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"Josh Millet is not as interested in cutting paper as filling the page, particularly those little ovals that can cause nightmares for anyone taking a standardized test.
When he was at Harvard working on a doctorate in medieval and early modern French history, he and several friends taught free preparatory classes for the SAT to students who could not afford tutoring.
"That inspired the idea for a business. Mr. Millet said: ''With the rise of the Internet, the cost of delivering educational software was falling dramatically, so we decided to form a company devoted to making test-prep classes available to all students for free.''
"They created number2.com, named for the type of pencil required to darken those ovals.
Would-be test takers work through a series of online lessons, and they can include a parent or a mentor in the process so their progress is monitored. (Parents will brush up on their trigonometry, too.)
The lessons can be adapted to skill levels, and they are being upgraded to reflect changes in the SAT that will take effect in March.
"Online tutoring is available for Graduate Record Examinations and the ACT Assessment as well.
Mr. Millet said the lessons are free because the site is sponsored.
"''When I took the G.R.E., I looked around for test-prep resources and was shocked at how expensive they were,'' said Mr. Millet, who has yet to put his Ph.D. to use, now that he is president of the company.
''Traditional test-prep companies feed the testing anxiety.
We believe the system becomes a little more equitable when high-quality test-prep resources are made available to everyone.''"
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Discover why one student calls Number2.com, "...the most vaulable Web site I have ever found.
My scores were great thanks *entirely* to this site."
Named after the famous #2 pencil, this free resource links students to comprehensive SAT, ACT and GRE preparation resources, including a personal Web page to track their progress.
Plus, the better students do, the harder the questions get.
Detailed sample tests and financial aid tips are included.
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ON magazine lists Number2.com as number one in their top ten editor's picks of websites for their September print issue.
"High schoolers are often so busy they can hardly squeeze in the all-important SAT prep classes.
This site, named after the famed pencil, has the solution: access anytime to comprehensive prep resources, including a personal Web page to track progress."
Lesleigh Cushing, our Chief Information Architect, appeared in the B.U. Bridge discussing Number2.com.
"For students readying to take the GRE, spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on test prep services is increasingly considered a matter of course.
"But an Internet company co-owned by Lesleigh Cushing...wants to raise students' exam scores without testing their bank accounts.
Number2.com offers free prep for the SAT, the ACT, and the GRE, including a vocabulary builder and individualized tutorials that adapt to students' abilities.
More than 72,000 people have enrolled on Number2.com's Web site, which features over 1,000 multiple choice questions, since it was launched in its current form last September.
Professor Eric Loken, our Chief Operating Officer, appeared in U.S.A. Today discussing student performance on the SAT.
"Despite the market's huge size, the effectiveness of college-prep programs — especially in boosting SAT scores — isn't universally accepted.
The non-profit College Board, which oversees SAT exams, says a private study found that students tested before and after coaching improved their results.
But the gains were small: an average of 29 points on the verbal part of the exam (out of a possible 800) compared with an average 21-point gain for non-coached students who re-took the exam.
On the math part, also worth up to 800 points, coached students gained an average 40 points, vs. 22 points for non-coached students.
"Eric Loken, a professor at Penn State University, has researched the subject.
He says students who score poorly the first time tend to do better whether or not they are coached because they take the test more seriously the second time.
"Congratulations on your wonderful site: www.number2.com. You did a great job on this site. Well done! We really enjoyed taking the vocabulary preview.
This site will definitely appeal to our readers!
We are pleased to award your site the Busy Educator's Award.
We will feature your site in an upcoming newsletter."
The Journal features Number2.com as a special FYI site in their June issue.
"Number2.com, a source for free test preparation, is providing a free coaching system for teachers and parents to serve as mentors for students taking the SAT or ACT.
This service offers parents and teachers an alternative to high-priced test preparation.
The site offers tutorials and practice sessions with a coaching system that a mentor can use to monitor the progress of their student.
For more information, visit www.number2.com."
Education Planet has featured Number2.com as a top language arts site.
"How would you take an SAT test? With a Number 2 Pencil of course!!
This site offers a variety of resources to help students increase their test scores.
There is a vocabulary area with a vocabulary builder and "Word of Day" sections.
Additionally there are tutorial sections for both the SAT and the GRE along with sample tests and a college guide.
The test-taking strategies and tips are invaluable.
A coach can be linked by email to a student to follow progress and to provide additional encouragement."
We now have a transcript available for the interview of Josh Millet on KRLD radio in Dallas.
"The better you do on Number2's free SAT practice test, the harder the questions become.
And if you get an answer wrong, the site will tell you why.
It will also prep you on strategies for each section of the SAT and help you build your vocabulary."
"Congratulations! The Awesome Library editors have identified your site as one of the top 5% in the field of K-12 education.
I wish to thank you, on behalf of teachers, students, parents, and librarians everywhere, for making your carefully developed resource available."
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