<p>So...I have compared the two LSAT prep courses: Testmasters and Powerscore, for a long long time and am now at crossroads....which one I should pick?</p>
<p>Here's some info I have gathered about the courses:
BOTH: include every available LSAT question, nice instructors
Testmasters: materials are not comprehensive and explanations not in book, full-length = $1450
Powerscore: great materials, $1195</p>
<p>It seems like PS is the better choice BUT I already own the 3 bibles. Should I take the TM course instead? Does PS do much more in full-length courses or are the bibles basically their course?</p>
<p>Any advice from previous/current prep course students is greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>I never took a course with any company, but I have taught for PowerScore and have gone through their Bibles, so hopefully I can lend a helpful perspective. IMHO, there will be little difference between PS and TM in terms of content. The methodologies are almost identical, and most of the differences lie in terminology if anything else. As for whether or not you should take a course, that decision should rest of on how you feel you could do as a self-studier. If you've already gone through the Bibles or feel you could do so diligently, then the only real added-value from a course would be the expertise of the instructor, which could help clear up any specific techniques or questions you might still be struggling with. Otherwise, you'll mostly just be bored in class going over material you already know. You may want to look into hiring a private tutor from PS or TM instead of going with the full-length course. That way, you could focus on your individual needs and not be bogged down in a classroom setting where everybody else is presumably a beginner. That route would obviously be more expensive, but I think you would gain more from it. </p>
<p>I take it from the title of your post that you have very high ambitions for the LSAT. That's a good thing! But you should also keep in mind that taking a course or working with a tutor alone is not sufficient (although perhaps necessary...yes, I just made an LSAT joke) to attain a score in the 99th percentile. Outside help can only carry you so far. Most of the substantive gains will come through your own blood, sweat, and tears. Have you taken a diagnostic LSAT yet?</p>
<p>Thanks for your response. Haha, I just used the title so that more people will open this thread. As for taking a course, I am sure I will need one (I tend to study better in groups). I am just not sure which one I should pick since I've heard that PS basically use its bibles and "turn" it into the course. Are there any additional info that's provided in the course that is not offered in the bibles? Do you think it might be better to go with TM instead (I saw on their syllabus that they include RC passages of every type)? My only reservation about TM is lack of explanations provided. Many thx.</p>
<p>I would think of PowerScore less as having taken the content of their Bibles and turned it into a course as having taken the content of their course and distilling it into the Bibles. To the best of my knowledge, the course does not add significant as far as techniques or strategies go; it's merely more in-depth and provides more examples/explanations. </p>
<p>Once again, there is no substantive difference between TM and PS. Stop agonizing over which course would provide better content, as the two courses are virtually identical. If anything else, the difference will lie in the quality of the instructor, which is a factor unrelated (for the most part) to the company you choose.</p>
<p>I'm probaby going to take AceLSAT online. I looked at Kaplan, but they don't show me much. I think they are all about the same. It doesn't matter if you take a prep course at a junior college of go to an LSAT summer camp, the net results will probably be about the same.</p>
<p>Texaslawyer, false, false, false. There is a BIG difference between Kaplan and PS or TM. The latter two are methodical and effective. The former is a steaming pile of crap, dressed up with silly ad-hoc techniques and slick advertising. The majority of students I have worked with either as their private tutor or classroom instructor decided to switch to PowerScore because of dissatisfaction with Kaplan.</p>
<p>awesome, thanks crnchycereal, this info you provide helps a lot! I will probably go with PS then, since their course is $250 cheaper :p.</p>