Though Vancouver is in the state of Washington, it is actually more connected to Portland, Oregon than any other city that it shares a state with. Those who live in Vancouver take advantage of this, as the tax laws in Oregon are more favorable than those of Washington when it comes to dining and shopping. Of course, there is still plenty to do in Vancouver itself. In 1997 the downtown area underwent a major 20-year revitalization process which offered shopping and dining and plenty of living space for those who wanted to be just outside of Portland. Because of its proximity to Oregon's biggest city, plus all the dazzling nature of the Pacific Northwest, Vancouver is considered one of the best places to live and one of the best places to raise a family in the United States. It's good for lawyers too: lawyers make roughly $100,000 per year in Vancouver.
Those looking to study law in Washington will find a couple of law schools two and a half hours north in the city of Seattle. These would be the University of Washington and the Seattle University School of Law. Those who don't mind hopping over state lines will find a couple of schools much closer in the city of Portland. Here, just 15 minutes south of Vancouver, you'll find the Lewis and Clark School of Law and the University of Oregon School of Law.
Getting into law school is not an easy task, nor will it be to get into any one of these four institutions. Students who are applying will be expected to have a background of strong academic performance. That alone won't get you into law school though. You will also have to perform well on the law school admission test, known as the LSAT. The LSAT is known for its difficulty and also how much stress it can place on students. While nothing can make this test easy or stress-free, with the right kind of preparation you can go into the LSAT with a plan and with confidence. For your studies, you will want to take an LSAT prep course.
The search for the right LSAT prep course isn't as difficult as the LSAT itself, but it can sure feel like it. There is such an abundance of choices these days that knowing where to even start looking can be difficult. Once you get past that, you'll be going all sorts of different courses with different curriculums and teaching styles. When you consider how much time you will be spent studying for the LSAT, you want to make sure that you choose a course you are comfortable with. A lot of factors will go into this decision.
In this article, we will discuss the factors that you need to consider when choosing your LSAT prep course. Using the information from the article, you should be able to more easily and confidently make a decision about which LSAT prep course is right for you. Before we dive into details, there are some things that we think are absolutely necessary when it comes to the LSAT:
- Actual LSAT questions from years previous.
- 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 Prep Courses
Among all of the things that you need to consider when looking for an LSAT prep course, one of the first, and arguably most important considerations is where you take your LSAT prep. Since you will be spending a lot of time with your studies, you need to make sure that you are both comfortable and able to focus on dialing in on both the content of the LSAT and the strategy needed to best it.
Here you will have two options: in-person and online. In-person classes have been popular for quite some time, though online courses are catching up or have caught up in popularity. These courses will offer the same types of lessons, the same amount of resources and the same amount of support, but they are quite different. So, why choose one over the other? Let's take a look.
Those who are comfortable in the classroom and prefer the traditional setting will find themselves taking in-person courses most likely. These courses will place you with a group of peers all aimed at the same goal. This makes for a built-in support system and a focused atmosphere. Courses rarely exceed sizes of 12 so that students have plenty of access to the instructor of the course. Instructors for these courses could be hired for a number of reasons. The common thread of LSAT prep instructors is that they have some level of expertise when it comes to the LSAT. Most courses post their hiring guidelines on their website.
Once away from the classroom, you will receive additional learning in the form of video instruction. Some cases only offer this extra instruction during the duration of the course. Courses typically span from a month and a half to two months, meeting once or twice a week during that time. This makes in-person courses rather inflexible when it comes to scheduling. That isn't the only downside of in-person LSAT prep courses; they are also very expensive.
If you prefer flexibility, you will want to lean more towards online courses. These courses allow you to do your LSAT preparation anytime you want and wherever you want because they are taught via video lessons. While you won't have face to face interactions with an instructor, you will have support on the other end of your email. Some courses even offer 24-hour support. Online courses will be especially attractive for those who already have tight schedules, such as someone who is going through a career change and has to study for the LSAT while still working a part or full-time job. This is also great for those who prefer to learn at their own pace.
