Known as the Home of the Blues, Memphis is a city on the Mississippi River that has a rich musical history. Genres like rock n' roll, the blues, Memphis rap, and Memphis soul all took off within the city's sprawling metropolitan area. In fact, some of the greatest pioneers of music like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash called Memphis home.
Music brings people together in Memphis and the city is one of the most diverse in Tennessee. Memphis has the largest African American population in Tennessee and regularly celebrates black culture. One example is the Africa in April Cultural Awareness Festival, which is three days long and features unique food, music, and vendors. With great music, events, and culture, Memphis is a great place to call home.
Memphis is also a great place to begin a career in law. Memphis has plenty of opportunities for students to study law and one of the best law schools in the country. Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law is a great school and has an excellent network for students to navigate upon graduation. This is helpful for applying to Memphis-based law firms like Bryan Smith and Associates.
Memphis also has a low cost of living, making the average first-year lawyer salary of $90,000 more than reasonable. The average home in Memphis is sold for $85,000, which is $200,000 less than the national average and $80,000 less than the Tennessee average. So, even first-year associates can live an extraordinary life in Memphis.
While there are a lot of opportunities in Memphis, there is a lot of competition. This makes it challenging to get into law school unless you do well on the LSAT exam. You'll need to score higher than 160, which is easier said than done. One of the best ways to get the help you need is with a qualified tutor. Read on to learn about the best LSAT tutors in Memphis, Tennessee.
What to Look for in LSAT Tutors
Before you choose an LSAT tutor, there are a few things you want to look for. Every tutor is different and brings different strengths and weaknesses to the table. So, we're going to take you through a few things to consider when looking for LSAT tutors.
High LSAT Scores
First and foremost, we're going to start with LSAT scores. The first thing you should look for is their LSAT score because it shows you how well they know the exam. The LSAT is not based on memorization; instead, it's based on logic and analysis. If a tutor scored well, there is a good chance they can help boost your score.
On the LSAT exam, the top 10% of people score between 170 and 180. For this reason, you'll want to work with tutors that scored within this range. Still, any tutor that has scored a 160+ and has a lot of experience can be a good fit.
Education
Once you look at a tutor's LSAT score, you'll want to move on to their education. Most tutors have graduated from a university, and others are still attending. You'll want to avoid tutors that are still pursuing an undergraduate degree, but tutors enrolled in law, Masters, and Doctorate programs who have already pass the LSAT are qualified to help you.
While degrees are significant, each degree is beneficial for different sections of the LSAT exam. We'll use English and philosophy as an example. If a tutor studied English, they're equipped to help you with the writing sections of the LSAT, while someone who studied philosophy is better suited for the logic games section of the exam. There are also other valuable degrees like teaching, the sciences, and mathematics.
Still, tutors with a background in law are the best choice. In practice, lawyers need to convey arguments, write with precision, analyze situations, and understand logic. Plus, the LSAT exam is designed to test someone's potential as a lawyer. For these reasons, working with someone who earned a Juris Doctor is ideal.
Tutoring Experience
Tutoring experience is one of the most important things to consider. If a tutor lacks experience, it takes longer for them to build a rapport with you. This eats up valuable time that could have been spent studying, which leads to money wasted and subpar LSAT scores.
Therefore, you should only work with private tutors that have thousands of hours of LSAT tutoring experience. If you're not a fan of private tutors, there are also test prep companies with great reputations like LSATMax. If possible, it's wise to work with tutors that also have experience as lawyers, professors, and teachers.
Scheduling
Scheduling is also something you need to be mindful of. If a tutor looks excellent on paper but lacks the availability you need, everything else is irrelevant. If you can't find time to work with a tutor, what's the point? This leads to a lack of consistency and lackluster LSAT results.
When looking at a tutor's availability, make sure you reference your schedule and prior obligations first. If you work full-time, you might want to consider looking for a tutor with excellent evening availability.
On the other hand, if you have trouble staying focused, you might want to consider a tutor that offers more responsibility and accountability. These are primarily in-person tutors or test prep companies that force you to adhere to a rigid schedule.
Online vs. In-Person LSAT Tutors
Knowing what to look for is great, but you still have to make a choice. You'll need to choose between in-person and online tutoring. Both methods are effective, so it comes down to your preferences.
In-Person Tutors
We're going to start with in-person tutors. In-person tutoring is the most common method of tutoring because it's reliable. In-person tutors have been around for centuries and use methods that are proven to work.
In-person tutoring is excellent for students that need a rigid schedule and accountability. They make it difficult to cancel sessions, and you're typically held to more strict standards. This also applies to in-person test preparation companies.
In-person tutoring is also practical because it's face-to-face. When tutors are sitting with you, they can diagnose your strengths and weaknesses faster than phone and video calls. Plus, if you like peer learning, you can work in groups to lower the cost.
While in-person tutoring works well, it's not perfect. Getting to sessions can be a hassle if you need to commute, and it costs more per hour than online sessions. The lack of flexibility can also make it difficult for students that work full-time to work with tutors.
Online Tutors
Online tutoring is a recent innovation that helped the industry explode. While online tutors used to be ineffective, video calls and smartphones have turned things around. Now, online tutors are on-par with in-person tutors in most categories and better in others.
