Comparing Scholarship Offers (Ep. 225)
‘Twas days before Christmas, and all ‘cross the land, students were prepping for the LSAT, sharpened pencils in hand. When two jolly tutors, each nestled cheer’ly in their homes, sat down to chat LSAT behind their microphones. Ben and Nathan get one last episode in before the new year, and because many of y’all dear listeners may be receiving your first acceptance letters, they answer questions about offer negotiations, scholarships, and parsing ABA 509 report information. Plus, they take a look at some advice about getting bendy with the LSAT—taking up a yoga practice while studying—and they share their thoughts about how to wrap up your personal statement.
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
1.7.20 – Registration deadline for the February LSAT.
1.13.20 – Pop the champagne! It’s the first LSAT of 2020.
2.22.20 – It’s the February LSAT
6:19 – Thinking LSAT Success Story
Anon writes in to share about some very badass acceptance letters they received (way to go, Anon!). Anon thanks the Thinking LSAT team for helping to create a legion of informed consumers. Nathan and Ben talk about what it takes to get in to the top of the top law schools, why it’s important to apply early, and the benefits that come with names like Harvard and Stanford Law.
12:59 – LSAT Demon Update
The LSAT Demon is your one stop shop for glorious, glorious LSAT prep. Not only is it an A.I. engine that intelligently drills you with questions to help you improve, but it includes written and/or video explanations for virtually every LSAT question, timed sections, office hours, and virtual proctored exams. And now, the team is adding even more helpful prep features to the platform. Ben shares that they are now adding an LSAT Demon Study Plan as well as a model LSAT Writing sample for your enjoyment.
14:39 – Pearls vs. Turds
In this (sometimes) weekly segment, the guys review some suggested wisdom from your fellow listeners, tips overheard at parties, and “found” LSAT prep suggestions from the internet and beyond. They deem said information as a Pearl, a Tie, or (most often) a Turd. This week a listener writes in to suggest that an activity such as yoga or meditation or exercise can help you improve your ability to focus, stay calm, and perform better under pressure. The guys offer up some caveats to this advice, but ultimately agree it’s a shiny pearl of wisdom. You need to give your best hour(s) of your day to preparing for the LSAT. But these other activities do help with focus, steadfastness, and discipline among many other benefits.
24:26 – Scholarship Negotiation
Anon’s had a great run so far applying to law schools. But now they’re getting nervous. Scholarship offers are rolling in and they’re worried that if they don’t respond quickly or appropriately, they’ll seem ungrateful or unworthy of the offers. Nathan and Ben urge anon not to be worried when they’re the one holding the cards. A simple “Thank you for this offer, I’ll get back to you soon” will suffice. The guys stress the importance of negotiating with schools to get the best deal you can.
29:55 – Law School Offer Matrix
A certain 1L hopeful sends an incredibly detailed and well-thought-out spreadsheet that outlines her current law school offers. She’s got tons of information about each school gleaned from their ABA 509 reports. The guys take a look at the data and consider the merits and drawbacks of each school’s offer.
1:03:03 – Broken 509 Reports?!
A listener flagged some rather…shit information on several ABA 509 reports. So, naturally, your LSAT sleuths are on the case. Ben and Nathan don their fedoras and trench coats and dive into some randomly selected reports to check their integrity. Sadly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the listener’s observations are confirmed. There’s some seriously sloppy data in some schools’ ABA 509 reports. Come across a report that makes you scratch your head? Don’t hesitate to ask the school about confusing or seemingly incorrect information.
1:08:42 – How To Finish A Personal Statement
Max really digs listening to Thinking LSAT. And, like many users, he loves hearing a personal statement put through the wringer by your favorite LSAT-prep duo. However, one piece of advice he hasn’t been able to absorb over many listens is how to wrap up a personal statement. “How do you finish this bitch?!” he wonders. The guys weigh in and offer some practical advice for the final sentences of your personal statement:
- Consider not having a formal “wrap up,” especially if your essay reads nicely without it
- Stay humble—don’t share your delusions of grandeur with your reader
- Say what you *hope* to accomplish or focus on in law school in a short and concise way