Thinking LSAT Podcast Por Nathan Fox and Ben Olson arte de portada

Thinking LSAT

Thinking LSAT

De: Nathan Fox and Ben Olson
Escúchala gratis

Ben Olson and Nathan Fox started the Thinking LSAT Podcast to become better LSAT teachers and have some fun. Please 1) subscribe, 2) rate and review, and 3) send us questions: help@thinkinglsat.com. Don't pay for law school! Learn more at lsatdemon.comNathan Fox and Ben Olson
Episodios
  • The Theory Trap (Ep. 516)
    Jul 21 2025

    This week, Josh and Nate tackle the misconception that the Demon isn’t built for beginners—a belief that emerges from the absence of an introduction to LSAT “theory”. They explain that a bloated curriculum, disconnected from questions, often confuses students and can even reduce scores. The Demon advocates jumping right into questions and letting the test, paired with our explanations, be your teacher.

    ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠

    ⁠Download our iOS app⁠

    ⁠Watch Episode 513 on YouTube⁠

    0:33 – Announcements

    Registration deadlines are coming up. You know you’re ready to sign up when your practice tests match your goal score.

    Registration Deadlines

    Register for Ben’s Free Class

    6:07 – Logical Reasoning Mindset

    Nate and Josh explore the mindset required for success in Logical Reasoning, emphasizing that each question has one objectively correct answer. Rather than starting with abstract theory, they advocate an intuitive, hands-on approach: dive into real questions, make mistakes, and learn from them. The Demon is built for beginners. By focusing on solving problems and reviewing mistakes, students can build a strong foundation for sustained success.

    18:50 – Candidate Referral Service

    Josh and Nate revisit the candidate referral service and consider whether it’s worth signing up. Several Demon team members share how they used the service and received CAS fee waivers to apply early and widely. Still, be cautious—don’t let school marketing sway you. Stay skeptical of marketing gimmicks from these schools and be a savvy applicant.

    LSAT Demon Scholarship Converter

    26:54 – Tale of Two Careers

    Jacob is thinking about a pivot to law from a very successful accounting career. Josh and Nate recognize there is a meaningful career opportunity, but caution him not to go to law school just because he has great reasoning skills. Instead, meet tax attorneys and decide if that is a job that you want.

    36:41 – Studying with a Buddy

    Demon Student Alex asks how to study with a buddy. Josh and Nate encourage him to practice teaching questions to each other. Josh encourages Alex to utilize the LSAT Demon Discord to find a study buddy.

    LSAT Demon Discord

    44:46 – Studying for One Hour

    Alexis doesn’t feel like she is making progress with only one hour per day during her lunch break. The guys encourage her to continue her slow and steady approach to studying, but encourage her to improve the quality of her hour. Your LSAT hour needs to be your best hour of the day: interruption-free, focused, and energized.

    57:23 – Full Practice Test Fails

    Paige’s scores plummet when she takes full practice tests instead of timed sections. Josh suggests that the score is distracting her from giving the test 100% of her mental effort. The guys then suggest that Paige must not be applying her normal process to practice tests. Nate concludes: You should have a growth mindset when it comes to practice tests. Ask yourself how you can learn from this test, not what score you will get.

    1:04:43 – Comparative RC

    Gavin struggles with comparative passages. Josh and Nate encourage him to start explicitly focusing on comparing and contrasting as he’s reading.

    1:12:11 - Word of the Week - Specious

    The difference between “literary” and “genre” fiction is a specious distinction.

    Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library.

    Más Menos
    1 h y 21 m
  • Skip the GPA Sob Story (Ep. 515)
    Jul 14 2025

    After an influx of GPA addenda questions, Nathan and Josh address several examples in a rapid-fire segment. Their main point: you probably shouldn’t write one at all. Addenda highlight weaknesses and provide information that admissions committees may hold against you. Skip the sob stories and focus on showing why you’ll succeed in law school.

    ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠

    ⁠Download our iOS app⁠

    ⁠Watch Episode 515

    0:42 – Big Beautiful Bill

    Nathan and Josh discuss provisions of the Big Beautiful Bill that cap law school loans at $50,000 per year. They argue it’s not the crisis some students fear, noting that borrowing six figures for law school is unwise and the cap protects less informed applicants. They see the bill as targeting predatory schools, not students.


    Check out our Scholarship Estimator.

    2025 AccessLex Data Report


    23:52 – Rapid Fire Addenda

    The guys advise students to avoid addenda. Addenda draw attention to the weakest parts of your application and must be concise and strategic if used. An effective addendum highlights positive traits and avoids overexplaining. The goal is to shift focus away from negatives and give admissions officers something strong to latch onto.


