119 lines
11 KiB
Markdown
119 lines
11 KiB
Markdown
# Burton Method Competitor Research Intel
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## Week of February 12, 2026 (Scan #6 — Feb 12)
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### BREAKING: LSAC Ending Remote LSAT Testing
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- **Announced Feb 11 via Reuters + Law.com.** LSAT goes in-person only starting August 2026. June is last remote administration.
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- 39% of January takers used remote — all forced to test centers by August.
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- Exceptions: limited medical conditions + geographic hardship only.
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- Triggered by China cheating scandal + global test theft operations.
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- LSAC also launching new test delivery platform.
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- Dave Killoran (PowerScore) quoted extensively in both articles as industry voice.
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- Online takers caused "majority" of score holds from tech/proctoring issues.
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### Competitor Updates
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- **Kaplan — NEW:** Fort Valley State University (HBCU) added to All Access License (Feb 9). Free LSAT/GRE/GMAT/MCAT for all students. Institutional B2B strategy accelerating. Claims $60M+ saved since 2022 launch.
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- **7Sage:** 2 new posts (Feb 9): "Game Plan: Sasha's 151→175 Journey" podcast + "Decisions on the Horizon" admissions blog. Still $69/$129/$299. Zero AI. Zero product changes. Content machine steady.
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- **LSAT Demon:** Ep 1352 "How High Should You Aim?" Daily Zoom classes. $95/mo. Zero innovation. Book promo heavy.
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- **Blueprint — WOKE UP:** Published "February LSAT Predictions" — first substantive content in months. Confirmed RC section changes (4 non-comparative passages on Jan LSAT). SEO play.
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- **PowerScore:** No new content. Killoran still the media voice (quoted in Reuters/Law.com) despite being listed as "founder and former CEO." Product/content declining.
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- **Magoosh:** SEO-only "LSAT Scoring" blog refresh. Functionally dead.
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- **Hey Future Lawyer:** SPA-heavy, unscrapable. No visible new content.
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- **LSAC:** Remote testing ban (see above). Feb scores release **Feb 25** (13 days). April reg deadline **Feb 26** (14 days). New test platform. RC format changes confirmed.
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### Market-Level Signals
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- **SIAI academic paper (Feb 2026):** LLM tutoring "already automating routine teaching at scale." 76% UK teachers, 69% US teachers report little/no AI training. AI tutoring is mainstream, not a differentiator anymore.
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- **Unplugged Prep:** Active YouTube — "LSAC Changed the LSAT Without Warning" + "Did LSAC Make LR Harder?" Small competitor capitalizing on LSAC confusion with speed.
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- **Remote ban creates new content vertical:** In-person testing anxiety management, test center environment prep, "how to simulate test day at home."
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### Action Items
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1. **(!!) PUBLISH REMOTE TESTING BAN EXPLAINER — TODAY.** First mover captures SEO + social.
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2. **RETAKE CAMPAIGN BY FEB 24.** Scores drop Feb 25. 13 days.
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3. **APRIL REG DEADLINE COUNTDOWN.** Feb 26 = 14 days. "Last remote LSAT is June."
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4. **IN-PERSON TESTING PREP CONTENT.** New vertical: anxiety management, environment simulation, timing drills.
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5. **POST-FEB SCORE ANALYSIS.** Publish immediately Feb 25 to own "what happened" narrative.
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6. **Counter Kaplan HBCU play.** "Free ≠ effective" targeting institutional students.
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7. **PowerScore displacement campaign.** Widest window yet — brand fading, content dying.
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---
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## Week of February 11, 2026 (Scan #5 — Feb 11)
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### Competitor Updates
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- **Kaplan — NEW:** Signed Fort Valley State University (HBCU) to "All Access License" — free LSAT/GRE/GMAT/MCAT for all students. Adds to existing HBCU roster (Howard, Spelman, Hampton, Xavier, NC A&T, Fisk+). Claims "tens of thousands of students saved $60M+" since 2022 launch. Kaplan going B2B institutional, not consumer.
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- **7Sage:** Unchanged. Core $69/mo, Live $129/mo, Coach $299/mo. New YouTube: "3 LR Habits that Separate 170+ Scorers." Zero AI features. Content + community + analytics moat.
