LSAT Raw Score Conversion

mirandalandry225

I'm finding myself confused with how LSAC scales your raw score on prep tests. I'm in a prep course and have taken several official prep tests and have had instances where my raw score has differed significantly, yet my scaled score doesn't show such improvement. I will list my scores and coinciding practice tests below...
PT 84: raw score 44. scaled 144.
PT 65: raw score 50. scaled 146.
PT 85: raw score 54. scaled 148.
PT 81: raw score 60. scaled 152.
PT 86: raw score 60. scaled 153.
PT 87: raw score 69. scaled 157.
PT 88: raw score 65. scaled 155.
PT 89: raw score 70. scaled 157.
My concern is that when looking at general estimated LSAT raw score conversion charts, a 69 can be scaled up to a 173 or 75 can be up to 180 scaled. That's a pretty big difference in the scaled scores I'm seeing! How is this determined and are the 4 section prep tests that I've been using to practice scaled differently than the Flex format and that is why I'm seeing such a difference on these charts?

Matt Sorr

I don't know that the exact way LSAC determines scales is public knowledge. In a nutshell, though, LSAC determines that some tests are "more difficult" than others. Some people debate whether or not any test is truly easier or harder than any other test, but regardless of which side of the debate you fall on, LSAC scores different tests on different scales. So if you miss, say, 5 questions on a test considered challenging, you may score a 175. On a test considered easier, missing 5 may result in you scoring a 172. It's worth noting that the curve of the test is determined before the test is administered, not after, as many people assume.

As for if the three and four section tests are scaled differently, it's basically inconsequential. If you're taking a three section test, the scale takes into account the lower number of questions and adjusts accordingly. The same is true for tests with more questions. The only thing you may want to consider with four section tests is that you'll always have two scored LR sections, so if you're good at LR, your score may be a bit inflated. If you're bad at LR, your score may be a bit deflated.

I hope this helps!

sucralosedaddy

A couple things.

1."have had instances where my raw score has differed significantly, yet my scaled score doesn't show such improvement." This "scale" is not a linear relationship but a standard distribution based on how people score with the median being "set" at 150. Think of a bell curve in stats, most people depending on the difficulty of the test get 55-60 questions correct out of the ~100 question (old test format) and this is set a 150.

Look up "LSAT bell curve" on google images to get a better understanding.

http://www.kaptest.com/blog/prep/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2019/09/lsat-scoring-infographic.jpg

2.You are getting two things mixed up.

• LSAC describes "scaled score" as your raw score (ex. 57/101) to score (ex. 150).
• While other websites refer to "scaled score" or "conversion chart" to let people predict how they would score on the new test format using old PTs. The old 4 section tests that you have been taking are out of 100-101 questions and the "scaled score" estimates are out of 75 (its "scaled" down).
• When you use the scaled score estimate you have to remove one of your LR sections, as the modern test are only one LR section now instead of two.