Advice for Pre-Law Advisors (Ep. 559)

 A listener  who scored at the low end of their range on two official attempts asks Ben and Nate if they should delay their June test. Ben and Nathan explain that scoring within your range, even at the bottom of it, is completely normal and advise the listener to keep studying as usual.Also in this episode- A law school offers scholarships before students even apply- A listener with a PhD, struggling to find employment, asks whether law school is the right next step- How a stay-at-home mom can approach a personal statementStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 560 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Understanding Your Range9:35 #thirstylawschools22:41 Unemployable. Should I Go to Law School?40:58 Update from Demon Alum55:50 Personal Statement for Stay At-Home Mom1:07:36 Test D Question – Trash bins1:30:25 What’s the Deal with… University of Texas1:56:20 Word of the week – bonhomie

A college pre-law advisor asks Ben and Nathan how to best prepare undergraduate students for law school. Ben and Nathan encourage them to keep doing what they’re doing and stress the importance of the cost of law school. Also in this episode- A viewer asks what score they should aim for- Whether to enroll at UT Austin or reapply next cycle - A rapid-fire of Pearls v. TurdsStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 559 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Advice for a Pre-Law Advisor12:23 Exit Survey Feedback25:06 Enroll Now or Reapply48:56 What Should My Target Score Be?56:17 Pearls v. Turds Rapid Fire1:06:50 Personal Statement Gong Show 1:25:55 Word of the week — armamentarium

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

Ben and Nathan have taught the LSAT for over 20 years. Students leaving the Demon often give the same advice: read carefully, eliminate wrong answers, and slow down.Also in this episode- A large law firm submits a court filing with AI hallucinations- Whether you need a diagnostic score before starting your LSAT studying- Tips from Demon students who crushed the LSATReuters Article: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/sullivan-cromwell-law-firm-apologizes-ai-hallucinations-court-filing-2026-04-21/ Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 557 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 AI Hallucinations in Big Law Filing3:55 ABA Employment Data24:11 Do I Need a Diagnostic?31:24 Tips from Departing Demons 43:25 Knowing Your Law Preference51:37 Is Law School Right For Me?1:05:40 Word of the Week – modicum

Dan Currell, former Department of Education official, joins the podcast to break down how colleges and law schools use opaque pricing, fake tuition numbers, and binding early decision contracts to maximize returns from students.Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 556 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 The Early Decision Racket5:30 How College Pricing Actually Works14:54 The Hidden Price Problem22:13 Antitrust, Regulation, and Who Could Fix This33:18 Who Pays Full Price?41:59 Southern School Surge and Demographics50:19 Record Law School Applications and Final Advice

A viewer writes in asking about their chances at the T14 while being a super splitter. They explain their work history includes founding a multimillion dollar healthcare business. Ben and Nathan ask if the viewer really wants to pursue law school given their entrepreneurial success. If they do, they should focus on maximizing their LSAT. Also in this episode- A question on the “soft” side of applications- Partnership between Arizona State University and Starbucks- Whether to use a recommendation letter from a former boss Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 555 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Tough Love12:43 “Soft” Side of Applications24:04 Test D Question – Standardized-Testing50:20 ASU and Starbucks Partnership54:26 Super Splitter with Small Business 1:02:21 Best Time To Start Studying1:10:04 Recommendation Letter Conundrum1:19:30 Word of the week – vociferous

The updated rankings for law schools have dropped! Ben and Nathan discuss the changes, the schools that refused to participate, and what applicants should actually focus on when choosing a law school to attend.Also in this episode- Law school marketing emails wishing students good luck on the LSAT- Whether to drop a class and graduate late to preserve their GPA- Another Personal Statement Gong Show contestantStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 554 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 USNews 2026 Rankings26:17 #thirstylawschools30:05 Test D Question – English Rule43:50 Implicit Assumptions53:00 Pearls v. Turds1:00:03 Should I Upgrade Demon Plans?1:05:19 Dropping Courses1:11:46 Personal Statement Gong Show1:38:38 Word of the week – throes

Ben and Nathan react to two stories: California pushing to require AI training in law schools, and Oklahoma's surprisingly hands-off approach to AI in the courtroom. They discuss AI’s growing role in the legal field and why Oklahoma’s simple rule, use it however you want, just own every word, might be the smartest policy.Also in this episode- A viewer performing differently between timed sections and practice tests- Whether you can predict future competitive cycles- Why the University of Alabama has such a high GPA medianStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 553 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 AI in Law School and the Legal Profession6:20 How to Get Faster20:00 Test D Question – Moving Truck38:52 Incongruence Between Sections and PTs44:54 Will My GPA Hold Me Down?54:22 What’s the Deal with the University of Alabama?1:05:36 Word of the Week – quotidian

A listener asks how to negotiate scholarships, especially when schools claim they don’t negotiate. Ben and Nathan advise always asking for more and using competing offers as leverage.  But, they stress the importance of being ready to walk away from an offer that doesn’t meet your needs.Also in this episode- Handling burnout from LSAT studying - A logical reasoning question about a mushroom allergy- Whether job prestige helps in law school admissionsStudy with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 552 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 Burn Out. Need Advice.17:43 How to Negotiate50:45 Test D Question –- Mushroom Allergy1:00:36 Studying Abroad1:15:28 Pearls v. Turds1:21:28 Job Prestige1:26:43 Losing Study Progress1:36:38 Word of the week – gravamen

A listener asks whether they should include their experience as a professional poker player in their application materials. Ben and Nathan advise that they should. Pursuing something at a professional level demonstrates a meaningful commitment and a proven ability.Also in this episode:- A law school with an endless amount of fees- Whether you should attend an online law program- When conditional scholarships become predatory Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠Watch Episode 551 on YouTubeCheck out all of our “What’s the Deal With” segmentsGet caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library0:00 William & Mary’s Law School Fees13:38 Attending an Online Law School23:06 Predicting Role Questions33:23 Working as a Professional Gambler48:20 LSAC Guided Plus Program1:03:22 Accepting a Conditional Scholarship1:19:08 Ohio Northern’s Summer Program1:33:10 Word of the week — effusive