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Blueprint vs Kaplan LSAT
Determine which LSAT prep course is better for you in this comprehensive comparison of Kaplan and Blueprint
After using and reviewing the LSAT prep courses from Blueprint and Kaplan, we have some serious and detailed thoughts on how the varying strengths and weaknesses of each program would impact different types of learners. In this comparison, we cover how each company’s prep materials stack up, so you can make an informed decision as to which LSAT course is best for you.
Given this is a lengthy, comprehensive comparison, we’ve included jump-to links above for easy navigation.
Video Review: Which LSAT Prep Course Is Better?
In the above video, team member John provides our team’s thoughts on how these two LSAT prep courses stack up. Please keep reading for more detail and analysis.
To compare the LSAT courses from Blueprint and Kaplan, let’s break down the strengths and weaknesses of each program. Let’s start with the major advantages of using Kaplan to help you prepare for the LSAT.
Our Analysis of The Kaplan LSAT Study Materials
Kaplan must believe in leaving nothing to chance, because at first, you’re almost overwhelmed with the sheer quantity of their study materials. There are literally hundreds of hours of lessons, assessments, practice problem tests, drills, and problem explanations.
However, you quickly realize there is a method behind the madness, and it works. Kaplan’s course curriculum is clearly designed by experienced teachers, and it has been perfected over decades. Their learning sessions closely mirror the different sections of the LSAT, and are further broken down into units with their own video lessons, assessments and ancillary coursework.
Whether you choose the On Demand Course or the Live Online Course, Kaplan provides 24 hours of core lesson instruction. Plus, you get over 150 hours of video content through their LSAT Channel.
The LSAT Channel is a key feature of Kaplan’s study materials, and provides supplemental video lessons that drill down into more complex concepts and problem types.
Example Kaplan LSAT video lecture
Personally, I found all of Kaplan’s study materials to be extremely well-designed and incredibly detailed. The video lessons generally last about 20 to 30 minutes, and they take the form of a digital whiteboard with the instructor appearing in the bottom corner with notes, highlights and graphics constantly changing around them.
The videos are genuinely insightful, engaging, and provide solid actionable strategies.
In addition to the core curriculum, Kaplan offers a practice library full of advanced resource material based on past official LSAT questions designed to help master advanced subjects and problem types.
Throughout the coursework, Kaplan is constantly assessing your progress. You are required to take three full-length diagnostic tests under LSAT exam-like conditions.
Following each test, you receive a Smart Report, providing detailed feedback outlining where you performed well and where you might need a little additional help.
The Kaplan LSAT channel
As with most major LSAT prep course providers, every Kaplan student receives a set of hardcopy prep books. The books closely follow and augment the course lessons, and provide additional practice questions and drills.
I found the books to be thoughtful and well-written, and a helpful complement to the course lessons. For the record, Blueprint no longer offers printed prep books for its students, so this is a clear advantage for Kaplan.
The biggest highlight of Kaplan’s LSAT prep course is their live classes, which I believe are the best in the industry. There are several reasons for this.
First, the lesson plans for each live class are incredibly efficient and thoughtfully designed, cutting straight to the core concepts you need to master without wasting any time. Second, the instructors are outstanding—they know Kaplan’s teaching framework and strategies inside and out and have a knack for breaking down even the toughest concepts in an easy-to-understand way.
Third, the live classes are seamlessly integrated with the rest of the curriculum, so everything—from the classes to the books and assigned practice work—fits together in a cohesive, logical progression.
A look at the Kaplan LSAT Channel’s offerings
Lastly, the class sizes are small, typically fewer than 10 students, which creates a workshop-like environment that fosters deeper learning and personalized attention.
If live classes are going to play a central role in your study plan—whether because you prefer guided instruction or value the accountability that comes with them—Kaplan’s approach gives them a clear edge over competitors like Blueprint.
Now that you have a better idea of the areas in which Kaplan wins over Blueprint, let’s turn the tables and discuss the major advantages of using Blueprint to help prepare you for the LSAT exam.
