Thinking LSAT

Law School Expert Ann Levine joins Episode 87 to discuss Harvard Law School’s recent bombshell—they are now giving students the option of submitting their GRE score instead of their LSAT score. Ann is optimistic that this policy will create waves in the LSAC’s antiquated testing system and bring about changes that will ultimately benefit all applicants. The guys agree with her, however, Ben is uns...

Nathan introduces guest Chantal Renta , a Chinese-speaking, freelance-accounting, tax-law-loving 3L at Southwestern Law School. The show begins with Chantal, a self-proclaimed “tax queen,” warning students about the downside of federal loan forgiveness, an issue previously discussed on the Thinking LSAT podcast in episode 83. (1:30) Chantal discusses the mistakes that she feels she made in prepari...

An update from musician-turned-future-lawyer Peter notifies the guys that, despite their best efforts to dissuade him, he did indeed apply to Temple Law School with his 164 LSAT score. The good news is that Peter was accepted with a full-ride scholarship. The bad news is that Peter still is wondering whether he should retake the LSAT and reapply to get offers to higher ranking programs. At first,...

Laughter is the best medicine, Ben credits Melissa McCarthy’s Sean Spicer skit with adding three years to his life. He also enjoys the absurdity of a clip demanding unquestioning submission to the power of the President . Even with the real-life stress of Trump’s presidency, Ben hopes comedic therapy will yield an overall increase in his longevity. (0:40) Ben recommends an article discussing the e...

Nathan has two recommendations this week: Cadillac Desert , a thorough history of the American West’s pursuit of freshwater by Marc Reisner, and Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes , a cooperative video game where the players work together to defuse a virtual bomb that only one of them can see and manipulate. If you squint hard, this game can almost count as LSAT prep. (1:53) Matt in D.C. took the LS...

Ben recommends an article from The Atlantic , “ The For-Profit Law School That Crumbled ,” which discusses the downfall of the Charlotte School of Law due to its students' low LSAT scores, 45% bar passage rates, and dire employment stats. The piece spurs discussion about for-profit vs. not-for-profit schools, admissible LSAT scores, and whether helping disadvantaged students is really hurting them...

Remember to subscribe to the Thinking LSAT Podcast to be automatically notified each time a new episode goes online! “Timmy,” a 44-year-old who is established in a successful non-law career, is looking to achieve his Bucket List goal of earning a JD. After taking the December test and receiving a 162, Timmy is wondering whether he should continue studying to increase his score or just apply with h...

The (self-proclaimed) Greatest Podcast Hosts That God Ever Created discuss Donald Trump’s recent press conference. Ben wonders about people’s news and filter bubbles, while Nathan transforms current events into sufficient and necessary conditions. (0:30) A 30-something listener is concerned about her chances of law school admittance and success. She needs advice on who to use for references, how t...

Nathan gives five (death)stars to “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” while Ben shares a far more lukewarm review of his family’s new dog, a “Mountain Swissy” kind. (0:30) In Episode 78, the guys read part of an email from Alec, a student who took the December LSAT but canceled his score after encountering an “unusual” Logic Game. They continue with Alec’s questions here in Episode 79. Topics covered...

The guys open Episode 78 by discussing the need to submit a diversity statement with a law school application. Both agree it can be a valuable addition but caution applicants to beware of wasting the admissions officer’s time. (1:28) Nathan admits he has a drinking problem; the problem being his need to discuss the LSAT while drinking. The good news is he left a note for his sober self to discuss...

Nathan shares an email he received from David Faigman, Acting Chancellor and Dean of the University of California Hastings College of the Law. The email, sent to students and alumni of the program, discussed Hasting graduates’ “horrific result” on the July 2016 Bar exam. We talk about who and what is to blame for the low passage rate and what might be done to improve it. (2:36) Arye asks the guys...

Episode 76 is a nod to our Northern neighbors as Nathan records from Toronto, Ontario and we’re joined by Graeme Blake from Montreal, founder of LSAT Hacks. So kick off your ice hockey skates, grab a big mug of maple syrup, and listen in to the last episode before tomorrow’s LSAT exam! An article from the Wall Street Journal claims the American Bar Association is working on a rule that will revoke...

Phillipe (not his real name and probably not the horse from Beauty and the Beast…probably) is wondering whether he should quit his full time job so he can focus on studying for the LSAT. We both advise against this drastic plan and encourage Phillipe to focus on the quality of his study time rather than the quantity. He also asks for suggestions on managing stress and fatigue and we share some of...

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...

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 L...

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 allowe...

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...

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 th...

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...

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...

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 thei...

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 batt...

…JK. Episode 65 is no less safe for work than any other episode of Thinking LSAT. We do appreciate hearing about all of you that seem to be listening to this podcast at the office instead of, say, writing invoices or reading memos or playing Pokemon Go. We begin this episode by sharing a news item that features an uncharacteristically generous new refund policy from the LSAC. The wording of said p...

'Tis the time for our noble listeners to decide whether or not they are satisfied with their June LSAT scores. Zach wonders if it is worth risking a lower retake score after earning a 172 on the test. ‘Appreciative Student’ was surprised to receive an official score that was 5-6 points higher than their highest practice test score, and asks if it would be a good idea to try for an even higher resu...