Philosophy
 
 

When Frank Pomilla founded TestTakers in 1983, he started with just 8 students. Although our program has grown dramatically, we ensure that all of our courses provide the same individual attention, customized help, and personal connection that made those original eight students the first TestTakers fanatics. We have grown almost exclusively through word-of-mouth recommendations, and we would much rather invest in ways to provide the best education possible than in slick advertising campaigns.

We believe the SAT and ACT essentially test skills that all students can develop. By teaching our students the test-taking techniques necessary to tame the test, we help them refine their reasoning processes and see the keys hidden within each question. Our methods, materials, and teachers are the best around—and we have the highest score improvements to prove it—but we truly believe the key to our success is the personal relationship we build with every student.

The best way to learn about the course is to pick up the phone or drop an email to one of our Site Directors. They will be happy to speak to you personally about the TestTakers experience.

 

We understand that all students start with different needs and strengths, which is why we offer the most personalized SAT course available. 

Before classes begin, all TestTakers students take a full-length diagnostic SAT so we can analyze their initial skills and group them appropriately into separate, small classes for Math and English. Additionally, we have developed different levels of materials tailored to help students improve upon their individual starting points and ensure that no one ever feels out of place in class. Such catered instruction sets us apart from the "one-size-fits-all" approach of other programs, which use one set of materials designed for a hypothetical "average" student, failing to reflect the diversity and needs of actual students.

Also unlike some bureaucratic national courses, our small size allows us to be more flexible and adaptive to students' individual needs. In addition to the vast amount of assistance we provide in the classroom, students have several ways to receive individual attention. Our teachers are easy to contact directly by email or phone, and, subject to availability, students can set appointments to meet one-on-one with teachers before class. Most importantly, all students have extensive access to their Site Directors, who are experts in all subjects and facets of the test. Everyone at TestTakers is unflinchingly dedicated to raising your student's score.

The SAT and ACT are long exams that cover a lot of material, which is why we offer the most thorough preparation available, with nearly 50 hours of small-group instruction plus four diagnostic SATs administered in a proctored setting.

Additionally, students who have completed our SAT course and wish to pursue the ACT can enroll in our “ACT Booster Course,” a four-week program designed to teach students the extra material covered on the ACT. (Because the SAT and ACT are so similar, our SAT course already prepares students for roughly 75% of what they can expect to see on the ACT.)

Our program is also adaptive. After each practice SAT, students receive a customized score report highlighting the question types, subject areas, and test-taking techniques they should practice to continue improving their scores. Add it all up, and you'll see that TestTakers offers the most thorough test prep education available.

Although parents love to rave about how much TestTakers helped their child's score, students are more likely to first mention how much they loved their teachers.

It takes far more than raw intelligence to be a TestTakers teacher: it takes compassion, personality, creativity, humor, and a genuine passion for teaching. Every teacher has not only the test-taking ability to explain every technique and answer every question, but also the passion to do so in a way that makes four hours of SAT prep every weekend (dare we say it?) fun.

In fact, our teachers have earned an average rating of 3.94 on a 4.00 scale on the student-generated evaluations we administer at the end of each semester as a way to keep ourselves accountable and ensure that our teachers continue to meet our (and our students’) exacting standards.

If the real SAT takes places over four hours in a classroom, why do many tutors often have students practice one section at a time alone at home?

Simply put, they don't have the resources to create a realistic, valuable setting. We believe there is no substitute for timed, proctored SAT practice in a classroom setting, so each course includes four full-length practice SATs administered under standard test conditions.

We've found that taking these practice tests in a realistic setting is the best way to reduce test anxiety. TestTakers students enter the real test with the confidence that nothing can surprise them.