Ben and Nate break down the measurable cost of applying late in the law school admissions cycle. Your LSAT score has the most value on the day that applications open. By rushing your LSAT or applying late in the cycle, you sacrifice points and leave money on the table. With AI poised to disrupt the legal market, it’s more important than ever to go to law school for free. Study with our Free planDownload our iOS appWatch Episode 521 on YouTube0:32 – AI Making Law School Obsolete?Ben and Nate discuss an article from a former Google exec claiming AI will make law and medical degrees obsolete. The guys acknowledge that AI is improving, but it still makes mistakes. While they agree that a law degree isn’t a guaranteed gravy train, they also note that the law itself is a barrier to modernization, which will slow AI’s impact on legal education. The schools most at risk are bottom feeders churning out lawyers for grunt work. Their advice: don’t pay tuition at weak schools.14:50 – LSAT Suspended in Mainland ChinaLSAC halts testing in China after evidence of cheating. A Reddit post earlier this year even advertised cheating services. While tough for honest test takers in China, applicants should appreciate LSAC’s effort to safeguard exam security.24:03 – Cost of Delaying AppsHow late is too late? While early applications are stronger, it’s never worth rushing the LSAT. The best strategy is to get your best LSAT and then apply at the start of the next cycle. A University of Chicago Journal of Law and Economics article finds that delays weaken applications. Waiting 100 days is equivalent to dropping 2.1 LSAT points or 0.26 GPA points. Schools review applications in waves, and the earliest applicants are often the strongest. Missing the first wave, even by a day, can carry measurable costs.Dynamic Decision-Making under Rolling Admissions: Evidence from US Law School Applications47:43 – Main Point vs. SummaryA summary lists information, but a main point answers “why.” It’s what the author is trying to convince you of, not just what they said.52:31 – Doing LR BackwardsListener Blair wants to work backward in Logical Reasoning to combat fatigue. Ben and Nathan’s answer: If you’re scoring under 175, you shouldn’t be finishing sections anyway, so working backward means skipping easier questions to do harder ones. If you’re at 175 or above, then fatigue isn’t an issue.59:28 – Score PlateausListeners Trevor and Ireland feel stuck. The guys caution against chasing a single breakthrough. Progress comes from carefully reviewing and learning from every mistake, one question at a time.1:04:42 – Personal Statement Gong ShowListener Elena is the next Gong Show contestant. Ben and Nathan read her personal statement until they reach an unforgivable mistake—they then ring the gong. The record is 34 lines, set by listener Sophia.Want in? Send in your statement by September 1, 2025, to be considered for the Gong Super Show. 1:07:20 - Word of the Week - TruismThe standard advice about writing is mostly truisms, like “Make a plan,” “Don’t use the passive,” or “Think of your audience.” Get caught up with our Word of the Week library.
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1:11:35
The Free JD (Ep. 520)
Ben and Nathan share strategies for using visualization to stay engaged in Reading Comprehension. They also explain that getting a full-ride to law school takes more than just a high LSAT score—your application timing, school choices, and willingness to walk away from weak offers all matter.Study with our Free PlanDownload our iOS appWatch Episode 520 on YouTube0:28 – How Law Schools Guide Career DecisionsA Harvard alumnus describes losing his job in big law after publishing an op-ed criticizing the Trump administration. Nathan and Ben discuss how law schools recruit students under the banner of justice, but then steer them toward corporate law firms. The guys remind listeners: you can’t do public-interest work and make big-law money at the same time. Sending their students to big law is a choice that schools have a vested interest in. 9:27 – UC Law SF Sweatshirt DriveNathan shares an email from UC Law San Francisco (formerly Hastings) asking alums to buy sweatshirts for incoming 1Ls. He and Ben laugh at the school’s request for $40 sweatshirts while simultaneously charging students more than $50,000 in tuition per year. 21:16 – Visualizing PassagesConnor asks for advice on improving visualization skills in RC. Strong reading comprehension depends on pausing to visualize the text—especially when it’s abstract. Creating a mind map lets you evaluate each sentence and anticipate what’s coming next. If you’re not actively questioning and connecting ideas, you’re missing the forest for the trees. 34:01 – Proctor TroublesMichael ran into issues with a proctor during his test and wonders if he should cancel his score. Ben and Nathan say there’s no advantage to canceling. The real question is whether his practice test results showed he was ready. Prepared students need not worry about minor test-day issues.37:51 – Don’t Settle for Sub-ParMike has a 3.98 GPA and practice LSAT scores in the 170s. He’s considering applying in-state with a 166 but also wonders about his T-14 prospects. The guys advise Mike to take an additional gap year, score 170+, apply early, and secure scholarships at top schools, especially given his career aspirations. 44:17 – Conditional Full RideTheo adopted the motto of going to law school for free. After a gap year, he improved his LSAT, applied broadly, and accepted a full-ride scholarship to his top choice law school. The downside is that it’s a conditional scholarship. Nate encourages Theo to stick to his commitment not to pay for law school.52:37 – Personal Statement Gong ShowNatalie is the next Gong Show contestant. In this segment, Ben and Nathan read your personal statement until they reach an unforgivable mistake—they then ring the gong. The record to beat is 34 lines, set by listener Sophia.1:08:34 - Word of the Week - WaylayI don’t want to waylay our meeting with this topic.Get caught up with our Word of the Week library.
