For Obvious Reasons (Ep. 133)
In this episode, the guys answer a bunch of your burning LSAT questions, but not before talking about Ben’s recent use of Movie Pass and Nathan’s experience as a Couch Surfing host.
7:26 – Email 1—Ross has an impressive 170 on record and is shooting higher. He thinks he can smash out a 173 or 174 this coming June. But in all of his practicing, he’s been curious about one thing: do folks who are religious tend to do worse on science-based LSAT questions? As an old-earth creationist, Ross has to do a temporary mental gear shift to be able to answer questions where evolution is foundational to the argument—so it takes him a few moments longer to answer those types of questions. He wants to know if the guys have heard of this issue before, and if they think LSAC has this issue on their radar. The question sparks some healthy debate between Nathan and Ben.
34:31 – Email 2—Exotic wants to know if Nathan is for real when he demands that students not pay for law school. After all, law school is an investment in your future, is it not? And full ride scholarships aren’t a reality for everyone, right? Nope. The guys talk about why it’s almost impossible to rebut the presumption that you will not pay for law school. They discuss why it’s important to let go of your “top 14” or “top 30” mindset, and find a school that will cover you 100%. Plus, Ben and Nathan share some favorite word games you might want to try on your own.
52:51 – Email 3—In brighter news, Sarah is not paying a fucking dime for law school. And she feels great about it. She wants to know if taking the February LSAT for a 2018 school year is advisable (the answer is ‘no’). But regardless of whether her February LSAT nabs her better offers, her 157 on record and 3.67 GPA have scored her a full ride already. Nathan and Ben agree that everyone should follow Sarah’s example. Congrats, Sarah! And let us know if your February LSAT gets you any more attractive offers!
59:08 – Email 4—How apropos. Alexis wants to know—is it better to go to a “low quality” school like Thomas Jefferson on a full ride rather than a higher-ranked school and pay? I mean, if you go to a school like TJ, you’re bound to be at the top of your class and maybe even get a stipend, right? You’re right Alexis. There’s no shame in going to the best school you can get into and still not pay for. You’re still going to be a lawyer. You’ll just get your JD debt free.
1:04:45 – Email 5—Let’s say you go to law school and absolutely destroy your 1L year. Excellent grades. Great work under your belt. What’s your reward? Well, it turns out there are scholarship opportunities for those who excel during 1L. This is exactly what Riley found when she was wondering about scholarships after you’re already in law school. She also found some 1L preview courses to get you prepped for your first year, and she’s wondering if it’s worth the investment to pay for an 1L prep course. The guys weigh in.
1:10:41 – Email 6—Winston is a bit bummed. Earlier in life he enrolled in a few college classes that he totally ditched and didn’t even complete, resulting in three goose eggs on his transcript. When he finally started taking school seriously, he earned a 3.85 GPA. Which is pretty awesome. But his LSAC GPA is still just 3.56 with his multiple zeroes. He wants to know—has his younger self totally screwed his current self? Or is there hope? Ben and Nathan agree that getting a great LSAT score, writing a great personal statement and an addendum can open up a ton of opportunity. Don’t get down, Winston. You got this.