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 About Us

The ScoreBuilder Test Prep Difference

 
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 Everyone Works with an Expert Tutor

When it comes to test prep, the most important thing is the person working with you. At ScoreBuilder Test Prep, we are a team of two master tutors, perfect SAT & ACT scorers, and brothers: Matthew Stroup and Michael Stroup. Together, we have over 14,500 hours and 14 years of SAT & ACT tutoring experience and have helped over 1,200 students achieve success on the SAT & ACT. We are full-time test prep professionals and the authors of the PrepPros Guide to SAT Math, our first of many SAT & ACT Books that we plan to publish. We have only one goal: to offer the best SAT and ACT Prep out there. We know the SAT & ACT inside and out and know what it takes for students to achieve top scores.

We fully believe that test prep and academic tutoring should be customized to each student for the best results. Since 2014, ScoreBuilder Test Prep has been committed to this founding principle through our test preparation and academic tutoring services. We serve students remotely and in-person in North County San Diego, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, and the surrounding communities and meet with students from the rest of San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, San Francisco and anywhere else in the world remotely.

Matthew & Michael

Expert Tutors, Perfect SAT & ACT Scorers, Brothers

When you sign up with ScoreBuilder Test Prep, you will be working with one of us directly. You are getting a true expert! You cannot get that guarantee anywhere else. Rather than hiring and training a bunch of recent college graduates and charging high hourly rates for inexperienced tutors like many of our competitors, we have spent our time writing books, filming on-demand courses, and improving our materials to allow us to accommodate more students. All of these resources create a better learning experience for our students. Additionally, they provide great lower budget options for families who do not want to invest in private tutoring but still want access to expert tutors.

Great SAT and ACT scores can completely change a child’s future. Not only do great scores help students gain admissions to the college of their dreams, but they can also qualify students for tens of thousands of dollars in academic scholarships. In addition, test prep, when done right, builds a student’s confidence and study skills in topics well beyond the SAT and ACT. As students see their test scores increase with hard work, they feel more confident about their academic abilities in the classroom as well.

Until now, elite SAT & ACT Test Prep has only been an option for those who can afford to spend thousands of dollars on private tutors or sign up for expensive group classes. We are here to change that. We believe that everyone deserves access to world-class SAT and ACT Prep at any budget. You should not have to spend a fortune to get great SAT and ACT scores, and you should not be penalized if you cannot afford expensive SAT and ACT Prep options. With recorded video explanations of full practice tests, on-demand prep courses, live classes, and private tutoring, we have something for everyone and every budget. Everything we offer is the highest quality test prep taught by true experts. You cannot find a better deal in SAT or ACT prep!

 

Matthew Stroup

Founder + Expert Tutor

Matthew Stroup is a perfect SAT & ACT scorer with 9 years and over 8,500 hours of 1-on-1 and and group tutoring experience. Matthew prides himself on delivering exceptional results and providing world-class SAT & ACT instruction.  He believes that anyone can succeed on the SAT & ACT given the right instruction, guidance, and study plan and pushes his students who achieve to their fullest potentials. Matthew knows the key to success on test day is being as prepared as possible. This involves learning all of the content tested and understanding how to use the patterns of the test to your advantage. This knowledge, when combined with structured studying and repeated practice SATs or ACTs, allows students to go into test day confident and ready to achieve top scores.

Matthew began tutoring professionally in his of hometown Washington, D.C. in 2012 while pursuing dual degrees in Biology and Economics at Johns Hopkins University and a Masters in Biotechnology at Georgetown University. Before long, he fell in love with sharing his passion for learning with his students and decided to dedicate himself full-time to SAT & ACT Prep and academic tutoring. After moving to sunny San Diego in 2014, he founded ScoreBuilder Test Prep, a test prep and academic tutoring company servicing students across North County San Diego. Since then, he has helped over 1,000 students across San Diego and beyond achieve success on the SAT and ACT and in the classroom. Matthew is the instructor for the 30+ ACT Class and, as an admitted math and science nerd, does most of the majority of math and science tutoring as well.

