In just a couple months the February LSAT will be upon us. If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you’re studying for this test. And if you’re studying for the February LSAT, you’ve maybe heard that the February LSAT is the hardest exam out there. But fret not, for such stories are pure falsehoods.
It’s true that the February LSAT is different from the other three LSAT administrations (June, October, and December) for a number of reasons. For one, it’s usually the least-taken test, (the bulk of test-takers sit for the exam in October or December). This means that there are often fewer testing centers available, most noticeably outside of America. It’s also a very popular test for retakers – many people take the February test in an attempt to get off waitlists. And it’s a test frequented by both procrastinators applying for that same year who waited for the last LSAT possible as well as over-achievers who take the LSAT extra early for application the following year.
But one of the most defining characteristics about the February LSAT is that it’s undisclosed. With every other LSAT you get to see your test once you get your LSAT score, allowing you the pleasure of examining each and every one of your mistakes. But with the February LSAT, you only get a score. You have only your memories and guesses as to why that score is what it is.
And this is likely where the rumor started. If you did poorly on the LSAT, saying that it’s because the test was just hard is a pretty understandable feeling that helps to preserve your ego. With all the other tests you can’t really make this argument, as the facts are right in front of you. But without the evidence staring at you in the face, it’s much easier to keep this self-delusion going. And this is probably where the February-is-harder myth came from.
But the Law School Admission Council puts the “standardized” in “standardized test.” If the February LSAT was actually a more difficult test with a less forgiving curve, they wouldn’t be doing their jobs. The LSAT is designed to give schools a way to quantitatively compare multiple applicants who took different administrations of the LSAT. And that’s what it does. So if you’re studying for the February LSAT, don’t worry. It’ll be a test like all others.
