Thinking LSAT

Admissions season is almost here, and listener questions are rolling in. On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan advise a student on whether to make her battle with cancer the topic of her law school personal statement. But first, they evaluate a listener’s Reading Comprehension tip as a pearl or turd. They share their thoughts on online education and consider the pros and cons of attending a non-A...

If you want to master the LSAT the easy way, ditch the dogma and let the Demon be your guide. On this week’s episode, the guys welcome questions from new listeners and provide a full explanation of the Demon’s approach to the LSAT. But first, a Demon student who is legally blind describes how he learned to tackle Logic Games without the use of visual diagrams. Ben and Nathan then offer two listene...

Love ’em or hate ’em, LSAT logic games—as we know them—are not long for this world. While the future of the games is uncertain, some June test takers were given a sneak peak at possible changes to come. Nathan and Ben discuss the lawsuit that prompted redevelopment of the LSAT’s Analytical Reasoning section and reminisce about the old days of paper testing. The guys then debunk an LSAT myth in ano...

Before embarking on a career as an attorney, it’s important to understand what lawyers actually do. Lawyers work long hours hitting the books, doing research, presenting cases, and writing briefs. In a way, lawyers are professional students. Today on the show, Ben and Nathan advise listeners who don’t love school to think carefully about whether lawyering is the right path for them. The guys also...

To improve your LSAT score, you must learn from your mistakes. Take a practice test, and the LSAT will show you exactly what you need to work on—the questions that you got wrong. Review each missed question until you fully understand it and can avoid making the same mistake again. On today’s episode, the Ben and Nathan explain why focusing on individual questions is the key to progress. Analyzing...

As hybrid-online law programs make their way into the eye of the ABA, Ben and Nathan toy with the idea of creating their own law school. But first, the guys take another dive into the listener mailbag and answer questions about application addenda. Should you write an addendum to explain an LSAT score increase? What about a GPA addendum to explain poor grades? The guys answer these questions and m...

The LSAT is first and foremost a test of English reading comprehension. Strong English reading and reasoning skills are essential because lawyers in the United States are gladiators of the English language. While the LSAT is learnable for everyone, non-native English speakers may face more of an uphill battle. Today on the show, Nathan and Ben offer advice to an international student who describes...

Law schools love the LSAT. Most weigh it far more heavily than any other application component—and with good reason: The LSAT is the single most accurate predictor of law school success. The ABA has recently announced a recommendation to allow “test optional” policies for law school admission. Ben and Nathan share their thoughts and explain why the LSAT isn’t going anywhere. Then, the guys pick ap...

The LSAT is arguably the best predictor of your success in law school. It’s no wonder that law schools weigh the LSAT heavily in the admissions process. But just how much weight is an applicant’s LSAT score given relative to their UGPA? Nathan and Ben analyze the index formulas used by law schools and share a surprising realization. But first, the guys kick off the show with some stories of Procto...

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again—don’t pay for law school. Today on the show, Ben and Nathan are joined by financial advisor Derek Brainard to help educate students on the realities of law school debt and loan forgiveness programs. But before that, the guys roast a Pearls vs. Turds submission regarding the correlation-to-causation flaw. They also tackle another Logical Reasoning questi...

Effective LSAT study requires more than just a time commitment. This week, Ben and Nathan emphasize that how you study for the LSAT matters more: More than the length of time you spend studying. More than the number of questions you cover. And more than any distracting analysis of whether the LSAT has gotten harder over the years (it hasn’t). The guys also answer listener questions about skipping...

If you want to go to law school for free, you have to start getting greedy with your LSAT. Tune in this week to hear Nathan and Ben respond to a bucketload of listener emails. As usual, their advice centers on one main theme—don’t pay for law school! The guys also discuss why it’s never a good idea to read the question first in Logical Reasoning. They critique an admissions dean’s comments on law...

