Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Blaire Richter from Three Keys Learning Studio in Cincinnati, Ohio. Blaire helps high schoolers get into college and college students get through their programs. She has been a tutor of high school and college-level math, writing, and test prep for over 23 years. What Blaire loves most in life is her family, her great big goofy dog, and puzzles of all kinds. There are puzzles everywhere. People are puzzles, math is puzzles, standardized test questions are puzzles, helping a person write their best story?-- also just an open box of a puzzle, waiting for the pieces to be put into the right places. Integrating those puzzles together is key to academic success. Blaire weaves together her lifelong interests in behavior analysis and test-taking skills to coach students toward their successes. Find Blaire at 513-484-4675 or [email protected]. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Michael ElDeiry. Since founding Broward Tutorial Services in 2004, Mike has worked with over 1,000 students. His students have achieved score improvements of 10+ points on the ACT and 500+ points on the SAT. Mike has a BS in Biology from Tufts University and an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He has completed courses for an MA in Biology from Harvard University as well. When he's not busy preparing students for their tests, Mike enjoys spending time with his nieces and nephews, competing in Scrabble® Tournaments, and enjoying the South Florida sunshine. Find Michael at https://browardtutorial.com or [email protected] ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

AKA Gain the Self-awareness, Tools, and Experiences Necessary to Flourish as an Adult with career counselor Lisa Marker-Robbins What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind the Launch College & Career Clarity Course? How does the Launch College & Career Clarity Course work? Who currently uses the Launch College & Career Clarity Course? What kinds of outcomes do users experience? What should someone curious about the Launch College & Career Clarity Course know about it? ABOUT LAUNCH COLLEGE & CAREER CLARITY Flourish Coaching helps students identify their best fit college major and future career that is aligned to their individual hardwired personality, values, and aptitudes. Students are guided through the 3 pillars of successful planning so they can Know Themself, Know Careers, and then Know Their Path. This trusted framework, cited by Forbes as a first step in increasing the return on the college investment, is taught inside the Launch Career Clarity course developed from Lisa's previous 1:1 coaching model she started in 2010 and used with 3,000 individuals. Private pay families as well as independent counselors, high schools, and nonprofits now use the Launch course to gain crucial insights. Thousands of students later, Lisa knows it is possible for students to make informed decisions on college majors and colleges, so they don't eliminate or limit their options. Lisa Marker Robbins has worked with teens for over 30 years and is a Master Birkman Method Certified Coach. To understand the college planning timeline and how college major and career identification fits into the process, grab Lisa's College Planning Timeline. Visit the Flourish Coaching site to learn more about the Launch College & Career Clarity Course. To learn more, please contact Lisa at [email protected]. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

The global pandemic may be behind us, but every sector of society–including education–still struggles from its aftereffects. Amy and Mike invited educator Pranoy Mohapatra to describe the extent of COVID learning loss. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How bad, exactly, has COVID learning loss been? What has the research uncovered regarding learning loss? Were all students impacted equally during the pandemic? What are the most effective interventions for students who suffered learning loss? What roles do mental health and self-concept play in learning? MEET OUR GUEST Pranoy Mohapatra began tutoring as a high school sophomore for a local company after finding joy in helping classmates at the Academy of Allied Health and Sciences study for tests. Pranoy found he learned by teaching and explaining concepts to reinforce them, and often viewed standardized tests as puzzles. He continued to tutor through college and his first year of medical school, before leaving medical school and officially starting his tutoring company PMTutoring LLC in 2015. Pranoy's approach to test prep focuses on in depth understanding and recognition of concepts, as he found the "memorize and regurgitate" methods taught in many classes frustrating. His objective is to provide the tools necessary for any student with goals the opportunity to reach them. Pranoy is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the National Test Prep Association. He first appeared on this podcast in episode #36 to discuss Techniques to Motivate Unmotivated Students and was the subject of a TEST PREP PROFILE in episode #280. Find Pranoy at www.PMTutoring.com. LINKS Have ACT Scores Declined During the COVID-19 Pandemic? An Examination of Fall State and District Testing Data The Kids are Far, Far Behind in School The pandemic has had devastating impacts on learning. What will it take to help students catch up? RELATED EPISODES WHY COLLEGE READINESS MATTERS WHY GRADE INFLATION IS HARMFUL THE GROWING IMPACT OF CHEATING DURING COVID ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

More and more, it feels as if you need a doctorate in finance to fully comprehend the bill for a modern bachelor's degree. If you're not a financial expert, you should learn from one. Amy and Mike invited college funding advisor Liane Crane to share insights for understanding your college tuition bill. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What should parents know about reviewing the tuition bill? Why is the college portal so important to review before paying? What charges should students review carefully? How impactful is work study for covering the tuition bill? What do you need to know about federal vs. private loans? MEET OUR GUEST Liane Crane held a wide range of professional roles–including teacher, non-profit director, and paralegal–before becoming passionate about college finances. After 10+ years' working for a college consulting company, she started her own company so she could focus solely on college finances. Her specialty is helping parents early on to truly understand their cost of college and how to pay for it. Many clients are recent graduates (or parents of) trying to understand their debt and how best to repay it. Her 11-point Tuition Bill Review for college freshmen is a best selling service! Assisting her three children through the college journey has given her first-hand knowledge of what parents really want and need to know. As all three children are still in college, at the same time, the craziness, complications and excitement that surround finding and paying for college are well understood. She recommends yoga, long walks, and a large glass of wine during the process! Liane is a member of HECA (Higher Education Consultants Association) and NCAG (National College Advocacy Group). She is a certified College Funding and Student Loan Advisor. Liane can be reached at [email protected]. LINKS The College Dollar 11-point Tuition Bill Review Ebook What You Need to Know About College Tuition Costs Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Decoding the Cost of College Confused By Your College Financial Aid Letter? You're Not Alone RELATED EPISODES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STUDENT LOANS WHEN BORROWING FOR SCHOOL IS A BAD IDEA WHAT IS SCHOLARSHIP DISPLACEMENT? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Looking for the right school looks more and more these days like online dating, particularly in all the superficial and short-sighted ways these matches are made. Amy and Mike invited ed-tech entrepreneurs Eric Menna and Sam Bernstein to share tough love insights on finding your college fit. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How does personalized college guidance impact student success? How can counselors and students assess "fit" Is there such a thing as a college "soulmate"? Why are rankings flawed? Should students just work off of lists of best colleges? MEET OUR GUESTS Eric Menna and Sam Bernstein are the two co-founders of Loper, reconnecting in August of 2021 to found the company after both graduating together from Georgetown University in 2018. Eric comes from a family of educators and most recently spent 3 years working at Bain & Company as a management consultant, where he fueled his passion for education through working on a pro-bono case with a St. Louis charter school and externing at a Chicago non-profit offering free after-school music programming. Sam most recently spent 3 years working at Maverick Capital, a NYC-based equity hedge fund, where his time volunteering for Maverick's charitable foundation and his experiences seeing the COVID-19 pandemic highlight educational inequity both motivated him to quit his job and empower students through Loper. Find Sam at [email protected] and Eric at [email protected]. LINKS Loper (mobile app download link) Lord of the Rankings RELATED EPISODES OVERLOOKED ASPECTS OF CAMPUS LIFE HELPING TEENS FIND THEIR VALUES AND PURPOSE WHAT EXACTLY IS A GOOD COLLEGE? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Academic and testing success depends not just on much you learn but also how quickly. Amy and Mike invited professor and author Barbara Oakley to provide guidance on teaching fast and slow learners. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a slow learner? How does consistency in building good habits help learning? What is the link between working memory and learning speed? How do students fool themselves into thinking they are learning? Why is rote learning being seen in a more favorable light these days? MEET OUR GUEST Barbara Oakley, Ph.D., PE is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan; Michigan's Distinguished Professor of the Year; and Coursera's inaugural "Innovation Instructor." Her work focuses on the complex relationship between neuroscience and social behavior. Barb's research has been described as "revolutionary" in the Wall Street Journal. Barb is a New York Times best-selling author who has published in outlets as varied as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Her book A Mind for Numbers, on effective learning in STEM disciplines, has sold over a million copies worldwide. Dr. Oakley has won numerous teaching awards, including the American Society of Engineering Education's Chester F. Carlson Award for technical innovation in engineering education and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers William E. Sayle II Award for Achievement in Education. Together with Terrence Sejnowski, the Francis Crick Professor at the Salk Institute, she co-teaches Coursera's "Learning How to Learn," one of the world's most popular massive open online courses with over three million registered students, along with a number of other leading MOOCs. Barb has adventured widely through her lifetime. She rose from the ranks of Private to Captain in the U.S. Army, during which time she was recognized as a Distinguished Military Scholar. She also worked as a communications expert at the South Pole Station in Antarctica, and has served as a Russian translator on board Soviet trawlers on the Bering Sea. Dr. Oakley is an elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Find Barbara at https://barbaraoakley.com. LINKS Uncommon Sense Teaching (MOOC 1 & MOOC 2) The Importance of Working Memory Capacity Faster versus slower thinking and intellectual humility RELATED EPISODES THE SCIENCE OF MEMORY WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A BAD TEST TAKER? ARE IQ TESTS VALID ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

