The Path of Most Resistance (Ep. 177)
Nathan’s excited to travel east for a joint talk with Ben at GW. And Ben’s excited, too, even though he’s also got a bizarre groundhog-day cold. But before they drop a bunch of LSAT knowledge on GW’s campus, they’ve got a ton of great LSAT wisdom to share with YOU. Today the guys do a deep dive into reading comprehension, they rip up an early decision offer from a Virginia law school, give some advice about taking the LSAT after a break from the test, and help clarify LG rules.
Before you jump into the show, make sure you head over to ThinkingLSAT.com and check out info for the upcoming Thinking LSAT Live: Las Vegas. You can meet up with Ben and Nathan. Sharpen your pencil for the upcoming tests this spring and summer. And soak up the desert rays in sunny LV during this weekend-long LSAT prep class.
As always, If you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT, and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
7:04 – LSAT Demon update: Ben and co. are chugging away—coding, tweaking, analyzing, refining—and the Demon just keeps getting better. But for all its mesmerizing, LSAT-improving AI power, there’s one thing it won’t do. It’s not gonna predict your LSAT score while you answer individual questions. And, yeah, we know you might say, “well no sh*t.” But not every LSAT prep company feels the same way. Ben tells a tale of a student who’s using another software platform to study, and her results are, well, mixed to say the least.
12:54 – LSAT FUNdamentals: If you’re gonna get a real serious job as a real serious lawyer – you need to get real serious about the LSAT. So when you begin preparing for the test, where should you spend your efforts, and how can you set yourself up for success? Today’s LSAT fundamentals discussion is all about Reading Comprehension. RC is arguably the most important aspect of the test because it shows up in nearly every section. The guys provide a comprehensive look at their approach to RC, including how to work through a passage, the different problem types, and how to treat the answer choices.
1:12:59 – If you thought that going to law school was just a bunch of boring-ass law stuff and going tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars into debt, you’re dead wrong. Because Liberty University sure does have a deal for you! Apply early decision. Then decide to go there. Then actually go there and complete student orientation. And then you’ll get a $500 Barnes and Noble gift card to use at their store on campus. See? Silver. Lining. The guys talk about the hilariousness of Liberty University’s early decision offer.
1:22:56 – Email 1—Monica is thinking about re-taking the LSAT. And for good reason. On her first diagnostic, she crushed a 158, and then prepped her way to consistent scores in the 160s and low 170s. But on test day she crashed and burned and received a 152. What’s more is that she took the test over a year ago. So she wants to know how to approach the test now that she’s ready to study once again. Nathan and Ben speculate about why Monica saw such a precipitous drop in test scores, and offer her advice on how to approach the test this time around.
1:30:06 – Stetson University’s College of Law put forth some advice about preparing for the LSAT. And this week? Ben and Nathan put their words of questionable wisdom under the microscope for your enjoyment in Pearls vs. Turds. Stetson says to give yourself 30 minutes instead of the regulation 35 minutes to complete each section during your practice exam. Then? Review for as long as you like. Tune in to see how this affects the Pearl/Turd/Draw score board.
1:32:56 – Email 2—Sam writes in with a question about diagraming Logic Games. He uses an example from an ordering game that has an “unless” rule, and explains how he would diagram for the game. Ben and Nathan find the fatal error in his approach almost immediately and share how they would think about the problem.
1:38:46 – Email 3—The guys receive a pretty rad email from long-time listener Drew about how the show has improved his test score. His first diagnostic landed him a 152. When he finally took the test this fall, he received a 169. Awesome work, Drew! Congrats! Drew cites the show’s constant reminders to study and stay focused as having a major impact on his improvement.