Scholarship Negotiation Insights (Ep. 373)
Today on the show, Ben and Nathan take a glimpse behind the curtain at a law school’s approach to scholarship negotiations. The guys examine an email that reveals how one school is prepared to negotiate, and they discuss what it means for applicants. Also on the pod, Nathan and Ben advise an MMA fighter on his personal statement, comment on whether the LSAT tests IQ, and evaluate tips for addressing a low LSAT score in your applications.
2:09 - Misleading Scholarship Data
Demon student Matt shares details of his recent conversation with a law school admissions dean. According to this dean, the scholarship data on their ABA 509 report are misleading.
6:07 - Scholarship Negotiation
An anonymous listener has begun to negotiate their scholarship with a law school. The law school’s response sheds useful light on their approach to the process. Ben and Nathan discuss why law schools are savvy negotiators and what bargaining chips you can bring to the table.
15:16 - Harvard’s Junior Deferral Program
An anonymous listener considers applying to Harvard’s binding Junior Deferral Program. Ben and Nathan advise listeners to remain flexible and not to bind themselves to any one school. The guys also discuss whether it’s worth paying full tuition to attend an elite law school.
21:46 - Running Low on Attempts
Demon student Abhi is hesitant to register for their fourth official LSAT attempt. Nathan and Ben think that if you’re truly ready to take the test, then you should go ahead and register. Your approach doesn’t change depending on how many attempts you have remaining.
27:02 - Picking a Personal Statement Topic
Demon student Darren wonders whether his MMA career could be an appropriate topic for his personal statement. Ben and Nathan think so, but they also suspect that some people might be turned off by the topic. They recommend that Darren write multiple rough drafts about different topics and then choose the one that portrays him in the best light.
33:21 - IQ and the LSAT
Does the LSAT test IQ? Probably not—or at least not exclusively—given how much people can improve at the LSAT.
36:47 - Pearls vs. Turds
Listener Meghan shares some advice from US News & World Report. Nathan and Ben analyze their three tips for addressing a low LSAT score in law school applications.
43:05 - Waiting for a Letter of Recommendation
An anonymous listener can’t submit their applications until they get a final letter of recommendation. Unfortunately, the professor who agreed to write it is dragging their feet. Ben and Nathan think it’s probably time for Anonymous to find a new recommender.
47:35 - Working While Studying
Listener Nafosat has received a job offer from a law firm. But they worry that the position would restrict their ability to study more than two hours per day. The guys assure Nafosat that an hour or two of LSAT study each day is plenty.