Thinking Lsat

 A listener  who scored at the low end of their range on two official attempts asks Ben and Nate if they should delay their June test. Ben and Nathan explain that scoring within your range, even at the bottom of it, is completely normal and advise the listener to keep studying as usual.Also in this episode- A law school offers scholarships before students even apply- A listener with a PhD, struggling to find employment, asks whether law school is the right next step- How a stay-at-home mom can approach a personal statementStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 560 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Understanding Your Range9:35 #thirstylawschools22:41 Unemployable. Should I Go to Law School?40:58 Update from Demon Alum55:50 Personal Statement for Stay At-Home Mom1:07:36 Test D Question – Trash bins1:30:25 What’s the Deal with… University of Texas1:56:20 Word of the week – bonhomie

A college pre-law advisor asks Ben and Nathan how to best prepare undergraduate students for law school. Ben and Nathan encourage them to keep doing what they’re doing and stress the importance of the cost of law school. Also in this episode- A viewer asks what score they should aim for- Whether to enroll at UT Austin or reapply next cycle - A rapid-fire of Pearls v. TurdsStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 559 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Advice for a Pre-Law Advisor12:23 Exit Survey Feedback25:06 Enroll Now or Reapply48:56 What Should My Target Score Be?56:17 Pearls v. Turds Rapid Fire1:06:50 Personal Statement Gong Show 1:25:55 Word of the week — armamentarium

Ben and Nathan review part of LSAC’s official LSAT prep curriculum. A pyramid-shaped diagram in the Reading Comprehension section catches their attention, but they remind students that the LSAT is easy and that success comes from focusing on one question at a time.Also in this episode- A law school starts summer classes so students qualify for Grad PLUS loans- Demon students share success stories from the April LSAT- A listener question about regressing performance ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠⁠⁠Watch Episode 558 on YouTube⁠Check out all of our ⁠“What’s the Deal With”⁠ segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠⁠ library0:00 Law School Starting Early for Grad PLUS Loans7:28 April LSAT Score Release13:10 Regressing on Performance25:27 Test D Question – Raising Tolls44:10 #thirstylawschools54:05 Really, Really, Really Bad LSAT Prep1:01:52 Saying No to Law Schools1:03:35 Word of the Week – breviloquent

Ben and Nathan have taught the LSAT for over 20 years. Students leaving the Demon often give the same advice: read carefully, eliminate wrong answers, and slow down.Also in this episode- A large law firm submits a court filing with AI hallucinations- Whether you need a diagnostic score before starting your LSAT studying- Tips from Demon students who crushed the LSATReuters Article: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/sullivan-cromwell-law-firm-apologizes-ai-hallucinations-court-filing-2026-04-21/ Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 557 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 AI Hallucinations in Big Law Filing3:55 ABA Employment Data24:11 Do I Need a Diagnostic?31:24 Tips from Departing Demons 43:25 Knowing Your Law Preference51:37 Is Law School Right For Me?1:05:40 Word of the Week – modicum

Dan Currell, former Department of Education official, joins the podcast to break down how colleges and law schools use opaque pricing, fake tuition numbers, and binding early decision contracts to maximize returns from students.Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 556 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 The Early Decision Racket5:30 How College Pricing Actually Works14:54 The Hidden Price Problem22:13 Antitrust, Regulation, and Who Could Fix This33:18 Who Pays Full Price?41:59 Southern School Surge and Demographics50:19 Record Law School Applications and Final Advice

A viewer writes in asking about their chances at the T14 while being a super splitter. They explain their work history includes founding a multimillion dollar healthcare business. Ben and Nathan ask if the viewer really wants to pursue law school given their entrepreneurial success. If they do, they should focus on maximizing their LSAT. Also in this episode- A question on the “soft” side of applications- Partnership between Arizona State University and Starbucks- Whether to use a recommendation letter from a former boss Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 555 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Tough Love12:43 “Soft” Side of Applications24:04 Test D Question – Standardized-Testing50:20 ASU and Starbucks Partnership54:26 Super Splitter with Small Business 1:02:21 Best Time To Start Studying1:10:04 Recommendation Letter Conundrum1:19:30 Word of the week – vociferous

