How does the curve/scale work on the new (post-2020) version of the LSAT as compared to the old one?

[danikakwak]

Hello! I'm a student currently studying for the LSAT and am working for a score of 170+. However, all of the preptests I have been taking are from the pre-2020 version, so they have four scored sections instead of three like the new, current version. I only recently found out about the new omission of one of the Logical Reasoning sections. After much initial panic, I am now wondering how this will affect the scaling of the scores. For example, missing 10 out of 100 questions (as in the old version of the test) would put me in the 170s score-wise, but it seems that missing 10 out of 75 questions (as in the new version) would put me in the 160s. Wouldn’t this give those of us taking the new version of the test an unfair disadvantage? I’m especially concerned because as of right now, I generally get higher scores in the Logical Reasoning section and lower scores in the Analytical Reasoning section, so losing one of the Logical Reasoning sections would skew my score rather badly!

[Stephanie Oswalt]

Hello! I'm a student currently studying for the LSAT and am working for a score of 170+. However, all of the preptests I have been taking are from the pre-2020 version, so they have four scored sections instead of three like the new, current version. I only recently found out about the new omission of one of the Logical Reasoning sections. After much initial panic, I am now wondering how this will affect the scaling of the scores. For example, missing 10 out of 100 questions (as in the old version of the test) would put me in the 170s score-wise, but it seems that missing 10 out of 75 questions (as in the new version) would put me in the 160s. Wouldn’t this give those of us taking the new version of the test an unfair disadvantage? I’m especially concerned because as of right now, I generally get higher scores in the Logical Reasoning section and lower scores in the Analytical Reasoning section, so losing one of the Logical Reasoning sections would skew my score rather badly!

Hi Danika,

Thanks for the post! Yes, the 4-scored section tests have an extra LR, so your performance is going to be skewed a bit based on how strong you are in LR.

If you want to simulate a "3 Sections + Experimental” test on your own, you’ll simply need to remove 1 LR section (removing either section is fine) and translate that raw score into a usable, 4-section raw score. To assist in the conversion, our Vice President, Jon Denning, designed a customized calculator that will predict what your raw score would have been on the full test based on the number answered correctly on the abbreviated version. With that predicted raw score you can then use the test’s scoring scale to determine your final scaled score.

You can access this calculator here: https://www.calconic.com/calculator-wid ... 00290b0ef0 . (If you’re curious, Jon explains how he developed PowerScore’s Flex Scoring system in this Reddit comment.)

It can definitely get complicated, which is exactly why in our Testing and Analytics Package, we offer tests that have 3-scored, 1-experimental sections already created for you. Our analytics package scores those tests automatically for you and provides additional useful information about your test performance.

I hope this helps! Thanks!

[danikakwak]

Hello! I'm a student currently studying for the LSAT and am working for a score of 170+. However, all of the preptests I have been taking are from the pre-2020 version, so they have four scored sections instead of three like the new, current version. I only recently found out about the new omission of one of the Logical Reasoning sections. After much initial panic, I am now wondering how this will affect the scaling of the scores. For example, missing 10 out of 100 questions (as in the old version of the test) would put me in the 170s score-wise, but it seems that missing 10 out of 75 questions (as in the new version) would put me in the 160s. Wouldn’t this give those of us taking the new version of the test an unfair disadvantage? I’m especially concerned because as of right now, I generally get higher scores in the Logical Reasoning section and lower scores in the Analytical Reasoning section, so losing one of the Logical Reasoning sections would skew my score rather badly!

Hi Danika,

Thanks for the post! Yes, the 4-scored section tests have an extra LR, so your performance is going to be skewed a bit based on how strong you are in LR.

If you want to simulate a "3 Sections + Experimental” test on your own, you’ll simply need to remove 1 LR section (removing either section is fine) and translate that raw score into a usable, 4-section raw score. To assist in the conversion, our Vice President, Jon Denning, designed a customized calculator that will predict what your raw score would have been on the full test based on the number answered correctly on the abbreviated version. With that predicted raw score you can then use the test’s scoring scale to determine your final scaled score.

You can access this calculator here: https://www.calconic.com/calculator-wid ... 00290b0ef0 . (If you’re curious, Jon explains how he developed PowerScore’s Flex Scoring system in this Reddit comment.)

It can definitely get complicated, which is exactly why in our Testing and Analytics Package, we offer tests that have 3-scored, 1-experimental sections already created for you. Our analytics package scores those tests automatically for you and provides additional useful information about your test performance.

I hope this helps! Thanks!

Hi Stephanie,

Thank you so much for your explanation! It will definitely help in converting the scores of future preptests I take (though I must admit, as someone who is strongest in logical reasoning and weakest in logic games, I'm panicking again!). Since the score will be so skewed with this new format, I was also wondering if the scoring curve will be different. I'm confused since the format of the test has been consistent for decades, and has suddenly changed so that those of us strongest in logical reasoning will experience a drop in our scores (and the people stronger in the other sections may be rejoicing!). Would the only solution really be to try to improve our logic games and reading comprehension skills to the point that they will fill this gap?

Thank you!

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi Danika,

While there has been a change in the raw score needed to get a particular target score, the percentile required has stayed fairly stable. The test is developed to have the scoring fit a bell curve, and that has not changed with the new format. For example, in order to get over the 170 mark, you typically had to score in the top 1-2% on the old test. Now, it's the top 3%. That's not a huge difference. There are fewer questions you can miss now than in the past to get the same score, but that's because there are fewer questions overall on the test. Your score should be pretty similar between the old test and the new test. You can read more about the differences (and similarities) in scoring here.

Hope that helps!

[danikakwak]

Hi Danika,

While there has been a change in the raw score needed to get a particular target score, the percentile required has stayed fairly stable. The test is developed to have the scoring fit a bell curve, and that has not changed with the new format. For example, in order to get over the 170 mark, you typically had to score in the top 1-2% on the old test. Now, it's the top 3%. That's not a huge difference. There are fewer questions you can miss now than in the past to get the same score, but that's because there are fewer questions overall on the test. Your score should be pretty similar between the old test and the new test. You can read more about the differences (and similarities) in scoring here.

Hope that helps!

Hi Rachael,

Thank you so much for your help! That's a relief, and I definitely feel a bit more reassured now--I was scared that I'd been set back months of studying due to the new format!