"The leaders at Compass are in a class of their own. Not only are they the foremost experts in their field, they have the highest ethical standards and tremendous commitment to their students."

James Skrumbis,
Head of School,
Sierra Canyon School,
previously Director
of Upper School,
Marlborough School

Art Sawyer
Founder and Principal

Art graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University where he was the top-ranked liberal arts student in his class and First Marshall of Phi Beta Kappa. Art pioneered the one-on-one approach to test prep in California, has written over a dozen test prep books, and is an expert on standardized testing research. He co-founded and ran Ivy West Educational Services before selling the company to Sylvan Learning Centers in 2000. Although he achieved a perfect score on the SAT, Art is far prouder of the thousands of students he has helped over the last 19 years.

Adam Ingersoll
Founder and Principal

Adam graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California, where he also played varsity basketball and was the first undergraduate student in his major to serve as a teaching assistant. He has worked in college admissions and completed extensive graduate study in both counseling and business at Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine Universities. Adam's career in one-on-one test preparation spans 14 years. He has helped thousands of students as one of California's leading testing experts and is a frequently requested guest speaker on admissions testing.

Bruce Reed
Regional Director, Northern California

Bruce graduated from Colby College and has been providing educational services for more than 13 years. Bruce opened the Northern California office for Compass in 2004 and currently serves as Regional Director. His extensive experience in one-on-one test preparation, college admissions, and professional development makes him a natural mentor for Compass tutors and students and a trusted resource for parents and counselors throughout the Bay Area.