As the popularity of ScoreBuilder Test Prep grew across San Diego and beyond, Matthew and his brother and business partner Michael Stroup found themselves limited by hours in their schedules and wanted to find a way to help tutor more students and students who could not afford private tutoring or group classes. In 2021, they founded PrepPros, their online-only SAT & ACT Prep business that offer both live and on-demand test prep courses. Matthew is excited to be bring his SAT & ACT expertise to the world through recorded on-demand courses and test-explanations and live private tutoring and group courses that can be accessed from anywhere. Matthew is the instructor for all of PrepPros recorded ACT content.

Matthew co-authored the PrepPros Complete Guide to SAT Math and is currently working on the soon-to-be-published PrepPros Complete Guide to ACT Math.

In his free time, Matthew loves to stay active and can probably be found at the beach surfing, scuba diving, or spearfishing or in the mountains hiking.  He also enjoys traveling the world (35 countries so far!), listening to audiobooks, and making homemade ice cream.  

Michael Stroup

Expert Tutor

Michael Stroup is a perfect SAT & ACT scorer with 7 years and over 6,000 hours of 1-on-1 and and group tutoring experience. His friendly, laid-back style makes tutoring sessions enjoyable for his students.  But do not be fooled; he will not let his students get away with not putting in the time and effort necessary to achieve to their fullest potentials.  Michael knows that the keys to success on the ACT and SAT are to be comfortable and confident on test day.  This requires not only being familiar with the concepts featured on the test but also understanding the proper test-taking strategies and techniques.  Michael works to fine-tune each student's techniques and knowledge of the test, so his students are able to achieve the best possible scores on test day.

Born and raised in Washington D.C., Michael attended Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, where he graduated with a degree in Marketing and Entrepreneurship.  During his time at Georgetown, Michael founded a successful on-campus startup that created locally focused apparel.  He was also actively involved in peer-to-peer tutoring, helping other students with finance, marketing, and economics.  In 2015, Michael decided to move to San Diego and join ScoreBuilder Test Prep as the second full-time tutor. With an unmatched dedication to his craft and his students, Michael quickly became an expert SAT & ACT tutor and very popular among students and parents alike. Michael is the instructor for the 1400+ SAT Course and helps students in math and english courses as well. He is also the instructor for all of PrepPros recorded SAT content.

​Michael co-authored the PrepPros Complete Guide to SAT Math and is currently working on the soon-to-be-published PrepPros Complete Guide to ACT Math.

In his free time, you can find Michael at the beach, usually riding a bright yellow longboard, or reading a good book.  He also enjoys golfing, hiking, traveling, listening to podcasts, and taking on complex recipes (sourdough, ramen, and 72-hour pizza dough to name a few).

 
 

What Students And Parents Are Saying

Testimonials

“I can’t say enough about Matt. He has tutored both of our sons, and we are astounded with their ACT scores. Our oldest son scored a 34 and our younger son just scored a 35. I have personally referred Matt to countless friends and everyone has been pleased with his commitment to his students and his ability to get them to their full potential. I cannot recommend Matt strongly enough!” – Jennifer L.

“Sometimes you think twelve times before spending additional funds on top of what "we" already have to spend for survival, sports and life. ScoreBuilder Test Prep is an absolute, no questions, no issues, 100% yes. Excellent support, communication, knowledge with the ability for common sense and personal input. Priceless. Believe in the system. It does work. Michael Stroup is great!” - Sandra N.

“I had an amazing experience working with Matt in the 30+ ACT Class. Prior to the class, I struggled to get above 27 in most sections. I am proud to say that my composite score increased by 5 points, and I was able to score a perfect 36 in both Math and Science. This class truly does offer many benefits and proved a game changer going into college admissions. Definitely recommend the 30+ ACT Class to anyone looking to increase their ACT score!” - Ryan M.

“I took the 1400+ SAT Class with Mike and definitely credit the class with my success on test day. My score went from the upper 1300s on practice tests to the mid 1500s on the real SAT! The class was a combination of strategy, test practice, and review of material that may not have been covered in school. Mike also kept the class fun, so I really enjoyed the SAT class each week.” - Dylan M.

