Rethinking Test Preparation

The test preparation industry generally approaches standardized tests as obstacles to be gamed. Little attention is given to these exams as opportunities to engage students with any type of legitimate teaching. Because the industry has historically trivialized test preparation, it’s no wonder that serious educators often reject test preparation as merely “teaching to the test” rather than teaching any lasting knowledge that benefits students beyond the test.

Beyond Tips & Tricks. Real Academic Engagement

We counter this tendency to teach to the test with our own approach, what we call “Teaching Beyond the TestTM.” Our educators will not game a test with tips or tricks. Instead, we engage students in rigorous academic coursework that builds bridges between test curriculum and the student’s broader academic work in the classroom. We show our students that standardized tests can in fact present valuable opportunities to learn skills essential for college readiness.

What results from our academic approach is not only the student’s mastery of the skills assessed on an exam but also an increased academic competence that translates into better in-school performance.

Our Commitment to Best Practice

Teaching Beyond the Test is our commitment to best practice, our promise to treat students seriously as young intellectuals and to serve as responsible members of a broader educational community mentoring these students towards real college readiness.

It is our responsibility not only to support students as they prepare for admission exams for high school and college but also to provide students with the educational foundation necessary to perform well once they matriculate.

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