All about Soflo Tutors: 1-on-1 SAT/ACT tutoring with over 1000 happy students annually and exploring exit opportunities with educational entrepreneur Adam Shlomi What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind SoFlo Tutors? How does SoFlo Tutors work? Who currently uses SoFlo Tutors? What kinds of outcomes do users experience? What should someone curious about SoFlo Tutors know about it? ABOUT SOFLO TUTORS SoFlo Tutors provides private 1-on-1 tutoring to over 1000 students a year. The company has grown quickly by investing in hiring and training great tutors, building customized software to handle the scale of working with so many students, and creating a student-centered model that holds learners accountable and values homework. SoFlo is also a mission-driven company working to democratize education by leading free scholarship classes for over 250 students a year. SoFlo Tutors was founded by Adam Shlomi when he was forced to take time away from Georgetown University after an ankle surgery. Adam founded SoFlo as a project to learn how to build a business and the company grew through positive reviews and online advertising. Now that SoFlo is mature and has a manager in place to handle daily operations, Adam is considering exit opportunities and SoFlo pre-qualifies for SBA financing. Adam wants SoFlo in good hands and will only consider buyers with past test prep experience. To learn more, please contact [email protected] ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

If you want college to represent some of the best years of your life, why wouldn't you spend years putting all the necessary pieces in place? Amy and Mike invited educator and podcaster Ryan Tibbens to explain long-term planning for college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the best extracurricular involvements from an admissions perspective? Is there such a thing as too many activities? What should students do in the summer to support admissions? What can students do throughout middle and high school to help them write great college admissions essays senior year? How does planning over the long-term help clarify college choices? MEET OUR GUEST Ryan Tibbens is an award-winning high school English teacher, tutor, and podcast host in Northern Virginia. He strongly believes that a sense of purpose, paired with effective rhetoric skills, yields happier, more effective people, and he strives to instill those values and skills in his students, both through his work in an all-virtual distance learning school and through through Tibbens Education Services & Tutoring. In addition to hosting the ClassCast Podcast and participating in his local community and government, Ryan enjoys writing, reading, camping, hiking, attending concerts, and gardening with his wife and three young children. Ryan first appeared on our podcast in episode #121 to discuss Writing Rhetorically in Admissions Essays. Find Ryan at [email protected]. LINKS What Classes Should I Take Next Year? RELATED EPISODES UTILIZING A REFLECTION JOURNAL TO PREPARE FOR YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY HIGH SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION AND ACADEMIC RIGOR BUILDING AN A+ EXTRACURRICULAR RESUME ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

