Law School Discussion

I am currently enrolled in a Kaplan course. I read all the negative feedback on here but it was the only prep course around here and so I enrolled.

If you are a highly motivated person who alread has a grasp of basic strategies and time management and can do it on your own schedule, then great, you probably don't need a prep course, Kaplan or otherwise.

The advantages I've found have been, like mentioned the proctoring of real full length LSATs in real test conditions. Having other people around you, a proctor timing you and strict adherence to the time is something you just can't replicate on your own.
You also get back personalised feedback with explanations for all the questions and reccomendations on which areas to focus on.
My instructor has been teaching it for almost 20 years and knows his stuff. It's beneficial to have someone to not only explain to you conecpts that you might not understand as well in a book but also actually be able to ask him questions back to clarify things.
The amount of homework assigned is vast and it's beneficial. You know you have to do it which makes the less motivated or structured keep pace, They give not only the regular homework and lesson books but mastery books with tons of questions rated by difficulty, and question type and books of full length tests and 35 minute sections for pacing. All real past LSATs of course.
In addition there's tons of optional online tutorials and quizzes to give even more practice in different areas that have been really extensive and helpful.

So, if you feel you don't need a prep company to help you, great, don't. Yes it's pricey but the whole Law School experience is, and if you can pay for it or get your parents to, and you feel it will help you, then you should. Don't be afraid of the Kaplan naysayers, the instructor says the course was totally revamped this year. So obviously if there were problems in the past, they took them to heart and changed for the better.

Wait a minute, isn't it Monday June 12?

I studied with the Powerscore Bibles in an anticipation for my Kaplan diagnostic/class. I figured I'd rather start out with an idea of what I'm doing and be mediocre and use the class to improve to good rather than coming in clueless, starting at bad and working up to mediocre.

Hello, have been lurking the board for a while and have decided to sign up and start chiming in. This looks like a great place to discuss the LSAT and Law School, I'll be taking the June test.

Anyway, I have signed up for a Kaplan course since it is the only one offered in this area. Tonight in fact is my first class (will be a diagnostic test) and will be happy to give my honest opinion of how it goes over the weeks.
I think the people who say the methods don't help them as much as Powerscore/Testmasters might have a point, but I think all the other stuff offered by Kaplan can be considered a plus. Remember, many students are not as "into" the test as we are, and for them, never having heard of the other companies, and lacking comparison, can and will find the Kaplan strategies meaningful.
To me, the oppurtunity for timed, proctored and graded diagnostic exams (as mentioned) is an important advantage, as is the sheer amount of material given including all the past LSATs (and YES they are REAL LSATs, maybe in the past they weren't but anyone who says they aren't now, is misinformed) along with explanations for all the answers and even questions divided up by section/question type for targetted practice. Just going to class itself should be helpful, as although I do work hard when I feel I have to, I can get a bit lazy, so having a class to attend and homework to do in conjuction should help keep me on my toes.
I purchased the PowerScore LG Bible after everyone raved about it here, and it was really good. Finished it in the past 2 weeks and I feel I have a good set of strategies for games. The LR Bible is in the mail. I'll take the Kaplan strategies as they are. If I feel the ones I was using are better, I'll ignore 'em. If nothing else I can get some strategies for the Reading section.
Anyway, like I said, I'm going in with an open mind. They're one of the largest test prep companies in the country so they can't be all that bad. Like I said, I'm sure the vast majority of students do benefit and are just lacking knowledge of some of the smaller and harder to find companies mentioned here.