Thinking LSAT

Always read the fine print on your scholarship offers. This week, Nathan and Ben examine a low-ranked law school that reduces roughly two-thirds of its conditional scholarships every year. The guys also discuss the competitiveness of this year’s application cycle. They dismiss the idea that the LSAT is harder than it used to be. And they weigh the importance of law school rankings in deciding whic...

The law school application cycle is far from over, but some disappointed applicants are starting to wonder: “What did I do wrong?” This week, Nathan and Ben point out some potential red flags that may have hurt one listener’s applications. The guys also explain how to develop speed on the LSAT, caution applicants against oversharing in optional essays, and bemoan the confusing state of ABA 509 rep...

Drilling is great, but you need to do timed sections too. This week, Ben and Nathan highlight the importance of timed practice and explain how to manage negative emotions from practice test scores. The guys also discuss letters of recommendation, reading speed in RC, and online law schools. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Watch Episode 489 on YouTube 1:05 - 175 or Bust? - Listener An...

Can you trust your pre-law advisor? Not necessarily. This week Ben and Nathan criticize schools that mislead pre-law students about their law-school prospects. The guys also share simple tactics for ignoring the clock on the LSAT, and they calm a listener who’s frustrated by their progress in Reading Comprehension. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Watch Episode 488 on YouTube 1:28 - F...

Do law schools look unfavorably at applicants who retake the LSAT? This week, Ben and Nathan insist that any downsides to retaking the LSAT are negligible, while the upsides can be life-changing. The guys also dispel the myth of “overthinking,” rail against obscurantist 509 reports, and probe Ben’s alma mater: George Washington Law. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Watch Episode 487 o...

Nathan and Ben dig into newly released admissions data and discuss the impact of the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ban. Later, the guys advocate greater transparency in law school pricing, assess JD-Next as an alternative to the LSAT, and investigate the ascendent Texas A&M School of Law. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Watch Episode 486 on YouTube 4:25 - New Law School Enro...

Good lawyers aren’t afraid to pause when they don’t understand something. They read and reread until they figure it out. This week, Ben and Nathan discuss why this lawyerly trait is crucial to mastering the LSAT. Later, the guys reject a purported downside to retaking the LSAT. They speculate about AI’s impact on the legal profession. And they consider the value of paying for the prestige of a top...

The American Bar Association will soon allow law schools to admit more students without standardized test scores. Is that good for applicants? This week, Nathan and Ben discuss why test-optional admissions might not benefit students (and why you should probably still take the LSAT). The guys also outline the qualities of a successful law student, share tips on how to get faster, and investigate a...

Some have called Cooley Law School the “worst law school in America.” Is it? Nathan and Ben investigate. The guys also demonstrate their approach to Strengthen questions, advocate a spoiler-free method of review, and compare the importance of GPA and undergraduate institution prestige. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Watch Episode 483 on YouTube 2:41 - Logical Reasoning: Strengthen -...

Planning to study isn’t studying. This week, Nathan and Ben urge listeners to stop overthinking their study schedules and to start doing LSAT questions—one day, one hour, one question at a time. The guys also discuss conditional scholarships, optional questions on law school applications, and Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Watch Episode 482 on YouTub...

Confusing correlation for causation is one of the most common flaws that you’ll encounter on the LSAT. Until you learn to spot it, you’re leaving points on the table. This week, Nathan and Ben demonstrate a three-step process for objecting to an argument that confuses correlation for causation. Later, the guys analyze a listener’s underperformance on her official tests. They weigh in on practice t...

The only reliable way to get faster on the LSAT is by slowing down and solving one question at a time. This week, Nathan and Ben remind students of their simple mantra for going faster on the LSAT: Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. Later, the guys discuss why applicants taking the January LSAT should wait until next cycle to apply. They share some high-level tips for Reading Comprehension. And t...

Price is the most important factor in many students’ law school decisions. So why is law school pricing so shady? This week, Nathan and Ben imagine a kinder world where everyone pays the same price for law school. The guys also hear from a successful student who stopped taking notes in Reading Comprehension. They discuss their approach to Parallel Reasoning questions. And they share tips for deali...

