While some think of the Bay Area as a paradise, you might be considering it as the Golden Gate Bridge to your law career. San Francisco is a shining city in a beautiful state, with plenty to do, and plenty for the aspiring law professional to latch on to. San Francisco has been home to some of the most progressive movements in the history of our country, which certainly lends itself to law. Precedents are set in San Francisco, and lawyers are needed to set them. The richness in history is matched by how many things there are to do in San Francisco. From sightseeing to enjoying one of the best food scenes in the world, you won't run out of options for activity anytime soon. It is also a leading city in the tech industry, which means there is plenty of opportunities to get into big cutting edge companies for someone with a wide knowledge of the law. The cost of living is notoriously high, but that is because there is so much to offer. The good news for law professionals is that the average salary for a lawyer here is among the highest in the country, too, at around $215,000 per year.
Those with aspirations to be a lawyer have plenty of options for schooling as well in the San Francisco area. The University of California system is a standout, and has one of their campuses located in San Francisco. The University of San Fransisco rivals them, and is located just across town. For people coming from out of town, these schools aren't easy to get into. To give yourself the best chance to gain admittance to one of these prestigious universities, you'll need to have all your ducks in a row. This includes having a high score on your entrance exam. While the LSAT isn't the only deciding factor for law schools, it is one of the important factors. Doing well on this test, which is only administered four times a year, can be a make or break scenario depending on which school you are trying to get into.
Taking the LSAT is stressful enough all by itself, and that doesn't even take into account all of the preparation that goes into it. Picking the right course to make sure you have all the tools you need for the actual exam is stressful! That's why we're here. We are going to help you figure out how and where you'll be prepping for your LSAT. We have years of experience in helping students with this task, and are confident that we can guide you down a path towards success. Getting people prepared for the LSAT is a big financial endeavor, but you won't be hurting for options. Whether you prefer to prep from behind your laptop on the couch or from inside a classroom, we have a list of things to look for in each scenario. Before we really dive in, here are some things we think are crucial to any LSAT prep course:
- Actual LSAT questions from previous years.
- Detailed video/in-person explanations of the types of questions you'll receive.
- A sliding scale for pricing.
- A support system to help you with your prep even when you are not in class.
Online vs In-Person LSAT Classes
One of the first decisions you will make when choosing a prep course will be where you take your course. The two most notable options are in-person or online. Both offer a great service, but most people see to prefer online courses. With that being said, what you choose should come down to how you prefer to learn, how much time you have and what you are comfortable with.
For those of you who prefer to do things on your own time, online classes are the way to go. These are especially useful for students who like to go at their own pace and are good self-starters. There are plenty of resources on the internet, so even though you won't have the support of a traditional classroom setting, you'll have a pretty close approximation of it. These classes allow you to do your prep work anytime, anywhere, making them great for people who work full-time jobs, have families, or have other obligations. Most of these classes are taught through video, though there are classes that allow you to correspond with instructors in real-time over text or video chat. Most of these classes also offer 24/7 support. Aside from being able to do the work whenever you'd like or whenever you can, one of the huge upsides of online prep classes is the price. Because there is significantly less overhead, there is a significant amount of money staying in your wallet.
That's not to say that in-person courses aren't worth it. These courses offer face-to-face and hands-on instruction with people who have not only taken the LSAT and aced it, but also have studied the test and the best way to take it. You won't be memorizing with these courses: you'll be strategizing. A lot of the time, these courses take place in universities, where you'll have access to libraries with a huge amount of resources. These courses normally follow a rigid structure over roughly a two-month period, with check-ins along the way to see where you stand before the big day.
Speaking of which, we recommend that you only consider courses that offer practice tests. This is the best way to see how you really stack up against the vaunted LSAT. Taking these also allows you to see where your weaknesses are so you can work on them and gain confidence before you find yourself in the testing area. Some courses offer these practice tests at specific intervals, while others will give you a huge stack to take whenever you'd like. The exact method of the tests should mirror the actual LSAT (which is done via tablet in a format similar to what is practiced in online LSAT prep courses), but the most important thing is that you take practice tests in any form.
Pros of an Online LSAT Classes Pros of an In-Person LSAT Classes You have complete control over your schedule. One-one interactions with tutors. You don't need to be at the coaching center to study. Peer feedback and interaction. Much lighter on the pockets compared to in-person LSAT classes. The general vibe of group studying is conducive to learning. You can customize the course to address your requirements. Online prep tests simulate the real LSATs.
The Best Online LSAT Prep Courses in San Francisco
LSATMax LSAT Prep Course
Your secret weapon for getting accepted to the law school of your choice, the LSATMax online LSAT prep course from TestMax, is guaranteed to raise your scores. For a reasonable one-time fee, you’ll get instant access to a huge arsenal of tools to help you prepare for the exam on your own time. With countless five-star reviews across TrustPilot, Google Play, and the Apple App Store, LSATMax is clearly the best online LSAT course available.
What makes LSATMax the best online prep course for any pre-law student looking to max out their LSAT scores? First, because it’s available on both web and mobile, you will be able to access your course materials at any time. Next, unlike many online courses that use practice questions written by so-called experts, LSATMax only uses actual questions that have appeared on the LSAT. Your membership gives you access to up to 9,000 questions.
