Kaplan Extreme or Private Tutor? Forum

[dkang]

So I have already taken a Testmasters class but I think I have more potential since I only went up 8 points that time. I have trouble focusing and doing practice for standaized tests on my own so I was debating between either taking the Kaplan Extreme just so I can have some structure and get the practice time in or would I be better off just getting a private tutors since I have already taken a TM class.

[JamMasterJ]

Kaplan, for lack of a better word, sucks. Unless you're trying to break 150, do not use a Kaplan book or program

[Tiago Splitter]

So I have already taken a Testmasters class but I think I have more potential since I only went up 8 points that time. I have trouble focusing and doing practice for standaized tests on my own so I was debating between either taking the Kaplan Extreme just so I can have some structure and get the practice time in or would I be better off just getting a private tutors since I have already taken a TM class.

You'd be better of re-taking the TM class for the half price discount. And this time spend twice as much time working outside of class as you do in it.

[scenariosolver]

I am not an advocate of private tutoring. Kaplan is not inspiring. You need to put the time in yourself and practice practice practice.

[NaturalLawyer]

Kaplan, for lack of a better word, sucks. Unless you're trying to break 150, do not use a Kaplan book or program

Just out of curiosity, why is the Kaplan LSAT course bad? I've read some of their books, which I found uninspiring, but I've heard that the courses are much better. Have you taken their LSAT course?

[coastal112]

I have taken a Kaplan course. Although courses will vary according to instructor, it sucked in terms of increasing my score. What it did do for me is introduce me to basic concepts and get me more familiar with the material. So basically it gave me a leg up in beginning my studying. I don't believe in all of their rigid steps required to solve certain aspects of LSAT questions, so it didn't really help me much.

I don't think it will help YOU since you have already taken a course. Any course has a lot to do with how much outside work you are willing to put into it.

[JamMasterJ]

Kaplan, for lack of a better word, sucks. Unless you're trying to break 150, do not use a Kaplan book or program

Just out of curiosity, why is the Kaplan LSAT course bad? I've read some of their books, which I found uninspiring, but I've heard that the courses are much better. Have you taken their LSAT course?

Their goal for certain question types advocates a method that is supposed to work about 75 percent of the time, which I find retarded. It works if your having trouble grasping even the most basic concepts of the test, but if you want to get into a school worth actually attending, it is a bad call.

[NaturalLawyer]

Their goal for certain question types advocates a method that is supposed to work about 75 percent of the time, which I find retarded. It works if your having trouble grasping even the most basic concepts of the test, but if you want to get into a school worth actually attending, it is a bad call.

Wow, that does sound pretty bad. You mean that they say something like, "Even though by using this method you'll get 25% of the questions on this type wrong, you should still keep using it anyways."?

I am interested in Kaplan. (There's a center very close to me.) It sounds like you took their course. Can you give me an example of the kind of thing they would do in the course that's that bad? Thanks!