This is one of the worst places to attend school. The President, Axell Emmanuel, only knows Cisco (and definite not at the Expert level). He teaches whatever class he wants, despite not being well versed or certified in it. Students are put in classes as placeholders. He pays his instructors and staff with checks that consist of insufficient funds in the school's bank accounts. He tells them when they can cash them, if he doesn't put a stop payment on them. This man receives $100,000s from the state (via The Department of Unemployment Assistance and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission) and self-paying students to teach. Where does the money and training go? read more

I would never return to this test center again. First of all, the test I signed up for allotted 4 hours for testing. There is no parking around the test center that allows that length of time! There are 2 hour meters out front and a lot in the back that has meters with a 3 hour limit. (luckily I finished my test in under 3 hours.) The elevators to the building were broken so I had to take the stairs to the fourth floor..(not a huge deal because I'm completely capable of walking up the stairs...but what if I wasn't?). Obviously personal items are not allowed in the testing room, but other centers I have been to have individual lockers that you put your stuff in and then you hold onto the key. The guy at the desk put my bag in a drawer behind his desk. Super secure. The center does not provide noise canceling headphones, however they do have disposable earplugs that do not actually block sound or fit in the average human ear. In the middle of taking my test, the test proctor came in and disturbed me by telling me if I am not using the dry erase marker that I MUST put the cover back on because it will dry out. So he picked up my marker and made a scene in front of everyone in the room and made me lose my train of thought. Seriously distracting and unprofessional. I paid over $100 to take this test...it's fine with me if I dry out your marker...you'll be able to afford another one. Additionally, there was an issue with temperature control in the room today. The AC would kick on and it would be FREEZING and then it would turn off and it would be a sauna. It is not an environment that is conducive to test taking. read more

The "Proctors" at this center are extremely rude, incompetent, and dont give a flying F that anyone exists but themselves. I generally don't like to generalize and say "They" but I truly mean it. Every single staff member on this team is rude. I sat in my seat with my exam finished for 10 minutes waiting for an instructor. Eventually, I broke protocol and left to find the guy. I found him playing on his laptop in the back room completely unaware of anyone but himself. When I gently knocked and let him know that myself and another test taker were finished he looked angry as if WE were disturbing him from his PERSONAL time. I can honestly say I could have cheated the entire test because there was ZERO monitoring of the room we were in. I would say fine, there are cameras, but again there was NOBODY watching the surveillance room they had set up. Just some jerk off in a corner surfing the internet with his back turned to the cameras and feet kicked up. I hope this is not a testament to how PearsonVUE conducts business. read more

This testing center is highly unprofessional, do everything you can to avoid using this test center. While the location may be convenient, it is important to note that parking is not. I suggest taking the T in, however this is not why I am giving this review. The testing center was dirty, cluttered, and disorganized. It took more than 30 minutes to check in, the sign in sheets were all over the counter, interspersed with the terms of testing agreements and the man checking people in grunted rather than spoke to people. Which meant that no one was sure what to do and he wasted time trying to get things done. When checking my I.D. he actually walked away with it while helping other testers and then as he walked back towards me with my I.D. in his hand scratched himself (yes his crotch) with it. I was too horrified to say anything and was more concerned that he felt okay casually walking around for several minutes with my I.D. in his hand. I was then distracted by the fact that I was being asked to lock my personal belongings up into a large drawer with the belongings of others. The worst was yet to come. I was handed ear plugs, a nasty dry erase flip chart, marker and eraser and taken to the testing room, which was cramped and messy. After taking my seat he left, without closing the door. He didn't even stay to see if the test came up or if the technology was working properly. All of this would have been fine, except that in the middle of my timed exam another worker came in and interrupted me by tapping me on the shoulder. He was mad at me because I didn't have the cap on the dry erase marker. Did he stop to notice that I was actually using it? No. I was shocked and told him that I was in the middle of using it, and he continued to argue with me. I put my earplugs back in and turned back to my test ignoring him, as it was timed. It took me several minutes just to be able to concentrate again. He then told me as I was leaving that he would report me for having he cap off the marker. The other man actually pulled out a box of markers and shoved them in my face telling me that none of them work and it is the fault of people like me. As they lectured me, I simply asked for my receipt and belongings, they ignored my requests and were in essence holding them as ransom while they berated me. It took 5 minutes just to get them to unlock my belongings. It was not worth my time to argue with them. There is nothing to recommend this place. I have searched for a way to report them to Pearson and the DEESE in MA, until I do find the appropriate outlet this will have to do. Please, save yourself the hassle and frustration and don't go. read more

