Stay ConnectedBen Olson and Nathan Fox started the Thinking LSAT Podcast to become better LSAT teachers and have some fun. Please 1) subscribe, 2) rate and review, and 3) send us questions: help@thinkinglsat.com. Don’t pay for law school!
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Ben and Nathan aren’t impressed when you narrow an LSAT question down to two answer choices. This week, the guys discuss why those who conquer the LSAT don’t settle for fifty-fifty guesses. They also share common mistakes made by LSAT beginners, examine a troubling admissions practice, and weigh in on “Why X?” statements in law school applications.
1:43 - Beginner LSAT Mistakes to Avoid - Nathan and Ben list some common mistakes made by beginner LSAT students. They encourage newcomers to focus on quality over quantity and to thoroughly review their mistakes.
9:53 - Confusing Answer Choices - The LSAT sometimes uses confusing language in the answer choices. Ben and Nathan suggest a backdoor approach to picking the correct answer: Refuse to pick a wrong one.
13:51 - Logical Reasoning: Flaw - The guys tackle a Flaw question from PrepTest 123. Try the question for yourself. Then listen to Ben and Nathan’s explanation.
35:06 - Getting Unstuck - An anonymous listener asks how to move forward when they’re stuck debating multiple answer choices. Nathan and Ben instruct Anonymous to reread the passage to discover the source of their misunderstanding.
45:06 - What’s the Deal with…? - The guys debut a new recurring segment by asking: “What’s the deal with the University of Washington Law School?” Listener Hannah unearths an admissions practice that some might call predatory.
1:03:01 - Canadian Law Schools - Listener Josh questions the importance of a high LSAT score for applicants to Canadian law schools.
1:06:09 - Target Schools - Ben and Nathan urge listener N not to limit their focus to a small list of regional target schools.
1:10:52 - Application Essays - Listener Josh relays some dubious advice regarding law school application essays.
1:16:19 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Leah says: “Keep drilling LR every spare minute. I drilled LR while walking the dog, on my lunch break, in line at Starbucks. If you have five minutes, try and do 2 LR questions.”
1:18:14 - Word of the Week - Extirpate gimmicks from your approach to the LSAT.
The best LSAT students make strong predictions before reading the answer choices, but they remain open to correct answers that don’t match their predictions. This week, Ben and Nathan outline their flexible approach to prediction. Later, the guys advise students to set aside plenty of time for reviewing mistakes. They also discuss the possibility of a more competitive law school application cycle. And they explain why it shouldn’t matter whether you take the LSAT at home or at a testing center.
0:52 - A More Competitive Cycle?
LSAT registrations are up 18% compared to last year. Does that signal a more competitive admissions cycle?
5:37 - Make a Prediction
Nathan and Ben describe the process of predicting answers on the LSAT. Predict an answer, revise your prediction to fit the question, and remain open to other options when you read the answer choices.
15:35 - Study Schedule
Listener Cali worries that she spends too much time reviewing mistakes and not enough time drilling new questions. Ben and Nathan assure Cali that review is the most important part of LSAT prep.
27:48 - Remote vs. Testing Center
Should you take the LSAT at home or at a testing center? Nathan and Ben insist that the best LSAT students shouldn’t care where they take the test.
32:26 - Bar Passage Rates
Top law schools tend to have high bar passage rates. But as LSAT students know, correlation does not equal causation.
36:05 - LSAT Timeline
Ben and Nathan urge listener Connor to put off LSAT prep and focus on his undergraduate grades.
43:22 - FAFO
Don’t FAFO in your law school applications.The guys implore listener Brad to apply only with his best LSAT score.
52:08 - Tips from a Departing Demon
LSAT Demon student Camille says: “Please keep your faith in the process, and most importantly, yourself. Work hard, work smart, and keep pushing. You CAN do this.”
The LSAT tests three main things: reading comprehension, critical thinking, and work ethic. All of those are also crucial to success in law school. This week, Nathan and Ben discuss how LSAT prep goes hand in hand with law school prep. The guys also react to new restrictions on legacy admissions. They compare scholarship outcomes for full-time and part-time students. And they write the only LSAT addendum you’ll ever need.
4:08 - Career Change - Ben and Nathan advise listener Shirley to do some research before she commits to a career change. The guys also recommend a consistent LSAT study schedule, and they press Shirley to aim for a score in the 160s or higher.
14:00 - Legacy Admissions - California recently became the fifth state to ban legacy and donor preferences in college admissions. Nathan and Ben are skeptical that the new law will have much of an effect.
20:55 - Score Variance - The guys assure listener Daniel that it’s perfectly normal to score in a ten-point range on practice tests.
23:44 - LSAT Addendum - Some law schools invite applicants to submit an addendum explaining any significant LSAT score increase. Ben and Nathan question schools’ motivation for soliciting this addendum.
33:56 - Law School Prep - Listener Jack is worried that a great LSAT score might oversell his ability to compete at a top law school. Nathan and Ben ease Jack’s concerns: LSAT prep is good law school prep.
43:02 - Apply in February? - Listener Jackson asks if applying as late as February would diminish his admissions chances. Ben and Nathan urge Jackson to apply next cycle.
47:52 - Scholarships for Part-Time Students - Law schools differ in how they award scholarships to part-time students. Applicants to part-time programs should check law schools’ ABA 509 reports before applying.
53:11 - Logical Reasoning: Conclusion - The guys tackle a Conclusion question from PrepTest 123. Try the question for yourself. Then, listen to Ben and Nathan’s explanation.
1:04:55 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Jimmy says: “You are going to hate the idea of slowing down to speed up. You are going to hate not finishing sections at times. However, it is Ben and Nathan's most important advice.”
1:09:59 - Word of the Week - Applying late in the cycle can be tantamount to applying with a lower LSAT score.
The most successful LSAT students are the ones who love the test—but finding that love can be challenging. This week, Ben and Erik discuss why positive self-talk is vital to your relationship with the LSAT. Later, the guys criticize law schools’ moratorium on AI use for applications. They explore possible causes of score variance. And they help a listener navigate family pressure to apply before they’re ready.
5:35 - Learn to Love the LSAT - Listener Lani wants to love the LSAT, but she’s frustrated by her slow progress. Erik and Ben encourage Lani to adjust her mindset. They recommend a scaled-back study schedule that focuses on drilling instead of timed practice.
15:48 - AI and Applications - Law schools have taken different stances on whether applicants can use AI while preparing their applications.
25:06 - Losing Momentum - An anonymous listener worries that they’re losing momentum after a hot start to their LSAT journey. Ben and Erik assure Anon that progress is rarely linear.
31:15 - Score Variance - Erik and Ben explain what causes score variance and why it’s perfectly normal to score in a broad range.
36:36 - 20-Point Underperformance
An anonymous listener underperformed their practice tests by 20 points on the September LSAT. Ben and Erik try to figure out what went wrong.
41:00 - Family Pressure to Apply - An anonymous listener faces parental pressure to apply to law school this year, but they’d rather retake and apply next cycle. Erik and Ben invite Anonymous’s parents to visit lsat.link/parents to learn how they can support their child’s LSAT journey.
48:53 - URM Bump - It’s too early to know whether minority applicants will continue to receive a “URM bump” in law school admissions.
55:11 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon Josh says: “When reading the passage, I often look away from the text and think about what I just read.”
58:50 - Word of the Week - Thinking LSAT listeners are adroit at the LSAT.
Many LSAT students believe that taking notes is critical to active reading. Nathan and Ben disagree. This week, the guys encourage listeners to drop their note-taking crutches and to engage with the LSAT on a more immediate level. Later, they discuss one-on-one LSAT tutoring, score cancellation, and falling URM enrollment at Harvard Law School.
1:31 - Downward Trend - Ben and Nathan provide a simple fix for falling scores: do fewer questions. The guys also instruct listener Nicole to avoid overanalyzing her performance on specific question types.
10:36 - Taking Notes - Nathan and Ben explain why note-taking can be counterproductive on the LSAT.
16:43 - Pearls vs. Turds - When taking practice tests, is it OK to flag questions to review later?
25:53 - One-on-One Tutoring - Ben and Nathan discuss what a focused and productive LSAT tutoring session looks like.
33:47 - Scheduling Your Attempts - When you’re happy with your practice test scores, take each successive LSAT until you’re happy with your official score. There’s no need to space out your official attempts.
46:16 - Undergraduate Transcripts - Listener Alex considers excluding a community college transcript from their law school applications. Nathan and Ben urge Alex to disclose all information required by the Credential Assembly Service.
52:07 - Score Cancellation - In almost all cases, Ben and Nathan advise students not to cancel an official LSAT score. But listener Emma might be the exception to the rule.
55:37 - URM Enrollment - The Harvard Crimson reports that enrollment of students of color has dropped eight percent at Harvard Law School.
1:00:13 - Word of the Week - Law schools often arrogate prestige.
Since the LSAT dropped Logic Games, anxious test takers have feared the rise of more “formal logic” questions in Logical Reasoning. So far, no significant changes to LR have been disclosed. No matter what happens, every LR question is perfectly solvable with some careful reading and common sense—no diagramming required. Need proof? This week, Ben and Nathan make quick work of a Must Be True question that’s chock full of conditional logic. But first, they help a burnt-out student build a sustainable study plan. They compare the benefits of national and regional law schools. And they offer words of hope to low-GPA splitters.
5:04 - Application Fee Waivers - Law schools often waive their application fees. Just ask them.
8:52 - Scoring 160 - Nathan and Ben prove that it’s possible to score 160 while only attempting 18 questions per section. It pays to slow down and focus on accuracy.
16:18 - Burnout - Listener Will considers taking a few months off to recover from LSAT burnout. Ben and Nathan advise Will to instead dial back his study to one or two quality hours per day.
23:50 - Confusing Language - Nathan and Ben share some tips for navigating confusing language on the LSAT.
32:20 - Small Town, Big School? - LSAT Demon student Will plans to set up shop as a probate lawyer in a small town. Should Will pursue law schools in the T14? Or is he better off attending a regional school?
41:15 - Academic Renewal - Ben and Nathan encourage an anonymous listener to persist in their efforts to scrub an F from their undergraduate transcript.
46:56 - Hope for Splitters - Listener Grace went to law school for free despite her low GPA.
50:13 - Don’t Diagram - Reports of more “formal logic” questions on recent LSATs are likely exaggerated. Regardless, you can solve any Logical Reasoning question without diagramming by reading carefully and engaging your common sense. Nathan and Ben demonstrate on a Must Be True question from PrepTest 123.
1:10:41 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Braden says: “Take the time to really understand each question, and you will get faster. Don’t try to go faster without understanding. That’s why I improved when I started digging into the RC passage.”
1:11:27 - Word of the Week - Treat your official LSAT with the same insouciance that you would a practice test.
If you’ve hit a score plateau, you might feel like you’re spinning your wheels—stuck in place despite your best attempts to make forward progress. How do you regain traction? This week, Nathan and Ben advise a discouraged student to ease up on the gas pedal and take it one question at a time. Later, the guys address the problem of tuition inflation in higher education. They frame law school as a trade school. And they tackle a Necessary Assumption question from PrepTest 135.
2:39 - Stuck in a Plateau - Ben and Nathan guide listener Michael away from untimed practice tests and suggest a better way to review his mistakes.
14:48 - $81,000 Tuition - The guys shake their heads at Cornell Law School’s astronomical tuition.
24:03 - Student Loan Forgiveness - According to a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, “the CBO estimates that a quarter of new student debt issued next year—$22.1 billion—will get written off.” Nathan and Ben consider the failures of the student loan system and suggest ways to reign in the cost of higher education.
39:59 - Law Is a Trade - Listener Ben seeks a steady job in the law. The guys advise Ben to rethink his motivation for pursuing a legal career.
45:49 - Logical Reasoning: Necessary Assumption - The guys attempt a Necessary Assumption question from PrepTest 135. Try the question yourself. Then, listen to Ben and Nathan’s explanation.
54:31 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Senyo affirms the Demon way: “Read carefully, evaluate the argument (or think about the set of facts) before looking at the actual question, try to predict the answer, take as much time as you need to answer the question, review anything that gives you trouble, and do not move on until you fully understand it.”
56:46 - Word of the Week - The LSAT student was miraculously unfazed by their skirling neighbor.
Ben and Nathan share what they’ve learned from LSAC about whether the exclusion of Logic Games had any impact on test scores this August. The guys also celebrate listeners’ successes on the August LSAT. They react to news of declining URM enrollment at top colleges. And they discuss why LSAT students should consider cutting back on social media.
0:36 - August LSAT Shoutouts - The guys celebrate listeners’ successes on the August LSAT.
7:45 - Underperforming on Test Day - LSAT Demon student Molly has twice underperformed her practice test scores on the official LSAT. Nathan and Ben instruct Molly to treat future tests like any practice test.
22:17 - August LSAT Scores - LSAC reports that scores for the August 2024 LSAT are in line with scores from previous years.
32:14 - Score Audit - Ben and Nathan advise listener David not to waste money on an LSAT score audit.
39:33 - College Demographics - The guys discuss new demographic data on the first undergraduate class since the Supreme Court banned affirmative action in college admissions.
47:29 - Pearls vs. Turds - Is social media hurting your LSAT study?
55:44 - Word of the Week - The library is a common haunt for law students.
LSAT growth comes from thoroughly reviewing your mistakes. But what does a thorough review look like? Ben and Nathan describe their approach and explain why they don’t recommend keeping a wrong answer journal. The guys also compare law school to wizard school. They reject an impatient admissions strategy. And they consider potential risks associated with the military’s Funded Legal Education Program.
1:31 - Confusing Writing - In a new study, cognitive scientists at MIT explain why legalese is so difficult to understand.
9:13 - Improving in RC - An anonymous listener has been told that they won’t improve much in Reading Comprehension. Ben and Nathan tell Anonymous to ignore the haters.
14:18 - Review - Nathan and Ben advocate a deep review of every mistake. But keeping a wrong answer journal is likely a waste of time.
26:42 - Apply Now or Later? - Is it better to apply early with a subpar LSAT or to apply late with a great LSAT? Ben and Nathan ask: Why pick the lesser of two evils when you can avoid the evil entirely?
34:49 - Comparative RC Passages - The guys outline their approach to comparative passages in Reading Comprehension.
37:28 - JAG and FLEP - An LSAT Demon student warns listeners about potential risks associated with the military’s Funded Legal Education Program.
48:28 - Word of the Week - You can mollify your test anxiety by improving at the test.
Ben and Nathan warn listeners about tactics that some law schools use to make mediocre scholarships appear better than they really are. The guys also discuss a new ABA regulation meant to standardize 1L learning outcomes. They double down on their advice to apply broadly. And they model their approach to Logical Reasoning on a Weaken question from PrepTest 123.
2:27 - Fee Waiver Changes - LSAC now requires students with fee waivers to test twice in LawHub before registering for an official LSAT. Fee waiver recipients must also take the interactive course “How Do I Apply to Law School?”
7:44 - New Rules for Law Schools - A new ABA regulation aims to make law school courses more uniform and give law students more feedback about their academic progress. Nathan and Ben doubt that the new rules will have their intended effects.
15:51 - Better School or Better Price? - Is it better to attend a great law school for an OK price or an OK law school for a great price? Ben and Nathan urge listener Daniel to apply broadly and to focus on the LSAT before worrying about his law school decision.
23:36 - Scholarship Shenanigans - Nathan and Ben shine a light on a shady scholarship practice.
41:02 - Logical Reasoning: Weaken - The guys tackle a Weaken question from PrepTest 123. Try the question yourself. Then, listen to Ben and Nathan’s explanation.
56:50 - Word of the Week - Adopt a parsimonious attitude regarding law school.
Nathan and Ben examine the root cause of underperformance on the LSAT: too much concern for the clock and not enough focus on understanding. The guys also poke fun at Nathan’s alma mater, share tips for staying focused on timed sections, and praise a listener’s decision to step away from a T20 law school.
1:04 - Alumni Donations - The guys laugh at an “exciting opportunity” to donate money to UC Law San Francisco.
15:31 - Timed Sections - Listener Mike is avoiding timed sections until he improves at the test. Nathan and Ben explain why this approach is misguided—all LSAT students should make timed sections a cornerstone of their study.
18:43 - Staying Focused - An anonymous listener struggles to stay focused during timed sections. Ben and Nathan instruct Anonymous to zoom in on one question at a time.
27:44 - Score Drop - Listener Annabelle is flustered by a sudden score drop. Nathan and Ben blame Annabelle’s preoccupation with speed over accuracy.
33:23 - Why Law School? - The guys counsel a high-earning listener to reconsider their reasons for pursuing law school.
44:55 - Become a Good Test Taker - Listener Angelina describes herself as “an awful test taker.” Ben and Nathan implore Angelina to improve her self-talk by deciding to become a good test taker.
49:42 - GPA Addendums - The guys recommend more effective alternatives to writing a GPA addendum.
59:12 - Dropping Out - Nathan and Ben applaud an anonymous listener’s decision to drop out of law school.
1:06:19 - Words of the Week - A few students pay for law school. Few feel good about it.
Ben and Nathan discuss the new format for LSAT Writing and critique a practice essay submitted by an LSAT Demon student. Later, the guys delve into an LSAC report on test-taker statistics, and they question whether accommodations truly level the playing field.
1:11 - New LSAT Writing - Nathan and Ben review listener Valerie’s response to the new LSAT Argumentative Writing sample prompt, offering guidance on how to construct a compelling essay.
44:35 - Accommodations Concerns - Ben and Nathan address listeners’ concerns about LSAT accommodations. They encourage test takers who qualify for accommodations to request the support they need.
54:09 - Accommodations Statistics - Nathan and Ben examine statistics from LSAC that call into question the fairness of the current system for LSAT accommodations.
1:19:14 - Words of the Week - Don’t let student debt cause you penury and immiseration.
Recent law school graduates have benefited from a hot hiring market, but there are signs that the market might be cooling off. Nathan and Ben consider the implications for future law students. Later, the guys affirm the importance of applying early. They discuss prediction strategy for Must Be True questions. And they advise students not to flag questions on timed sections.
1:02 - Legal Hiring Slows - Law firm recruiting just hit an 11-year low. But a slowdown in legal hiring shouldn’t affect your decision to attend law school.
9:38 - Application Timing - How late is too late to apply? Ben and Nathan invite listener Sammy to ask a better question: When is the best time to apply?
18:24 - Creative Predictions - Must Be True questions are no place to flex your creativity. Nathan and Ben instruct listener Cleo to pick the boring, obvious answer on these and other closed question types.
28:59 - Don’t Flag Questions - The guys explain why flagging questions to revisit later might sabotage your score on timed sections.
37:08 - Pearls vs. Turds - Is there any value in combining the hardest questions from multiple LR sections into extra-difficult “supersets”?
42:25 - GPA Boost - An anonymous listener considers a costly means of boosting their UGPA.
48:50 - Gaining Confidence - An anonymous listener struggles with low confidence on “actual test day.” Nathan and Ben encourage Anonymous to draw confidence from their practice tests, all of which were actual LSATs.
1:00:46 - Word of the Week - Let your LSAT be a bulwark against law school debt.
Score variance isn’t a problem—it’s an opportunity. Nathan and Ben encourage LSAT students to pursue the upside of their score range by taking the test multiple times. The guys also share a key to getting faster at Reading Comprehension. They assure a conflicted student that it’s OK to pivot away from law school. And they lay out an approach to Logical Reasoning that balances caution and confidence.
3:23 - Score Variance - Don’t aim to eliminate score variance in your practice tests. Score variance is your friend if you commit to taking the LSAT multiple times.
10:04 - What’s an Assumption? - Ben and Nathan explain the difference between necessary assumptions and sufficient assumptions.
20:17 - Rereading RC Passages - Skimming your reading assignments might have worked for you in college, but it won’t cut it in LSAT Reading Comprehension.
28:31 - Improving RC Timing - Want to get faster at RC? Spend less time debating wrong answers.
34:05 - Passive Skill Acquisition - A new study suggests that passive exposure to a skill can help you improve more quickly. Nathan and Ben discuss the implications for LSAT study.
40:27 - Staying Motivated - Listener Olivia lacks the motivation to study consistently. Ben and Nathan question whether she really wants to go to law school.
52:31 - Check Every Answer - Even if you predict the correct answer, you still have to check the wrong ones.
1:03:38 - Word of the Week - Critics agree: This week’s podcast was a success.
The LSAT is a rigorous test of reading comprehension and critical reasoning. Do you understand the information on the page? And do you know what must be true on the basis of that information? Also on the show, Nathan and Ben discuss GPA addendums, supplemental essays, and law school price discrimination.
3:24 - When Am I Ready? - Don’t register for the LSAT until you’re happy with your practice test scores.
15:43 - Logical Opposites - Are success and failure logical opposites? Does “unlikely” simply mean “not likely”? It depends.
25:01 - Two Fundamental Skills - Ben and Nathan break down two critical skills that form the foundation of LSAT mastery.
40:26 - Master’s Degree - Nathan and Ben question an anonymous listener’s decision to pursue a master’s degree.
44:41 - GPA Addendum - Nobody wants to hear excuses for your bad grades.
50:47 - Supplemental Essays - If a supplemental essay allows you to write something positive about yourself, write the essay. Otherwise, skip it.
53:19 - The LAST Is Easy - An anonymous listener embraces LSAT Demon’s intuitive approach to the LSAT.
57:49 - Price Discrimination - Many businesses employ price discrimination. Law schools are no different. Ben and Nathan urge applicants to take advantage of an unfair system.
1:08:33 - Word of the Week - Student loan policies fail to consider that schools might behave like knaves.
Your LSAT and GPA are the most important parts of your law school application, but a strong personal statement can set you apart from other applicants with similar numbers. What makes for a well-crafted personal statement? This week, Nathan and Ben pull no punches as they critique a listener’s essay through the eyes of harried admissions officers. The guys also delve into Logical Reasoning prediction methods, urge a listener to fire their awful tutor, and unpack a new report that casts doubt on the golden-ticket reputation of a law degree.
2:15 - Prediction and Review - The guys instruct LSAT Demon student Brian on how to review his mistakes. They emphasize prediction as crucial to success in Logical Reasoning.
13:09 - Awful Tutor - Nathan and Ben counsel an anonymous listener to fire their terrible LSAT tutor and to cut back on their full-time study. One to three quality hours of study per day is plenty.
23:26 - Comparative Passages - Ben and Nathan summarize their approach to comparative passages in Reading Comprehension.
28:34 - Tuition vs. Cost of Living - Listener Alex compares the cost to attend two in-state law schools. Nathan and Ben weigh Alex’s options and advise them to broaden their list of target schools.
35:26 - Earnings Outcomes - The guys discuss a Georgetown study on what lawyers are earning after four years of practice. Reuters’ Karen Sloan reports that outcomes vary wildly depending on which law school graduates attended.
45:14 - Personal Statement Review - Ben and Nathan give listener K a brutally honest appraisal of their personal statement.
1:07:25 - Word of the Week - Depositionis more than just a torturous legal exercise.
Every LSAT score release day leaves some frustrated test takers wondering: “Why did I score so much lower than on my practice tests?” This week, Nathan and Ben discuss the number one reason why some people underperform on test day. The guys also celebrate listeners’ success on the June LSAT. They question the viability of applying to law school with a GRE score but no LSAT. And they express a wish for American law schools to adopt the more equitable tuition practices of their Canadian counterparts.
3:21 - Keep Studying? - Listener John fell short of his goal score on the June LSAT—his last shot at a test that included Logic Games, his best section. Should he keep studying for the August test, or is it time for John to declare victory over the LSAT?
8:29 - Reapply - Listener Carlos applied to law school earlier this cycle, but he improved his LSAT score substantially in June. Ben and Nathan encourage Carlos to withdraw his applications and reapply this fall.
12:10 - Test Day Struggles - Test takers who change their approach on test day are likely to underperform. Solution? Relax and treat the official test just like any practice test.
16:18 - LSAT Writing - LSAT Writing is changing soon. But if you’ve already completed LSAT Writing, there’s no need to retake it.
17:29 - Canadian Law Schools - Nathan and Ben argue that Canadian law schools are more civilized in how they approach pricing and scholarships. Canadian applicants should still weigh the costs and benefits of paying for law school.
29:55 - Turn Off the Clock - How do you stop worrying about the clock in Reading Comprehension? Turn off the clock. Speed will come naturally when you focus on understanding one sentence at a time.
39:13 - GRE or LSAT? - An anonymous listener wonders whether their high GRE score could allow them to bypass the LSAT. However, law schools’ ABA 509 reports suggest that very few students are admitted without LSAT scores.
45:31 - Letters of Recommendation - Some older applicants struggle to acquire academic letters of recommendation. Nathan and Ben suggest some alternatives.
49:42 - Tips from a Departing Demon - “I got so much from reviewing missed questions that I started reviewing correct ones also, which I believe enhanced my learning.”
52:24 - Words of the Week - The doddering professor developed a mercurial temper as he fell further out of touch with his young students.
There is no second best on the LSAT. On every question, one answer is definitely right, and four answers are definitely wrong. This week, Nathan and Ben discuss why a no-nonsense mindset is vital to LSAT success. Later, the guys compare lawyers to professional students. They question the value of law school consultants. And they explain why nothing on your law school application will make up for a low LSAT score.
5:17 - No BS - An anonymous listener jokes that the LSAT is a “BS test.”
17:00 - Chasing Perfection - The guys warn listener Jonah that his quest for a perfect score might be hurting his accuracy. They instruct Jonah to slow down and focus on one question at a time.
21:33 - Free Yourself - Ben and Nathan share their most powerful advice for overcoming LSAT anxiety: forget your timeline.
29:43 - Professional Students - Listener Daniel asks how to improve on science passages in Reading Comprehension. Nathan and Ben challenge Daniel to embrace the life of a professional student.
35:39 - Law School or New Job? - Ben and Nathan advise listener Katherine to stay flexible with her law school plans.
40:52 - Law School Consultants - Nathan and Ben weigh the costs and benefits of working with a law school consultant. They suggest LSAT Demon’s upcoming admissions course as a cost-effective alternative.
44:47 - Character & Fitness - Ben and Nathan prepare an anonymous listener to start jumping through the hoops of character and fitness disclosures.
49:43 - Is the LSAT King? - Yes.
56:40 - Word of the Week - Avoid student debt and its concomitant headaches.
Jacqueline Schafer is the founder and CEO of Clearbrief, an AI-powered legal writing tool that helps lawyers search their discovery for relevant facts and cite them in legal documents. Jackie joins Ben for a conversation about what aspiring lawyers should know about the future of AI in legal tech.
1:35 - Clearbrief - Jackie introduces Clearbrief and explains how it helps lawyers gather facts and create hyperlinked citations in their legal writing.
15:26 - AI in Legal Tech - Will AI replace lawyers? Jackie challenges this notion by asking: Did Excel replace accountants? She and Ben explore how AI is likely to augment, rather than replace, the roles of lawyers.
28:33 - From Big Law to Tech Entrepreneur - Jackie shares how her experience as a litigation associate in big law has remained invaluable throughout her career, from serving as an Assistant State Attorney General to starting a tech company.
38:49 - Advice for Future Lawyers - Jackie advises future lawyers to hone their writing and networking skills.
Some LSAT students think that more time studying equals faster improvement. But the equation isn’t that simple. This week, Nathan and Ben advocate a less-is-more approach to LSAT study, centered on carefully reviewing one mistake at a time. The guys also discuss lawyers’ work-life balance, highlighting in Reading Comprehension, and the importance of an applicant’s undergraduate major in law school admissions.
1:41 - Quality Over Quantity - Ben and Nathan encourage an anonymous listener not to give up on LSAT study. They emphasize the importance of thoroughly reviewing mistakes over drilling a high volume of questions.
9:44 - Work-Life Balance - The legal profession is notorious for its lopsided work-life balance. Are there any lawyer jobs that offer a more reasonable quality of life?
15:27 - Highlighting in RC - Listener Alex proposes a strategy for highlighting key words in Reading Comprehension. Nathan and Ben worry that highlighting might be a crutch for not reading carefully.
23:38 - RC Plateau - Ben and Nathan advise listener Nick to ditch his complicated strategies for Reading Comprehension and to practice breaking down complex sentences into digestible chunks.
34:10 - Undergrad Major - An applicant’s undergraduate major generally has little impact on their law school admissions outcomes.
38:01 - Question Types - There’s no such thing as mastering a question type. Nathan and Ben instruct listener Manan to focus on correcting individual mistakes rather than analyzing trends in practice test scores.
47:19 - Accommodations - Students with approved testing accommodations should practice with those same accommodations.
51:12 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Dylan believes that “improvement isn't made when doing questions, but rather carefully reviewing every single question you get wrong.”
53:10 - Word of the Week - Avoid paying for law school.
How important is it to apply early? According to a recent study published in the University of Chicago Journal of Law and Economics, “an application delay of 100 days is associated with a drop in the probability of admission of around 8.5 percentage points—a disadvantage comparable to lowering the applicant’s undergraduate GPA by .26 or LSAT score by 2.1 points.” Ben and Nathan crunch the numbers and double down on their advice: apply early, but steer clear of “early decision” programs. The guys also say goodbye to the logic games, preview the new format for LSAT Writing, and provide an update on the curious case of Campbell Law.
0:37 - So Long, LG - The June LSAT is done, and so is LSAT Analytical Reasoning. Nathan and Ben bid farewell to the logic games and reflect on why they loved them.
4:56 - New LSAT Writing - LSAC will debut the new format for LSAT Writing on July 30, 2024. Ben and Nathan preview the changes and invite listeners to share their own responses to LSAC’s sample prompt. Submit your writing sample to help@thinkinglsat.com for a chance to have it featured on the show.
16:02 - Campbell 509 Update - In Ep. 451, the guys discovered some puzzling scholarship data on the ABA 509 report for Campbell Law School. LSAT Demon team members reached out to the school, and Campbell has now corrected the mistake.
22:38 - International GPA - Listener Nafosat worries that her international transcript might place her at a disadvantage in law school admissions. The guys discuss how LSAC evaluates international transcripts.
26:04 - Application Timing - Nathan and Ben share the highlights from a recent study on law school application timing. TL;DR? “Applications submitted earlier enjoy a considerable advantage relative to later applications.”
1:00:21 - Remunerative Business - Investor Charlie Munger explains why he didn’t become a lawyer: a lawyer’s most lucrative clients are often “grossly defective people.”
1:04:01 - Words of the Week - Dispute unproven conclusions. Reject bad reasoning.
Why do you want to become a lawyer? If you’re chasing prestige, then you might want to reconsider. This week, Ben and Nathan critique several common but misguided reasons people give for wanting to become lawyers. Later, the guys reveal the key to getting faster on the LSAT. They counsel a waitlist-bound applicant to reapply next cycle. And they discuss whether the loss of LG will change the way the LSAT is scored.
4:03 - Arguments Against Law School - An anonymous listener seeks reasons not to go to law school. Nathan and Ben ask Anonymous: What’s wrong with your current job?
10:28 - Why Become a Lawyer? - The guys discuss several bad reasons—and one good reason—to become a lawyer.
22:06 - Score Plateau - Listener Cole has embraced the Demon’s accuracy-first approach. Now how does he improve his speed? Nathan and Ben instruct Cole to start eliminating wrong answers more quickly.
35:04 - Score Decrease - We all have off days. Ben and Nathan tell listener Isabelle not to fret over a temporary decrease in her LSAT Demon dashboard rating.
41:19 - LR Approach - The guys find a serious flaw in listener Serena’s approach to Logical Reasoning. “That makes sense” is rarely an appropriate reaction to arguments in LR.
50:30 - 20 Points in 3 Months? - You don’t need to pick your test dates months in advance. Just keep practicing and register when you’re ready.
57:19 - Waitlist Hell - An anonymous listener weighs two disappointing offers of admission. The guys push for a third option: retake and reapply.
1:10:26 - Testing Limits - Nathan and Ben explain LSAC’s limits for retaking the LSAT.
1:14:27 - Scoring Scale Changes? - Listener Aden speculates that LSAC will soon change how it scores the LSAT. Whatever happens, Ben and Nathan see no reason for students to change their approach to the test.
1:20:47 - Word of the Week - Law school pricing engenders disgust.
Ben and Nathan are joined again by Rachel Gezerseh, trial attorney and the author of The Law Career Playbook. Rachel previews the new edition of her book, which will include updated recommendations for Zoom interviews and online networking. Later, the guys describe a typical LSAT study schedule, and they explore the multiple benefits of taking a gap year before applying to law school.
0:57 - New LSAT Dates - LSAC announced new registration deadlines and opened registration for the 2024–2025 testing cycle. Find all the important dates at lsat.link/dates.
2:16 - Rachel Gezerseh - Rachel urges future law students to start building their professional network today. She also discusses her teaching role at USC Law. She shares her experience of finding a job in big law after graduating from a regional law school. And she explains how her former career as a documentary filmmaker has benefitted her in her current role as a lawyer.
26:27 - Study Schedule - Nathan and Ben outline a typical weekly study schedule that balances all three sections of the test.
30:42 - Gap Year - Nathan and Ben encourage an anonymous listener to reconsider their K-JD timeline. There are multiple good reasons to take a gap year before applying to law school.
39:34 - Word of the Week - Treat your official LSAT as a quotidian event.
LSAT scores are on the rise. The total number of applicants scoring 170 or higher has more than doubled since 2015. This week, Ben and Nathan weigh in on what’s driving this trend and whether LSAC might make the test more difficult in response. Later, the guys discuss how much time they spend reading RC passages. They advise listeners not to apply early decision. And they help a student move on from a disappointing April LSAT.
3:30 - June or August? - An anonymous listener who’s strong in Logic Games asks if they should take the test in June or wait until they’ve improved in LR and RC. Nathan and Ben caution listeners not to rush into law school with a mediocre LSAT score.
8:35 - Is the LSAT Getting Harder? - Will LSAC make the LSAT more difficult because of the increasing number of high scores? Ben and Nathan advise students to focus on fixing their current mistakes before worrying about hypotheticals.
14:28 - Accommodations - In the past decade, Nathan and Ben haven’t heard of LSAC denying accommodations to someone who needed them. But they have heard of LSAC granting extra time to people who don’t really need it.
27:29 - RC Timing - Ben and Nathan discuss how much time LSAT students should spend reading RC passages before moving on to the questions.
33:15 - Early Decision - The guys double down on their advice not to apply early decision. And they discuss why law school scholarships are nothing more than price discrimination.
50:58 - Bouncing Back from April - Listener Ella worries about “risking” another official attempt in August if she underperforms in June. Nathan and Ben encourage Ella to take the LSAT as many times as necessary and to treat the official test like any other practice test.
59:23 - Law School Doesn’t Prepare - Here’s some unsurprising news: Law school failed to prepare 45% of junior associates for practice.
1:03:01 - Word of the Week - “Their space-annihilating concupiscence seemed centered on mentholated smoke alone.”
1L strategy coach Angela Vorpahl returns to Thinking LSAT to discuss five common but misguided pieces of advice for incoming law students. She explains why these conventional 1L strategies fall short and suggests more effective alternatives.
3:08 - Class Prep vs. Exam Prep - Law professors insist that students should thoroughly read each assigned case. But reading every line of every case takes a huge amount of time. Angela advises students to invest their time in study methods that have a greater impact on their final grade.
20:15 - Note-Taking Strategies - Research suggests that students who take notes by hand might retain more information than students who type their notes. But for Angela’s preferred method of note-taking, handwriting notes simply isn’t fast enough.
33:05 - Study Supplements - Some law school traditionalists vilify study supplements like hornbooks, and they label students who use them as lazy. But these supplements aren’t shortcuts; they’re vital study tools—especially when professors routinely fail to teach the material in a straightforward way.
46:33 - Outlining Is Not Enough - A good outline may be necessary to succeed on law school exams, but it’s not sufficient. Angela describes the extra study step that students should take after outlining.
56:21 - IRAC - “Issue, Rule, Application, and Conclusion” (IRAC) has long been the popular structure for legal analysis in law school. But Angela argues that IRAC misses the most important part of how students score points on final exams.
1:07:28 - Intermediate Conclusions - Don’t worry too much about identifying intermediate conclusions. Focus on what the argument says.
1:16:26 - Academic Suspension - Nathan and Ben follow up on last week’s story about an applicant who wants to remove an academic suspension from their transcript.
1:18:46 - Word of the Week - Halo Top is execrable.
Ben and producer Erik team up to offer guidance on overcoming a score plateau. One key tip: Don’t fixate on your practice test scores. Later, Ben and Erik debunk the rumor that applicants hurt their admissions chances when they withdraw and reapply. They examine law schools’ employment outcome disclosures. And they discuss what it means to overthink the correct answer—and how to stop.
5:52 - Score Plateau - How do you break out of a score plateau? Stop worrying about your score, and focus on fixing individual mistakes.
16:20 - Downside to Reapplying? - An anonymous listener applied late in the cycle and received disappointing scholarship offers. Will law schools treat Anonymous unfavorably for declining these offers and reapplying next cycle?
22:07 - Judicial Clerkships - Must listener Alex attend a highly ranked law school to obtain a judicial clerkship? Erik and Ben investigate schools’ employment outcomes at abarequireddisclosures.org.
29:50 - Overthinking - We’re more likely to overthink answer choices when we rush our reading of the passage and fail to predict the answer. Avoid this trap by spending more time unpacking the passage before reading the answer choices.
36:50 - Group Classes vs. Solo Study - Ben and Erik suggest that listener Hannah try a month of Demon Live in preparation for the June LSAT.
39:37 - GPA Addendum - Erik and Ben help an anonymous listener write a GPA addendum to address an anomalous semester of bad grades.
40:57 - Transcript Error - Ben and Erik encourage an anonymous listener to be persistent in trying to remove an error on their undergraduate transcript.
44:24 - LSAT Survey - LSAT Demon now appears in the post-LSAT survey. Thanks to LSAT Demon student Laura for sharing the news.
46:23 - Words of the Week - Misers ascribe no merit to spending money.
Ben and Nathan chat with Nick Hafen, the Head of Legal Technology Education at BYU Law. They discuss what law students should know about leveraging generative AI tools like ChatGPT in law school and beyond. The guys also review a tip for managing test anxiety, and they explain why they don’t diagram in Logical Reasoning.
0:43 - Generative AI - Nick explains some generative AI basics that law students should know. The guys discuss how the technology might impact lawyers’ jobs.
8:57 - AI and Law School - Law schools are still deciding how to incorporate AI into their curriculums. Students shouldn’t rely on their professors to teach them everything they need to know.
17:39 - Getting Started with AI - Nick suggests a simple Google search to start learning about generative AI. Ben and Nathan encourage listeners to experiment with new use cases.
24:49 - Nick’s Career - Nick outlines his career path from big law, to solo practice, to working at BYU.
32:19 - BYU Admissions - The guys look at BYU’s admissions and scholarship data using LSAT Demon’s Tuition Roll Call.
39:29 - Nick’s LSAT Story - Nick shares the story of his nerve-racking experience taking the LSAT in person while studying abroad.
43:44 - Word of the Week - Whoever invented Halo Top should be defenestrated.
46:17 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener Henry provides a tip for boosting confidence on test day.
52:25 - Don’t Diagram in LR - Nathan and Ben explain why diagramming conditional statements in Logical Reasoning can be more harmful than helpful.
Many law students pay nowhere near full tuition. Some pay no tuition at all. Law schools don’t offer reduced or waived tuition fees out of generosity—it’s a calculated business strategy. But this week, Nathan and Ben discover a law school whose outlandish scholarship numbers seem to defy business sense. The guys also discuss the new US News law school rankings, help listeners choose between law schools, and advise students to keep their study schedules simple.
4:14 - Law School Rankings - US News just released its 2024 law school rankings. While the rankings have changed, their practical value hasn’t. They still provide poor justification for choosing one law school over another.
10:27 - Picking a Law School - Ben and Nathan help two listeners decide between offers of admission. The choice largely depends on answering a single question: “What do you want to do?”
33:48 - Bouncing Back - Listener Tyler stumbled during his April test. Nathan and Ben encourage him to learn from his mistake and to stay the course as he prepares for the June LSAT.
38:48 - There Is No Curve - How will the removal of Logic Games affect the curve on the August LSAT? Easy question. It won’t, because LSAT scores aren’t curved.
45:30 - Study Schedule - An anonymous listener with lots of time to study asks how to structure their study schedule. Ben and Nathan give a surprising answer: It doesn’t matter.
50:28 - Who Pays at Campbell? - The guys browse the scholarship estimator for law schools friendly to splitters with low GPAs. They find Campbell University School of Law, which reports that a staggering 94% of its students receive full-ride scholarships.
1:08:50 - Waitlist to Full Ride - LSAT Demon student Jason just accepted a full-ride scholarship to Texas A&M after being waitlisted by the school earlier this year.
1:13:52 - Word of the Week - We vituperate predatory law schools.
Tuitions are soaring at U.S. colleges and universities, and short-sighted student loan policies may be partly to blame. This week, Ben and Nathan discuss the latest round of student loan forgiveness, which treats the symptoms of high education costs but won’t fix the problem. The guys also correct a common misconception about “test-optional” admissions. They consider the scholarship chances of applicants with low GPAs. And they advise a listener to pick a new personal statement topic.
3:48 - LSAT Optional - No, the LSAT is not “going away” in 2025. Law schools will continue to value the LSAT even if they aren’t required to use it.
15:32 - Low GPA - Applicants with low GPAs aren’t locked out of law school. Grade forgiveness may help some. But a high LSAT score is the real key to getting scholarships.
23:24 - GPA and Law School Rankings - An anonymous listener considers taking a course pass-fail to avoid hurting their GPA. Nathan and Ben approve. The guys explain why law schools are so invested in their GPA medians: it’s all in the rankings game.
31:40 - $100,000 a Year - Some colleges will soon charge $100,000 a year. Ben and Nathan bemoan the unhinged state of tuition hikes and student loans.
39:34 - Personal Statement - The guys advise an anonymous listener to avoid a vague personal statement.
43:00 - Graduate School - An anonymous listener wants to drop out of grad school but worries about what law schools will think. Nathan and Ben think the choice is clear.
46:38 - Extra Test Attempt - Leslie, LSAT Demon’s admissions guru, shares the story of a student who successfully appealed for an extra test attempt.
50:48 - Word of the Week - Listener Syd recommends Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day.
The April LSAT is almost here. How should test-takers approach the final days leading up to their official test? Nathan and Ben advise listeners to treat test week like any other week of unhurried LSAT prep. Later, the guys explain why you shouldn’t skip tough questions. They shake their heads at UC Law SF’s solicitations. And they offer words of encouragement to a student who is concerned about how the elimination of Logic Games might impact their score.
1:03 - April LSAT - Treat test week like any other practice week. Treat the official test like any other practice test.
6:35 - LSAT Demon Is Hiring - Want to join the team? LSAT Demon is hiring teachers and writers. Visit lsat.link/apply to submit your application.
7:47 - Skipping Questions - Listener Harry disagrees with Nathan and Ben’s advice not to skip or flag difficult questions. The guys clarify their position and reaffirm their mantra: “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”
14:52 - Should I Quit My Job? - Ben and Nathan counsel listener Emna not to let law school admissions dictate an important career decision.
22:36 - UC Law San Francisco - Nathan scorns his alma mater’s pleas for more money.
30:12 - Is Law School the Right Path? - The best law students are fierce academic competitors. Applicants with low undergraduate GPAs should think long and hard before entering the fray.
42:05 - LG Study Schedule - Nathan and Ben describe their own study habits for Logic Games.
46:10 - LG Anxiety - An anonymous listener dreads losing the Logic Games after the June LSAT. Ben and Nathan encourage Anonymous to stay optimistic.
53:39 - Word of the Week - The best logic games are Daedalian puzzles.
Micah McCreary is an LSAT coach and law school admissions consultant through his company JurisPrep. He’s also a former LSAT Demon student and current 2L at Harvard Law School. Micah joins Ben and Nathan to share insights about the current admissions cycle, emphasizing the importance of a well-crafted diversity statement. The guys also discuss Micah’s experience at Harvard, the challenges of working in big law, and their shared focus on an accuracy-first approach to the LSAT.
3:51 - Harvard Law School - Micah attended Harvard Law School virtually for his 1L year. He now appreciates the networking opportunities that come from attending law school in person.
8:52 - Big Law - Micah plans to work in corporate law, but he’s wary of the grueling hours and unrewarding assignments often faced by junior associates at big law firms.
17:32 - Don’t Pay for Law School - Micah shares the history and mission of JurisPrep, his LSAT and law school admissions consulting business. The guys explain the nuance behind the tagline “don’t pay for law school.”
27:13 - Ignore the Clock - Micah agrees with Ben and Nathan on their accuracy-first approach to the LSAT. They brainstorm ways for students to practice ignoring the clock when taking timed sections.
40:13 - Admissions Cycle - In an unusually slow admissions cycle, Micah has noticed that applicants with strong diversity statements have fared better than those without.
56:17 - Working While in Law School - Micah recommends that law students avoid working other jobs until after their 1L years.
1:05:49 - Words of the Week - Ben and Nathan proscribe LSAT gimmicks. They prescribe a commonsense approach that focuses on careful reading.
1:11:39 - Application Timing - Micah advises law school applicants to apply as early in the cycle as possible.
Two weeks ago, Ben and Nathan revealed a shadow ban targeting LSAT Demon on Reddit. The sole moderator of the r/LSAT subreddit, Graeme Blake from LSAT Hacks, responded with personal attacks and false accusations of “sockpuppeting.” He then banned LSAT Demon entirely. This week, Nathan and Ben recap the strange saga and question Graeme’s motives for attempting to silence LSAT Demon and its supporters. Later, the guys offer advice to a student who’s missing too many easy questions in Logical Reasoning. They correct a faulty approach to Logic Games. And they examine a possible case of T14 yield protection.
2:47 - Reddit Ban - The guys break down the events leading to LSAT Demon’s ban on Reddit.
11:59 - Difficult LR Questions - Good news! You don’t need to get all the hard questions right to score well in Logical Reasoning.
17:38 - Missing Easier Questions - Listener Lawrence misses too many easy questions. Nathan and Ben instruct Lawrence to slow down and avoid making sloppy mistakes.
23:30 - Mastering LG - Logic Games are an opportunity, not an obstacle. Ben and Nathan advise an anonymous listener on how to master LG in time for the June LSAT.
29:30 - Waitlists and LOCIs - Listener Lauren has a stellar GPA and LSAT score, yet she was waitlisted at every school in the T14. The guys blame a combination of yield protection and bad luck. They encourage Lauren to write letters of continued interest and to reapply next year.
39:46 - GPA Addendum - Nathan and Ben recommend that listener Morgan write a brief GPA addendum to address some old grades.
44:28 - Admissions Course - Ben and Nathan invite you to join the waitlist for their law school admissions course.
46:26 - Word of the Week - Listener Kris provides a book recommendation for anyone with inchoate negotiation skills.
Testing accommodations are meant to give students with documented disabilities a fair shot. But recent LSAT scoring data suggests that the current time-and-a-half minimum might not level the playing field—it might give an unfair advantage to people with accommodations. Ben and Nathan discuss the problematic state of LSAT accommodations and what it means for students. Later, the guys weigh the costs and benefits of taking the test five times. They draft a short character and fitness addendum. And they urge students to avoid the comparison trap.
1:26 - Aiming for 175 - You don’t get points for answering questions quickly. You get points for answering questions correctly. Nathan and Ben instruct listener Manan to slow down and focus on accuracy.
12:43 - Accommodations - Ben and Nathan probe the history of LSAT accommodations and question the fairness of the current system.
34:43 - Downside to Retaking? - Listener Finn worries that law schools will judge him harshly for taking the LSAT five times. Nathan and Ben assure Finn that law schools only care about his highest score.
40:46 - Character and Fitness Addendum - The guys help an anonymous listener draft a short addendum to address a minor character and fitness issue.
43:43 - GPA Addendum - Ben and Nathan advise listener Emme not to write a GPA addendum that risks victim signaling.
50:27 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon alumna Sierra says: “Don’t get too caught up on the numbers and how everyone else is doing.”
51:47 - Words of the Week - Only when LSAT teachers cease their obscurantism may they find absolution.
Love it or hate it, the r/LSAT subreddit is a popular forum for LSAT news and advice. Unfortunately, LSAT Demon students have been unable to engage fully with this community for almost a year. Their posts and comments about the Demon are secretly banned. Ben and Nathan recount the curious back story of LSAT Demon’s shadow ban on Reddit and ask for listeners’ advice. Later, the guys discuss upcoming changes to LSAT Writing. They share tips on becoming a gladiator of the English language. And they examine why some lawyers might be better off working in fast food.
1:11 - Reddit Shadow Ban - The guys detail LSAT Demon’s shadow ban on the r/LSAT subreddit. Read more in their blog post and share your thoughts at help@thinkinglsat.com.
14:19 - Changes to LSAT Writing - Big changes are coming to LSAT Writing. Starting July 31, 2024, the section will feature a more open-ended essay prompt that asks writers to defend an original thesis. Ben and Nathan weigh in on the upcoming changes.
20:18 - Improving at English - Lawyers are gladiators of the English language. Nathan and Ben share a few tips on how to improve your reading and writing.
31:22 - Pearls vs. Turds - Despite what some LSAT “experts” say, there are no shortcuts to success in LSAT Reading Comprehension. If you want to improve in RC, you must improve your ability to read.
39:54 - Law vs. Fast Food - Not every lawyer makes big law money. But lawyers at least earn more than fast-food workers, right? Not necessarily.
46:49 - Informational Interviews - Ben and Nathan advise listener Michael on how to solicit and conduct informational interviews with practicing lawyers.
52:07 - Focus on Accuracy - Listener Grace faces challenges in transitioning to the LSAT Demon approach after switching from another prep company. Nathan and Ben encourage Grace to stick with it and to prioritize accuracy over section scores.
56:18 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Nick shares a pearl of wisdom: “Don’t tell everyone you know that you are taking the LSAT.”
1:01:14 - Word of the Week - If law schools would put the kibosh on their unfair pricing schemes, Ben and Nathan wouldn’t have to inveigh against them.
When Ben and Nathan say “the LSAT is easy,” it’s not to suggest that LSAT improvement comes effortlessly. This week, the guys elaborate on their motto. The LSAT becomes easy when you do it the Demon way. Later, the guys discuss strategies for negotiating scholarships with schools that claim not to engage in such discussions. They offer advice to a listener battling fatigue at the end of Reading Comprehension sections. And they urge a well-qualified applicant not to settle for a disappointing outcome this admissions cycle.
1:18 - The LSAT Is Easy - Departing Demon Tatiana sends a message of support to her peers: “Keep showing up and don’t give up. Ben and Nathan are right—the LSAT is easy if you let it be.”
22:07 - Scholarship Negotiation - Some law schools claim not to negotiate scholarships. But every offer of admission opens the door to negotiation. Asking for more financial support carries no downside.
29:53 - RC Timing - Listener Jess asks how to tackle the fourth passage in Reading Comprehension with limited time on the clock. Ben and Nathan advise her to ignore the clock and to treat the final passage the same as any other.
34:03 - RC Fatigue - LSAT Demon student Cassidy is surprised by her fatigue at the end of Reading Comprehension sections. Nathan and Ben suspect that she’s reading too quickly. They urge her to slow down and focus on understanding.
42:16 - Go Now or Reapply? - Lauren was offered a stipend to attend WashU, but she’s disappointed by her offers from other top law schools. Ben and Nathan encourage Lauren to reapply next year and not to settle for less than she’s worth.
53:54 - Howard Law - Listener Morgan offers an explanation for Howard Law’s big law placement numbers, as discussed in Ep. 442: Don’t Become a Lawyer for the Money.
55:05 - Word of the Week - Thinking LSAT listeners invite opprobrium when they apply to law school without their best LSAT score.
What does it take to score 170 on the LSAT? A mastery of the English language, sharply honed reasoning skills, and a strong work ethic. But with the increasing trend of scores surpassing 170 in recent years, maybe we should now ask: What does it take to score 175? This week, Nathan and Ben explore the habits and traits of those who excel at the highest levels on the LSAT. The guys also contemplate the future of Logical Reasoning, delve deeper into law schools’ unjust pricing, and consider an unconventional transfer plan.
8:46 - April LSAT Registration - An anonymous listener seeks guidance on whether to register for the April LSAT. Nathan and Ben are concerned by Anonymous’s relatively small amount of progress over a year of LSAT study.
21:06 - The Future of LR - Some people have speculated that Logical Reasoning will feature more “formal logic” and formulaic Must Be True questions when the logic games go away. Ben and Nathan don’t envision a drastic change. They point out that most LSAT questions are already Must Be Trues.
33:23 - What It Takes to Score 175 - Top LSAT scorers exhibit diligence, patience, and humility.
49:02 - FAFSA Delay - The Department of Education recently announced a five-month delay in processing the FAFSA. Nathan and Ben lament how loans are labeled “aid,” and they examine more evidence of law schools’ unfair pricing.
1:14:09 - Scholarship Data - Listener Spencer shares data from lsd.law that indicates that some schools’ scholarship decisions are based solely on LSAT and GPA. What’s the takeaway? One LSAT point could save you tens of thousands of dollars.
1:17:43 - Transfer Down? - An anonymous listener considers transferring to a lower-ranked law school for a better scholarship and lower level of academic competition. Ben and Nathan propose an alternative: dropping out entirely.
1:29:00 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Rick suggests ditching your timelines and embracing a slow-and-steady approach to LSAT improvement.
1:29:57 - Word of the Week - Listener Kate is no milquetoast.
Many prospective lawyers dream of big law salaries. Far fewer achieve them. Ben and Nathan examine the disappointing reality of big law placement at non-elite law schools and insist that money is a terrible reason to pursue a legal career. The guys also warn listeners not to let application accoutrements distract from the LSAT. They reject a backward approach to Logical Reasoning. And they denounce law schools’ unfair pricing practices.
1:16 - Focus on the LSAT - Listener Tony asks whether to highlight his masters thesis in his law school personal statement. Nathan and Ben tell Tony to bake his cake before he worries about frosting it.
13:51 - Grade Change - Persistence pays off for an anonymous listener in their campaign to change an A- to an A.
17:20 - Pearls vs. Turds - An LSAT Demon student finds a pearl of LSAT wisdom in an RC passage about the memory-altering effects of leading questions.
26:28 - Do LR Backward? - Ben and Nathan advise listener Madison to un-reverse her approach to Logical Reasoning.
31:47 - Big Law Placement - The guys question law schools’ self-reported data on big law placement. Outside of a few top schools, career outcomes for law school graduates are wildly uncertain. Your best bet is to attend a school where your scholarship sets you up to compete at the top of the class.
55:00 - Apply Broadly - An anonymous listener considers an accelerated JD-MBA program at their local university. Nathan and Ben unequivocally reject this option. They encourage Anonymous to apply broadly and to avoid law schools’ cash grabs.
1:10:14 - Don’t Do It for Money - Ben and Nathan urge listener Zeek not to let the prospect of a big paycheck lure him into big law. Chasing money is not a good reason to become a lawyer.
1:17:28 - Tip From a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Nathaniel shares his key to LSAT success: “Drill, drill, drill!”
1:18:37 - Word of the Week - Macropterous ostriches flocked to us.
Ben and Nathan address a frequently asked question: “Why the name LSAT Demon?” The name’s origin aligns with their belief that every LSAT question can be solved with certainty. Later, the guys critique some shortsighted advice for Logical Reasoning. They also explore strategies for negotiating scholarships, and they discuss a rare exception to their advice not to pay for law school.
2:35 - January LSAT Scores - Listener Josie asks how to bounce back from a disappointing score on the January LSAT. Ben and Nathan pinpoint a problem with Josie’s mindset: too much concern for the clock and the calendar.
16:06 - Laplace’s Demon - The guys reveal the origin of the name LSAT Demon and its relevance to their teaching philosophy.
22:27 - Pearls vs. Turds - How important are question types in Logical Reasoning? Should you skip Parallel Reasoning questions for the sake of time? Nathan and Ben offer their insights.
42:11 - Reviewing Logic Games - Ben and Nathan discuss how to review and learn from mistakes in Logic Games. Hear Demon teachers Matt and Erik share their perspectives in LSAT Demon Daily Ep. 614: How to Review Logic Games.
