Thinking LSAT

A listener wonders if another LSAT retake will improve her chances at her dream law school. Ben and Nathan explain why retaking may not help when she’s already above the school’s 75th percentile, and why affordability should matter more than rank.

Also in this episode

- Ben and Nathan dunk on a law school offering a mystery "commemorative gift” in exchange for a binding commitment

- A listener writes in about discouraging waitlists

- A student who took the long road to law school shares their journey

Claude’s Constitution

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0:00 How High is High Enough?

18:10 Law School Offering a "Commemorative Gift”

24:16 Good at Drilling but Bad at Timed Sections

31:42 Test D Question — Sunlight Exposure

43:40 Things We Actually Enjoy

50:50 Discouraging Waitlists

1:03:41 Long Road to Law School

1:07:22 Personal Statement Gong Show

1:23:12 Word of the Week — emolument

On the January LSAT, some test-takers noticed their RC section lacked a comparative reading passage. LSAC had quietly updated the test to allow zero to one comparative passages per RC section. Ben and Nathan explain why this change should have no impact on test-takers.

Also in this episode

- Florida ends the ABA’s status as the state’s sole law school accreditor

- A viewer writes in to share their full-tuition scholarship success story

- Should you write a GPA addendum for a semester that ended early?

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0:00 Florida Supreme Court News

2:55 Law School Horror Stories

10:47 ABA Legal Education Arm Seeks Independence

14:50 LSAT Rule Change

20:19 Not Paying for Law School

21:52 Test D Question — Four Iron

32:00 High Diagnostic Score

38:44 Things We Actually Enjoy

40:02 GPA Addendum

45:07 Word of the week — euchre

After each test administration, a group of Demon users leave the platform and share their parting advice. Ben and Nathan dive into a selection of insights from these departing users.

Also in this episode

- A viewer asks whether to skip questions

- A listener asks if it’s better to move on from time-consuming questions

- How much students can expect from stipends

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0:00 Applying with No GPA

11:35 “Best” Trial Advocacy Programs

16:23 Test D Question — “Plagiarism”

42:18 Skipping Questions

49:46 Tips from Departing Demons

58:22 How Much Are Stipends?

1:06:08 Variance in Practice Tests

1:13:45 Word of the Week — Testatrix

A viewer asks whether to register for the LSAT while their scores are still improving. Ben and Nathan advise the student to sign up if they are happy with their scores but continue to study as they still have room to improve.

Also in this episode

- How to handle studying on “difficult” days

- Whether to accept a conditional scholarship or keep studying for a higher score

- Another contestant on the Personal Statement Gong Show

Study with our Free Plan⁠

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Watch Episode 541 on YouTube

Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments

Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library

0:00 Studying on “Difficult Days” 

5:17 Test D Question — “Mount Stupid”

24:04 Things We Actually Enjoy

28:03 Attending with a Conditional Scholarship

43:36 Maximizing Your LSAT Score

48:20 Wrong Answer Journal

51:17 Trust the Process

58:08 Personal Statement Gong Show

1:05:19 Word of the week — heterodox

A student writes in asking whether they should focus on studying for the LSAT while having a low GPA. Ben and Nathan advise them to prioritize focusing on earning the best possible grades before beginning LSAT prep.

Also in this episode:

- A question about choosing between law schools with a $15,000 difference

- Advice a student received from another prep company

- When to send a letter of continued interest

Study with our Free Plan⁠

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Watch Episode 540 on YouTube

Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments

Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library

0:00 Test D Question “Animal Owners”  

19:13 Things We Enjoy

23:03 The $15,000 Difference

33:43 Pearls v. Turds

39:57 Leaving the Demon

42:55 Focusing on Your GPA

53:22 Retaking a 175

1:05:18 When to Send a LOCI

1:10:20 Word of the Week — flummoxed

The ABA has released new 509 data revealing how LSAT and GPA medians have shifted over the past year, along with updated data into how schools are distributing scholarships. Ben and Nathan break down the numbers and react to several schools that have made significant changes.

