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Thinking LSAT

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: help@thinkinglsat.com. Don't pay for law school!

Learn more at lsatdemon.com

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  • 31 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 1 hr 25 min
  • English

Episodes 31

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  • S1 · E581
    Monday · 1 hr 41 min

    Moneyball in Provo (Ep. 581)

    In the game of rankings and medians, BYU makes their play with an admissions pathway where not only is an LSAT not required, taking the test can lead to your admission being rescinded. Also in this episode: ⬜ Can an addendum erase bad pre-med grades? ⬜ What should your admissions strategy be when geographically limited in your choice of law school? New York LSAC Forum Washington DC Law School Fair Philadelphia Law Fair 0:00 Applying When Locked Local 19:05 No LSAT Required (or Permitted) 35:00 Tips From Departing Demons 46:04 Test D Question — Trading Cards 59:03 Assumption Confusion 1:09:20 When to Hang It Up? 1:18:21 Please Excuse My Pre-Med 1:32:13 Word of the Week — minatory ​Start for Free Apple Store | Google Play Watch on YouTube “What’s the Deal” segments Word of the Week⁠⁠ library

  • S1 · E580
    October 12 · 1 hr 32 min

    What Students Get Wrong About RC (Ep. 580)

    A Demon student posts on Reddit about skipping the third passage on Reading Comprehension. Ben and Nathan advise doing the passages in order. As the student’s LSAT ability improves, their reading and answering speed will improve with it. Also in this episode: ⬜ A Demon student shares their September LSAT score. ⬜ Cardozo Law accidentally sends an acceptance to every applicant. ⬜ Another contestant takes the stage on the Personal Statement Gong Show! 0:00 September Score Release 8:35 Cardozo Law Mistaken Acceptance 11:29 Test D Question — Community center 43:50 Suspicious Pre-Law Advice 1:01:02 Skipping the Third RC Passage 1:06:10 Holding Applications 1:13:49 Personal Statement Gong Show 1:24:00 Word of the Week — Solecism 1:31:20 Email of the Week New York LSAC Forum Washington DC Law School Fair Philadelphia Law Fair ​Start for Free Apple Store | Google Play Watch on YouTube “What’s the Deal” segments Word of the Week⁠⁠ library

  • S1 · E579
    October 5 · 1 hr 41 min

    Your Ten Point Window (Ep. 579)

    A listener asks about how to prepare on the day of her LSAT administration. She worries about underperforming her practice test scores. Ben and Nathan advise the listener to treat it like another practice test. Also in this episode: ⬜ Diving into a study from AccessLex comparing bar passage rates and law school grades. ⬜ Why a student has not seen a score change in five months. ⬜ A four-step approach from a listener on finding the correct answer. 0:00 Bar Passage Rate Study 14:59 Missing 50/50 Questions 34:07 No Score Change in 5 Months 50:11 Test D Question — Handmade pasta 1:07:26 Advice for Test Day 1:17:34 Demon Hot Take 1:24:57 Steps to the Correct Answer 1:33:26 Word of the Week — Otiose 1:40:20 Email of the Week AccessLex Study ​Start for Free Apple Store | Google Play Watch on YouTube “What’s the Deal” segments Word of the Week⁠⁠ library

  • S1 · E578
    September 28 · 1 hr 31 min

    Two-Year JD at Harvard? (Ep. 578)

    Donors at Harvard Law are pushing the school to adopt a two-year JD program. Ben and Nathan agree. Also in this episode: ⬜ Can you build a law school without the ABA? The University of Austin is about to try ⬜ Should you apply to law school now or bet on a stronger application next year? ⬜ What makes SMU Law tick? Ben and Nathan break down the numbers, jobs, and Dallas market ​Start for Free Apple Store | Google Play Watch on YouTube “What’s the Deal” segments Word of the Week⁠⁠ library 0:00 “Have You Applied to Other Schools” 6:40 Two-Year JD at Harvard 10:58 University of Austin Law School 21:40 Too Slow on RC 40:19 Test D Question — Company emails 55:48 Tips from Departing Demons 1:05:07 Opportunity Cost of Gap Year 1:16:52 What’s the Deal with… SMU 1:25:37 Word of the Week — stultifying 1:28:26 Email of the Wee

  • S1 · E577
    September 21 · 1 hr 2 min

    Firms Now Recruit Before 1L Grades (Ep. 577)

