Podcasts about lsat

The August 2025 LSAT has finally concluded after four frenzied days of testing, and as always Jon and Dave are on the scene to cut through the noise and separate the facts from the fiction. In Episode 171 they provide a detailed breakdown of what was scored and what wasn't (including that mysterious pair of Reading Comp sections!), curve estimates for every test form given, and an assessment of their latest Crystal Ball predictions to see if they kept their winning streak alive!

Demon team member Nate joins Josh to share his LSAT success story. He explains how embracing the Demon's core principles—and abandoning gimmicks—led to immediate score improvements. His secret to success: “You need to hate missing questions.”Read more on our website. Email daily@lsatdemon.com with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco interviews Natalie Blazer, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Chief Admissions Officer at the University of Virginia School of Law, on the upcoming 2025-2026 admissions cycle, how applicants should be thinking about and taking into account relevant current events, and advice for prospective law students preparing to submit their applications. They discuss predictions for the 2025-26 cycle (1:56), rising LSAT and GPA medians (20:22, 27:45), changes they've made to their application this year (12:30), the new student loan cap (30:26), how admissions offices are considering applicants writing about politics and protest in the current political climate (4:18), how they evaluate applicants who have been unable to get a job after graduating from college (7:36), whether writing about AI is overdone (36:34), advice for the "Why UVA" essay (13:05), and much more. As a brief disclaimer, Dean Blazer speaks for herself and often for UVA Law in this episode; her opinions do not reflect those of all admissions officers.In addition to her work at UVA Law, Natalie has served as Director of J.D. Admissions at Georgetown University Law Center and was Associate Director of Admissions at Columbia Law School. She hosts the UVA Law podcast Admissible, which "offers insights into the world of law school admissions and a behind-the-scenes look at life as a law student through interviews with students, faculty, alumni and staff."We've interviewed Natalie twice for Status Check before, and though we weren't able to get to all of the questions that Redditors requested we ask, we answered many of them in these past episodes:An Insider Look at Admissions with UVA Law Dean Natalie Blazer (Reddit Q&A + Artificial Intelligence in Admissions)UVA Law Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer Dives Deep into Law School AdmissionsPlease note: At the time that we recorded this episode, we noted that August 2025 LSAT registrants were up 27% relative to August 2024 registrants but that that number would come down over the days of the test administration. Ultimately, August LSAT registrants landed at a 23.7% increase vs. last year.You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. You can read a full transcript of this episode (with timestamps) here.

Ben and Nathan field a handful of questions with a common theme: they come from students who are moving too fast on the LSAT, attempting too many questions, and failing to understand what they're reading. In other words, they're rushing to failure. The solution is simple: Attempt one question at a time. If you miss it, review until you understand why. Then, move on to the next one. Slow down, skip all the gimmicks, and the LSAT becomes easy. ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠⁠Watch Episode 519 on YouTube⁠0:33 – Reading All Answer ChoicesSydney asks if she can skip answer choices once she finds her prediction. Skimming bad answer choices is fine, but you still need to glance at all of them. You also don't have to read every word. As soon as an answer starts moving in the wrong direction, eliminate it confidently and move on.8:35 – Master's Degree to Make Up for a Low GPA?Joe recognizes that his undergraduate GPA will hurt his admissions chances and is considering a master's degree to improve his odds. Ben and Nathan note that his 4.0 GPA in his senior year already shows he can succeed in law school. Graduate grades won't factor into his LSAC GPA. Joe should focus instead on removing bad grades from his transcript and getting the best LSAT possible.13:37 – Mean LSAT TweetsAfter a 144 diagnostic, Chris sends Nate an angry email. Ben and Nathan outline the Demon's resources for improvement—if Chris wants to use them. They also note that academically strong students often approach the LSAT like school: skimming, rushing, and relying on outside knowledge—habits that hurt scores.19:12 – Worst GPA You've Ever SeenRachel has a 1.73 GPA and just wants to get into law school. The guys commend her paralegal experience but explain that her only shot is with a strong LSAT. Given her situation, she should consider part-time or state-accredited programs to reduce cost and risk.26:41 – Two-Word Accommodation RequestA Reddit student gets 50% extra time for “severe anxiety” with a simple two-word doctor's note. Ben and Nathan highlight the ease of securing accommodations but remind listeners that they aren't necessary to succeed.34:30 – When to Take a BreakBlake feels burnt out after hours of daily studying with little progress. The guys point out that he's prioritizing quantity over quality. They advise him to skip September, focus on learning, and wait to take the official test when he's ready.43:17 – ABA JournalBen and Nathan scoff at the latest ABA Journal, which addresses loneliness, gambling addiction, and the California bar exam mishap just on the cover. Inside? A first-page ad asking lawyers to donate more money to the ABA with a testimonial from a dental hygienist. 50:10 – What's the Deal with Purdue Global Law School?Peter wants to know if Purdue Global Law School, a California-accredited law school, is worth applying to. 1:09:40 - Personal Statement Gong ShowSophia signs up as the next Gong Show contestant. In this segment, Ben and Nathan read your personal statement until they reach an unforgivable mistake, then they ring the gong. The number of lines to beat is 21—the record currently held by listener Danielle. 1:20:27 - Word of the Week - AmeliorateThe new tutoring program was designed to ameliorate students' struggles with reading comprehension.Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library. 

