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Skip the GPA Sob Story (Ep. 515)
Manage episode 494364326 series 3014938
After an influx of GPA addenda questions, Nathan and Josh address several examples in a rapid-fire segment. Their main point: you probably shouldn’t write one at all. Addenda highlight weaknesses and provide information that admissions committees may hold against you. Skip the sob stories and focus on showing why you’ll succeed in law school.
0:42 – Big Beautiful Bill
Nathan and Josh discuss provisions of the Big Beautiful Bill that cap law school loans at $50,000 per year. They argue it’s not the crisis some students fear, noting that borrowing six figures for law school is unwise and the cap protects less informed applicants. They see the bill as targeting predatory schools, not students.
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23:52 – Rapid Fire Addenda
The guys advise students to avoid addenda. Addenda draw attention to the weakest parts of your application and must be concise and strategic if used. An effective addendum highlights positive traits and avoids overexplaining. The goal is to shift focus away from negatives and give admissions officers something strong to latch onto.
38:46 – Role Questions
Nathan and Josh explain how to approach role questions, which ask about the function of specific sentences in an argument. They remind listeners that sentences are usually in one of two key categories: premises and conclusions. While answers are phrased abstractly, you succeed by reading answer choices with the same care and engagement used on the passage itself.
50:18 – Accuracy Up but Speed Stalled
Nathan urges students not to chase speed at the expense of comprehension. Every missed question indicates another question you got correct, but didn’t understand. Rereading whole passages is a red flag for poor initial reading. Meaningful engagement with the passage allows students to trust their comprehension in the face of flawed arguments.
1:04:05 – Broken Questions
Josh and Nathan refute the idea of “broken” LSAT questions. While some answer choices may be stronger than others, all correct answers are defensible. Blaming the test forfeits a chance to improve. When struggling, walk away and revisit the question with fresh eyes—some days you’ll simply perform better than others.
1:11:14 – Personal Statement Gong Show
Hannah sends in her submission for the Personal Statement Gong Show. Josh and Nathan read the personal statements and hit the gong when something goes wrong. The standing record to beat is 21 lines, held by Danielle.
1:27:07 - Word of the Week - Effect
Pollination of fruit tree flowers, a necessary step in fruit production, is effected only by certain insects.
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