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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Copyright: © Nathan Fox and Ben Olson
LSAC announces that upcoming LSAT administrations will return primarily to in-person testing. Ben and Nathan discuss the shift away from remote testing and what it means for test takers.
Also in this episode:
- How to approach a final LSAT attempt
- Cooley Law offers a scholarship for attending a meet and greet with the dean
- How much time to spend studying each day
Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments
Get caught up with our Word of the Week library
Reagan writes in after following Ben and Nathan’s advice from a previous episode to retake the LSAT and reapply. She shares her success story, including multiple full-ride offers and additional stipends.
Also in this episode:
- How an older applicant can best prepare.
- A student gets waitlisted…for the waitlist.
- The guys react to Nathan’s nephew’s argumentative essay.
Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments
Get caught up with our Word of the Week library
0:00 Older Applicant
8:43 Waitlist for a Waitlist
18:19 Retake & Reapply Results
31:42 Test D Question — Room for Dessert
48:42 Tips from Departing Demons
54:02 Accommodation Solicitation
57:04 Reaching Out for a Grade Change
1:07:35 Argumentative Essay on Meat Pizza
1:18:53 Word of the Week — paucity
Ben and Nathan react to Harvard considering A+ grades in response to grade inflation. They discuss how grading practices have changed and what could meaningfully change the system.
Also in this episode
- Demon students share their January LSAT results
- How to choose between a regional school and a top-ranked school
- A listener asks about attending a non-ABA accredited law school
New York Times Articles by Mark Arsenault
Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments
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0:00 Harvard Adding A+ Grading
11:07 January Score Release
21:35 Attending a Regional School
27:38 Improving Accuracy
42:44 Test D Question — Vor
58:57 Pearls v. Turds
1:05:35 140s Jail
1:13:55 Non-ABA Law School
1:23:20 Too Late to Apply?
1:31:13 Thank You Email
1:36:36 Word of the Week — chiaroscuro
A listener wonders if another LSAT retake will improve her chances at her dream law school. Ben and Nathan explain why retaking may not help when she’s already above the school’s 75th percentile, and why affordability should matter more than rank.
Also in this episode
- Ben and Nathan dunk on a law school offering a mystery "commemorative gift” in exchange for a binding commitment
- A listener writes in about discouraging waitlists
- A student who took the long road to law school shares their journey
Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments
Get caught up with our Word of the Week library
0:00 How High is High Enough?
18:10 Law School Offering a "Commemorative Gift”
24:16 Good at Drilling but Bad at Timed Sections
31:42 Test D Question — Sunlight Exposure
43:40 Things We Actually Enjoy
50:50 Discouraging Waitlists
1:03:41 Long Road to Law School
1:07:22 Personal Statement Gong Show
1:23:12 Word of the Week — emolument
On the January LSAT, some test-takers noticed their RC section lacked a comparative reading passage. LSAC had quietly updated the test to allow zero to one comparative passages per RC section. Ben and Nathan explain why this change should have no impact on test-takers.
Also in this episode
- Florida ends the ABA’s status as the state’s sole law school accreditor
- A viewer writes in to share their full-tuition scholarship success story
- Should you write a GPA addendum for a semester that ended early?
Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments
Get caught up with our Word of the Week library
0:00 Florida Supreme Court News
2:55 Law School Horror Stories
10:47 ABA Legal Education Arm Seeks Independence
14:50 LSAT Rule Change
20:19 Not Paying for Law School
21:52 Test D Question — Four Iron
32:00 High Diagnostic Score
38:44 Things We Actually Enjoy
40:02 GPA Addendum
45:07 Word of the week — euchre
After each test administration, a group of Demon users leave the platform and share their parting advice. Ben and Nathan dive into a selection of insights from these departing users.
Also in this episode
- A viewer asks whether to skip questions
- A listener asks if it’s better to move on from time-consuming questions
- How much students can expect from stipends
Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments
Get caught up with our Word of the Week library
0:00 Applying with No GPA
11:35 “Best” Trial Advocacy Programs
16:23 Test D Question — “Plagiarism”
42:18 Skipping Questions
49:46 Tips from Departing Demons
58:22 How Much Are Stipends?
1:06:08 Variance in Practice Tests
1:13:45 Word of the Week — Testatrix
A viewer asks whether to register for the LSAT while their scores are still improving. Ben and Nathan advise the student to sign up if they are happy with their scores but continue to study as they still have room to improve.
Also in this episode
- How to handle studying on “difficult” days
- Whether to accept a conditional scholarship or keep studying for a higher score
- Another contestant on the Personal Statement Gong Show
Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments
Get caught up with our Word of the Week library
0:00 Studying on “Difficult Days”
5:17 Test D Question — “Mount Stupid”
24:04 Things We Actually Enjoy
28:03 Attending with a Conditional Scholarship
43:36 Maximizing Your LSAT Score
48:20 Wrong Answer Journal
51:17 Trust the Process
58:08 Personal Statement Gong Show
1:05:19 Word of the week — heterodox
A student writes in asking whether they should focus on studying for the LSAT while having a low GPA. Ben and Nathan advise them to prioritize focusing on earning the best possible grades before beginning LSAT prep.
Also in this episode:
- A question about choosing between law schools with a $15,000 difference
- Advice a student received from another prep company
- When to send a letter of continued interest
Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments
Get caught up with our Word of the Week library
0:00 Test D Question “Animal Owners”
19:13 Things We Enjoy
23:03 The $15,000 Difference
33:43 Pearls v. Turds
39:57 Leaving the Demon
42:55 Focusing on Your GPA
53:22 Retaking a 175
1:05:18 When to Send a LOCI
1:10:20 Word of the Week — flummoxed
The ABA has released new 509 data revealing how LSAT and GPA medians have shifted over the past year, along with updated data into how schools are distributing scholarships. Ben and Nathan break down the numbers and react to several schools that have made significant changes.
Also in this episode:
- How to handle LSAT questions you’ve seen before
- The Arkansas Supreme Court allows lawyers to use AI in their work
- Should a listener prioritize location or ranking for law school?
Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments
Get caught up with our Word of the Week library
0:00 LSAT Question on Pinched Nerves
19:46 New 509 Reports
40:10 Repeat Questions
50:47 Fourth RC Passage Strategy
55:30 Arkansas Supreme Court Updates Rules on AI
1:01:28 Accusation of Cheating
1:18:00 Regional vs. T20 Law School
1:27:55 Word of the Week — admonition
1:34:22 Things We Like
The internet is full of opinions, and not all of them are kind. This week, Ben and Nathan dig into a reddit thread, reacting to some of the tougher criticisms aimed at the Demon and our co-hosts.
Also in this episode:
- Ben and Nathan react to Washington’s decision to retroactively lower its bar passage score
- A listener asks whether applying Early Decision makes sense for top law schools
- Whether a law school increasing its class size improves your odds of admission
Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments
Get caught up with our Word of the Week library
0:00 Making a Last Push on Next LSAT
7:18 Should I Take the LSAT Again?
23:48 Washington Lowering Bar Passage Requirements
42:03 We Read Our Mean Comments
1:03:10 Law Schools Increasing Class Sizes
1:11:22 Can Early Decision Be Beneficial?
1:22:55 Personal Statement Gong Show
1:39:40 Word of the Week — penumbra
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