If you want to improve at LSAT Reading Comprehension, remember what your job is: Read the sentences, not the passage. On today’s episode, Ben and Nathan explain why focusing on one sentence at a time is the best way to understand and retain information in both Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning. Then, the guys help one listener decide whether to retake the LSAT—even though he has a 175 on...

How does a new lawyer find their niche in the legal field? Specializing in an up-and-coming area of the law might sound appealing—space law, anyone?—but it might not be the most practical choice. Today on the show, special guest Judy the YouTube Lawyer sheds light on how and when to choose an area of law to practice in. But first, Ben and Nathan discuss a Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 7...

Finding a job after law school doesn’t have to be a stressful ordeal. Give yourself a leg up on the competition, and start networking now . Today on the show, special guest Rachel Gezerseh, author of The Law Career Playbook , offers aspiring lawyers her best tips on how to network before and during law school. Then, Nathan and Ben tackle another logical reasoning question from PrepTest 73. A stude...

What does LSAC’s recent acquisition mean for the future of Law School Transparency? Tune in this week for an eye-opening interview with LST founder Kyle McEntee—now a senior director at LSAC. Plus, the guys declare LSAT Demon a contrapositive-free zone, explain how to transform a weakness in Logic Games into a strength, and encourage listeners to become their own boss. But first, a word about Word...

It might not solve all life’s problems, but a high LSAT score is the closest thing to a panacea for law school application troubles. It can overshadow a mediocre GPA and demonstrate your aptitude to succeed in law school. It can open doors at higher-ranked schools. And, most importantly, it can save you from taking on a lifetime of student debt. Tune in this week for a mixed-bag episode covering e...

It takes a “special type of crazy” to really enjoy doing the work of a lawyer. Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before deciding to embark on a three-year quest for a JD. This week’s episode is all about shedding light on what it takes to be successful as a lawyer. Ben and Nathan dive into the listener mailbag and answer questions about what personality type is best suited to a...

If you’re an undergraduate student earning anything less than straight A’s, you don’t need to be thinking about the LSAT yet. Now is your opportunity to maximize your GPA. Tune in to hear Ben and Nathan discuss why undergraduate grades are so important to law school admissions—and why students should focus on acing their courses before anything else. The guys also discuss GPA addenda, law school s...

Ben and Nathan take another dive into the listener mailbag and answer questions about law school admissions. Tune in to hear about an update to the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator, GPA addendum advice, a critique of JFK’s Harvard application essay, and more! Then, the guys discuss an undergraduate scholarship program that offers pre-law experience to minorities. Finally, they demonstrate how to “...

On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan interview Harvard-trained economist Laurence J. Kotlikoff! But first, the guys answer a bucketload of listener emails about LSAT strategies, law school admissions, undergraduate majors, GPAs, and more. This episode is chock full of advice for students at any stage of the LSAT and law school application process. As always, if you like the show and you want to...

Your LSAT score can be a strong indicator of your future success in law school. This week, Ben and Nathan discuss the relationship between the LSAT and 1L grades while dissecting some admissions advice from Dean Z of Michigan Law. They also respond to a bunch of emails from the listener mailbag. Then, they interview part-time criminal defense lawyer Michael Guingona. As always, if you like the sho...

Today on the show, Ben and Nathan discuss the four phases of learning and why LSAT students should strive to achieve “unconscious competence” in the material. They also break down when and how many times applicants should plan to take the official LSAT and advise a listener who is debating whether to join the Fulbright program before law school. They wrap up with a snowboarding analogy and advice...

The LSAT makes perfect sense. The best way to improve is to focus on understanding one question at a time. Ben and Nathan explain why study methods that overemphasize strategy—at the expense of understanding—are counterproductive. Then, they dive into the listener mailbag and talk about what types of information might negatively impact a law school résumé. They wrap up with some comments on applyi...

Pearls vs. Turds, personal statement advice, and a bucketload of listener emails! Tune in this week to hear the lowdown on LSAT affirmations, law school scholarships, part-time lawyering (is that a thing?), personal statement topics, and more. The guys also announce some new features that are coming soon to the Demon. As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT...