Prepskills

What Prepskills does

Prepskills Inc. is a Toronto-based, privately held educational services company founded in 2002 by Joanna Severino that provides standardized test preparation and admissions consulting for Canadian families seeking entry into competitive private schools and U.S. colleges and universities. Its core offerings span SSAT, SAT, ACT, ISEE, CAT, PSAT, and AP preparation, layered with private school and U.S. college admissions consulting, and wrapped in proprietary programs including the PrepElite™ Admissions Strategy System, PrepEssentials™ EQ development program (Grades 4–8), Kindred Spirits Enrichment (Pre-K to Grade 3), and the COMPUTEST™ online diagnostic suite. Delivery is multi-format: in-person group classes in the Greater Toronto Area, in-home 1:1 tutoring, real-time online instruction via EPREPSKILLS™, and bundled packages (PrepPrivateSchool™, PrepUSCollege™, PrepElite Athlete Program) priced between approximately CAD $6,000 and $8,000.

The business model is predominantly transactional one-time fees rather than subscriptions. Pricing is in Canadian dollars (HST additional) with no refunds, no installment plans, and no subscription mechanics. Go-to-market is sales-led, combining a website e-commerce storefront, phone-based consultative intake (416-200-7728; 1-866-973-PREP), Calendly-driven strategy calls, school-based seminars at 80+ partner institutions, the annual US College Expo event, an ambassador/referral program, and earned media coverage in major Canadian outlets. The customer base is highly fragmented B2C (individual families) and the company is entirely bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, no M&A activity, and no parent company. Headcount is 101–250 employees, all operating from the single Toronto headquarters at 2657 Yonge Street.

Underlying technology is conventional test-prep infrastructure rather than a software platform: proprietary curriculum, practice materials, and a computerized diagnostic engine with automated scoring. The company's central claim to differentiation is two decades of operating history, 20,000+ admitted students, 10,000+ school relationships, founder-led strategy sessions, and a trademarked brand portfolio — substantively a content, brand, and distribution play rather than a technology or AI play.

Name

Prepskills

Legal name

Prepskills Inc.

Website

https://prepskills.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Prepskills is a Toronto-based, founder-led educational consultancy founded in 2002 that provides SSAT, SAT, ACT, and other standardized test preparation alongside private school and U.S. college admissions consulting for Canadian families, delivered through in-person, in-home, and online channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Test Preparation and Admissions Consulting Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Test Prep Learning Centers (SAT/ACT, AP/IB, State Exams) (EDANAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Readiness & Admissions Prep Centers (Small-Group Workshops) (EDANAHAI), Test Prep Tutoring Platforms (SAT/ACT/GRE/GMAT, etc.) (EDANAGAH), Certification & Exam Prep eLearning Modules (EDAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Test preparation services
• Admissions consulting
• Private school admissions
• College admissions consulting
• SSAT SAT prep

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Test Preparation Courses: One-time course fees for SSAT, SAT, ACT, ISEE, CAT preparation programs offered in group class, in-home private, or online formats. Revenue generated per course enrollment with varying price points based on delivery format and intensity level.
2. Admissions Consulting Services: Private consulting sessions for private school and U.S. college admissions, with packages ranging from 2 to 10 hours. Includes strategy sessions with expert consultants.
3. Diagnostic and Practice Products: Sale of COMPUTEST™ online diagnostics, practice test booklets, and simulated test services. One-time fees for assessment tools and preparation materials.
4. Workshops and Events: Revenue from workshops including UTS Stage 2 Workshop, Résumé/Application/Interview Workshop, and event registrations including US College Expo.
5. Educational Publications: Sale of the U.S. Admissions Guide guidebook targeting Canadian students applying to American universities. Includes 12th edition with comprehensive admissions information.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Prepskills provides standardized test preparation courses (SSAT, SAT, ACT, ISEE, CAT, PSAT, AP) and admissions consulting services for Canadian families applying to competitive private schools and U.S. universities. Offerings include in-person group classes, in-home 1:1 tutoring, real-time online instruction, proprietary COMPUTEST diagnostics, and bundled admissions strategy packages such as PrepPrivateSchool and PrepUSCollege led by founder Joanna Severino.

Product overview

Prepskills is an educational services company offering a comprehensive portfolio of test preparation and admissions consulting products. The core offerings include SSAT Prep, SAT Prep, and ACT Prep courses for private school and U.S. college admissions. The flagship platform is PrepElite Admissions Strategy System, which combines admissions diagnostics, structured test preparation, school targeting strategy, application positioning, and strategic advisory support. Supporting programs include PrepEssentials (emotional intelligence enrichment for grades 4-8), Kindred Spirits Enrichment (early childhood program Pre-K to Grade 3), and specialized offerings such as ISEE Prep, PSAT Prep, CAT Prep, AP Subject Tests, and IB Admissions Test services. The company also offers bundled packages including PrepPrivateSchool and PrepUSCollege, as well as specialized programs like the PrepElite Athlete Program and UTS Stage 2 Workshop. Diagnostic tools include proprietary COMPUTEST online assessments for SSAT and SAT. The company operates primarily in Canada (Ontario) serving students applying to leading private schools and U.S. universities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PrepElite™: Premium admissions strategy system for families applying to competitive private schools and U.S. universities.
• PrepEssentials™
• PrepPrivateSchool™
• PrepUSCollege™
• PrepElite Athlete Program
• COMPUTEST™
• Kindred Spirits Enrichment
• PREPJUNIOR™
• US College Expo

Products and services

• SSAT Prep Standardized test preparation for the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT), used for private and independent school admissions. Offered in group class, private in-home, or online formats.
• SAT Prep Comprehensive SAT preparation for students in grades 9-12 applying to U.S. colleges and universities, available as group class, private in-home, or online real-time instruction.
• ACT Prep American College Test preparation for students applying to U.S. colleges, covering English, mathematics, reading, science reasoning, and optional writing sections.
• ISEE Prep Independent School Entrance Examination preparation for grades 4-11, covering verbal, quantitative, reading comprehension, and mathematics achievement sections.
• PSAT Prep Preliminary SAT preparation course for sophomore and junior year students, providing practice for the official SAT.
• CAT Prep Canadian Achievement Test preparation for private school admissions, covering reading, language, spelling, writing, vocabulary, and mathematics skills for grades 1-8.
• AP Subject Tests Prep Preparation for AP Subject Tests demonstrating mastery in specific subjects including English, history, mathematics, science, and foreign languages.
• PrepElite Admissions Strategy System Premium admissions strategy system combining admissions diagnostics, structured test preparation, school targeting strategy, application positioning, and strategic advisory support for competitive private school and U.S. university applications.
• PrepEssentials EQ Development Program Emotional intelligence and essential academic skills enrichment program for grades 4-8, including PREPThink, PREPWrite, PREPSpeak, and PREPLEADER courses.
• Kindred Spirits Enrichment Early childhood enrichment program for Pre-K to Grade 3, featuring cross-curricular transformational growth activities to nurture love of learning.
• Private School Consulting Personalized strategic educational advisory for private and boarding school admissions, led by Founder and President Joanna Severino with over 25 years of experience.
• U.S. College Consulting Advisory services navigating the complex U.S. college admissions process, including application guidance, school selection, and scholarship information for Canadian students.
• PrepPrivateSchool Complete Package Comprehensive private school admissions bundle including SSAT Prep Plus, PrepEssentials, group and private strategy sessions with Founder Joanna Severino, practice test bundles, and VIP access to in-person events.
• PrepUSCollege Complete Package Comprehensive U.S. college admissions package combining SAT class preparation with 10 hours of private consulting with expert US college admissions consultants.
• PrepElite Athlete Program Specialized program for elite student athletes preparing for U.S. college recruitment, combining SAT/ACT preparation with admissions and recruiting process guidance.
• UTS Stage 2 Workshop Hybrid in-person and virtual workshop preparing students for University of Toronto Schools Stage 2 admissions, including Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) simulations, group tasks, and tips from UTS alumni.
• Résumé, Application & Interview Workshop Three-hour skill development workshop increasing confidence through interactive activities to help students discover unique characteristics for private school applications and interviews.
• SSAT COMPUTEST Online Diagnostic Proprietary online computerized diagnostic test mimicking the SSAT format, providing instant scoring feedback and detailed progress reports for middle and upper level students.
• SAT COMPUTEST Online Diagnostic Full-length online SAT diagnostic mimicking the official SAT experience, providing score predictions on a 600-1600 scale and detailed skills breakdowns in reading, writing, and mathematics.
• 1600 Level SAT Prep Advanced private in-home SAT preparation targeting upper-end exam questions for students aiming for perfect or near-perfect scores.
• U.S. Admissions Guide 12th Edition Comprehensive guidebook targeting Canadian students applying to U.S. universities, covering admissions standards, application modes including Common App, scholarships, and funding structures.
• SSAT Simulated Test Full-length SSAT simulation under real test conditions to relieve test anxiety and increase confidence, with individualized feedback and computer-generated scoring report.
• Practice SSAT Tests Full-length SSAT practice tests with Math and Verbal Practice books providing additional preparation for official exams, available in Middle and Upper level formats.
• In-Home One-on-One Sessions Private personalized tutoring sessions for individual testing plans, makeup classes, or additional academic objectives, available to enrolled students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12% - 25% increase in test scores for students completing SAT preparation programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• PrepScholar: Online adaptive test prep platform offering SAT, ACT, and GRE prep with personalized study plans. Comparable as a SAT prep provider but emphasizes self-serve/PLG digital delivery in contrast to Prepskills' instructor-led model.

