The LSAT Trainer Review: Should You Buy It?

The LSAT is a notoriously challenging test for which to prepare, because it doesn’t simply test knowledge—it tests your ability to think critically.

Thankfully, there are a few high quality training resources out there for the LSAT, one of which is The LSAT Trainer by Mike Kim.

Is it worth it to buy The LSAT Trainer? How does it stack up to other LSAT prep books? In this guide, we will let you know what you can expect from this test prep book so you can decide if it is right for you.

Who is Mike Kim?

Before you go out and buy The LSAT Trainer, you probably want to know a little bit more about who wrote it.

Mike Kim served as the Director of Curriculum for the LSAT at Manhattan Prep for over six years, and released the original edition of The LSAT Trainer in 2013. Since then, the book has had two subsequent editions, and has been put to good use by more than 120,000 students. Kim knows this topic inside and out, and by the time you have finished going through The LSAT Trainer, you should be well on your way to achieving success on the exam.

What is Included in The LSAT Trainer?

Here is what you will find in The LSAT Trainer:

Solutions to 200+ LSAT questions.

30+ practice drills.

Techniques for tackling the logical reasoning, reading comprehension and logic game questions that appear in the LSAT.

Additionally, purchasing The LSAT Trainer gives you access to a readiness checklist, a questions by type tool, diagrams for logic games, study schedules and LSAT notebook pages.

What Makes The LSAT Trainer Effective?

What makes The LSAT Trainer such a powerful prep book are three things:

Kim’s writing style is engaging and approachable, making it easy to focus on the content.

Kim helps you cut through the dross in LSAT questions and pinpoint the details that matter. For each type of LSAT question, he tells you what approach to take, including what to pay attention to and what to ignore. He gives you simple, reliable strategic approaches and explains them in a way that is detailed, yet easy to absorb.

The information in the book is organized in a way that makes it a breeze to find what you need and review what you have learned.

In short, there is a big focus on not just what, but how. The LSAT Trainer teaches you how to think through the test questions, overcoming each of their challenges and pinpointing their answers with laser precision. Moreover, the book does it in a way that is straightforward and effective.

Who Should Buy The LSAT Trainer?

At what stage in your LSAT journey should you pick up a copy of The LSAT Trainer?

This is actually a great book to start with. Even if you are going into the process with very little prior knowledge of the LSAT, it can serve as an eye-opening introduction.

Note that you may still be a bit confused at first—the LSAT can be pretty overwhelming to a newcomer. But if you go through this book patiently a couple of times, it will give you a solid foundation for the rest of your studying.

You also can consider picking up The LSAT Trainer if you have been studying with other resources, but are still struggling to get the points you need. This book will help you make the mental leaps to finally make sense out of everything else you have read.

The LSAT Trainer vs. PowerScore

The PowerScore books are more comprehensive than The LSAT Trainer, and also more technical. While that makes them excellent resources, it also makes them unapproachable when you are starting out. That is why I recommend reading The LSAT Trainer first, and then PowerScore.

You will also find that PowerScore is great for diagramming and logic games, while The LSAT Trainer is especially effective at teaching reading comprehension. So, they complement one another well.

The LSAT Trainer vs. Loophole

When it comes to Loophole, that book is best for teaching logical reasoning, particularly its application.

Indeed, I would say it goes further than The LSAT Trainer—but as with PowerScore, it is not necessarily a great introduction. Read The LSAT Trainer to build your foundation. Then, pick up Loophole to continue building your skills.

What are Students Saying About The LSAT Trainer?

Students praise The LSAT Trainer for its engaging, easy-to-understand style, and how it helps you “translate” the dense questions of the LSAT so you can figure out their answers in a logical, methodical fashion.

While you will learn a lot simply from reading, your comprehension and abilities will jump to a new level when you do the practice drills. Numerous buyers report that they saw their scores increase with the help of the book.

Any complaints? Some students felt The LSAT Trainer could have been more comprehensive. But this is more of a feature than a bug, since it was written to be a simple, accessible overview, and the intention is to pair it with other resources.

Pros of The LSAT Trainer

The straightforward, clear style of this book makes it an excellent introduction to the LSAT.

The writer’s style helps you stay focused by keeping things interesting.

The book teaches you how to think and interpret the LSAT.

For reading comprehension in particular, The LSAT Trainer offers powerful techniques.

The LSAT Trainer lays the foundation you need to dive in deeper with other training resources that might otherwise be too confusing or overwhelming to help.

Cons of The LSAT Trainer

This book is expensive (though comparable in price to individual PowerScore books), and will not be the only one you need. Logical reasoning in particular is not as well-covered as logic games and reading comprehension.

Get The LSAT Trainer

While The LSAT Trainer may not be the last book you ever need to prepare for the LSAT, it is the first book you need.

You can order Trainer on Amazon or get it at your local book store. In addition, you can find out more at their official website: https://www.trainertestprep.com/

If you need addition help or advice, then checkout out our main page: LSAT Tutor