Podcasts about lsac

LSAT Demon Daily listener, Eve, wrote in with a question about LSAC's new LSAT interface starting in August. Ben and Nathan's advice—the interface may change, but the LSAT won't.Read more on our website. Email daily@lsatdemon.com with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!More LSAT Demon Resources.

Download your free LSAT cheat sheet here:https://swiy.co/NMqDJV4vM74 I scored a 152 my first LSAT. Got to a 175. I've been teaching this test since 2005. If you're prelaw, applying now, or stuck, you're in the right place.

Download your free LSAT cheat sheet here: https://swiy.co/znHOAUQe82I I scored a 152 my first LSAT. Got to a 175. I've been teaching this test since 2005. If you're prelaw, applying now, or stuck, you're in the right place.

LSAC has updated the LSAT registration process so students now choose their test date and time based on when they signed up. As a result, students who register earlier get priority to preferred testing times. Ben and Nathan advise students that registering when you're ready is still the highest priority, but those who are ready may find an advantage to signing up sooner. Also in this episode:- Whether you need an admissions consultant to get into the top schools- UC Berkeley Law's AI Policy- Advice from students who crushed the LSATUC Berkeley Law AI PolicyStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 561 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What's the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 LSAC Registration Update11:26 Military Benefits are Expiring. Should I Apply Now?24:43 Using an Admissions Consultant34:50 Test D Question - Brenda & Mike46:25 Ugly Mode 2.050:52 UC Berkeley Law's AI Policy1:01:33 Tips from Departing Demons1:07:31 Word of the Week – concomitant

Ben and Nathan review part of LSAC's official LSAT prep curriculum. A pyramid-shaped diagram in the Reading Comprehension section catches their attention, but they remind students that the LSAT is easy and that success comes from focusing on one question at a time.Also in this episode- A law school starts summer classes so students qualify for Grad PLUS loans- Demon students share success stories from the April LSAT- A listener question about regressing performance ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠⁠⁠Watch Episode 558 on YouTube⁠Check out all of our ⁠“What's the Deal With”⁠ segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠⁠ library0:00 Law School Starting Early for Grad PLUS Loans7:28 April LSAT Score Release13:10 Regressing on Performance25:27 Test D Question – Raising Tolls44:10 #thirstylawschools54:05 Really, Really, Really Bad LSAT Prep1:01:52 Saying No to Law Schools1:03:35 Word of the Week – breviloquent

LSAC announces that upcoming LSAT administrations will return primarily to in-person testing. Ben and Nathan discuss the shift away from remote testing and what it means for test takers.Also in this episode:- How to approach a final LSAT attempt- Cooley Law offers a scholarship for attending a meet and greet with the dean- How much time to spend studying each dayStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 547 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What's the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library

