LSAT Difficulty Increase?

konabriana

Hello everyone

I have a friend who is also studying for her LSAT, and while I am taking this online course, she is taking a course taught by a professor. Her professor said that the LSAT has changed over the course of the years - that it has increased in difficulty for the logical reasoning sections and decreased in difficulty for the logic games. Assuming this is true, are the practice tests offered in this course rendered... Less accurate somehow? I understand they offer the baseline understanding of how to approach problems and solve them, but if the logical reasoning sections I have been practicing with are somehow easier than more recent sections, does this mean that my scores on here will be a bit skewed?

All in all it was a disheartening conversation haha, and I'm inclined to not take everything her professor has said at face-value, but since then I've been chewing on this problem. Should I perhaps be mixing in more recent practice tests with the ones offered here for a more accurate estimate? Have any of you heard the same thing, or am I just late to the party?

LSATisland

Hi,

The recent tests have easier LG sections and harder RC sections. If you are using old tests, I'd recommend getting familiar with the new RC. As for the LG, you should be equipped to do the recent ones since the old tests are harder.

I think the point is valid, but I wouldn't get too caught up in it. The LSAT changes over the years, but the essential skills it is testing remain the same. Even if the LG are a bit different, you are still teaching yourself how to diagram properly, make inference, think analytically, etc..

Feel free to PM me if you'd like to discuss it more.

chrijani7

The LSAT has changed over years, but I don't think it has gotten anymore difficult. The thing to consider is that for awhile LG was more mechanical, but recently (last 3-4 PT's) that has changed, where they seemed to have moved towards "older" style, more abstract games.

RC has the obvious change of comparative passages, so you must take that into consideration. Some people might have more difficulty with comparative reading, which could result in them stating that RC has gotten harder. However, the consensus is that RC has become more difficult. So for someone like me, who is horrible at RC, then overall the LSAT has become more difficult. But for someone who is strong in RC they may believe it has gotten easier.

It's a matter of your strengths and weaknesses. Some tests toss in a difficult RC section and compensate with easier LG/LR sections. So if your weak in RC you may find that test to be more difficult. However, if you are strong in RC and mediocre in LR/LG you may find the test was manageable.

What I am trying to say is that while there are some obvious changes to the test since its inception. It's not a matter of it becoming more difficult, rather it just seems to have changed which can either hinder your performance if the changes are to a section you were already weak in, or enhance your performance if it's to a section you were strong in.

konabriana

Ahh, yes I understand... Thank you for your responses!

tsamvelyan

I don't think it has gotten any more difficult. I took the September test and didn't find it to be difficult. In my opinion, Logic Games have gotten harder but the LR and RC sections are average (I actually found the LR's to be easier than what I had studied). Besides, the 2 most recent LSATS have had the lowest 170 curve (-12 and 13 I believe).