Blueprint LSAT Prep Instructor Get-to-Know: New York
- by
- May 31, 2013
- Odds and Ends

When students express interest in taking a Blueprint LSAT Prep class, one of their primary concerns is the instructor — and understandably so. A good LSAT prep instructor can mean a world of difference. That’s why we only hire the best.
To let you get to know your live summer Blueprint LSAT Prep course, I’m kicking off a new series here on the LSAT blog called Blueprint LSAT Prep Instructor Get-to-Know. In the next several weeks, we’ll be profiling each of our 30+ instructors.
First up in Blueprint LSAT Prep’s Instructor Get-to-Know:
Blueprint’s New York LSAT Prep:
MATT SHINNERS:
1) What’s playing on your iPod/Spotify/radio the most these days?
Every song on my computer is in a playlist that runs through. It takes right around 28 days to finish. It’s essentially a lunar cycle of music.
2) You’re on death row (shame on you!). What’s your last meal?
5 Guys burger. Ribs from Sunset Grill and Tap. Tots from Sonic. Sweet potato fries from b.good. Filet Mignon. A flight of beers with Ithaca Apricot Wheat, Keegan Mother’s Milk, Abita Purple Haze, and Magic Hat Circus Boy. A shake and cone from Jersey Freeze.
3) Which famous person would you marry right now, no questions asked, and why?
Scarlett Johansen. I think we’d be called ScarMatt.
4) If you had a time machine, when/where would you visit, and why?
1980 Olympic hockey semifinals (Miracle on Ice). You can’t change the past, so I might as well enjoy the game.
5) What’s your best LSAT story?
I don’t know if this counts, but I decided to take the LSAT three weeks before the exam. I had no knowledge whatsoever of the test. I ordered some PTs and started taking them. Seriously taking them. 2-3 each day. After a week or so, my neck was terribly sore. My girlfriend at the time thought I had meningitis, so she forced me to the doctor (where I was still taking LSAT practice tests). That’s when I realized that my neck hurt because I was hunched over a book for about 12 hours each day.
CHRISTIAN BENANTE:
1) What’s playing on your iPod/Spotify/radio the most these days?
I’m currently listening to a mix of Foo Fighters and Soundgarden. I am also a diehard fan of “This American Life” on NPR.
2) You’re on death row (shame on you!). What’s your last meal?
Sirloin steak from Peter Luger’s with 2 sides of their onion bread and extra steak sauce.
3) Which famous person would you marry right now, no questions asked, and why?
I would go gay for Gordon Ramsay. Kitchen Nightmares is one of my favorite shows, and I learned a lot from him about giving and receiving critical feedback.
4) If you had a time machine, when/where would you visit, and why?
I would probably go back to the late 1990’s, so I could see all my favorite bands perform while they were still actually touring and popular. At the time, I was only a tween so I missed out on a lot.
5) What’s your best LSAT story?
I’ve been obsessed with Minesweeper now for about two years. When I first started preparing for the LSAT, I noticed that if I played Minesweeper before practicing Logic Games, I felt more confident and comfortable working through the problems. This really helped me to improve my pacing and timing on the section. I don’t know for certain if Minesweeper caused me to do better on Logic Games or if I was just naturally improving on my own through practice. In any case, I believe that Minesweeper was priming my brain to think analytically, which is why I always played Minesweeper for a half hour before starting any practice test.
ANDY KIERSZ:
1) What’s playing on your iPod/Spotify/radio the most these days?
Always and forever, my two favorite bands are Radiohead and Nine
Inch Nails. The latter just announced an unexpected new album, so I am extremely excited!
2) You’re on death row (shame on you!). What’s your last meal?
I’m sure there’s a very good reason I’m on death row. My last meal would be fried chicken, mac and cheese, and a Goose Island IPA.
3) Which famous person would you marry right now, no questions asked, and why?
I would marry Jennifer Lawrence in a heartbeat and I’m surprised anyone would need to know why. If you insist on a reason, it’s because she’s incredibly gorgeous and has a goofy charm that I find irresistible.
4) If you had a time machine, when/where would you visit, and why?
I would go back in time to hang out with the French philosopher Michel Foucault. His writings have always been a big deal to me, and I’d love to tell him about reality TV and the internet, since I’m pretty sure those would blow his mind.
5) What’s your best LSAT story?
After one of my LSAT practice tests way back in the day when I was prepping, I was scoring the test and getting more and more excited at the lack of wrong answers, until I got to the end and realized I’d scored a 180! I put on the Mortal Kombat theme song and started shouting, “FLAWLESS VICTORY!” and “FATALITY!” at my cat while dancing around my house.
You can read more about Blueprint LSAT Prep’s instructors here.
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