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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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.
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