On this week’s Thinking LSAT, Josh joins Ben to answer questions from students who feel stuck. They explain that plateaus often come from ignoring the core skill tested by the LSAT: “Did you understand what you read?” “Strategies” like skimming passages or completing 10 questions in 10 minutes distract from comprehension. Instead, you unlock the LSAT when you read each sentence carefully and make sure you understand every word.

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1:01 – Be Careful What You Share

Josh and Ben unpack a NYT report on a white nationalist who won an award for a paper on originalism. They focus on a student quoted in the article who lost a job offer after telling a future employer about the interview. Their point: it’s not about politics—employers want to avoid liability and bad press. The same logic applies to law school admissions, where offices will use any self-disclosed information to their advantage.

7:15 – Save My RC

Ellie writes in hoping to “save” her reading comprehension. They urge her to slow down, spend more time digesting each passage, and treat every question as Must Be True—provable solely by the text.

14:50 – Professors’ Letter of Recommendation

When Joshua’s professors ask what to include in letters of recommendation, highlight experiences that prove future lawyer competence—research, writing, leadership, and advocacy. Ensure recommenders understand LSAC’s credential assembly service upload process so letters arrive on time.

19:12 – Retaking Classes

Emma wants to know if she should retake classes to boost her GPA. If your school removes old grades from your transcript, retaking a course can improve your GPA. If not, stack easy A’s instead. Delay graduation if needed to add GPA-boosting coursework, and consider a gap year to raise numbers further—every decimal point can translate into larger scholarships.

LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator

24:44 – Plateauing in Scores

The guys diagnose Sydney’s stall, where she was missing seven questions per section. She’s fixated on speed. Strategies like “10 questions in 10 minutes” detract from accuracy and understanding. Instead, Josh and Ben prescribe concentrating on accuracy, ditching box-checking wrong-answer journals, and digging into the logic of each missed question instead of types.

37:56 – Applying Early Decision

Applying early decision is a scholarship-killer. You surrender negotiation leverage and forfeit the chance to apply broadly and early elsewhere. Keep your options—and bargaining power—open.

42:46 - Word of the Week - Nimrod

“In Wisconsin, as I was driving through, a hunter shot his own guide between the shoulder blades. The coroner questioning this nimrod asked, ‘Did you think he was a deer?’”

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Law School Lemons & LSAT Ceilings

Ben and Nathan discuss how law school admissions resemble a “market for lemons,” where students face steep information asymmetries. They highlight tools like the Scholarship Estimator and 509 reports that help applicants manage expectations and avoid overpaying. While there are several ways to strengthen an application, none are as effective as a strong LSAT and GPA.

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0:26 – Law School Lemon Law

Demon student Luca applies the “market for lemons” concept to law school admissions, emphasizing the information gap between applicants and schools. Ben and Nate note that schools often string applicants along without providing transparent pricing. Tools like 509 reports and the Scholarship Estimator help narrow this gap by showing what students might actually pay. Despite the added time and cost, applying broadly remains key to determining your market value.

⁠The Disparity Index⁠

LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator

The Market For Lemons

17:36 – Getting In Isn’t the Goal

Ben and Nathan discuss a Reddit post that shared an email in which the University of Oklahoma’s law school advised an applicant to raise their LSAT score. Some were outraged, but the data supports it—Oklahoma’s median LSAT is 160. They caution against accepting offers where you just meet the medians. Barely squeaking in often means overpaying.

23:31 – Announcements

August LSAT Registration closes June 26th. See all registration details at lsat.link/dates.

25:22 – Holistic Applications

Extracurriculars and soft factors help, but only after your LSAT and GPA are competitive. Athletics, internships, and work experience can strengthen your application, but they won’t offset weak numbers.

29:48 – Tips from Departing Demons

Recent Demon students share what worked for them. Asma recommends “having a conversation with the test” to stay mentally engaged rather than going on autopilot. Another student, LT, shares that they ultimately decided not to pursue a JD, showing that sometimes the best move is to walk away.

34:23 – What’s My Ceiling?

Seth asks if massive LSAT gains—30 or even 40 points—are possible. The guys say yes, but they stress not to rush toward specific schools or deadlines. Instead, slow down, focus on one question at a time, and aim for a minimum of 160. Below that, law school might not be the right investment.

39:21 – Personal Statement Gong Show

Amy feels that the Personal Statement Gong Show has given her a great idea of what not to do. Now, she wants to know what makes an elite personal statement. Ben and Nathan highlight some essential lessons using a personal statement from the Gong Show’s first celebrity contestant, Demon team member Stefan.

1:04:32 - Word of the Week - Aegis

[The memoirs] written by royalists, who opposed the Revolution, were published under the monarchy’s aegis.

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Law schools manipulate scholarships to obscure what they’re actually willing to pay for LSAT scores. Ben and Nathan reveal how some schools offer up to $40,000 per LSAT point. They introduce the “Disparity Index” to show how wildly different financial outcomes can be for students at the same school. Don’t settle for mediocre scores—top LSAT performance unlocks the best deals.