Direct peers

• Collegewise: Admissions counseling and test prep provider focused on U.S. college applications. Comparable to Prepskills' U.S. College Consulting and PrepUSCollege™ bundles in terms of target customer (high school students applying to U.S. colleges) and consulting-led model.
• Revolution Prep: Online and in-person SAT, ACT, and PSAT prep provider with 1:1 tutoring and small-group classes. Closely comparable to Prepskills on product (standardized test prep), delivery formats (online and in-home), and customer segment (college-bound high schoolers).
• Marks Education: Test prep and admissions consulting firm offering SAT, ACT, and subject test prep plus private school and college admissions advising. Directly comparable to Prepskills' high-touch, consulting-led admissions strategy model.
• The Princeton Review: U.S.-headquartered test preparation company offering SAT, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE prep plus admissions tutoring. Highly comparable to Prepskills in product mix (standardized test prep) and customer base (high school students targeting competitive U.S. colleges and private schools).
• Crimson Education: Global admissions consulting firm offering holistic U.S./U.K. college admissions strategy and tutoring. Highly comparable to Prepskills' PrepUSCollege™ and PrepElite™ strategy offerings, particularly for Canadian students applying to U.S. universities.
• Ivy Global: Test prep and admissions consulting company offering SSAT, SAT, ACT prep plus admissions strategy services. Direct overlap with Prepskills' SSAT and SAT prep product lines and private-school admissions consulting.
• Manhattan Prep: Test preparation provider specializing in GMAT, GRE, LSAT, and SAT prep with in-person and online delivery. Comparable to Prepskills in standardized test prep methodology and small-group instruction format, particularly for college-bound students.

Regional players

• TutorBright: Canadian in-home and online tutoring company based in Toronto. Comparable to Prepskills as a GTA-based tutoring provider, although TutorBright focuses more broadly on K–12 academics rather than admissions-specific test prep.

Broad incumbents

• Kaplan Test Prep: Large incumbent offering SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT prep alongside broader education and professional training. Overlaps with Prepskills on SAT/ACT prep but serves a much wider portfolio of exams and student segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/prepskills
• Facebookfacebook.com/prepskills
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prepskills-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prepskills