TestMasters Vs. Kaplan LSAT: Which One To Choose?

TestMasters’ courses prepare students only for the LSAT. Meanwhile, Kaplan offers a prep course on every test, from the SAT to LSAT.  

So, on TestMasters vs. Kaplan LSAT courses, which one wins? Is it the specialized instructors or the prominent company?

Keep reading this article to discover. 

TestMasters Vs. Kaplan LSAT Overview

TestMasters is an LSAT prep course company established by Robin Singh. His expertise in the exam was developed by taking 25 LSAT exams, all of which had scores in the 99th percentile. 

Out of those 25 scores, 12 of them were perfect (180/180). This also allowed him to gain a world record for LSAT scores. 

On the other hand, Kaplan is a test company that does not specialize. But it has a renowned reputation and 80 years of history.

As such, this review is a comparison of specialization vs. credibility. Keep reading to learn which one wins.  

TestMasters Vs. Kaplan LSAT Detailed Comparison in 2024

Course Options

This is the TestMasters LSAT prep course selection:

• The Online course is best for busy students. It’s a self-paced course delivered through recorded classes. It is supplemented by drills, tests, and practice questions. 
• Live Online primarily offers real-time but virtual classes conducted on Zoom. It is an alternative for those who can’t travel. 
• TestMasters is best known for its Classroom course. In this course, classes are delivered traditionally. 

Live Online and Classroom LSAT prep students are granted access to Robin Singh’s videos. They will supplement the live classes. 

All TestMasters courses have a limited access period. That period begins around three months before the exam date. 

TestMasters enrollees may also supplement their courses with private tutoring. The companies’ tutoring packages range from $200 to $11,750.

The tutoring packages have two types: hourly and platinum. The former does not include study materials. 

However, if you don’t want to spend on tutoring, you can consult the 24/7 Online Resource Center. Instructors will respond to your queries there ASAP. 

Kaplan has a broader selection of LSAT prep courses. They include the following:

• Kaplan On Demand is similar to the TestMasters Online course. That is, students study at their own pace using videos and supplementary materials.  
• Kaplan also has Live Online classes. Several instructors handle them. The ones who aren’t teaching will address queries on chat. 
• For students who prefer traditional learning, Kaplan In Person is for you. They are offered in more locations than TestMasters. 
• Test takers running on a tight schedule may consider Kaplan’s LSAT Prep Bootcamp. It aims to equip students with immense knowledge and test-taking skills within 4 to 6 weeks. This option also includes one-on-one tutoring.
• For folks who are self-studying or on a more limited budget, you may consider Kaplan’s Build Your Own LSAT Prep. However, it has fewer materials and guidance. 

Unlike TestMasters, Kaplan standard packages already come with study materials and a Live Online course. Premium tutoring also has a law school admissions personal statement review. 

The personal statement review would be invaluable for students aiming for a top-tier law school. 

Our Thoughts

Who wins? Kaplan. 

Kaplan wins as it offers a unique Bootcamp course that has no TestMasters counterpart. It also offers a higher volume and diversity of resources. 

Its optional tutoring packages are also of higher value than TestMasters. If you opt for tutoring, you won’t need to pay separately for a course.

Lastly, Kaplan LSAT review is more flexible than TestMasters LSAT prep. You have many courses, enrollment dates, and access periods to choose from.  

Curriculum 

A practical LSAT prep course covers reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning. It should do so in an understandable manner. 

That is, students should be able to pick up the methods and build LSAT knowledge. Based on students’ reviews, Kaplan’s LSAT curriculum fails to meet these standards.

For instance, one student shared on Reddit that it had “holes”. Many enrollees also felt the reading comprehension training was inadequate.

Several students also felt that Kaplan’s methods and tips weren’t effective. Their score didn’t increase, which was the point of having a course.

In contrast, the TestMasters LSAT review curriculum was discussed on Reddit and Yelp. Students say it included unique yet easy-to-learn strategies for acing the exam. 

The curriculum was also comprehensive, especially for the Live Online and Classroom classes. They get insight from both classroom instructors and Robin Singh.

TestMasters LSAT review students believe the combination of great instructors and curricula helped them achieve their target scores. 

Our Thoughts

Instructors 

The quality of instructors can make a prep course feel worth it or not. So, we must compare TestMasters and Kaplan’s instructors.

Robin Singh leads TestMasters. He is a legend in the LSAT world. After all, he earned 12 perfect scores – the highest worldwide. 

The instructors of TestMasters are not only handpicked from top-scorers. They’re also trained in the methods Singh developed. 

Singh derived his methods from his experience taking around 25 LSAT exams. This makes it more credible and effective. 

It also allows the company to have a unique curriculum and approach. Fortunately, all students have the chance to receive insight from Singh as all enrollees have access to his videos.

Even so, the instructors themselves are great at delivering the course. Students were able to ask questions and receive answers.   

Kaplan names its LSAT course experts as Ged Helm, Monika Moore, and Craig Harman. But it doesn’t state what these instructors’ scores are.

