The Founding Story of Educo
The story behind Educo: why we left national brands to build a new standard for education
By
Daniel Kyong
Educo's team of experienced educators and SAT prep specialists are dedicated to guiding you through a personalized study plan.
Educo's Origin Story
Educo was started by Princeton graduates and test prep experts working at national tutoring brands. After years of first-hand exposure, we had seen enough to know something was deeply wrong.
We kept seeing the same pattern: families paying huge amounts of money, students not getting promised results, and little accountability being offered by the company in return. So much of the industry felt cold, transactional, and impersonal, like test prep was just a business model, not something that actually affected people’s lives.
Test Prep is More Than a Score
But we believed, and still believe, that test prep is a monumental part of a student’s learning career. For many, it’s the first time they’re shown, in literal numbers, how “smart” they are. And even though we know these tests don’t accurately gauge intelligence, these results carry a lot of weight — with colleges, with parents, and most importantly, with students themselves.
That can be really powerful. When students succeed, they carry that confidence into college and beyond. They feel proud of what they’ve accomplished and start their next chapter with momentum. But when students fall short, it chips away at their confidence. They enter college feeling unsure of themselves and their academic abilities. That’s how things like imposter syndrome start to take root.
What We're Building At Educo
We don’t think it has to be that way. We started Educo because we felt the test prep industry was failing to serve families in the way they deserve. Too many companies act like middlemen, connecting families with tutors before disappearing. Too many rely on outdated, impractical tools that hinder real, efficient score growth. And too many offer flashy guarantees, hiding behind fine print that makes refunds nearly impossible. At a certain point, it stops feeling like education and starts feeling like exploitation.
We wanted to offer something different. Something that felt fair, honest, and valuable.
Finally, A New Standard for Test Prep
Educo is about raising the standard of education. It’s about giving families the hospitality and support we’d want for our own siblings, our own kids, and our younger selves to have. Families deserve better: better tools, better learning systems, better people behind their tutoring teams. Our mission is to raise the bar — for quality, for transparency, and for outcomes.
We're excited about what we’re building. We know it won’t fix the education system overnight, but we do believe we can make a real difference in the lives of the students and families we work with.
Educo's Origin Story
Educo was started by Princeton graduates and test prep experts working at national tutoring brands. After years of first-hand exposure, we had seen enough to know something was deeply wrong.
We kept seeing the same pattern: families paying huge amounts of money, students not getting promised results, and little accountability being offered by the company in return. So much of the industry felt cold, transactional, and impersonal, like test prep was just a business model, not something that actually affected people’s lives.
Test Prep is More Than a Score
But we believed, and still believe, that test prep is a monumental part of a student’s learning career. For many, it’s the first time they’re shown, in literal numbers, how “smart” they are. And even though we know these tests don’t accurately gauge intelligence, these results carry a lot of weight — with colleges, with parents, and most importantly, with students themselves.
That can be really powerful. When students succeed, they carry that confidence into college and beyond. They feel proud of what they’ve accomplished and start their next chapter with momentum. But when students fall short, it chips away at their confidence. They enter college feeling unsure of themselves and their academic abilities. That’s how things like imposter syndrome start to take root.
What We're Building At Educo
We don’t think it has to be that way. We started Educo because we felt the test prep industry was failing to serve families in the way they deserve. Too many companies act like middlemen, connecting families with tutors before disappearing. Too many rely on outdated, impractical tools that hinder real, efficient score growth. And too many offer flashy guarantees, hiding behind fine print that makes refunds nearly impossible. At a certain point, it stops feeling like education and starts feeling like exploitation.
We wanted to offer something different. Something that felt fair, honest, and valuable.
Finally, A New Standard for Test Prep
Educo is about raising the standard of education. It’s about giving families the hospitality and support we’d want for our own siblings, our own kids, and our younger selves to have. Families deserve better: better tools, better learning systems, better people behind their tutoring teams. Our mission is to raise the bar — for quality, for transparency, and for outcomes.
We're excited about what we’re building. We know it won’t fix the education system overnight, but we do believe we can make a real difference in the lives of the students and families we work with.
Educo's Origin Story
Educo was started by Princeton graduates and test prep experts working at national tutoring brands. After years of first-hand exposure, we had seen enough to know something was deeply wrong.
We kept seeing the same pattern: families paying huge amounts of money, students not getting promised results, and little accountability being offered by the company in return. So much of the industry felt cold, transactional, and impersonal, like test prep was just a business model, not something that actually affected people’s lives.
Test Prep is More Than a Score
But we believed, and still believe, that test prep is a monumental part of a student’s learning career. For many, it’s the first time they’re shown, in literal numbers, how “smart” they are. And even though we know these tests don’t accurately gauge intelligence, these results carry a lot of weight — with colleges, with parents, and most importantly, with students themselves.
That can be really powerful. When students succeed, they carry that confidence into college and beyond. They feel proud of what they’ve accomplished and start their next chapter with momentum. But when students fall short, it chips away at their confidence. They enter college feeling unsure of themselves and their academic abilities. That’s how things like imposter syndrome start to take root.
