Richmond is the capital of Virginia and a wonderful place to practice law. Of the top economic drivers of this colonial city, law is near the top. It is home to one of 13 U.S. Courts of Appeals, and is also the home of a Federal Reserve Bank. In Richmond, you can also find four of the largest law firms in the United States. Needless to say, if you find yourself practicing law there, you've done very well for yourself.
Richmond has more than law and courts, though, as it is a city with architecture, museums, venues, and restaurants that all receive national recognition. In the Museum District you can find the Virginia Historical Society and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. A stroll down Monument Avenue will give you a glimpse into the history of not only Richmond but our country as a whole.
There are theaters and venues all throughout Richmond. The Carpenter Theater is an elegant showing of architecture and design, and the Visual Arts Center of Richmond is one of the largest non-government learning centers for the arts in the nation. Richmond is also considered a foodie city. There are many international delicacies to try here, but they have also perfected the art of southern food. While sipping down a can of beer, you can reflect on the fact that this is the city that made canned beer possible.
So, there is much more to just practicing law in Richmond, but, if you find yourself doing that, you'll be happy to know that it's an endeavor that pays: the average salary for a lawyer in Richmond is around $100,000 per year.
With so many prestigious law firms within the city limits, it is no surprise that Richmond is home to a law school with quite the reputation itself, though it is overshadowed by schools directly to the east and west. The William and Mary Law school is regularly ranked as one of the top 25 law schools in the nation, and is incredibly hard to get into, but not as hard as it is to get into the University of Virginia School of Law, which accepts less than 20% of those who apply. The University of Virginia School of Law is considered a Tier 1 law school, meaning that it is regularly ranked in the top 13 in the nation.
The University of Richmond School of Law, which is no slouch, is considered a great value for the education that it offers. Just because it is sandwiched between two juggernauts of learning doesn't mean that it is easy to get in. Those who apply to the UR School of Law will need to have a background of strong academic performance. But that alone won't get you in to any of these schools. You will also need to perform at a high level on the law school admission test, commonly known as the LSAT.
This is a test that is known for its difficulty, and the stress that it can cause. But there is a way to mitigate the stress and difficulty of the LSAT. With focused preparation, you can go into your exam date with confidence and a strategy. To do this, you will need to find an LSAT prep course.
This is no easy task. With the number of options available, just getting started can be daunting. There are many factors to consider when making your choice. This article will address the best way to go about looking for the right LSAT prep course for you. Using the information provided, you should be able to more easily make a decision about which LSAT prep course suits your needs. Before details are discussed, there are aspects of an LSAT prep course that every course should contain. Those things are:
- 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 Prep Courses
There are a lot of things you are going to need to consider when choosing an LSAT prep course, but the first, and arguably most important, is location. You will be spending a lot of time making sure you are ready for this test, so you'll want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible with your environment leading up to your exam date.
There are two main options here: online or in-person. In-person courses have been the popular go-to for decades now, but with modern technology, you can find online courses that offer all the same resources and all the same support. What are the differences between the two? Let's take a look.
In-person courses are great for those who thrive in the classroom. These courses are normally run in sessions that last for around two months and meet once or twice a week. Here, you will be placed with a group of peers who have the same goal as you: dominating the LSAT. This can be advantageous because it is a built-in support system. These courses will pair you with an instructor who has a certain level of expertise regarding the LSAT. Most courses will spell out why they hire who they do to lead these courses, and it is well worth your time to look into it. Once outside of the classroom, you will be given video lessons to further help with your prep.
Of course, there are downsides to in-person courses. These courses offer very little in the way of flexible scheduling, so when you sign up, you want to make sure you are committed to going. They are also incredibly expensive.
Online courses offer all the flexibility that in-person courses don't. These courses are typically taught via video lessons, which gives you the freedom to do you studying anywhere and anytime you would like. This is also great for those who prefer to learn at their own pace, as there will be no pressure to keep up with a class, and no boredom if you get ahead. While you won't have the built-in support system that a group of peers gives you, most of these courses offer a lifeline to an instructor through email. Some even offer 24-hour support. These courses are also only a fraction of the price of in-person courses. When you consider the flexibility and financial impact, it is hard to make an argument for in-person courses.
Whichever way you choose, you will want to make sure that your course offers practice exams. These exams will show you what you need to work on leading up to your exam test, and also give you an accurate feel of what you can expect when you sit down to take the LSAT. This is because the practice exams are actual LSATs from previous years. There are different strategies for using these practice exams. Some courses will only give you a few at strategic points throughout the course, while others will give you access to as many as you want to be taken 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 LSAT Prep Courses in Richmond
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
Kaplan Live Online LSAT Training
https://www.kaptest.com/lsat/courses/lsat-prep-live-online
Delivered over the course of eight live classes, the Kaplan Live Online LSAT Training also includes two live, proctored LSAT practice exams. While the Kaplan instructors have good reviews, this 32-hour course is more expensive than many alternatives offering 100+ hours of video training. Kaplan also allows students to purchase three additional hours of one-on-one training by upgrading to the Live Online PLUS plan. One drawback to the format of the Kaplan Live LSAT training is that it’s not very flexible: you must attend classes during specific times, or attend a make-up session later.
Pros:
- Access to 80+ real LSAT tests
- Includes LSAT lesson books
Cons:
- One of the most expensive online LSAT courses
- Must attend live classes during scheduled times
- Only 32 hours of video training included
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
Best In-Person LSAT Prep Courses in Richmond
VCU LSAT Prep Class:
Address-Virginia Commonwealth University, 907 Floyd Avenue, Richmond, VA 23284
Phone Number-(804) 828-1322
Link-https://ocpe.vcu.edu/vcutestprep/lsat.html
Why they are a good choice
Perhaps the best in-person LSAT prep course in Richmond is the in-house class offered by Virginia Commonwealth University. This ten-class program follows a comprehensive syllabus that covers every single area of the test, and you'll also be given access to twenty practice tests, two books containing real historical LSATs, and a custom-built course workbook.
TestMasters:
Address-Virginia Commonwealth University, 907 Floyd Avenue, Richmond, VA 23284
Phone Number-(800) 696-5728
Link-https://www.testmasters.net/Lsat-Prep-Courses/virginia-richmond
Why they are a good choice
TestMasters goes above and beyond when it comes to getting you ready for the LSAT. In this classroom, you'll be paired with an instructor who has scored in the 98th percentile or better on the LSAT, while studying a curriculum that was designed by the world record holder for most perfect scores on the LSAT, Robin Singh. You will get 60 hours of classroom time and an extra 100 hours of additional material in the way of video lessons. You will be given access to 20 full-length practice exams, and every question that has been published for the LSAT since 1991. On top of all that, TestMasters offers 24/7 online support. Like the VCU course, TestMasters in Richmond are held on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus.
Get Prepped
Address-University of Richmond, 410 Westhampton Way, Richmond, VA 23173
Phone Number-1-800-321-7214
Link-http://www.getprepped.com/richmond-lsat-prep-lsat-tutor/
Why they are a good choice
Get Prepped, a smaller LSAT prep course provider, hosts a course on the University of Richmond campus with small class sizes and excellent instructors who are as trained in the law as they are in test preparation. They don't have as many resources as their competition, but the classes are affordable and effective.
The Best Law Schools Near Richmond
- University of Richmond School of Law
- William & Mary Law School
- University of Virginia School of Law
- Regent University School of Law
- Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University
Interested in going to the best law school near Richmond? See the best law schools in Virginia.