Although not among the headlines during Congressional debates, the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July has massive financial ramifications for this year's crop of law school applicants. Joining us to break down the ins-and-outs of the bill and provide a broader historical perspective to matters is fellow 7Sage admissions consultant, Reyes Aguilar. And don't forget that for help with all things related to LSAT prep and law school admissions, you can check us out at 7Sage.com.

Eli asks if he should apply before or after the fall semester grades come in. Josh and Nate suggest door number three: neither. Apply after you have the best GPA and LSAT possible. Read more on our website. Email daily@lsatdemon.com with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

Thinking LSAT Show NotesIn preparation for test week, Ben and Nathan remind students of a foundational piece of advice: treat the official test exactly like you would any other practice test. They apply that advice to everything from testing location decisions to your test week study plan. ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠⁠Watch Episode 518 on YouTube⁠0:25 – TicketmastersReddit is full of students panicking about unavailable test center seats due to a 50% increase in August registrations. Demon team members weigh in on the remote vs. in-person testing debate, with Ben and Nathan generally siding with online testing. While there can be proctor issues, they note that this isn't a universal problem and argue that horror stories are often amplified on Reddit while the smooth administrations go unnoticed. 7:36 – Eliminating 4 out of 5 Demon student Tom highlights a valuable LSAT skill: confidently eliminating four answers even if you're unsure why the fifth is right. Ben and Nathan explain the two paths to the correct answer—positive identification or conclusive elimination. When unsure of why a correct answer solves the problem, be sure to learn from that question in review, even if you get the question right.13:12 – The Week Before?Harry asks how to prepare in the final week before his test. The guys say to keep doing exactly what's worked. They caution that even asking this question suggests Harry may be treating the official test differently from practice. Planning to use all five attempts reduces the pressure of any one test. 19:50 – LSAT Demon Dashboard RatingsA listener asks about the purpose behind the Demon's dashboard ratings and how to utilize them effectively. Ben and Nathan explain that there were two primary goals: motivation and more immediate feedback. They emphasize that rating changes aren't always linear, and minor drops shouldn't be discouraging.24:40 – Video Explanations for RCConnor wonders if he should still review RC videos when he got everything right. Ben and Nathan say yes—especially if the passage felt confusing or required guesswork. Watching how teachers read can improve your process, not just your accuracy.28:32 – Transcript Petition SuccessMegan shares how she successfully petitioned to remove bad grades from her transcript. Ben and Nathan read the letter she used and suggested others in similar situations should try this approach. They note that smart, respectful advocacy can yield real results.40:28 – Applying BroadlyA student recounts accepting a partial scholarship and still facing six-figure debt. Ben and Nathan stress that 80% of law students receive scholarships and that partial offers can still lead to heavy debt burdens. Applicants should apply broadly and reject the idea that a “generous” offer is good enough if it means massive loans.Check out the LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator47:00 - Word of the Week - Askance“The judge also looked askance at Anthropic's acknowledgement that it had turned to downloading pirated books in order to save time and money in building its AI models.”Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library. 

