Rockford is the fifth largest city in Illinois, and it offers those who live there and those who are visiting plenty to do. Those with a keen interest in nature and history have a plethora of things to look forward to in what is nicknamed the "Forest City." Here you'll find several areas of cultural and historical significance such as the Anderson Japanese Gardens, the Tinker Swiss Cottage, and the Coronado Theatre. What was once one of the biggest furniture manufacturing cities in the country, the economic driver of Rockford is now based around the automotive industry, the aerospace industry, and healthcare. Though Rockford has some pockets of crime, it is known as a great place to start a career and raise a family. Those looking to start a career in law might find Rockford attractive as well: the average salary for a lawyer in Rockford is around $85,000 per year.
Students looking to study law near Rockford will have some pretty good options both in Illinois and in Wisconsin. Rockford is a little less than an hour and a half away from Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison. The best of the schools in this area is the University of Chicago Law School. This is one of the premier law schools in both the nation and in the world. As is the case, it is very difficult to get into and very competitive once you are there. In fact, as far as the acceptance rate goes, this is one of the most difficult schools to get into with an acceptance rate of only 15%. This means that the students applying here will be the best of the best.
If you are hoping to get into a school like the University of Chicago, you will need to have an academic background that is nothing short of stellar. This alone won't get you into a school like this, though. You will also need to do very well on the law school admission test, also known as the LSAT. The LSAT is famous for not just the stress that it puts on students, but also its incredible level of difficulty. While taking the LSAT is indeed an uphill battle, there are ways to go into your exam date with confidence and a rock-solid strategy. To do this, you are going to need an LSAT prep course. That should be simple enough, right? Well, it might be a little more difficult than you would think.
Finding the right LSAT prep course for you may be easier said than done. The number of options can be overwhelming, to the point where even knowing where to begin looking can be a difficult task in itself. Once you do begin your search, you'll see how many different types of courses there are, from the way LSAT content is taught to the strategy you should be going into the exam with. It's not a decision to be made lightly, either. When you consider that this is probably the most important test you will have taken in your academic career up to this point, it follows that this will also be a very consequential test prep course. How can you be sure that you have made the right decision?
In this article, we will go over some of the main considerations you should be looking at when choosing your LSAT prep course. With the information provided, you should be able to more easily make a decision that you feel confident in that will help get you ready for the infamous LSAT. There are some things we think are necessary for any good LSAT prep course, and would like to share those with you before we dive into details. 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 you should consider, and one of the most important considerations when choosing your LSAT prep course is where you will be doing your LSAT prep. When you think about how much time you will be spending with your nose in the books, you want to make sure you can commit to your studies and the venue you do them in. You also want to make sure you are doing your prep in a place where you can focus and are comfortable.
When it comes to location, you are going to have two options: in-person or online. These courses ultimately have the same goal of getting you ready for the LSAT, but get there in very different ways. Why choose one over the other? Let's take a look at some of the differences between in-person and online LSAT prep.
Students who thrive in a classroom environment are going to prefer in-person LSAT prep. Here, you will be placed with a group of peers and an instructor. Having a group of peers works well as a built-in support system. You will be able to learn from your fellow students and see different ways to attack the LSAT. Class sizes are kept small so that each student has ample access to the instructor. These instructors could have been hired for a number of reasons, but one common thread is that each of them has some level of expertise regarding the LSAT.
Once outside of the classroom, you will most likely receive extra learning by way of video lessons. For some courses, these video lessons will only be available during the duration of the course. Most courses run from 6-8 weeks, meeting once or twice a week during this time. This makes in-person LSAT prep inflexible at best. That's not the only downside to in-person LSAT prep; these courses are very expensive, sometimes prohibitively so.
Students who prefer the flexibility of open schedules and locations are going to prefer online LSAT prep. These courses are taught via video lessons, which allows the student to do them wherever they want and whenever they want. This could be especially attractive for a student who is in the midst of a career change and has to study for the LSAT while holding down a job. You won't have the benefit of a group of peers, or one on one interactions with an instructor, but you'll still have all the same resources and support. Support comes in the form of email, with some courses offering 24-hour email support for students who study at off-hours.
