Success is Counted Sweetest (Ep. 220)
The winter winds are blowing, holiday plans are being made, and students’ confident fingertips are tapping away on multi-touch displays for the November 2019 LSAT—all while Nathan and Ben settle in for the last show in November. Buckle up and get ready for a PSA about LSAT accommodations, news about the LSAT Writing sample, and law school application tips from Yale. Plus, the guys get artistic with some poetry, a personal statement from “LA’s Youngest DJ,” and more.
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.
Personal Statement Review Package
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Important Dates
12.3.19 – Don’t miss it. It’s the registration deadline for the January 2020 LSAT
12.7.19 – Ben and Nathan are hosting a personal statement workshop in NYC
1.13.20 – Pop the champagne! It’s the first LSAT of 2020.
7:54 – Accommodations PSA
When you ask for accommodations on the LSAT, you’re asking for different treatment. And you sure can get what you ask for. If you are greenlit for accommodated testing, you can expect a variety of your testing variables to change. It probably means you’ll have additional time to take the test—that’s most common (and great for folks who need it). But it could also mean that you take the test on a different day, or that you might take an entirely different test than everyone else. Courtney writes in to let y’all know about another curveball that might come as part of your accommodated testing. Even if LSAC indicates you’re taking a digital LSAT, you may end up taking a paper test if you’re testing with accommodations. Just a few things to be aware of if you have additional time!
12:02 – Poetry and The LSAT
Not even those among the greatest writers of all time can escape the sharp criticisms of the Thinking LSAT duo. Due to the poem-shaming ridicule of his students, Ben shares a famous Emily Dickinson poem on the show in hopes of shedding some artistic light on the struggles of ye LSAT takers. However, the guys barely get the poem out before shredding it to bits.
16:18 – Changes to LSAT Score Reporting
We’ve heard some LSAT writing sample horror stories over the past few months. Folks have moistened their brows writing full pages for LSAT Writing only to have their efforts thwarted by a faulty “submit,” button or glitched out timer. Major bummer. Well, dear listeners, some interesting changes are coming. Now your LSAT score will be shared with colleges whether or not you have completed LSAT Writing. However, you will need to complete LSAT Writing to complete your application. And now that the writing sample is digital, Ben and Nathan discuss how admissions staffers may be lending a more critical eye to this once “set it and forget it” section of the test.
27:30 – Feedback About Inclusivity On Episode 218
Bianca writes in with some feedback for the guys about how they answered a question about ethnicity identification on law school applications. She also offers some suggestions about how Thinking LSAT can serve more underrepresented minority listeners. Bianca also shares one of her favorite resources: Paulina Vera, a Latina immigration attorney and GW Law professor.
38:18 – Yale Application Tips
Joanne received an email from Yale. That’s right. The “big Y.” The point of the note is clearly to try and woo Joanne to apply to Yale when the time comes for her to apply to law school. But their rhetorical skills leave a bit to be desired. The email offers up some rather underwhelming stats and admissions tips, but the guys walk through them one by one and make sense of them for y’all.
55:51 – What’s The Deal With Paper Tests??
Galen just purchased Nathan’s Cheating The LSAT. And as he’s gearing up to hit some practice tests, he’s wondering if it’s more beneficial to practice with digital than paper tests. The guys talk about the differences between practicing with paper vs. digital. The pro tip? If you’ve got access to paper tests and books, keep them! It’s useful to practice with them and review your mistakes for a better understanding. However, if you’re starting fresh, the LSAT Demon—an online platform—is one of the best, most efficient ways to study for the LSAT.
59:22 – Personal Statement Review
The guys read through DJ Ryan’s personal statement and offer plenty of feedback. Tune in to hear them slice and dice a personal essay in that Thinking LSAT style y’all have come to know and love.