We've long understood how fundamental skills related to executive function facilitate workplace success. Only recently, however, has the public grasped how these skills–or the lack thereof–influence academic success. Amy and Mike invited educator Natallia Kohut to explain how executive functioning processes impact learning. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why are so many children now being identified with executive functioning difficulties? How do we promote resilience and reduce stress students are currently experiencing? What are some signs that a student is having trouble with executive functioning? At what age do executive functioning challenges become evident? How can we engage students to be open to using executive function strategies? MEET OUR GUEST Natallia Kohut is the owner of A Way to Learn CT, a premier academic coaching and tutoring company with an intense focus on executive functioning skills. In addition to coaching and tutoring, A Way to Learn offers test prep services and often works with students who require a specialized and individualized support to prepare for standardized tests. Natallia is originally from Eastern Europe where she attended elementary and middle school dreaming of becoming a teacher one day. She graduated high school in the states and went on to receive a Bachelor's degree in Special Education and Sociology. Having taught at both public and private schools for a few years, she has gained a broad perspective on schooling and through research and experience, have found effective ways to work with students who need help the most - those with learning disabilities, attention difficulties, autism and other challenges. Realizing the critical part executive functioning plays in the overall success of a student, she decided to focus entirely on coaching students and families to help them navigate academic challenges. Natallia resides with her husband and two young children in Wilton, CT. Natallia can be reached at [email protected]. LINKS Does Improving Executive Function Cause Better Academic Achievement? 7 Executive Functioning Skills Your Child Should Have RELATED EPISODES EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN TEENS EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS AND TEST PREP EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AND ADHD ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Laurie Kopp Weingarten attended The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated summa cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Beta Gamma Sigma honor societies. She worked in marketing for several Fortune 500 corporations until she decided to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School. After returning to New Jersey, Laurie and her partner, Elsie Koo, co-founded One-Stop. In her role as Chief Educational Consultant, Laurie guides students through each stage of the college admissions process. She is passionate about helping students reach their full academic and extracurricular potential; there is nothing more rewarding than their look of elation upon acceptance to their top choice schools! Laurie starts working with students as early as their freshman year of high school and acts as their personal guide and consultant until they select and commit to their ideal college! She covers all aspects of the admission process from high school course selection, standardized test choices, extracurricular activity enhancement, volunteer work, summer jobs/internships, essay topic selection, resume guidance, early decision/early action strategies and practically every other situation that arises during the high school years! For over two decades, Laurie was an alumna interviewer for the University of Pennsylvania, meeting with hundreds of students from various areas of the country. She applies this experience by coaching our students on how to improve their interview skills, whether it's for summer internships or college admission. Laurie visits various colleges and universities regularly and speaks directly with admissions officers to remain up-to-date on current admissions policies and practices. Awarded the CEP by the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners (AICEP), Laurie has been recognized for achieving the highest level of competence in her field. She has been regularly featured in numerous newspapers and publications. Laurie is also a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), and a member of the Higher Education Consultants Organization (HECA), the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling (NJACAC), and the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC). She is also a proud member of the Character Collaborative. Laurie is married and has two children who, in the time it takes to blink, suddenly became young adults. One graduated from Princeton, and the other graduated (virtually, due to Covid) from the University of Pennsylvania. Find Laurie at [email protected]. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Karan Shah, one of the co-founders of Ivy Experience. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelors in Bioengineering and a minor in Engineering Entrepreneurship. Since graduation, Karan has worked with hundreds of students on SAT, ACT, and SAT II Subject Test Prep. Karan also works with students on their college and graduate school application essays across the country and around the world. When not working with students, Karan enjoys playing hockey, making divots on the golf course, and dealing with being a New York sports fan living in Philadelphia. Find Karan at [email protected]. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Sheree Gravely, founder of Gravely Group College Advising and an IEC since 2014. Before becoming an IEC, she worked in marketing for Kraft Foods, HJ Heinz, and Arthur Anderson & Co. Sheree has a passion for helping students discover their interests and to use that to find great college options. Years of experience in private industry, education, and as a parent make her ideal as an independent college counselor. A 1986 graduate of the University of Virginia, she was heavily involved in counseling undergrads as a Resident Assistant and Dorm Resident Manager in UVA's Residential Life program. She attended Northwestern University's Evening Managers Program and holds a Certificate in College Admissions Counseling from UC - Riverside. Sheree is co-chair of the Midwest College Advisors Virtual Group, which includes over 40 members from OH, MI, IN, KY, and Western PA. The group meets with college admissions offices throughout the year. She is a member of the premier association of college advisors, IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association), constantly attends higher-ed training opportunities, and is always visiting college campuses to gather the most up-to-date information for her students and families. Sheree is passionate about education. She volunteered for Chagrin Falls Unite for Education election campaign and worked on the Chagrin Falls School District's 5-year strategic plan, as well as was a member of the committee on Instructional Practices, Resources, Curriculum, and Professional Development. She served as a member of the local advisory board for Hackett Catholic Prep HS (MI) which consulted on matters of school governance, including curriculum, marketing, and extra-curricular programming. She worked on a project for the principal to rebuild Hackett's college counseling curriculum. During her children's school years, Sheree volunteered in a variety of capacities including instructor and coordinator for Global Reading competitions, Writing Workshops, and Junior Achievement. As a member of the American Woman's Club of Oakville (Canada), she researched and authored a curriculum comparison between US and Canadian education standards that was used by families and companies to evaluate education decisions for ex-pat students. She has lived in a variety of cities in the US and Canada and is married to Alan. They have a daughter and two sons. Sheree loves to play Mahjong and read as well as to travel, scuba dive, ski and be active! Find Sheree at https://www.gravelygroupcollegeadvising.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? Meet Steve Gardner, a Harvard grad and an educator who has been there before and understands how frustrating the college admissions process can be. He helps teens successfully pursue the college of their dreams without sacrificing sleep, fun, or friends along the way. He believes the world needs every student to reach their full potential, and college admittance shouldn't hold them back. Before becoming a teacher, Steve was a personal development and high-performance coach. He created the Ivy League Challenge to help parents and their students understand that the best way to get into a top college is to find your core values, pursue your interests with genuine curiosity, and make an impact in your community. Find Steve at theivyleaguechallenge.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? Meet Marni Levine, an independent concierge educational consultant who has helped hundreds of families over the last 15 years by guiding them along the college admissions journey. After hiring someone to help her oldest son apply to college, Marni believed that the process needed more personalization for each family. It was completely missing that special attention to details that only a mom would know! So she set out on a mission to help students through the often daunting process of applying to college, the way a mother would - if the mother was a professional. Using the skills she learned as an Advertising/Public Relations major at Boston University and her love of storytelling she created a comprehensive program to help high school students develop a unique picture of who they are so that they can find and be admitted to the perfect fit college where they will shine! Mother of 3 amazing adult children and bonus mom to 2 beautiful daughters-in-law, married to her high school sweetheart, devoted dog mom to her puggle Baxter and designated dog sitter to her 2 grand "dog" ters... she is best known to all as COLLEGE MARNI! Find Marni at https://www.collegemarni.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

All About MindFlow: Increase reading speed, improve comprehension, and reduce anxiety when taking tests with educator and author Bara Sapir What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind MindFlow? How does MindFlow work? Who currently uses MindFlow? What kinds of outcomes do users experience? What should someone curious about MindFlow know about it? ABOUT MINDFLOW MindFlow is an online mindful speed reading platform created to help students increase reading speed, improve information comprehension, and reduce anxiety when taking admissions tests. The program was initially taught in-person and through online live workshops, and was recently launched as a more robust online platform. MindFlow has a proven track record of enhancing test performance in the hundreds of MindFlow students who consistently experience an increase in their reading speed – up to 5x faster –as well as an average 13% score improvement on reading-based test sections. The program currently offers ISEE, SHSAT, SSAT, SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, TOEFL, IELTS, PTE tracks, general tracks for students in middle school, high school, and college, and for adults not taking tests, but who seek reading and mindset improvement professionally or personally. What's the secret to MindFlow students' success? An effective training that combines speed reading processes and mindful techniques which aren't traditionally included in the school or test prep curriculum. These may be the missing links needed to improve one's test-taking performance, as well as reading in school, for work, and in life. MindFlow's holistic techniques help students better understand what, how, and why they're learning, while helping them embody a more focused, confident, and relaxed mindset under the pressure of taking a high-stakes test. MindFlow's creator Bara Sapir has over 20 years of experience in test prep and test anxiety reduction. She holds Master's degrees in Education and Art History and certification in Hypnosis, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Integrated Life Coaching, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Teens (MBSR-T), and is an ordained Kohenet. Bara has produced various study aids, including ten titles in The Full Potential Audio Course, a complete mindset upgrade training for test-takers. She is co-author of The GMAT Full Potential Sentence Correction Intensive and author of The Full Potential Manual. She is a professional artist and active in dog rescue. She lives with pup, Chata. To learn more, please contact [email protected]. Businesses, tutors, and schools can find out about our revenue stream opportunities here. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

