Oakland has a reputation for being one of the most ethnically diverse and progressive cities in the United States. It’s also known for its great year-round weather, bustling food scene and Hollywood star heritage, with actors like Tom Hanks, Bruce Lee and Clint Eastwood having risen from Oakland. Nevertheless, despite all the fun to be had in the city, it sports an inordinately high crime rate that acts as a constant thorn in the side of its citizens. The crime rate in Oakland is 68 per 1,000 residents, giving it one of the country’s highest crime rates regardless of community size. Oakland citizens have a one in 15 chance of becoming a victim of either property or violent crime each year. With numbers like these in mind, it’s easy to see why the city has such a high demand for lawyers.
Lawyers in Oakland earn an average base pay of $144,351 per year, which is a whopping 34% above the national average. Of course, that sum makes sense, given that lawyers have one of the most challenging jobs around. Criminal attorneys are responsible for ensuring the safety of a city by keeping its streets as clear of crime as possible, and Oakland’s many large companies need great attorneys to keep them running smoothly. This is much easier said than done, since every case brings its own unique set of demands. In order to practice law on a daily basis, a lawyer must come equipped with an iron work ethic and extensive knowledge garnered through years of study.
Becoming a lawyer is a lofty endeavor, and prospective law students are sure to be challenged at every turn. A major checkpoint that looms overhead of all aspiring lawyers is the LSAT. Because this monumental exam is such a major consideration in law school admissions departments, it’s critical for students to come well-prepared. There are several in-person and online courses in Oakland that are there for students who need help getting ready for the LSAT. In order to maximize your chances of achieving a high score, it’s important to choose the study curriculum that best suits you. In this list you’ll find a number of in-person and online LSAT prep courses in Oakland that we’ve curated based on the quality of help they offer. With 10 years of experience in this sector, we only recommend programs that contain the following:
- Real LSAT questions and tests (Prep Tests) from previous years
- Detailed video explanations of every question type and concept
- Flexible pricing to accommodate any budget
- Some sort of support system and materials to use during and after the class
Online vs In-Person LSAT Classes
The first decision you’ll have to make is whether you’ll benefit more from studying in an in-class environment or a digital one. Since no two students have identical learning patterns, there’s no clear choice that’s right for everyone. If your priority is personalized feedback and the ability to learn in a more social environment, the in-class option might be right for you. Keep in mind, however, that your schedule will be impacted considerably given the need to bring yourself to the classroom on a regular basis. You’ll also be required to make a significant financial investment, since in-person LSAT prep courses tend to cost significantly more than the online alternative.
Given how rapidly the internet has expanded over the years, online LSAT courses are quickly becoming the more viable option. Because all necessary materials are made available at your discretion, you’re able to design an LSAT prep schedule that causes the least amount of disruption to your lifestyle. While this format lacks the social aspect of an in-class environment, you’ll still have access to a vast network of instructors who will help answer your critical questions every step of the way. Finally, studying online costs significantly less than an in-class LSAT prep course. Considering that online courses provide valuable help while being easy on a student’s wallet and schedule, it’s easy to see why so many prospective law students have migrated to this format.
If you’d like to read some additional input on the advantages of online learning, check out this article on the case against in-class LSAT prep courses.
Pros of an Online Course Pros of an In-Person Course Total freedom to schedule your LSAT prep at your own pace Instructors provide on-hand guidance to help keep you on the right path Test materials and other valuable resources are available at any time Opportunity to meet and interact with fellow prospective law students Much less expensive than in-person courses Classroom environment conducive to learning Personalized study plan to help you tackle problem areas Simulates the real LSAT, which is taken digitally on a tablet
The Best Online LSAT Prep Courses in Oakland
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
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
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
The Best In-Person LSAT Prep Courses in Oakland
Kaplan, Inc.
Address: Berkeley Kaplan Center, 150 Berkeley Square, Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone: 1-800-527-8378
Link: https://www.kaptest.com/study/locations/lsat/oakland/ca/
For students taking an in-person LSAT prep course, it’s important that the program is headed by a dedicated, experienced instructor. Being such a big player in the industry, Kaplan recruits only the best LSAT teachers with a proven history of helping students. Their course at the Berkley Kaplan center comprises 28 hours of in-depth instruction, including real past LSATs to practice with. Other nearby local venues are also available—visit Kaplan’s website for more information.
Manhattan Review
Address: San Francisco Teaching Center at the InterContinental, 888 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: 1-800-246-4600
Link: https://www.manhattanreview.com/san-francisco-lsat-prep-courses/
Manhattan Review is another reputable contributor to the industry, and their primary course venue is located in the San Francisco Teaching Center at the InterContinental. Thanks to their study materials, targeted instruction, and many practice tests, their past students have gone on to graduate from top law schools like Stanford, Berkeley and the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law. The lessons learned through their curriculum are sure to help not only on the LSAT, but throughout your future legal career as a whole.
Test Masters
Address: Berkeley Faculty Club, Minor Lane, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
Phone: 1-800-696-5728
Link: https://www.testmasters.net/Lsat-Prep-Courses/california-oakland
By choosing to study with Test Masters, students have the privilege of working under a curriculum designed by Robin Singh, the world-record holder for the most perfect LSAT scores. Their program includes 20 full-length, five-section practice LSATs and 60 hours of in-class instruction. With over 9,500 authentic LSAT questions in total, you’re sure to have enough prep material to keep you occupied until exam day.
The Princeton Review
Address: The Princeton Review, 2505 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone: 1-800-273-8439
Link: https://www.princetonreview.com/locations/us/california/berkeley-ca
The Princeton Review’s LSAT program is held in numerous venues in the state, including one conveniently located in Berkeley. In-person LSAT prep courses are often held in a single format—however, The Princeton Review makes several course types and options available to students, so you’re sure to find one that fits your study needs and schedule. If you spend a bit more than the basic class costs, The Princeton Review will give you a guaranteed score of no less than 165, or return your money back to you.
Fox LSAT
Address: Chancellor Hotel on Union Square, 433 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415-518-0630
Link: https://www.foxlsat.com/
In an industry dominated by major entities, Fox LSAT specializes in helping local prospective law students through their live courses in LA and San Francisco. Nathan Fox is an LSAT coach and author of 6 LSAT prep courses, who scored an incredibly high 179 on his own LSAT. He teaches all of his courses himself, so students get the benefit of studying under one of the best instructors in the industry.
The Best Law Schools Near Oakland
LAW SCHOOL LOCATION WEBSITE ADMISSIONS EMAIL- Stanford Law School
- University of California Berkeley School of Law
- University of California Davis School of Law
- University of California Hastings College of the Law
- University of San Fransisco School of Law
- San Francisco Law School
Trying to go to the best law school near Oakland? See the best law schools in California.