47:47 - Accepted to Yale - Don’t pay for law school. But does this principle hold true even for Yale? Nathan and Ben weigh the costs and benefits of attending the most prestigious law school in the country.
56:49 - Scholarship Negotiation - The first and most important step of scholarship negotiation is to ask for what you want. As Jonea Gordon explains in Ep. 437, nothing bad comes from doing so.
1:05:56 - Comparing Scholarship Offers - Ben and Nathan help listener Leon pick between competing offers from two Florida law schools.
1:16:54 - Words of the Week - It would be impolitic to delimit cost as an ostensibly extraneous factor in picking a law school.
1:25:08 - Book Recommendations - The guys chat about the books they’ve been reading.
1:34:27 - Tips from a Departing Demon - Demon student Erik encourages current students: “Don’t stop, give up, or leave any points on the table.”
Nathan is joined by Maya Russell, chair of the Pre-Law Advisor National Council, for an insightful discussion of the law school admissions process. Maya provides expert analysis of the rapidly changing admissions landscape, highlights common mistakes made by law school applicants, and outlines key questions to ask when deciding where to apply and attend.
3:09 - Application Timing - In a recent study focusing on application timing, AccessLex found that historically underrepresented applicants who apply early tend to have better admissions chances than those who apply late. Nathan and Ben acknowledge the findings, but they’re unconvinced by AccessLex’s methodology and recommendations. The guys express their concerns about the study and about law school pipeline programs in general.
25:08 - Maya Russell, Pre-Law Advisor - Maya Russell is a pre-law advisor at Furman University and chair of the Pre-Law Advisor National Council (PLANC). Maya recounts her path to becoming a pre-law advisor and describes what the job entails.
45:06 - Law School Scholarships - Maya and Nathan agree that law school is overpriced and that applicants should seek the best merit scholarships available to them. They discuss how successful applicants prioritize GPA before LSAT, apply broadly, and evaluate the potential return on their investment before committing to a law school.
1:11:02 - Admissions Advice - Maya encourages patience during this unusually slow application cycle. She attributes the slowdown primarily to last year’s Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action and suggests that law schools are testing new ways to attract and admit a diverse pool of applicants. Maya and Nathan consider the long-term impact of the SCOTUS decision. And they caution applicants not to be in such a rush to attend law school.
1:39:48 - LSAT Alternatives - Some law schools now accept LSAT alternatives, like the GRE or JD-Next. Maya believes that most applicants should stick with the LSAT.
1:46:43 - LSAT Writing - Maya explains why law schools may start paying closer attention to applicants’ LSAT Writing samples. She warns listeners to read applications carefully for restrictions on the use of AI.
1:50:56 - Medical Disclosures - Maya urges applicants to keep their medical histories out of their personal statements.
2:00:15 - Words of the Week - LSAT advice is often deranged. Ben and Nathan aim to elucidate the test.
Law school doesn’t have an age limit. But older applicants be warned: law isn’t a fallback career. This week, Nathan and Ben beseech listeners of all ages to examine their motivations for pursuing law school. Later, the guys consider some students’ contention that Logic Games on the January LSAT were unusually difficult. They share tips for LSAT study groups. And they clear up a misunderstanding regarding LSAC’s GPA calculations.
2:18 - JD Advantage Jobs - In Episode 437, data privacy expert Jonea Gordon described how her legal background contributed to her success in jobs that don’t require a JD. Ben and Nathan nonetheless maintain that law school should be pursued by those who intend to practice law.
16:10 - Too Old for Law School? - Listener Melissa wants to make a career change, but she worries that she’s too old for law school. Nathan and Ben assure Melissa that her age isn’t an obstacle. They also counsel her not to treat law as a fallback career.
21:41 - January LSAT Logic Games - Some test takers thought that the January LSAT featured especially difficult Logic Games. Nathan and Ben aren’t surprised—they hear this complaint after almost every LSAT.
25:49 - Study Groups - Ben and Nathan advise LSAT Demon student Cameren on how to structure his study group sessions.
29:18 - Grade Change - The guys correct some misinformation regarding LSAC’s grading policy for Pass/Fail grades. In most cases, a “P” on an applicant’s transcript will not be included in LSAC’s GPA calculation.
37:49 - Tips from a Departing Demon - Departing LSAT Demon student Tara shares her advice for other LSAT students: study so much!
39:09 - Words of the Week - Ice on Mars sublimes to vapor. To this we ascribe the planet’s lack of liquid water.
The LSAT is a test of reasoning skills. But the best lawyers often go beyond reason—they set unreasonable goals and work unreasonable hours to attain them. If you have dreams of attending a top law school, you should embrace a similar level of commitment. This week, Ben and Nathan discuss how your work ethic impacts your success on the LSAT, in law school, and throughout your legal career. Later, the guys share tips for managing test anxiety. They critique a misguided approach to studying Logic Games. And they contemplate the biggest risks that the world faces in 2024.
1:41 - What’s My LSAT Potential? - Don’t limit yourself to a “reasonable” score increase. Your LSAT potential comes down to how hard you’re willing to work.
19:15 - Test Anxiety - The guys discuss strategies for overcoming test-day nerves and treating the official test like an ordinary practice test.
29:21 - Overconfident and Underprepared - Listener Erica was surprised by how much she struggled with the Logic Games on the January LSAT. Ben and Nathan find an obvious flaw in Erica’s study routine: too much reading and not enough real practice.
36:36 - Survey Flaws - Nathan and Ben discuss the results of a survey about the top global risks in 2024. The guys list some of the most common survey flaws that appear on the LSAT.
1:00:36 - Worlds - Nathan quotes the No Stupid Questions podcast to describe LSAT Demon’s worlds-first approach to Logic Games: “mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive.”
1:13:50 - Optional Essays - Ben and Nathan explain why “optional” essays should be treated as mandatory if you want your application to shine.
1:16:24 - First-Gen Students - Listener Madison asks whether first-generation students have any advantage in law school admissions.
1:18:22 - LSAT Writing - Nathan and Ben break down how to approach the LSAT Writing section.
1:23:35 - Words of the Week - The guys aren’t being cantankerous, they’re just trying to galvanize you.
Jonea Gordon left her job as a lawyer and quadrupled her salary. She’s now a data privacy expert who has worked with some of the biggest tech companies in the world on issues like artificial intelligence and augmented reality. Jonea joins Ben to share the story of her career, offer advice on networking and negotiation, and explain why her experience as a litigator remains invaluable to her work in tech.
1:56 - Expectations vs. Reality in Legal Practice - Jonea recounts her path to legal practice and her discovery that litigation wasn’t right for her.
23:44 - From Law to Tech - Jonea prefers her work in data privacy to the toil of legal practice. But she doesn’t regret becoming an attorney. Jonea describes how the skills she honed as a litigator remain crucial to her work in tech.
33:51 - Networking - Jonea shares simple networking techniques that she used to advance and transform her career.
44:38 - Negotiation - Jonea encourages listeners to overcome their fear of negotiation and to advocate for themselves. As her career shows, good things happen to those who ask for what they want.
53:32 - Connect with Jonea - Jonea invites listeners to connect with her on her website or on social media @joneagordon_esq.
54:58 - LSAT Experimental Sections - Nathan and Ben discuss why test takers are unlikely to see Logic Games on future experimental sections.
1:07:34 - Words of the Week - Here’s some avuncular advice: beware of anomie in the legal profession.
Many applicants face a dilemma at this point in the admissions cycle: Do they settle for a mediocre LSAT score and uninspiring scholarship offers? Or do they retake the LSAT and reapply next year? To Ben and Nathan, the choice is clear. There’s too much upside and too little downside not to take the long-term approach. Later, the guys explain why common sense trumps formal logic on the LSAT. They speculate that the LSAT will soon increase in difficulty. And they discuss the proper use of law school rankings.
1:45 - How to Start Studying - After a five-year break from the LSAT, listener Ellen asks how to restart her studies. Nathan and Ben answer simply: begin with one question.
5:26 - Retake and Reapply - Listener Dale believes that he can improve upon his official 166, but he fears that his parents won't support his decision to retake and reapply next cycle. Ben and Nathan recommend patience. The beginning of your legal career is too important to rush.
16:22 - Formal Logic - The guys assure listener Alexis that the LSAT requires no knowledge of formal logic. It just takes common sense. For more, watch LSAT Demon Daily, Ep. 384: Formal Logic.
23:31 - No Gimmicks - An LSAT Demon student seeks time-saving strategies based on trends in correct-answer distribution for certain question types. The problem? Those trends don’t exist.
31:40 - Will the LSAT Get Harder? - Nathan and Ben suspect that the LSAT may soon become more difficult—but not because the Logic Games are going away.
38:05 - Law School Rankings - Ben and Nathan suggest that applicants use law school rankings to help build a list of target schools, not to decide which school to attend.
49:00 - Success Story - A proud dad thanks the LSAT Demon team for helping his family save $250,000.
53:23 - Don’t Go to Law School Unless… - The guys congratulate LSAT Demon student Alex for deciding not to go to law school.
58:44 - Words of the Week - Those who recoil from new words may find their antipathy to vocabulary inimical to the inauguration of a legal career.
Happy New Year! Nathan and Ben kick off 2024 with New Year’s resolutions for LSAT students. The guys also discuss whether nontraditional applicants face a disadvantage in law school admissions. They endorse a slow-and-steady approach to Reading Comprehension. And they assess the LSAT timelines of listeners who may miss out on Logic Games.
1:02 - New Year’s Resolutions - The guys propose some New Year’s resolutions for LSAT students.
14:28 - Nontraditional Applicants - “Nontraditional” applicants aren’t disadvantaged in law school admissions. Law schools often prefer students with work experience.
23:11 - Test Schedule - Listener Timothy wants to take the LSAT before the Logic Games go away, but his practice test scores fall short of what he needs for the T14. Ben and Nathan urge Timothy not to rush his timeline.
28:59 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener Sneha was told to attempt only the first three passages in Reading Comprehension. Can ignoring the final passage lead to better scores in RC?
44:08 - Conservatives in Law School - An anonymous listener worries that they’ll be treated differently in law school because of their conservative political views. But law schools aren’t as liberal as people think.
54:24 - Accommodations
Listener Jackson was granted extra time for the LSAT. But with the accommodation has come an unexpected challenge: a temptation to overthink certain questions. Nathan and Ben counsel Jackson to ease up on his perfectionism and to practice gratitude for his LSAT achievements.
1:00:15 - Letters of Recommendation - Nathan and Ben help listener Finn decide who to ask for a professional letter of recommendation.
1:04:05 - LG or No LG? - Logic Games is currently Susan’s weakest section—should she wait to take the LSAT without games? Ben and Nathan encourage Susan not to give up on LG.
1:08:51 - Words of the Week - Eschew unnecessarily redundant tautologies.
Ben and Nathan address a listener’s concerns about his stagnant test scores, providing guidance for improvement. Also on the show, the guys share insights on how to inform impatient family members about the reality of law school admissions. They express support for online law school. And they discuss the decades-long trend of undergraduate GPA inflation.
2:02 - Family Pressure - An anonymous listener is patiently pursuing a 170+ LSAT score, but their parents are hounding them to apply this cycle. Nathan and Ben suggest LSAT Demon Parent’s Night among other ways to educate family members about the law school admissions game.
6:04 - An Hour a Day - After improving his score by 20 points, listener Nate feels that he has reached a plateau. Ben and Nathan challenge Nate to remain consistent in his study schedule and to prioritize reviewing his mistakes.
18:55 - Online Law School - Nathan and Ben are proponents of online education—including online law school. They advise applicants to do their due diligence in selecting a school that’s right for their career goals.
25:13 - Sufficient Assumptions - The guys explain how to reliably predict answers to Sufficient Assumption questions in Logical Reasoning.
31:11 - RC Timing - Improving in Reading Comprehension isn’t a matter of timing, it’s a matter of understanding. Ben and Nathan urge a student to slow down and focus on accuracy.
34:40 - Grade Inflation - Law schools’ GPA medians ticked upward during the pandemic. Will they come back down? The guys review a recent New York Times article on undergraduate grade inflation and find no reason to expect that the trend will change.
42:41 - Applying Broadly - Nathan and Ben advise listener Brad on how to build a broad list of target schools with help from the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator.
46:13 - Vocabulary Corner - Be rapacious for a better LSAT score.
Feared by some, loathed by others, “yield protection” remains a steadfast reality in law school admissions. This week, Nathan and Ben discuss why law schools justifiably use yield-protecting strategies in admissions. The guys also share the story of a listener who successfully petitioned their college to expunge a semester of failing grades. They compare law schools’ debt-to-income ratios for recent graduates. And they offer practical tips to a student seeking ways to avoid underperformance on test day.
2:26 - Word of the Week - Avoid zoonotic diseases like the plague.
5:24 - Appeals - Persistence pays off. Ben and Nathan hear from a listener who convinced their community college to withdraw a semester of failing grades. They also discuss another listener’s successful appeal to LSAC for a fee waiver. The conversation then shifts to considering the chances of an international student procuring an extra test attempt.
18:48 - Debt-to-Income Ratio - In a recent blog post, a Notre Dame law professor compares the median debt-to-income ratios of recent graduates from different law schools. Nathan and Ben explain why the numbers are even more alarming than they first appear.
30:38 - Yield Protection - Ben and Nathan react to—and mostly agree with—Dean Z’s explanation of yield protection. Every facet of the admissions process is part of a negotiation over how much you’ll pay for law school.
56:26 - Scoring Below PTs - LSAT Demon student Katie scored significantly lower than her practice test average on her official test. The guys describe some common causes of underperformance on test day, and they instruct Katie to treat the official LSAT like any other practice test. This topic is featured in LSAT Demon Daily, Ep. 690: Don’t Let Test Anxiety Become an Excuse.
1:02:21 - Senior Year Grades - Yes, K-JDs have to maintain good grades in their senior year of undergrad.
1:05:52 - LOR Timeline - Listener Pat plans to apply to law school in 2025. Nathan and Ben agree that getting a head start on requesting letters of recommendation is a wise move.
Another one bites the dust. Ben and Nathan bid adieu to Golden Gate University School of Law, which will end its JD program in May. Unfortunately, eliminating one law school doesn’t fix the problem of having too many law schools. Also on the show, the guys simplify Reading Comprehension for an overthinker. They counsel some downcast listeners on how to bounce back from a disappointing LSAT. And they weigh the admissions value of work experience versus GPA.
4:07 - Word of the Week - The guys look up a melange of words.
7:08 - Goodbye, Golden Gate - Ben and Nathan react to the news that Golden Gate University will soon discontinue its JD program.
22:40 - Stop Overthinking RC - Nathan and Ben condense Reading Comprehension down to two essential questions: What did the passage say? What’s the author’s main point? The guys instruct a listener to forget question types in RC and treat them all as Must Be Trues.
38:27 - Recovering from a Low Score - Listeners seek guidance on how to bounce back from a disappointing LSAT. The guys discuss a key to overcoming test anxiety.
50:06 - Scholarship Estimator - Listener Shane is perplexed by his results in the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator. Ben and Nathan dig into the numbers and assess Shane’s scholarship chances.
54:02 - Work Experience vs. GPA - Listener Donald hopes that his extensive work experience in academia will offset his low undergraduate GPA. Nathan and Ben prepare Donald to apply broadly and to walk away from bad offers.
1:01:09 - Low Score Fears - The guys assure a worried student that law schools really only care about your highest LSAT score.
1:03:27 - Retake a 173? - Listener Alexander is ready to declare victory over the LSAT with a 173, but Nathan and Ben see no downside to retaking. They push Alexander to get greedy.
1:09:35 - Shoutout - LSAT Demon student Kayla thanks Demon teacher Beth for helping her improve her LSAT score by over 25 points. Listen to Beth’s own LSAT success story on LSAT Demon Daily, Ep. 321.
Law school is famously time-consuming. Many students consider quitting their jobs and relying on student loans for living expenses. In this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan discuss the feasibility of working while attending law school. The guys also help listeners decide when to register for the LSAT, and they shed light on the surprising similarities among differently ranked law schools.
1:10 - Word of the Week - Mistrust law schools’ machinations.
6:33 - Split Strategy - Nathan and Ben support listener Jackson’s “split strategy” to target official test dates in both the current and next cycle. The guys are confident that Jackson can shore up his performance in Logic Games by the February LSAT.
10:10 - Abandon LG? - LSAT Demon student Alexis has a weakness in Logic Games. Should she abandon LG and focus on preparing for the August 2024 LSAT? In any case, the guys counsel Alexis not to rush into the 2024 application cycle.
15:45 - Working While in Law School - Roughly 85% of part-time students and 40% of full-time students work while attending law school, according to the Law School Survey for Student Engagement. Nathan and Ben believe that law students should have no problem balancing work and school if they set priorities and practice good time management.
48:44 - Don’t Rush Your Retakes - Listener Angela has already taken the LSAT three times, scoring 141 each time. Ben and Nathan urge Angela not to retake until she’s happy with her practice test scores.
53:36 - Legal Research - The guys advise listener Natalie not to put much stock in the “research interests” of law school faculties. They also press Natalie to reconsider whether her career goals demand a JD.
57:45 - Undergrad Prestige - Undergrad prestige is a soft factor in law school admissions. It may matter a little on the margins, but it’s nowhere near as impactful as an applicant’s LSAT score and GPA.
Lawyers are gladiators of the English language. Words are their weapons. So if you’re entering the arena of legal practice, you’d better hone your vocabulary. This week, Ben and Nathan encourage listeners to keep a dictionary handy and to embrace a growth mindset when it comes to their English proficiency. Later, the guys roast some of the internet’s most bizarre LSAT advice. They probe the motives of WashU’s “redacted review.” And they consider the benefits of taking a gap year before law school.
0:00 - January LSAT Registration - The January LSAT registration deadline is upon us. Ben and Nathan explain why November test takers should plan to retake in January.
8:32 - Vocabulary - Nathan and Ben explain how to approach unfamiliar words on the LSAT.
21:44 - Word of the Week - Ben and Nathan upbraid LSAT students who don’t make efforts to expand their vocabulary.
27:08 - Pearls vs. Turds - Nathan and Ben are flummoxed by a blog post that advises LSAT students to align their LSAT prep with their future law school specializations.
45:56 - Score Increase Addendum - Some law schools require applicants to write addendums addressing significant LSAT score increases. Nathan and Ben recommend a one-sentence response.
52:12 - WashU “Redacted Review” - Washington University School of Law allows applicants to redact their LSAT or GPA on their applications. What’s the catch? The redacted info is still considered when awarding scholarships. Ben and Nathan view “redacted review” as just another tactic to solicit applications.
1:10:45 - Scholarship Estimator - Year after year, law schools play the same old scholarship game. The LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator helps applicants play along.
1:17:29 - Gap Years - Should you take a gap year? Probably. Nathan and Ben discuss how taking an extra year to increase your LSAT score can transform you as a law school applicant.
1:24:28 - Shoutouts - LSAT Demon student Tanya thanks teachers Ala and Brandon for helping her on her LSAT journey.
LSAT students have a limited-time opportunity to conquer Logic Games before they’re gone for good. This week, Nathan and Ben share insights on strategically planning your official LSAT attempts in anticipation of the upcoming changes. The guys also clarify what counts as an “assumption” in Logical Reasoning. They advocate a low-key approach to communicating with admissions offices. And they premiere a new “Word of the Week” segment.
3:51 - January LSAT Registration - Ben and Nathan give listener Jason their conditional approval to register for the January LSAT despite Jason’s inconsistency in Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. The next four LSAT administrations are golden opportunities for students who have mastered Logic Games.
7:08 - LSAT Swagger - Listener Brennan hesitates to register for an official test despite scoring as high as 177 on practice tests. Nathan and Ben encourage Brennan to show some well-earned LSAT swagger and to stop giving the test too much respect.
13:44 - January LSAT Study Plan - Whether you’re taking the LSAT in a month or in a year, your study plan should remain the same.
22:16 - Assumptions - Nathan and Ben clear up a common misunderstanding about LSAT Logical Reasoning: An “assumption” doesn’t have to be unstated. It’s simply something that the author accepts as true without question.
27:36 - Application Timeline - Ben and Nathan advise listener Madeline to take some pressure off her January LSAT by planning to apply next cycle.
34:00 - Application on Hold - Listener Dylan’s application to Fordham University was recently put on hold. Nathan and Ben counsel Dylan to shift his focus to schools that demonstrate their interest through scholarships offers.
38:53 - Letters of Continued Interest - Ben and Nathan share some advice on how to communicate with law school admissions offices. You don’t need to hire a high-priced consultant to help you draft your emails. Just be brief, polite, and genuine.
46:48 - Retake a 175? - Canadian applicant Alex considers retaking the LSAT after scoring an official 175. The guys see no downside but little upside.
51:46 - Law Schools for JAG - An anonymous applicant seeks advice on how to pick a law school if cost and ranking aren’t a concern. Nathan and Ben highlight the value of attending a law school where you’ll stand out among your peers.
59:02 - Word of the Week - The guys kick off a new weekly segment in which they plumb the meanings of interesting words.
Test day doesn’t always go as planned. From tech problems to tricky logic games, unexpected challenges during an official LSAT attempt can be intimidating for many students. But the best-prepared test takers don’t hide from their fears—they plan for them. Also on this week’s pod, Ben and Nathan discuss why retaking is almost always the correct decision, how students can learn from their mistakes, and what low-GPA applicants can do to bolster their applications.
1:45 - October LSAT Scores - Nathan and Ben applaud LSAT Demon students’ successes on the October LSAT. The guys encourage anyone who was disappointed with their score to retake.
11:09 - Test Anxiety - Ben and Nathan describe a powerful technique for dealing with test anxiety: anticipate test-day challenges, and plan how you’ll respond.
16:14 - Learning from Mistakes - The goal of review is to learn from your mistakes so that you don’t repeat them. The guys suggest some review questions to ask yourself to help accomplish this goal.
25:26 - “Lived Experience” Essays - Some law schools are now inviting applicants to write “lived experience” essays in place of traditional diversity statements.
30:42 - Low GPA - Nathan and Ben answer a series of listener questions about applying with a low GPA. The guys advise restraint in GPA addendums, and they remind listeners that nothing atones for a low GPA like a high LSAT score.
Law school isn’t a level playing field. First-generation college students face significant disadvantages in law school, as reported by the Law School Survey of Student Engagement. Nathan and Ben discuss the major challenges that await first-gen students—underscoring the importance of not paying for law school. Later, the guys explain their approach to questions that they can’t immediately solve. They urge a geographically limited applicant to expand their list of schools. And they deliberate on a listener’s choice between the LSAT and the GRE.
2:28 - LR in the Real World - The guys use their Logical Reasoning expertise to criticize a sentimental bumper sticker. Ben reveals why he isn’t a big fan of poetry.
6:58 - First-Gen Students - The Law School Survey of Student Engagement sheds light on the challenges faced by first-generation college students attending law school.
19:46 - Timing - Nathan and Ben instruct an LSAT Demon student to ignore the clock and to answer questions at their own pace. The guys also advise against flagging questions to review later. And they explain when to move on from a question that you haven’t fully solved.
36:42 - Apply Broadly - Ben and Nathan encourage listener Nikki to apply broadly despite her limited geographical flexibility. Nikki can’t make a well-informed decision about law school without gauging her value in the marketplace.
42:26 - Applying with a Criminal Record - People with felony convictions aren’t immediately disqualified from practicing law in most states, but they face an uphill battle and increased scrutiny. The guys refer an anonymous listener to Yale’s page on applying with a criminal record.
47:27 - GRE vs. LSAT - Should listener Sarthak skip the LSAT and apply to law school with his strong GRE scores? Nathan and Ben give Sarthak their blessing—as long as he's ready to turn down bad offers.
57:04 - Gap Semester - The guys see no need for listener Minnie to explain why she took a gap semester in college.
58:23 - Touring Law Schools - Ben and Nathan consider a possible downside to campus visits. Law schools could charge higher prices to applicants who demonstrate a high level of interest in their schools.
Logic Games will soon be on their way out, and many LSAT students are now grappling with the decision of whether to study them. Should you invest time in mastering LG, or should you pivot toward preparing for a games-free LSAT? In this week’s discussion, Ben and Nathan advocate a balanced approach that prepares students for any version of the test. Later, the guys provide feedback on personal statement topics, share the key to unlocking perfect RC passages, and weigh the pros and cons of retaking the test.
3:28 - Should I Keep Studying LG?
With Logic Games leaving the LSAT in August 2024, listener Amanda is unsure whether to continue practicing LG or to shift her focus solely to Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. Nathan and Ben propose a flexible study plan that allows Amanda to keep her options open.
10:59 - Personal Statement Topics
Ben and Nathan provide insights on several listeners’ personal statement topics. One applicant intends to explain a career change. Another wants to address their ADHD diagnosis. A third considers highlighting their ethnicity and cultural heritage.
32:24 - Perfect Passages
Listener Regan rarely scores perfectly on a logic game or RC passage. Nathan and Ben challenge Regan to pick an answer only when they’re certain it’s correct.
36:09 - Eliminating Wrong Answers
If you’re critical of the answer choices, you can eliminate wrong answers without fully explaining why they’re wrong.
40:32 - Parallel Reasoning
Some Parallel Reasoning questions present answer choices that rearrange the premises and the conclusion. Ben and Nathan demonstrate an intuitive approach to solving these questions.
46:34 - Drilling LR Question Types
Students often struggle to distinguish Necessary Assumption questions from Sufficient Assumption questions. Nathan and Ben see value in designating time to drill these and other commonly confused question types.
49:30 - Downside to Retaking?
Nolan worries that law schools might view him unfavorably if he retakes the LSAT and gets a lower score. Ben and Nathan assure Nolan that any potential downside of retaking is negligible, and the potential rewards could be game-changing.
The era of LSAT logic games is coming to a close. Beginning in August 2024, the exam’s Analytical Reasoning section will be removed, making room for a second section of Logical Reasoning. Ben and Nathan share their take on the news and offer advice to present and future LSAT students. Later, the guys cast doubt on income-driven loan repayment programs. They urge listeners to see the LSAT as a stepping stone, not a stumbling block. And they assess the admissions prospects of low-GPA splitters.
1:28 - Logic Games Going Away
Nathan and Ben lament LG’s imminent demise.
20:37 - Pearls vs. Turds
Should listener Taylor attend an overpriced law school and trust a federal income-driven repayment program to help pay off their debt? Ben and Nathan caution Taylor to steer clear of loan forgiveness traps.
26:04 - LSAT Pressure
An anonymous listener struggles with burnout and anxiety. Nathan and Ben counsel Anonymous to accept a long-term LSAT study plan that doesn’t put life on hold.
39:50 - Return to Fundamentals
Despite recent success in their prep, an anonymous LSAT Demon student has reverted to some bad habits. Ben and Nathan recommend taking some time off from the LSAT and returning to fundamentals.
59:00 - Appealing to Retake
Listener TH shares the story of how they successfully appealed to take the LSAT a seventh time.
1:06:13 - Applying to HYS
An anonymous listener considers applying to a few elite law schools this year, then applying more broadly next cycle if necessary. Nathan and Ben worry that this plan could shut the door on scholarships from other excellent schools.
1:10:40 - GPA Questions
The guys address a series of questions from listeners with low undergraduate GPAs. Crushing the LSAT won’t erase an applicant’s low GPA, but it’s their best shot at tipping the scales in their favor.
Law schools thirsty for applicants may tell you that people rarely improve their LSAT score by more than a few points. This week, Ben and Nathan unpack the motivation behind this pernicious myth. Law schools don’t want you to improve your LSAT. They want your application now. Later, the guys discredit the impact of stamina on LSAT performance. They encourage listeners not to write addendums that draw attention to their weaknesses. And they consider the extent to which law school rankings matter outside of the T14.
3:57 - Law School Transparency - Nathan and Ben react to news that the U.S. Department of Education will soon require law schools to disclose more information about student debt and career outcomes.
10:42 - Patience Pays Off - Don’t rush to apply this cycle. Patient applicants can make life-changing improvements to their LSAT scores. Ben and Nathan also warn listener Jacob that law school isn’t a business investment—it’s a box to check en route to becoming a lawyer.
29:10 - Unlocking LG - The guys ponder what’s keeping LSAT Demon student Aidan from unlocking perfect scores in LG. They preach accuracy over speed and suggest that Aidan stop trying to finish all four games in a section.
34:03 - Premise Indicators - Ben and Nathan explain how words like “for” and “because” indicate premises.
36:52 - Strengthen and Weaken - The guys use a football analogy to illustrate different approaches to strengthening or weakening an argument.
42:22 - Stamina - Listener Jewel blames her lack of stamina for lower scores in the later sections of practice tests. Nathan and Ben fear that Jewel is engaging in a self-fulfilling prophecy.
48:30 - GPA Addendum - An anonymous listener asks whether to address a past substance abuse problem that negatively affected their undergraduate grades. Ben and Nathan advise Anonymous to highlight recent career accomplishments instead.
55:52 - Résumé Addendum - The guys encourage listener Sydney to refrain from writing an addendum that draws attention to a gap in their résumé.
58:24 - Do Rankings Matter? - Listener Chris wonders whether ranking matters outside of the T14. Nathan and Ben reiterate their 2x rule for law school rankings: When comparing one school to another, you shouldn’t consider their rankings unless they differ by twice as much or more.
One high-quality hour of study per day is all you need to beat the LSAT. Still, many students struggle to commit. This week, Nathan and Ben prompt listeners to prioritize and make time for the LSAT. Later, the guys question whether undergraduate GPA inflation is making law school admissions more competitive. They examine scholarships for in-state applicants. And they break down how to approach an LSAT question when all the answer choices seem terrible.
2:28 - September LSAT Scores - Ben and Nathan give props to LSAT Demon students who crushed the September LSAT.
12:30 - Two Practice Tests per Day? - Nathan and Ben question whether an anonymous listener’s extreme study schedule produces a placebo effect.
21:30 - Testing Center Procedures - Listener Serena shares news that in-person test takers may not use their own writing instruments. All scratch paper and pencils will be provided by Prometric. What to expect at a Prometric testing center
25:02 - Work-Life Balance - Listener Imani struggles to find time to study after a demanding day at work. The guys advise Imani to reconsider her priorities.
34:22 - GPA Inflation - Ben and Nathan assess Daisy's concerns about GPA inflation at top law schools. They recommend against writing a GPA addendum.
44:52 - Low GPA Admissions Chances - Nathan and Ben assure listener Andres that a good LSAT score could earn him scholarship offers from regional law schools despite his low GPA.
49:57 - In-State Disadvantage - Evidence and common sense suggest that law schools give bigger scholarships to out-of-state applicants.
54:31 - Picking the Least Bad Answer - Listener Sara asks how to find the correct answer when all options seem bad. Ben and Nathan push Sara to understand precisely what differentiates the answer choices.
Law school admissions is a competitive game, and schools are wary to admit applicants who are likely to enroll elsewhere. This week, Ben and Nathan examine a tactic that an admissions office may use to gauge an applicant’s interest in their law school. Later, the guys share some tips for overcoming test day anxiety, they evaluate a strategy for the closing minutes of timed sections, and they dig into the Flaw question type in Logical Reasoning.
0:58 - Updating a Personal Statement - Why might a law school invite you to rewrite your personal statement? Nathan and Ben suspect that they’re gauging your interest in their school. The guys remind listeners that lawyers never shy away from extra work if it helps to make their case.
34:48 - Test Day Anxiety - Ben and Nathan share some tips on how to mitigate test day anxiety.
41:41 - Question Timing - LSAT Demon student Lucy suggests a new feature that would show students how much time they spent on each question of a timed section. Nathan and Ben are open to the idea but doubt that such a feature would be as helpful as Lucy thinks.
44:30 - Last Five Minutes - Listener Hanna sees value in another prep company’s “five-minute plan” for when time is running low. Ben and Nathan don’t want a five-minute plan to distract Hanna from her 35-minute plan.
52:11 - Apply Now or After October? - An anonymous listener considers withdrawing from the October LSAT to apply earlier in the cycle. Nathan and Ben offer an alternative: apply next cycle with a better LSAT score.
1:00:38 - Flaw Questions - Ben and Nathan break down two of the most common phrasings for answer choices on Flaw questions.
1:13:51 - Plug and Chug - Nathan and Ben discuss why solving Logic Games is never an either-or decision between opposing methods. Everyone will discover their own best approach, which is often a blend of worlds and “plug and chug.”
1:18:48 - Personal Statement Topic - Ben and Nathan encourage an anonymous listener to focus their personal statement on career successes rather than an early-career layoff.
1:22:32 - Scholarship Estimator - Nathan and Ben explain some of the methodology behind the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator.
Judge Douglas R. M. Nazarian has served on the Appellate Court of Maryland since 2013. He joins Ben and Nathan to share his journey to the bench and to pull back the curtain on the work of an appellate court judge. He also discusses the mission of the Legal Accountability Project, the qualities he looks for in a judicial clerk, and factors to consider when deciding where to attend law school.
2:41 - Becoming a Judge - Judge Nazarian recounts the hard work, politicking, and luck involved in his multi-year journey to become an appellate court judge.
23:56 - How Decisions Are Made - Judge Nazarian describes the role of appellate courts. He explains why appeals aren’t simply “do-overs” and how lawsuits are shaped by individual discretion and the rules of evidence.
40:37 - Judicial Clerkships - Judge Nazarian discusses the Legal Accountability Project’s mission to bring greater transparency to the judiciary and more diversity to judicial clerkship hires. He also lists the qualities he looks for when hiring clerks and details the role that clerks play in crafting judicial decisions. Listen to Episode 418 for more on the Legal Accountability Project and judicial clerkships.
59:18 - Choosing a Law School - Judge Nazarian shares his advice for choosing the right law school. He deemphasizes rankings and assures listeners that where they go to law school won’t fully determine their career outcomes.
Kate Bridal and Josey Hoff, hosts of The Legal Burnouts podcast, join Ben and Nathan to discuss why burnout is such a common problem for legal professionals. They advise future lawyers on how to plan for a healthy, sustainable career.
Follow Kate @bridalpartyof5 on Instagram and TikTok, and follow Josey @jh_thelegalburnouts on Instagram.
1:47 - Legal Burnout - Josey and Kate share their stories of burnout and warn listeners about the realities of legal practice. Toxic law firm culture, zero work-life balance, pervasive mental health and drug problems, and student loan debt all plague legal professionals. Even if you love the law, you may never enjoy working in the law.
26:08 - Nonprofit and Public Interest Work - Kate and Josey describe the emotional tolls of working for nonprofits in the public interest. While many people aspire to do this kind of work, systemic issues make it more challenging and less fruitful than they’d envisioned. Law students often feel constant pressure from their peers and their law schools to work in a traditional law firm—not in the public interest. And practically no one follows through on plans to leave big law for a nonprofit once their student loans are paid off.
1:02:48 - Advice for Students - Josey and Kate advise prospective law students to seek out lawyers and to gain law firm work experience before deciding to go to law school. They also explain the importance of setting personal boundaries in law school and with clients so that the law doesn’t consume your life.
1:07:00 - The Legal Burnouts Podcast - Kate and Josey share the backstory on how they met, why they decided to start their podcast, and who some of their favorite guests have been so far.
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAPs) are often touted as silver bullets of student loan debt relief for low-earning public interest lawyers. But as good as loan forgiveness sounds, LRAPs are riddled with caveats and conditions that may leave some students with far bigger student loan bills than expected. This week, Nathan and Ben present a list of questions that any LRAP hopeful should ask. They conclude that an upfront scholarship should always be preferred over dependence on loan forgiveness.
1:12 - Real-Life LR Flaw - The guys crack up over some car shopping advice that reads like a flawed argument from LSAT Logical Reasoning.
3:39 - LSAT Writing - Listener Dastin provides an update on the functionality of the LSAT Writing interface. You can use the cut, copy, and paste commands while writing your official submission, but not while taking notes in the “digital scratch paper.”
5:45 - New Test Dates - Additional test dates have been added to the October 2023 and November 2023 administrations of the LSAT. Sessions have been added on October 15 and 16 as well as November 8 and 9.
7:19 - August LSAT Shout-Outs - Ben and Nathan give props to LSAT Demon students who crushed the August LSAT. The guys implore listeners not to settle for a lower score than they’re capable of.
19:50 - August LSAT Disappointments - Not everybody who took the August LSAT was happy with their score. Nathan and Ben address some common reasons for underperformance on test day and share advice on how to avoid these pitfalls in the future. They also counsel patience to anyone who feels rushed to apply with a less-than-great LSAT score.
33:31 - Diminishing Returns on Retakes - How high do you have to score before retaking no longer makes sense? It depends on where you plan to apply.
36:35 - LSAT First, Apply Later - Nathan and Ben recap an admissions event that dished out some questionable advice for law school applicants.
54:57 - Loan Repayment Assistance Programs - A friend of LSAT Demon and current student at Yale Law proposes some questions to ask before committing to a top school’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP). These programs may sound appealing, but they’re often far less helpful than you’d think.
Ben and Nathan are joined by Aliza Shatzman, founder of the Legal Accountability Project. Aliza describes the project’s mission to bring greater transparency to judicial clerkships and to promote positive clerkship experiences. She and the guys discuss why law schools sometimes obscure the truth about judicial clerkships, how the Legal Accountability Project will democratize information regarding clerkships, and what future law students can do now to prepare for clerking.
You can find Aliza on LinkedIn and Twitter @AlizaShatzman. Follow the Legal Accountability Project on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @The_LAP_
1:12 - The Legal Accountability Project - Special guest Aliza Shatzman recounts how the harassment and discrimination she faced as a judicial clerk led her to create the Legal Accountability Project. She advocates greater transparency and workplace protections for judicial clerkships. Read Aliza’s testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
11:51 - Clerkships Database - Aliza introduces the Legal Accountability Project’s Clerkships Database, which aims to democratize information about judges and serves as a “Yelp for clerkships.” Aliza describes how she’s working to gain the support of judges and law schools.
36:19 - Advice for Future Law Students - Aliza offers advice to future law students who may want to pursue judicial clerkships: Start networking with judges and professors early, apply broadly, and don’t assume that your law school’s guidance is sound. Aliza also explains why federal clerkships aren’t always better than state clerkships.
With the deadline to register for the October LSAT only days away, Nathan and Ben share some advice to students who are on the fence about registering. Simply put, your recent practice test scores will tell you whether you’re ready to take the test. The guys also consider what a “reasonable” price for law school would be, discuss how best to negotiate law school scholarships, and uncover a pearl of wisdom regarding Main Point questions in RC.
2:20 - October LSAT Registration - Nathan and Ben counsel LSAT Demon student Nafosat on whether she’s ready to register for the October LSAT.
7:25 - U. Chicago Settlement - Ben and Nathan comment on a recent Reuters article about alleged price fixing by elite U.S. colleges and universities. The guys remind applicants that law schools are in it for the money.
14:24 - Don’t Pay for Prestige - An anonymous listener asks whether it’s reasonable to pay $40k annual tuition to attend an elite law school. Nathan and Ben discourage listeners from paying for “prestige.”
20:18 - Negotiating Scholarships -
Listener Perrin asks how to negotiate law school scholarships. Ben and Nathan recommend applying broadly to discover your value in the marketplace, then using better offers as bargaining chips.
LSAT Demon Daily, Ep. 163: How to Negotiate Law School Scholarships
24:51 - Saving Practice Tests - Ben and Nathan assure students that there’s no need to save newer practice tests for later.
25:32 - Pearls vs. Turds - LSAT Demon team member Elizabeth suggests a fun way to judge Main Point answer choices in Reading Comprehension.
28:51 - Personal Statement Topic - “I’m boring,” laments an anonymous LSAT Demon student struggling to pick a personal statement topic. Nathan and Ben encourage Anonymous to write about a work experience that showcases their work ethic and problem-solving skills.
32:22 - Focus on Accuracy - Listener Mason feels discouraged because he’s still scoring -10 in Logical Reasoning. Ben and Nathan instruct Mason to slow down and focus on accuracy.
35:43 - Test Limit Exemptions - When requesting an exception to LSAC’s limits on repeating the LSAT, it’s not enough to cite “underperformance” on official tests. Nathan and Ben consider the sorts of extenuating circumstances that might qualify for an exemption from the five-test limit.
Ross Guberman is one of the world’s top legal writing experts. He’s the author of Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation’s Top Advocates, and Point Taken: How to Write Like the World’s Greatest Judges. His newest project, BriefCatch, is an AI-powered legal writing tool that offers real-time editing suggestions on legal documents. Ross joins Ben and Nathan to discuss law school, legal writing, and the evolving role of AI in the legal profession.
0:45 - August LSAT - Ben and Nathan address the technical difficulties that arose during the August LSAT. They encourage test takers to embrace such challenges rather than crumple under the stress.
9:33 - LSAT Demon Discounts - LSAC fee waiver recipients can get four months of LSAT Demon Basic for only $38, or 20% off any paid plan. Visit lsatdemon.com/plans or email help@lsatdemon.com to learn more.
13:07 - LSAT Demon Discord - LSAT Demon subscribers can join the LSAT Demon Discord to connect with teachers and fellow students.
13:31 - Updates to LSAT Writing - LSAT Writing no longer allows the use of physical scratch paper. Test takers will instead have “digital scratch paper” available in the testing interface. Read more about LSAT Writing’s requirements and prohibited items here.
16:49 - Introducing Ross Guberman - Legal writing expert Ross Guberman reflects on his career as a lawyer and legal writing consultant.
30:21 - The Value of Law School - Ross, Nathan, and Ben criticize law schools for inadequately preparing students to pass the bar and find legal work.
46:22 - Great Legal Writing - Ross describes how his experience conducting writing workshops for judges and lawyers led to the creation of BriefCatch, an AI-powered tool that aims to standardize legal writing.
59:59 - ChatGPT - Ross and Ben discuss how lawyers are currently using AI tools like ChatGPT and what sort of legal work such tools could automate in the future.
Sydney Montgomery is the Executive Director and Founder of Barrier Breakers, a nonprofit that aims to increase access to higher education for BIPOC and other marginalized students. Sydney returns to Thinking LSAT to share her insights into what the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action means for applicants of color. She and the guys also discuss perils of student loan debt and Sydney’s work to help applicants secure their best possible scholarship offers.
0:00 - Introducing Sydney Montgomery - Sydney Montgomery introduces her edtech software company, Outline It, Inc., which helps students organize and outline their writing projects. She then speaks about her admissions consulting work through Barrier Breakers and S. Montgomery Admissions Consulting. Sydney insists that anyone pursuing law school answer two questions: Why law school? And why now?
17:21 - Supreme Court Decision - Sydney reacts to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action in college admissions. She believes that the decision will lead to much confusion in law school admissions and increase the burden on applicants of color. She maintains, however, that the elements of a strong application have not changed.
29:37 - Student Loan Debt - Sydney acknowledges that graduate students of color have about twice as much student loan debt as their white counterparts. Barrier Breakers aims to help applicants and students make sound financial decisions at every stage in their journey. Law school should be an opportunity to break cycles of generational poverty and debt—not to create more.
57:48 - Scholarships - Sydney encourages applicants to apply broadly to increase their chances of receiving excellent scholarship offers. She also steers applicants away from conditional scholarships, which Nathan and Ben dub “scams.” Sydney and the guys agree that the best thing for many applicants to do is postpone their applications and work on increasing their LSAT scores.
Cece Xie is a lawyer, writer, and content creator who became wildly popular on social media while working as an associate at a big law firm. She joins Ben & Nathan to talk about her upcoming book. They discuss why law schools push students toward big law and what it takes to climb the law firm hierarchy.
Follow Cece on Substack, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and her website.
0:00 - Introducing Cece Xie - Ben and Nathan welcome Cece to the show and ask what she’s been up to after leaving her job in big law last year.
8:22 - Cece’s Book - Cece shares some details about her upcoming book: part memoir, part exposé of big law culture.
17:56 - The Big Law Pipeline - Cece describes the mutualistic relationship between law schools and big law recruiting. She warns listeners that career services offices don't have students’ best interests at heart. And neither do law firms.
27:48 - Thriving in Big Law - The skills that make you a good junior associate won’t help you make partner. Cece explains why business development is crucial to advancing your career in big law.
38:38 - Big Law Compensation - Cece breaks down the reality of big law compensation and explains why it’s less stable than many people think.
42:45 - Making Connections - Knowing the law gets you only so far in big law. Cece shares how a successful lawyer forms strategic connections within the firm’s hierarchy. She encourages listeners to schedule face time with lawyers to explore different practice areas.
55:11 - No More Ctrl+F - Starting with the August test, the LSAT will prohibit the use of keyboard commands, including Ctrl+F. Test takers will now have the option to use a search bar in the test interface. Nathan and Ben still don’t recommend using the search function.
Perfect accuracy on LSAT Reading Comprehension is within your reach. LSAT Demon teacher Chris Murphy joins Nathan to help listeners maximize their potential in RC. Chris and Nathan describe what confidence looks like in RC and why it’s crucial to success. They also praise the shift to online education, consider possible downsides to retaking the LSAT, and assess a Pearls vs. Turds candidate about leaving answer choices open.
0:00 - August LSAT Pretest Pump-Up - Chris and Nathan invite August test takers to LSAT Demon’s Pretest Pump-Up on August 9. Come meet fellow test takers and get last-minute tips from LSAT Demon teachers. All you need to join is an LSAT Demon Free account.
3:27 - Online Law School - An anonymous listener worries that attending an online law school could hurt their networking opportunities. The guys explain why the opposite might actually be true. Nathan maintains that the future of law school and the legal profession is online.
31:48 - Building Confidence - An anonymous LSAT Demon student struggles to commit to answer choices in Reading Comprehension, frequently double-checking answer choices they’ve already eliminated. Nathan and Chris suggest how Anonymous can find some RC swagger.
47:14 - Perfect Accuracy in RC - Listener Joe has yet to achieve perfect accuracy on RC passages despite slowing down. Chris and Nathan remind Joe that slowing down is not enough. Start predicting answers, and embrace the idea that on Reading Comprehension, they’re all Must Be Trues.
57:12 - Downside to Retaking? - Is there ever a downside to retaking? Some listeners question Nathan and Ben’s recent advice about whether to retake a 174. Nathan reiterates that as long as law schools only care about your highest scores, there’s really only upside to retaking.
1:33:43 - Pearls vs. Turds - Chris and Nathan assess a student’s advice on not eliminating answer choices too quickly.
Diagramming in Logical Reasoning is time-consuming, confusing, and error-prone. Ben and Nathan advocate an intuitive approach to Logical Reasoning that promotes real understanding and long-term growth. In this week’s episode, the guys warn listeners of the perils of LR diagrams and demonstrate a commonsense alternative. Later, they recommend an ASAP approach to reviewing mistakes, discourage school list disclosures on applications, and advise students not to skip “hard” questions in timed sections.
1:53 - Meditation - A listener praises LSAT Demon’s guided meditations and reminds fellow students to breathe.
3:31 - Don’t Diagram in LR - “It’s painful, boring, difficult, and confusing.” Nathan and Ben explain why they don’t diagram in Logical Reasoning. They demonstrate a more intuitive approach using an example from PrepTest J.
37:59 - Review Immediately - An anonymous LSAT Demon student struggles to explain their mistakes when reviewing questions they drilled hours earlier. Ben and Nathan insist on reviewing mistakes right away—especially in drilling.
45:24 - Where to Start? - Listener Aidan asks if he should master his strongest section before moving on to the other two. Nathan and Ben instruct Aidan to study all three sections from the start.
50:26 - Disclosing Your School List - Some law schools ask you to disclose the full list of schools to which you’re applying. The guys recommend that applicants leave this question blank if it’s optional. Your answer won’t help you, and it might hurt you.
55:35 - “Stated” Questions in RC - An anonymous Ask Button correspondent bemoans how long it takes them to answer Stated questions in Reading Comprehension. Ben and Nathan diagnose Anonymous’s problem: reading the passage too quickly.
1:08:26 - ChatGPT for Applications - In last week’s episode, LSAC’s Kyle McEntee suggested that some law schools will start asking applicants whether they used AI in the creation of their applications. Listener Fran asks why anyone would disclose this information if the schools can’t determine it on their own. Nathan and Ben discourage using ChatGPT for law school applications in the first place.
1:13:25 - Don’t Skip Questions - Skipping the hard questions isn’t just a bad strategy—it might not even be possible. The guys dismiss question-skipping as an unhelpful gimmick that stymies real progress.
1:18:00 - Soft Factors - Listener Noah asks whether his work experience will give him a leg up on other applicants with similar hard stats. Ben and Nathan advise Noah not to use strong softs as an excuse to slack off on the LSAT.
1:26:04 - Income-Driven Repayment - Listener Justin suggests a new consideration for the guys’ discussion about President Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness plan. Nathan and Ben are unswayed.
LSAC’s Kyle McEntee rejoins the pod to share info about LSAC’s resources for law school applicants. Kyle and the guys also discuss the recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, the difficulty of fixing the problem of student loan debt, and law schools’ responses to applicants’ use of AI.
0:57 - Admission Unmasked - Kyle introduces Admission Unmasked, a free program of live events and on-demand learning modules designed to help applicants navigate the law school admission process.
7:27 - Supreme Court Decision - Kyle shares his perspective on how the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action will impact law school admissions: applicants shouldn’t let it affect where they apply.
11:01 - LSAC’s Mission - Kyle discusses LSAC’s mission to advance justice in the legal system and explains why the LSAT is a tool for equity in law school admissions. He points future law students to LSAC’s Ultimate Law School Prep course.
14:10 - Law School Forums - Kyle welcomes listeners to attend an upcoming LSAC Law School Forum. These forums give applicants a chance to meet directly with law school representatives and ask questions.
18:50 - Student Loan Debt - Kyle weighs in on the problem of law schools’ outrageous tuitions and argues that admissions officers share students’ concerns. Nathan and Ben emphasize the need for federal student loan reform—Kyle worries that capping student loans could hurt access and equity in college admissions.
34:09 - AI for Applications - Kyle urges caution to applicants using generative AI tools like ChatGPT. Law schools are still determining their policies regarding AI, and some schools may ask students whether they used AI to prepare their application materials.
45:17 - August LSAT Registration - Kyle provides an update on August LSAT registration. The registration system experienced some early glitches, but all tools are now back online and working.
53:22 - Income-Driven Repayment -
Ben and Nathan react to an article from Reason magazine claiming that President Biden’s new income-driven repayment plan will probably drive tuitions even higher. The guys expound on the perils of debt and warn applicants not to listen to advice that comes directly from law schools.
Freakonomics Radio, Ep. 377: The $1.5 Trillion Question: How to Fix Student-Loan Debt?
Beginning with the August LSAT, certain key words like “except” will be presented in lowercase bold rather than ALL CAPS. On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan react to the change and give a crash course on how to approach these types of questions. The guys also discuss another perspective on affirmative action in college admissions, celebrate LSAT Demon students’ successes on the June LSAT, and implore listeners to turn off the clock while taking timed practice tests.
1:45 - Affirmative Action - The guys discuss a New York Times opinion piece about the shortcomings of affirmative action for most college students.
25:06 - Changes to “Except” Questions - Nathan and Ben explain why they like the change to the presentation of “except” questions on the LSAT. They then share some tips on how to approach these types of questions.
40:26 - June LSAT Score Release - Listeners share their success stories from the June LSAT.
43:31 - Turn Off the Clock - Listener Ikey blames his inconsistency in RC for his disappointing score on the June LSAT. Ben and Nathan remind Ikey that it’s okay not to finish the section. Ikey should turn off the clock and commit to solving every question that he attempts.
50:31 - Ignore Game Types - Listener Steven’s habit of skipping “circle” games in his prep came back to haunt him on the June LSAT. Nathan and Ben encourage Steven to ignore game types and treat every logic game as a solvable puzzle.
57:58 - Full Rides and Stipends - Listener Parker asks for help assessing whether his local law school awards stipends in addition to full-tuition scholarships. The guys dig into the ABA 509 data, but they implore Parker to apply broadly and not to bank on a great offer from a single school.
1:12:39 - Don’t Skip Questions - Listener Angelica was taught to skip certain games and question types. Ben and Nathan reject this approach. They advise Angelica to answer the questions in order and not to worry about “pacing” strategies.
1:24:51 - Personal Statement Topic - Listener Jane worries that her law firm work experience is too generic to write about in her personal statement. Nathan and Ben assure Jane that “generic” isn’t a problem for law schools, who are in the business of producing Big Law worker bees.
1:31:13 - 3+3 Programs - The guys warn listeners against 3+3 programs that lock you into law school after only three years of undergrad.
1:37:39 - School Visits - Ben and Nathan advise listener Caleb to delay his law school visits until after he’s received his scholarship offers.
1:47:28 - Patent Law - Listener Jay asks whether it’s worth it to take some science classes as a step toward working in patent law. Nathan and Ben suggest that Jay instead find work in a law office to gauge his actual interest in legal practice.
Understanding the difference between necessary and sufficient is necessary—but not sufficient—for success on the LSAT. This week, Nathan and Ben illustrate the difference using some morbid examples of their own invention and a less gory one from PrepTest 65. Later, the guys examine a study that suggests that 76% of legal jobs are at risk of automation by AI. They weigh a listener’s chances of reaching the T14 with a 3.0 GPA. And they encourage applicants to treat their personal statement like a Tinder profile.
4:41 - Sufficient vs. Necessary - Ben and Nathan evaluate an LSAT Demon student’s method of distinguishing sufficient conditions from necessary conditions.
12:13 - Example: Sufficient vs. Necessary - To illustrate sufficient and necessary conditions in action, Nathan and Ben attempt a Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 65. Try the question for yourself here. Then listen to Ben and Nathan’s explanation.
25:01 - Slow Down to Speed Up - Listener Henry strives to focus on accuracy over speed. But his long-term goal of scoring in the 170s may be sabotaging his approach. The guys encourage Henry to slow down and focus on one question at a time.
33:18 - AI Replacing Lawyers? - Ben and Nathan examine a Yahoo! Finance article about the legal industry’s significant exposure to automation through AI tools like ChatGPT.
38:03 - T14 with a 3.0? - Listener Cassandra wonders whether her URM status could help her into a T14 school despite her mediocre GPA. The guys suspect that it will, but they question the importance of attending a T14 and advise Cassandra to apply broadly.
47:25 - How to Start Studying - Nathan and Ben direct a new student to their One-Hour LSAT study schedule for guidance on how to start studying. They explain why students benefit from taking timed sections in addition to drilling untimed questions from the beginning of their study.
58:10 - Applicants Without GPAs - Ben and Nathan suggest that an applicant’s LSAT score is even more important when that applicant lacks a traditional GPA.
1:01:10 - Create FOMO - The guys advise an anonymous listener to treat their personal statement like a Tinder profile: omit anything negative and stick to the stuff that’ll leave law schools with FOMO.
1:06:20 - Grade Point Median? - Nathan and Ben counsel listener Mike not to use an unconventional statistic in his GPA addendum.
1:11:31 - Student Loans and Tuition Hikes - The guys discuss a Washington Post opinion piece that examines how student loan programs have inflated college tuition.
Ben and Nathan weigh in on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which bans the consideration of race as a specific factor in college admissions. The guys discuss what this might mean for future law school applicants. Read the Supreme Court’s opinion here.
To succeed in LSAT Logical Reasoning, you must learn to identify conclusions. On this week’s podcast, Ben and Nathan respond to Ask Button questions from students who struggled to distinguish conclusions from premises. The guys suggest three ways to find the main conclusion of an argument. Later, Ben and Nathan discuss how to apply Reading Comprehension skills to Logical Reasoning. They evaluate some dubious strategies for comparative passages in RC. And they answer a grab bag of admissions-related questions.
0:56 - Identifying Conclusions and Premises -
Nathan and Ben demonstrate how to identify argument parts on two practice questions:
The guys discuss why it’s dangerous to rely on keywords alone and suggest three ways to spot conclusions in Logical Reasoning.
41:16 - Good at RC, Bad at LR - Reading Comprehension has always come naturally to listener Zachary, but he struggles with Logical Reasoning. Ben and Nathan suspect that Zachary isn’t reading arguments carefully enough. They encourage Zachary to find ways to treat LR like RC.
48:23 - Comparative Passages - The guys shoot down some bad strategies for comparative passages in Reading Comprehension.
