Read It Like You Mean It (Ep. 513)

On this week’s Thinking LSAT, Josh joins Ben to answer questions from students who feel stuck. They explain that plateaus often come from ignoring the core skill tested by the LSAT: “Did you understand what you read?” “Strategies” like skimming passages or completing 10 questions in 10 minutes distract from comprehension. Instead, you unlock the LSAT when you read each sentence carefully and make sure you understand every word. ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠ ⁠Download our iOS app⁠ ⁠Watch Episode 513 on YouTube⁠ 1:01 – Be Careful What You Share Josh and Ben unpack a NYT report on a white nationalist who won an award for a paper on originalism. They focus on a student quoted in the article who lost a job offer after telling a future employer about the interview. Their point: it’s not about politics—employers want to avoid liability and bad press. The same logic applies to law school admissions, where offices will use any self-disclosed information to their advantage. 7:15 – Save My RC Ellie writes in hoping to “save” her reading comprehension. They urge her to slow down, spend more time digesting each passage, and treat every question as Must Be True—provable solely by the text. 14:50 – Professors’ Letter of Recommendation When Joshua’s professors ask what to include in letters of recommendation, highlight experiences that prove future lawyer competence—research, writing, leadership, and advocacy. Ensure recommenders understand LSAC’s credential assembly service upload process so letters arrive on time. 19:12 – Retaking Classes Emma wants to know if she should retake classes to boost her GPA. If your school removes old grades from your transcript, retaking a course can improve your GPA. If not, stack easy A’s instead. Delay graduation if needed to add GPA-boosting coursework, and consider a gap year to raise numbers further—every decimal point can translate into larger scholarships. LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator 24:44 – Plateauing in Scores The guys diagnose Sydney’s stall, where she was missing seven questions per section. She’s fixated on speed. Strategies like “10 questions in 10 minutes” detract from accuracy and understanding. Instead, Josh and Ben prescribe concentrating on accuracy, ditching box-checking wrong-answer journals, and digging into the logic of each missed question instead of types. 37:56 – Applying Early Decision Applying early decision is a scholarship-killer. You surrender negotiation leverage and forfeit the chance to apply broadly and early elsewhere. Keep your options—and bargaining power—open. 42:46 - Word of the Week - Nimrod “In Wisconsin, as I was driving through, a hunter shot his own guide between the shoulder blades. The coroner questioning this nimrod asked, ‘Did you think he was a deer?’” Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library.