I should have checked Yelp first... I don't have much to add to the previous reviews, but here is a quick summary of my experience: 1) Shockingly rude and unprofessional staff: They command you around like chattel and seem to feed off your nervousness. Chances are you're probably fairly high-strung when you enter there and they do not seem to have any understanding of the test taker's mindset... Only ask questions if you don't mind being spoken down to. 2) No interest in your comfort: They accused me of stalling because I wanted to adjust my seat before starting my exam... Seriously guys? 3) No climate control: Temperature ranged from freezing too balmy every 30 minutes. It was like having the flu for 4 hours; you're either sweating or shivering but never comfortable. 4) Computers are really old: I'd frequently type and have to wait for my text to appear on the screen. This hasn't happen to me since 1998. 5) Random interruptions during the test: You're already being watched on camera, but they'd enter the room, open the shades on the window, close the shades, then leave. The cheap earplugs didn't help at all either. Lots of loud, prolonged, random grinding noises came from the building, and the employees didn't seem to understand the concept of an "inside voice". 6) Unclean facility: There is no trash bin for you, so people just used their potted plants to discard their empty cups, banana peels or whatever they walked in with. You can't bring liquid/food into the test area, so this junk has to go someplace. Strange they haven't figured this is a problem yet. Amazingly, the whiteboard booklets they give to have probably never been washed. They looked grimy and the stains on your skin afterwards affirm that. Besides this, it was cramped, crowded, and there were random wires and piles of paper lying around everywhere. 7) They lost their internet connection before my test, so I started my exam late. Ok, this one is probably Comcast's fault, but it was the cherry on the top of the whole experience. I left the exam not really sure what just happen. The facility felt like it existed adjacent to the world of Mad Max. Needless to say, I would not recommend this location to anyone and I will not take my other tests here. On the bright side, their lousy experience means you can usually get an easy reservation since no one wants to be there. read more

My name is Chi Kit Lee. I was looking for a career change within technology sector and NTAI (Network Technology Academy Institute) caught my attention because it is an institute that focuses on technology. I was enrolled in the Network program and it prepared me for A+, MCSA, and CCNA exams. I successfully obtained an A+ certificate and currently studying for MCSA exam. It was an one-year training program that I learned Microsoft technology, printer, network, and other IT related topics. I was proudly to have great instructors, Axell, Ioan, Joe and Keith. Each instructor provided intense training on Microsoft server, networking, and desktop support topics along with hands-on training. During each class, there were a lot of troubleshooting and root cause analysis on different type of IT related issue. The training and classroom training has helped me out a lot for my first desktop support job in Lexington and later on landed a full time position doing remote support for many clients. NTAI is a great school that you will learn a lot from it and use it for IT career. read more

This is a Prometric Testing location and I took one of my Microsoft Certification exams here. What a terrible experience! The place is small, cramped and dirty. The woman at the front desk was friendly but the gentleman actually administering the exam room left much to be desired. You could tell he had absolutely no enthusiasm for his job. The exam room is cramped with no dividers between test-takers. The exam administrator constantly left the exam room door open which exposed test-takers to the noisy front reception area and the traffic of people coming and going. Test-takers were allowed to bring their jackets into the room and many had them on the backs of their chairs! I passed my exam but only because I studied hard,... if I wasn't prepared the distractions of this environment would have greatly effected my results. I only went here because my usual (and favorite) Prometric location in Burlington had no available slots on the day I wanted to take my exam. Avoid this place if possible,... else be prepared for an environment not conducive to exam taking. read more