Retaking and reapplying is a chance to submit a stronger LSAT score, a better personal statement, and an improved resume. If you're focused on doing the bare minimum, you'll miss that opportunity.Read more on our website. Email daily@lsatdemon.com with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

Throwback Thursday to episode #92 with Brian Burke.He never started playing hockey until he was 13 years old, but that didn't stop him. By 18 he was playing Division 1 for Lou Lamoriello and the Providence Friars.  He was convinced to take the LSAT and ends up graduated from the Harvard School of Business. He spent 5 years working for the NHL & Gary Bettman in the department of player safety. He was GM for Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks & Toronto Mapleleafs. To watch the Full Cornerstone Forum: https://open.substack.com/pub/shaunnewmanpodcastGet your voice heard: Text Shaun 587-217-8500Silver Gold Bull Links:Website: https://silvergoldbull.ca/Email: SNP@silvergoldbull.comText Grahame: (587) 441-9100Bow Valley Credit UnionWebsite: www.BowValleycu.comEmail: welcome@BowValleycu.com Use the code “SNP” on all ordersProphet River Links:Website: store.prophetriver.com/Email: SNP@prophetriver.com

Anna worries about getting yield protected at a mid-ranked “dream” school with a 161 median LSAT. Ben and Nathan say not to worry—schools don't deny strong applicants outright, and if they do, it's their loss. Apply broadly, leverage your numbers, and don't let mediocre schools with weak medians define your law school dreams.Read more on our website. Email daily@lsatdemon.com with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

This conversation hit different. JR Butler went from Division I hockey at Holy Cross to building a company that got acquired by IBM for $2 billion. But the path wasn't straight. And it definitely wasn't easy. JR's story starts in a bar after a men's league hockey game. He was planning to go to law school. Study for the LSAT. Take the traditional route. Then he met a guy who owned a VAR who told him technology was the future. Guaranteed him he could make a quarter million in three years. JR said screw it. Decided to try tech sales instead of studying for the LSAT. By his third day he knew this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. But here's where it gets real. JR grew up as the oldest of three boys. All three played Division I hockey. One of his brothers was an Olympic athlete who played in the NHL. When JR asked his dad when he knew his brother Bobby would make the NHL his dad said he knew when Bobby was seven. That creates a dynamic. The naturally gifted kid gets the attention. The oldest learns to fend for himself. JR had to find his own lane. He wasn't the most talented hockey player. But he was accountable. Self-reliant. He learned to bet on himself. That translated perfectly to sales where you eat what you kill and it's 100% on you. Extreme ownership became his foundation. This episode is about finding your lane when you're not the most naturally gifted. About learning from failure. About transferring skills from one arena to another. And about building something meaningful from your own struggle.We Meet:Connect:Connect with Rick: https://linktr.ee/mrrickjordanConnect with JR: https://www.shiftgroup.io/ Subscribe & Review to ALL IN with Rick Jordan on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RickJordanALLINAbout JR: JR Butler is the Founder and CEO of Shift Group, a sales recruiting and training firm that specializes in helping college, professional, and Olympic athletes transition into the world of Technology Sales. Prior to starting Shift Group, JR was Chief Revenue Officer at Pillir, a fast growth low code software company out of Arizona. Prior to becoming a CRO, JR built and ran multiple sales teams at Turbonomic, helping the company go from a Series A start up to a $2B acquisition by IBM. JR grew up playing multiple sports but went on to play Division 1 hockey at Holy Cross in central Massachusetts where he grew up. He was a sophomore on the 2006 team that beat Minnesota in the biggest upset in College hockey history. JR comes from a hockey family, with two brothers that played at the college level, with one going on to play in the NHL and the Olympics and a father whose in the Massachusetts Hockey coaches hall of fame.