The most selective schools and academic programs seem to set an impossible standard for applicants: be as perfect in all ways possible as everyone else but somehow also be even better in at least some ways. Amy and Mike asked educational consultant Linda Abraham to describe the delicate dance of fitting in and standing out. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the paradox at the heart of admissions? How do you show you fit in at the school of your choice? What does authenticity mean in the context of admissions? How do you stand out from the rest of the applicant school? What roles do deeds, identity, and ideas play in this process? MEET OUR GUEST Linda Abraham is the founder of Accepted and has over two decades experience helping clients get admitted to top medical, law, business and graduate schools. She is also the host of the top-rated Admissions Straight Talk podcast. Linda began helping applicants develop successful admissions strategies and craft distinctive essays in 1994. In addition to advising clients and managing Accepted, she has written and presented extensively on admissions. She also was the co-founder and first president of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants. Accepted's clients have been accepted to top professional schools throughout the country including, Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Columbia, Kellogg, MIT, Darden, Stern, Michigan, Chicago, INSEAD, LBS and Anderson Business Schools; Harvard, Yale, Stanford, University of Chicago, Columbia, and Boalt Law Schools; and UCSF, UCLA, George Washington, Tulane, NYU, University of Wisconsin, and Tufts Medical Schools. The Wall St. Journal, The New York Times, The Sunday Times of London, Bloomberg Businessweek, US News and CBS News are among the media outlets that have sought Linda's expertise in admissions. Business Insider in March named Linda one of "9 MBA consultants, coaches, and admissions experts to know if you want to get into a top business school." Linda previously appeared on this podcast in episode 223 to discuss Getting Ready For Graduate School. Find Linda at https://www.accepted.com/. LINKS Fitting In And Standing Out: The Paradox At The Heart Of Admissions Standing Out By Showing You Have a Unique Perspective [Fitting in & Standing Out] Admissions Straight Talk RELATED EPISODES PSYCHOGRAPHICS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TRANSPARENCY IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TABOO ESSAY TOPICS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

English has become one of the world's most important languages for accessing educational and professional opportunities. How can someone for whom English is a second, third, or fourth language prove sufficient fluency? Amy and Mike invited educator Fiona Wattam to explain the role, format, and content of the IELTS. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the IELTS and how is it used? What content is tested on the IELTS? What is a good score on the IELTS? What is the format of the IELTS? How do colleges or institutions use the IELTS score? MEET OUR GUEST Fiona Wattam grew up in a small village in Wales, but always wanted to travel the world. So she started teaching English after graduating with a BA in French and English and went to work in as many countries as she could, including Japan, France, Poland, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka, mostly with the British Council. She returned to the UK to do her Master's in TEFLA at Reading University and then trained as an IELTS examiner in 2005. After a few years of teaching at a private language school, she decided to set up the Members Academy, which is an online school specializing in IELTS, with the goal of helping more students travel, work and study overseas, just like she did. Over 1000 members have successfully completed the 3-months study programme. Fiona works as a Learning Technologist at Essex University, and her main interest is in incorporating Edtech tools into her teaching. In her free time she forces herself to run half marathons in order to get off the computer. Find Fiona at ieltsetc.com. LINKS IELTS Home of the IELTS English Language Test IELTS Made Easier Podcast youtube.com/fionawattam Ludwig RELATED EPISODES WHAT IS THE TOEFL? SUCCESS IN COMPUTER-BASED TESTING 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. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

When most people think of college, they actually think of large public and private universities or community colleges. But what about all of those tiny, often overlooked gems sprinkled like stars across the firmament of higher education? Amy and Mike invited admissions expert V. Peter Pitts to sing the praises of attending a small college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What kind of school qualifies as a "small" college? What is different or unique about attending a small college? Do small colleges necessarily offer fewer opportunities than larger schools? What kind of student thrives in a small college environment? How can a student attending a large university create a 'small college' experience? 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. His latest book is Common Sense Guide to Choosing a College---Making a Case for Small Residential Colleges. Peter previously appeared on this podcast in episode 163 to discuss DO COLLEGE MAJORS MATTER? Peter can be reached at [email protected]. LINKS In Praise of Smaller Schools RELATED EPISODES ATTENDING A LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE ATTENDING A WOMEN'S COLLEGE ATTENDING A LARGE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Students with attention disorders have difficulty staying on task, sustaining focus, and staying organized–all of which are critical to academic and testing success. Amy and Mike invited educator Jenn Cohen to share strategies for tutoring teens with ADHD. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What kind of learning challenges do teens with attention deficits face? What strategies are most effective in helping students with ADHD excel academically? What makes standardized testing so challenging for teens with ADHD? What should students with ADHD know about testing accommodations? Of the SAT and ACT, which tends to be better for ADHD students? MEET OUR GUEST Jenn Cohen has been in the test prep trenches for over 20 years, but she prides herself in never feeling too comfortable calling herself an expert. She is always learning from her students, families, other pros and the research literature. She's a lover of art and science, and believes the world is a better place with both. Meeting Neil deGrasse Tyson is on her bucket list. Jenn has been featured in The Dallas Morning News, ADDitude Magazine and Good Morning Texas, as well as numerous blogs around the web. She has also been a presenter at the Learning Disabilities Association national conference, as well as a speaker at high schools and parent associations. She currently serves as Treasurer of the Learning Disabilities Association of Texas. She is a graduate of Duke University, and completed graduate work in clinical psychology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. She is a hardcore Duke sports fan, and general sports junkie, so she gets a particular kick out of her student's sports victories. Jenn lives in Dallas, TX with her husband and business guru, Gary, and her daughter, Erin. She enjoys cooking, museums, '80's bands and reading Harry Potter with Erin (with voices, of course)! Find Jenn at launchpadeducation.com. LINKS Ace the ACT: College Admissions Test Tips in ADDitude Magazine Test Prep Planning for ADHD/LD Students 8 ADHD teaching strategies RELATED EPISODES EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AND ADD/ADHD TEST PREP FOR STUDENTS WITH ACCOMMODATIONS THE SCIENCE OF MEMORY ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Empowering Counselors To Create College Price Transparency Through Crowdsourcing with college cost advocate Mark Salisbury What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is TuitionFit? What is the story behind the TuitionFit Collaborative? How does the TuitionFit Collaborative work? Who currently uses the TuitionFit Collaborative? How can someone be a part of the TuitionFit Collaborative? ABOUT TUITIONFIT COLLABORATIVE The TuitionFit Collaborative extends the core premise behind the TuitionFit Project–empowering consumers to create the college price transparency they so desperately need by crowdsourcing the solution and freely benefiting from the results–to independent educational consultants (IECs), high school counselors, and college access organizations. Since 2019, TuitionFit has been building the only verifiable dataset of the real prices that colleges have offered students. Students or parents share the financial aid award offers they receive through a secure portal and, in exchange, receive free access to see all offers shared by students with similar need and merit characteristics. Now, through the TuitionFit Collaborative, we are offering the same opportunity of free, cooperative participation and benefit to professional individuals and organizations that support students and families through the college search process. If you believe that college price transparency needs to be available to everyone and that we should be active in creating the change that will make the world a better place. then the TuitionFit Collaborative is for you and your organization. To learn more, please contact Mark Salisbury at [email protected]. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Just about every institute of higher education looks idyllic from the outside, but not every school delivers the goods as far as a great academic and social experience culminating in a timely graduation goes. Amy and Mike invited college consultant Vielka Hoy to identify red flags in college selection. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a "red flag" in the college selection process? Why should students consider graduation rates and not admissions rates or rankings? How should students explore college social fit based on their specific personalities and needs? Is it acceptable for students to ask serious questions about fit? What might be considered a "green flag" in college selection? MEET OUR GUEST Vielka Hoy is the Founder and CEO of Bridge To College, an advanced college search and discovery platform. Hoy is a twenty-year public, private and collegiate career educator turned college consultant. She has guided thousands of students in identifying "best fit" collegiate institutions to match their strengths and needs. After perfecting her formula, Hoy wanted to make her process available to students and educational institutions across the country. Working with a team of talented developers and educators, she developed a platform that analyzes a student's academic background and curriculum, personal feedback, and institutional requirements and trends to identify "best fit" scenarios for students and college admission recruitment departments. As an entrepreneur, Hoy is hands-on CEO, overseeing the overall vision, direction, and growth of the company to aid higher education institutions and students across the United States find proper fits for each other. Prior to founding Bridge to College in January 2017, Vielka was the founder and CEO of Vielka Hoy Consulting LLC. This was Hoy's first venture after her many years as a teacher. Using her formula, Vielka consulted families, schools, and districts, increasing college matriculation for first-generation, low-income students, and students of color. With the goal to identify schools designed to best meet students' needs to thrive in the proper collegiate environment, she has successfully guided kids in their academic journey being admitted across a wide swath of higher education institutions, such as MIT, USC, University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Northwestern, San Francisco State, Hofstra, UC Santa Cruz, and the University of Michigan, just to name a few. From 1999 to 2017, Vielka held teaching positions at UCLA and Berkeley, as well as department chairs and dean roles at public and private high schools throughout California. Hoy has a Master of Arts in Afro-American Studies from UCLA and received her BS in Education from NYU. A self-proclaimed doer, in addition to her CEO duties, Hoy is a single mom and forever a student herself, currently pursuing a Social Science Master's at the University of Chicago. Find Vielka at [email protected]. LINKS Completing College - National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Bridge to College Bridge To College Survey RELATED EPISODES OVERLOOKED ASPECTS OF CAMPUS LIFE AVOIDING THE PAGEANT APPROACH TO COLLEGE ADMISSIONS COLLEGE DECLASSIFIED: 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. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