Instead, they only mention that Moore and Harman have been teaching LSAT. Moore even teaches at a law school. 

As for Helm, he’s a veteran teacher but does not specialize in the LSAT. So, their deemed experts are not of the same caliber as those of TestMasters. 

The leading instructors and curriculum-makers must be experts in the exam. The instructors they train will rely on their direction. 

Also, students didn’t have a lot of great comments about Kaplan’s instructors. 

The negative reviews were particularly about availability. Kaplan instructors were hard to reach or were late to classes. 

Indeed, people on Reddit and Yelp have positive remarks about TestMasters instructors. A student on Yelp even shared that their Kaplan instructor was a proud product of TestMasters.   

Our Thoughts 

So, whose instructors are better? TestMasters.

While Kaplan also hires top-scoring instructors, the curriculum developers have the most influence. An actual LSAT expert leads TestMasters, so their curriculum and instruction are better.  

Aside from that, several students shared online that their TestMasters instructors were excellent. They were engaging and supportive, which was critical to the success of the course. 

Videos

All TestMasters and Kaplan LSAT course enrollees get access to video lessons. So, their quality must be assessed. 

All of TestMasters videos feature Robin Singh. He’s teaching an actual class, so you can hear some students.

However, they are not distracting. They’re kept so you not only understand the flow of the lesson, you also feel like you’re part of the class. 

Moreover, the video is professionally shot. So, the focus is mostly on Singh. You’ll rarely see the students.  

Angles barely change, but if they do, they’re carefully done and chosen. For instance, the shot may move to show more of Singh’s whiteboard when he’s using it. 

Against those, Singh stood out more. It helps you focus more on him and his teachings. 

But if you’re the type who likes colors or graphics, you may find the videos bland. It’s just like being in the classroom with the teacher. 

Also, the audio is high quality so you can hear everyone. But if needed, there are captions and transcripts.   

Kaplan’s videos are available through their LSAT channel. These are either recordings of live classes or pre-recorded lessons. 

Overall, though, I found that the videos I watched were of less quality than those of TestMasters. I found their audio to be less crisp, too, but there are captions. 

Our Thoughts

Who wins? It’s a tie.

Although TestMasters has a higher video quality, I still see it as a tie because the videos cater to different audiences. 

For instance, if you prefer a traditional teaching setup where you just listen to the teacher, TestMasters would be the best. However, if you learn better with graphics or visual elements, Kaplan suits you better.

Also, if you prefer a more direct-to-the-point instruction, TestMasters would suit you. However, if you like your instructors to be friendly, Kaplan’s videos would be for you.

Course Materials

Besides videos, there are other supplementary materials. Kaplan and TestMasters provide these resources for their students:

• Drills
• Practice exams
• Score analytics 
• Official LSAT questions 
• Video and written explanations for the practice questions

However, Kaplan provides more printed and online resources, including:

• Study plan
• Prep books
• Customizable quizzes 

So TestMasters does not have as many study materials as Kaplan. But it does have an LSAT search engine for its question bank.

Our Thoughts

However, note that the volume of practice tests and questions is nearly the same. Both companies have an LSAC subscription.

It gives them both access to the same official LSAT question bank. So their questions and exams are similar.  

Support

A high-quality LSAT prep course extends beyond the real and virtual classrooms. It provides academic and customer support even when class hours are over. 

TestMasters promises its students just that. It has a 24/7 Online Resource Center, to which students can direct their queries.

Instructors in the center will respond as soon as possible. Indeed, some even respond in under an hour! 

Student reviews confirmed the extensive support TestMasters offers. They say that instructors would respond even after class hours, as the company promised.

In comparison, Kaplan has no Online Resource Center. Instead, they encourage students to raise questions during live classes. 

During their live classes, some instructors would address questions on chat. So, you won’t have to worry that the primary teacher won’t be able to notice your query. 

But what if you have a concern outside of class hours? Well, based on student reviews of Kaplan, the instructors try to answer at the best time and way.

But based on several Yelp reviews, Kaplan’s customer support is terrible. They would cancel classes.

When that happens, it’s hard to get a new class. It’s also a struggle to get a refund or redeem a higher score guarantee. 

Higher Score Guarantee 

Other LSAT prep courses have a higher score guarantee. It assures students that they’ll get something if their LSAT score does not improve after the score. 

TestMasters does not offer this. However, Kaplan does. It comes in two forms:

• Free Reactivation
• Refund

The refund option is only given if your score isn’t higher than your baseline. But if it’s higher and you’re just not satisfied, you can get free reactivation. 

Our Thoughts

Verdict: Which One Is Better?

TestMasters LSAT review courses were better than those of Kaplan. 

TestMasters test prep courses may be pricier and have fewer materials. But they compensate in quality.

Many have positively reviewed the company’s support, instruction, and curriculum. They say it helped students achieve a higher score.

Meanwhile, Kaplan students had a hit-or-miss experience. The instruction and customer service could have been more consistent. 

With that said, TestMasters comes out as a better investment. You’re more sure about what you get and how it’ll help your journey towards law school.