About Us

Few students feel that tests provide them with opportunities to demonstrate their mastery of content. Fewer still feel that tests give them an opportunity to shine.  In the hundreds of conversations we’ve had with parents, students, and other educators, one phrase repeats itself time and again: “I’m not a good test-taker.” That statement serves as the bedrock underlying why and how we do what we do.
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We believe that the phrase “I’m not a good test-taker” means only that a student hasn't fully developed their test-taking skills. It doesn’t mean they're less intelligent, or that their intelligence is somehow less valid. It doesn’t mean that they can’t learn or remember or apply information as effectively as can their peers. And, having spent thousands of hours interacting with standardized tests, we can say with some degree of certainty that how well a student performs on the SAT or ACT is a reflection of exactly one thing: how well that student performs on the SAT or ACT.  

We also know that test-taking - like any other skill - can be learned and perfected. No, we don’t think that every single student can (or should) aim for a perfect score. But we do know that each student can develop the skills they need to turn the test into an accurate reflection of their content mastery. We also know that this process requires more than to simply learn and apply strategies for speed reading and process of elimination (although those certainly play an important role). The challenge lies in helping each student identify the roles of their anxieties, learning differences, and habits in shaping how they see the test. The reward lies in determining how best to overcome or harness those elements into a holistic strategy that works for them.