LSAT Blog: LSAT Unplugged YouTube / Podcast

The surprising truth about the “LSAT Curve”

If you ask the average LSAT test-taker, they’d tell you the LSAT is graded on a curve. This is kinda right, but mostly wrong. And here’s why:

When most people think “graded on a curve”, they mean that not all tests are graded equally. And this is true. Different LSATs have different numbers of questions with slightly different difficulty levels, so you literally can’t treat them all the same.

However, most people also think that the LSAT you take is graded against all the other people who took your LSAT that month. This is wrong.

Let’s say you take a test in June and for whatever reason everyone totally bombed it (except you, because you studied REAALLLY hard). You receive an artificially high score because you’re being compared to the people around you, whereas if you had taken the test in February you might not have done quite as well.

So, how does LSAC do it? It’s a process called pre-testing and involves that infuriating Experimental Section.

Basically, this experimental section pre-tests questions that will be used on later LSATs to ensure that there’s an equal number of easy, medium, and difficult questions. This is how LSAC ensures that a test taken this year is just as difficult as one takes three years ago or three years from now.

There’s actually a lot more to this. If you’d like to learn more (and I recommend it) Go check out this article where I look at what LSAC actually has to say about this and get into the details of how it all works.

One of the most interesting things they talk about is the test difficulty ratings, which we’ll get into next time.

Until then,

Steve “Dangerous Curves” Schwartz

Recommended Resources:

1. LSAT Courses
The best of my LSAT material with exclusive access to attend my Live Online LSAT Master Classes + Q&As, and on-demand video lessons you can watch anytime. Plus, LSAT study plans to keep you on track. Save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package.

2. LSAT Day-By-Day Study Plans
Preparing for the LSAT is confusing. There are dozens of prep books and practice tests out there, and 1,000+ articles on my website alone. When, and how, should you use them all? These super-specific study plans give you a clear plan of attack.

3. LSAT Cheat Sheets
Based on what I'd typically do in college: read what the professor emphasized and condense it all onto a single piece of paper. It gave me a quick reference, making things a lot less threatening and a lot more manageable.

An unexpected benefit of LSAT studying

Ok, we all know studying for the LSAT with a very specific goal: Get That Score. The Score, after all, is what is going to get you into that law school and advance your future.

However, because LSAT questions often don’t pertain to things in your everyday life (I’m looking at you, brown dwarf stars) it can be hard to motivate yourself to stay consistently engaged.

Well, here’s a little tidbit that’ll make you happy:

Students studying for the LSAT showed a visible improvement in the reasoning section of their brain (details here).

That’s right - by studying for the LSAT you are literally making your brain more efficient. It’s pretty incredible stuff, and it’s good to know that all this work you’re putting in will give you some major long-term benefits beyond just going to a good law school.

There are other ways to take advantage of this, too. This article highlights a memory game that could actually improve your “working” memory and therefore your LSAT score.

This doesn’t replace your LSAT study materials, but if you need to switch it up and try something to different to give your brain a break this is a great resource.

Talk soon,
The Very Reasonable LSAT STEVE

P.S. I mentioned “The Score” at the beginning of this article, and next time, we’re going to get into how those scores actually get calculated.

Why?

Because there’s a lot of misinformation and confusion on how you actually arrive at your LSAT score, and if you’re going to commit this much time to a test, you should understand how it’s graded. That’s one of the ways you can start training yourself to see things from the test-makers’ point of view – helping you get into the always-important LSAT mindset.

Recommended Resources:

1. LSAT CoursesThe best of my LSAT material with exclusive access to attend my Live Online LSAT Master Classes + Q&As, and on-demand video lessons you can watch anytime. Plus, LSAT study plans to keep you on track. Save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package.

2. LSAT Day-By-Day Study Plans
Preparing for the LSAT is confusing. There are dozens of prep books and practice tests out there, and 1,000+ articles on my website alone. When, and how, should you use them all? These super-specific study plans give you a clear plan of attack.

3. LSAT Checklists
All the little items and details students don't usually think of. They hold you accountable and help you make sure you're not missing anything.

Pete and Repeat

I’ll be honest. I really struggled with the title for this article. I went through titles like “The LSAT and the Seven C’s”, “B-B-B-Benny and the Jets”, and even “The 4C Awakens”. In the end though, I thought it best to keep it short and simple. Even though that last one still makes me chuckle.

ANYWAY, today we’re going to talk about a little test quirk that you may encounter that can totally throw you off your game if you’re not mentally prepared for it.

