Everything you need to know to about the latest incarnation of the LSAT [Show summary]

LSAT prep expert Steve Schwartz returns to the Admissions Straight Talk to discuss the demise of the LSAT-Flex, the future of the LSAT, and essential test prep tips for law school applicants.

How to prep right and crush the LSAT! [Show notes]

LSAC recently announced new test dates, the demise of LSAT-Flex, and the return of the LSAT, but remotely. Let's get the low-down from LSAT expert Steve Schwartz of LSAT Unplugged.

Steve Schwartz, of the LSAT blog and the LSAT Unplugged podcast and YouTube channels, graduated from Columbia University in 2008. In high school and college, he tutored students in a variety of subjects and also helped prep test-takers for standardized tests, including the LSAT. However, he really began to focus on the LSAT when he was applying to law school. He founded the LSAT Blog in 2008 and never looked back. Today, 13 years later, he has helped thousands master the LSAT, get into law school, and secure scholarships worth thousands of dollars.

We spoke almost exactly one year ago when the LSAT-Flex was new. COVID-19 was new. At the time we discussed the new and remote LSAT-Flex. Today, we're going to discuss the demise of the LSAT-Flex. What gives? [2:02]

The Flex was always meant to be temporary. That's why LSAC gave it the Flex name to distinguish it from the normal regular LSAT. But here we are, one year later, COVID-19 is unfortunately still with us to some extent, although hopefully things will be looking better later this year with the vaccine rollouts and such. But they can't keep administering the LSAT without experimental sections. They've got to be able to test out future questions. So starting in August this year, they're adding back in an experimental section, and they're going to start calling it just the LSAT again.

How is the LSAT going to be different from the LSAT-Flex, given that they are both remotely proctored exams? [2:55]

It's a very, very small difference. I don't want people to get overly stressed about it. It's still the same question types, the same difficulty level. You're going to have logic games, logical reasoning, and reading comprehension like before. It'll still be the same length of 35 minutes per section, but the overall test sitting will be longer by adding back in that fourth, unscored, experimental section. They'll also insert a break between the second and third sections. So the length gets a little bit longer: a 10 minute break, plus another 35 minutes for that fourth section. So test-takers are looking at roughly a 45-minute longer exam, but as you said, it'll still be online.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBvTgPYsnG4

Are there any in-person testing centers planned for those who prefer that? [3:46]

Not currently. At the moment, I don't think that we'll see any for quite a while, but LSAC indicates they're open to the possibility, although they still will keep the online option, we're expecting. They've said it'll be online through at least June, 2022. But this is still much shorter than the pre-COVID LSAT, which had five sections: four scored, one unscored experimental. The LSAT, for the foreseeable future,