The Demon Way (Ep. 356)
If you want to master the LSAT the easy way, ditch the dogma and let the Demon be your guide. On this week’s episode, the guys welcome questions from new listeners and provide a full explanation of the Demon’s approach to the LSAT. But first, a Demon student who is legally blind describes how he learned to tackle Logic Games without the use of visual diagrams. Ben and Nathan then offer two listeners advice on whether and how to write GPA addendums. They discuss the proper way to review Reading Comprehension sections. And finally, they veto a listener’s suggested study schedule and recommend an alternative plan.
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.
6.29.2022 — 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
9.28.2022 — September LSAT scores released
2:42 - A Legally Blind Perspective on Logic Games
Demon student John is legally blind and has learned how to solve logic games without the use of visual diagrams. John shares his thoughts on the lawsuit discussed in episode 355 and suggests that blind students may be at a disadvantage only because of the way that logic games are traditionally taught using diagrams. Nathan adds that blind people have been kicking ass as lawyers for ages. There’s no reason to assume that a blind person isn’t capable of doing well on LSAT Logic Games if they are given proper accommodations.
Another Demon student, Kyle, asks when the Logic Games section will officially change. LSAC hasn’t made any announcements yet, but Ben and Nathan speculate that it will take more than a year to test and approve new questions that will eventually take the place of Logic Games.
22:34 - A Super Splitter
An anonymous Demon student scored 173 on their official LSAT, but their UGPA is less impressive at 3.23. Anonymous explains that they dropped out of college with poor grades over a decade ago. When they went back to finish their degree, they earned nothing less than an A+. Should this super splitter explain their situation in a GPA addendum? The guys recommend a brief two-sentence addendum.
26:39 - Some General LSAT Advice
Listener Erika complains of studying for months without seeing improvement. She asks the guys for advice. Ben recommends that Erika start by drilling. The Demon’s algorithm adjusts the difficulty level of the questions you see based on your current skill level. Nathan advises Erika to stop racing the clock. Improvement comes from slowing down and understanding the material on an intuitive level.
29:57 - Reviewing Reading Comprehension
Listener Avani wonders whether he should review Reading Comprehension sections the same way he reviews Logical Reasoning. The guys recommend asking yourself these two questions when reviewing any LSAT question: Why is the right answer right? Why is the wrong answer wrong? As a rule of thumb, they suggest rereading the whole passage if you miss more than two questions on any RC passage.
35:40 - The Demon Way
New listener Hugh discovered the pod midway through his LSAT studies. He notes that much of Ben and Nathan’s advice on the podcast conflicts with the more dogmatic instruction he’s gotten from the LSAT Trainer so far. Hugh is enticed by the Demon but isn’t sure when to make the switch. Should he join the Demon now, or should he finish what he started and come back after completing the Trainer? Ben and Nathan describe what makes the Demon different from any other LSAT prep company. If Hugh is on board with the Demon’s intuitive approach to the test, he should make the switch now to avoid building habits that might hinder his progress.
46:13 - GPA Addendum
Listener Sophia expects to earn straight A’s in her final semester of undergrad and raise her GPA from 3.67 to 3.72. But because she plans to apply to law school before she graduates, her transcript will not be finalized when she submits her applications. Should she write a GPA addendum? It wouldn’t hurt to point out that she has maintained a 4.0 GPA in her final semesters, but the guys recommend keeping it brief (one or two sentences).
50:46 - Study Schedule
Listener Andres asks Nathan and Ben for their feedback on his LSAT study schedule. He focused solely on Logic Games for the first few weeks. Now he plans to start working on Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension while continuing to complete one or two Logic Games sections per day. He also intends to complete two or three full practice tests per week and to drill his weaknesses on “buffer days.” The guys point out several problems with this plan and explain why doing too many full practice tests can be counterproductive. They advise Andres to focus more on drilling, timed sections, and thorough review.