DEFEND

LSAT Defenders

Don't Get Robbed. Defend Your Score.

The LSAT is designed to steal your points. LSAT Defenders trains you to recognize every trap, defend against every trick, and own the score that gets you to law school — and pays for it.

99th
Percentile
Instructor
10+
Years Debate
Coaching
100+
Students
Coached
128–179
Score Range
We Work With

Aloha. I'm Daniel Arakawa.

Born in Hawaii, raised in Kāne'ohe. I scored in the 99th percentile on the LSAT, was accepted to Harvard Law, and have spent the last decade coaching students to think more clearly — first in debate, now on the LSAT.

99th Percentile LSAT Score
Harvard Law School Accepted
Harry S. Truman Scholar
Phi Beta Kappa Member
10+ Years Debate Coaching (HS & Collegiate)
100+ Students Coached 1-on-1 (incl. 7Sage)
Read My Story →

Where the name comes from

One of my most memorable experiences as an LSAT coach was with a long-term client and friend. We were reviewing a question together, and after looking at the stimulus, he realized he'd missed a few key aspects. Once he found them, he quickly identified his mistakes and selected the right answer. Then he laughed and said: "I knew I could figure it out — it's like I got robbed blind."

That moment crystallized my entire philosophy on the LSAT. Don't get robbed. The test is designed to steal your points. The answer choices are crafted to lure you toward seemingly attractive but definitively wrong paths — and it's so effective that you often won't even notice it happening. You might even feel good selecting the wrong answer.

Why I coach differently

I've been around arguments my whole life. For the past 10 years, I've coached debate at both the high school and collegiate levels. My perspective when guiding students through the LSAT is shaped by those experiences. I am an LSAT coach — not just a teacher or a tutor. There's a meaningful difference.

I've read all the PowerScore Bibles, worked through 7Sage and LSAT Demon, and studied The LSAT Trainer and The Loophole. None of them approach the LSAT the way we do. Our methodology is crafted to guide you no matter your educational background or starting score — I've worked with students ranging from 128 to 179, and I've yet to meet a student my method didn't work for.

What you're actually here for

The value of the Defenders community is twofold. First, you learn how to improve your LSAT performance. Second, you learn how to beat the LSAP — the law school admissions process. Those are two different skills, and most programs only teach one.

Did you know that at Washington University School of Law — the 14th-ranked law school — 13% of the class not only receive full rides but are actually paid to attend? If you're in a room of 10 students at WashU, on average, one of them is getting paid to go. Every single point you improve on the LSAT equates to roughly $10,000 in scholarships. LSAT Defenders doesn't stop at test prep — it equips you to navigate the admissions process so you can get paid to go to law school.

My guarantee to you

If you're still skeptical — try it for a month. If your score doesn't improve, you'll get your money back. Guaranteed. I'm confident enough in this method to back it up completely, because I've seen it work for students at every level, with every kind of background, starting from every kind of score.

My goal is simple: to equip you so that you're ready to handle any question, passage, or answer choice the LSAT throws at you. By joining the Vanguard, you'll be trained to defend yourself from every trap trying to steal your score.

Two ways to join
the Vanguard.

Group coaching with Daniel every week, or personalized 1-on-1 tutoring with a Defenders-trained tutor. Or both.

01

Group Coaching — The Vanguard

Live weekly sessions with Daniel covering real LSAT questions, deep concept breakdowns, and test strategy. Every session is recorded. Every member gets a personalized daily and weekly study guide, the 44-page Defenders study guide, and access to the growing recorded session library. Starts at $179/month.

02

1-on-1 Tutoring

Personalized sessions with a Defenders-trained, 99th-percentile tutor — matched to your specific weak points. Every tutoring student receives a custom daily and weekly study schedule mapped to their test date. Available standalone at $97/hour, or bundled in Vanguard Elite at $397/month.

The most effective LSAT prep.
At a fraction of the cost.

When Daniel worked for 7Sage, they charged $200 for a single hour of tutoring. Here's how LSAT Defenders compares to the market.

7Sage (Tutoring)
1-on-1 tutoring through the major platform Daniel worked for
$200/hr
Kaplan (1-on-1)
Standard private tutoring from one of the largest LSAT brands
$200/hr
Blueprint
Live online LSAT courses from a major premium brand
$150–170/hr
🛡️ LSAT Defenders
12 hours/month of live instruction with Daniel — plus study guides, recorded library, community, and admissions advice
from $179/mo
💡

12 hours of live Defenders instruction at 7Sage's rate would cost $2,400. With Vanguard Plus, you get all of it — plus the study guide, recorded library, daily study plans, and admissions advice — for $229/month. That's over 90% off market rates.

Real students.
Real score jumps.

From stuck to scaling — here's what Defenders students say about working with Daniel.

"

I started at a 137, scored a 164 on my own, but wanted more. Daniel tailored my plan around my full-time job, school, and ADHD — focusing on quality over quantity and a holistic approach that actually worked. He's like having a friend work through problems with you. You can be fully honest with him — he will never make you feel "dumb" for asking anything.

Christina L.
Vanguard Plus & Tutoring Member
+33 PTS
"

My RC results got murky and inconsistent after testing well for a while. Daniel's attention to detail and ability to identify my strengths and weaknesses was crucial. His strategy got me back into a structured flow and completely shifted how I approach reading comp passages. He knows what his clients need and is practical and straightforward.

Yotam M.
Tutoring Client
+15 PTS
"

Daniel was great — very flexible with timing and genuinely open to what I felt I needed help with. He helped me change my thinking and strategies in just a few sessions. The day-by-day study plan he created was a game-changer as my test date got closer.

Riley B.
Vanguard Basic → Plus, Tutoring Client
Score Improved

Join the Vanguard.

Every plan is taught by Daniel. Every plan includes the full Defenders resource library. Pick the level that's right for you.

Group Coaching
Vanguard Basic
$179
per month

8 hours/month of live group coaching with Daniel, personalized study guides, 44-page study guide, recorded session library, and community access.

Enlist — Vanguard Basic →
Group Coaching
Vanguard Plus
$229
per month

12 hours/month of live group coaching — adding the weekly Concept & Critical Analysis session. Everything in Basic, plus priority support and instructor feedback.

Enlist — Vanguard Plus →

Prefer standalone tutoring? Book 1-on-1 sessions at $97/hour →

Own your future.
Defend your score.

Join LSAT Defenders and learn to see every trap, dismantle every wrong answer, and take every point that belongs to you.