Blueprint LSAT Preparation

Very big disappointment just like every thing else in and around Orange County. Very little individual attention given to students. Do not come here seeking some traditional student teacher relationship. Blueprint is basically summer camp for the LSAT class. Way too many people running around with no guidance whatsoever. They shipped the materials with fedex which should have been a clear indicator of their detachment from reality. Their materials didn’t even get to me on time because they require signature confirmation in 2016. The teacher is just a kid. The main accomplishment your teacher will have is taking the LSAT and scoring high on it. If it’s necessary to do well on the LSAT to be a good teacher why would there be any teachers? Plz try test masters or kaplan, the hype for this is unwarranted.

I recently took the Irvine summer class with Jay. I never imagined that I would end up enjoying studying for the LSAT. I came in thinking that the LSAT was an exam with an infinite amount of question types and ways to solve them, but Jay breaks down the material so well and ensures that you have a great foundation of the LSAT before proceeding to teach the more difficult material.
You can tell that Jay not only has the experience necessary to be a great teacher, but he’s also got the character and patience to teach it well. He is very eloquent and straightforward in his explanations, which attests to his familiarity and long history with the LSAT. Every time we touch upon a difficult question, he will refer back to an easier question from earlier on in the course to aid our understanding. (It’s amazing because I think he has memorized all questions from the currently available 75 preptests!) He also makes sure that every student is getting individual attention and sets aside time from break or after class to talk with you and discuss your progress.
One thing I was worried about before I started off with the course was the big classroom size (about 50 students). But after the first day, I realized that this is a bigger benefit because Jay encourages students to ask questions so there was always a fellow student who asked a question when I was too shy to ask myself. Also, Jay got rid of those fears for me when he memorized and knew everyone’s name by heart by the end of the first class! He really makes sure that you feel comfortable in the classroom. Plus, the big class size fostered so many interesting discussions and it’s a great way to make friends and study together!
Moreover, the course itself is excellent. The in-​person classroom course comes with the online videos which I used to supplement my lectures and reinforce the skills that I learned from that day. There are video explanations for almost every single homework question (and there are a LOT of homework questions). The videos are animated and you can tell that the course designers put every bit of effort into designing the curriculum to ensure that you are really getting quality instruction. There are also extra practice sets that focus on individual question and skill types, and there are also dozens of practice exams (all of the most recent ones too)!
The online website was very streamlined and you could keep track of all your lessons, homework, and exams so that you know that you’re not accidentally skipping around. I think that the visuals and modern interface is what really sets the Blueprint online curriculum apart from other prep courses. Plus, you earn points for each video you watch and homework problem you solve, and I think that is a brilliant way to keep students motivated!
Overall, if you’re serious about the LSAT (or if you just wanna learn to pick apart arguments) and really want to learn from the best, I highly recommend Jay from the Irvine location and the Blueprint course. I looked back at my first diagnostic exam and reviewed all my mistakes and could not help but realize how much more I learned in just two and a half months!

Awesome course that really gives you the tools necessary to do well on the LSAT. The in class sessions do dramatically help keep you on a good pace and also allows you to ask questions on almost anything LSAT related as you go along the course. The benefit of the in class sessions is the fact that you are also offered available online tutorials that go over the same in class materials, in case you wanted to review or miss a class, and also videos and/​or descriptions for every single problem in the supplied books as well.
If you are taking an in class session course, one of your possible best options would be to see if Blueprint will allow you to try out and attend one of the classes with the teacher that you would be taking it with. This will most likely give you the best idea of exactly how everything works and be better than just simply reading reviews online. Not every teacher has the same teaching style and personalities may vary, so that’s why I think attending the class with the teacher you would be taking the course with is important.
I have sat in on some other LSAT courses offered by different companies to compare with Blueprint’s course to see if Blueprint was the right choice for me. Personally, for me, the other course that I did sit in did not hold a candle to anywhere near any of the resources that Blueprint’s classes and courses offered. My initial reaction 10 minutes into the session was that my Blueprint teacher could blow this other LSAT teacher out of the water. I left the session shortly after it started because I felt like I wasn’t going to be getting anything from it and also because it was extremely bland and simply just created an unexciting learning environment at that time. I have had people ask me if they could watch Blueprint’s online videos with me as I am watching them, because they simply thought the videos were that entertaining.
Overall, didn’t expect to write as much as I did, but I think Blueprint’s course is awesome at providing you the information and resources necessary to do well on the LSAT. The rest of it is up to you and how much time you are willing to put into the course to extract the most you can out of it.

