Matthew Pietrafetta founded Academic Approach in 2001 and has since supervised the organization’s one-on-one tutoring and school programs instructional services as well as its curriculum and technology development. Matthew earned his M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. degrees in English Language and Literature at Columbia University in New York City. After teaching in Columbia’s Core Curriculum for several years, while at the same time preparing New York City high school students for college entrance exams, Matthew wanted to define a model of test preparation based less on strategy and more on skills-development.