All time management, it is said, begins with planning. If you have a big test in your future, your time management plan better include a watch! Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Dustin Claretto to share strategies for tracking time on standardized tests. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why is timing so important on standardized tests? Is time management a practicable skill? How can students use a watch during the test? What kind of watch is permissible during testing? What role does a physical watch play during a digital test? MEET OUR GUEST Dustin Claretto has over a decade of experience in the education and consulting worlds, teaching students of all ages in a variety of subjects, including standardized test prep. He is the COO of Testing Timers, a company founded by Jordan Liss to help students reduce their test anxiety and achieve their full potential. Over the last decade, Testing Timers watches have helped tens of thousands of students to improve their test scores and lower anxiety. Find Dustin at [email protected]. LINKS For a Win on Test Day, Wear a Watch RELATED EPISODES COMMON TESTING MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM WHAT SAT & ACT DIAGNOSTIC TESTS CAN TELL YOU USING STUDENT SELF-ANALYSIS TO IMPROVE INSTRUCTION ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Considering how much attention is focused on getting into college, you'd think people would be equally concerned with getting out of college… with a degree, of course. Sadly, the shockingly low six-year graduation rate suggests otherwise. Amy and Mike invited author and researcher Michael Petrilli to explore why college readiness matters. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What exactly does college readiness mean? How can college readiness best be measured? What is the risk for college students who don't meet readiness benchmarks? How can we best address lagging college readiness? How early in K-12 education should college readiness be addressed? MEET OUR GUEST Mike Petrilli is president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, executive editor of Education Next, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow for Education Commission of the States. An award-winning writer, he is the author of The Diverse Schools Dilemma, editor of Education for Upward Mobility, and co-editor of How to Educate an American. Follow Mike has published opinion pieces in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg View, and Slate, and appears frequently on television and radio. Petrilli helped to create the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement, the Policy Innovators in Education Network, and, long, long ago, Young Education Professionals. He serves on the advisory boards of the Association of American Educators, MDRC, and the National Association of Charter School Authorizers. He lives with his family in Bethesda, Maryland. Mike previously appeared on this podcast in episode 180 to discuss The Heightened Need For Testing In 2021. Find Mike at https://fordhaminstitute.org or in Twitter @MichaelPetrilli. LINKS College Readiness Benchmarks Using the National Assessment of Educational Progress as an Indicator for College and Career Preparedness The college readiness battle is won or lost in elementary school We all agree that college isn't for everyone. We should start acting like it American Diploma Project RELATED EPISODES DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER: WHAT TESTING TELLS US TRACKING COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS WHERE MODERN EDUCATION FAILS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

All things being equal, high school GPA carries the most weight in college admissions decisions. But when it comes to the classes those grades come from, all things most certainly are not equal. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Aly Beaumont to explore the finer points about course selection for highly selective college admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What classes should a student really take in high school? Do students really need to take foreign language for college, and if so for how long? How important is it to take Honors, AP, or IB classes? Where does dual-enrollment fit in the selective admissions equation? What is more important: GPA or course rigor? MEET OUR GUEST Aly is the founder of Admissions Village, a family focused, affordable, one-on-one college guidance consultancy. Aly is deeply committed to making the college admissions process less stressful, and her success with this objective can be measured by both the growing number of referrals she receives as well as the repeat business of family siblings. Aly is also a founder and advisor to The College T, a website connecting high school students with college students and recent graduates so that first-hand information and experiences can be shared. Aly is a graduate of Tufts University where she majored in History with a concentration in Modern Women and African American History, and was captain of the Equestrian Team. She lives in Wilton, CT with her husband Perry, their two dogs Buddy and Buzz and their three sons. Two of their sons are currently in college at The University of St. Andrews in Scotland and Keyon College in Ohio, and one graduated from Santa Clara University. Aly is an Associate member of IECA and she has her certificate as an Independent Educational Consultant from the University of California Irvine. Aly previously appeared on this podcast in episode 212 to discuss PREPARATION FOR HIGHLY SELECTIVE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS and was the subject of an IEC PROFILE in episode 264. Find Aly at https://www.admissionsvillage.com. LINKS What Classes Should I take Next Year? Considerations for Admissions to Highly Selective Colleges RELATED EPISODES HIGH SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION AND ACADEMIC RIGOR CHOOSING HIGH SCHOOL MATH COURSES STRATEGICALLY CHOOSING BETWEEN AP AND IB PROGRAMS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

