Thinking LSAT Nathan Fox and Ben Olson

Tuitions are soaring at U.S. colleges and universities, and short-sighted student loan policies may be partly to blame. This week, Ben and Nathan discuss the latest round of student loan forgiveness, which treats the symptoms of high education costs but won’t fix the problem. The guys also correct a common misconception about “test-optional” admissions. They consider the scholarship chances of applicants with low GPAs. And they advise a listener to pick a new personal statement topic.



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3:48 - LSAT Optional - No, the LSAT is not “going away” in 2025. Law schools will continue to value the LSAT even if they aren’t required to use it.

15:32 - Low GPA - Applicants with low GPAs aren’t locked out of law school. Grade forgiveness may help some. But a high LSAT score is the real key to getting scholarships.

23:24 - GPA and Law School Rankings - An anonymous listener considers taking a course pass-fail to avoid hurting their GPA. Nathan and Ben approve. The guys explain why law schools are so invested in their GPA medians: it’s all in the rankings game.

31:40 - $100,000 a Year - Some colleges will soon charge $100,000 a year. Ben and Nathan bemoan the unhinged state of tuition hikes and student loans.

39:34 - Personal Statement - The guys advise an anonymous listener to avoid a vague personal statement.

43:00 - Graduate School - An anonymous listener wants to drop out of grad school but worries about what law schools will think. Nathan and Ben think the choice is clear.

46:38 - Extra Test Attempt - Leslie, LSAT Demon’s admissions guru, shares the story of a student who successfully appealed for an extra test attempt.

50:48 - Word of the Week - Listener Syd recommends Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day.

The April LSAT is almost here. How should test-takers approach the final days leading up to their official test? Nathan and Ben advise listeners to treat test week like any other week of unhurried LSAT prep. Later, the guys explain why you shouldn’t skip tough questions. They shake their heads at UC Law SF’s solicitations. And they offer words of encouragement to a student who is concerned about how the elimination of Logic Games might impact their score.



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1:03 - April LSAT - Treat test week like any other practice week. Treat the official test like any other practice test.

6:35 - LSAT Demon Is Hiring - Want to join the team? LSAT Demon is hiring teachers and writers. Visit lsat.link/apply to submit your application.

7:47 - Skipping Questions - Listener Harry disagrees with Nathan and Ben’s advice not to skip or flag difficult questions. The guys clarify their position and reaffirm their mantra: “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”

14:52 - Should I Quit My Job? - Ben and Nathan counsel listener Emna not to let law school admissions dictate an important career decision.

22:36 - UC Law San Francisco - Nathan scorns his alma mater’s pleas for more money.

30:12 - Is Law School the Right Path? - The best law students are fierce academic competitors. Applicants with low undergraduate GPAs should think long and hard before entering the fray.

42:05 - LG Study Schedule - Nathan and Ben describe their own study habits for Logic Games.

46:10 - LG Anxiety - An anonymous listener dreads losing the Logic Games after the June LSAT. Ben and Nathan encourage Anonymous to stay optimistic.

53:39 - Word of the Week - The best logic games are Daedalian puzzles.

Micah McCreary is an LSAT coach and law school admissions consultant through his company JurisPrep. He’s also a former LSAT Demon student and current 2L at Harvard Law School. Micah joins Ben and Nathan to share insights about the current admissions cycle, emphasizing the importance of a well-crafted diversity statement. The guys also discuss Micah’s experience at Harvard, the challenges of working in big law, and their shared focus on an accuracy-first approach to the LSAT.



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3:51 - Harvard Law School - Micah attended Harvard Law School virtually for his 1L year. He now appreciates the networking opportunities that come from attending law school in person.

8:52 - Big Law - Micah plans to work in corporate law, but he’s wary of the grueling hours and unrewarding assignments often faced by junior associates at big law firms.

17:32 - Don’t Pay for Law School - Micah shares the history and mission of JurisPrep, his LSAT and law school admissions consulting business. The guys explain the nuance behind the tagline “don’t pay for law school.”

27:13 - Ignore the Clock - Micah agrees with Ben and Nathan on their accuracy-first approach to the LSAT. They brainstorm ways for students to practice ignoring the clock when taking timed sections.

40:13 - Admissions Cycle - In an unusually slow admissions cycle, Micah has noticed that applicants with strong diversity statements have fared better than those without.

56:17 - Working While in Law School - Micah recommends that law students avoid working other jobs until after their 1L years.

1:05:49 - Words of the Week - Ben and Nathan proscribe LSAT gimmicks. They prescribe a commonsense approach that focuses on careful reading.

1:11:39 - Application Timing - Micah advises law school applicants to apply as early in the cycle as possible.