When you get your second “A” in a row you don’t think about it much. When you get your third, you might think “Hmm, that’s weird”. When you get your fourth, you start to wonder “Am I Crazy?”

And that’s what the LSAT test makers want you to think because they are basically supervillains sitting in their volcano lair laughing maniacally at your misfortune.

Actually, the truth is the LSAT might artificially decrease the number of 4-in-a-row answers. I got into the actual math of that here, if you’re interested. In fact, in the modern LSAT era, it’s happened nine times, sometimes in the same section.

So, what do you do with this information? Well, if you get 4-in-a-row, don’t freak out because it has definitely happened before and will more than likely happen again - maybe even in the same section.

Having said that, it’s more likely that it isn’t four in a row, so if you’re guessing on a question and the last three have been the same answer, you’re better off picking one of the other choices.

Since these last few articles have skewed a bit on the “last-minute-desperation” side of things, next time I’ll give you all a little bit of uplifting knowledge for how to avoid these situations and just get questions right. Who doesn’t love that?

Sincerely,
LSAT Steve

P.S. Obviously, NOT having to guess is always preferable, but if you must guess, it’s best to guess with purpose.

The most common LSAT answer choice

Here’s a little reminder every LSAT taker should know:

You don’t get penalized for wrong answers!

Now, in a perfect world you’d get every answer right with tons of time to spare…but we all know this isn’t a perfect world.

So, what’s the best strategy if you don’t know the answer?

Sequential? Christmas Tree? Pray?

Fortunately, I did a little research and I actually came up with some useful information:

1) D is most likely to be the correct answer

2) E is least likely to be the correct answer

After analyzing thousands of LSAT questions, I found that D is MUCH more likely than E to be the correct choice. That might not seem like a lot, but it’s more significant than you’d think.

Now, If you’re using this to guess between 5 answers you’re odds of getting it right are still relatively around 20%, but here is how you can apply this knowledge to maybe get 1 or 2 right that you wouldn’t have otherwise:

If you’re down to one or two choices and haven’t eliminated D, pick D

If you’re down to one or two choices and haven’t eliminated E, pick the other one.

I'm not saying this is a game changer, but when you’re crunched for time every little bit of knowledge that can tilt the odds in your favor is useful.

If you want to dive into the numbers a bit more, you can see the article I wrote on this here ----->.

The LSAT has a way of getting into your head (don't we know it!).

So, in my next article, I’ll talk about what happens when you suspiciously start getting too many of the same answer in a row. "It can’t really be four C’s in a row…can it?! Well, maybe it could."

Stay tuned to find out!

Steve, The LSAT Psychologist

P.S. You know what’s better than knowing which letter to guess for the LSAT? Not having to guess! And that all starts with great prep work. If you haven’t already, go check out some of my free LSAT study material to educate yo’ self!

P.P.S. Remember - in my next article, I’ll get into some more answer choice patterns/analysis. Stay tuned!

Recommended Resources:
1. LSAT Courses
The best of my LSAT material with exclusive access to attend my Live Online LSAT Master Classes + Q&As, and on-demand video lessons you can watch anytime. Plus, LSAT study plans to keep you on track. Save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package.

2. LSAT Day-By-Day Study Plans
Preparing for the LSAT is confusing. There are dozens of prep books and practice tests out there, and 1,000+ articles on my website alone. When, and how, should you use them all? These super-specific study plans give you a clear plan of attack.

3. LSAT Checklists
All the little items and details students don't usually think of. They hold you accountable and help you make sure you're not missing anything.

LSAT for High School Idea from LSAC

Apparently, LSAC is exploring the idea of an "LSAT for High School" as part of its product development process.

While I would certainly argue the LSAT's merits over the SAT (at least for the humanities) - I'm not sure it's the right time for LSAC to explore it as an undergrad admission test since colleges and universities are simply going test-optional.

However, if a combination of factors leads to plummeting undergrad attendance (student loan bubble, demographic cliff, and now COVID-19), I could hypothetically see the ABA allowing a direct pathway from high school to law school (which actually *is* the path in most of the world). In that situation, an "LSAT for High School" would make sense.

I found it strange that LSAC describes the LSAT as testing writing and research skills - that's not really what the LSAT tests. I'm not sure why they described the LSAT that way in this email - maybe because they thought it would better appeal to colleges and universities.

The question remains:

Would the LSAT be a better standardized test for liberal arts undergrad admissions purposes than the current popular options (namely SAT/ACT)?

