Don't Defer (Ep. 1165)

A listener with a 173 LSAT and a scholarship offer considers deferring law school for a year. Ben and Josh advise reapplying instead, warning that the deferral terms eliminate flexibility and risk losing scholarship money.Read more on our website. Email [email protected] with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

Nathan and Josh warn Grace that canceling is almost never worth it. Law schools only care about your highest score, and multiple cancels look worse than lower scores.Read more on our website. Email [email protected] with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

Don’t rush law school. Val should wait to apply until after hitting her goal LSAT score on timed practice tests—no matter the year—and plan to take the test multiple times for the best results.Read more on our website. Email [email protected] with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

Austin asks whether to choose a local school or a higher-ranked one farther away. Nathan and Josh say most law schools are regional, rankings beyond the top 14 don’t matter much, and paying anything close to full price is a terrible deal regardless of location.Read more on our website. Email [email protected] with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

A listener asks if being eligible for the GI Bill might reduce his merit aid. Ben and Nathan say it’s possible schools assume GI benefits mean guaranteed payment, but it shouldn’t stop him from getting great offers if he applies broadly with a strong LSAT. Read more on our website. Email [email protected] with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

Darren started with a 152 and ended with a 174 after a year of steady, focused LSAT prep. When he prioritized honest review in lieu of gimmicks or shortcuts, he found his confidence skyrocket. Read more on our website. Email [email protected] with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

Annika asks how to best use the LSAT’s ten-minute break. Josh and Nathan encourage her not to overthink it—eating, stretching, or meditating are all good options. Just be sure to follow the rules.Read more on our website. Email [email protected] with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

Sydney scored in the 170s but is now unsure about law school. Ben and Nathan reassure her that pausing isn’t failure—it’s smart. They suggest exploring careers, gaining work experience, and talking with lawyers. Law school can wait if it doesn’t feel right.Apply to work for the DemonThinking LSAT Ep. 509On Being a Happy, Healthy, and Ethical Member of an Unhappy, Unhealthy, and Unethical ProfessionRead more on our website. Email [email protected] with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

​​Caleb’s plan to take pass/fail classes senior year to protect a stellar GPA is smart—so long as LSAC excludes them from GPA calculation. Read more on our website. Email [email protected] with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!

Haley is crushing the first 15–17 questions of each LR section but stumbles after that, likely due to subtle rushing and a mistaken focus on doing just a few more. Nathan and Josh explain that accuracy, not speed, should always be the goal. Instead of pushing to reach later questions, Haley should slow down and focus on solving each one correctly.Read more on our website. Email [email protected] with questions or comments. Watch this episode on YouTube!