Thinking LSAT

Watch Episode 318 on YouTube Ben and Nathan have read a lot of shoddy personal statements on the show in recent weeks. If you’re wondering what a really good one sounds like, you don’t want to miss today’s first submission—one that actually follows the guys’ advice. The best personal statement in weeks is followed by a frenzy of violations. But first, the guys tackle a Parallel Reasoning question...

Today on the show, Nathan and Ben uncover a rare pearl of LSAT wisdom. This listener-submitted advice promotes a deeper understanding of the test and can be applied to both Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. The guys also relay some important announcements from LSAC and discuss why September is the best time to submit law school applications. Then, they review some cringey personal state...

Listener personal statements have been rolling in, and Ben and Nathan are doing their best to respond to as many as possible. In what may be a new record, today’s episode features ten submissions. The guys pull no punches as they critique each one and compile a list of rule violations. But first, they hear from a listener who improved his official score by 27 points using LSAT Demon, and they tack...

With the 2022 application cycle underway, more and more law school hopefuls are seeking feedback on their personal statements. Nathan and Ben are happy to continue reviewing them on the show. But too many submissions seem to flout their advice. So they’re introducing a new touchstone—one that hopefully will encourage everyone to take advantage of existing resources before submitting. Going forward...

The personal statement queue continues to grow. This week, the pod received a special request for a good personal statement example. Unfortunately, most statements submitted to the show are not so good—some might even be described as torturous. Today, the guys review six more personal statements. One is great but could be better. The others are confusing, irritating, or worse. (Hint: Don’t use blo...

Nathan and Ben kick off this week’s episode with a logical reasoning question and explain their two-step strategy for identifying a flaw. They hear from an August LSAT taker about an overly officious proctor. Then, they evaluate four more personal statements. It’s the time of year when many students are getting their law school applications ready and asking for advice. Today’s featured statements...

Today on the show, Ben and Nathan tackle another batch of personal statements. These are better than average but still not great. They all at least have a good foundation to work with. The guys deliver their constructive criticism—and offer up a bonanza of advice to anyone who wants to improve their personal statement or their writing in general. Read more on our website ! Watch Episode 312 on You...

By popular demand, the guys spend yet another episode shredding listener personal statements. It’s that time of year. This week, six brave participants will each have their personal statement read and critiqued for 10 minutes—on the clock. Nathan and Ben remind our listeners that, often, the first step to construction is demolition. Learn what to do and what not to do on your statement by listenin...

The start of the 2022 application cycle is almost here. Anyone following Ben and Nathan’s advice is going to apply in early September with their best LSAT score—and with a fact-based personal statement that portrays a winner. On this week’s episode, the guys reprise their roles as mock law-school gatekeepers and evaluate three more personal statements. Spoiler: They don’t make it through any of th...

It’s the first-ever Thinking LSAT Personal Statement-stravaganza! In this special episode, Nathan and Ben become mock law school admissions officers as they read and compare four personal statements. There’s a catch—they read only to the point where they would decide to admit or deny the applicant. Admissions committees have mountains of applications to drudge through. Realistically, they aren’t r...

The LSAT and the bar are the two most consequential tests that an aspiring lawyer will take. Your LSAT score factors enormously in determining where you will go to law school and how much you will pay for it. Then, after you spend three years earning a JD, the bar exam determines whether you will be permitted to use your degree and to practice law. But they are very different tests: One gauges a s...

It’s natural for new students to wonder how much time they will have to spend preparing for the LSAT. The simple answer—as long as it takes—isn’t all that satisfying. But the reality is that some people may need a lot more or less time than others need. On this week’s episode, Ben and Nathan review an article that advises a more concrete timeline and compare it to their own advice. They also respo...

Conclusions that are stated without sufficient evidence invite skepticism. To succeed on the LSAT, you need to be able to spot unwarranted conclusions and poke holes in weak arguments. On your personal statement, you’re the one making the argument. You want to demonstrate to the reader that you’re an ideal candidate for their law school. The best way to prove your case is to present indisputable e...

