Best LSAT Prep Courses - advisor (2024)

Best Overall Online LSAT Courses:

Manhattan Prep LSAT Interact – $599 ★★★★★

Magoosh LSAT – $645 (frequent sales, currently $149/12mos) ★★★★★

7Sage LSAT Course – $749 ★★★★✩

Best Online LSAT Courses for Students on a Budget:

Blueprint Online Anytime – $199/mo ★★★★✩

PowerScore On Demand – $195/mo ★★★✩✩

Best Online LSAT Course for Students Who Want a Classroom Experience:

Fox LSAT Online – $995 ★★★✩✩

Testmasters Online LSAT Course – $1150 ★★★✩✩

There are so many options for self-study to prepare for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). As a professional LSAT tutor, I’ve had the opportunity to explore the most popular options. This article outlines the pros, cons, and unique features of the ones I consider the most beneficial for students. Read on for details!

Manhattan Prep LSAT Interact ★★★★★

Garnering my highest score of all the LSAT prep courses I reviewed, Manhattan Prep’s LSAT Interact is entertaining, thorough, and innovative. The course is indeed interactive, encouraging active and deep learning.

Includes:

• 60+ hours of instructional videos
• Access to all past LSAT exams
• Three Manhattan Prep Guides (one for each section of the LSAT)
• The Manhattan Prep “5 Lb. Book of LSAT Drills” (Note: This book is great to purchase even if you don’t enroll in the LSAT Interact course)
• Two LSAC “Actual Official” Books, each containing 10 past LSATs

Video style:

The videos are a joy to watch. Manhattan Prep spared no expense in producing high-quality, engaging videos. You’ll watch an instructor superimposed on the screen, walking you through the text that appears at his or her side. There is, unfortunately, no interaction with any students in the videos, so they tend toward lecture style. But the videos are top-quality.

Pros:

The interaction! The Manhattan Prep LSAT course is like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book: The video pauses after the instructor asks a question. Your response to that question determines whether you’ll next be shown a harder concept/question or an explanation of why your chosen answer was incorrect. It is impossible to zone out during these videos. I can’t praise this approach enough! Combined with the impressive number of books and prep materials you receive via mail, this course arms you with everything you need to master the LSAT and achieve an impressive score increase.

Cons:

Though the videos are fun to watch, the instructors sometimes include too many anecdotes and stories that drag down the learning pace. As far as content, my only qualm is with the peculiar way Manhattan Prep teaches conditional logic games using a “logic chain” which is overly structured and limiting for unusual or difficult games.

Unique feature:

Unlike other LSAT prep courses, Manhattan Prep offers access to just one section of the LSAT for a reduced price of $375. This is perfect for students who only need to shore up skills for a particular section.

Score:

I rate Manhattan Prep LSAT Interact 5 out of 5. The truly interactive video approach encourages deep understanding of the concepts, and the SIX useful books you receive via mail surpass the mailed offerings of any other LSAT prep course. (I’ve actually written an even longer review of the course here.)

Magoosh Online LSAT Course ★★★★★

Magoosh has recently added an online LSAT course to its roster of graduate test prep services. As it is still growing, you can usually find huge discounts — often up to 70% off! It’s worth checking to see what specials Magoosh is offering before you decide on an LSAT course. The course, while lacking in certain areas (e.g. Reading Comprehension), is incredibly comprehensive in others (e.g. Conditional Reasoning).

Includes:

• 90+ video lessons
• 550+ explanation videos for PrepTests 62-72 and 77-80
• Email assistance from experienced tutors

Video style:

The Magoosh videos are voiceover whiteboard slides in lecture style. The video style is relatively standard for online test prep, but a welcome difference is that they are a succinct 5-7 minutes each, which allows for convenient bite-sized learning and easy reference when you’d like to review a concept. Unfortunately, some of the instructors sound like they are reading from a script and are a bit dull in their presentation.

Pros:

The Conditional Reasoning segment of the Magoosh course is one of the most comprehensive I’ve seen. Absolutely every concept you’ll need for the LSAT exam is covered in the online course. Moreover, the course provides hundreds of practice questions that can be filtered by tons of useful metrics like question type, difficulty level, whether you’ve done the question before, and if so, how long ago. This high level of customization makes for effective practice sessions.

Cons:

This course doesn’t offer a lot of coverage for Reading Comprehension, and at present, only covers the most common game types. Moreover, the videos are not nearly as fun as Magoosh’s competitors, and there is no mobile access at all.

