A Score Release Lovefest (Ep. 358)
June LSAT scores have been released, and lots of Demon students are riding high. Today on the show, Ben and Nathan share a bucketload of inspiring LSAT success stories submitted by listeners. Then, they comment on a former Demon student’s admissions cycle recap. They discuss Columbia’s decision not to participate in the U.S. News law school rankings. They wrap up the show with a discussion of LSAT prep timelines and answer some law school admission questions.
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.
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
4:34 - Words of Encouragement
Listener Camille has always wanted to attend law school. But after giving birth to a special-needs child and having to postpone LSAT prep, she doubted that it would be possible. Her mindset changed when she found the podcast and began studying for the LSAT the easy way. Camille scored 178 on the June LSAT. Ben and Nathan congratulate Camille on her success. They also remind listeners that doing well on the LSAT really comes down to taking your time, reading carefully, and understanding the words on the page.
12:32 - A 25-Point Increase
Demon student Beth started with a diagnostic score of 147. After six months of persistent studying, she just received her June LSAT score—172! A 25-point score increase is impressive, but Beth knows that she can push herself to do even better. She has already signed up for the August LSAT. Ben comments that Beth knows how to win the game. The guys congratulate Beth and thank her for sharing her story.
15:22 - The Real Deal
Demon student Lily started with a diagnostic score of 144 and just found out that she scored 171 on the June LSAT—a 27-point improvement! Lily has a 4.0 GPA and wants to be as competitive as possible at the top law schools, so she is aiming to score even higher on the August LSAT. Way to go, Lily!
16:40 - Get Greedy
Listener Zach has been studying with Demon Basic since December and was able to increase his score from a diagnostic 158 to an official 172 on the June LSAT. Coupled with a 4.0 GPA, Zach has a great shot at receiving scholarships to some top law schools. The guys encourage Zach to get greedy and push past that 172.
18:55 - Making LSAT Prep Fun
Demon student Jimmy improved his score by 17 points to earn an official 169 on the June LSAT. He attributes his success to the Demon’s straightforward approach. He also found the advice in episode 333 of the podcast particularly helpful for Reading Comprehension. Jimmy thanks Ben and Nathan for making LSAT prep fun and recommends the Demon to anyone who will listen. The guys think that Jimmy has the potential to score even higher than 169 and encourage him to keep studying. One or two more LSAT points could be worth thousands of dollars in scholarships.
25:52 - A Life-Changing Score Improvement
Demon student Ryan began his LSAT journey with a diagnostic score of 152. After spending over a thousand dollars on another prep course that felt gimmicky and overcomplicated, Ryan drank the LSAT Demon Kool-Aid and never looked back. He studied with Demon Premium for five months and just received his official 174 on the June LSAT. Ben and Nathan congratulate Ryan on his huge improvement.
29:17 - Up 21 Points and Counting
Listener Griffin reaches out to thank Ben and Nathan for the part they played in improving his LSAT score. He went up 21 points to score 167 on the June LSAT. But Griffin isn’t stopping there. He knows he can do better and is already signed up for the August LSAT. Good job, Griffin!
30:04 - Cycle Recap
Thinking LSAT superfan Palmer shares his 2021 cycle recap. He applied with an LSAT score of 173 and a UGPA of 3.76, and he accepted a half-tuition scholarship at Duke. Palmer explains why he chose to accept less than a full-ride scholarship to attend Duke. The guys discuss the pros and cons of Palmer’s decision.
41:41 - Columbia’s School Ranking
Demon tutor Matt shares an article about Columbia University’s decision not to participate in U.S. News college rankings after a math professor raised questions about their data. Ben and Nathan discuss the trivial nature of the rankings and imagine what law school admissions would look like if all schools stopped submitting their data to U.S. News.
46:30 - A Rapid Score Increase
Listener Arman began with a diagnostic score in the low 160s. After studying with the Demon for only two weeks, he took another full-length practice test and scored 170. Arman expected a more gradual increase and asks whether big jumps are atypical. Nathan explains that two weeks of data isn’t sufficient to draw any conclusions. The guys discuss natural variance in test scores.
56:55 - LSAT Timeline
Demon student Molly scored 154 on her diagnostic test. She is hoping to break into the 160s by the August LSAT and asks Ben and Nathan if they think her goal is attainable. The guys suggest that Molly should be shooting for a score in the 170s. They encourage her to apply at the beginning of the next cycle with her best LSAT score.
1:07:44 - Law School Admissions Questions
Listener Ryan began studying for the LSAT about a month ago and is already scoring in the high 170s. But he worries that his 3.74 UGPA may hold him back at top law schools. Ryan asks Ben and Nathan several questions about when and where to apply. The guys address Ryan’s anxieties about his GPA and answer his admissions questions.