After an influx of GPA addenda questions, Nathan and Josh address several examples in a rapid-fire segment. Their main point: you probably shouldn’t write one at all. Addenda highlight weaknesses and provide information that admissions committees may hold against you. Skip the sob stories and focus on showing why you’ll succeed in law school.

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0:42 – Big Beautiful Bill

Nathan and Josh discuss provisions of the Big Beautiful Bill that cap law school loans at $50,000 per year. They argue it’s not the crisis some students fear, noting that borrowing six figures for law school is unwise and the cap protects less informed applicants. They see the bill as targeting predatory schools, not students.

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23:52 – Rapid Fire Addenda

The guys advise students to avoid addenda. Addenda draw attention to the weakest parts of your application and must be concise and strategic if used. An effective addendum highlights positive traits and avoids overexplaining. The goal is to shift focus away from negatives and give admissions officers something strong to latch onto.

38:46 – Role Questions

Nathan and Josh explain how to approach role questions, which ask about the function of specific sentences in an argument. They remind listeners that sentences are usually in one of two key categories: premises and conclusions. While answers are phrased abstractly, you succeed by reading answer choices with the same care and engagement used on the passage itself.

50:18 – Accuracy Up but Speed Stalled

Nathan urges students not to chase speed at the expense of comprehension. Every missed question indicates another question you got correct, but didn’t understand. Rereading whole passages is a red flag for poor initial reading. Meaningful engagement with the passage allows students to trust their comprehension in the face of flawed arguments.

1:04:05 – Broken Questions

Josh and Nathan refute the idea of “broken” LSAT questions. While some answer choices may be stronger than others, all correct answers are defensible. Blaming the test forfeits a chance to improve. When struggling, walk away and revisit the question with fresh eyes—some days you’ll simply perform better than others.

1:11:14 – Personal Statement Gong Show

Hannah sends in her submission for the Personal Statement Gong Show. Josh and Nathan read the personal statements and hit the gong when something goes wrong. The standing record to beat is 21 lines, held by Danielle.

1:27:07 - Word of the Week - Effect

Pollination of fruit tree flowers, a necessary step in fruit production, is effected only by certain insects.

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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.

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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.

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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?’”

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