55:50 - Make Time for the LSAT - Listener Chance asks for study tips for students whose busy schedules allow them to listen to lessons only while driving. Nathan and Ben remind Chance that some of his competitors find time to study consistently despite keeping even busier schedules. One high-quality hour a day is all you need.
1:01:59 - LSAC GPA vs. Transcript GPA - Ben and Nathan explain the difference between the GPA on your transcript and the GPA that LSAC reports to law schools.
1:04:10 - Legal Woes in Personal Statements - Nathan and Ben discourage an anonymous listener from writing about their past arrest in their personal statement. They advise Anonymous to relegate the topic to a character and fitness addendum and to treat their personal statement as their sales pitch.
1:11:14 - LOR Access Waiver - The guys advise listener Christian to waive his right to access his letters of recommendation. They warn Christian that if he feels the need to review his LORs, then he’s requesting them from the wrong people.
1:13:20 - From Lassos to Law School - Listener Jake asks whether law schools will appreciate his work history as a professional cowboy. Ben and Nathan discuss how Jake can make the most of his personal brand on his applications, but they remind him that soft factors are ultimately less important than LSAT and GPA.
LSAT Demon teacher Matt DuMont takes a break from bar prep to join Ben and Nathan for a deep dive into his law school experience. Matt shares insights into what future law students can expect and how they can set themselves up for success. Later, the guys break down the real-world benefits of LSAT prep, discuss whether applicants should care about school rankings, and consider the merits of a new alternative to the LSAT.
2:10 - Matt’s Road to Maryland - Matt just graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law near the top of his class. Today, he turns back the clock to share his law school application journey and discuss how he ended up at the University of Maryland.
11:33 - The Matthew Effect - The Matthew Effect is the tendency for those with advantage to accrue even more advantage over time. Matt turned down higher-ranked schools to attend the University of Maryland on a full-ride scholarship. He explains the advantages of attending a school that invested in him, including having a leg up on his competition for top jobs. Graduating debt-free means he can pursue his public interest goals without the pressure of paying off student loans.
28:38 - Tips for Law School -
Matt answers a bevy of questions from listener Mike about law school, including how much reading to expect each week, which classes to take after 1L, how to maintain mental health, and more.
49:32 - Real World Benefits of LSAT Prep -
Listener Ryan describes how studying LSAT Logical Reasoning helped him tackle a big project at work. Matt confirms that the LSAT helps to prepare you for law school and legal practice.
55:30 - Does School Rank Matter? - Does it really matter where you attend law school as long as you earn your JD? The guys discuss job outcomes that students can expect from differently ranked schools and opine on when it’s useless to compare school ranks. They double down on their advice to choose the best law school you can attend for free.
1:03:18 - A New Admissions Test - An anonymous listener asks Ben and Nathan to weigh in on JD-Next, the new ABA-approved admissions test launched by the University of Arizona. The guys don’t see it replacing the LSAT any time soon.
As the fall semester approaches, incoming 1Ls may wonder how to prepare themselves for law school. On this week’s episode, Nathan and Ben are joined by Angela Vorpahl, creator of the Law School Master Plan. Angela lays out what new law students should (and shouldn’t) do to build the skills they’ll need throughout law school.
0:00 - Testing Limits - Beginning with the August 2023 LSAT, test takers will no longer be restricted to three attempts per application cycle. You can take the LSAT up to five times in five years and seven times in a lifetime. Read LSAC’s policy on repeating the test here.
6:30 - What You Won’t Learn in Law School - Not only does law school not teach you what it takes to succeed in legal practice, it doesn’t teach you what it takes to succeed in law school. Angela Vorphal started her YouTube channel and consulting business to address that knowledge gap. She joins the guys to discuss why it’s crucial to go into law school with a plan to approach your study efficiently and with a focus on what really matters.
23:48 - How to Prepare for Law School - Angela explains why incoming law students should focus on strategies to hone their approach to law school rather than try to learn the substantive law on their own. Angela also shares some career development tasks that 1Ls can tackle to get a leg up on the competition.
52:53 - Application Timing - How late is too late to apply? Ben and Nathan double down on their advice to apply early. They implore students to decouple their LSAT study from any application timeline.
Reading faster won’t solve your problems on LSAT Reading Comprehension. On this week’s pod, Ben and Nathan encourage a time-conscious student to slow down and focus on understanding what they read, not how quickly they read it. Later, the guys discuss why it’s crucial to remain open to taking the LSAT up to five times. They explain the difference between finding the main point of an RC passage and the main conclusion of an LR argument. And they hear from a student who praises LSAT Demon’s intuitive approach to the LSAT.
0:47 - Read Better, Not Faster - Listener Connor worries that he reads too slowly to score well in LSAT Reading Comprehension or on his future law school exams. Nathan and Ben assure Connor that reading slowly isn’t a problem, but reading poorly is. The guys also briefly discuss disability accommodations in law school.
14:24 - LSAT Cross-Training - An anonymous listener credits their Logic Games practice for some of their progress in Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. Ben and Nathan confirm that improving at one section of the LSAT can make you better at all sections of the test.
18:33 - Expect to Retake - Listener Emily fears that she won’t match her practice test scores on her official test. The guys encourage Emily to overcome this fear by embracing the idea that she can take the test up to five times, and only her highest score matters.
34:04 - Finding the Main Point in RC - Nathan and Ben discuss how to uncover the main point of an RC passage—and how doing so differs from identifying the main conclusion of an LR argument.
44:36 - Trust Your Intuition - Listener David asks an overly technical question about mistakes in conditional logic. Ben and Nathan implore David to forget these technicalities and approach the test more intuitively. The guys then hear from a student who wholeheartedly endorses LSAT Demon’s intuitive approach to the LSAT.
1:00:42 - Nathan Wins the Bet - Listener Robert shares evidence to settle Ben and Nathan’s bet about whether high school sweethearts fare worse in marriage than other couples do.
LSAT Demon teacher and Logic Games guru Matt DuMont joins Ben to share some LG wisdom. Matt and Ben discuss their approach to building worlds in Logic Games and outline productive study habits. Later, the guys help a listener who is concerned about how law schools may view his personal brand. They warn applicants against throwing up red flags in optional essays. And they implore listeners not to decide on a law school before beginning their application process.
2:19 - Test Location Options - If you change your mind about taking the LSAT at a test center, you will have until three days before testing begins to schedule a remote session instead. If you’d like to switch from remote to in-person testing, you must do so before the seven-day deadline to schedule a test center.
5:35 - Worlds in Logic Games - Matt summarizes LSAT Demon’s world-building approach to Logic Games and answers some frequently asked questions:
How do I know when to stop making worlds?
What about games where it doesn’t make sense to build worlds?
21:59 - Do the “If” Questions First - Ben and Matt explain why they recommend answering “If” questions first in Logic Games: it’s a strategy that can’t hurt you and can sometimes help you by exposing you to new information about the game.
31:30 - Getting Faster in LG - Listener Don asks how to get faster at the games to overcome an LG plateau. Matt and Ben recommend attending live classes to sharpen world-building fundamentals, and they detail review methods that may help Don to approach games more efficiently.
46:01 - Does Law School Make Financial Sense? - Listener Brenda has sunk thousands of dollars and years of her life into preparing for the LSAT and law school. She now wonders whether law school is a wise financial decision. Ben and Matt advise Brenda to forget sunk costs and to reconsider going to law school if money is her motivation.
54:33 - Personal Brand - Listener Caleb worries that his religious college and work history may negatively impact his personal brand on law school applications. Matt and Ben discuss how Caleb can highlight his professional accomplishments without evangelizing.
1:00:38 - Optional Essays - Listener J is unsure how to approach optional essays related to diversity. Ben and Matt warn J not to overshare and to treat every essay as a potential red flag generator. If the essay won’t add something meaningful to your application, it’s better not to write it at all.
1:12:32 - Decide Last - Listener Marc has set his sights on Arizona State Law and asks when he should start studying for the LSAT. The guys worry that Marc has flipped the GLAD order of operations by deciding on a law school before applying. They encourage Marc to decide on a school at the end of his application process, not the beginning.
1:22:34 - Don’t Buy a Brand - Listener Jay asks whether he should accept a partial scholarship to his dream law school over a full ride at another good school. Ben and Matt counsel Jay not to invest in a law school’s “brand”—they want Jay to attend a school that invests in him.
After months of delays, the new law school rankings have arrived. Will changes to U.S. News’s methodology mean fewer merit scholarships? Ben is joined by TLP producer Erik to discuss the new rankings and how they might affect prospective law students. Later, Ben and Erik dig into the correlation–causation flaw, discuss the trouble with study timelines, and advise applicants on whether and how to write a GPA addendum.
1:57 - Law School Rankings - Ben and Erik recap U.S. News’s tumultuous year and consider how the new ranking methodology might impact law schools’ admissions and scholarship decisions.
31:57 - Correlation vs. Causation - Ben breaks down the correlation–causation flaw. While correlation alone doesn’t prove causation, it is evidence of causation.
38:40 - Study Tips for a Marine - An anonymous student who’s also an active duty Marine officer asks for advice on how to study for the LSAT. Ben and Erik explain why LSAT Demon is the perfect study tool for a student who frequently travels. They also encourage Anonymous not to settle for a 155 target score.
44:15 - When Should I Start Studying? - Listener Rebecca asks for help plotting out her LSAT study timeline. Ben and Erik advise Rebecca not to plan backward from a particular test date or admissions cycle. Instead, she should start studying without a timeline and to take a gap year if needed.
51:11 - GPA Addendum - Erik and Ben review listener Spencer's GPA addendum and offer some general rules for how to approach your GPA addendum—or whether to write one at all.
1:01:43 - Work-Study vs. Law School - Listener Breanna asks for the guys’ opinion on a program that would allow her to take the bar exam after a four-year work-study program with a judge or attorney in lieu of attending law school. Ben and Erik are optimistic but encourage Breanna to do her due diligence on the program’s job outcomes.
“Why are the LSAT Demon guys so rude?” LSAT Demon’s social media lead, Ashley joins Nathan and Ben to share this and other frequently asked questions from internet strangers on our social media. Later, the guys face a major setback in their dream of creating their own law school, they break down a tricky “determined” question in Logic Games, and they encourage a student to stop worrying about “plateaus.”
0:00 - FAQs from Social Media - Social media guru Ashley Beaver joins Ben and Nathan to answer some FAQs:
Which LSAT Demon plan should I start with?
Are Nathan and Ben friends in real life?
What LSAT score is good enough for me?
Why are the LSAT Demon guys so rude?
You can find Thinking LSAT and LSAT Demon on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
49:32 - ABA Accreditation - Listeners Bonnie and Jonathan share insights into the requirements for becoming an ABA-accredited law school. The guys rail against the absurdity of these regulations, which serve to entrench the power of existing law schools.
1:03:28 - Fatigue - Listener Patrick asks how to overcome mental fatigue at the end of practice tests. The guys assure Patrick that his LSAT endurance will improve naturally with time and practice.
1:05:53 - “Determined” Questions in LG - Nathan and Ben read an example of a “determined” question from PrepTest 65. They break down what this LG question type is asking and how to approach it.
1:08:32 - Focus on Your Mistakes - After years of study and four official test attempts, listener Sophie feels that she’s stuck in a plateau. How can she break free of her scoring slump on her fifth and final attempt? Ben and Nathan encourage Sophie not to obsess over practice test scores and to focus on her mistakes one question at a time.
1:14:24 - Diversity Statement - Listener Algernon considers writing a diversity statement about attending one of the few all-male colleges in the United States. Ben and Nathan doubt that such a statement would benefit Algernon, and they fear that it might highlight his naivety.
1:19:01 - Don’t Rush into Law School - Listener Marie asks for advice in creating an LSAT study schedule, but the guys question her motivations for pursuing a legal career. Career uncertainty isn’t a good reason to rush into law school.
Sometimes the writing on the LSAT feels deliberately opaque—especially when it uses abstract language. On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan break down a challenging Reasoning question from PrepTest 65 by linking abstract terms in the answer choices to specifics from the passage. Later, the guys explain why they no longer teach “assumption negation” on Necessary Assumption questions. They steer a student away from worrying about contrapositives. And they fantasize about building a better law school online.
0:41 - The LSAT Is Fun - The better you are at the LSAT, the more enjoyable it is. Ben and Nathan discuss why Logical Reasoning and Logic Games are their favorite sections of the test.
7:00 - Understanding Abstract Language - LSAT Demon student Eric asks how to approach questions that use awkward or vague language, like Logical Reasoning question 16 from PrepTest 65. Nathan and Ben parse each answer choice by tying abstract terms to concrete details in the passage. The guys instruct students not to settle for narrowing answer choices down to two or more contenders.
26:47 - Assumption Negation - Nathan and Ben explain why they no longer teach “assumption negation” on Necessary Assumption questions. They recommend a more intuitive approach: pick the answer choice that the author has to agree with.
32:03 - Forget Contrapositives - The guys tackle Logical Reasoning question 17 from PrepTest J. They champion a commonsense approach to the LSAT that doesn’t rely on contrapositives or indicator words. Students hinder their intuitive understanding of the test when they cling to overly technical “strategies” and dogma.
49:55 - Don’t Aim to Finish Sections - Ben and Nathan discuss the benefits of slowing down and attempting fewer questions rather than rushing to finish timed sections. Higher accuracy allows you to work less for more pay.
56:58 - Tuition Waivers and Online JDs - Listener L asks the guys to weigh in on a tuition waiver program that requires recipients to submit an IRS exemption form. Nathan and Ben fantasize about how an excellent online law school could disrupt the industry.
1:09:21 - Removing Failing Grades - An anonymous listener laments the fact that LSAC’s GPA calculation will include F’s that appear on their transcript even though their university has discounted those same grades. Ben and Nathan encourage Anonymous to continue petitioning to have failing grades entirely removed from their transcript.
1:15:43 - Prolonging Undergrad - Nathan and Ben weigh the value of prolonging an undergraduate degree in order to improve your GPA.
1:22:35 - Forty-Point Improvement? - Listener Jackson has already improved their score by twenty points but would need another twenty to reach their goal of 175. Ben and Nathan have never seen a forty-point improvement, but that doesn’t make it impossible.
From the “holy grail” of Logical Reasoning to roasting their own personal statements, Ben and Nathan celebrate 400 episodes by revisiting some of the podcast’s greatest hits. Later, the guys unpack the meaning of the word unless, address a discrepancy between drilling accuracy and timed-section scores, and advise a listener on whether to write a GPA addendum.
0:00 - The Best of Thinking LSAT -
Ben and Nathan revisit a few of Thinking LSAT’s best moments, handpicked by LSAT Demon team members:
15:08 - LSAT Price Increase - In August 2023, the LSAT test fee will increase to $222, and the CAS subscription fee will increase to $200.
16:35 - Unless - Listener Karl finds himself correcting people’s language more often as he studies for the LSAT. His wife isn’t amused. Nathan and Ben adjudicate a verbal dispute and explain that the word “unless” works like an escape hatch.
25:23 - Accuracy vs. Speed - The guys theorize why an anonymous listener performs worse on timed sections than in untimed drilling. They encourage Anonymous to find some swagger and to commit to leaving timed sections unfinished. Ben also shares some details about overcoming his struggles with reading.
39:13 - Application Deadlines - Listener K shares a chart comparing law school rankings and application deadlines. Ben and Nathan discuss some takeaways from the data.
46:22 - T14 with a Low GPA - Listener Jack worries that his low GPA will keep him out of the T14. Nathan and Ben think that Jack’s Reddit-fueled fears are overblown. They recommend that he apply broadly and make efforts to express his genuine interest in the schools he applies to.
57:25 - Lawyer Parents - An anonymous listener worries that law schools might discriminate against them for being the child of a lawyer. Ben and Nathan assure Anonymous that no such stigma exists in law school admissions.
1:04:00 - Own Your GPA - Listener Dan has a near-spotless undergraduate transcript. Should he write a GPA addendum to explain two outlier grades? Nathan and Ben suspect that addendums may exist so that law schools can gather unflattering info about their applicants. Dan would be better served by focusing on the positive parts of his application and not making excuses for low grades.
1:15:32 - High School Activities - An anonymous listener asks if it’s okay for a 19-year-old applicant to reference high school activities in their applications. Ben and Nathan encourage Anonymous not to rush and to get some work experience before going to law school.
1:19:27 - Marijuana Law - An anonymous listener worries that working for an attorney who practices marijuana law might be a red flag to some law schools. Nathan and Ben think that any school that discriminates on that basis probably isn’t a school that Anonymous would want to attend.
1:26:07 - Nothing’s Off the Table - The guys assure listener Jayson that no school is off the table as long as he applies broadly with his best LSAT score.
Your mind is awesome. Harness its power by training yourself to focus on what you choose. Today, Ben and Nathan extol the benefits of meditation as a way to reclaim control over your attention. Also on the pod, the guys emphasize the importance of understanding the passages in Reading Comprehension rather than simply trying to memorize facts. They explain why you should always plan to retake the LSAT. And they implore listeners not to let sunk costs guide their decision-making.
0:00 - LSAT Swagger - Confidence is key on the LSAT. Register for Nathan’s upcoming free class to learn how to approach the test with swagger.
4:10 - Remembering vs. Understanding - Listener Caleb shares how a mid-test epiphany unlocked his confidence in Reading Comprehension. Ben and Nathan encourage listeners to focus on understanding rather than memorizing RC passages.
15:23 - Always Retake - LSAT Demon student Conner lost focus during the April LSAT when he encountered an issue with his remote proctor. Nathan and Ben encourage Conner to retake the test. Just as lawyers exhaust all possible arguments to defend their clients, test takers should exhaust all possible attempts to achieve their best scores.
28:10 - Online vs. In Person - Several listeners share their opinions on the in-person test option for the 2023–2024 cycle. Ben and Nathan think that your test environment shouldn’t matter if you’ve mastered the LSAT. They recommend meditation and mindfulness practice as a powerful way to sharpen your focus.
42:56 - Academic Credibility - The guys assure listener E that an applicant’s GPA matters far more than the “academic credibility” of their degree. They advise E to remain brief and factual in any academic addendum.
50:26 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener Greg’s previous Pearls vs. Turds submission was judged a turd. Now he’s back with another potential pearl from his work as a police officer. Will Nathan and Ben ride along this time?
55:34 - Diagnostic Test - An anonymous listener asks whether they should begin with a cold diagnostic test or just start drilling. Ben and Nathan don’t think it matters as long as Anonymous starts practicing real LSAT questions and thoroughly reviewing their mistakes. Don’t get trapped by analysis paralysis when planning your LSAT prep.
1:12:56 - Forget Sunk Costs - After two years of studying, listener E is nowhere near their target score. E wants to throw in the towel and take the June test. Nathan and Ben implore E not to let a sunk cost cloud their judgment.
1:22:31 - GPA Appeal - Listener S shares how persistence paid off in appealing their GPA with their undergraduate institution.
1:28:40 - One Question at a Time - Listener Nick has his sights set on the T14 and big law, but he’s unsure how to boost his LSAT score into the 170s. Ben and Nathan point Nick back to the Demon way: focus on one question at a time.
You are online 24-7. The client is always right. “I don’t know” is never an acceptable answer. These are a few of the “non-negotiable expectations” of an attorney working in big law. Nathan and Ben react to a leaked training slide that recently went viral for showing how big-law associates are expected to devote their lives to their jobs. Later, the guys consider reasons for liking a particular law school when all law schools are basically the same. They distinguish between effective and ineffective approaches to reviewing Reading Comprehension. And they explain what they mean when they say, “Don’t pay for law school.”
4:22 - Big Law Expectations - Listener Michael shares a leaked list of “non-negotiable expectations” for associates at a big law firm. Ben and Nathan recommend that anyone with big-law aspirations take note of this glimpse into their future.
22:31 - Conditional Scholarships - Nathan and Ben suggest resources for investigating different schools’ conditional scholarships. You can avoid inferior scholarship offers altogether by applying early and broadly with your best LSAT score.
27:57 - Why Like a Law School? - Ben and Nathan think law schools are all pretty much the same. So what are some reasons for liking a particular law school? The guys discuss three factors: cost, location, and big-law placement.
35:52 - Reviewing RC - An anonymous LSAT Demon student feels that their improvement in Reading Comprehension has stalled. Nathan and Ben urge Anonymous to actively review their mistakes rather than passively watch video explanations.
48:47 - Reapplying - An anonymous listener asks whether they should revise their personal statement when reapplying. Ben and Nathan redirect Anonymous to focus on what really matters: their LSAT.
54:02 - Pay for Law School? - Listener Justin contemplates a conditional full ride to Hofstra versus an unconditional 95% scholarship to Albany. Nathan and Ben doubt that a conditional scholarship is worth the risk. The guys explain the nuance in their mantra “don’t pay for law school.”
58:41 - Online J.D. Programs - Listener Noora is exploring fully online J.D. programs like the one offered by St. Mary’s Law. Ben and Nathan see great benefits to such programs as long as the price is right.
1:06:57 - Should I Take the September LSAT? - The guys encourage an anonymous listener to take the LSAT multiple times and not to latch onto a particular application cycle.
1:10:16 - Application Deadlines - Listener Michael shares an email from UF Levin with a funny typo.
In-person testing is back. Beginning with the August 2023 LSAT, test takers will be able to choose between taking the LSAT at home or in person at a test center. Nathan and Ben weigh in on the announcement. Later, the guys extol the virtues of “inbox zero,” give advice on how to approach a delicate LOR request, and diagnose the likely cause of a listener’s disappointing application cycle.
1:09 - In-Person Testing - The guys react to the announcement that LSAC will resume administering the LSAT at in-person test centers for the 2023–2024 testing cycle. Beginning in August, test takers will have the choice of whether to take the test at home or in person.
12:09 - Inbox Zero - Ben and Nathan explain the purpose behind LSAT Demon’s Review Inbox feature and advise students on how to approach their review. The guys also praise the “inbox zero” approach to email management.
21:57 - Make the LSAT Fun - Demon student Bella has learned to love the LSAT after previously struggling with other prep companies. The guys view Bella’s progress as the natural outcome of the Demon’s commonsense approach.
26:35 - Should I Keep Going? - Listener Aly has mastered Logic Games but feels stuck in the other sections of the test. Should she keep studying or accept that she’s reached her limit? Nathan and Ben suggest ways to continue improving in Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension.
31:55 - Applying for Accommodations - Listener Isidora can’t apply for accommodations until she registers for an actual LSAT, but she doesn’t feel ready to take the official test. Ben and Nathan advise Bella to register and change her test date later if she needs to.
36:08 - A Risky LOR Request - Listener B worries that asking their current boss for a letter of recommendation might threaten their job security. Should B hide their law school plans from their employer? Nathan and Ben suspect that B is overthinking things.
44:38 - Comparing Scholarship Offers - Ben and Nathan compare listener Niki’s scholarship offers from a handful of schools in California. The guys encourage Niki to consider applying more broadly.
1:00:36 - Bluebooking with GhatGPT - An anonymous listener shares their negative experience using ChatGPT for citing legal sources. Nathan and Ben hold that, despite the chatbot’s current imperfections, AI is sure to have a profound impact on many lawyers’ jobs soon.
1:05:57 - What Did I Do Wrong? - Demon student G is confused by the results of their application cycle: a bunch of rejections and waitlists at schools where G expected scholarship offers. Ben and Nathan share their suspicions on where G went wrong.
Too much note-taking stymies understanding. Today on the show, Ben and Nathan discuss how to study effectively for a skills-based test like the LSAT. Hint: spend less time taking notes and more time engaging with the material. They also answer listeners’ questions about undergraduate versus graduate GPAs, LSAC fee waivers, and more.
4.14.2023 — April LSAT begins
4.25.2023 — June LSAT registration deadline
5.3.2023 — April LSAT scores released
6.9.2023 — June LSAT begins
6.28.2023 — June LSAT scores released
0:00 - Upcoming Free Class
Register for Ben’s free Reading Comprehension class on April 17.
1:48 - We’re Hiring
LSAT Demon is looking for former students who scored above 170 and are interested in teaching. Email help@lsatdemon.com with a screenshot of your official LSAT score and a video of you teaching a question or logic game.
2:59 - Don’t Pay for Law School - Listener Anthony writes in with good news: he took Ben and Nathan’s advice and will be going to law school for free. Congrats, Anthony!
12:19 - Fee Waivers and Graduate GPAs - An anonymous listener shares information about LSAC’s fee waiver timeline. The fee waiver kicks in when you get approved, not when you sign up for a test. Anonymous also asks about their graduate GPA and whether it will make their UGPA look better. It’s a soft factor, but it might be a point in your favor.
19:06 - Take Practice Tests in the Demon - A student emailed the Demon help team to ask why Law Hub and LSAT Demon calculated different scores for the same practice test. Law Hub uses an outdated scoring scale from when the test had four scored sections. Ben and Nathan advise Demon students to take their practice tests in the Demon.
24:29 - Is Note-Taking Effective? - Listener Jeff asks if he should start taking notes while he’s drilling. The guys assure him that taking notes isn’t necessary. Don’t fall into the trap of using note-taking as a crutch. Focus on real understanding. They clarify that it might be helpful to some students and offer advice on how to take notes effectively.
34:35 - There Are No Second-Best Answers - Jeff also asks about his self-diagnosed habit of picking commonly chosen wrong answers on Logical Reasoning questions. Ben and Nathan point out possible selection bias that occurs when students focus only on what they get wrong. They emphasize the power of prediction to solve the problem.
37:08 - Lawyers Ask for Special Treatment - Listener Will asks if he should contact his undergrad institution to request that they change some of his grades. The guys assure him that it’s worth a shot if he can make a convincing case for himself—the worst they can say is no.
41:50 - Listener Book Recommendation - Listener Molly writes in with a book recommendation endorsed by Ben and Nathan: Way Worse Than Being A Dentist: The Lawyer's Quest for Meaning, by Will Meyerhofer.
48:56 - Valuable Work Experience - Listener Sarah has 11 years of work experience as a paralegal. Still, she has concerns about her UGPA. Ben and Nathan recommend that she focus on her strengths, not her weaknesses.
55:10 - The LNAT Versus the LSAT? - Listener Peyton asks about law schools outside the United States and the Law National Aptitude Test. The guys think the LNAT sounds highly comparable to the LSAT.
58:12 - Personal Statement Feedback - Listener Sam wants to know if the guys plan to critique more applicants’ personal statements on the podcast before the next application cycle. Ben and Nathan encourage students looking for support on their personal statements to work with Leslie at LSAT Demon.
1:02:26 - ChatGPT’s Effect on Lawyers - Listener Ashwin asks for Ben’s and Nathan’s thoughts on how ChatGPT and other AI will affect the legal profession. The guys think AI will have a significant impact on many professions.
Novice LSAT students often sign up for test dates before they’ve even started studying. Today on the show, Ben and Nathan explain why it’s a mistake to register for the LSAT prematurely. They share the correct order of operations for deciding when to take the LSAT and apply to law school: (1) study for the LSAT, (2) sign up when you’re happy with your practice score range, and (3) apply with your best LSAT score on record, at the beginning of the cycle. Plus, the guys answer listener questions about LSAT Writing, GPA addenda, scholarship negotiations, and more.
0:00 - Don’t Register Until You’re Ready - The June LSAT registration deadline is coming up. But the test isn’t going anywhere. Ben and Nathan encourage listeners to register for an official LSAT only when your practice scores indicate that you’re ready to take the test.
1:38 - Don’t Rush Into Law School - An anonymous listener asks if applying to attend law school after undergrad will put them at a disadvantage compared to applicants who gain work experience before applying. Ben and Nathan maintain that everyone should take the time they need to get their highest LSAT score.
19:53 - Your Negotiation Power - An anonymous applicant asks for scholarship negotiation advice. Ben and Nathan share the most important factor in negotiation: your willingness to say no. As long as you’re willing to walk away, there’s always room to negotiate.
26:52 - UGPA Application Addendum - An anonymous listener asks for advice on how to write an addendum. Ben and Nathan caution applicants against making excuses. Put your best foot forward on your law school applications by highlighting your strengths, not your weaknesses.
36:20 - LSAT Writing Is Unscored - Listener Todd wonders what he should do to prepare for the writing portion of the LSAT. You can watch a Demon lesson and complete the LSAT writing portion online as soon as it’s available.
42:11 - LSAT Order of Operations - Listener Michael signed up for the LSAT before he started studying. The guys discuss why Michael, like many novice students, went about his LSAT journey in the wrong order. Students should begin studying for the LSAT first. Then, when you’re happy with your practice score range, sign up for the next official test date.
51:50 - Take the LSAT as Soon as You’re Ready - Student Aiden has been using the Demon for only two weeks and is currently scoring in the upper 150s. Nathan and Ben are confident Aiden can reach the 170s. They encourage him to take the test when he’s ready—which might be sooner than he planned.
56:58 - Don’t Lie on Your Resume - An anonymous listener is considering fudging dates of employment on their resume. Is lying worth the risk? The guys first note that March is way too late to apply to law school. Anonymous shouldn’t be applying now, and they shouldn’t lie on their resume when they apply in the future.
1:03:43 - Law School Employment Outcomes - Listener Pranav asks if he should avoid law schools with low employment outcomes. Employment outcomes are largely a function of the students’ merits, not necessarily the schools themselves. Going to a lower-ranked school and kicking ass will make you more likely to succeed than the average student.
1:12:56 - Get a Job - Anonymous is choosing between studying for the LSAT and a master’s program. Nathan and Ben suggest a third option: do neither. Get a job, and start earning money. You should take time to figure out what you want to do. Law school will always be there if you want to revisit it later.
1:18:53 - Don’t Apply Before You’re Ready -
Listener Jackson graduates next year and wants to apply to law schools this fall. He already took the LSAT before he was ready. Ben and Nathan advise him to push his application cycle.
Fixating on a goal score can be counterproductive. The only way to improve on the LSAT is to focus on understanding one question at a time. Today, Ben and Nathan offer listeners advice on topics ranging from finding study motivation to overcoming a low UGPA using the LSAT as your not-so-secret weapon. Plus, a couple of pre-law lovebirds wrote into the show this week, and the guys try their hand at relationship advice. They’d rather you go for the happy relationship than end up star-crossed attorneys in debt.
Watch Episode 394 on YouTube
0:00 - When Should You Quit? - An anonymous student is looking for guidance after they believe some barriers kept them from achieving a higher LSAT score. The guys weigh in with their thoughts on whether this student should work to raise their LSAT score or cut their losses and choose a different career path. Bottom line: Don’t take the official test again until you’re ready.
6:52 - Set Smaller Goals - Listener Christopher tells Ben and Nathan that he signs up for official LSAT test dates to stay motivated. The guys offer advice on how to study effectively and how to know when you’re ready to sign up for the official test. Don’t squander your limited attempts at the official LSAT—take it only when you’re happy with your practice test score range.
19:43 - Focus on Your Successes, Not Your Failures - Listener Jason asks Ben and Nathan how to explain that his grades dropped during the year that Covid forced classes online. The guys’ advice: Focus on positive facts about your stats—get the highest LSAT score you can, and don’t blame your undergrad institution for your lower grades.
28:37 - LSAT Scores Stay on Record for Five Years - Listener William is committed to going to law school only if it’s free. But he won’t be applying for four more years. Is it too early to start prepping for the LSAT? Ben and Nathan let William know that he’s doing everything the right way, but he should read the fine print on LSAC’s website or talk directly to a representative at LSAC to get the answer to this question.
32:02 - Lovebirds in Law School - An anonymous couple applying to law school together ask Ben and Nathan if they should take full-ride offers at a lower-ranked school or pay for the prestige that comes with attending a higher-ranked school. They share their dreams of being a law-school power couple, and the guys caution them about the road they’re about to embark on.
43:01 - Law School or Love? - An anonymous listener shares a Reddit post asking whether to write an addendum for low stats on law school applications. Anonymous says he’s limited to school in Los Angeles because he wants to be with the woman of his dreams. He’s worried that a subpar LSAT and UGPA will keep him from his betrothed. Ben and Nathan suggest that the woman of your dreams is more important than going to a bad law school with low stats. They advise Anonymous to give up the law dream for now and go get the girl.
50:47 - Speed Reading Isn’t Reading - Demon teacher Kevin shares a motivational quote that he found relevant to studying for the LSAT. Ben and Nathan agree. You can’t “speed read” and actually comprehend everything you’re reading.
52:26 - Do Soft Factors Help? - Listener John writes in to ask if his “soft” factors will help him overcome a low UGPA on his law school applications. The guys tell John that the best way to overcome a low UGPA is to get the highest LSAT score you can get. A T-14 school might not be attainable with his UGPA, but a high LSAT will give him the best shot.
59:13 - Demon Student Admissions Update - An anonymous former Demon student shares their stats and their current law school admissions results —including scholarship offers that came in even higher than expected. Ben and Nathan congratulate Anonymous and remind listeners that hard work pays off.
The law school tuition system is broken and unlikely to change. Ben and Nathan discuss the why and the who behind the inequitable pricing and double down on their advice to listeners: Don’t pay for law school. Also on the pod, the guys assess LSAT Demon’s compatibility with specific testing accommodations, evaluate the likelihood of a 30-point score increase, weigh in on the idea of postponing graduation to boost your UGPA, and encourage listeners to look to the future rather than focusing on past failures.
4.14.2023 — April LSAT begins
4.25.2023 — June LSAT registration deadline
5.3.2023 — April LSAT scores released
6.9.2023 — June LSAT begins
6.28.2023 — June LSAT scores released
1:04 - Focus on What You Can Change
5:51 - Mistakes as Motivation
10:43 - One Step at a Time
17:06 - Accommodations and the Demon
22:03 - Read Every Answer Choice
28:42 - Play How You Practice
34:38 - The System Is Broken
1:02:51 - Will the Ranking Shakeup Affect LSAT Weight?
1:15:13 - Is Increasing From the 140s to 170s Possible?
1:22:13 - ChatGPT’s LSAT Score
Read more on our website!
LSAT Demon acolytes know that we slow down to speed up on the LSAT. But this mantra is not an invitation to focus on speed. Slowing down is not an end in itself, nor is it sufficient for LSAT mastery. On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan remind listeners why we slow down: to better engage with the passage so we can make predictions and dismiss wrong answers quickly. Later, the guys tell a listener to stop planning applications while still in school. They shoot down a strategy to combat LR “brain fog.” And they assess claims of a prestigious university’s discrimination against applicants with mental health issues.
0:00 - Upcoming events - Nathan and Ben promote two upcoming events: their free class for parents of LSAT students and an LSAT Demon meetup at the New York LSAC Law School Forum.
6:06 - Slowing Down - Since he began slowing down on his practice tests, listener David has increased his accuracy—but not his scores. Ben and Nathan assure David that speed will come naturally as he learns to make good predictions and dismiss wrong answers quickly.
14:47 - Stop Making Plans - Nathan and Ben advise an anonymous undergraduate student not to let thoughts of law school be a distraction. Anonymous should focus on their grades and plan their applications later.
27:41 - Practice-Test Anxiety - Madison scores lower on full practice tests than on individual timed sections. Is test anxiety to blame? The guys suspect that Madison might be falling into a common trap: worrying about the whole test when she should be focusing on one question at a time.
33:46 - Pearls vs. Turds - An anonymous student proposes a dubious strategy for dealing with “brain fog” at the end of Logical Reasoning sections: do the first half of the section, then jump to the end and work backwards.
41:14 - Mental Health Discrimination - Nathan and Ben review an essay by a former Cornell faculty member who claims that the school discriminates against applicants with mental health issues. The guys suspect that some law school admissions officers may be similarly biased.
50:07 - Withdrawing Applications - The guys advise listener Brayden on how to withdraw applications.
53:10 - Should I Take the April LSAT? - Perry isn’t sure that he’ll be fully prepared for the April test. Should he still take it to max out his attempts before the fall? Ben and Nathan see both sides of the argument, but they think that Perry might want to keep a final attempt available for next year.
56:58 - Scores Decreasing - Nathan and Ben assure an anonymous student that score fluctuations are just part of the process. Anonymous should stop worrying about their scores and focus on understanding the questions they get wrong. The guys also tell Anonymous that reading more slowly in RC isn’t enough: they’ve got to find a way to care about the passage.
Ben and Nathan assess whether attending a regional school may prevent you from finding work in a more competitive market. The guys double down on their advice to apply broadly even if you’re set on attending law school in a particular location. They also consider whether earlier PrepTests are easier than more recent ones, investigate an elite law school’s URM bump, and shake their heads at the ABA’s continued attempts to eliminate the standardized testing requirement.
2:59 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener Owen shares some LSAT tips from lsat-center.com. Ben and Nathan detect some turds and implore listeners to reject LSAT gimmicks.
21:19 - Regional Law Schools - An anonymous listener was offered a full-tuition scholarship plus a stipend to attend the University of Iowa. But Anonymous worries that attending a regional school will prevent them from finding work in a competitive market, like Washington, D.C. Nathan and Ben recommend connecting with Iowa alumni who’ve followed similar paths.
28:34 - Apply Broadly - Listener Heidi wants to attend law school in a particular region. Should she still apply broadly, even to schools she wouldn’t attend? Ben and Nathan say yes. By applying broadly, Heidi can better judge her value to law schools and keep her options open.
31:25 - Are Early PrepTests Easier? - Listener Jack was shocked to score 177 on PrepTest A (an official LSAT from 1996) after weeks of scoring in the 160s. How much should Jack read into this score jump? Are earlier PrepTests easier? Nathan and Ben tell Jack not to overthink a single data point and to keep learning from his mistakes.
36:08 - URM Bump - The guys resolve a question about the URM bump in the LSAT Demon scholarship estimator.
42:07 - ABA Tries to Eliminate LSAT Rule - The ABA will try yet again to eliminate the standardized testing requirement for law school admissions. Ben and Nathan remind listeners that law schools will continue to use the LSAT even if they aren’t required to do so.
Nathan and Ben read the story of an applicant who improved his LSAT and received a full-ride scholarship offer from a school that had rejected him last year. The evidence mounts: every LSAT point is worth at least $10,000. Also on the show, the guys examine a Logical Reasoning question written by ChatGPT, explain how Loan Repayment Assistance Programs work, and encounter one of the turdiest Pearls vs. Turds submissions of all time.
0:00 - Parents’ Night - On March 9 at 7pm ET, Nathan will host a free class for parents so they can better understand the law school admissions process. Parents can register at lsatdemon.com/classes using their kids’ accounts or by creating their own Demon Free accounts.
3:44 - ChatGPT - What happens when you ask ChatGPT to write an LSAT question? Ben and Nathan review a Logical Reasoning question from the chatbot that misses the mark. Then they read a personal statement penned by ChatGPT. It’s not pretty.
14:59 - Scores Going Down - Demon student Kaitlyn feels that the more she studies, the worse she gets at the LSAT. The guys suspect that Kaitlyn is reading too much into a small sample size and encourage her to focus on one question at a time.
21:50 - Pearls vs. Turds - Nathan and Ben encounter an especially bad piece of LSAT advice. They implore listeners to cut the gimmicks and practice like they’ll play on the official test.
28:36 - Live Class Schedule - Demon student Colt asks how best to schedule his time with Demon Live classes. Ben and Nathan recommend picking one class every day or two and leaving plenty of time for self study.
33:46 - LRAPs - Nathan and Ben break down law schools’ Loan Repayment Assistance Programs. The guys tell listeners to do their research and to be extremely careful with such programs, which may simply kick debt further into the future.
50:09 - From Rejection to Full Ride - An anonymous listener shares a story of an applicant who improved their LSAT score and received a full-ride scholarship from a school that had previously rejected them. Ben and Nathan see this as further proof that every LSAT point is worth $10,000, sometimes more.
1:01:41 - Getting Off Waitlists - Listener Brad wonders if a better score on the April LSAT could help him get off the waitlists at several T14 schools. The guys tell Brad to withdraw his applications and reapply next cycle with a better LSAT score. If he follows that plan, Brad should have scholarship offers in hand by the end of 2023.
1:08:44 - An UGPA Miracle - Listener Kash convinced their old school to convert their Fs to Ws, saving their 3.9 GPA from dropping to a 3.3.
Reports of the LSAT’s impending demise have been greatly exaggerated. The ABA voted last week to uphold the required use of a standardized test, like the LSAT, in law school admissions. On this week’s podcast, Ben and Nathan react to news about the vote and remind listeners that law schools will continue to find the LSAT useful regardless of whether the ABA ever removes the testing requirement. Later, the guys hear from LSAT Demon students who crushed the January test, and they review a listener’s personal statement.
1:21 - LSAT Survives ABA Vote - Nathan and Ben react to the big news: the ABA’s House of Delegates has voted to keep the standardized test requirement for law school admissions. The guys talk about why the LSAT was created in the first place and why law schools find it so useful.
9:22 - January LSAT Scores - Ben and Nathan celebrate Demon students’ successes on the January LSAT.
26:32 - Smartphone Liberation - Ben shares a New York Times article titled, “The Teenager Leading the Smartphone Liberation Movement.” The guys offer tips to minimize your smartphone’s negative impact on your focus without entirely ditching your device.
32:31 - Don’t Overcommit - Listener Cora struggles to find time for LSAT prep amidst her classwork and extracurriculars. Ben and Nathan advise Cora to drop the LSAT for now to focus on—and enjoy—school.
45:35 - Rolling Admissions - Nathan and Ben explain to listener Diana why law schools’ rolling admissions favor those who apply at the beginning of the cycle. The guys revisit the GLAD method for law school applications.
52:09 - Tracking Costs - Listener Eddie shares his spreadsheet for tracking law school applications and projected costs. Ben and Nathan discuss why Eddie should consider ignoring living expenses in his cost projections.
58:40 - Advice for a Splitter - An anonymous listener worries that their low GPA may preclude acceptance into a high-ranked law school. Should Anonymous apply only to low-ranked schools and plan to transfer out? Nathan and Ben tell Anonymous to apply broadly and not to count on a transfer.
1:05:10 - Personal Statement Review - Listener Nathaniel tried to follow Ben and Nathan’s advice in writing his personal statement, but the final product is a little dry. Ben and Nathan temporarily break their moratorium on personal statement reviews and give Nathaniel some feedback.
1:27:34 - Soft Factors - The guys suggest some useful takeaways from Dean Z’s video about soft factors on law school applications.
New LSAT students often feel overwhelmed and don’t know how to begin studying. On this week’s pod, Ben and Nathan demystify the process: start with one LSAT question. Later, the guys emphasize the importance of getting straight A’s in undergrad. They question whether it’s worth paying for the prestige of a top-ranked law school. And they discuss whether any LSAT questions have multiple good answer choices.
0:48 - Juniors Jumpstart the LSAT - LSAT Demon and the Council on Legal Educational Opportunities are partnering to facilitate the Juniors Jumpstart the LSAT program at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law on Saturday, February 25.
2:03 - Start with One Question - Listener Sierra isn’t sure where to begin her LSAT study. Nathan and Ben tell her not to overthink things: Start with one LSAT question. Then do another one.
11:41 - Undergraduate GPA - Listeners Evan and Landry ask how LSAC will calculate their undergraduate GPAs. Ben and Nathan turn to LSAC’s grade conversion table and highlight the huge difference between an A and an A-. Later, the guys examine the average median GPA for all ranked law schools.
27:52 - Pearls vs. Turds - Nathan and Ben critique “context reinstatement” as an LSAT study strategy. They warn listeners not to exert too much mental effort for minimal return.
36:54 - Money vs. Prestige - An anonymous listener used to think that cost would be the determining factor when deciding where to attend law school. But now that they’ve been admitted to Harvard, Anonymous may pick the prestige of an elite school over a full-ride scholarship elsewhere. Ben and Nathan weigh in.
39:43 - Online vs. Books - Listener Courtney asks if she should donate her copies of Nathan’s old books and switch to LSAT Demon. Nathan and Ben say yes. LSAT Demon includes all the explanations from Nathan’s books and many, many more.
42:16 - Multiple Good Answers? - Listener Alex wonders if you can ever make a case for more than one answer choice on the LSAT. Ben and Nathan concede that some Logical Reasoning questions feature multiple answer choices that may strengthen or weaken the argument—but only one answer is unequivocally correct.
48:09 - Philadelphia Law Schools - Two listeners ask Nathan and Ben to compare Philadelphia law schools. Is it worth it to pay for a prestigious school like Penn rather than accept a scholarship to attend a lower-ranked school like Drexel? The guys discuss the academic competition and job prospects at these institutions.
Is ChatGPT coming for lawyers’ jobs? On this week’s episode, Nathan and Ben speculate on how AI chatbots will affect the legal industry. They imagine profound changes to the ways that lawyers work, and they advise future law students to familiarize themselves with this new and vital tool. Later, the guys warn undergrads against studying for the LSAT while in school, discuss the pitfalls of highlighting in Reading Comprehension, and hawk Demon swag.
0:38 - ChatGPT - Listener Amy wonders how chatbots like ChatGPT will affect the legal profession. Ben and Nathan believe that AI may take over many rote tasks, like document review, but that it will never completely replace human lawyers.
19:38 - Getting to 175 - Demon student Daniel scored 170 on the June LSAT after taking only two practice tests. Now he has his sights set on a 175 or higher. Nathan and Ben think Daniel can reach his goal if he’s willing to put in the work and take the test multiple times.
23:57 - Studying While in Undergrad - The guys warn listeners Cassidy and Jack not to let the LSAT distract them from getting straight A’s.
27:54 - Highlighting on RC - Listener Caleb shares his thoughts on the highlighter tool for Reading Comprehension passages. Ben and Nathan maintain that the highlighter is a distraction for most students.
39:46 - Comparing Full Rides - Nathan and Ben evaluate listener Nick’s full-ride scholarship offers from Drexel and the University of Missouri. Should better job prospects at one school outweigh a lower cost of living at the other? The guys advise Nick not to let a relatively small amount of money sway his decision.
45:35 - Regional Law Schools - Demon student Conor asks about the value of attending a prestigious out-of-state school as opposed to a lower-ranked regional school. Ben and Nathan think that it depends on what those schools will cost. They double down on their advice to apply broadly.
50:26 - Fulbright Disclosure? - Demon student and law school applicant A just found out that they’re a semi-finalist for a Fulbright award. Should they disclose this to law schools? Nathan and Ben debate the pros and cons of sharing this conflict before it’s a sure thing.
56:49 - Tax Law - Listener “Tax Guy” wants to add a JD to his CPA designation. Ben and Nathan discuss the lucrative field of tax law.
1:00:39 - Study Schedule - Demon student Nate asks how to split his time between drilling, timed sections, and practice tests. The guys recommend their One-Hour LSAT study schedule.
1:05:40 - Merch - Nathan and Ben poke around the new UC Law San Francisco merch store and invite listeners to pick up LSAT Demon swag.
Nearly 35,000 people have already applied to law school this cycle, according to data from LSAC. And many top law schools have already begun handing out scholarships. On today’s pod, Ben and Nathan examine the current application data and advise would-be late applicants to wait until next year. Later, the guys discuss how to use scholarship offers in negotiations with other law schools. They consider the impact of affirmative-action legislation on the “URM bump.” And they read admissions updates from LSAT Demon students.
0:27 - New Test Dates for 2023–2024 - Ben and Nathan examine the new test dates for the upcoming LSAT cycle.
6:08 - Your Most Valuable Asset - Ben shares some wisdom from Sam Harris: your most valuable asset isn’t your time, it’s your attention.
16:07 - Application Data - The guys analyze LSAC’s current application volume statistics.
25:54 - Scholarship Negotiations - An anonymous listener asks how to leverage a scholarship offer from Michigan in their negotiations with other schools.
33:32 - Denied the Bar Because of Debt? - Listener Carol shares a Forbes article about someone who was denied admission to her state bar—despite passing the bar exam—in part because of her massive student debt.
40:46 - URM Bump - Listener Hodari wonders whether Proposition 209, which prohibits affirmative action in California public schools, means that underrepresented minorities receive less of a “bump” when applying to California law schools. Nathan and Ben review data on LSD.law that suggest otherwise.
50:12 - Improving LSAT Demon - A student suggests a way to improve written explanations in the Demon.
54:12 - Preparing for Law School - Listener Sam asks how to prepare during the summer before law school. The guys recommend The Law School Toolbox as well as a few books.
1:03:28 - Waiting to Apply - Listener Aloe isn’t sure whether retaking the LSAT and waiting to apply next cycle will improve their admissions chances. Ben and Nathan see nothing but upside in that plan.
1:05:27 - Admissions Updates - Several LSAT Demon students share their admissions and scholarship success stories.
1:07:37 - Not Going to Law School - Demon student Krista has decided not to attend law school. Instead, she’s embraced her current career and found peace in her life as it is. Krista thanks the Demon team for helping her reach her decision.
A wall stands between you and law school. Would you rather swing at it with a hammer or a wrecking ball? On this week’s podcast, Ben and Nathan remind listeners that the LSAT is by far your most powerful tool for breaking into law school. The guys also debate the existence of “trap” answer choices on the LSAT, consider a New York Times article’s tips for improving concentration, and critique Dean Faigman’s long-winded announcement that UC Law San Francisco will no longer provide data for the US News rankings.
0:45 - “Trap” Answers - Listener Sean self-diagnoses a hyperawareness of “trap” answer choices and a tendency to overthink Logical Reasoning questions. Nathan and Ben dispel the notion of trap answers and urge Sean to attack the test with confidence.
9:58 - The LSAT Is a Wrecking Ball - Listener Laura wonders whether her years of work experience will make her a more compelling law school candidate. Ben and Nathan remind Laura and other listeners that soft factors are like tiny hammers compared to the wrecking ball that is the LSAT.
20:00 - LSAT Writing - Nathan and Ben speculate on the purpose of the LSAT Writing section and advise listeners on how to prepare.
26:33 - Mid-Cycle Update - With multiple T14 acceptances and a full-ride offer in hand, an anonymous listener reaps the rewards of applying early and broadly.
29:20 - Undergraduate Major Versus GPA - Listener Noah asks whether his difficult major will make him more competitive for admission to elite law schools. Ben and Nathan think it might, but they maintain that GPA is more important.
33:50 - LSAT Demon Fee-Waiver Discount - The guys share information about LSAT Demon’s fee-waiver discount. Recipients of LSAC’s fee waiver can get four months of Demon Basic for $30—or 20% off any plan indefinitely. Find out more at lsatdemon.com/plans.
35:27 - Focus Like It’s 1990 - Nathan and Ben discuss a recent New York Times article on how to improve your focus by taking intentional tech breaks. Should you dedicate time to reading physical books every day? Ben is sympathetic to the suggestion. Nathan thinks electronic screens are fine as long as you’re reading something you enjoy.
49:12 - UC Law San Francisco - The guys critique a screed from Dean Faigman of UC Law SF about why the T51 school will no longer participate in the US News rankings survey.
US News & World Report is changing the way it ranks law schools. A recent letter to law school deans outlines updates to the ranking methodology, including reduced emphasis on reputational surveys. On today’s pod, Ben and Nathan predict the impact that these changes may have on the rankings and on the law school scholarship game. Later, the guys weigh the importance of GPA versus school reputation on law school applications, recommend strategies for networking with lawyers, and warn a new LSAT student not to aim too high too soon.
0:59 - US News Ranking Methodology - Listener Kris shares information about upcoming changes to US News’s ranking methodology. The biggest change: US News will give less weight to reputational surveys, which previously accounted for 40% of a law school’s assessment.
19:26 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener Ana passes along some sage advice: “you get good at what you practice.” Nathan and Ben see this philosophy as crucial to LSAT prep—practice incorrectly and you’ll just reinforce an approach that makes you worse at the test. Listener Alex then describes the “rule of thirds” for judging your progress toward a challenging goal.
32:14 - GPA vs. School Reputation - An anonymous listener asks whether attending an “easy A” religious college will be held against them on their law school applications. Ben and Nathan maintain that an applicant’s GPA matters more than the school they attended.
43:04 - Networking with Lawyers - Listener Sidney is interested in learning what it’s like to work as a family lawyer. Nathan and Ben recommend some networking strategies.
54:32 - More Gladwell Shade - TLP producer Erik recommends an episode of the podcast If Books Could Kill that eviscerates Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers.
57:32 - One Step at a Time - An anonymous student just began studying and aims to score 173. Ben and Nathan worry that this goal might be counterproductive: aiming too high too soon can tempt students to sacrifice accuracy for speed.
1:04:00 - Canadian Law Schools - Demon student G requests an episode focused on Canadian law schools. The guys recommend that G check out these episodes of LSAT Demon Daily:
1:06:40 - ABA 509 Confusion - Nathan and Ben share an anonymous listener’s frustration over confusing ABA 509 reports. These reports are imperfect, but they’re still an applicant’s best source of information regarding law school scholarships.
Students are often tempted to take the official LSAT before they’re ready or to apply to law school late in the cycle “just to see what happens.” On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan explain why such plans are dangerous. They advise listeners to take a different approach: one that makes it impossible to settle for less than your best. Also on the pod, the guys discuss law schools with abysmal bar passage rates, compare “evidence” and “premises” in Logical Reasoning arguments, and offer advice on conditional scholarships.
0:25 - 3+3 Program - Listener Abe considers a course of study that consists of a three-year undergraduate degree followed by a three-year JD at the same university. Ben and Nathan discourage this idea because it could limit Abe’s opportunities to attend a better law school for free.
9:10 - Failing Law Schools - Three law schools have recently failed to meet the ABA’s minimum bar passage rate. Nathan and Ben suspect that the ABA is unlikely to take any meaningful action against these schools.
16:56 - Withdrawing from the January LSAT - Ben and Nathan assure Demon student Nate that it’s not too late to withdraw from the January LSAT. Withdrawals don’t appear on your record, so law schools won’t know.
18:05 - Score Conversion - The guys walk student Abby through the process of merging individual sections to get a full test score in the Demon. Convert your raw score from any official PrepTest to an LSAT score at lsatdemon.com/converter.
20:40 - Make Failure Impossible - An anonymous listener plans to take the January LSAT, despite not feeling ready, and then apply to law school in February just to see what happens. Nathan and Ben think this plan is a recipe for failure. You should plan to act in a way that makes failure impossible.
26:44 - “Evidence” vs. “Premise” - Ben and Nathan respond to listener Alex’s question about whether “evidence” and “premise” mean the same thing in LSAT Logical Reasoning. (They do.) The guys also discuss what it means for a conclusion to be implicit, how the LSAT rewards accuracy over speed, and why they no longer trust Malcolm Gladwell.
41:20 - LSAC PLUS - An anonymous listener describes their experience with the LSAC PLUS program at Alabama Law. They received some questionable counseling on how to afford law school. Nathan and Ben remind listeners that most advice about financing your education is designed to convince you that it’s okay to take on massive debt.
47:37 - Conditional Scholarships - Ben and Nathan break down conditional scholarships: what they are, whether you should accept one, and what to do if a law school reduces or eliminates your scholarship.
Law school prices aren’t real. Scholarship data from ABA 509 reports show that most students don’t pay anything close to sticker price. Are law schools due for a tuition reset? On this week’s pod, the guys discuss a New York Times article about universities that are slashing tuition to better reflect the real cost of college. They consider whether law schools might follow suit. Also on the show, the guys hear from a former student who’s bound for Yale, encourage a new listener to withdraw their applications, and discuss how law schools may view an applicant who reapplies after a rejection.
6:09 - In at Yale - Demon student Dez will attend Yale Law School next year, after scoring 169 on the LSAT. Well done, Dez!
9:33 - Overcoming Score Plateaus - Nathan previews his upcoming live class on whether score plateaus are real and how to overcome them. Register here—all you need is a Demon Free account.
11:59 - Medical Records for Accommodations - An anonymous student worries that if they apply for accommodations on the LSAT, law schools may see the medical records that they submit to LSAC. Ben and Nathan doubt that such information is shared with schools, but they recommend contacting LSAC to find out for sure.
15:59 - Tuition Cuts - The guys review a New York Times article about a New Hampshire college that’s cutting its tuition by 62 percent. Similar “tuition resets” enacted by other private colleges shed light on how wildly inflated their prices were to begin with.
23:12 - Reapplications - Ben and Nathan examine screenshots from a law school application courtesy of Demon team member Brittany. One of the questions asks whether you’ve applied previously. Reapplications aren’t a big deal, but the guys explain why you should still plan to apply only once.
