What kind of curve would you prefer? Forum

[rvadog]

Hard curve and mostly easy test or vice versa?

I feel like most people shooting for a 175+ would prefer an easier test. Seems like you could easily get 4 very difficult questions wrong on a hard test. If you're trying for 170 that's not a huge deal but if you're going for 179 or 180 that knocks you out of the running. Thoughts?

[stillwater]

I dont get what you are asking here. The LSAT is equated, not curved. The general idea is that based on prior experimental section the harder test will have a more generous curve and vice versa. So, I think if you are trying to score as high as possible, you'd take the more generous curve even if the test is "harder." I think it helps control for human error; the difference is difficulty is really negligible.

[rvadog]

Put it his way. If your goal is a 180 that means you can miss at most two right? So wouldn't you want an easier test thus reducing the likelihood of getting 3 hard questions? I mean three hard questions is nothing if you are expecting to miss 10-13 (and the curve makes it up) but for someone shooting for the stars...

I understand that the test is equated....easier to just use the word curve because just about everyone understand what I'm saying.

[stillwater]

Put it his way. If your goal is a 180 that means you can miss at most two right? So wouldn't you want an easier test thus reducing the likelihood of getting 3 hard questions? I mean three hard questions is nothing if you are expecting to miss 10-13 (and the curve makes it up) but for someone shooting for the stars...

I understand that the test is equated....easier to just use the word curve because just about everyone understand what I'm saying.

I think the danger is misreading something, not that the question is a stumper. Mental fatigue, etc. I really don't see an objective difference through an entire test between "easy" or "difficult" tests.

[CyanIdes Of March]

For my first take, I preferred the hard test, generous curve. For the retake, considering it's much more likely I'd cancel if it didn't feel like it went well, I'd like the easy test, lesser curve.

[facile princeps]

Put it his way. If your goal is a 180 that means you can miss at most two right? So wouldn't you want an easier test thus reducing the likelihood of getting 3 hard questions? I mean three hard questions is nothing if you are expecting to miss 10-13 (and the curve makes it up) but for someone shooting for the stars...

I understand that the test is equated....easier to just use the word curve because just about everyone understand what I'm saying.

I think the danger is misreading something, not that the question is a stumper. Mental fatigue, etc. I really don't see an objective difference through an entire test between "easy" or "difficult" tests.

Agreed. However, some RC passages can be caustic to your mental state.

[TripTrip]

If your goal is a 180 that means you can miss at most two right? So wouldn't you want an easier test thus reducing the likelihood of getting 3 hard questions?

No, because the equating happens at the 180 level too. On "easy" tests, 180 is -0. On "hard" tests, 180 is -4.

[dingbat]

If your goal is a 180 that means you can miss at most two right? So wouldn't you want an easier test thus reducing the likelihood of getting 3 hard questions?

No, because the equating happens at the 180 level too. On "easy" tests, 180 is -0. On "hard" tests, 180 is -4.

Yeah, my test had a pretty sweet curve

[Elston Gunn]

Put it his way. If your goal is a 180 that means you can miss at most two right? So wouldn't you want an easier test thus reducing the likelihood of getting 3 hard questions? I mean three hard questions is nothing if you are expecting to miss 10-13 (and the curve makes it up) but for someone shooting for the stars...

I understand that the test is equated....easier to just use the word curve because just about everyone understand what I'm saying.

I think the danger is misreading something, not that the question is a stumper. Mental fatigue, etc. I really don't see an objective difference through an entire test between "easy" or "difficult" tests.

Yeah it's this. At the end of my prep you could pretty much predict my score by the equating. If it was -1 or -0 it was a 179 or 178. If it was -3 it was a 180. -2 could go either way. Definitely prefer the "hard" test.