Shows
The Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Trying Trial Advocacy, with Brandon DraperMock Trial? Moot Court? Both? Neither? If you’re passionate, competitive, dedicated, and interested in honing your courtroom skills before graduation, joining a trial advocacy team might be for you.
In this episode, Jelena & Branden-with-an-e talk to Brandon-with-an-o Draper, Director of the Trial Advocacy Center for the South Texas College of Law Houston, which is currently ranked 3rd in the nation in Trial Advocacy.
Listen and learn . . .
Whether you can be competitive in mock trial/moot court in law school, even if you didn’t do high school debate or join a trial advocacy team...
2023-01-2045 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Non-Lawyering Jobs for LawyersStop us if you’ve heard this one before: "...and even if you don’t end up being a lawyer, there are so many jobs you can do with a JD!"
But what jobs, exactly? Branden & Jelena break down some non-lawyering options for law school grads, while also discussing the question of whether or not you should go to law school if you think you’d prefer a non-lawyer job.
Listen and learn . . .
Which non-lawyering jobs for lawyers actually require a JD
How much money you can expect to earn if you get a JD and...
2023-01-1249 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Insider Admissions Tips from WashU’s Claire O’Brien & Katherine ScannellThinking of applying to WashU (#16 USNWR, #6 ATL)? Then this is a must-listen.
But even if you’ll be applying elsewhere, Branden & Jelena’s interview with WashU’s Director of Admissions and Vice Dean for Institutional Success will put you on the right path to acceptances galore.
Listen and learn . . .
Why WashU lets you redact your GPA or LSAT score when applying
What admissions officers really want to see in your personal statement
How to choose a law school that will get you a career, not just a JD
What law school admissions officers are doing...
2022-12-3052 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!100TH Episode Spectacular!It’s our hundredth episode! Plus, our announcement of the winner of the biggest LSATMax giveaway ever.
To celebrate, Branden & Jelena share their top 100 LSAT and law school admissions tips from all their years of helping students ace the LSAT and get into the law schools of their dreams.
Listen and learn . . .
Jelena’s best Logic Games strategy hacks
Branden’s secret reading tactics for a higher Reading Comprehension score
Easy ways to improve your law school application essays
How to really understand logical fallacies
And so much more!
Links and Further Resources from t...
2022-12-061h 13The Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Your Prescription for . . . Parallel & Flawed Parallel Reasoning QuestionsThere have been a few Logical Reasoning questions in the history of the LSAT that were about as long as a Reading Comp passage, and every single one of them is a Parallel Reasoning or Flawed Parallel Reasoning question.
These questions are frustrating and time consuming. Luckily they aren’t the most common types of questions, so lots of people skip them, but if you want an elite score, you’ll have to learn how to answer these correctly and quickly. We’ll tell you how.
Listen and learn . . .
What important law school skill is bei...
2022-08-0345 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Careers in Family Law with Olivia St. Clair-LongWe’re interviewing happy lawyers about why they love their jobs! First up is Olivia St. Clair-Long, Founder and Principal Attorney at O. Long Law in Evanston, Illinois.
Find out why she left a big firm to hang a shingle in family law—and how her area of practice, as well as running her own firm, keeps her excited about the law.
All about a day in the life of a family lawyer
What it takes to run a firm while also being its top attorney
Why you might love family law if you love helping peop...
2022-07-2747 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Our Scholarship on Law School ScholarshipsShow (you) the money! We all know a high LSAT score means access to more scholarships . . . but what about all the other ways to get scholarships for law school, like diversity, practice area, and financial need?
Jelena & Branden give you a brief run-down of the kinds of scholarships you might be eligible for as a law student—and the scholarships you might not be aware of for the costs you’ll incur before and after law school.
Listen and learn . . .
How to get help with “0L” course costs before law school
What information you’ll need to...
2022-07-1932 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Ask an LSAT Tutor with Adam Sommers (175)Our tutor spotlight series continues with UNC Chapel Hill grad and former project manager Adam Sommers, who took the LSAT in 2020 and has been tutoring the exam ever since.
If you’re looking to improve your reaction to the LSAT, good news—he majored in chemistry!
Listen and learn . . .
How to handle retaking the LSAT back-to-back (if you can’t avoid it!)
What to do if applying to law school is an impulse decision for you . . .
How to bounce back from law school rejections
What the LSAT has in common with working in tech
How to...
2022-07-0826 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!The History of the LSATDid you know the LSAT was created in part because of World War I? This test we all have to take to apply to law school goes back way farther than most of us realized.
This week, Branden & Jelena explore the LSAT’s roots and growth over time, along with some of the controversies along the way.
Listen and learn . . .
When the first LSAT was administered
How the LSAT was initially developed
Why some law schools wanted the test to include a section on history & literature
When the LSAT first faced pushback from people op...
2022-06-1334 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!The Case of LSAT v. GRE with Clyde EngleFor several years now, some ABA accredited schools have accepted applications from students with a GRE score instead of an LSAT score. Although it hasn’t replaced the LSAT, more change is afoot because the ABA is considering allowing schools to ditch standardized tests altogether for admission.
Given the uncertain landscape, Branden and Jelena sat down with TestMax’s in-house expert on both exams, Clyde Engle, who will be attending Harvard Law this fall.
Listen and learn . . .
What led Clyde to Harvard Law and how he plans to use his law degree
How the subj...
2022-06-0331 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!2021L with Duke Law 1L Thomas FogartyIn Branden’s absence, Jelena interviews Duke Law 1L and former LSATMax tutor Thomas Fogarty about his first year at Duke, a surprisingly laid-back T14 in beautiful Durham, North Carolina.
Listen and learn . . .
How Duke supports students interested in public interest and government jobs
What kind of culture you can expect as a Duke Law student
Why side effects of mock trial might include wanting to become a federal prosecutor
How Duke 1Ls connect with faculty, administration, and fellow students
What kind of grading curve you can expect as a Duke 1L
And more!
Links an...
2022-05-2032 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!How to Study Reproductive Rights & Justice in Law SchoolThe events of the past week may have some Levelheads thinking about dedicating their legal careers to reproductive rights & justice.
Branden and Jelena dig into the options available for law students to study and work on reproductive issues.
Listen and learn . . .
Which law schools have the most courses dedicated to reproductive rights & justice
How to get practical experience on reproductive rights & justice issues through clinics
What to do if you’re already in law school and there are no course offerings in reproductive rights & justice
Why you might want to join or start an If...
2022-05-1335 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Writing Sample ExampleDid you know there’s an essay portion of the LSAT? Did you know you can’t get your score until you complete one? Yikes!
The good news is that the writing sample isn’t scored, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t turn in your best performance. So, listen as Jelena & Branden break down the format of the Writing Sample and work through an example.
Listen and learn . . .
