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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26 episodes
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Avg 1 hr 24 min
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Episodes 26

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S1 · E576
Monday · 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
S1 · E561
June 1 · 1 hr 16 min
New LSAT Registration Rule, Explained (Ep. 561)
LSAC has updated the LSAT registration process so students now choose their test date and time based on when they signed up. As a result, students who register earlier get priority to preferred testing times. Ben and Nathan advise students that registering when you’re ready is still the highest priority, but those who are ready may find an advantage to signing up sooner. Also in this episode: - Whether you need an admissions consultant to get into the top schools - UC Berkeley Law’s AI Policy - Advice from students who crushed the LSAT UC Berkeley Law AI Policy Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 561 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 Registration Update 11:26 Military Benefits are Expiring. Should I Apply Now? 24:43 Using an Admissions Consultant 34:50 Test D Question - Brenda & Mike 46:25 Ugly Mode 2.0 50:52 UC Berkeley Law's AI Policy 1:01:33 Tips from Departing Demons 1:07:31 Word of the Week – concomitant
S1 · E560
May 25 · 2 hr 2 min
Understanding Your Score Range (Ep. 560)
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 statement Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 560 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 Understanding Your Range 9:35 #thirstylawschools 22:41 Unemployable. Should I Go to Law School? 40:58 Update from Demon Alum 55:50 Personal Statement for Stay At-Home Mom 1:07:36 Test D Question – Trash bins 1:30:25 What’s the Deal with… University of Texas 1:56:20 Word of the week – bonhomie
S1 · E559
May 18 · 1 hr 28 min
Advice for Pre-Law Advisors (Ep. 559)
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. Turds Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 559 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 Advice for a Pre-Law Advisor 12:23 Exit Survey Feedback 25:06 Enroll Now or Reapply 48:56 What Should My Target Score Be? 56:17 Pearls v. Turds Rapid Fire 1:06:50 Personal Statement Gong Show 1:25:55 Word of the week — armamentarium
S1 · E558
May 11 · 1 hr 8 min
Don't Break Your Neck on RC (Ep. 558)
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 Plan⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠⁠ ⁠Watch Episode 558 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 Law School Starting Early for Grad PLUS Loans 7:28 April LSAT Score Release 13:10 Regressing on Performance 25:27 Test D Question – Raising Tolls 44:10 #thirstylawschools 54:05 Really, Really, Really Bad LSAT Prep 1:01:52 Saying No to Law Schools 1:03:35 Word of the Week – breviloquent
S1 · E557
May 4 · 1 hr 8 min
40 Years of Teaching the LSAT (Ep. 557)
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 LSAT Reuters Article: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/sullivan-cromwell-law-firm-apologizes-ai-hallucinations-court-filing-2026-04-21/ Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ Watch Episode 557 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 AI Hallucinations in Big Law Filing 3:55 ABA Employment Data 24:11 Do I Need a Diagnostic? 31:24 Tips from Departing Demons 43:25 Knowing Your Law Preference 51:37 Is Law School Right For Me? 1:05:40 Word of the Week – modicum

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