“I highly recommend Matt and ScoreBuilder Test Prep. Beyond knowing test content and strategies, Matt was really easy to work with and schedule, quickly assessed my son’s strengths and areas to work on, and made efficient use of his time and my son’s at each session and with homework. It’s also not a cookie-cutter approach…I went in thinking my son would take the SAT and instead Matt dug deeper into my son’s sample test scores and recommended that he take the ACT. We’re grateful for Matt’s wise advice, as my son improve his ACT score by 6 points and is happy to have his standardized testing behind him after one sitting!” - Joyce R.

“If we could give Mike 10 stars, we would! He was fantastic! With Mike’s help, our daughter improved her test-taking skills dramatically and gained the confidence she needed to make significant improvements each week. Mike was very professional, prompt, and used every minute with our daughter to maximize her results. We could not be any happier with the value that Mike provided!” - Cassandra L.

"Michael Stroup was the perfect SAT tutor for my daughter who actually looked forward to her SAT tutoring sessions (who does that?). Michael was kind, funny, and was able to speak to her in a way that really resonated. I am so grateful that we found ScoreBuilder. I can't imagine my daughter having close to the amount of success with anyone else. Having individualized, 1:1 training is definitely worth the investment and ScoreBuilder Test Prep is by far the best SAT tutoring out there!” - Michelle W.

“My son’s SAT score dramatically improved (over 250 points), his confidence soared and, going forward, he has a confidant he can turn to for any academic situation. We were just lucky to find Matt, whose calm and reassuring demeanor went a long way. Our younger child is on deck.” - Thomas F.

“Matt was an amazing tutor for my son and helped him score a 35 on his first ACT! The tutoring sessions are organized and extremely productive. Matt takes time to go over topics that are causing students difficulty and focused in on exactly what my son needed help with. Matt was an invaluable resource, and I will use him again when my other children need ACT/SAT tutoring.” - Savannah P.

“I had a fantastic experience with Mike in the 1400+ SAT Class. Before the class, my SAT score was stuck around 1300. I just got my score back after taking the class and got a 1480! Mike taught me so much content that other SAT tutors and school never did and also gave me great tips to help understand the SAT so much better. Highly recommend!” - Peter Q.

“My son worked with Mike and had an excellent experience. Mike knows the material inside and out and knows how to help the student. His instruction is most helpful, very much to the point and my son's scores improved dramatically. Mike was a pleasure to work with, always on time and very professional and friendly. My son enjoyed working with him very much. Thank you Mike!” - Brianna P.

“Matt helped my son raised his SAT score 200 points through private tutoring sessions. Matt was great at knowing his strengths and weaknesses and customizing a plan to increase his score. He help him with time management strategies and taught him how to approach various questions by looking for key facts, words and phrases, and applying rules. He was able to compensate for his average English skills by getting an almost perfect math score. This is not a one size fits all tutoring program. We are so happy with his SAT score and highly recommend.”- Tina C.

My son took the 1400+ SAT Class in the fall. He felt it helped him a lot and that was reflected in his SAT score: he went from upper 1400s on practice tests to mid-1500s on the actual test. Thanks Mike and ScoreBuilder Test Prep! - Sylvia W.

“As a working Mom, finding great ACT Prep is very challenging. I signed up my daughter for the 30+ ACT Class and was thrilled with the results. After taking the class, she got a 32, higher than all of her practice test scores. The 30+ ACT Class made my daughter score even higher than her goal. There’s no need to pay more money for private tutoring or longer classes if Matt can give our kids their dream ACT scores.” - Linda S.

“Now that the college admissions process is coming to a close, I am reflecting on the support that was most beneficial. Mike helped my son achieve a near perfect SAT scores. His temperament and expertise helped immensely. My son was motivated to do the preparation work for the sessions and felt more confident after each session. I highly recommend ScoreBuilder!” - Julia C.

“After my son got a 25 on his first ACT, I enrolled him in the 30+ ACT Class. The class is very thorough and covers everything you need to know to improve your ACT scores. With the class and homework, he improved his practice test scores by at least 1-point each week. After the 30+ ACT Class and a few private tutoring sessions with Matt, he scored a 33! This score is going to help so much with scholarship opportunities! We are a large family with modest means; having said that, this was money well spent.” - Kelly A.

