How Will The New LSAT Logical Reasoning Section Look In August 2024 and Beyond?

The LSAT Is Changing

If you haven’t heard, Logic Games was removed from the LSAT starting in August 2024! It was replaced by a second Logical Reasoning (LR) section. So, Logical Reasoning is now 67% of the scored portion of the LSAT going forward.

Will Logical Reasoning Stay The Same On The New LSAT?

The main question students have asked is, “How will LR change on the new test?” While LSAC hasn’t released any specific section info, we know two things from what we’ve seen:

1. The two LR sections are largely be similar to what we had in the past.
2. The two LR sections seem a bit harder, and feature a few more numerically-based problems and more formal logic problems.

Let’s explore the reasoning behind each conclusion.

Why Will Logical Reasoning Be Similar?

One thing we know about LSAC is that they have a lot of history with the Logical Reasoning section. Between June 1991 and March 2020, every LSAT had two scored LR sections. So they have created a lot of content around LR, and they know how people perform and score on the section. They also have a lot of data on the “two LR” format. They’ve indicated this makes them confident that the LSAT will largely perform in a similar manner now that they have removed Logic Games. So, there’s a lot to suggest that replacing LG with a second LR will keep LR largely similar.

Why Will Logical Reasoning Be Harder?

At the same time, here at PowerScore we track test and experimental and real section usage closely (see our podcast test recaps and Crystal Ball webinars!), and over the past year or two we’ve noticed some trends inside the new Experimental LR sections they’ve been testing. As you may know, experimental sections are pre-tested and are then typically administered at some point later as scored sections. Inside these new Experimental sections we’ve seen an increase in the number of problems featuring more mathematically based stimuli, as well as more stimuli based on Formal Logic concepts.

And, on both the August and September 2024 LSATs, we saw scored sections with more Logic Games-style questions, confirming our suspicions.

What Does That Mean?

This isn’t all that surprising: these are the two question types that capture some of the skills that Logic Games tested. The test makers are just adding a bit back in to LR of what they will lose in LG. The bad news is that these two types of questions typically torment students. They can be brutally difficult and confusing.

Can I See Some Examples?

How confusing? Here are a few examples of previously released questions in the vein we’ve been seeing:

• PrepTest 7, LR #22, #19: Yearly Calendar
• PrepTest 9, LR #22, #13: Jennifer’s Vacation
• PrepTest 11, LR #1, #12: Dogwoods/Sycamores/Tulips
• PrepTest 103, Section #3 (PT26, LR #2), #23: Kay’s Voting
• PrepTest 106, Section #2: Experimental (PT20, LR #2), #6: The Rienzi
• PrepTest 106, Section #2: Experimental (PT20, LR #2), #11: John’s Work Schedule
• PrepTest 106, Section #2: Experimental (PT20, LR #2), #19: Mail
• PrepTest 124, Section #2 (PT53, LR #2), #19: Textbook Essays
• PrepTest 127, Section #1 (PT56, LR #1), #19: Student Courses
• PrepTest 134, Section #4: Experimental (PT52, LR #1), #5: Biba’s Neighborhood Pool

If you want to try these questions out, you can look up the PrepTest number and find the question in the specific section.

*Note: there are many more Formal Logic and Numbers/Percentages problems out there and in our courses. The selection above are more in the style of what we’ve been seeing on recent experimentals and on the August and September 2024 LSATs,.

For Some People, The LSAT is About to Get Harder

One thing does appear to be the case: the new format of the LSAT without Logic Games isn’t automatically easier even if you dislike LG. After all, LSAC still has tools at their disposal to make the LSAT highly challenging, and sometimes the devil you knew (a test with LG) was better than the devil you don’t know (the two LR tests that are coming).

If you have any questions, please post them below. Happy studying!