Biden Cuts Debt, Tuition Keeps Soaring (Ep. 450)

Thinking LSAT

Tuitions are soaring at U.S. colleges and universities, and short-sighted student loan policies may be partly to blame. This week, Ben and Nathan discuss the latest round of student loan forgiveness, which treats the symptoms of high education costs but won’t fix the problem. The guys also correct a common misconception about “test-optional” admissions. They consider the scholarship chances of applicants with low GPAs. And they advise a listener to pick a new personal statement topic.

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3:48 - LSAT Optional - No, the LSAT is not “going away” in 2025. Law schools will continue to value the LSAT even if they aren’t required to use it.

15:32 - Low GPA - Applicants with low GPAs aren’t locked out of law school. Grade forgiveness may help some. But a high LSAT score is the real key to getting scholarships.

23:24 - GPA and Law School Rankings - An anonymous listener considers taking a course pass-fail to avoid hurting their GPA. Nathan and Ben approve. The guys explain why law schools are so invested in their GPA medians: it’s all in the rankings game.

31:40 - $100,000 a Year - Some colleges will soon charge $100,000 a year. Ben and Nathan bemoan the unhinged state of tuition hikes and student loans.

39:34 - Personal Statement - The guys advise an anonymous listener to avoid a vague personal statement.

43:00 - Graduate School - An anonymous listener wants to drop out of grad school but worries about what law schools will think. Nathan and Ben think the choice is clear.

46:38 - Extra Test Attempt - Leslie, LSAT Demon’s admissions guru, shares the story of a student who successfully appealed for an extra test attempt.

50:48 - Word of the Week - Listener Syd recommends Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day.