Part 1 of this discussion dealt with a case that LSAC filed in response to recent California legislation regarding the issue of "flagging" LSAT scores (distinguishing the score reports of those with special accommodations from those who take the LSAT under standard conditions). In that case, LSAC was successful in its challenge to the brand new legislation, but then later agreed to stop the practice. Part Two deals with a major cases filed … [Read more...]
Conditional Sequencing Rules in Logic Games
We're now ten weeks away from the LSAT, which still gives you plenty of time to prepare and reach your goals, but the clock is certainly ticking--if you're waiting for your course to begin that's fine!; if you haven't thought about how you intend to prep, however, it's time to get going.And even though it's still fairly early I regularly hear from anxious test takers, and unsurprisingly Logic Games often weigh most heavily on their minds. I … [Read more...]
“Most Strongly Supports” vs. “Most Strongly Supported” in Logical Reasoning Questions
Let’s look at two LSAT logical reasoning question stems that sound awfully alike, but are anything but: "Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument above?"vs. "Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above?" In the first instance, your job is to assume that each answer choice represents a true statement, and then determine which one is most helpful to validating the conclusion … [Read more...]
Sterling Archer’s Many Flaws: Do You Want Ants?
Archer, an animated series on FX, is about a spy agency and its group of clever, often bitingly sarcastic secret agents, who provide some great examples of the same kinds of logical flaws that we see on the LSAT:Ad Hominem Argument This type of flawed logic, often called a “source argument” describes an attack directly on the speaker, or the source of the argument, rather than on the merits of the argument itself.A great example appears … [Read more...]
Taking the LSAT in Ireland
Are you taking the LSAT in Ireland? Students take the LSAT if they plan to attend law schools in the US and Canada. However, the test administers across the globe. Check out this post about taking the LSAT abroad.In Ireland, only one location offers the LSAT: Dublin, at the University College Dublin. They administer the test once a year in December. You can find a complete list of test dates and deadlines here. Students should know that … [Read more...]
Cheating on the LSAT Part II: Enforcement
Part 1 of this blog can be found here.LSAC Cheating Prevention Protocols To prevent cheating, over the years LSAC has gradually tightened restrictions on test takers in test centers (picture ID, no cell phones, etc.) These protocols are in place to help assure LSAC that you are who you say you are, and that you can't easily communicate with other test takers during the exam. But the security measures don't stop there. LSAC has also … [Read more...]
Cheating on the LSAT Part I: A Short History
For as long as there have been standardized tests, there have been attempts to cheat on those tests. The LSAT is no exception, and cheating schemes have ranged from clever to absurd. These are the two cases that received the most press coverage. The Theft of the February 1997 LSAT in Southern California In this scheme, cooked up over a five-month period, the offender stole a copy of the February 1997 LSAT from a University of Southern … [Read more...]
When Do I Diagram Conditional Reasoning Statements?
A question that frequently comes up from readers of the LSAT Logical Reasoning Bible is, when should I diagram conditional statements in the LSAT Logical Reasoning section? In the book, I talk about diagramming in a number of different chapters, but most prominently in the chapter on Conditional Reasoning.Conditional Reasoning is a Major Concept While, not surprisingly, I think that every chapter in the LR Bible has high value, the … [Read more...]
The 2015 vs. 2016 PowerScore LSAT Logic Games Bibles
Every year, we release an updated version of the LSAT Logic Games Bible, including the 2016 version. We do this to account for changes in the test, to expand and clarify certain explanations, and to add new and refreshed content in order to keep the books as useful as possible. Because of the extent of these yearly changes, one of the most common questions we get each year is: can I use an LGB from a prior year to study for this year's LSAT? … [Read more...]
Accommodations for the LSAT Part IV: The Controversy of Score Flagging
The issue of accommodated testing is a challenging one for many reasons. From the thousands of requests that the Law School Admission Council receives each year, the council must determine, on a case-by-case basis, which applicants should get accommodations, and what accommodations are appropriate. Over the past few years these issues have been getting more attention, as the council has defended a number of lawsuits based on claims about how the … [Read more...]
Don’t Be Fooled by Feigned Sophistication
There is a widespread misconception among test takers that because your reading level is difficult to improve (taking years to develop), your performance on the Reading Comprehension passages is also unlikely to change. This belief reflects a common misunderstanding about the specific type of difficulty associated with reading comprehension passages. Keep in mind that the test makers generally have about a half of a page to get their points … [Read more...]
The PowerScore LSAT Self-Study Guide
So, you're taking the LSAT. There are many ways to prep: courses, tutoring, books. If you're planning to self-study, we've got the perfect tool for you. Our Self-Study Guide walks you through the steps and gives you a concrete plan of action. Best of all? It's FREE. To download it, you can click here or the image below. Another great resource to check out is our LSAT Free Help Area! It's a great page to bookmark and keep handy for all things … [Read more...]
Accommodations for the LSAT Part III: The Facts
Now that we’ve discussed the accommodations available and the process for gaining those accommodations, let’s look at some of the facts surrounding the accommodation process. Facts reported and statements made here are based on LSAT Technical Reports, primarily this one. Let’s present the info in a series of questions and answers: Q: How many people apply for LSAT accommodations? A: Each year, several thousand people seek LSAT accommodations. … [Read more...]
The Limitations of Venn Diagramming on the Logical Reasoning Section
This post is from the LSAT Free Help Area on our website. Want to get even more free LSAT help? Check it out! While preparing for the LSAT, students will undoubtedly encounter a wide variety of suggested test taking strategies. Unfortunately, one of the more commonly advocated approaches, particularly with regards to the Logical Reasoning sections, is the use of Venn diagrams1. Despite their popularity with certain test-preparation programs, … [Read more...]