With online LSAT prep courses, you never have to worry about falling behind your peers or getting ahead of the course work. Not only are these courses great for their flexibility, but they are also more affordable. When you consider cost and quality, it is hard to make an argument for in-person classes. Not only that, but online courses keep getting better year after year.
Whichever you prefer, you will want to make sure that your course provides practice exams. These practice exams will be one of the more important aspects of your LSAT prep. The results of your practice exams will show you your trouble areas, allowing you to work on them and also develop a strategy should you run into a snag while taking the LSAT. The practice exams also give you an idea of what to expect on test day because they are all actual LSATs from previous years. They will be given differently depending on the course. Some courses think that fewer is better, while others will give you as many as you want to take whenever you would like.
Pros of an In-Person Course:
- In-person resources such as teachers, books, and peers.
- A structured system that goes at a specific pace, allowing you to focus on one thing at a time.
- Take practice tests in a realistic environment.
Pros of an Online Course:
- Make your own schedule.
- An expansive list of readily available resources.
- Less expensive than In-Person.
- Personalized problem-solving.
- Take as many practice tests as you want.
Best Online Prep Courses in Vancouver
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
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
Alpha Score LSAT Prep
One of the few options for basic, affordable LSAT prep, Alpha Score offers a good selection of study materials for a reasonable price. There are over 50 hours of video lessons from instructors, each with at least 5 years of experience teaching LSAT prep courses. There is no live content, but you are able to ask questions to your instructor via messaging on the member’s area of the website. Membership to the Alpha Score LSAT prep course lasts for 12 months before you need to renew to keep access.
Pros:
- 50+ online lessons and tutorials
- Reasonably priced
- Long-lasting access
Cons:
- Only 10 official LSAT-licensed practice tests included
- No live instruction is available
Best In-Person Prep Courses in Vancouver
Manhattan Elite Prep
Address-Hollywood Library, 4040 N.E. Tillamook Street, Portland, OR 97212
Phone Number-(503) 345-1120
Link-https://www.manhattaneliteprep.com/lsat-portland-prep-course-class/
Why they are a good choice
Manhattan Elite Prep is a great option for those who don't have a whole lot of time to study. While they do have a course that runs a normal length for an LSAT prep course (6 weeks), they also have a week-long course and a weekend crash course. MEP knows how difficult it is to teach the LSAT in 6 weeks, let alone one, which is why they hire only the very best instructors, while also offering a supply of self-directed resources for anyone who wants to go above and beyond. Manhattan Elite Prep is located in Portland, Oregon, 15 minutes south of Vancouver.
TestMasters
Address-Hilton Portland Downtown, 921 SW 6th Avenue, Portland, OR 97204
Phone Number-(503) 226-1611
Link-https://www.testmasters.net/Lsat-Prep-Courses/washington-vancouver
Why they are a good choice
TestMasters in Portland wants to make sure that every student is in a position to succeed. They do this by offering an immersive LSAT prep experience. Here, you'll get 60 hours of classroom time plus another 100 hours of video lessons to be done outside of the class. You will also have access to 20 practice exams and every LSAT question published since 1991.
Manhattan Review
Address-Manhattan Review GMAT GRE LSAT Prep, Portland Teaching Center at the Marriott, 1401 SW Naito Parkway, Portland, OR 97201
Phone Number-(503) 575-1803
Link-https://www.manhattanreview.com/portland-lsat-prep-courses/
Why they are a good choice
Manhattan Review understands that each student learns differently, so they go out of their way to teach each individual student strength. This is accomplished by doing student evaluations before and during the course. Manhattan Review is able to boast of former students that wen to some of the top law schools and work in some of the top law firms in the country. Like all other nearby in-person LSAT prep courses, Manhattan Review is located in Portland, Oregon.
The Best Law Schools Near Vancouver
- University of Washington School of Law
- Seattle University School of Law
- Gonzaga University School of Law
Interested in going to the best law school near Vancouver? Check out the best law schools in Washington.