All About Test Prep Wizards: Fully Customizable, Low-Cost, White-Labeled Score Reporting What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind Test Prep Wizards Score Reporting? How does Test Prep Wizards Score Reporting work? Who currently uses Test Prep Wizards Score Reporting? What kinds of outcomes do users experience? What should someone curious about Test Prep Wizards Score Reporting know about it? ABOUT TEST PREP WIZARDS SCORE REPORTING Test Prep Wizards provides low-cost, customizable, white-labeled score reports for individuals and institutions. Since reports are fully customizable, you can track whatever data is relevant to you and your students for any tests or assignments that you use. Since there are many ways to provide answers, individuals and institutions no longer need to worry about expensive scanning equipment or specialized paper to record results. By removing the tediousness of hand-grading, tutors and companies can focus more time and energy on the aspects of business they truly enjoy. Test Prep Wizards was founded by Vinny Madera, a Statistics professor and tutoring nerd. He's been helping students and companies make sense of data and testing trends since 2008. Test Prep Wizards score reporting is used by companies operating in over half of the United States as well as internationally. Since inception, they've processed tens of thousands of score reports as well as created unique methods for companies to visualize this student's testing trends. To learn more, please contact [email protected]. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Anna Gazumyan-Silverman, a test preparation expert and tutor with over fifteen years of experience. She provides executive function support and tutors students of all ages and all levels for the ISEE, SSAT, SHSAT, BCA test, TACHS, SHSAT, ACT, SAT, PSAT, GRE, GMAT, and MCAT CARS, among other tests. Anna's executive function students learn to manage workloads and reach their goals without stress. Students learn to be great testers by mastering the necessary content and strategies for each section of the test. No detail is too small, and Anna guides her students (and their worried parents) to their target score every step of the way. Whether it's Wharton, MIT, UPenn, Georgetown, or a state school, Anna's students have happily gone on to the schools OF THEIR CHOICE with top scores that earned them substantial scholarships. Find Anna at [email protected] or astestprep.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Joanna Dean, who has been a test prep professional for the last seven years specializing in SAT and ACT prep. Joanna, the owner of Dean Academy, began her career as a corporate trainer in a Fortune 30 company in Atlanta with a background in advertising, marketing, and television. In 2010, she became a homeschool mom to her three elementary-aged sons. While homeschooling, she discovered her passion for teaching and began teaching other homeschooled children in the Atlanta metro area. Over the course of 12 years, she has taught over 2500 students in the area of math, grammar, and writing. Today, Joanna is solely focused on test prep with an emphasis on SAT and ACT, seeing around 80 students privately a month. Joanna Dean has turned what was initially done out of necessity for her own kids into a thriving career by helping students all over the U.S. achieve their testing goals. Find Joanna at [email protected]. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Ethan Kopelman is a graduate of the University of Florida and an Emory Law School dropout whose dream job is caddying on the PGA Tour. He has owned EK Prep for nine years and is most definitely a test prep nerd. Find Ethan at [email protected]. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST For Melissa Jumbeck, joy is inherent in learning. From the earliest days of her education, Melissa was blessed with educators who both challenged and inspired her; school days were always her favorite days, so it was no surprise when she decided to become a teacher. Now, Melissa has a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education with a minor in mathematics and a Master of Science degree in curriculum and instruction with teaching certifications in talented/gifted education and secondary English. For more than a decade, she taught in both private and public school settings: grades 1-10. Melissa has also enjoyed teaching adults around the country through the ACT Instructional Mastery program (formerly ACT Certified Educator [ACE]). Beyond that work, her passion project is her ACT prep company, Juku and Joy Prep. Melissa strives to integrate rigor and joy into every teaching and tutoring assignment, whether her students are youths or adults. Find Melissa at [email protected] or on Instagram as @jukuandjoyprep. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST John Henrikson, founder of Monmouth Test Prep, lives in Fair Haven, NJ with his wife and three children. John holds a BS in Biology and MS in Evolutionary Biology. He is the Chair of the Science Department at Seton Hall Preparatory School in northern NJ where he has been teaching AP Biology and AP Environmental Science for twenty four years. John has been working in the test prep industry for more than 25 years. First employed by two of the leading test prep companies in the nation, John struck out on his own more than twenty years ago to develop a broad array of strategies for the PSAT, SAT, and ACT exams. He founded Monmouth Test Prep in 2011 and moved them to their current location in Fair Haven in 2018. Find John at https://monmouthtestprep.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

There is truly no state like the Golden State and possibly no admission process like that of its flagship public university system. Amy and Mike invited educator Josefine Borrmann to enlighten us on the intricacies of applying to a college in the University of California system. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How does applying to University of California schools differ from applying to other schools? What factors do the UC consider in admission, and which do they not consider? What do I need to know about the Personal Insight Questions & how can I support students in writing PIQ responses? What is unique about the UC activities list? What should students who do not live in California know about UC admissions? MEET OUR GUEST Josefine Borrmann is the founder of Strive to Learn,, a tutoring, test prep, and college admissions consulting company based in Southern California. Josefine has a Bachelors in Psychology and Ethnographic Documentary from Chapman University, a Masters in Visual and Media Anthropology from the Free University of Berlin, and an Independent Educational Consultant Certificate from the University of California, Irvine. A native German, Josefine came to the US as an international student 15 years ago. As she navigated this foreign educational system, she realized she would love to help other students figure out how to gain an affordable and rewarding college education and started her company Strive to Learn. In her work with her students, Josefine's unique background in psychology, anthropology, and documentary filmmaking allows her to connect with many students of different backgrounds and help them figure out how to tell their stories in unique ways. Josefine is also the host of the Mindful Admissions podcast. Josefine is currently based in Southern California and has helped over one hundred students apply to and get into their dream universities, many of which were in the UC system. She was also a professor at Chapman University, teaching Research Methods and Anthropology. When she is not working with students, you can often find her galavanting about in the mountains, backpacking, camping, or skiing, or with her nose stuck deeply in a riveting book. Find Josefine at [email protected]. LINKS I've got the Blues: Unpacking the Varsity Blues Admissions Scandal Getting It Out of Your (UC) System: How to Craft a Successful UC Application Spilling the Beans: 2021 UC Counselor Conference Insights RELATED EPISODES ATTENDING A LARGE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY CREATING A PASSION PROJECT HIGH SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION AND ACADEMIC RIGOR ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Once you decide whether you'll take the SAT or ACT for college admissions and scholarship purposes (you probably should), you'll need to make critical decisions about timelines for prep and testing. Amy and Mike invited educator Jim Reinish to answer the age-old question: "When should you take the SAT or ACT?" What are five things you will learn in this episode? When should high schoolers plan to prep for and take the SAT and/or ACT? How do current testing timelines differ from the old testing paradigm? What academic considerations influence testing timelines? What scheduling challenges should be considered during test planning? What personality traits in test-takers need to be taken into account? MEET OUR GUEST Unlike many test prep professionals, Jim Reinish discovered test prep "late" in life. A graduate of Columbia University's Engineering School, Jim had a long and successful career as an executive with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In the midst of a salary freeze and worrying about the future cost of his children's college tuition, Jim explored additional income sources. He bombed at selling knives and hated real estate, so in 1994, he responded to a tiny newspaper ad (found by his wife) for the Princeton Review. The rest as they say is history. Jim rose up the ranks at Princeton Review becoming a site director and a premier tutor. Wanting to impart a more personal approach to his tutoring, he soon began his own company. It grew to become one of the most successful tutoring companies in a very competitive New Jersey market. Tutoring at night and weekends, Jim prepared thousands of students for the SAT, ACT, GRE and GMAT. At the same time, Jim and his wife Lisa shepherded three children through the college application journey with them eventually landing at the University of Virginia, Columbia University and Penn State. In 2015, Jim retired from his day job and, with Lisa, moved to the frozen tundra of Rochester, NY to be closer to his daughter and, hopefully, grandchildren. Jim thought he was done tutoring, but missed it so much that he went back to work. It didn't hurt that he found Mike Bergin and Chariot Learning. Jim's been working for Chariot Learning ever since and has solved the snow issue by spending half the year in Florida. Grandchild number one is almost two!! Find Jim at [email protected]. LINKS When is the best time to take the SAT or ACT? How long should preparing for the SAT or ACT take? RELATED EPISODES WHAT SAT & ACT DIAGNOSTIC TESTS CAN TELL YOU HOW TEST PREP AND SPORTS ARE SIMILAR HOW TEST PREP TUTORING SHOULD WORK ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

