Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

While the math sections of the SAT and ACT both challenge conceptual understanding and problem-solving across a broad range of similar topics, a closer look shows differing priorities between the two tests. Amy and Mike invited educator Mike McGibbon to explore the obvious and subtle differences between the SAT and ACT math sections. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the differences between SAT and ACT math content and format? Which test offers greater rewards for strong math students? What are the opportunities and challenges for students shooting for 33/740? What are the opportunities and challenges for students looking to break 25/600? How do geometry knowledge and problem-solving skills impact success on each test? MEET OUR GUEST Mike McGibbon started tutoring at Kaplan while he was a student at UC Berkeley. After graduating in 2002, he moved to NYC to study music and play the trumpet professionally. During this time, Mike also worked for several NYC tutoring agencies, and eventually transitioned to a full-time tutoring career. He now runs his own solo tutoring practice, focusing on the ACT, SAT, and ISEE. He is also CEO and co-founder of Mathchops.com, an adaptive math practice tool. Today, Mike teaches in Westchester County, where he lives with his wife and three kids. He also provides free advice through articles and videos on www.nyctestprepadvice.com and the Mathchops YouTube channel. Mike can be reached at [email protected]. LINKS Mathchops YouTube channel RELATED EPISODES ACT MATH REPORTING CATEGORIES MATHEMATICAL MATURITY & TEST SUCCESS HIGH IMPACT STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED IN MATH ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Very few people truly love academic standardized testing, but animosity over assessments seems to increase in intensity every year. But are the exams themselves the problem or what their scores reveal? Amy and Mike invited education writer Natalie Wexler to explain why we should listen to what testing tells us. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Do college admissions tests merely reflect cultural or racial bias? Do wealthier families have an unfair advantage because they can afford expensive test prep? How does the elementary school curriculum relate to the inequities we see in high school? What can schools do to help make college admissions and other standardized tests more equitable? What is the role of writing instruction in preventing and compensating for educational inequity? MEET OUR GUEST Natalie Wexler is an education writer and the author of The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System—and How to Fix It (Avery 2019). She is also the co-author, with Judith C. Hochman, of The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades (Jossey-Bass 2017), and a senior contributor at Forbes.com. Her articles and essays on education and other topics have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and other publications. She has spoken on education before a wide variety of groups and appeared on a number of TV and radio shows, including Morning Joe and NPR's On Point and 1A. She holds a BA from Harvard University, an MA in history from the University of Sussex (UK), and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania, and she has worked as a reporter, a Supreme Court law clerk, a lawyer, and a legal historian. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and has two adult children.. Find Natalie at nataliewexler.com. LINKS 6 Arguments Against the SAT--And Why They Don't Hold Up Why 12th-Grade Test Scores Are Even Worse Than They Appear Elementary Education Has Gone Terribly Wrong One Sentence at a Time: The Need for Explicit Instruction in Teaching Students to Write Well RELATED EPISODES WHY GRADE INFLATION IS HARMFUL DO TEST OPTIONAL POLICIES DRIVE EQUITY? TRACKING COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Almost every conversation about college admissions and choice eventually turns to major. Should teenagers even be expected to know what they want to study for the next four to six years? Amy and Mike invited admissions expert V. Peter Pitts to consider if and when college majors matter. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Should students know what they want to major in when applying to schools? In which cases do majors not matter? Are there examples of majors that are essential for certain career goals? What should inform a student's course of study? What is a better question to ask than, "What do you plan to major in?" MEET OUR GUEST Peter Pitts recently retired from 42 years in the College Admission profession, most recently with Monmouth College of Illinois. Over his 27 years at Monmouth, he recruited over 2,000 students and still keeps in touch with many of them. He is originally from Iowa, and has an undergraduate degree from Wartburg College (IA) and a Master's Degree from the University of Iowa, both degrees in Sociology. In his retirement, Peter publishes a website--U3K4College.com--that celebrates small private colleges. He also gives presentations to high school classes about a variety of college admission topics. Peter can be reached at [email protected]. LINKS Why Majors Do Not Matter RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE DECLASSIFIED: WHAT HIGH SCHOOLERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE NEXT LEVEL PATHWAY PLANNING FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS WHAT EVERY PRE-MED MAJOR SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Course selection heavily influences both a student's high school experience and college prospects, yet definitive answers on how to make these choices are often lacking. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Phil Black to analyze high school course selection and academic rigor. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What factors are important when thinking about class selection? Where does "class selection" rank in importance for college admissions? How do students (and their parents) decide how many AP or Honors classes to take? Why should class selection be based more on track record and motivation than goals? Is it better to maximize GPA or take on advanced classes? MEET OUR GUEST Phil Black is the creator of PrepWell Academy, an unconventional approach to preparing high school students (and their parents) for the rigors of the college admissions process. His unique program is delivered online and focuses on the early preparation of students (freshman and sophomore year) interested in attending highly-selective colleges (e.g. Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, etc.), military service academies (e.g. Naval Academy, West Point, etc.), and those seeking athletic or ROTC scholarships. Over the years, Phil has built a record of unique accomplishments, including Division I college athlete, Navy SEAL Officer, Goldman Sachs Investment Banker, bootstrap entrepreneur, 2X Shark Tank contestant, firefighter, husband and father of four sons. He earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Find Phil at prepwellacademy.com. LINKS Is your Child Well-Rounded or Angular? RELATED EPISODES WHY GRADE INFLATION IS HARMFUL ADVANTAGES OF DUAL ENROLLMENT TRACKING COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

When the global pandemic hit, many families were reluctant to abandon face-to-face tutoring for remote platforms. Are their good reasons to be equally hesitant to completely return to old models of instruction? Amy and Mike invited educator Christopher Sanderson to review key strategies to make online tutoring matter more. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why is creating engagement the first step to effective online learning? What do parents want to hear when their teens are engaged in remote instruction? What is the 15/15 Rule, and how does it capitalize on recaptured commute time? What efficiencies does remote instruction offer that lead to more productive teaching? Why is the shift of locus of learning from outside the home to inside it so profound? MEET OUR GUEST Christopher Sanderson is Sanderson Test Prep's Founder and President. In 2011, when starting STP, Chris established a company and elite teaching team that caters to academically competitive students who are serious about success. Chris was born in Miami, FL and attended the University of Notre Dame. Prior to founding Sanderson Test Prep, Chris taught for Kaplan where he was responsible for hiring and training new teachers and was twice named Teacher of the Year. He now lives in San Antonio with his wife and their 3 dogs 🙂 Chris specializes in a wide variety of academic subject areas and standardized tests. Find Christopher at https://sandersontestprep.com/ or 305-878-TEST. LINKS Tutoring in the Zoom Age RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE ADVISING AND PREP BY VIDEOCONFERENCE HOW TEST PREP TUTORING SHOULD WORK HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF ONLINE TEST PREP ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Pre-COVID, visiting a college campus was an important way to both learn about a school and signal interest. Today and likely going forward, more and more families will conduct that due diligence online, but they have to do it right. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Jodi Rosenshein Atkin to highlight ways to demonstrate interest during virtual college tours. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why is demonstrated interest so important in terms of admissions? What are the different types of virtual tours available and which matter most? In what ways are virtual tours more work than live campus visits? What are other critical ways to demonstrate interest? What makes regional college representatives so important to connect with? MEET OUR GUEST Jodi Rosenshein Atkin is an independent educational consultant in private practice. She holds a BA and MA from the University of Rochester in Psychology, and has over 20 years of experience in educational and clinical settings. Her first career focused on working with individuals and families living with learning challenges. She is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, as well as a member of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, New York State Association of College Admissions Counselors and Higher Education Consultants Association. Her practice is entering its seventh season. During that time, she has visited almost 200 college campuses in 17 different states and conducted over 60 virtual college tours in 2020 alone! Jodi has also earned the designation of Certified Educational Planner, a certification granted to consultants and counselors who meet stringent requirements, including a Masters degree, specialized training, significant experience and involvement in professional activities and organizations. CEP represents the highest level of distinction in the profession Jodi is committed to finding a "best fit" school for every student, considering academic, financial, social and cultural factors. It's about more than the mascot and the sweatshirt; it's about finding the places that each student can thrive and grow, making the most of their higher education investment. Finding the right school is a journey, not a race to some imaginary finish line. Jodi is a frequent guest speaker at libraries, schools, podcasts and webinars. Her insights have been featured in publications nationally, including the Wall Street Journal, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Teen Vogue, Rochester Business Journal, and The Deseret News (Utah). She has also presented to professional groups, including the NYS Association of College Admissions Counselors. She and her husband, Louis, have four adult children and live in Rochester, NY with their golden doodle, Dustin. Find Jodi at www.jodiratkin.com. LINKS The First Rule of Successful College Visits RELATED EPISODES MAKING THE MOST OF COLLEGE VISITS VIRTUAL COLLEGE TOURS MAKING THE MOST OF A VIRTUAL COLLEGE ADMISSIONS EVENT ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

