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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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.
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