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An anonymous listener considers giving up on LG. With LSAC removing Logic Games from the LSAT starting in August 2024, Nathan and Erik give their advice on whether it's a benefit to forgetting about games. 

Erik and Nathan advise an anonymous listener to retake the LSAT and reapply in the fall rather than settle for a mediocre scholarship offer this cycle. They go on to discuss having a goal regarding a career in law that is based on more than just prestige or rank. 

Don’t let fear of practice test scores prevent you from taking timed sections. Nathan and Erik discuss best steps to ignore the clock when doing timed sections or practice tests.  

Listener Meg is feeling anxious about taking her first official LSAT. Erik and Nathan remind her that the official test is no different than the dozens of practice tests that she’s already taken.

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. 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.

Listener James doubts he’ll be ready in time for the June LSAT, but he wants to gain the experience of an official test attempt. Erik and Nathan urge James to reconsider. They also discuss taking the test in person or not. 

Cally and Erik share some mindfulness-based suggestions for dealing with test anxiety. Then they go on to share insight regarding "Imposter Syndrome" and how that can affect your mentality approaching the LSAT. Erik then discusses his view on a growth mindset which will lead to future success and overcoming anxiety. Cally then shares the idea of mindfulness and being aware of what one is thinking about as that can help with creating a healthier relationship with the LSAT. In the end, medical guidance is encouraged if someone is experiencing a deeper level of anxiety. 

I don’t get enough emails. You should email me! I’m nathan@lsatdemon.com, and I’d love to hear what you think of these lessons. Ask a question, make a comment—I’m here to help. Here’s one that just came in: Subject: SOSI am a long-time Thinking LSAT podcast listener and have been studying for the LSAT for the past 12 months. My most recent months of study have been through the Demon. At the moment I am feeling defeated and frustrated, and I hope you guys can provide words of encouragement. I took the test last November and scored a 163. After Christmas I began to study again and took the test this past April. I moved up only one point. I feel like a hamster in a wheel. I have the games down. I’m missing 2-4 questions on LR (lots of room for improvement there I know). And I’m missing between 6-9 questions on RC. I desperately want this to be over in August so I can focus elsewhere. My issue is not the number of hours I put in or my work ethic; rather it seems to be the way I am studying. I think part of the reason I am not improving is due to my comprehension speed on RC and partially on LR. Anway, I know I’m supposed to review one question at a time and understand the root of why I made two mistakes (picking the wrong answer and not picking the right one). I guess I am looking for words of encouragement or how I should best utilize the next two months. Thanks for writing. I’m sorry you’re feeling defeated and frustrated. But I’m more of a tough-love guy than a words-of-encouragement guy. There’s a lot here that worries me. I’ll take it piece by piece. I took the test last November and scored a 163. After Christmas I began to study again and took the test this past April. A score of 163’s not bad—but this student wanted more. That’s great! But this student made several tactical mistakes. The November LSAT was in the beginning of November. This student waited at least a month and a half—likely, two months or more—before resuming study. This flouts the advice we always give on the Thinking LSAT Podcast and at LSAT Demon. Law schools care only about your highest score, so there’s a big incentive to take the test multiple times. Students should plan ahead for multiple consecutive attempts. It’s a mistake not to study for three weeks while waiting for results. It’s an even bigger mistake to wait weeks or months after results come out to get back on the horse. This student skipped the February LSAT, which was a third mistake. I’m glad you’ve been listening to the podcast, studying with the Demon, and writing to us for advice. But dude—please take the advice we constantly give! Once you’re ready for your first official LSAT, take each consecutive LSAT until you achieve a score that reflects your full potential. I moved up only one point [to 164]. I have the games down. I’m missing 2-4 questions on LR. And I’m missing between 6-9 questions on RC. Scoring 164 is a step in the right direction—congratulations on that. Baby steps are good! But this math doesn’t add up. If you’re perfect on games, minus 2 to 4 on LR, and minus 6 to 9 on RC, that should be a minus 8 (171) on a good day and a minus 13 (166) on your worst day. So, where’s the 164 coming from? Are you actually perfect on the games? Might you be a bit worse at LR and/or RC than you’re fessing up to? If you really want to improve, you can’t fall victim to wishful thinking. You need to be honest about your weaknesses and ask for specific help. I think part of the reason I am not improving is due to my comprehension speed on RC and partially on LR. “Comprehension speed”? That’s not something that a longtime Thinking LSAT / LSAT Demon student should say. It’s actually an oxymoron. “Comprehension” means “understanding,” and that’s not something that can be rushed. I bet your entire problem on RC (and, to a lesser extent, LR) is that you’re still thinking about speed, trying to rush to the finish, instead of actually understanding what you’re reading. This flies in the face of every last bit of advice we’ve ever given. Speed comes from accuracy. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. I’ve written and podcasted about this over and over and over. See also here, here, and here. This is Thinking LSAT / LSAT Demon 101. If you actually understand what you read, the questions will get easier and you’ll start to go fast. Refusal to take this advice fully on board will forever prevent you from reaching your LSAT goals. Stop reaching for speed before you actually understand. I desperately want this to be over in August so I can focus elsewhere. Oh no—this is the part that worries me the most. This student already skipped the February LSAT and has now also skipped June. He “desperately wants it to be over,” but he hasn’t taken the steps that would allow him to get it over with as efficiently as possible. And he seems to be ignoring the critical fact that the LSAT is the primary determinant of where he’ll go to school—and how much he’ll pay to go there. It’s the foundation of his legal career, and it sounds like he’s about to settle for a half-assed job. Can you imagine a building contractor looking at a cracked foundation, saying “welp, we’ve been at it for so long already,”—despite repeated, extended breaks—“and I desperately want this job to be over, so let’s just call it good”? Settling for anything less than your best on the LSAT is building your legal career on a shaky foundation. I understand the desire for it to be over. Nobody wants to live with the LSAT forever—except for me, of course. But we have to deal with what actually is, not what we hope for. You’re allowed to take the LSAT five times within the current and five previous testing years. Don’t make the tragic mistake of treating August as the be-all and end-all of your LSAT career. We’ve sent people to Yale, for God’s sake, who took the LSAT five times. Law schools care only about your highest score. If you’re not willing to exhaust your five attempts, are you sure you really want to be a lawyer? What is this “elsewhere” that is so worthy of your focus that you’re willing to settle for a mediocre LSAT, a mediocre law school, and a mountain of debt? I’m sorry for the tough love, but if you’ve been listening to Thinking LSAT and studying in the Demon for a year, none of this should come as any surprise. Maybe you just needed to be told directly?

