Ben and Nathan field a handful of questions with a common theme: they come from students who are moving too fast on the LSAT, attempting too many questions, and failing to understand what they’re reading. In other words, they’re rushing to failure.

The solution is simple: Attempt one question at a time. If you miss it, review until you understand why. Then, move on to the next one. Slow down, skip all the gimmicks, and the LSAT becomes easy.

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0:33 – Reading All Answer Choices

Sydney asks if she can skip answer choices once she finds her prediction. Skimming bad answer choices is fine, but you still need to glance at all of them. You also don’t have to read every word. As soon as an answer starts moving in the wrong direction, eliminate it confidently and move on.

8:35 – Master’s Degree to Make Up for a Low GPA?

Joe recognizes that his undergraduate GPA will hurt his admissions chances and is considering a master’s degree to improve his odds. Ben and Nathan note that his 4.0 GPA in his senior year already shows he can succeed in law school. Graduate grades won’t factor into his LSAC GPA. Joe should focus instead on removing bad grades from his transcript and getting the best LSAT possible.

13:37 – Mean LSAT Tweets

After a 144 diagnostic, Chris sends Nate an angry email. Ben and Nathan outline the Demon’s resources for improvement—if Chris wants to use them. They also note that academically strong students often approach the LSAT like school: skimming, rushing, and relying on outside knowledge—habits that hurt scores.

19:12 – Worst GPA You’ve Ever Seen

Rachel has a 1.73 GPA and just wants to get into law school. The guys commend her paralegal experience but explain that her only shot is with a strong LSAT. Given her situation, she should consider part-time or state-accredited programs to reduce cost and risk.

26:41 – Two-Word Accommodation Request

A Reddit student gets 50% extra time for “severe anxiety” with a simple two-word doctor’s note. Ben and Nathan highlight the ease of securing accommodations but remind listeners that they aren’t necessary to succeed.

34:30 – When to Take a Break

Blake feels burnt out after hours of daily studying with little progress. The guys point out that he’s prioritizing quantity over quality. They advise him to skip September, focus on learning, and wait to take the official test when he’s ready.

43:17 – ABA Journal

Ben and Nathan scoff at the latest ABA Journal, which addresses loneliness, gambling addiction, and the California bar exam mishap just on the cover. Inside? A first-page ad asking lawyers to donate more money to the ABA with a testimonial from a dental hygienist.

50:10 – What’s the Deal with Purdue Global Law School?

Peter wants to know if Purdue Global Law School, a California-accredited law school, is worth applying to.

1:09:40 - Personal Statement Gong Show

Sophia signs up as the next Gong Show contestant. In this segment, Ben and Nathan read your personal statement until they reach an unforgivable mistake, then they ring the gong. The number of lines to beat is 21—the record currently held by listener Danielle.

1:20:27 - Word of the Week - Ameliorate

The new tutoring program was designed to ameliorate students’ struggles with reading comprehension.

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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.

Check out the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator

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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Ben and Nathan push back against hype-driven decisions, urging students to ignore rising August LSAT registrations and wait to test until their practice scores consistently reflect readiness. They caution against chasing perceived trends, whether that means rushing to take an “easier” test or relying on gimmicks like diagramming. Even if more conditional logic appears in Logical Reasoning, the path to success remains the same: focus on intuitive understanding and resist shortcuts that only complicate the test.

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⁠Watch Episode 517 on YouTube⁠

0:30 – August 2025 Registrations

Despite an increase in August test registrations, Ben and Nathan stress that this shouldn’t affect your personal test date. Wait to sign up until your practice test scores indicate that you’re ready. They remind listeners that perceptions of an “easier” test are misleading.

14:26 – Still No Need To Diagram

Henry asks if LR sections now contain more conditional logic. Ben defends the intuitive approach even on the most conditional-heavy questions, while Nathan notes that LR will never match the complexity of logic games. Diagramming, among other gimmicks, are magic beans sold to students. These strategies only complicate the test and inhibit meaningful understanding.

22:17 – Michigan AI Essay

Jordan sends in a Michigan Law prompt inviting applicants to use generative AI. The guys are critical of the prompt but applaud the school for acknowledging AI’s role. They discuss how this reflects evolving attitudes toward AI in legal education.

30:06 – Why Don’t You Want Me to Go This Fall?

Lizzy expresses pressure to apply quickly despite not feeling ready. Ben and Nathan explain why waiting until you have your best score matters most. They warn against a “one-and-done” mindset and emphasize that rushing leads to lower scores, worse offers, and possible regret.

40:20 – Listing Awards

A listener asks whether they should list awards they haven’t officially received yet. The advice: yes, include them—just mark them as “expected.”

42:08 – Online JD Programs

Are online JDs respected? Do they get scholarships? The guys argue there’s little meaningful distinction between online and in-person programs. Applicants should still apply early and broadly to maximize scholarship offers.

51:22 - Word of the Week - Unless

Innovation cannot thrive unless organizations embrace risk-taking.

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