Just heard back from LSAC - as of now they have not decided whether or not scratch paper will be allowed. So for anyone taking it in may should prepare for the possibility that it won't be allowed...
I'm sorry but what the hell?? How on earth does one do Logic Games without scratch paper?? Even some LR questions need diagramming/formal logic. That makes no sense lol. If they decide not to allow scratch paper I'm postponing my test until they can get their crap together.
I really don't understand what their concern is. LSAT isn't a memorization-based test. What could you possibly write on your scratch paper that would allow you to cheat.
According to these it sounds like we are getting scratch paper. I think it would be pretty impossible to do logic games without scratch paper. I think that LSAT_blog in the 2nd link probably is correct. Just have you show the front and back of the pieces of scratch paper you will be using.
I hope LSAC will make an official announcement regarding this. I know that GRE uses ProctorU as well and have been told that GRE test takers can just use a little white board. I hope that LSAC will realize that doing 4 games on a little white board will not work well! How in the world would people who like to solve for sub game boards do that? Or how about if you skipped some questions in game one or two and want to come back but now your work is erased? These questions stress me out. I was going to sign up for June but want to see how some of these get ironed out and think I am going to wait until July. I hope people taking May keep pressuring LSAC for official answers to these things.
I’m scheduled for the Flex but there’s no way I take it without scratch paper. There’s no way they expect us to diagram in our heads. I’m assuming they are going to allow it but they are trying to figure out how it will be regulated.
@FindingSage Yeah I burn through pages on PTs for games. Use anywhere from 1-3 pages per game. I agree that using a whiteboard and erasing wouldn’t work well at all for the LSAT. Maybe it works fine for GRE because each math problem is short and done in isolation.
@noonawoon that is exactly my thought. The whiteboard with the GRE probably just works just fine but with the LSAT there are many test takers who burn through pages of paper not just for games but also for the other sections since the test is digital. I would have no idea showing my paper to the camera or even using a book of paper the LSAC send if that is how they want to do things. I would think that they will allow scratch paper or people are going to be out with their pitchforks rioting about it. People are already upset about the loss of the second LR and the way that is counted. I am delaying taking the test from June to July because RC is unpredicatble for me. LR was my best section and I have so much work into it, and seeing the reaction online I know I am far from alone in this setiment.
@FindingSage Yup I would probably delay my June test if they even limit scratch paper to a certain amount of sheets. And, not to be a pessimist, but I think it's highly unlikely that things will be calm enough by July for that to be administered in person.
@noonawoon, I think it is concievably possible that most this testing cycle ends up Flex. I live in CA and just the other day Facebook announced that their employees will be working from home until at least September. Some schools have also announced classes will be online for next fall. Even if LSAC somehow comes up with an option for in person testing with extreme social distancing, I believe there will be students who still request the flax because they won't feel like LSAC can guarentee their safety at the test centers, potentially travelling to test centers, needing to stay in hotels ect.
@EddieM , I hope someone recorded that comment or there is an official change posted. I know that the tablet positioning for example has been changed ( used to have to be angled at less than 45 degrees but now it can be anything except straight up and down), but some testing centers/proctors had old instructions. I can't do logic games without my scratch paper so if a proctor tells me to throw it away they might as well end my test.
I just realized I should have attached the response I got from LSAC, I am omitting the parts that deal with unrelated answers to personal questions I asked.
"Unfortunately at this time, we do not know how the scratch paper will be handled for LSAT Flex..."
"Please monitor our website for additional information on LSAT Flex at:
Hope this helps - I cannot imagine that it will be much longer before they make a decision seeing as the May Flex is right around the corner. But until I hear something definitive directly from LSAC or see an update on the link above I will be preparing for the worse case scenario.
@"seamus.kirk5"
LSAC has just updated their LSAT-Flex page and said that you are allowed to use five pieces of blank scratch paper. You just show the front and back of every page to the proctor.
So we can still use 5 pieces of blank paper on other sections as well? I diagram my MBTs or Parallel MOR questions on paper while doing the digital test....
Comments
how would one do logic games then?
Yeah that would be my question... LG would be practically impossible without scratch paper to work with? how could they do they?
My guessis that we might be allowed to use a notepad on the desktop? That would suck and take up a ton of time.
I'm sorry but what the hell?? How on earth does one do Logic Games without scratch paper?? Even some LR questions need diagramming/formal logic. That makes no sense lol. If they decide not to allow scratch paper I'm postponing my test until they can get their crap together.