Hey, it’s Abigail here, giving Nathan the week off. Now that we’re getting close to the June LSAT, those who are registered should plan to get the LSAT Writing portion out of the way as soon as possible. This is the least important part of the test, but you won’t be able to see your test score until you have an approved writing sample on file. It only takes 35 minutes, and you can schedule it anytime you want, beginning eight days before the official test administration. That’s tomorrow, June 4th. Do the LSAT Writing portion early to avoid any score delays. Unlike the multiple-choice portion of the LSAT, the Writing portion is not proctored by a live person. Instead, your session is video recorded and later reviewed. In many cases, videos are flagged for closer examination, which can delay their approval. LSAC says to plan for around three weeks of processing time. If you want to be sure to receive your score on time, don’t wait until after the test to do the Writing portion. The Writing portion is unscored and requires little preparation. Your writing sample will be sent to law schools as part of your application, so you should take it seriously. But don’t write more than one practice essay—your time is better spent prepping for the other sections. This is the least important part of the test because it doesn’t affect your score. Here’s an example prompt with our analysis below: June 2007 LSAT Writing PromptBLZ Stores, an established men’s clothing retailer with a chain of stores in a major metropolitan area, is selecting a plan for expansion. Using the facts below, write an essay in which you argue for one of the following plans over the other based on the following two criteria:The company wants to increase its profits.The company wants to ensure its long-term financial stability.The “national plan” is to open a large number of men’s clothing stores throughout the country over a short period of time. In doing this, the company would incur considerable debt. It would also have to greatly increase staff and develop national marketing and distribution capabilities. Many regional companies that adopted this strategy increased their profits dramatically. A greater number tried and failed, suffering severe financial consequences. BLZ is not well known outside its home area. Research indicates that the BLZ name is viewed positively by those who know it. National clothing chains can offer lower prices because of their greater buying power. BLZ currently faces increasingly heavy competition in its home region from such chains.The “regional plan” is to increase the number and size of stores in the company’s home region and upgrade their facilities, product quality, and service. This could be achieved for the most part with existing cash reserves. These upgrades would generally increase the prices that BLZ charges. In one trial store in which such changes were implemented, sales and profits have increased. The local population is growing. BLZ enjoys strong customer loyalty. Regional expansion could be accomplished primarily using BLZ’s experienced and loyal staff and would allow continued reliance on known and trusted suppliers, contractors, and other business connections. As you read through the facts, take notes that list out the pros and cons for each plan. Here’s a simple outline that you can follow as you come up with your own pros and cons: Pros—national plan Potentially increase profits dramatically Positive name recognition (in home region) Better buying power Stronger ability to fight national competition Cons—national plan Considerable debt Potential severe financial consequences Not well known outside of region Pros—regional plan Positive name recognition (in home region) Existing cash / less liability Limited study shows success with upgrades Customer loyalty in home region Doesn’t rock the boat/less risk Cons—regional plan Forced increase in prices? Continue to fight national chains in region Smaller potential increases in profit Study is limited as proof of success Here’s how to structure your essay: In your first sentence, tell the reader what plan the company should implement. Next, give the reader reasons why the company should follow that plan. Tie your reasons back to the two goals of the company. Also, when you give your reasons, don’t forget to address the potential weaknesses of your plan. But do so quickly. And immediately follow each weakness with a reason why the company should follow your recommendation. In other words, concede a weakness and then get back to arguing for your position as soon as possible. In your last sentence, restate your position. Here is our model writing sample: BLZ should adopt the regional plan for expansion because the company can accomplish its two goals of increasing profits and achieving financial stability without much risk. Under the regional plan, BLZ can upgrade with cash on hand without taking on considerable debt and potential unknowns required under the national plan.Also, BLZ currently enjoys strong customer loyalty and positive name recognition in their home region. Gaining those attributes at a national level might be possible, but the business could run out of cash before securing a national footprint and a sizable market share.The national plan could increase profits more than the regional plan. But the regional plan allows BLZ to expand in conditions that use its current and highly skilled staff, allowing for moderate growth and upgrades to its regional facilities. According to the case study, upgraded facilities at a regional store increased both sales and profits. These results may not apply to every BLZ store, but they suggest the regional plan is the safer bet.The national plan could also provide BLZ better buying power and a greater ability to fight national competition in its home region. These benefits, however, are outweighed by the huge risk of taking on tons of debt to compete outside the region where they are known. BLZ is already struggling against the national chain inside their own territory where it enjoys strong customer loyalty.The regional plan positions the company for expansion where BLZ can get the most bang for its buck. Customer loyalty and name recognition is key to the success of an expanding store. By choosing to stay on home turf, BLZ risks far less to upgrade facilities where it already has customers. The more moderate increase in profits and sales may take BLZ longer to achieve its desired goals, but the national plan risks BLZ going out of business altogether.Finally, the regional plan does not preclude BLZ from expanding nationally in the future. The same is not true for the national plan. Going out of business with the national plan is a real risk. To pursue the goals of increasing profits and achieving long-term financial stability, BLZ should adopt the regional plan for expansion. Be sure to check out LSAC’s LSAT Writing page.