    A listener currently in school who can only study once or twice a week asks whether infrequent studying is worse than not studying at all. Ben and Nathan explain that intermittent studying can still be beneficial, as long as it doesn’t come at the expense of your grades. For students still in school, GPA comes first. Also in this episode: - Aaminah joins the show to talk about Crushing 1L - Harvard Law moves up its big law recruiting timeline - Does law school prestige matter for a public interest job Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 577 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 Crushing 1L with the Demon 8:42 Layoffs at George Washington Law 14:45 Harvard Law School Moves Recruiting Timeline 25:02 Test D Question — Bar Prep 35:36 The One Question Study Plan 40:34 Public Interest Career Goals 49:03 Skills & Interests Resume Section 53:47 Word of the Week — deleterious 59:46 Email of the Week

  • S1 · E576
    September 14 · 1 hr 48 min

    Law Schools Are Quietly Going Broke (Ep. 576)

    A new law review article estimates the financial condition of every ABA-accredited law school. Ben and Nathan discuss how the financial model of law schools has shifted with the rise of U.S. News rankings, and how that financial burden increasingly falls on the least credentialed students. Also in this episode: - Whether you can take the LSAT too many times - How to study for the LSAT the week of your exam - If you should retake your argumentative essay Is Your Law School Going Broke? (Paul Campos) Law School Financial Data Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 576 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 Is Your Law School Going Broke? 33:47 Ten Point Score Jump in One Month 43:12 Too Many LSAT Attempts 47:21 Test D Question — Cats’ meow 1:01:13 Studying the Week of your Exam 1:07:54 Retaking the Argumentative Essay 1:12:50 Personal Statement Gong Show 1:40:28 Word of the Week — obstreperous 1:43:49 Email of the Week

  • S1 · E575
    September 7 · 1 hr 31 min

    Apply Broadly for Big Bucks (Ep. 575)

    A listener writes in hopes to land the best possible scholarship for a law school in New York City. Ben and Nathan's advice: cast a wide net, apply to every school in the city, and lead with your best LSAT score. Also in this episode: - August LSAT score release day celebrations from the Demon Discord - A student whose score hold finally got released - What's the Deal with... University of Georgia Paul Campos’s Article: Is Your Law School Going Broke: A Field Guide for Interested Parties Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 575 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 August LSAT Score Release 15:30 Receiving a Disappointing Score 23:16 Test D Question — Cake Baking 32:05 Cheating Allegations Exonerated 41:57 Tips from Departing Demons 49:10 Don’t Pay for Law School 58:13 How to Bring Up RC Accuracy 1:07:40 What's the Deal with... University of Georgia 1:25:15 Word of the Week — pernicious 1:28:22 Email of the Week

  • S1 · E574
    August 31 · 1 hr 14 min

    Big Law Feeding Frenzy (Ep. 574)

    Big law firms are extending offers to first-year law students before Christmas, pushing the recruiting timeline earlier than ever. Ben and Nathan break down what's driving the frenzy, whether it echoes the pre-2008 hiring bubble, and what it means for applicants counting on those $235K Big Law salaries. Also in this episode: - LSAC postpones removing dual-enrollment credits from applicants’ UGPAs - Advice from Demon students who crushed the LSAT - Early decision scholarships from Wake Forest Law and Emory Law Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 574 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 LSAC GPA Policy 14:28 Test D Question — Broken car 23:54 Always Choosing Next Best Answer 34:00 Law Firm Hiring Frenzy 45:59 Tips from Departing Demons 49:39 Early Decision Scholarship from Wake Forest Law 57:49 Early Decision Email from Emory Law 1:09:12 Word of the Week — imprecations 1:12:08 Email of the week

  • S1 · E573
    August 24 · 1 hr 7 min

    The 170 Median Race (Ep. 573)

    Law schools are releasing LSAT and GPA medians for their incoming first-year classes, and the number of schools with a 170+ median has risen sharply since 2016. Ben and Nathan break down why this is happening, and why it means schools are handing out generous scholarships to applicants with high medians. Their advice: use this to your advantage. Also in this episode: - Should you apply early with a below-target LSAT score, or wait until the next cycle? - Switching to Demon after grinding through 1,800+ questions on another platform - How often should you take full-length practice tests if you're still early in your prep Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 573 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 Apply early or wait until the next cycle? 7:48 LSAT & GPA Medians of First-Year Classes 24:58 Thoughts from a Departed Demon 29:21 Demon is now on Android 31:50 Test D Question — Supergroups 39:35 Switching to the Demon After 1,800 Questions 51:45 How Often to Take Full PTs 58:52 Codeswitching LR and RC 1:03:16 Word of the week — calumniator 1:05:50 Email of the week

