Are earlier tests easier?

rjorgie97

I've been taking practice tests starting with the earlier ones from the 1990s. I've been scoring pretty well on them (high 160s-low 170s). Are they easier than more current tests? Is my average score an accurate picture of where I would be if I took the LSAT right now?

Cant Get Right

Certainly some of the earlier sequencing games are objectively easier, but beyond that I really don't think there is a significant difference in difficulty on most elements of the test. There are some differences that need to be adjusted to in later tests like more subtle answer choices in RC and maybe a few additional traps in LR, but ultimately logic is pretty much the same as ever. Anything they can throw at us beyond that is largely superficial. Congrats on those scores. Maybe try a test or two in the 40's or 50's and see how you do.

Alex

It's a hotly debated subject, but I honestly cannot imagine anyone thinking the newer RC sections are easier than the old ones. I think a lot of the older LR questions have more answer choices that are much simpler to eliminate.

TheoryandPractice

I actually had to change my RC strategy for the PT60s and onward because ACs became a lot more subtle and difficult to eliminate. (and also LR somewhat) You might want to take the later exam to see if your strategy for LR and RC are working for those exams.

Alex

@TheoryandPractice said:
I actually had to change my RC strategy for the PT60s and onward because ACs became a lot more subtle and difficult to eliminate. (and also LR somewhat) You might want to take the later exam to see if your strategy for LR and RC are working for those exams.

Same. I can't speak for games, as I haven't done newer games, but for the few 50s and 60s tests I've seen, the RC just always gets me and like you said, the LR questions sometimes require me to make assumptions that I just don't feel comfortable.

I can take like PT 10 and get a 165 but if I were to take PT 72 right now, it would be a miracle if I hit a 160 at all. Mostly because I need to get better at the newer RC and LR.

OlamHafuch

Personally, I found that the LR and RC sections have gotten harder. As others have mentioned, the wrong answer choices appear to have gotten more enticing. Also, I think that stimuli have become more involved and convoluted. [There have been changes in LG too, but I can't say if those have made games more or less difficult. I definitely found the games in mid forties to early fifties quite a bit easier than the games before them and after them.] I suspect that as prepping tools have become much better, LSAC has been forced to increase the difficulty of the test to retain a similar curve across tests.

Alex

@uhinberg said:
Personally, I found that the LR and RC sections have gotten harder. As others have mentioned, the wrong answer choices appear to have gotten more enticing. Also, I think that stimuli have become more involved and convoluted. [There have been changes in LG too, but I can't say if those have made games more or less difficult. I definitely found the games in mid forties to early fifties quite a bit easier than the games before them and after them.] I suspect that as prepping tools have become much better, LSAC has been forced to increase the difficulty of the test to retain a similar curve across tests.

Couldn't agree with this more.... People who tend to think the newer tests aren't as hard seem to be those who are just better at the test. So someone scoring in the 170s aren't going to think the newer tests are as hard. At least that's been my experience. I hope one day I look back and think the newer tests are just as easy

rjorgie97

Thank you for the advice! I took a test in the 60s and my score dropped about 5 points haha! I might just stick with going at them in order

LSAT Is Coming

They are not just easier -- they are pieces of cake compared to the later ones. I think the big exception would be for anyone who naturally excels at RC. If someone is averaging the same in RC after PT 60 as before PT 60, then count yourself lucky.

My own conspiracy theory is that over time, the availability of study materials, prep courses, and practice tests have required LSAC to make the test more difficult to match similar curves from years past. From my perspective, LR has gotten slightly harder, RC SIGNIFICANTLY harder (went from -1/-2 to -5/-6 consistently), and very recently LG has started to increase in difficulty, with a lot of miscellaneous games that are difficult to prepare for by their very nature.

All that is to say, don't get discouraged if you see a score drop around PT 60. The test is still very beatable!