Thinking LSAT Show Notes

In preparation for test week, Ben and Nathan remind students of a foundational piece of advice: treat the official test exactly like you would any other practice test. They apply that advice to everything from testing location decisions to your test week study plan. 

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0:25 – Ticketmasters

Reddit is full of students panicking about unavailable test center seats due to a 50% increase in August registrations. Demon team members weigh in on the remote vs. in-person testing debate, with Ben and Nathan generally siding with online testing. While there can be proctor issues, they note that this isn’t a universal problem and argue that horror stories are often amplified on Reddit while the smooth administrations go unnoticed. 

7:36 – Eliminating 4 out of 5 

Demon student Tom highlights a valuable LSAT skill: confidently eliminating four answers even if you’re unsure why the fifth is right. Ben and Nathan explain the two paths to the correct answer—positive identification or conclusive elimination. When unsure of why a correct answer solves the problem, be sure to learn from that question in review, even if you get the question right.

13:12 – The Week Before?

Harry asks how to prepare in the final week before his test. The guys say to keep doing exactly what’s worked. They caution that even asking this question suggests Harry may be treating the official test differently from practice. Planning to use all five attempts reduces the pressure of any one test. 

19:50 – LSAT Demon Dashboard Ratings

A listener asks about the purpose behind the Demon’s dashboard ratings and how to utilize them effectively. Ben and Nathan explain that there were two primary goals: motivation and more immediate feedback. They emphasize that rating changes aren’t always linear, and minor drops shouldn’t be discouraging.

24:40 – Video Explanations for RC

Connor wonders if he should still review RC videos when he got everything right. Ben and Nathan say yes—especially if the passage felt confusing or required guesswork. Watching how teachers read can improve your process, not just your accuracy.

28:32 – Transcript Petition Success

Megan shares how she successfully petitioned to remove bad grades from her transcript. Ben and Nathan read the letter she used and suggested others in similar situations should try this approach. They note that smart, respectful advocacy can yield real results.

40:28 – Applying Broadly

A student recounts accepting a partial scholarship and still facing six-figure debt. Ben and Nathan stress that 80% of law students receive scholarships and that partial offers can still lead to heavy debt burdens. Applicants should apply broadly and reject the idea that a “generous” offer is good enough if it means massive loans.

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47:00 - Word of the Week - Askance

“The judge also looked askance at Anthropic’s acknowledgement that it had turned to downloading pirated books in order to save time and money in building its AI models.”

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