33:22 - Withdraw Your Applications - Listener Taylor applied to 20 schools this November with a score of 159. But Taylor believes they can score higher. Nathan and Ben encourage Taylor to withdraw their applications and to focus on improving their LSAT.
48:53 - The Tests Are All the Same - The internet loves to speculate about which test dates might give test takers an advantage. Don’t listen to the internet. Ben and Nathan urge you to let your practice test scores determine when to register for the official test.
1:03:36 - LSAT Penance - Listener Joseph wonders if he should take more classes at a local college to increase his GPA. The guys tell Joseph not to bother. Any grades earned post-graduation won’t count toward his LSAC-calculated GPA. Nathan and Ben reiterate why the LSAT is such an important opportunity to make up for a lackluster GPA.
Two mice fell into a bucket of cream. One gave up quickly and drowned. The other refused to quit and struggled for so long that it churned the cream to butter and crawled out. On today’s episode, Ben and Nathan answer an anonymous listener’s question: Which mouse should you be? If you’re drowning in the LSAT, how long should you struggle before calling it quits? The guys discuss why people who are meant to be lawyers will always tough it out—and why it’s okay if you’re not one of those people. Later on the show, they critique UVA’s statement about the U.S. News rankings, explain practice-test score ranges, and evaluate a tip for finding the main point in Reading Comprehension.
3:20 - Which Mouse Should You Be? - An anonymous listener calls upon a parable about drowning mice to ask how relentlessly they should pursue law school. LSAT study requires grit and determination. The struggle may be worth it—but only if law school is right for you. Ben and Nathan discuss when to double down on your efforts and when to walk away.
25:02 - UVA and U.S. News - Listener Kris shares an open letter from UVA Law dean, Risa Goluboff, on the school’s decision not to provide data for the U.S. News rankings. Dean G claims that the rankings fail to capture what UVA values most. Nathan and Ben point out that UVA displays their LSAT and GPA medians front and center for prospective students. The guys assure listeners that law school rankings and the LSAT aren’t going away anytime soon.
49:25 - Master of Legal Studies - An anonymous listener feels that they’ve reached their limit on the LSAT. Would padding their résumé with a Master of Legal Studies degree help their law school applications? Ben and Nathan recommend cutting negative self-talk and focusing on the LSAT.
54:15 - How to Determine Your Score Range - Nathan and Ben explain how to determine your score range by averaging practice test scores. They also discuss why it doesn’t matter whether you take a full-length test or break it up into individual sections.
1:00:40 - Pearls vs. Turds - TLP producer Erik shares a lecture on writing and explains how its lessons help him find the main point in LSAT Reading Comprehension passages.
Fears and false narratives often destroy our productivity. Only when we let go of such counterproductive thoughts can we achieve our full potential. Today on the pod, Ben and Nathan counsel listeners whose misconceptions about law school admissions have distracted them from what’s truly important. They respond to a father’s misguided advice about admissions, address fears about rising medians, and analyze “customized” scholarships.
8:27 - Penn State Merger - Penn State University Park and Penn State Dickinson have announced their merger into a single law school. Will two good law schools combine to make one excellent one? Ben and Nathan weigh in.
17:05 - Switch to the Demon? - Should listener Stefan enroll in another prep company’s “170+ guarantee” course, or should he switch to LSAT Demon? Nathan and Ben are biased, but that doesn’t make them wrong—Stefan will learn far more from the Demon.
22:04 - When Should I Subscribe? - Listener Ryan is a college student and can’t afford to spend much on LSAT prep. He asks Ben and Nathan for advice on timing his subscription. The guys urge Ryan to focus on school. He should begin his LSAT prep when his grades are right—and maybe after he finds a better-paying job.
27:37 - Misguided Advice from Dad - Listener Priscila knows she can beat her 160 LSAT score if she keeps studying. But her father wants her to apply to law school right now. Nathan and Ben counsel Priscila to stay the course and keep working to improve her score. Priscila should see herself as a potential asset to law schools and expect appropriate scholarship offers.
34:34 - Customized Scholarships - LSAT Demon team member Brittany shares an email from WashU about their “customized” scholarships, which cover special types of aid like child care and conference funding. Ben and Nathan respect WashU’s gamesmanship, but these awards don’t measure up to real merit scholarships.
41:55 - Fear of Rising Medians - Listener Larry doesn’t want to apply this cycle, but he worries that law schools’ median LSAT scores might go up next year. Nathan and Ben explain why this fear is overblown. They advise Larry that taking an extra year might do wonders for his career.
Ben and Nathan review a law school’s streamlined application process that doesn’t require a personal statement or letters of recommendation. The evidence is clear: some law schools really care only about your LSAT and GPA. Later on, the guys reassure an applicant that a great LSAT score overshadows a lackluster résumé. They also consider whether ABA 509 data misrepresent scholarship offers and discuss a listener’s mathematical analysis of guessing on the LSAT.
5:22 - WashU Low-Income Scholarships - WashU Law announced full-tuition scholarships for low-income students, but questions remain about who will actually qualify.
16:57 - No Personal Statement, No Problem - The University of Alabama recently invited listener Abhi to apply via a “streamlined” application that doesn’t require a personal statement or letters of recommendation.
30:24 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener G submits a Pearls vs. Turds candidate adopted from their work as a police officer: “Drive as slowly as possible and as fast as necessary.”
36:34 - Scholarships for a Splitter - Demon student Olivia wonders whether her low GPA means she’ll need to score 175 on the LSAT to attract merit scholarship offers. Ben and Nathan use the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator to investigate Olivia’s chances.
45:55 - The LSAT Is What Really Matters - Demon student Aly worries that law schools will be unimpressed with her extracurriculars and work experience. Nathan and Ben implore Aly not to chase résumé padders at the expense of study.
59:28 - Character and Fitness - An anonymous listener worries that their separation from the Navy might be flagged as a Character and Fitness issue. Ben and Nathan suspect that it’s not a big deal but recommend that Anonymous ask their state bar.
1:03:58 - Start with Free - Listener Kiana scored 131 on her diagnostic and now feels lost. The guys warn Kiana of the long road ahead and recommend that she begin with LSAT Demon Free before committing more time and money to LSAT prep.
1:10:55 - Misleading Scholarship Data? - Anonymous asks whether scholarships reported on ABA 509 reports misrepresent those actually offered by law schools. Nathan and Ben discuss this possibility and double down on their advice to apply broadly.
1:19:42 - Chasing a Perfect Score - International applicant Phuong wonders whether it’s feasible to aim for a perfect score in Logical Reasoning. Ben and Nathan remind Phuong that their goal should be -0 on one question at a time, not -0 on the section.
1:24:21 - Lucky 177 - Listener Karl shares his analysis of the likelihood of scoring 177 given varying degrees of random guessing. As suspected, random chance accounts for a miniscule portion of your LSAT score. Luck won’t get your score into the 170s.
Ben interviews Angela Vorpahl, a consultant who guides law students through their 1L year. Angela shares the top five mistakes students make on law school final exams. But first, Nathan and Ben kick off this week’s episode with a brief discussion of the recent news surrounding the U.S. News rankings and the ABA’s decision to end the testing requirement for law school applications. Current applicants can rest assured that law schools will continue to value the LSAT and offer merit scholarships to attract high-scoring applicants.
4:01 - Rankings and ABA News - Nathan and Ben discuss the implications of top law schools withdrawing from the U.S. News rankings and the ABA’s decision to remove the standardized test requirement for law school applicants. For now, these changes are unlikely to affect law school admissions in any meaningful way.
13:58 - Angela Vorpahl - Angela Vorpahl helps law students take control of their 1L grades through her consulting business and YouTube channel. Angela joins Ben to discuss why students need actionable study plans. She also shares the top five mistakes that students make on final exams.
32:38 - Mistake #1: Not Creating a Study Plan - Angela explains why you shouldn’t simply study for your first exam first. Instead, create a schedule that spaces out your study in the buildup to exam week.
41:30 - Mistake #2: Repeating the Facts of the Case - On law school exams, you don’t get points for simply repeating the facts of the case. Instead, you should use the facts in the context of your arguments about the relevant issues.
45:21 - Mistake #3: Ignoring Format - Make an effort to format your arguments so the professor can more easily award you points for them. In some cases, this might mean numbering your arguments.
52:12 - Mistake #4: Not Talking to Your Professors - Angela recommends talking to your professors in person to ask about their formatting preferences for their final exams. Professors are also invaluable resources for finding jobs and securing letters of recommendation.
59:20 - Mistake #5: Trying to Get the Answers “Right” - On law school exams, you get points by making arguments and counterarguments for each issue you spot. You aren’t expected to—and shouldn’t try to—get the question “right.” Angela discusses why “thinking like a lawyer” helps avoid blind spots that might sabotage your exam.
1:05:41 - Final Advice - Angela advises you to think of law school as a step toward the life you want to build. After all, you attend law school to become a lawyer, not a law student.
Ben and Nathan discuss score ranges and why your confidence in your ability shouldn’t rise and fall with your practice test scores. The guys also review an unusual Logic Games question type that popped up on the November test, poke fun at an email soliciting donations for Nathan’s alma mater, and celebrate another soul saved from law school.
Watch Ben and Nathan's response to Yale and other law schools' decision to withdraw from the rankings.
5:45 - A New LG Question Type? - Test takers encountered an unusual question type on the Logic Games section of the November test. Demon teacher Matt DuMont proves it’s nothing the LSAT hasn’t done before.
8:04 - Your Range Is Not a Fluke - Nathan and Ben reassure a Demon student that their recent high practice test score wasn’t a fluke but a new max in their score range.
13:28 - Early Letters of Recommendation - The guys advise Demon student A.D. to go ahead and request a letter of recommendation from their employer even if they won’t apply until next cycle.
16:31 - Eliminate Excuses - The 170s are within reach for Demon student Audrey now that she’s embraced the Demon mindset and eliminated excuses from her study.
19:07 - Worth the Cost? - The guys review an email from UC Hastings that asks Nathan to donate money. Nathan’s alma mater hopes their students “feel that the value of their education is worth the cost.”
23:32 - Advice for a Fifth Attempt - Listener Sarah asks for last-minute tips as she prepares for her final test attempt. Ben and Nathan’s advice remains the same whether it’s your first or fifth official test: treat it like any other practice test.
26:46 - A Vague Scholarship Offer - Demon student G shares an unsolicited email from Elon University School of Law advertising a vague potential scholarship and guaranteed residency-in-practice. The guys weigh in.
31:14 - Another Soul Saved - Despite enjoying LSAT study, Demon student Pat decided not to attend law school after realizing that they don’t need a J.D. for the work they’re interested in.
34:03 - One Logic Games Section Per Day? - Nathan and Ben advise Demon student Amina on how much to focus on LG while not neglecting the other sections of the test.
38:44 - A Canadian Success Story - A Canadian Demon student thanks the guys for helping them score 171 on the September LSAT. Should this student retake? Since Canadian law schools consider applicants’ average LSAT scores, the answer is unclear.
41:26 - Prestigious Master’s Degree - A listener asks if law schools will care about their master’s degree from Oxford. The guys think so, but not as much as LSAT or UGPA.
43:25 - Addressing a Withdrawal - Listener Amanda wonders how law schools will view a withdrawal from a second bachelor’s program. Ben and Nathan weigh in and draft a sample addendum to address the withdrawal.
Ben and Nathan celebrate Demon students’ successes on the October LSAT—and encourage more students to retake the test. When every point matters, it pays to get greedy. Also on the show, the guys advise a law enforcement officer on his study habits, counsel a student who faces tremendous parental pressure to apply this cycle, and evaluate a full-ride scholarship offer with an early deadline to commit.
4:03 - A 22-Point Improvement - A year after his 151 diagnostic, Demon student Arman scored 173 on the October LSAT. Ben and Nathan encourage him to get greedy and retake.
7:03 - A 24-Point Improvement - Demon student Alex raised his score from 139 to 163 in four months with the Demon. The guys think Alex should shoot even higher.
10:28 - From Law Enforcement to Law School - Demon student Jared plans a midlife career shift from law enforcement to lawyering. But he finds the LSAT to be a stiff challenge. Nathan and Ben explain why his progress will depend on his willingness to slow down and get the easy questions right.
15:47 - Parental Pressure - Demon student Connor faces familial pressure to apply to law school as soon as possible. Ben and Nathan advise Connor to stay the course and apply next cycle with his best LSAT score.
22:48 - Simulating Accommodations - An anonymous listener can’t accurately simulate their accommodations on practice tests in LawHub. Luckily, the Demon lets them do so.
27:23 - Scholarship Deadline - An anonymous listener received a full-ride scholarship offer with a deadline to commit by December 1. Should they accept, or wait to hear from other schools? Nathan and Ben weigh in.
48:50 - LSAT Investment - Demon student Simon increased his score from the mid 150s to 173 on the October test. The guys consider the lifetime return on his investment in the LSAT before they—you guessed it—tell him to get greedy and retake the test.
54:02 - Funded Legal Education Program - Demon student Kaitlyn asks about the Funded Legal Education Program for active-duty military members. Ben and Nathan discuss why law schools might find FLEP applicants attractive.
Ben and Nathan discuss LSAC’s upcoming Analytical Reasoning Field Study and assure listeners that the Logic Games aren’t changing anytime soon. They also hear from two former students who followed their advice and decided not to pay for law school—or not to go at all. Plus, the guys recommend resources for improving your writing and comment on the first fully online JD program to be approved by the ABA.
3:31 - LSAC Testing New Logic Games - LSAC continues to test new Logic Games formats. Ben and Nathan assure current LSAT students that the Logic Games aren’t changing anytime soon.
11:01 - Spatial Reasoning - An anonymous listener shares an article critical of IQ tests in response to Nathan and Ben’s recent discussion of IQ and the LSAT.
15:19 - Books about Writing - Long-time listener Jeff asks about a book on writing. The guys recommend several, including Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph Williams, and On Writing, by Stephen King.
19:18 - Twelve Points in One Month - LSAT Demon student Hannah had modest LSAT goals but surprised herself with a twelve-point improvement in one month of study. She now has her sights set on the 170s and a full scholarship to law school.
21:28 - Online Law School - St. Mary’s University School of Law offers the first fully online ABA-approved JD program. The guys discuss why online law school is a great idea.
28:16 - Avoiding Law School - In episode 366, Nathan and Ben encouraged LSAT Demon student James to pursue other career interests before committing to law. James updates the guys on his decision.
32:01 - Launch Your Legal Career - Listener Juan worries about being “late in the game” if he takes a gap year. Ben and Nathan discuss why age doesn’t matter in law school and why it’s important to launch your legal career the right way—with a great LSAT score.
42:01 - Logical Reasoning: Soot - Try this question for yourself here.
Nathan and Ben continue their discussion about IQ and the LSAT with some input from Thinking LSAT listener and amateur psychometrician Anthony. They discuss how the LSAT differs from other tests of IQ and why it’s possible to make huge improvements to your LSAT score despite its correlation with IQ. Later on the show, the guys analyze CUNY School of Law’s decision to stop awarding merit-based scholarships, warn a listener that law school won’t make her a better writer, and share their results from an online personality test.
2:43 - IQ and the LSAT - On last week’s episode, the guys discussed whether the LSAT tests IQ. Demon student Anthony responds with more information about IQ, how it’s traditionally tested, and why LSAT scores might be roughly correlated with IQ. Ben and Nathan reiterate that the LSAT is largely a test of how hard you’re willing to work—regardless of your inherent IQ.
23:27 - CUNY Drops Merit Scholarships - CUNY School of Law has announced that they will no longer award merit-based scholarships. Ben and Nathan wonder if CUNY’s need-based aid might still go primarily to higher-qualified students.
30:13 - Undergrad Course Selection - Listener Gabe asks for Nathan and Ben’s advice in picking an elective course for his final semester of school. The guys consider his options and ultimately advise him to take one that he knows he’ll ace.
36:19 - Will Law School Improve My Writing? - International applicant Nafoset says she wants to pursue a JD over an LLM to help improve her English writing and speaking skills. Ben and Nathan warn her that law school is a terrible place to learn how to write.
48:27 - Determine Your Strengths - Listener Mary shares a free online test that she found to be useful in determining her strengths. Nathan and Ben discuss their own results and their general thoughts on personality tests in the style of StrengthsFinder.
Today on the show, Ben and Nathan take a glimpse behind the curtain at a law school’s approach to scholarship negotiations. The guys examine an email that reveals how one school is prepared to negotiate, and they discuss what it means for applicants. Also on the pod, Nathan and Ben advise an MMA fighter on his personal statement, comment on whether the LSAT tests IQ, and evaluate tips for addressing a low LSAT score in your applications.
2:09 - Misleading Scholarship Data - Demon student Matt shares details of his recent conversation with a law school admissions dean. According to this dean, the scholarship data on their ABA 509 report are misleading.
6:07 - Scholarship Negotiation - An anonymous listener has begun to negotiate their scholarship with a law school. The law school’s response sheds useful light on their approach to the process. Ben and Nathan discuss why law schools are savvy negotiators and what bargaining chips you can bring to the table.
15:16 - Harvard’s Junior Deferral Program - An anonymous listener considers applying to Harvard’s binding Junior Deferral Program. Ben and Nathan advise listeners to remain flexible and not to bind themselves to any one school. The guys also discuss whether it’s worth paying full tuition to attend an elite law school.
21:46 - Running Low on Attempts - Demon student Abhi is hesitant to register for their fourth official LSAT attempt. Nathan and Ben think that if you’re truly ready to take the test, then you should go ahead and register. Your approach doesn’t change depending on how many attempts you have remaining.
27:02 - Picking a Personal Statement Topic - Demon student Darren wonders whether his MMA career could be an appropriate topic for his personal statement. Ben and Nathan think so, but they also suspect that some people might be turned off by the topic. They recommend that Darren write multiple rough drafts about different topics and then choose the one that portrays him in the best light.
33:21 - IQ and the LSAT - Does the LSAT test IQ? Probably not—or at least not exclusively—given how much people can improve at the LSAT.
36:47 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener Meghan shares some advice from US News & World Report. Nathan and Ben analyze their three tips for addressing a low LSAT score in law school applications.
43:05 - Waiting for a Letter of Recommendation - An anonymous listener can’t submit their applications until they get a final letter of recommendation. Unfortunately, the professor who agreed to write it is dragging their feet. Ben and Nathan think it’s probably time for Anonymous to find a new recommender.
47:35 - Working While Studying - Listener Nafosat has received a job offer from a law firm. But they worry that the position would restrict their ability to study more than two hours per day. The guys assure Nafosat that an hour or two of LSAT study each day is plenty.
Should you retake the LSAT? The answer is almost always yes. Today on the show, Ben and Nathan advise a student who fears scoring lower on a second attempt. They discuss why law schools care only about your highest LSAT score—and why that means there’s only upside to retaking the test. Also on the pod, the guys review a task management framework, give advice on how to stay focused, and tackle a Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 73.
2:14 - The Four D’s of Task Management - Ben and Nathan discuss the four D’s of task management, by productivity consultant Ashley Janssen: Delete, Delegate, Defer, Do. This approach to your to-do list emphasizes deciding what NOT to do so that you can prioritize what’s truly important.
12:11 - Logical Reasoning: Test 73, Section 4, Q14 - Nathan and Ben tackle a “Supported” question from Test 73 about taxes on gasoline. Click here to try this question on your own.
24:03 - Only Your Best Score Matters - An anonymous Demon student scored lower than expected on the September LSAT. They’re prepared to retake the test, but they worry that law schools will look unfavorably on a lower score. Ben and Nathan reassure Anonymous that law schools care only about your best LSAT score.
29:13 - Should I Retake? - An anonymous listener with a score of 174 on record wonders whether to retake the LSAT to improve their chances at a top-twenty law school. Nathan and Ben think so. The guys also speculate on why LSAT scores have gone up since the beginning of the pandemic.
40:21 - Zoning Out - An LSAT Demon student asks for Ben and Nathan’s advice on how to stop zoning out on their practice tests. The guys discuss why awareness is a crucial first step. They recommend meditation to practice regaining focus.
Nathan and Ben are joined by special guest Megan Smiley, who coaches lawyers seeking to leave legal practice. They discuss why so many lawyers want to escape their careers—and why that’s especially challenging for anyone burdened with student loans. Megan encourages listeners to examine their values and strengths before committing to law school. Also on the pod, Nathan and Ben hear from recent students who crushed the LSAT, discuss law schools’ incentives for granting application fee waivers, and question whether there’s such a thing as a “bad test taker.”
5:30 - Megan Smiley - Megan Smiley left legal practice to start her own heart-centered business. She now coaches other lawyers who want to do the same. Learn more about Megan’s work at megansmiley.com and The Lawyer’s Escape Pod.
41:49 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener Jon proposes that “there’s no such thing as a bad test taker.” Nathan and Ben think it’s a nice sentiment, but they’re not sure that it’s actually true.
45:32 - Read What’s in Front of You - Former Demon student Van just crushed the LSAT. In his exit survey, he outlines advice that is central to the Demon philosophy.
51:27 - Application Fee Waivers - Listener “CAS Hunter” requested application fee waivers from 27 law schools. Ben and Nathan review CAS Hunter’s results and discuss law schools’ incentives for granting fee waivers.
57:48 - Victor’s Success Story - Longtime listener Victor shares his LSAT and law school success story. Victor currently attends Texas Law and will soon begin work at a law firm in Dallas. He thanks Nathan and Ben for changing the trajectory of his life.
1:04:53 - Streak Leaderboard - Nathan and Ben check the LSAT Demon streak leaderboard.
1:06:25 - A 25-Point Increase - An anonymous listener credits Ben and Nathan for helping him score 177 on the September LSAT.
1:08:26 - Reusing Old Tests - Demon student Q worries that reusing sections might skew their practice test scores. Nathan and Ben reassure Q that they’ll be fine as long as they continue to learn from their mistakes.
Ben and Nathan are joined by special guest Alison Monahan, cofounder of Law School Toolbox. They discuss law school and bar exam prep, the law school–big law pipeline, and the current legal job market. Also on the show, the guys talk tactics for scholarship conversations, consider the value of learning to speed-read, and review a strategy for answering Flaw questions.
1:29 - Alison Monahan - Alison Monahan founded the Law School Toolbox and The Girl’s Guide to Law School. She joins Ben and Nathan for a discussion about test prep and making the most of law school.
37:18 - Drilling Leaderboard - Nathan and Ben check the LSAT Demon drilling accuracy leaderboard.
38:06 - Dean Z Revisited - The guys revisit Dean Z’s recent video on financial aid and respond to her advice about scholarship negotiations.
50:28 - Universities Are Businesses - Ben and Nathan discuss a Slate article about the growing share of out-of-state students at public universities.
58:25 - Speed-Reading - An anonymous Demon student considers learning to speed-read. Nathan and Ben warn listeners not to forget what’s really important: understanding.
1:06:20 - Pass/Fail Courses - Demon student Julia wonders whether she should enroll pass/fail in a difficult course to protect her GPA. Ben and Nathan advise.
1:10:58 - Retaking LSAT Writing - An anonymous listener asks whether to retake the LSAT Writing section after making some spelling errors on their first attempt. Ben asks: What would a lawyer do?
1:13:37 - Success Story - LSAT Demon student Rachael shares her recent study successes.
1:15:48 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener Daisy praises Demon teacher Lily for her helpful approach to Flaw questions in Logical Reasoning.
1:18:07 - GI Bill Benefits - According to listener Chris, GI Bill benefits no longer expire for those discharged after 2013.
1:19:38 - Requesting LORs - Ben and Nathan advise listener Melissa on requesting a letter of recommendation from a lawyer she works with.
1:22:49 - Apply Next Cycle - Listener Joshua plans to study for the January LSAT over Christmas break. Nathan and Ben suggest that he rethink his approach and apply next cycle.
1:27:00 - Personal Statement Help - Student Chris thanks LSAT Demon’s Leslie for her personal-statement editing services.
1:29:26 - Negotiating Scholarships - The guys discuss why scholarship negotiations aren’t going away any time soon.
1:42:49 - Dual Degrees and Public vs. Private - Demon student Amrit inquires about dual JD programs and the benefits of public versus private schools.
Admissions officers may say that you have to pay for law school. Nathan and Ben disagree. On today’s pod, the guys review financial aid advice from Dean Z of Michigan Law. They then discuss how applicants can improve their scholarship bargaining power. Later, the guys vibe to some soulful advice from Ray Charles, evaluate the diminishing returns of higher LSAT scores for “splitters,” and consider the advantages of applying as a “non-KJD.”
4:43 - Dean Z on Financial Aid - Listener Anthony shares a recent video in which Dean Z from Michigan Law downplays applicants’ ability to negotiate scholarships. Ben and Nathan respond and inform listeners on how to empower their bargaining positions.
27:54 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener Krista proposes a color-coded mindfulness practice used by her daughter’s kindergarten class.
34:36 - Testing on an Unlicensed OS - Nathan and Ben discuss listener Sarah’s brush with LSAC over an unlicensed copy of Windows.
38:00 - Full Rides for Splitters - Demon student “Savvy Splitter” presents their research on the diminishing returns of LSAT scores for people with low UGPAs.
43:05 - Pearls vs. Turds - An anonymous Demon student shares some wisdom from Ray Charles. Nathan and Ben discuss why you need to take the time to “play the right notes” on the LSAT.
45:54 - Controversial Work History - Ben and Nathan counsel LSAT Demon student Gracie on how to present some work experience that admissions officers might view unfavorably.
49:27 - Drink the Demon Facts - LSAT Demon student BV claims to have drunk the Demon Kool-Aid but has flouted some of Nathan and Ben’s advice. The guys encourage BV to stick to a career they already love.
57:05 - Criticizing Law School - Listener Eddie recommends an episode of 5-4 titled “Welcome to Law School (Again).” Ben and Nathan agree with the conclusion that law school is a terrible idea for most people.
1:01:22 - Get Even Greedier - Nathan and Ben encourage a listener with a 173 on record to get greedy.
1:07:26 - Broaden Your Horizons - An anonymous listener asks Ben and Nathan for their thoughts on two Seattle-based schools. The guys advise Anonymous to broaden their horizons.
1:12:23 - False Confidence - Nathan and Ben warn Demon student Benjamin that watching video explanations isn’t a substitute for actual practice.
1:18:40 - Latin Roots - Demon Student Cassandra recommends studying Latin word roots to expand your vocabulary.
1:22:01 - Focus on the LSAT - Ben and Nathan implore Demon student Max to ignore other application components until he’s crushed the LSAT.
1:30:26 - Is There a “Non-KJD Bump”? - Nathan and Ben analyze an anonymous listener’s claim that non-KJD applicants have a statistical advantage in law school applications.
Savvy listeners who applied early this cycle continue to receive scholarship offers. Today, Ben and Nathan discuss an offer that promises all the benefits of an early-decision program without any of the risk. The guys also discuss the shady history of government-backed student loans, an inventive strategy for ignoring the test timer, and the futility of worrying about yield protection.
3:57 - We Are Anti Debt
11:35 - School Rankings Are Unreliable
16:30 - Another Early Scholarship Offer
20:16 - From 151 to 170
25:49 - Pearls vs. Turds
29:43 - Diversity Statement
33:01 - Nested Conditionals
37:05 - Yield Protection
41:48 - Aim to Exceed Medians
46:55 - Pre-Law Societies
48:54 - LSAC Fee Waiver
51:70 - From 156 to 174
53:38 - Test Day Routine
58:57 - GPA Addendum
1:03:05 - LSAT Question Types
1:06:56 - Character & Fitness Issues
1:10:47 - Set Your Sights Higher
1:16:44 - Scholarships for International Students
1:19:06 - Reviewing Reading Comprehension
Today on the pod, Ben and Nathan celebrate two LSAT Demon students who increased their scores by a whopping thirty-one points. They also offer advice and encouragement to listeners who are disappointed by their August test scores. Plus, the first full-ride scholarship of the 2023 admissions cycle arrived even earlier than Nathan and Ben had anticipated. The guys remind listeners to apply at the beginning of the cycle—which may be August for some schools. And they discuss a tweak to their GLAD guide to law school admissions.
6:62 - The First Scholarship of the Cycle - Listener Delia shares news of her August scholarship offer from Arizona State. Ben and Nathan double down on their advice to apply as soon as applications open.
12:31 - From 145 to 176 - Long-time listener Amanda studied for three years to increase her score from 145 to 176. She reflects on some of the biggest lessons from her LSAT journey and describes how she fell in love with the test.
34:37 - An Excuse to Keep Prepping - Student McKenna is underwhelmed by her August test score. But she’s thankful for the excuse to keep studying with Demon Live and listening to the podcast. Nathan and Ben suggest that her lower-than-expected score may be a blessing in disguise.
38:07 - Decide Later - LSAT Demon student Eric suggests an edit to the GLAD acronym for admissions: “D” for “Decide.” Ben and Nathan discuss the merits of shifting your law school decision to the end of the application process.
45:48 - Questionable Admissions Advice - Admissions staff and consultants have advised listener Christina to highlight student employment in her applications. Nathan and Ben remind listeners that admissions professionals’ interests aren’t always aligned with those of the applicants.
55:50 - Should I Try Demon Live? - Ben and Nathan advise an anonymous listener on their LSAT Demon plan options.
59:31 - Four More Shots - LSAT Demon student Mariah feels discouraged by her August test score. Nathan and Ben suspect that she tried to do too much on test day. They remind Mariah that she’s got four more shots at the official test.
1:01:46 - From 140 to 171 - An anonymous listener shares news of their official 171 on the August test—a 31-point improvement over their diagnostic. The guys marvel at the fact that such drastic score increases don’t feel like anomalies anymore.
1:07:54 - Stipends and Fees - An anonymous listener provides information on a fellowship at Penn State Dickinson that could account for the large number of “more than full” scholarships. Ben and Nathan discuss the outrageous fees charged by some law schools.
1:15:49 - Pearls vs. Turds - Listener Joshua shares a tip from another LSAT prep company. Should you avoid timed practice tests until your accuracy on untimed tests is greater than ninety percent? Short answer: No.
Most law schools have begun accepting applications for fall 2023 admission. Nathan and Ben predict when the first scholarship offers of the cycle will come in (hint: soon) and double down on their advice to apply in September with your best LSAT score—or wait until next year. The guys also help a student trying to break out of a Logical Reasoning slump, consider an accounting student’s possible career paths, and advise listeners to attack arguments on the LSAT. Finally, they debut the “GLAD” guide to law school admissions.
3:21 - No More Room Scans? - A judge in Ohio decided that room scans before remote-proctored exams are unconstitutional. Does this decision mean the end of ProctorU room scans on the LSAT? Not so fast, Ben and Nathan say.
6:04 - Law School Rankings Game - Listener “Unbound” shares information on Penn State Law’s binding early-decision program. Nathan and Ben uncover some wild scholarship statistics.
19:51 - Escaping an LR Slump - LSAT Demon student Alondra frets over falling Logical Reasoning scores and asks how to get back on track. The guys encourage Alondra to forget about her section scores and to focus on the specific questions she gets wrong.
25:13 - Excuses Are Boring - An anonymous Demon student asks whether their decision to graduate early warrants writing a GPA addendum. Ben and Nathan remind listeners to stick to the facts and to avoid making uncompelling excuses for low grades.
31:02 - Litigate the LSAT - After a month of study, an LSAT Demon student worries she may lack the imagination needed to grasp conditional logic. Nathan and Ben prescribe patience, practice, and precision. Attack arguments on the LSAT as a litigator would in cross-examination.
42:54 - Apply Early - Ben and Nathan contest an admissions consultant’s claim that there’s no benefit to applying in early September. The guys then guess when they’ll see the first scholarship offers of the cycle.
50:17 - Law or Accounting? - Accounting firms want to pay for Demon student James to attend a Masters of Accountancy program. Should he put off law school to pursue this opportunity? The guys encourage James to decide where his career interests lie, then commit to that one path.
59:35 - RC Strategies - Listener Connor struggles with Reading Comprehension in spite of—or perhaps because of—trying several different strategies to improve. Nathan and Ben advise him to forget “strategy” and to focus on understanding one sentence at a time.
1:06:26 - GLAD Guide to Admissions - An anonymous Demon student received an early rejection letter even though they requested that their application be evaluated after the October LSAT. Ben and Nathan advise Anonymous to withdraw remaining applications and to follow their GLAD guide to law school admissions.
Episode 365 marks a milestone for the podcast. Listeners can now indulge in an episode of Thinking LSAT every day for a year. Nathan and Ben reflect on some of the hiccups and highlights of their podcasting partnership. Then, they weigh in on a particularly unfavorable early-decision program, debate the merit of a tip for evaluating LSAT answer choices, advise a PhD chemist considering a pivot into IP law, and discuss a host of other topics from the mailbag.
8:04 - BU Bound - Listener “Unbound” shares some information about Boston University’s binding early-decision program, “BU Bound,” which excludes applicants from scholarship consideration. Ben and Nathan think you’d have to be crazy—or crazy rich—to bind yourself to a school in that way.
17:42 - Pearls vs. Turds - “Pick the answer that is hardest to argue against.” Nathan and Ben evaluate Demon student Brad’s mantra as a Pearls vs. Turds candidate. They discuss how it might apply to both passage-driven and answer-driven questions in Logical Reasoning.
24:29 - From STEM to IP Law - An anonymous listener with a PhD in biochemistry seeks a transition from scientific research into intellectual property law. The guys share their thoughts on the best time to take the IP bar exam and encourage Anonymous to connect with actual IP lawyers.
30:55 - Find Your Best Hour to Study - An anonymous listener has raised their practice test scores just by listening to the podcast. Now they’re ready to sign up for Demon Live and ask the guys how to maximize progress. Ben and Nathan reiterate the importance of focusing on accuracy and understanding. One high-quality study hour per day is the first step to success on the LSAT.
37:41 - Bad Grades in a Personal Statement? - An anonymous listener asks whether they should explain poor grades in their personal statement. Nathan and Ben veto this idea and suggest that Anonymous highlight facts in their favor.
44:01 - The Opposite of Our Advice - Listener Alexander recently discovered the Demon and is “shocked.” His former LSAT tutor had given him all contrary advice: He learned not to use real practice tests, to skim passages, and to diagram sentences—even in Reading Comprehension. Ben and Nathan advise Alexander to forget all the shoddy advice and to begin building effective study habits with LSAT Demon.
57:38 - You Don’t Need a Curriculum - Listener Andrew has spent months studying another prep company’s “core curriculum” and hasn’t taken a practice test since his diagnostic. Nathan and Ben insist that solving one actual LSAT question at a time is the only curriculum you need.
1:10:55 - Reaching the 170s - A new Demon student asks how to reach the 170s from their current low-160s range. The guys recommend practicing daily, reviewing explanations, and taking advantage of the Demon’s killer Ask button.
1:16:04 - Screw You, LSAT! (Just Kidding) - Demon student G confesses a newfound love for the LSAT and thanks the Demon team for their help. Keep it up, G!
Ben and Nathan address a myth that rising LSAT scores will make future application cycles more competitive. But first, they kick off a Pearls vs. Turds triple-header with a Bruce Lee quote and consider its applicability to LSAT study. Then, they dive into a mailbag of listener questions on topics ranging from online JDs to offline LSAT study.
2:15 - A Wise Withdrawal - Listener Owen withdrew from the August test because he knew he wasn’t ready. Nathan and Ben encourage him to keep playing the game the right way.
6:12 - Pearls vs. Turds Triple-Header - The guys review a trifecta of listener submissions. They discuss Bruce Lee’s wise words, Tim Ferriss’s thoughts on goal setting, and another prep company’s tips about scratch paper.
16:03 - Higher Scores, Tougher Competition - Nathan and Ben address concerns that increasing LSAT scores will make future admissions cycles more competitive. The guys remind listeners not to compromise their study over fear of an unknowable future.
22:53 - Comparing Types of Law - Student Francesca asks which types of legal practice are more conducive to a healthy, happy lifestyle. The guys suggest that Francesca network with some real lawyers to find out.
26:17 - Online JDs - Listener Sara asks for advice about online JD programs and “need-based” scholarships. Ben and Nathan advise Sara not to put such restraints on where she applies.
32:09 - Praise the Demon, Disrespect the LSAT - Students Zack and Hugh celebrate their improvements and praise the Demon’s intuitive approach. Ben and Nathan explain why “disrespecting” the LSAT is core to their philosophy.
40:49 - Pursuing Politics - Is listener Alexa crazy to leave her job to pursue a career in politics? Nathan and Ben discuss her path to the elite career she envisions.
50:37 - Improving at Reading Comprehension - The guys respond to an anonymous listener’s request for Reading Comprehension tips and highlight the importance of understanding each sentence in the context of the passage.
55:38 - Less Is More in Addenda - Listener Isabelle has a bunch of excuses for an F on her transcript. The guys explain why she shouldn’t mention any of them in her application.
1:02:33 - Don’t Sell Yourself Short - Listener Katie is late to the game but hopes to apply this cycle after taking the September LSAT. Nathan and Ben implore her to set her sights higher.
1:07:07 - Offline LSAT Study - The guys recommend resources to student Kevin, who’ll be without internet for a month.
1:12:04 - Fundamentals? - An anonymous listener who has been studying since May hasn’t yet taken a full practice test. Ben and Nathan discuss why you don’t need to master any “fundamentals" before taking a practice test.
1:22:01 - Early-Decision Dilemma - Listener Emma has a dilemma: Applying early decision may be the only way to ensure a decision before her father passes away. Nathan and Ben feel for Emma but still don’t think it’s wise to rush an application.
LSAC just made Score Preview available to all test takers. Ben and Nathan discuss the change and why it’s inconsequential. As long as law schools care only about your highest LSAT score, there’s no benefit to canceling. The guys also share advice on how to overcome anxious thoughts on the test, warn listeners against the perils of Netflix binges, discuss the rising number of older student borrowers, and remind everyone to chill out.
3:37 - Anxious Thoughts - Ben and Nathan discuss common anxieties among test takers and explain how to set aside anxious thoughts by focusing on one question at a time.
17:55 - Netflix Is Winning - Seen any good TV shows lately? If so, Nathan and Ben don’t buy your excuse that you don’t have time to study. The guys discuss Netflix’s intent to hijack your waking—and sleeping—hours.
23:36 - Score Preview Expanded - The guys comment on LSAC’s recent expansion of Score Preview and discuss whether it has any value to test takers.
31:18 - Take a Break - New student Adriana shares her emotional reaction to the Demon’s meditation feature. The guys remind listeners to relax every once in a while.
34:18 - LSAT Study While in School - An anonymous listener asks for advice on whether to pick up a part-time job while finishing school or to focus on the LSAT. Nathan and Ben worry that Anonymous may be rushing the process. They suggest dropping LSAT study for now to focus on grades.
41:43 - Unusual College Degrees - Hanyang wonders if their unusual combination of degrees in piano performance and sports management will help them stand out in law school admissions. Ben and Nathan reiterate that your LSAT score and your undergraduate GPA matter far more than your major. The guys encourage Hanyang to reconsider their plan to pursue a master’s degree before law school.
47:58 - $329K in Debt at Age 91 - The guys discuss a recent New Yorker article about a ninety-one-year-old former law student who owes $329,000 in student loans. More student borrowers are aging into their debt, not out of it.
53:49 - Listener Mailbag - Nathan and Ben offer rapid-fire responses to more listener emails. They discuss how to review correctly answered questions. They react to Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast episodes on the LSAT. They advise a listener to fire their terrible LSAT tutor. And they caution applicants against revealing too much to admissions officers.
The guys unveil LSAT Demon’s new Law School Rankings page, which charts U.S. News and Above the Law rankings over the years. Spoiler: Rankings are basically worthless for deciding where to go to law school. Plus, Ben and Nathan develop a simple formula for LSAT success, discuss why score “plateaus” don’t actually exist, and give advice on writing addenda.
1:29 - Law School Rankings - Nathan and Ben discuss the Demon’s Law School Rankings page, which illustrates the extreme variability in law school rankings from year to year. The evidence is clear. Rankings are bullshit.
7:06 - A Formula for LSAT Success - Dr. Joel Furhman says Health = Nutrients / Calories. If nutrition can be reduced to a simple formula, then why can’t the LSAT? Ben proposes a formula: LSAT Success = Clicks / Time.
10:41 - Plateaus Don’t Exist - Can listener Jacob overcome a score plateau, or has he reached his LSAT peak? Nathan and Ben worry he’s looking for an excuse to stop pushing. They discuss why plateaus don’t really exist and how to measure your progress in “clicks” of understanding.
20:24 - Demon Lessons from a Redditor - Ben and Nathan review a Reddit post that summarizes their teachings. They agree with most of it but clarify some points on their world-building approach to Logic Games and on the shortcomings of categorizing Reading Comprehension passages in abstract terms.
38:37 - Get a Job - Listener Pablo wants to move out of his parents’ house and jumpstart his life as an adult. The guys think that’s a bad reason to go to law school. Want to move out? Get a job.
44:31 - The LSAT Is Your Priority - What should listener Jay prioritize during his gap year before law school? Nathan and Ben remind him that he has only one priority: the LSAT. They also recommend The Law Career Playbook, by Rachel Gezerseh, as a guide to networking with lawyers before, during, and after law school.
54:00 - Don’t Chase Fantasies - Ben and Nathan worry that listener Heather’s high school fantasy of what lawyers do has compromised her decision-making. They counsel her to stick to her current successful career.
1:02:28 - Addressing Withdrawals - Thomas crushed the LSAT but worries that two years of withdrawals on his undergraduate transcript will raise eyebrows. The guys discuss how to address the issue in a way that highlights Thomas’s accomplishments.
1:10:08 - Obstacles in Addenda - Alyssa has overcome major obstacles in her life and wonders how to address them tactfully in a GPA addendum or supplemental essay. Nathan and Ben advise her on which details to include.
1:16:14 - Apply Next Cycle - Sheldon’s practice scores are below his goal. Ben and Nathan suggest that he withdraw from the August LSAT and apply next cycle. They suspect his “goal score” is interfering with his performance on the test and remind him to play the game at his own speed.
How much should rankings influence your decision about where to attend law school? On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan rebrand their “100% rule” as the “2x rule” for law school rankings. The name’s changed, but the rule is the same: When comparing one school to another, you shouldn’t consider their rankings unless they differ by twice as much or more. The guys also discuss how to study like a top scorer, advise a struggling student not to let the LSAT dominate their life, and write a GPA addendum.
4:37 - Yield-Protection Worries: Demon student Anna’s GPA and LSAT score are so high that she worries her top-choice school might waitlist her for yield protection. Ben and Nathan recommend that Anna visit the school to demonstrate her genuine interest and ties to the community.
16:27 - The 2x Rule: Ben proposes a new name for the 100% rule for law school rankings: the 2x rule. Follow this rule when comparing law schools. Rankings should influence your decision to choose one school over another only when they differ by twice as much or more.
18:37 - Getting to the 170s: Listener Hasaan has improved substantially from his diagnostic score and wonders whether he can make it to the 170s. Nathan and Ben’s advice? Start studying like someone who scores in the 170s. Forget the clock, focus on accuracy, and trust that speed will follow.
26:32 - Oracles of Common Sense: LSAT Demon student Ola finally understands Logical Reasoning and compares Ben and Nathan to Greek oracles. Are their teachings oracular insight, or just common sense?
28:06 - Follow Through with Something New: Anonymous is a self-described “serial studier with no follow-through” who’s been studying off and on for six years. Lawyers don’t lack follow-through, the guys note. They suspect that Anonymous might’ve been using bad prep materials and recommend trying LSAT Demon for a month. If it doesn’t start to click, Anonymous may want to reconsider law school.
31:41 - The LSAT Shouldn’t Dominate Your Life: Listener Robert describes his LSAT woes. Despite prep courses, a tutor, and 10 weeks of full-time study, his score hasn’t improved. His friends and family tell him to quit. Should he heed their advice? Ben and Nathan suggest some radical changes to Robert’s approach.
46:29 - Be a Big Fish: LSAT Demon student Kash wonders whether earning a high class rank at a less-competitive school might serve him better than attending a top-ranked school. Nathan and Ben reiterate the benefits of attending the highest-ranked law school you can go to for free. They also discuss a 2010 Above the Law article about Shell Oil’s tiered ranking system for evaluating job applicants.
57:18 - Ben Writes a GPA Addendum: Ben demonstrates how to write a short GPA addendum that focuses on the facts and doesn’t make excuses.
Law school can leave you with a lifetime of debt if you aren’t careful. On today’s episode, Nathan and Ben discuss a cautionary tale of a recent law school graduate who is $347k in student debt and can’t find a job. He thought that attending law school would set him up for a comfortable future. Instead, he’ll likely be in debt for the rest of his life. The guys implore listeners not to make the same mistake. Don’t pay for law school. They also answer a full mailbag of listener questions about how to structure your study schedule, whether testing accommodations are fair, and how high-scoring students achieve a deeper understanding of the LSAT.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
4:16 - Pearls vs. Turds
9:23 - Ideal Implementation Granularity
13:00 - Advice for High-Scoring Students
21:11 - Are Accommodations Fair?
28:06 - Balancing a Study Schedule
37:58 - Tautology
40:00 - Advice for Non-Native English Speakers
46:26 - Value Zero
56:47 - From 157 to 180
58:11 - Stuck in the 150s
1:05:24 - Can I Improve by 40+ points?
1:13:16 - Don’t Expect Law School to Be Interesting
1:19:28 - Unemployed and $347k in Debt
1:24:40 - Some Friendly Bad Advice
Read more on our website!
If you want to help others, you need to take care of yourself first. On today’s episode, Ben and Nathan advise a listener to focus on helping herself before becoming a non-profit family law attorney. Doing so will ultimately put her in a better position to help others. The guys give another listener tips on how to ease test-day anxiety. They discuss the benefits of taking a gap year—or several—before law school. Plus, they talk about part-time lawyering and the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Finally, they share a thoughtful note from LSAT Demon tutor and rising 3L Matt, who will be graduating from law school without a penny of debt.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
5:15 - Test Day Anxiety
17:32 - Summer Associate Season
20:23 - When Should I Apply?
28:13 - GPA and Admissions Questions
49:26 - Part-Time Lawyer
1:00:13 - Graduating from Law School Debt Free
Read more on our website!
June LSAT scores have been released, and lots of Demon students are riding high. Today on the show, Ben and Nathan share a bucketload of inspiring LSAT success stories submitted by listeners. Then, they comment on a former Demon student’s admissions cycle recap. They discuss Columbia’s decision not to participate in the U.S. News law school rankings. They wrap up the show with a discussion of LSAT prep timelines and answer some law school admission questions.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
4:34 - Words of Encouragement
12:32 - A 25-Point Increase
15:22 - The Real Deal
16:40 - Get Greedy
18:55 - Making LSAT Prep Fun
25:52 - A Life-Changing Score Improvement
29:17 - Up 21 Points and Counting
30:04 - Cycle Recap
41:41 - Columbia's School Ranking
46:30 - A Rapid Score Increase
56:55 - LSAT Timeline
1:07:44 - Law School Admissions Questions
Read more on our website!
Admissions season is almost here, and listener questions are rolling in. On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan advise a student on whether to make her battle with cancer the topic of her law school personal statement. But first, they evaluate a listener’s Reading Comprehension tip as a pearl or turd. They share their thoughts on online education and consider the pros and cons of attending a non-ABA law school. Plus, they answer questions about LSAT study schedules, testing accommodations, letters of recommendation, and more!
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
5:05 - Testing Accommodations
10:26 - Pearls vs. Turds
14:56 - Book Recommendations and Lies
19:15 - Non-ABA Law Schools
23:00 - Raising Practice Test Scores
27:38 - Letters of Recommendation
31:23 - Skipping the Bar Exam
34:50 - Online Law School
40:25 - Don’t Let Your Obstacles Define You
45:40 - Study Schedule Advice
52:48 - Changing Careers
Read more on our website!
If you want to master the LSAT the easy way, ditch the dogma and let the Demon be your guide. On this week’s episode, the guys welcome questions from new listeners and provide a full explanation of the Demon’s approach to the LSAT. But first, a Demon student who is legally blind describes how he learned to tackle Logic Games without the use of visual diagrams. Ben and Nathan then offer two listeners advice on whether and how to write GPA addendums. They discuss the proper way to review Reading Comprehension sections. And finally, they veto a listener’s suggested study schedule and recommend an alternative plan.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
2:42 - A Legally Blind Perspective on Logic Games
22:34 - A Super Splitter
26:39 - Some General LSAT Advice
29:57 - Reviewing Reading Comprehension
35:40 - The Demon Way
46:13 - GPA Addendum
50:46 - Study Schedule
Read more on our website!
Love ’em or hate ’em, LSAT logic games—as we know them—are not long for this world. While the future of the games is uncertain, some June test takers were given a sneak peak at possible changes to come. Nathan and Ben discuss the lawsuit that prompted redevelopment of the LSAT’s Analytical Reasoning section and reminisce about the old days of paper testing. The guys then debunk an LSAT myth in another episode of Pearls vs. Turds. They share a helpful tip from a TED talk. And to wrap up, they answer listener questions about grad GPAs, résumés, and diagnostic tests.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
08:11 - Are the Logic Games Changing?
43:12 - Pearls vs. Turds
46:47 - A Tip for Getting Straight A’s
52:51 - Building Your Law School Résumé
1:06:08 - Diagnostic Test
Read more on our website!
Before embarking on a career as an attorney, it’s important to understand what lawyers actually do. Lawyers work long hours hitting the books, doing research, presenting cases, and writing briefs. In a way, lawyers are professional students. Today on the show, Ben and Nathan advise listeners who don’t love school to think carefully about whether lawyering is the right path for them. The guys also review a Pearls vs. Turds submission about creating your own logic games. They share their opinions on JD-MBA programs. And they wrap up the show by sharing their own law school experiences and laughing at a recruitment email sent by a law school.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
7:19 - Pearls vs. Turds
15:29 - LSAT Demon
51:11 - JD-MBAs and the GI Bill
1:03:25 - Becoming a Prosecutor
1:09:10 - Applying in June?
1:18:06 - Ben’s and Nathan’s Law School Experiences
1:29:36 - Letters of Recommendation
Read more on our website!
To improve your LSAT score, you must learn from your mistakes. Take a practice test, and the LSAT will show you exactly what you need to work on—the questions that you got wrong. Review each missed question until you fully understand it and can avoid making the same mistake again. On today’s episode, the Ben and Nathan explain why focusing on individual questions is the key to progress. Analyzing patterns or journaling about wrong answers is generally a waste of time.
The guys also crush another Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 73, offer guidance to a listener who is on a quest to score 180, and share an inspiring email from a Demon student who postponed law school to push for a better LSAT score. Plus, Demon teachers and rising 3L’s Matt and Becca discuss how the LSAT prepares you for law school.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
04:51 - Test 73, Section 4, Question 13
21:32 - Don’t Shoot for 180
44:10 - Scholarship Estimator
51:42 - Breaking 150 and Beyond
59:36 - Does the LSAT Prepare You for Law School?
Read more on our website!
As hybrid-online law programs make their way into the eye of the ABA, Ben and Nathan toy with the idea of creating their own law school. But first, the guys take another dive into the listener mailbag and answer questions about application addenda. Should you write an addendum to explain an LSAT score increase? What about a GPA addendum to explain poor grades? The guys answer these questions and more. Plus, they revisit last week’s discussion about law school scholarships and share a promising email from an international student.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
5:00 Does LSAC Flag Score Increases?
15:30 Scholarships for International Students
26:20 GPA Addenda
40:51 If Ben and Nathan Started a Law School
1:02:44 LSAC Transcript Requirements
Read more on our website!
The LSAT is first and foremost a test of English reading comprehension. Strong English reading and reasoning skills are essential because lawyers in the United States are gladiators of the English language. While the LSAT is learnable for everyone, non-native English speakers may face more of an uphill battle. Today on the show, Nathan and Ben offer advice to an international student who describes his lack of proficiency in English as a barrier to achieving his desired LSAT score. In keeping with the international theme, the guys answer another listener’s questions about law school scholarships for international applicants. They also discuss whether an applicant ought to write an addendum explaining an F on their transcript. But first, the guys revisit their analysis of the index formulas discussed in previous episodes.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
5:45 - Weight of LSAT vs. GPA in Admissions Formulas
43:17 - Prepping for the LSAT as an International Student
55:55 - Applying to Law School as an International Student
1:01:19 - An Addendum for an F?
Read more on our website!
Law schools love the LSAT. Most weigh it far more heavily than any other application component—and with good reason: The LSAT is the single most accurate predictor of law school success. The ABA has recently announced a recommendation to allow “test optional” policies for law school admission. Ben and Nathan share their thoughts and explain why the LSAT isn’t going anywhere. Then, the guys pick apart a Pearls vs. Turds candidate and hear from a listener who successfully appealed LSAC’s three-tests-per-cycle rule. They wrap up with a Supported question from PrepTest 73.
Be sure to check out LSAT Demon’s free class with Rachel Gezerseh, author of The Law Career Playbook. The class will be held on May 21 at 1:00 pm EDT. All you need is a Demon Free account to join. Go to lsat.link/rachel for more details and to register.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
8:02 - Is the ABA Eliminating the LSAT?
34:56 - Pearls vs Turds
41:40 - Test Taking Limits
46:57 - Test 73, Section 4, Question 12
Read more on our website!
The LSAT is arguably the best predictor of your success in law school. It’s no wonder that law schools weigh the LSAT heavily in the admissions process. But just how much weight is an applicant’s LSAT score given relative to their UGPA? Nathan and Ben analyze the index formulas used by law schools and share a surprising realization. But first, the guys kick off the show with some stories of ProctorU mishaps from the April LSAT. They critique a listener’s study schedule and discuss the nature of 1L writing assignments. Finally, they respond to some questions that circulated after Derek Brainard’s appearance on episode 348.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
3:44 - ProctorU Mishaps
23:20 - LSAT Study Schedule
33:35 - Writing Consulting
37:40 - GPA vs. LSAT
1:02:56 - A Shout-Out to Demon Student Ryan
1:04:26 - Follow-Up Questions From Episode 348
Read more on our website!
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again—don’t pay for law school. Today on the show, Ben and Nathan are joined by financial advisor Derek Brainard to help educate students on the realities of law school debt and loan forgiveness programs. But before that, the guys roast a Pearls vs. Turds submission regarding the correlation-to-causation flaw. They also tackle another Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 73 and denounce a law school “scammership.”
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
LSAT Demon Daily
Watch Episode 348 on YouTube
Thinking LSAT YouTube
LSAT Demon YouTube
Important Dates
8:27 - Pearls vs. Turds
16:15 - Test 73, Section 4, Question 11
29:34 - Law School Scammership
51:47 - Getting Ahead of Expenses
Read more on our website!
Effective LSAT study requires more than just a time commitment. This week, Ben and Nathan emphasize that how you study for the LSAT matters more: More than the length of time you spend studying. More than the number of questions you cover. And more than any distracting analysis of whether the LSAT has gotten harder over the years (it hasn’t). The guys also answer listener questions about skipping answer choices to save time on the LSAT, making sense of law school scholarship variations, and more. Plus, they announce a Demon discount for university pre-law societies and roast a marketing email from a law school.
Attention, day-1 listeners: The guys are interviewing Derek Brainard, the national director of financial education at AccessLex, tomorrow (April 26). Submit any questions you have about financing law school to help@thinkinglsat.com today.
As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
6:38 - Test 73, Section 4, Question 9
31:29 - Eliminating Wrong Answers
41:47 - Has RC Gotten Harder?
47:02 - Pre-Law Society Offer
48:17 - How You Study Matters More
57:20 - Scholarship Estimator and Law School Rankings
1:10:36 - Law School Advertisements
Read more on our website!
If you want to go to law school for free, you have to start getting greedy with your LSAT. Tune in this week to hear Nathan and Ben respond to a bucketload of listener emails. As usual, their advice centers on one main theme—don’t pay for law school! The guys also discuss why it’s never a good idea to read the question first in Logical Reasoning. They critique an admissions dean’s comments on law school scholarships. Last but not least, they encourage a student with a 171 on record to get greedy and shoot for a higher score.
