Test Prep Chicago

Test Prep Chicago grew out of founder Charlie Howard’s tutoring work in 2011, when he started helping Chicago eighth graders get ready for high school entrance exams and decided to build a business around it instead of heading to business school. The company teaches group courses at sites around the city and online, plus one-on-one tutoring. Their programs cover the CPS PreACT 9 used for selective enrollment high schools, the academic center exam, private and parochial school tests, and the SAT and ACT, with summer enrichment for rising sixth and seventh graders.

What to know

• No storefront; courses meet at locations across Chicago and online.
• Students bring their own device for the Palooza practice test.
• Also offers individual tutoring and academic center exam prep.
• Mailing address is a PO box in ZIP 60640.