Episode 365 marks a milestone for the podcast. Listeners can now indulge in an episode of Thinking LSAT every day for a year. Nathan and Ben reflect on some of the hiccups and highlights of their podcasting partnership. Then, they weigh in on a particularly unfavorable early-decision program, debate the merit of a tip for evaluating LSAT answer choices, advise a PhD chemist considering a pivot into IP law, and discuss a host of other topics from the mailbag.
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8:04 - BU Bound - Listener “Unbound” shares some information about Boston University’s binding early-decision program, “BU Bound,” which excludes applicants from scholarship consideration. Ben and Nathan think you’d have to be crazy—or crazy rich—to bind yourself to a school in that way.
17:42 - Pearls vs. Turds - “Pick the answer that is hardest to argue against.” Nathan and Ben evaluate Demon student Brad’s mantra as a Pearls vs. Turds candidate. They discuss how it might apply to both passage-driven and answer-driven questions in Logical Reasoning.
24:29 - From STEM to IP Law - An anonymous listener with a PhD in biochemistry seeks a transition from scientific research into intellectual property law. The guys share their thoughts on the best time to take the IP bar exam and encourage Anonymous to connect with actual IP lawyers.
30:55 - Find Your Best Hour to Study - An anonymous listener has raised their practice test scores just by listening to the podcast. Now they’re ready to sign up for Demon Live and ask the guys how to maximize progress. Ben and Nathan reiterate the importance of focusing on accuracy and understanding. One high-quality study hour per day is the first step to success on the LSAT.
37:41 - Bad Grades in a Personal Statement? - An anonymous listener asks whether they should explain poor grades in their personal statement. Nathan and Ben veto this idea and suggest that Anonymous highlight facts in their favor.
44:01 - The Opposite of Our Advice - Listener Alexander recently discovered the Demon and is “shocked.” His former LSAT tutor had given him all contrary advice: He learned not to use real practice tests, to skim passages, and to diagram sentences—even in Reading Comprehension. Ben and Nathan advise Alexander to forget all the shoddy advice and to begin building effective study habits with LSAT Demon.
57:38 - You Don’t Need a Curriculum - Listener Andrew has spent months studying another prep company’s “core curriculum” and hasn’t taken a practice test since his diagnostic. Nathan and Ben insist that solving one actual LSAT question at a time is the only curriculum you need.
1:10:55 - Reaching the 170s - A new Demon student asks how to reach the 170s from their current low-160s range. The guys recommend practicing daily, reviewing explanations, and taking advantage of the Demon’s killer Ask button.
1:16:04 - Screw You, LSAT! (Just Kidding) - Demon student G confesses a newfound love for the LSAT and thanks the Demon team for their help. Keep it up, G!