What the purpose of the writing sample is
How law school admissions officers use them (or sometimes don’t?)
How your writing sample can affect the w...
2022-05-0528 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Ask a Tutor: Jacob Kennedy (174)Meet LSATMax tutor Jacob Kennedy, who interned with the JAG Corps to prepare for law school, and now spends his time traveling through Europe and playing chess.
While living his best mid-20th century life, Jacob stopped by the podcast to tell the Levelheads all about his LSAT journey, future plans, and top tips for students.
Listen and learn . . .
What the JAG Corps is (and what their interns do)
How chess is, and isn’t like the LSAT
If computer programming is a good foundation for a legal career
The biggest mistakes Jacob sees hi...
2022-04-2930 min
The Ecommerce Revolution PodcastOwned Marketing Channels Strategies in EcommerceWhat would happen to your business if Facebook or Instagram went away? Many business owners rely on tech giants, which takes a lot of the power away from the business owner. What if there was a way for businesses to create their own platform where customers could subscribe, be able to interact with a niche community, and the business would get more visibility from ideal customers? In this episode, Ramin Ramhormozi and Sina Mobasser discuss owned marketing channels and the importance of business owners having more control, especially with audience ownership. They discuss the future of e-commerce, t...
2022-04-2854 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Optional Essays: Do They Help Your Law School Application?Jelena & Branden dive into the parts of your law school application that you don’t actually have to do (but maybe you should).
From diversity statements to addenda to those weird Georgetown 250-word mini-essay prompts, it’s all here.
Listen and learn . . .
Why not all diverse applicants should write a diversity statement
When an addendum can help, and when it would do more harm than good
How admissions departments may be using extra essay prompts to trap you into revealing poor judgment or deficient writing skills
How your diversity statement should differ from your pers...
2022-04-2134 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Rankings Aren’t Important . . . Now Let’s Talk Rankings!That’s right! There’s a new round of that thing you should pretty much ignore as you’re deciding on where and how to apply: The 2023 U.S. News & World Law School Rankings.
Because we are looking out for our listeners, we’ll process the findings and deliver them to you so you don’t have to sully yourself with rankings analysis.
Listen and learn . . .
What factors USNWR uses to rank schools, and how those factors are weighted
Which factors really do get at the value a school presents to its students, and which are...
2022-04-1444 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!2021L with Max Blumenthal (Washington & Lee University School of Law)Our 2021L series continues with Washington & Lee University of School of Law 1L Max Blumenthal, who shares his experiences at a law school known for its small class size and a unique, completely experiential 3L program.
Listen and learn . . .
What it’s like to compete in Moot Court in front of real judges after less than a year of law school
How those 1L doctrinal classes work at a school so small that everyone knows each other (no massive lecture halls!)
Why you might not have heard about Washington & Lee, even though it’s ranked in the...
2022-04-0738 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Your LSAT Prescription for . . . Methods of Reasoning & Argument StructureThere’s a method of reasoning to our madness this week, as Branden & Jelena take you through a step-by-step prescription for improving your performance on Methods of Reasoning and Argument Structure questions.
These may not be the flashiest questions on the LSAT, but they’re a consistent source of points if you approach them with the right strategy.
Listen and learn . . .
How to identify the most common argumentative techniques on the LSAT
Why arguments don’t have to be flawless—or even good—to appear in the stimulus for these LR question types
The difference...
2022-03-3145 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Your LSAT Prescription for . . . Must Be True QuestionsTune in this week as Jelena and Branden tackle one of the few Logical Reasoning question types that don’t always have an argument. (If you think that means Jelena & Branden won’t be arguing with each other, you must be new to the pod, so welcome!)
These questions come in a few forms, and the approach for each, as well as the criteria for the right answer, is a little different.
Listen and learn . . .
When to diagram and when to keep your diagramming powder dry
How to separate what’s useful from what’s fluff...
2022-03-1748 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Ask a Tutor: Naryan Shukle (174)The learner returns as the master in this episode of The Legal Level.
Listen as Branden and Jelena interview Branden’s one-time LSATMax student who, after a few near-misses, got an elite LSAT score and has turned that hard-won victory into valuable experience that he uses to guide his own students to LSAT victory.
Listen and learn . . .
How a concussion and some too-thin judo mats led Naryan down the road to becoming a lawyer
What to do when you don’t get the score you want
What Naryan plans to do with his legal educ...
2022-03-1048 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!2021L: Caroline Hackley, Studying at Penn LawIn this episode Branden and Jelena interview former LSATMax tutor and current UPenn 1L Caroline Hackley.
Caroline shares advice for future applicants on topics ranging from “taking a gap year” to “maximizing your positive impact as a lawyer.”
Listen and learn . . .
Are biglaw and public service mutually exclusive?
What to do before you spend dozens of hours working on a specific school’s application.
How do you know if you are ready for law school?
Is psychology a good major for future law students?
How relevant is the LSAT to law school?
How does UPenn main...
2022-03-0344 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Your LSAT Prescription for . . . Strengthen with Sufficient/Necessary Premise QuestionsThe LSAT doctors are in, and they’ve got the cure for what ails your Logical Reasoning scores . . . if you’ve been missing strengthen w/ sufficient/necessary premise questions, anyway.
Branden and Jelena teach you the techniques that are both sufficient and necessary for mastery of these challenging questions.
Listen and learn . . .
How to tell the difference between sufficient and necessary assumption prompts
When to diagram strengthen w/ sufficient premise questions
How to use the negation test to answer strengthen w/ necessary premise questions correctly every time
Why the ultimate question that unlocks everything abou...
2022-02-2347 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Solo Practitioner / Small Law 101Do you want to be a lawyer, but also want to deal with compliance issues, own/rent your workspace, and maybe put your face on a bench or billboard (Better Call Saul style)?
If you answered yes to any one of these questions, solo practitioner life or small law might be for you! In this episode, Branden and Jelena cover all of your most pressing questions related to solo and small law.
Listen and learn . . .
Do you have to work for someone else for a while before you open your own firm, or can...
2022-01-2644 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!New Reading Comp, Who Dis?What’s the Main Point? This episode of The Legal Level, that’s what!
After trying very hard not to do a whole episode on the most recent Reading Comp release – Prep Test 92 – Jelena & Branden finally give in and give you what you (could conceivably) want: the very latest trends in LSAT Reading Comprehension.
Listen and learn . . .
Is the trend toward harder-to-analyze passages finally lifting?
What are the most common question types?
What’s new – or, more accurately, missing – when it comes to subject matter?
How can you keep track of multiple points of view with just...
2022-01-2053 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Public Interest Law 101Do you want to make the world a better place without selling your soul (and 90 billable hours a week of your free time)?
Then you might want to consider public interest law. Branden & Jelena break down everything you need to know about this common elite law school graduate alternative to the big firm life.
