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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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)
Got questions you want us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question!
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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.
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)
Got questions you want us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question!
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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)
Got questions you want us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question!
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)
Got questions you want us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question!
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)
Got questions you want us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question!
Take a listen and let us know what you think.
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)
Got questions you want us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question! We’ll give you our two cents, [or will we]?
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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)
Got questions you want us to answer in a future podcast? Send us an email! Follow us at @thinkinglsat and tweet us a question!
Take a listen and let us know what you think.
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