Our Assessment of The Blueprint LSAT Prep Materials
Blueprint’s self-paced course is anchored by hundreds of short video lessons. These videos are purposefully presented in a very unique style – to be highly engaging.
They’ve clearly designed the videos in this manner with the goal to grab and hold your attention, and thereby improve the learning experience and retention of the course material.
In this respect, they exceeded my expectations. I found the videos to be smart, highly entertaining, and presented in a clean dynamic format. Instructors appear on screen as graphics, notes and cartoons appear around them.
As designed, the videos make for an engaging and interesting learning experience. The video lessons are then followed in the study materials by assessments and quizzes, detailed homework assignments, drills, and practice problems.
Blueprint LSAT video lesson example
When combined, the video lessons, assessments, and homework methodically break down all the complex concepts in great detail, and offer the ability to customize explanations to your learning preference.
Overall, I found the quality and quantity of Blueprint’s primary study materials to be some of the best of any LSAT prep course we have reviewed.
Blueprint’s classroom coursework offers students 12 virtual classroom lessons, meeting two days per week, with two of Blueprint’s LSAT instructors. In addition, there are several proctored exams.
I thought the instructors were excellent at analyzing complex concepts and problems, all while keeping the lesson fast-paced and light. They would often break away to speak about different law schools, career goals, and other questions posed by students.
Blueprint also utilizes official past LSAT questions in its study material and practice tests. Similar to their competition, they do this through a subscription to the LawHub program providing access to every LSAT administered since 1991.
Blueprint LSAT problem review
Studies consistently show that practicing on official past LSAT exams provides for greater relevance and better scores. So there’s that.
After every practice exam, Blueprint also provides students with a detailed score report – a scoring analysis tool breaking down how you performed on every component of the test, and where you might need additional help.
Through their analytics, not only does Blueprint know what problems or questions you got wrong – they know why you got them wrong. I found such feedback to be extremely valuable.
Blueprint uses a proprietary learning platform to tie the whole user experience together. The platform uses an advanced algorithm to produce the most optimal learning methodology and schedule for each student. The platform captures data on every interaction with the course material and analyzes performance against dozens of metrics.
Another Blueprint LSAT problem explanation
Overall, combining Blueprint’s quality content with its learning platform makes for one of the most user-friendly experiences of any LSAT prep course.
The video lessons are based on the idea that test prep can actually be entertaining. In essence, that you learn and retain more when you’re having some fun.
The video lessons from Blueprint are top-notch
In my opinion, Blueprint’s cutting-edge video production actually makes the learning experience engaging and enjoyable. The videos roll through a series of dynamic notes, images and diagrams, are fast-paced, and use game-like features and other software tools to grab and hold your attention throughout the entire video lesson.
Their LSAT video instructors are masters at making dense and intimidating material actually understandable. Blueprint has built their reputation on the ability to help students understand very complex material, and their video lessons definitely enhance that goal.
Deciding between the Blueprint and Kaplan LSAT course options isn’t easy. They both are excellent, though not without their own strengths and weaknesses. In the end, however, we think Kaplan offers the superior LSAT prep course primarily for their live classes and robust LSAT Channel. Their instructors are fantastic, and their live instruction is unparalleled. However, Blueprint is not far behind. These are easily two of the top three or four LSAT prep companies in the entire industry. You really can’t go wrong either way.
Which LSAT prep course is better, Kaplan or Blueprint?
In my opinion, Kaplan has a slightly better LSAT course given the company’s engaging and intimate live classes. With that said, it is a very close call. Some people may prefer Blueprint depending on the type of learner you are (e.g., visual).
Which LSAT prep course is more affordable, Blueprint or Kaplan?
Both Blueprint and Kaplan offer several different LSAT course options that are very similar in terms of pricing. However, the companies do offer special promotions regularly, so the answer to which course is cheaper largely depends on timing.
Do Blueprint and Kaplan offer LSAT score guarantees?
Yes, Blueprint and Kaplan both offer higher score guarantees for students. Keep in mind, there are conditions and qualifiers to those guarantees.