While standardized tests assess only part of a full high school math curriculum, assessing priorities has historically been difficult. Fortunately, ACT has quantified and clarified many elements of its flagship exam. Amy and Mike invited educator Adam Snoza to explain what can be learned from ACT Math Reporting Categories. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the main ACT Math Reporting Categories? How have the math reporting categories evolved over the last five years? How do the math categories overlap with required content knowledge? What is the role of the calculator on the test? What should parents and educators know about ACT Math Reporting Categories? MEET OUR GUESTS Adam Snoza graduated from Creighton University and was a high school English teacher for 9 years in both public and private schools. He has spent 13 years in ACT test prep with Aim High Test Prep in Omaha, NE. He is the lead instructor and curriculum developer, authoring his own 350-page instructional manual. Adam is also an ACT Certified Educator (ACE) in all 6 certification areas: Basics, English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing. Now, he is a trainer of the ACE program and works with teachers and tutors across the country on how to effectively teach the ACT test. In addition, Adam has been hired by ACT and Wiley to co-author the 2021 update to The Official ACT Mathematics Guide. Though every student he helps gain a life-changing scholarship or entry into an elite college gives him great satisfaction, his greatest pride comes from working with multiple local charities to bring test prep to underserved populations in an effort to bridge the education gap. Find Adam at [email protected] LINKS Math Test Description for the ACT ACT Reporting Categories: Math College Readiness Benchmarks RELATED EPISODES ACT ENGLISH REPORTING CATEGORIES MATHEMATICAL MATURITY & TEST SUCCESS WHAT SAT & ACT DIAGNOSTIC TESTS CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

The premise of holistic admissions suggests that admissions officers consider the whole applicant. But how can intangibles like character or compassion be judged alongside empirical data like grades or test scores? Amy and Mike invited Glenn Manning and Brennan E. Barnard to describe how this challenge is being addressed by the Making Caring Common Project. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the Making Caring Common Project and how did it get its start? What do admissions deans have to say about showing caring during the current crisis? Can character be measured or quantified? How can a student show character or caring? How can students and educators get involved with these programs? MEET OUR GUESTS Glenn Manning is a Senior Project Manager at Making Caring Common. He formerly served as a high school Wellness Coordinator, English teacher, and professional firefighter. Glenn leads MCC's school-based initiatives where he supports a variety of research efforts, helps school systems gather and use data to guide their programming and practice, develops and assesses evidence-based strategies to promote ethical capacities in young people, and consults with districts and schools to create positive changes in their cultures and climates. He is particularly interested in translating research into practice, mobilizing the energy and wisdom of educators and students, and coaching caring school leaders. Glenn earned a Master of Education in the Learning and Teaching program at Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Saint Michael's College. Brennan Barnard, M.Ed is the Director of College Counseling and Outreach at The Derryfield School, an independent day school in Manchester, New Hampshire and at US Performance Academy, an on-line independent high school for elite athletes. He is also the College Admissions Program Advisor with the Making Caring Common project at Harvard Graduate School of Education. During over two decades in education Brennan has worked as a teacher, coach, dorm parent, admission officer, counselor and administrator at a number of independent high schools and colleges. He has counseled Olympians, thespians, artists, cadets, social workers, engineers, philosophers, doctors, writers, lawyers and everything in between. He is co-author of the book, The Truth About College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together. A native of suburban Philadelphia and practicing Quaker, he is a graduate of Westtown Friends School. Brennan earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Spanish from Franklin & Marshall College and a master's degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from The University of Vermont. This father of two lives in Hopkinton, New Hampshire where he is a volunteer firefighter. Find Glenn and Brennan at https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/ or on social media. LINKS The Character Collaborative Youth Advisory Board Turning the Tide College Admissions Campaign — Making Caring Common For Educators: Writing Character-Conscious Letters of Recommendation College Admission Deans Care In Crisis New Research Finds That Character Counts In College Admission Assessing Ethical Character In College Admission RELATED EPISODES LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: GOOD VS. GREAT BUILDING AN A+ EXTRACURRICULAR RESUME COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

According to former Secretary of Education Rod Paige, "There is no more powerful advocate than a parent armed with information and options." But does that still apply to parents of teens? Amy and Mike invited parent coach and podcaster Punam Saxena to explain the importance of advocacy for parents of high schoolers. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why should high school parents become and stay involved? With whom should high school parents establish lines of communication? When is the best time to build authentic working relationships? What is the main role of parents of high schoolers at home? Where is the line between being involved and being overbearing? MEET OUR GUEST Punam V. Saxena holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's in Education. She is the mother of 4 college-aged children. She taught for 10 years and then spent 20 years volunteering in her children's school in their classrooms and working with their administrators. She has implemented several processes that have benefited many children at the school. She is currently the host of the podcast edu-Me which focuses on bridging the gap and fostering a stronger relationship between parents and schools by empowering parents to become partners in the school. She also holds weekly edu-Nars and works one-on-one and in small groups as a parenting coach. Punam is currently an author in the making writing an education book and a memoir. When Punam turned 40, she decided she needed to change her lifestyle since diabetes and heart disease runs in her family. She went from eating an entire bag of potato chips and 3 Coca-Colas in one sitting to running a marathon in 2 years. This commitment to exercising changed Punam's life physically, mentally, and emotionally. Find Punam at https://www.edu-me.net/ or [email protected]. LINKS Parent edu-nars RELATED EPISODES HOW PARENTS CAN BEST SUPPORT STUDENTS IN TEST PREP PATHWAY PLANNING FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS FAMILY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

While a college admissions process depends on a myriad of large and small moving parts, the great challenge in applying to schools lies not in the number of criteria but in accurately guessing which ones matter most. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Steven Mercer to analyze issues in transparency in college admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why does transparency in admissions matter? What are the differences between holistic, index, and open admissions? Where is transparency present or lacking in admissions? Who benefits from an absence of transparency? How could transparency influence the policies related to test optional, test blind, academic rigor, college fit, and demonstrated interest? MEET OUR GUEST Steven Mercer, Ed.D. is the founder of Mercer Educational Consulting (mercered.com), a private college counseling practice in Los Angeles, CA. He is an experienced educator with an extensive background in selective college admission, counseling, teaching, and academic and non-profit leadership. Prior to founding Mercer Educational Consulting, he was an admission officer at the University of Southern California. In addition to working with students one-on-one, Dr. Mercer is an Adjunct Faculty in the on-line College Counseling Certificate program at UCSD Extension and works as a consultant to colleges and universities on matters related to college admission. Dr. Mercer has a BA in philosophy from the University of California, Santa Cruz, a MA in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College, and an Ed.D.in Educational Leadership from UCLA. Find Steven at https://mercered.com. LINKS What really matters in college admissions? Who benefits from test optional policies? RELATED EPISODES SHAPING AN ADMISSIONS CLASS WHO BENEFITS MOST FROM TEST OPTIONAL POLICIES? REDUCING FRICTION IN THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? Meet Rob Pollak, an expert SAT and ACT tutor with a passion for helping high school students and their families navigate the standardized testing process. In 2012, Rob founded Pollak Tutors, a private tutoring company that helps students in NJ, NY, and CT prepare for and achieve their goals on college entrance exams. Rob is a graduate of Hamilton College, Fordham University School of Law, and the ACT Certified Educator program. Find Rob at [email protected], 617.285.3210, or www.pollaktutors.com ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? Meet Kenny Tan, who has been working in test prep since 2010. Kenny founded Kenny Tan Test Prep to empower students with the grit, resilience, and curiosity necessary for a successful academic and professional career. He specializes in the SHSAT, ISEE, SSAT, SAT, and ACT. Kenny, the son of Chinese immigrants, graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York City and received his B.A. in Economics from Vanderbilt University. His hobbies include an interest in aviation. He received his private pilot certificate (airplane single-engine land) in 2016. Some of his favorite flying experiences are featured on his YouTube channel. Find Kenny at kennytan.nyc. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? Meet Paul Pscolka, the founder of Ivy Masters, an organization based out of New Jersey devoted to helping students improve their SAT and ACT scores and get accepted to their first-choice university. Paul teaches SAT and ACT full time (since 2003). His students have scored perfectly on the SAT and ACT as well as countless others who have scored within 100 points of perfect on SAT and within 2 points of perfect on the ACT (which is average for Harvard and Princeton). Many of his students have received thousands in scholarship money as a direct result of their scores. Paul was a division 1 student-athlete at an Ivy League School. He earned his B.A. in Sociology and his M.S. Ed. at the University of Pennsylvania. Find Paul at https://www.ivymasters.com or 732-485-6480. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? Meet Claudia Chesler, a visionary educational specialist at Potomac Education Center with a proven record of achieving exceptional results. Claudia has 15+ years of experience tutoring, coaching, and mentoring students to reach their fullest potential and elevate their PSAT, SAT, ACT, GRE, and LSAT scores to the greatest degree. Claudia graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania at age 20 and graduated from GW Law at 23. A former presidential appointee, She now focuses her energies on the vagaries and nuances of the SAT and ACT. Find Claudia at [email protected] or potomaceducationcenter.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? Meet Edward Antoine, the founder and president of Antoine Education, a Brooklyn, NY based provider of test preparation tutoring and classes for the SAT, SHSAT and academic tutoring in math. Ed is also a member of the Board of Directors of the National Test Prep Association. A graduate of Princeton University with a B.S.E. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Ed Antoine has personally taught test preparation for high school and college admissions for more than 30 years. Antoine Education's SHSAT course is offered privately and at New York City public middle schools. Over the past 10 years, the course has helped hundreds of students prepare for the SHSAT and gain admission to the NYC Specialized High Schools. Find Edward at http://www.antoineeducation.com/ ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Every version of school presents students with rules, restrictions, and indicators of success. Well, so do games! Amy and Mike invited educational entrepreneur Steve Hargadon to explore the opportunities and implications of winning the game of school. What are five things you will learn in this episode? In what ways is the current "story" of K-12 education flawed? What is the concept behind the Game of School? How do students benefit from seeing school as a game? If school is a game, what are the rules? How can we encourage students to play the game of school their way? MEET OUR GUEST Steve Hargadon is the founder and director of the Learning Revolution Project, the host of the Future of Education interview series, and the founder and chair (or co-chair) of a number of annual worldwide virtual events, including the Global Education Conference and the Library 2.0 series of mini-conferences. Steve's work has been around the democratization of learning and professional development. He pioneered the use of live, virtual, and peer-to-peer education conferences. He popularized the idea of "unconferences" for educators, built one of the first modern social networks for teachers in 2007 (Classroom 2.0), and developed the "conditions of learning" exercise for local educational conversation and change. He supported and encouraged the development of thousands of other education-related networks, particularly for professional development. For over a decade, he has run a large annual ed-tech unconference, now called Hack Education (previously EduBloggerCon). He may or may not have invented an early version of the Chromebook which he demo'd to Google. He blogs, speaks, and consults on education and technology, and his virtual and physical event online communities have over 150,000 members. He has been the Emerging Technologies Chair for ISTE, a regular co-host of the annual Edublog Awards, and the author of "Educational Networking: The Important Role Web 2.0 Will Play in Education" and "Modern Learning: Re-Discovering the Transformative Promise of Educational Technology." He was the recipient of the 2010 Technology in Learning Leadership Award (CUE). He has done contract work, consulted with, or served on advisory boards for Acer, Adobe, Blackboard, CoSN, Horizon Project / New Media Consortium (NMC), Instructure, Intel, KnowledgeWorks Foundation, MERLOT, Microsoft, Mightybell, NAMLE, Ning, PBS, Promethean, Speak Up / Project Tomorrow, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. State Department, and others, typically focusing on educational technology and social networking. Find Steve at https://www.stevehargadon.com/ LINKS The Game of School Learning Revolution futureofeducation.com How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out) Teen 2.0: Saving Our Children and Families from the Torment of Adolescence RELATED EPISODES GALLUP ALUMNI SURVEY AND THE SIX COLLEGE EXPERIENCES THAT DRIVE SUCCESS COLLEGE DECLASSIFIED: WHAT HIGH SCHOOLERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE NEXT LEVEL HELPING STUDENTS PREPARE FOR THE DEMANDS OF COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

