Amarillo is only the 14th largest city in Texas, but it has regional prominence as the largest city in the Texas panhandle. Some may know Amarillo for its military history: Amarillo gained national fame recently when it became a production hub for the V-22 Osprey, and it is also the site of the only nuclear weapon assembly and disassembly plant in the country. Between those two ventures and one of the country’s largest meatpacking facilities, there is plenty of work in the city. But there is also plenty of fun to be had. Wonderland Amusement park is located in Northern Amarillo, and Amarillo is famous for a public art project that has decorated statues of horses popping up all over the city. Those who are looking to make a career in the field of law have plenty to look forward to as well: lawyers in Amarillo make roughly $88,000 per year.
Those in Amarillo who are interested in going to law school within the state line will probably have their eyes set on the nearest school to them, which is the Texas Tech University School of Law. Not only is it the closest, but it is one of the best law schools in the nation. Of course, that means that getting in is not easy. In fact, Texas Tech Law takes in only 44% of those who apply. If you are thinking of applying to this university, you will need to have a resume boasting academic excellence.
That’s not enough by itself, though. You will also have to do very well on the law school admission test, known as the LSAT. The LSAT is famous for the amount of stress that it can put on students. While there is no denying the difficulty, with the right kind of preparation and the right amount of studying, you can go into the LSAT with confidence. For this, you are going to need an LSAT prep course.
The search for the right LSAT prep course may not be an easy one. Considering how many options there are, knowing where to begin looking can be a bit defeating in itself. This will likely be one of the most important classes you take, so finding a class that works to your strengths and gives you confidence is crucial. You will also want to make sure that you are doing your preparation in a venue that is comfortable for you. You’ll be spending a lot of time getting prepared for the LSAT, so comfort and ability to focus are important.
In this article, we will discuss some of the factors that you need to consider when looking for an LSAT prep course. With the information learned, you should be able to more confidently make a choice that you are happy with that will get you prepared for the looming LSAT. Before we go into details, there are some things that we think are necessary for an LSAT prep course:
- 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
When deciding on your LSAT prep course, you should make a list of things to consider when choosing. One of the first things on that list should be the location. Because of how much time you will be spending with your LSAT prep, you want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible with where you are doing your work. You also want to make sure you can fully commit to the process of studying for the LSAT. When it comes to location, you will have two options: in-person or online. In-person courses are held in classrooms with an instructor and a group of peers, while online courses are done on your own. Though they are very different in structure, they share the same goal and offer the same amount of resources and support. Why would one be better than the other? Let’s take a look.
Those who enjoy the feel of the classroom will want to take in-person courses. Yes, the chill of the room and smell of the books can be replicated in your own home, but having a group of peers and an instructor will be especially attractive to plenty of students. The group of peers acts as a built-in support system as you will all be there with the same goal. Having someone to talk to face to face can also be very helpful as some people learn best with hands-on instruction. These instructors could have been hired for a variety of reasons, but all of them have some level of expertise on the LSAT. Those curious as to why their instructor was hired can most likely find the information on the website of the course you are taking.
Once away from the classroom, most courses offer additional lessons via video. These are sometimes only available during the duration of the course, which can range from one to two months. Classes generally meet once or twice a week during the session. This makes in-person classes inflexible when it comes to scheduling so you’ll want to make sure you can fully commit to the course before signing up. That’s not the only downside to in-person LSAT courses: they are also very expensive, sometimes prohibitively so.
Online courses will be more attractive for those who need or prefer flexibility in their scheduling. This will be especially attractive for those who are going to law school hoping to change careers but still have to study for the LSAT while working a part or full-time job. Because these courses are taught via video lessons, they can be completed anytime and anywhere. This is also great for those who like learning at their own pace.
With online courses, you never have to worry about the embarrassment of falling behind or the boredom of getting too far ahead. Some might not like the idea of not having an instructor, but most of these courses offer support via email. Some courses even offer 24-hour support. Not only are these courses much more flexible, but they are much more affordable, too. Online LSAT prep courses cost only a fraction of what in-person LSAT prep courses cost.
Whether you choose online or in-person courses, you will need to make sure that your course offers practice exams. Practice exams are the best way to see how you are shaping up going into the intimidating LSAT. These exams will allow you to pinpoint your weaknesses and work on them while coming up with strategies for problem areas. You will also get a good feel for what to expect on the LSAT because the practice exams are actual LSATs from previous years. Some courses only offer a few of these, while other courses will give out plenty and allow you to do them 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 Amarillo
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
Law School Admission Council Official LSAT Prep
https://www.lsac.org/lsat/prep
The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) is the organization that administers the actual LSAT, so their official prep course is definitely worth looking at. While this is one of the least expensive LSAT prep products available, there are also some large omissions. First, the LSAC only uses practice tests for their online platform, not authentic LSAT questions from past tests. Second, while access to the real test interface is a nice touch, there is little actual instruction in this package. Due to the low price and these missing pieces, this service is best used as a supplement to your study rather than your primary prep course.
Pros:
- Uses the real LSAT test interface
- Low price
Cons:
- Just the practice tests, so no instruction is included
- Practice questions aren’t taken from real LSATs
Best In-Person Prep Courses in Amarillo
Kaplan Test Prep:
Address-Texas Tech University, 2500 Broadway, Lubbock, TX 79409
Phone Number-(800) 527-8378
Link-https://www.kaptest.com/study/locations/lsat/lubbock/tx/
Why they are a good choice
This is the only prep course available within two hours of Amarillo, but it is a good one. Kaplan offers tons of resources for their students both in the classroom and outside of it. This is evidenced by their on-demand channel that has lessons for students to use while not in the classroom. Kaplan is known as being one of the biggest and most successful test prep firms in the country. These courses are held at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, just about two hours south of Amarillo.
The Best Law Schools Near Amarillo
- Texas Tech University School of Law
- Texas A&M University School of Law
- Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
- Baylor University Law
- The University of Texas at Austin School of Law
Interested in going to the best law school near Amarillo? Check out the best law schools in Texas.
