For the June 2022 LSAT administration, about half of test takers received an experimental section that looked different than in previous exams. It announced at the beginning of section 4 that this was the experimental section (the LSAT usually does not tell you which section is experimental), and it included some questions about how the test taker used scratch paper to answer specific questions.
While it was not announced ahead of time that the section could look different, it was an unscored section just like any experimental section might be so it did not affect any scores. If you plan on taking the LSAT in the future, you may encounter 4 sections that all look like regular LSAT sections, or you might come across 3 that look normal and then one that looks different somehow. This should not be a cause for concern, as the LSAC is just gathering additional information as they prepare to change the logic games section in 2024.
For more information, please see the following:
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Official LSAC Statement on this change
Every LSAT currently includes 4 sections – 3 scored sections assessing Reading Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, and Analytical Reasoning, and one unscored section. LSAC uses the unscored section to pretest items for future tests, to ensure that every question works as intended, and to ensure that every item is free from any form of bias. We also sometimes use the unscored section to research new ways of assessing the critical reading and reasoning skills needed for success in law school.
On Saturday (June 11), the unscored section for some test takers was a special research section that included some unscored questions and also some survey questions for the test takers to provide feedback on how they approached the questions. Other test takers received a typical unscored section, consisting of Reading Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, or Analytical Reasoning questions we were pretesting for potential use on future LSATs.
Due to the unique nature of the special unscored research section, test takers received it as their fourth and final section, so there could not be any impact on their performance on the other 3 scored sections. Test takers who received this unusual unscored section were told via the written instructions at the beginning of the section that it was an unscored section. As you note, we don’t usually tell test takers which sections are scored and unscored, but given the unusual nature of the special research section we decided it was best to let affected test takers know, to reduce any concerns they might have. Even with the explicit message in the section instructions, we still had some test takers who were concerned they had somehow received the wrong test, so we communicated with them 1-on-1 to reassure them that everything was fine.
To ensure that we got the most reliable feedback from test takers, and to avoid any discussion or speculation that could create anxiety or confusion among test takers before their test, we needed to make sure test takers did not hear about the unscored research section in advance. If test takers had known in advance, it could have affected how they approached the unscored research section, how they approached the previous scored sections of the test, or their overall mindset and focus going into their exam.
The process of delivering this unscored research section went very smoothly. We received the large volume of responses we were looking for, and we will use this test taker feedback to continue to research potential new varieties of questions. It is important to stress that this is just one early step in a long process.
We recognize that some students may have questions about Saturday’s test or future tests, so here is some information you can feel free to share:
- Test takers planning to take the August LSAT or other subsequent LSATs do not need to wonder if they will receive a similar unscored research section as part of their exam. As this process indicates, LSAC will take the necessary steps to ensure that any research we do does not in any way impact a test taker’s performance on the scored sections of their exam. And as you note in your post, test takers should always assume that every section is a scored section, unless explicitly told otherwise in the test itself, and do their best work.
- Test takers do not need to wonder if they will encounter an unexpected new question type in a scored section of an exam. LSAC will of course provide lengthy advance notice and free practice questions prior to any new question type being used in a scored section of the LSAT.
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Questions? You can email the Center for Pre-Law Advising at information@prelaw.wisc.edu