Listen and learn . . .
What kind of work does “public interest” encompass?
How much do public interest lawyers make?
Why are 99% of applicants for public service loan forgiveness being denied?
Do future public interest lawyers need to attend a T14 law scho...
2022-01-1256 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!BIGLAW 101Do you like money and dislike free time? Then biglaw might be for you. Branden & Jelena go beyond starting salary to break down all the basics of biglaw.
If you’re planning to pay off your law school debt by getting a lucrative job at an Am-Law 100 firm, don’t send in that seat deposit before listening to this episode. (And, ideally, doing a lot more homework, too.)
Listen and learn . . .
How big does a firm have to be to qualify as “biglaw,” anyway?
How much can you actually expect to make in biglaw?
What’s “...
2022-01-0558 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!2021’s Biggest LSAT & Law School News, RecappedBelieve it or not, stuff actually happened this year, despite all of the 2020 Part 2 vibes.
As 2021 ends and 2022 begins, Branden & Jelena look back at the past 13 months of LSAT and law school news, discussing one big story from each month.
Listen and learn . . .
Why is a Toronto student suing his law school for human rights violations?
How the LSAT-Flex adding a fourth section affected students’ scores
Which T14 law school dealt with a law student rebellion after their pandemic policies spiked anxiety and depression in the student body
How the Bar Exam might change so...
2021-12-291h 05The Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!The Twelve Argument Forms of ChristmasIn this Legal Level holiday special, Jelena and Branden each bring six LSAT-style arguments to debate the existence of a particular red-suited gift bearer.
Each argument exemplifies a must-know argument type for test day, so grab something warm to sip, and turn on the most enjoyable LSAT argument review session on the internet.
Listen and learn . . .
Where and when you will likely see these argument forms?
A lot of Latin terms.
Can a valid argument form be a fallacy, too?
How recognizing common argument forms will help you with LR and RC.
Is St...
2021-12-2242 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!2022 Law School Admissions Season UpdateWhether you’ve already applied to law school this year, are debating applying this cycle, or are just curious about how law school admissions, we’ve got news you can use.
Jelena and Branden discuss applicant trends for the 2022 admissions cycle thus far and make predictions about the remainder of the admissions cycle.
Give us forty-five minutes, and you’ll know everything there is to know about:
How to stand out without a super high score?
Does a 180 guarantee T-14 admission?
How do admissions officers feel about increased applications?
Why are more high LSAT scorer...
2021-12-1545 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!What’s 3 Years Got To Do With It?If you were a fan of verbing nouns, you could say, “There are more ways to law school than ever before.” While we are always horrified by that kind of linguistic vandalism here at The Legal Level, there is a kernel of truth in the grammatical wreckage: You no longer have to stare at professors in-person for three years during business hours to be a lawyer.
But that doesn’t mean that all the alternatives are created equal, and even traditional law school has changed recently, which is why Jelena & Branden are using this episode to explore differ...
2021-12-0847 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Turkey Hangover MailbagThis week, Branden & Jelena recover from their Thanksgiving feasts while answering listeners’ questions and critiquing a listener-submitted personal statement.
Send in your own questions for the next mailbag episode at podcast@testmaxprep.com or via the LSATMax student Discord.
Listen and learn . . .
Should older law school applicants write an addendum addressing their age?
Who can write a law school diversity statement?
Why do real judicial opinions sometimes read exactly like the LSAT?
Is having a big gap in your work history a law school dealbreaker?
How can you write a personal statement that makes yo...
2021-12-0141 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!New Trends in Logical Reasoning & Reading CompThis week’s episode decodes the Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension sections of newly released practice tests PT91 and PT92. Branden and Jelena share their thoughts on difficult questions and insights for future test takers.
This episode contains (or, is entirely composed of) spoilers for PT 91 and 92, so listeners who intend to take these PTs under realistic exam day conditions are advised to test before listening.
Listen and learn . . .
Where have the Must Be Trues gone?
Why are we seeing more Strengthen and Weaken questions in a single section?
Why are Parallel Reasoning questions sl...
2021-11-2354 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!New Logic Games Bonanza Part Two: PT 92Jelena tries and fails to curb her Logic Games enthusiasm as she and Branden work through the eight new logic games in Prep Test 92, which Branden & Jelena go through one-by-one, analyzing trends and sharing their approaches to each game.
This episode contains (or, is entirely composed of) spoilers for PT 92, so listeners who intend to take this PT under realistic exam day conditions are advised to test before listening.
Listen and learn . . .
How does PT 92 compare to 91?
How to prepare for multilinear and hybrid games on future tests?
Why isn’t the LSAT using un...
2021-11-171h 03The Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!2021L: Rosalyn Leban, Yale Law SchoolFulbright U.S. Student Research Awardee, LSATMax Tutor and Yale 1L Rosalyn Leban joins The Legal Level to discuss her first year law school experience and journey to the nation's top rated law school.
Listen and learn . . .
How to handle legal reasoning you don’t agree with in law school
What extracurricular activities you can participate in as a Yale 1L
How to decide if law is the right path for you, if you don’t agree with everything about the legal system
What Rosalyn plans to do with her Yale law degree
Should you apply to Y...
2021-11-0330 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Ask a Tutor: Abby Goldman (178)With a shiny, new LSAT score, a master’s degree from the London School of Economics, and a new role within LSATMax, veteran LSAT decoder Abby Goldman joins The Legal Level for the inaugural "Ask A Tutor" episode.
Listen and learn . . .
Can anyone raise their LSAT score to a 180?
How to handle not hitting a home run on your first LSAT?
Fitting LSAT prep into a busy life.
How it’s possible to get a 178 without knowing every LSAT trick.
Are curve-breaker questions the key to an elite score?
Links and Further Resources from this Epis...
2021-10-2638 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!For the First Time in Forever (PT91 & New Logic Games!)New practice LSATs dropped, and Jelena is PSYCHED! PT91 features eight brand-new logic games, which Branden & Jelena go through one-by-one, analyzing trends and sharing their approaches to each game.
This episode contains (or, is entirely composed of) spoilers for PT 91, so listeners who intend to take this PT under realistic exam day conditions are advised to test before listening.
Listen and learn . . .
Where did the Lost Boys go?
Why is LSAC suddenly so obsessed with Multi-Linear games?
What can PT91 tell us about trends that could appear on future LSATs?
Are scenarios still the...
2021-10-1947 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Vax to SchoolAre you curious about what the law has to say about vaccine mandates?! In this exciting episode Branden & Jelena interview legal scholars Dan Bowling (Duke Law) and Ilya Somin (JMU Law/Cato Institute) about the legal precedents and policies concerning such mandates.
Listen and learn . . .
Are government institutions overstepping their authority?
How do government vaccine mandates differ from mandates at private institutions?
Does the newness of a vaccine play a role in the legality of mandating it?
