Hayward is a small city in California that resides in Alameda County and is part of the East Bay subregion of San Francisco. It is a city that was once known for food production but is now on the forefront of testing solar technology. Manufacturing is the main economic driver of Hayward, with several plants and headquarters located in the city. Some even consider Hayward as part of a northern extension of Silicon Valley. Those looking to start a career might find Hayward a very attractive place. Here, you have access to everything the Bay area offers while having the peace and quiet of a small town. It is considered a safe and friendly place to live. Lawyers can do well in Hayward, making roughly $125,000 per year.
Those looking to continue their education with a specific focus on the field of law will have plenty of options near Hayward. Hayward is in close proximity to one of the most prestigious geographical regions for law schools in the world. Here you'll find UC Berkeley and UC Davis within an hour of Hayward, and even closer is Stanford University. Stanford is regularly ranked in the top 3 schools in the country, while UC Berkeley is often found in the top 10 and UC Davis is firmly in the top 40. Needless to say, getting into these schools is not easy. The students who will be getting into these prestigious universities will have resumes that boast a history of academic excellence.
That alone isn't enough to get into any one of these three schools. It is also critical to do well above average on the law school admission test, known as the LSAT. The LSAT is famous for its level of difficulty and the amount of stress that it can place on students. While there is no denying that doing well on the LSAT is a tall task, it is not an impossible one. To help calm your nerves and develop a strategy for the exam, you are going to need an LSAT prep course.
Now that you know you need an LSAT prep course, you'll need to start looking. This is not an easy search, and to some can feel almost as daunting as the LSAT itself. There are so many different types of courses available that even knowing where to start looking can make your head spin. This is also a course of great consequence. Considering the importance of the LSAT, it follows that this will be one of if not the most important test prep courses you will ever take. So, how do you narrow down the choices and find the right LSAT prep course for you?
Throughout this article, we will go over some of the more important considerations you need to take into account when searching for an LSAT prep course. With the information learned from this article, you should be able to more easily make a decision about which LSAT prep course is the most appropriate for you. Before we dive into details, there are some things that we think are absolutely necessary when it comes to 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
The first thing that you are going to want to consider when choosing your LSAT prep course is also one of the most important considerations: location. Considering the amount of time you will be spending studying for the LSAT, you will want to make sure that you are physically comfortable while able to give your full undivided attention to your studies.
In regards to location, you will have two main options: in-person or online. In-person courses are what most people think of when they imagine students gearing up for a big test, but with internet capabilities these days, online courses are able to offer the same amount of resources and the same amount of support. Both of these options serve the same purpose and have the same goal, but they arrive there in different ways. So, why choose one over the other? Let's compare the two.
Those who prefer the classroom as a learning environment are going to want to choose an in-person LSAT prep course. With in-person LSAT prep, you will be placed in a classroom with a group of peers, which doubles as a built-in support system. You will be able to bounce ideas off of the other students, and might even benefit from a focused study environment. Class sizes are kept to a minimum to ensure that each student has plenty of access to the instructor. These instructors could be hired for several reasons, but the common thread is that they all have some form of expertise when it comes to the LSAT.
Once outside of the classroom, students will benefit from additional exercises and lessons. These typically come in the form of video lessons. These video lessons are sometimes only available for the duration of the course. Courses generally last for 6-8 weeks and meet once or twice a week. Because of that, in-person LSAT prep is rather inflexible when it comes to scheduling. When you sign up for in-person LSAT prep, you will want to make sure you are fully committed to attending for the whole course. That's not the only downside to in-person LSAT prep, as these courses are often very expensive.
Those who prefer or need flexibility with their scheduling will want to choose an online LSAT prep course. Because these courses are most often taught via pre-recorded video lessons, students will be able to complete them whenever they want and wherever they want. This could be especially attractive to a person in the middle of a career change who is still working a job while studying for the LSAT. Resources are abundant and support comes via email assistance. Some courses even offer 24-hour email support for students who need to make extra time to study during the off hours of the day.
Not only is the flexibility great for those juggling a busy schedule, but it could also be attractive for those who prefer to learn at their own pace. With online LSAT prep, you never have to worry about falling behind in class or getting too far ahead. As far as price, online LSAT prep is a more affordable option than in-person LSAT prep. In fact, online courses cost a fraction of what in-person courses do.
Whichever you choose, you will want to make sure that your course offers one of the more critical components of LSAT prep: practice exams. These practice exams are so important because they highlight your trouble areas and allow you to work on them. They also help you develop a rock-solid strategy for when you finally face off with the looming LSAT. These practice exams are typically actual LSATs from previous years, so you will get an accurate idea of what to expect once your test date rolls around. Different courses offer these in different ways. Some only offer a few, while others will give you access to as many as you want. This will generally be listed in the course description on the website of the course you are looking at.
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 Hayward
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
Alpha Score LSAT Prep
One of the few options for basic, affordable LSAT prep, Alpha Score offers a good selection of study materials for a reasonable price. There are over 50 hours of video lessons from instructors, each with at least 5 years of experience teaching LSAT prep courses. There is no live content, but you are able to ask questions to your instructor via messaging on the member’s area of the website. Membership to the Alpha Score LSAT prep course lasts for 12 months before you need to renew to keep access.
Pros:
- 50+ online lessons and tutorials
- Reasonably priced
- Long-lasting access
Cons:
- Only 10 official LSAT-licensed practice tests included
- No live instruction is available
Best In-Person LSAT Prep Courses in Hayward
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 thinks that the best way to teach a student the LSAT is to teach them according to how they learn best. They are able to do this by performing evaluations on students before and during the course. This makes teaching the LSAT a little more difficult, but Manhattan Review stands by it, and the results show. Manhattan Review boasts students in some of the best law schools and law firms in the world. Manhattan Review is located 35 minutes west of Hayward, in San Francisco.
TestMasters
Address-Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 450 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone Number-415-392-7755
Link-https://www.testmasters.net/Lsat-Prep-Courses/california-san-francisco
Why they are a good choice
TestMasters wants to make sure that they equip their students with everything that they need to succeed on the LSAT. With TestMasters, you'll get 60 hours of classroom time and an additional 100 hours of learning via video lessons. All instructors hired by TestMasters have scored in the 98th percentile or higher so they can effectively teach their proven curriculum developed by the world record holder for most perfect scores on the LSAT. TestMasters is also located in San Francisco.
Manhattan Elite Prep
Address-Dr. King Library, S 4th Street & E San Fernando Street, San Jose, CA 95112
Phone Number-(408) 850-0966
Link-https://www.manhattaneliteprep.com/lsat-san-jose-prep-course-class/
Why they are a good choice
Manhattan Elite Prep is the perfect choice for the student who doesn't have time for a full LSAT prep course. Here, you will have the option to choose a week-long course or a weekend-long crash course on the LSAT. Manhattan Elite Prep knows that teaching the LSAT with an ample amount of time is difficult and that doing it on a shortened schedule only makes it that much harder. This is why they hire only the best instructors so students can get the most out of their abbreviated courses—though those who want a little more study time can use their test bank and resource library. Manhattan Elite Prep is located 35 minutes south of Hayward, in San Jose.
The Best Law Schools Near Hayward
- Stanford Law School
- University of California – Berkeley Law
- University of California – Davis School of Law
- University of California – Hastings Law School
- University of San Francisco School of Law
Interested in going to the best law school near Hayward? Check out the best law schools in California.