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Burton Method Competitor Research Intel

Week of February 13, 2026 (Scan #7 — Feb 13)

LSAC Remote Ban — Full Details Confirmed

  • LSAC official blog post by Susan Krinsky (EVP Ops & Chief of Staff) confirmed: in-center only starting August 2026. June is last remote.
  • New test delivery platform launching in LawHub for August. Interactive UI preview end of March, practice tests in new UI by May.
  • Reuters coverage confirmed Dave Killoran (PowerScore CEO) as primary industry voice — no other prep company quoted.
  • China cheating scandal was the catalyst; LSAC declined to confirm cheating evidence outside China.
  • Online takers = ~40% of all takers but "majority" of score holds.

Competitor Updates

  • 7Sage: New blog "LSAT Studying Success Story: Isha Fazili" (Feb 11) — 151→175, tutoring upsell. Still publishing 2-3x/week. Pricing unchanged ($69/$129/$299). Zero AI. Content machine unmatched.
  • LSAT Demon: Ep 1352 "How High Should You Aim?" (Feb 8). Daily Zoom classes continue. $95/mo. Zero innovation. Book promo heavy.
  • Blueprint: "February LSAT Predictions" blog confirmed RC change: January 2026 LSAT gave sections with 4 non-comparative passages. First substantive content in months. Quiet SEO play.
  • PowerScore: Ep 177 "February 2026 LSAT Recap" (Feb 12). Killoran quoted in Reuters + Law.com but listed as "founder and former CEO." Content cadence declining.
  • Kaplan: No new consumer moves. HBCU institutional play (Fort Valley State) from last week is latest.
  • Magoosh: No new content. Effectively dead.
  • Hey Future Lawyer: SPA-heavy, no visible updates.
  • LSAC: Remote ban confirmed. New LawHub platform. RC format change (0-1 comparative passages). Feb scores Feb 25 (12 days). April reg deadline Feb 26 (13 days).

Market-Level Signals

  • Hyperrealistic AI tutors emerging: Substack piece on face-to-face AI tutors with real-time video interaction. Next frontier for ed-tech.
  • February LSAT wrapped. Smallest test of 2026. Score release Feb 25 = retake campaign window.
  • RC section quietly changed. Both Blueprint and PowerScore confirmed. LSAC made no formal announcement.

Action Items

  1. (!!!) PUBLISH REMOTE LSAT BAN EXPLAINER — First mover captures SEO + social.
  2. (!!!) RETAKE CAMPAIGN BY FEB 24 — Scores drop Feb 25. 12 days.
  3. (!) APRIL REG DEADLINE COUNTDOWN — Feb 26. 13 days. "Last remote LSAT is June."
  4. (!) IN-PERSON TESTING PREP CONTENT — New vertical nobody is doing: anxiety management, center simulation.
  5. NEW UI PREP CONTENT — LSAC changing test interface August. First to guide this wins.
  6. RC FORMAT CHANGE CONTENT — "LSAC changed RC without telling you" — viral potential.
  7. POST-SCORE ANALYSIS FEB 25 — Publish immediately.
  8. POWERSCORE DISPLACEMENT — Widest window yet.

Week of February 12, 2026 (Scan #6 — Feb 12)

BREAKING: LSAC Ending Remote LSAT Testing

  • Announced Feb 11 via Reuters + Law.com. LSAT goes in-person only starting August 2026. June is last remote administration.
  • 39% of January takers used remote — all forced to test centers by August.
  • Exceptions: limited medical conditions + geographic hardship only.
  • Triggered by China cheating scandal + global test theft operations.
  • LSAC also launching new test delivery platform.
  • Dave Killoran (PowerScore) quoted extensively in both articles as industry voice.
  • Online takers caused "majority" of score holds from tech/proctoring issues.

Competitor Updates

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • LSAT Demon: Ep 1352 "How High Should You Aim?" Daily Zoom classes. $95/mo. Zero innovation. Book promo heavy.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Magoosh: SEO-only "LSAT Scoring" blog refresh. Functionally dead.
  • Hey Future Lawyer: SPA-heavy, unscrapable. No visible new content.
  • 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.

Market-Level Signals

  • 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.
  • Unplugged Prep: Active YouTube — "LSAC Changed the LSAT Without Warning" + "Did LSAC Make LR Harder?" Small competitor capitalizing on LSAC confusion with speed.
  • Remote ban creates new content vertical: In-person testing anxiety management, test center environment prep, "how to simulate test day at home."

Action Items

  1. (!!) PUBLISH REMOTE TESTING BAN EXPLAINER — TODAY. First mover captures SEO + social.
  2. RETAKE CAMPAIGN BY FEB 24. Scores drop Feb 25. 13 days.
  3. APRIL REG DEADLINE COUNTDOWN. Feb 26 = 14 days. "Last remote LSAT is June."
  4. IN-PERSON TESTING PREP CONTENT. New vertical: anxiety management, environment simulation, timing drills.
  5. POST-FEB SCORE ANALYSIS. Publish immediately Feb 25 to own "what happened" narrative.
  6. Counter Kaplan HBCU play. "Free ≠ effective" targeting institutional students.
  7. PowerScore displacement campaign. Widest window yet — brand fading, content dying.