Be sure to check out LSAT Demon’s free class with Rachel Gezerseh, author of The Law Career Playbook. The class will be held on May 21 at 1:00 pm EDT. All you need is a Demon Free account to join. Go to lsat.link/rachel for more details and to register.
LSAT Demon is now in the App Store! Download the iPhone app and start practicing on the go. As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
5:05 - Don’t Read the Question First
15:03 - Invest in Yourself
29:40 - Apply Early
54:34 - Negotiate Scholarships
1:06:25 - Get Greedy with Your LSAT
Read more on our website!
If you want to improve at LSAT Reading Comprehension, remember what your job is: Read the sentences, not the passage. On today’s episode, Ben and Nathan explain why focusing on one sentence at a time is the best way to understand and retain information in both Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning. Then, the guys help one listener decide whether to retake the LSAT—even though he has a 175 on record. Another listener shares an email from LSAC’s Office of Test Security, warning them about taking the official test too many times. The guys help a former Demon student choose which law school scholarship offer to accept. And finally, they discuss why the new law school rankings fail the “100% rule.”
LSAT Demon is now in the App Store! Download the iPhone app and start practicing on the go. As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
5:35 - LR Method to Madness
10:27 - Read Sentences, Not Passages
19:04 - Retaking After a 175?
22:50 - Official LSAT Limits
38:35 - Choosing Which Scholarship to Take
51:45 - New Rankings and a Letter from Dean Faigman
1:22:06 - Increasing Your GPA
Read more on our website!
How does a new lawyer find their niche in the legal field? Specializing in an up-and-coming area of the law might sound appealing—space law, anyone?—but it might not be the most practical choice. Today on the show, special guest Judy the YouTube Lawyer sheds light on how and when to choose an area of law to practice in. But first, Ben and Nathan discuss a Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 73. They respond to listener emails and comment on whether it’s worth going into debt for higher education. And they help a former student decide which law school to attend (hint: follow the money).
LSAT Demon is now in the App Store! Download the iPhone app and start practicing on the go. As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
1:54 - Test 73, Section 4, Question 8
13:25 - Higher Education vs. Entrepreneurship
32:53 - Choosing a Law School
36:32 - Judy the YouTube Lawyer
Read more on our website!
Finding a job after law school doesn’t have to be a stressful ordeal. Give yourself a leg up on the competition, and start networking now. Today on the show, special guest Rachel Gezerseh, author of The Law Career Playbook, offers aspiring lawyers her best tips on how to network before and during law school. Then, Nathan and Ben tackle another logical reasoning question from PrepTest 73. A student shares how she got her university to expunge an F from her transcript. And the guys check out a listener-recommended app for reading and listening to books for free.
What do you want to know about law school, student loan debt, and lawyer salaries? Next week, Ben and Nathan interview Judy the Youtube Lawyer. Send your questions to help@thinkinglsat.com before March 29!
LSAT Demon is now in the App Store! Download the iPhone app and start practicing on the go. As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
2:24 - Interview with Rachel Gezerseh
39:33 - Score Inconsistencies
55:45 - Test 73, Section 4, Question 7
1:07:29 - Expunging Low Grades
1:12:41 - Read More Books
Read more on our website!
What does LSAC’s recent acquisition mean for the future of Law School Transparency? Tune in this week for an eye-opening interview with LST founder Kyle McEntee—now a senior director at LSAC. Plus, the guys declare LSAT Demon a contrapositive-free zone, explain how to transform a weakness in Logic Games into a strength, and encourage listeners to become their own boss. But first, a word about Wordle: Is this trending game anything like an LSAT logic game? Nathan and Ben comment.
What do you want to know about the legal market and how to get a job? Next week, Ben and Nathan interview Rachel Gezerseh, author of The Law Career Playbook. Send your questions to help@thinkinglsat.com before March 22.
LSAT Demon is now in the App Store! Download the iPhone app and start practicing on the go. As always, if you like the show and want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
3:44 - Wordle
9:28 - Interview with Kyle McEntee
47:53 - F*** Contrapositives
54:15 - A Weakness in Logic Games
1:06:19 - Waitlist Surveys and the Google Analytics Course
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It might not solve all life’s problems, but a high LSAT score is the closest thing to a panacea for law school application troubles. It can overshadow a mediocre GPA and demonstrate your aptitude to succeed in law school. It can open doors at higher-ranked schools. And, most importantly, it can save you from taking on a lifetime of student debt. Tune in this week for a mixed-bag episode covering everything from LSAT strategies and score improvements to scholarships and URM status.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
7:30 - The Solution to All Problems?
13:26 - A 22-Point Improvement
32:03 - Advice from a Corporate Lawyer
37:15 - Running the Tables
40:25 - CTRL+F on the LSAT
47:00 - Cost-of-Living Loans
1:12:44 - Focus on What You Can Control
1:25:38 - The LSAT Is Easy
1:29:26 - URM Status
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It takes a “special type of crazy” to really enjoy doing the work of a lawyer. Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before deciding to embark on a three-year quest for a JD. This week’s episode is all about shedding light on what it takes to be successful as a lawyer. Ben and Nathan dive into the listener mailbag and answer questions about what personality type is best suited to a career in law, how to block out distractions and focus on the LSAT, whether a waitlisted applicant has a shot at earning a scholarship, and more!
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
3:40 - Be Careful Who You Take Admissions Advice From
31:14 - Yale Scholarships
38:40 - Judy, the YouTube Lawyer
1:00:45 - Scholarships Off the Waitlist
1:10:05 - LSAT Studying Amid World Chaos
1:32:33 - What Makes a Good Lawyer?
Read more on our website!
If you’re an undergraduate student earning anything less than straight A’s, you don’t need to be thinking about the LSAT yet. Now is your opportunity to maximize your GPA. Tune in to hear Ben and Nathan discuss why undergraduate grades are so important to law school admissions—and why students should focus on acing their courses before anything else. The guys also discuss GPA addenda, law school scholarships, and GI benefits. They hear from a first-generation immigrant who used LSAT Demon to raise his score 27 points. And finally, they grind out an Evaluate question from PrepTest 73.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
3:20 - Get Straight A’s Starting Today
26:45 - T-14 Dreams with a Bad GPA
42:00 - Recycling Cans in Law School
50:06 - A 27-Point Improvement and a Full Ride
55:40 - Test 73, Section 4, Question 5
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Ben and Nathan take another dive into the listener mailbag and answer questions about law school admissions. Tune in to hear about an update to the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator, GPA addendum advice, a critique of JFK’s Harvard application essay, and more! Then, the guys discuss an undergraduate scholarship program that offers pre-law experience to minorities. Finally, they demonstrate how to “read like a lawyer” while dissecting a logical reasoning question from PrepTest 73.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
13:04 - Scholarship Estimator Update
18:01 - A 24-Point Score Increase
31:09 - Admissions Questions from a Former Therapist
50:35 - Nathan Takes a Dig at the Team
55:35 - JFK’s Harvard Application Essay
1:00:09 - LSAC PLUS Program
1:08:07 - Test 73, Section 4, Question 5
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On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan interview Harvard-trained economist Laurence J. Kotlikoff! But first, the guys answer a bucketload of listener emails about LSAT strategies, law school admissions, undergraduate majors, GPAs, and more. This episode is chock full of advice for students at any stage of the LSAT and law school application process.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
3:09 - Breaking 170
6:09 - Reading Comprehension Advice
12:07 - Logical Reasoning Strategy
17:56 - Live Classes
23:04 - Scholarship Correction Email
25:05 - Retake and Reapply?
34:34 - 173 by April?
45:54 - GPA Addendum
50:18 - Using All Your LSAT Attempts
53:23 - Choosing Your Major
1:00:16 - Interview with Economist Laurence J. Kotlikoff
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Your LSAT score can be a strong indicator of your future success in law school. This week, Ben and Nathan discuss the relationship between the LSAT and 1L grades while dissecting some admissions advice from Dean Z of Michigan Law. They also respond to a bunch of emails from the listener mailbag. Then, they interview part-time criminal defense lawyer Michael Guingona.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
4:54 - ABA 509 Data & Dean Z
31:03 - LSAT Study Schedule
43:44 - Part-Time Legal Work
47:50 - Interview with a Part-Time Criminal Defense Lawyer
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Today on the show, Ben and Nathan discuss the four phases of learning and why LSAT students should strive to achieve “unconscious competence” in the material. They also break down when and how many times applicants should plan to take the official LSAT and advise a listener who is debating whether to join the Fulbright program before law school. They wrap up with a snowboarding analogy and advice to a student who scores perfectly on Logical Reasoning but struggles with Reading Comprehension.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
3:13 - 2022 LSAT Dates
18:48 - Fulbright Scholarship
35:47 - The Four Learning Phases
49:16 - Waitlisted at USC
56:12 - Overcoming Hardships as a Personal Statement Topic
1:05:16 - Podcast Reviews
1:12:26 - A Snowboarding Analogy
1:19:40 - Put in the Reps
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The LSAT makes perfect sense. The best way to improve is to focus on understanding one question at a time. Ben and Nathan explain why study methods that overemphasize strategy—at the expense of understanding—are counterproductive. Then, they dive into the listener mailbag and talk about what types of information might negatively impact a law school résumé. They wrap up with some comments on applying to law school as a veteran and/or with a criminal record.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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Pearls vs. Turds, personal statement advice, and a bucketload of listener emails! Tune in this week to hear the lowdown on LSAT affirmations, law school scholarships, part-time lawyering (is that a thing?), personal statement topics, and more. The guys also announce some new features that are coming soon to the Demon.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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On today’s episode, Ben and Nathan explain why it’s a good idea to “burn your boats” and go all in on your LSAT prep if you want to start your legal career on the right foot. They respond to listener emails, talk about the difference between US and Canadian law schools, and double down on their advice not to pay for law school in the US. Then, they wrap it up with a logical reasoning question and remind listeners that one word never makes an answer right—but frequently, one word makes an answer wrong.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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This week, Ben and Nathan drive home the importance of building a strong LSAT foundation. Even students who think they already have a decent understanding of the test can improve their performance by mastering the easier questions at a comfortable pace. Then, after reading a listener email about testing accommodations, the guys discuss what factors students ought to consider before seeking accommodations. They also share an update on the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator and wrap up the episode with another logical reasoning question from PrepTest 73.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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This week, Ben and Nathan drive home the importance of building a strong LSAT foundation. Even students who think they already have a decent understanding of the test can improve their performance by mastering the easier questions at a comfortable pace. Then, after reading a listener email about testing accommodations, the guys discuss what factors students ought to consider before seeking accommodations. They also share an update on the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator and wrap up the episode with another logical reasoning question from PrepTest 73.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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Today’s episode is all about law school admissions. The guys reveal the telltale signs of law school “scammerships.” They also discuss cycle updates, application myths, addendums, and law schools averaging applicant LSAT scores. Plus, they crown a new winner of the Spotify Wrapped competition and kick around more ideas on how to “gamify” the LSAT.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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On this week’s episode, the guys answer some burning questions from a Space Force staff sergeant—and explain why it’s not a good idea to set your LSAT goal at 180. Then, they critique Rabbi Ben’s personal statement. They wrap up with a Logical Reasoning question that illustrates why complete-the-argument questions aren’t actually a question type at all.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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Today on the show, the guys are joined by former LSAT Demon student and current Harvard 2L, Melissa Anderson. Tune in to hear Melissa chat about boosting her score by 17 points, applying to law school as a “splitter,” and adjusting to student life at Harvard.
Plus, Ben and Nathan discuss the benefits of meditation and methods for improving productivity. They answer questions from a prospective Demon student—and debunk the need for cookie-cutter study schedules and timelines. Finally, they update the Spotify Wrapped leaderboard and award a gold medal to Thinking LSAT’s top fan of 2021.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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The ABA has recently given the GRE their stamp of approval for use in law school admissions. The guys discuss how this decision might impact future applicants. Then, they tackle some listeners’ concerns about undergraduate records and introduce a plan to “gamify” the LSAT Demon. They wrap up this episode with a Logical Reasoning Paradox question.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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After starting the show with a logical reasoning question, the guys jump into the mailbag to help some students decide when to apply to law school—and whether they should even go at all. Then, they tear apart another personal statement with some great content but a subpar approach.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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The guys kick off this week’s episode with a discussion of some apoplexy-inducing proctor issues that one November test taker reported. They let listeners know how to handle it when things don’t go perfectly as planned on test day. Then, they pick apart a Strengthen question and consider a Pearls vs Turds submission: Should students make it a goal to complete the first 10 questions in 10 minutes? Finally, they review some questions that every law school hopeful should ask themselves.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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On this week’s podcast, the guys take on some bad admissions advice and encourage two students to retake the LSAT and apply next cycle. After that, the guys discuss law school accelerated programs and read a personal statement from a critically acclaimed jazz guitarist.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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On this week’s podcast, the guys break down a Must Be True question with a tricky wrong answer. Then, they evaluate an English professor’s tips for professional writing in a lengthy Pearls vs. Turds submission. They close the show with a solid personal statement from an engineer interested in patent law.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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In this episode, Ben and Nathan get down to the nitty gritty and break down basic strategies for every question type on LSAT Logical Reasoning. They follow with a few more listener-submitted questions about admissions and applications. Then, they give some advice on how to know if you should go to law school or not.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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More admissions questions have been rolling in, so Ben and Nathan kick off today’s show by diving into the mailbag. They answer questions about logic games and discuss how their difficulty has changed over the history of the test. They also offer some encouragement to low-GPA applicants. Later, they take on a Necessary Assumption question that they deem a true five-star question, and they announce the arrival of Demon dark mode.
Listener Shannon wants to know if the older logic games (specifically, those on tests 1–50) are harder than those on newer tests. Ben believes that the games became easier starting around test 40. They were more difficult on tests released before then. Nathan adds to this by discussing the newest logic games section to be released. All four games on test 92 were very easy. The guys encourage Shannon to practice games from all tests no matter when they were released, especially if she is not yet scoring 100% on the logic games. They remind listeners that if you do the work, you can learn to solve logic games and get that perfect score.
Three listeners share their concerns about applying to law school with a less-than-stellar undergraduate GPA. Nathan starts by reading an email from Sean, who expresses frustration with how LSAC has calculated his cumulative GPA. He is wondering if he should apply early decision to boost his chance of being admitted. He also questions how much a GPA addendum would actually affect his application.
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Today on the show, Ben and Nathan discuss a turd regarding LSAT diagnostic tests. They explain why they advise new students to just start with a practice test. The guys also go over LSAC’s recently released data comparing August test scores from 2019 through 2021. Then, they answer a harder LR Weaken question and host the personal statement grand finale.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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Ben and Nathan continue the series of reading bad personal statements and calling out violations. But first, they tackle a Flaw question from PrepTest 73 and read emails from Demon students finding LSAT success. If you are still wondering what NOT to do on your personal statement, this episode is for you.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT, and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
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Ben and Nathan have read a lot of shoddy personal statements on the show in recent weeks. If you’re wondering what a really good one sounds like, you don’t want to miss today’s first submission—one that actually follows the guys’ advice. The best personal statement in weeks is followed by a frenzy of violations. But first, the guys tackle a Parallel Reasoning question from PrepTest 73 and dispel a myth about diagramming arguments on the LSAT.
First, Nathan reiterates the pearl of LR advice from episode 317: Mentally blur out the question and answer choices as you read the passage. Focus on one sentence at a time, and make sure you actually understand it.
The first sentence is an if-then statement. Does that mean you should write it out with symbols and arrows and diagram the contrapositive? No! Doing that is counterproductive. Instead, just think about what the sentence means. Ben puts it simply: Either Suarez or Anderson is the most qualified.
Halfway through the next sentence, Ben predicts what the argument can logically conclude. The conclusion matches his prediction, so the argument is valid. That is, the evidence forces the conclusion to be true.
The question asks for a parallel argument. The given argument is valid, so the correct answer must be valid as well. Nathan describes the type of argument he’s looking for as, roughly, “It’s gotta be one of these two things. So, if it’s not this one, it’s that one.” Answer B is a perfect match.
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Today on the show, Nathan and Ben uncover a rare pearl of LSAT wisdom. This listener-submitted advice promotes a deeper understanding of the test and can be applied to both Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. The guys also relay some important announcements from LSAC and discuss why September is the best time to submit law school applications. Then, they review some cringey personal statements and wrap up with another list of rule violations.
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Listener personal statements have been rolling in, and Ben and Nathan are doing their best to respond to as many as possible. In what may be a new record, today’s episode features ten submissions. The guys pull no punches as they critique each one and compile a list of rule violations. But first, they hear from a listener who improved his official score by 27 points using LSAT Demon, and they tackle a Reasoning question from PrepTest 73.
Reminder: If you want to submit your personal statement to be read on a future episode, go to lsat.link/statement and answer the questions first.
5:45 – Major Score Increases
Listener Volodymyr studied with LSAT Demon for six months and increased his score by a whopping 27 points—from a diagnostic 142 to an official 169. Way to go! That 97th percentile score and his impressive 3.86 GPA make him an excellent candidate.
Nathan and Ben revel in the fact that major score increases are becoming so common among dedicated Demon students, they’re almost unremarkable. The thing that sets LSAT Demon apart from other test prep companies is the emphasis on actually understanding the test—not on gimmicky shortcuts.
14:13 – Logical Reasoning Question 16 from PrepTest 73
Nathan breaks down the argument and summarizes the main point: The top award for architecture should go to the best building just as the top award for movies goes to the best picture. Why? Because creating a building is a team effort, much like creating a movie. Ben and Nathan are sympathetic to the argument but also point out its weaknesses. They then discuss their strategy for answering a Reasoning question. The right answer must accurately describe something that the argument did—nothing different, nothing extra. Ben adds that it’s okay if an answer describes the argument incompletely, but it can’t be inaccurate.
Answer A makes perfect sense. The argument did use an analogy to reach its conclusion. Answers B, C, D, and E have a lot of the right words, but they’re all inaccurate and thus wrong. Nathan reminds listeners that the most efficient way to improve your Logical Reasoning score is to dig into one question at a time.
43:12 – Z’s Personal Statement
The first few sentences of Z’s statement are somewhat vague and fail to capture Ben’s or Nathan’s interest. There are some awkward sentence constructions and too many uses of the word “would” throughout the first paragraph. (Instead of saying that you would do something, just say that you did something.) Z then claims to teach students how to construct “the clearest possible prose.” Meanwhile, Z’s prose is unclear and contains several grammatical errors. Nathan and Ben both say they’d stop reading at that point.
49:30 – Kamilah’s Personal Statement
Kamilah’s first sentence can be edited down significantly. Ben and Nathan recommend losing the adjective “interesting.” If something is interesting, show the reader why it’s interesting—don’t force the conclusion. Kamilah follows with several more conclusions and too much detail about her attorney uncle. The reader cares only about you, the applicant. Don’t talk about family members.
Skimming a couple paragraphs ahead, the guys learn that Kamilah has worked in HR for 18 years and is now “responsible for the investigation of statutory complaints raised by and against Intel employees and its contractors.” They encourage her to cut the entire first paragraph and lead with the important work that she does today.
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With the 2022 application cycle underway, more and more law school hopefuls are seeking feedback on their personal statements. Nathan and Ben are happy to continue reviewing them on the show. But too many submissions seem to flout their advice. So they’re introducing a new touchstone—one that hopefully will encourage everyone to take advantage of existing resources before submitting. Going forward, the guys will be accepting personal statements only from listeners who fill out a prerequisite questionnaire here:
Today’s show features answers to personal statement questions from the listener mailbag and five more personal statement critiques. But first, the guys tackle another Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 73 and evaluate an admissions tip for Pearls vs. Turds.
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The personal statement queue continues to grow. This week, the pod received a special request for a good personal statement example. Unfortunately, most statements submitted to the show are not so good—some might even be described as torturous.
Today, the guys review six more personal statements. One is great but could be better. The others are confusing, irritating, or worse. (Hint: Don’t use blood metaphors in a law school personal statement.) But first, it’s back to some classic Thinking LSAT content, including an Excuse of the Week, Pearls vs. Turds, and a Logical Reasoning question. Read more on our website!
Nathan and Ben kick off this week’s episode with a logical reasoning question and explain their two-step strategy for identifying a flaw. They hear from an August LSAT taker about an overly officious proctor. Then, they evaluate four more personal statements. It’s the time of year when many students are getting their law school applications ready and asking for advice. Today’s featured statements are better written than most but still lacking in relevant content. Spoiler: Law schools probably don’t want to hear a story about feral cats. Read more on our website!
Today on the show, Ben and Nathan tackle another batch of personal statements. These are better than average but still not great. They all at least have a good foundation to work with. The guys deliver their constructive criticism—and offer up a bonanza of advice to anyone who wants to improve their personal statement or their writing in general. Read more on our website!
By popular demand, the guys spend yet another episode shredding listener personal statements. It’s that time of year. This week, six brave participants will each have their personal statement read and critiqued for 10 minutes—on the clock. Nathan and Ben remind our listeners that, often, the first step to construction is demolition. Learn what to do and what not to do on your statement by listening to their feedback. Read more on our website!
The start of the 2022 application cycle is almost here. Anyone following Ben and Nathan’s advice is going to apply in early September with their best LSAT score—and with a fact-based personal statement that portrays a winner. On this week’s episode, the guys reprise their roles as mock law-school gatekeepers and evaluate three more personal statements. Spoiler: They don’t make it through any of them.
Here’s one tidbit of advice for any listeners who are writing a personal statement: Think about what reaction the reader is likely to have after reading each sentence. Then ask yourself whether that sentence presents a fact about you that puts your best foot forward and makes them closer to accepting you.
Before diving into Personal Statement-Palooza, Nathan and Ben discuss a lengthy Pearls vs. Turds candidate, answer a logical reasoning question from PrepTest 73, and remind you why you should never miss a Sufficient Assumption question. Read more on our website!
It’s the first-ever Thinking LSAT Personal Statement-stravaganza! In this special episode, Nathan and Ben become mock law school admissions officers as they read and compare four personal statements. There’s a catch—they read only to the point where they would decide to admit or deny the applicant.
Admissions committees have mountains of applications to drudge through. Realistically, they aren’t reading every single essay from beginning to end. Odds are they already have a good idea of what their decision is going to be based on an applicant’s GPA and LSAT score. A cursory look at the personal statement may be all they need to confirm that decision. Read more on our website!
The LSAT and the bar are the two most consequential tests that an aspiring lawyer will take. Your LSAT score factors enormously in determining where you will go to law school and how much you will pay for it. Then, after you spend three years earning a JD, the bar exam determines whether you will be permitted to use your degree and to practice law. But they are very different tests: One gauges a student’s command of critical reading and reasoning skills. The other rewards an ability to memorize and regurgitate large amounts of information. You can probably guess which test Ben and Nathan think is the better indicator of future success in legal practice. On this week’s episode, the guys discuss how much merit the bar exam has and weigh in on one state’s recent proposal to drop the requirement. They also reveal the solution to the brainteaser from episode 306, evaluate a Pearls vs. Turds candidate, and respond to a whole lot of listener mail. Read more on our website!
It’s natural for new students to wonder how much time they will have to spend preparing for the LSAT. The simple answer—as long as it takes—isn’t all that satisfying. But the reality is that some people may need a lot more or less time than others need. On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan review an article that advises a more concrete timeline and compare it to their own advice. They also respond to listener questions about résumés and personal statements, share some helpful tips from a rising 2L, and explain how to overcome a “score plateau.” Read more on our website!
Conclusions that are stated without sufficient evidence invite skepticism. To succeed on the LSAT, you need to be able to spot unwarranted conclusions and poke holes in weak arguments. On your personal statement, you’re the one making the argument. You want to demonstrate to the reader that you’re an ideal candidate for their law school. The best way to prove your case is to present indisputable evidence. State the facts, and allow the reader to draw their own conclusions about how great you are. On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan review a fraternity treasurer’s personal statement that weighs a bit too heavily on conclusions. They offer constructive criticism that anyone writing a personal statement can learn from. The guys also break down an LSAT Conclusion question from PrepTest 73, and Nathan stumps Ben with a brainteaser. Read more on our website!
If you’re not already predicting the answer to every Sufficient Assumption question on the LSAT, you’re wasting time and leaving easy points on the table. Nathan and Ben explain why these questions are so predictable and how you can learn to master them. Today’s action-packed episode also includes updates on the August LSAT, Pearls vs. Turds, a discussion about law schools paying students to defer enrollment, and a question about whether you should care more about a school’s overall ranking or their ranking in a specialty program. Read more on our website!
The LSAT is a test of skill, not of knowledge. It’s an intense mental exercise that requires months of training to achieve optimal performance. For this reason, strategies that are useful to athletes can often be adapted and effectively employed by LSAT students. This week’s episode features a trove of fitness-inspired LSAT advice and analogies. The guys also tackle a logical reasoning question and break down one of the LSAT’s most common flaws, evaluate back-to-back submissions in a Pearls vs. Turds double segment, and dig through the listener mailbag. Read more on our website!
Nathan and Ben have reviewed hundreds of personal statements from law school hopefuls. Their goal is always to provide students with constructive criticism. In most cases, the first step to construction is demolition. After a lengthy discussion of Dre’s personal statement, their recommendation to her is clear: Start over. Or, better yet, reconsider applying to law school. It sounds like art is her real passion. The guys also hear another frustrating ProctorU story following the June LSAT and discuss whether it’s worth cancelling or complaining. They share some updates on the international LSAT. And car-guy Jake (from episode 300) checks in. Read more on our website!
This week’s internationally-focused episode features listener mail from students in Nigeria and Canada. Ben and Nathan share their thoughts on international students not having as many chances to take the LSAT. And they discuss whether their “don’t pay for law school” advice applies outside of the United States. They also break down another logical reasoning question from PrepTest 73, contemplate the agony of working 100 hours a week in big law, and shed light on the Demon’s new rating system. Be sure to listen to the end for a surprise announcement! Read more on our website!
The June LSAT is right around the corner. What should you do on the day before the official test? On today’s episode, the guys reevaluate their long-standing advice to take the day off. They also review a personal statement from a listener who missed the mark in attempting to follow Nathan’s template. The Pearls vs. Turds scoreboard is updated after Ben and Nathan analyze a tip about guessing. And finally, Nathan explains why he’s yelling at the LSAT—and why you should yell at it, too. Read more on our website!
The 300th episode kicks off with one of the best first drafts of a personal statement we’ve ever had on the show—after Ben and Nathan chop off the final paragraph, that is. Then, the guys evaluate a Pearls vs. Turds candidate about writing addenda to explain score increases (spoiler: don’t do it). They also reminisce about the old days of in-person LSAT classes and, finally, attack another Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 73. Read more on our website!
“How do I get faster?” LSAT teachers hear some version of this question every day. And Nathan and Ben’s answer will always be the same: Slow down and focus on accuracy. Speed comes naturally with time and practice—you can’t force it. The guys discuss what Nathan calls the fundamental paradox of the LSAT on this week’s episode. They also evaluate a submission for Pearls vs. Turds, tackle another logical reasoning question from PrepTest 73, and answer a variety of questions from the listener mailbag. Read more on our website!
It’s the start of personal statement season for students who are applying to law school this fall. If you’re struggling to organize your story or don’t know where to begin, Nathan and Ben offer up an easy-to-follow strategy. Break it down into three basic parts: I am. I did. I do. The guys also answer another Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 73, take a look at an article about law school debt, answer questions from the listener mailbag, and discuss the perils of mixing alcohol with LSAT prep. Read more on our website!
Today’s show features an interview with Nathan Lowry of Service to School, a national nonprofit organization that provides guidance and resources to veterans applying for law school. Ben and Nathan also discuss a new Excuse of the Week and dig into the listener mailbag. Some common themes reappear: Don’t rush into law school. Take your time. Get the best LSAT score you can get. Go to the best law school that offers you a full scholarship. Read more on our website!
Many students feel the need to apply to law school as soon as possible without reaching their potential on the LSAT. But good things come to those who wait. Nathan and Ben chat with former Demon student Jon-Yin Chong, who started his LSAT journey in 2019 and, after over a year of prep and five attempts at the official test, scored a life-changing score of 178. By postponing his law school applications, he also availed himself of several opportunities that led to his current position at Harvard Law School’s Federal Tax Clinic, which he discusses on today’s episode. Plus, Ben and Nathan consider whether all the questions on LSAT Reading Comprehension are “Must Be Trues,” answer lots of questions from the listener mailbag, and meet Ben’s biggest fan—Copper, the Golden Retriever. Read more on our website!
In this week's episode, Ben and Nathan dig through the listener mailbag, uncovering an Excuse of the Week, stress over multiple LSAC snafus, and an update from a former listener who took some—but not all—of their advice when applying to law school. They answer questions about reading comprehension, personal statements, and when to start prepping for the LSAT. They also tackle a Paradox question from PrepTest 73. Read more on our website!
If you’re gonna go into a courtroom—as a defendant—you’re gonna want the most ruthless and savvy law warrior on your side. But how far would you want them to go in advocating for you? Nathan and Ben debate a hypothetical legal entanglement amidst answering listener questions. They also read listener mail about negotiating a full ride to Berkeley, choosing which law school you should pay for (hint: none of them), how to prep in a retake situation, whether to ask for accommodations (probably), and much more. The guys also try to get to the bottom of LSAC’s recent bombshell announcement that the dates of the LSAT testing year have changed, leaving a bunch of test-takers in a lurch. Read more on our website!
In an action-packed show, the guys hit all the bases: pearls vs. turds, excuse of the week, the latest news from the law-school universe, law school admissions success stories, advice for 1L hopefuls. The works. Nathan and Ben take a look at how Khan Academy teaches LG compared to building worlds. They talk about Georgetown slipping from the top 14. They try to decipher LSAC’s new policy on how many times you can take the LSAT. They offer some advice to someone who’s hoping to attend Harvard with a 3.2 GPA, and they consider whether it’s too late to consider applying in the 2021-2022 cycle. Plus the dive deep into the murky bowels of Florida Coastal School of Law, which is facing closure after the government declared it would stop loaning money to students planning to attend. Read more on our website!
It’s getting later in the law school admissions cycle, and more and more offers are rolling in. Now students are faced with some tough decisions. But instead of playing the game the Thinking LSAT way, students are panicking. They’re worried about getting to school right away instead of starting their career in law the right way—(near) debt free, and with the best opportunities ahead of them. Instead, folks tend to get tunnel vision and reduce their range of possibilities. Nathan and Ben serve up some tough love to a bunch of students trying to decide where to attend in the fall. Plus, the guys hear an excuse of the week and pick apart another LR question from prep test 65. Read more on our website!
The Thinking LSAT mailbag is filled to the brim, so the guys sit down for a bonus episode of answering questions from our dear listeners. They weigh some LSAT wisdom from a particularly misguided guidance counselor, they hear an excuse of the week from a surprisingly self-aware student, they help a “non-traditional” candidate with an addendum (and chronic sleep apnea), and they hear some success stories about students heading to law school for free. Plus, they offer some advice to a college sophomore who wants to know how to start prepping for the LSAT early—because they’re positively, definitely, for sure, dead set on a career in the law. Read more on our website!
Since the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal, college admissions professionals have been under a new level of scrutiny. On today’s show, Ben and Nathan talk to Harvard Law grad and college admissions consultant, Sydney Montgomery, about ethics and law school admissions. They also talk to Sydney about how equity-seeking groups can find community and support as they are preparing for law school and when they get to campus. Plus, the guys answer another LR question from prep test 65, they answer a question about scholarships for older candidates, check-in on changes to the U.S. News rankings, and hear a story of an LSAC fee waiver denial that got reversed. Read more on our website!
Many lawyers-to-be have their eyes on the good stuff. They want to do the world-saving, altruistic work that will make communities stronger and peoples’ lives better. And immigration law is a popular focus for these folks who want to help asylees and other groups. But what is immigration law really like? Nathan and Ben sit down with immigration attorney, Nicole Black, to talk about the realities of immigration law. They discuss what cases generally look like, what happens when cases get lost, and what the day-to-day practice is like for an immigration attorney. Plus, the guys chomp thru another LR question from PT 65, they weigh some advice from Reddit and answer a bunch of listener mail. Read more on our website!
In what may be some kind of record, the guys dig thru their overflowing mailbag and answer a bunch of listener emails, plus they find time to hear an Excuse of the Week, play a round of Pearls vs. Turds, and answer an LR question from prep test 65. It is an action-packed episode where the guys answer questions about career changes from being a calligrapher to becoming a lawyer, from opting out of law school to become a social worker, whether law schools offer accommodations for students with learning differences, and what to do about being waitlisted in an ultra-competitive cycle, and a bunch more. Read more on our website!
Ben and Nathan are joined by Henry Carras, a 3L at GW who is preparing to go into the JAG (Judge Advocate General’s) Corps. Harry discusses the ins and outs of what it means to be a Judge Advocate in different branches of the military, what responsibilities JAG Corps officers have outside of lawyer-ing, and what it takes to be accepted into the JAG Corps. The guys also hear from a student who’s wondering if creating a good network in law school is better than being a big fish with a scholarship, they skewer a money-grab email from Georgetown, take a look at an excuse of the week, and get into another LR question from prep test 65. Read more on our website!
When it comes to all the LSAT advice that’s floating out there in the world, it’s hard to find much information that’s helpful. It’s hard to find those pearls of wisdom that will have a meaningful impact on your LSAT score. And over the years, the guys have reviewed many a turd-o-wisdom from the field. But in this episode, the guys take a look at some advice that they agree every person studying for the LSAT should keep in mind. Nathan and Ben also hear from folks who aren’t feeling so surefooted on their paths to law school—if they’re struggling with RC, does that mean they’re going to suck at law school? If they’re scoring higher today than a few weeks ago, are they just on a lucky streak? If they can’t apply this cycle, is it worth applying to law school at all? Nathan and Ben try to bring some peace of mind to these folks, plus they tackle another LR question from prep test 65. Read more on our website!
It’s not always fun to say “we told you so.” But guess what. We told you so. This week, LSAC announced that the LSAT Flex is here to stay. And with a few small changes, the online test will be known simply as “LSAT” after August of this year. The guys cover this major announcement from LSAC and share some other news, like the release of the testing schedule thru June 2022. Nathan and Ben also hear from a student who’s considering a retake at 174, they advise a listener who fears they’re too old to go to law school, and they hear from a student who’s got a handful of full-ride offers. Plus, the guys consider an excuse of the week about tough vocab on the LSAT, and they rip thru a listener’s personal statement.
Over the past few weeks, lawyers, judges, and politically interested folks around the world were audience to the latest Trump impeachment trial. And while there’s been a lot of commentary about the cases made by both the prosecution and the defense, the Thinking LSAT crew has some opinions of their own—mainly about the wildly poor writing exhibited in Trump’s impeachment defense brief. In this episode, the guys laugh their way through portions of the legal brief in a case study of what not to do if you ever become a lawyer. The guys also field a question about how much one can expect to improve on the LSAT after studying for a few months, they hear an LSAT Demon success story, they consider some advice for improving reading comprehension, and they burn through another LR question from prep test 65. Plus, a motivational note about plateauing performance from producer Adam. Read more on our website!
Friend of the show and law school expert, Ann Levine, joins Nathan and Ben to answer some of your burning late-in-the-cycle admissions questions. The squad tackles questions about negotiating scholarships, picking a school with an international program, what’s appropriate for a diversity statement vs. a personal statement, and whether it’s too late to apply to a T14 school. Plus, Ben and Nathan talk about the dirtiest word on the LSAT, they cover another “excuse of the week,” and they answer another LR question from prep test 65. Read more on our website!
In the wake of the January LSAT-Flex, there are winners and…not so winners. Nathan and Ben field some questions from folks who got shook by the January test. From nightmare ProctorU experiences to “harder-than-usual” sections, folks are wondering if they need to re-take. The guys also help someone who’s caught in a morass of LSAC GPA finagling, they offer some negotiation advice to a student who’s been accepted to their no. 1 school, and they help an ultra-marathoner decide how to work his accomplishment into a personal statement. Plus, Ben and Nathan take a look at another Excuse of the Week, and introduce another segment: Sh*t that Kids Say Wrong.
Whether you’re prepping for the LSAT, or sitting for the LSAT, or getting ready to apply for law school, there are countless obstacles that can stand in your way. And as many obstacles there are—there are that many excuses for why things didn’t turn out as you’d hoped. On the flip side, if you’re prepared and cool as a cucumber, you can still perform under pressure and not pay for law school. Today the guys hear from a high-scorer who had an unfortunate Proctor U mishap, they weigh some advice about being a big fish in a small pond (will it be a pearl or a turd?!), they take a look at a claim that COVID may be causing some law schools to lose their accreditation, and they read “the excuse of the week” from their LSAT Demon classes. Plus, Nathan gives a brain teaser to Ben and the guys tackle another LR question from Prep Test 65.
We’re well into the law school admissions cycle and letters are beginning to come back to 1L hopefuls. Included in letters that make and dash dreams are the occasional, inevitable “you’ve been waitlisted” letter. The guys hear from a listener who’s been waitlisted and answer a few questions about how to let school’s know they’re still your top choice. Plus they offer some help to someone whose practice scores are always higher than their official test scores, they hear from a junior in college who’s racing toward law school, and they answer another LR question from Prep Test 65. Read more on our website!
Application season can be stressful, you’re gathering up your documents, your letters of rec, your personal essay, your transcripts. It can be a mess, especially if you’re waiting for your autumn LSAT scores to roll in. And it can get even messier if LSAC locks your account down because you applied for an LSAC fee waiver. In this episode, the guys hear a tale of woe from the 2020 application cycle, they field some questions about whether someone else can submit your application for you in 2021, and they offer advice for someone is looking for a job ahead of attending law school in 2022. Plus, the guys consider some advice about LG setups, they get the insider scoop from a current 1L, and they slice and dice an LR question from prep test 65. Read more on our website!
The guys pick up where they left off last episode and kick things off with an LSAT LR question from practice test 65. They discuss the importance of reading comprehension skills even while unpacking an LR argument. And they show how you can use your own real-world knowledge to help ground you while you’re reading, even if the argument differs wildly from what you know to be true in real life. Plus, the guys critique a law school personal statement from Vancouver, British Columbia. Read more on our website!
Some. Most. Sufficient Assumption. Inference. The LSAT is full of jargon. Some of it useful, and some of it…not so much. What makes matters worse is that many LSAT prep companies confuse students’ understanding by building unnecessary complexities into the study process. In this episode, the guys hear from a listener who just can’t quite understand “existential quantifiers,” hard as he may try. The thing is: the guys have no idea what “existential quantifiers” even means—especially not in the context of the LSAT. Nathan and Ben do their best to bring clarity to this confused 1L hopeful. Plus Nathan advocates for doing more inquiring and less note taking, the guys hear about a life-changing 20-point improvement, and they offer up a PSA about talking and LSAT-ing. Read more on our website!
Sometimes the best advice comes from where you least expect it. The guys take a look at an email from a UPenn computer science program and find a gold mine of advice. They read through the email and discuss each of its 13 pieces of advice. The guys also hear from an LSAT Demon confrontation at…Target, and they offer some advice to someone who’s wondering how they should switch up study habits in the home stretch toward the January LSAT. Plus, the guys consider the link between the LSAT and nutrition, they hear from a happy Demon subscriber who’s headed to Georgetown Law fuh FREE, and they chop up a listener’s personal statement.
Black Americans are woefully underrepresented in the field of law, making up around 5% of all attorneys compared to 13% of the U.S. population. Enter NBLSA, the National Black Law Students Association—an organization working to improve the relationship between Black law students, Black attorneys, and the American legal structure. Nathan and Ben are joined by NBLSA National Director and Chair, Rachel Barnes to discuss how NBLSA is articulating and promoting the educational, professional, political, and social needs and goals of Black law students. The guys also hear from two students who are trying to push their scores higher than their current on-record, they advise someone who’s bummed about an early decision decision, and they tackle another LR question from PT 65. Plus, get the latest updates about the LSAT Demon. Read more on our website!
It’s the time of year when students are visiting college campuses, sending in their admissions packets, and talking to law school admissions staffers. But in the world of the pandemic, fewer on-campus visits are taking place. Now, these Q and A sessions are taking the place where everything else in the world is taking place. On Zoom. The guys discuss a current law school trend—admissions officers offering one-on-one Zoom pre-application discussions for curious students. They also take a look at some personal statement advice from Nebraska Law, Ben tackles a brain teaser, Nathan touts the benefits of video games, and the guys slice and dice an LR question from prep test 65. Plus, you’ll hear from a student who’s not paying for law school in 2021. Read more on our website!
Many law school hopefuls are starry-eyed and idealistic, hoping to be a force for good in the world. But after three years of Torts and Wills and Trusts courses, they end up disillusioned and in debt. What if there were careers in the law where you could do some good but didn’t need to get a JD first? Today on the show the guys take a look at some alternative careers in law. Plus, Ben and Nathan assess an “ancient cramming technique,” they hear from a student who tracked their score from 160 to 174 with interesting results, and they offer advice to two listeners who are feeling downright stuck on their LSAT journey. Read more on our website!
As we get late into the 2021 law school admissions cycle, a new generation of 1L hopefuls are starting to study for the LSAT to apply for the 2022 school year. But for anyone getting ready to apply to law school, the process can be daunting. The guys break down what an ideal LSAT and law school application journey looks like—which starts as much as two years before starting school. Nathan and Ben also hear some solid advice from a pre-law advisor, they discuss why you don’t need to make the LSAT your life, they advise a listener on whether to write a “why you” letter to their law schools of choice, and they respond to some criticism about assertions they’ve made on previous episodes. Plus, they tackle an LR question from LSAT prep test 65. Read more on our website!
Diversity statements are an oft-overlooked part of some students’ application packages. But a short and to-the-point diversity statement can give law schools a much better picture of you as an applicant. In this episode, the guys review a lengthy diversity statement from a listener and offer some advice about how to make it a stronger piece of their application. Nathan and Ben also consider some advice about LG questions, they offer some “tips” on how to improve your LR and RC performance, they help a student narrow down where to apply to law school, and they advise a student with a disappointing first-time score. Plus, the guys introduce a new segment, Hills to Die On. Read more on our website!
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to college students, 1Ls and lawyers-to-be around the world. But where one door closes…another opens, dear listeners. Rachel Gezerseh (Panish, Shea and Boyle, LLP) is back on the pod to talk about how you can and should be networking for your legal career even though you can’t grab coffee or meet up with lawyers in person. Ben and Nathan also talk about the effectiveness of a JD MBA, they consider whether an MA certificate program will help your chances of getting into a good law school, they weigh some advice about personal statements from a pre-law advisor, and they offer advice to someone who just jumped from the 130s to the 150s. Plus, the guys answer LR question 11 from prep test 65. Read more on our website!
It’s that time of year again when 1L hopefuls are getting their sh*t together and applying to law school. But you might be wondering, “what do I even want to learn when I get in?” If that’s you, you’re not alone! After all, the law can be…mysterious…and it can be hard to know what career paths are open to you. Well, dear listeners, never fear! LSAC has an online quiz that can help you understand just what kind of lawyer you could be. Nathan and Ben take the quiz and let you know what they think of the results. Plus, the guys talk about what to do in the days leading up to taking the LSAT-Flex, they talk “technical cancellations,” they assess some Instagram LSAT wisdom, offer advice to a splitter, and answer an LR question from practice test 65. Read more on our website!
The world of LSAC Fee Waivers is opaque and confusing. You may not get a clear answer as to why you were granted or denied a fee waiver, leaving many people frustrated and in the dark—and still in need of any bit of financial relief they can get. The guys sit down with Kalyn McDaniel, an LSAT Demon tutor and 1L applicant who recently received a fee waiver after initially being denied. Kalyn discusses the fee-waiver appeal process and lets you know how you can set yourself up for success when asking LSAC for help. Plus, the guys consider the relationship between GPA and scholarships, they offer advice to someone who’s just starting their LSAT prep journey, they hear from someone who’s seen a bump in their score after studying with the Demon, and they critique a listener’s personal statement. Read more on our website!
This year has seen major changes to the LSAT—namely through the LSAT Flex. It’s a shorter test with just three sections that you can take from the comfort of your home (or hotel) and a completely separate writing section. So how are these changes affecting the 2020 law school admissions cycle? The guys sit down with law school admissions expert Ann Levine to talk about how this cycle may be the most competitive ever. Read more on our website!
When Santi Del Campo started studying for the LSAT from Spain, he was scoring in the 140s. But after studying with the Thinking LSAT team, he smashed out a 173 on the test. Now he’s helping other students with the LSAT in the LSAT Demon. The guys talk to Santi about his LSAT journey and what his classes are like in the Demon. Nathan and Ben also offer some advice to a student who’s taking the test as a non-native English speaker, they hear from a student who wants to know about scholarship opportunities for folks with low GPAs, and they dive into a listener’s personal statement. Read more on our website!
The leaves are changing and the weather is getting colder, but the LSAT remains the same. It’s the time of year where law schools wheel out their college admissions staffers to try to sell you big on their schools. In the past, LSAC would hold forums where you could meet and greet admissions folks from around the country. Now they’re creating virtual events. The guys discuss LSAC’s new digital forum, they discuss the value of studying with “old” LSAT practice tests vs. new ones, they weigh some advice from a listener, and they critique a personal statement. Read more on our website!
Nathan and Ben are joined by LSAT Demon tutor, Jackson, to discuss a brand-new feature of the platform—a scholarship estimator. The estimator takes your GPA and your LSAT score and lets you know what kind of scholarship you could expect from any accredited law school. Jackson talks about how he helped develop the feature and the guys put the beta feature to the test. Plus, Ben and Nathan assess some advice from the Dean of Admissions at the University of Michigan, they help a listener with an addendum, they tear apart a personal statement, and more. Read more on our website!
Even though the registration deadline for the October LSAT-Flex is long past, students who took the test over the summer are just now getting their LSAT scores back. And waiting weeks on end for a score isn’t the only miserable thing about taking the LSAT during a pandemic. Nathan and Ben hear from a bunch of folks who have received or had trouble getting their scores back from LSAC. Some want advice. And some just want to gripe. The guys also offer up some thoughts about strengthening your reading comprehension skills, and they hear a big list of mostly terrible advice. Read more on our website!
The summer’s coming to an end and future 1Ls are applying to law school or getting ready to take the LSAT. And since folks are about to dive headfirst into the fall LSATs? The guys get a bunch of pretty technical questions about the test. They discuss the mechanics of strengthen and weaken questions, they talk about how to handle questions that use “unless,” and they straight up answer a must be true question from practice test 65. Plus, they consider when a person should become a lawyer and they read a rather hilarious email from UC Hastings. Read more on our website!
It’s been almost six months since the first LSAT-Flex, and just because there’ve been several administrations, it doesn’t mean all of the issues have been ironed out. Between LSAT Writing and LSAT-Flex, students aren’t having the best experiences as they prepare for law school. Nathan and Ben discuss the problems they’ve heard from their students as a way to hopefully let you know what you’re in for. Plus, the guys weigh some advice about practicing under tighter time constraints, they hear about financial aid for part-time programs, and they take a look at a listener’s personal statement. Read more on our website!
If you’re a longtime listener, then you know that transferring can be a way to leverage a strong 1L performance into a more prestigious school. That’s just what GW transfer student and current 2L, Kelly Buckley did. After her 1L year at Catholic University, Kelly made the rounds, collected recommendations from current instructors, assessed her options, and transferred to GW. Kelly talks about her 1L experience and offers advice to law-school hopefuls, and shares the details of what it was like to transfer from a school outside the top 100 law schools to a school ranked 23rd in the country. Plus, Nathan and Ben answer questions about LG strategy, LR strategy, whether or not to write a GPA addendum, and whether a part-time program will set you up for a successful career in the law. Read more on our website!
LSAC finally announced that the October LSAT will indeed be an LSAT-Flex, which should come as no surprise to Thinking LSAT listeners. But as more LSAT-Flex tests are scheduled, the rumor mill is going into overdrive. The guys talk about the latest news from LSAC and address rumors about the LSAT-Flex (is every LSAT-Flex different to mitigate cheating?!). Plus, the guys hear some success stories from LSAT Demon users, they offer some mind-expanding advice about logic games, and they review a listener’s personal statement. Read more on our website!
August is here! And with each month that passes, LSAC announces new updates about the LSAT-Flex. The guys jump into the latest news from LSAC and talk about the upcoming August and October LSAT-Flex administrations. Nathan and Ben also hear from a listener who’s bummed about the LSAT-Flex being undisclosed, they hear gripes from a listener who is enrolled in private tutoring (from another prep company) but isn’t seeing results, and the guys tackle another LR question from prep test 65. Plus, the guys dig into an ABA 509 report to see if there really is a 100-year-old law student at Penn State. Read more on our website!
Ben sits down with a former student, circuit-court clerk, and recent Georgetown Law School grad, Michael Bongiorno for a wide-ranging interview. Michael shares what his law school experience was like and talks about studying for the Bar in the midst of a pandemic. The two go in-depth about the importance of picking the right law school, finding the right teachers, and performing well in your 1L year. They also discuss how to think about transferring, competing with your fellow students, and how to succeed even if your grades suffer in your 1L year. Read more on our website!
Aaron Taylor, the Executive Director of the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence, joins Nathan and Ben to discuss the current state of law schools—from the U.S. News Rankings and prepping students for the financial realities of law school, to administering the Bar exam during a pandemic. But before the guys dive in, they talk about some of the biggest news of the year: LSAC lost a bunch of July LSAT-Flex scores. Read more on our website!
Speed. Accuracy. Success. Happiness. How do you strike a balance? If you speed through the LSAT, your accuracy may suffer. If you slow down to improve accuracy but never get better at the test, your score will stagnate. If you rush headfirst into law school, you may end up with a mountain of debt in a career that doesn’t meet expectations. In this episode, Nathan and Ben discuss how to use the time to set yourself up for success on the LSAT and beyond. They answer listener questions about aiming for accuracy, how slow is too slow when approaching LR arguments, and whether or not to take a gap year. They also hear from a budding app developer who made an app for checking law-school-app status, and they critique a listener’s personal statement. Read more on our website!
In this episode, Nathan and Ben sit down with attorney and public policy expert Kyle McEntee to discuss his non-profit, Law School Transparency. The mission of Law School Transparency is to make the process of becoming a lawyer more transparent, affordable, and fair. The guys talk to Kyle about how the law school game has changed over the past decade and explore his data-centric approach to choosing a law school (and a career path once you’re there). Read more on our website!
It’s the week of the third-ever LSAT-Flex and now that the summer is in swing, LSAC is dropping announcements left and right. It looks like the LSAT-Flex is here to stay for the summer (at least). But not only that! If it’s your first time taking the test, LSAC announced a major new service that could offer you a big advantage heading into your law school admissions cycle. The guys dish the latest in LSAC news and answer some of your LSAT questions. Nathan and Ben take a look at a last-minute ploy from John Marshall Law School ahead of the fall semester, they hear a horror story about registering for the LSAT Flex, and they hear some advice about prepping for the Flex. Plus, the guys answer an LR question from practice test 65. Read more on our website!
As the 2020-2021 admissions cycle draws near, many of you may be scrambling to take your LSAT-Flex and get your application packages in line. And you couldn’t have better timing. Applying early and broadly is the best way to nab your best deals for the 2021-2022 school year. To help you in your lawyerly quest, the guys read discuss some ProctorU woes that students have been having, and they also report on some hacks that may help you with registration over the next few months. Nathan and Ben also answer some important questions around when and if you should re-take the test after a disappointing performance, and they read through a rock-solid personal statement that helped earn a bunch of full-ride scholarships. Plus, the guys discuss LGBTQQIA+ diversity statements, tackle an LR question from practice test 65, and more. Read more on our website!
With the LSAT-Flex and the impact of the new coronavirus, 1L hopefuls and 1Ls in waiting have a lot of questions about attending or applying to law school in the fall. Nathan and Ben sit down with friend of the show and law school expert, Ann Levine, to discuss her latest book and the state of law school admissions in 2020. The guys also talk about converting your LSAT-Flex scores, they hear from a student whose LSAC fee-waiver request was denied, and they answer an LR question from practice test 65. Plus, Nathan and Ben dig into cooperative board games, E-Prime, and they read an LR question drafted by a listener who was inspired by Nathan’s COVID-19 rant. Read more on our website!
As the summer gets going and the pandemic wears on, it seems likely that more LSAT-Flex tests will be scheduled. And there are some pretty important things you should know when heading into a remote testing environment. The guys kick off the show with some helpful LSAT-Flex public service announcements to make sure you’re set up for success (and comfort) on the day of your test. Nathan and Ben also discuss how a global pandemic is affecting admissions cycles, they tackle an LR question from prep test 65, and they answer a question from a high school senior about when to start prepping for the LSAT. Plus, the guys hear a success story from a past listener, and they read another email from Dean Faigman of UC Hastings. Read more on our website!
From fan art to cannon fire, Ben and Nathan kick off the summer—and their 250th episode—with a bang. The guys talk about the benefits of showing up week after week and some of the challenges they faced in creating the show and their businesses along the way. Then they hit the ground running with some news about the LSAT-Flex. They also consider some good ol’ fashioned LSAT advice coming out of Florida Coastal School of Law, they hear from a listener who got inspired by a previous episode, and they chop up another listener’s personal statement. Plus, Nathan and Ben dive into an LR question from practice test 65. Read more on our website!
The summer is starting to heat up and the resulting weather is causing Ben to remove trees from his property. The guys talk about Ben’s “death trap” backyard and then dive into LSAT current events. They talk about the upcoming LSAT-Flex in June, July, and probably August, and they take a look at how the test dates differ from previous administrations of the test. They also let you know how you can get a free night in a hotel via LSAC. Plus, the guys hear from a peaceful protester who wants to know if their activism will affect their chances of becoming a lawyer, they judge a listener’s strategy for when they’re down to the wire in an RC section, they answer an LR question from practice test 65 and more. Read more on our website!
School’s out for summer. And that means 1Ls are now officially 2Ls—and many of them just bypass/fail grades, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Friend of the show and Thinking LSAT ex-producer, Sarah Ashworth, drops by to discuss her 1L experience with Nathan and Ben. Sarah shares how her first year of law school met her expectations and what she’s looking forward to as she heads into her 2L year. Then she sticks around to discuss LSAC news and LSAT advice with the guys. They cover what to do if you’re stuck in a particular score range, how to handle Character and Fitness inquiries, and they join forces like a gd LSAT Voltron to unlock LG 3 from practice test 65. Read more on our website!
This month, students across the US sat for the first-ever LSAT-Flex. And you didn’t need a crystal ball to predict that there would be some hiccups in the rollout. The guys hear some LSAT-Flex horror stories and share how LSAT responded to criticism of the LSAT-Flex. Nathan and Ben also offer up some advice about Rule Substitution questions in the Logic Games and talk about how you can get those RC passages to stick so you don’t need to constantly reread them when you’re working through the questions. Plus, the guys try to help an LSAT tutor who’s getting fed up with “lazy” students. Read more on our website!
Studying for the LSAT, getting your application together, and grinding it out for three years in law school all lead to one final hurdle: the bar exam. The test that stands between you and a career practicing law. The guys interview veteran bar-prep tutor Daniel Schweitzer to get the low-down on the bar exam, what to expect, and how to prepare. Plus, the guys share the origin story of Thinking LSAT and consider a list of flaws you’ll find in LR sections. Read more on our website!
The guys have been going against the law-school-game grain for so long that Ben is starting to dream about it. After recounting his dream, in which he and Nathan go undercover to the DOJ, the guys jump into a veritable grab bag of LSAT inquiries. They take a look at some news from overseas that LSAT-Flex will not be offered outside of the U.S. They offer some advice about how to manage your time during Logic Games. They weigh some advice about random guessing. And they rip a personal statement to shreds. Plus, Nathan and Ben hear from someone who decided not to go to law school and they read about UC Hastings’s lawsuit with San Francisco. Read more on our website!
Just as you were recovering from the whiplash that was the announcement of the May LSAT-Flex, LSAC decided to drop another surprise. June LSAT is going the way of the Flex, too! Ben and Nathan talk about the change and give you all the details you need to know if you were registered for the June test. The guys also discuss an advanced strategy for LG, they double down on the importance of predicting answer choices in LR, and they offer up their thinking about parallel reasoning questions. Plus, we get a look at how law schools are getting desperate during a slow admissions cycle. Read more on our website!
