Are LSAT Accommodations Unfair? | Thinking LSAT, Ep. 446

Main Ideas and Lessons

1. LSAT Preparation: Prioritize Accuracy Over Speed

The hosts respond to a student aiming for a score of 173–175 after starting at 152. Their central advice is to stop trying to complete every section or limit every question to two minutes.

• Focus on understanding, not the clock. Rushing can make it harder to understand the argument and the question. Difficult questions may take longer than two minutes, even for experienced instructors.
• Build accuracy first. The hosts suggest aiming for roughly 95–100% accuracy on the questions attempted. It is better to answer fewer questions correctly than to rush through more and miss them.
• Work outward from the beginning of the section. First master a manageable number of questions, then gradually increase how many you can answer accurately. Completing the whole section is not necessary to earn a high score.
• Review individual missed questions. Rather than assuming there is a broad problem with a question type, examine each miss and ask what went wrong.
• Use a consistent process:
  1. Identify the argument’s evidence and conclusion.
  2. Understand exactly what the question asks.
  3. Form an idea of what a correct answer should do before reviewing the choices.
  4. Eliminate wrong answers confidently, sometimes before finishing reading them.

The hosts argue that speed develops naturally as comprehension and accuracy improve. Trying to force speed too early can undermine both.

2. LSAT Accommodations and Fairness

The hosts discuss whether current accommodation policies create an unfair advantage, while acknowledging that accommodations are intended to provide a fair opportunity for test takers with disabilities.

They describe a 2014 lawsuit and subsequent consent decree that, in their account, loosened LSAC’s accommodation policies. They cite an LSAC report covering 2012–2017:

• Accommodation requests rose from 1,581 in 2012–13 to 3,789 in 2016–17.
• Approved requests rose from 729 to about 3,000, meaning the approval rate increased substantially.
• Time-and-a-half became the minimum extra-time accommodation in December 2015: 53 minutes rather than 35 minutes for a multiple-choice section.

The hosts consider this minimum excessive for some test takers and argue that such a large time increase can affect scores. They also note that the report found accommodated test takers had higher average LSAT scores in 18 of 20 administrations. They acknowledge that this is a correlation, not proof that accommodations caused the score difference.

They raise concerns about unequal access to medical care and the application process, pointing to report findings that accommodated test takers differed demographically from non-accommodated test takers. They also cite LSAT Demon’s own user data: about 15% of active paid users had accommodations, compared with about 28% of users scoring above 170 and 29% of users scoring 175 or higher. These figures describe their user base and do not establish causation.

The hosts speculate that accommodations may be one contributor to the increase in high scores, alongside other changes such as the test’s structure and online administration.

Practical advice: If a student believes they need accommodations, the hosts recommend requesting them with supporting documentation and asking for the amount of time they actually need. They advise non-accommodated students to focus on earning the best score they can rather than worrying about other test takers.

They also advise applicants not to volunteer that accommodations explain a score increase if a school asks about a change between test sittings. Their suggested response is to say they believed they could do better and retook the test. This is the hosts’ admissions advice, not a statement of official policy.

3. Retaking the LSAT

In response to a student with scores of 159, 165, and 166, the hosts argue that taking the LSAT multiple times is generally not a problem.

• Applicants should focus more on their practice-test range than on a small change between two official scores. Official results are only a few data points and may reflect a bad day or different test-day habits.
• If official scores consistently fall below practice scores, examine whether anxiety, overexertion, or other changes in test-day behavior may be contributing.
• When financially feasible, they recommend registering for another test to preserve the option of retaking it. The potential benefit of a higher score—including scholarship opportunities—is worth considering.
• In the hosts’ view, law schools generally emphasize the applicant’s highest LSAT score, and multiple attempts are not necessarily a deterrent. They mention that some students have reached highly selective schools after taking the test five times.

4. Character-and-Fitness Addendum

For a listener who had a minor-in-possession and open-container charge at age 20, the hosts recommend a brief, factual explanation.

• State what happened and how it was resolved, such as paying the fines and completing community service.
• Include dates or locations if the application asks for them.
• Keep the format simple: a short document or an application text field is sufficient.

They note that the listener could consult the relevant state bar for additional guidance.

5. GPA Addendum and Avoiding Comparison

A listener with a 3.79 GPA, an ADHD diagnosis, and a history of an abusive relationship asks whether to explain those circumstances in an addendum.

The hosts advise against writing an addendum in this case. They consider a 3.79 GPA strong, even if it may be below the median at some highly selective schools. They recommend focusing on the LSAT rather than trying to explain the GPA through ADHD or personal circumstances.

If circumstances affected particular grades, the applicant might investigate whether any grades can legitimately be changed under the school’s policies, especially if the circumstances were documented at the time.

The broader lesson is to avoid comparing oneself with other applicants and to concentrate on what can still be controlled.

6. Departing Student’s Advice and Vocabulary

A departing LSAT Demon student, Sierra, reports improving from 146 to 163 after roughly 160 hours of study. Her advice is to believe in yourself, keep your goals in view, and avoid getting caught up in other people’s scores or progress.

The hosts also discuss two vocabulary words:

• Obscurantism: Opposition to the spread of knowledge, or deliberate vagueness and obscurity.
• Absolution: Release from guilt, obligation, or punishment; in a religious context, forgiveness of sins.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Ben Olsen — co-host
• Nathan Fox — co-host
• Listener submissions discussed: Manan, Finn, an anonymous applicant, Emmy, Sierra, and Eric
• Sources referenced: An LSAC report on accommodated test takers covering 2012–2017, and LSAT Demon user data
• Mentioned but not heard as a speaker: Chris, an LSAT Demon reading-comprehension teacher