Top Law Schools

We've been speculating much about what we think the dec "curve" will be. The consensus has been -13/-14...with even a few -15s out there. What was the test date for the most recent -13/-14 curve?

December 2009 -14

The logical reasoning sections were a joke. I don't think one rough logical games section warrants a -14 curve, but if so i'm all for it.

what a worthwhile endeavor

iamcutdacheck wrote:The logical reasoning sections were a joke. I don't think one rough logical games section warrants a -14 curve, but if so i'm all for it.

Not so sure about that. I read through the December 2009 thread from last year and everyone was complaining about RC, it wasn't until score release that most people got slapped in the face by one of the LR sections, which in practice when I took PT59 didn't find THAT difficult. Let's look at the facts, the October test had 101 questions and a -12 curve. There is no chance this test was easier or on the same level as October, so assuming they keep all 102 questions a -13 curve is the minimum. It always seems that a tough logic games section has the most impact on the curve. I say -14, but no harsher than -13.

A -14 would be GRAND

It seems that LG is the curve setting section in general. LR is far easier to equate difficulty between sections given the fact that every question is independent of one another. The newest LR has a bit of a different style to it compared to the oldest lsat sections, but I've taken almost all of the modern PTs and LR has remained relatively the same difficulty the entire time. RC might be harder to balance given more dense passages but that too can be compensated by easier or harder questions. LG is just the wildcard in recent tests. One hard game can throw off an entire section, or two time consuming games in one section as well. I mean if you look at the trend since the early 90s, the curves back then were much more lenient and had very hard LG sections. Then when you get to the 40s the curve gets much tighter and we had these LG sections that were pretty much guaranteed -0. Then the late 50s the games are throwing some curve balls and the curve has been going up accordingly.

For Dec, the no room time consuming first game, coupled with the weird rules of stained glasses, and the hypo filled third game, and then the fact that I bet a lot of people didn't even make it to the last game (despite it being the easiest) made it an above average difficulty section. -13/14 would not surprise me. -15 would though, just because its been such a long time.

I could maybe see -15 happening with 102 questions

fosterp wrote:-15 would though, just because its been such a long time.

Sandro777 wrote:I could maybe see -15 happening with 102 questions

How long has it been, anyway?

Attorney wrote:

fosterp wrote:-15 would though, just because its been such a long time.

Sandro777 wrote:I could maybe see -15 happening with 102 questions

How long has it been, anyway?

Feb '99 according to LSAT blog. Only a 11 year hiatus...

I think last three LSATs suggest a definite trend toward a more generous curve. -14, -12, -12.

In fact, prior to the June 2010 12pt. curve, the last time a curve was that generous was Dec. 2004 (almost five years prior). And of course, prior to the December 2009 14 pt. curve, the last time a curve was that generous was December 2000 (nine years prior).

People who are suggesting a 15 pt. curve are not crazy. Less likely, but given recent history, entirely possible.

langdonbadger wrote:

Attorney wrote:

fosterp wrote:-15 would though, just because its been such a long time.

Sandro777 wrote:I could maybe see -15 happening with 102 questions

How long has it been, anyway?

Feb '99 according to LSAT blog. Only a 11 year hiatus...

jerrymander wrote:I think last three LSATs suggest a definite trend toward a more generous curve. -14, -12, -12.

In fact, prior to the June 2010 12pt. curve, the last time a curve was that generous was Dec. 2004 (almost five years prior). And of course, prior to the December 2009 14 pt. curve, the last time a curve was that generous was December 2000 (nine years prior).

People who are suggesting a 15 pt. curve are not crazy. Less likely, but given recent history, entirely possible.

Thanks guys, very informative. +1