154 to 175 with LSAT Tutor Max Youngquist (Ep. 187)
Today the guys have a wide-ranging conversation with Thinking LSAT team member, Demon contributor, and LSAT tutor Max Youngquist about his LSAT journey. They talk about his trek from 154 to 175, and why he ultimately decided not to go to law school. They also dive into RC and Max shares a ton of practical advice on avoiding common pitfalls with this section. You’ll also hear about job hacking, and how the Demon is changing the game for LSAT tutors.
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.
Instagram (upcoming events)
Personal Statement Review Package
2:08 – A Chat with Max Youngquist
Back in January, the guys received an email from one Max Youngquist offering to help with the LSAT Demon, or anything else, really. Citing the show as the reason for his score improvements from a diagnostic of 154 to a final 175 on record, Max wanted to, you know, give back.
Maybe it was the impressive improvement. Maybe it was the fact that he called himself in an asshole in his opening pitch. Maybe it was the hundreds of positive reviews on his LSAT tutoring. Maybe it was everything together that made the guys stop and think, “this guy’s pretty cool.” Since, Max has contributed to dozens of LSAT Demon explanations and has worked with the development team to improve the platform.
The guys talk about Max’s experience contributing to the Demon and go on to discuss a variety of topics from RC to tutoring to working at startups and more. Tune in to hear:
- Common mistakes students make in RC sections
- Practical tips to improve your RC performance, including how to categorize the narrator of each passage as Reporters, Critics, and Problem solvers
- When to use your real-world knowledge of topics you come across in RC—and when to abandon that knowledge
- What it’s like to get a job working for startups
- Hacks on getting a job with a startup without “applying,” including using LinkedIn to connect with decision-makers at your target company.
1:20:43 – Events
Come meet Nathan and Ben and learn about changes coming to the LSAT on a college campus near you! RSVP if you plan to make it to one of the following events.
April 14 – Ben and Nathan team up to talk LSAT and law school at UVA
April 19 – For those of you who sweat it out this weekend, your March scores will be released
April 23 – Nathan is talking changes coming to the LSAT at Seattle University
May 1 – This is the last day to register for the June LSAT!
The guys talk about the benefits of just waiting to register for your LSAT until pretty close to the test. LSAC doesn’t offer any incentive for signing up early, and it gives you extra time to decide if you’re ready for your target test. And because the June and July tests are so close together, taking the extra time to decide only means you’ll push your test date back by a few weeks.
1:24:08 – Listener Mail
Katie writes in to share an email she received from the Willamette University College of Law. The email attempts to encourage test-takers regarding their upcoming LSAT with a cartoon. But the illustration’s value is…questionable at best. The guys take a look and critique the email, which leaves Ben with metaphysical questions about human existence.
1:27:13 – Pearls vs. Turds
The scoreboard remains grim, dear listeners. Only one pearl amidst more than a dozen pieces of advice. Today’s contender is about conditional scholarships. The advice posits that you gotta watch your ass when accepting a scholarship from a lower-ranked school. According to the advice, these schools offer conditional scholarships that are nearly impossible to maintain over the course of your time at law school, and you may find yourself on the hook for full tuition faster than you can say “2L.” The guys discuss, but ultimately give this bad boy a “tie” rating. Still, there’s some super helpful advice on how to use the ABA 509 reports to your advantage, so you don’t get caught in a conditional scholarship trap!