1996~2005 scale

nidm

http://www.powerscore.com/lsat/help/correct_targeted.htm

Historical
        Range of Correct Answers for Targeted Scores

    

Students preparing
        for the LSAT often wonder exactly how many correct answers are required
        to obtain a particular score. The chart below lists the number of correct
        answers needed to achieve scores from 150 to 180 (in five-point increments)
        on every released test over the last eight years.

    
        
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
            
                
            
            
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
        

LSAT	150	155	160	165	170	175	180
December               1996	55	64	72	80	87	93	98
February               1997	54	62	70	79	86	93	98
June               1997	56	65	74	82	89	94	99
October               1997	55	63	71	78	84	90	96
December               1997	56	64	72	80	87	93	99
June               1998	56	65	73	82	89	94	99
September               1998	56	64	72	80	87	93	98
December               1998	54	62	70	78	85	91	97
June               1999	54	63	71	80	88	94	99
October               1999	56	65	73	82	89	94	99
December               1999	55	63	72	79	87	93	98
June               2000	56	65	73	81	87	93	98
October               2000	55	64	72	80	87	93	98
December               2000	54	63	72	80	87	93	98
June               2001	57	66	74	81	88	93	98
October               2001	57	66	74	82	89	***	99
December               2001	57	66	74	82	89	95	99
June               2002	57	67	76	84	91	96	100
October               2002	57	66	74	82	88	93	98
December               2002	55	63	71	80	88	94	99
June             2003	58	67	76	84	91	***	99
October             2003	58	67	75	83	89	94	99
December             2003	56	66	75	83	90	95	99
June             2004	58	67	75	82	89	94	99
October             2004	60	68	76	84	90	***	98
December             2004	56	65	73	81	87	92	97
June             2005	61	69	77	84	90	94	98
October             2005	59	68	77	84	90	95	99
December             2005	58	68	78	86	93	97	100
Averages	56.41	65.21	24)" class="xl29"> 73.52	81.48	88.31	93.58	98.45

    

    
        
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
            
        

Standard               Deviation

1.76

1.93

24)" class="xl29"> 2.15

1.99

1.89

1.42

0.87

    

***
        Indicates that there was no raw score capable of producing that scaled
        score for this test.
    

    

One of the more noticeable
        trends in the above chart is that, depending on the test year, different
        raw scores translate into equivalent scaled scores. The reason for this
        apparent discrepancy is that the LSAT varies slightly in difficulty each
        administration. To account for these variances in test "toughness,"
        the test makers adjust the Scoring Conversion Chart for each LSAT in order
        to make similar LSAT scores from different tests mean the same thing.
        For example, the LSAT offered in June of a given year may be logically
        more difficult than the LSAT offered in December, but by making the June
        LSAT scale "looser" than the December scale, a 160 on each test
        would represent the same level of performance.

    

Test takers can draw
        important conclusions about their own performance from both the average
        raw scores and the standard deviations. For instance, though the average
        raw score corresponding to a scaled 160 is 73.52, the standard deviation
        shows that a majority of the scores are within ± 2.15 of this number,
        or from roughly 71 to 75. A student wishing to score 160 on an upcoming
        test should then expect, with a reasonable degree of confidence, that
        correctly answering somewhere between 71 and 75 questions correctly would
        result in that score. Similar conditions apply for a score of 170, where,
        with the standard deviation adjustment, a raw score between roughly 86
        and 90 is likely needed.

    Perhaps most important
        of all for the potential test taker is to realize that achieving a desired
        score does not require perfect performance. Each of the raw scores above
        is the number correct out of 99, 100, or 101 questions (the October 1997
        test had one question withdrawn after the test was administered; the October
        2004 test had only 100 questions; December 2004 and June 2005 tests had
        only 100 questions and then one question was withdrawn after the test
        was administered; and the October 2005 test had only 100 questions), so
        it is clear that missed questions, within reason, are acceptable regardless
        of the desired score. Even perfect scores usually allow for two or three
        incorrect answer choices. Again, the averages and standard deviations
        listed are useful tools in determining an acceptable number of missed
        questions, whether setting pre-test objectives or evaluating your performance
        in the week following the LSAT when scores may still be cancelled.

madcat

THANKS!