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1:11:12
Rushing to Failure (Ep. 519)
Ben and Nathan field a handful of questions with a common theme: they come from students who are moving too fast on the LSAT, attempting too many questions, and failing to understand what they’re reading. In other words, they’re rushing to failure. The solution is simple: Attempt one question at a time. If you miss it, review until you understand why. Then, move on to the next one. Slow down, skip all the gimmicks, and the LSAT becomes easy. Study with our Free PlanDownload our iOS appWatch Episode 519 on YouTube0:33 – Reading All Answer ChoicesSydney asks if she can skip answer choices once she finds her prediction. Skimming bad answer choices is fine, but you still need to glance at all of them. You also don’t have to read every word. As soon as an answer starts moving in the wrong direction, eliminate it confidently and move on.8:35 – Master’s Degree to Make Up for a Low GPA?Joe recognizes that his undergraduate GPA will hurt his admissions chances and is considering a master’s degree to improve his odds. Ben and Nathan note that his 4.0 GPA in his senior year already shows he can succeed in law school. Graduate grades won’t factor into his LSAC GPA. Joe should focus instead on removing bad grades from his transcript and getting the best LSAT possible.13:37 – Mean LSAT TweetsAfter a 144 diagnostic, Chris sends Nate an angry email. Ben and Nathan outline the Demon’s resources for improvement—if Chris wants to use them. They also note that academically strong students often approach the LSAT like school: skimming, rushing, and relying on outside knowledge—habits that hurt scores.19:12 – Worst GPA You’ve Ever SeenRachel has a 1.73 GPA and just wants to get into law school. The guys commend her paralegal experience but explain that her only shot is with a strong LSAT. Given her situation, she should consider part-time or state-accredited programs to reduce cost and risk.26:41 – Two-Word Accommodation RequestA Reddit student gets 50% extra time for “severe anxiety” with a simple two-word doctor’s note. Ben and Nathan highlight the ease of securing accommodations but remind listeners that they aren’t necessary to succeed.34:30 – When to Take a BreakBlake feels burnt out after hours of daily studying with little progress. The guys point out that he’s prioritizing quantity over quality. They advise him to skip September, focus on learning, and wait to take the official test when he’s ready.43:17 – ABA JournalBen and Nathan scoff at the latest ABA Journal, which addresses loneliness, gambling addiction, and the California bar exam mishap just on the cover. Inside? A first-page ad asking lawyers to donate more money to the ABA with a testimonial from a dental hygienist. 50:10 – What’s the Deal with Purdue Global Law School?Peter wants to know if Purdue Global Law School, a California-accredited law school, is worth applying to. 1:09:40 - Personal Statement Gong ShowSophia signs up as the next Gong Show contestant. In this segment, Ben and Nathan read your personal statement until they reach an unforgivable mistake, then they ring the gong. The number of lines to beat is 21—the record currently held by listener Danielle. 1:20:27 - Word of the Week - AmeliorateThe new tutoring program was designed to ameliorate students’ struggles with reading comprehension.Get caught up with our Word of the Week library.