Undergraduate work makes you a better applicant, but your GPA and LSAT are what get you in the door. Read more on our website. Email daily@lsatdemon.com with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

Dual degree programs seem especially enticing to many law school candidates. Because - surely - if one postgraduate degree would lead to fame and riches then - obviously - two postgraduate degrees would lead to even more. But the reality is bit more complex! When does it make sense to pursue a dual JD/MBA program and when would it be best to just do one or the other?How does the admissions and financial aid processes work?Is it harder to be admitted to a dual degree program or does it make you a more competitive applicant?Diving into all of that with us is Gina Cecchetti, a 7Sage admissions consultant and a real life MBA admissions officer. And don't forget that for help with all things related to LSAT prep and law school admissions, you can check us out at 7Sage.com.

This week, Josh and Nate tackle the misconception that the Demon isn't built for beginners—a belief that emerges from the absence of an introduction to LSAT “theory”. They explain that a bloated curriculum, disconnected from questions, often confuses students and can even reduce scores. The Demon advocates jumping right into questions and letting the test, paired with our explanations, be your teacher. ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠⁠Watch Episode 513 on YouTube⁠0:33 – AnnouncementsRegistration deadlines are coming up. You know you're ready to sign up when your practice tests match your goal score. Registration DeadlinesRegister for Ben's Free Class6:07 – Logical Reasoning MindsetNate and Josh explore the mindset required for success in Logical Reasoning, emphasizing that each question has one objectively correct answer. Rather than starting with abstract theory, they advocate an intuitive, hands-on approach: dive into real questions, make mistakes, and learn from them. The Demon is built for beginners. By focusing on solving problems and reviewing mistakes, students can build a strong foundation for sustained success. 18:50 – Candidate Referral ServiceJosh and Nate revisit the candidate referral service and consider whether it's worth signing up. Several Demon team members share how they used the service and received CAS fee waivers to apply early and widely. Still, be cautious—don't let school marketing sway you. Stay skeptical of marketing gimmicks from these schools and be a savvy applicant. LSAT Demon Scholarship Converter26:54 – Tale of Two CareersJacob is thinking about a pivot to law from a very successful accounting career. Josh and Nate recognize there is a meaningful career opportunity, but caution him not to go to law school just because he has great reasoning skills. Instead, meet tax attorneys and decide if that is a job that you want. 36:41 – Studying with a BuddyDemon Student Alex asks how to study with a buddy. Josh and Nate encourage him to practice teaching questions to each other. Josh encourages Alex to utilize the LSAT Demon Discord to find a study buddy. LSAT Demon Discord44:46 – Studying for One Hour Alexis doesn't feel like she is making progress with only one hour per day during her lunch break. The guys encourage her to continue her slow and steady approach to studying, but encourage her to improve the quality of her hour. Your LSAT hour needs to be your best hour of the day: interruption-free, focused, and energized.57:23 – Full Practice Test FailsPaige's scores plummet when she takes full practice tests instead of timed sections. Josh suggests that the score is distracting her from giving the test 100% of her mental effort. The guys then suggest that Paige must not be applying her normal process to practice tests. Nate concludes: You should have a growth mindset when it comes to practice tests. Ask yourself how you can learn from this test, not what score you will get. 1:04:43 – Comparative RCGavin struggles with comparative passages. Josh and Nate encourage him to start explicitly focusing on comparing and contrasting as he's reading. 1:12:11 - Word of the Week - SpeciousThe difference between “literary” and “genre” fiction is a specious distinction. Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library.