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Ever thought to yourself, “Being a lawyer sounds great, but I wish we had uniforms?” Wished 1L year was a little more like actual boot camp, and a little less like lawyer boot camp? Good news: the military needs lawyers! USAF Major and happy lawyer Samantha Sliney joins the podcast to talk about her career as a JAG, or Judge Advocate General, and how you can pursue a legal career in the armed forces, too. Listen and learn . . . Do JAGs deploy like other soldiers? What does a lawyer do in the military, anyway? How to find out how much money JAGs (and everyone else in the armed forces) really make Whether courts-martial are really like what you’ve seen on TV What a JAG’s career path looks like How to tell if you’re cut out for the JAG life What to do if you think this career might be for you Links and Further Resources from this Episode: The Legal Level 100th Episode Giveaway Air Force JAG Recruiting Army JAG Recruiting Navy JAG Recruiting Coast Guard JAG Recruiting Marine JAG Recruiting UVA Law JAG FAQ LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring Subscribe to LSATMax Office Hours Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

There 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 being tested on these questions How to speed up in analyzing the arguments in the stimulus and answers The different approaches to diagrammable and non-diagrammable arguments How Parallel Reasoning and Flawed Parallel Reasoning questions differ in terms of answer criteria How to eliminate answers quickly and confidently How to answer the common Parallel questions in Reading Comp and how they’re different from LR questions Links and Further Resources from this Episode: LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring Subscribe to LSATMax Office Hours 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

We’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 people & going to court What you should do while still in law school if you’re interested in a family law practice How to tell if you’re cut out for family law Olivia’s advice for LGBTQ+ attorneys considering family law And more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: O. Long Law (Olivia’s practice) Contact Olivia Regarding Her Divorce Practice Intolerable Cruelty - It's a Negotiation! LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

Show (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 gather to be eligible for need-based scholarships Why many law schools now only offer need-based financial aid How merit scholarships work . . . and why you might not want to make your law school payoff strategy dependent on them (even if you get a generous award) How to find diversity & non-traditional student scholarships Which areas of practice might have their own scholarships Why you need to apply for TestMax’s Justice in Action program right now, if you qualify! And more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: LSAC’s (Partial) List of Law School Scholarships Harvard’s Zero-L Program AccessLex’s Law School Scholarships Databank LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

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 use a scale-down approach to improve your speed on the LSAT Why you shouldn’t be timing your LSAT practice right away Why you should never leave your goat farming experience out of your personal statement And more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: Try LSATMax Tutoring for Only $49 More on the History of the LSAT LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

Did 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 opposed to standardized testing Which state passed a law forcing LSAC to disclose past tests And more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: More on the History of the LSAT LSAC’s Own History Page Merit and Diversity: The Origins of the Law School Admissions Test (Law Review Article) LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

For 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 subject matter on the GRE is different from the LSAT and how to know which you’re best suited for Similarities and differences in the right approach to studying for each of these tests What the best Elton John song of all time is And more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: Harvard Law's LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic Try LSATMax Tutoring for Only $49 LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

Twitter exploded with news of the “end of the LSAT” after a recent ABA Strategic Review Committee memo was released, detailing proposed changes to ABA rules that would make the use of standardized testing in admissions optional for accredited law schools. So, is the LSAT really going the way of the buggy whip? Can you stop studying? Or is this, just maybe, a little bit of standard-issue social media hyperbole? Listen and learn . . . Is the LSAT really going to become optional under ABA rules? Will law schools actually stop requiring the LSAT, if the proposed rule passes? What alternative forms of assessment exist, for any law schools that do want to reduce the weight they place on the LSAT? Would getting rid of the LSAT help or hurt diversity in law schools? What’s the difference between the role of the LSAT and that of other standardized tests like the SAT/ACT that have recently become less important in admissions? What, if anything, should current law school hopefuls change about their application strategy in response to this news? And more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: ABA Proposed Changes to Rule 503 Supreme Court Case Requiring Holistic Evaluation of Applicants to Law School LSAC Study of “GPA First” Admissions & Diversity 2018 Proposed Changes to Rule 503 Withdrawn Minority Network Letter in Support of the LSAT, circa 2018 Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