I'll keep everyone updated as I learn more.

Source: Twitter post by Andrew Palumbo, AVP for Enrollment Management & Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid at Worcester Polytechnic Institute

How to simulate LSAT-Flex proctoring

How to simulate LSAT-Flex proctoring

Do some practice runs -- take a practice test online with the Official LSAT Prep Plus with a friend watching you on Skype/Zoom on the other end to simulate the online proctoring with ProctorU.

You could also get a group together and do a Zoom call, where you take practice tests together and watch each other, to have the feeling of not being alone in this process and also to have the feeling that somebody might be watching you and holding you accountable.

Another thing you could do that's popular on YouTube is doing a "study with me" session, where you livestream yourself in front of your desk on camera, studying for the LSAT. However, you don't have to have your face on camera, if you're shy about that. Instead, you could have the camera stationed over your desk, to simulate that experience, just a little bit.

(Note: for the actual LSAT-Flex, you need to show your face on camera for the entire duration of the test so they know it's you taking it and they can track your eyes, etc.)

You're doing the online LSAT-Flex on computer, whether desktop or laptop, not on an iPad, which is somewhat ironic since the digital LSAT was on a tablet for the in-person administrations.

The look and feel will be the same, but obviously on a computer, you're not using a touchscreen. You'll be doing it with a keyboard and mouse instead.

The Dreaded LSAT Practice Test Plateau

Plateaus are beautiful geological formations. If you’ve ever seen one in nature, perhaps the American West, then you know how majestic they can be.

But they're not so beautiful when it comes to the LSAT.

If you do enough practice tests, you are eventually going to hit a point where you find yourself getting the same scores over and over and over again.

This is perfectly normal, so don’t beat yourself up about it too much. I had this exact experience myself, and it was agonizing figuring out to get over that hump.

You know who else had this exact problem? A smart guy named Rob.

Rob shared a great LSAT Diary, but I’m going to give you TWO major insights that helped Rob get out of his LSAT funk.

1. If what you’re doing isn’t working, stop doing it.

Rob makes the point that if you get something wrong three times in a row, you might fix it the fourth time. But if you’ve failed 100 times in a row, #101 isn’t likely to be much better. So, switch it up and change your routine to see if that helps:

If you usually take your tests in the morning, try taking them at night.
If you usually exercise beforehand you take a practice test, try waiting until after.
Try drinking coffee with your LSAT if you’re crashing or cut out caffeine if you’re jittery.

The point is, introduce some variables to see what affects your performance. It’s gonna take you a few weeks to fine-tune this strategy, but hopefully you come out more confident on the other side.

2. Relax. It’s that simple.

If you are over-stressed your mind can get exhausted. While good, consistent studying is important it can get to a point where you are doing more harm than good.

Take A Day Off. Maybe Two.

Take some time off to just not think about it. If you rest your brain, you’ll find you’ll often come back sharper and more refreshed.

These are by no means silver bullets to improving your score, but if you’re like me and were totally stuck at the same score for far too long, then every little bit helps.

Of course, seeing when something isn't working for you, and learning how to relax is easier said than done.

It's hard to see your own blind spots and overcome score plateaus. That's why I created my LSAT courses.

Whether your test is coming up soon or you’re just getting started, you'll find strategies in this course no one else talks about. It provides anxiety-reduction techniques and strategies to simulate even the worst test centers.

But that's not all - it also reviews the most important rules and strategies you need to be aware of before walking in.

In the course, I share what top-performing students do in the lead-up to Test Day to ensure success while others - even smart, talented students - get stuck and don’t know why.

Join now and set yourself up for LSAT Test Day Success.

Very truly yours,

Steve Schwartz

P.S. In my next article, I'll share my favorite guessing strategies.

More LSAT Strategies From Top Scorers

Ok, sometimes sequels can be disappointments. The Matrix Reloaded, Dumb and Dumberer, any Die Hard past the second one…a lot of times it's hard to follow up on a good thing.

But sometimes they work! The Godfather Part II, Toy Story 2, and THIS ARTICLE.

That’s a roundabout way of saying we’re back for another edition of our “LSAT Strategies from Top Scorers” two-part series.

I've got five more strategies from my students along with their scores so you can benefit from some of the knowledge they’ve gained along their LSAT journey.

