Mr. Test Prep -

Josh Yuen

When I first met Michael Romano during the summer heading into my junior year, I had already tried out two other test prep agencies and was in need of a solid foundation for my SAT and ACT preparation. I knew I was at least a decent student in school, and often felt disappointed with my practice scores because I knew I could do much better. Looking back, attending Mr. Test Prep sessions rewarded me in more ways than one. I stopped dreading the cycle of practicing, evaluating, and trying to improve on my performance because Michael engaged with me in a manner that no other tutor had before. It helped that the two of us both possessed a potent passion for basketball, but it’s always been clear that Michael enjoys getting to know each and every one of his students, no matter what their initial practice PSAT score was. Although I was initially hesitant to practice problems surrounded by a handful of students in a garage of all places, I was immediately taken back by Michael’s first individual meeting with me. Unlike other prep agencies who had seen years of students pass through their doors, Michael made an effort to become my friend and even asked me about my life outside of school and test prep. Michael was uniquely skilled in discovering my strengths and weaknesses right from our first week of sessions, and within a few months, my SAT score had jumped over 200 points. In just a few months. The two of us developed and embraced a healthy rhythm to keep me on track for achieving my full potential, attending sessions about twice a week, while balancing my school schedule with my hobbies and interests. Michael has made a huge impact on so many students over his 18 years of dominating test prep, and I’ll remember him for his fun personality and our memorable talks just as much as his great advice and superior knowledge. Thanks Michael, for providing me with confidence, all of our Golden State Warrior debates, and of course, “DAZZLE ME, DON’T FRAZZLE ME!”

Alli Knapp

Everyone is aware of the importance of SAT and ACT test scores. However, these scores don’t necessarily come easily without practice. Practicing means getting a tutor and taking sample tests over and over again – something that does not sound appealing to many students. Well, in my experience, I was able to actually enjoy practicing for the ACT while improving my skills. Michael Romano is a vibrant and encouraging tutor who genuinely cared for my success. Michael has a very unique strategy in coaching test-takers – one that proved very successful for me. Sitting in the testing room with other students forced me to really concentrate on my task and disregard any distractions that I most likely would have succumbed to if I were at home with my computer, phone, etc. When called outside to the beautiful garden to chat with Michael about my answers and other things, I wasn’t even bothered by the fact that I was taking practice ACT tests on a beautiful, warm summer night. Michael made a genuine effort to get to know me, asking me to show him my dance moves and to ride my horse to test prep one day so he could meet him (which sadly never worked out). I always had a smile on my face at test prep, as Michael actually made test-taking fun for me. His spirit and encouragement helped me gain confidence in my testing abilities, and his pep talks on college and reaching for my dreams inspired me to apply to schools that I was too afraid to apply to before working with him. One day at test prep, I got incredibly high scores on my practice tests, so Michael made me wear the exact outfit I was wearing that night on the day of the test. Whether it was because of the outfit or not, I improved my ACT score 4 points since I started working with Michael, going from a 28 to a 32 – a score we were both incredibly happy with. Thanks to his sincere effort to help me and get to know me as a person and a test-taker I have great confidence in my abilities to succeed. Michael is an amazing tutor, and he puts an honest effort into every student of his. I highly recommend him as a tutor and even just as a cool guy to hang out with (due in part to his lovely singing). Remember, dazzle him don’t frazzle him!

Shilpi Dey

It was divine appointment that we found Mr. Test Prep.
I almost never use Yelp anymore to search for anything (sorry, yelp!) but I went on yelp just to see if there was any SAT prep service that could help my son. He had already sat for the SAT in his 10th grade, and had a decent 1550 score, but we wanted to see if he could improve it.
Mr. Test Prep's approach and clear value proposition really stood out to me in the sea of the multitude of tutors and SAT prep services.
We gave it a try, our son Ethan loved Michael's style, and format, and it was a good fit for our family's needs all around.
Ethan sat for the SAT again in a few months of working with Michael, and his score was perfect. Of course, everyone's mileage may vary.
For us , it was a match made in heaven 🙂
Thanks, Michael

Victoria Sanchez

I am currently a high school senior in San Jose, however I met Michael Romano spring of 2018. Michael truly works individually with you and gets to know you on a personal level. Everytime I had an appointment, I was very welcomed by him. His teaching abilities are second to none. He taught me how to manage my time efficiently, tricks to the ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject tests, but most importantly he has boosted my confidence immensely when it comes to test taking. Michael has a connection with his students that makes them look forward to their sessions. I know I did. He helped me improve my SAT scores by 200 points. I cannot be more grateful for a tutor like him.

