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 reports.

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1:22 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student James writes: “Don't give up! Fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to the Ark and it’s starting to rain!”

3:16 - Disappointing Cycle - An anonymous listener wasn’t offered the scholarships they expected. Ben and Nathan try to figure out what went wrong.

20:44 - Slow Down to Speed Up - The guys assure listener Adriana that speed will come naturally if she sticks with her accuracy-first approach.

25:56 - Optional Essay - An anonymous listener considers emailing law schools a diversity statement to belatedly add to their applications. Ben and Nathan oppose this plan.

30:02 - What’s the Deal with…? - The guys investigate another law school that’s been climbing the rankings in recent years: the University of Georgia School of Law.

1:00:36 - ABA 509 Scholarship Confusion - Nathan and Ben criticize the obfuscation of scholarship data in ABA 509 reports.

1:09:14 - Word of the Week - Straightforward 509 reports are the desideratum.

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.

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1:05 - 175 or Bust? - Listener Andria is committed to pursuing a 99th percentile LSAT score. Nathan and Ben applaud Andria’s zeal but question her insistence on attending a top-ranked law school.

10:57 - Letters of Recommendation - Older applicants may struggle to obtain academic letters of recommendation. Can they get by with letters from professional acquaintances?

19:58 - RC Pacing and Stress - Listener Maya is stressed about spending too much time on the first passage in RC. Ben and Nathan implore Maya to ignore the clock and to stop trying to finish sections.

31:40 - Timed Section Fear - Many LSAT students avoid taking timed sections. Nathan and Ben discuss why you should treat timed sections as opportunities for growth—and not as IQ tests.

45:07 - Note-Taking in Review - Ben and Nathan discourage note-taking when reviewing mistakes.

51:11 - Desperate Law Schools - The guys read some holiday-themed messages sent by law schools that are desperate for applications and seat deposits.

1:17:06 - Online and Hybrid Law Schools - Nathan and Ben support Abbie’s interest in online and hybrid law school—as long as the price is right.

1:22:39 - Word of the Week - Lawyers are often accused of solipsism.

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.

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1:28 - Fighting Bad Habits - Ben and Nathan share some tips for regaining your composure when you catch yourself rushing on timed practice. Here’s a simple one: breathe.

7:37 - RC Blues - Listener De’Andre wants to improve faster in Reading Comprehension. Nathan and Ben instruct De’Andre to stop looking for shortcuts and to work on understanding one sentence at a time.

17:24 - What’s the Deal with…? - The guys pass judgment on the University of Kansas School of Law.

1:06:09 - 3+3 Program - An anonymous listener declines some unhelpful guidance from their prelaw advisor.

1:12:22 - Word of the Week - We accept as an axiom that the LSAT makes perfect sense.

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.

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3:49 - Law School Exams - A long-time listener describes how studying LSAT Logic Games helped prepare them for law school exams.

13:30 - T14 Scholarships - The guys discuss a T14 law school’s deceptive messaging about scholarships.

21:59 - Overthinking - LSAT students often blame their mistakes on “overthinking.” But you’re far more likely to miss a question because you didn’t think about it enough.

32:21 - Ask Button - Nathan and Ben celebrate the LSAT Demon Ask Button team.

34:47 - Retaking with a High Score - Ben and Nathan revisit a recent discussion about the potential downsides of retaking the LSAT when you already have a high score. The guys maintain that there’s only upside to retaking.

56:03 - What’s the Deal with…? - Nathan and Ben look into George Washington University School of Law, a regional law school in Washington, D.C.

1:29:52 - Word of the Week - We offer this podcast for your delectation.

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.

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4:25 - New Law School Enrollment Data - The ABA just released law schools’ Standard 509 disclosures for 2024. Ben and Nathan discuss what the numbers mean for URM admissions following the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ban.

14:55 - Scholarships - ABA 509 reports now define full-tuition scholarships as “scholarships that cover tuition and mandatory fees.” Listener Emma wonders if this definition allows law schools to obscure their scholarship numbers. Nathan and Ben consider solutions to law schools’ discriminatory pricing model.

31:20 - JD-Next - Some law schools now report the number of enrolled students who took JD-Next, an alternative law school admissions test. So far, those numbers are low.

34:30 - What’s the Deal with…? - Ben and Nathan look into Texas A&M University School of Law, which has rocketed up the US News rankings in recent years.

1:16:56 - Read Every Answer - The guys explain why you should read every answer on every LSAT question.

1:21:57 -  Word of the Week - Thinking LSAT listeners should avail themselves of LSAT Demon’s free classes at lsatdemon.com/free.

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 law school. 

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1:46 - Every Word Matters - LSAT beginners and veterans alike make most of their mistakes because of sloppy reading. Ben and Nathan urge listeners to read like lawyers: every word matters.

23:32 - Pearls vs. Turds - Will law school admissions officers brand you as a “perfectionist” if you retake the LSAT? Would that label hurt your admissions chances?

34:41 - AI and Law - Listener Charlie worries about AI’s impact on the legal profession. Nathan and Ben argue that AI will empower attorneys, not replace them.

44:47 - Pay for Prestige? - Listener Trip wants to practice family law in a small city. The guys advise Trip to attend a regional law school on a full-ride scholarship rather than pay for the prestige of a higher-ranked school.

50:55 - LSAT and ADHD - Listener Victoria feels overwhelmed by the length of the passages in Reading Comprehension. Ben and Nathan encourage Victoria to focus on one sentence at a time.

