Old Prep Tests versus New Prep Tests

[mattm]

Hello,

What are some of the differences in general between older Prep tests and newer Prep Tests and when should i start to use newer ones in my study? I scored a bit lower than I would have liked at a 154 but was prep testing in the high 150's -161 range

I have taken the June LSAT so I do have some background on the exam and the sections.....from what I have read and noticed there are a few differences as the Reading Comp in general seems to be denser on the more recent prep tests and the Logic Games in the older LSAT's have had different games ( Although in the Feb '14 and June '14, they went back and used older game types on the exam).

One thing I'm considering as to when I should move towards more recent PT's is I'm bot sure if I will retake in September or December....due to the lower amount of law school apps, taking in December is not as much of a negative as in the past and the schools I called said that I wouldn't really be at risk in the admissions cycle if I retook in December.

I'm looking at a goal score of a 165 in Prep tests before taking the September LSAT to give myself a buffer for test day because I want to be practicing a little higher than my goal scores I want for the schools I'm interested in.....I think if I were to not be at the 165 level, the smarter option would be to use the two months in between Sept and Dec to boost my score.

Thanks!

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hey Matt,

Thanks for the question!

A few words of advice: I would avoid taking PT's older than 2007. While older tests are still useful as practice, the question composition is indeed a bit different than it is today. For instance, in LR, newer tests emphasize causal reasoning over formal logic, include a high number of Flaw and Principle questions, etc. The games can change a bit too, although it's hard to predict the direction in which they are going. Oddities in that section abound.

Assuming you haven't taken any of these tests yet, I would take between 2-3 tests/week from now until September. Start with the 2007-2008 this month, and progress toward more recent tests as you start getting closer to the day of the test.

Also, I would caution against planning to take the test in December. Yes, it's always an option, but you should plan to take it in October. December should be your choice of last resort. This is because: 1) 3 months is a long enough time to increase your score, especially since you're already familiar with the material; and 2) If you take it in December, you won't have a Plan B if you bomb it. Obviously, only take it when you're 100% ready... but you won't know that until mid-September. So, if you start planning to take the test in December from now, I guarantee you you won't be ready by September.

Just my 2c.