Online tutors are great for students that need a budget-friendly option. The typical online tutoring sessions are more affordable than in-person tutoring, and there is no need to factor in commuting costs. This also applies to online test prep companies, which are significantly cheaper than their in-person counterparts.
Online tutoring is also excellent for flexibility. If you work full-time, online tutoring is a perfect option because online tutors have better availability than in-person tutors. Even if you need to get a late-night studying session in, online tutors can help.
Still, online tutoring is not perfect. Video calls are great, but it's not the same as having someone sit in the same room as you. Additionally, it's harder for students to work together with peers.
That being said, for the modern student online tutoring is typically preferable. Technology has made it more effective than ever before, so the increase in flexibility and decreased cost become harder and harder to ignore every year.
Online Tutors
In-person Tutors
Flexible schedule✔
✘
No commute✔
✘
Cost-effective✔
✘
Face-to-face interaction✘
✔
Peer support✘
✔
The Best LSAT Tutors in Memphis, Tennessee
There are a lot of LSAT tutors in Memphis, and most of them are great. This makes it challenging to find the best fit because the choices are overwhelming. To help you narrow down your options, we're going to take you through a handful of the best LSAT tutors in Memphis, Tennessee.
LSATMax Tutors
LSATMax is second to none for LSAT tutoring. Every tutor that works with LSAT has scored within the 99th percentile and has extensive experience coaching students. When you work with LSATMax, you're working with the best.
While LSATMax is an online tutoring service, the company does a lot for its students. The packages are reasonably priced and come with financing options, and scheduling is flexible. Students can also study at home or on the go with LSATMax's mobile app. With LSATMax, you can learn whenever you have time, not the other way around.
LSATMax also uses methods that are proven to work. The organization has helped thousands of students across the country prepare for the exam, so it's doing something right. LSATMax also lets you work with different tutors if you need to, regardless of where you are in the program.
Cost: Depends on hours ($216/hour least expensive package)
Location: Online Only (Video or Phone Conference)
Financing: Yes (via Affirm)
Qualifications: 99th percentile on the LSAT
Link: https://testmaxprep.com/lsat/tutoring
Brains and Brawn
Brains and Brawn is one of Memphis' most well-known tutoring services. Tutors from Brains and Brawn work with students one-on-one and face-to-face to help students boost their LSAT score. The experience is fully customizable, depending on a student's current LSAT score and their goal score. Brains and Brawns also have an excellent reputation and only works with tutors that scored within the top 1% on the LSAT.
Brain and Brawn use tutoring methods that are proven to work. To begin, each student is administered a practice exam to determine how far along they are. From there, tutors from Brains and Brawns create a customized study routine that includes homework, practice exams, and diagnostic tests. Students can also pursue in-person and online tutoring with Brains and Brawns.
Cost: Starting at $1,675 for eight weeks
Location: Memphis and online
Financing: No
Qualifications: All tutors have passed the LSAT
Link: https://www.brainsandbrawnllc.com/lsat
Melvin
Melvin has a lot of experience tutoring for the LSAT because he does it full-time. For over 13 years, he's been helping students boost their LSAT scores in the Memphis area. Melvin also scored well on the LSAT, achieving a score of 172. When you combine his tutoring experience and LSAT score, Melvin looks excellent on paper.
While Melvin looks good on paper, he goes above and beyond for his students. He provides over 75 hours of video materials, over 1,000 LSAT questions, and a 5 hour risk-free evaluation period. While Melvin is an in-person tutor, he is flexible and willing to do home-tutoring if needed.
Cost: TBD by University Tutors
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Financing: No
Qualifications: Passed the LSAT; Cornell University
Link: https://memphis.universitytutor.com/tutors/1272214
Erin
Erin is one of the most accomplished online tutors you can work with. She's taken most state-administered exams and scored high on all of them. On the LSAT, Erin scored within the top 90th percentile. This makes Erin a tutor that's qualified to help you with any exam you have coming up.
Still, what makes Erin unique is her background in teaching. She studied teaching at Union University, where she graduated with a Masters in Teaching and became licensed to teach grades 7-12. The benefit of working with a teacher is their ability to diagnose strengths and weaknesses in students. This helps Erin create custom and flexible study routines.
Cost: TBD by Varsity Tutors
Location: Online
Financing: No
Qualifications: Passed the LSAT; Union University – Masters in Teaching
Link: https://www.varsitytutors.com/tutors/878730628
Katherine
Katherine is a young LSAT tutor that's excited and enthusiastic. Her recent success with the LSAT exam has compelled her to teach others. While many tutors focus on material and practice exams, Katherine focuses on making sure a student is having fun while preparing for the exam. This is an excellent method because it keeps students engaged without being bored.
Katherine is also qualified to tutor for the LSAT. She's a student at one of the top law schools in the country and scored a 163 on the LSAT. While her score isn't as impressive as other tutors, she's great at connecting and building relationships with her students.
Cost: TBD by Varsity Tutors
Location: Online
Financing: No
Qualifications: Passed the LSAT; Emory University – Juris Doctor