As the pandemic drags on, Nathan, Ben, and all y’all studying for the LSAT are getting used to a new normal. Social distancing. Remote classes. And trying to improve LR during a global health crisis. The guys field questions from folks studying in this brave new world. How do you prepare for the test if you’re an essential worker? What do you do if you can’t focus on ordering games because the world is going to hell? And what should you do if you’re just starting on your LSAT journey? Plus, the guys hear from students who are getting cold feet about going to law school, and others who are getting great promo codes in these fraught times. Read more on our website!
LSAC made some wild changes in the past few weeks. The April LSAT is cancelled, and a new test, LSAT-Flex, is being made available to April LSAT registrants. Nathan and Ben give you everything you need to know (so far) about the unprecedented LSAT-Flex. Plus, the guys take a look at some law schools that are getting a little antsy about incoming 1Ls and offering extra discounts to secure their classes. The guys also talk about why Chipotle sucks, gap years, consider a tip for when you’re in the last few minutes of a section, and hear from a student who ultimately decided against law school. Read more on our website!
The guys sit down with Columbia 3L and podcast host, Doreen Benyamin, to talk about what law school is actually like. Benyamin dishes the dirt on what matters in your 1L year, and let’s all y’all know what she wishes she knew before going to law school. Plus, Nathan and Ben help a listener think about how to incorporate their sports career into a personal statement, they consider some advice about how to recreate testing conditions at home, they read a letter from UC Hastings Dean Faigman, and they weigh in on a hypothetical decision between two law schools. Read more on our website!
Since the new coronavirus has ushered us all indoors, almost all learning is happening online—that includes getting prepped for the LSAT. In this episode, the guys give you the low down on the latest addition to their online LSAT prep platform: LSAT Demon Live. Plus, Nathan and Ben field a bunch of questions from students wondering how to handle the fact that the spring tests are being cancelled. The answer? Maybe just keep doing the same thing you’ve been doing all along. Read more on our website!
There’s no getting around it. A global pandemic has upended everyday life for almost everyone—including 1L hopefuls and lawyers-to-be. Ben and Nathan field questions about anxiety and uncertainty around the LSAT and law school in the context of the coronavirus pandemic and a looming recession. They share how to prepare for the June LSAT if you feel like the test-prep rug has been pulled out from under yer feet. They discuss the benefits of not going to law school right now. And they offer some food for thought to prospective students who are suddenly faced with going to law school during a recession. Plus, Ben and Nathan talk about meditation and consider what their next careers would be if the LSAT is forever cancelled. Read more on our website!
Going to law school ain’t cheap. That’s why the Thinking LSAT rebuttable presumption is “don’t pay for law school.” But what about the other costs? Rent, food, transportation. These things can set you back a pretty penny. Nathan and Ben field some questions about to understand scholarship info on ABA 509 reports and how to ask schools for more money to cover expenses beyond tuition. Plus, the guys talk augmented writing tools, how much time to spend on RC passages vs. questions, what’s going on with smaller classes at Wake Forest, and an LSAT Writing #fail. Read more on our website!
Life and the law school admissions game are a lot different than they were just last week. In this bonus episode, the guys discuss how the coronavirus is impacting their lives, their businesses, and the LSAT. Nathan and Ben share how they’re moving their classes online, they offer an update about their upcoming joint class in NYC (spoiler alert: it’s now available for anyone online), and they dish the dirt on what’s happening with the March LSAT and beyond. Plus, they wildly speculate about the economic implications of the pandemic and talk about how law schools are responding. Read more on our website!
When you’re applying to law school, you gotta put the winningest sh*t upfront. That means your absolute best LSAT score, sweet references, and a personal statement chock full of dating-profile-worthy facts about who you are and what you’ve achieved. The guys hear from a 3L about how Bar prep is a lot like LSAT prep. They offer advice to someone who fears their score (and test-taking ability) is improving too slowly. They take a look at the wild swings in the US News law school rankings outside of the top 20 and help a 2020 1L-to-be decide where to attend. And the guys take a look at a personal statement that would have law school admissions peeps swiping left. Plus, updates on LSAC practice-test licensing and news about how the coronavirus is affecting law schools and the LSAT world. Read more on our website!
How you prepare for (and how you perform on) the LSAT will affect every step in your law school game—from admissions, to your law school career, passing the bar exam, and on to your legal career. You’re laying the groundwork now for the rest of your lawyerly life, and today’s show proves it out. Nathan and Ben hear from folks who are just beginning their LSAT prep and want advice about their LR pacing or feel like they’re spotting some trends about RC difficulty. They hear from folks looking toward their 1L year and have questions about diversity statements, how to parse ABA 509 reports, and what to do if you’re on the waitlist. And they hear from a former listener and current 1L about how their law career is starting to take shape. Plus Ben and Nathan talk about Ben’s health, the future of medicine, and they announce their upcoming live class in NYC. Read more on our website!
The LSAT is sometimes like the doctor’s office. Someone is giving you data and telling you their opinion, and it could all very well be a load of horse sh*t. That’s why you have to approach the LSAT (and life) with serious critical thinking skills. After Ben shares some new learnings about cholesterol and health, the guys dive into an episode full of tips. Nathan and Ben offer advice about when and how to guess when you’re running out of time. They share their thoughts on how to study for the test—do you spend time on your weakest sections, or do you take a more balanced approach? And they help a long-time listener who’s in the throes of law-school-acceptance negotiations. Read more on our website!
Nathan’s just getting back in the saddle after vacationing up and down the California and Oregon coasts; Ben’s getting back in the saddle after weathering a winter cold. And after discussing the benefits of making traditions with your friends, the guys jump into a veritable grab bag of LSAT questions from all y’all law school hopefuls out there. Ben and Nathan discuss the importance of understanding LR question types, they talk about how to approach LG sections, they offer some advice on what to do if you experience your score plateauing, they consider just how religious “religious” law schools are, and much more. Read more on our website!
It’s way late in the admissions cycle, and folks are starting to think about applying in the fall. So, naturally, folks are starting to get the 2020 law school itch. They want to know how to make it easy on themselves to nab a great score and get into a great school. Here’s the deal, tho. There is no easy path. You gotta dig in and do the work to achieve your best LSAT score. Nathan and Ben take a look at how schools calculate your LSAC GPA. They answer questions about how to approach “hybrid” games, whether being a paralegal will look good to admissions staffers, and how students in different score ranges think differently about the test. Plus, Nathan talks Oscar picks, the guys talk non-traditional students, and they hear from the newest UC Hastings student. Read more on our website!
Between singing deans, framed “you’re special” awards, and flexible JD programs to fit your schedule, law schools are working overtime to earn your attention and attract your dollars. But as savvy law school hopefuls, y’all know when to call BS. The guys take a look at some absurd and absurdly amusing desperate moves from law schools in 2020. Nathan and Ben also consider some listener wisdom about how to break down an RC passage, they help a student decide how to incorporate her STEM background into her application package, and they critique a listener’s personal statement. Read more on our website!
With all the LSAT question-type buzz words floating around, it can be tough to keep them straight. The guys offer up a definitive list of LR question types, what they mean, and how you should think about answering them. They also take a look at a recent LSAC-hosted event, offer some advice about when and how to use the LSAT Demon, help someone decide if part-time law school is worthwhile, and try to offer some encouraging words to a listener with an “abysmal” cold diagnostic. Plus, Ben and Nathan consider how the old pipes in Nathan’s house may be affecting his health. Read more on our website!
In 2018, Paulina Vera created an online community to engage and support Latinas who were heading to law school, in law school, or working in the law. Since Hermanas In The Law has grown to a thriving community of over 10,000 #Lawtinas. Nathan and Ben talk to professor Vera about issues facing minority law students and answer listener-submitted questions. Nathan and Ben also cover the recent test-date announcement from LSAC, they take a look at a scholarship offer from Suffolk Law, and they hear about a pearl of wisdom that helped give an RC boost to a law school hopeful. Plus, the guys talk about whether Ben’s feeling peckish on his new caveman diet. Read more on our website!
The winter winds are sweeping across the land. The January LSAT is behind us all. Now it’s time to wrap yourself in a blanket, sit in your rocker by the fire, and hear the latest in all things LSAT from Nathan and Ben. The guys talk about the first reports back from the January LSAT—and it sounds like the test was (drumroll, please) easy. as. pie. They also hear a few heart-warming stories from listeners about LSAC test-center fails and law-school-scholarship wins. Plus, Nathan and Ben consider a new reading comp “memory method,” they make some recommendations about taking consecutive tests, they clear up some confusion about their own personal statement advice, and offer some thoughts about law school financial aid. And as a little winter treat for you at the end? The guys read a very new year’s email update from our old friend Dean Faigman of UC Hastings. Read more on our website!
Nathan and Ben sit down with Ben Barton, JD—professor of law at the University of Tennessee Knoxville—to discuss his new book, Fixing Law Schools: From Collapse to the Trump Bump and Beyond. Tune in for a sweeping conversation about the state of law schools and law-school admissions practices today, over the past decade, and the past century. The guys discuss predatory admissions behaviors, what to consider when applying to law school, how to set yourself up for your best legal career, and, of course, how to not pay for law school. Read more on our website!
The LSAT journey is tough. Tons of studying, months of hard work, and an often stress-ridden day of testing. And that’s just the start! The application process is just as crazy. And what’s it all for?! The guys sit down with a 1L student who’s halfway through her first year. She dishes the dirt on what law school is really like and what you can expect in your first semesters. Nathan and Ben also take a look at some advice about personal statements, and help a few test-preppers grapple with questions about whether and when to take the LSAT. Read more on our website, and follow us on social media.
‘Twas days before Christmas, and all ‘cross the land, students were prepping for the LSAT, sharpened pencils in hand. When two jolly tutors, each nestled cheer’ly in their homes, sat down to chat LSAT behind their microphones. Ben and Nathan get one last episode in before the new year, and because many of y’all dear listeners may be receiving your first acceptance letters, they answer questions about offer negotiations, scholarships, and parsing ABA 509 report information. Plus, they take a look at some advice about getting bendy with the LSAT—taking up yoga practice while studying—and they share their thoughts about how to wrap up your personal statement. Read more on our website!
The guys are busy and in the holiday swing of things. Ben’s busy planning for time with family and Nathan’s negotiating gift-giving with his 11-year-old niece. And as the winter winds continue to blow, the guys answer your burning LSAT questions. Nathan and Ben talk about how you can ace an interview with a virtual assistant, should you have one; they offer up some advice on fielding parallel flaw questions and talk about whether or not you can appeal your LSAC GPA with LSAC in hopes of getting some more impressive numbers. Plus, the guys read a personal statement, and give a PSA about conditional scholarships. Read more on our website!
Whether you’re getting ready for life on Mars or preparing for life in law school, preparedness and awareness are keys to survival. You gotta be ready. You gotta know your stuff. And you gotta avoid the mistakes you made in the past—or that others have made in the past. You know, like using excess semi-colons and other B.S. punctuation that gums up your writing. Nathan and Ben speculate about life in outer space and talk bizarre LSAT questions before diving into y’all’s law-school-prep quandaries. They give you the skinny on top-down vs. bottom-up questions, offer up some advice on when to make worlds during the Logic Games, and help a dentist with a mid-life crisis. Plus, a 1L hopeful asks about old letters of rec, the guys read an article about law school students and debt, and they take a look at some LSAT Writing samples from you, dear listeners. Read more on our website!
We’re just on the heels of the November LSAT, and Nathan’s on a whirlwind trip from LA to San Fran to Tahoe to NYC, but he and Ben settle in for a veritable grab bag of LSAT related questions, PSAs, Advice, and more. Curious about all of the weirdest, hardest LSAT questions? So is Nathan, and he pitches a new book idea to Ben. Wondering about the difference between Necessary Assumption and Necessary Condition questions? Ben comes correct with some LSAT guru wisdom for your noggin. Plus, the guys learn about a helpful corner of the ABA disclosures website, some features of LSAT Writing, and they take a look at a heady personal statement. Read more on our website!
Read more on our website!
The winter winds are blowing, holiday plans are being made, and students’ confident fingertips are tapping away on multi-touch displays for the November 2019 LSAT—all while Nathan and Ben settle in for the last show in November. Buckle up and get ready for a PSA about LSAT accommodations, news about the LSAT Writing sample, and law school application tips from Yale. Plus, the guys get artistic with some poetry, a personal statement from “LA’s Youngest DJ,” and more. Read more on our website!
We’re just one week out from the November 2019 LSAT and the guys fight through headaches, maladies, and the winter cold to drop some serious LSAT knowledge for y’all. Nathan and Ben answer questions about every step on your journey to a law degree. They weigh some wisdom about the relationship between practice LSAT scores vs. official LSAT scores. They talk about how keeping yourself challenged can help you improve your score with an exploration of “the 85% rule.” Plus, they talk about applying with a low undergraduate GPA, review a personal statement, discuss the benefits and drawbacks of transferring to a new law school after 1L, and more. Read more on our website!
The November LSAT is just two weeks away, and Ben and Nathan receive a grab bag of LSAT and law-school-application questions to answer from their separate havens in DC and on a riverboat! The guys hear a sad tale of a career-ending LSAT conversation, they answer a question about reapplying to law school when you realize you’re at the wrong one, they take a renewed look at ABA 509 reports, and they weigh in on whether or not to put a response in the “ethnicity” section of your law school application. Plus, they answer some questions about the LSAT Demon and they take a cold hard look at a personal statement. Read more on our website!
Sometimes test day just sucks. You’ve put in the work. You’ve done 30-minute sections each day. You’ve reviewed. Your practice tests indicate you’ll score in your desired range. But then you sit for the test and for one reason or another you just don’t come out on top. That’s life, and that’s the LSAT. Nathan and Ben are joined by Ann Levine to talk about how your day-of performance won’t always be like your best practices. Plus, the guys rate some wisdom dropped by an elite scorer, they share their favorite beverages, take a look behind the scenes of an email from a law school, and more. Read more on our website!
Even though the October LSAT is behind us all, the Thinking LSAT duo takes no vacations. The guys are here to weigh in on your questions about law school and life. Things like—“can’t you just take the effing GRE instead and be done with this BS??”—or, “if I’m not going to be a lawyer, what the hell should I do with my life?!” You know. Things like that. Plus, Nathan warns Ben of the dangers of cold season, the guys offer some advice about big drops in your score, they take a look at a personal statement, and Ben confronts Nathan with some damning evidence that he may be working for the enemy. Read more on our website!
The guys are riding high after their Thinking LSAT Live! classes in NYC. But since they’ve been away, some seriously interesting news about the LSAT has surfaced. According to a recent Above the Law article, the Logic Games may be going the way of the dodo. Plus, LSAC is planning some updates to make your testing experience even more perfect than it already is. The guys cover the latest LSAT news, plus they answer some of your questions about the LSAT Demon, LSAT burnout, and more!
September LSAT scores are rolling in and the October and November tests are just around the corner. Not only that, but the school year is kicked off and campuses are a-flurry with campus tours, interviews, and busy admissions staffers sorting through piles of applications. It’s busy in the world of LSAT, and the guys settle in for a show that’s jam-packed with advice. They take a look at a bunch of insider wisdom from Stanford and UC Berkeley staff, and they offer their own advice about law school personal statements, diversity statements, and letters of recommendation. Read more on our website!
October is here and the guys are getting pumped up for their return to the city that never sleeps. And they’re not the only ones who are getting jazzed. It looks like this will be the biggest Thinking LSAT Live Class yet. But we’re still a week away, so the guys channel their LSAT energy to answer your questions and to bring you the hottest headlines from the wacky world of LSAT. Ben and Nathan talk about how to shift your thinking around LR and RC questions, they uncover evidence of paper tests being offered for the October LSAT, they consider some advice overheard at the September LSAT, they look at how one disgraced law school is goosing their Bar-passage rates, and more. Read more on our website!
We’re hot on the heels of the September LSAT and accounts of the test are flooding in from students and law-school hopefuls. Many folks are describing sheer pandemonium, with last-minute cancellations, madness-inducing test proctoring, and ultra-challenging logic games. Nathan and Ben take a look at some of the tales of woe and tales of pride coming out of the September 2019 LSAT. Plus, the guys get a PSA from a listener, they offer some advice about GPA addendums for splitters, they consider intermediary conclusions vs. “regular” conclusions, and they take a look at a surprisingly great personal statement. Read more on our website!
The September ’19 LSAT is finally behind y’all, but the Thinking LSAT crew never rests. LSAT questions continue to come in, and the guys settle in for a well-rounded episode of news, updates, and listener questions.
Nathan and Ben answer questions about reading comp and whether you should attend a law school prep course. They also take a look at an email from Maine Law and a listener-submitted personal statement. Plus, the guys talk about why Ben is perpetually tired, hear from a long-time fan now 2L, and they correct an error from a previous episode. Read more on our website!
The leaves are beginning to change. Schools are settling into their first semesters. Law-school hopefuls are busy scurrying about, tidying up their applications or getting ready to take the LSAT. And Nathan and Ben blaze through a bunch of listener questions in this jam-packed episode. The guys talk about LR flaw questions, they try to help a confused listener out of an LG fog, shedding some clarity on conditional-ordering games. They also talk conjunctions on personal statements, online degrees, and whether you should waive the right to review your letters of rec. Plus, the guys hear from a listener with a writing-sample horror story and more. Read more on our website!
The LSAT is a lot like bowling. You send a ball down the lane, you knock some pins down, you refine your technique, you try again. Eventually, you get a strike and a few spares under your belt and before you know it, you’re the head of your local bowling league, scheduling games and enforcing the league rules. Ben and Nathan each recount some special experiences, some new and some old, about life in the bowling lane. Then the Thinking LSAT duo gets down to business. The guys read through an announcement from LSAC about the October LSAT, they weigh in on a test strategy from a listener, they help a correspondent decide whether to apply early or wait for a better score, and they slice and dice a law-school hopeful’s personal statement. Plus, learn about the upcoming Thinking LSAT live class in NYC, and hear a happy tale of Thinking LSAT friendship straight out of Harvard law. Read more on our website!
The guys have been nothin’ but busy on the LSAT front. Nathan’s been writing his ass off, responding to folks who have smashed that “Ask” button in the LSAT Demon. If you’re studying for the LSAT and you’re not asking questions…you’re not studying. Ben’s also had goggles down and dashboard up, slicing through bug requests like a demonic LSAT ninja. If you’re a Demon user and you notice something amiss with the platform, fire away. Ben’s ready for ya. But at the end of the day, they’re never too busy to stop and answer your LSAT quandaries. The guys get a follow-up about a recent writing sample fail. They consider whether you need to warm-up like an athlete before approaching a section. They take a look at an LG question type. And they burn through another LR question from prep test 71. Plus, Ben and Nathan consider some law-school advice from law school, they get a missive from ex-producer of the podcast, Sarah, and they talk more about Ben’s current read: Non-Violent Communication. Read more on our website!
As the school year draws nigh, law schools are singing their siren’s song to try and lure 1L’s-to-be to their campuses. The guys take a look at a few law-school emails to see how these universities are pitching prospective students. Plus, the Nathan and Ben review a personal statement, and look at some questionable advice about timing yourself during LG sections. But before they dive in, the guys have a lil’ chat about the books they’re reading. Read more on our website!
So you sat for the bleeps, bloops, swipes and taps of the digital LSAT in July. Now you’re staring at a score that’s made yer heart sink. What to do!? Do you cancel that sub-standard score? Do you keep it and trudge on? Should you race to sign up for the October and November tests? The guys answer all your burning questions re: cancelling your scores. They cover the (few) benefits of cancelling, share why you should keep your score in most instances, and discuss why you don’t need to hang the veritable hat of your self worth on this one data point.
The guys are enjoying a brief reprieve from the blazing summer heat, and the cooler weather is giving them some extra room to breathe and think about the LSAT. You know, things like why the eff is the registration deadline so freakin’ far out from the actual test date? The guys discuss reports of LSAT testing center shortages and how LSAC may be dealing with the challenges “going digital,” like suddenly needing to manage thousands of devices. Plus, they answer your burning questions about writing samples, testing timing, and they share a love story from someone who decided to opt-out of going to law school. Read more on our website!
We’re in the heart of summer, and things are heating up for Nathan and Ben. Ben’s been hard at work adding features to the LSAT Demon and improving user experience, and Nathan’s been working hard to improve his golf game. The guys take a break to dive into some LSAT updates for you, dear listeners. The guys give some digital LSAT updates, take a look at some pretty wild claims from PowerScore (about their own book series), they read a diversity statement from a listener, and unravel another LR question. Happy listening, and stay cool under the sun, y’all.
Read more on our website!
It’s the dead of summer and the guys are cutting all over the place on this adventure and that adventure in the wake of the July LSAT. Ben’s been biking through the countryside, enjoying vistas of abandoned steel mills from the days of yore. Nathan’s getting ready to go on a family vacay where he’ll challenge his nieces and nephews to board games among the giant sequoias. And the two hunker down for an episode of serious logical reasoning. Nathan and Ben tackle two new LR questions from the December 2013 LSAT and take you on every step of their thought process as they do so. Plus, a listener writes in with a perhaps pearl of wisdom about exercising before the LSAT, and the guys shred a personal statement.
Read more on our website!
What if there were a way to really, truly absorb the things you learn about the LSAT instead of reading a ton of stuff and forgetting about it two practice tests down the line. Well, there’s a miracle cure, dear listeners. It’s called sleep. And Ben opens the show with an appeal to all y’all out there to get your damn rest, citing some compelling facts about learning and catching zzz’s. Nathan and Ben talk about sleep and then talk about the breadth of questions you can experience across all of the available practice tests. Plus, they talk about LSAT accommodations gone wild, approaching games from multiple angles, and they answer another LR question from the December 2013 LSAT.
Read more on our website!
It happened, dear listeners. The great Digital LSAT Rollout of 2019. History will look back on this day and may well wonder, “What the hell happened?” The reviews poured in. The test-takers spoke. And the show kicks off with the guys reading correspondence from the front lines about the good, the bad, and the ugly from test day. The verdict? It sounds like the test was easy, but taking the test was another story. Plus, the guys take a look at an email from friend of the show, Dean Faigman, and check in on a listener’s personal statement.
Read more on our website!
Nathan is joined by former student and Fall ’19 Stanford 1L Kevin Dousa for a wide-ranging conversation about LSAT, higher ed, and a career in law. The two discuss what it took to get into Stanford, they talk about the high cost of law school and managing undergrad loans, and Kevin provides an Upton-Sinclair-level account of working at law firms. After the conversation? Nathan slices and dices a few LR questions from the December 2013 LSAT. Read more on our website!
Wow. We made it. 200 Episodes. Two…hundred…episodes! Did y’all think we would ever make it this far? We sure didn’t. The guys thought they’d be cashed in by now, snacking on bagel chips and real ice cream on some exotic sandy shore. But then…the work of LSAT prep is never really finished, is it dear listeners? The guys settle in for a little trip down memory lane in this very special 200th episode. Goggles down. Sharpen your pencils. Strap in. And listen back to some of your favorite moments from the last 100 episodes. Read more on our website!
Sometimes your heroes fall from grace. It’s true. Even if they’re an esteemed writer for the New Yorker and a New York Times best-selling author. They can fall dear listeners, and fall hard they sometimes do. Such was the case for the Thinking LSAT team as they listened in horror to a recent LSAT rundown given by Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast. Nathan and Ben laugh until they cry about how the RH team totally missed the point of the LSAT. They also dive in to some listener questions about speed, principle questions, and low-score addendums. Plus, they dive back into prep test 71 and answer LR question 2 for your infotainment.
Read more on our website!
In 2017, LSAC lifted the limits on how many tests you could take—giving all test-takers carte blanche to take the test as many times as they needed to get the score they were after. But now they’re changing course again. The guys take a look at the new “retake” policy so you can put a new LSAT strategy in place. The guys also take a look at a listener’s personal statement, and jump in to the first LR question of the December 2013 LSAT. Plus, you’ll hear about how Nathan lost all sense of space and time on a recent boating adventure.
June 27 – June scores are released via email
July 15 – It’s ye olde July LSAT
August 1 – The last day to sign up for the September LSAT
August 28 – July scores are released via email
September 21 – The September LSAT
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT, and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
Thinking LSAT Facebook Group Instagram (upcoming events) LSAT Demon Strategy Prep Fox LSAT Personal Statement Review Package
4:19 – Demon Updates
Ben and the rest of the LSAT Demon team have been hard at work and they’re getting ready to roll out some new features. First, when you log in you can now upgrade to Premium. What’s Premium, you ask? Premium gives you access to all of the most recent tests. So if you’re itching to have the latest tests to practice with, or you just feel like you need more out of the Demon, this is for you.
The team is also working on a feature that will enable you to join groups and take a practice test that simulates an actual test day. You’ll log in, join a group, and be greeted by a proctor who will control the timer and will move you through a full test. Nathan and Ben are checking in to a live proctored practice test on Sunday, June 30. If you want to take it, email help@thinkinglsat.com to RSVP. And if you’re not a Demon user? Now’s the perfect time to sign up for a 7-day free trial so you can join in on the fun on 6/30.
8:02 – LSAC Re-take Update
The LSAC is changing their policy with regards to how many LSAT attempts you can make during your lifetime, dear friends. It’s only been a few years since they created a policy under which you could take the test as many times as you damn well please. But clearly that hasn’t worked out for them. Nathan and Ben work through the veritable Logic Game of an email that LSAC sent to decode the changes. Here’s the skinny on the new policy—you can:
Take a maximum of 3x tests in a year
Take a maximum of 5 or 6 times in the past five years (the email isn’t clear)
Take a maximum of 7x tests in your lifetime
Only score 180 one time—then ya done!
The new policy begins on 9/21/19! Happy testing, y’all!
Read more on our website!
Nathan’s back from the sweltering heat of central California, and Ben’s feeling sore in his abs—but it’s not from some wild crossfit jamboree. Nope. He’s back from seeing Seinfeld in NYC. The guys talk about their past week’s travels and then dive in to an episode chock-full of LSAT news and advice. They talk about Thomas Jefferson School of Law potentially losing its accreditation, they hear from a student who took PowerScore’s live LSAT online prep course, and they offer some advice to cash-strapped and time-rich strugglahs.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT, and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
Thinking LSAT Facebook Group Instagram (upcoming events) LSAT Demon Strategy Prep Fox LSAT Personal Statement Review Package
Upcoming Events:
6/27/19 – The June LSAT scores are released via email
7/15/19 – The July LSAT
8/1/19 – Registration deadline for the September LSAT
8/28/19 – July scores released
9/21/19 – September LSAT
03:08 – LSAT News
The guys jump right in to an oddity they’ve uncovered about the July test. As you may know, when you receive your July score back in late August, you have the opportunity to cancel your score penalty-free and take another LSAT at no cost thru April 2020. Badass, right? It’s basically a freebie in the event you crash and burn during the first digital LSAT rollout. However, you can NOT use the September LSAT as your re-take. So if you’ve paid to register for the September LSAT, you’re payin for it and that’s that. Plus, there’s rumors out there that LSAC is going to change the lifetime LSAT limit once again! Tune in to hear the news, context, and commentary from Nathan and Ben.
17:10 – Thomas Jefferson School of Law Update
Our old friends at TJSL have been in the news yet again, dear listeners. It turns out they’re skating on some very thin ice when it comes to their ABA accreditation. This may not come as a surprise to long-time listeners who will remember that the school was placed on probation in 2017. But this past week, their troubles came to a head: the ABA withdrew Thomas Jefferson’s accreditation due to mismanagement of financial resources, and…basically offering a pisspoor legal education. However, TJ’s not goin’ down without a fight. They’re appealing and will keep their approval until the appeal process and subsequent review have been completed. The guys postulate as to why TJ’s losing their accreditation and imagine a world in which more law schools are held accountable for turning y’all into the next generation of bright, capable, prosperous law pros.
Read more on our website!
You may have heard the siren’s song of the dual degree—the JD and the MBA. There are JD—MBA programs far and wide. But are they worth it? Nathan and Ben are joined by lawyer and author Rachel Gezerseh to chat about why anyone would want to put themselves on this arduous path. And if you do want to submit yourself to such a grueling course, what’s the best way to set yourself up for success? Tune in to hear the experts chop it up. Plus, Nathan and Ben talk proctoring the digital LSAT, taking the official test multiple times, and they slice and dice a personal statement.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT, and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
Instagram (upcoming events)
Personal Statement Review Package
Important Dates
7/15/19 – The Great Crossover! This is the first official digital LSAT, though some students will still take a pencil-and-paper test.
8/1/19 – The last day to register for the September LSAT
9/21/19 – The September 2019 LSAT
00:52 – JD—MBAs with Rachel Gezerseh
Amanda writes in and asks the guys about how prospective 1L students should navigate law school if they have their sights set on a Master’s degree (likely an MBA) after nabbing a JD. How can someone best prepare for a JD—MBA program? To help answer the question, Nathan and Ben have Law-Career Playbook author, Rachel Gezerseh (Breaking into Big Law), back on the show to hash it out. Here are some takeaways from their conversation:
Your 1L year will already be incredibly demanding. Think twice before adding stress on top your law school experience with this idea of a second degree.
Seek out professionals who have taken this path—was it worth it for them to acquire two degrees? Did it really help them achieve a better career in law or business?
Check and see whether you can even find a professional who has successfully taken the path you would like to take and is clearly benefitting from their JD—MBA
Consider choosing just one—go into law or go into business. If you feel like the other will help you later on, pursue that goal at that time. Chances are it will be rare that you’ll need both degrees.
It’s never too early to begin building your network—reach out to lawyers, take them to coffee, ask questions, and start working towards a law career you’ll enjoy.
Read more on our website!
Some will be pumped, basking in glory and achievement, and some will be sad and destitute—wallowing in disappointment. It’s the June 2019 LSAT, and some of you will have just taken it! Congrats to putting this test behind you. And for the Thinking LSAT crew this only means one thing—the July LSAT is nigh! To get you prepped for next month’s test, the guys read some detailed news about the digital rollout from LSAC, they get you pumped up about going to law school for free with some updates about the scholarship offerings at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and they cover the rest of Logic Game no. 3 from the June 2007 LSAT. Plus, you’ll get to hear an interview wherein LSAT Demon contributor, Max Youngquist speaks with a law-school applicant in Spain about using the Demon to supplement LSAT tutoring. As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT, and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben. Thinking LSAT Facebook Group Instagram (upcoming events) LSAT Demon Strategy Prep Fox LSAT Personal Statement Review Package Upcoming Events 6/4/19 - Last day to register for the July LSAT 6/27/19 - June scores released 7/15/19 - July LSAT 8/1/19 – Registration deadline for the September LSAT 8/28/19 – August scores released 9/21/19 – September LSAT 2:34 – Notice from LSAC Are you curious about the July LSAT? It’s only a landmark test from LSAC. It’s only the rollout of the digital LSAT with crazy rules like the ability to cancel after you see your score. So if you have questions about it, that’d be pretty normal. The guys have covered this test a lot on the show and on college campuses across the country, but LSAC just dropped some more knowledge regarding this test. Tune in to hear the guys deconstruct a lengthy and verbose email from LSAC. Turns out, it’s going to be a longer waiting period to get your results back from July’s test, which will overlap the last day to enroll for the September LSAT. Translation? If you’re thinking about taking the September test, sign up before the deadline because you won’t have your July results in time to make your decision. 12:27 – Pearls vs. Turds Straight from the heart of the ‘gram, the guys review a piece of LSAT advice born of social media. You know. Think Bane talking about being born in the darkness—I WAS BORN IN IT! As a result, the advice is kind of eye-catching, like most things on Instagram.
Nathan and Ben are just back from a weekend in DC delivering a Personal Statement Workshop and they jump right into the show debriefing each other on their experiences teaching the class. And while Nathan laments he couldn’t spend more time causing mischief with Ben’s kids, they both had a blast going deep on personal statements with 2020 1L hopefuls. After the workshop recap, the guys touch on a bunch of topics ranging from how to properly time yourself during practice tests to whether community-college grades can be a boon to your LSAC GPA. They also take a look at a listener-submitted graph covering 5 months of practice-test data, and they break out the knives and blow torches for a personal statement review. As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT, and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben. Thinking LSAT Facebook Group Instagram (upcoming events) LSAT Demon Strategy Prep Fox LSAT Personal Statement Review Package Upcoming Events 6/3/19 - The June 3rd LSAT! 6/4/19 - Last day to register for the July LSAT 6/27/19 - June scores released 7/15/19 - July LSAT Thinking LSAT Personal Statement Workshop If you missed out on Nathan’s and Ben’s personal statement workshop this weekend, don’t fret. The guys have posted the class online! Check it out here and follow along with the personal statements they cover in the workshop: The workshop. The personal statements. (https://www.strategyprep.com/admissions/ps-workshop-190518.pdf) 6:21 – Gaming the system? Listener of the show Will recently asked a question via the comments section on the Thinking LSAT website. Will’s sitting pretty with a 176 official score backed up by a 3.9 LSAC GPA. Pretty sweet, huh? But ‘not so fast,’ Will says. It turns out that Will had a GPA of 3.7. It was only when he factored in his good grades from (non-transferrable) community college classes that he got this boost. Now he’s worried that the elite schools he’s planning to apply to are going to scour his transcripts and determine that he “gamed the system,” with community classes. Should he worry, he wonders?
Did you know that if you sort through all of the possible outcomes of any given logic game, it’s likely that you’ll be lookin’ at less than 18 possible outcomes. Not that many, right? And when you know all of the outcomes of a game, chances are you can slay the questions. In this episode, the guys get gnarly with Logic Game 4 from the June 2007 LSAT. They make worlds, they split worlds, and then they split the splits. It gets wild. They also share an email from a law school who wants you to apply to the school so they can give you admissions advice (ummm…insert crying while laughing emoji, pls). Lastly, you’ll hear about the latest from the LSAT Demon, AND you can get a first look at the new Thinking LSAT website. Happy (Logic) gaming! As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT, and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben. Thinking LSAT Facebook Group Instagram (upcoming events) LSAT Demon Strategy Prep Fox LSAT Personal Statement Review Package Important Dates 6/3 – The June LSAT 6/4 – Registration cutoff for the July LSAT (SIGN UP! This puppy is a freebie, and you can cancel your score without penalty AFTER you see how you did…) 6/27 – June scores are released 7/15 – July LSAT 7:17 – Email 1—Alana received a rather amusing and ingenious email from Wash U. Turns out they are writing folks and offering FREE* law-school-admissions advice. Of course, they mention, it sure would be easier to give you said advice if you actually applied to Wash U. so they can review your application documents during the consultation. The guys half love this slick move by Wash U, but they’re also hearing Admiral Ackbar issuing a warning from the cosmos. On one hand, this move basically starts a negotiation with Wash U. You apply to their school. You get a one on one with their staff so you can feel each other out. Pretty cool so far… But their free advice will probably leave you with some warm and fuzzies about Wash U., increasing your chances of actually attending the school if you get in. On the other hand, whether or not you go to Wash U., you are getting advice from admissions officers who will probably share a valuable perspective on your admissions docs. We’d love to hear about this experience if any listeners dare to give it a try… 23:08 –
Studying for the LSAT can be hard work. And when you feel like your practice test results are all over the place, even after weeks or months of work, it doesn’t make it any easier. Nathan and Ben get it, and today they dive into the question of interpreting—or not interpreting—your LSAT scores. Plus, you’ll hear more about financial aid incentives from our old friends at Concordia University School of Law in Boise, ID. And the guys set up Logic Game no. 3 from the June 2007 LSAT. As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT, and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben. Thinking LSAT Facebook Group Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinglsat/) (upcoming events) LSAT Demon (https://thinkinglsat.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fe329bfb10b040201eca3e434&id=94a715faa8&e=0a4528cbc6) Strategy Prep (https://thinkinglsat.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fe329bfb10b040201eca3e434&id=7119a5d445&e=0a4528cbc6) Fox LSAT (http://www.foxlsat.com/) Personal Statement Review Package (https://thinkinglsat.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fe329bfb10b040201eca3e434&id=9219f16936&e=0a4528cbc6) Important Dates. 6/3 – It’s the June 2019 LSAT 6/4 – The last day to register for the July 2019 LSAT 6/27 – June LSAT scores will be released via email 7/15 – It’s the July LSAT! Otherwise known as “the digital transformation.” Make sure you register for this test. It might be $100, which kinda sucks, but it’s basically a low-risk shot at the test. You can see what the digital LSAT is all about, and when your score comes back, you can take a look and decide whether or not to cancel. If you do cancel, it’ll still show up as a cancel on your score history. But you’ll be able to know exactly what score you’re cancelling, and how you faired on an official test day. 4:47 – LSAT FUNdamental: Understanding your LSAT Scores You sit down, you ready your pencil, you dial up 35 minutes on your phone’s timer, and you get ready for your first ever crack at the LSAT: the cold diagnostic. Maybe you’re curious. Maybe you’re relaxed. Maybe you’re anxious about what the test has in store for you. No matter how you feel, this is the start of your LSAT journey. It could be weeks or months or even years of study, practice tests and official tests before you nail the 120-180 score that will propel you into your 1L semester. For many law-students-to-be, this is an arduous path full of elated highs and disappointing setbacks that can make you wonder: am I even making any f*cking progress on this thing? Nathan and Ben set out to set the record straight about the range of practice test scores you’ll experience during your LSAT study in today’s LSAT FUNdamental. Here are some key takeaways: * Your 120-180 is an imprecise measure of your progress as you prepare for the LSAT. * Making progress has LESS to do with your score, and more to do with WHICH questions you got wrong and WHY you got them wrong. If you feel like you’re beginning to understand the test at a deeper level, you’re on the right track. * Don’t obsess over your score. It will get in the way to your overall progress. * The LSAT scale is just sixty points: 120-180. If after a month you move from a 140 to a 144, that’s great. In fact, moving the needle one point per week is a massive improvement. And a sustained two points a week is more or less unheard of.
5:48 – Bad Reviews At long last, the guys pry open the lid of iTunes, hack through the stacks of glowing 5-star reviews, and check out the dank and sad corner of 1-star, 2-star, and 3-star reviews.
Put on your slippers and pull up your favorite comfortable chair, dear listeners, because you’re in for a treat. Ben and Nathan take advantage of the calm before the summer LSATs to do story-time theater. They read, or rather laugh their way through their own personal statements from when they applied to law school. Plus you’ll hear some advice about Ben’s “Murph” and how it could apply to your LSAT study. News Flash Mark it, friends. June 4, 2019 is the last day to register for the July LSAT. And Nathan and Ben take some time to put folks’ fears at bay. The guys talk about how this LSAT will be the same, if not better than any LSAT you’ve ever attempted. No precious seconds bubbling in an answer. Just tap a piece of glass. No accidentally erasing a correct answer and forgetting where the fuck you are. Just tap to change your answer. It’s gonna be sweet. And the best part? You can still bring a pencil and scrap paper to the test to do any writing that you like. The digital LSAT has tons of upside. The guys tell you all of the reasons why you should absolutely register for and take the July test. 5:24 – LSAT Demon Updates Ben and co. have been hard at work, finalizing some new features for the Demon. Most notable amongst them is the full-test feature. Soon you’ll be able to smash out a complete timed test right in the Demon. The guys are hoping to roll this out to the preview site this week, so stay tuned! Meanwhile, Nathan’s been loading the Demon with a ton of new written explanations for questions throughout. If you’re working on a passage or a question you just don’t understand or can’t seem to get right, hit the “help” button in the platform to request an explanation from Nathan or Ben. 8:08 – The Murph While y’all are hard at work cramming for the LSAT, Ben’s preparing for his own personal Everest. It’s “the Murph.” An insane cross fit workout that Ben’s going to attempt in May. Ben polled folks for advice on how to prepare and get through the famous workout, and listener Frankie wrote in with some pro advice. Frankie recommends that throughout the workout, if you feel the need to stop, stop. Then count to three—one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand, etc.—and get back into the workout. Frankie recommends not to stop for longer than that. Of course, Nathan pipes in with thoughts on how this gem advice can be applied to LSAT study. 11:00 – Pearls vs. Turds In today’s Pearls vs. Turds, a listener offers this advice for test takers with accommodations. He says that even if you have accommodated testing (like time and a half) you should still practice at a 35-minute pace. He found that if he practiced at 70 minutes, he kind of lost focus throughout the section and became comfortable with that amount of time. As a result he had pacing and accuracy issues even with extended time. However, when he bumped his practice back to 35-minute sections, the renewed sense of urgency throughout helped him stay sharp and engaged. After practicing this way, he found that he fared better on practice tests with accommodated timing. So is this something you should try at home if you get accommodations? Ben says this can bake in bad habits, and Nathan agrees—you should practice how you’re gonna play. The guys almost throw this in the Turd pile, but deem it a Tie considering this seemed to work for this listener. 21:16 – The Guys’ Personal Statements The stars of the show today aren’t visiting guests or listener questions. Nope. It’s a pair of personal statements.
March LSAT scores are rolling in and the phones are ringing off the hook. Nathan and Ben are starting to hear tales of triumph for some test takers and bitter complaints from others.
None. Some. Most. All… When you smash these words together in conditional reasoning statements, things can get tricky, fast. The guys walk through advanced conditional reasoning.
Today the guys have a wide-ranging conversation with Thinking LSAT team member, Demon contributor, and LSAT tutor Max Youngquist about his LSAT journey.
Nathan and Ben have been crazy busy leading up to the March 2019 LSAT, but they each take a brief pause from their wild schedules to drop some sweet pearls of wisdom.
They may be fresh back from red-eye flights and late-night ragers, but they’re also fresh back and fired up from a weekend in Vegas.
It’s a little less than two weeks until the Spring 2019 LSAT and the guys talk LSAT FUNdamentals for the final weeks of your test prep.
On this episode the guys go live on Instagram to answer your burning LSAT questions.
Between Ben getting snubbed by his neighbors at the ABA and Nathan booking talks around the country, there’s never a dull moment in the Thinking LSAT world.
Ben’s been getting better rest, and Nathan’s been playing golf with his best friends in some terrible weather conditions. And today? They get to dive into IF/THEN statements and conditional […]
Today on the show, the guys continue their LSAT FUNdamentals series with an introduction to question types in LR. They break question types into two families.
It’s no secret that the Logic Games represent the biggest challenge for most folks who are starting with the LSAT. But the good news? The games are perfectly solvable.
If you’re a long-time listener of the show, you may be questioning whether or not you should go to law school. And if you’ve decided you’re going to take the […]
Nathan’s excited to travel east for a joint talk with Ben at GW. And Ben’s excited, too, even though he’s also got a bizarre groundhog-day cold. But before they drop […]
Ben’s just finished shoveling his snow-covered driveway, and while Nathan’s pumped to travel east for their joint talk on changes to the LSAT, he’s not thrilled to hear about the […]
Ben’s an outlaw, y’all. And the show opens with a badass tale of Ben flaunting the authorities as he speeds around the DC beltway with his LSAT vanity license plates. […]
5:40 – Ben gives an update about the LSAT Demon—tune in to hear about the latest features coming to the guys’ prep platform.
All aboard, dear listeners. In the first episode of the new year, you’ll embark on an oceanic adventure with Nathan and Ben in an episode they recorded before the June […]
It’s the last Thinking LSAT of 2018! And the guys waste little time getting to your pressing questions. Today on the show you’ll hear about California bar passage rates (among […]
The LSAT is changing, y’all. It’s keeping Ben and Nathan on their toes. LSAC’s been sending rogue emails to students who are freaking out about impending changes to the test, […]
Hey all, Nathan here. I was supposed to fill in on this week’s show notes but I completely forgot. My bad! Producer Adam’s beautiful notes will return next week.
Ben’s up and at ‘em. Nathan’s shaking off the cobwebs after a rowdy evening. And the guys kick off the last month of 2018 with a show packed with some […]
Thanksgiving is nigh (at the time of this recording), and Ben is just returned with a last-minute-Turkey-day bounty from Costco. Nathan grills him about his experience and the guys wax […]
Even if you’ve got writing chops, it can be tough to write effectively about yourself. When the guys review a personal statement, that’s one of the first things they notice. […]
The boys are back in the saddle fresh after election night and the show takes off with a rowdy discussion about politics. Or, y’know, a discussion about how the guys […]
Nathan’s had a rowdy night of board game playin’, and that gets Ben pumped up about backgammon on this All Hallow’s Eve recording of the show. Today’s Thinking LSAT is […]
The guys are fresh back from Chi-town. Their bellies are full of Chicago red hots and deep dish pie. Their spirits are high after hanging out with class full of […]
The guys are amped up for their Thinking LSAT Live Course in Chicago. And to Nathan’s chagrin, he’ll be packing some heavier garments in preparation for the freakin’ snowfall they […]
Well, y’all, the time for change is nigh! The digital LSAT is coming in 2019, and LSAC has drafted a press release to give you all the juicy info. The […]
Did you have a September crash? Or have you otherwise had a disappointing LSAT performance in the past? You know, the kind where you have a 10-20 point drop from […]
In this episode, the guys get real about for-profit law schools. How do they operate? Why have there been class action law suits brought against them? Why have some lost […]
We’re in the wake of the September LSAT and the guys are already firing up their new classes to get 1L’s-to-be prepped for the November test. Nathan’s been enjoying ridiculously […]
The leaves are turning. The last of the summer grass is getting a trim. And there’s a hint of pumpkin spice on the wind. It’s autumn – or at least […]
Even though the guys have tried to omit discussions of the weather at the top of the show, the summer heat is getting to Ben. But he’s sweating it out […]
Nathan is buzzing, fresh off the recent Thinking LSAT live class in NYC. Ben is pumping the AC to combat the suffocating summer heat. And the guys have prepped an […]
The summer’s winding down, and as the days grow shorter the guys lament the swan song of the once-great Movie Pass. With so many new rules and restrictions on the […]
With all the changes in law school admissions standards over the past year, the guys have received a bunch of questions about putting your best foot forward when applying to […]
The Thinking LSAT community is growing, dear listeners. And it’s badass. The Facebook group is at nearly 1,000 members. There are more patrons than ever (thanks, y’all). And the Thinking […]
Today on the show the guys cover a ton of ground. You’ll hear the latest news from LSAC about some changes coming to the test next year, and you’ll get […]
Today the guys are joined by LSAT expert Graeme Blake to answer some listener mail from Canada. Graeme runs the site LSAThacks.com and is the moderator of the LSAT forum […]
The guys are here for the second time this week with a BONUS episode. Why, you might ask? Because Nathan and Ben are freakin’ amped up from the Thinking LSAT […]
The boys are…back?…from their Thinking LSAT live class in NYC. Well, Ben is anyway. Nathan got sucked in to the city that never sleeps and has been wandering The High […]
Live from New York! It’s Thinking LSAT Live. Jump into the classroom with Ben and Nathan as they field 20 questions from their joint prep class in the big apple. […]
Welcome to July dear listeners. Summertime is in full swing, and if you follow your nose you might just smell the lingering scent of Nathan Fox’s BBQ ribs on the […]
Ben’s back from the beach, and guess what, dear listeners. He’s brought a pint of black cherry Halo Top with him. You’ll get to hear him experience this frozen substance […]
This week, the Thinking LSAT team is reduced to a party of one. While Ben lives it up at the beach, Nathan mans the helm on his lonesome and burns […]
Use our online LSAT proctor to time yourself through a full-length, five-section practice test. Our proctor includes a 15-minute break just like test-day. Accommodations virtual proctors: 53-minute sections (5-section test) 70-minute […]
The June test is behind us all and, well, it’s been eerily quiet in Nathan’s and Ben’s inboxes. The guys are guessing this means the test went pretty well for […]
Join the guys in NYC on July 14-15. They’re hosting a weekend LSAT class that will show you how to approach each section of the test, how to effectively review your […]
The June LSAT is right around the corner and Nathan and Ben have an action-packed show for you. Get ready to get up close and personal with Ben’s awkward gym […]
The guys jump into a bunch of listener emails and specifically sidestep their usual reports on east- and west-coast weather patterns. Instead, they chat cinema. Fireside style. Nathan talks Deadpool […]
Ben’s been experiencing some near-biblical weather patterns out in Virginia and Nathan’s staying dry in sunny LA. The guys chat about the weather and Nathan tells us approximately how long […]
When students write in for self-studying advice, by far the most common piece of advice we give is to take (and thoroughly review) daily 35-minute timed sections. It’s the bread […]
Is it spring fever, or is Nathan just plain ill? The guys get back to their regularly scheduled Thinking LSAT programming, but Nathan’s been sleeping 18 hours on end trying […]
Heretofore titled “Episode X,” the guys pull back the curtain and give you a behind the scenes look at how (and when) they recorded this episode. Basically, if this thing […]
Spring is upon us, and the guys are helping students gear up for the June and July tests. Nathan and Ben catch up on what they’ve been up to in […]
Are you signed up for the June AND July LSAT exams? Well if so, don’t expect to get a refund if you crush it on the June exam and decide […]
If you think you’re headed for a six figure salary straight out of law school, think again. In this episode, the guys thoroughly dismantle some misleading search results from Google […]
Nathan calls in from Georgia which touches off the episode with a review of the Georgian climate. The guys talk about the growing Thinking LSAT community—have you found us on […]
In this episode, the guys answer a bunch of your burning LSAT questions, but not before talking about Ben’s recent use of Movie Pass and Nathan’s experience as a Couch […]
It turns out Pepperdine made quite a booboo when reporting the median LSAT score of their matriculating law school students to the U.S. News Rankings. Someone somewhere shit the bed […]
Well, dear listeners, they’ve finally done it. It turns out LSAC is being held in contempt of court. After LSAC lost their lawsuit regarding accommodations, they were tasked with establishing […]
Nathan and Ben have started their spring courses to prep law-school hopefuls for the June LSAT. Ben shares the pearls of wisdom he offers his students on their first evening […]
Nathan is back from his trips to Portland and then San Diego, but the guys have seen brighter days. Ben is braving the wind from the storms in DC, and […]
Nathan is back from his snowy golf trip to the north and Ben wants to know about his time in Portland before diving into listener mail. But more importantly, we’ve got […]
Ben is holding down the fort in DC while Nathan is gearing up for a cold and rainy golf trip to the PNW. But that doesn’t stop the guys from […]
A new week and a new batch of listener mail. But first the guys talk about the current craziness of world events and the political climate here in the states. […]
Thanks to you, dear listeners, our inbox experienced a wave of new listener mail and the guys get to work answering your LSAT questions. But first, exciting LSAC news! It […]
Even though the weather is giving him a rare break from the icy cold, Ben is in the depths of grade-school bureaucracy. But that doesn’t stop the guys from finishing—that’s […]
Ben calls in from home, Nathan is soaking up the rays in LA, and the guys dive in to a bunch of listener mail. But first: if you’ve been seeing […]
January is in full swing, we’re woefully behind on emails, and Nathan is flexing his Christmas gift to himself: Movie Pass. The guys give a brief review of Star Wars: […]
After a few foiled attempts, the guys have FINALLY recorded episode 121. And it’s a good thing, because there are TONS of updates. Hear about LSAC releasing December LSAT scores […]
Welcome to 2018, dear listeners. Nathan and Ben ring in the new year by answering a few LSAT questions on air. By popular demand, the guys tackle logical-reasoning and reading-comprehension […]
This week the guys take a look at the recently revised ABA 509 reports and discuss the shortcomings of its updated design. It’s like, a big wtf. Where are the […]
Ben has entered the cryptocurrency market with some speculative “investments” in Bitcoin. And the guys take a shallow dive into the world of personal finance before turning to some interesting […]
Hot on the heels of the December LSAT, the guys share (some pretty funny) stories from test-takers across the country. The report? For the most part—it’s the same as always. […]
The guys are back from their Thanksgiving breaks from reality. Ben splashed around the Atlantic while Nathan couched it in Tahoe smashing bags of haribo bears. And from their respective […]
The guys are back from Thanksgiving (though we recorded just before) with a bunch of LSAT and lawyerly news. Ben and Nathan give thanks to an anonymous tip-jar jangler before […]
Get ready to gasp LSAT Thinkers. There are whispers hither and thither that the LSAT may be going away. The ABA requires law schools to use a “valid and reliable” […]
The Dodgers lost the Series. It’s cold in DC. And the guys are revved up for an entire show of answering emails. Tune in to hear your LSAT questions answered. […]
Autumn is in full swing (*offer does not apply in LA). The guys tackle a few listener emails, then go deeper on their discussion of accommodated testing. But first, Nathan […]
Prep test 82 is hot off the presses, and Nathan is champing at the bit to discuss. In his view? It’s a little different… just like every LSAT is a […]
Episode 110 is all about how to access and easily understand ABA 509 reports, AKA “the-one-thing-you-should-be-legally-required-to-read-before-going-to-law-school” report. Plus, the guys give some expert advice on Logic Games, walking you through […]
We’ve talked about accommodated testing before, and today we get the straight dirt from Dr. Jared Maloff, a licensed psychologist who tests individuals and evaluates their needs for LSAT accommodations. […]
The September LSAT hath been slain, dear listeners, and the guys jump right in to discussing feedback they’ve heard about the test. Tune in to get the latest hearsay. Plus, […]
You guys. This is it! Tomorrow is the September 2017 LSAT. Are you ready?! Before you get too far into this episode: if you’re looking for some last-minute tips for […]
It’s been a whirlwind week in law school and LSAT news. Learn how LSAC is responding to those affected by hurricane Harvey. Plus, Ben shares the major stories of the […]
Weirdly, it seems like the world has LSAT fever. Nathan and Ben are swamped with tutoring and other coursework as more and more folks are opting to take the September […]
A flurry of recent LSAT and legal-profession news frontloads this action-packed show. The guys discuss recent developments with additional law schools accepting—or not accepting—the GRE. Plus, the show gets a historic donation.
02:06 – Big news in the law-school world.
13:53 –Annalisa says she’s curious as to why some top schools indicate that applicants “need only take the LSAT once,” especially given the guys’ frequent recommendations to re-take the test to improve your score. Nathan and Ben go full LR on the statement to provide some clarity.
23:40 – The Dream-Crushing Email—Nathan receives a thoughtful email from a fan of the show regarding his unfiltered cynicism toward the institution of law school as well as the legal profession in general.
39:21 – Correlation vs. causation.
42:00 – Remember back in Episode 101 when the guys talked about the NYT article about drug abuse and mental health issues as they relate to lawyers? Well, the ABA got wind that there might be a problem and did what they did best: they responded with a set of rules and guidelines to mitigate the problems! The irony is not lost on the guys as they discuss the emotional challenges of being a lawyer.
46:19 – Rob is registered for the September LSAT, and recently received an email from lsac_alert@lsac.org with an alarming ALL-CAPS subject line. Tune in to see hear exactly what was so urgent. Here’s a hint: it has to do with LSAT admission-ticket photo requirements. See the guidelines here, and make sure you’re up to code!
53:06 – Should you prepare for your first LSAT diagnostic?
56:35 – Tune in to discover which Pearl Ben’s taken to heart that caused his boss to pull him aside at the office.
59:48 – Email 4—What do you do when you know you’re going to quit your shitty job at some point and go to law school in the future?
01:09:50 – Email 5—After getting expelled from college, Anonymous went on to have an outstanding military career followed by admission to one of the nation’s top colleges. Now, they’re gearing up for the September LSAT and scoring in the low 170s on practice exams. Things are looking pretttttyyyy pretty good for Anon. There’s just one thing: how will the fact that Anon was expelled impact his admissions chances? Nathan and Ben weigh in and recommend taking a look at Ann Levine’s latest edition of her book,The Law School Admission Game: Play Like An Expert.
01:15:57 – Email 6—Aaron is considering attending law school, but recognizes he needs to maintain a level of income while he’s there. He asks whether he should attend law school part-time, and work full time, or even better, work part-time and attend law school full time.
01:20:21 – Email 7—Kyle writes in to ask one of the biggies: how do you maintain a cool, calm state-of-mind during the test?
It’s mid-summer, the September LSAT is just weeks away, and the guys are in the thick of LSAT prep season.
04:24 – Email 1—Jumping right into emails! Ted had been averaging around 158 on many of his recent practice tests, but scored a 161 on the June LSAT. That’s awesome. Congrats on the bump, Ted! Since his GPA isn’t too hot, he’s wondering if there’s a way to find schools that give more weight to the LSAT score when considering applicants.