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Ticketmaster Vibes (Ep. 518)
Thinking LSAT Show NotesIn preparation for test week, Ben and Nathan remind students of a foundational piece of advice: treat the official test exactly like you would any other practice test. They apply that advice to everything from testing location decisions to your test week study plan. Study with our Free PlanDownload our iOS appWatch Episode 518 on YouTube0:25 – TicketmastersReddit is full of students panicking about unavailable test center seats due to a 50% increase in August registrations. Demon team members weigh in on the remote vs. in-person testing debate, with Ben and Nathan generally siding with online testing. While there can be proctor issues, they note that this isn’t a universal problem and argue that horror stories are often amplified on Reddit while the smooth administrations go unnoticed. 7:36 – Eliminating 4 out of 5 Demon student Tom highlights a valuable LSAT skill: confidently eliminating four answers even if you’re unsure why the fifth is right. Ben and Nathan explain the two paths to the correct answer—positive identification or conclusive elimination. When unsure of why a correct answer solves the problem, be sure to learn from that question in review, even if you get the question right.13:12 – The Week Before?Harry asks how to prepare in the final week before his test. The guys say to keep doing exactly what’s worked. They caution that even asking this question suggests Harry may be treating the official test differently from practice. Planning to use all five attempts reduces the pressure of any one test. 19:50 – LSAT Demon Dashboard RatingsA listener asks about the purpose behind the Demon’s dashboard ratings and how to utilize them effectively. Ben and Nathan explain that there were two primary goals: motivation and more immediate feedback. They emphasize that rating changes aren’t always linear, and minor drops shouldn’t be discouraging.24:40 – Video Explanations for RCConnor wonders if he should still review RC videos when he got everything right. Ben and Nathan say yes—especially if the passage felt confusing or required guesswork. Watching how teachers read can improve your process, not just your accuracy.28:32 – Transcript Petition SuccessMegan shares how she successfully petitioned to remove bad grades from her transcript. Ben and Nathan read the letter she used and suggested others in similar situations should try this approach. They note that smart, respectful advocacy can yield real results.40:28 – Applying BroadlyA student recounts accepting a partial scholarship and still facing six-figure debt. Ben and Nathan stress that 80% of law students receive scholarships and that partial offers can still lead to heavy debt burdens. Applicants should apply broadly and reject the idea that a “generous” offer is good enough if it means massive loans.Check out the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator47:00 - Word of the Week - Askance“The judge also looked askance at Anthropic’s acknowledgement that it had turned to downloading pirated books in order to save time and money in building its AI models.”Get caught up with our Word of the Week library.
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50:32
Ignore the Cycle Hype (Ep. 517)
Ben and Nathan push back against hype-driven decisions, urging students to ignore rising August LSAT registrations and wait to test until their practice scores consistently reflect readiness. They caution against chasing perceived trends, whether that means rushing to take an “easier” test or relying on gimmicks like diagramming. Even if more conditional logic appears in Logical Reasoning, the path to success remains the same: focus on intuitive understanding and resist shortcuts that only complicate the test.Study with our Free PlanDownload our iOS appWatch Episode 517 on YouTube0:30 – August 2025 RegistrationsDespite an increase in August test registrations, Ben and Nathan stress that this shouldn’t affect your personal test date. Wait to sign up until your practice test scores indicate that you’re ready. They remind listeners that perceptions of an “easier” test are misleading. 14:26 – Still No Need To Diagram Henry asks if LR sections now contain more conditional logic. Ben defends the intuitive approach even on the most conditional-heavy questions, while Nathan notes that LR will never match the complexity of logic games. Diagramming, among other gimmicks, are magic beans sold to students. These strategies only complicate the test and inhibit meaningful understanding. 22:17 – Michigan AI EssayJordan sends in a Michigan Law prompt inviting applicants to use generative AI. The guys are critical of the prompt but applaud the school for acknowledging AI’s role. They discuss how this reflects evolving attitudes toward AI in legal education.30:06 – Why Don’t You Want Me to Go This Fall?Lizzy expresses pressure to apply quickly despite not feeling ready. Ben and Nathan explain why waiting until you have your best score matters most. They warn against a “one-and-done” mindset and emphasize that rushing leads to lower scores, worse offers, and possible regret.40:20 – Listing AwardsA listener asks whether they should list awards they haven’t officially received yet. The advice: yes, include them—just mark them as “expected.”42:08 – Online JD ProgramsAre online JDs respected? Do they get scholarships? The guys argue there’s little meaningful distinction between online and in-person programs. Applicants should still apply early and broadly to maximize scholarship offers.51:22 - Word of the Week - UnlessInnovation cannot thrive unless organizations embrace risk-taking.Get caught up with our Word of the Week library.
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!
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