What is a suspect classification and how does it relate to vaccine mandates?
Where do cities get the authority...
2021-10-1244 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Intern II: The RetakeningBranden & Jelena interview the new Legal Level intern, Max Hofstetter, about his August LSAT experience and why he is planning to retake. He shares his hard-earned LSAT wisdom and why he would rather carry a briefcase than be shark bait.
Listen and learn . . .
Why does Max plan to retake with a 169?
Should you prepare by taking every practice test . . . ever?
How to fund test prep by street performing.
How to prepare for reading comp one word at a time.
Stem major GPA: will it keep you out of law school or nah?
Links and Further...
2021-10-0525 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!There’s Gonna Be Lots of Lawyers in 2024Remember last year, when a lot of people started applying to law school? Well, a lot of them got in. Law schools are starting to release data about their 2024 classes, and many of them are larger than usual. So what’s changed, and how will it affect job prospects for future lawyers?
Listen and learn . . .
How much bigger are this year’s incoming classes, exactly?
Should this affect your law school plans, if you haven’t applied yet?
How LSAT-Flex and higher-scoring applicants affected law school LSAT medians
Which top schools had the biggest spike in applic...
2021-09-1030 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Bill Cosby: Guilty but Free?***This episode contains conversations surrounding sexual harassment.***
Today we talked to Professor of criminal law—Jules Epstien—and one of the fierce prosecutor’s in Cosby’s second trial—Ms. Kristen Feden. We ask what justice means in the Cosby case, why he’s free today, and what the future holds for survivors.
Quick Catch Up:
Prosecutor Bill Castor allegedly promised that Cosby would not be criminally charged. Following this promise, Cosby testified in a civil trial where he would not invoke his Fifth Amendment rights. Additional prosecutors brought criminal charges against Cosby and used his...
2021-08-171h 06The Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Law Student Networking is Going to PottsBrian Potts—founder of the LinkedIn Legal Mentor Network—joins us on the pod today to talk about how he worked his way up from a rejection letter to equity partner at a Big AM Law Firm.
Potts shares some overlooked networking strategies for law students and reminds us that it's never too early or even too late to make an impression . . .
Listen and learn . . .
Why it’s never too early to begin networking
The best piece of advice Brian would offer law students
How NOT to network
How students can use social media and li...
2021-08-1042 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!The Intern is Outta HereThis week Jelena & Branden interview Maddy—the Legal Level intern—who’s starting law school at Temple Law in two weeks!
Maddy divulges everything she has learned throughout her internship at the podcast and offers insight on the law school application process. Make sure to listen to the end to hear some advice for the next legal level intern...who by the way we will be hiring soon!
Listen and learn . . .
How Maddy landed the internship
What made Maddy decide to pursue law school
How Maddy chose Temple Law
What traits Jelena & Branden may be loo...
2021-08-0624 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!2 Broke 2 LSATPaying for the LSAT and applying to law school is a HUGE expense . . . and for those that are financially under-resourced . . . it can be extremely prohibitive.
So . . . what do you do if you can't afford it? Luckily, we have some LSAC aid updates and tips from your premier LSAT tutors, Jelena & Branden, that might save your wallet and your score. Plus, we cover some programs here at LSATMax that could be helpful.
Listen and learn . . .
Why investing in the LSAT pays back later . . .
What not to spend money on . . . when you're on a budget
What...
2021-07-2733 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Law on the Other Side of the PondThis week we ventured into uncharted waters by inviting our first multinationally trained lawyer—Kevin Gampel. Kevin is a French-Israeli lawyer who splits his time between a high-tech company’s compliance team and building his solo practice.
Find out how tenable it is to transfer your license across Europe, why being entrepreneurial early on in your career has it’s benefits, and how important it is to distinguish yourself.
Listen and learn . . .
What legal training is like abroad
The benefits of the American Legal Education system
What the corporate law culture is like in Tel Av...
2021-07-2033 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Raising the Bar (Prep) With Courtney LeeIf you're studying for the Bar right now, you've probably experienced a sense of chaos leading up to this July test. Well hopefully not . . . but if you have . . . let us point you in the right direction.
Branden & Jelena discuss bar prep wellness with Professor Courtney Lee, the director of McGeorge University's Bar Support Program. Today, Lee calls out the missing elephant in the Bar prep room, mindfulness.
Hear Lee's take on best practices for your Bar Preparation and what small changes you can adopt for your study regime.
Listen and learn . . .
Which...
2021-07-1542 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Part-Time HeadacheJelena & Branden give us a run-down on the pros and cons of part-time law school programs and all they may or may not be cracked up to be. Branden lets us know the opportunities you could miss out on, while Jelena tries her hand at optimism.
Either way, Branden and Jelena agree, picking your program is a personal call. Listen to the end to hear Jelena answer a listener’s burning question: why she got to the ninth hour of her application journey but still decided against applying to law school . . . or even part-time law school.
...
2021-07-0636 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Cycle Recap With The 8 Percent Club: Fay, Jackie, Sarah & LexJoin us as we sit down with the hosts of the popular law school podcast, the 8 Percent Club, known to their fans as Fay, Lex, Jackie and Sarah.
The 8 Percent Club, is a podcast and Instagram page aiming to provide awareness and support for fellow women of color in their law school application process and beyond.
We dive into their journeys of being 0Ls in the most competitive application cycle in recent memory and how they created their digital community along the way.
Listen and learn . . .
What the 8 percent club hosts found...
2021-06-2336 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Getting Into Harvard Law With Kristi Jobson: Chief Admissions Officer at HLSIf you want to get into Harvard Law, take a seat. Jelena & Branden chat with Kristi Jobson, a former HLS student, attorney, and currently the Assistant Dean of Admissions and the Chief Admissions Officer at Harvard Law School.
Jobson humanizes the admissions process for our listeners and reveals what she’s looking for in future students. And if crimson red isn’t for you . . . I’d still be writing this down. Some of these dos and don’ts might surprise you. But take Kristi’s word for it . . . who knows, maybe YOUR application could be the next one on her...
2021-06-1550 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Tips For Choosing Your Law School ElectivesThis week Jelena is asking all the questions as Branden plays in-house law school advisor. You might not be thinking about the trajectory of your law school courses, just yet, but Branden makes a case for why thinking about your career, the bar, and getting good grades should be a balancing act.
What’s more, Branden explains how you can account for these considerations while tailoring your classes to your own needs.
Listen and learn . . .
How many electives will you get to take anyway
Why taking bar courses are not necessary the best move
Ho...
2021-06-0827 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Oops, You Didn’t Get Into Law School . . . What Now?So, the worst case scenario happened: you didn’t get in anywhere. The first thing we want you to remember is: YOU ARE NOT ALONE. More likely than not, you are actually in good company this application cycle.