Unique feature:

Each question during your practice shows data comparing your pace to other students, so you can easily see if you are completing questions fast enough. Timing is an incredibly important aspect of the test, and most other test prep courses gloss over it.

Score:

I give Magoosh 5 stars out of 5. Magoosh offers a free seven-day trial which, although limited in access, will give you enough to determine if Magoosh vibes well with your learning style.

7Sage LSAT Course ★★★★✩

If you have already begun your journey into LSAT study, you may be familiar with 7Sage’s YouTube channel where the creator and owner, J.Y. Ping, provides free video walkthroughs of every logic game ever released. The full online course offers several awesome features that make it a great choice if you are aiming for stellar LSAT scores.

Includes:

• 50+ hours of video in 400 short lessons
• Digital test format for drills and practice questions
• Personalized study schedule
• Flashcard PDFs and 72 full LSATs with video explanations for practice exams

Video style:

The videos in the 7Sage course are voiceover whiteboard lessons. There is no student interaction in these videos, so they are lecture style. The videos are pretty standard in their format, but contain a really useful panel to take notes right on the screen without leaving the video.

Pros:

The course is very comprehensive and covers underrepresented topics like grammar and quantitative diagramming (“most” and “some” statements). Moreover, the content of the course is presented in short, easily digestible videos of 3-15 minutes each, which make for convenient learning and effortless referencing.

Cons:

The price for this course is structured as a tiered membership. While the cheapest option is affordable at only $179, it restricts student access to only the easiest questions in its problem sets. While I think restricting the duration of access and the number of accessible PrepTests is sensible (both of which 7Sage also does), restricting the difficulty of content available means that only the most expensive tier of membership ($749) offers a full range of questions similar to ones you will encounter on the actual test.

Unique feature:

Each video has an option to slow down the video to 0.8x speed — a handy tool considering Ping tends to talk very fast! This allows you to take better notes and really absorb the course’s content.

Score:

I give the 7Sage online course a 4 out of 5 for its highest tier or membership that includes all difficulty levels. The lower membership tiers are, in my opinion, of limited use since they don’t reflect the difficulty you’ll encounter on the test.

Blueprint Online Anytime ★★★★✩

The monthly subscription model offered by Blueprint Online Anytime is a great way to get started with serious LSAT prep without a huge upfront commitment. Students who are willing to jump into LSAT prep with full focus and dedication can save a good chunk of money with Blueprint’s excellent Online Anytime course.

Includes:

• Access to all released LSAT questions, most with video explanations
• Mobile device optimization for on-the-go studying
• Regrettably, no mailed coursebooks or physical prep materials

Video style:

Of all the LSAT courses I reviewed, Blueprint had one of the most engaging and well-produced video styles. The instructor is superimposed over a background of delightful animations and text, and the production value is excellent — including multiple camera angles on the instructor.

There are, however, no students in the videos (neither visible, audible, nor in a chat panel like some of the other prep courses). There is no interaction between instructor and student, resulting in a very lecture-like feel — albeit it a very fun lecture!

Pros:

The Blueprint course is very easy to watch. Considering how many hours you’ll spend watching videos for an online course, it’s important that the videos be captivating and enjoyable. In terms of content, the course also scores high marks with in-depth coverage of the most important, yet most difficult, LSAT concepts like conditional reasoning and logical fallacies.

Cons:

In an attempt to be funny, the course often becomes offensive with off-putting humor. For example, in one video the instructor, commenting on the names of characters in a logic game, says “Oh Urma? She must be coming out of retirement!” and “Yolanda? Ohhh let’s bring some attitude to the party.” Yikes. These stereotypes have no place in LSAT prep, and the abrasive, sometimes misogynistic commentary has been the subject of many student complaints. Moreover, unlike its main competitors, the Blueprint course does not mail any prep books for off-line and kinesthetic learning.

Unique feature:

The Blueprint course features many different instructors in its video lessons. Other courses have the same person presenting each video and run the risk of becoming monotonous. Blueprint keeps things fresh with a great mix of different LSAT instructors, some of whom are more light-hearted, down-to-earth, or more mature.

Score:

I give the Blueprint Online Anytime LSAT course a score of 4 out of 5. Its content and video production are remarkable, but the lack of mailed printed material is detrimental for students who like to complete drills and make quick reference to particular concepts.

PowerScore On Demand ★★★✩✩

Only a few LSAT prep options offer a monthly subscription model. PowerScore is undoubtedly one of the best test prep companies among them. This option is perfect for students who are keen to save money and who are willing to work hard and fast to get the most bang for their buck. Although, note that the first payment includes the fee for the mailed books, and is $350.

