Try Harder (Ep. 165)
Nathan’s had a rowdy night of board game playin’, and that gets Ben pumped up about backgammon on this All Hallow’s Eve recording of the show. Today’s Thinking LSAT is all about writing, if that’s what y’all call it. Ben and Nathan dive into GPA and LSAT-score addenda, and pick apart two personal statements. And it ain’t pretty. But as a lil’ treat at the end, they walk you through an LR question from LSAT: India. Plus, the guys talk shop about smoking meats and give you an update on Ben’s latest hobby.
Y’all. Folks are using the LSAT Demon and they’re getting addicted. And that’s a good thing. Instead of playing Fortnite and doing the floss, you could be answering LSAT question after LSAT question as a complex algorithm feeds you increasingly difficult brain benders. If you find yerself lapping it up like genuine ice cream, odds are there’s a lawyer in there. And that’s just one of the ways you can get more from the Thinking LSAT community. Check out the links below to connect with fellow law school hopefuls, and to keep your LSAT studying on point.
The Thinking LSAT Facebook Group.
Find us on Twitter. Nathan’s Twitter handle. Ben’s Twitter handle.
The Thinking LSAT personal statement review.
10:46 – Email 1—Anonymous had a rough time early in his collegiate career. But after serving in the military, he jumped back into school and found that his GPA greatly improved. Like so many others, his LSAC GPA has suffered because of poor grades years ago. Anon asks the guys to take a look at his GPA and LSAT score addenda to see if he effectively communicates why law schools should consider his candidacy despite poor grades in the past. The guys oblige and rip the explanations to shreds. Then they explore just what it takes to be a lawyer. The pro tip? Fewer excuses, and more determination when it comes to your work.
27:32 – Email 2—You may remember Ezra (of episode 156 fame) as the author of The Man With The Kind Eyes. A personal statement that will go down in Thinking LSAT history as one of the most entertaining ever read on the show. Well, Ezra’s back. And this time he’s drafted two new personal statements for the guys to scrutinize. While Nathan and Ben applaud Ezra for exploring different themes to write about, they are no more forgiving of his writing than last go-‘round. Tune in to hear about Ezra’s tribulations working in the NYC real estate scene, and the many events he attended there.
59:14 – The guys smash up Ezra’s second personal statement in which his double major in theater and political science play a critical role in opening a mock senate chamber. Ben and Nathan lament the poor writing of today’s law school applicants, but do their best to give y’all advice on how to strengthen your personal statements.
1:31:17 – Have you ever been curious about the kinds of questions one would find on the LSAT: India? Well, even if you didn’t know it existed, you’re gonna get a dose of it right here. The guys read and answer the first LR question of the test. As you might expect, it’s an easy one, but the guys walk through step by step, and point out the parallels to the US version of the test.