And that is precisely why we have an entire episode dedicated to you, the unluckiest of the bunch— but likely—deserving applicants. This week, Branden and Jelena will unpack why you might not have gotten in this cycle, and offer a road-map for securing law school admittance the next time around.
Listen and learn . . .
How to know i...
2021-06-0240 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Our Recommendations for Your Law School Letters of RecommendationAh, letters of recommendation: the only part of your law school application you don’t control. Often treated as an afterthought by unwise students, they can make a real difference . . . or tank your application, in the case of the unlucky applicants who receive the rare and dreaded negative recommendation.
This week, Branden & Jelena tackle some of the most common misconceptions about letters of recommendation for law school, and lay out a strategy for obtaining the kind of recommendations that tip the admissions scale in your favor.
Listen and learn . . .
When to ask for a re...
2021-05-1846 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!How to (Sort of) Be Happy in Law School with Kathryne YoungOn this week’s episode, Branden & Jelena interview sociologist and professor Kathryne Young on her research focusing on the social mechanisms that impact the law school experience.
Young’s work has been cited by the United States Supreme Court and the Washington State Supreme Court and has appeared in numerous law reviews and other publications.
Young takes us into a deep dive of her book, How to (Sort of) Be Happy in Law School, which (sort of) speaks for itself, but you kinda, sorta . . . might want to listen to this. She did not disappoint!
Li...
2021-05-1249 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Elegant Legal Writing with UCLA Law Professor Ryan McCarlLegal Writing, that chronically underappreciated 1L requirement, finally gets its due as Branden & Jelena interview UCLA Law Professor Ryan McCarl.
He created and teaches a unique Advanced Legal Writing course at UCLA, which covers everything from story mechanics to beating legal writer’s block. Listen in as Ryan explains why writing is the single most important skill a lawyer can have.
In this episode, you’ll learn . . .
How legal writing differs from the writing you did as an undergrad
Why people with a natural affinity for writing sometimes struggle in Legal Writing classes
What grea...
2021-05-0543 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Know Your Rights: LSAT Accommodations Update!This episode, Jelena and Branden discuss the process of getting test accommodations for the LSAT including, but not limited to, an emotional support peacock.
Just kidding but Branden wishes.
Tune in to hear your favorite hosts debunk myths and validate rumors you’ve heard about all the possible LSAT accommodations and modifications.
Tune in to learn . . .
What kinds of accommodations and modifications are available for students with disabilities?
How do students get these accommodations? What proof do you need?
Do accommodations raise students’ test scores such that they are not predictive of apti...
2021-04-2743 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Spring Mailbag: Your LSAT & Law School Questions, Answered!Our 43rd episode may not provide you with the answer to life, the universe, and everything, but it’s guaranteed to answer a whole bunch of listener questions. Jelena & Branden tackle listeners’ LSAT problems, law school anxieties, application dilemmas, and more.
Listen to learn . . .
How Branden handled his workload in law school (it involves supplements, but not the dietary kind)
What to do in the last two weeks before your LSAT
When (and whether) to apply to binding early decision programs
If T14 law schools are more generous, in addition to being more expensive
How to boos...
2021-04-2051 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Kath Path’s LSATHWhat do YouTubers know about the LSAT? Katherine Weissbluth, also known as the Kath Path: a YouTuber, college essay editor, LSATMax student/fan and vlogging extraordinaire joins Branden and Jelena to discuss all things LSAT and her vlogging journey.
Katherine is currently a Sophomore at Stanford, running her essay editing start-up, and using her platform as a space to advise on a range of topics surrounding college and law school. What else? Katherine got a 172 on the LSAT this February. Listen to the full interview to hear how she did it.
Listen and learn:
...
2021-04-1334 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Seriously, the Library? 2022 USNWR Law School Rankings UpdateU.S. News and World Report just released 2022’s law school rankings, with some notable changes including a brand-new addition to the “Top 14.”
There’s also some new methodology in play . . . or is there, really? Jelena & Branden discussed what’s new, what’s old, and what should have been left in 2020, as well as how prospective law students can interpret these rankings.
Listen to find out . . .
Who joined the T14 and who dropped out
Which law school jumped 16 spots to land in the Top 100 for the very first time
Why USNWR scrapped their plans to release a...
2021-04-0833 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Wait, Wait, Please DO Tell Me: Your Waitlist Survival GuideSo you’ve been waitlisted. You’re probably in good company, with a 21% spike in law school applications this year. But what does this all mean?
Is “on the waitlist” a nice way of saying no, or a strong maybe? And how’s a prospective law student supposed to plan for the next three years of their life, if law schools string them along for months without a firm answer? Branden & Jelena answer your burning questions about this fraught stage of the application process.
Listen and learn . . .
Why you were waitlisted, and what does "waitlisted...
2021-04-0629 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Self-Care in a Burnout IndustryHow will your mental health and overall well-being be affected by your potential legal career? It is no secret that lawyers have been prone to stress, long hours, and high pressure work, followed by dreaded burn-out. But is the culture finally shifting?
With the awakening of a movement surrounding self-care and mindfulness, what will law firms do to propel purposeful change within their community? And how can initiatives like The Lawyer’s Depression Project play a role in that change?
Today, attorney and founder of The Lawyers Depression Project, Joe Milowic, is here to answer al...
2021-03-2536 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Law Rev-Who?What’s a law review, how do you get on it, and why do people keep telling you it’d look great on your resume? And why are so many law students mad at something called the “Blue Book?”
All your law review questions are answered as Branden & Jelena interview Nathan Orians, a 3L at Drexel who serves as Executive Editor of Membership for the Drexel Law Review.
Press play to find out:
How law reviews serve the legal community
How they’re now changing to promote inclusivity and new ideas
Why law students get to rev...
2021-03-1829 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!T-14 or not T-14? Is That Even the Question?People go to great lengths to get into elite law schools, but is it worth it? On this week’s episode, Jelena and Branden sit down with Evan Parker, Ph.D., founding partner of Parker Analytics to answer that very question.
But the answer—and there is indeed an answer—is really only the starting point of a deeper conversation about hiring practices in the legal field, including how things are changing, how they ought to change further, and how future lawyers can use Dr. Parker’s hard-won insights to increase their chances of landing a great law firm...
2021-03-1335 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!How to Prepare for Law School (Besides Taking the LSAT)The LSAT may help you get into a J.D. program, but it doesn’t do much to prepare you for the law school experience.
In this episode, Branden and Jelena talk with Suzy Bernstein, a current 2L at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, about smart law school prep that sets you up for success. Hint: it’s not all about stacking your resume.
Listen and learn:
How a pre-law school job can help you confirm that a legal career is right for you
Why some self-doubt before law school is totally normal...