Includes:

• 30 hours of videos (10 3-hour-long lessons)
• One mailed physical coursebook
• 55+ hours of additional videos on strategy and concepts

Video style:

The videos for the PowerScore On Demand course are screen recordings of a 10-session Live Online class. You’ll watch a digital whiteboard wherein a voiceover instructor comments on and annotates slides. The instructor himself is not visible. A side chat panel shows questions posed by students who took that Live Online course and a teacher’s assistant’s prompt responses.

The video format is a bit dated and feels more like a Powerpoint presentation than an interactive experience. Being unable to see the instructor lends a detached feel, but the student interaction via the chat panel will help keep your interest high.

Pros:

PowerScore, an industry leader in LSAT prep, offers an extremely comprehensive program that covers practically everything you need to know for the LSAT, including in-depth coverage of often overlooked topics like numbers and percentages and principle questions.

Cons:

The videos are extremely long at 3 hours each, which makes it difficult if not impossible to locate a particular concept for review. Moreover, unlike some of the other online prep options, every 3-hour-long session is led by the same instructor. If you happen to dislike the instructor’s style, you’re stuck with him.

Unique feature:

An On Demand subscription allows you to add a 2-hour tutoring session at a discounted rate of $120 per hour.

Score:

Overall, I give the PowerScore On Demand Course 3 out of 5 stars. The low price subscription model is a great benefit and the course is thorough and detailed. However, the videos are too long to use as reference material or to ingest in bite-sized pieces, and the format is dull compared to its competitors’ videos.

Fox LSAT ★★★✩✩

Nathan Fox, the creator of Fox LSAT, is quite the character. You’ll either love him or hate him — but most people love him. He is known for telling it like it is, using straightforward and sometimes brash language, teaching the LSAT by narrating his inner thoughts, monologue-style, as he reasons through questions.

Includes:

• 80+ hours of video explanations
• Three physical books mailed to you: “Introducing the LSAT,” “The Logical Reasoning Encyclopedia,” and “The Logic Games Playbook”
• The ability to ask questions directly to Fox and get a personal statement draft review

Video style:

Some of the videos are simply Fox sitting in front of a webcam explaining concepts. Other videos are recordings of Fox teaching one of his in-person classes in a classroom setting. In either case, the videos, though not professionally produced, are entertaining and informative.

Pros:

Nathan Fox is always himself. There is no corporate sanitation of the language or style, so the course feels like learning from a real person with faults and hearing his inner thoughts in real-time. This makes for an engaging course that easily holds your interest. The included books don’t follow along with the online course but they are very useful additional study materials.

Cons:

Some of Fox’s explanations for wrong answers are curt and unhelpful. For example, at one point he says “Answer choice A — what? Well, no! Just… no” and moves on without a thorough explanation of why. This could easily make the student who picked answer choice A feel defeated.

Unique feature:

Fox has an unusual but effective technique for logic games where you complete the “if” questions before attacking the general questions. He advocates using your prior work in the “if” questions to help eliminate wrong answers in the general questions. You would be well-served by training with Fox LSAT and internalizing this unique approach.

Score:

I give Fox LSAT a score of 3 out of 5. Because the course is closely tied to Fox’s personality, the free trial is perfect to determine whether his teaching style meshes with your learning style. It’s certainly worth checking out.

Testmasters ★★★✩✩

If you appreciate a full classroom experience complete with other students’ questions and input, Testmasters presents a good option. The course is a series of recorded classroom sessions whereby you have the benefit of hearing where other students struggle.

Includes:

• 160 hours of video instruction (including videos of the entire 15-session class being taught in a live classroom)
• 20 full-length DIGITAL tests for practice exams
• One mailed coursebook
• Access to all past LSATs

Video style:

The videos replicate a classroom experience and are recorded from the middle of the classroom and the teacher and all students wear microphones. You feel as though you are a member, albeit a silent one, of an in-person class. This format works perfectly for students who learn better when they are immersed in an atmosphere with which they are accustomed to learning. You will watch as the instructor moves from behind a lecturn to a whiteboard, pacing the front of the classroom, calling on students to answer, and clarifying questions they have.

Pros:

The video format is great for students who don’t want to watch a series of slides. I also loved the drill and practice software which lets you know the stats for how many students selected each answer choice. You also get access to an impressive amount of DIGITAL practice exams so that you can practice in the same format you will encounter on test day.