    38:46 – Role Questions

    Nathan and Josh explain how to approach role questions, which ask about the function of specific sentences in an argument. They remind listeners that sentences are usually in one of two key categories: premises and conclusions. While answers are phrased abstractly, you succeed by reading answer choices with the same care and engagement used on the passage itself.


    50:18 – Accuracy Up but Speed Stalled

    Nathan urges students not to chase speed at the expense of comprehension. Every missed question indicates another question you got correct, but didn’t understand. Rereading whole passages is a red flag for poor initial reading. Meaningful engagement with the passage allows students to trust their comprehension in the face of flawed arguments.


    1:04:05 – Broken Questions

    Josh and Nathan refute the idea of “broken” LSAT questions. While some answer choices may be stronger than others, all correct answers are defensible. Blaming the test forfeits a chance to improve. When struggling, walk away and revisit the question with fresh eyes—some days you’ll simply perform better than others.


    1:11:14 – Personal Statement Gong Show

    Hannah sends in her submission for the Personal Statement Gong Show. Josh and Nathan read the personal statements and hit the gong when something goes wrong. The standing record to beat is 21 lines, held by Danielle.


    1:27:07 - Word of the Week - Effect

    Pollination of fruit tree flowers, a necessary step in fruit production, is effected only by certain insects.

    Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library.

    Más Menos
    1 h y 32 m
  • Parallel Reasoning Is Easy (Ep. 514)
    Jul 7 2025
    Ben and Nathan tackle Parallel Reasoning questions, a question type that some students prefer to skip. They assure listeners that these questions work just like any other LSAT question. Gimmicks—like reading the question first or diagramming—don’t help and only distract from the core task. Focus instead on reading for comprehension and understanding the argument. The key is to identify the reasoning and treat everything else as secondary.⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠⁠Watch Episode 514 on YouTube⁠0:30 – How Cheating Spreads in Law SchoolBen and Nathan discuss a Wall Street Journal article on extended-time accommodations at Pepperdine Law, where 30% of students reportedly receive them. They argue that accommodations should level the playing field, not give an advantage. They question the value of timed essay exams and compare law school to gaining entry into an ABA-approved guild, suggesting that gaming the system might seem rational, ethics aside.LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator27:25 – WashU Law Pre-Application TrapA listener is contacted for an interview by WashU Law before even applying. Ben and Nathan caution that this is a sales tactic: the school is trying to extract information and create perceived interest to reduce scholarship offers. They revisit their advice about the Candidate Referral Service, suggesting it might be time to reconsider what students share with schools early in the process.36:12 – Parallel Reasoning ClarityThe guys break down Parallel Reasoning questions on the LSAT. They emphasize that matching language or subject matter is secondary—what matters is aligning the logical structure of arguments. To succeed, students must first understand the core argument before worrying about technical parallels. A big-picture approach is key.53:20 – Tips from a Departing DemonA departing Demon, Vox, shares his advice for other students: keep your study streak alive. Even a single question can turn into an hour of productive study. Consistency compounds.54:56 – Zyns on the LSATRedditors wonder if nicotine pouches like Zyn are allowed during the LSAT. Ben and Nathan suggest that they aren’t explicitly banned, but advise playing it safe and contacting LSAC directly. Better to assume they’re off-limits.1:03:22 – Why Are Others Wrong?Listener Andrew is thinking about writing an LSAT addendum. Ben and Nathan advise him to focus on improving his score with his two remaining attempts. They argue that law school deans who encourage addenda are trying to get applicants to expose weaknesses. Schools are more interested in reporting the highest LSAT scores, driving denial numbers up, and collecting full tuition. Admissions advice is often self-serving.1:18:21 – Personal Statement Gong ShowDanielle sends in their submission for the Personal Statement Gong Show, the show where Ben and Nathan read personal statements and hit the gong when something goes wrong. The standing record to beat is ten lines, held by Greta.1:32:38 - What’s the Deal With… Jacksonville University? Ben and Nate take a look at Jacksonville University, the newest school to receive ABA accreditation. While there are reasons why this may be a good fit, you shouldn’t pay to be the school’s guinea pigs. Catch up on all of our What’s the Deal With… segments!1:42:50 - Word of the Week - Legerdemain “Commenting on the county counsel exception, the court termed it a 'legerdemain giving birth to a solution of dubious validity.'”Howitt v. Superior Court, 5 Cal. Rptr. 2d 196, 202 (App. 1992).Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library.
    Más Menos
    1 h y 50 m
Todavía no hay opiniones