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- **LSAT Demon:** $95/mo. 4 live Zoom classes today. Podcast Ep 1348+ active. Book promo prominent. Zero product innovation. Scaling humans.
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- **Blueprint:** Dormant. No updates since Oct 2025 testimonials. Maintenance mode.
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- **PowerScore:** Still fading. No new blog/podcast since Jan recap. Denning solo era. Content cadence declining.
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- **Magoosh:** Updated LSAT Scoring blog (SEO only). Functionally dead.
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- **Hey Future Lawyer:** "Save $250k" messaging. Podcast covered 32.9% applicant surge. Active Reddit free sessions. Product depth unclear.
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- **LSAC:** Scores release **Feb 25** (14 days). April reg deadline **Feb 26** (15 days). Test fee $248.
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### Market-Level Signals
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- **Kaplan B2B institutional strategy:** Going after university-wide licensing instead of consumer market. Removes price as barrier for entire student bodies. Smart defensive play against free AI prep.
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- **Applicant surge sustained:** 28 schools at 170+ medians. Most competitive cycle in history narrative continues (Above the Law, Hey Future Lawyer, 7Sage all amplifying).
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- **AI tutoring market still growing:** Jenova AI expanding multi-model platform. Market $1.63B→$7.99B by 2030 projection holds.
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### Action Items
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1. **CRITICAL — Retake campaign by Feb 24:** Scores release Feb 25. 14 days.
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2. **CRITICAL — April reg deadline Feb 26:** 15 days. Countdown urgency content.
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3. **HIGH — Counter Kaplan institutional play:** "Free prep ≠ effective prep" content targeting HBCU students.
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4. **HIGH — PowerScore switcher campaign:** Displacement window widening weekly.
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5. **URGENT — Gemini LSAT positioning:** Build "why we're better than free AI" narrative.
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6. **MEDIUM — Data content play:** 7Sage owns admissions narrative. Publish original insights.
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7. **LOW — Monitor Jenova:** Track adoption, not marketing.
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---
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## Week of February 10, 2026 (Scan #4 — Feb 10)
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### Competitor Updates
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- **7Sage:** No new content since Feb 9 "Decisions on the Horizon" post. Homepage unchanged: Core $69/mo, Live $129/mo + $120/yr LawHub. Still pushing "12+ classes/weekday, 60+/week, 3,000+ recorded." Admissions Predictor prominent. +23.4% application surge data still their big content play. **Still zero AI features.** Pure content + community + analytics moat.
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- **LSAT Demon:** Homepage unchanged. $95/mo, daily Zoom classes, 24hr "Ask" button. New podcast episodes this week (Eps 1349+). Book promotion now prominent on homepage. Today: 4 live classes scheduled. **Zero product innovation.** Tutor training from last week = scaling humans, not tech.
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- **Blueprint:** No new blog content. Homepage still testimonial-heavy, latest reviews Oct 2025. No product updates, no pricing changes. Dormant.
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- **PowerScore:** Still behind Cloudflare. No new blog or podcast since Jan 2026 LSAT Recap. Denning solo era — content cadence visibly declining. Fading competitor.
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- **Kaplan:** Website behind Cloudflare. 2026 Premium Prep book in market. Pricing: self-paced $99 to unlimited $1,999. DECA partnership ongoing. No product innovation. Discount cycle continues.
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- **Magoosh:** Only 2 boilerplate blog articles visible. Free prep for fee waiver recipients. Effectively dead.
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- **Hey Future Lawyer:** SPA-heavy homepage renders minimal content. "Save $250k" messaging. Ben Parker cadence unclear.
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- **LSAC:** Feb LSAT complete (Feb 6-7). Scores release **Feb 25** (15 days). April 2026: Apr 9-11, reg deadline **Feb 26** (16 days). Test fee $248. LawHub now hosts former Khan Academy LSAT prep resources (Khan Academy LSAT prep ended June 2024).
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### Market-Level Signals
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- **Google Gemini x Princeton Review — LSAT NEXT:** SAT practice tests launched Jan 22 — free, full-length, on-demand in Gemini app. Google teased "more exams coming." Business Insider called it "latest nail in coffin for tutors." Forbes: generalist AI models covering vast standardized content. LSAT expansion is near-certain. When it hits, free AI practice tests become the floor.