No matter how difficult a given ACT exam seems, the process of creating that test and every other equivalent form is exponentially more complex, precise, and demanding. Amy and Mike invited ACT Lead Psychometrician Jeffrey Steedle to definitively explain how the ACT is actually scored. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How is an ACT form crafted? How does ACT assess item difficulty, and what is the role of the fifth section? Are the score scales determined before or after a test is administered? What is the difference between scaling and equating? How does ACT implement Randomly Equivalent Group Design in the equating process? MEET OUR GUEST Jeff Steedle is a lead psychometrician on the Assessment Transformation team at ACT. In that role, he directs the team responsible for statistical analyses for the ACT test and guides research studies related to maintaining measurement quality while making changes to the assessment program. Jeff holds advanced degrees in education, statistics, and educational psychology, and his research interests include assessment validation and motivation on achievement tests. LINKS Understanding Your ACT Scores What are percentiles and why do they matter? RELATED EPISODES HOW THE SAT IS ACTUALLY SCORED ACT SUPERSCORING AND SECTION RETESTING ACT SCORE REVIEW AND VALIDATION ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

The codependent relationship American higher education has cultivated with international students seems to be on the rocks due to COVID and other crises. What happens next? Amy and Mike invited college admissions expert Parke Muth to explain the international student problem. Stop making $en$e! What are five things you will learn in this episode? How has college admissions in the U.S. changed over the last year? How has the global pandemic impacted the flow of international students? What other factors chilled overseas interest in American schools? In what ways does the growth of globalization explain current conditions in higher education? Where are international students going to college if not the United States? MEET OUR GUEST Parke Muth has worked in education for over 35 years. Most of the time he served as a Dean at the University of Virginia in the admission office and in the English Department. He now works with companies, schools, families, and students across the world but mostly focusing on Asia where he spends about 1/2 of the year. While at Virginia, Parke was, among other things, Director of Selection and Recruitment of Honors Scholars, Director of Application Assessment Training, and Director of International Admission. He's been serving for over 25 years as a member of the Jefferson Scholars selection committee. This four-year, full scholarship is among the most elite programs in the United States. Parke also serves as an advisor for the Ron Brown Scholars Program, an elite scholars program that provides financial support and leadership training, networking, and career services for underprivileged black students. Because of his experiences in admissions, Parke is a highly sought-after speaker He has been interviewed by the New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, Bloomberg, Associated Press, NBC, etc. He has had over 6 million people read his responses on the website Quora.com. He also has a blog with over 4,000 pages of content, all free, no ads or promotions: https://onlyconnectparke.blogspot.com/ Find Parke at [email protected]. LINKS International Student Numbers Decline A Few Good Men "You Can't Handle the Truth" Parke's Blog Confessions of an Admissions Officer RELATED EPISODES YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH: SECRETS OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC ATTENDING UNIVERSITY IN EUROPE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

The only thing tougher than filling out the perfect college application is being willing to submit it. How can applicants feel comfortable that they presented the most complete, authentic, and polished presentation of their fit? Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Ben Marley to review what to check before submitting that college application. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What admissions and scholarship deadlines are critical? How do you manage the sharing of test scores? How should the activities list and personal statement be planned and formatted? Do all recommendations need to be in place before submitting the application? Who should look at a college application before it goes out? MEET OUR GUEST Ben Marley is an educational consultant from Charleston, South Carolina who earned full-ride scholarships to five universities including the University of Delaware, where he graduated cum laude with double majors in economics and communication (and a minor in philosophy that no one has ever asked him about). When universities actually cared about the SAT essay, the College Board hired Ben to grade student essays on the real SAT. Additionally, Ben has taught English as a second language in Taiwan, has created classes to help foreign students prepare for college-level writing in the US, and has taught ACT and SAT prep for several years, helping over 200 students to raise their test scores. Utilizing his own success in getting admitted to 13 universities, Ben expanded from teaching essay writing and test prep to helping students through the admissions process as a whole as an educational consultant. Recognizing the value of expert insight, he founded ApplyHereFirst.com, where real admissions officers help students perfect their college applications by reviewing every single detail and providing thorough feedback before they apply. You can reach Ben via email at [email protected]. LINKS College Application Checklist RELATED EPISODES HOW TO WIN LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS BUILDING AN A+ EXTRACURRICULAR RESUME LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: GOOD VS. GREAT ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

If you weren't keenly aware of the differences between spoken and written English, you probably haven't taken the ACT! Amy and Mike invited educator Jason Derby to discuss both the details and implications of ACT English reporting categories. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the main ACT English Reporting Categories? What can students and educators learn from English Reporting Categories? Why are rules more important than your ears? Does being a great writer guarantee a high ACT English score? What does the ACT English test tell us about effective communication? MEET OUR GUEST Jason Derby is a high school Math and test prep teacher at Cuba City High School. He is the founder of Jason Derby ACT Prep and has tutored all five ACT subjects since 2016 in Dubuque, IA and the tri-state area. He is an ACT Certified Trainer in all areas of the ACT. He graduated from Loras College with a Biochemistry degree. Find Jason at [email protected]. LINKS English Test Description for the ACT ACT Reporting Categories: English College Readiness Benchmarks RELATED EPISODES DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SAT AND ACT GRAMMAR WHAT SAT & ACT DIAGNOSTIC TESTS CAN TELL YOU EMERGING TRENDS IN SAT AND ACT CONTENT 2020 ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Author Orison Swett Marden stated, "All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible." That quote applies perfectly to the current state of selective high school and college admissions, but will it still in the near future? Amy and Mike invited educator Frances Kweller to explain why selective specialized schools matter. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What kinds of schools are gated by an admissions test? Why are highly selective specialized schools so desirable? What happens when test scores are eliminated as admissions criteria? Should a global pandemic be sufficient reason to waive testing requirements? How are opportunities based on factors other than merit unevenly distributed? MEET OUR GUEST Frances Kweller, Esq., is an attorney at law and lifelong educator. The daughter of Russian immigrants, she was the first one in her immediate family to gain acceptance to a top college and obtain a professional degree. She graduated from New York University's Steinhardt School of Education and Hofstra University's School of Law. Frances envisioned what is now "Kweller Prep" while she was applying to college. Throughout her own journey, she saw a need for strong academic guidance for first-generation students wanting to gain acceptance to competitive schools. Her goal was to "fill the gaps" by creating a preparatory environment to help others navigate competitive college admissions. Years later, Kweller Prep has evolved to assist thousands of ambitious students in achieving their goals. The company is a proud supporter of many diversity initiatives and outreach programs throughout New York City. Find Frances at http://www.kwellerprep.com/ LINKS Frances Kweller Speaks at Rally to Support the SHSAT Exam and Gifted and Talented Programs RELATED EPISODES WHY TESTING STANDARDS MATTER HOW TESTS DRIVE LEARNING WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A BAD TEST TAKER? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