This Day in Legal History: NAACP FoundedOn February 12, 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in New York City. Sparked by ongoing racial violence, including the 1908 Springfield Race Riot in Illinois, a group of Black and white activists came together to launch an interracial effort to combat racial injustice. The NAACP would become the most influential civil rights organization in the United States, pursuing its goals through strategic litigation, public education, and advocacy.In its early years, the NAACP focused heavily on using the courts to challenge discriminatory laws and practices, particularly in education and voting. It played a pivotal role in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the landmark Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Through its Legal Defense Fund—established in 1940 and headed for a time by Thurgood Marshall, who would later become the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice—the organization spearheaded a range of major civil rights cases.Beyond litigation, the NAACP was instrumental in pushing for anti-lynching laws, though federal anti-lynching legislation would take over a century to pass. The group's efforts laid the legal and political foundation for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Its influence continues today as it monitors civil rights violations and advocates for racial justice nationwide.Tom Goldstein, a prominent U.S. Supreme Court advocate and co-founder of SCOTUSblog, testified in his own defense during his federal criminal tax trial in Maryland. Goldstein, accused of failing to report millions in poker winnings and misrepresenting debts on mortgage applications, told jurors he never intended to violate the law. He admitted omitting gambling debts to keep them hidden from his wife, and claimed he relied on accountants and firm managers for financial reporting. The trial, overseen by Judge Lydia Griggsby, has drawn attention for its mix of high-stakes legal and poker worlds. Goldstein is alleged to have reported only $27 million of $50 million in poker winnings to the IRS in 2016. He also faces allegations of channeling improper payments through his former law firm and requesting a $500,000 payment from actor Tobey Maguire be sent to a third party to cover personal debts. Maguire, a witness in the trial, is not accused of any misconduct. The defense has called more than a dozen witnesses, including IRS agents, poker players, and law firm executives. Goldstein retired from Supreme Court advocacy in 2023 after arguing over 40 cases. The trial continues with prosecutors set to cross-examine him following his testimony.Supreme Court lawyer Tom Goldstein takes stand at his criminal tax trial | ReutersAttorney General Pam Bondi faced sharp criticism from lawmakers during a House Judiciary Committee hearing over the Justice Department's handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Representative Thomas Massie accused Bondi of deliberately concealing the names of powerful individuals connected to Epstein, including billionaire Leslie Wexner, whose name was initially redacted in an FBI document. Bondi countered that Wexner's name had already been made public in other documents and was quickly unredacted once flagged. Lawmakers across the aisle expressed frustration over what they called excessive and unjustified redactions, despite a federal law passed in November mandating broad disclosure of the Epstein files.Bondi defended the department's efforts, highlighting the work of over 500 lawyers on a tight timeline, and insisted any release of victims' identities was accidental. She repeatedly praised President Donald Trump during the hearing and criticized Democratic members, accusing them of political theatrics. Her confrontational style sparked further tension, especially when she refused to apologize to Epstein's victims seated in the gallery, deflecting the request by referencing past administrations. The hearing reflects the ongoing controversy surrounding the Justice Department's approach to transparency, its alignment with Trump-era politics, and the public's demand for accountability in the Epstein investigation.US lawmakers accuse Bondi of hiding names of Epstein associates | ReutersThe Law School Admission Council (LSAC) announced that beginning August 2026, the LSAT will no longer be available online, citing rising concerns over cheating. The move comes after a period of hybrid testing, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed examinees to choose between in-person and remote formats. While remote testing will still be permitted in limited cases involving medical or geographic hardships, the default will now be in-person testing at designated centers. LSAC emphasized that the shift is meant to enhance test integrity and deter misconduct, which has become a growing concern—particularly after the organization suspended online testing in China due to reports of systemic cheating.Industry professionals, including LSAT prep company leaders, supported the decision, noting that online platforms made it easier for cheating rings to exploit the system through tactics like using cameras to capture test content or remotely accessing test takers' computers. Some cheating services reportedly charged thousands of dollars to help candidates gain an unfair advantage. LSAC added that technical difficulties also played a role in the change, with most scoring delays stemming from remote testing issues. On the January 2026 exam, 61% of test takers opted for in-person testing, suggesting a trend back toward traditional methods.US law school admissions test ends online option over cheating concerns | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

On the January LSAT, some test-takers noticed their RC section lacked a comparative reading passage. LSAC had quietly updated the test to allow zero to one comparative passages per RC section. Ben and Nathan explain why this change should have no impact on test-takers.Also in this episode- Florida ends the ABA's status as the state's sole law school accreditor- A viewer writes in to share their full-tuition scholarship success story- Should you write a GPA addendum for a semester that ended early?Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 543 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What's the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Florida Supreme Court News2:55 Law School Horror Stories10:47 ABA Legal Education Arm Seeks Independence14:50 LSAT Rule Change20:19 Not Paying for Law School21:52 Test D Question — Four Iron32:00 High Diagnostic Score38:44 Things We Actually Enjoy40:02 GPA Addendum45:07 Word of the week — euchre

Ben and Nate quickly run through the differences between undergraduate, institutional GPA and LSAC GPA for law school applications.Read more on our website. Email daily@lsatdemon.com with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

A listener writes in asking how to handle the pressure of their final official LSAT attempt. Ben and Nathan remind them that their highest score on record, a 165, is already strong enough for full scholarships at many law schools. They encourage the listener to let go of perfectionism, be comfortable with not finishing a section, and approach test day expecting  incremental improvement.Also in this episode:- An update on an LSAC cheating allegation- Ben and Nathan react to the ABA lifting its probation of Cooley Law- Advice from Demon students who recently crushed the LSATStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 535 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What's the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Update on Cheating Allegations5:24 ABA Lifts Probation for Cooley10:50 How to Approach Your Last Official Attempt21:44 Tips from Departing Demons34:25 Chances at a T14 as a Super kJD41:10 Pearls vs. Turds43:27 Personal Statement Gong Show57:12 Word of the Week — Percolation

