Thinking LSAT

Friend of the show and law school expert, Ann Levine, joins Nathan and Ben to answer some of your burning late-in-the-cycle admissions questions. The squad tackles questions about negotiating scholarships, picking a school with an international program, what’s appropriate for a diversity statement vs. a personal statement, and whether it’s too late to apply to a T14 school. Plus, Ben and Nathan ta...

In the wake of the January LSAT-Flex, there are winners and…not so winners. Nathan and Ben field some questions from folks who got shook by the January test. From nightmare ProctorU experiences to “harder-than-usual” sections, folks are wondering if they need to re-take. The guys also help someone who’s caught in a morass of LSAC GPA finagling, they offer some negotiation advice to a student who’s...

Whether you’re prepping for the LSAT, or sitting for the LSAT, or getting ready to apply for law school, there are countless obstacles that can stand in your way. And as many obstacles there are—there are that many excuses for why things didn’t turn out as you’d hoped. On the flip side, if you’re prepared and cool as a cucumber, you can still perform under pressure and not pay for law school. Toda...

We’re well into the law school admissions cycle and letters are beginning to come back to 1L hopefuls. Included in letters that make and dash dreams are the occasional, inevitable “you’ve been waitlisted” letter. The guys hear from a listener who’s been waitlisted and answer a few questions about how to let school’s know they’re still your top choice. Plus they offer some help to someone whose pra...

Application season can be stressful, you’re gathering up your documents, your letters of rec, your personal essay, your transcripts. It can be a mess, especially if you’re waiting for your autumn LSAT scores to roll in. And it can get even messier if LSAC locks your account down because you applied for an LSAC fee waiver. In this episode, the guys hear a tale of woe from the 2020 application cycle...

The guys pick up where they left off last episode and kick things off with an LSAT LR question from practice test 65. They discuss the importance of reading comprehension skills even while unpacking an LR argument. And they show how you can use your own real-world knowledge to help ground you while you’re reading, even if the argument differs wildly from what you know to be true in real life. Plus...

Some. Most. Sufficient Assumption. Inference. The LSAT is full of jargon. Some of it useful, and some of it…not so much. What makes matters worse is that many LSAT prep companies confuse students’ understanding by building unnecessary complexities into the study process. In this episode, the guys hear from a listener who just can’t quite understand “existential quantifiers,” hard as he may try. Th...

Sometimes the best advice comes from where you least expect it. The guys take a look at an email from a UPenn computer science program and find a gold mine of advice. They read through the email and discuss each of its 13 pieces of advice. The guys also hear from an LSAT Demon confrontation at…Target, and they offer some advice to someone who’s wondering how they should switch up study habits in t...

Black Americans are woefully underrepresented in the field of law, making up around 5% of all attorneys compared to 13% of the U.S. population. Enter NBLSA, the National Black Law Students Association—an organization working to improve the relationship between Black law students, Black attorneys, and the American legal structure. Nathan and Ben are joined by NBLSA National Director and Chair, Rach...

It’s the time of year when students are visiting college campuses, sending in their admissions packets, and talking to law school admissions staffers. But in the world of the pandemic, fewer on-campus visits are taking place. Now, these Q and A sessions are taking the place where everything else in the world is taking place. On Zoom. The guys discuss a current law school trend—admissions officers...

Many law school hopefuls are starry-eyed and idealistic, hoping to be a force for good in the world. But after three years of Torts and Wills and Trusts courses, they end up disillusioned and in debt. What if there were careers in the law where you could do some good but didn’t need to get a JD first? Today on the show the guys take a look at some alternative careers in law. Plus, Ben and Nathan a...

As we get late into the 2021 law school admissions cycle, a new generation of 1L hopefuls are starting to study for the LSAT to apply for the 2022 school year. But for anyone getting ready to apply to law school, the process can be daunting. The guys break down what an ideal LSAT and law school application journey looks like—which starts as much as two years before starting school. Nathan and Ben...

Diversity statements are an oft-overlooked part of some students’ application packages. But a short and to-the-point diversity statement can give law schools a much better picture of you as an applicant. In this episode, the guys review a lengthy diversity statement from a listener and offer some advice about how to make it a stronger piece of their application. Nathan and Ben also consider some a...