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0:30 – LSAT Buyer’s Club

Ben and Nathan dig into how much law schools pay for LSAT scores. They introduce the Disparity Index—calculated by subtracting a school’s 75th percentile grant from full price—as a measure of that school’s willingness to buy scores. Some schools pay $10,000 per point while others offer up to $40,000. At full price, you might be paying 20 times more than a classmate. The key takeaway: the 75th percentile grant should be your floor, not your ceiling.

LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator

31:09 – Scholarship Reconsiderations

The guys explain why you shouldn’t expect schools to negotiate openly. Many schools pretend to have fixed offers or use pre-law advisors to dissuade students from pushing back. Protect your leverage—don’t visit schools, don’t volunteer information. “Exclusive” opportunities are often just marketing ploys to increase tuition revenue.

50:43 – Last Call for Uncle Sam’s Wallet

Recently proposed policy changes threaten to disrupt the current tuition landscape of law schools. Limitations on student visas, loan amounts, and repayment options all have the capacity to change the way law schools play the scholarship game.

1:07:05 – RC Comprehension

Ricky scores nearly perfectly on Logical Reasoning, but underperforms at Reading Comprehension. Ben and Nathan suggest that Ricky aim for two perfect passages and guess on the rest. With time and practice, two will lead to three, but perfection on two gives a strong base and builds confidence.

1:10:07 – Grammarly

Ben and Nathan discuss the value of Grammarly. They suggest a smart workflow: use tools like Grammarly to generate suggestions, then double-check those suggestions with Google or other AIs. Cross-referencing recommendations can teach you good writing while improving your output.

1:13:00 – Personal Statement Gong Show

Ian sends in his 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.

1:18:31 - Word of the Week - Compatible

Which one of the following statements about cells is most compatible with the views of late nineteenth-century biochemists as those views are described in the passage?

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Michael Freedman joins Nathan on Thinking LSAT to share his story as a trial lawyer in some of the nation’s most high-profile criminal cases. Along the way, he shares candid advice for law students about finding their path, building experience, and starting a firm. Michael emphasizes the importance of treating law school like a job, embracing trial work, and nurturing every professional relationship.

4:00 – UC Hastings

Michael recalls feeling bored during his 1L year but loving 2L because he finally began interacting with real lawyers. Nathan encourages students to approach law school the way Michael did. Michael offers two practical tips for success: treat law school like a 9-to-5 job and intentionally build life balance outside of school.

27:10 – Federal Clerkship and Government Position

Despite participating in OCI, Michael didn’t land a Big Law job. Instead, he worked during law school for a trial lawyer focused on white-collar defense, which helped him confirm his passion for criminal trial work. The client relationship aspect deeply appealed to him, influencing his decision to clerk after graduation. He landed a prestigious clerkship on the Ninth Circuit. While many of his peers moved into Big Law after clerking, Michael opted for a government role to gain more courtroom experience. When he eventually reached the typical endpoint for federal positions, he chose to start his firm rather than join another existing one.

27:23 – Starting the Freedman Firm

To build his practice, Michael accepted every case, no matter the size, emphasizing that no case was too small in those early days. He believes that founding a firm requires an entrepreneurial mindset—one must enjoy thinking about how to acquire clients, how to handle hiring, and how to manage payroll. He later brought on another partner to help handle larger, more demanding cases.

33:41 – Big Profile Cases

Michael’s work eventually led to invitations to co-counsel on major white-collar criminal cases, including representing Bill Cosby, working on R. Kelly’s trial, and participating in Harvey Weinstein’s appeal. Much of this work was in collaboration with Jennifer Bonjean, a highly respected trial attorney based in Chicago. These opportunities didn’t happen by accident. They stemmed from years of deliberate effort in building strong professional relationships. Michael treats his referral sources like clients themselves, ensuring they’re proud to be associated with his work and satisfied with the results he delivers.

40:41 – Should Our Students Do What You Do?

Michael poses a fundamental question to students: Do you know what kind of lawyer you want to be? He encourages students to take advantage of every opportunity to gain hands-on experience. Law firms require a diverse range of personalities and backgrounds to serve their clients effectively. He urges students to attend court and introduce themselves to lawyers, not just to network, but to genuinely learn. A sincere interest in the work can lead to meaningful opportunities.

Ben and Nathan investigate income-debt ratios for average law students. Their findings paint a sobering picture for the average law school graduate. In many cases, students are paying champagne prices for beer salaries. Paying full price at even top schools can disrupt personal financial stability for a decade or longer.

Then, they review the newly released 2025/2026 LSAT schedule, flag another price increase, and take on two flawed pieces of LSAT advice in a double round of Pearls vs. Turds. The guys help one listener struggling with timed sections and a reapplicant focusing on the wrong priorities in their résumé. JoJo the PoPo takes their shot at the Personal Statement Gong Show, and “normative” is the word of the week.

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0:30 – Champagne Prices. Beer Salaries.

