Note: we talk in detail about retaking the LSAT on the PowerScore LSAT PodCast, in episodes 2 and 3. Access those episodes here on iTunes. Previously, I covered who should retake the LSAT. In this post, I'm covering how to properly prepare for your retake. First, I'm going to presume that the last time you did a fairly decent job of preparing. That is, you worked through a course or some self-study guides and you took a fair number of practice … [Read more...]
LSAT Podcast Episode 27: Flaw in the Reasoning Questions Part III – Common Flaws
More Flaws! Episode 27 sees Jon and Dave add a third installment to their series on common logical flaws, this time tackling six key errors in total: Composition/Division, Uncertain Use of a Term, False Analogies, False Dilemmas, Relativity/Degree, and Sunk Cost. Make sure you’re familiar with each of these ideas before test day! … [Read more...]
Quantity Terminology: Some, Few, Several, and Many
Last weekend I got into a conversation with a friend about the exact meaning of few. Yes, sadly, this is how I spend my time. Like many people, she has a very definite idea of what few means: three or more. However, from an LSAT perspective, is that definitely correct? Actually, no.While many would agree that few means three or more, the dictionary definition is, "not many but more than one." So, a few cannot be one, but it can be as low as … [Read more...]
LSAT Podcast Episode 26: Flaw in the Reasoning Questions Part II – Common Flaws
In Episode 26, Jon and Dave continue their exploration of common flaws, focusing on Straw Man attacks, Appeal Fallacies, and the ever-present Survey Errors that so often beguile test takers. … [Read more...]
Killer RC: The Hardest LSAT Reading Comprehension Passages of All Time
Students studying Reading Comprehension passages often want to see the hardest passages in LSAT history. To that end, here is a list of the hardest Reading Comprehension passages of all time, in chronological order by date administered but with both new and old format PrepTest number references. It is accompanied by our at-times jesting commentary. PT2, October 1991, Passage #3: Waterbugs This was the first “hard science” passage ever to appear … [Read more...]
Killer LG: The Hardest LSAT Logic Games of All Time
Why Review the Hardest Games? The Logic Games section is inevitable. For many, it’s the toughest section of the test. If Logic Games are generally difficult, why then would we choose to write about the hardest games ever to appear? The short answer is that there are tremendous benefits to be gained by reviewing these games. If you understand how to recognize them and deal with them, you’ll perform better in this section. In our In Person, Live … [Read more...]
Killer LR: 15 of the Hardest Logical Reasoning Questions of All Time Part IV
Part I, Part II, and Part III list the 15 hardest LSAT Logical Reason questions in chronological order. Now let’s get to the most valuable and interesting part of this discussion. What can we learn from them? Here are a few fascinating observations drawn from an analysis of the 15 Hardest LSAT Logical Reasoning questions. A Notable Bias Towards (A) Questions within this set of 15 are overwhelmingly biased in favor of answer choice (A). … [Read more...]
LSAT Podcast Episode 23: Conditional Reasoning Part II
Episode 23 picks up right where 22 left off: with Jon and Dave continuing last week’s discussion of conditional reasoning! Specifically, they ramp up the complexity and outline how to handle unusual language like “unless” statements and “either/or” constructions, make conditional chains and spot the inferences they provide, tackle scenarios with multiple sufficient and necessary elements, and even master the elusive double-arrow. This is … [Read more...]
Killer LR: 15 of the Hardest Logical Reasoning Questions of All Time Part III
Below is Part III of our discussion of the 15 hardest LSAT Logical Reasoning questions of all time. This Part contains the final 5 of the 15 questions that were presented in chronological order. In Part I and Part II we went over the first 10 in our list of the most difficult LR questions of all time in chronological order. Part IV is our finale where we discuss some of the interesting patterns and statistics associated with the questions on the … [Read more...]
LSAT Podcast Episode 22: Conditional Reasoning Part I
In the PodCast’s 22nd Episode, Dave and Jon begin what will become a multi-part look at conditional reasoning, one of the test’s most critical concepts. In this first discussion, they explore the nature of what makes statements conditional, define the key distinctions between sufficient and necessary conditions, and offer insights on making the right kind of inferences when faced with conditionality (while also avoiding the traps the test makers … [Read more...]
Nature vs. Nurture: The LSAT’s Take on the Root Causes of Human Behavior
It may have been as early as middle school when you were first introduced to a psychosocial debate that attempts to answer perhaps life’s most important question. From the time humans developed the ability to formulate questions, we’ve wondered why we are the way that we are. The concept of Nature/Nurture has been around since at least the Elizabethan period, but the ideas were first proposed back in ancient Greece when Aristotle and Plato … [Read more...]
LSAT Podcast Episode 21: Logic Games – Recognizing Templates and Limited Solution Sets
Episode 21 tackles one of the most powerful—but frequently misunderstood—techniques for attacking Logic Games: utilizing Templates to represent limited outcomes and solutions. In this discussion, Dave and Jon outline exactly how and why Templates work, the wide range of clues to help you recognize their presence, and safety measures to prevent you from pursuing them when you shouldn’t. Anyone struggling to reach perfection in games needs to hear … [Read more...]
Killer LR: 15 of the Hardest Logical Reasoning Questions of All Time Part II
Below is Part II of our discussion of the 15 hardest LSAT Logical Reasoning questions of all time. This Part contains 5 more of the 15 questions we’re listing out in chronological order. In Part I, we discussed questions 1-5 on the list and in Part III we present questions 11-15. Part IV is our finale where we discuss some of the interesting patterns and statistics associated with the questions on the list. We chose this list by looking at … [Read more...]
The PowerScore 2020 LSAT Bibles: What Has Changed?
Each year I make revisions and updates to the LSAT Bibles, and there are several different reasons for that. First, at least three new LSATs release each year. I make changes to some of the content to account for new directions taken by the test makers. Second, I talk with many different LSAT students and also teach various sessions throughout the year. The feedback I receive helps me shape and improve parts of each book. Finally, the books have … [Read more...]