This place is on the 4th floor of an office building smack in the middle of Davis Square near the red line T station. It is a cramped location containing a small waiting area and 3 different test rooms. The staff is not very talkative, not as bad as other reviewers have stated but not the friendliest either. They are very quick and let you know what to expect and set you up for the test. The one thing about this place, it is filthy. The carpets are stained so bad it is nasty and the rooms are cluttered and small. The parking is only on the street and it is 2 hour minimum although the meters in Somerville do accept credit cards. Not a horrible experience but not great either. read more

Took two MTELs here this week. I didn't think the place was godawful, but the experience was certainly meh. For one thing, public parking outside the building has a 3 hour max, so if you're taking a 4-hour test, you better plan on finishing early or taking the T. That's not convenient for everyone, but it is what it is. Honestly, the parking/getting there was the most difficult part as I'm not that close to the T. It's right off the red line at Davis, so if you have access to the red line you don't even need a car (and this is definitely preferable), but if you're not close to the T, you've got some work to do. One solution might be parking at the huge garage at Alewife and taking the T one stop to Davis. It is kind of small and cramped and there are distractions, like the door frequently being left open and the noise coming in from the reception area, so I suppose one would have to be prepared for that. Didn't have too many problems checking in except being ignored for about 10-15 minutes the second time. I scheduled here because it was the only place locally which offered tests five days a week, every week, but because of the difficulties I had in getting there each time I don't think I'll be returning (if I can avoid it, that is). read more

The worst testing experience I have ever had. The greeting was unwelcoming and certainly not calming. Then we are led to a room FULL of other people testing. No partitions or space to breathe. Handed ear plugs and that's it. The testing computer was slow and the mouse wouldn't move correctly. I will never return. Horrible!! read more

Avoid this testing center if possible. The receptionist at the front desk doesn't seem capable of communicating beyond a series of crude grunts and gestures. He didn't bother providing me with any set of directions and just ushered me into this dinky testing room with Apple II-era computers and a heater/AC unit that buzzes so loud you feel it re-writing your DNA structure and keyboards so loud you'd swear someone was taking a jackhammer to a bank vault next door. Honestly, the whole experience put me in a bad mood before my exam. Highly unprofessional, just avoid unless you're some sort of masochist. read more

I completed CCNP at NTAI 2 months ago. I had a great instructor who was very knowledgable, articulate and helpful. In fact he stayed late to help me with things I wasn't absolute on. NTAI gave me exactly what I needed to further my career in IT. I now feel confident in networking and routing! I felt prepared when I took my certification. I encourage you with out reservation to attend this school. Thank you for everything NTAI! read more

The person at the front desk was very courteous, helpful and friendly. I felt genuinely accepted because the friendly greeting and testing conditions at the center. Overall, a great experience! Lynn V. read more

If I could give this place 0 stars, I would. I took my MTEL there today and I recommend no one ever use this as a testing center. As other reviewers have stated, the administrators are very rude and the place itself is grimy. The carpets and chairs are stained, the rooms are tiny, and the temperature control didn't work very well. More problematically, the staff was in and out of the room the entire 3.5 hours I was taking my test. As someone else stated, one of the men interrupted my test-taking a few times to tell me to put the cap on my pen. This is not a rule, and I am not allowed my own writing implement, yet they come in to monitor your pen use. I'm sure they can afford a new dry-erase marker if it dries out. Additionally, they were in and out of the room the. entire. time. They were doing something on the computers, actually dismantled one of the computers (not something you could do when no one's in the room? really?) and talked to each other. In the room, while people were taking tests. It was horrifically distracting, and I ended up spending a good 45 minutes sitting there fuming, instead of taking my test. Please save yourself a few hundred dollars and take the test somewhere else, where you might focus and get a good score. read more

This place is absolutely awful. I took an MTEL here and had to circle around Malden to find paid parking. Once inside, the place was dingy and sweltering hot. The man working the registration counter was pleasant, but once inside the testing room, the stagnant air was even more noticeable. About a half hour into the test, the room next door broke out into loud yelling, laughing, and overall loudness to the point that I was sitting there with my fingers plugging my ears (no ear plugs). It was pretty much impossible to concentrate. This place should not be allowed to administer standardized tests if they are incapable of providing a comfortable testing environment. I was distracted by the constant noise and bustling of people in an out of the room. read more

