Score Preview (Ep. 254)
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It’s the week of the third-ever LSAT-Flex and now that the summer is in swing, LSAC is dropping announcements left and right. It looks like the LSAT-Flex is here to stay for the summer (at least). But not only that! If it’s your first time taking the test, LSAC announced a major new service that could offer you a big advantage heading into your law school admissions cycle. The guys dish the latest in LSAC news and answer some of your LSAT questions. Nathan and Ben take a look at a last-minute ploy from John Marshall Law School ahead of the fall semester, they hear a horror story about registering for the LSAT Flex, and they hear some advice about prepping for the Flex. Plus, the guys answer an LR question from practice test 65.
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Important Dates
7.15.2020 – It’s the registration deadline for the August LSAT
7.30.2020 – Fingers crossed! July LSAT-Flex scores are released
8.29.2020 – Can you beat the heat?! It’s the August LSAT!
4:08 – Updates from LSAC: August LSAT-Flex and LSAT Score Preview
There’s a lot of noise coming from the offices of LSAC this month. First up? It’s official! The August LSAT will be an LSAT-Flex. That should no surprise to faithful listeners. The guys predict LSAT-Flex will last into the fall and perhaps longer. But that’s not the only news. LSAC dropped a huge new service for first-time test takers. If it’s your first LSAT, you’ll be able to preview your score and decide if you want to cancel before the score release date. That’s pretty huge and the guys discuss the implications of this landmark update.
27:48 – John Marshall Law School and the LSAT-Flex
Boy oh boy, these law schools just keep getting desperate-er and desperate-er. The guys read a missive from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS). The school needs students so badly it’s offering up free laptops for incoming students, including those who apply for a fall 2020 spot before August 6th. AUGUST 6th Y’ALL. That’s a big red flag. Here’s a pro tip. Do not apply for the fall semester in the same month that it begins. You will not get the kind of offers that will set you up for life as a successful lawyer. But the promise of a free laptop isn’t the only delightful thing about John Marshall’s email. They also send a “free logic puzzle.” The guys find the puzzle kind of puzzling and hypothesize that errors abound in the would-be logic game. Watch Nathan do the logic puzzle here.
35:58 – Using LSAT-Flex Score in 2023 Admission Cycle
Gordie’s nervous. He’s taking the LSAT-Flex in August. But straight after? He’s hitting the rink to play NCAA hockey with the Buckeyes. He plans to give his all to hockey in the coming years, but sees law school in his future, and plans to apply in 2023. Gordie wants to know if law school admissions staffers in years to come will look down on LSAT-Flex scores. Nathan and Ben weigh in and agree that the LSAT’s the LSAT. Thousands of people are in your position, Gordie. Study up. Crush it in August. Sharpen your skates. And see if you still want to go to law school in a few years. If so? Unabashedly apply with your LSAT-Flex score.
38:38 – LSAT-Flex Registration Horror Story
Aight. You’ve been on the Reddit forums. You know the hacks. You crack your knuckles and get ready to register for the LSAT-Flex early. As registration “goes live” you log in and start hunting for the perfect time to sit for your test. But as you click thru the calendar, hour by hour, you’re dismayed to find that there is not one effing time available. It’s like, WTF!? What a big pain in the ass! In a 48-hour timespan, you only found two available times—and thankfully one works for you. Such was the experience of Jordan who recently tried to schedule a time to take the test. That’s a bummer. Is the demand really that high? Or is the scheduling system bunk? The guys discuss and feel Jordan’s pain.
41:15 – Pearls vs. Turds
Anon writes in with a potential pearl for the LSAT-Flex. She recently took the LSAT-Flex and plans to take it again in August. One of the things Anon cited as a distraction during the administration of the test was the fact that the glow of her webcam light was a constant presence. Anon recommends doing a practice test with your webcam on to simulate a proctored experience so you can get used to the light in front of your face during the test. While the guys can’t deem this a “pearl,” they agree it’s cool to try and recreate your testing environment when you practice. Another potential hack is to put a piece of tape over your webcam light so it’s not a distraction. You can also join weekly proctored exams through the LSAT Demon to practice like you’re gonna play.
43:22 – Logical Reasoning Question from Practice Test 65, Section 4, Q6
The guys dive into yet another LR question from PT65. This time you’ll be hearing a must-be-true question about estuaries and the fish that stand to die in them. In their usual style, Ben and Nathan walk through the question and explain their way to the correct answer.