Elk Grove was at one point the fastest growing city in the United States, but the rapid rise of Elk Grove stopped about as quickly as it started. Elk Grove was founded in 1850 as a stop for travelers who were going from Sacramento to San Francisco. It was mostly known as a small farming community for most of its existence, until the year 2000, when it became incorporated into Sacramento County.
The incorporation led to a population boom between 2004 and 2005 that saw Elk Grove as the fastest growing city in America. Apple built the iMac in Elk Grove, and is still the largest employer in the city to this day. Elk Grove is also one of the cities that was hardest hit by the subprime mortgage crisis, which slowed down the growth in population considerably.
Now, it sits as a modest California city. The cost of living is what you would expect from a city in California, so those with hopes of a career in law will be glad to hear that the average salary for a lawyer in Elk Grove is right around $85,000.
Those who aspire to a career in law but have yet to go to law school will certainly be eyeing this area of the world. There are several top-ranked law schools within an hour and a half of Elk Grove. The closest of these nationally recognized schools is the University of California – Davis School of Law. While it is not as highly ranked as nearby Stanford, it is still one of the more prestigious law schools in the country, and one of the harder schools to get into. The acceptance rate for UC Davis School of Law hovers around 35%.
Those who plan on applying to either of these schools will need to have a resume boasting a track record of academic excellence. That alone won’t get you in, though. To have the best chance of getting into a top-tier law school, you’ll need to do very well on the law school admission test, known as the LSAT. The LSAT is known for its difficulty and also how stressful it can be for students taking it. The best way to mitigate the stress and dampen the difficulty is to make sure you are well prepared. That’s where LSAT prep courses come into play.
Finding the right LSAT course might seem like an extra bit of unwanted stress. Considering the importance of the LSAT, it makes sense that some students might be worried that they aren’t picking the right course for them. Knowing even where to start looking can be difficult. With the number of options and different styles of classes available, how do you know which course is right for you? In this article, we will look at some of the factors that should be considered when choosing an LSAT prep course. With the information found here, you should be able to more easily make a decision about the right LSAT course for you. Before we really dive into details, there are things that we think are important in any LSAT prep course:
- 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 that you should consider when deciding which LSAT prep course to choose. The first thing to consider should be where you will take your LSAT prep course. This may also be one of the most important considerations. Studying for the LSAT takes time and commitment, so you want to make sure you are comfortable with the venue that you will be using for your preparation.
There are two common types of LSAT prep courses: in-person and online. In-person courses have been very popular for decades, though with modern technology, you can find all the same resources and support with online courses. There is plenty that separates the two, though. So, why choose one over the other? Let’s look at some of the differences.
In-person LSAT prep courses are great for those who prefer the traditional classroom setting. In these courses, you will be in a classroom with a small group of peers. Most LSAT courses keep this number to 12 or fewer. Having a group of peers is a built-in advantage because you have a support system right there with you. Different students will excel at different things, and the ability to share ideas amongst your peers is crucial. You will also be placed with a highly specialized instructor. Most courses will list their requirements for hiring on the course page. These instructors could be picked based on how well they performed on the LSAT, or because of how much experience they have with the test.
Outside of the classroom, most courses offer supplemental video lessons. It should be noted that some courses only make these videos available for the duration of the course. Of course, there are downsides to in-person LSAT courses. Considering that these courses run for about two months, and meet for one or two days during that time, the scheduling is inflexible. These courses are also very expensive.
Online LSAT prep courses are great for those who prefer flexibility. You won’t have the same classroom experience with peers and an instructor, but you will be provided with everything you need to properly prepare for the LSAT. These courses are typically taught via video lessons, allowing you to do them whenever and wherever you want. This is especially great for those who may be switching careers to law and are still working full or part-time. Those who prefer to learn at their own pace will also find online LSAT prep courses preferable.
With online courses, you never have to worry about getting behind the rest of the class, or being so far ahead that it gets boring. Most of these courses offer support in the way of email. Some courses even offer 24/7 support for those who do their studying at odd hours. While flexibility is great, the pricing is much more affordable than in-person courses. Online LSAT prep courses cost just a fraction of what in-person courses cost. Because of all this, online LSAT prep courses are getting more popular each year. And not only that, but they keep improving as well.