Week of February 11, 2026 (Scan #5 — Feb 11)

Competitor Updates

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • LSAT Demon: $95/mo. 4 live Zoom classes today. Podcast Ep 1348+ active. Book promo prominent. Zero product innovation. Scaling humans.
  • Blueprint: Dormant. No updates since Oct 2025 testimonials. Maintenance mode.
  • PowerScore: Still fading. No new blog/podcast since Jan recap. Denning solo era. Content cadence declining.
  • Magoosh: Updated LSAT Scoring blog (SEO only). Functionally dead.
  • Hey Future Lawyer: "Save $250k" messaging. Podcast covered 32.9% applicant surge. Active Reddit free sessions. Product depth unclear.
  • LSAC: Scores release Feb 25 (14 days). April reg deadline Feb 26 (15 days). Test fee $248.

Market-Level Signals

  • 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.
  • Applicant surge sustained: 28 schools at 170+ medians. Most competitive cycle in history narrative continues (Above the Law, Hey Future Lawyer, 7Sage all amplifying).
  • AI tutoring market still growing: Jenova AI expanding multi-model platform. Market $1.63B→$7.99B by 2030 projection holds.

Action Items

  1. CRITICAL — Retake campaign by Feb 24: Scores release Feb 25. 14 days.
  2. CRITICAL — April reg deadline Feb 26: 15 days. Countdown urgency content.
  3. HIGH — Counter Kaplan institutional play: "Free prep ≠ effective prep" content targeting HBCU students.
  4. HIGH — PowerScore switcher campaign: Displacement window widening weekly.
  5. URGENT — Gemini LSAT positioning: Build "why we're better than free AI" narrative.
  6. MEDIUM — Data content play: 7Sage owns admissions narrative. Publish original insights.
  7. LOW — Monitor Jenova: Track adoption, not marketing.

Week of February 10, 2026 (Scan #4 — Feb 10)

Competitor Updates

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Blueprint: No new blog content. Homepage still testimonial-heavy, latest reviews Oct 2025. No product updates, no pricing changes. Dormant.
  • PowerScore: Still behind Cloudflare. No new blog or podcast since Jan 2026 LSAT Recap. Denning solo era — content cadence visibly declining. Fading competitor.
  • 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.
  • Magoosh: Only 2 boilerplate blog articles visible. Free prep for fee waiver recipients. Effectively dead.
  • Hey Future Lawyer: SPA-heavy homepage renders minimal content. "Save $250k" messaging. Ben Parker cadence unclear.
  • 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).

Market-Level Signals

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Action Items

  1. CRITICAL — Retake campaign by Feb 24: Scores release Feb 25. Content + ads for score-disappointed students.
  2. CRITICAL — April reg deadline Feb 26 (16 days): Countdown urgency content.
  3. URGENT — Gemini LSAT prep-positioning: Build "why we're better than free AI" narrative BEFORE Google adds LSAT to Gemini.
  4. HIGH — Mobile strategy: Jenova AI has full mobile experience. Burton Method needs mobile story.
  5. MEDIUM — Data content play: 7Sage owns admissions data narrative. Publish original LSAT/admissions insights.
  6. MEDIUM — PowerScore capture: Displaced audience window widening. "Switching from PowerScore?" content.
  7. LOW — Monitor Jenova: Noisy but unproven. Track adoption, not just marketing.

Week of February 9, 2026 (Scan #3 — Feb 9)

  • 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.
  • LSAT Demon: Podcast Eps 1347-1348. Daily live classes. February Tutor Training. $95/mo. Zero product innovation.
  • Blueprint: No updates. SEO commodity play. Dormant.
  • PowerScore: Content slowing. Denning solo confirmed permanent. No new blog since Jan recap.
  • Kaplan: Cloudflare-blocked. 2026 book in market. $99-$1,999 pricing. DECA partnership.
  • Magoosh: Blog effectively dead. Free prep for fee waiver only.
  • Hey Future Lawyer: SPA renders nothing. "Save $250k" messaging.
  • LSAC: Feb scores Feb 25. April reg deadline Feb 26. NALP: recruiting at lowest since 2012-2020.
  • Jenova AI expanding with dedicated LSAT page, iOS/Android apps, citing "127,000+ aspiring law students."
  • BETT 2026: Google/Microsoft AI education updates. LingoAce→ACE Academy expansion.

Week of February 8, 2026 (Scan #2 — Feb 8)

  • 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.

Week of February 3, 2026 (Scan #1)

  • 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.

Previous Weeks (Compressed)

  • Jan 26: PowerScore Killoran departed. 7Sage full redesign. LSAT Demon pricing stable. Blueprint tablet mode. Kaplan 2026 book + $200 off. AdeptLR spotted.
  • Feb 1: Market exploding — applicants +33%, registrations +22%. LSAC using all-new content. RC comparative no longer guaranteed.