  • S1 · E572
    August 17 · 1 hr 22 min

    175 Is the New 173 (Ep. 572)

    LSAC has released its annual LSAT percentile table, showing how score distributions have changed over the past three testing cycles. Ben and Nathan explain that while more test takers are earning higher scores, small changes in percentiles matter far less than the score improvement students can make. Also in this episode: - The difference between necessary vs. sufficient questions - Why applying early without your best score will hurt your application - A tip from a student in the LSAT Demon Discord ​You’re Never Early with a Bad Score, Thinking LSAT (Ep. 521) Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 572 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 — Agamemnon's pride 10:31 Necessary vs. Sufficient Assumption 24:05 LSAT Percentile Changes 30:16 Applying Early or with the Best LSAT Score 38:24 Pearls v. Turds 51:07 Tips from Departing Demons 59:34 Attending a Regional Law School 1:12:39 Word of the week — casuistry 1:18:38 Email of the week

  • S1 · E571
    August 10 · 1 hr 7 min

    This GPA Change Could Help You (Ep. 571)

    LSAC has changed how it calculates an applicant's undergraduate GPA: college courses taken during high school will no longer count toward the UGPA. Ben and Nathan discuss how this could benefit many applicants and how students can get their UGPA updated. Also in this episode: - A viewer who is applying to law school for the third time - Washington cancelling their bar exam after technical difficulties - The next contestant on the Personal Statement Gong Show Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 571 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 LSAC UGPA Change 4:14 Avoiding Strike Three on Law Applications 11:24 Washington Cancelled Bar Exam 18:32 Test D Question — Linguistic anthropologist 32:58 Exit Survey on Demon Explanations 38:55 Ask Button Secret Feature 42:18 Personal Statement Gong Show 59:32 Word of the week — logomachy

  • S1 · E570
    August 3 · 1 hr 28 min

    Don't Drill Yourself Into a Corner (Ep. 570)

    A listener asks whether drilling one question type until they've "mastered" it beats mixed practice. Ben and Nathan explain why focusing on a single type creates a false sense of progress. They argue that mixed practice better prepares students for the unpredictability of the real LSAT. Also in this episode: - A law school asks waitlisted applicants to take a “situational judgment” test - Which test a student with only two attempts left should register for - How to reapply after being dismissed from law school Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 570 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 Drilling Method 8:47 Tips on Predicting 22:11 Waitlist Games 41:13 Test D Question — Planet Y 58:50 When to Register 1:04:32 UC Law SF Alumni Email 1:09:12 Reapplying After Law School Dismissal 1:23:14 Word of the week — intransigent

  • S1 · E569
    July 27 · 1 hr 32 min

    Why Law Firms Can't Stop Hiring (Ep. 569)

    Dan Currell returns to unpack a decade of major shifts in legal education and hiring. Nathan and Dan discuss employment outcomes for recent law graduates and the unusually frothy market in law firm hiring. Also in this episode: - What's fueling the surge in law school application - The mounting pressure students face once enrolled - Grade inflation at the undergraduate level Employment Outcomes Since 2016 Hiring by Firm Size Since 2016 Law School Applications by Year Mean UGPA for First-Year Class Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 569 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 Introduction 5:21 Enthusiasm or Fear: What's Driving Applicants? 16:26 Employment Outcomes for Recent Law Graduates 25:53 The Frothy Market in Law Firm Hiring 34:24 The Super-Star Effect 42:25 Removal of Logic Games 49:09 The Rise in Law School Applications 59:06 Pressure on Students 1:04:30 Take-Home LSAT Change 1:12:55 Grade Inflation

  • S1 · E568
    July 20 · 1 hr 24 min

    Did RC Secretly Get Harder? (Ep. 568)

    The Demon team discovered that LSAC removed a Reading Comprehension feature in its updated interface. The test will no longer highlight referenced text in the passage. Ben and Nathan talk about this change and what it means for students. Also in this episode: - Chicago Law Releases Update on AI Strategy - Whether to pursue a master’s degree before law school - The next Personal Statement Gong Show contestant University of Chicago Law Policy Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 568 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 No More Blue Highlighting on RC 14:12 On the Parallel Reasoning Ledge 25:58 Chicago Law Banning Phones and Laptops 36:19 Tips from Departing Demons 40:12 Test D Question — Athleisure 48:17 Pursuing Master’s Before Law School 55:24 Personal Statement Gong Show 1:19:48 Word of the week — recalcitrant

  • S1 · E567
    July 13 · 1 hr 33 min

    The Diagramming Debate (Ep. 567)