1. "Show enthusiasm in your preparation efforts. The LSAT is so important that its only purpose is to determine your future. You should treat the test with respect. Be bold in your preparation efforts. If others mock your zeal, cast them aside: they are not your true supporters." - Samson, 174

2. "[T]his structured other parts of my life. I began focusing more on sleep and fitness as a means of preparing my body for the test. I completed homework earlier to have time to study. I drank less to keep my mind sharp. All steps in the direction of maximum performance. Obsession worked for me… I don’t know how to induce it, but if you can get there, the score increase will shortly follow." - Brandon, improved from 150 to 170

3. "When I went back and looked at my previous exams I found that I was not spending enough time analyzing the rules and diagramming some important inferences...The result was a very vague understanding of the game as a whole, and left me occupied with each individual question for far too long. Once I began to properly diagram and analyze the game before moving onto the questions, I was able to knock off some of them in a matter of seconds." - Dan, improved from 141 to 168

4. "Studying needs to be like work...Schedule time to fit it in. Write one practice exam under timed conditions at least once per week. Write an exam under non-timed conditions at least once per week. Compare the two and determine where time is affecting you (and just do more questions to get faster) and where your skill is affecting you." - Kelly, improved from 150s to 170

5. "Don’t try to grasp all of the subtle nuances of the logic games section right away. First work on the fundamentals: the rules, the action, and the variables. Familiarity will reveal patterns and as you get more comfortable with how rules work, the ability to make deductions will increase." - Jared, improved from 140ish to 164

Need more? You can find a LOT more tips just like these in the LSAT Diaries ------>

Next time, we’re going to talk about what happens when these strategies stop inching you closer to your goal. (A pretty scary place to be!)

Til then,

LSAT Steve

Recommended Resources:
1. LSAT Courses
The best of my LSAT material with exclusive access to attend my Live Online LSAT Master Classes + Q&As, and on-demand video lessons you can watch anytime. Plus, LSAT study plans to keep you on track. Save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package.

2. LSAT Day-By-Day Study Plans
Preparing for the LSAT is confusing. There are dozens of prep books and practice tests out there, and 1,000+ articles on my website alone. When, and how, should you use them all? These super-specific study plans give you a clear plan of attack.

3. LSAT Checklists
All the little items and details students don't usually think of. They hold you accountable and help you make sure you're not missing anything.

LSAT Strategies From Top Scorers

“Today I took the hardest test of my life…AND I DESTROYED IT.”

That could be you!

I don't know if you keep a diary, but if you do that could be your entry for LSAT Test Day if you keep studying, reading these articles and applying yourself.

Now, I’ve been providing a LOT of advice recently and I wanted to give you a chance to hear from some of the successful people who have taken my program.

Here are some great excerpts from LSAT Diaries where real students write in their advice and success stories. Take a look!

1. "The best way to attack RC...You really have to deeply analyze your wrong answers and find the pattern for why you're getting them wrong. It probably won't be obvious, but if you have someone around you that's willing to look at the answers you get wrong (even getting a tutor for a short time to look at this) that would be helpful." - Ellen, 174

2. "My success on test day came down to being comfortable with the time constraints...accepting my weaknesses and capitalizing on my strengths...Do not be dismayed by low numbers for weeks at a time, or low numbers in certain sections. It can all fall into place after a few months as you gain a holistic understanding of the test material." - Chrissie, improved from 149 to 165

3. "Keep plugging away at games; it's the only way to really get better. I started out working towards 100% accuracy with as much time as I needed, and only tried to cut my time down. I think putting time pressure on yourself before you're really a master is hard. I went from taking 20-25 minutes per game to sometimes 5-6 minutes - with great accuracy." - Caleb, improved from 161 to 171 on LSAT retake

4. "Patience really is the biggest test of the LSAT. It is tedious work, there is no doubt about it. Once you feel yourself improving in your ability to concentrate, you will definitely feel motivated to stay focused." Anthony, improved from 140s to 161

5. "[In Steve's study plan,] the first sections that you are doing are broken up, so at that point you are focusing more on fundamentals. When you get to the full tests, you will be doing the more recent tests, so just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to do those and make them second nature. Keep in mind the differences aren't huge, and you should be able to handle the problems regardless, so the earlier ones are great practice, but you will notice a bit of a change." - Brad improved from 167 to 179

All great advice! And there’s a lot more where that came from. These are just a drop in the bucket of all of the entries in the LSAT diaries, so next time we’re going to read a few more.

Want to be featured in the LSAT Diaries? You absolutely can, whether you’ve taken the test yet or not. Just shoot me an message to share your advice or success story and I’ll feature it on the site!

Sincerely,