11:18 – Email 2—Isabel writes in with a stunningly well-crafted email to ask if and how she should study before taking an LSAT prep course. Having already scored a 160 on a cold diagnostic (holy shit. congrats, Isabel), she recently audited an LSAT prep class from a local company. And guess what. She saw value in taking the class! Sadly, when she approached the instructor about preparing to take the course in the fall, they gave Isabel a whopper of a turd of wisdom.
19:20 – Email 3—After earning five—that’s right, five—bachelor’s degrees, Shane wants to know how he should explain his myriad degrees and lowly 2.1 GPA to law schools during the application process.
42:46 – Email 4—Carly is wondering if her personal statement and her addendum will sound too repetitive given they contain elements of the same story. Having grown up gay and in-the-closet in Texas, Carly was concerned she’d end up a sad old lady, and otherwise lonely but for her 99 cats. The anxiety of being in the closet hurt her GPA until she came out to a (surprisingly) welcoming community.
49:30 – Email 4—Anonymous writes in with some rapid-fire questions that are shared by oh so many folks. How can they overcome test anxiety? Given their high scoring range, would they benefit from private tutoring? What’s the best way to disclose a poor (but upward trending) GPA on their application? And, lastly, how will having a criminal record affect their chances of getting into law school?
01:00:11 – Email 5—With a cold diagnostic of 140, and no budget to take a prep course, Anonymous writes in asking for some silver-bullet-style tips to bump their score in a big way. The guys, of course, mention Nathan’s free online class and Ben’s free videos. The boys serve up some tough love for Anon, then each give their one “most valuable” pearl of Logical Reasoning wisdom.
01:26:35 – Email 6—You guys know that drawing diagrams and creating worlds can be an effective way to tackle the Logic Games. But correspondent Jaime took a recent diagnostic in which he missed only a single LG question without creating a single “formal” diagram. Basically he wants to know: is this cool? Is this a one-test fluke? And is there a particular method of diagraming that is more efficient or effective than the next?
01:34:52 – Email 7—Anonymous recently rocked a 170 on the June LSAT (congrats!), which was right in line with their practice-test range of 168-174. Their LSAC GPA, however, is weighed down by poor performance in a community college summer course they once took. Is this something to highlight in an addendum?
Disclaimer: Hey, guys. Ben’s microphone wasn’t turned on throughout this episode, so his side of the conversation leaves a bit to be desired from a sound-quality standpoint. Sorry about that. But, hey, it happens.
On with the show…
00:00 – Introduction—Sweaty, health-conscious Ben just barely makes it to the podcast.
05:36 – A public service announcement to all of our friendly listeners.
07:38 – More announcements!
12:39 – Email 1—Remember last episode when Nathan predicted law schools would pitch prospective students on VR law? Well, it didn’t take long for Erin to write in with some hard evidence that it’s already underway. Check out this article from OU and this pretty funny press release about OU, each with their own glorious shots of law students wearing VR headsets.
13:29 – Ben makes a great point about the Thinking LSAT newsletter: you should totally sign up!
15:00 – Email 2—Humphrey, who has aspirations of attending Harvard Law and eventually becoming a federal judge, writes in asking whether he should retake the LSAT to improve his score of 173. After taking every—yes, every. single. one.—available practice test, he finds that he generally scores 177, which he feels is more complimentary to his 4.0 GPA.
24:22 – Email 3—Steve, who suffered from GPA-damaging narcolepsy writes back in with an update on his June LSAT score. He got a 171 (great work, Steve). He’s taking the guys’ advice and including a nod to his narcolepsy issues—now resolved—in his addendum, and possibly his personal statement.
36:55 – Email 4—[Redacted] scores in the 170s consistently on practice exams, but was disappointed to score in the mid 160’s on the June LSAT. Believing the primary reason to be test-day anxiety, they ask for tips to improve their score and overcome their test-day stress. The guys weigh in, and talk about the importance of mindfulness as daily practice and practicing with a 5-minute warning.
49:33 – Email 5—Cody writes in with yet another excellent score (congrats on your 171, Cody).
01:04:49 – Email 6—Suzie writes in to thank the guys for all of the helpful tips that come from the podcast.
01:05:35 – Email 7—K is interested in practicing intellectual property law and plans to take the LSAT in December. K’s concerned that their education and subsequent career in aerospace engineering will seem unappealing to law schools with an IP focus. Ben and Nathan set the record straight for K, and also cast their gaze to the stars above, wondering why anyone would leave a career in aerospace to practice law.
01:15:40 – Email 8—After becoming disillusioned with the world of politics, M moved across the country to a tiny town where she works as a baker. Now that she’s had some space, and lots of tasty bread, she’s thinking about getting back into politics and heading to law school. Having scored a 154, and then a 165 on the LSAT, she asks if she should include an addendum explaining the difference in her scores. The guys discuss the achievement of moving your LSAT score by over ten points, and dive in to what makes an attention-grabbing personal statement.
00:00 – Introduction—Nathan is BACK stateside. But his traveling days are long from over. He’s been bouncing around the west coast since his return and accruing copious frequent-flyer benefits. So if you see him on a Southwest flight, make sure you get him to buy you a drink.
02:13 – The LSAC is conducting ANOTHER field test for the Digital LSAT.
12:14 – Prep season is upon us!
13:13 – The show has received another donation of $44!
14:50 - A review of a New York Times published article.
38:26 – PIT rankings update!
47:01 – Email 1—[Redacted] asks if it’s worth it to make the trek from NYC to DC to attend an LSAC forum in the near future. The guys discuss the (very few) merits of attending an event like this, especially before having an LSAT score in-hand. Pro-tip: if you have an opportunity to network with decision makers at law school, do so, but not at the expense of your LSAT score.
56:25 – Email 2—Jack writes in with an anecdote about his use of pencils on recent LSAT tests. On his first test, he brought five pencils, and scored a 162. On a following test, he brought four times as many pencils so he could stay sharp during the test. Was this idea a pearl, or a turd? Listen to find out. Plus, the guys discuss pencils as an offering in the forthcoming Thinking LSAT mercantile.
01:00:35 – Email 3—Peter is back! After scoring exceptionally well (160s) on a half-assed practice test, Peter followed the guys’ advice from the podcast, and also took a tutoring session with Ben. He went on to score a 170 (go, Peter!). Now he’s wondering if he should aim even higher and take another test in the fall. The guys discuss.
01:16:01 – Email 4—Anonymous writes in with a thank-you shout out to the guys slash humble brag. After listening to the podcast, anonymous carried Thinking LSAT advice around on a note card, which they brought to, and discarded just before, taking the LSAT. Following Nathan’s guidelines with RC and LR, anonymous nabbed a 178 (congrats, anon). The guys discuss the warm and fuzzies they get from the feedback.
01:19:37 – Email 5—Jasmine wants to know if she’ll be able to take Nathan’s and Ben’s online courses in China. The guys don’t know, but a good way to check is to take a look at the many free resources they offer through their websites. If the free content works, the paid courses should work, too. She also asks about the best way to improve her English vocabulary, and wonders if her dream of getting into a top-14 school is attainable given her mid 140s starting score. Nate and Ben weigh in with some good news.
01:26:53 – Email 6—Tyler is studying for his 4th LSAT take, and has been following Nate’s advice of working on 35-minute sections. Is he making a mistake by not practicing on full-length tests? The guys debate their slightly opposing stances, but ultimately agree that no matter how you study, dedicating time to review your mistakes is where it’s at.
01:34:52 – Email 7—Long time listener Courtney is concerned about her “splitter” status. She has an extraordinary GPA, but is “only” scoring in the 160s on her most recent practice tests. Nervous that her target law schools will judge her for this apparent disparity, she asks Nate and Ben how she can improve in the area of her greatest weakness…RC. The guys discuss the idea of a “splitter” and do a deep dive on how to tackle reading comprehension. Hint: just read it. Carefully.
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00:10:28 – First email is from Jordan! With a less-than-stellar (but rising) GPA, Jordan is going into his senior year with hopes of nabbing a high LSAT score. His unorthodox self-prep has resulted in scores in the mid 160s. Wanting to swing for the fences in September, he asks the guys if it’s worth it to take an online class, and whether he even has enough time to digest an online course given the short timeline to test day. Nate and Ben talk about why not all hope is lost for Jordan with his current GPA, and about how online courses can benefit high-scoring peeps like Jordan even more than traditional classroom environments.
00:23:55 – Email 2—Julie writes in with complaints of being stuck scoring 165-169—she just can’t seem to break into the 170s. While the rest of the LSAT-taking world weeps uncontrollably with scores sub 160, Ben and Nate cover some additional self-prep techniques that may help. And, of course, there’s always private LSAT tutoring. Did the guys mention they offer private LSAT tutoring? They offer private tutoring!
00:31:06 – For a brief moment, Ben has to break away to wrangle an escaped pet. This leads to a discussion on the joys of dog ownership, which, naturally, turns into an aside on the logic games in PrepTest 81 (the most recent test, y’all). The conversation rounds off with Ben’s (pretty funny) impressions of the freewheeling LSAC intelligentsia.
00:35:53 – Email 3—Utah Mark (that’s Mark from Utah) is getting married in August (congrats, Mark!) Going into the June LSAT, Mark improved his practice test scores from the mid 150s to 164. He asks Nate and Ben for advice: should he also take the September LSAT, or, given his marriage plans, would it be better to wait until December? The guys opine.
00:42:08 – Email 4—Julie is noticing some odd “patterns” in the questions she’s getting wrong in her LSAT practice. The guys talk about common misperceptions that form when trying to overanalyze what you got wrong on a given test. Plus, Ben makes an analogy to ABC’s Shark Tank to try and explain how he and Nate deliver feedback.
00:56:19 – Email 5—Peter is in the unusual position of being right where he wants to be in his practice tests. The only problem is that the next text is several months away. He asks the guys the best way to stay sharp and maintain his current scores over that period of time. Nate and Ben make a few recommendations, but also, let’s face it, Pete, you can always try to shoot for a few more points…
00:59:25 – Email 6—Adam-ten-pencils writes in admitting that he was totally that guy who over-prepped for test day. While listening to Episode 97: Last minute advice for the June 2017 LSAT on the way into the test, Adam realized he had way overdone it on pencil preparedness. Nate and Ben praise him for doubling down and owning his newly earned reputation.
01:02:03 – Email 7—Sam asks about the importance of geographic location and law-school ranking when applying to law school. The guys cover a range of considerations from quality of life, to employment opportunities, and more. They even come up with an all-new way to rank law schools! The PIT list, or Pearl-in-the-Turdrankings.
01:17:05 – Email 8—[Redacted] writes in with the horrifying tale of their near-death experience. They ask about the lengths to which they should describe the story in their personal statement when applying to law school. Both Ben and Nate chime in with their thoughts about how to deliver an impactful personal statement without venturing into TMI territory.
00:03:38 – The performance feedback came back for the digital LSAT pilot test—and everyone’s pretty disappointed.
00:06:40 – Emily wants to know if a LSAT prep course will improve her score that much, or is it worth it given her tight budget. Should she should continue with the LSAT Trainer and books she’s been working with instead? (The answer is: It’s totally worth it to take a prep course.) The guys go on to discuss the merits of a prep course, and the importance of choosing the right teacher, too.
00:15:41 – Emily’s email continues with admissions questions. She asks about her college GPA of 3.1 and her current paralegal experience—how can she stand out from the masses? Nate and Ben discuss the best way to stand out (your LSAT score!) and also share their thoughts on how to frame an addendum or personal statement when discussing potentially sensitive topics such as PTSD and mental illness.
00:24:43 – Email 2—Jack asks whether it’s better to self-study, take a class, or get a private tutor with a strong starting score (like in the 160s) out of the gate. The guys weigh in on the benefits of a class and private tutoring as well as give advice on whether to also tackle the GRE when you’re a high scorer.
00:32:42 – Jack goes on to ask about what he should do in his gap year between graduation and law school. The guys make recommendations.
00:34:48 – Email 3—Sharon says she (or he?) has been taking Nate’s and Ben’s advice about doing single sections followed by a “deep review,” and that it has improved her accuracy a great deal. She wants to know if and how she can improve even more. Will it help to do problems over and over as a rote exercise? For Nate, not really. For Ben? It might help a bit, yes.
00:42:34 – Email 4—Ryan wants to know if he should be emulating the way the The PowerScore LSAT Logic Games Bible sets up the games when his intuition sometimes leads him to other setups (and outcomes). The guys talk logic games strategy and how to approach the games with some necessary improvisation.
00:51:14 – Email 5—Eric writes in to ask about difficulties he has with Strategy Of Argumentation questions. He often struggles with finding the correct one of 3-4 potentially correct answers. Ben discusses how to approach these types of questions, and how to find and dismantle incorrect answers. The guys talk about the importance of incompleteness vs. inaccuracy in both LSAT answers and your career as a lawyer.
01:05:11 – Email 6—LLM (anonymous) is a foreign lawyer aspiring to work in a big NY law firm. He or she writes in to ask the guys about the best path toward achieving that goal. With a “mediocre” LSAT score, LLM sees several options for moving forward. The guys offer their advice, and discuss the benefits of re-taking the LSAT to give LLM more options.
01:20:31 – Email 7—Zack writes in about his undergrad GPA. While his recent LSAT score is above 160, his LSAC GPA will register as 3.3-3.4 due to a rough semester in school. Nate and Ben talk about how the LSAC index plays a role in acceptance to law school, how LSAC looks at classes you’ve retaken (and gotten better grades in), and how to talk about grades in your addendum vs. your personal statement. Pro tip: don’t talk about grades in your personal statement.
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With the June LSAT behind us, we discuss early reports from the test and dig into listener emails. Sorry for Nathan’s bad audio—he’s 1) on the road and 2) bad at technology.
00:01:03 – Russian(?) donation discussion
00:02:10 – News about the calendar changing—Six tests each year!
00:08:08 – John from Canada and a noisy courtroom LSAT experience (bulletproof coffee aside)
00:10:25 – Email 2 (anon) – 3 LR sections, and one threw me off. Should I keep studying? (probably)
00:13:08 – Some folks back out of the LSAT multiple times. Let’s not do that. Instead, get fully prepped. Once you take, go ahead and re-take until you get a score that reflects your abilities
00:15:46 – Email 3 (anon) – someone fainted in section 2, a cautionary/interesting tale
00:18:04 – Email 4 – Kevin gives an update on the test and gives a lot of specifics on the test (which we can’t talk about). LR was avg, RC was so hard, and games were child’s play with time to spare—this experience varies person to person.
00:21:21 – Email 5 from Calvin – sharing story about the June LSAT: proctors showed up late
00:22:22 – Lots of reports that the games were really easy. Are they trying to balance out the test, or conspiring to drive more law school applications?
00:26:42 – Email 6 – Rachel just completed all episodes of the podcast, and showers the guys with praise
00:30:00 – Email 8 1/3 – Ryan – wanting to know if law schools look at double major GPAs as cumulative or individual.
00:35:43 – Email 8 2/3 – Will passing the patent bar help Ryan during the admissions process?
00:37:01 – Email 8 3/3 – Is a 170+ realistic when Ryan struggles so much during RC? Some RC section tips—take it slower, skip a passage, contemplate more during the test—the answers are not fuzzy.
00:44:17 – Email 9 (anonymous) 3.0 scholarship renewals—the difference between high school and college GPAs vs law school GPA. The 3.0 renewal can be seen as a moneymaking technique by law schools that bet on students losing scholarships after year 1 or 2. Is it worth it to proceed after losing the scholarship (considering a lucrative opportunity to work in the family practice awaits)? —It’s not a bad idea to drop out after 1L if you’re not killing it.
01:05:12 – Doubling down on Wonder Woman recommendation
01:07:28 – Email 10 (anonymous)—using a highlighter to draw a games board, so if you need to erase your pencil markings, the board stays, and you won’t need to re-draw. Pearl of wisdom, or turd of wisdom?
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Start getting better at the LSAT right now, from wherever you may be. Check out Ben’s 100-Hour Online LSAT Course or Nathan’s Fox LSAT On Demand. Before pulling the trigger, check out Ben’s free LSAT lesson or Nathan’s has a free trial LSAT course.
00:02:05 – The biggest message is: You’ve either put in the work or not. “The hay is in the barn.”
00:03:36 – Don’t get caught up in “small sample” glitches—it’s more about the last 5 PTs
00:06:40 – Good lawyers never feel prepared.
00:08:33 – Go see Wonder Woman (or any movie) the night before!
00:12:05 – Don’t go to bed early the night before, and other sleeping tips.
00:16:23 – Shut it down. No more studying. Just get in a happy focused place.
00:17:06 – Exercise, walking, etc. It’s important!
00:19:06 – You will have a bell curve of potential outcomes. Prep moves the curve forward. Try to hit the middle or above of your personal bell curve—be the best “you’ you can be.
00:23:43 – This is PrepTest 81.
00:24:53 – You can have your best performance the day of the test (it’s not true that you’ll do worse on the day of.)
00:27:54 – Don’t try to score 10 points higher than you have before.
00:31:05 – If you haven’t taken a practice test before, consider withdrawing! (You’ve either done the work, or you haven’t.)
00:32:25 – Take the entire test day for you—funny stories about wild test day antics (don’t plan a college reunion the same day…)
00:42:58 – The Day of the Test; who has the most pencils?
00:43:53 – Become an observer, not a participant. Everyone there is less prepared than you are.
00:46:38 – Funny stories about test day.
00:56:56 – At any given moment, your one and only job is to focus on the question you’re working on.
00:58:29 – When they call 5 minutes, don’t speed up. Never speed up. Just go one at a time (and other last-5-minute tips.)
01:02:42 – Anticipate and embrace bad things before you even get to the test.
01:04:48 – In poker (and golf) you have to be willing to make embarrassingly bad mistakes in order to be excellent.
01:06:34 – What are some actual bad things that can happen on the LSAT?
01:08:59 – Haters of reading comp: Your test will probably have RC for sections 1 and 2. Expect it.
01:10:43 – People complain about “bad” everything. Embrace the bad stuff—that’ll be your differentiator.
01:12:42 – What to do if you get unusual games? (They’re not as hard as you think) — plan on that!
01:14:44 – Last-minute tips for each section type: What’s your plan on each section? Bullet points for RC, logical reasoning, and logic games.
Good luck all!
Ann Levine joins the top of the show to discuss the big news of the day, including:
00:01:20 – LSAC eliminates the “3 times in 2 years” rule
00:03:20 – What’s it going to look like when applicants take the LSAT 7 times?
00:08:33 – “People get these goal scores in their head that sound pretty”
00:14:49 – Harvard Law School junior referral program
00:16:59 – It’s still important to take the LSAT over the GRE, even though Northwestern may begin looking at GRE scores
00:25:26 – The new Above the Law law school rankings, and why they’re better than US News
After Ann says goodbye, we turn to listener mail and other assorted goodies like:
00:33:00 – MJ delights us by explaining how she was able to negotiate for a stipend in addition to her full ride
00:37:50 – Nate talks about Southwest Airlines the impossibility of asking for booze during a tarmac delay
00:42:48 – Why do some applicants get full rides?
00:44:16 – Norm, with perfect scores on his last few practice tests, offers us $1 per point correct
00:48:06 – Justin asks about Principle questions, which basically don’t exist
01:09:26 – We dissect a difficult question stem, and talk about Sufficient vs Necessary Assumption questions
01:18:13 – Annabelle asks whether a gap in her resume will be problematic when applying to law school? (No.)
01:23:20 – “As long as” – does this introduce the sufficient or necessary condition?
01:27:00 – The 160s is actually quite solid—folks shouldn’t get caught up with perfectionist tendencies when their current abilities are well above average
01:30:46 – Are older LSAT tests easier, particularly in reading comp, compared to the new ones?
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00:00:24 – We kick off the show with a comedy update about a listener who showed up for the digital LSAT pilot at the wrong time.
00:01:20 – We speculate on why the June test happens in the afternoon?
00:02:23 – We express our excitement about LSAC changes after the recent Harvard Law / GRE announcement.
00:03:20 – We admit our Yale April Fool’s Day blunder. Eff you, April Fool’s Day!
00:05:30 – Big news! The LSAT no longer carries a “three attempts in any two year period” restriction.
00:08:27 – Ben talks about a quote from a movie producer he can’t remember the name of. Basically, “success forgives past sins.”
00:11:13 – Listener Hannah reports in with news from the digital LSAT.
00:16:25 – We speculate on when the digital LSAT will finally go live. Ben says June 2018, and Nathan takes the over.
00:18:02 – We discuss our current books, Nathan’s favorite place The Last Book Store, and book clubs.
00:25:08 – We talk about how cool it is when we encounter LSAT stuff in real life. Brancusi, anyone?
00:28:56 – More from the digital LSAT with listener Jacob.
00:31:14 – We discuss potential shortcomings of the digital implementation of the LSAT. Is it solving the correct problems?
00:41:14 – How not to do reading comprehension—flagging “main point,” “key evidence,” other nonsense.
00:47:50 – Next email (anonymous)
00:52:08 – Next email (not really Brad Pitt)
01:05:10 – To recap, we have four positive reports from the digital LSAT. It’s a hit!
01:07:35 – Shall we call it a show?
Hey, want to do us a ginormous favor? Give us a rating and/or review on iTunes.
Also, please don’t forget that we each have an online LSAT course. Check out Ben’s 100-Hour Online LSAT Course or Nathan’s Fox LSAT On Demand. Try before you buy! Ben offers a free LSAT lesson, and Nathan has a free trial LSAT course. If one or the other of us can’t take care of you, perhaps you just can’t be taken care of.
Got questions you’d like us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email at help@thinkinglsat.com or follow us on Twitter @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question!
Note! Today’s show notes are a direct transcription of the entire one hour, 36 minute show, with timestamps every 30 seconds. If you read them, you will learn that Nathan says “yeah” a lot. Also, that the sentence “You want to talk about Wonder Woman?” appears shortly before the 5:30 milepost. Find out what the hell Nathan is talking about and tune in! Find the full show notes on our website.
Today’s show clocks in over two hours. A Thinking LSAT record? (We don’t know, because we’re too lazy to look through all the past episodes.)
In the show open, Nathan talks about his upcoming trip to Europe. He has a one-way ticket to Brussels, Belgium right after the June 2017 LSAT, with no clue where he’s going once he’s there. If you have suggestions for what to see and do, please send them to nathan@foxlsat.com.
Ben reads fiction! Well, it’s historical fiction based on actual events involving 19th-century attorneys, but it’s fiction nonetheless. (Shh… don’t tell him, because I don’t think he realizes.) But do check out his book recommendation: The Last Days of Night: A Novel. Maybe it will help spark your interest in IP litigation. (2:00)
How much is LSAT improvement worth? Check out this merit scholarship matrix on the Thomas Jefferson School of Law website and find out exactly. This school is offering guaranteed tuition scholarships based on a fixed LSAT/GPA matrix. Other schools aren’t so explicit, but we can infer that similar matrices probably apply at other schools. Step one: Get the best LSAT score you can. Step two: Get yourself $100,000 or more in free law school tuition. Unless you hate money or something. (6:05)
Do you know of any other schools that publish scholarship matrices like this one? Please email us: help@thinkinglsat.com.
Whittier Law is going out of business. Sad trombone. (21:40)
Your school has a bar passage rate of 25 percent? Welcome to the world’s worst casino. (27:30)
“Brad Pitt” writes “the dudes” for tips on applying super-late in the admissions cycle, and promptly gets chastised at length. No surprise there. (29:25)
Parallel Reasoning questions: to skip, or not to skip? Nathan takes a pretty strong anti-skip stance. Ben agrees: “Go do a bunch of Parallel Reasoning questions and own them.” Yep, pretty much. They’re not that hard, once you know what you’re doing. (39:05)
“Nameless” has already been admitted to University of Chicago with a 162, but asks about retaking the LSAT in order to get a better scholarship offer. The boys speculate that a school as prestigious as Chicago might be less willing to renegotiate based on a new LSAT, but commend the effort anyway. Whatever you do, don’t swing for the fences! Play the game you actually have, not the game you wish you had. (46:55)
Jabron from the Carwash writes in again (thanks Jabron!) to ask for some clarification about accuracy targets. Do we really mean that students should shoot for “near perfection”? Yes, yes we do. (1:02)
At this point, Nathan gets tired of writing show notes. Tons of other great stuff follows, trust me!
Hey, want to do us a ginormous favor? Give us a rating and/or review on iTunes.
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Alert! Today’s show notes were written by Nathan, so don’t be surprised if you find them saltier and less amusing than Andi’s usual sweetness and light.
Our first email comes from “George Town,” a fourth-time LSAT adventurer, on how to prep when you’ve already been at it for a year or more.(10:30)
The discussion edges into spoiler territory as we discuss the fourth logic game from PrepTest 80–the one with the buildings. Just because it’s unfamiliar doesn’t mean it’s hard! “You just slow down and THINK about what they’re talking about,” says Ben. Nathan can’t say it better himself, but that doesn’t stop him from trying. (19:20)
Ben talks about a near miss in class. He had dismissed a correct answer too quickly, but did that mean he would go on to miss the question? Hell no. He has high standards, and he wasn’t about to pick a wrong answer. “It’s like I had a safeguard, like I had two ways of getting to the answer,” says Ben. (27:35)
Ben offers a quick tip about Reading Comprehension from Justice Alito, which kicks off some scintillating discussions about everybody’s favorite LSAT section. (32:40)
Want to do us a bigass favor? Good. Give us a rating and/or review on iTunes. Please? (40:15)
“Bertha” checks in with an idea she read about doing 30-minute sections instead of 35, to which Ben and Nathan both offer a hard “no.” She also asks about taking the LSAT in stressful and/or loud places. Again, the guys say no. There’s lots of bad advice out there, y’all! Be careful who you trust; CRBS is everywhere. Next we talk about caffeine, chocolate brownies, bacon, and the LSAT. (42:05)
Finally, Jay Fleischmann Esq. joins the show to talk about student debt, an exploding area of law. Jay practices consumer relief law in Pasadena at Shaev & Fleischman, LLP. He hosts The Student Loan Show (the podcast about student loans) and trains lawyers about this growing practice area via his Student Loan Law Workshop(“Where Smart Lawyers Learn About Student Loan Law”). (1:00:55)
Hey, just a reminder: If you’re looking for an online LSAT prep course, we’ve got you covered. Check out Ben’s 100-Hour Online LSAT Course or Nathan’s Fox LSAT On Demand. Nathan has a free trial LSAT course, where you can see if his teaching style works for you. Ben also offers his own free LSAT lesson.
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Looking for an LSAT prep course? Consider Ben's 100-Hour Online LSAT course or Nathan's Fox LSAT On Demand Class. Also, try Fox LSAT's free trial course or check out Ben's free lesson.
Like many of you, Mark emails the show to let us know he will be taking the digital LSAT in May. He also confirms that LSAC will allow scratch paper during the test. Good luck to Mark and all of the rest of you guinea pigs. Let us know how it goes! (4:45)
While attempting to register for the June LSAT, students are finding their nearest test centers are full. Ben reports that there are no openings in the D.C. area so students are traveling to Philadelphia for the test. Nathan suggests people instead get on a waitlist and then call the LSAC to see about opening more centers in their area. Prepare yourself as Ben shares a nightmarish tale of students signed up to take June test at Georgetown. (8:20)
Scrooge was thinking about taking the June LSAT, but restructuring at work, family obligations, and a busy day-to-day have left him with little time and energy for studying, so now he’s thinking about waiting until September. The prep he has managed has focused on reading test theory and doing untimed practice tests. Nathan calls into question Scrooge’s excuses for not studying and advises/demands that he start timing all practice tests. Ben discusses the idea of stretch goals and wonders whether registering in June will be more beneficial to Scrooge after all. (15:38)
Anthony asks for clarification about something said in Nathan’s interview with Chantal Renta (Episode 86), specifically pertaining to loan forgiveness and taxes. Chantal responds to Anthony and shares depressing articles from NPR and the New York Times about what the Department of Education is doing to cut down on these “forgiven” loans. (47:30)
LOL, a 34-year-old professional speech writer in Beijing, is feeling pressure from her family to have a baby instead of pursuing her dream of becoming a lawyer. She poses questions about what LSAT score will get her into a T14 school and how long it will take for her to achieve that number. The guys discuss her issues and why some people might never reach an elite LSAT score, no matter how much prep they do. (52:03)
PDUMRN:) is an LSAT instructor with a 179 and a 3.78 GPA from a top liberal arts college. Although he doesn’t want to actually practice law, he is considering getting a JD to give him a leg up in other careers that he is interested in. He asks which top-tier schools, if any, would give him a full merit-based scholarship. Nathan and Ben list some programs that he can look into and encourage him to apply more broadly so he could use those offers to negotiate better packages from higher-ranked schools. (1:04:46)
We continue Logical Reasoning Section 3 of the June 2007 LSAT with Question 23, a Flaw question that you can solve by looking for two specific things. To play at home, just download the free test; work through Section 3, Question 23; listen in as we discuss the solution. (1:11:45)
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Ben recommends a book that he’s been enjoying: What Doesn’t Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength. Ben’s started taking cold showers, but Nathan remains unconvinced (and warm). (0:17)
Looking for an LSAT prep course? Consider Ben’s 100-Hour Online LSAT Course or Nathan’s Fox LSAT On Demand class. Learn in-person, over skype, or online from the guys you already enjoy listening to! (4:28)
Nathan shares some (pretty unsurprising) news out of Yale Law School this week. Following Harvard’s recent announcement that they would be accepting GRE scores from law school applicants, Yale proclaims they will likewise accept scores from the GRE. What’s next—Stanford?!? Probably. (8:48)
The LSAC is seeking participants for their Digital LSAT Pilot Test on May 20. The test will be tablet-based and is taking place at 20 sites throughout the United States. While no official score will be reported, this could be a good chance to practice for the real thing. Benefits to the 1,000 chosen guinea pigs include a $100 gift card, analysis of their test performance, and the eternal gratitude of The Thinking LSAT Podcast (pending your full report of the pilot). The application period ends April 15 so apply ASAP. (9:55)
Emails abound on Episode 90 of the show! Hear Nathan and Ben respond to these listeners:
Desperate Sarah wonders if a great score on the June LSAT could work as a bargaining chip on the schools that have waitlisted her. (24:08)
Boston Eric improved 10 points since his diagnostic in January and asks if the guys think it’s possible for him to jump 5-10 more by June. (35:35)
Nervous Ted put off taking a diagnostic LSAT because he was worried about what a low score would mean for his future. Family support and this podcast convinced him he had to see where he was starting from. (47:58)
Impatient Jenny plans to take the June LSAT and apply to start law school this fall—like, three months after this June, fall. (Mistake.) (55:25)
Wonderful-wedding-guest Anita works as a lobbyist in the state legislature but wants to become a litigator. She is worried about her practice scores fluctuating between 160-171 and hopes the guys have tips on stabilizing her score. (1:10:53)
We continue Logical Reasoning Section 3 of the June 2007 LSAT with Question 22, a Must Be True question involving conditional reasoning and some tricky word order. To play at home, just download the free test; work through Section 3, Question 22; listen in as we discuss the solution. (1:19:25)
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Vacillating in Vancouver has a dream to become a criminal defense attorney; he also has a dream of not regretting the pursuit of said dream. With an aptitude for reading, writing, and standardized test-taking, Vacillating is confident in his ability to score over 170 on the LSAT. The guys address his fears and attempt to root out their cause in the hopes of helping him make a decision. (0:43)
We continue Logical Reasoning Section 3 of the June 2007 LSAT with Question 21, a weaken problem. To play at home, just download the free test; work through Section 3, Question 21; listen in as we discuss the solution. (16:50)
Ben and Nathan interview Gary Kinder, an attorney, author, and the creator of WordRake, editing software that can improve the clarity and brevity of one’s writing. Gary talks about writing a compelling opening for your personal statement and gives tips on storytelling techniques to keep a reader’s interest. He also speaks on WordRake’s role in the automation of legal work and whether it will take jobs from the industry. Finally, Gary discusses his best-selling book Victim: The Other Side of Murder.
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Unfortunately, Ben just cannot deal! Ads with relentlessly poppy, upbeat, hand-clapping music are making him want to run for the hills. And if the tune features xylophones? Forget about it. Stay tuned at the end of the show for an example (not you, Ben!). (0:25)
A BART ad in San Francisco seems to be recruiting people for their simple 5-step plan aimed at fighting President Trump’s devastating environmental reform. Step 1: read poster; 2: study for and take the LSAT; 3: apply for and attend law school; 3.5: realize that Trump is no longer in office but just keep going anyway ’cause you’re almost there; 4: prep for, take, and pass the Bar exam; 5: become an environmental law powerhouse with the clout to change policy at the highest levels. Easy! (5:55)
Cordelia, a fan of the show and of Nathan’s LSAT prep guides, asks what the improvement curve looks like for people studying for the LSAT. The guys estimate a ten-point improvement over three months of studying but stress that everyone is different and will have different results. They also discuss how many times a person should retake for optimal scores. (10:40)
Chris had a diagnostic score of 150 that, through hard work and our (priceless) advice, he turned into an official 171 on the December LSAT. He is currently in his gap year and is working as a tutor for Kaplan. Chris wants tips on bringing his score up even further toward 180, as he has decided to retake. After all, he’ll be around the LSAT so much for work anyway. Nathan and Ben agree his job could help him improve but only if he ignores Kaplan’s techniques and continues to focus on understanding the questions. (16:45)
MJ, a former Strategy Prep student, is facing an “enviable decision”: she must choose between four full-ride offers from D.C. law schools (update since recording: five full-ride offers), partial offers from other programs, and acceptance from 7th-ranked Penn. Ben thinks that Penn will open doors she might not even know that she wants to go through yet, but Nathan worries that the debt she’ll incur might force her into a big law job that she doesn’t want. Ultimately, the guys think of another outcome: MJ could try to maximize all her options. (34:40)
An update from Mr. Negotiator aka The Closer aka He Didn’t Want Us To Say His Name: He shares the offers that he’s received with his 3.8 GPA and 163 LSAT. Decent scholarship offers from Alabama and Emory turned into a full ride at Alabama when he negotiated with the schools, using one offer to boost the other. (47:45)
We continue working through the June 2007 LSAT with Logical Reasoning Section 3, Question 20, a Matching Flaw problem. To play at home, just download the free test; work through Section 3, Question 20; and listen in as we discuss the solution. (57:54)
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Law School Expert Ann Levine joins Episode 87 to discuss Harvard Law School’s recent bombshell—they are now giving students the option of submitting their GRE score instead of their LSAT score.
Ann is optimistic that this policy will create waves in the LSAC’s antiquated testing system and bring about changes that will ultimately benefit all applicants. The guys agree with her, however, Ben is unsure about the timeline for these shifts and whether students preparing for the LSAT might be facing stronger competition in the next year or so. Hear advice from all three on what students can do to deal with this news, then check out Ann’s blog on the topic. (1:45)
“JaBron from the car wash” (hopefully the LSAC won’t charge this listener for borrowing that title from their logic game!) asks about the nuances of LSAT wording. Ben and Nathan walk through the definitions of few, almost all, rarely, many, tends to, and other quantifiers, but urge JaBron to focus less on the hard definition of such terms and more on how to interpret them in the context of the question and its five answer choices. In discussing the ambiguity of such things, the guys (somehow) end up waxing poetic on the inevitability of amortality. (25:10)
Matt from D.C. writes in with his own thoughts relating slow and solid economic growth to the Thinking LSAT Podcast’s “slow down” philosophy. (47:37)
Luis, a 27-year-old in Austin, has been considering law school for years but continues to be unsure whether it’s the right career for him. With a low undergrad GPA, he will need an impressive LSAT score, but he is enjoying studying and is confident he can earn a 170 or higher. With very little debt from his undergrad degree, Luis is willing to drain his pension fund to pay for law school, if necessary. Nathan and Ben stop Luis right there and strongly advise him against this unsound financial plan. Instead, they urge him to apply broadly and to look at the margins to see what programs will make sense for his future. (51:52)
Before hearing the Thinking LSAT Podcast, Jay was scoring in the mid-160s on his practice tests. After becoming an avid podcast listener, he took the February LSAT and scored a 174 on his first attempt. He credits two pieces of advice from Ben and Nathan with this life-altering score jump. (1:03:45)
Mike, the Nyquil guy from Episode 66, writes in to update the show on the offers he’s received since scoring a 170 in September. Huge scholarship offers from the likes of George Washington, USC, UCLA, and Cornell prove that the hard work you put into the LSAT will be rewarded. Mike also shares the spreadsheet that he created to determine, using the law schools’ own index formulas (available on LSAC.org), a student’s target schools. (1:17:10)
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Nathan introduces guest Chantal Renta, a Chinese-speaking, freelance-accounting, tax-law-loving 3L at Southwestern Law School. The show begins with Chantal, a self-proclaimed “tax queen,” warning students about the downside of federal loan forgiveness, an issue previously discussed on the Thinking LSAT podcast in episode 83. (1:30)
Chantal discusses the mistakes that she feels she made in preparing for law school and shares tips on how to avoid them. Nathan asks about her unique path to law, a journey that includes Chantal teaching herself accounting, studying postmortem medicine, traveling through China, and playing drums in a technical death metal band. (12:45)
Chantal describes the high and low points of her 1L experience at Southwestern Law, including her less-than-awesome first semester grades and what she did to turn them around quickly in the second semester. Nathan is awestruck by the long and impressive list of extracurricular activities Chantal has been involved in while at Southwestern. Her passions are varied and span from acting as President of the Tax Law Society to hosting a panel on the Muslim Ban. (30:01)
As the interview winds down, Nathan asks his guest what she thinks her future holds. Chantal plans to take the bar this summer, to become a CPA wherever she ends up, and to continue her legal education by earning an LL.M. in tax law next year. She hasn’t applied for any legal jobs as of yet, but she isn’t worried about her prospects in the market; we aren’t worried about them either. Chantal has no current plans to tour with any death metal group, technical or otherwise. (50:40)
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An update from musician-turned-future-lawyer Peter notifies the guys that, despite their best efforts to dissuade him, he did indeed apply to Temple Law School with his 164 LSAT score. The good news is that Peter was accepted with a full-ride scholarship. The bad news is that Peter still is wondering whether he should retake the LSAT and reapply to get offers to higher ranking programs. At first, Nathan and Ben disagree on the merits of waiting, but they soon devise a solution that could satisfy everyone. (1:46)
Nathan and Ben discuss La La Land. (14:06)
Nathan and Ben discuss La La Land. (17:20)
Nathan reveals his surprising new pastime that makes his mom nervous and Ben intrigued. (18:10)
“Thad hominem,” a 34-year-old actor who is starting law school in the fall, is wondering whether he should sign up for a 1L prep program before classes begin. Ben is skeptical of the worth of these programs and recommends a few books for Thad to check out instead, including Getting to Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams. Nathan wants Thad to get his ducks in a row by finishing home projects, seeing friends, and getting fresh air and exercise before the law school walls close around him. (24:10)
Adam, a carpenter with a degree in journalism from Auburn, is registered for the Kaplan course to prepare for his first LSAT attempt in June. He has also been talking to lawyers, using Kaplan’s online study tools, and listening faithfully to the Thinking LSAT Podcast. Adam wants ideas on what else he can do to round out his application and input on whether he needs to switch from his carpentry job to something in the legal field. (34:10)
We continue working through the June 2007 LSAT with Logical Reasoning Section 3, Question 19, a strengthen question. To play at home, just download the free test; work through Section 3, Question 19; and listen in as we discuss the solution. (47:00)
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Laughter is the best medicine, Ben credits Melissa McCarthy’s Sean Spicer skit with adding three years to his life. He also enjoys the absurdity of a clip demanding unquestioning submission to the power of the President. Even with the real-life stress of Trump’s presidency, Ben hopes comedic therapy will yield an overall increase in his longevity. (0:40)
Ben recommends an article discussing the emergence of LawGeex, a company that built an algorithm for automatizing contract review. This review platform is just the beginning for LawGeex; over the next few years, the company is looking to “automate the entire legal world.” (3:20)
Alexis was consistently missing 4-6 Logical Reasoning questions per section. Taking advice given frequently on the Thinking LSAT Podcast, she forced herself to slow down on these problems until she thoroughly understood each one. After making this adjustment, Alexis did a Logical Reasoning section, where she finished all but the last question and only got one problem wrong. Another successful convert! (14:12)
Nisha is interested in law school but is getting frustrated with the application and admission processes. As a single mother with a career, she needs to know how to balance work, school, and her child so she asks Nathan and Ben for some clear answers. They advise her on how to prep for the LSAT, when to apply and when to wait, and how to decide which law school is the right one for her circumstances. (18:07)
A new mother writes in with a question the guys haven’t considered before—breastfeeding breaks at the LSAT. When she takes the test in June, she will still be nursing her baby and is wondering what accommodations the testing center will make for her. Ben’s wife, a certified doula and mother of four, helps this listener by talking to an LSAC rep and suggesting ways to determine her options on test day. (35:45)
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We continue working through the June 2007 LSAT with Logical Reasoning Section 3, Question 18. This flaw question turns out to be one of the trickier ones of its type, forcing the guys to discuss the answer choices in detail to find the correct one. To play at home, just download the free test; work through Section 3, Question 18; and listen in as we discuss the solution. (48:59)
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Nathan has two recommendations this week: Cadillac Desert, a thorough history of the American West’s pursuit of freshwater by Marc Reisner, and Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, a cooperative video game where the players work together to defuse a virtual bomb that only one of them can see and manipulate. If you squint hard, this game can almost count as LSAT prep. (1:53)
Matt in D.C. took the LSAT in February and is having post-test emotions he wants help processing; his range of feelings runs from sadness to happiness and back to anxiety. He asks the guys if they have experienced similar reactions and how they dealt with them. Nathan suggests boozing it up while Ben gets in touch with his inner Nietzsche (who knew Ben would be the darker one?!) (9:10)
Calvin attempted his second LSAT in February and found this test to be quite similar to the one in December. He does a comparison of the exams; do you agree with his assessment? (29:40)
Not to be outdone by his cohost, Ben recommends a book of his own, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. This book was one of Obama’s Top 10 and possibly the reason behind Ben’s newfound nihilism. (32:40)
Madison is studying to take the summer LSAT with the goal of scoring a 178. She has an undergrad GPA of 3.2 from a top public university, a resume chock-full of community service hours, and a dream of attending Stanford Law School. While admiring Madison’s lofty goals, the guys encourage her to toss out her specific score idea, broaden her list of dream schools, and follow the application instructions to the letter. (37:20)
Your friendly reminder to subscribe to the Thinking LSAT Podcast is coming up…now! Please subscribe to automatically receive new episodes and updates from your favorite LSAT nerds. (53:30)
We continue working through the June 2007 LSAT. To play at home, just download the free test; work through Section 3, Question 17; and listen in as we discuss the solution in detail. (1:00:26)
Nathan continues Episode 83 with Eliza Ghanooni, a bankruptcy attorney with her own firm in Los Angeles. Ms. Ghanooni works with corporate and individual clients, including students, who need help managing their debt. (1:21:40)
*Correction from the show: the lawsuit needed to get rid of student loans is actually an adversary proceeding to declare student loan debt dischargeable, not a non-dischargeability action.
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Ben recommends an article from The Atlantic, “The For-Profit Law School That Crumbled,” which discusses the downfall of the Charlotte School of Law due to its students' low LSAT scores, 45% bar passage rates, and dire employment stats. The piece spurs discussion about for-profit vs. not-for-profit schools, admissible LSAT scores, and whether helping disadvantaged students is really hurting them. The guys also get into the larger question of who should be held responsible when a law school graduate is unable to pass the bar or get a job. (5:32)
Kelly has a degree in community development, a 3.2 GPA, and a seat reserved for Saturday’s LSAT. After studying for only a month and a half and achieving a high practice score of 157, he is wondering if it might make sense for him to postpone his test date. Ben and Nathan reply with a resounding “Yes!” and explain why this decision should be an easy one for Kelly. (21:56)
“Joe” is sure about a lot of things: he wants to go to law school part-time at the University of Houston, he received a 150 on December’s LSAT, and he is taking the test again this Saturday. Joe is not as sure, however, about when he should apply to UH. (30:50)
JoshDougBob is a 32-year-old pharmacist who has always been interested in health care law. He’s spent the last few months studying and feels prepared for the LSAT on Saturday. One possible snag—while JDB holds a doctorate in pharmacy, he never actually finished his bachelor’s degree. The frustrating non-advice from one admissions committee forced him to email the podcast to see what the guys think. (40:01)
And now… your friendly reminder to subscribe to the show! Don’t make yourself remember to check the site for new episodes, save those brain cells for test day. Sign up now and you’ll automatically get all the Thinking LSAT Podcast news as soon as it comes out. (49:08)
Scott is registered for Saturday’s LSAT—his third and final attempt. He wants strategies for tapering off of his heavy study schedule in the last few days before the test. Ben recommends Scott do what feels comfortable to him, and Nathan suggests a stroll in the fresh air, time with friends, or catching a movie (preferably La La Land and preferably watching it over and over again). (50:30)
A tweet to @thinkingLSAT from @BenjaminHarkins describes his situation as a law school hopeful with an official LSAT score in the mid-160s and an undergrad GPA of 3.97. Benjamin asks whether his high GPA and LSAT potential warrants a retake and waiting on his applications or if the opportunity cost of postponing another year is too steep. (1:06:16)
After signing off with Ben, Nathan interviews his past student, Ken, to get a first-hand account of present-day testing conditions. Ken describes the test center, checking in with the proctor, what people did during the break and the marginalization of left-handed students. After receiving his score (a 170!) Ken planned to withdrawal from his February 4th retake reservation; Nathan, however, has some surprising advice for him… (1:11:57)
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“Timmy,” a 44-year-old who is established in a successful non-law career, is looking to achieve his Bucket List goal of earning a JD. After taking the December test and receiving a 162, Timmy is wondering whether he should continue studying to increase his score or just apply with his score as is. (9:38)
Brian is about to turn 30 and, after completing his undergrad degree in 2014, is looking forward to the next stage of his professional life. His family runs a successful law firm that he spent a lot of time helping out at, and Brian has finally agreed to join this enterprise as a full-fledged lawyer. Now that he’s made his plan, Brian wants to speed through the LSAT and law school so he can “hit the ground running” at the family firm. Nathan encourages him to take the time necessary to decide if law is truly the profession that will make him happy. Ben shares a story of his own legal experience at the Department of Justice and how it affected his career. Both guys suggest Brian spend more time prepping for the LSAT so he can both earn scholarships and get a better feel for what he’ll be up against when he takes the Bar exam. (29:38)
We spend the second half of this episode working on two Logical Reasoning problems from the June 2007 LSAT. To play at home, just download the free test, work through Section 3, Questions 15 and 16, and listen in as we discuss the solutions in detail. (#15 at 55:03 and #16 at 1:07:01)
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The (self-proclaimed) Greatest Podcast Hosts That God Ever Created discuss Donald Trump’s recent press conference. Ben wonders about people’s news and filter bubbles, while Nathan transforms current events into sufficient and necessary conditions. (0:30)
A 30-something listener is concerned about her chances of law school admittance and success. She needs advice on who to use for references, how to make her application stand out, and whether or not she can be a lawyer and still have a life outside of her career. The guys recommend she make the most of her age in her application, focusing on maturity and life experience to set herself apart. (13:30)
It was the best of answers, it was the second best of answers…an email from Canadian Nathan describes the trouble he’s having choosing the correct answer out of the two best answers in the Logical Reasoning sections. We discuss this common issue and what steps to take to overcome it. (31:38)
Lynn is only completing two of the four Logic Games sections on her practice tests and needs help speeding up. Nathan reiterates his past advice on accuracy vs. speed and encourages Lynn to slow down even more until she achieves 100% accuracy on all questions. (48:02)
An anonymous listener is worried she won’t be admitted to an LSAT testing center if her current hairstyle is radically different than the one on her uploaded ID. She also mentions she will soon be getting a “protective style,” a term that mystifies the hosts. The guys don’t know anything about natural hair, but they do know that supplementary photos and documentation, along with some charm, should convince the test proctor of this listener’s identity on test day. (58:50)
Peter, another 30-something listener, has a PhD in classical piano but is now considering a career in law. He studied for two months, got a 164 on the December LSAT, and thinks he can improve his score with more prep. Peter’s wondering if he should apply to schools now “just to see” whether he gets admission with the scholarship offers he wants or if he should wait until after retakes. Both Ben and Nathan start by begging him to remain in the field of music rather than become a lawyer. If that plea doesn’t convince him, then Peter should keep studying, take another LSAT, and wait to apply in the next cycle. (1:10:02)
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Nathan gives five (death)stars to “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” while Ben shares a far more lukewarm review of his family’s new dog, a “Mountain Swissy” kind. (0:30)
In Episode 78, the guys read part of an email from Alec, a student who took the December LSAT but canceled his score after encountering an “unusual” Logic Game. They continue with Alec’s questions here in Episode 79. Topics covered include: dealing with the experimental section, choosing the best study materials, combining rules to make inferences, and deciding when to diagram on the test. (6:34)
An anonymous listener asks whether or not she should submit an addendum that uses a “white lie” to explain an LSAT absence from two years ago. Ben says the fib is not worth the risk and if the truth ever does get out it could have devastating consequences on her career. Nathan agrees that the truth is best in this and every case, as small lies lead to bigger, more complicated lies that are too difficult to keep track of. No matter the reason, the guys concur and urge people to be completely honest on their applications. (42:30)
We continue the June 2007 LSAT with a lengthy Logical Reasoning problem. To play at home just download the free test, work through Question #14 in Section 3, and listen in as we discuss the solution in detail. (48:30)
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The guys open Episode 78 by discussing the need to submit a diversity statement with a law school application. Both agree it can be a valuable addition but caution applicants to beware of wasting the admissions officer’s time. (1:28)
Nathan admits he has a drinking problem; the problem being his need to discuss the LSAT while drinking. The good news is he left a note for his sober self to discuss an important issue on the show today! After noticing students’ tendency to misunderstand the question type “the argument proceeds by…” he and Ben clarify what the question is actually asking you to identify. (4:51)
Drew’s email shares his lofty goal of a score in the 170s on the February LSAT. He feels his accuracy is on target, only missing about two per section, but is worried about his pace being too slow to finish all the sections. Ben encourages Drew to deeply review the questions he’s getting wrong to identify what idea he is missing. Nathan agrees and counsels Drew to ignore the clock and focus only on accuracy, as that is what will increase speed and lead to higher scores. (8:50)
Subscribe to the Thinking LSAT Podcast to join our mailing list and be instantly notified when a new episode is released. Hurry and do so before we fill the site with all those lucrative pillow advertisements Ben has lined up! (30:00)
Ferris Bueller admits he didn’t like going to classes so he focused on working and extracurricular activities (presumably parades) instead. Now he wants to know if he should include an addendum with his application to explain his 3.0 GPA to admissions. Ben suggests Ferris use his resume to show his busy schedule and Nathan thinks he should write the addendum but to not be so honest about his disinterest in school. Ben and Nathan both recommend that Ferris focus the issue entirely on his need to work to support himself and not the extracurriculars he enjoyed. (31:37)
Omar worked hard to receive good grades in undergrad but one devastating semester is dragging his overall GPA down. An addendum to explain that outlier is perfect for this situation and we discuss striking the right tone in the addendum. (37:00)
The final email is from Alec and asks how to avoid “overthinking” in the Reading Comp section. Nathan is appalled at the idea of overthinking on the LSAT and encourages all test takers to leave their brains on for the entire test. (42:00)
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Nathan shares an email he received from David Faigman, Acting Chancellor and Dean of the University of California Hastings College of the Law. The email, sent to students and alumni of the program, discussed Hasting graduates’ “horrific result” on the July 2016 Bar exam. We talk about who and what is to blame for the low passage rate and what might be done to improve it. (2:36)
Arye asks the guys to explain why it’s better to read the question stimulus before reading the question stem. We discuss this and more from Arye, including score plateaus and preparing for the February LSAT. (12:35)
One of Nathan’s students recently took the LSAT in Mexico City and shares his impressions of the experience. He was very pleased with the helpful test proctors, less so with the restrooms, and completely mystified by the stickiness of his desk. (30:30)
Calvin emails to thank the show for test day tips he utilized while taking the December LSAT. Nathan’s insistence that there is no such thing as a “weird” Logic Game kept Calvin calm and confident when he encountered a new-looking game on the test. (31:48)
We continue working our way through the June 2007 LSAT with two more Logical Reasoning problems. To play at home just download the free test, work through Section 3, Questions 12 and 13, and listen in as we discuss the solutions in detail. (#12 at 37:20 and #13 at 49:06)
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Episode 76 is a nod to our Northern neighbors as Nathan records from Toronto, Ontario and we’re joined by Graeme Blake from Montreal, founder of LSAT Hacks. So kick off your ice hockey skates, grab a big mug of maple syrup, and listen in to the last episode before tomorrow’s LSAT exam!
An article from the Wall Street Journal claims the American Bar Association is working on a rule that will revoke accreditation from law schools with bar passage rates of less than 75%. We discuss the article, the possible unintended consequences of such a rule, and our ideas for more useful changes the ABA could make. (4:28)
Listener Matt asks for tips on staying focused during the Reading Comprehension section of the test. Ben suggests breaking sentences up into even smaller chunks and Nathan advises rereading any part that isn’t sinking in fully. We both tell Matt to learn to recognize when his mind is drifting early on so he can stop and re-focus without wasting time. (19:00)
Kurt emails about finding the best law school to attend for certain specialties he might want to practice. Our advice is to disregard any rankings he finds regarding a schools’ specialties and instead choose the best school for the lowest cost in the location you would like to practice in. (30:16)
We spend the second half of this episode working on two Logical Reasoning problems from the June 2007 LSAT. To play at home just download the free test, work through Section 3, Questions 10 and 11, and listen in as we discuss the solutions in detail. (#10 at 45:00 and #11 with Graeme at 1:05:30)
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Phillipe (not his real name and probably not the horse from Beauty and the Beast…probably) is wondering whether he should quit his full time job so he can focus on studying for the LSAT. We both advise against this drastic plan and encourage Phillipe to focus on the quality of his study time rather than the quantity. He also asks for suggestions on managing stress and fatigue and we share some of our favorite techniques. (7:30)
Brett is a 30 year old professional who has a 3.65 GPA, a 164 average practice LSAT score, and a clean bill of health after recovering from surgery for kidney cancer in August. We’re so glad to hear you’re cancer-free! As he prepares for the December LSAT, Brett worries his application will be submitted too late to be considered for the big scholarships that he needs to attend law school. We talk about when applications are considered “late” and what that means for scholarship opportunities. Nathan counsels Brett on baller negotiating tactics, while Ben suggests he include his cancer story as an addendum to his application. (28:16)
We work on two Logical Reasoning problems from the June 2007 LSAT. To play at home just download the free test, work through Section 3, Questions 8 and 9, and listen in as we discuss the solutions in detail. (#8 at 52:20 and #9 at 1:05:02)
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Feeling down about the election/the country/the very fabric of your existence?? Fear not, dear listeners, Nathan knows what will turn that frown upside-down…more LSAT prep! In the wake of Trumpocalypse, he is offering a $200 discount on his online, on demand prep course. This offer ends November 15 so use code ‘Trumpocalypse’ to sign up, rock the LSAT, become a lawyer, and save us all! (7:40)
We receive a grateful email from “Leaf” who used the Thinking LSAT Podcast to keep herself entertained at the gym. She especially found Mike from Episodes 66 and 72.5 compelling, as she too struggles with over-preparation and score anxiety. We applaud her ‘beast-like’ work ethic and talk about the three R’s of LSAT prep-Review, Review, Review. Hopefully, a more thorough understanding of the toughest questions can provide Leaf with some peace of mind and her dream score. (8:38)
Namrada does well in the early sections of her practice tests but starts to fatigue as she goes on; she is worried about her stamina when it comes to taking an entire LSAT on test day. We recommend good sleep, deep breaths, and some chair yoga and to stay fresh and alert on the big day. (39:15)
Scott is great at finding flaws in Logical Reasoning problems, however he doesn’t always find the right flaw. Ben offers two stages of analysis for Flaw questions and Nathan advises Scott to slow down and consider all the answer choices before rushing into choosing one. (48:29)
We interview Law School Expert Ann Levine about trends she has noticed in this year’s admission cycle so far. She offers advice on Early Decision, application timelines, and school interviews. Ann also has a pep talk for those future lawyers who may be disappointed in Tuesday’s election results. (58:10)
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Nathan introduces a new Thinking LSAT feature: Really Dumb Move of the (September 2016) LSAT. A tutoring student of his receives the honors this time for discussing the test’s difficulty with a friend during break and then letting that discussion throw off her performance later. Honorable mention is awarded to a really loud wrist watch. (6:28)
Nathan recommends a Rolling Stone article, Why We’re Living in the Age of Fear. The piece discusses the discrepancy between how safe we feel and how safe we actually are in the world today. Check it out, especially if you’re feeling nervous about the outcome of today’s election. (18:40)
Ben, on the other hand, isn’t afraid of this election or guns or even of taking LSAT practice tests! We both urge listeners to take them early, take them often, and take your test prep to the next level. (24:15)
Listener questions include asking for advice on how to best use the time-and-a half accommodation, why we suggest planning for two test dates, and how to best write an addendum- what to include and what to leave out. We hear a happy update from Episode 62’s Overwhelmed Dad (39:00) and a sad update from listener Tom (46:50), hang in there, Tom!
