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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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!
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