We all imagine that one purpose of a K-12 education is to prepare students for life after high school. But how do we know which students are--or are not--ready? Amy and Mike invited researchers Lynne Graziano and Chad Aldeman to describe different methods of tracking college and career readiness. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why should high schools care about college and career readiness? What are the current challenges and opportunities in tracking college and career readiness? In what ways is readiness currently tracked, and where do these tracking processes fall short? Are there alternate ways of tracking college and career readiness? Where can parents and educators track down readiness data? MEET OUR GUESTS Lynne Graziano is an analyst at Bellwether Education Partners. Her work includes supporting projects on a wide range of education topics including distance learning, dynamic school systems, college and career readiness, and teacher preparation. Prior to her Bellwether years, she helped her own three children successfully navigate college and career readiness resulting in an education professional, an engineer, and an accountant. Lynne holds a bachelor's degree from Drew University, a master's of science degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. (ABD) in history from Case Western Reserve University. Chad Aldeman is a senior associate partner at Bellwether Education Partners. His work includes advising clients and writing on teacher preparation, teacher evaluation, and college and career readiness. He also serves as editor for TeacherPensions.org. He has published reports on state higher education accountability systems, the potential of improving high school accountability by incorporating outcomes data, the school choice process in New York City and Boston, teacher pensions, teacher and principal evaluations, teacher salary schedules, and teacher preparation. Chad holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa and a master's of public policy degree from the College of William and Mary. Find our guests at [email protected] and [email protected]. LINKS College and Career Readiness, or a New Form of Tracking? How can states measure a high-quality career pathway? Show Me the Data 2019 -- Understanding State Report Cards How States Can Identify and Promote Credentials of Value College Readiness Benchmarks RELATED EPISODES PATHWAY PLANNING FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS REINVENTING THE HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT ADVANTAGES OF DUAL ENROLLMENT ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

When NACAC revised its guidelines for college admissions conduct, the repercussions were expected to shake the foundations of higher education. Then COVID came along, doing all that and more! Amy and Mike invited past president of NACAC Patrick O'Connor to analyze the impact and predict the consequences of 2020 changes in admissions rules. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How did NACAC change their Code of Ethics in 2019? In what ways were those changes expected to impact college admissions? Did those changes come to pass, and how did COVID-19 impact projections? Which groups of students have been most affected by current trends? What have we learned this year about priorities in college admissions? MEET OUR GUEST Patrick O'Connor is associate dean of college counseling at Cranbrook Kingswood School in metropolitan Detroit. A past president of NACAC and Michigan ACAC, Patrick also teaches Counseling in the College Selection Process as both a graduate class and professional development program. In 2017-18, he served as the inaugural School Counselor Ambassador Fellow with the US Department of Education, keeping the Department informed of current trends and issues of interest to school counselors. Patrick is the author of five books on college counseling, including the highly acclaimed College Counseling for School Counselors and the College is Yours series. He also writes regularly for HS Counselor Week, and Admissions Intel, with other work appearing in The Washington Post, USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor, and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. He is on the board of directors for the Michigan College Access Network, serves as the co-founder and co-editor of the Journal of College Access, and has recently served on the board of The Common Application, and the credentialing commission for the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners. A member of the Political Science Faculty at Oakland Community College, Patrick is a recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Award from Oakland Community College, the Margaret Addis Service to NACAC Award, NACAC's Government Relations Award, and the William Gramenz Award (for outstanding contributions to college counseling in Michigan.) He holds five college degrees, including a Ph.D. in Education Administration, and is the first member of his family to graduate from college. Find Patrick at collegeisyours.com LINKS NACAC's Code of Ethics and Professional Practices (CEPP) Changes in College Admissions Deadlines Mean Changes for Counselors College counselor to parents: Relax RELATED EPISODES 2020 CHANGES IN ADMISSIONS RULES COLLEGE PRICE TRANSPARENCY THE ULTIMATE COLLEGE STRESS TEST ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Webb's Depth of Knowledge levels provide a clear system for categorizing the complexity of thought different tasks--and test questions--require. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Erik Francis to explain depth of knowledge levels on the SAT and ACT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are depth of knowledge (DOK) levels? How are depth of knowledge levels tested on the SAT and ACT? Why can't all DOK levels be tested on standardized exams? Do higher DOK levels correlate with harder test items? What is the difference between difficulty and demand? MEET OUR GUEST Erik M. Francis, M.Ed., M.S. is an international author and presenter with over 20 years of experience working as a classroom teacher, a site administrator, an education program specialist with a state education agency, and a professional development trainer. He has extensive experience working with diverse populations of schools, staff, and students at all grade levels from pre-kindergarten to post-graduate. Erik is the owner of Maverik Education LLC, providing academic professional development and consultation to K-12 schools, colleges, and universities on developing rigorous learning environments and delivering educational experiences that challenge students to demonstrate higher order thinking and communicate depth of knowledge (DOK). His areas of expertise include teaching and learning for depth of knowledge (Webb's DOK), higher level questioning and inquiry, authentic learning, differentiated instruction, personalized learning, and talent development. Erik is the author of Now THAT'S a Good Question! How to Promote Cognitive Rigor Through Classroom Questioning published by ASCD. His book on teaching and learning for depth of knowledge will be published by Solution Tree International in 2021. Erik is also ranked as one of the World's Top 30 Education Professionals for 2019 (#13) and 2020 (#3) by the research organization Global Gurus. Erik is an ASCD Author and Faculty Member, a professional development consultant for the Association for Middle Level Educators (AMLE), a presenter and consultant for First Educational Resources, a presenter for Staff Development for Educators, Inc. and a presenter and instructional coach for FACTS Management. Erik received his Master's in Education Leadership from Northern Arizona University and Master's of Science in Film and Television Production and Management from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. He also holds a Bachelor's of Arts in Rhetoric and Communication and English from the University at Albany. He lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his family. Find Erik at [email protected] or on Twitter @maverikedu12. LINKS Independent Alignment Study with ACT and SAT RELATED EPISODES WHY TESTING STANDARDS MATTER EMERGING TRENDS IN SAT AND ACT CONTENT IN DEFENSE OF STATE TESTS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

The old saying "What gets measured gets managed" can definitely be applied to testing data. But what exactly should be measured and why? Amy and Mike invited test prep wizard Vinny Madera to analyze opportunities and imperatives in tracking test score data. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What data matters in the context of standardized tests? What can a great educator do with student data? Why is the human element still essential to truly understand score data? How does a test scoring protocol influence how student data is tracked? What are the limits of score data assessment and why does this matter? MEET OUR GUEST Vinny Madera is the guy who shapes Test Prep Wizards and helps the team determine the most effective and efficient ways to get the results students need. Tutoring in some capacity since college, Vinny decided in 2007 to become a full-time tutor and works directly with over 800 students per year through his classes and individual students. He left a big-name test preparation company in order to provide lower cost tutoring and more access to students through his programming. Aiding numerous school districts, private institutions, and tutoring companies, Vinny has developed all Test Prep Wizards' reporting software and has written the company's SAT and ACT manuals, which have been licensed by many school districts as an efficient, low-cost means of helping their students. The analysis software he developed to give school districts customized views of its students' testing trends has been called "Amazing," "Mind-boggling," and "Revolutionary." Vinny is a huge nerd fan of data and statistics, moonlighting as a math enthusiast at Fairfield University where he teaches a variety of math courses and freshman experience workshops. He brings this love of numbers and trends to Test Prep Wizards in the form of its state of the art analysis programming. Vinny is the author of Demystifying the Calculator: A Guide to Using the TI-84 PLUS CE on the ACT. Additionally, Vinny is a partner at Arete Academy, a one-stop facility for athletic, academic, and student-athlete betterment. When he is not trying to make learning more enjoyable for as many students as he can reach, he's spending whatever hours are left in the day with his three fantastic kids. Find Vinny at testprepwizards.com or [email protected]. LINKS Demystifying the Calculator: A Guide to Using the TI-84 PLUS CE on the ACT RELATED EPISODES DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK AT TEST SCORE INCREASES WHAT SAT & ACT DIAGNOSTIC TESTS CAN TELL YOU COMMON TESTING MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