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- **Gemini January 2026 Drop:** Personal Intelligence feature (taps all Google account data), built into Chrome sidebar, Connected Apps integration. Google building most personalized AI assistant — test prep integration would be commodity-crushing.
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- **Jenova AI Expanding:** Now marketing as comprehensive multi-model AI Tutor App platform. Claims GPT-5.2, Claude Opus 4.5, Gemini 3 Pro, Grok 4.1 access. Citing AI tutoring market $1.63B→$7.99B by 2030 (30.5% CAGR). "54% higher test scores" marketing claim. Full iOS/Android with progress sync.
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- **AI Tutoring Mainstream:** 86% of students globally now use AI in studies. AI Journal 2026: adaptive materials, 24/7 chatbot, AI-driven curriculum now TABLE STAKES. Multimodal tutors (voice+video+animation) predicted as next wave. Brookings RCT data still reverberating.
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- **Application Surge Still Running:** +23.4% YoY (7Sage data). Jan LSAT: 26,999 takers (+6.9%). 28 schools at 170+ median. 4 months ahead of 2024 cycle.
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### Action Items
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1. **CRITICAL — Retake campaign by Feb 24:** Scores release Feb 25. Content + ads for score-disappointed students.
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2. **CRITICAL — April reg deadline Feb 26 (16 days):** Countdown urgency content.
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3. **URGENT — Gemini LSAT prep-positioning:** Build "why we're better than free AI" narrative BEFORE Google adds LSAT to Gemini.
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4. **HIGH — Mobile strategy:** Jenova AI has full mobile experience. Burton Method needs mobile story.
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5. **MEDIUM — Data content play:** 7Sage owns admissions data narrative. Publish original LSAT/admissions insights.
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6. **MEDIUM — PowerScore capture:** Displaced audience window widening. "Switching from PowerScore?" content.
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7. **LOW — Monitor Jenova:** Noisy but unproven. Track adoption, not just marketing.
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---
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## Week of February 9, 2026 (Scan #3 — Feb 9)
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- 7Sage published "Decisions on the Horizon" — applications +23.4% YoY, Jan LSAT 26,999 takers (+6.9%). Content cadence 3 posts/week. No AI features.
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- LSAT Demon: Podcast Eps 1347-1348. Daily live classes. February Tutor Training. $95/mo. Zero product innovation.
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- Blueprint: No updates. SEO commodity play. Dormant.
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- PowerScore: Content slowing. Denning solo confirmed permanent. No new blog since Jan recap.
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- Kaplan: Cloudflare-blocked. 2026 book in market. $99-$1,999 pricing. DECA partnership.
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- Magoosh: Blog effectively dead. Free prep for fee waiver only.
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- Hey Future Lawyer: SPA renders nothing. "Save $250k" messaging.
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- LSAC: Feb scores Feb 25. April reg deadline Feb 26. NALP: recruiting at lowest since 2012-2020.
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- Jenova AI expanding with dedicated LSAT page, iOS/Android apps, citing "127,000+ aspiring law students."
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- BETT 2026: Google/Microsoft AI education updates. LingoAce→ACE Academy expansion.
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## Week of February 8, 2026 (Scan #2 — Feb 8)
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- Princeton Review x Google Gemini partnership (SAT now, LSAT likely next) — biggest market signal. 7Sage YouTube content "3 LR Habits." LSAT Demon steady state. PowerScore: Admissions Bible co-authored with Spivey (full-funnel). Kaplan $150-200 off promo. Jenova AI new entrant. Brookings RCT: AI matches human tutoring. Texas + Florida dropped ABA monopoly.
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## Week of February 3, 2026 (Scan #1)
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- 7Sage platform overhaul live — self-directed pivot. PowerScore brand fracture (Killoran departure, Denning solo). Kaplan $200 off extended. LSAT Demon content machine, no innovation. AdeptLR: AI-first adaptive drilling. Feb LSAT Feb 6-7. Application surge +33% applicants.
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## Previous Weeks (Compressed)
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- **Jan 26:** PowerScore Killoran departed. 7Sage full redesign. LSAT Demon pricing stable. Blueprint tablet mode. Kaplan 2026 book + $200 off. AdeptLR spotted.
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- **Feb 1:** Market exploding — applicants +33%, registrations +22%. LSAC using all-new content. RC comparative no longer guaranteed.
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