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with two of Spivey's newest consultants—Sam Parker, former Harvard Law Associate Director of Admissions, and Julia Truemper, former Vanderbilt Law Associate Director of Admissions—all about the law school admissions advice that admissions officers won't give you, discussing insider secrets and debunking myths and common applicant misconceptions. Over this hour-and-twenty-minute-long episode, three former law school admissions officers talk about the inner workings of law schools' application review processes (31:50), the true nature of “admissions committees” (33:50), cutoff LSAT scores (23:03, 46:13), what is really meant (and what isn't) by terms such as “holistic review” (42:50) and “rolling admissions” (32:10), tips for interviews (1:03:16), waitlist advice (1:15:28), what (not) to read into schools' marketing emails (10:04), which instructions to follow if you get different guidance from a law school's website vs. an admissions officer vs. on their application instructions on LSAC (14:29), things not to post on Reddit (1:12:07), and much more.Two other episodes are mentioned in this podcast:Making Your Law School List: Advice & Resources for Deciding Where to Apply“Safety Schools” and Making a Law School Backup PlanYou can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. You can read a full transcript of this episode here.

When LSAC accused a student of cheating, claiming his score jump had “Powerball odds,” Ben and Nathan dig into the details. They break down LSAC's vague statistical claims and explain why big score increases are both possible and common for serious students. They also urge the student to document their prep to show clear evidence of progress.Also in this episode:Early 1L and 2L law firm hiring trendsA student asks whether to keep taking undergrad classes to boost their GPAShould you ask law schools for an application fee waiver?Links Mentioned:https://lsat.link/grades ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 532 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What's the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 - Is It Ever Worth Paying for Law School? 23:40 - LSAC Accuses a Student of Cheating 49:20 - 1L and 2L Law Firm Hiring Trends 56:37 - Should I Keep Taking Classes? 1:03:37 - Community Colleges Offering A+ Grades 1:09:59 - Pearls vs. Turds 1:15:06 - Should You Ask for a Fee Waiver? 1:19:44 - Word of the Week — Demarcating

Nathan and Ben highlight a notable increase in law school applications per the latest LSAC reports. These numbers have nervous students rushing to apply this cycle, even though they don't have a strong LSAT score. Nathan and Ben explain that November is already late. Instead, they encourage applicants to wait and apply next year to take advantage of the best scholarship opportunities. Also in this episode:Gratitude from a listener who embraced the Demon mindsetA message from Nebraska Law about student loansA Demon student questions whether to keep going after low scoresLinks Mentioned:LSAC Volume Summary Report: https://report.lsac.org/VolumeSummaryOriginalFormat.aspx?Format=PDF ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 530 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What's the Deal With” Segments.Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library. 0:30 - LSAC Volume Summary Report10:10 - Following the Demon Philosophy17:13 - When to Submit Applications29:56 - Email from a Law School on Loan Limits44:46 - Low LSAT Scores51:27 - What's the Deal with the University of Arizona1:05:00 - Personal Statement Gong Show1:12:28 - Word of the Week - impervious

The Lawyer Stories Podcast Episode 239 features Victoria Inoyo, Director of Advising at Juris Education, a leading law school admissions consulting edtech startup.

