account on
the school's network, every student has access to a wealth of software that
the school makes available, including WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, Folio
VIEWS, and others.
Is printing free?
Answer: Yes and no. Every student gets 400 pages of
free printing each year. After that, printing costs $.05/page.
Can I get my email from home?
Answer: Yes. You can access your email through
WebMail.
Can I get a deal on a computer or hardware through the school?
Answer: No. The school does not sell computers or
parts. Please see
"What We Do" for more information.
Should I get a computer, and if so, what kind?
Answer: Most students benefit from having their own computer.
It allows them to do their research and writing from home, and this is a
large portion of a Chicago-Kent student's work while in law school.
If you want to access your email and do on-line research from home, you
also need a modem. Many students prefer a laptop so they can work
on the train, or when they travel. Others prefer a desktop computer
because of the cost and larger keyboard and monitor. That's a
personal decision. As for technical specifications, we try to print
suggestions and guidelines on
computers in
general,
laptops,
and desktops.
They can give you a place to start looking.
Software Questions
What software do I need when I attend Chicago-Kent?
Answer: You don't need any software. However,
most students find they benefit from several pieces of software, some of which
are free, some of which aren't:
-
Legal Research Software: At Chicago-Kent, you will learn how to
conduct legal research on-line (i.e. on the computer) using two on-line
research companies, LEXIS-NEXIS and WESTLAW. This research can be
conducted on the school computers. However, many students like to
do this research at home. The software that allows you to do this
is free and is distributed at the school (in the library).
-
Electronic Casebook Software: Many students are purchasing their
casebooks in electronic format. To use this type of text, you
generally need one of two pieces of software, Folio VIEWS or West's PREMISE.
Folio VIEWS is distributed for free with the LEXIS-NEXIS software
described above, and West's PREMISE is distributed with the actual electronic
casebooks at no additional cost.
-
E-Learn Software: Many students choose to take part in the school's
Electronic Learning Program (or E-Learn). We do not require
students in that program to purchase additional software beyond what is
listed above (although the students are required to have a laptop computer).
Which word processor should I use?
Answer: That is totally up to you. The two major word
processors on the market right now are Corel WordPerfect and Microsoft Word.
Both can do everything you need a word processor to do in law school, and
both have their proponents. There are other word processors, but you
should be aware that students often exchange files, and if those files are not
in Word or WordPerfect format, there's a chance the files might not be usable
by the borrower. Fortunately, Chicago-Kent's network has both Word
and WordPerfect available for its students to use, so the best advice might be
to try them out and then go with the one you prefer.
Internet Questions
Can I get Internet access through the school?
Answer: Yes. Using the school's computers, you can
have free and unlimited access to the Internet over the school's T1 (i.e. very
fast) connection.
Can I get Internet access through the school from home?
Answer: No. We do not have the facilities to
accomodate the many dial-in connections that would be necessary.
Can I send and receive Internet email?
Answer: Yes. Your email account can receive email
from the Internet (your email address will be username@kentlaw.edu), and you
can send email to anyone on the Internet.