Blueprint is pricey but so are the other LSAT prep classes like Score It Up! or Testmasters.
That being said, does it do what it intends? I believe it does. For me personally, my score increased by about 10 – 11 points. Others that I know in the class improved as well. On a side note, I couldn’t even tackle the logic games section before this class.
My instructor was Jay and he was wonderful (I used my one free transfer to transfer from San Diego to Irvine due to moving). He pointed out certain things to remember for each type of question in both Logical Reasoning and Logic Games. I don’t have much to say about reading comprehension, but that’s because that was my best section of the LSAT. Aside from his teaching methods, the way he speaks engages the class and makes the 4 hour lessons bearable and even fun at times.
The homework is a lot but if you can do it all, you can definitely improve (I admit that I slacked a little on it because of my 2 other summer school classes).

I took the Blueprint course over the summer and Jay Donnell was my instructor. I can say with total confidence that he is one of the best LSAT instructors. He is very knowledgeable and very helpful. He also makes LSAT fun, which is something people don’t usually expect from LSAT courses. I increased over 20 points in less 3 months all thanks to Jay.
If you are planning on taking the LSAT, you will benefit a great deal if you sign up with Jay. I was very nervous about this test because I had no prior knowledge and I had never done even one LSAT question before, but the way Jay taught the course simplified the LSAT for me. He also gives you helpful advice on how to study and if you are freaking out how to calm yourself. Do every LSAT question the way he teaches you and you will improve. Go to every class session because he mentions some tips and some phrases that clicks with your head and once you see the similar concept, you get that question right!

Jay was a fantastic teacher of the LSAT. I feel like in order to teach the LSAT you have to really love what the content of it is and you can really tell that Jay enjoys teaching the LSAT. Honestly, it wasn’t that hard to choose Blueprint when looking for a course because it’s very unique. I have friends who took other courses like Kaplan and Princeton Review and they all told me that they weren’t getting it very well, or that their instructors were very condescending about the kinds of questions they asked, or the instructors were boring, even monotone and have to wonder what effect that would have on their score. Blueprint and the course that Jay taught were nothing like the other courses (i.e. Kaplan) that my friends described. Jay made learning about the LSAT easy to relate to, realistic and humorous. Jay really cared about the success of everyone in the class and he went to great lengths to make sure we got enough experience as possible before the actual test. I was so prepared, that I wasn’t even nervous the actual day of the test which is definitely not normal for me. Not only does he teach you the LSAT but I feel like I was also taught how to cope with it and to be in the right mind set for it, confidence wise, because knowing the material is one thing but being confident in the fact that you know it is a completely different thing and I think Jay did a fantastic job with not only teaching us the material in the LSAT and making sure that we knew it; he also did his best to ensure that we were confident that we knew that material as well. It is well known that the LSAT is an extremely difficult test with very tricky questions but Jay was able to explain the LSAT material in a way that he somehow made very simple to understand. Lastly, he didn’t just help us with the LSAT, when we had questions about the Law School admissions process, he was very helpful in addressing our concerns in regards to every aspect of the admissions process. I would happily refer ANYONE who asked about LSAT courses to Blueprint

The first time I heard of blueprint was through one of the attorneys I work with. He recommended I look into this lsat prep company and so I did. After reading all the reviews about the Irvine course I decided to sign up for it and it was THE BEST CHOICE I could’ve made. Jay lived up to all the praise he receives on Unilocal!He is an amazing and engaging instructor who is invested in the success of his students. His method of teaching was so entertaining that it made studying for the lsat a little less painful. I am beyond glad that I took the Irvine course with Jay!

I recently completed Blueprint’s LSAT prep course with Jay in Irvine. I would definitely recommend both Blueprint and Jay, specifically, if you are looking to take a class.
Jay is a great instructor. He is down to earth and engaging while also being thorough with dense, difficult information. Jay’s explanations are extensive and he ensures that anyone who is confused is able to ask questions and get help. He has years of experience with teaching the material, but also with studying and taking the test himself. As a result, he has unique insight into the test. Additionally, Jay is very direct and honest about the progress that each student should be making, which is reassuring at times when things might seem overwhelming.
The materials are comprehensive and the online component is very helpful to acquire extra practice and track progress.
Overall, my experience was great and I would recommend Blueprint and Jay.

