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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nathan and Ben dig into newly released admissions data and discuss the impact of the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ban. Later, the guys advocate greater transparency in law school pricing, assess JD-Next as an alternative to the LSAT, and investigate the ascendent Texas A&M School of Law.

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4:25 - New Law School Enrollment Data - The ABA just released law schools’ Standard 509 disclosures for 2024. Ben and Nathan discuss what the numbers mean for URM admissions following the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ban.

14:55 - Scholarships - ABA 509 reports now define full-tuition scholarships as “scholarships that cover tuition and mandatory fees.” Listener Emma wonders if this definition allows law schools to obscure their scholarship numbers. Nathan and Ben consider solutions to law schools’ discriminatory pricing model.

31:20 - JD-Next - Some law schools now report the number of enrolled students who took JD-Next, an alternative law school admissions test. So far, those numbers are low.

34:30 - What’s the Deal with…? - Ben and Nathan look into Texas A&M University School of Law, which has rocketed up the US News rankings in recent years.

1:16:56 - Read Every Answer - The guys explain why you should read every answer on every LSAT question.

1:21:57 - Word of the Week - Thinking LSAT listeners should avail themselves of LSAT Demon’s free classes at lsatdemon.com/free.

Good lawyers aren’t afraid to pause when they don’t understand something. They read and reread until they figure it out. This week, Ben and Nathan discuss why this lawyerly trait is crucial to mastering the LSAT. Later, the guys reject a purported downside to retaking the LSAT. They speculate about AI’s impact on the legal profession. And they consider the value of paying for the prestige of a top law school.

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1:46 - Every Word Matters - LSAT beginners and veterans alike make most of their mistakes because of sloppy reading. Ben and Nathan urge listeners to read like lawyers: every word matters.

23:32 - Pearls vs. Turds - Will law school admissions officers brand you as a “perfectionist” if you retake the LSAT? Would that label hurt your admissions chances?

34:41 - AI and Law - Listener Charlie worries about AI’s impact on the legal profession. Nathan and Ben argue that AI will empower attorneys, not replace them.

44:47 - Pay for Prestige? - Listener Trip wants to practice family law in a small city. The guys advise Trip to attend a regional law school on a full-ride scholarship rather than pay for the prestige of a higher-ranked school.

50:55 - LSAT and ADHD - Listener Victoria feels overwhelmed by the length of the passages in Reading Comprehension. Ben and Nathan encourage Victoria to focus on one sentence at a time.

57:26 - Tutoring - The guys discuss when students should pursue one-on-one LSAT tutoring and how to make the most of it.

1:03:21 - Low GPA - Soft factors don’t make up for—or excuse—a low GPA. Nathan and Ben urge listener Elis to prioritize grades over extracurriculars.

1:07:67 - Word of the Week - The University of Texas at Austin School of Law prefers “Texas Law” to the more pithy sobriquet “UT.”