Page 1 of 1

First LR Section always more difficult?

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 12:00 pm
by niederbomb
I take the LSAT next Sunday overseas (it is now Thursday here), so I can fit in, at most, one more PT.

I notice that I often do much worse on the first LR section than on the second one.

For example, June 2007

1: -4

2: -0

PT 56:

1: -3

2: -0

59:

1: -3

2: -1

I don't ever remember seeing a 0-3 or even a 2-3 split. Is the first LR section usually more difficult? Or am I simply more "warmed up" when I do the second one and, thus, faster and more accurate?

Re: First LR Section always more difficult?

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 12:11 pm
by Destined
I NOTICED THIS TOO!!! but i think it just takes me a while to get into the LR groove...

Re: First LR Section always more difficult?

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 12:13 pm
by niederbomb
So...does that mean doing an extra LR section the morning of the test could lead to a possible 2-3 point increase?

Re: First LR Section always more difficult?

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 12:36 pm
by kpuc
I think they do make the first one a little harder. It might be a balance thing, because they're trying to account for accumulated fatigue by the second LR section, so they just move some of the harder questions to the first LR.

You could try an experiment, where you do LR 2 first then LR 1. If the results are mirrored from your usual order, then yes, it's due to a lack of warmup. But if the scores remain stable, then LR 1 simply has more difficult questions.

Re: First LR Section always more difficult?

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 4:40 pm
by IBThatGuy
Just looked at the one I took yesterday. -5, -0. Judging by the questions I paused on/missed in each, the first section was harder.

Re: First LR Section always more difficult?

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 4:47 pm
by 3|ink
Nope. I think we all just benefit from a warmup round. I think I'm going to take a LR section before the test.