The LSAT Will Tell You What You Suck At (Ep. 353)
To improve your LSAT score, you must learn from your mistakes. Take a practice test, and the LSAT will show you exactly what you need to work on—the questions that you got wrong. Review each missed question until you fully understand it and can avoid making the same mistake again. On today’s episode, Ben and Nathan explain why focusing on individual questions is the key to progress. Looking for patterns or journaling about wrong answers is generally a waste of time.
The guys also crush another Logical Reasoning question from PrepTest 73, offer guidance to a listener who is on a quest to score 180, and share an inspiring email from a Demon student who postponed law school to push for a better LSAT score. Plus, Demon teachers and rising 3L’s Matt and Rebecca discuss how the LSAT prepares you for law school.
As always, if you like the show and 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.
6.10.2022 — June LSAT begins
6.29.2022 — June LSAT scores released
6.30.2022 — August LSAT registration deadline
7.26.2022 — September LSAT registration deadline
8.12.2022 — August LSAT begins
8.31.2022 — August LSAT scores released
9.9.2022 — September LSAT begins
04:51 - Test 73, Section 4, Question 13
Ben reads the passage, which lists some facts about methane—its presence on Mars and how it reacts to ultraviolet radiation. Nathan anticipates an unwarranted conclusion and discusses ways to attack or strengthen the argument depending on whose team he’s on. It turns out to be a Necessary Assumption question. The guys remind listeners that there is only one question you need to ask yourself on this type of question: Which one does the author have to agree with? Try this question here, and then listen to Ben and Nathan’s full explanation.
21:32 - Don’t Shoot for 180
Listener Ryan has been studying for a year and is willing to do whatever it takes to earn a perfect score on the LSAT. He asks the guys for advice and shares his wrong answer journal along with an analysis of his errors and time spent on each question. Ben and Nathan recommend that Ryan focus less on trying to find patterns in his mistakes and focus more on understanding each individual question. He should also step back from his goal of scoring 180 and shoot for a score in the 170s first. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
44:10 - Scholarship Estimator
An anonymous Demon student reports a discrepancy between the 80% scholarship that Mississippi College offered them and the full scholarship that the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator predicted. Anonymous spoke with admissions officers at Mississippi College and learned that they require a minimum GPA of 3.5 to be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. They also informed Anonymous that LSAT scores above 156 are all weighted the same at their school, so retaking the LSAT in hopes of earning more scholarship money would be pointless.
Nathan and Ben remind listeners that the Scholarship Estimator predicts likely scholarship offers based on publicly available 509 data and index formulas. The predictions are usually very close, but they’re not always perfect. The guys also offer scholarship negotiation tips and encourage applicants to have the courage to walk away if a school won’t offer the scholarship amount they are seeking.
51:42 - Breaking 150 and Beyond
Demon student Erin signed up for tutoring with Ben two months ago with a goal of breaking into the 150s before applying to law school this fall. Ben encouraged her to allow herself more time to get her best LSAT score and to wait another cycle to apply. Since switching to the Demon, Erin has surpassed her goal and is now shooting for a score in the 160s. The guys congratulate Erin on her progress and encourage her to continue her studies by taking it one question at a time.
59:36 - Does the LSAT Prepare You for Law School?
Demon teachers and rising 3L’s Rebecca and Matt discuss how studying for the LSAT prepares students for law school. LSAT Reading Comprehension prepares you to dissect the dense, convoluted text that you will have to read in law school on a daily basis. The skills developed by Logical Reasoning and Logic Games are similarly useful. Matt also points listeners to the Demon’s list of book recommendations.