Syracuse is the fifth biggest city in the state of New York. Most well known for Syracuse University, there is plenty more to learn about this northeastern city. It has been known for salt production, chemical plants, and manufacturing, and is now known for the research that is conducted at the many universities and hospitals that live within its walls. Once an industrial town, Syracuse now finds health care and higher education as its main economic drivers. This is partly due to industrial jobs leaving the city.
There is plenty to be found here in the way of arts and entertainment. Here, you'll find the Society for New Music, the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, the Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music, and the Clinton String Quartet. Those with an interest in architecture would surely want to visit the Niagara Mohawk Building. There are plenty of shopping and dining districts for those visiting. For those who study here, there might be twice the amount of libraries as there are shopping and dining districts. Being a lawyer in Syracuse would be bad either: the average salary for a lawyer in Syracuse is roughly $75,000 per year.
Those in the Syracuse area looking to study law don't have to look far. The Syracuse University College of Law regularly ranks as one of the nation's top 100 schools, making it a great option for anyone who wants to stay in the area. While it isn't the most competitive school out there, it still isn't easy to gain acceptance, as the acceptance rate hovers around 50%. Those looking to attend the Syracuse University College of Law will need to have a resume displaying strong past academic performance.
But that alone won't get you into the law program. You will also need to do very well on the law school admission test, otherwise known as the LSAT. The LSAT is revered as one of the toughest academic exams anywhere, and is also famous for the amount of stress that it can put on the students preparing for it. Though some will try to convince you that it is impossible, it is not. With focused studying and the right kind of preparation, you can go into the LSAT with a strategy and confidence. To make sure you are fully prepared, you should look into an LSAT prep course.
The search for an LSAT prep course is certainly very important, but it isn't very easy. Like with most things on the internet, there is no shortage of choice. Not only are there so many different courses, but there are also so many different types of courses. Some people may find the prospect of even starting their search as hard as the LSAT itself! Considering the magnitude of the LSAT, this is definitely a decision you will want to get right. Of course, there will be a lot to consider.
In this article, we will go over some of the crucial aspects of LSAT prep. With the information you've learned from this article, you should be able to more easily make a decision as to the LSAT prep course that will give you the best chance to succeed. Before we go into details, there are some things we find necessary in LSAT prep. Those things are:
- 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
One of the first considerations you should make regarding your LSAT prep course is also one of the most important. This will be the location of your LSAT prep course. You will be spending a lot of time studying for the LSAT, so you want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible when hitting the books. This could be anything from your physical comfort to how well you are able to focus on your environment.
As far as location, you will have two main options: in-person or online. In-person courses are the more traditional route, but many online courses offer the same amount of resources and support that in-person courses do. With that being said, the two are very different from one another. What are the differences between in-person courses and online courses? Let's take a look.
Some will find that they prefer the traditional setting of the classroom, and thus should choose in-person LSAT prep. Here, you will be placed with a group of peers. This is an advantage because it offers a built-in support system or others who can help you through trouble spots. You can also see different ways of thinking when it comes to the LSAT. Most courses keep classes small so that every student has ample access to the instructor. Instructors can be hired for many reasons, but each one of them will have expertise on the LSAT in some way. Most courses place their hiring guidelines on their website.
Outside of the classroom, most courses offer video lessons. Some courses only offer these throughout the duration of the course, which is generally 6 to 8 weeks, meeting once or twice a week. Because of this, the scheduling of in-person LSAT courses is inflexible at best. You will want to make sure you can fully commit to showing up to your LSAT prep course for the full course. This is only one of the downsides of in-person LSAT courses. They are also very expensive.
Self-starters and busy people alike will most likely find online LSAT prep courses the attractive of the two options. These courses are conducted via video lessons, which allows you to take them anytime you want, and anywhere you want. This can be especially beneficial for someone in the midst of a career change who is studying the LSAT while simultaneously holding down a part or full-time job. While you won't have a group of peers or face to face interactions with an instructor, you will receive support via email. Some courses even offer 24-hour support.
The flexibility of these courses is also great for those who prefer to learn at their own pace. With online courses, you never have to worry about the embarrassment of falling behind or the boredom of being too far ahead. Flexibility isn't the only advantage of online courses over in-person courses: they are also significantly less expensive. Online courses cost only a fraction of what in-person LSAT prep courses do. With ample resources, flexibility, and affordability all considered, it's no wonder that online LSAT prep courses get more popular each year.
Practice exams are one of the most important aspects of LSAT prep. If you find a course that does not offer them, this course should not be considered. Practice exams allow you to see your progress leading up to the LSAT. This allows you to work on your weaknesses and pinpoint your strategy. These exams also give you a great feel for the LSAT as they are actual LSATs from previous years. Different courses will hand these out in different ways. Some courses may think it is more effective to have students only take a couple of these exams, while other courses will allow students to take as many as they want, when and wherever they 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 Syracuse
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
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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 Princeton Review LSAT Prep 165+
https://www.princetonreview.com/grad/lsat-honors-course
The only online LSAT Prep course that claims to guarantee a specific score, the Princeton Review has a course called 165+ that promises a score of 165 or higher on your next LSAT test attempt after completing the course. This may seem hard to believe at first, and upon looking into it further, you will find that it only applies to students who have scored higher than 158 on a previous official LSAT test or on the first required practice test. While this can still be useful to improve your scores the second time around, it’s nowhere near as impressive as it sounds.
Pros:
- Over 80 hours of video instruction by LSAT experts
- Online drills with explanations
Cons:
- Misleading score guarantee
- Very expensive
Best In-Person LSAT Prep Courses in Syracuse
TestMasters
Address-Crowne Plaza Syracuse, 701 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210
Phone Number-315-479-7000
Link-https://www.testmasters.net/Lsat-Prep-Courses/new-york-syracuse
Why they are a good choice
TestMasters goes with the idea that it is better to be safe than to be sorry. This is evidenced by how much coursework they offer the students who come through their doors. Taught by some of the best LSAT instructors around, students will get 60 hours of in-class learning plus an additional 100 hours of video lessons to be completed outside of the classroom. The curriculum is proven to be successful and was designed by one of the world's top experts on the LSAT, Robin Singh. TestMasters is located just minutes away from Syracuse University.
Kaplan Test Prep
Address-Onondaga Community College, 4585 W. Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse, NY 13215
Phone Number-(800) 527-8378
Link-https://www.kaptest.com/study/locations/lsat/syracuse/ny/
Why they are a good choice
The only other course in Syracuse (or nearby) is hosted by Kaplan Test Prep. On top of their high-quality instruction, Kaplan sets itself apart with the huge number of study resources and practice tests that they make available to students. Their students have gone on to the best law schools and law firms in the country. Kaplan hosts their Syracuse-area classes at Onondaga Community College.
The Best Law Schools Near Syracuse
- Syracuse University College of Law
- Cornell Law School
- Albany Law School of Union University
- University of Buffalo School of Law
- Hofstra Law School
Interested in going to the best school near Syracuse? Check out the best law schools in New York.
