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Getting to Know Us


Our founder was interviewed by Swellspeak, a national consulting and marketing firm. Here are the highlights from that conversation:

"Why did you start Pulido Prep?"

After 20 years in test preparation and education, I saw a need for a company that provides short and long term solutions to the challenges students face today. While I am very proud of the work I did prior to Pulido Prep, I also noticed the industry going in one direction and I wanted to go in another.

"Can you elaborate on what you mean by different directions?"

Sure. While the spirit of helping students was always the underlying theme, I started to hear louder voices discussing terms like profitability, gross margins and forecasting. I wanted to be part of a movement that remained committed to education, students and future making. Hence, I started this company. I also didn't want to compromise especially in ways that can negatively affect customers; for example I'd rather tell someone we don't have an available tutor rather than assign an instructor who may not be the best of who we've got."

"How is Pulido Prep different?"

Our lessons and our teachers. Look, every company can claim it's the best and frankly, that claim is almost impossible to prove or disprove. We're saying we're different. For example, I don't hire brand new instructors. You MUST have formal teaching experience before you can even land an interview with us. Yes, you might be a great, young teacher but nevertheless we need you to gain that experience first. There are no rookies in Pulido Prep. Another differentiator is our "Rapid Smarts" program. Traditionally, test preparation companies teach the most efficient ways to attack these exams mostly because there isn't enough time. You've got Juniors or Seniors in high school who call and say they've got 4 weeks before the tests. That's pressure (to be efficient). Other academies try to bore experience and information into your skull by simply giving you test after test after test. But we take the time to actually teach students how to THINK on these exams. Ever wonder how a 99th percentile kid actually looks at and processes the hardest problems? We'll show you.

"Can you talk more about Rapid Smarts?"

Of course. The basic premise is that we believe learning anything new makes you better at everything, particularly all things related to academics and testing. So we might have a lesson based on Forensic Science and how detectives might investigate a crime scene for clues.

"OK, I have to ask. What does that have to do with testing?"

On the surface, you might think nothing. But here are a few of the long-term benefits of that lesson. Finding clues to answer complicated word problems in Math or camouflaged passages in Science is very similar to the skills necessary to navigate forensics. In the same vein, aspects of that same lesson might fit in nicely with a future topic on essay writing. Finally, an active and engaged student who listens intently to a completely new and different lesson on that day will be better equipped to listen and learn a traditional test preparation strategy on another day.

"Wow that DOES sound different and innovative."

Well we'd like to think so. What I'm channeling are my favorite learning moments from a lifetime in education. The teachers who cared enough to show the most creativity and innovation in their lessons not only taught me things that I will never forget, they also motivated me to attend class every day and to listen when the lectures had to be more traditional. It got me involved. And that's what we are trying to accomplish.

"Any last thoughts?"

We'd like to remind anyone who may be stressing about this process that help is available, both in free and paid formats. If you have any questions, please contact us. We love educating people regardless of how they choose to prepare. Thank you.

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