Also in this episode:

- How to handle LSAT questions you’ve seen before

- The Arkansas Supreme Court allows lawyers to use AI in their work

- Should a listener prioritize location or ranking for law school?

https://lsat.link/509

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0:00 LSAT Question on Pinched Nerves

19:46 New 509 Reports

40:10 Repeat Questions

50:47 Fourth RC Passage Strategy

55:30 Arkansas Supreme Court Updates Rules on AI

1:01:28 Accusation of Cheating

1:18:00 Regional vs. T20 Law School

1:27:55 Word of the Week — admonition

1:34:22 Things We Like

The internet is full of opinions, and not all of them are kind. This week, Ben and Nathan dig into a reddit thread, reacting to some of the tougher criticisms aimed at the Demon and our co-hosts.

Also in this episode:

- Ben and Nathan react to Washington’s decision to retroactively lower its bar passage score

- A listener asks whether applying Early Decision makes sense for top law schools

- Whether a law school increasing its class size improves your odds of admission

Study with our Free Plan⁠

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0:00 Making a Last Push on Next LSAT

7:18 Should I Take the LSAT Again?

23:48 Washington Lowering Bar Passage Requirements

42:03 We Read Our Mean Comments

1:03:10 Law Schools Increasing Class Sizes

1:11:22 Can Early Decision Be Beneficial?

1:22:55 Personal Statement Gong Show

1:39:40 Word of the Week — penumbra

The FTC submitted a letter to the Texas Supreme Court supporting its decision to drop the ABA as the state’s official accreditor. Ben and Nathan agree that the ABA has been slow to modernize and often lags behind student needs, but they don’t fully align with the FTC’s reasoning. 

Also in this episode:

- A listener asks whether to choose a part-time or full-time law program.

- Whether to cancel an official score that comes in lower than a prior LSAT.

- A personal statement  with an unusually bold opening.

Links Mentioned:

FTC Letter to Texas Supreme Court

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Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments

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Questions? [email protected]

0:00 When to Take Practice Tests

6:11 FTC Claims the ABA is a Monopoly

21:43 Full-Time vs. Part-Time Law Programs

29:47 Tips from Departing Demons

35:02 Performing Worse on the First Section

43:19 Cancelling a Lower Score

46:45 Personal Statement Gong Show

Ben and Nathan dig into a striking chart showing dozens of schools clustering their LSAT medians at 150 and 160, while almost nobody reports 149 or 159. They break down why schools chase these round-number medians, how it leads to irrational admissions behavior, and what it means for applicants trying to play the rankings game.

Also in this episode:

- How applying without a GPA can affect your admissions chances

- Success stories from Demon students who crushed the November LSAT

- Why the University of North Carolina has climbed so quickly in the rankings

Links Mentioned:

Derek T. Muller Article

Study with our Free Plan⁠

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Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments

Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library

0:00 Retaking to Beat New Medians

5:37 Applying with No GPA

14:05 November LSAT Success

20:05 The Irrational Pursuit of Round LSAT Medians

27:20 Lower Scores When Timed

34:50 Meeting with an Admissions Counselor

39:35 What’s the Deal with University of North Carolina

55:56 Word of the Week — Prolixity

A listener writes in asking how to handle the pressure of their final official LSAT attempt. Ben and Nathan remind them that their highest score on record, a 165, is already strong enough for full scholarships at many law schools. They encourage the listener to let go of perfectionism, be comfortable with not finishing a section, and approach test day expecting  incremental improvement.

Also in this episode:

- An update on an LSAC cheating allegation

- Ben and Nathan react to the ABA lifting its probation of Cooley Law

- Advice from Demon students who recently crushed the LSAT

Study with our Free Plan⁠

⁠Download our iOS app⁠

Watch Episode 535 on YouTube

Check out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segments

Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library

0:00 Update on Cheating Allegations

5:24 ABA Lifts Probation for Cooley

10:50 How to Approach Your Last Official Attempt

21:44 Tips from Departing Demons

34:25 Chances at a T14 as a Super kJD

41:10 Pearls vs. Turds

43:27 Personal Statement Gong Show

57:12 Word of the Week — Percolation