If you’re not already predicting the answer to every Sufficient Assumption question on the LSAT, you’re wasting time and leaving easy points on the table. Nathan and Ben explain why these questions are so predictable and how you can learn to master them. Today’s action-packed episode also includes updates on the August LSAT, Pearls vs. Turds, a discussion about law schools paying students to defer...

The LSAT is a test of skill, not of knowledge. It’s an intense mental exercise that requires months of training to achieve optimal performance. For this reason, strategies that are useful to athletes can often be adapted and effectively employed by LSAT students. This week’s episode features a trove of fitness-inspired LSAT advice and analogies. The guys also tackle a logical reasoning question an...

Nathan and Ben have reviewed hundreds of personal statements from law school hopefuls. Their goal is always to provide students with constructive criticism. In most cases, the first step to construction is demolition. After a lengthy discussion of Dre’s personal statement, their recommendation to her is clear: Start over. Or, better yet, reconsider applying to law school. It sounds like art is her...

This week’s internationally-focused episode features listener mail from students in Nigeria and Canada. Ben and Nathan share their thoughts on international students not having as many chances to take the LSAT. And they discuss whether their “don’t pay for law school” advice applies outside of the United States. They also break down another logical reasoning question from PrepTest 73, contemplate...

The June LSAT is right around the corner. What should you do on the day before the official test? On today’s episode, the guys reevaluate their long-standing advice to take the day off. They also review a personal statement from a listener who missed the mark in attempting to follow Nathan’s template. The Pearls vs. Turds scoreboard is updated after Ben and Nathan analyze a tip about guessing. And...

The 300th episode kicks off with one of the best first drafts of a personal statement we’ve ever had on the show—after Ben and Nathan chop off the final paragraph, that is. Then, the guys evaluate a Pearls vs. Turds candidate about writing addenda to explain score increases (spoiler: don’t do it). They also reminisce about the old days of in-person LSAT classes and, finally, attack another Logical...

“How do I get faster?” LSAT teachers hear some version of this question every day. And Nathan and Ben’s answer will always be the same: Slow down and focus on accuracy. Speed comes naturally with time and practice—you can’t force it. The guys discuss what Nathan calls the fundamental paradox of the LSAT on this week’s episode. They also evaluate a submission for Pearls vs. Turds, tackle another lo...

It’s the start of personal statement season for students who are applying to law school this fall. If you’re struggling to organize your story or don’t know where to begin, Nathan and Ben offer up an easy-to-follow strategy. Break it down into three basic parts: I am. I did. I do. The guys also answer another Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 73, take a look at an article about law school d...

Today’s show features an interview with Nathan Lowry of Service to School , a national nonprofit organization that provides guidance and resources to veterans applying for law school. Ben and Nathan also discuss a new Excuse of the Week and dig into the listener mailbag. Some common themes reappear: Don’t rush into law school. Take your time. Get the best LSAT score you can get. Go to the best law...

Many students feel the need to apply to law school as soon as possible without reaching their potential on the LSAT. But good things come to those who wait. Nathan and Ben chat with former Demon student Jon-Yin Chong, who started his LSAT journey in 2019 and, after over a year of prep and five attempts at the official test, scored a life-changing score of 178. By postponing his law school applicat...

In this week's episode, Ben and Nathan dig through the listener mailbag, uncovering an Excuse of the Week, stress over multiple LSAC snafus, and an update from a former listener who took some—but not all—of their advice when applying to law school. They answer questions about reading comprehension, personal statements, and when to start prepping for the LSAT. They also tackle a Paradox question fr...

If you’re gonna go into a courtroom—as a defendant—you’re gonna want the most ruthless and savvy law warrior on your side. But how far would you want them to go in advocating for you? Nathan and Ben debate a hypothetical legal entanglement amidst answering listener questions. They also read listener mail about negotiating a full ride to Berkeley, choosing which law school you should pay for (hint:...