The Tip of the Spear (Ep. 251)
As the summer gets going and the pandemic wears on, it seems likely that more LSAT-Flex tests will be scheduled. And there are some pretty important things you should know when heading into a remote testing environment. The guys kick off the show with some helpful LSAT-Flex public service announcements to make sure you’re set up for success (and comfort) on the day of your test. Nathan and Ben also discuss how a global pandemic is affecting admissions cycles, they tackle an LR question from prep test 65, and they answer a question from a high school senior about when to start prepping for the LSAT. Plus, the guys hear a success story from a past listener, and they read another email from Dean Faigman of UC Hastings.
As always, if you like the show and you want to get more from the Thinking LSAT community, check out the links below. You can connect with other folks studying for the LSAT, and get more useful resources from Nathan and Ben.
Personal Statement Review Package
Instagram (upcoming events)
Important Dates
6.30.2020 – The June LSAT-Flex scores are released
7.12.2020 – The week of the July LSAT-Flex
7.15.2020 – It’s the registration deadline for the August LSAT
7.30.2020 – Fingers crossed! July LSAT-Flex scores are released
8.29.2020 – Can you beat the heat?! It’s the August LSAT!
3:47 – Nathan’s Pop-Up Game Night
This Wednesday night (6.24.2020), Nathan is offering a one-time (for now) game night to Demon Live subscribers. Grab yourself a snack, a cocktail, a cup o’ tea—whatever you dig—and bring any Logic Game you’d like to tackle. You can solve the game alongside Nathan at some point during the evening—RSVP here!
5:06 – Three PSAs
Ben and Nathan have three public service announcements for your LSAT enjoyment.
1. Extended hotel stays on LSAC. Faithful listeners will know that LSAC is offering hotel vouchers to students who need a quiet space and stable internet to take the LSAT-Flex. But here’s the rub. Some students will have LSAT-Flex test times that fall before check-in and after check-out for a given hotel stay. And the LSAC has agreed to extend your stay to two nights if this is the case.
2. The timer starts as soon as the test starts. Some students have been caught unawares by the fact that on the digital LSAT—and the LSAT-Flex—the 35-minute timer begins as soon as the instructions are displayed on the screen. Don’t get stuck reading the instruction manual while the clock is ticking! Jump past the instruction screen and start digging into those questions.
3. LSAT Writing faux pas. When you’re sitting for LSAT Writing, make sure you show the proctor both sides of your writing paper. The proctor may dock you some points or require you to retake this portion of the test if you don’t do it. Who knows what kinds of tips and tricks you may have scrawled on the other side of the page?!
15:30 – COVID-19 Affecting Admission Cycle?
Oscar’s had his eye on the news. And he’s seeing lots of reports flying about the new coronavirus; businesses are opening up, people are out on the streets, and the imminent danger seems to have passed, right? So now Oscar’s wondering how the evolving pandemic might affect the upcoming law school admissions cycle. The guys take a look at data available and note that LSAT test signups have dropped by approximately 25-35% and they make some predictions about the 2020-2021 school year as well as the admissions cycle for the 2021-2022 school year. Nathan and Ben also do some ranting about the pandemic, the political response, and whether the virus is really winding down. Nathan refers to this source.
44:14 – Listener Law School Update
Stress-Free 1L (Anon) writes in to give Nathan and Ben an update on her law school admissions status for next year. A long-time listener and customer of the Thinking LSAT Personal Statement Package, SF1L applied broadly last fall. Now she’s ridin’ high, heading to school with an unconditional full-ride plus stipend in the fall and a job offer for the subsequent year. It’s the kind of sweet offer that you, too, could get if you work your ass off to get your best LSAT score, apply broadly with schools’ ABA 509 Reports in mind, and negotiate fiercely.
Reading Rec: Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss.
56:14 – When should I start preparing for the LSAT?
Montez has. his. shit. together. Talk about preparedness. This guy is an incoming college freshman who’s already racked up 30 college credits and completed a cold diagnostic for the LSAT (149, btw). He wants to know how soon is too soon to start prepping for the LSAT. The guys agree that if Montez puts in an hour of prep a day for a while, he could expect to see his score rise and be ready to take the LSAT next year without any negative (indeed, maybe even a positive) impact on his undergrad performance. While Montez is definitely starting off on great footing, Ben and Nathan recommend trying some electives of interest far outside of his field of study. It’s not too soon to start prepping for the LSAT, but it might be too soon to decide you’re going to be a lawyer.
1:04:19 – PT 65 Section 4 Q3
Nathan and Ben dive into the third question in section four of practice test 65. It’s all about the comfort of passengers on planes, which may strike a chord with any of you who happen to fly a few times a year. In their customary style, the guys slice and dice this question and take you along for the ride, explaining their thinking at every step as they read the argument and answer the question.
1:18:23 – Another Missive From Dean Faigman
Montez has. his. shit. together. Talk about preparedness. This guy is an incoming college freshman who’s already racked up 30 college credits and completed a cold diagnostic for the LSAT (149, btw). He wants to know how soon is too soon to start prepping for the LSAT. The guys agree that if Montez puts in an hour of prep a day for a while, he could expect to see his score rise and be ready to take the LSAT next year without any negative.