There are three LSATMax course packages available. All three contain the full LSATMax course catalog with over 100 hours of video from instructors who have all scored in the 99th percentile on the LSAT themselves. You’ll also have opportunities to get personalized help from our instructors via real-time chat, message boards and scheduled office hours Q&A sessions. All students can also access their sample questions using LSATMax’s digital LSAT simulator for an authentic experience that replicates and gets you ready for the real LSAT.
Course Packages Available:
All LSATMax packages contain the full course catalog and a subscription to LSAT Prep Plus which gets you access to every LSAT practice exam available from the LSAC. You can choose between 3 flexible packages that give you access for the length of time you need to study for the LSAT.- LSATMax 60: This package gives you 60-day access to the full LSATMax course. It is great for students who have a shorter amount of time to study before their exam or who only need to raise their score a few points.
- LSATMax 180: This 180 day access package is designed to fit the needs of most students by giving access to the course for longer than the average time spent studying for the exam.
- LSATMax 365: This package is the best value for those who have a longer time frame to study for the exam or need to raise their score as much as possible.
No matter which package you choose, TestMax offers 0% financing for up to a full year through Affirm. Remember, the earlier you begin preparing for the LSAT, the higher your scores will be.
Pros:
- Get instant access to flexible packages and pricing
- Guaranteed to boost your LSAT score or your money back
- Interactive instruction with real LSAT experts
- Digital LSAT simulator for 100% realistic test experience
Fox LSAT Demon
Before opening up his LSAT test prep service, Nathan Fox scored 179 on his LSAT, a near-perfect score that placed him in the 99.9th percentile of all test-takers. He’s also personally written six books about preparing for the LSAT. Primarily focused on live LSAT prep courses, Fox LSAT has released their online-centered program called the LSAT Demon. Using A.I., the LSAT Demon program tailors the example problems and explanations to each user based on their strengths and weaknesses. While it is an interesting tool, the program suffers from a lack of video instruction and a fairly high monthly fee.
Pros:
- I. tutor helps reveal your weakest area
- Private tutoring available for an additional fee
Cons:
- Monthly fee for access
- No video instruction, online exercises only
Velocity LSAT Prep
Founded by two friends who met in college, Velocity LSAT Prep promises to help students “kick the LSAT in the face.” Behind the irreverent style is plenty of substance with in-depth explanations of over 9,000 authentic LSAT questions from previous tests. There is also a series of videos available that explain a wide variety of theoretical concepts that will appear on the test. Each membership lasts eight months. There’s a lot of quality material in Velocity’s LSAT online prep course, but the pricing is somewhat confusing. This is in part because the practice questions must be purchased separately, so costs can get out of hand pretty quickly.
Pros:
- Explanations for thousands of authentic LSAT questions
Cons:
- Only accessible for 8 months
- You must purchase the practice questions separately
The Best In-Person LSAT Prep Courses in San Francisco
Fox LSAT:
Address-
433 Powell Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone Number-(415) 518 0630
Why they are a good choice
Fox LSAT was started when founder Nathan Fox realized he had more of a passion for teaching than he did for law. Of course, this happened after he had already scored an eye-popping 179 on the LSAT, so he decided to put his love of teaching towards helping those get into law school. Fox LSAT wants to give students confidence heading into the LSAT instead of fear. While many teach that the LSAT is an exercise in impossibility, Fox teaches that it can be easy: you just have to know the right way to go about it. These small classes will give you direct access to Nathan Fox and the material he has written regarding the LSAT. He also has a podcast that you can listen to, which also helps if you're looking for some extracurricular study time. Fox LSAT Prep is located near Union Square in the heart of downtown.
Manhattan Review:
Address-
Manhattan Review GMAT GRE LSAT Prep
San Francisco Teaching Center at the Intercontinental
888 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone Number-(415) 874-7028
Link-https://www.manhattanreview.com/san-francisco-lsat-prep-courses/
Why they are a good choice
Manhattan Review boasts that its former students have attended some of the best universities in the area and now work for some of the top firms. These in-depth courses will have you prepared in every phase of the LSAT. Their instructors are top-notch and were typically some of the top scorers on the LSAT when they took it. These classes will be personalized to your style of learning and focus on your weaknesses to ensure that you are as well rounded as possible going into the exam. Manhattan Review is located just outside the Tenderloin, a quick walk away from the Museum of Modern Art.
Blueprint LSAT Prep:
Address-
Hilton Hotel
750 Kearny Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone Number-(888) 427-7737
Link-https://blueprintprep.com/2020-june-aug-san-francisco
Why they are a good choice
Blueprint's prep course comes with everything you need. When you show up, you are welcomed with a "welcome box" that includes all of the materials you are going to need for class. While the in-person portion of the class is extensive and in-depth, you will also have access to hundreds of hours of online support. Blueprint will administer four practice tests in class, but you have access to 22 to do whenever you would like. All of the instructors for Blueprint scored in the 98th percentile or better on the LSAT. Blueprint LSAT Prep is located in the heart of the Financial District, near many of the biggest law firms in the country.
The Best Law Schools Near San Francisco
- University of California-Hastings College of the Law – https://www.uchastings.edu/
- University of San Francisco School of Law – https://www.usfca.edu/law
- Golden Gate University School of Law- http://law.ggu.edu/admissions/
- University of California-Berkeley Law – https://www.law.berkeley.edu/
- San Francisco Law School – https://www.alliant.edu/schools/sfls
For more information on the state's law schools, check out our article on the top law schools in California.