All About Mathchops: Higher Scores, Less Work, More Fun with educator Mike McGibbon What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind Mathchops? How does Mathchops work? Who currently uses Mathchops? What kinds of outcomes do users experience? What should someone curious about Mathchops know about it? ABOUT MATHCHOPS Mathchops helps students earn higher scores in much less time through adaptive games. Continually updated, its questions target the most common skills from recent tests. From this high yield set, Mathchops selects the best questions for each student to practice. The numbers change every time a question appears, and the games incentivize students to practice more. Mathchops is also a highly effective resource for educators, who use it to create tailored assignments in seconds and maximize the efficiency of their sessions. Versions are available for the SAT, ACT, ISEE and SSAT, and for math enrichment (grades 4-11). Mathchops was created by a 20-year NYC tutoring veteran (Mike McGibbon) and two former Google engineers (Jon Bedard and Matt Keller). What started as a fun after-work project in 2013 is now a powerful learning system used by thousands of students and educators all over the world. To learn more, please contact Mike at [email protected], or visit https://www.mathchops.com/ ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Donating time and effort to important causes and underserved populations can have a tremendous positive impact on individuals, communities, and society as a whole. But the act alone may not influence a college or scholarship application if not properly recorded. Amy and Mike invited ed-tech entrepreneur Michele Pitman to look at challenges in Tracking Student Community Service. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why is community service important for students? What is the importance of service as it relates to college applications and job applications? Why is accurately tracking community service such a challenge? How has the delay in service programs affected students and their connection to others on and off campus? How are schools re-engaging students in the community today? MEET OUR GUEST After a request from her father to help one family for Christmas, Michele Pitman was inspired to create intelliVOL and develop x2VOL, an online tool to track, manage, approve and verify volunteer hours and experiences. Today x2VOL is the leading service tracking and reporting platform in K-12 and is the easiest way for schools to manage student volunteer activity. Find Michele at [email protected]. LINKS Students Really Need Community Service Right Now How to Establish a Day of Service at Your School: Tips from Allen High School How to Reengage Students Post COVID RELATED EPISODES BUILDING AN A+ EXTRACURRICULAR RESUME CRAFTING YOUR COLLEGE RESUME HELPING TEENS FIND THEIR VALUES AND PURPOSE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Not everyone who attends a school has the same experience. For those with temporary or chronic disabilities, some campuses are more welcoming than others. Amy and Mike invited college consultant Annie Tulkin to review college admissions considerations for students with physical challenges. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What physical challenges might impact a traditional college experience? How are high school accommodations different from college accommodations? Why are campus visits so important for students with physical challenges? Is there a list of colleges that are better for students with physical disabilities and/or health conditions? What should students and families work on in advance to facilitate a successful college transition? MEET OUR GUEST Annie Tulkin is the Founder and Director of Accessible College, as well as an author and public speaker. She is an expert in the area of college preparation and transition for students with physical disabilities and health conditions, and she supports students and families across the country. Annie was the Associate Director of the Academic Resource Center at Georgetown University for nearly 6 years. In that position, she supported undergraduate, graduate, and medical students with physical disabilities and health conditions and oversaw academic support services for the entire student body. Annie has worked in the field of disability for over 10 years. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education from DePaul University, a Masters in Special Education from The University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Certificate in Health Coaching from Georgetown University. Annie was a Peace Corps Volunteer (Mongolia, '03-'05) and a Fulbright Fellow (Mongolia, '07-'08). She resides in Silver Spring, MD with her husband and daughter. Find Annie at [email protected]. LINKS Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation/Accessible College Program Navigating and Transitioning to College with Paralysis Wheels on Campus Guide A Wheelchair Users Guide to Preparing for College How Can Students with Health Conditions Successfully Navigate the College Transition? How Students With Disabilities, and Their Parents, Need To Prepare for College When Students with Health Conditions Transition to College Planning for College Tours-Tips for Students with Health Conditions and Physical Disabilities College Success: Physical Disabilities, Chronic Health & Mental Health FB Group RELATED EPISODES INCREASED COLLEGE COSTS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS HELPING STUDENTS PREPARE FOR THE DEMANDS OF COLLEGE 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. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

High stakes testing can often be depicted as a duel of sorts between a test and a test taker. However, other elements and agents can influence the outcome of this battle, sometimes to the detriment of nervous testers. Amy and Mike invited ed-tech executive Jordan Adair to share findings on how proctors can reduce test anxiety. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How do students generally react to online proctored exams? What are the main causes of student anxiety during proctored online exams? What role does environment play in test anxiety? What can help alleviate test anxiety during testing? What are some best practices for proctors during an exam to ensure they do not increase test anxiety for honest students? MEET OUR GUEST Jordan Adair began his career in education as an elementary and middle school teacher. After transitioning into educational technology, he became focused on delivering products designed to empower instructors and improve the student experience. He currently holds the position of Vice President of Product at Honorlock. Find Jordan at honorlock.com or [email protected]. LINKS Webinar: Reducing Student Test Anxiety During Online Proctored Assessments Higher Education Student Test Anxiety Survey blog post 4 Strategies to Help Faculty Reduce Student Test Anxiety blog post Creating an Anxiety-free Proctored Exam Experience Westside Test Anxiety Scale RELATED EPISODES HOW DOES REMOTE PROCTORING ACTUALLY WORK? SUCCESS IN COMPUTER-BASED TESTING MENTAL TECHNIQUES FOR PEAK TEST PERFORMANCE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

