Episodes

  • Is LR the New LG? (Ep. 494)
    Feb 17 2025

    Nathan and Ben weigh in on the reports from some test-takers that the February LSAT featured more LG-style questions in Logical Reasoning. The guys also advise listeners on how to bounce back from a disappointing LSAT score. They caution applicants not to overshare in their law school applications. And they consider the importance of the LSAT Writing sample.


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    0:52 - New LSAT Dates - LSAC just announced test dates for the 2025–2026 LSAT cycle.

    2:37 - January LSAT Scores - As January test-takers navigate the highs and lows of score release, Ben and Nathan encourage anyone who was disappointed with their score to keep studying and to treat their next official test like any other practice test.

    13:33 - Is LR the New LG? - Some February test-takers have reported an increase in Logical Reasoning questions that “require” diagramming. Nathan and Ben suspect that these claims are more fiction than fact. You don’t need to diagram in LR.

    28:30 - Oversharing on Applications - The guys share some common red flags in law school applications that people unwittingly raise by oversharing.

    39:25 - Process of Elimination - Ben and Nathan explain when it’s okay to pick an answer via process of elimination.

    42:55 - LSAT Writing - How important is LSAT Writing? Nathan and Ben discuss how law schools might consider—or ignore—these writing samples.

    46:59 - Word of the Week - Bad LSAT prep stultifies students’ progress.

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    50 mins
  • Attack Each Argument (Ep. 493)
    Feb 10 2025

    You don’t conquer the LSAT with fifty-fifty guesses. You do it by carefully solving each question. This week, Nathan and Ben outline their plan of attack in Logical Reasoning, counsel a student who’s feeling unmotivated to study, and identify a common cause of score plateaus.


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    1:33 - Staying Motivated -An anonymous listener struggles to stay motivated for LSAT study. Nathan and Ben recommend prioritizing quality over quantity and pursuing activities outside of LSAT prep.

    7:45 - Don’t Apply Late -Law schools’ application deadlines shouldn’t be on your radar. To maximize your chances, apply early and broadly.

    16:45 - Attack Each Argument -The vast majority of arguments in Logical Reasoning are bad. Excellence in LR comes from attacking each argument and finding flaws.

    32:31 - Gap-Year Employment -Any work experience can be good work experience. Law schools won’t look down on you for putting a retail job on your résumé.

    36:10 - Timed Sections vs. Practice Tests -Do your scores from individual timed sections accurately reflect how you’d perform on the official test?

    38:49 - Score Plateau -The guys diagnose the cause of listener Daniel’s score plateau: poor accuracy. They instruct Daniel to slow down and practice getting questions right.

    44:16 - Thirsty Law Schools -The University of Tulsa College of Law is offering unsolicited full-ride scholarships to students with LSAT scores at or above 160.

    53:55 - Word of the Week -Law students must master thepunctilio of legal writing.

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    1 hr
  • What If I Can’t Predict the Answer? (Ep. 492)
    Feb 3 2025

    The best LSAT students frequently predict the correct answer. But what do you do if your prediction isn’t there? This week, Nathan and Ben revisit their adaptable approach to prediction. The guys also share test-week advice for a February LSAT taker. They weigh in on binding early deferral programs. And they examine a law school in turmoil.


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    1:30 - February LSAT Advice - Listener Max looks for test-week advice to help him crush the February LSAT—but Ben and Nathan don’t believe in last-minute tips and tricks. They urge Max not to take the LSAT until he’s happy with his practice test scores.

    7:09 - Predictions and Question Types - Nathan and Ben discuss how to predict answers and what to do when your prediction doesn’t appear in the answer choices. Their approach is similar across question types.

    24:39 - Learn from Your Mistakes - You don’t need to look for big lessons in every mistake.Your review should always address these two questions: (1) Why is the right answer right? (2) Why is the wrong answer wrong?

    31:50 - Columbia LEAD Program - Ben and Nathan strongly discourage students from applying to binding early deferral programs like Columbia Law’s LEAD Fellowship.

    38:22 - What’s the Deal with…? - Of all law schools in 2024, Penn State Law in University Park suffered the sharpest decline in their students’ LSAT scores. The guys investigate.

    1:12:29 - Word of the Week - Other LSAT prep companies offer agglomerations of terrible tips and tricks.

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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Beware of Scammerships (Ep. 491)
    Jan 27 2025

    Always read the fine print on your scholarship offers. This week, Nathan and Ben examine a low-ranked law school that reduces roughly two-thirds of its conditional scholarships every year. The guys also discuss the competitiveness of this year’s application cycle. They dismiss the idea that the LSAT is harder than it used to be. And they weigh the importance of law school rankings in deciding which school to attend.


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    0:35 - A Competitive Cycle - Nathan and Ben check the numbers for this highly competitive application cycle. They speculate about what might be causing the upward trend in applicants and LSAT scores.

    19:05 - Is the LSAT Getting Harder? - After every LSAT, some test-takers complain that their official LSAT was more difficult than their practice tests. They’re imagining it. The LSAT is as difficult as it’s ever been: not very.

    24:28 - Ask of the Week - The guys highlight Elizabeth’s insightful Ask Button explanation about unrepresentative samples.

    42:38 - Law School Rankings - How much should you care about law school rankings? It depends. Ben and Nathan urge listener Kenley to factor the cost of attendance into their decision.

    51:20 - What’s the Deal with…? - Nathan and Ben look into California Western School of Law, a low-ranked school that doles out dubious scholarships or, as the guys call them, “scammerships.”

    1:42:59 - Word of the Week - Students dread the panopticon of remote LSAT proctoring.

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    1 hr and 49 mins
  • Law Schools Underreport Scholarships (Ep. 490)
    Jan 20 2025

    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.

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    1 hr and 13 mins
  • Don't Fear Timed Practice (Ep. 489)
    Jan 13 2025

    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.

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    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Pre-Law Predators (Ep. 488)
    Jan 6 2025

    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.

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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Can Retaking Hurt You? (Ep. 487)
    Dec 30 2024

    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.

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    1 hr and 33 mins