The updated rankings for law schools have dropped! Ben and Nathan discuss the changes, the schools that refused to participate, and what applicants should actually focus on when choosing a law school to attend.Also in this episode- Law school marketing emails wishing students good luck on the LSAT- Whether to drop a class and graduate late to preserve their GPA- Another Personal Statement Gong Show contestantStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 554 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 USNews 2026 Rankings26:17 #thirstylawschools30:05 Test D Question – English Rule43:50 Implicit Assumptions53:00 Pearls v. Turds1:00:03 Should I Upgrade Demon Plans?1:05:19 Dropping Courses1:11:46 Personal Statement Gong Show1:38:38 Word of the week – throes

Ben and Nathan react to two stories: California pushing to require AI training in law schools, and Oklahoma's surprisingly hands-off approach to AI in the courtroom. They discuss AI’s growing role in the legal field and why Oklahoma’s simple rule, use it however you want, just own every word, might be the smartest policy.Also in this episode- A viewer performing differently between timed sections and practice tests- Whether you can predict future competitive cycles- Why the University of Alabama has such a high GPA medianStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 553 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 AI in Law School and the Legal Profession6:20 How to Get Faster20:00 Test D Question – Moving Truck38:52 Incongruence Between Sections and PTs44:54 Will My GPA Hold Me Down?54:22 What’s the Deal with the University of Alabama?1:05:36 Word of the Week – quotidian

A listener asks how to negotiate scholarships, especially when schools claim they don’t negotiate. Ben and Nathan advise always asking for more and using competing offers as leverage.  But, they stress the importance of being ready to walk away from an offer that doesn’t meet your needs.Also in this episode- Handling burnout from LSAT studying - A logical reasoning question about a mushroom allergy- Whether job prestige helps in law school admissionsStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 552 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Burn Out. Need Advice.17:43 How to Negotiate50:45 Test D Question –- Mushroom Allergy1:00:36 Studying Abroad1:15:28 Pearls v. Turds1:21:28 Job Prestige1:26:43 Losing Study Progress1:36:38 Word of the week – gravamen

A listener asks whether they should include their experience as a professional poker player in their application materials. Ben and Nathan advise that they should. Pursuing something at a professional level demonstrates a meaningful commitment and a proven ability.Also in this episode:- A law school with an endless amount of fees- Whether you should attend an online law program- When conditional scholarships become predatory Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 551 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 William & Mary’s Law School Fees13:38 Attending an Online Law School23:06 Predicting Role Questions33:23 Working as a Professional Gambler48:20 LSAC Guided Plus Program1:03:22 Accepting a Conditional Scholarship1:19:08 Ohio Northern’s Summer Program1:33:10 Word of the week — effusive

A listener asks whether they should quit their job to focus on LSAT study and law school applications. Ben and Nathan explain that there’s only so much productive studying you can do in a day and recommend keeping the job.Also in this episode:- Ben and Nathan poke fun at a New York Times article on homeownership with a clear flaw- How to break out of a stuck practice test range- Whether it makes sense to enroll with plans to transfer after 1LStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 550 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Randomly Doing Bad9:05 New York Times Newsletter Flaw12:20 Stuck in the Low 160s21:04 Asking for More Money37:43 Quitting Job to Study for the LSAT50:48 Misleading Rankings1:01:38 Transferring After 1L1:09:57 Personal Statement Gong Show1:33:13 Word of the week — ascetic

Nathan and Ben react to WashU offering a new institutional loan to help students cover tuition beyond federal loan limits. They argue that chasing a prestigious name isn't worth it if you have to borrow heavily to get there.Also in this episode:- Ben and Nathan roast a poorly written Wall Street Journal headline- Whether highlighting and note-taking actually helps on the LSAT- An engineering grad considers switching to lawStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 549 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Wall Street Journal Headline 3:29 Extremely Confused14:34 Loan from WashU25:27 Highlighting on the LSAT27:20 Test D Question — Nonprofit Leaders38:05 Career Change as an Engineer50:07 A Few More Points on Your GPA57:26 January Score Hold1:09:51 Word of the week — suzerain