Ben and Nathan highlight how poorly students understand the long-term impact of taking on massive student loans. The federal government considers the average law grad to be in financial hardship, and income-to-debt ratios back that up. Graduates from top schools like Yale typically spend about 10% of their gross monthly income on loan payments, while some graduates spend over 50%. To make matters worse, top students who secure scholarships and consequently have little to no debt often land the best jobs, while those borrowing median debt levels earn significantly less. Scoring high on the LSAT and attending law school for free remains the safest path.

Check your school's median debt and income levels at Lawhub.com

27:10 – 2025/2026 LSAT Schedule Released

The LSAT schedule for 2025/2026 shows no significant changes, but the official test cost increased again. Ben and Nathan encourage students not to waste money and wait until their practice test scores show they’re ready before signing up.

28:55 – Pearls vs. Turds Double Header

This episode’s Pearls vs. Turds features two submissions. First: “Avoid the obvious answer.” Verdict: turd. If the answer does what the question is asking, it’s correct. If it feels easy, it’s because the LSAT is genuinely easy. Second: “If the passage doesn’t include the word ‘should,’ avoid answer choices that do.” Verdict: also a turd. While it hints at something valid—normative conclusions need support—rigid rules like this replace real understanding with memorization and lead to errors.

37:20 – Not Improving on Timed Sections

Dexter reports that although his untimed drilling has improved, his timed section scores remain flat. Ben and Nathan recommend treating timed sections the same way as drilling. Rather than rushing to finish, focus on solving each problem completely and accurately.

42:15 – Law School Résumé

AP is applying again after improving their LSAT score and wants feedback on résumé content. Ben and Nathan advise that résumés and soft skills are secondary when the LSAT score isn’t competitive. Application materials like the résumé can stay largely the same, but they must be polished and error-free.

48:29 – Personal Statement Gong Show

JoJo the PoPo enters the ring as the latest Personal Statement Gong Show contestant. Ben and Nathan read their personal statement and hit the gong when something goes wrong. The standing record to beat is ten lines, held by Greta.

1:03:53 - Word of the Week - Normative

“Sciences, however, are by definition non-normative: they describe but they do not prescribe.”

Applying this late in the cycle shows desperation. And schools love to charge full price for desperation. There are two rules every applicant should follow. Apply early. Apply broadly. Neither of those things can happen at this point in the cycle. Instead, students should focus on getting the best LSAT score possible and apply at the beginning of the next cycle.

Ben and Nate discuss an article revealing how top universities fund tax-free faculty perks. They then move to law school strategy, urging applicants to prioritize career outcomes and apply broadly. They recommend retaking the LSAT to take advantage of score variance and stress the importance of mastering each argument. Finally, they caution against misleading AI advice, encourage persistence during tough study periods, and advise applying only when your LSAT score makes you competitive.

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0:30 – Tax Breaks for Professors - A Wall Street Journal op-ed by a UC Berkeley law professor highlights generous, tax-free perks that top universities offer faculty—housing, private K–12 tuition, and college tuition at other schools. These benefits boost professor compensation while keeping base salaries modest. Schools use tuition and student loan funds to cover these perks. The takeaway: your tuition may fund more than just education. The proposed solution is to end these tax exemptions.

22:30 – Should I Walk Away from a Full Ride? - Benjamin wants to know if it’s worth taking a full ride at a low-ranked school. Ben and Nathan ask, can a JD from that school get you the job in the practice area you want, in the location you want it, at the firm you want? Talk to alumni and firms to see if they are hiring from this school. Check ABA reports to learn about employment outcomes. Apply broadly, and if your scholarship is conditional, be ready to walk if it’s lost.

33:54 – Get to 175

Faith misses one or two questions per section, scoring near 175 in practice. Nate and Ben recommend using all her attempts to benefit from test-day variance. To achieve an official 175, Ben and Nate encourage Faith to stop trying to finish the section, slow down, and focus on understanding more of what they’re reading.

39:07 – Bad AI Advice - Beware of AI-generated content with false or misleading law school advice. One article even published verifiably false information about Stanford. Always verify what you read.

46:27 – Overcoming Roadblocks - Rachel spent 10 minutes stuck on a question. Nate and Ben see this as a positive—persistence shows strong reasoning ability. Reflect on what you learned from the process.

51:00 – Apply Now or Wait? - Nick is shooting to start law school in Fall 2025. Ben and Nate warn that is a recipe for failure. Applying next cycle is possible if your LSAT is high enough to get the offers you want.

1:01:43 – What to Do When You Don’t Know a Word - If you don’t know a word, try solving the question without looking it up. Ben suggests coming up with two meanings and using context to decide. Nathan suggests substituting “something” to test the sentence’s meaning.

1:18:54 - Word of the Week - Escrow - “We're updating our terminology to make things clearer, based upon valuable feedback from customers like you. In the coming days, we will be updating the term from “escrow” to “project funds” across the Upwork platform, while maintaining the same trusted functionality.”