Cons:

All the sessions are taught by the same instructor, Robin Singh, the creator of Testmasters and the world record holder for the most 180 LSAT scores. If you don’t vibe with his teaching style, you’re out of luck. He does tend to yell a bit, and the sessions move very, very fast.

Unique feature:

Testmasters has an incredible database which allows you to search by keyword for questions. Thus, if you want to find that question you did one time about ant species in Tierra del Fuego, you can do it easily on Testmasters. This feature is incredibly useful.

Score:

Overall, I give Testmasters a score of 3 out of 5. Although the content of the course is solid, watching the videos can become tedious — especially compared to the professionally animated and interactive videos of some of its competitors. In my opinion, the hefty price tag is not justified unless you already know that Singh’s teaching style is perfect for you.

Runners Up

Note: Missing from this list are the Kaplan LSAT Course and The Princeton Review LSAT Course. Although I found the Kaplan LSAT Course to be satisfactory, it was quite generic. There were no particular outstanding features to make it the clear choice for any specific type of student with a unique learning style.

As for The Princeton Review LSAT Course, I felt that because so much of the content consisted of slides of text rather than video content, you could get the same benefits of the course by simply reading The Princeton Review books. Considering the huge price difference between the affordable books and the expensive course, The Princeton Review LSAT Course simply doesn’t have enough interactive and visual content to justify the cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can’t I use books instead of courses to prepare for the LSAT?

Many students achieve great success with minimal financial investment by studying with a good LSAT prep book coupled with free resources like PowerScore’s LSAT Forum, Manhattan Prep’s LSAT Forum, and 7Sage’s YouTube Channel.

For many students, however, books prove insufficient after a month or two. Students often suffer from lack of motivation when there are no preset expectations and checkpoints, or structure in being presented with questions that are algorithmically customized to push them just slightly beyond their current level. My advice is to start with a good book and free online resources, but be open to the structure of a course as soon as you hit that proverbial wall.

A newcomer to the LSAT prep market, Khan Academy, solves many self-studiers’ problems by offering a completely free LSAT course of study that is designed like an online course. Khan Academy is certainly worth exploring (it’s free, after all), and because it has an official partnership with the organization that administers the LSAT, its format is identical to that of the LSAT.

There are, however, shortcomings: Khan Academy offers no books or physical learning materials if you appreciate learning off-screen. Moreover, many students complain that, after a month or so, the content becomes repetitive and they begin seeing questions and even complete problem sets that they already completed. Use Khan Academy as a supplement to your studies.

Is an online LSAT course better than an in-person course?

There are pros and cons to online LSAT courses. With online courses, students appreciate that there is no commute involved and, similarly, no getting dressed to go out. You can complete an online course in your pajamas on the couch! Also, if it’s not a “live online” course that meets virtually at predetermined times, you can study at your leisure whenever you have free time. Some introverted students also appreciate that there is no embarrassment if they answer a question incorrectly, and no stress of having to raise their hand and speak in front of strangers.

Still, there are significant cons: Online courses offer no engagement with an instructor for those times when you need to be pushed to articulate your reasoning. You also lack access to someone who can answer specific questions you have. Online courses can become lonely and isolated without any collaboration and commiseration. The lack of scheduled accountability associated with a study-at-your-own-pace format can also cause problems for many students.

What should I look for when choosing an online LSAT course?

Are the videos well-done? You’ll be watching hours upon hours of videos. The courses with good production or interactive elements are less likely to turn LSAT studying into a chore.

Will you be able to study when you’re not in front of your computer? Online LSAT courses that have an app or mailed materials allow you to conveniently study away from home, and attack the learning process via different modes.

Can you find important concepts quickly and easily when you want to review something? Some courses are recordings of 2-hour-long classes or more. When you later want to review, say, the list of words that indicate necessary conditions, you’ll be better served by courses that split their videos into a maximum of 15-minute well-labeled videos for distinct concepts.

How can I ensure I get the most out of an online LSAT course?

If you choose to go the online LSAT course route, it is imperative that you set a schedule for yourself. Set aside time each day devoted to LSAT study and be diligent about it.

You should also take advantage of the fact that with an online course you can re-watch videos of confusing concepts. Work quickly, but do not hesitate to watch the videos as many times as necessary to fully comprehend the content.

Finally, do not — DO NOT — neglect the practice tests that are incrementally assigned throughout most online courses. Success on the LSAT comes from doing LSATs. With an online course, there is no accountability to anyone but yourself. Don’t cheat yourself. Do those practice tests!