A listener asks about alleged changes to Logical Reasoning that an LSAT YouTuber has reported. Ben and Nathan push back, maintaining that the test hasn’t meaningfully changed and that the so-called “new” question types have been around for years.Also in this episode:- A listener successfully secures a GPA change on their transcript.- Whether to use a letter of recommendation from a university president- What’s going on at Vanderbilt LawStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 548 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Conditional Scholarships 11:00 Getting GPA Changed16:35 Letter of Recommendation from the President22:22 New Demon Plans28:04 Tips from Departing Demons37:50 RC Speed47:15 Updated LR Questions?1:01:48 What’s the Deal with Vanderbilt1:25:34 Word of the Week — diminution

LSAC announces that upcoming LSAT administrations will return primarily to in-person testing. Ben and Nathan discuss the shift away from remote testing and what it means for test takers.Also in this episode:- How to approach a final LSAT attempt- Cooley Law offers a scholarship for attending a meet and greet with the dean- How much time to spend studying each dayStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 547 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library

Reagan writes in after following Ben and Nathan’s advice from a previous episode to retake the LSAT and reapply. She shares her success story, including multiple full-ride offers and additional stipends.Also in this episode:- How an older applicant can best prepare.- A student gets waitlisted…for the waitlist.- The guys react to Nathan’s nephew’s argumentative essay.Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 546 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Older Applicant 8:43 Waitlist for a Waitlist18:19 Retake & Reapply Results31:42 Test D Question — Room for Dessert48:42 Tips from Departing Demons54:02 Accommodation Solicitation57:04 Reaching Out for a Grade Change1:07:35 Argumentative Essay on Meat Pizza1:18:53 Word of the Week — paucity

Ben and Nathan react to Harvard considering A+ grades in response to grade inflation. They discuss how grading practices have changed and what could meaningfully change the system. Also in this episode- Demon students share their January LSAT results- How to choose between a regional school and a top-ranked school- A listener asks about attending a non-ABA accredited law schoolNew York Times Articles by Mark ArsenaultStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 545 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Harvard Adding A+ Grading11:07 January Score Release21:35 Attending a Regional School27:38 Improving Accuracy 42:44 Test D Question — Vor58:57 Pearls v. Turds1:05:35 140s Jail1:13:55 Non-ABA Law School1:23:20 Too Late to Apply?1:31:13 Thank You Email1:36:36 Word of the Week — chiaroscuro

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 journeyClaude’s ConstitutionStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 544 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 How High is High Enough?18:10 Law School Offering a "Commemorative Gift”24:16 Good at Drilling but Bad at Timed Sections31:42 Test D Question — Sunlight Exposure43:40 Things We Actually Enjoy50:50 Discouraging Waitlists1:03:41 Long Road to Law School1:07:22 Personal Statement Gong Show1:23:12 Word of the Week — emolume

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?Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 543 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Florida Supreme Court News2:55 Law School Horror Stories10:47 ABA Legal Education Arm Seeks Independence14:50 LSAT Rule Change20:19 Not Paying for Law School21:52 Test D Question — Four Iron32:00 High Diagnostic Score38:44 Things We Actually Enjoy40:02 GPA Addendum45:07 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 stipendsStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 542 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Applying with No GPA11:35 “Best” Trial Advocacy Programs16:23 Test D Question — “Plagiarism”42:18 Skipping Questions49:46 Tips from Departing Demons58:22 How Much Are Stipends?1:06:08 Variance in Practice Tests1:13:45 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 ShowStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 541 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Studying on “Difficult Days” 5:17 Test D Question — “Mount Stupid”24:04 Things We Actually Enjoy28:03 Attending with a Conditional Scholarship43:36 Maximizing Your LSAT Score48:20 Wrong Answer Journal51:17 Trust the Process58:08 Personal Statement Gong Show1:05:19 Word of the week — heterodox