In 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 and Further Resources from this Episode: Christian Legal Society Duke University School of Law Try LSATMax Tutoring for Only $49 LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

The 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/When/How chapter on campus How to land a fellowship after law school to work on reproductive rights & justice Links and Further Resources from this Episode: List of All RR&J Law School Courses, Circa 2019 Women’s Studies, Gender, and Sexuality Law Programs Berkeley-Written Casebook on Reproductive Rights & Justice NYU Reproductive Rights & Justice Fellowship Yale’s Reproductive Rights & Justice Project Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

Did 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 way your personal statement is received How to organize your essay in order to impress the admissions committee And more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: Official LSAC Writing Sample Page LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

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 his LSAT students make How to tell it might be time to go to law school, even if you’ve already got a “good job” Links and Further Resources from this Episode: Try LSATMax Tutoring for Only $49 LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

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 personal statement Why you shouldn’t write any essay you don’t feel strongly about (except the mandatory ones!) . . . and more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: Free EBook About Law School Addenda Law School Admissions Consulting Services LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

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 fluff Why the library ranking is slightly less obnoxious in its current iteration What other ranking systems are out there that do a better job of communicating value . . . and more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: The Full 2023 U.S. News & World Report Rankings The 2023 USNWR Ranking Methodology Chicago Kicks Harvard Out of the Top 3 The 2021 ATL Top 50 Law School Rankings LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

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 top 50 law schools by USNWR What to focus on in law school if you’re interested in antitrust & consumer law Whether you really get more personal attention from law profs at a smaller law school . . . and more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: Washington and Lee University School of Law LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

There’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 between premises and background information How to tell a main conclusion from a subsidiary When it’s okay to appeal to authority (even though “appeal to authority” is also a fallacy) How to handle two-perspective questions Why the main conclusion is often “the other guy is wrong!” Links and Further Resources from this Episode: LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

Admissions season is over, and breaking LSAT news season is here! Branden & Jelena run you through some of the latest, greatest, and not-so-greatest headlines in the LSAT world. Plus, find out if getting into law school is getting easier or harder. Listen and learn . . . How many people applied to law school for the 2021-2022 season Which regions’ law schools did better than others this year How the demographic makeup of law school applicants changed this season Why some students might not have to take the LSAT at all in four years Which Canadian law school mistakenly informed a student’s family she’d died Which famous LSAT critic is now under the LSAC umbrella . . . and more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: LSAC Current Volume Summary New LSAC Pilot Program Skips the LSAT Reports of a Canadian Law Student’s Death Greatly Exaggerated (by her law school) LSAC acquires Law School Transparency New Law Schools Coming to FL, NC USNWR Changes Ranking Methodology New Yale Scholarships LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

Tune 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 in a stimulus that’s just a bunch of facts How to tell these apart from Strengthen and Strengthen with Sufficient Premise questions What to do on pesky MBT Principle questions How to make sure you don’t eat up too much time Links and Further Resources from this Episode: People Just Realized What Owls Look Like Without Feathers And OMG LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

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 education What this tutor offers as his #1 piece of advice to LSAT aspirants And more! Links and Further Resources from this Episode: Try LSATMax Tutoring for Only $49 LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now

In 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 maintain its famous “collegiality” among law students? Links and Further Resources from this Episode: University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School LSATMax's Private 1-on-1 LSAT Tutoring 33 Common LSAT Flaws Apply Now for TestMax’s Justice in Action Program Start Your LSATMax Free Trial Enroll in LSATMax's #1-Ranked LSAT Course Start Your 1L Free Trial Now (The Greatest Law School Supplement) Start Your BarMax Free Trial Now