We may all agree that reading is fundamental, but is there consensus on how best to teach reading and increase literacy? You'd be surprised at what we are still learning about such a basic yet critical responsibility. Amy and Mike invited researcher Adam Tyner to share new findings about the links between social studies instruction and reading comprehension. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How much does literacy depend on skill vs. knowledge? What subjects do elementary school students in the U.S. spend the most time on? What subject contributes most to literacy? How do college admissions tests reflect or refute these findings? Are the literacy benefits of social studies instruction distributed evenly across socioeconomic levels? MEET OUR GUEST Adam Tyner is associate director of research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, where he helps develop and manage Fordham's research projects. Prior to joining Fordham, he served as senior education analyst at Hanover Research, where he executed data analysis projects and worked with school districts and other education stakeholders to design custom studies. Adam has also spent several years leading classrooms, teaching English as a second language in both China and California and teaching courses at the University of California, San Diego. His work has appeared and been cited in national and international media such as The Economist, The New York Times, Forbes, Education Week, Education Next, and The Diplomat, as well as in numerous local outlets. Adam holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, San Diego, where he completed his doctoral dissertation on the integration of rural-to-urban migrant workers in China's cities. He also holds a bachelor of arts in international studies from the University of Oklahoma. Find Adam at fordhaminstitute.org. LINKS Social Studies Instruction and Reading Comprehension: Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study The Education Gadfly Show Podcast ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Reading is Still Fundamental RELATED EPISODES DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SAT AND ACT READING COLLEGE ADVISING FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS WHY GRADE INFLATION IS HARMFUL ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Everyone knows that extracurricular activities matter in college admissions. But do you know which aspects of participation and achievement really make a difference? Amy and Mike invited admissions expert Judi Robinovitz to outline the essentials of building an A+ extracurricular resume. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Are extracurriculars as important as people say? Do colleges want students who are well-rounded or angular? Do community service and work count as extracurriculars? How important are excellence and impact in an activity? What is the difference between your academic rating and extracurricular rating? MEET OUR GUEST Judi Robinovitz is a Certified Educational Planner with more than thirty-five years of experience in college counseling and school placements. She is the author of numerous articles, books, and software products on educational planning and test preparation. Judi has been a featured speaker at national educational conferences, schools, and places of worship. To keep pace with current educational trends, Judi continually travels across the country to visit dozens of college and boarding school campuses every year. She has acquired vast knowledge of the admissions process as well as the requirements and specialties of hundreds of educational institutions. Since 1980, she and her team have successfully guided more than 8,000 students – from those at the very top of their class to students experiencing significant academic struggles – and their families through the planning and application process for private school, college, and graduate school. Judi specializes in guiding students applying to prestigious double-degree BS-MD programs and the nation's most selective universities as well as colleges that best serve mid-range students and those with learning disabilities. During her 23-year tenure at Educational Testing Service, Judi served as technical liaison to the College Board. She designed and led the programming team to implement the College Board's first SAT-prep software; she also wrote strategy chapters of their original SAT-prep books. Taking the SAT numerous times throughout her career, Judi has several perfect 800 scores on her record. As a founding faculty member of two private schools in Boca Raton, Florida, Judi created their college guidance programs and served as Director of College Guidance to the first four graduating classes of each school. Judi founded Score At The Top Learning Centers & Schools in South Florida. Accredited by AdvancED and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the learning centers provide academic tutoring, SAT & ACT preparation, and courses for credit to over 1,000 students every year, both in person and via Skype. The accredited schools are home to more than 180 full-time students who thrive in intentionally small classes ranging in size from one to eight students. Judi is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, the Higher Education Consultants Association, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the Secondary School Admissions Test Board, and the Learning Disabilities Association of America. Judi earned degrees in mathematics and computer science from the University of Connecticut and Rutgers University, both with highest honors. Her professional life has been devoted to helping students achieve academic success. Find Judi at [email protected]. LINKS All About Extracurricular Activities RELATED EPISODES LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: GOOD VS. GREAT WRITING RHETORICALLY IN ADMISSIONS ESSAYS LOOKING FOR A FULL RIDE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

The test prep and tutoring industry has somehow grown into a multi-billion dollar behemoth without any guiding association, credentials, or voice. But is the world ready for a non-profit industry organization ready to promote ethical education and advocate for all stakeholders in the testing process? Amy and Mike invited members of the NTPA Board of Directors to introduce the new National Test Prep Association. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the National Test Prep Association? For what reasons was the National Test Prep Association organized? Who should join the National Test Prep Association? How will the National Test Prep Association benefit educators? How will the National Test Prep Association benefit students and parents? MEET OUR GUESTS Pranoy Mohapatra, founder and Director of PMTutoring LLC, began his test prep journey helping classmates prepare for the SAT while a high school student. He began his company in 2015 and is passionate about helping driven students overcome their obstacles throughout their academic journeys. Travis Minor, founder and CEO of Open Door Education in Acton and Concord, MA, has helped thousands of students succeed on standardized tests of all shapes and sizes. Travis believes in a thoughtful, patient, collaborative approach to tutoring and test preparation in which the needs of each student are central to their process, and he is passionate about increasing access to high-quality individualized education. Jason Robinovitz is the COO of Score At The Top Learning Centers & Schools, the largest family owned tutoring and test prep company in South Florida. The company was founded by his mother, Judi, over 35 years ago; over that time, Score has helped thousands of students achieve their academic goals. Bara Sapir is the CEO/Founder of City Test Prep, a boutique test prep company that combines holistic and mindful modalities with study of high stakes tests to help students eliminate anxiety and build confidence and increase focus. Her firm also teaches test-specific tracks of speed reading to improve time management. Find the National Test Prep Association at nationaltestprep.org/. LINKS National Test Prep Association RELATED EPISODES HOW IECS AND TEST PREP PROFESSIONALS CAN WORK TOGETHER HOW TEST PREP PROS AND FINANCIAL PLANNERS CAN WORK TOGETHER PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF TESTING ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

While most K-12 students would love test-optional schooling, most K-12 teachers strongly disagree. Why are exams essential and inextricable components of education? Amy and Mike invited educator Travis Koutsoubos-Miles to discuss how tests drive learning. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Are tests necessary in the classroom? In what ways do testing and accountability interact? Do the SAT and ACT validly measure critical thinking? How do tests like the SAT and ACT drive instruction? What roles do test validity and the testing effect play in learning? MEET OUR GUEST Travis Koutsoubos-Miles studied philosophy and theology at Wheaton College. After earning his degrees, he taught history at a private high school and then English composition at KIPP Houston High School, where his students soared scholastically. He is now Executive Director of an education startup called Born to Know, which provides advanced teacher training and curricular resources for urban public school educators. Find Travis at [email protected] LINKS The ACT and SAT don't just measure learning. They drive it, too. Testing is Learning RELATED EPISODES THE REALITY OF GRADE INFLATION WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A BAD TEST TAKER? DO TEST OPTIONAL POLICIES DRIVE EQUITY? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

For most families, the path from kindergarten to college seems set in stone, requiring as many years as there are grades. Yet, many students accelerate through the process. Should yours? Amy and Mike invited educator Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik to explore the impact of skipping a grade on students. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is grade acceleration? Do a lot of students skip grades? What are the benefits and potential drawbacks of grade acceleration? How do the impacts of acceleration change based on grade? How can families make the right choice about grade skipping? MEET OUR GUEST Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, Ph.D. is Administrator, Acceleration Institute and Research at the University of Iowa Belin-Blank Center. She founded and directed the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Talented Elementary Students (C-MITES) at Carnegie Mellon University for 22 years. She co-authored Developing Math Talent: A Comprehensive Guide to Math Education for Gifted Students in Elementary and Middle School (2nd ed.), and the Iowa Acceleration Scale, and co-edited A Nation Empowered: Evidence Trumps the Excuses Holding Back America's Brightest Students. She co-authored Developing Academic Acceleration Policies: Whole Grade, Early Entrance, and Single Subject with Wendy A. Behrens and Susan G. Assouline. Ann is co-developer of the new Integrated Acceleration System, an online tool designed to help educators and families make decisions about grade skipping, subject acceleration, early entrance to kindergarten or college, and acceleration with twice exceptional students. In addition to academic acceleration, her professional interests include identifying exceptionally mathematically talented students and devising appropriately challenging opportunities for them as well as assisting educators in understanding the Talent Search Model and how it can be utilized in schools. Find Ann at [email protected] LINKS Acceleration Institute A Nation Empowered: Evidence Trumps the Excuses Holding Back America's Brightest Students The Best-Kept Secret in Gifted Education: Above-Level Testing Early Entrance to College: Information and Resources RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE ADMISSIONS FOR TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS WHEN GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS STRUGGLE FINISHING A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE ON TIME ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