Jie Qu

My daughter took the test prep with Michael (a total of 10 sessions including the first free session and 3 sessions through Skype, this does not include 3-4 full-length practice tests she took with him). Here is her comments:

Having Michael as a tutor was definitely crucial to my doing well on the ACT. With my summer plans preventing me from attending the truly 'intense' ACT/SAT prep camps that Asian students are notoriously famous for attending, I had to find someone with a flexible schedule that could boost my score up.

It's amazing really that my parents found Michael. He was exactly what I was looking for in a tutor: someone who was flexible in his schedule and at the same time, very good in what he does. Michael's way of teaching worked very well with me. He gave me plenty of practice and we didn't bother spending time over concepts I already understood. Combined with some outside work (not assigned by Michael, but simply because I was pressed for time), I managed to raise my ACT score by a good four or five points in just three weeks. Michael's tips carried me a long way through my ACT, earning me a perfect score on the English section, which until Michael I had been constantly scoring lower on due to stupid mistakes. Honestly, after I took my first full length practice ACT with him, I was shocked to see how much I'd improved over such a short period of time. Michael was fun to work with as well, always greeting me with a smile and a joke or something to laugh about. He made sure I was ready to focus on my work and had the means to do so. Even after I had to return to boarding school, I was still able to talk to Michael through Skype and review before my actual test.

The fact that I was the first in my class to finish taking the ACT/SAT and that I earned a nearly perfect score should be a testimonial in itself to Michael. Without his help, I highly doubt I could've even dreamed of scoring that high. I have to take SAT II's in the spring...and I definitely know who I'll be going to to earn a good score.

Sophie DiFilippo

Thanks to Michael Romano, I was able to take my standardized tests confidently, and more importantly, feel great about the scores I received. I can honestly say that I had a good time during our skype sessions, even though that is not something typically associated with tutoring. Michael has a very engaging personality and clearly knows the ins and outs of the SAT reasoning test, SAT subject tests, and the ACT. He encouraged me to take the ACT as well as the SAT, and it was a decision I was very happy to have made while studying with him. I don't think anyone else could have prepared me better, and I would definitely recommend Mr. Test Prep's services to anyone who is taking standardized tests in the near future!

Jaime Furlong

Michael’s methodology is unlike any other tutor I’ve worked with before, and the results I got with him were unmatchable. The group setting allowed for me to go back and forth between working on my own just like a testing setting AND breaking down my sections while they’re fresh in my mind. While many tutors believe in using homework as a studying tool, whenever I would attend my next session I couldn’t remember why I chose the answers I did. By confining my work to my sessions with him, I was able to evaluate my thought process for each answer and correct my mistakes MUCH more efficiently.

Rather than most tutor’s standard lesson plan (even for one on one sessions), Michael tailors each session to what that individual student needs. My best sections were tested less frequently, and more time was spent on the sections I struggled with.

Michael understands the interplay between testing and his student’s mindset. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I have had extreme difficulty performing well on exams even when I know the material front to back. After two meditation sessions, I meditated every morning and night about a week preceding each of my SAT exams (as well as actually during my SAT) and I felt less anxious, more at ease and extremely more confident.

What it boils down to is Michael truly understands his students, and creates a relationship and bond with them like NO other tutor. He creates a completely safe space where mistakes aren’t scrutinized, they’re looked at as a place to improve. I improved my SAT score by about 350, but, beyond that, I can look back at my sessions with him and only have positive memories. Going to Michael was one of the best decisions I made. I genuinely looked forward to my sessions with him, and no other tutor can match that.

Serena Gaylord

I was very opposed to taking the SAT and enrolling in SAT prep when I learned that it was optional for college admissions. I was more comfortable asserting myself as a low performer, and just not great with long form tests. However, a few sessions in, it was obvious that Michael wasn't there just to gruel me on facts and figures for 2 hours straight. We went through the questions one by one, correcting those I got wrong and investigating why. He led tailored meditation sessions that helped me hone my focus for hours on end. By the end of my coaching, I was more confident in my test taking abilities than I had ever been. I took the SAT three times, and each time warranted a higher score (thanks to Michael). Now, I'm not saying you have to take the SAT three times, but Michael was keen to encourage trial and error. Most importantly, he coaches all of his students as whole human beings, not just a name on a roster. It's obvious that Michael works hard to form a personal bond with everyone who passes through his door, and works even harder to get you to the places you want to go. Thank you for being a wonderful teacher.