Where to find MCAT and LSAT teachers?

June 10, 2009 2:58 PM

I'm trying to find communities/forums/social networks that would focus on MCAT and LSAT. The end goal is to find qualified teachers for these subjects (not help on taking the actual exams).. any ideas?

My company provides prep classes and tutoring for students. One of the hardest parts is finding qualified instructors to teach these sessions. A teacher has to have a certain score in their subject test/area to qualify for our training (and subsequent certification) before they're able to actually get in front of students (for example, LSAT teachers must have scored at least a 172 before we accept them for training, etc.).

While it's not too hard to find good teacher applicants for the more general exams (SAT, GRE, etc.), what's consistantly a challenge is finding good LSAT and MCAT candidates -- even more specifically, MCAT Physics and Chem/Org Chem.

Are there any online communities or forums that might be good places to try reaching out to? I feel like with social networks for everything from knitting to wine, maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. Thanks for any suggestions!

posted by Kattiara17 to education (3 answers total)

University philosophy departments will be full of undergrad and grad students who can eat the LSAT alive and already have logic training.
posted by LobsterMitten at 6:18 PM on June 10, 2009

The problem is that most people who did well on the MCAT or LSAT and now in professions where they don't need the money to teach test prep on the side and they don't have any spare time.

I'd look into bio/physics/chem grad students who don't know the MCAT but know the material and can be taught about the test itself. With LSAT, phil students are good for logic, but look around for people that bailed out of law school.
posted by k8t at 10:35 PM on June 10, 2009

I agree with k8t - however, it's a bad time for lawyers, and there are always at least some lawyers and former lawyers who are interested in this type of thing that will surprise you. Check with your city and county bar associations for potential LSAT hits - they also will be in touch with folks who aren't actively practicing anymore. And, they might have good suggestions for you. My LSAT mastertrainer when I worked at Princeton Review was a nonpracticing attorney.

(I actually taught LSAT myself, while I was still in college - and that's a great group of people who will be committed and appreciate the salary and training.)
posted by mccn at 6:12 AM on June 11, 2009