TestMagic

This place is really cool. I have taken summer classes here and wasn’t bored because the teachers were really cool and helped me. My score went up 500 points and was super helpful!

I’ve been a student of TestMagic ever since 7^th grade, and I am now a senior at Drew College Preparatory, for my 5 years of middle+high school life, TestMagic was my first and only choice whenever I needed tutoring. I have to be honest, both my mom and I are very picky when it comes to education. I AM a VERY ambitious student, and I do aim for the best, such as Harvard university. But there is not a moment of doubt that TestMagic was the place that can and will help me accomplish my dreams.
I have only been to the US for only about 2 years when I first attended TestMagic, and I was nowhere near fluent in English, and TestMagic has helped me improve both my oral and writing skills, and my English is now at the same level of fluency as my Chinese. I also took SSAT courses at TestMagic in 7^th and 8^th grade, and I was accepted to my first choice private high school Drew School. After I have improved my English and started high school, I stopped for a while to start focusing in high school, then in Junior year I came back to TestMagic for SAT courses, and in a few weeks, I already improved my score from the 1600’s to the 1900’s.
The teachers and staff members are not only nice but extremely intelligent as well. The teachers and staffs there are just like my family and friends, it is not only academics that I have benefited from, but also a lot of knowledge and things outside of the studying wall. Erin Billy, the founder of TestMagic, has taught me more than anyone could expect from anywhere. He helped me improve my English greatly and has also taught me lots of things that are necessary to know in both the SAT and in life. Other teachers in TestMagic, like James and David, are also all absolutely phenomenal and intelligent, it takes no time with these teachers to understand and master the material as long as you pay attention and study.
As for the course materials, they are all designed by teachers in TestMagic who has graduated from prestigious colleges, such as Berkeley, Harvard, Columbia, etc. For example, the SAT booklets that are given to us in class are booklets that contain strategies and ways of approaching SAT problems in which no other SAT prep books have. The strategies are not any gimmicks of any sort, they are highly recognized and respected by professionals that have been teaching the SAT for years. And really, if there are more than one ways to improve your SAT score, why don’t you want to learn the strategies? Is ALWAYS better to know more than enough, because you will never know when you need to use them. While TestMagic teaches students the most important things that they should know about the SAT, they also give us strategies that can always help us. And this is just one of the many pros that TestMagic has.
I highly recommend TestMagic for students and parents who wants to do well in school and on the SAT, who wants or tries to aim for the dream colleges, and who wants to experience something more than just studying and academics, to come to TestMagic and truly benefit from this great place.
PS: Just for all’s information, TestMagic is going to have their third tutoring center very soon in one of the best locations near SF, that is the city of Millbrae (which is also where I live). So keep yourself updated! :)

This review will probably get deleted or criticized. I really don’t care.
I went through TestMagic. (Twice. Last time I went to TestMagic was May 2007ish.) Didn’t work. I had the same score coming out of it as I did coming in. I went through a month of SAT classes (twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays), and sometimes, material was repeated… I felt like things were disorganized most of the time, and the prices were too high for the type of quality given. If I wanted to learn from an SAT book, I would have bought one — they basically teach from the SAT book. Yes, the teachers are probably very knowledgeable, but they’re not very good at teaching me the SAT. AND, please do not accuse me of not trying — I was actually the one who approached my mother to ask her if I could take SAT classes because I knew I needed to improve. I actually suggested going to Elite (right up the street from TestMagic now) first, but Elite’s program requires you to start from the first class until the last class — you can’t just waltz in during the middle of the spring class schedule. BUT, this isn’t about Elite.
So, TestMagic. I tried. I really did. Maybe the teaching styles didn’t work for me? Anyway, I agree with the other person on here who also wrote a 2-​star review. Plus, it kind of looked bad when one of the teachers was late for class and we were all just sitting around.
Two-​stars. Because they’re friendly and knowledgeable in OTHER ways. This is pretty nice already, considering I was about to give just one star.
Want more proof? I went to Elite after my one-​month stint at TestMagic and I actually improved my score. Weird.

I find the place great. Amazing service. Friendly staff. Nice location. Super asian (even the white guy knows chinese…), but look, its a tutoring center in frisco…
I was only there for SAT classes for a short time, but hey! I started with a 1320 on their practice test, and got a 1900… 580 difference. I’m quite satisfied.
Oh look! Other reviews. Whoa! A comedian! Judging from how you spent your time on the net copy/​pasting and dissin, you probably do not know how to budget your time. Maybe if you spent your time studying, instead of dissing people on the net, you wouldn’t have ended up at CCSF. (I don’t think its Ironic that I’m doing the same thing. I’m not the idiot who lost what? thousands?)
It’s a new revolution, lets start the E-​Trashing on Unilocal

OK… first off, review # 1, while perhaps funny to those who have managed to eke out and graduate Jr. High School… is, other than that, completely pointless. Review #2…well, I cannot say anything about it… too bad that person had a bad experience. Perhaps if his semantics dripped a bit less with vitriol, he could have given some sort of useful criticism…
I CAN say this about my daughter’s experience there: Excellent.
Erin and Co. are all really nice folks (although I admit, the Irving St location seemed a lot more friendly and together than the Richmond ‘hood location ~ particularly since, besides NOT returning my phone calls, then being very curt on the phone when I did reach them, the Richmond location quoted me the WRONG very high prices for the course). The Irving location was just the opposite. Very pleasant and courteous.
Basically, for the SAT prep course, we had a great experience. The study group was small, the teachers were able to give a lot of good one-​on-​one time… and my daughter’s scores jumped 400 points from her PSAT scores. This… in only a one week session during Spring break.
Also, they let her borrow some practice books to bring home and use… sort of a lending library.
Nice folks… great results… reasonably priced. 5 stars.

The owners are very friendly. Erin and Ivy. I think for topics like studying for the SAT its really up to the student and how bad the student wants it. You don’t just pay 3000 and your score magically improves. I think you have to do your part as well as the teachers do their part. The teachers can only relay information. I think this is a good place if you are ready to learn. If not then don’t waste your money.

i’ve known so many people including myself who came here but still ended up in CITY COLLEGE of San Francisco.
personally i thought that the teachers weren’t any good compared to San francisco unified school district. i felt like the place is more like a playground to babysit young teens. most people who come here were probably forced by their parents and are ASIAN. asian parents usually put there children in torture. i’ve stated that i didn’t learn anything from this place, but for some reason they always think that the price you pay (maximum $$$) will definitely help their child. the more you pay, the more ur parents are interested. bunch of lies. don’t come unless ur ready to waste some money to meet some people that will end up with you in city.
i must comment that the owners are really friendly and cool, but honestly i did not learn anything.
Edited — The review has been edited based on after thought.
Anyways, I still stand behind my comment about the actual learning experience. If I were you, just go to borders, buy couple SAT books and start reading and studying through that. Come here if you want some live in person teaching.
Once again, friendly place, friendly people, nice environment, it’s up to you if you want to come here.
This review was written purely based on my personal experience and my opinion of the place. Good Luck in your college career.

After a long day of school, why send your kids to tutoring place?
Well, would you rather them hanging around the streets and the wrong crowd?
Testmagic provides a place for kids not only to finish their homeworl, but a place to interact with their tutors.
Great place to work.
Staff and Owners are super friendly.
Its a learning atmosphere as well a place for kids to have good role-​models from their tutors.