Thinking LSAT

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 advice about LG questions, they offer some “tips” on how to improve your LR and RC performance, they help a student narrow down where to apply to law school, and they advise a student with a disappointing first-time score. Plus, the guys introduce a new segment, Hills to Die On. Read more on our website!

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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 also talk about the effectiveness of a JD MBA, they consider whether an MA certificate program will help your chances of getting into a good law school, they weigh some advice about personal statements from a pre-law advisor, and they offer advice to someone who just jumped from the 130s to the 150s. Plus, the guys answer LR question 11 from prep test 65. Read more on our website!

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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 just what kind of lawyer you could be. Nathan and Ben take the quiz and let you know what they think of the results. Plus, the guys talk about what to do in the days leading up to taking the LSAT-Flex, they talk “technical cancellations,” they assess some Instagram LSAT wisdom, offer advice to a splitter, and answer an LR question from practice test 65. Read more on our website!

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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 discusses the fee-waiver appeal process and lets you know how you can set yourself up for success when asking LSAC for help. Plus, the guys consider the relationship between GPA and scholarships, they offer advice to someone who’s just starting their LSAT prep journey, they hear from someone who’s seen a bump in their score after studying with the Demon, and they critique a listener’s personal statement. Read more on our website!

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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 most competitive ever. Read more on our website!

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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 as a non-native English speaker, they hear from a student who wants to know about scholarship opportunities for folks with low GPAs, and they dive into a listener’s personal statement. Read more on our website!

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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 forum, they discuss the value of studying with “old” LSAT practice tests vs. new ones, they weigh some advice from a listener, and they critique a personal statement. Read more on our website!

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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 some advice from the Dean of Admissions at the University of Michigan, they help a listener with an addendum, they tear apart a personal statement, and more. Read more on our website!

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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 advice. And some just want to gripe. The guys also offer up some thoughts about strengthening your reading comprehension skills, and they hear a big list of mostly terrible advice. Read more on our website!

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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 true question from practice test 65. Plus, they consider when a person should become a lawyer and they read a rather hilarious email from UC Hastings. Read more on our website!

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