I really don't understand what their concern is. LSAT isn't a memorization-based test. What could you possibly write on your scratch paper that would allow you to cheat.
https://www.reddit.com/r/LSAT/comments/fxwrbp/you_will_be_able_to_use_scratch_paper_for_lsat/
https://www.reddit.com/r/LSAT/comments/g0ofl1/lsatflex_faq/
According to these it sounds like we are getting scratch paper. I think it would be pretty impossible to do logic games without scratch paper. I think that LSAT_blog in the 2nd link probably is correct. Just have you show the front and back of the pieces of scratch paper you will be using.
I hope LSAC will make an official announcement regarding this. I know that GRE uses ProctorU as well and have been told that GRE test takers can just use a little white board. I hope that LSAC will realize that doing 4 games on a little white board will not work well! How in the world would people who like to solve for sub game boards do that? Or how about if you skipped some questions in game one or two and want to come back but now your work is erased? These questions stress me out. I was going to sign up for June but want to see how some of these get ironed out and think I am going to wait until July. I hope people taking May keep pressuring LSAC for official answers to these things.
I’m scheduled for the Flex but there’s no way I take it without scratch paper. There’s no way they expect us to diagram in our heads. I’m assuming they are going to allow it but they are trying to figure out how it will be regulated.
@FindingSage Yeah I burn through pages on PTs for games. Use anywhere from 1-3 pages per game. I agree that using a whiteboard and erasing wouldn’t work well at all for the LSAT. Maybe it works fine for GRE because each math problem is short and done in isolation.
@noonawoon that is exactly my thought. The whiteboard with the GRE probably just works just fine but with the LSAT there are many test takers who burn through pages of paper not just for games but also for the other sections since the test is digital. I would have no idea showing my paper to the camera or even using a book of paper the LSAC send if that is how they want to do things. I would think that they will allow scratch paper or people are going to be out with their pitchforks rioting about it. People are already upset about the loss of the second LR and the way that is counted. I am delaying taking the test from June to July because RC is unpredicatble for me. LR was my best section and I have so much work into it, and seeing the reaction online I know I am far from alone in this setiment.
@FindingSage Yup I would probably delay my June test if they even limit scratch paper to a certain amount of sheets. And, not to be a pessimist, but I think it's highly unlikely that things will be calm enough by July for that to be administered in person.
I was on the webinar, and definitely saw an LSAC mod say in response to someone's question that we will have scratch paper.
@noonawoon, I think it is concievably possible that most this testing cycle ends up Flex. I live in CA and just the other day Facebook announced that their employees will be working from home until at least September. Some schools have also announced classes will be online for next fall. Even if LSAC somehow comes up with an option for in person testing with extreme social distancing, I believe there will be students who still request the flax because they won't feel like LSAC can guarentee their safety at the test centers, potentially travelling to test centers, needing to stay in hotels ect.
@EddieM , I hope someone recorded that comment or there is an official change posted. I know that the tablet positioning for example has been changed ( used to have to be angled at less than 45 degrees but now it can be anything except straight up and down), but some testing centers/proctors had old instructions. I can't do logic games without my scratch paper so if a proctor tells me to throw it away they might as well end my test.
I just realized I should have attached the response I got from LSAC, I am omitting the parts that deal with unrelated answers to personal questions I asked.
"Unfortunately at this time, we do not know how the scratch paper will be handled for LSAT Flex..."
"Please monitor our website for additional information on LSAT Flex at:
https://www.lsac.org/update-coronavirus-and-lsat/lsat-flex "
Hope this helps - I cannot imagine that it will be much longer before they make a decision seeing as the May Flex is right around the corner. But until I hear something definitive directly from LSAC or see an update on the link above I will be preparing for the worse case scenario.
@"seamus.kirk5"
LSAC has just updated their LSAT-Flex page and said that you are allowed to use five pieces of blank scratch paper. You just show the front and back of every page to the proctor.
So we can still use 5 pieces of blank paper on other sections as well? I diagram my MBTs or Parallel MOR questions on paper while doing the digital test....
This is a stressful time indeed.
It did not specify that it was only for logic games I think. So it should be that the scratch paper is usable for every section.
You're right--there was definitely nothing saying only for games.
That's better than nothing - did they specify what size the paper can be?