Right for the Wrong Reasons (Ep. 162)
Well, y’all, the time for change is nigh! The digital LSAT is coming in 2019, and LSAC has drafted a press release to give you all the juicy info. The guys take a hard look at the PR roll out for this thing to bring you the latest on the digital version of the test—and they poke fun at LSAC along the way. They also talk about how Ben is feverishly making changes to the LSAT Demon and how the guys are both brimming with excitement for the next Thinking LSAT Liveclass in Chicago later this month. Make sure you visit ThinkingLSAT.com to learn more. Plus, Nathan and Ben take a look at some Khan Academy faux pas, and a few listener questions.
There’s a ton of additional materials you can get by catching The Thinking LSAT community elsewhere on the interwebs. So you should totally dive deeper. Check out these links to get more out of the show:
Catch the guys live this month at Thinking LSAT LIVE in Chicago—10.20-21
The Thinking LSAT Facebook Group.
Find us on Twitter. Nathan’s Twitter handle. Ben’s Twitter handle.
The Thinking LSAT personal statement review.
7:56 – The guys kick off the show with a thorough run down of the upcoming transition to the digital LSAT. That’s right, dear listeners, the rule of technology is upon us. By September 2019, you can ditch your pencils and start using those well-honed mobile-device skills you’ve been building up most of your lives. LSAC is rolling out the digital LSAT in July 2019. But it won’t be a complete hose down at launch. At first, it’ll be more like the Flintstones meet the Jeffersons. LSAC will deploy iPads to about half of test takers, while other test takers will be stuck using crude pencils. And the best part? During this transition, it seems like LSAC is basically giving everyone a free shot at the LSAT. In July, you can take the test, then you can see your score, and if you don’t like it you can retake the test for free. AND if you don’t like your score, it won’t be recorded on your official record. So basically it’s like this shit didn’t happen unless you wanted it to. Crazy, right? The guys read through the entire LSAC press release and offer spicy commentary throughout. Plus we’re giving you a sneak peek at the Digital LSAT user interface below. Enjoy!
33:03 – When it comes to RC, Khan academy has a, dare we say, unique way of tackling problems. It involves getting that pencil out and mindlessly drawing all over your passage as you read. That’s right, dear readers. It’s MARKUP time. Otherwise known as drawing and craft hour with the LSAT. Do you comprehend more? Does it help to follow their advice? It’s anybody’s guess, but Nathan and Ben have their money on “no.”
39:23 – Anon has some bangin’ credentials. Two Bachelor’s degrees with a 3.95 GPA. She’s also coming up on her final year of a PhD at Harvard, having already completed a Master’s there with a cumulative graduate school GPA of 3.9. Her cold diagnostic on the LSAT was 162. And she’ll be just 27 years old when she graduates. HELLO. Now she’s thinking about law school and she’s got a few questions. She’s just about to achieve her PhD—is law school as a next move a bad idea? Will the PhD be a boon for her or will it hurt her in the admissions process? Is she too old to go to law school? Lastly, she’s curious about Northeastern’s law school, where they offer a gradeless, co-op style education. Will this non-traditional program help or hurt her? Tune in to hear the guys burn through anon’s questions one by one.
46:40 – Anon has a conundrum. She’s planning to apply to law school but she’s nervous about asking folks at work for a letter of recommendation. She works in a gossipy, incestuous place, and she’s worried that if she asks someone for a letter of rec, they’ll leak the fact that she’s on the outs and she’ll get shit-canned on the best projects over the next 8-20 months. She asks the guys for advice, and they weigh in on her sitch.
56:06 – Katie writes in to point out that Khan Academy is a bit confused when it comes to necessary assumption vs. sufficient assumption questions. She shares an explanation from KA where they show you how to get an answer right, but for all the wrong reasons. And because this is one of the most common errors Ben and Nathan see, they give the topic some love. Hear how the guys think about necessary vs. sufficient assumption questions so you don’t make this potentially fatal flaw on your next LSAT.