2021-03-0528 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Let’s Get PersonalSure, the LSAT is tough, but the real torture comes after your test, when you’re forced to distill everything interesting, unique, and extraordinary about yourself into a single essay. Yes, the dreaded personal statement.
With no guidance other than a vague prompt, you must convince complete strangers you’re a perfect fit for their law school. Never fear, Jelena & Branden are here to help . . . and so are two brave LSATMax students who shared their actual personal statement drafts to be critiqued on the pod!
Listen and discover:
How to make a great first impr...
2021-02-2643 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Brave New LSATThere’s breaking news in the world of the LSAT . . . which doesn’t happen all that often! Branden and Jelena are here to demystify it, just for you.
We’ve got new testing dates! A new testing format! An answer on how long the LSAT-Flex will continue! And more!
Listen to discover . . .
Why LSAC is keeping the Flex format around
When students will get their last chance to take the three-section LSAT
One huge flaw in LSAC’s plan to add an experimental section to the LSAT-Flex
How you should change your study plans, now that...
2021-02-1916 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Strengthening & Weakening: The Yin & Yang of the LSATTwo of the most common question types on the LSAT are Strengthen and Weaken questions, and, while it may seem like you’re being asked to do opposite things for each, they share a core method, and what you learn about one applies to the other.
Listen as Jelena and Branden break down the best way to approach these questions.
In this episode, you’ll find out…
How to put distracting information in the stimulus aside so you can focus on the argument
How the makers of the LSAT think about strengthening and weakening argume...
2021-02-1841 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Quit Playing Logic Games with Our HeartsIf you’re studying for the LSAT, you’ve probably heard that Logic Games will soon be a thing of the past. But will they really? Why? When? And what will replace them?
Branden & Jelena break down the recent settlement in Binno v. LSAC, which may fundamentally change the LSAT in the next few years.
In this episode, you’ll find out . . .
What LSAC really committed to regarding Logic Games
Why plaintiff Angelo Binno previously sued the American Bar Association over the same issue (and was rejected by the Supreme Court)
How prospective law studen...
2021-02-0935 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Standardized Testing: Good, Bad, or Ugly?The LSAT probably isn’t the first standardized test to play a role in determining your academic future. From SATs to ACTs to MCATs and GREs, standardized testing is a huge part of the U.S. education system and has been for a long time.
But should it be? Does it have to be? And will the COVID-19 pandemic lead to a societal shift away from standardized testing?
In this episode, Branden & Jelena branch out beyond the LSAT to talk about . . .
How undergraduate programs moved away from standardized testing during the pandemic and why
Bi...
2021-02-0232 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!How to Know for Sure You Want to Be a LawyerIf you’ve ever had to swat away a member of the obnoxious “don’t be a lawyer, you’ll regret it!” committee, this episode of the Legal Level is for you. In short, there are lots of ways to go about seeing whether a career in the law is right for you, many of which don’t include doing work for free at a law office.
Jelena and Branden will arm you with the knowledge you need to feel good about your career choice no matter what the haters say.
Tune in and learn about:
...
2021-01-1939 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!That *Other* Really Hard ExamThis year, much like the LSAT, most states’ bar exams went remote and online for the first time in history. While the test takers’ surroundings may have been different, the test and what a passing or failing score means remained largely the same.
In this episode, Jelena quizzes Branden—a successful 2011 California bar examinee—on the ins and outs of the monstrosity of an exam that stands between every debt-laden law school graduate and her maximum earning potential.
Listen and learn:
What skills are tested on the bar exam
What the National Conference of Bar Exam...
2021-01-1233 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!New Year, New Score: Resolutions to Make 2021 the Year You Ace the LSATWe’re all celebrating the new year and really, really, REALLY hoping it’ll be better than the last year. And with a new year come New Year’s Resolutions . . . usually to be broken by February as our energy fades and willpower falters.
In this episode, Branden and Jelena give you the lowdown on how to make LSAT resolutions you can keep, and suggest a few possibilities that will boost your score.
In this episode:
Why you shouldn’t resolve to get a particular a LSAT score
Make your resolutions SMARTer, not harder
The one reso...
2021-01-0125 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Good Advice on Bad AdviceWhen you announce your law school plans, everyone you know will become a law school expert overnight. There’s something about applying to law school that makes everyone you know think you urgently need their advice . . . and much of it will be bad.
In this episode, Jelena and Branden cover several pieces of bad advice almost everyone receives when considering law school, and explain why you shouldn’t take these “nuggets of wisdom” seriously.
In this episode:
Are all lawyers miserable?
Can you make money as a lawyer without being evil?
If you love to argue...
2020-12-2946 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Merry LSATMaXmas!Oh, the L-S-A-T is frightful, but this pod is so delightful! And since we’ve no place to go (there’s still a pandemic raging out there, people) start the show, start the show, start the show! What show? The first annual Legal Level Holiday Extravaganza, of course, known by its nickname, LSATMaXmas. On today’s episode, we lighten things up with a little less hardcore logic and a little more merriment. For best results, make yourself a hot cup of cocoa and put on an ugly sweater and matching socks before listening.
In today’s episode…
Get a...
2020-12-1744 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!The Psychology of Sticking to an LSAT Study ScheduleAnyone can decide to study for the LSAT. But after the shiny enthusiasm of a new goal fades and you’re left with just a pile of practice tests and homework, how do you stay on track? It takes about 180 hours of prep to be ready for the test, and most people don’t find it easy to put that time in as planned. In this episode, Branden and Jelena teach you how to beat procrastination, burnout, distraction, and other common LSAT study problems.
Listen and learn…
What time of day is best for studying
How to use...
2020-12-0242 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Pandemic 1LListen in as Jelena and Branden sit down with Claire McCall, TestMax’s former Director of Marketing and current 1L at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. Claire shares the ups and downs of starting law school in a pandemic, including making friends over Zoom, finding a summer associate job (or not), and arranging a home to be an extension of law school. Despite all that, Claire’s assessment of Zoom law school is upbeat and hopeful.
Also, get the scoop on…
Which 1L doctrinal classes are fun and which are, well, not so fun
What the On...
2020-11-1735 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Law School Applications 101Continuing their admissions season coverage, Branden & Jelena demystify the process of applying to law school and walk you through all the components of a successful application.
If you’re just starting the applications process or wondering what it takes to apply to law school, this episode is for you. And if you’re staring at a nearly-complete application and just can’t crack that personal statement, this episode is also for you.
Listen to learn…
What “rolling admissions” really means to you
Whether you should consider binding early decision programs
The secrets of the mysterious “...
2020-10-1646 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Ultra-Competitive Law School Admissions Ahead, Plus More LSAT-Flex Tips & TricksLaw school applications are up. Like, WAY up. Like, this could be the most competitive law school admissions season of all time up.
Jelena & Branden talk about what the September application storm means for this year’s prospective lawyers. Plus, answers to more of your LSAT-Flex questions, now that we’ve seen this new at-home LSAT in action for a few administrations.
