Aspiring law professionals will find themselves in a city with plenty to do and plenty of opportunities for success in Cleveland, Ohio. It is the second biggest city in the state, with a downtown that has plenty to offer to anyone who steps inside of it. Because of its proximity to Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River, Cleveland quickly made a name as a manufacturing town in its early days. While Cleveland still relies heavily on manufacturing, it is also known for several other industries these days, such as biomedicals, healthcare, finance, and higher education.
Of course, there is plenty of fun to be had in Cleveland as well. There are all sorts of options for sports fans, with the Indians, Cavaliers, and Browns making it a great sports city. Those who love music can visit the famous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cleveland offers a diverse dining scene and is especially known for its many great Polish restaurants, most notably in the city’s Slavic Village. In fact, as recently as 2015, TIME magazine named Cleveland the seventh best food city in America. On top of all of this, Cleveland is known as one of the most livable cities in the country right now, and has very low cost of living expenses. Being able to stretch your dollar as a lawyer here wouldn’t be hard; lawyers in Cleveland on average make $95,000 per year.
Cleveland is also known for higher education. Case Western Reserve University School of Law is one of the more prestigious law schools in the country, and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law isn’t far behind. To enhance your chances of gaining admission to one of these schools, you will need to perform well on your entrance exam. The law school admission test, or LSAT, is notorious for being daunting and stress-inducing, but with the right preparation you don’t have to go into it with a sense of dread. In fact, one of the best things to do in preparation for the exam is to learn how to ease your nerves. The best prep courses will help you in this endeavor.
At the same time, there is added stress in trying to pick the right LSAT prep course. There are so many options that employ so many strategies that it is hard to even know where to begin looking. The type of LSAT prep course that you choose will be based on a number of factors, ranging from the type of learner you are, your academic needs, your schedule and your budget. Here, we will go over some of the different types of LSAT prep courses that will be available to you. With our help, you will be able to more easily make a decision about what type of course may suit you best. Before we jump into details, we do want to point out a few things we think are necessary in a good LSAT prep course. 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
There will be many variables you are going to have to sift through when making your decision of which LSAT prep course to go with. Location will be one of the very first things you need to consider. Traditional thinking would place you in a classroom with other future test-takers and an instructor, or an in-person course, but with online courses these days being so advanced, there are reasons to feel more than comfortable doing all of your prep work via the internet. There are certainly differences between the two, but the amount of resources you will receive is pretty much the same between the two. So, what are some of the differences between in-person and online LSAT prep courses? Let’s take a look.
Those who prefer the traditional setting of an in-person LSAT prep course should expect to commit plenty of both time and money to the cause. These courses typically meet once or twice a week for two months, with work expected to be done outside of the classroom as well. The instructors come from all different types of backgrounds. Some are current lawyers, while others have dedicated their time to really breaking down the LSAT to the point where they experts on the exam. The common thread of these instructors is that they have all taken the LSAT at one point, and are well suited to prepare you for what you will be facing. These courses typically offer support once you leave the classroom in the form of online video instruction and staff members who will communicate with you via email.
While all of this sounds very good, there are many downsides to in-person LSAT prep. Along with taking up a good chunk of your time, these courses are also very expensive. Considering how much online courses have to offer, this might be a big determining factor with how you choose.
Online courses offer a lot of what in-person classes do, but add even more in the way of flexibility. These courses are able to give students all of the resources they need to be able to properly prepare for the LSAT, though students will not have the same type of access to an instructor as they would in an in-person setting. Typically, these courses are taught through a combination of live and recorded video instruction. Support is there in the form of a staff of instructors who will answer emails about questions you have regarding the exam.
These courses are great for those who prefer to go at their own pace. Online courses offer more flexibility in terms of scheduling and budgeting, while not really losing anything you would get from an in-person course. For those who are already busy, or can’t afford to spend a fortune, these courses are an ideal option.
There is one thing you should look for no matter what, whether you choose an online or in-person prep course. The course you take should offer practice exams. This is the best way to know how you stack up against the formidable LSAT. In doing this, you can pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses and strategize accordingly. Different classes administer practice exams in different ways. Some have them strategically placed throughout a course, while others will give you a whole stack to take with you so you can do them at your leisure. These are most commonly actual exams from years previous, so you’ll have a good idea of what you are facing the day you go in to take your official test.
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 Cleveland
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
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
Manhattan Prep
https://www.manhattanprep.com/
Like most of the online LSAT prep courses in this list, Manhattan Prep has instructors with very impressive credentials. With over 20 highly qualified instructors to help you prepare for your LSAT, Manhattan Prep is focused on in-person test prep, but their “LSAT Interact” self-guided prep course is a viable option for students looking to prepare for the test on their own time. With over 60 hours of video lessons included, you’ll also get access to lots of practice tests. There is also an option to upgrade your membership to include 1-on-1 tutoring.
Pros:
- 60+ hours of LSAT training from qualified instructors
Cons:
- Does not track your performance on practice tests
- Course enrollment lasts 6 months, but can be extended for a fee
The Best In-Person LSAT Prep Courses in Cleveland
Cleveland State University LSAT Prep:
Address – Main Campus, 2121 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115
Phone Number-(216) 687-2272
Link-https://www.csuohio.edu/testingservices/lsat-preparation-courses
Why they are a good choice
We particularly like this offering from Cleveland State University for several reasons. First, they give you all the resources you could ever need, with all books and supplemental materials being included in the course tuition. You get 28 hours of in-class instruction supplemented with online help and 5 months of access to practice exams. The class sizes are small, and taught by those who know how to implement a winning strategy for the LSAT. On top of that, a prep course on a university campus is especially advantageous because you are so close to so many resources. Finally, the price tag for this in-person class is much cheaper than just about any other in-person course that you can find will find. Last but not least, Cleveland State University is conveniently located in the heart of Downtown Cleveland.
TestMasters:
Address – Holiday Inn Cleveland Clinic, 8650 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106
Phone Number-(800) 696-5728
Link-https://www.testmasters.net/Lsat-Prep-Courses/ohio-cleveland
Why they are a good choice
TestMasters’ curriculum was designed by Robin Singh, the world record holder for most perfect scores received on the LSAT. Alongside a winning strategy, you get 60 hours of classroom time, 100 hours of online support and 20 full-length practice exams for you to take whenever you would like at home. All of the instructors at TestMasters scored in the 98th percentile or better on the LSAT. The course takes place at the Holiday Inn Cleveland Clinic, just southwest of University Circle and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Kaplan Test Prep:
Address – Case Western Reserve Law School, 11075 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44106
Phone Number-1-800-KAP-TEST
Link-https://www.kaptest.com/study/locations/lsat/cleveland/oh/
Why they are a good choice
Kaplan is one of the largest and most popular test prep companies in the world, and they host one of their many classes in Cleveland. The biggest draw here is that they offer access to every single past LSAT, as well as a massive selection of live and on-demand lectures. Class sizes tend to be large, though, so steer clear if you need a lot of one-on-one attention. Kaplan Test Prep’s Cleveland classes are conveniently held at Case Western, so you can stop off at the law library while you’re there to get some extra studying in.
The Best Law Schools Near Cleveland
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law
- Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University
- University of Akron School of Law
- University of Toledo School of Law
- Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
