Scottsdale is best known for tourism, and rightfully so. It has some of the best hotels in the country, and more destination spas than anywhere else in the United States. It has been nicknamed the “South Beach of the Desert” in reference to the hard-partying ways of South Beach, Miami, though locals call it the “West’s Most Western Town.” Because of the tourist aspect of Scottsdale, you can rest assured that there are plenty of good areas for dining and shopping, arts and entertainment.
Scottsdale isn’t all tourism, though. The Mayo Clinic has made one of their three homes in Scottsdale, which effectively makes it a hub for cutting-edge medicine. Aviation is a big deal in Scottsdale, as it is host to one of the biggest non-commercial airports in the country. A whole economy has built around the airport, as roughly 50,000 people are employed within miles of the runway. This includes dining, tech, retail, and service industry professionals. The arts are well represented, too, as Scottsdale has one of the highest densities of art galleries in its downtown area. Most of these are located in the Marshall Way Arts District, which is also home to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. The annual Scottsdale Arts Festival is considered one of the best in the nation. Foodies will find a lot to be thrilled with as Scottsdale is home to some of the best restaurants in the country, but the quality food doesn’t stop there: each year, people come from all over to attend the Scottsdale Culinary Festival.
Scottsdale is a city that is easy to fall in love with, especially for aspiring law professionals. It pays to stay here as well, as the average salary for a lawyer in Scottsdale is around $110,000 per year.
Scottsdale is also the neighbor to Tempe, which houses a well-known law school at Arizona State University. The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law consistently ranks among the best law schools in the country, most recently coming in at number 25 per the USNews law school rankings. It should be no surprise to know that this is a very competitive school to get into. Those who hope to get in need to have a history of academic excellence, but that alone won’t get you in.
To have the best shot of getting in, 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 the stress that it can cause is law school hopefuls. The best way to mitigate the stress and dampen the difficulty is to make sure that you are prepared. To do that, you’ll need to enroll in an LSAT prep course.
Finding the right LSAT prep course is not an easy endeavor. With so many options available, it’s hard to even know where to start looking. Considering this is the prep course that is going to get you ready for the most important test to this point in your life, you are going to want to make sure you get this decision right. Using the information in this article, you’ll gain a better understanding of what type of LSAT prep course might be right for you. With that knowledge, you should be able to more confidently make a decision when picking your course. There’s a lot to consider when making this decision, but we think it is easy to break down what is important. Before we go any further with details, there are some things that we think are necessary for any good prep course. Those things are:
- 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 going to be a lot of things you will want to consider when deciding which LSAT prep course to choose. Considering how much time you are going to be studying for the LSAT, one of the factors you need to consider is the location of your LSAT prep course.
There are two main options when it comes to this decision: in-person or online. Most would probably envision studying for the LSAT in a classroom environment, but with modern technology, you can get all of the resources and support offered in an in-person course in an online course. But there are differences between the two. So, why would you choose one over the other? Let’s take a look.
Those who prefer the setting of a classroom might want to take in-person LSAT prep courses. In this setting, you’ll be placed in a classroom with a group of other students. This can be advantageous because the other students are a built-in extra system of support. Most of these courses cap class sizes, so you’ll rarely have to worry about classes being too big and not have access to your instructor. Speaking of which, you will also be placed with an instructor who has some level of expertise when it comes to the LSAT. Once outside of the classroom, there is generally extra guidance in the form of video lessons. Sometimes there is also the option to be able to contact your instructor via email.
While all this sounds great, there are downsides to in-person LSAT prep courses. The scheduling of these courses offers little to zero flexibility, and considering that sessions normally last for about two months, meeting once or twice a week during that time, that’s quite a commitment to make. These courses are also incredibly expensive.
For those who need flexibility, online courses will have you covered. Because these courses are most commonly taught via video lessons, you can do them wherever and whenever you would like. This is especially useful for those who already have busy schedules. It is also good for those who like to learn at their own pace. With online classes, you don’t have to worry about keeping up with or getting ahead of the rest of the class.
Sure, you won’t have the same face to face interaction with an instructor and other students, but you will have plenty of support as online courses typically offer an instructor on the other end of your email address. Some courses even have 24-hour assistance. The flexibility isn’t the only nice thing about online courses: these courses cost only a fraction of what in-person courses cost. As online courses get better, the case for in-person courses becomes harder to make each year.
No matter what venue you choose to do your LSAT prep in, you need to make sure that they offer practice exams. These exams are the best way to see how you are stacking up against the LSAT before your all-important test date. This will allow you to locate your weaknesses and fine-tune your strategy. They will also give you an authentic feel for the LSAT, as these practice exams are typically actual LSATs from previous years. Some courses will give these out one at a time at certain times during your session, while others will give you access to as many as you would like to be taken whenever you want.
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 Course in Scottsdale
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
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 Best In-Person LSAT Prep Course in Scottsdale
Manhattan Review:
Address-Manhattan Review GMAT GRE LSAT Prep, Scottsdale Teaching Center at the Garden Inn, 7324 East Indian School Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Phone Number-(480) 478-1309
Link-https://www.manhattanreview.com/scottsdale-lsat-prep-courses/
Why they are a good choice
Manhattan Review builds relationships with schools and businesses in local areas that can help those who use Manhattan Review down the line. They believe in teaching all aspects of the LSAT, which means that they don’t just cover the content, they’ll also give you a strategy for how to attack the test and mitigate your nerves. Manhattan Review boasts students who have wound up in some of the best law schools and best law firms in the country. Manhattan Review in Scottsdale is located in the heart of Downtown Scottsdale.
TestMasters:
Address-Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and Conference Center, 60 East 5th Street, Tempe, AZ 85281
Phone Number-(480) 894-1400
Link-https://www.testmasters.net/Lsat-Prep-Courses/arizona-scottsdale
Why they are a good choice
When you go with TestMasters, you will be getting a lot of time put into your pursuit of a good score on the LSAT. You’ll receive 60 hours of classroom time and 100 hours of supplemental video lessons. All of the instructors at TestMasters have scored in the 98th percentile or above, and the curriculum was designed by the world record holder for most perfect scores on the LSAT, Robin Singh. TestMasters in Tempe is a quick 15-minute drive south from Scottsdale.
Manhattan Elite Prep
Address-Embassy Suites Phoenix – Airport at 24th St: 2333 East Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85016
Phone Number-(602) 325-5282
Link-https://www.manhattaneliteprep.com/lsat-phoenix-prep-course-class/
Why they are a good choice
Manhattan Elite Prep was designed specifically with busy people in mind. Those who are attempting to change careers, or raising a family all while studying for the LSAT. MEP knows that time is of the essence, so their goal is to teach the LSAT as quickly as possible. To do this, they have hired expert instructors who know the LSAT back to front, from the skills and knowledge being tested to helpful test-taking strategies. Manhattan Elite Prep is in Phoenix, 25 minutes west of Scottsdale.
The Best Law Schools Near Scottsdale
- Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law at Arizona State University
- The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
- Arizona Summit Law School
Interested in going to the best law school near Scottsdale? See the best law schools in Arizona.