Jay is hands down the best LSAT instructor I’ve ever had. Making the test material engaging is a challenge but Jay pulled it off flawlessly. Whenever there is confusion on a particular concept he takes the time to pause and make sure that the student who is struggling or is confused has numerous examples and different explanations with which to understand the concept. He’s always there when you need him (trust me, this is ridiculously helpful when it’s 4am and you’re freaking out). Overall, the curriculum is helpful but the difference is made in the instructor, and Jay is an amazing one.

Choosing a LSAT prep course is hard as there are so many out there, but I’m so glad that I took the Blueprint course with Jay over the summer! Jay makes the class and material as fun and relevant as it can be (and trust me — that’s no easy feat considering how dry the LSAT is). You can really tell that he cares about each and every single person in the class — not only about how they’re doing on the practice exams but also about how their classroom and application experience is. He’s been through the whole process and definitely understands what we’re going through. Jay does his best to prepare you mentally for the exam with tips ranging from how to prioritize questions to what to do the night before the test. He’s a great instructor!
The Blueprint material itself is great. Very comprehensive (although to be honest, I rarely finished all the homework… there’s a lot!) and Blueprint does its best to make the videos and books entertaining with side notes and funny graphics. Be prepared — studying for the LSAT will take over your life for a few months! Overall, I had a solid experience with Blueprint.

Blueprint was a really great course for anyone taking the LSAT. If you’re in the Irvine area, I definitely recommend Jay as a teacher. He is very engaging and makes the class fun. He also helps ease students’ stress about taking the test.
Blueprint itself is fantastic. The online forum is REALLY helpful. Each answer is broken down with either a video or written explanation as to why it is wrong or right. There are also numerous practice tests for students along with extra sections (i.e. certain types of games or reading passages). Overall, the value of the course is great, especially considering how much extra material you are given. Definitely recommend Jay’s course and Blueprint for anyone considering taking the LSAT.

I didn’t know what to expect when I first signed up for the summer LSAT prep class with Jay. I was completely surprised at how much I learned and enjoyed being in his class. I thought it would be long and tedious prepping where an instructor spiel just lecture us but it was completely different. Jay was a ball of energy that was so engrossed at what he was showing us that is was such a fun class to attend.
I had the Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings class and believe me, it was hard to attend those with my schedule since I work full time and have a freelancing business on the side. Jay would be very attentive and always make himself available during and after classes. He would also call on us to read so made me always pay attention haha. I would definitely recommend taking his class whether your a newbie to the LSAT process or a veteran.

I would recommend the blueprint class with Jay Donnell to anyone planning on taking the LSAT. It is a lot of work, but if you plan to attend law school then now is a great place to put in the effort. However tedious the Lsat may be, Jay finds a way to keep the class entertained with jokes and the occasional pizza for the class during the break.
The class will certainly help you realize your maximum potential for the LSAT, much more so than other prep courses. I have taken a Powerscore class and about ¼th of the way through realized that it was a complete waste of money as they provided no real strategy to take the test. Blueprint provides you with amazing tools, combined with seemingly intentionally awkward video descriptions of the questions to make it a more entertaining, yet still educational, experience.
Ill try and post my score once the results get back, but I feel like my biggest improvement came from getting used to test fatigue and the recognition concepts the course provides.

I took the Blueprint course over the summer of 2015 in Irvine and I couldn’t be more pleased with my experience — especially with the instructor, Jay Donnell. Jay is extremely good at what he does and he makes himself available to all of his student. He explains complex concepts in a way that is easy to understand and he truly cares about your success.
Blueprint offers extensive prep materials, which make studying outside of class incredibly productive. The folks at BP make it very difficult to run out of new material to use for practice. Each lesson is paired with homework, including audio, video or PDF explanations for every question. They also offer 10 extra practice exams on top of the 6 exams that are administered in class, all of which are real, previously-​administered tests. The exams also include online explanations for every question.
If you’re planning to take the LSAT, I highly suggest taking the Blueprint course (with Jay, if possible).

