Digital LSAT Uses Samsung Tablets, Reuses Test Questions

A recent article in the National Law Journal (alternate link) gave some more juicy details on the upcoming computerization / digitization of the LSAT.

As I've previously written, there will be a digital LSAT pilot test on May 20.

LSAC will provide Samsung tablets connected to a "hub computer" at the test center, so you won't be taking the LSAT on a computer or an iPad.


Some details from the National Law Journal (emphasis added):

Each testing center will be equipped with a hub computer, or “mother ship” as the LSAC’s technology team has dubbed them, which will communicate with the Samsung tablets provided to each test taker. The test questions will only be available on the hubs and tablets during the actual test and are heavily encrypted. Stealing a tablet or hub computer would be useless to anyone hoping to get their hands on the questions early, Lowry said.

Purchasing the tablets and developing the testing system required a significant upfront investment by the LSAC, he added. 

“Because we reuse test items, it’s really important that we have rock-solid security,” Lowry said. “We just didn’t think that the, ‘bring your own computer’ model would be secure enough.”

Unsurprisingly, LSAC is incredibly concerned about test security, as always. This has been one of the barriers to computerizing the LSAT for a while. If LSAC's going to computerize or "tablet-ize" the LSAT, they want to do it right.

One of the most interesting details of all, though, is that LSAC announced they'll be reusing test questions for the digital LSAT. Up to this point, they've only reused questions from unreleased exams (the undisclosed February LSATs, overseas administrations, Sabbath observers' administrations, etc.)


Does this mean once the LSAT is administered via tablet:

1. they'll stop releasing numbered PrepTests?

2. your friend could takes the LSAT on Monday, you take it on Tuesday, and you see some of the same questions?

3. people more familiar with Samsung tablets will have an advantage?

4. LSAC will release practice exams in an interactive, tablet-friendly digital format?

5. you'll get your answers immediately?

6. you'll be able to take the LSAT almost anytime?

7. the LSAT will reduce competition from the GRE?


Lots of questions, not many answers, at least right now.


Some speculation on these questions:

1. Releasing numbered PrepTests: My guess is that LSAC will continue to release numbered PrepTests until the test is only available on tablet (assuming they switch 100% to tablet-based administrations). They'll probably release the occasional "Official Guide" with a few full-length practice tests to reflect any minor changes to the test.


2. Reusing questions: Because they will re-use questions (just like the GMAT and GRE), you may see the same questions as your friend on different days, but because the pool of questions will be very large, that's not likely to be a major issue. If anyone can master the statistics necessary to avoid cheating aka "contamination," it's the psychometrician geniuses at LSAC.


3. Familiarity with Samsung tablets: Familiarity with the technology will probably help, but I'm guessing the tablets will be simple-enough to use for most people that familiarity with Samsung tablets, or tablets in general, won't be a huge advantage.


4. Releasing interactive practice tests: LSAC may or may not not release interactive tablet-friendly digital PrepTests for Samsung, iPad, etc. to help with studying, but they'll probably release a handful of interactive practice exams*. Even if you don't have a tablet, it'd probably help to be able to practice on a smartphone, especially if you have one with a large screen.

It'd be great if they did release a digital practice test for mobile devices, but I wouldn't count on it happening in the short-term.

When LSAC moves, they move slowly and deliberately. This makes sense for something like test security, but there's also the saying, "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."

Personally, I'm hoping LSAC releases some tablet-friendly practice tests before fully digitizing the exam, just so you'll be able to practice with the new format before Test Day.


5 / 6. Convenience taking exam and getting scores back: No matter what - the tablet-based LSAT will be much more convenient for students, so I'm really excited about this.

They'll probably offer it Monday-Friday or Monday-Thursday on most weekdays, excluding holidays, etc. in contrast to only 4 times per year.

You'll probably get your score with detailed breakdowns immediately after taking the test. No more need to wait 3-4 weeks for your score, and you'll be able to decide right away whether you need to retake. You get to avoid the ambiguity of not knowing what to do next. And avoiding ambiguity might just be the biggest benefit of all.

7. Competition from the GRE: Right now, nearly all law schools still only accept the LSAT for law school admissions. The GRE's a much more consumer-friendly test, less scary to applicants and much more convenient to take. However, once the LSAT's computerized, the GRE will lose some of its advantage. Plus, many law school applicants are more scared of math than logic games, so the LSAT might still maintain its advantage in the end. Only time will tell.


If you take the digital LSAT pilot test on May 20, please reach out and let us know how it goes!



* Note: The only interactive digital practice test released to date is the LSAT ItemWise, which is the February 1997 LSAT. The other digital format LSATs for Kindle, Nook, etc. are not interactive, so I don't recommend using them. I believe LSAC has released PrepTests for Kindle and Nook because it was easy to do so, and they believed it was a more secure digital format than PDFs, not because it adequately reflected the upcoming test format.