Two weeks ago, Ben and Nathan revealed a shadow ban targeting LSAT Demon on Reddit. The sole moderator of the r/LSAT subreddit, Graeme Blake from LSAT Hacks, responded with personal attacks and false accusations of “sockpuppeting.” He then banned LSAT Demon entirely. This week, Nathan and Ben recap the strange saga and question Graeme’s motives for attempting to silence LSAT Demon and its supporters. Later, the guys offer advice to a student who’s missing too many easy questions in Logical Reasoning. They correct a faulty approach to Logic Games. And they examine a possible case of T14 yield protection.



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2:47 - Reddit Ban - The guys break down the events leading to LSAT Demon’s ban on Reddit.

11:59 - Difficult LR Questions - Good news! You don’t need to get all the hard questions right to score well in Logical Reasoning.

17:38 - Missing Easier Questions - Listener Lawrence misses too many easy questions. Nathan and Ben instruct Lawrence to slow down and avoid making sloppy mistakes.

23:30 - Mastering LG - Logic Games are an opportunity, not an obstacle. Ben and Nathan advise an anonymous listener on how to master LG in time for the June LSAT.

29:30 - Waitlists and LOCIs - Listener Lauren has a stellar GPA and LSAT score, yet she was waitlisted at every school in the T14. The guys blame a combination of yield protection and bad luck. They encourage Lauren to write letters of continued interest and to reapply next year.

39:46 - GPA Addendum - Nathan and Ben recommend that listener Morgan write a brief GPA addendum to address some old grades.

44:28 - Admissions Course - Ben and Nathan invite you to join the waitlist for their law school admissions course.

46:26 - Word of the Week - Listener Kris provides a book recommendation for anyone with inchoate negotiation skills.

Testing accommodations are meant to give students with documented disabilities a fair shot. But recent LSAT scoring data suggests that the current time-and-a-half minimum might not level the playing field—it might give an unfair advantage to people with accommodations. Ben and Nathan discuss the problematic state of LSAT accommodations and what it means for students. Later, the guys weigh the costs and benefits of taking the test five times. They draft a short character and fitness addendum. And they urge students to avoid the comparison trap.



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1:26 - Aiming for 175 - You don’t get points for answering questions quickly. You get points for answering questions correctly. Nathan and Ben instruct listener Manan to slow down and focus on accuracy.

12:43 - Accommodations - Ben and Nathan probe the history of LSAT accommodations and question the fairness of the current system.


Accommodated Test-Taker Trends (2017)


The Department of Fair Employment and Housing v. Law School Admission Council Inc.



34:43 - Downside to Retaking? - Listener Finn worries that law schools will judge him harshly for taking the LSAT five times. Nathan and Ben assure Finn that law schools only care about his highest score.

40:46 - Character and Fitness Addendum - The guys help an anonymous listener draft a short addendum to address a minor character and fitness issue.

43:43 - GPA Addendum - Ben and Nathan advise listener Emme not to write a GPA addendum that risks victim signaling.

50:27 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon alumna Sierra says: “Don’t get too caught up on the numbers and how everyone else is doing.”

51:47 - Words of the Week - Only when LSAT teachers cease their obscurantism may they find absolution.

Love it or hate it, the r/LSAT subreddit is a popular forum for LSAT news and advice. Unfortunately, LSAT Demon students have been unable to engage fully with this community for almost a year. Their posts and comments about the Demon are secretly banned. Ben and Nathan recount the curious back story of LSAT Demon’s shadow ban on Reddit and ask for listeners’ advice. Later, the guys discuss upcoming changes to LSAT Writing. They share tips on becoming a gladiator of the English language. And they examine why some lawyers might be better off working in fast food.



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1:11 - Reddit Shadow Ban - The guys detail LSAT Demon’s shadow ban on the r/LSAT subreddit. Read more in their blog post and share your thoughts at help@thinkinglsat.com.

14:19 - Changes to LSAT Writing - Big changes are coming to LSAT Writing. Starting July 31, 2024, the section will feature a more open-ended essay prompt that asks writers to defend an original thesis. Ben and Nathan weigh in on the upcoming changes.

20:18 - Improving at English - Lawyers are gladiators of the English language. Nathan and Ben share a few tips on how to improve your reading and writing.

31:22 - Pearls vs. Turds - Despite what some LSAT “experts” say, there are no shortcuts to success in LSAT Reading Comprehension. If you want to improve in RC, you must improve your ability to read.

39:54 - Law vs. Fast Food - Not every lawyer makes big law money. But lawyers at least earn more than fast-food workers, right? Not necessarily.

46:49 - Informational Interviews - Ben and Nathan advise listener Michael on how to solicit and conduct informational interviews with practicing lawyers.

52:07 - Focus on Accuracy - Listener Grace faces challenges in transitioning to the LSAT Demon approach after switching from another prep company. Nathan and Ben encourage Grace to stick with it and to prioritize accuracy over section scores.

56:18 - Tips from a Departing Demon - LSAT Demon student Nick shares a pearl of wisdom: “Don’t tell everyone you know that you are taking the LSAT.”

1:01:14 - Word of the Week - If law schools would put the kibosh on their unfair pricing schemes, Ben and Nathan wouldn’t have to inveigh against them.