by Nathan Fox and Ben Olson
Ben Olson and Nathan Fox started the Thinking LSAT Podcast to become better LSAT teachers and have some fun. Please 1) subscribe, 2) rate and review, and 3) send us questions: [email protected]. Don't pay for law school! Learn more at lsatdemon.com
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Publishing Since
6/2/2014
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April 21, 2025
<p>The secret to scoring a 170 on the LSAT? Don’t finish the section—just slow down and focus on accuracy. Ben and Nathan share an excerpt from their new book, The LSAT Is Easy, that breaks down what it takes to reach score milestones. They also unpack common admissions gimmicks, share tips from a departing demon, and host another round of the Personal Statement Gong Show.</p><p><a href="https://lsatdemon.com/"><u>Study with our Free Plan</u></a></p><p><a href="http://lsat.link/app"><u>Download our iOS app</u></a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/Xh7OWj2TGOk"><u>Watch Episode 503 on YouTube</u></a></p><p><strong>0:37 - The LSAT Is Easy</strong></p><p>Ben and Nathan explain why the LSAT isn’t as difficult as it seems. Rushing through questions leads to repeated mistakes, not progress. They encourage slowing down, focusing on accuracy, and carefully solving each question. The episode also introduces their new, budget-friendly book. Improving your score starts with doing questions right, not doing more of them.</p><p><strong>19:33 – Marketing gimmicks </strong></p><p>Law schools use tactics like seat deposit deadlines and “priority waitlists” to pressure applicants into accepting full-price offers. Ben and Nathan explain how these strategies work, why they don’t reflect actual capacity, and how they help schools find eager, full-paying students. Their advice? Ignore the pressure. Focus on scholarships and long-term results.</p><p><strong>40:50 – Why didn’t Ben enjoy his job in the justice department? </strong></p><p>Ben recalls his time at the DOJ, where much of his work involved revising boilerplate from other lawyers. They also discuss clerkships—what they entail, how they differ, and why federal ones are more significant. For more on clerkships, check out <a href="https://www.thinkinglsat.com/thinking-lsat-episodes/episode-418"><u>Thinking LSAT Episode 418, </u>Demystifying Federal Clerkships<u>.</u></a></p><p><strong>43:53 – You Don’t Need to Explain Every Wrong Answer. </strong></p><p>Some students waste time trying to explain every wrong answer. Ben and Nathan suggest it’s more useful to understand the logic behind the correct ones and focus your review on the questions you missed. The point isn’t to memorize everything—it’s to build real understanding.</p><p><strong>48:23 – Personal Statement Gong Show</strong></p><p>Angel shares a personal statement for critique. Ben and Nathan emphasize that it needs to focus squarely on the applicant. Highlighting anything other than your skills wastes space that should be used to show why you will succeed in law school and the legal profession. </p><p><strong>1:09:16 - Tips from a Departing Demon</strong></p><p>Blake shares two pieces of advice: every word on the LSAT counts, and practice doesn’t make perfect—just better. Ben and Nathan agree with another student who reminds listeners not to take the test until they’re truly ready.</p><p><strong>1:14:16 - Word of the Week - Concomitant</strong></p><p>"Neurosurgery seemed to present the most challenging and direct confrontation with meaning, identity, and death. <strong>Concomitant</strong> with the enormous responsibilities they shouldered, neurosurgeons were also masters of many fields: Neurosurgery, ICU Medicine, neurology, radiology."</p>
April 14, 2025
<p>Ben and Nathan break down the newly released U.S. News law school rankings, including an initial error that caused some confusion. They explain why slight shifts in rankings—like Cornell dropping out of the Top 14 or the new Top 17—shouldn’t heavily influence your law school choice. Instead, they stress applying broadly and focusing on schools with the best scholarship offers and employment outcomes.</p><p>A listener asks if retaking the LSAT is worth it after being rejected or waitlisted by all her top schools. In Pearls vs. Turds, they assess a tip about highlighting adverbs in reading comprehension, noting that understanding their role matters more than marking them up. Then, they offer guidance on handling unanswered questions after timed sections. And what’s the deal with Pace Law School? </p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://lsatdemon.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Study with our Free Plan</a></p><p><a href="http://lsat.link/app" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Download our iOS app</a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/AhufAtAU-ZM" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Watch Episode 502 on Youtube</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>0:30 – The New U.S. News Rankings (and a Bit of Confusion)</strong></p><p>Ben and Nathan unpack the latest U.S. News Law School Rankings, which briefly included an incorrect list due to an initial error. A four-way tie at 14th place has turned the usual Top 14 into a Top 17. Their main point: minor ranking shifts shouldn't drive your decision. Focus instead on applying broadly and choosing the school that offers the best mix of scholarship money and job prospects.</p><p><strong>15:29 – Is It Time to Retake the LSAT?