Ben and Nathan aren’t impressed when you narrow an LSAT question down to two answer choices. This week, the guys discuss why those who conquer the LSAT don’t settle for fifty-fifty guesses. They also share common mistakes made by LSAT beginners, examine a troubling admissions practice, and weigh in on “Why X?” statements in law school applications. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Wat...

The best LSAT students make strong predictions before reading the answer choices, but they remain open to correct answers that don’t match their predictions. This week, Ben and Nathan outline their flexible approach to prediction. Later, the guys advise students to set aside plenty of time for reviewing mistakes. They also discuss the possibility of a more competitive law school application cycle....

The LSAT tests three main things: reading comprehension, critical thinking, and work ethic. All of those are also crucial to success in law school. This week, Nathan and Ben discuss how LSAT prep goes hand in hand with law school prep. The guys also react to new restrictions on legacy admissions. They compare scholarship outcomes for full-time and part-time students. And they write the only LSAT a...

The most successful LSAT students are the ones who love the test—but finding that love can be challenging. This week, Ben and Erik discuss why positive self-talk is vital to your relationship with the LSAT. Later, the guys criticize law schools’ moratorium on AI use for applications. They explore possible causes of score variance. And they help a listener navigate family pressure to apply before t...

Many LSAT students believe that taking notes is critical to active reading. Nathan and Ben disagree. This week, the guys encourage listeners to drop their note-taking crutches and to engage with the LSAT on a more immediate level. Later, they discuss one-on-one LSAT tutoring, score cancellation, and falling URM enrollment at Harvard Law School. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Watch E...

Since the LSAT dropped Logic Games, anxious test takers have feared the rise of more “formal logic” questions in Logical Reasoning. So far, no significant changes to LR have been disclosed. No matter what happens, every LR question is perfectly solvable with some careful reading and common sense—no diagramming required. Need proof? This week, Ben and Nathan make quick work of a Must Be True questi...

If you’ve hit a score plateau, you might feel like you’re spinning your wheels—stuck in place despite your best attempts to make forward progress. How do you regain traction? This week, Nathan and Ben advise a discouraged student to ease up on the gas pedal and take it one question at a time. Later, the guys address the problem of tuition inflation in higher education. They frame law school as a t...

Ben and Nathan share what they’ve learned from LSAC about whether the exclusion of Logic Games had any impact on test scores this August. The guys also celebrate listeners’ successes on the August LSAT. They react to news of declining URM enrollment at top colleges. And they discuss why LSAT students should consider cutting back on social media. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Watch...

LSAT growth comes from thoroughly reviewing your mistakes. But what does a thorough review look like? Ben and Nathan describe their approach and explain why they don’t recommend keeping a wrong answer journal. The guys also compare law school to wizard school. They reject an impatient admissions strategy. And they consider potential risks associated with the military’s Funded Legal Education Progr...

Ben and Nathan warn listeners about tactics that some law schools use to make mediocre scholarships appear better than they really are. The guys also discuss a new ABA regulation meant to standardize 1L learning outcomes. They double down on their advice to apply broadly. And they model their approach to Logical Reasoning on a Weaken question from PrepTest 123. Study with our Free Plan Download ou...

Nathan and Ben examine the root cause of underperformance on the LSAT: too much concern for the clock and not enough focus on understanding. The guys also poke fun at Nathan’s alma mater, share tips for staying focused on timed sections, and praise a listener’s decision to step away from a T20 law school. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Watch Episode 468 on YouTube 1:04 - Alumni Dona...

Ben and Nathan discuss the new format for LSAT Writing and critique a practice essay submitted by an LSAT Demon student. Later, the guys delve into an LSAC report on test-taker statistics, and they question whether accommodations truly level the playing field. Study with our Free Plan Download our iOS app Watch Episode 467 on YouTube 1:11 - New LSAT Writing - Nathan and Ben review listener Valerie...