Standardized testing is an unpleasant reality that every prospective student of higher learning has to face.  TEST-EASE understands the wide range of fears and concerns confronting potential test-takers and their parents.  You’re worried about giving yourself the best possible advantage… You don’t test well on standardized tests… You haven’t studied math in years… Your child isn’t taking the test seriously and doesn’t want to take a class… You’re not a native English speaker… Test-taking cripples you with anxiety.  The list is endless.  But you should rest assured that you are not alone.   

The TEST-EASE philosophy on test prep is straightforward:  we believe prospective test-takers deserve elite instruction, small classes and fair prices.  Teachers should be dedicated, compassionate, and above all, experienced.  We have developed a special operating model that is devoted to this principle.  We keep our overhead costs to a minimum, which allows us to keep our classes small and our prices low.  The money we save on overhead allows us to attract professional instructors with advanced degrees from top universities by offering above-market levels of compensation.   

Our curriculum centers on the fundamental belief that there are no “magic bullets” for improving test scores.  We do not believe that serious improvement is attainable without hard work and dedication on the part of test-taker and instructor alike.  TEST-EASE can provide you with techniques, strategies, and know-how for every type of question you face; we can provide you with instructors who can skillfully teach these skills to you; we can even provide you with a few tricks.  There is no substitute, however, for hard work on the part of the student.  We believe that it is consistent and guided practice that allows the concepts we teach you to be internalized, and that will ultimately give you the experience to take a standardized test with greater speed, comfort and ease.  

As you prepare for your standardized test, there are a number of factors that you need to consider.  How much time do you have available for the course?  How much money are you willing to spend?  Are you able to complete practice tests on your own, or do you need to take them in class so you’ll be sure to get them done?  Would it be helpful to have your teacher available to answer questions in-between classes?   

Answering these questions will help you to choose between the different standardized test-preparation models available to you.  Some companies offer 20 hours of instruction over a single weekend, and others offer 40 hours of instruction over a 6 to 10 week period.  The convenience of taking your course in a single weekend is a big benefit, but you should consider whether you will have enough time to digest the information you learn, and whether you will be able to maintain your focus for up to 10 hours a day.  Courses that are more than 20 hours in length are usually designed to allow you to take numerous practice tests during the class, where you will be paying an instructor to monitor you.  If you are worried that you may not have the discipline to take practice tests on your own, this type of course might work for you, but you should consider the additional cost involved.  We encourage you to call us at 1-888-920-3478 to discuss which model might be best for your needs.  

TEST-EASE courses are designed to maximize learning by giving students enough time to absorb information and to integrate concepts through practice.   We limit the length of each class to 3 hours and 15 minutes, and we hold one class per week over a 5 to 7 week period.  By limiting the length of the class to just over 3 hours, we ensure that our students can maintain the energy, attention and focus necessary for proper test preparation.  Many of the techniques that we teach are not intuitive, and it can take a few weeks for the concepts to sink in, and that is why we spread our classes over a 5 to 7 week period.   It improves your chances of absorbing the concepts and ensures you will have a chance to ask our instructors any questions that you have, when you have them.  Our instructors are committed to answering your questions as they arise, by e-mail or by phone, at no extra cost to you.   

Our courses are designed to provide you with a comprehensive review of the relevant subject matter, and with valuable test-taking techniques that will allow you to recognize problem types and find smart, effective ways of solving them.  While the bulk of our class time will be spent in subject review, we emphasize the importance of taking numerous practice exams to help you to get comfortable with the format of the standardized test that you will take.  However, we will expect you to take these tests at home, where you’re not paying by the hour.  Your teacher will encourage you to take these tests straight through to help you to build endurance, and will carefully monitor your home test scores as a measure of your progress.  The teacher will also talk to you each week about the problems that you encountered in order to gain a sense of your test-taking habits and to find your personal weaknesses and strengths as a test-taker.   

Some advice: in the end, whatever choice you make, make the most of that choice.  Be proactive as a student and a consumer.  Too often people decide to take the easiest or the safest option.  As a consumer, you have the right to ask questions, and you should take the time to search out the opportunity that makes the most sense for your schedule, your needs and your pocketbook.  As a student, have the courage to ask the questions you want to have answered.  Don’t wait for an instructor to read your mind or a fellow student to ask your questions for you.  And put in the time to make your course work.  Simply attending classes is not good enough.  Improving standardized test scores is not a simple task; it demands the effort and dedication of both student and instructor alike.  

At TEST-EASE, we feel that you are entitled to a premium product at an affordable price, and we’re confident that you’ll be impressed with the results you can achieve through our courses.