The admissions process for four-year schools increases in complexity in proportion to how tough a college or university is to get into. What should you know, then, for the most competitive of all? Amy and Mike invited educational consultant John Morganelli, Jr. to share admissions insights for highly selective universities. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the odds of admission at a highly selective university? How do institutional priorities impact cohort admit rate? Do highly selective schools perceive test prep positively or negatively? Why do stories of self directed academic exploration matter so much? How significant is early enrollment at a highly selective school? MEET OUR GUEST John Morganelli, Jr. earned his Bachelor's degree from Villanova University and his Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Lehigh University. In 2018 John left college admissions to pursue an entrepreneurial real estate opportunity and Co-founded Morganelli Properties, a real estate brokerage in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. John also founded a college admissions consulting company called Ivy League Admissions Consultant LLC and is currently writing a book entitled Growing Ivy. Prior to these entrepreneurial ventures John served in educational leadership positions at Moravian College, Lehigh University and most recently at Cornell University as the Director of Admissions for the College of Arts and Sciences. Find John at https://ivyleagueconsultant.com/ LINKS The Case for Early Applications RELATED EPISODES SHAPING AN ADMISSIONS CLASS WHY OPTIONAL STATEMENTS AREN'T OPTIONAL YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH: SECRETS OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Taking the SAT and ACT with the proper accommodations can level the assessment playing field for students with learning disabilities and medical needs. But needing and getting accommodations are two very different things. Amy and Mike invited educator Wendy Hayes to outline the process for receiving testing accommodations. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the best way to apply for testing accommodations? What accommodations are available? Are school counselors helpful in the application process? What is the optimal timeline for applying for accommodations? Can a denial of accommodations be appealed? MEET OUR GUESTS Wendy Hayes has over nine years of experience as a top standardized test tutor. She specializes in preparing students who have mild to severe Learning Differences and test anxiety for the ACT. She believes her ability to connect with these students (and make them highly successful on these exams) stems from the fact that she also has diagnosed LDs and high levels of test anxiety. Find Wendy at www.wrhcollegeprep.com LINKS Testing Accommodations Explained Applying for SAT Accommodations Applying for ACT Accommodations RELATED EPISODES NAVIGATING AN IEP OR 504 PLAN TEST PREP FOR STUDENTS WITH ACCOMMODATIONS TRANSITIONING YOUR IEP OR 504 PLAN TO COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Depending on your background, you either know lots of people who have attended Christian colleges or can't name more than one or two of the hundreds of institutions in the U.S. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Mark Cruver to proclaim the virtues of attending a Christian university. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How many Christian colleges are there and where can they be found? What is the hallmark of a classic Christian college education? What are the academic, social, and financial advantages of attending a Christian university? What kind of student thrives--or might not--at a Christian college? Should students who aren't Christian have concerns about attending a Christian university? MEET OUR GUEST Mark Cruver is an independent educational consultant and founder of Capstone Educational Consultants based in Peachtree City, Georgia. Mark's journey to college consulting has been unique. After several years as a Youth Pastor, Mark returned to his Christian college alma-mater to begin a college admissions career where he served in several roles, most notably, as the Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management. For more than a decade, Mark fell in love with the college admissions process and the decision students were making for college. This passion for helping students plan their future became the fuel to Mark's success. As one of only seven Certified Educational Planners in Georgia, Mark holds a certificate of educational consulting from the University of California, Irvine, a master of education in college student affairs from Azusa Pacific University, and a bachelor of arts in Christian education from Bryan College. Mark is the only person to have held membership in the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals as an Independent Educational Consultant and an Admissions Professional. Mark is known for his expertise with a unique specialty in guiding students interested in attending a Christian college or university. However, Mark's focus is not exclusive to Christian colleges and assists students with interest in various college-types. Mark holds Professional Membership with the Independent Educational Consultants Association and the Higher Education Consultants Association. With more than 25 years of combined service in Christian higher education, Christian college admissions, and private practice, Mark has had the honor of personally consulting with hundreds of students and families about their college admissions decisions. Mark continues to collaborate with other consultants and professionals across the country and frequently presents at admissions conferences, webinars, and has served as a guest presenter for small-business development and college advising courses. Mark currently hosts a conversation series called College Journey Conversations featuring special guests on a variety of college-journey related topics. You can find out more about Mark at www.capstoneed.com LINKS Council for Christian Colleges and Universities North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals Christian College Fairs RELATED EPISODES ATTENDING A JESUIT UNIVERSITY ATTENDING A LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE ATTENDING AN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

In this era of instant internet searches, you may think that memory doesn't matter as much as it used to. Maybe you forget how much memory drives everything we do! Amy and Mike invited education professional Nancy Weinstein to explain the science of memory. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does it mean to have a "good" or "bad" memory? What are the different types of memory? What techniques can educators employ to facilitate learning and memory? How do well-designed tests help memory? How does environment or study conditions interact with memory and retrieval? MEET OUR GUEST Nancy Weinstein founded Mindprint Learning with the perspectives of both a parent and an innovator. Realizing a need to address a common challenge for parents and educators, she drew upon her background in science and business to create Mindprint, the first ever valid at-home cognitive assessment supported with next-step strategies for growth. Nancy has an extensive background in business, including work at Goldman Sachs, The Walt Disney Company Corporate Strategic Planning, Bristol Myers Squibb, and several smaller Internet companies. Nancy has an MBA from Harvard Business School with first year honors and a BS/BSE summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton School of Management and Technology Program, Bioengineering and Finance. As a mother of two, Nancy recognizes the challenges parents face today, from helping with homework, to navigating the ever-changing pace of education and technology. Find Nancy at https://mindprintlearning.com/ LINKS How Adults Can Support Working Memory The Empowered Student: A Guide to Self-Regulated Learning Practice Testing Improves Retrieval RELATED EPISODES EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS AND TEST PREP HIGH IMPACT STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED IN MATH WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A BAD TEST TAKER? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Contrary to the allegations of critics, you cannot buy great test scores. In fact, a surprising number of students earn elite--and sometimes perfect--scores on their own. Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Brian Eufinger to analyze self-prep for the SAT & ACT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Is it possible to self-prep and excel on the SAT and ACT? What kind of students self-prep effectively? What resources are available for students who want to prep on their own? What if a student is not capable of effective self-study? Is preparation really that important for the SAT and ACT? MEET OUR GUEST Brian Eufinger graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis in May 2004. While an undergrad, he enjoyed working as a teaching assistant for Political Science 101, a resident advisor (RA) and as a volunteer paramedic with WashU's Emergency Support Team. Brian is frequently invited to speak about test prep, college admissions, and scholarships at PTSA meetings at Atlanta-area high schools as well as Edison Prep's free parent meetings. He is an active member of Washington University's Young Alumni chapter in Atlanta, as well as the WashU Alumni Admissions Interviewer Program. Brian was our guest to discuss THE REALITY OF GRADE INFLATION (#28) and facilitated our 2019-20 ACADEMIC YEAR IN REVIEW (#100). Find Brian at https://www.edisonprep.com/ LINKS One Secret to Seriously Strong Test Scores Historical ACT Percentiles for 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015 RELATED EPISODES WHY THE SAT AND ACT ARE AWESOME EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS AND TEST PREP THE REALITY OF GRADE INFLATION ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

As long as school has included tests and grades, teachers have had to deal with dishonesty and plagiarism. With rapidly changing technology, however, come more and more novel and insidious ways to cheat. Amy and Mike invited education technology expert Gretchen Hanson to describe the evolving academic integrity arms race. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does academic integrity mean in the 21st century? How has cheating and plagiarism in education evolved? What tools are available to help educators enforce academic integrity? In what ways does technology both facilitate and betray cheating? What new forms of cheating and plagiarism lie ahead? MEET OUR GUESTS Gretchen Hanson has spent twenty years in the education industry, and is passionate about clarifying how technology can improve our education experience and promote our achievements. Her roles spanning a variety of top-tier organizations such as ProQuest, the University of Maryland System, Blackboard, Renaissance Learning, Parchment and Turnitin, have allowed her to get deep insights to the education system as students move from secondary to postsecondary. Gretchen loves to travel, just adopted a dog, was a serial student earning a Masters of Library Science & Information degree from University of Maryland College Park, and a BA from Brigham Young University. Find Gretchen at [email protected]. LINKS The Rise of Plagiarism: Contract Cheating RELATED EPISODES ACT SCORE REVIEW AND VALIDATION WHY TESTING STANDARDS MATTER BRINGING CRITICAL BALANCE TO HIGH SCHOOLERS' LIVES ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

21st century high schools teach different subjects in different ways integrating entirely different standards, guidelines, and technology. So why do they still use a 19th century grading system? Amy and Mike invited educator and author Jonathan E. Martin to learn about models of reinventing the high school transcript. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why and how is the current HS transcript broken? Why now, why is now the time to reinvent the HS transcript, when it has been unchanged in over a century? What would be the features of a new transcript model? Are there working examples of such an alternative transcript? Who in the public or private sphere should drive implementation of this model? MEET OUR GUEST Jonathan E. Martin is the author of the recently published book, Reinventing Crediting for Competency-Based Education: The Mastery Transcript Consortium Model and Beyond (Routledge Press). A former high school teacher and long-time principal, he is an expert in Deeper Learning and innovative forms of assessing student learning. A consultant to schools since 2012, he currently is the Director of Professional Learning and the ACT Certified Educator (ACE) program for the testing organization ACT. Jonathan consulted extensively to the Mastery Transcript Consortium during its first two years of development, 2016-17, but has no current affiliation with the MTC. He holds a BA from Harvard University and an MA from the University of San Francisco. Find Jonathan at @jonathanemartin. LINKS Reinventing Crediting for Competency-Based Education: The Mastery Transcript Consortium Model and Beyond 21k12 Blog Mastery Transcript Consortium RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE DECLASSIFIED: WHAT HIGH SCHOOLERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE NEXT LEVEL PATHWAY PLANNING FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS IN DEFENSE OF STATE TESTS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Most families get serious about planning for life after high school during a child's tween or teen years. If you want to pay for educational programs like college, though, you might want to plan much further in advance! Amy and Mike invited financial expert John Hupalo to demystify 529 college savings plans. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What exactly is a 529 college savings plan? What is the optimal timeline for investing in a 529? Can 529 funds be used to pay for tutoring, test prep, or college advising? What if your 529 beneficiary doesn't want to go to college? Can 529 plans be used to pay for K-12 education? MEET OUR GUEST John Hupalo is nationally recognized expert in education loan finance and college planning. He is the founder of MyCollegeCorner.com, a mission-driven company dedicated to empowering families with the information, tools and services needed to make more informed college decisions. His education-focused career spans more than 30 years as a Legislative Assistant on Capitol Hill, Managing Director on Wall Street, and Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of First Marblehead Corporation (NYSE:FMD). He was elected to the Bronxville School Board, chaired the NYU Stern School Alumni Association, established the Mainstream Foundation, served as a Trustee and Treasurer for the Carroll School and Treasurer for the Wellesley Village Church. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Point O'Woods Association. He co-authored Plan and Finance Your Family's College Dreams (Peterson's, 2016). John has testified before Congress on private credit student loans. He has been a guest on more than 70 radio shows, appeared on Bloomberg Day Break and The Street with Gregg Greenberg, and has been published or quoted in the New York Times, the Fiscal Times, the Wall Street Journal, The Hill, Fox Business, and U.S. News and World Report. He is a contributor to The Hill and Bob Brook's Prudent Money Radio show. John received his B.A. with Honors from Boston University and an MBA in Finance from New York University's Stern School of Business. Find John at [email protected]. LINKS Plan and Finance Your Family's College Dreams 529 Day: CV-19 has Not Changed the Importance of Saving for College Can 529 Funds Be Used to Pay for Test Prep? College Savings Plans Network RELATED EPISODES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STUDENT LOANS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FAFSA & CSS PROFILE THE RAMPANT COST OF COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