I took an MTEL here today and was expecting the worst from these reviews but it wasn't awful. Parking kind of sucks - metered with a 3 hour max. I was taking a 4 hour MTEL and got out in around 2 hours so it wasn't a problem for me, but I can see it being a problem for anyone who takes the full amount of time for the test. They do have lockers now, so staff isn't just putting your personal belongings into a drawer behind the desk. I just really, really hated the setup of the testing room. You're all crammed in to a medium sized room and you're super close to the people next to you, so there's almost no room to spread out the materials that they give you before the test. Also super distracting if someone else is screwing around (girl next to me was filing her nails on her pants??? and a guy that was brought in halfway through my test took so long to get settled and moved around/made noise nonstop until he started his test). People are coming in and out at all times, and the staff member there seemed to have absolutely no tact and was SO loud when he would bring people into the room to set up their tests. He also interrupted someone else's test to tell her to put the cap on her dry erase marker unless she was using it. Seriously, dude? Hopefully I passed my test so I don't have to retake it, but if I do I'll probably plan to go somewhere else. read more

I took two tests in this center and had pretty good experience. I also like the location there for easy parking. Shobin read more

I took the MTELs here today for Communications and Literacy, both reading and writing subtests. I read some of the other reviews before going here, but this was my only option because I'm a shmuck and signed up for the test pretty late. I thought it was going to be awful, but I was pleasantly surprised. The test center was tidy, they got me into the testing room really quickly, and I got my own locker + lock to put my stuff in. There was a little bit of distracting noise. A cell phone went off a couple times during the test, but nothing majorly distracting. The man at the desk was very impersonal, but certainly not unprofessional. The computers were on the older side - I think they were running Windows XP, but that really had no effect on the test taking. Solid place. read more

Absolutely abysmal testing conditions. I felt like I was in a 3rd wolrd RMV. The proprieter - Jonas Silus, was so incredibly rude people thought it was a joke. I arrived at 9:45 for a 10 a.m. Pearson Vue Cisco test and there were people still waiting from 8 a.m. appointments. The reception area was about 75 square feet and packed with about 12 angry test takers when I arrived. If they asked him what the issue was he would ignore them (mind you this is literally face to face) and walk out of the room for 20 minutes. His behavior was irratic to the point that I honestly thought he might shred a bunch of documents and just flee out the building.It was that shady. When I finally got seated the "test center" was about 28 inches of desktop space crammed in with about 30 people taking a wide myriad of tests. A jar of earplugs was placed on my PC and I was left to my own devices after a bizarre login by Jonas to initiate the test. A few minutes into the test and another test taker starts reciting "Please describe the town of Newton." over and over. I was beyond Irate. I tried to get the proctor's attention to complain (a 17 year old kid from Mission Hill who overtly ignored me) and another person started doing the same thing. Then another. Then oral essays about whether or not you prefer to study in a group or independently. I was in a test room with a dozen people taking online oral exams. This went on for the entirety of my test. To top off the experience Jonas couldn't print my results and "had to e-mail them to me" which I haven't received. And because of the long wait my meter ran out and I got a fucking ticket. If it were possible to give a knife in the eye instead of a star I would choose that option. read more

I am enrolled in the Network Administration Course at NTAI. So far, the school gave me the necessary tools to pass the MCSE certification, as well as the CCNA exam. Instructors are very knowledgable in their subject matter. For Money, you can't really complain. read more

horrible place, bad experience, unprofessional people there. I did TOEFL test in many places (more than 5) this one is the worst one ever.