In this information-packed episode, find out:
Why this could be the hardest year in history to get into law school
How to avoid getting suckered by “diploma mill” schools that won’t get you a...
2020-10-0651 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!When Premise Met ConclusionLSAT questions may seem like random, stream-of-consciousness, mostly nonsensical musings, but there is structure to the madness. If you can pick out the structure from among a sea of double negatives and dependent clauses, you’ll be laughing all the way to a full ride at your dream law school. This week, Branden and Jelena will show you how.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How to identify the pieces of the argument in several different ways, including indicator key words, statement type, and statement order
How to anticipate the correct answer to Reading Comp main poin...
2020-09-3044 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Fall Mailbag Episode: Your Questions, Belatedly AnsweredA podcast could never even begin to do justice to all the justice done by Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her 87 years of life. But perhaps it can help send a few more good humans to law school. In this listener mailbag episode, Branden & Jelena answer questions from the Legal Level audience—now dubbed by Branden “Levelheads.”
In this episode, questions from listeners Robert, Rachel, Kendall, and Madison. You’ll learn:
How much a low GPA will hold you back in law school admissions
Who to ask for letters of recommendation when you haven’t been in school for...
2020-09-2230 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Tackle Test Anxiety & Stop Study Stress with Mindfulness Facilitator Heather PreteMany LSAT study materials focus on the content of the exam, but fail to mention the other half of the equation: the human being doing the learning. If anxiety, distraction, or self-doubt are preventing you from retaining information, how are you supposed to ace the LSAT? In today’s episode, Jelena & Branden pose your questions—and a few questions of their own—to UCLA-certified Mindfulness Facilitator Heather Prete.
Listen and discover:
How to get the benefits of meditation, even if you can’t sit still
What mindfulness techniques to use mid-LSAT if you’re panicking
The solid scie...
2020-09-1546 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Law School Admissions Season Kickoff: How Two Students Got Into Top SchoolsIt’s September, the beginning of the law school admissions season. Branden & Jelena kick off this anxiety-filled time of year by inviting two current law students to share their application stories and advice to applicants. A UCLA 2L and Georgetown 1L, respectively, our guests had completely different admissions season experiences, and you can learn from both.
Listen to find out . . .
What it’s like to spend months on Georgetown’s waitlist & start law school elsewhere before finally getting the acceptance call
What’s more important than ranking when choosing a law school
How two successful applicants each wro...
2020-09-0853 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Fact Checking The LSAT 2: Secrets of the MultiverseIn November of 2018, the LSAT confused a generation of future lawyers with a Reading Comprehension passage that seems to say there are definitely multiple universes out there. Not only was this an infamously tough passage to score well on, it shook students’ sense of reality to the core. Today, with Branden taking some time off to prep his students for the August LSAT-Flex, Jelena fact checks the PT 86 “high-entropy multiverse” passage.
Put your science hats on and learn…
Whether or not the research cited in this LSAT passage is real
How other physicists feel about the theory t...
2020-09-0112 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Applying for Law School During a Pandemic: Q&A Collab with Admissions Straight Talk Part 2We’re back with Part 2 of our joint podcast with Admissions Straight Talk, and this time Linda Abraham (founder of Accepted.com) and Christine Carr (former Associate Director of Admissions at Boston University’s School of Law) are answering Branden & Jelena’s questions. We dive into everything you need to know about this unprecedented law school admissions season.
In this episode, find out:
Whether law school applications are expected to rise or fall this season
How to pad your resume during a pandemic, even if you can’t get a law-related job
What you should never do on a...
2020-08-2529 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Yes, Virginia, You Do Still Have to Take the LSAT: Q&A Collab with Admissions Straight Talk Part 1Law school admissions season is right around the corner, so we got together with our friends at the Admissions Straight Talk podcast for a two-part collaboration! In Part 1, Branden and Jelena answer potential law school applicants’ frequently asked questions about the LSAT.
Listen to learn:
Why the GRE is no substitute for a great LSAT score
Whether or not Branden—who graduated UCLA Law in 2010—recommends going to law school in a recession
Top tips for all three sections of the LSAT
How the emergency transition to LSAT-Flex differed from the planned transition to a digital LSAT
...
2020-08-2139 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Secrets of Time Management on the LSATMost LSAT students struggle with time management. Whether you’re running out of time and failing to answer some of the questions, or rushing to finish the section and choosing too many incorrect answers, you’re probably not approaching section timing correctly. That’s okay, ‘cause it’s totally learnable! In this episode, Branden (175) & Jelena (178) share the LSAT speed and timing strategies that they used to master the LSAT’s brutal time limits.
Listen to learn:
When to do Reading Comprehension passages out of order (and why)
Why Jelena spends 5-6 minutes diagramming each Logic Game—and how to get...
2020-08-1149 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Take to the Streets, then to Law SchoolFrom the lawyers who argued Brown v. Board of Education in the early 50’s to the those who flooded America’s airports and offered pro-bono legal representation to targets of the so-called Muslim Ban of 2017, attorneys have always been at the cutting edge of civil rights. In 2020, our nation needs smart, dedicated, social justice-minded lawyers to keep the arc of history bent toward justice.
In this episode, we roll out our Justice in Action initiative. Each year for the next five years, we’ll be sponsoring 200 future lawyers, providing all these tools at no cost:
LSATMax LSAT P...
2020-07-1521 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Tournament of FlawsMost arguments found in the LSAT’s Logical Reasoning section are flawed—yes, even when you’re not being explicitly asked to find the error in reasoning. Understanding logical fallacies is key to understanding Logical Reasoning. In this episode, Branden and Jelena celebrate the release of TestMax’s new book “33 Common LSAT Flaws” by arguing 2020’s most important pop culture debates… using only fallacious arguments.
Through completely invalid arguments, they debate:
Whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich
If immortality is a blessing or a curse
Cold vs. warm climates
. . . and 5 more ridiculous topics.
Links and furt...
2020-07-0437 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!“Defund the Police,” Wrongful Convictions, & Radical Change Part 2: An Interview with Harvard Law School Professor Ronald SullivanHarvard Law School Professor Ronald Sullivan serves as Director of the Harvard Criminal Justice Institute & Trial Advocacy Workshop. He has reportedly freed more wrongfully convicted people than any other attorney in history, with more than 6,000 releases and counting. Today, he joins Jelena & Branden to talk about this unparalleled moment in U.S. history.
In this interview, Professor Sullivan discusses . . .
Moving Harvard Law School online during COVID-19
Police divestment vs. abolition . . . and what society could do with money reclaimed
Why most people currently in prison shouldn’t be incarcerated at all
Representing the family of Michael Brown an...
