Start with One Question (Ep. 388)
New LSAT students often feel overwhelmed and don’t know how to begin studying. On this week’s pod, Ben and Nathan demystify the process: start with one LSAT question. Later, the guys emphasize the importance of getting straight A’s in undergrad. They question whether it’s worth paying for the prestige of a top-ranked law school. And they discuss whether any LSAT questions have multiple good answer choices.
0:48 - Juniors Jumpstart the LSAT
LSAT Demon and the Council on Legal Educational Opportunities are partnering to facilitate the Juniors Jumpstart the LSAT program at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law on Saturday, February 25.
2:03 - Start with One Question
Listener Sierra isn’t sure where to begin her LSAT study. Nathan and Ben tell her not to overthink things: Start with one LSAT question. Then do another one.
11:41 - Undergraduate GPA
Listeners Evan and Landry ask how LSAC will calculate their undergraduate GPAs. Ben and Nathan turn to LSAC’s grade conversion table and highlight the huge difference between an A and an A-. Later, the guys examine the average median GPA for all ranked law schools.
27:52 - Pearls vs. Turds
Nathan and Ben critique “context reinstatement” as an LSAT study strategy. They warn listeners not to exert too much mental effort for minimal return.
36:54 - Money vs. Prestige
An anonymous listener used to think that cost would be the determining factor when deciding where to attend law school. But now that they’ve been admitted to Harvard, Anonymous may pick the prestige of an elite school over a full-ride scholarship elsewhere. Ben and Nathan weigh in.
39:43 - Online vs. Books
Listener Courtney asks if she should donate her copies of Nathan’s old books and switch to LSAT Demon. Nathan and Ben say yes. LSAT Demon includes all the explanations from Nathan’s books and many, many more.
42:16 - Multiple Good Answers?
Listener Alex wonders if you can ever make a case for more than one answer choice on the LSAT. Ben and Nathan concede that some Logical Reasoning questions feature multiple answer choices that may strengthen or weaken the argument—but only one answer is unequivocally correct.
48:09 - Philadelphia Law Schools
Two listeners ask Nathan and Ben to compare Philadelphia law schools. Is it worth it to pay for a prestigious school like Penn rather than accept a scholarship to attend a lower-ranked school like Drexel? The guys discuss the academic competition and job prospects at these institutions.