01Why we're different
At More Than A Teacher, we do test prep differently than most of our competition. Why? Because our approach works: we see the highest final scores on college applications, and we don't take advantage of families just trying to do the best for their student. One of the most common business models in test prep is to sell parents on starting early - sometimes in 7th grade! - and keep families enrolled for years by locking them into long-term contracts.
We don't do that.
When it comes to test prep, the research is clear: starting earlier and doing more doesn't mean higher final scores. Our students see score increases about 50% higher than those of typical test prep companies, and we do it in weeks, not years, because our instructors aren't just good at taking the test, they're good at teaching it. Students taking our classes are getting strategy-first prep at the time they need it, not spending hours just working practice sections.
“Our scores are the highest they've ever been.”
02What we do
Our standard classes aren't extended commitments. The focus is on strategies that students can use on test day, and they work toward a specific test date.
The classes. In-person and virtual, instructor-led, and more than just practice problem sessions. In each of our classes, we help students recognize patterns in the test and the best ways to approach them. Our curriculum stays up-to-date with the test, and we shape it to changes in how the test works through ongoing research and revision. Students also get access to online resources, free optional tutorials, flexible scheduling and make-ups, real practice tests, and discounted one-on-one tutoring.
Our instructors. It's right there in the name. Our instructors are more than just teachers. A great test score isn't enough; they also have to communicate the strategy behind how the test works. Our instructors start with elite test scores and get significantly more training than other prep companies provide because they're not just reviewing practice problems with students, they're experts on the test.
Guaranteed results. We offer a real guarantee with no gotchas or pages of fine print. Our prep works, and we'll back it up with more than just words.
A real history. We're DFW's most trusted test prep for a reason. Since 2007, we've been the first choice of public and independent schools and districts around the metroplex. There's a reason so many of DFW's top schools recommend our program.
03...and what we don't do
We care about educating students and getting the largest score increases. If we thought starting early or doing a ton more prep was effective, we'd offer that. It doesn't, and so we don't.
When it comes to standardized testing, quality matters more than quantity, and the research proves it. Studies show that test-prep gains plateau after about 45 hours of prep - and that includes classes, homework, and practice tests - and a 2025 analysis reached the same conclusion. More is not more when it comes to test prep, and your student could be doing things with that time that actually make a difference in college admissions.
Unfortunately, there's a ton of misinformation about testing and test prep out there, and some companies take advantage of families trying to navigate the maze of admissions. We've got a long guide about test prep red flags, but here's what you'll never see from us:
FOMO marketing. If a test prep company is telling you that you need to sign up your student, now, before spots fill up and they have to go on a waitlist, they're more interested in your wallet than your student's score. The waitlist doesn't exist - it's just pressure marketing.
Multi-year contracts. We don't do contracts for families at all. Our prep works, our results are guaranteed, and the only reason these contracts exist is to make sure families can't look elsewhere for help.
A too-early start. If your student is in middle school or the first year of high school, they don't need prep. Really. By the time these students sit for an official SAT or ACT, the test format will likely have changed. Since 2016, the SAT has had two major overhauls to its format, including a conversion into a fully digital, adaptive test. The ACT changed its format and scoring in 2025. Beyond these structural changes, the test makers constantly tweak problem type balance and emphasis. There's no benefit to prepping for a test that won't exist by the time it actually counts.
Inflated score gains. Imagine a track-and-field program that guaranteed your student would be able to run much faster when they graduated high school than when they started it, then didn't provide any training at all. Will your student be faster at graduation? Probably! There's a lot of maturation that goes on during high school, and it's going to happen naturally. Some programs sell prep gains the same way: a student who hasn't seen the material is going to perform poorly on a baseline test in 9th grade, and after taking the test their junior year, they'll have shown a huge increase. Was it due to prep, or the years of school that were going to happen anyway?
Practice → Review → Repeat. Prep programs need to be more than just practice sessions. Students burn out, scores plateau early, and the only test that matters is the real one. Quality prep doesn't need hundreds of hours to be effective.
04Won't we be behind?
Nope. But it's understandable to think otherwise. If your freshman or sophomore is hearing about classmates already enrolled in multi-year prep programs, the pressure to "just get started" is real - after all, what could it hurt?
"Did the Most Test Prep" doesn't go on a college application, just the final score. Colleges don't care how much time you took to get it, so there's no sense in spending more time than required. Focused classes on top of the regular academic foundation provided by school coursework is all you need. Even if it seems like a good idea to do more, anyway, just to be safe, every hour your student spends on test prep is an hour they didn't spend doing something else: reading, practicing an instrument, studying for a class they're actually taking, or just being a kid. If that hour doesn't produce measurable results, it was an opportunity lost. Starting "late" isn't falling behind - it's just not wasting time.
Where should you be? Check out our test prep timeline page for more details. It's where we really think your student's focus should be each year, and it's probably very similar to what your school counselor recommends.
05Have questions?
If you're just starting out looking into test prep companies, that makes sense, and we're happy to lend a hand. Give us a call at (214) 295-8265 or email us at questions@dfwtestprep.com.