In-school prep programs can be highly effective in terms of score increases, content mastery, and overall student satisfaction... as long as school staff and private partners are on the same page. But how often does that happen? Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Rhett Barbour to describe the key steps to building and maintaining effective school partnerships. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the cornerstones of effective school partnerships? Who at a high school usually signs off on a partnership? What are the benefits and disadvantages of school prep partnerships? How can school staff most effectively leverage educational partnerships? What are signs a school partnership is working? MEET OUR GUESTS Rhett Barbour is the founder of TorchPrep, a test prep firm that has served over 30,000 students for 11 years. Focusing mostly on group format training, TorchPrep has built a reproducible training program for educators and non-educators alike to help them become testing experts and help students on their journey to college. TorchPrep has partnered with over 100 schools to provide professional development, test preparation, and test anxiety training. Through its trusted school partnerships TorchPrep has also worked to serve over 20,000 students striving to achieve college readiness benchmark scores. Find Rhett at [email protected]. LINKS School Partnerships RELATED EPISODES HOW TEST PREP TUTORING SHOULD WORK BENEFITS OF SCHOOL DAY TESTING HOW IECS AND TEST PREP PROFESSIONALS CAN WORK TOGETHER ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

In a surprising number of ways, putting together a new incoming class at a college is like crafting a list for the perfect party. So how can you make sure you are invited? Amy and Mike invited author Jeff Selingo to pull back the curtain on the process of shaping an admissions class. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does "shaping" mean in admissions parlance? Do all colleges have the same priorities? What role do test scores play in shaping a class? How influential is the prospect of a full-pay family? What might a student do to get shaped into rather than out of a class? MEET OUR GUEST Jeff Selingo is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, College (Un)Bound and There Is Life After College. For more than twenty years, his in-depth reporting and powerful storytelling has provided insight about the inner workings of universities and a practical roadmap for higher ed's future to students, parents, college leaders, and business executives. Jeff's newest book, Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, takes readers on a journey through the selection process from inside three admissions offices, revealing what really matters to the gatekeepers and how the ultimate decision is often based on a college's priorities. As both an observer of higher education and an insider with academic appointments at two prominent universities, Jeff occupies a unique position to explain this critical and influential sector of the world economy. He writes regularly for The Atlantic, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Chronicle of Higher Education and is co-host of the podcast, FutureU. His reporting and research focuses on the changing nature of work and its impact on education, paying for college, the financial sustainability of the residential campus, and shifting expectations for what the public wants from colleges. Jeff is a special advisor for innovation to the president at Arizona State University, where he is the founding director of the Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership. He has also served as a visiting scholar at Georgia Tech's Center for 21st Century Universities. In addition, Jeff regularly counsels universities and organizations on their innovation strategy and storytelling. Previously, Jeff was the top editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education, where he worked for sixteen years in a variety of reporting and editing roles. His work has been honored with awards from the Education Writers Association, Society of Professional Journalists, and the Associated Press. He received a bachelor's degree from Ithaca College and a master's degree from the Johns Hopkins University. He is a member of the board of trustees at Ithaca College. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Washington, D.C. Find Jeff at https://www.jeffselingo.com/. LINKS Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions College (Un)Bound There Is Life After College RELATED EPISODES WHY OPTIONAL STATEMENTS AREN'T OPTIONAL YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH: SECRETS OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS NEED BLIND AND NEED AWARE ADMISSIONS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

The SAT has attracted incalculable criticism and scorn over the last century, but would detractors feel as much loathing if they knew the test's noble origins and purpose? Amy and Mike invited educational icon Anthony P. Carnevale to recall the historical mission of the SAT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What was the original purpose of the SAT? What was the initial role of the College Board? What did the SAT have to do with the Cold War? What are the limits of standardized tests in American education? Does elimination of testing standards improve issues of equality and access? MEET OUR GUESTS Dr. Anthony P. Carnevale serves as Director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce and is co-author of The Merit Myth: How Our Colleges Favor the Rich and Divide America. He has served as Vice President of the Educational Testing Service (ETS), senior staff in both the US Senate and House, and has received appointments in multiple presidential administrations. In 1993 he was appointed by President Bill Clinton to chair the National Commission on Employment Policy and was subsequently appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the White House Commission on Technology and Adult Education. Dr. Carnevale co-authored the principal affidavit in Rodriguez v. San Antonio, a US Supreme Court action to remedy unequal education benefits, a landmark case that resulted in significant fiscal reforms to equalize K-12 education spending in a majority of states. Dr. Carnevale received his BA from Colby College and his PhD in public finance economics from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. Find Tony at [email protected]. LINKS The Merit Myth: How Our Colleges Favor the Rich and Divide America What Excellent Community Colleges Do: Preparing All Students for Success RELATED EPISODES PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF TESTING IMPLICATIONS OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT DASHBOARD WHAT COLLEGE BOARD AND ACT ARE DOING RIGHT ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

The classic liberal arts and sciences education represents the prototypical college experience, yet many argue that modern times call for different kinds of programs and degrees. Is it possible, though, that a liberal arts education may be more valuable now than ever? Amy and Mike invited Kenyon admissions officer Ellen Turner to enumerate the virtues of attending a liberal arts college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is different or unique about attending a liberal arts and sciences college? What distinctive academic opportunities do liberal arts colleges offer? How is the undergraduate focus of a liberal arts college beneficial to students? Is a classic liberal arts education still valuable in the 21st century? What kind of student thrives in a liberal arts environment? MEET OUR GUESTS A graduate of both Kenyon College and Harvard University, Ellen Turner has worked in education throughout her entire career. She was a guidance counselor, teacher, and academic dean at the secondary level for thirty years. In 2016, Ellen returned to work in the admissions office at Kenyon College. A lover of symmetry, the return was fitting as Kenyon admissions was the place where she started her career almost 40 years ago. Although she thoroughly enjoys working with young people as they figure out their futures, her most favorite role in life is being a grandmother of four. When not being an admissions professional, counselor or Mumsie (grandma code word), she likes to read (mysteries), travel with her husband and solve puzzles. Find Ellen at [email protected] or 740-427-5791. LINKS The Outcomes of a Liberal Arts Education: State of Research RELATED EPISODES ATTENDING A WOMEN'S COLLEGE ATTENDING AN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY DOES COLLEGE ENGAGEMENT MATTER MORE THAN SELECTIVITY? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

With all the concern swirling around college admissions testing, maybe the solution isn't fewer exams but actually more. Amy and Mike invited education professional Jeremy Tate to shed light on the Classic Learning Test (CLT). What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the Classic Learning Test? How does the CLT differ from the SAT and ACT? Why should schools value the CLT? What schools currently accept the CLT? What kind of student will do well on the CLT? MEET OUR GUESTS Jeremy Tate is a former college admissions test prep consultant and counselor. Alarmed by the lack of logic- and philosophy-based subject matter in the two dominant forms of entrance exams, he founded Classic Learning Initiatives (CLI) as a means of restoring the foundation of American education. Serving in the same capacity as his prior roles, Tate applies his knowledge to the CLI mission of reconnecting intellectual pursuit and virtue. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University and Reformed Theological Seminary, and has 5 children who range from six months to a freshman in high school! Find Jeremy at [email protected]. LINKS The Classic Learning Test (CLT) SAT/ACT/CLT Concordance RELATED EPISODES WHY THE SAT AND ACT ARE AWESOME WHAT SAT & ACT DIAGNOSTIC TESTS CAN TELL YOU DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SAT AND ACT READING ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Many students do college-level work during high school, but only a fortunate few figure out how to translate their studies to substantial college credits. Amy and Mike invited financial expert Rocky Lalvani to explain the many educational and fiscal advantages of dual enrollment programs. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What do dual enrollment and dual credit mean? Why do some students need more than a traditional high school experience? How does the cost of both private school and college impact educational choices? How can dual enrollment create more freedom for students to pursue their passions? What must you know in advance about transferring credit? MEET OUR GUESTS Rocky Lalvani is a Virtual CFO and financial expert at Profit Comes First. He is also a prolific podcaster on both Richer Soul and Profit Answer Man. First and foremost, Rocky is a dad who has partnered with his two children to evaluate college choices and costs. They came up with customs plans for each child based on their needs, desires and how college's provide aid. While they have the ability to pay for elite colleges they decided that was not the best decision for them. Rocky shares details about their journey to illustrate how you can create yours. Find Rocky at [email protected] LINKS Intentionally Raising Financially Savvy Kids with my Daughter Geeta Defining Dual Enrollment RELATED EPISODES FAMILY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS THE RAMPANT COST OF COLLEGE WHAT HIGH SCHOOLERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE NEXT LEVEL ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