Ben recommends two books that discuss some underrated traits, being messy and being a quitter. Messy presents the idea that some of the most successful and rewarding times in a person’s life happen when they aren’t planning and organizing perfectly. In Choose Yourself! Be Happy, Make Millions, Live the Dream, author James Altucher suggests quitting strategically and how it can improve your life. (1:02:00)
Cam asks about LSAT India’s prep tests and almost makes Ben swear. (1:23:00) Grace needs motivation to keep studying for her second LSAT attempt. (1:27:16)
We wrap up the episode with some stats on the podcast, a big thank you to all the listeners, and Ben speaking Japanese. Domo arigato Ben’s high school Japanese teacher! (1:35:00)
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In Episode 66, Nathan and Ben discussed an email from Mike, a dedicated student who suffered from panic-induced insomnia the night before his June LSAT. Needless to say, that test […]
A quick update on the last episode’s story of the student who went one second overtime on his test day Writing Sample. The LSAC’s characteristically cagey response to him leaves us plenty of room for speculation. (1:00)
Two listener emails describe separate but nearly identical issues with their proctors from the September LSAT. Each student took the test with accommodations and neither was allowed by their proctor to take the fifth section of the test. This administrator error led to their scores being canceled by the LSAC. Hear our response to what the LSAC is offering these students for their trouble. (3:40)
Rebecca, a wife, mother, and law school hopeful, is quite embedded in her community. She is applying to the law school closest to her home, however she is worried that the program won’t offer her a scholarship because it is clear she means to stay in the area. We discuss the pros and cons of her community involvement to her application and encourage her to also consider programs further away. (15:30)
Spicoli asks the dudes for advice on writing his personal statement and whether or not he should write about the specific type of law he wants to practice. Surfboard law, perhaps? Ben recommends making an audio recording before putting pen to paper, while Nathan suggests the Ernest Hemingway method- have two drinks then get to writing! (24:40)
High school senior Jimbo is a high-achieving student who is looking at a dual program that would allow him to complete his undergrad and law school in only six years total. We question the huge commitment this would be for someone in his position and suggest other options for Jimbo, ranging from Alaskan metalsmith apprenticeship to just going to college and trying out a variety of classes. (44:20)
We work on two Logical Reasoning questions from the June 2007 LSAT. To play at home just download the free test, work through Section 3, Questions #6 and #7, and listen in as we discuss each problem in detail. (55:00)
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Thinking LSAT gets political as we discuss the Trump-Clinton debate, and Nathan shares his surprising opinion on the outcome. Don’t worry if you’re not offended yet, we’ll discuss religion at the end of the show. (0:30)
A commercial break here for Nathan to plug his upcoming LSAT Boot Camps in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Get more information and sign up for a magical weekend with Nathan Fox. (8:28)
Tragically funny experiences from the September LSAT include distracting proctors and proctors who forget how to tell time, and a violation for going one second over in the Writing Sample section. We share some tips on avoiding these violations by wrapping up the sample quickly and clearly. (9:30)
Ben shares big news from the 2004 LSAC Report— a tablet-based LSAT will be released for testing in 2015!!! Oh wait, it wasn’t. We discuss the pros and cons (there aren’t any cons, actually) of such a test, and speculate on why it never happened. (23:40)
An email from Greg asks whether his advisor calling the September test “unusual” is accurate and what that might mean for the December LSAT he plans to take. (49:55)
Anonymous is concerned about inconsistency in his practice test scores. Ben says this is a super common experience and Nathan says this student is just not good enough at the LSAT yet. Either way, we agree speeding up is not the answer. (49:55)
We work on a Sufficient Assumption question from the June 2007 LSAT. To play at home just download the free test, work through Section 3, Question #5, and listen in as we discuss the problem in detail. (1:07:00)
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Ben reads and recommends Alexander Hamilton. The biography by Ron Chernow inspired the recent musical phenomenon and Ben thinks it could also be an inspiration for aspiring lawyers. (5:30)
Dreaming of a job in Big Law? If so, fire up your laptop and follow along as a recent law school grad offers advice on scoring a job at a Top 30 firm like she did. First, check out the NALP Directory to find the legal employer you might be interested in. Look at the employment summaries for specific law schools according to reports from the American Bar Association. Check out two articles, here and here, that describe Big Law salaries and the high expectations that can go along with that fat paycheck. Finally, study the bimodal distribution of starting salaries for lawyers by graduation year. (6:30)
Nathan takes Ben back to middle school when he explains the difference between Mean, Median, and Mode. In other words, this is the part where you might want to break for a snack until the math is over. (37:30)
Ben performs a dramatic reading of an email from Michelle, a loyal listener who compares the Blueprint prep course she took in 2012 to what she’s learned from the Thinking LSAT podcast. Since listening, she has made some strategic changes that have improved her practice scores. No Michelle, thank YOU. (51:08)
Kirk is struggling with Logic Games and asks where his study time is best spent leading up to test day (58:05), and Travis wants help getting through the wordy answer choices in Reading Comprehension. (1:07:30)
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The recent release of The 10 Actual, Official LSAT Prep Tests 42-51 by the LSAC has Nathan and Ben all in a tizzy. While Nathan grumbles about the price, title, and layout, Ben is busy taking credit for willing the book into existence. (2:19)
This week, Ben’s Book Corner features Make It Stick- The Science of Successful Learning. The book identifies the study and learning techniques that are most effective for understanding and retaining new information. Check out Make It Stick to see if your own strategies could be improved. A word of warning: be careful not to confuse it with the similarly titled but very different Made to Stickor Stick It. (8:00)
Are you preparing for the LSAT and looking for even more study opportunities? Do you have eyes, ears, and…well that’s all you need, actually. Yes, you say? Perfect! Ben is looking for volunteers to review and rate videos from his LSAT prep class and you can contact him to sign up. (23:45)
Listener mail came pouring in this week, covering a variety of LSAT and law school topics, and we work through it to get our inbox back to zero. Kyle proposes, and Ben tries out, a new strategy for Reading Comp questions (46:56), Shiva is panicked about missing the September LSAT she planned to take (59:29), Basic Laurenjenna asks if Logic Games are harder on recent tests (1:07:50), and Boba Fett wants to know if a recommendation from 2015 can be used for a 2017 application (1:26:40).
Episode 69 concludes with a challenge from Ben to the Thinking LSAT listeners. Don’t worry, it doesn’t involve giving up your cell phone or juice fasts or anything. (1:53:56)
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Ben jumps right into Episode 68 by introducing listeners to LSAT India and their catchy tagline, “All you need is reason.” Nathan wants to check out this version of the 2009 test but reminds us that here in America, the LSAT motto is more like “All you need is money.” (1:28)
We discuss a study that looks at the impact of texting and email on human IQ. Spoiler alert: it’s bad. Constant texting/emailing decreases the user’s IQ by an average of 10 points, definitely a problem when you are preparing for the LSAT. Get tips from the guys on how to disconnect and use those extra brain cells to raise your test score. (19:50)
Ben has an issue with the Powerscore Logical Reasoning Bible’s explanation of the Correlation-Causation flaw. Nathan agrees that properly understanding this flaw is paramount to LSAT success, so we discuss it in detail to clarify. (25:51)
A letter from listener Wasabi Potato Chips* asks for advice on how much to prep before attempting her third LSAT. Hear the guys’ response to WPC and their thoughts on the third attempt in general. (43:15) *not her real name…but hopefully a real flavor of potato chip
Finally, we work through another Reading Comprehension passage from the June 2007 test. This time we explain Passage 2 from Section 4, a comparative reading type of question. Download the test yourself and play along as we go. (1:02:00)
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Josh planned to retake the LSAT but then received a recommendation from his pre-law advisor not to do so; now Josh is confused about what he should do. We give him our own recommendation and decide that a retake is almost always a good idea. (10:07)
Tamra knows she is retaking the LSAT in September but is worried her score will be received too late to be considered at her top choice school by their early decision deadline. We compare the pros and cons of Tamra sending an application before her September scores are ready, then discuss how early the law school application truly needs to be sent in at all. (15:00)
FarmBoy has a 142 on his first practice test, ADD, and, we can only hope, an impressive collection of overalls. He emails to ask whether reading the question stem before the passage is always a bad idea or if, as he suspects, he might be an exception to this rule. (20:00)
Brett, a US Merchant Marine who alternates a month at home with a month at sea, is having an understandably hard time scheduling his LSAT. His current options are to take the test a month from now or a year from now, and we make our best recommendation by looking at his current practice scores. (30:28)
We continue Section 3 from the June 2007 LSAT, completely working through Logical Reasoning Questions #3 and #4. Download the free test here and try the questions, then listen in for our explanation. (42:30)
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We open Episode 66 with some book recommendations; Ben is enjoying Chaos Monkeys by Antonio García Martínez and Nathan just finished Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Reading these could expand your mind and your vocabulary; at the very least, they will be more interesting than reading The Economist. (2:40)
Mike, a dedicated listener and student of Nathan’s, writes in to discuss his personal battle with the LSAT. Mike was the picture of LSAT prep perfection- he completed 35 full practice tests, improved his diet and fitness routine, and even listened to every episode of Thinking LSAT… twice. All signs pointed to Mike acing the June 6th test, and then disaster struck. Listen to Mike’s heartbreaking tale, and hear our advice on how he can put that day behind him and move forward to success. (17:42)
We begin Section 3 of Logic Games from the June 2007 LSAT, completely working through Questions #1 and #2. Download the free test here and try the questions, then listen in for our explanation. (48:04)
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…JK. Episode 65 is no less safe for work than any other episode of Thinking LSAT. We do appreciate hearing about all of you that seem to be listening to this podcast at the office instead of, say, writing invoices or reading memos or playing Pokemon Go.
We begin this episode by sharing a news item that features an uncharacteristically generous new refund policy from the LSAC. The wording of said policy is, however, very characteristically convoluted. Check out the fine print here while we admire the LSAC’s commitment to obscurity. (4:50)
Brian, a listener who recently earned a very impressive 171 on the LSAT, vows to never set eyes upon the test again. We hear you, Brian. He asks us to speculate on his chances of admittance to a top law school with his awesome 171 and a 2.9 GPA. Nathan refuses to play fortune teller and instead directs all such queries to the LSAT/GPA Calculator. Try this tool for yourself to see the chances of getting into the law school of your dreams. (10:55)
A lengthy email from Rachel covers a plethora of LSAT and law school related questions and we cover as much ground as we can in response. Included in her letter are queries about studying old LSATs, using a free app to prepare, whether or not she should study in a distracting environment, and if her understanding of sufficient vs. necessary conditions is correct; unfortunately, Rachel, it isn’t. We set her straight on these conditions and offer free resources to help even more, including Nathan’s blog posts on sufficient and necessary. (23:48)
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'Tis the time for our noble listeners to decide whether or not they are satisfied with their June LSAT scores. Zach wonders if it is worth risking a lower retake score after earning a 172 on the test. ‘Appreciative Student’ was surprised to receive an official score that was 5-6 points higher than their highest practice test score, and asks if it would be a good idea to try for an even higher result in September. (6:50)
We discuss a recent NY Times article, An Expensive Law Degree, and No Place to Use It. The article addresses the situation that some attendees of lower-tiered law schools find themselves in upon graduation: crushing debt, low bar passage rates, and a bleak employment outlook. We talk about these issues and what you can do to avoid a similar fate. (18:25)
Last but not least, we debut the inaugural Reading Comprehension explanation on the Thinking LSAT Podcast. We carefully read, comprehend, and discuss Passage #1 from the June 2007 test. Download the test yourself and play along as we go. (32:20)
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Ben recommends Grit by Angela Duckworth, a book that could help with your LSAT prep and studying mindset. In that same vein, he mentions episode 202 of the podcast “The Art of Manliness,” which discusses the effort and commitment required to achieve a goal. (5:27)
Next, a barrage of emails (3 can be a barrage, right??) from listeners who want to thank Thinking LSAT for helping them achieve their LSAT goals. Mike channeled Nathan’s zen to overcome test day stress (13:43), Jeff realized LSAT success was more than a matter of innate ability (18:10), and Taylor used the podcast for hands-free studying while hiking in Spain (34:40). We also answer Taylor’s questions about how to improve her score in Reading Comprehension.
At long last, we answer the final question in Section 2 of the June 2007 LSAT! Question #25 is a Logical Reasoning problem that demands an explanation of facts that don’t seem to line up. Download the free June 2007 test and play along as we solve the puzzle and wrap up this section. (52:58)
Are you looking for an LSAT prep class in the Los Angeles area? Nathan has an upcoming Fox test prep class in LA with room for more students! Reach out to him for more information on the course and registration for the class. (1:07)
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Did you take the June LSAT? Are you freaking out about your performance?? If you answered yes, we encourage you to slow down, take a deep breath, and refrain from any drastic decisions about canceling your score. (4:05)
“Overwhelmed Dad” in South Texas emails a series of questions regarding his potential career shift from high school history teacher to lawyer. Worried about his ability to balance work, law school, and a newborn baby, Overwhelmed wants to know what advice we can share to help him be successful in his endeavor. (5:45)
“Anxious and Anonymous” writes in to admit he disregarded our [totally awesome] advice and read LSAT forums even after receiving a great offer letter from his top choice law school. Now questioning whether he set his sights high enough, Anxious is considering turning down this offer and starting the application process over next year. (36:20)
We work through two Logical Reasoning questions from the June 2007 Official LSAT. Question #23 is a Sufficient Assumption problem that uses big, heady abstractions to confuse test-takers and Question #24 tests how well you understood the question and predicted an answer. To play along at home, pause at 46:20 for #23 and at 1:06 for Question #24.
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Episode 61 features an interview with Seth Harding, a 15 year old college senior who is preparing to take the LSAT. Seth is planning to take the test on June 6th and hopes to raise his current practice score of 148 to an Ivy-league competitive score within the next 3 weeks. Will we convince Seth to postpone his test date, as his goal is extremely ambitious, if not impossible? Will he convince a skeptical Nathan that he’ll be mentally and emotionally prepared to start law school at only 16 years old? Will Seth appreciate any of Ben’s spot-on Doogie Howser jokes? Listen in to find out the answers to these questions and more. (0:55)
Nathan discusses some recent advice his prep class received from law school admissions expert Ann Levine, including the optimal time to apply to law school and when applying “early” is no longer considered early. (35:10)
We dole out some tough love to Henry, a law school hopeful who emailed Nathan asking for tips on how to raise his LSAT score from an untimed 160-165 to a 175-180. We definitively conclude that any score must be from a timed practice test to convey real information on one’s performance on the test. (42:30)
We work through Question #22 in section 2 of the June 2007 LSAT, a Logical Reasoning problem that asks you to find the answer that Must Be True. Download the free test here and try the question, then listen in for our explanation. (53:15)
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After months of anticipation and teasers from Nathan, The Fox LSAT Logic Games Playbook is now available! Check it out here and start crushing all those games. (3:10)
Ed, a far-flung listener from Meyers Chuck, Alaska describes the unique route he will be taking to get to the LSAT testing center, and asks for advice on how to stay focused after the expedition. We discuss his questions and pose some of our own–what’s the Airbnb situation in Juneau? Does the pet deposit cover the entire sled dog team or just individual dogs? (7:20)
We spend time working through Logical Reasoning questions #20 (starting at 21:15) and #21 (at 33:25) from the June 2007 LSAT. Download the free test and try it for yourself, then listen in as we discuss them.
Nathan interviews Jeff Todd, a Harvard Law School graduate who left his position at a prestigious law firm to write for MLBTradeRumors.com. Hear Jeff discuss his decisions, his life now, and his sage advice to Thinking LSAT listeners. (55:00)
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In Episode 59, Nathan interviews Alison Monahan: Columbia Law School graduate, co-creator of The Law School Toolbox and Bar Exam Toolbox programs and podcast, and creator of The Girl’s Guide to Law School.
10 Things You’ll Hate About Alison Monahan:
10- Nathan nicknamed her “The Hustler.” So awesome. (0:55)
9- She could have gone to medical school without taking the MCAT. (2:55)
8- She decided she wanted to go to law school, took the LSAT a few weeks later, and scored a 170 out of the gate. (12:25)
7- She couldn’t get laid off during the recession in 2010, even though she begged her boss to do it. (31:00)
6- Every day for a year, Alison woke up, asked herself what she felt like doing that day, and did that. (33:00)
5- She’s already lived in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles.
4- She now spends her summers in Mexico City and her winters in San Francisco. (37:30)
3- She also shares a ski cabin with friends in Tahoe. (46:00)
2- She gets to drink beer with Nathan. (56:00)
1- That, despite making you feel lazy and inadequate, you can’t hate Alison at all–she is too awesome! Alison knows her life is amazing, and she wants to help you make your life remarkable too. Check out her programs and tweet her for all your bar prep/law school/workplace needs.
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Two old dudes leave the jogging to the kids while they rhapsodize over the benefits of swimming slow laps—it’s so easy on the joints! Nathan really hammers the point home when he makes Ben aware of a runner’s worst nightmare…nipple bleeding (4:20).
Good news! Law schools are giving out more scholarships than ever! Bad news–you’re going to have to do some math to determine which offer is really your best option. We discuss two frequently overlooked factors you need to consider when comparing which scholarship to accept. (8:03).
The LSAC fully utilized social media last week when they tweeted the following link to their Facebook to deliver this announcement:
Important message for June 2016 #LSAT registrants: Review the photograph you uploaded when registering for the LSAT. It MUST meet the LSAT Admission Ticket Photo requirements. It is your responsibility to make sure these requirements are met. Admission to the test center may be denied if your photo is not acceptable. If you are denied admission, you will not be eligible for a refund. If you determine that your photo does not meet LSAC requirements, call LSAC at 215.968.1001 during our business hours for assistance.
Don’t let all the caps intimidate you; LSAC clarifies by providing a link to some amazing examples of UNACCEPTABLE photos (their caps, not ours). After mocking our favorite of the bad photos, we demystify the requirement rules with a few easy tips (26:25).
Anna Alaburda, the 2008 graduate who sued her former law school for allegedly inflating their post-graduate employment statistics, finally had her day in court. We discuss the outcome and what it could mean for future law school graduates with the same litigious plan (36:42).
Listener Bonifacio asks for information about LSAC fee waivers and the overall cost of applying to law school. We advise him to apply for any waivers he has a chance of getting and encourage him to disregard some of the smaller expenses that occur in the process of applying to and choosing a program (39:20).
We work through Question #19 of the June 2007 LSAT, a Logical Reasoning problem that is an example of one of the most common flaws on the test- Correlation vs. Causation. Nathan is suspicious of the question from the get-go and thinks the argument is lying to him, while the more trusting Ben is pretty sure the argument is just an idiot. Play along by downloading the free test and working along with us (48:00).
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After a bad test day and a “questionable” prep guide got him a 147 on the LSAT, Torvald* uses the Thinking LSAT podcast to jump his retake score to a 165 — Gratulerer, Torvald! As he considers law school options, Torvald wonders how to leverage scholarship offers from lower-ranked schools to get the best offer from his top-choice program. We advise him to apply broadly and discuss how to make the most of any offers. (2:25)
*not his real name, unfortunately
Muhammad has already been accepted to his top choice, Brooklyn Law School, but is starting to doubt his decision after seeing the new rankings that drop the program from 78th to 97th. Nathan dismisses the drop, while PI Ben conducts a thorough investigation of Brooklyn Law School and uncovers some disturbing trends. (12:50)
An anonymous listener writes in for advice after her less-than-perfect session with the assistant admissions director at the school she is interested in. We discuss the potential effects of such a meeting and suggest ways to ensure you make a good impression on your law school visits. (25:25)
We talk Socratic method as Nathan rants about professors who don’t employ the approach correctly and Ben shares his personal Socratic method faux pas. Learn from our mistakes as we tell you how to deal with this notoriously intimidating teaching style. (28:55)
A string of listener emails lead to discussions about starting law school in the summer vs. starting in the fall, reasons to go to or skip public events held by schools, and whether a particular LSAT prep audiobook is any good for studying. (44:10)
We wrap up with Question #18 from the June 2007 LSAT. Download the free test and try it for yourself, then listen in as we work through it. (59:41)
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Nathan recommends adding something unusual to your morning coffee. Try it and look like a badass at your next brunch. (2:30)
David, a listener who graduated in 2006 with a degree in civil engineering, asks about his chances of being accepted into a good law school despite his cumulative GPA of 2.78. He is currently preparing to take the June LSAT after letting his 2009 score of 161 expire without applying to any schools. Ben uses the LSAT/GPA calculator to give David an estimation of his chances at admission. (9:15)
We discuss the importance of highlighting personality and “painting a picture” of yourself on your law school applications. Exhibit A: Cate Hall, a graduate of Yale Law School who quit a successful law career to become a professional poker player; she was recently interviewed on one of Nathan’s favorite podcasts, “Thinking Poker.” You can listen to that episode here. (26:00)
An article in the New York Times discusses Anna Alaburda, a 2008 graduate of Thomas Jefferson Law School who is charging the institution with inflating their employment stats to convince people to enroll in their program. The story prompts our discussion about the responsibility of a law school in their students’ future employability. (33:35)
Nathan’s heart skips a beat when Cate Hall, the aforementioned poker player, likes the tweet he wrote about her! Tweet Cate and beg her to come on our show. (51:30)
Listener Cordelia is preparing for the LSAT and is planning to purchase one of Nathan’s LSAT books to help but she doesn’t know which one to choose first. Nathan recommends starting with his primer Introducing the LSAT, a “quick and dirty” overview of the LSAT’s most common concepts and how to handle them, and then moving on to Cheating the LSAT, which walks the reader through one full test. (53:35)
We work on the official June 2007 LSAT, Question #17- a particularly useful flaw question in the Logical Reasoning section. Play along by downloading the free June 2007 LSAT here. (58:10)
Listen closely as we discuss the argument and you will hear even more authentic Costa Rican birdsongs! This episode features a less melodious species of bird (or maybe it’s a monkey?!) but will put you in a tropical mindset just the same.
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We interview Ann Levine, law school admissions expert, author and yoga teacher. Ann counsels us on the importance of meditation in creating a clear mind before studying. She also discusses test day anxiety and answers questions about the admissions cycle. Read more about Ann and sign up for her newsletter here. (2:00)
Listener John is joining an LSAT study group and asks for tips on how to make the sessions as productive as possible. We debate whether study groups are the best use of prep time and how to keep focused while studying with other students. (34:30)
An email from economics major Cameron prompts a discussion about the subject content of Reading Comprehension passages. Do you know what a lichen is?! We don’t either, but we tell you how to correctly answer questions about them anyway. (43:10)
Ben shares stories from listeners who recently received LSAT accommodations on test day, and we discuss how those accommodations were handled by test proctors. (54:50)
Looking for more LSAT prep help? We spend the last few minutes of the show talking about the variety of resources we have for students who want more guidance. As an added bonus, if you listen closely while Ben is speaking, you will hear the melodious birdsong of Costa Rica! (1:01:00)
Nathan is teaching a weekend LSAT Bootcamp in Los Angeles on April 23 and 24. It promises to be a concentrated dose of LSAT awesomeness! Get all the details here.
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Fire alarms, marching bands and mice … oh my! Listeners Ayung and Lauren share their LSAT test day horror stories. We discuss what to do when you encounter the unexpected in the test room, and how test-takers can sometimes turn a bad situation to their advantage. (7:30)
We stop talking about the LSAT and start talking about law TV! Nathan recommends two shows, one of which has shown him more courtroom trial footage in ten hours than law school did in three years. (16:45)
After misunderstanding the 5-minute warning policy on test day and panicking, Nabiel is worried his LSAT score will be lower than he hoped and plans to retake in June. We urge him to make some big changes in his study strategy for the coming months. (28:17)
Following a positive experience she had at a recent LSAC Law School Forum, Kaley writes in to encourage others to make the most of this resource. We agree, and follow up with advice on forum preparation, making a lasting impression, and even what you should wear to the event! (38:00)
Kaley, currently in a wait-list situation herself, compiled a list of past “Thinking LSAT” episodes where the wait-list issue was discussed. (45:00)
A double-major in electrical engineering and computer science, listener Ben is worried his GPA isn’t high enough to get him into a top-tier law school, even if he does great on the LSAT. We talk about GPA vs. LSAT score in the admissions process and whether the type of degree a person has earned impacts their law school application. (46:15)
Ben must abruptly exit Episode #54 when his son makes an adorable request for him to “come watch Octonauts”; Nathan laughs and laughs. (1:02:20)
Nathan interviews Kevin Hayslett, a full-time criminal defense lawyer/part-time radio personality lawyer. (1:03:20)
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Nathan finally saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and we find the flaws in the film like it’s Question #16 from Section 2 of the June 2007 LSAT. (Spoiler Alert from 0:55-9:00)
Bonifacio, a former student of Nathan’s, asks for advice on slowing down while working through the Logical Reasoning section of the LSAT. We talk about pacing during this section of the test, and whether or not it is a major factor in test success. (9:06)
Ben provides a handy 3-part checklist to go through when attempting any Logical Reasoning question. (16:40)
We answer Question #16 from Section 2 of the June 2007 LSAT. To play along at home, pause the podcast at 24:53 to read and attempt the question, then press play to hear our discussion and answer. (24:14)
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Arnold took the LSAT in October and December 2015, and ended up raising his score to 174. We talk about retaking the LSAT, the third Logic Game on the December LSAT, and how actual LSAT scores compare to practice exams. (5:24)
Hannah has a question about an application fee waiver. She took the December LSAT and improved ten points to 163. She received an email from Georgetown inviting her to apply, but the school will not waive the application fee. Hannah asks: Is this an indication she may be admitted? Should she apply? (39:38)
Sydney asks how to create an affordable, self-led study schedule to bring her LSAT score to 170 or above. She is currently taking a prep class and working full time, and received a 161 on the December LSAT. We talk about the importance of practicing for the LSAT every day. Here’s an article that speaks to that concept, as well as Ben’s daily commitment calendar that will help you stick to your schedule. (47:20)
Oscar shares with us his experience applying for and receiving LSAT accommodations after listening to our episodes about the subject. (57:48)
Finally, Nathan interviews Nikki Black, an immigration attorney who talks about her experience attending law school and being happy as a lawyer. If you’d like to reach out to Nikki, you can send her an email or connect via Twitter at @nikkimarieblack. (1:17:40)
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Curtis is 33 years old, has an associate’s degree and wants to be an attorney. He is enrolled in a bachelor’s program and received a 146 on the June LSAT. He is worried about competing against younger law school applicants. Curtis asks about letters of recommendation, and the importance of internships and volunteer work when applying to law school. (3:25)
Diane asks about financial resources and how big of a difference money makes on the LSAT and applying to law school. (17:25)
We tackle Logical Reasoning questions 14 and 15 (Section 2) from the June 2007 LSAT. (24:40 – question 14; 41:52 – question 15)
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Emma just took the December LSAT. She's trying to decide if she should apply to law schools this year or wait until next year. Most of the schools she's interested in attending do not have deadlines until March; but will her chances of admissions increase if she applies early? We discuss the number of people taking the LSAT (based on numbers from the LSAC), and the implications of those statistics. In celebration of our 50th episode, we share some stats and reflections from the last 50 episodes of the Thinking LSAT podcast. We also tackle Logical Reasoning question 13 (Section 2) from the June 2007 LSAT. Got questions you want us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email! Thinking LSAT is now on Twitter! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question! Take a listen and let us know what you think. And tell us if you'd like to hear from different attorneys on the podcast!
One listener has a full-time job, a diagnostic score of 165 and wants to take the June LSAT. She plans to study now, take a break during her busy season at work, and then re-start studying in the spring. Is this a workable study strategy? Should this listener retake the LSAT after getting a score of 171 on the October test? A listener from Brazil is studying for the LSAT and has taken five practice tests with scores ranging from 153 to 166. He asks the following questions: Do I have a chance at a scholarship (even with a lower GPA) at a good school? Is a 175 score feasible? Does being an international student make a difference for law school admission? We also tackle Logical Reasoning question 12 (Section 2) from the June 2007 LSAT. Got questions you want us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email! Thinking LSAT is now on Twitter! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question! Take a listen and let us know what you think.
A student asks if she should take the December LSAT if she's currently scoring in the 130s on practice tests. Her GPA is a 3.3 and she has three "F" grades on her transcript. In addition, she is half-way through the Princeton Review LSAT course and her scores are not improving. Should she take the December LSAT, or wait until the February test? We tackle Logical Reasoning question 11 (Section 2) from the June 2007 LSAT. Finally we discuss Game 3 on the October 2015 (Test 76) LSAT. Got questions you want us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email! Thinking LSAT is now on Twitter! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question! Take a listen and let us know what you think.
We discuss the current state of LSAT accommodations since the topic was discussed in episode 43. We tackle Logical Reasoning question 10 (Section 2) from the June 2007 LSAT. Camilla asks what ranges we recommend for reach, target and safety when using the LSAC calculator and the percentage it gives. Two listeners ask if they should spend time reviewing questions/answers they got correct, or just those that were incorrect. Chris is heading into the final stretch before the December LSAT. He asks if we've seen patterns among students who have experienced test-day score drops compared to their practice test scores. Similarly, Courtney asks if we have suggestions for how to improve her test-day score to match her practice scores. Chris asks if he should drill specific question types, or continue taking mixed sections to help strengthen the question gaps and understanding. In addition, he asks for suggestions to go from the low 160s to high 160s. Ben suggests using the Strategy Prep question tracker to help with this. Finally, Courtney is seeking additional test materials to complete her LSAT preparations. If you're interested in reviewing a draft of Nathan's Logic Games Playbook, send him an email and he'll be in touch! Thinking LSAT is now on Twitter! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question! Take a listen and let us know what you think.
The October LSAT scores are out. Should you retake the LSAT? And what's the first thing you should do when you get your actual results back? Paul asks if it's possible to go from a LSAT score of 146 to 170. Vincent shares his experience after taking our advice to stop reading the Logical Reasoning question stem first. Did his practice scores improve? Dylan wants help answering abstract questions (e.g. flaw, method of reasoning), and shares his strategy for taking simulated practice tests at the actual LSAT start-time of 8:30 a.m. A listener asks what suggestions we have for continuing to study when waiting for test results. She also asks about a strategy for disclosing speeding tickets on the law school application, and whether those traffic violations will hurt her chances of admission. Thinking LSAT is now on Twitter! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question! Take a listen and let us know what you think.
Ann Levine, Law School Expert, talks about whether law school early decision programs are worth exploring. She also addresses whether law schools can see if you've applied to multiple schools via early decision. Joe shares an October LSAT test-day horror story that involved the use of an analog watch during the test. He asks advice on how to address the situation with LSAC. Listener Kayle talks about an offer she received from a law school in Alabama that included a waiver of her application fee and a $30 iTunes gift card in exchange for her application to the school. She asks if other law schools are engaging in these offers. After scoring in the mid-teens on Logic Games, Steve asks for help and suggestions for additional Logic Games study materials. One listener doesn't feel confident about his most recent score with respect to Reading Comprehension. He already took the LSAT once and scored a 162. He asks if he should take the December LSAT, and what are the implications of taking the LSAT for a third time. He also asks about the option of cancelling his score and if we have suggestions for additional comparative reading materials. Thinking LSAT is now on Twitter! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question! Take a listen and let us know what you think.
This student's practice LSAT score is stuck in the mid 140s, despite the fact she has been studying for quite some time using several different prep materials. She wants to reach the 150s. Should she take the October LSAT or wait until December? This student has been studying consistently for the LSAT and scoring in the mid 160s. But as the October test approaches, his score is slipping down to the 150s. What should he do? Jack asks how he can improve his speed completing Logic Games. Should students worry about the LSAT writing sample? (Listen to Episode 34 for more information on the writing sample.) Are law school early decision programs worth pursuing? Nathan will be living part time in Los Angeles, and is now accepting appointments for private LSAT tutoring in Southern California. You can book an appointment online for in-person or Skype tutoring sessions. We also tackle Logic Games question 1 (Section 1) from the June 2007 LSAT. Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive updates and sample chapters of the upcoming Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
Mika talks about applying for LSAT accommodations for persons with disabilities, and what the LSAC decided in her case. She discusses the process of submitting more than 100 pages of documentation, and her request to take four LSAT sections, additional time to answer the sections, the use of noise-cancelling headphones, and an isolated testing environment. We answer questions from Benny who is pursuing his MBA and wants to attend law school. He asks whether a graduate degree will help his chances of admission to a law school such as Georgetown. He also asks if law schools will consider his graduate GPA more or less than the undergraduate GPA. We clarify an answer Ann Levine recently gave about how the LSAC computes your GPA when you retake a college course and receive a higher grade. Ann refers to the LSAC's policies related to transcript summarization webpage for further clarification. We also tackle Logical Reasoning question 9 (Section 2) from the June 2007 LSAT. Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive updates and sample chapters of the upcoming Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
Student Loan Expert Heather Jarvis addresses the following topics: What are need-based versus merit-based scholarships? How does tuition discounting work? How should students ask for more scholarship money? Tips for borrowing and reducing living expenses in law school. Should you borrow money from an IRA investment account or take out student loans to pay for law school? We also answer the following questions from listeners: Melissa is a 34-years-old mother who is considering law school. She asks about a LSAT prep strategy and whether to take a practice LSAT as her first step. Eric asks about "must be true" questions and when to diagram Logical Reasoning questions. Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive updates and sample chapters of the upcoming Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
Ann Levine, Law School Expert, shares advice and answers questions about law school admission. What do law school admissions committees do with LSAT score bands? How does the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) compute your GPA when you retake a college course and then receive a higher grade? How does LSAC handle transcripts when you're involved in a dual degree program? What are the first things you should do to prepare for law school? Brittany asks if you can submit a letter of recommendation from a high school teacher. When you're asked to supply bullet points for your own letter of recommendation, what information should you give your recommender? How do you decide on a personal statement topic when you have several life experiences to share? Kirk has a bachelor's of music degree in trombone performance. He asks how law school admissions committees will view his degree in music, and should he ask for letters of recommendation from his music professors? He also asks about study abroad programs in law school. Should you submit your law school application now or wait until after taking the October LSAT? Be sure to check out Ann's new Law School Expert scholarship program. After our conversation with Ann, we tackle Logical Reasoning questions 7 and 8 (Section 2) from the June 2007 LSAT. Don’t forget to try out the LSAT tracker. This lets you track your progress and discover what you need to work on. Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive updates and sample chapters of the upcoming Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
Andrew asks if he has enough time to study for the December 2015 LSAT or should he wait until the February 2016 test. He also asks if he will be at a disadvantage if he takes a later LSAT because more people will be sitting for the exam. Kayle is doing well on her practice LSAT tests (scores of 169 and 172). When studying, she asks if she should: a) concentrate primarily on the number of questions missed; b) consider the overall score; or c) ignore everything and focus on learning from her mistakes? Dennis is concerned about a college class that has negatively impacted his GPA. He is currently retaking the class. Should he apply to law school as soon as his LSAT score is available, or wait until the semester is finished so he can report the better grade and higher GPA? We also tackle Logical Reasoning questions 5 and 6 (Section 2) from the June 2007 LSAT. Don't forget to try out the LSAT tracker. This lets you track your progress and discover what you need to work on. Lastly, Heather Jarvis, student loan expert, will be a guest on an upcoming episode. If you have a question for Heather, email us by Sept. 1. Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive updates and sample chapters of the upcoming Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
Here's what we talk about in this week’s Thinking LSAT podcast: Andrew asks what we think his chances are of admission to the University of Iowa College of Law. He scored a 155 on the LSAT without any preparation (and is now scoring much higher), and is retaking the test in October. He will have a compelling personal statement, and has impressive extracurricular and leadership activities. He also has a potential letter of recommendation from an attorney. Carmen will apply to law school next fall. She graduated from California State University, Chico with a bachelor's degree in history and a 3.0 GPA. She also works as a paralegal. She asks if we have tips for studying the LSAT on her own while working full time. She also wonders if there are grants and scholarships available for her first-choice of Lewis & Clark Law School, given her GPA and potential LSAT score. In addition, will her experience as a paralegal help her gain admission? Danny disagrees with our approach of not reading the question stem first in the Logical Reasoning section. We talk about Danny's approach versus our recommendations. We also get an update from Andre who took our suggestion to slow down and analyze Reading Comprehension passages. Here's the link to the LSAT tracker we mention during the show. This lets you track your progress and discover what you need to work on. Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive updates and sample chapters of the upcoming Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
In this week’s podcast, we answer the following LSAT questions and whether to select a law school based on bar exam passage rates: Mike asks how to address “uncommon word usages" on the LSAT. For example, the word "obtain" appears frequently. What other words should LSAT test-takers look for? Matt is taking the October LSAT. He slowed down his approach to answering Logical Reasoning questions, which has significantly improved his accuracy. When should he increase his speed to answer more questions while still maintaining accuracy? Nathan's student was admitted to Golden Gate University School of Law (46% bar passage rate) and University of La Verne College of Law (67% bar passage rate). Should he select a law school based on bar exam passage rates or the cost of tuition? Bram just started studying for the LSAT. He asks about a strategy for answering different sections, recommendations for a LSAT class in Atlanta, and whether he should break Logic Games questions into "sub-games" or "worlds." Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive updates and sample chapters of the upcoming Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
In this week’s podcast, we answer the following questions about retaking the LSAT: Dylan has a 3.5 GPA and scored a 163 on the LSAT, yet he got as high as 167 on practice tests. Should he apply to law school early through rolling admission, or retake the LSAT in hopes of a higher score? Lauren scored a 170 on the June LSAT. She is considering retaking the test in October because she scored as high as 174 on practice tests, but doesn't want to burn herself out. Should she retake the LSAT? Andre scored a 155 on his first attempt at the LSAT. After taking a prep course and doing numerous practice rounds, his practice scores ranged from 161-169. Yet when Andre retook the LSAT, he only got a 157. Why did his score decrease and what should he do before retaking the LSAT? Beth is taking the October LSAT. She's working full time and can't afford a prep class. After using the Princeton Review and Kaplan LSAT test prep books, Beth was so stressed about timing that she neglected to work on study techniques. As a result, her score went down. What LSAT study strategy do we recommend for Beth? Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive updates and sample chapters of the upcoming Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
In this week’s podcast, we answer the following LSAT and law school questions from students across the country: Alex asks if he needs to score a 170 on the LSAT and whether it matters what law school he attends if he plans to practice law in the medical marijuana field. Jordan asks how to improve his mental stamina while taking full LSAT practice tests, and tips for answering Reading Comprehension main point questions. Michael wants help answering necessary assumption questions. Christopher asks why we suggest taking timed practice LSAT tests as early as possible. Courtney seeks some advice on obtaining letters of recommendation when you are not particularly close with college professors. Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive a sample chapter of the Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
In this week’s podcast, we talk about the June 2015 LSAT and answer a listener's question about when and how he should study for the LSAT. Here's a look at the topics we cover: June 2015 LSAT anomolies and test center mistakes, including proctors forgetting to give 5-minute warnings and one that gave the warning too soon; a test that started one hour late because students were still registering; and a proctor that gave an extra two minutes to complete a Reading Comprehension section. The difficulty level of the June 2015 LSAT, especially with respect to the Logic Games sections. Should you cancel your LSAT score if you think you preformed poorly? Listener Kyle asks when he should start studying for the LSAT and what materials he should use. Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive a sample chapter of the Thinking LSAT Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
In this week’s podcast, which commemorates our one year anniversary of the Thinking LSAT Podcast, we share an update on the Thinking LSAT Logic Games Playbook. We also address the following issues from LSAT students across the country: Kayli (who is taking the June LSAT) had questions about applying to law school as a "splitter" (i.e. a person with a high LSAT score and low GPA, or vice versa). She asked, "If you're below the 25th percentile for the GPA or LSAT, do you have to be in the 75th percentile for the other component?" Do you have any recommendations for practicing the ungraded writing sample section of the LSAT? Be sure to listen for Ben's rubric to help you craft your essay. Joe has been taking multiple practice tests (and tracking his performance) as he gears up for the June LSAT. He asks for tips to work through the last-minute panic and test anxiety he's starting to feel before the June test. Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. Everyone who signs up will receive a sample chapter of the Thinking LSAT Logic Games Playbook! Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
In this week’s podcast, we discuss issues relating to the upcoming June 2015 LSAT and answer questions from listeners. We then work through question 4 in section 2 of the June 2007 LSAT, which is a flaw question about the Connorly Report on Ocksenfrey's pre-packaged meals. Here's a look at the topics we discuss: How to determine if you're ready for the June 2015 LSAT, and what you should do in the final weeks before the test. Is there a shortage of LSAT test centers around the country? Why are students being sent to test centers in other cities to take the exam? What are some tips for working through paradox questions? Megan graduated in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in media and visual arts, with a specialization in documentary production. She has spent the last few years working on a television show and now wants to attend law school and practice immigration law. Will her undergraduate emphasis and work experience hinder her chances of getting into law school? Similarly, Emily spent a few years singing opera in Europe and working on a Fulbright. Is her experience too varied, and is she too old for law school? Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter to learn more about the launch of our upcoming Thinking LSAT Logic Games Playbook! We’ll be looking for people to read the book and write a few reviews. Interested in helping us out? Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
In this week’s podcast, we discuss the following questions and work through a Logical Reasoning question from the June 2007 LSAT: How can you use the article, More Sex Means More Money, to understand correlation-causation thinking questions? What are my chances of getting into law school if I have a low GPA from several years ago, 150-155 LSAT score, and valuable work experience? Take a listen and let us know what you think. Don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter to learn more about the launch of our upcoming Thinking LSAT Logic Games Playbook! We’ll be looking for people to read the book and write a few reviews. Interested in helping us out? Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
In this week’s podcast, we work through Logical Reasoning questions from the June 2007 LSAT and we'll share an update on our upcoming Thinking LSAT Logic Games Playbook. We also answer the following questions from LSAT students across the country: Is graduating from college in three years going to hurt my chances of getting into law school? Will my choice of summer jobs help me get into law school? For example, will I be looked upon more favorably if I am a legal intern at a district attorney's office versus working as a barista? Do I need to abstain from drinking alcohol before taking the LSAT? Do you have any tips for lessening eye fatigue or "LSAT headaches" when taking practice LSAT tests? Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter to learn more about the launch of our upcoming Thinking LSAT Logic Games Playbook! We’ll be looking for people to read the book and write a few reviews. Interested in helping us out? Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
LSAT teacher and author Graeme Blake joins us to answer a few questions from the Reddit LSAT forum and reflects on the current state of the LSAT and law school admissions. Here are the topics Graeme addresses: What is the success rate when people retake the LSAT? (read the question on Reddit) What are the basics of an LSAT prep plan? There are so many resources out there; what are the best materials to use? (read the question on Reddit) What is the difference between sufficient and necessary? How is it tested, and how do you make logic and precision habitual? (read the question on Reddit) Graeme's thoughts on some law schools not requiring the LSAT for admission (based on "Killing the LSAT is a Bad Deal for Students" by Elie Mystal in Above the Law) You can read more questions from Reddit on the LSAT forum and law school admission forum. Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter to learn more about the launch of our upcoming Logic Games book! We’ll be looking for people to read the book and write a few reviews. Interested in helping us out? Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
Ann Levine, law school admissions expert, answers your questions about how to decide which law school to attend. Some of the topics Ann addresses are: What factors should I assess when deciding on a law school? Is there a methodical way to go about it, like creating a spreadsheet to compare? How important are a school's clinical offerings, course variety, and student organizations? Are specialties important? What about specialty rankings? Does the law school's 509 report accurately portray student data? Does it include the percentage of transfer students, and can I use the 509 report to gauge student satisfaction? How do I make the most of my campus visit? What tell-tale signs should I look out for? I want to visit a school, but it will cost about $300 in airfare, hotels, rental car, etc. Will a law school cover some of these expenses? How do I negotiate offers from multiple law schools? Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter to learn more about the launch of our upcoming Logic Games book! We’ll be looking for people to read the book and write a few reviews. Interested in helping us out? Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
In this week’s podcast, we answer questions about the different types of LSAT prep programs, and which one is best for you. Here’s a look at our discussion: What's the best way to study using the LSAT test prep books I purchased for the June test? Should prospective law students take a LSAT prep program? What is the advantage of taking an in-person LSAT prep class? Are online LSAT prep classes helpful, and who are the best candidates for those programs? Should students hire a LSAT tutor? Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter to learn more about the launch of our upcoming Logic Games book! We’ll be looking for people to read the book and write a few reviews. Interested in helping us out? Sign up and we’ll be in touch!
In this week's podcast, we answer three LSAT questions and help a prospective law student decide between multiple admission and scholarship offers. Here's a look at our discussion: Should I be doing same-day blind review when taking LSAT practice tests? And should I blind review Games and Reading Comprehension questions? How much do the LSAT tests vary through the years? Should students practice taking the LSAT with current tests or earlier ones? Should I study Logical Reasoning by question type? Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don't forget to sign up for our email newsletter to learn more about the launch of our upcoming Logic Games book! We'll be looking for people to read the book and write a few reviews. Interested in helping us out? Sign up and we'll be in touch!
In this week's podcast, we answer some great questions from listeners, including: The LSAT is coming up soon and I've had a last-minute drop in my practice scores. What should I do? I have a 153 on my official LSAT record. I've been scoring in the low 160s on my practice tests, and want to score at least a 165 on the next LSAT (which I've hit before) for a scholarship offer. Should I take the next two LSAT tests offered? Or focus on the further one to better my score? Given the drop of applicants to law school (and schools needing to fill seats), should I apply for fall 2015 or fall of 2016 admission? Why is the February LSAT not disclosed and what does that mean? When should I sign up for the June LSAT? Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don't forget to sign up for our email newsletter to learn more about the launch of our upcoming Logic Games book! We'll be looking for people to read the book and write a few reviews. Interested in helping us out? Sign up and we'll be in touch!
We're back from winter break with answers to LSAT questions from listeners, and some exciting news about an upcoming project! This year, we are writing a Logic Games book, which we believe, will will be the best resource available for that LSAT section. The book will contain 54 Logic Games with detailed explanations on how each one is completed. We'll be distributing free chapters in spring and summer, and will be looking for people to read the book and write a few reviews. If you want to help us with that, sign up for the email newsletter and watch for more information. In this week's podcast, we answer several questions from listeners, including: Is there any way to prepare for the experimental section of the LSAT? What's the best way to deal with post-LSAT stress? How is the LSAT score scaled? What's the best way to answer the following questions: must be true; necessary assumptions; and sufficient assumptions? Is it realistic to go from a LSAT score of 160 to 170 in three weeks? Take a listen and let us know what you think. And don't forget to sign up for our email newsletter to learn more about the launch of our upcoming Logic Games book!
Gerald Heppler, Associate Director of Admissions at Golden Gate University School of Law, spoke to Nathan's San Francisco LSAT class for a "Nobody's Perfect" law school admissions Q&A session. Some of the topics Gerald addressed are: What to do if you don't have the perfect law school application. If you have issues to report in the character and fitness section of the application. What to do if your undergraduate grades are not ideal. Developing a wait list strategy. Take a listen and let us know what you think.
Matt Sherman with Manhattan LSAT in San Diego joins Nathan and Ben to answer listener questions about the LSAT. Some of the topics they address are: Should you spend time making inferences on pure sequencing games; and which types of inferences should you make before going on to the questions? What should you do if you don't see the answer you predicted? Should you panic or have an open mind when reviewing the answer choices? What should you do about main point questions and matching flaw questions (i.e. whether to read all five answer choices)? How to answer the first question in the Games section, and how many times students should review the rules to assure they're not missing anything. Matt also addresses a question from Keaton, a Thinking LSAT listener, who asks whether his work experience and GPA have an impact on law school admission decisions. Nathan, Ben and Matt also discuss what students should do in the last few weeks before the December LSAT; specifically how to improve your score on the Games section. Take a listen and let us know what you think.
Ben and Nathan interview Evan Jones and Joshua Craven, founders of LawSchooli, one of the largest LSAT and law school admissions blogs. Evan and Joshua share how they struggled with the LSAT and what they did to turn around their studies. They answer listener questions about the exam and law school admission. Some of the topics they address are: When to abandon a Logical Reasoning, game or reading passage question How should students analyze their results after the LSAT ends What to do (and what not to do) on LSAT test day When to submit law school applications and how to determine your target schools Tips for effective LSAT study schedules Take a listen and let us know what you think.
Dave Hall of Velocity Test Prep joins Nathan and Ben to answer listeners' questions about the LSAT. Some of the topics they address are: How to answer remaining questions when the 5-minute warning is called What to do if you have a really difficult LSAT section How to effectively answer Reading Comprehension questions What's your strategy when you see the same answer choice popping up in one LSAT section When to diagram "if-then" statements Take a listen and let us know what you think.
Ben and Nathan welcome to the podcast John Hankey, a meditation expert who shares how meditation can help you prepare for the LSAT and conquer test anxiety. Before speaking with John, they answer the following four LSAT preparation questions from listeners: What's the best way to properly vet an LSAT tutor or course? If I want to improve my reading comprehension score, should I be reading The Economist and The New York Times? Further, should I be doing sudoku puzzles to improve my logic games score? When should I recalibrate my LSAT goals? For example, if my goal was to complete two perfect logic games, when should I increase the goal to three perfect games? Are LSAT forums an effective study tactic or way to prepare for the test? Take a listen and tell us what you think.
Ben and Nathan share thoughts about the September LSAT, and answer the following questions from two tutoring students about improving your LSAT score: What score improvement can most students expect to see? Can you improve your Reading Comprehension score? If I'm getting the first 16 questions in Logical Reasoning correct, will it be difficult to improve my score in that section? Do I have to get at least a 170 on the LSAT to get into the law schools I want, or receive scholarship offers from other schools? Is there a study schedule that's more effective than others? Take a listen and let us know what you think.
Ann Levine, law school admissions expert and author of "Law School Admissions Game," attended one of Nathan's San Francisco LSAT classes to answer law school admission questions. Some of the topics Ann addresses are: Personal statements and diversity statements Letters of recommendation Applications and addenda How to address GPA discrepancies Developing a wait list strategy Take a listen and let us know what you think.
Ben and Nathan talk about several LSAT topics, including: Strategies to approach parallel reasoning questions Creating different scenarios in games, and how to split the main diagram into multiple options Whether to stay on course for taking the September LSAT, or aim for the December test; What to do during the last two weeks of September LSAT prep Whether you should start work on your personal statement and application, or wait until after the LSAT Take a listen and let us know what you think.
Nathan has a follow-up tutoring session with Ebony, a student from Dallas, Texas. When we were first introduced to Ebony, she was struggling with a learning disability and was unsure how it would impact her LSAT performance. In the time after her initial meeting with Nathan, Ebony put into practice the following strategies: Don't skip the early questions Take practice test from a current book LSAT exam (Ebony used Volume 5) Practice logic games from older tests Slow down at the end and focus on accuracy (even if you don't finish) Skip the science-themed reading comprehension sections if needed By only working on these strategies, Ebony's practice LSAT scores increased from 152 to 157! She went from answering 32 Logical Reasoning questions correctly to 40; and 16 correct Reading Comprehension questions to 21. In this episode, Nathan and Ebony also review Logical Reasoning questions and how to approach those for correct answers. They also discuss how to use the Fox LSAT online videos to enhance her LSAT practice sessions.
Nathan talks one-on-one with a student in Dallas, Texas. Topics include:
LSAT strategy topics include:
Ben and Nathan respond to listener questions, including "Is it possible to overstudy for the LSAT," "How much time should I invest into my GPA vs. my LSAT score," "Are Kaplan methods preventing me from reaching my goal," and many more.
LSAT teacher and author Graeme Blake joins us from Montreal to discuss five things he learned while writing thousands of LSAT explanations, the Reddit LSAT forum, why Canadian law schools don't care much for the LSAT, and lots more. Links discussed on the show:
A rising senior from Columbia University, currently scoring 165 on the LSAT, asks us tons of great questions. Examples include: "If I'm testing an 'if-then statement on a Could be True question on a logic game, do I also need to test the contrapositive?"... "What's the best guessing strategy?"... "Should I bring an analog watch on test day?" "Should I study flash cards?"... and much more.
Nate Willis made the leap from 141 to 151 on his practice LSATs in less than two weeks. How did he do it? Strategy discussion includes necessary and sufficient assumption questions, techniques for question identification, the power of redoing logic games, and much more.
Is there a starting LSAT score that's too low to justify continuing? What's the best way to learn Logic Games? What types of Logical Reasoning questions should be attacked first? Strategies for Main Conclusion questions. The awesome networking power of LinkedIn. Can meditation be used to improve your LSAT score? Is it a good idea to study for the LSAT in the grocery store? When should process of elimination be used?
Ben and Nathan discuss lesson plans for Week 1 of their new classes, including Logic Games and the LSAT's most common (sufficient vs. necessary) flaw.
Three totally awesome tips for improving your Reading Comprehension score. Plus law school and admissions talk with Valparaiso University law professor Zachary Calo.
We start with a discussion of what a bad strategy it is to read the question stem first. (If you're a Blueprint instructor, we'd love to hear your case otherwise.) Then we go deep with LawSchoolExpert.com's Ann Levine on whether to retake the LSAT, how to explain it if you do, and a range of other law school applications issues.
In this episode, Ben and I analyze UVA professor Alex Johnson's "African-Americans, Law Schools and the LSAT," a surprisingly candid look behind the scenes of the LSAT and law school admissions. Why do average scores of African Americans and Latinos trail the general population by such a wide margin? What does this mean for their admissions chances? Is there anything we can do to bridge this gap? Ben and I announce our search for one student of color who we can coach toward the September 2014 LSAT. Please email us if you're interested!
We start with a discussion about the value of skepticism while taking the LSAT, then look at one applicant's decision for the fall of 2014. UC Davis? UNLV? William and Mary? Or reject all offers and reapply next cycle?
Our guest is Larkin Robson, owner of 180 Degrees LSAT in Brooklyn, New York. Topics include how to prepare for an unusually difficult logic game, good reasons vs. bad reasons to go to law school, how to negotiate law school scholarships, and a dip into the ethics of paid LSAT prep.
Ben and I mildly disagree on whether to bring a watch to test day, then vehemently agree that you should almost never cancel your LSAT score. On the issue of why the test is scaled, not curved, we're equally clueless. Plus, news from the June 2014 LSAT.
Tips, tricks, and pitfalls for June 2014 LSAT test day. What to do in the last few days of prep. On the issue of "what to do if the logic games start out rocky," Nathan and Ben offer partially conflicting advice for Gemma Donofrio, a 170-scorer looking to squeeze out those last few points. Thanks, Gemma, for being such an awesome guest.
Our maiden voyage. Ben and Nathan introduce themselves, then brave the waters of the LSAT's fearsome new "Replace a Rule" logic games question. Unplanned strategy detours include game selection and game skipping, scoresheet bubbling technique, and drilling specific question types vs. hammering out 35-minute mixed sections. Welcome aboard.
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