What We're Building At Educo
We don’t think it has to be that way. We started Educo because we felt the test prep industry was failing to serve families in the way they deserve. Too many companies act like middlemen, connecting families with tutors before disappearing. Too many rely on outdated, impractical tools that hinder real, efficient score growth. And too many offer flashy guarantees, hiding behind fine print that makes refunds nearly impossible. At a certain point, it stops feeling like education and starts feeling like exploitation.
We wanted to offer something different. Something that felt fair, honest, and valuable.
Finally, A New Standard for Test Prep
Educo is about raising the standard of education. It’s about giving families the hospitality and support we’d want for our own siblings, our own kids, and our younger selves to have. Families deserve better: better tools, better learning systems, better people behind their tutoring teams. Our mission is to raise the bar — for quality, for transparency, and for outcomes.
We're excited about what we’re building. We know it won’t fix the education system overnight, but we do believe we can make a real difference in the lives of the students and families we work with.
Educo's Origin Story
Educo was started by Princeton graduates and test prep experts working at national tutoring brands. After years of first-hand exposure, we had seen enough to know something was deeply wrong.
We kept seeing the same pattern: families paying huge amounts of money, students not getting promised results, and little accountability being offered by the company in return. So much of the industry felt cold, transactional, and impersonal, like test prep was just a business model, not something that actually affected people’s lives.
Test Prep is More Than a Score
But we believed, and still believe, that test prep is a monumental part of a student’s learning career. For many, it’s the first time they’re shown, in literal numbers, how “smart” they are. And even though we know these tests don’t accurately gauge intelligence, these results carry a lot of weight — with colleges, with parents, and most importantly, with students themselves.
That can be really powerful. When students succeed, they carry that confidence into college and beyond. They feel proud of what they’ve accomplished and start their next chapter with momentum. But when students fall short, it chips away at their confidence. They enter college feeling unsure of themselves and their academic abilities. That’s how things like imposter syndrome start to take root.
What We're Building At Educo
We don’t think it has to be that way. We started Educo because we felt the test prep industry was failing to serve families in the way they deserve. Too many companies act like middlemen, connecting families with tutors before disappearing. Too many rely on outdated, impractical tools that hinder real, efficient score growth. And too many offer flashy guarantees, hiding behind fine print that makes refunds nearly impossible. At a certain point, it stops feeling like education and starts feeling like exploitation.
We wanted to offer something different. Something that felt fair, honest, and valuable.
Finally, A New Standard for Test Prep
Educo is about raising the standard of education. It’s about giving families the hospitality and support we’d want for our own siblings, our own kids, and our younger selves to have. Families deserve better: better tools, better learning systems, better people behind their tutoring teams. Our mission is to raise the bar — for quality, for transparency, and for outcomes.
We're excited about what we’re building. We know it won’t fix the education system overnight, but we do believe we can make a real difference in the lives of the students and families we work with.
Educo's Origin Story
Educo was started by Princeton graduates and test prep experts working at national tutoring brands. After years of first-hand exposure, we had seen enough to know something was deeply wrong.
We kept seeing the same pattern: families paying huge amounts of money, students not getting promised results, and little accountability being offered by the company in return. So much of the industry felt cold, transactional, and impersonal, like test prep was just a business model, not something that actually affected people’s lives.
Test Prep is More Than a Score
But we believed, and still believe, that test prep is a monumental part of a student’s learning career. For many, it’s the first time they’re shown, in literal numbers, how “smart” they are. And even though we know these tests don’t accurately gauge intelligence, these results carry a lot of weight — with colleges, with parents, and most importantly, with students themselves.
That can be really powerful. When students succeed, they carry that confidence into college and beyond. They feel proud of what they’ve accomplished and start their next chapter with momentum. But when students fall short, it chips away at their confidence. They enter college feeling unsure of themselves and their academic abilities. That’s how things like imposter syndrome start to take root.
What We're Building At Educo
We don’t think it has to be that way. We started Educo because we felt the test prep industry was failing to serve families in the way they deserve. Too many companies act like middlemen, connecting families with tutors before disappearing. Too many rely on outdated, impractical tools that hinder real, efficient score growth. And too many offer flashy guarantees, hiding behind fine print that makes refunds nearly impossible. At a certain point, it stops feeling like education and starts feeling like exploitation.
We wanted to offer something different. Something that felt fair, honest, and valuable.
Finally, A New Standard for Test Prep
Educo is about raising the standard of education. It’s about giving families the hospitality and support we’d want for our own siblings, our own kids, and our younger selves to have. Families deserve better: better tools, better learning systems, better people behind their tutoring teams. Our mission is to raise the bar — for quality, for transparency, and for outcomes.
We're excited about what we’re building. We know it won’t fix the education system overnight, but we do believe we can make a real difference in the lives of the students and families we work with.
About Educo
Educo is a results-driven academic mentorship firm specializing in Digital SAT, ACT, and college admissions strategy. We partner with ambitious students and families to build structured, personalized roadmaps that lead to meaningful score gains and competitive university placements.
Our method blends diagnostic precision, expert mentorship, and strategic planning — ensuring every student performs at their highest level.
Learn more
Share this article
Other Articles