Whether you feel more comfortable in-person or online is up to you, but whatever course you choose, you need to make sure that practice exams are offered. Practice exams are the best way to see where you stand realistically heading into the test. These practice exams also give you an authentic feel for how the LSAT is going to go because they are actual LSATs from previous years. Each course administers these differently, so you will want to look into that when deciding your course.
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.
The Best Online LSAT Prep Courses in Elk Grove
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
TestMasters Online LSAT Prep Course
https://www.testmasters.net/online-lsat-course
The TestMasters Online LSAT Prep Course gives you a chance to watch live training courses for up to 100 days before your LSAT is administered. Available for a moderate price, this course is taught by Robin Singh who holds the record for the most perfect LSAT scores. TestMasters uses a large selection of real questions from previous LSAT exams in its curriculum. Rather than creating on-demand video lessons exclusively for the online course, the TestMasters Prep Course features recorded videos from previous live classes. While the information is good, this lack of interactivity makes you feel more like a fly on the wall of a prep course rather than an active participant.
Pros:
- 160+ hours of recorded classroom training
- Uses real LSAT questions
Cons:
- More expensive than most LSAT prep courses
- Taught by an instructor who was a “natural” at the LSAT, so it can be hard to relate for those of us who need extra help
Blueprint LSAT Prep
Your monthly membership to Blueprint LSAT prep comes with access to some of the most entertaining LSAT prep video lessons available online. You can also use the interactive homework app to work on questions for LSAT practice exams. You’ll also get a personalized lesson plan based on the date of your LSAT. The major drawback of the Blueprint online LSAT prep course is that there is a substantial monthly fee. Because there is a strong correlation between scores and how early you start studying, monthly memberships can get very costly. There is a discount offered for purchasing 6- or 12-month memberships in advance.
Pros:
- Entertaining instructors
- Interactive homework app
Cons:
- Expensive monthly membership fee
The Best In-Person LSAT Prep Courses in Elk Grove
TestMasters
Address:
Sacramento: Courtyard Sacramento Midtown, 4422 Y Street, Sacramento, CA 95817
Davis: UC Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
Phone Number-(916) 455-6800
Link:
Sacramento: https://www.testmasters.net/Lsat-Prep-Courses/california-sacramento
Davis: https://www.testmasters.net/Lsat-Prep-Courses/california-davis
Why they are a good choice
TestMasters wants to make sure that their students have all the tools they need to succeed. Here, you’ll get an immersive test prep experience. You will receive 60 hours of classroom time, with an additional 100 hours of video lessons to do away from the classroom. Instructors for TestMasters are top-notch, as they only hire people who have scored in the 98th percentile or better on the LSAT. There are two locations near Elk Grove: one in Sacramento 25 minutes north, and one in Davis 30 minutes northwest.
Kaplan Test Prep
Address:
Sacramento: Courtyard Sacramento Midtown, 4422 Y Street, Sacramento, CA 95817
Phone: 1-800-KAP-TEST
Link: https://www.kaptest.com/study/locations/lsat/sacramento/ca/
Why they are a good choice
Kaplan offers LSAT several different lengths of LSAT prep courses in Sacramento. Their intensive courses are ideal for busy students, while those with a bit more time can take things slowly with an extensive 3-month program. Not only will Kaplan students have access to expert instructors, but they offer one of the largest resource libraries of any in-person LSAT prep program. Their Sacramento classes take place at the Courtyard Sacramento Midtown, the same hotel that hosts the area’s TestMasters programs.
Manhattan Review
Address:
Manhattan Review GMAT GRE LSAT Prep
San Francisco Teaching Center at the InterContinental, 888 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone Number-(415) 874-7028
Link-https://www.manhattanreview.com/san-francisco-lsat-prep-courses/
Why they are a good choice
Manhattan Review has a reputation that has been built by the success of their students. This success could be largely because of the instructors they hire. Manhattan Review only hires instructors who have scored in the 99th percentile on the LSAT. They believe in catering the class to the student, not the other way around. Manhattan Review is located in San Francisco, an hour and 30 minutes southwest.
The Best Law Schools Near Elk Grove
- University of California – Davis School of Law
- University of California – Berkeley School of Law
- Stanford Law School
- University of San Francisco School of Law
- Santa Clara University School of Law
Interested in going to the best law school near Elk Grove? See the best law schools in California.