The college essay is, at heart, a sales letter intended to close the deal of a student's admission to a desired school. Why, then, do writers so often ignore the power of rhetoric to inform, persuade, or motivate? Amy and Mike invited educator and podcaster Ryan Tibbens to explore the benefits of writing rhetorically in admissions essays. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What exactly is rhetoric? What are the two essential roles of an admissions essay? Why does writing for a specific reader matter? Why should "Show, don't tell," be the guiding philosophy? Who must be the protagonist of an admissions essay? MEET OUR GUESTS Ryan Tibbens is an award-winning high school English teacher, writing tutor, and podcast host in Northern Virginia. He believes numeracy, literacy, and rhetoric skills are essential to a person's personal and social well-being; accordingly, he strives to develop those skills in his students both at school and through Tibbens Education Services & Tutoring. In addition to hosting the ClassCast Podcast, a long-form podcast that focuses on outside-the-box thinking to improve education, he enjoys playing, reading, gardening, and hiking with his wife and two young children. Find Ryan at [email protected]. LINKS ClassCast Podcast RELATED EPISODES WHY OPTIONAL STATEMENTS AREN'T OPTIONAL TABOO ESSAY TOPICS UTILIZING A REFLECTION JOURNAL TO PREPARE FOR YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

The traditional college visit presents the perfect opportunity to get a real feel for a school while demonstrating sincere interest. A virtual college visit is no different. Amy and Mike invited admissions consultant Jessie Peck Martin to explain how to make the most of a virtual college admissions event. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What, beyond the obvious, makes a virtual admissions event different from an on-campus admissions event? How do larger virtual college fairs differ from individual virtual visits? Why should all visits start with the student rather than the school? Who should be asking questions, and what questions are best? What is the best way to follow up after any college visit? MEET OUR GUESTS Jessie Peck Martin, M. Ed., founder of CompassU Educational Consulting, LLC, author of Three Things About College Admissions: I Wish Someone Had Told Me and creator of the College Admissions Made Simple Virtual Academy, earned a B.S. in Marketing and a Master's degree in Education from Lehigh University (Go brown and white!). She launched CompassU Educational Consulting in 2014, bringing with her 25 years of experience in both classrooms and educational publishing. In 2019, Jessie was named a professional member of IECA and is a member of the New Jersey Association of College Admissions Counselors (NJACAC). Jessie visits an average of twenty colleges and schools annually. She also meets with admissions officers and colleagues and attends national conventions to stay up to date on the ever-shifting landscape of admissions. When she is not meeting with students Jessie is busy raising four children (and, so far, has launched two college graduates [University of Chicago '18, Lehigh University '19] and cheers her younger son and daughter on the slopes at boarding school [Stratton Mountain School '22, '24]), enjoys a yoga class here and there, cares for a sweet and needy Vizlsa and a crazy GSP, and volunteers around northwest New Jersey. When not coaching alpine ski racing or running his business, husband, Dave, is often an innocent bystander to the chaos. Find Jessie at http://www.jessiepeckmartin.com. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/collegeadmissionsmadesimple/ EMAIL: [email protected] LINKS Three Things About College Admissions: I Wish Someone Had Told Me College Admissions Made Simple Virtual Academy RELATED EPISODES MAKING THE MOST OF COLLEGE VISITS VIRTUAL COLLEGE TOURS COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Money is a major concern before, during, and very much after the college admissions process? So why isn't financial planning integrated more consistently? Amy and Mike invited educator and consultant Lisa Marker-Robbins to explain why and how test prep professionals and financial planners can work together. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How can test scores affect scholarships and other forms of merit aid? Should scholarship opportunities influence college planning? What is the role of the family financial planner in college planning? How should educators and counselors build relationships with financial planners? Why should financial planners seek out test prep professionals to work with? MEET OUR GUESTS Lisa Marker-Robbins is the founding CEO of LEAP serving college bound families since 1999. LEAP and Lisa are in the Greater Cincinnati area, they provide ACT/SAT/PSAT prep and tutoring for over 1600 students each year. She is also an IEC and Birkman Master Certified Consultant focusing on career coaching for what comes after high school; she has coached over 3,000 individuals to date. Her work was featured in 2019 on Forbes. Since 2018 she has volunteered as a member of the Board of Directors for NCAG, a national organization of Independent Educational Consultants and Financial Planners with a focus on college planning. You can find more about Lisa and the LEAP Team/Services at www.LEAProgram.com and on social media as LEAProgram. LINKS Forbes article, "What's the Return on a College Investment" College Major-Career Coaching with Lisa and Her Team NCAG Organization RELATED EPISODES HOW IECS AND TEST PREP PROFESSIONALS CAN WORK TOGETHER THE RAMPANT COST OF COLLEGE WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FAFSA & CSS PROFILE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Very few students graduate from college thinking that they just lived through the most challenging yet enriching four years of their lives. Then again, most students don't go to schools like West Point! Amy and Mike invited admissions officer Major Kendrick Vaughn to describe the distinctive experience of attending a military service academy. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a crucible moment? What is different or unique about attending a military academy? Why does every incoming student feel like a small fish in a big pond? How do military academies ensure diversity on campus? What kind of student should consider attending a military academy? MEET OUR GUEST Major Kendrick Vaughn currently serves as the Diversity Admissions Officer for the United States Military Academy at West Point, leading the effort to matriculate the most diverse class in West Point's 218-year history. Kendrick earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA in Healthcare and Entrepreneurship from the University of California-Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Kendrick is happily married to his wife, Seneca and they have two children, Tahj and Deja. Find Kendrick at https://www.westpoint.edu/admissions. LINKS West Point Facebook Page West Point YouTube RELATED EPISODES APPLYING TO A MILITARY ACADEMY ALL ABOUT THE ROTC SCHOLARSHIP BRINGING GRIT TO TESTING AND ADMISSIONS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

We all want to get scholarships, right? But how many people want to give scholarships? Amy and Mike did, mainly because scholarship expert Monica Matthews inspired us. That's why we invited Monica back to help process the lessons learned by offering a scholarship. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What makes offering a scholarship an excellent idea? How quickly can you expect for people to become aware of a new scholarship? What elements make scholarships successful? What will we do differently next year? What tips can you pass along to students who will be applying next year? MEET OUR GUEST Monica Matthews is the author of How to Win College Scholarships. She helped her own sons win over $100,000 in college scholarships and now shares her expertise with other parents and their students. She truly has "been there, done that" in regards to helping families navigate the scholarship process. Her methods of helping students find college scholarships, write compelling essays, and create unique application packets have taught desperate parents to help their own students win thousands of scholarship dollars. Her scholarship tips have been featured in several publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, and The Penny Hoarder. Monica has been dubbed The Scholarship Mom and "Go-To" expert on college scholarships. You can find her winning tips and scholarship blog at https://how2winscholarships.com. Find Monica at https://how2winscholarships.com. LINKS Tests and the Rest Counselor Select Scholarship How to Win College Scholarships RELATED EPISODES HOW TO WIN LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS LOOKING FOR A FULL RIDE PSAT AND THE NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROCESS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

Perfection, according to Vince Lombardi, is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. But is a perfect score on a critical admissions test really impossible, and what else can you catch in the pursuit of one? Amy and Mike invited author and educator Debbie Stier to discuss the road to a perfect test score. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How hard is it to earn a perfect score on tests like the SAT and ACT? What did you learn that can help others earn perfect scores? Are tips and tricks enough? Can anyone earn a perfect score on standardized tests? What does a perfect score really mean anyway? MEET OUR GUEST A former publishing executive whose career spanned over two decades, Debbie Stier is the author of The Perfect Score Project: One Mom's Journey to Uncover the Secrets of the SAT — a book that launched her second career as a reading and writing tutor. Her broadcast media appearances include The Today Show, CBS Early Show, ABC Radio, and Bloomberg TV. In addition, she has been written about and profiled by publications such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, USA Today, The New York Post, Family Circle, and Parade. Debbie lives n New York City where you can find her passionately tutoring middle and high school students. Find Debbie at [email protected]. LINKS Perfect Score Project How to Earn a Perfect SAT or ACT Score RELATED EPISODES HOW TEST PREP AND SPORTS ARE SIMILAR DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK AT TEST SCORE INCREASES COMMON TESTING MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.