I took the Blueprint Irvine Course with Jay. He is a great teacher! Though, I still am not at my ideal score, I did get a score increase by taking this class with Jay. The extra video lectures made it easy to review any material I had confusion on as well.
In my perspective, Jay has great teaching abilities. He manages to teach for the whole allotted time, while keeping one alert. He was very practical, and his examples were realistic and humorous. He can explain the concepts in a way that is easier to grasp, by talking about something that we, students, can relate too.
Jay does not belittle you when you ask a question about the LSAT material, that you may feel embarrassed about asking. To me, that was his strength as a teacher. He creates a comfortable, respectful atmosphere in the class room.
Based on my experience I can conclude that Jay really cares about the students, and gives pragmatic advice from his personal experiences, which are very relevant.
I recommend blueprint to all future LSAT takers, and taking it with Jay would be very beneficial.

The class is awesome. Jay is a very smart dude and he’s got a firm grasp of the material and breaks down the concepts very well for everyone who is engaged.
What Blueprint offers is an effective and detailed approach at efficiently identifying the proper strategy to be applied to the questions and material involved with the LSAT. The onus is on you to practice that approach so you understand how to effectively apply it.
But what I enjoyed most from this specific instruction is Jay’s ability to break down the material and demonstrate the approach with great detail with a touch of humor and wit to keep things entertaining.
At the end of the day though, for anyone to understand this material, practice must be done at home. Personally, I find myself doing better first learning the approach during the class instruction, making sure I’ve properly grasped it by asking any necessary questions, and then catching and learning from my mistakes when I’m with myself at a coffeehouse going through material in a very methodical and slow approach and developing a faster pace as I continue to practice.
Help is definitely available during instruction. In fact, Jay urged his students to speak up as often as possible to make sure each one understood the breakdown of the different concepts that Blueprint has organized in their curriculum.
I enjoyed my experience with Jay and Blueprint and I hope you find his instruction, and his wit, enlightening and entertaining as I did.

I took one of the summer classes with Jay, and to say it was awesome is an understatement. Jay is coolest and most knowledgable person I’ve met.
Jay really engages his students by always making sure that everyone understands concepts, even if they are small. He is super positive and pushes everyone to do better.
I definitely respect him and he is for sure an inspiration.
Towards the content of the course, everything is really broken down for students. The class is pretty easy to follow and there are plenty of resources to help such as the online supplementation.
Thanks to Jay and Blueprint for all the help!

I once thought that I could self-​study without any guidance in preparation for this beast of an exam. Looking back, I wish I had taken Blueprint from the get-​go. Because of the methods taught in this class and Jay’s knowledge of the material/​methods/​everything LSAT related, my score rose dramatically to one that I would not have achieved had I not taken this class. Jay’s great because he presents the material in an entertaining manner, and since this is a 4-​hour class, it’s important to stay engaged in the material. He’s also in the running for the most interesting man in the world, so. you won’t get bored because you will actually enjoy learning the material!
The way I first saw the LSAT compared to how I see it now is night and day. It’s not as daunting as it used to be, and I (somewhat!!) enjoy logic games now. I know I would not have gotten to where I wanted to be without Jay’s help! He’s always willing to stay after class to help clear up any issues with the material, or just to talk and make sure your mental/​physical health is in line. I have a lot of respect for Jay and sincerely appreciate the effort and time he puts into encouraging each and every one of his students.
As for the Blueprint online account– this is incredibly useful. Of course, do all your homework, take all your practice tests, and log your answers into your account and it gives you a score report + full breakdown of what question types you’ve missed, what you need to improve, and what you did well. There’s video answers for probably 95% of the homework, in addition to audio recordings/​written explanations for problems that don’t have a video explanation. So, every single question in HW is covered with a nice, in-​depth explanation so you can be confident in what you did wrong/​how to fix your mistakes. ALSO– there’s so many extra problem sets on the online account. at least 150 pages of pure problem sets that are not included in the homework.
Point is, Blueprint LSAT Prep is a great prep course that I highly recommend!

