There are many options available from which you can choose your LSAT Prep. How can you know which option will bring you the best results? The question you must ask is, “Which LSAT Prep type is right for me?”

The average suggested time to delegate for LSAT Prep is 3 months…depending on your starting point and your goal score. (For items to consider in planning your prep time, read “How much time…”)

Regardless of the study method you select, there are standard necessary ingredients for your LSAT prep:

LSAT Prep Materials:

• Books to teach the content, techniques and methodologies for answering the different kinds of questions in the LSAT.Many companies don’t use real LSAT questions in their books. Why? Because they’d have to pay a licensing fee to the Law School Admission Council to reprint real questions. Unfortunately, many non-LSAC questions don’t adequately reflect the LSAT and even contain mistakes. If an LSAT test prep book uses real LSAT questions, it’ll say so on the cover.
• Practice materials, both individual practice problems and full, actual, previously administered LSATs.
• You will also need a plan—an outline of what to study and when. If you work with a company, the syllabus and materials will be given to you. If you work on your own, you will have to determine your own syllabus and decide what materials to use.

Teachers:

Some prep courses are taught by instructors who haven’t even scored above 165 on a real LSAT themselves. A good LSAT score ensures that the teacher knows the material. Experience teaching enables the teacher to know how to communicate that knowledge to you.

Choosing the Right LSAT Prep for You

Given the wide range of material and strategies to learn for the four sections of this test, many people choose to take a class (although there are many who decide to self prep too.) Choosing what best suits you is key. Following are some of the LSAT Prep options available to you and some considerations for each option.

Self Study for your LSAT

Self-study is normally the least expensive option and it allows you to work on your own schedule. If you have generally done well on standardized tests in the past, are disciplined, and aren’t looking for a large score increase, then self-study may be the option for you.

If you:

• are able to develop your own study plan and schedule
• are able to structure your time effectively
• are disciplined to assure that you keep to your schedule
• an analyze your progress, pin-point your errors, and make steady progress through this disciplined effort…

Then self-study is a good choice for you. If you are not, historically, strong in these aspects, then consider an LSAT Prep course where the full course material is already organized for you. See our post on how much time you need to prepare for the LSAT here.

An LSAT Class

What a live classroom class will offer you:

• Study Schedule & Syllabus
• A class outline/structure to follow
• Knowledgeable instructor to whom you can address questions
• Provides a tried-and-tested program
• Should provide you with an accurate assessment of your current level of mastery

Disadvantages of a live classroom class:

• Time efficiency—You have to meet at a specified location at a specified time. Many times, the commute can be lengthy. Additionally, the class schedule is not tailored to you, so the teacher must meet the needs of the entire class, not just you. This will make the class time less time efficient.
• Taking a class is normally more expensive than self-study (but less expensive than tutoring.) The average LSAT class cost is between one and two thousand dollars.

Note: Self-discipline and dedication to the process are necessary with this class option too. Your involvement before the class in either the classes pre-class “homework” or some kind of pre-class self-study will be helpful for you to gain the most from these classes.

An LSAT Tutor:

Tutoring is the most flexible and customizable option for LSAT prep…but also the most expensive.
It may be the most effective, or the least effective, depending on the tutor’s expertise and the support structure they have behind them. They should have a tried-and-tested program in place to guide you through the materials, strategies and techniques that will enable you to conquer this test.

Because selecting the right LSAT tutor is critical in terms of money, time and outcome, see some considerations here.

To properly assess the prospective tutors, an “interview” of some sort will be helpful. Keep in mind that there may not be a right and wrong answer, but this conversation will enable you to get a sense of their personality and their ability to communicate. Here are some suggested questions to ask:

• What was your LSAT score?
  The tutor should have received at least a 165 on their own actual LSAT. You must know that your instructor knows the LSAT well so that they can pass that information on to you. (Remember though, that frequently covering the materials with students will cause the teacher to know their material very well…so their current LSAT mastery would likely be higher than their official LSAT score.)
• What insights do you have, based on your experience with the LSAT?
  This question is aimed to help you get to know your potential teacher better. The teacher might offer you some advice potential pitfalls to avoid and their perspective on LSAT preparation.
• Do you work for a commercial test prep company?
  If he or she does, then they will likely have extra resources such as extra practice tests, and support that they can pass on.  (Check to see if they have an additional charges for the extras.)
  Working for a commercial test prep company means that the charges might be higher, but some advantages exist such as accountability and structure to the teaching, as they will have a complete course outline to draw from.
• What is the price?
  Some test prep companies charge a premium for the tutoring services. The higher cost doesn’t mean that the tutor is better. The price range for a private tutor is $50 to $150+ per hour.
• What length of time can you commit to?
  Obviously, you need to assure that the tutor will be available for you during the times that you require one.

Is LSAT Tutoring Right for Me?

• Convenience – usually flexible meeting times that can be arranged to fit your schedule.
• Can begin immediately – The time element is critical. Waiting to take an LSAT course at the time the company is holding it might leave you with surprises as to how much more prep would benefit you.
• Learning targeted directly to you – Using an LSAT Tutor enables you to work mostly on the areas in which you need extra instruction.
• Cost – usually higher, but consider some kind of self-prep or video course to begin with which can cut costs. Also consider the benefit of an increased score in your ability to get into the school you desire.

One class type does not fit all. At Get Prepped, we understand that every individual comes to us with a different background of experience with the LSAT, and different prep needs. In some cases, we have the ability to mix and match our options, giving you the best prep fit for you.

Tags: LSAT, lsat advice, LSAT tutoring