Drop in LSAT takers good or bad for the June 2012 curve? Forum

[lhanvt13]

Hi there I might have posted this in the wrong forum... Not too savvy with TLS forums.. just wondering if anybody could possibly guess what the drop would mean for the June 2012 curve? and do you think this is going to be a continuing trend or would the number of test takers peak for June?? Thank you !

[stillwater]

LSAT is not curved. It is equated (which means it weighed using information garnered on previously administered experimental sections and the score distribution decided from there).

[lhanvt13]

LSAT is not curved. It is equated (which means it weighed using information garnered on previously administered experimental sections and the score distribution decided from there).

Ah, I see. So would the information be %'s of test takers which they equate to? so say 100 people take the test, and 10% are 170+, would it then be that if 50 people took it 5 people would be 170+?

[stillwater]

LSAT is not curved. It is equated (which means it weighed using information garnered on previously administered experimental sections and the score distribution decided from there).

Ah, I see. So would the information be %'s of test takers which they equate to? so say 100 people take the test, and 10% are 170+, would it then be that if 50 people took it 5 people would be 170+?

No, they quantify the difficulty of the questions based on test-takers' previous performance on them when they are experimental sections. They take that data and apply it to the administered test. So more difficult tests will have maybe -13 for 170 and easier tests -9 for 170. It is a measure of the difficulty of the test and questions therein.

[lhanvt13]

LSAT is not curved. It is equated (which means it weighed using information garnered on previously administered experimental sections and the score distribution decided from there).

Ah, I see. So would the information be %'s of test takers which they equate to? so say 100 people take the test, and 10% are 170+, would it then be that if 50 people took it 5 people would be 170+?

No, they quantify the difficulty of the questions based on test-takers' previous performance on them when they are experimental sections. They take that data and apply it to the administered test. So more difficult tests will have maybe -13 for 170 and easier tests -9 for 170. It is a measure of the difficulty of the test and questions therein.

aha ! I see thank you so much ! this cleared up things a little haha now back to studying...

[JamMasterJ]

there is a little bit of post-test curving as well, but for the most part, it's predetermined. Either way, the number of takers won't affect how difficult it is to get "x" score, unless there has been a disproportionate reduction in scorers at a certain level when the June test's sections were first administered.

[lhanvt13]

there is a little bit of post-test curving as well, but for the most part, it's predetermined. Either way, the number of takers won't affect how difficult it is to get "x" score, unless there has been a disproportionate reduction in scorers at a certain level when the June test's sections were first administered.

yeah.. I initially thought that since they report that the <150's are dropping, the exam would then be curved a little more awkwardly in response but I seem to be mistaken haha

[edit]: "equated" not "curved"

[soj]

The point of equating is to make this sort of thing irrelevant to your score.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 0#p5497692

[lhanvt13]

The point of equating is to make this sort of thing irrelevant to your score.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 0#p5497692

sweet jesus that is an awesome post. Cheers to you !