The flexibility of these courses is also great for students who prefer to learn at their own pace. With online courses, you never have to worry about falling behind or getting ahead. Not only are these courses more flexible, but they are also much less expensive. In fact, online LSAT prep courses cost only a fraction of what in-person LSAT prep courses cost. When you consider the flexibility and affordability, it makes sense that online courses get more popular every year.
Whether you choose online or in-person LSAT prep, it is crucial that the course you take offers practice exams. These exams are the best way to see how your preparation is going and how you stack up to the towering LSAT. You will be able to see where you struggle and hone in on a successful strategy. Most often, these practice exams are actual LSATs from previous years, so you will have a good idea of what you will be facing once your test date arrives. The way these are administered will vary from course to course. Some courses will give out only a few and at strategic points throughout the session, while others will give you access to an ample amount of practice exams.
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 Rockford
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
Fox LSAT Demon
Before opening up his LSAT test prep service, Nathan Fox scored 179 on his LSAT, a near-perfect score that placed him in the 99.9th percentile of all test-takers. He’s also personally written six books about preparing for the LSAT. Primarily focused on live LSAT prep courses, Fox LSAT has released their online-centered program called the LSAT Demon. Using A.I., the LSAT Demon program tailors the example problems and explanations to each user based on their strengths and weaknesses. While it is an interesting tool, the program suffers from a lack of video instruction and a fairly high monthly fee.
Pros:
- I. tutor helps reveal your weakest area
- Private tutoring available for an additional fee
Cons:
- Monthly fee for access
- No video instruction, online exercises only
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
Best In-Person LSAT Prep Courses in Rockford
Manhattan Review
Address-Manhattan Review GMAT GRE LSAT Prep & Admissions Consulting, 400 E Randolph Street, Apt 2316, Chicago, IL 60601
Phone Number-(312) 324-6624
Link-https://www.manhattanreview.com/chicago-lsat-prep-courses/
Why they are a good choice
Manhattan Review believes the best way to teach students the LSAT is through individual learning as opposed to a rigid curriculum. To be able to teach each student to their strengths they perform evaluations before and during each session of LSAT prep. The extra attention to detail makes teaching the LSAT a bit more difficult, which is exactly why Manhattan Review only hires instructors who have scored in the 99th percentile or higher on the LSAT. Manhattan Review is located a little under an hour and a half southeast in Chicago.
Manhattan Elite Prep
Address-Harold Washington Library Center, 440 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605
Phone Number-(800) 983-6202
Link-https://www.manhattaneliteprep.com/lsat-chicago-prep-course-class/
Why they are a good choice
Manhattan Elite Prep is designed with the busy student in mind. While you have the option of taking a 6-8 week course, where MEP really shines is with its week-long and weekend crash course. Teaching the LSAT isn't easy, and it is especially difficult in such a short amount of time. This is why Manhattan Elite Prep hires the very best instructors and lets their students make up the difference with a huge study resource library. Manhattan Elite Prep is also located in Chicago.
TestMasters
Address-Madison Concourse Hotel & Governor's Club, 1 West Dayton Street, Madison, WI 53703
Phone Number-(608) 257-6000
Link-https://www.testmasters.net/Lsat-Prep-Courses/wisconsin-madison
Why they are a good choice
TestMasters offers an intensive LSAT prep experience aimed at giving students everything they need to succeed on the daunting LSAT. With TestMasters, you will be taught by expert instructors who are teaching a proven curriculum that was designed by the world record holder for most perfect scores ever achieved on the LSAT. You'll get 60 hours of time in the classroom, plus an additional 100 hours of extra learning by way of video lessons. TestMasters is located a little under an hour and a half north of Rockford, in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Best Law Schools Near Rockford
- Northern Illinois University College of Law
- University of Chicago Law School
- Pritzker School of Law at Northwestern University
- Loyola University School of Law
- University of Madison – Wisconsin Law School (WI)
Interested in going to the best law school near Rockford? Check out the best law schools in Illinois.
