Go Faster with LSAT Pearls of Wisdom (Ep. 286)
When it comes to all the LSAT advice that’s floating out there in the world, it’s hard to find much information that’s helpful. It’s hard to find those pearls of wisdom that will have a meaningful impact on your LSAT score. And over the years, the guys have reviewed many a turd-o-wisdom from the field. But in this episode, the guys take a look at some advice that they agree every person studying for the LSAT should keep in mind. Nathan and Ben also hear from folks who aren’t feeling so surefooted on their paths to law school—if they’re struggling with RC, does that mean they’re going to suck at law school? If they’re scoring higher today than a few weeks ago, are they just on a lucky streak? If they can’t apply this cycle, is it worth applying to law school at all? Nathan and Ben try to bring some peace of mind to these folks, plus they tackle another LR question from prep test 65.
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Important Dates
04.10.2021 – The April LSAT Flex testing week begins!
06.12.2021 – Break out the short sleeves, registration for the June LSAT is open!
5:00 – Pearls vs. Turds
M discovered an article online about improving your speed and accuracy on the LSAT. They found the tips so helpful that they decided to throw the advice into the ring to be deemed pearls or turds by Nathan and Ben. But this article isn’t just from any old digital daily rag. The tips were penned by a friend of the show and LSAT expert, Graeme Blake, who runs the website LSATHacks.com. Graeme’s tips from this article?
- Don’t try to complete every section—answer what you can, accurately, and guess the rest.
- Focus on completely understanding the argument or the game first—only then should you tackle the answer choices. If you’ve done the work, the correct answer should stand out.
- There’s a lot of pressure when taking the LSAT. Take a second to breathe if you find yourself getting stressed and feeling crunched for time. It can give you a much-needed reset between questions or sections.
Pretty good advice if you ask us. Three tips. Three pearls.
26:29 – I’m not great at RC…should I forget about law school?
Sasha’s kinda worried. She tunes in to the show and has heard the guys talking about the importance of reading comprehension when it comes to working as a lawyer. The only problem is, RC is the section of the test that Sasha feels is most challenging. She wants to know: if she’s not great at RC or LR, does that mean she’s going to be a bad law student and lawyer? Ben and Nathan double down on their assertion that law students and lawyers do a ton of reading and writing, and that having a mastery of language is essential. But they also say Sasha shouldn’t get too discouraged. There’s always room for improvement. Plus, GPA and how hard you’re willing to work are also barometers for how you’ll fare in law school. If you have a burning desire to work as a lawyer, chances are you’ll be able to find a way.
41:37 – LSAT Mindset Advice
A’s been working hard studying for the LSAT. And she’s starting to see some progress. After being stuck in the low 160s for a while, she just had a practice test come in at 167. Nice work, A! Now A’s starting to doubt herself. Was this just a fluke? Or was it the product of the hard work she’s been putting in? The guys hear this question all of the time and share some advice on how A can continue to build confidence around her approach to the test.
49:49 – Excuse of the Week
This week’s excuse comes courtesy of all y’all eager 1L hopefuls out there. It’s an excuse the guys hear quite often and it’s one that’s come up recently in LSAT Demon classes. The idea is that you can’t wait a godddddammmn minute to apply to law school. You just have to apply this cycle, even though it’s horrifically late to be entertaining such a thing. The reason? If you don’t apply right now—late in this cycle—if you take a year off, you’ll never go to law school.
Really, dudes and dudettes? Really?! You can’t wait a few months to get a better LSAT score, improve your chances of getting your law career off on the right foot with far less debt in your future? You can’t wait a f*cking second to change your whole life for the better?
If that’s the case…you just shouldn’t go to law school.
54:45 – LR Question
Ben and Nathan tackle another LR question from section 4 of prep test 65. It’s a densely worded role question and the guys talk through how they think about the argument. They also discuss the importance of reading and understanding every clause, so that when you hit the answer choices, the right one sticks out like a sore thumb.