This past summer, lots of my friends went to Vegas. Others preferred taking advantage of beautiful Socal weather by doing nature-​y things such as: hiking, camping, or going to the beach. I, however, spent it in various libraries throughout the city, deep between the stacks. Why, you may ask? It’s because I was preparing for the LSAT.
When I wasn’t studying or having near nervous breakdowns (or crying), I was in Jay’s classroom. The class meets two, sometimes three times a week for four hours session each time, making sure that I basically saw Jay more than I saw my boyfriend. This may sound grueling to some of you. However, the beauty of it is that the Blueprint method, coupled with the delightful way in which Jay makes everything just so damn easy to understand made things not as bad as it seems. He encourages you to ask questions, and he wants everyone to come to him if they want anything explained in detail.
I cannot recommend Blueprint highly enough, if you’re looking for a LSAT prep program. Coming out of it, I daresay I even like logic now…

I was like you not too long ago. I was looking online, researching LSAT classes and I had questions. In writing this review, I hope to comprehensively cover all the things you may be wondering about.
My relationship with the LSAT is so far the longest lasting one I’ve ever had. (And what a high maintenance mistress she is!) As of this review, it is just before the September 2014 administration of the exam and I’ve been studying since the Blueprint class began in early July, though I studied for all of Summer 2013, too, at a lesser quality LSAT class that was not at all what I needed.
I shopped around for a new LSAT class pretty thoroughly before deciding on Blueprint; a combination of recommendations from friends and sizeable discount through an organization at UC Irvine made it attractive, but sitting in a class before signing up is what put me over the edge and convinced me to pay $ 1100 for 4 hours of instruction at least twice a week (sometimes 3 times). Summer vacations be damned! Jay’s instruction, which I’ll describe in more detail below, is noticeably effective even on day one. By the way, such discounts are not hard to obtain if you attend a workshop or info session organized by your school’s pre-​law society, pre-​law fraternity, or honors program. So be on the lookout for those. And if you’d like to sit in on a class, just give the corporate office a call and they’ll easily set it up for you.
The Method–
The Blueprint method of tackling the LSAT is very effective. If you practice it enough to the point it becomes second nature, you basically become a computer and can answer questions correctly and with confidence. In fact, I suggest going into the class blank and with few preformed LSAT habits, if possible. Surrender yourself to the method, practice hard – you’ll see your score rise.
The Blueprint method is particularly effective at logic games, which are the scariest section initially for most test-​takers. With practice and diligent application of the techniques taught in the curriculum, they should eventually become much easier. The method for logical reasoning is very comprehensive, though more difficult to apply since there’s just so much to remember and practice with it. There are over a dozen different LR question-​types and it comprises half the exam!
Online Component–
The online component of the class, included in your basic tuition, is a dream. You get detailed analysis of where your specific trouble spots are on the exam. You can also see your trends of improvement over time, estimates of how likely X law school is to admit you based on your score and GPA, and explanations for every question in the homework and practice exams. On top of that, you can buy an upgrade to get every lesson also on video through the website. It also includes additional practice questions of every type and a feature to score and record LSAT PrepTest improvement for exams that aren’t mock-​administered through the course. In other words, you can buy a book of ten PrepTests off Amazon if you want the additional practice and the Blueprint site will be able to instantly grade it for you and record it in your progress.
Instructor–
I think the Blueprint method would be effective given any instructor, but Jay stands in a league of his own. He has taught the class many times before and has seen it all. His experience works to your benefit and he’s able to tailor advice to you if you ask him questions after class about your specific progress. He is genuinely caring about his students’ improvement and gives you his full attention when you ask a question. He has taken the actual LSAT twice and scored in the top 1% both times; so he clearly knows what he’s doing. And more importantly, he can teach it to you, as well. He’s also funny and knows how to present the material in a way that’s comprehensible and at times even fun! If Blueprint sold bracelets that said «WWJD» for «What Would Jay Do?» I’d buy one in hopes that if I got stuck on the actual exam, I’d look at it and his advice would rush to my aid.
Facilities–
Parking is super easy and the bathrooms are okay, sometimes a little messy. The room is spacious and you’ll have more than enough desk space. You’re also nearby 3 Starbucks and I’ve even managed drive to one to get a coffee and get back all within the 15 minute break. There are other places to eat nearby, too. Pre-​lesson bagels and post-​practice-​test Carl’s Jr. were certainly traditions this summer!
Conclusion–
I highly recommend Blueprint for anyone looking to get into a good law school and trying to improve their score. The course has all the resources you need to get the score you want. While taking Blueprint’s course isn’t necessary to getting a good score, in my case it’s definitely been sufficient!