WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Back in high school, Tam Ly scored an exceptionally rare 99 percentile on his SATs, which makes him uniquely qualified to teach others how to ace the test.

Ly isn't in school anymore, but he still remembers what it was like to be on the other side of the desk.

"I was always a good test-taker, so I thought this was a good route to go," Ly said.

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Good to say the least. Ly scored in the top one percent on his SATs and after graduating from University of California Los Angeles with a degree in Biology, he decided to make test prep his career.  He now runs "Ace It Test Prep and Tutoring" in Woodland Hills.

"I came from a lower income family, and I spent a lot of time studying.  A lot of different families can do that too, right?  I think tutoring is just a great way of helping," Ly said.

His company offers one-on-one tutoring that ranges from $60-$200 per hour depending on the tutor’s experience.  Ly says most kids sign up for five lessons per test.

"Our average increase is about 150-250 points for the SATs and the ACTs is about 6 points," Ly said.

He says tutors can provide strategies and techniques to help students with the tests, but ultimately, it is about how much effort a student devotes to studying.

"Simple answer’s the best answer. Do not overthink," Ly said to one of his students.

"One plus one equals two, but they’ll see that on the test and go 'No way!' and they’ll pick 11," he said.

Though SAT and ACT prep is the bread and butter of his business, he also feels it is a necessary part of the college admissions process. 

"It’s called a standardized test because it’s an even playing field.  Everyone gets the same questions from California to New York.  Everyone gets tested at time same time," Ly said.

Some supporters also argue the tests act as a check against grade inflation. They also give students who struggled in the classroom another chance to show they can be academically successful.

"I’m not saying that everyone who spends a lot of time can do well, but I think it’s an excuse to say that only the high income students can do well," Ly said.

"I’m pretty weak at like math," said Mehar Rustogi, a junior at El Camino High School in Woodland Hills.

She wants to go to University of California Santa Barbara and says a lot of her friends come to "Ace It" for test prep too. She has taken the PSAT three times and credits tutoring for boosting her score more than 100 points. She is now preparing for her big SAT test in March.

"All this stuff, like a computer can do," Rustogi said. "It’s definitely not like a measure of anyone’s intelligence, and it doesn’t measure like creativity at all, which is probably really important."

And with more competition, the pressure to do well is higher than ever.

"There’s definitely parents that say, 'Hey I want this exact school and what score do we need to get to’ and there’s no other, but I think parents need to realize there’s many different factors," Ly said.

He says nowadays, most colleges and universities prefer well-rounded students, leaders both in and out of the classroom.

"It really means a lot that I get to take a part in this journey that students have in their educational lives," Ly said.

And as long as these tests exist, Ly's goal remains the same--to help each student reach their own.

There are also free test prep options online, including Khan Academy and free practice tests from the College Board.