“Mike did a great job with out daughter. In just 6 weeks, he was able to help her learn the skills to boost her SAT score 160 points! He was patient and supportive, which helped reduce her anxiety. She is thrilled to get into her first choice college and get the needed scholarship money.” - Devon S.

“Matt was an amazing tutor for my son and helped him score a 35 on his first ACT! The tutoring sessions are organized and extremely productive. Matt takes time to go over topics that are causing students difficulty and focused in on exactly what my son needed help with. Matt was an invaluable resource, and I will use him again when my other children need ACT/SAT tutoring.” - Savannah P.

“My son had a 27 on the ACT when he started with Michael Stroup. We just got his most recent test scores and he is up to a 32! Michael is great! He is very personable and he offer flexible scheduling, even on Sundays. Thank you!!” - Tammie S.

'“Matt Stroup was an excellent tutor for my daughter. She raised her score 8 points from her pre-tutoring practice test to her actual score on the ACT. Matt always came in with a plan and the hour was well spent. I highly recommend Matt and ScoreBuilder Test Prep!” - Gwen S.

“After a poor first result on her ACT, we hired Mike to help our daughter increase her scores. We are extremely pleased with the improvement that ScoreBuilder Test Prep helped her achieve on her test scores! They helped her get into a top private school for her college experience. Michael came up with a plan and was on time and very easy to work with. Highly recommend this company. Wish we had started before the first exam!” - Tim M.

“Matt has helped all three of my children move their scores from 2 - 5 points on the ACT. Those of you reading this review who have already started down the college path KNOW how significant even ONE point can be. Somewhere I am sure there exists a dollar spent/point raised matrix - if Matt was part of this study, he would be at the apex of the curve. If you are looking for concise, value-added test prep look no further than Matt and the ScoreBuilder Test Prep business.” - Dominique B.

“Matt was a wonderful resource. He listened to my son about his strengths and weaknesses and then used his practice tests scores to gain insights on how to improve - not formulaic at all. He was patient, encouraging, and honest with his communication about performance and progress. Matt got my son to perfect and near perfect SAT scores in less than 5 months. We are so impressed with his demeanor and teaching style.” - Sandra W.

“Matt was a wonderful resource. He listened to my son about his strengths and weaknesses and then used his practice tests scores to gain insights on how to improve - not formulaic at all. He was patient, encouraging, and honest with his communication about performance and progress. Matt got my son to perfect and near perfect SAT scores in less than 5 months. We are so impressed with his demeanor and teaching style.” - Sandra W.

“Mike was absolutely phenomenal with my daughter. He was very good at explaining and simplifying the ACT. I could see my daughter’s confidence growing with every practice test. From her initial diagnostic to her second ACT, her score increased by 6 points. The most dramatic gain, however, was in the science, which jumped a whopping 11 points!” - Rich B.

“Our child’s score increased by 3 points to a 34 after expert tutoring with Matt! Matt was professional and great to work with. He was able to adapt to our child’s learning style. His study methods and lessons were extremely effective, and we are thrilled that our daughter is one-and-done with the ACT! Hard work and dedication by the student under the guidance of ScoreBuilder Test Prep is for sure a proven way to prepare for the ACT” - Stacey L.

“We had an exceptional experience with Matt. Our son had an ACT goal, and Matt helped him exceed his goal. The improvement in our son’s score has opened up doors for him and turned a few reach schools into match schools. Just a great experience and great results!” - Min Y.

“Mike was awesome! Very accommodating and easy to schedule with. He worked with me to prepare for the ACT exam, and his help made all of the difference in my score!” - Hillary S.

“Matt is amazing! My daughter is dyslexic and standardized testing has never been her strength. In addition to reviewing content (which he knows inside and out) and providing materials, his strategies for approaching the ACT helped her bump her score a significant 4 points. He’s friendly and his teaching style put her at ease during tutoring sessions. We will hire him again when our son is ready. Highly recommend!” - Jennifer D.

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