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to college students, 1Ls and lawyers-to-be around the world. But where one door closes…another opens, dear listeners. Rachel Gezerseh (Panish, Shea and Boyle, LLP) is back on the pod to talk about how you can and should be networking for your legal career even though you can’t grab coffee or meet up with lawyers in person. Ben and Nathan...

It’s that time of year again when 1L hopefuls are getting their sh*t together and applying to law school. But you might be wondering, “what do I even want to learn when I get in?” If that’s you, you’re not alone! After all, the law can be…mysterious…and it can be hard to know what career paths are open to you. Well, dear listeners, never fear! LSAC has an online quiz that can help you understand j...

The world of LSAC Fee Waivers is opaque and confusing. You may not get a clear answer as to why you were granted or denied a fee waiver, leaving many people frustrated and in the dark—and still in need of any bit of financial relief they can get. The guys sit down with Kalyn McDaniel, an LSAT Demon tutor and 1L applicant who recently received a fee waiver after initially being denied. Kalyn discus...

This year has seen major changes to the LSAT—namely through the LSAT Flex. It’s a shorter test with just three sections that you can take from the comfort of your home (or hotel) and a completely separate writing section. So how are these changes affecting the 2020 law school admissions cycle? The guys sit down with law school admissions expert Ann Levine to talk about how this cycle may be the mo...

When Santi Del Campo started studying for the LSAT from Spain, he was scoring in the 140s. But after studying with the Thinking LSAT team, he smashed out a 173 on the test. Now he’s helping other students with the LSAT in the LSAT Demon. The guys talk to Santi about his LSAT journey and what his classes are like in the Demon. Nathan and Ben also offer some advice to a student who’s taking the test...

The leaves are changing and the weather is getting colder, but the LSAT remains the same. It’s the time of year where law schools wheel out their college admissions staffers to try to sell you big on their schools. In the past, LSAC would hold forums where you could meet and greet admissions folks from around the country. Now they’re creating virtual events. The guys discuss LSAC’s new digital for...

Nathan and Ben are joined by LSAT Demon tutor, Jackson, to discuss a brand-new feature of the platform—a scholarship estimator. The estimator takes your GPA and your LSAT score and lets you know what kind of scholarship you could expect from any accredited law school. Jackson talks about how he helped develop the feature and the guys put the beta feature to the test. Plus, Ben and Nathan assess so...

Even though the registration deadline for the October LSAT-Flex is long past, students who took the test over the summer are just now getting their LSAT scores back. And waiting weeks on end for a score isn’t the only miserable thing about taking the LSAT during a pandemic. Nathan and Ben hear from a bunch of folks who have received or had trouble getting their scores back from LSAC. Some want adv...

The summer’s coming to an end and future 1Ls are applying to law school or getting ready to take the LSAT. And since folks are about to dive headfirst into the fall LSATs? The guys get a bunch of pretty technical questions about the test. They discuss the mechanics of strengthen and weaken questions, they talk about how to handle questions that use “unless,” and they straight up answer a must be t...

It’s been almost six months since the first LSAT-Flex, and just because there’ve been several administrations, it doesn’t mean all of the issues have been ironed out. Between LSAT Writing and LSAT-Flex, students aren’t having the best experiences as they prepare for law school. Nathan and Ben discuss the problems they’ve heard from their students as a way to hopefully let you know what you’re in f...

If you’re a longtime listener, then you know that transferring can be a way to leverage a strong 1L performance into a more prestigious school. That’s just what GW transfer student and current 2L, Kelly Buckley did. After her 1L year at Catholic University, Kelly made the rounds, collected recommendations from current instructors, assessed her options, and transferred to GW. Kelly talks about her...

LSAC finally announced that the October LSAT will indeed be an LSAT-Flex, which should come as no surprise to Thinking LSAT listeners. But as more LSAT-Flex tests are scheduled, the rumor mill is going into overdrive. The guys talk about the latest news from LSAC and address rumors about the LSAT-Flex (is every LSAT-Flex different to mitigate cheating?!). Plus, the guys hear some success stories f...