Our Approach
We are a team of teachers, college planners, and tutors who will add our expertise to your family. We make sure that each meeting is full of energy, and we help our students set achievable goals on their road to success.
Our Story
Ultimate Test Prep was founded on the principles of student success, strong foundations, and family savings. We have helped many families achieve scholarships that were not available before. We can make a difference! We have experienced that your investment will pay for itself many times over! Our Class of 2022 students received on average $200,000 in scholarships, including those who matriculated at Ivy League schools!
Our Team
Winni van Gessel
Founder, Test-Prep Instructor, and College Planner
Winni studied instructional design at the University of Kentucky. He applied his skills in numerous classroom programs and then focused on the ACT when he experienced how important this test score was when his daughters applied to college. Ever since, he has made analyzing and teaching standardized tests, including the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, and LSAT, to any willing student his life's work. Winni is the author of the book Analyze Your ACT.
As a past Montessori teacher, curriculum director, and high-school counselor, Winni knows how to guide, motivate, and support students on their way to college. After 10 years full time on the job, he elevates essays, provides clarity in college lists, and adds additional scholarships, while helping students set achievable goals to avoid stress and last-minute work.
Winni's Schedule
Matt Vassil
CEO and Test-Prep Instructor
Matt studied at St. Louis University where he tutored countless individuals in various types of standardized testing. For the past 4 years, Matt has taught and written ACT, SAT, and PSAT curriculum full-time at Ultimate Test Prep. He develops new instructional material on a weekly basis and individualizes his approach for every student. He has been an important contributor to the continued revisions of our curriculum, Analyze Your ACT. As a result, students love Matt's feedback, his patience, and his insights, and the results speak for themselves.
Matt's competitiveness in sports helps him to stay focused on the goals of his students as well. His college advice is targeted, his feedback on essays is detailed and insightful, and his positive demeanor helps students reach that next goal on their way to college.
Matt's Schedule
Niki Ledford
College Planner
Niki is a graduate of The University of Cincinnati where she counseled students as an Academic Advisor and led the Summer Orientation program for incoming freshman. Niki also holds Masters in Community Counseling from Eastern Kentucky University.
Niki is dedicated to helping young adults in their crucial life transition period. She has taught life, personal growth, and development skills for over six years. Niki utilizes her communication and leadership expertise in her college planning; she focuses on the unique details of each student to assist them in identifying and highlighting their goals, as well as to provide resources and information to help families make informed decisions.
Niki is the proud mother of two teenagers herself. She understands how GPA, activities, test scores, essays, and deadlines are all crucial elements during four years of the road to college.
Niki's Schedule
Beth Lyons
Test-Prep Instructor
Currently teaching ACT and SAT curriculum at Ultimate Test Prep, Beth studied biology and education at the University of Kentucky and, while there, taught microbiology and biology labs, chemistry recitations, and piano and clarinet lessons. Since then, Beth has taught high school biology, earth & space science, and anatomy & physiology.
Beth knows how to mentor students on their way to college and is analytical and excited to help. As an educator, Beth is creative and enjoys finding ways to personalize lessons for students, so the skills stick; past students have praised both the competency of instruction and the climate of each class. Beth founded a peer-tutoring program as a teenager and takes pride in really getting to know students and helping them identify and achieve their personal goals.
Pronouns: She / They
bethlyons@ultimatetestprep.com