The Company founder, Jerry Marino, started a series of S.A.T. “Summer Boot Camps” in June of 2000. A cross between exam prep and summer camp, these marathon-like courses met for a full work-week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily, allowing for daily pizza lunches and an occasional visit to the nearby pool. The courses were rigorous, the curriculum fast-paced, and the results truly stupendous – students had improved their S.A.T. scores by well over 200 points in just a week!
Building upon what seemed an overnight success, Jerry tailored the course to accommodate students throughout the school year, and so was born the “Weekend Boot Camp” format as we know it today – 3-hour live-workshops on Saturdays and full-length practice exams on Sundays. Current attendees can still count upon a challenging course of study, dynamic instructors, and a pizza party on the final day of class, with the addition of piping-hot Einstein’s bagels and cream cheese served at every weekend Boot Camp. Students can choose between the extended Boot Camp format (usually two months in duration) and the shorter Quick-Prep Courses (three weekends) for not only the S.A.T. (Scholastic Aptitude Test) but also the P.S.A.T. (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) and A.C.T. (American College Test).
Last summer marked our 20th year in business and our roster of successful alumni recorded its 3000th Boot Camp participant. We have also expanded our catalogue of courses beyond the College Board exams to include the L.S.A.T. (Law School Admissions Test), G.R.E. (Graduate Record Exam), G.M.A.T. (Graduate Management Admissions Test), and M.C.A.T. (Medical College Admissions Test). And, for those students who cannot attend our Weekend Boot Camps, we have conveniently brought our courses to them with in-home private tutoring and, in some cases, virtual tutoring via Skype and Zoom.
Test Prep Institute, incorporated in 2000, has grown exclusively through word-of-mouth recommendation. With the launch of this website in December 2016, we have tried to expand our reach to an even larger audience of high school and college students, each seeking expert instruction and professional mentoring throughout his/her career journey. We cherish the opportunity to help every student who has both the courage and drive to succeed.