2020-06-2034 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!“Defund the Police,” Wrongful Convictions, & Radical Change Part 1: An Interview with Harvard Law School Professor Ronald SullivanHarvard Law School Professor Ronald Sullivan serves as Director of the Harvard Criminal Justice Institute & Trial Advocacy Workshop. He has reportedly freed more wrongfully convicted people than any other attorney in history, with more than 6,000 releases and counting. Today, he joins Jelena & Branden to talk about this unparalleled moment in U.S. history.
In this interview, Professor Sullivan discusses . . .
Moving Harvard Law School online during COVID-19
Police divestment vs. abolition . . . and what society could do with money reclaimed
Why most people currently in prison shouldn’t be incarcerated at all
Representing the family of Michael Brown an...
2020-06-1852 min
Above The Law Covid CastChanging the Law School ModelWith the new year looming, and no reason to believe COVID will be gone, how are students feeling? Harvard Law is going online next semester and across the country, and according to a new survey from TestMax, many law students and prospective law students are rethinking law school under those conditions. Joe and Kathryn talk with TestMax founder Mehran Ebadolahi about the survey results and his thoughts on how COVID might usher in lasting changes to the law school model. Highlights A survey about students’ long-term plans - 1:33 What motivated test max to make the...
2020-06-1722 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Proct-ical Magic or Proct-ically Tragic? LSAT-Flex RecapSo, THAT happened. That being, of course, the chaotic and controversial LSAT-Flex, remotely proctored by Proctor U. Branden and Jelena discuss what happened, how to account for chaos in your test prep, and what changes June test-takers can expect.
In this episode, learn the answers to all your May LSAT-Flex questions, including...
What were the most common problems students reported with LSAT-Flex?
What did the LSAT-Flex test actually look like?
How hard was it compared to other LSATs?
Should students cancel their May scores to get a free retake?
Should students go forward with taking the...
2020-05-2539 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Where Luck Meets Preparation: Ziena Hatem Shares Her LSAT-Flex ExperienceLSATMax student and aspiring healthcare attorney Ziena Hatem joins Jelena and Branden to discuss her experience with the first-ever remotely administered, at-home LSAT.
Ziena shares:
How she minimized nerves on test day by expecting the unexpected
How she radically changed her study techniques to be LSAT-Flex ready
Tips and tricks on avoiding common LSAT-Flex problems like long waits for a proctor
Her advice for potential June LSAT-Flex takers
Exactly how the LSAT-Flex works, from beginning to end!
Links and further resources from from this week’s episode:
Make Sure Proctor U Works on...
2020-05-2320 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Law School Goes Remote: Sandy Hudson on Tackling 1L Year During a PandemicRising UCLA 2L, grassroots organizer, and political strategist Sandy Hudson joins Branden and Jelena to talk about law school’s abrupt transition to distance learning in the face of COVID-19.
In this episode:
Walk through a day in the life of a law student learning from home
Learn how students scattered around the world are banding together to get through finals
Find out what’s happening to law review write-ons, OCI, and more during lockdown
Discover the surprising positives of this unexpected, drastic change
Hear an update on (some) law schools’ plans for Fall 2020
Get Sandy’s been-t...
2020-05-1637 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!QUESTION SPOTLIGHT: You Don’t Need Euclidean Geometry on the LSAT (PT44, LR1, Q11)In this Question Spotlight bonus episode, Jelena and Branden tackle one particularly tricky Logical Reasoning question submitted by a student.
Through focusing in on a single question, you’ll learn how to:
Beat obscure terms and dense language by using the art of analogy.
Avoid common traps on Must Be True / Most Strongly Supported questions.
Break down a poorly-written argument to understand the underlying logic.
Links and further resources from from this week’s episode:
Logical Reasoning Basics Webinar - https://youtu.be/c7fgzHK9Vqo
Start Your LSAT...
2020-05-0309 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Improving Logic Games & Reading Comp Scores Before LSAT-FlexIt’s official: Logical Reasoning will only count for 33% of LSAT-Flex scores, rather than its usual 50%. In this episode, Branden and Jelena walk you through how you can still boost your Reading Comp and Logic Games scores ahead of the May LSAT-Flex test. If you’re strong in LR and panicking about Flex, this is the episode for you!
Learn how to:
Stop missing Main Point questions on RC
Plan for what you can accomplish in 35 minutes, not what you wish you could
Use scenarios to improve your timing on LG
Apply your LR skills to RC
M...
2020-04-2853 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!LSAT Breaking News: More LSAT-Flex DetailsIn this bonus episode, Jelena provides the latest updates on the LSAT-Flex, a remotely proctored, 3-section, online LSAT being administered by LSAC in the second half of May 2020 in direct response to the current COVID-19 emergency, which canceled both the March 2020 and April 2020 LSATs.
What dates in May will the LSAT-Flex be administered? When will you be able to select your preferred date and time? How will Logical Reasoning be weighted on the LSAT-Flex? How will law schools treat LSAT-Flex scores? What does all this mean for you?Links and further resources from from this...
2020-04-1706 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Fact Checking the LSAT Episode 1 - Dino Drug OverdoseIn our first "Fact Checking the LSAT" episode, Branden examines a whopper of a claim about dinosaurs and drug abuse from the September 2007 LSAT. Could it be true? And, if so, how could T. Rex hit a bong with those useless little arms? Answers to all your reptilian recreational use questions will be provided when the tables are finally turned and the LSAT gets examined.
Links and further resources from from this week’s episode:The Demise of Dinosaurs and Learned Taste Aversions: The Biotic Revenge Hypothesis - https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/IEE/ar...
2020-04-1408 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Special COVID-19 Update: LSAT-Flex Remote Test, April LSAT Canceled, and MoreIn our second episode, Branden and Jelena discuss the biggest change in the history of the LSAT, LSAT-Flex.
For the first time ever, LSAC will allow some test-takers to take a shortened version of the LSAT from home, using remote proctoring software. Branden and Jelena walk you through what this means for you, whether you’re a March/April test-taker automatically registered for LSAT-Flex, or someone planning to test in fall now worried about competing for admissions with Flex test-takers.
Should you study differently for this abbreviated test? Will it be unfair to in-person LSAT ta...
2020-04-0925 minThe Legal Level - LSAT, law school admissions, 1L, bar exam & more!Why do I have to take the LSAT, anyway?Welcome to The Legal Level!
In our debut episode, Branden and Jelena discuss:
How COVID-19 has affected the LSAT
What the LSAT has to do with law school and being a lawyer
How your Logical Reasoning skills will help you survive 1L
Why Logic Games aren’t really as abstract as they seem
What to do when you hate Reading Comp so much you can’t focus
When to worry about “Character & Fitness” (hint: you’re probably OK)
How to tackle a particularly thorny Argument Completion question
Links and further resources from from...
2020-03-2739 min
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2020-02-2200 min