Santa Clara Law is offering every admitted student a $16,000 scholarship to align tuition with the new federal loan cap for law school borrowers. Ben and Nathan discuss whether loan caps can rein in skyrocketing tuition, share wisdom from a departing Demon user, unpack the University of Miami's AI essay prompt, and offer reassurance to students stressed by LSAT scheduling woes.⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 526 on YouTube0:26 - Santa Clara ScholarshipsNathan and Ben react to Santa Clara Law's new PLEDGE scholarship, which effectively lowers tuition to just under the $50,000 federal loan cap. Borrowing limits are a step in the right direction for controlling law school costs.24:04 - Tips from a Departing DemonDemon student Abigail, who improved her LSAT from 159 to 176, offers a parting piece of advice: take breaks. She encourages students to let the material settle and give themselves time to recharge. Nathan and Ben highlight her success as proof that steady, balanced preparation works.28:34 - University of Miami AI Essay PromptDemon teacher Beatriz highlights Miami Law's unusual essay prompt that requires applicants to use generative AI. Nathan and Ben credit the school for recognizing AI's growing role in lawyering and suggest other schools should follow suit.36:06 - Scheduling Woes Strike AgainA Reddit user vents about not finding a time slot for the October LSAT. Nathan reassures students that LSAC always opens more seats.38:21 - Letters of RecommendationTwo listeners ask for advice on letters of recommendation:Morgan debates which supervisor to ask for a letter of recommendation. Ben and Nathan recommend choosing the one who knows Morgan best.Abo wonders if decade-old letters of recommendation can still be used to apply to law schools. The guys advise Abo to get updated letters.47:51 - “Should I Stay or School I Go?”An engineer is considering law school. Ben and Nathan encourage him to research the opportunities that patent law offers, but suggest that staying in engineering might lead to better career outcomes. 57:21 - What's the Deal with Detroit Mercy?Ben and Nathan investigate Detroit Mercy Law, which just got ABA approval for a fully online JD program. The guys explore what this approval could mean for legal education. They dig into the school's stats and highlight its Canadian–U.S. dual degree.1:15:35 - Personal Statement Gong ShowCody takes the stage on the Personal Statement Gong Show, chasing Sophia's record of 34 lines.1:33:39 - Word of the Week - Augur“The obligation to exercise reasonable professional skill and judgment—under either constitution—does not encompass an obligation to augur an about-face by the United States Supreme Court.”Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library. 

Ben and Nate break down the measurable cost of applying late in the law school admissions cycle. Your LSAT score has the most value on the day that applications open. By rushing your LSAT or applying late in the cycle, you sacrifice points and leave money on the table. With AI poised to disrupt the legal market, it's more important than ever to go to law school for free. ⁠Study with our Free plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠⁠Watch Episode 521 on YouTube⁠0:32 – AI Making Law School Obsolete?Ben and Nate discuss an article from a former Google exec claiming AI will make law and medical degrees obsolete. The guys acknowledge that AI is improving, but it still makes mistakes. While they agree that a law degree isn't a guaranteed gravy train, they also note that the law itself is a barrier to modernization, which will slow AI's impact on legal education. The schools most at risk are bottom feeders churning out lawyers for grunt work. Their advice: don't pay tuition at weak schools.14:50 – LSAT Suspended in Mainland ChinaLSAC halts testing in China after evidence of cheating. A Reddit post earlier this year even advertised cheating services. While tough for honest test takers in China, applicants should appreciate LSAC's effort to safeguard exam security.24:03 – Cost of Delaying AppsHow late is too late? While early applications are stronger, it's never worth rushing the LSAT. The best strategy is to get your best LSAT and then apply at the start of the next cycle. A University of Chicago Journal of Law and Economics article finds that delays weaken applications. Waiting 100 days is equivalent to dropping 2.1 LSAT points or 0.26 GPA points. Schools review applications in waves, and the earliest applicants are often the strongest. Missing the first wave, even by a day, can carry measurable costs.Dynamic Decision-Making under Rolling Admissions: Evidence from US Law School Applications47:43 – Main Point vs. SummaryA summary lists information, but a main point answers “why.” It's what the author is trying to convince you of, not just what they said.52:31 – Doing LR BackwardsListener Blair wants to work backward in Logical Reasoning to combat fatigue. Ben and Nathan's answer: If you're scoring under 175, you shouldn't be finishing sections anyway, so working backward means skipping easier questions to do harder ones. If you're at 175 or above, then fatigue isn't an issue.59:28 – Score PlateausListeners Trevor and Ireland feel stuck. The guys caution against chasing a single breakthrough. Progress comes from carefully reviewing and learning from every mistake, one question at a time.1:04:42 – Personal Statement Gong ShowListener Elena is the next Gong Show contestant. Ben and Nathan read her personal statement until they reach an unforgivable mistake—they then ring the gong. The record is 34 lines, set by listener Sophia.Want in? Send in your statement by September 1, 2025, to be considered for the Gong Super Show. 1:07:20 - Word of the Week - TruismThe standard advice about writing is mostly truisms, like “Make a plan,” “Don't use the passive,” or “Think of your audience.” Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library.