Just kidding. Some of you will take the LSAT in a couple of days. Some of you won’t. No one should suffer heart palpitations either way. If you’re not taking the official test this week, you should be doing your regularly scheduled drilling, timed practice sections, and occasional full timed practice tests. If you are taking the official test this week, it’s just one more day of LSAT stuff. Nothing different, nothing special. Don’t overthink it. Don’t overengineer it. It’s just another practice test. Law schools only care about your highest score. This provides a strong incentive for applicants to retake after scoring anything lower than their best. So if you’re taking the June 2021 LSAT, you should also be planning for retakes in August, October, and/or November. If the June 2021 test doesn’t reflect your full potential, you’ll continue studying over the upcoming weeks and months for retakes later this summer and into the fall. In that sense, the June 2021 test is literally a practice test for your future attempts. It deserves no more respect than your typical LSAT study days. You’ve been practicing regularly, right? You’ve been taking it seriously when you do? Good. Then this is just another practice test. You will perform better if you don’t give the test too much power. Ben and I have long given the advice that you should take the day off before the test so that you can avoid overdoing it and “rest up.” But lately I’ve been worrying that students take this advice to the extreme. We just had a long discussion about it on the Thinking LSAT Podcast. When students are super precious about relaxation in the days leading up to the test, they are by definition doing something different from what they would do if this were just another practice test. Think about it. If you’re taking the day off of work, arranging a hotel room so you will have a quiet space for “the real test,” or intentionally tapering down your studies a week or ten days prior, aren’t you treating the test as if it’s something different and special? You’re relaxing as hard as you possibly can for the big scary official test that gets bigger and scarier the more you worry about it. Ironically, you might be setting yourself up for exactly the anxiety bomb you’re trying to defuse. Results won’t come out for three weeks. You should be studying while you wait for your results. It’s absurd that it takes three weeks for LSAT results—GMAT and GRE scores are instant, and have been for years—but that’s the world we live in. You won’t know for certain whether you killed it or got killed until scores are released on July 1. If you didn’t do your best, you’ll retake in August. You can’t afford to waste three weeks of study time while you wait for your results. If you want to take the day off after your test, that’s fine. But your competitors on the August exam will be using these days and weeks to study. So you should plan to get right back on the horse. This means that your official test can and should feel like just another practice test. It’s not too late to withdraw. With less than a week remaining, you’re either ready or you’re not. You’ll know you’re ready when you’re happy with the full range of your most recent five to ten practice test scores. For those of you who have been diligently preparing, go kill it this week. You’re happy with your range, and this is just one more practice test. Break a leg. But if your practice test range—the entire range, not just your best one or two scores—doesn’t reflect your full ability, it’s not too late to withdraw. You won’t get your $200 back at this late stage. But it won’t count as one of your limited number of official attempts. It won’t show up on your LSAC record at all. I will not judge you if you withdraw. I would, however, judge you for wasting an official attempt hoping for a miracle. Whether you’re taking the official test this week or not, I wish you the best of luck with your ongoing LSAT studies. It’s a lot easier and less stressful than you think—and I’d like to show you in person. All you need is a Demon Free account.

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