Study Formats: Courses, Self-Study, Tutors & More

Note: The Pre-Law Program does not "endorse" any particular commerical LSAT resource. Some free/subsidized resources are noted below, as well as books students have found most useful.

Classroom Courses

Classroom courses structure study allow feedback from teachers, provide easy access to study materials, and include timed practice tests. Students who take a classroom course often like the automatic discipline that a live course can create, by imposing external demands.

• Consult with the pre-law advisor for information on test preparation programs. There is a specially-designed, subsidized on-campus course offered through Hunter's LSAT Diversity Initiative to students and alumni each year, that runs through spring and summer. The course is taught by Carolyn Nelson. Having seen Carolyn's success at Hunter, she has since been hired by LatinoJustice and CUNYPipeline for their initiatives. Speak with the Pre-Law Advisor (and keep an eye on the listserv and screens on campus for announcements about recruitment for this course).
• Pre-Pro Bono offers a fellowship program for summer study to high achieving students who will be public interest careers in law. They come to campus each spring to teach a FREE LSAT Prep Jumpstart Weekend during spring break. Be sure to come to the weekend prep to get a sense of their approach.
• TRIALS, a partnership between NYU and Harvard Law, is another summer fellowship program.
• Other LSAT prep prep opportunities are listed on the diversity page.
• A variety of commercial courses are available, widely ranging in price. Shop around – compare prices, amount of class-time, out-of class resources, number of simulated exams administered, and level of feedback from teachers. Be sure to attend Hunter's LSAT introduction sessions with various providers to get an inside view of their teaching styles. What matters most is WHO is in the classroom, as opposed to a particular "brand." Try to get student reviews of the particular instructor who will be teaching your class.
  

Web-Based Courses

Web-based courses offer the convenience of "attending" class from home, while still benefitting from instruction. Whether this approach is right for you, however, will depend on your level of diligence. As well, recognize that the virtual classroom lacks the immediacy of in-person interaction. Your ability to ask questions and receive a prompt, individualized response may be limited. Nevertheless, for students who cannot otherwise attend class due to work or family obligations, this type of approach can sometimes be helpful, depending on circumstances.

• Khan Academy, in partnership with LSAC, offers a FREE on-line course. See details at the link.

Self-Study: Guides & Websites

Study guides can be a good first-step in test preparation and can prepare you to make the most of a test preparation course.
Study guides allow for flexibility (you can study anywhere anytime) but require discipline and do not provide teacher-feedback.
Many guides contain explanations to help you learn how to attack the questions and understand why you got a question wrong. LSAC sells guides with sample tests as well as explanations. Some guides include CDs containing additional study materials.

• The PowerScore Bibles guides have proven very effective among students, and are on reserve on the second floor of Hunter’s library (See Resources.)
• The LSAT Trainer, a relative newcomer, is also proving very popular among students who prefer self-study.
• There are a number of websites that offer helpful materials:
• The LSAT Blog offers reasonably priced day-to-day study schedules to assist students in structuring their LSAT preparation. The site also enables students, for a fee, to download official PDF versions of released LSAT tests and explanations for certain questions on old exams.
• 7 Sage provides a limited free on-line account with access to their curriculum.
• Many websites provide free explanations -- not just the answers but explanations -- for all parts of the exam. Having access to explanations that help you understand your mistakes is the most important part of self-study. You quickly understand the questions you get right, but it can be hard to figure out the ones you do not.
• LSAT Hacks
• Manhattan Prep
• Powerscore
• Velosity LSAT
• This one is for Games only - Steve Schwartz's LSAT Blog
• Remember that several commercial providers such as Kaplan and Princeton Review offer FREE timed tests under exam conditions, and these are commonly on the Hunter campus.
• The website does NOT ENDORSE any of the providers above.

Tutoring

Tutoring can be very expensive but does allow for extensive, personalized feedback. Sometimes a few tutoring sessions in an area of difficulty can be very useful. Most commercial providers, as well as the LSAT prep websites, offer tutoring services.

In general, you will get the most "bang for the buck" with tutoring if you have first familiarized yourself with the test, and have a sense of your strengths and weaknesses. This will allow you to reach out to a tutor in an infomed way, and to make the most of the time you are paying for.

Study Groups

Look for friends to study with. This can make the process more fun and help structure your studying. In particular, reach out on the Facebook page of the Hunter Pre-Law Society and see who might be interested in creating a group. Be sure to clarify expectations regarding meeting times and duration for all participants.