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Is it just me or is one of the LR sections always significantly harder? I seem to do fine on one (-1 to -3) and blow up on another (-5 to -7). FWIW I usually have an experimental section (that I do not know is experimental --Thanks Cambridge LSAT--) That I end up going perfect or just shy on every time!

Thanksgiving bump

guinness wrote:Is it just me or is one of the LR sections always significantly harder? I seem to do fine on one (-1 to -3) and blow up on another (-5 to -7). FWIW I usually have an experimental section (that I do not know is experimental --Thanks Cambridge LSAT--) That I end up going perfect or just shy on every time!

Generally speaking, LR sections from the same PT should be comparable in difficulty. Although that's not to say one section is never more difficult than the other. In fact, the Oct 2010 LSAT had one brutal LR section and one cake section. (I ended up -5/-1)

BTW, the experimental sections on Cambridge's PTs are plucked from really old exams with easier LR.

The tests in question for me were PT58 and PT57. Both of these tests I had one section that was -2 or -3 and another that was -7. The experimentals I do great on, but if they are intentionally easier that makes sense (still good practice I guess!).

I used to think that one was always harder than the other one, too, but then I noticed that I get -7 on the first LR and max of -3 on the second, I switched them up few times and got the same results.. So I think that it's my focus that's the problem in the first LR section, not the questions. I have the same problem with re-taking PTs. If I switched them up, even unknowingly, I get worse results on the first one, always.

CurlyKat wrote:I used to think that one was always harder than the other one, too, but then I noticed that I get -7 on the first LR and max of -3 on the second, I switched them up few times and got the same results.. So I think that it's my focus that's the problem in the first LR section, not the questions. I have the same problem with re-taking PTs. If I switched them up, even unknowingly, I get worse results on the first one, always.

100% my issue. Any advice on remedying this issue? Should I do practice problems before starting the test?

guinness wrote:

CurlyKat wrote:I used to think that one was always harder than the other one, too, but then I noticed that I get -7 on the first LR and max of -3 on the second, I switched them up few times and got the same results.. So I think that it's my focus that's the problem in the first LR section, not the questions. I have the same problem with re-taking PTs. If I switched them up, even unknowingly, I get worse results on the first one, always.

100% my issue. Any advice on remedying this issue? Should I do practice problems before starting the test?

I have no idea, I'm working on it now, so I'll post any progress I'll see.. So far, I'm trying to 'warm up' with an extra section first, but on the real test that's unlikely to happen, so I really don't know yet.

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Thanks! I'll be giving this 15 question warm-up a shot on my next PT. It seems counter intuitive but worth a shot!

If I'm not mistaken, the tests are scaled as a whole, so it is entirely possible for one section to be harder and one to be easier (and in fact it's likely, given that they do not have to take precautions to prevent that). I can normally identify a harder and an easier on each test, though sometimes there's no real difference.

guinness wrote:Is it just me or is one of the LR sections always significantly harder? I seem to do fine on one (-1 to -3) and blow up on another (-5 to -7). FWIW I usually have an experimental section (that I do not know is experimental --Thanks Cambridge LSAT--) That I end up going perfect or just shy on every time!

I've noticed on the past 4/5 tests, excluding PT61, that the first LR section is noticeably more challenging than the second section, although a factor to take into consideration is how one tends to be more focused the further they are into the test.