57:26 - Tutoring - The guys discuss when students should pursue one-on-one LSAT tutoring and how to make the most of it.

1:03:21 - Low GPA - Soft factors don’t make up for—or excuse—a low GPA. Nathan and Ben urge listener Elis to prioritize grades over extracurriculars.

1:07:67 - Word of the Week - The University of Texas at Austin School of Law prefers “Texas Law” to the more pithy sobriquet “UT.”

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 well-regarded law school in New York City.

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9:21 - Law School Is for Nerds - Listener Steve struggles to shake off his underperformance on the November LSAT. Ben and Nathan question whether Steve is cut out for law school.

20:58 - When Should I Take the LSAT? - The guys double down on their advice not to register for the LSAT until you’re happy with your practice test scores.

31:29 - Test-Optional Admissions - Some law schools might soon bypass the ABA’s admission test requirement, allowing them to admit more students without LSAT scores. Nathan and Ben have doubts about whether this is good for law school applicants.

40:30 - Getting Faster - An anonymous LSAT Demon student asks how to get faster while maintaining high accuracy. Ben and Nathan advise Anonymous to pursue even greater accuracy and to dismiss wrong answers more confidently.

51:01 - There Can Be Only One - Fifty-fifty guesses aren’t good enough. The guys explain why the best LSAT students eliminate all five answers more often than they debate multiple answers.

56:40 - What’s the Deal With…? - Nathan and Ben examine the admissions numbers and employment outcomes at Fordham Law School, which has a reputation as a non-T14 pathway to NYC big law.

1:13:58 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Caleb writes: “To anyone that is beginning their LSAT journey or their time with the Demon, learn to love it. Make it a game.”

1:16:58 - Word of the Week - Not all law schools are located in cities with salubrious climates.

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.

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2:41 - Logical Reasoning: Strengthen - Ben and Nathan explain why correct answers on Strengthen questions don’t simply repeat the premises. Then the guys tackle a Strengthen question from PrepTest 123. Try the question for yourself, then listen to their explanation.

37:26 - No Spoilers - Nathan and Ben encourage LSAT Demon student Vivian to reattempt the questions that she misses before reviewing the Demon’s explanations.

47:01 - Military Personal Statement - The guys advise listener Matt on how to write a personal statement that highlights his military experience without overselling it.

52:12 - Undergraduate Prestige - Your GPA matters more than the reputation of your undergraduate institution.

1:00:42 - What’s the Deal With…? - Ben and Nathan examine the admissions statistics and bar passage rate at Cooley Law School.

1:23:12 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Isabella writes: “The Demon really works, and it is actually easy! I thought that was a lie, but by the end of prep, I could make predictions on every question (usually multiple predictions). Doing a real focused hour every day gave me a 24-point improvement.”

1:24:45 - Word of the Week - Law schools goose their rankings by giving tuition discounts to high-scoring applicants.

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.

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0:36 - Parental Pressure - An anonymous listener rages at their dad’s intrusion into their LSAT study. The guys encourage Anonymous to have a little sympathy.

9:06 - Study Schedule - You can make great progress with one focused hour of study per day. Ben and Nathan outline the best ways to use that hour: mix timed and untimed practice, promptly review mistakes, focus on understanding, and don’t overthink your study schedule.

39:41 - Conditional Scholarships - An anonymous listener received a scholarship offer that would require them to remain in “good academic standing.” Nathan and Ben assure Anonymous that this is normal.

50:10 - Alumni Connections - Some law school applications invite you to share any personal connections to alumni. Ben and Nathan discuss how applicants might use these connections without losing focus on what’s most important.

56:28 - Disclosing Your School List - Law schools might ask you which schools you’re applying to. Nathan and Ben explain why some law schools ask this question and how you should respond.

1:00:52 - What’s the Deal With…? - The guys pull back the curtain on Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, a conservative-leaning private school in Malibu, California.

1:26:26 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Samuel writes: “There are no gimmicks that can possibly match the value of skill.”

1:28:35 - Word of the Week - There are too many extant law schools.

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 test frequency. And they investigate a low-ranked law school that offers a laughable perk to early decision applicants.

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1:44 - Logical Reasoning: Weaken - The guys tackle a Weaken question from PrepTest 141. Try the question for yourself, then listen to Nathan and Ben’s explanation.

18:19 - Test Violation - Remote LSAT test takers are prohibited from using mobile hotspots. An anonymous listener didn’t know this and their test was canceled as a result. The guys advise Anonymous on how to proceed.

23:26 - Don’t Rush Your Applications - Listener Melany isn’t ready to apply to law school, but she risks getting kicked out of her prelaw assistance program if she doesn’t apply this cycle. Ben and Nathan discuss Melany’s options and urge her not to settle for a low LSAT score.

33:52 - Replicating Practice Test Success - Listener Victoria has underperformed on two official test attempts. Nathan and Ben share tips on how to replicate her practice test scores when she takes the official test.

45:45 - Practice Test Schedule - LSAT Demon student Jess asks if she should avoid taking full practice tests until she’s improved her timed section scores. Ben and Nathan encourage Jess not to overhype her practice tests.

50:39 - What’s the Deal with…? - Nathan and Ben investigate the admissions stats and job outcomes at Liberty University School of Law.

1:11:55 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Reese writes: “Feign interest and read carefully. There is no need to highlight. Just ensure you're understanding what you're reading, and you'll be fine.”

1:16:15 - Word of the Week - Ben and Nathan show predatory law schools their due obloquy.