Key Facts About LSAT Flex That All Law Students Must Know About

by Dr. Alan January 18, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic ha brought the world to a standstill. And students are having the hardest time coping with this global crisis. Universities closed for an indefinite period and exams either postponed or cancelled. 

The LSAT exams, which were to be held in March-April now stand cancelled. Instead, the applicant can take their LSATs online. LSAC or The Law School Admission Council made the official announcement on 7th April 2020- introducing a remotely proctored virtual version of LSAT scheduled for the second half of May. Candidates who were registered on or before April were eligible to take this test. 

As an aspiring law student these changes may seem a little too sudden and confusing. What exactly is LSAT-Flex? How is it different from the original LSAT? And more importantly, is LSAT-Flex easier? I am here to answer these questions and more on LSAT-Flex. 

For any other help, you can always reach out to our law experts!

LSAT vs LSAT-Flex – what’s the difference? 

Let’s tackle the first question that every law student has after hearing the recent LASC announcement. LSAT or law school admission test is the entrance test that every aspiring law student takes to get into a good school. 

LSAT-Flex is a virtual, shortened version of this test. To understand how these two exam patterns are different, let’s break down the LSAT and LSAT-Flex test structures. 

In the original LSAT exam you get five 35-minute sections with MCQ-type questions. The four main sections- reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and two logical reasoning sections- contributed to your main score. The fifth section, aka the variable section, has new questions or evaluation techniques every year. 

In LSAT-Flex, there will be three sections only- reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning. The unscored section and one logical reasoning section are removed from this new version- decreasing the test duration as well. 

LSAT-Flex also has a 35-min subjective section where the candidate has to write a writing sample. The LSAT Writing is separate from the multiple-choice format. Here, students may have to submit a writeup on either corporate law, criminal law, or civil law cases. I recommend students to solve some law case studies and read up on the recent verdicts when preparing for this section.  

The LSAT-Flex exams though conducted online are monitored by LSAC. The camera and microphone are controlled by live remote proctors to prevent the risk of cheating or foul play. Even the video and audio feed are often recorded for future review.

LASC has an annual, multi-year and lifetime limit on taking the LSAT

Upcoming LSAT-Flex dates to look out for 

Don’t worry if you missed out on the March-April slot to register for the LSAT-Flex exams. LASC has updates on other upcoming test dates that you can apply for this year and the next. Here is a breakdown of the test dates and an estimate of when you’ll get your scores. 

November LSAT-Flex

The registration for November LSAT-Flex slot is closed. Candidates who have already registered for this exam can pick a date from November- 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th. The results will be published on 24th November.  

January LSAT-Flex

The January LSAT-Flex is scheduled on 16-17th January 2020. There will be a couple of other remotely proctored online tests spread out over the week as well. Candidates can expect the results by 3rd February. 

February LSAT-Flex

The February LSAT-Flex is scheduled for 20-21st of February. Candidates have to take the exams online, over a virtually monitored test interface. The results will be available by 10th March. 

April LSAT-Flex

The April LSAT-Flex is all set to be conducted on 10-11th April. The results are expected by 28th April. 

Who is eligible for LSAT-Flex?

Candidates who were aspiring to take LSAT exams can also appear for the LSAT-flex online. LSAC has recently also released practice test sets for LSAT-Flex that students can download and practice. During the test, you will be under the supervision of a live proctor who will record the audio and video feed for the duration of the test. 

What additional equipment do I need for the test?

The LSAT-Flex can be taken on desktops and laptops only. You cannot access the test sets on mobile phones, Google Chromebooks, or other gadgets. Ensure that you system has the updated Windows or Mac OS. 

Other than that, you also need a webcam and a microphone for clear video and audio feed. And if you don’t have the necessary equipment needed to take the test, reach out to LSAC Candidate Service. The team will help secure all the resources on loan. In some cases, LASC also finds secure and safe locations for candidates to take their tests in. 

Other than that, you can carry your scratch paper and 5 rough sheets for showing your work. A regular notebook or legal pad would suffice. Go for a standard sized ruled paper. For any other queries about the technicalities of taking LSAT-Flex, you can check out the FAQs page by Proctor U.

Is LSAT-Flex easier or more difficult than LSAT exams?

I don’t have a yes or no answer to this question. For even though the length of the test has been shortened, that doesn’t mean LSAT-Flex is easier. The new format of LSAT-Flex has only three section- analytical reasoning, reading comprehension and logical reasoning. Plus, you have an extra LSAT Writing Sample to replace the “variable section” of the LSAT tests as discussed above. 

However, some students have reported that the logical reasoning section has been made a little tougher, to make up for the shorter paper. Also, LSAT-Flex is more secure, there are no bathroom breaks in-between the tests. You have to complete all the four section over a single sitting, under the watchful eyes of a proctor. 

Preparation tips for LSAT-Flex exams

When LSAT-Flex was first introduced, there was no limit on the number of attempts a candidate could take. However, as of October LSAT-Flex things have changed. According to the latest update, the upcoming LSAT-Flex will be the first to keep count of the tests. Not only that these Flex-tests would be added on to your final LSAT count as well

LASC has an annual, multi-year and lifetime limit on taking the LSAT. I would advise students to not use the official test set for a trial run. Only take the tests once you’re fully prepared. 

Every college has its own version of the LSAT-flex PrepTest that students can take up to check their preparation for the final exam. The scoring system for LSAT-Flex is also different from the original LSAT. As there are only three main sections and one writing sample, the one logical reasoning set will account for 33% of the scoring. 

For better evaluation, students can look up the LSAT-Flex conversion table. It provides an in-depth look into how these tests are scored and recorded.  

The Bottom Line

Getting into law school is exhausting, and the LSAT-Flex update might seem a bit confusing to candidates who are used to giving their exams the old-fashioned way. I hope that this blog helps students understand the process a little better. Good luck for your tests!

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