Far From Standard, 115 E. Grand River Ave., offers tutoring services for the MCAT, the Dental Admission Test and the Optometry Admission Test.

“In the long run, if you can master the fundamentals, it can take you a long way,” said Neel Chheda, co-owner of Far From Standard. “We make sure they understand the fundamentals before they go any further.”

Chheda said the tutors try to apply difficult concepts to everyday situations.

“If a student’s trying to learn calculus, we take calculus and apply it to all different fields,” Chheda said. “We take each student and find out what they’re good at and mold our process for them.”

Co-owner Ravi Jadia said he recommends about 12-14 sessions and four diagnostic exams for students preparing for the MCAT, DAT or OAT.

“We just want to make sure they have the stamina and the mind-set,” Jadia said.

The duration and session size of test preparation courses depends on the student’s schedule and needs, Jadia said.

Apart from standardized testing, Far From Standard provides college students with tutoring in physics, calculus, engineering, general and organic chemistry, Spanish and pre-business courses.

Tutors occasionally attend MSU courses to ensure the material is on par with the university’s content, Chheda said.

Tibor Nagy, a professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department, said he doesn’t mind the tutors sitting in if the students can benefit.

“If it works out for students and they get what they want, I’m happy with it,” Nagy said.

Far From Standard has three locations in Michigan, all of which have been in operation for close to two years.

The service offers résumé critiquing, career advice and other resources to students once they are registered.

“Our goal is to teach the student the concepts so that way they can go on independent of us,” Jadia said.