</strong></p><p>A listener waitlisted or rejected by all her top-choice schools asks for advice. Ben and Nathan agree she should retake the LSAT and reapply. They warn against accepting the steep “waitlist prices” schools often offer. Their advice: apply to at least 10 schools to maximize offers, but don’t count long-shot “reach” schools in that total.</p><p><strong>26:36 – Pearls vs. Turds: Should You Highlight Adverbs?</strong></p><p>This week’s tip suggests highlighting all adverbs in reading comprehension. While adverbs can shape a passage’s meaning, the Demon still advises against highlighting. It can become a crutch that replaces real understanding. What matters is grasping their impact, not marking them. Verdict: a pearl—with some polishing.</p><p><strong>32:30 – What To Do With Unanswered Questions</strong></p><p>A student using the Demon method—focusing on one question at a time and ignoring the clock—asks what to do with leftover questions once time runs out. Ben and Nathan suggest reviewing the questions he attempted and missed first, then finishing the remaining ones untimed, treating them like regular drilling.</p><p><strong>35:34 – What’s the Deal with Pace Law School</strong></p><p>This week’s What’s the Deal With is prompted by former FBI Director Kush Patel leaving Pace Law School off his official bio. Ben and Nathan highlight common concerns with schools like Pace, including conditional scholarships and limited employment outcomes. They also caution against being swayed by marketing claims like “number one ranked environmental law program” and encourage students to focus on scholarship offers and job prospects.</p><p><strong>1:02:51 - Word of the Week - Struthious</strong></p><p>If the reckless disregard standard... served merely as a substitute for willful misconduct—to prevent the defendant from "deliberately blinding himself to the consequences of his tortuous action"—section (b)(3) would be redundant since section (b)(2) already covers such <strong>struthious</strong> conduct.</p>
April 7, 2025
<p>Ben and Nathan focus on shifting the power dynamic in law school admissions. From controlling scholarship negotiations to spotting misleading admissions practices, they offer practical advice for staying in control and making informed decisions. Sometimes, that means rejecting law schools that aren’t making the cut when it comes to scholarship offers. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://lsatdemon.com/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Study with our Free Plan</a></p><p><a href="http://lsat.link/app" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Download our iOS app</a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/w8nm3F3fQi8" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Watch Episode 501 on Youtube</a></p><p><br /></p><p><strong>0:35 – How Often Do Students Reject Schools - </strong>If you’re not turning down offers, you didn’t apply to enough schools. Applying broadly puts applicants in the driver’s seat and creates leverage for better offers. Nathan and Ben explain how schools are under pressure to fill their class and how savvy students can use that to negotiate their scholarship offers. They also caution against binding early decision programs, 3+3 tracks, and anything else that limits a student's ability to apply broadly.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>14:23 – Is the Scholarship Estimator Broken - </strong>Two students express concern over their scholarship prospects. The updated 2024 ABA reports in the estimator appear less optimistic than earlier estimates. Nathan and Ben explain how changes to reporting standards might allow law schools to deflate reported scholarship numbers and obscure actual financial outcomes. They emphasize the importance of focusing on getting the best score possible on the LSAT, applying broadly, and not panicking.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>33:22 – Eliminating Wrong Answers as a Strategy - </strong>There are two ways to get a question right: identifying the correct answer or eliminating the wrong ones. While the latter can work, it’s not the most efficient method. Ben and Nathan caution students against eliminating an answer choice because they don’t understand it. The preferred strategy is understanding why the right answer is correct, which often saves time and improves accuracy.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>36:53 – Personal Statement Gong Show - </strong>Nathan and Ben continue their “gong show” series, reading listener-submitted personal statements. The guys read until they find something that derails the statement and then immediately stop. The current record stands at five lines. This week, James submits his essay in an attempt to beat the record.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>44:27 – What’s the Deal with Southwestern Law School - </strong>Southwestern still uses conditional scholarships that Nathan and Ben classify as “scammerships.” Nearly 50% of students had their scholarships eliminated while in school. While the top students may thrive, the majority face poor employment outcomes and low bar passage rates. They advise listeners not to attend Southwestern at full or even half price. Anyone facing a scholarship cut should be prepared to drop out. They also discuss Southwestern’s part-time, online, and accelerated JD programs. These options might be more convenient, but they usually cost just as much as the regular three-year JD.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>1:03:09 – Word of the Week - </strong>Many economists argue that <strong>tariffs</strong> create market distortions that can harm domestic consumers over time. </p>
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