    A student pushes back on the Demon's advice against diagramming on the LSAT. Nathan and Ben respond with why their intuitive approach helps students answer questions faster and more accurately. Also in this episode: - A viewer follows up on their score hold - A judge's advice on sharing personal struggles in a personal statement - Whether being a KJD hurts your application Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 567 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 Prematurely Registered for the LSAT 17:10 Accusation of Cheating 41:08 Pearls v. Turds 44:40 Confused with LSAT Demon 49:57 Test D Question — Evil Oil Barons 1:04:13 Sharing Struggles in Personal Statement 1:16:16 KJD Tax 1:25:29 Word of the week — auspicious

  • S1 · E566
    July 6 · 1 hr 27 min

    Don't Choke On Test Day (Ep. 566)

    A viewer writes with disappointment about an underperformance on their last two LSAT administrations. Ben and Nathan remind her that scores naturally fluctuate, and that if you've been scoring high, the answer is almost always to be registered for the next test. Also in this episode: - A viewer who underperformed on their June LSAT administration - An update from a former Demon student after their first year of law school - How a splitter can boost their law school application Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 566 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 June Score Release 8:30 Underperforming on the LSAT 17:16 SCOTUS Writing Jargon 19:50 Wake Forest Law Deferral for Increased Scholarship 45:47 Test D Question — State senate election 55:20 Demon Alum 1L Update 1:06:10 How to Boost Application 1:21:25 Word of the week — proprioception

  • S1 · E565
    June 29 · 1 hr 14 min

    Above The Law Ranks for Big Law (Ep. 565)

    The 2026 “Above the Law” law school rankings just dropped. Unlike US News, Above the Law only ranks 50 schools and weighs employment outcomes almost exclusively. The result? Some schools rank much higher than expected while others fall despite their prestige. Also in this episode: - Advice on pass/fail courses from an academic advisor - The Department of Education lowers loan rates for borrowers - What to do in your last five minutes on RC Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 565 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 Above the Law Rankings 16:17 Pass/Fail Advice from Academic Advisor 20:35 Department of Education Lowers Student Loan Rates 33:31 Test D Question — Vocabulary 48:30 LSAT Retake Advice from Dean Z 1:02:53 Last 5 Minutes of Reading Comprehension 1:09:39 Word of the week — abrogate

  • June 22 · 1 hr 30 min

    Welcome to the Waitlist Games (Ep. 564)

    Law schools have started to give out acceptances off of their waitlist. Ben and Nathan give advice to a viewer who received a spot off the waitlist from a higher ranked school with no scholarship offer. Also in this episode: - How to consistently study while working full-time - A viewer email asks whether they should register for the August LSAT - The next contestant on the Personal Statement Gong Show Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 564 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 and Working Full-TIme 7:37 Decision Advice on Waitlist 27:01 #thirstylawschools 37:33 Should I Take the August LSAT? 51:59 Test D Question — Smartphone ban 1:03:25 LSAT Study Timeline 1:11:16 Personal Statement Gong Show 1:24:50 Word of the week — contumacious

  • S1 · E563
    June 15 · 1 hr 12 min

    Big Law Pays 455k. Here's the Catch (Ep. 563)

    Milbank raised salaries for their associates with many law firms expected to follow. Ben and Nathan discuss the type of students who are the most likely to land in big law and the potential downsides of working in such firms. Also in this episode: - Whether you should review answers you get right - AI outperforms law professors in a Stanford study on tutoring - Tips from students who crushed the LSAT Bloomberg Law Article Reuters Article Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 563 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 Big Law Associate Raise 12:27 Reviewing Correct Answers 18:15 Ready for Timed Sections? 30:26 AI Beat Law Professors In Stanford Study 38:37 Test D Question — Michelson and Morley 52:17 Tips from Departing Demons 58:42 Hope for a Splitter 1:07:40 Word of the week — garrulous

  • S1 · E562
    June 8 · 1 hr 4 min

    Avoid These Scammerships (Ep. 562)

    Jazmine writes in asking if she should accept the offers that are waiting on her June LSAT score. Ben and Nathan advise her to sit out this admissions cycle, maximize her LSAT score, and pursue better scholarship opportunities next cycle. Also in this episode: - How much letters of recommendation matter - The right approach to the argumentative writing sample - A Reddit post about performing worse on drilling than on sections Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 562 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 Enroll Now or Reapply Next Cycle? 12:10 How Much Do LORs Really Matter? 21:09 Good at Untimed Sections but Bad at Drilling 31:36 Test D Question — Vinyl Art 43:12 How to Approach the Argumentative Writing 55:01 Demon Respondent Update 1:00:06 Word of the week — tutelage

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