AVOID THIS TEST CENTER! Not "if possible", all together. Read the other comments - they are, unfortunate to this test center, on point with, shall I say, pointing out all the opportunities for improvement. read more

Testing Center was closed until 8:30 a.m with no humans in sight and no answer at the testing center's phone. Pearson had directed test-takers to arrive at 8 a.m, so the only other test-taker and I had 30 minutes of panic waiting until the attendant arrived. the only markers were dry and too blunt to write with. Eraseable boards were super dirty and contained writing from previous test-takers. After the attendant arrived, I began my test and after that it was fine. Just the initial panic. read more

The person working fell asleep. Markers were dry. Erase able boards are super dirty. The only parking is behind the building but you can only park for 3 hrs. Which is super inconvenient while taking a 4 hr MTEL. Was super lucky not to walk out and find a ticket on my car. Chairs are super uncomfortable and cannot be adjusted. Would not recommend this location. Wish the MTEL website had reviews on locations. They should not be allowed to proctor test. read more

I enjoyed my time at NTAI and think the CCNA course was really worthwhile. The CCNA is made up of 4 material blocks called "Explorations"--in schools like Bunker Hill CC, I know they teach each Exploration block as a semester long course. At NTAI, they cover all 4 Explorations in a 3 month period so it's more concentrated. I don't know which way is best for everyone, but if you have the time to commit to it, I think the concentrated format is better because you have less chance to forget what you learned in previous Exploration blocks. There is a lot to cover in total and I think its best not to allow too much time in between so you stay fresh with the material. The material given in class is the official CCNA course material through the Cisco Network Academy. As a registered student, you create an account with Cisco's Network Academy and the class material, course chapters, lab files, and Packet Tracer simulator software are all available through this Cisco website. The instructor I had is really committed and dedicated to teaching the material. He is there every day and often holds voluntary "after class" sessions to work on labs exercises or just work a little more on topics that may be giving you trouble. This instructor does enjoy the material and he expects you to enjoy it too. He has a no-nonsense approach to students putting in honest effort to stay on track with the chapters and lab assignments. Keep him away from the coffee though otherwise, his instruction gets louder and faster. He can jump ahead of the material timeline a bit so I found myself at times having to jump to chapters not yet covered to better understand what he went over in class. He will admit to doing this, but does say to tell him when he's jumping to far ahead and bring him back. Once the instructor feels the students are putting in the effort needed, it becomes a pretty relaxed atmosphere and as students, we used each other for information as much as we used the instructor. Our classes were pretty diverse - we had male, female, younger, older, some with previous IT experience and some without. Our class of students got along pretty well so, we shared a lot of information during class and got together on our own for study groups. I'm still in touch regularly with most of the other students from my class. I would say this class is a really good fit for people that have a base level knowledge in IT already (A+, Network+), or have had a little experience working a helpdesk, or even a person who enjoys computers and IT as a hobby and does some tinkering at home just for the fun of it. Someone with no IT background and starting from scratch might have a harder time with the CCNA course but, it really all depends on commitment and amount of work the person puts in. This is a very "hands on" material subject so only doing the reading will not be enough, the lab exercises are the real meat and potatoes of the CCNA course. People who are trying to juggle too many things and take this class can easily fall behind. The amount of time you can commitment to it really counts. I think a good way to prepare for this class is to look up CCNA topic videos on YouTube. I used YouTube videos throughout the whole course to supplement and reinforce things we covered in class, but videos alone won't get you there either. I also recommend a great reference book by Cisco called "31 Days Before Your CCNA Exam". It can be found on Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble (cheaper on Amazon). I love this book and still use it a lot. To wrap it up: NTAI's CCNA course was good "bang for the buck" if you put in an honest amount of work yourself. I did about 3 weeks' worth of self study, study groups, and prep after the course was done to get ready for the CCNA test and passed first time out. We had a pretty good group of students in my class and a few others passed first time out also. read more

NTAI is a great place to learn CISCO IT Essentials, CCNA, CISCO Security, or Servers technology. I have been learning about computers for years, but never had the hands on training that the instructors at NTAI provides. After only three months of training, I feel confident that I can pass the Comptia A+ exam. The president of the institute is always available and plays a major role in student affairs. After I am finished with the A+ exam, I will continue my technology education at NTAI in networking. read more

some of the most patient instructors ive had. passed my CCNA with flying colors. was able to ask questions and not feel like i was a burden. mary helped me jump through some serious hoops and made me laugh the whole time. she made waiting on hold with the unemployment office fun. if you find yourself in a place where you want to take some classes you owe it to yourself to at least pop in there and talk to the staff and see for yourself read more