As we observe over and over, the cost of college increases every year. But if you think that additional funding is going to faculty, you are probably wrong. Amy and Mike invited independent counselor Jane Gabin to explore concerns about college staffing trends. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does it mean to be an adjunct professor? Are all part-time faculty the same? Is it a bad thing to have an adjunct professor? Are full-time faculty more stable? Is there a link between faculty composition and quality of education? What questions should current and future college students ask about faculty composition? MEET OUR GUEST Jane S. Gabin has been publishing articles on colleges' over-hiring of adjunct faculty since 2015, when she wrote about the problem in "Ask the College Counselor," her regular column for InsideSchools.com. Her writing on this subject has also appeared in Inside Higher Ed (June 24, 2019), the Academe Blog (July 2, 2019 and May 21, 2020), and The College Prep Guide (college-prep-guide.com). A member of NACAC, SACAC, and the International ACAC, as well as the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), she currently works as an independent counselor, addressing groups such as the local NAACP Youth Council about educational opportunities, and speaking to parents and students at local public libraries. Dr. Gabin has over 20 years in the college admissions profession. She worked for 10 years for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she was in charge of all international admissions and counselor relations. She followed this with 11 years in college advising at independent schools in the NYC area, primarily at the United Nations International School (UNIS). She gave a talk at the SACAC 2020 conference on "Another Way of Looking at What Makes a College 'Good'" when she addressed this issue (in addition to suggesting a close look at colleges' admission rate, retention rate, class size, and graduation rate). Additionally, she has given or led sessions (primarily on the essay process) at the New Jersey ACAC, the New York State ACAC, NACAC, and KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) in NYC. She received a Ph.D. in English at UNC-Chapel Hill and has published one novel and is working on another. As an independent scholar, she is currently researching the lives of women artists in the 19th century. She can be reached at [email protected]. LINKS College counselor: Use—and abuse—of underpaid adjuncts Why Is My Professor Working at Two Other Universities? Awareness of Adjunct Labor among College Students RELATED EPISODES THE ULTIMATE COLLEGE STRESS TEST WHAT EXACTLY IS A GOOD COLLEGE? THE VALUE OF EXPERIENCE IN TEACHERS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Tom Ehlers is the founder and president of Method Learning. He is a passionate believer in online learning and has spent the last 18 years developing effective teaching methods that have helped thousands of students significantly raise their ACT and SAT test scores. Over 1,000 schools around the world use Method Test Prep's online learning platform to provide all students with access to effective ACT and SAT preparation and to help students improve their fundamental English and math skills. Tom works as an educational consultant to these schools to help them expand their online learning initiatives. Tom also trains dozens of groups of educators each year on how to encourage more students to take advantage of online learning tools as well as speaking to large groups of parents and students on the shift to online learning and how to benefit. Tom graduated with honors from Princeton University and also completed the prestigious Princeton University Teacher Preparation Program. He is proud of his role as an entrepreneur in the world of education. Since he started Method Learning, the organization has grown to 60 people whose mission is to help students and schools achieve more academically. Tom lives on Long Island in New York with his wife and twin 4th graders. Tom's hobbies include basketball, reading, tennis, podcasts, learning online, and travel. Tom first appeared on the show back in episode #6 to discuss How to Make the Most of Online Test Prep. Find Tom at https://www.methodlearning.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? Meet Julie Blumenfeld, who has been helping students in Brooklyn and Manhattan improve their performance on standardized tests and in their math classes for over 25 years. While she taught middle school math in NYC private schools, trained early education majors at Brooklyn College to teach math and helped them pass the math section of their certification exam, provided professional development for math teachers in Catholic Schools, tutoring was a side hustle. For the past seven years, and the foreseeable future, test preparation and math tutoring is Julie's main hustle. Find Julie at https://www.mathjb.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? Meet Julie Post, the owner and primary instructor at Brain-Grow Education. As an undergrad, she attended Columbia University and designed the first Education major there, graduating summa cum laude. She then moved on to Harvard University where she earned her Ed.M in Education. Julie has been teaching full-time for 18 years. She is a firm believer in hard work, implementing effective strategies, and designing a curriculum that is engaging and rewarding. Find Julie at https://www.brain-grow.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? Meet Justin M. Menda, who has been a tutor and academic coach for 11 years. He holds a B.A. in psychology and a Master's in education from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a Master's in biomedical science from Drexel University. Through his work on standardized test prep and academic support, he uses his background in cognitive psychology to help students meet their goals by playing to their talents and developing skills they can use anywhere. Justin began as a tutor at a premiere Philadelphia-area test prep firm. In addition to quickly becoming top tutor talent, he became a go-to tutor for students struggling with motivation and stress, created and taught custom classes for school clients, and created innovative methods for tutor selection and training. Justin has been freelance for over 4 years. His clients still include both families and institutions, but they have ranged from third graders to adults. For all of them, the mission is the same: to reach beyond academic prep and test prep to life prep. Outside of work, Justin is a car enthusiast, self-development enthusiast, happy husband of 11 years, and delighted father of two young girls. Find Justin at www.rocket-prep.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Olivia Jones, a native of Huntsville, AL who has lived in Eufaula, AL for the last ten years. She graduated from the University of Alabama in 2011 with a degree in Secondary English Education. After teaching at Eufaula High School for five years, Olivia decided to further her education and, in 2019, graduated from Faulkner Law School. While awaiting her results from the Alabama State Bar Exam, Oliva was drawn back to teaching at Eufaula High School where the skills she learned applying for law school found a new application: test prep. She currently teaches ACT prep full-time at Eufaula High School and tutors other students privately through her company, Impact Tutoring Services. Find Olivia at [email protected]. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Most investors scrutinize and strategize for every fractional point of return they can muster. Yet, one major expense–sometimes, the largest single bill in a person's lifetime–seems to be held above such petty considerations as ROI. Does that make sense? Amy and Mike invited educational researcher Martin Van Der Werf to clarify the data on return on investment in college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does return on investment (ROI) mean in the context of higher education? Which kinds of college students are represented in the current ROI data? What major classes of schools tend to deliver high or low ROI? What specific factors should applicants focused on ROI consider in the college search? How does the number of years after entry to college influence ROI calculations? MEET OUR GUEST Martin Van Der Werf has extensive experience researching and writing about higher education and the issues facing the industry. His work at the center is focused on such issues as diversity and access to higher education, the return on investment of a college degree, and the workplace value of college degrees. Marty is a former reporter and editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education, where he was responsible for all coverage of the business and financial management of colleges and universities. He was the founding director of Chronicle Research Services, a new-business development arm of the Chronicle. He currently serves as Director of Editorial and Education Policy for the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW). Before joining CEW in 2015, Marty worked for Huron Consulting Group, the largest consulting company in higher education. Previously, Marty was an award-winning reporter, columnist, and editor at two of the largest daily newspapers in the US—The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The Arizona Republic, in Phoenix. Marty holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Boston University and was awarded a Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from Georgetown University in 2021. Find Marty at [email protected]. LINKS Ranking 4,500 Colleges by ROI data Is College Worth It? A Comprehensive Return on Investment Analysis RELATED EPISODES THE PRICE YOU REALLY PAY FOR COLLEGE ATTENDING A COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHAT IS A NET PRICE CALCULATOR? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

When evaluating grades and test results, we take for granted that most high schoolers know how to read and look to other reasons to explain poor performance. But what if language comprehension and decoding skills really are the problem? In the second of a two-part series, Amy and Mike invited Erica Meltzer to share strategies for improving reading skills with struggling teens. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What interventions can help slow readers? What is the link between phonics and decoding? What is orthographic mapping? Is vocabulary still important in the 21st century? Are teens too old for modeled reading exercises? MEET OUR GUEST A native of Brookline, Massachusetts, Erica Meltzer graduated from Brookline High School and earned her B.A., magna cum laude, from Wellesley College. Before becoming involved in test prep, she worked in the Department of History of Art and Architecture at Harvard University and in the Department of Philosophy at Columbia University, where she helped coordinate graduate admissions. From 2006 until 2015, she tutored privately in Manhattan as well as online, helping students around the world achieve their SAT/ACT goals and gain admission to a number of top colleges, including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, Caltech, Stanford, and Duke. With over 350,000 copies sold, her SAT and ACT Reading and Writing guides consistently rank at the top of their respective categories on Amazon, outperforming comparable guides produced by Kaplan, Princeton Review, and Barron's. She has been featured in Teen Vogue, The College Solution, and CBS Moneywatch, and her books are currently used by students and tutors worldwide. Erica previously appeared on this podcast in episode 17 to discuss Differences Between SAT and ACT Grammar, in episode 99 to discuss Differences between SAT and ACT Reading, and in episode 311 to discuss IMPROVING READING SKILLS WITH STRUGGLING TEENS (PART 1). Find Erica at https://thecriticalreader.com/. LINKS Erica's extensive catalog of books Breaking The Code 5 tips for helping struggling teenage readers How to identify and assess a reading problem: some strategies for tutors Working with struggling readers: what ACT tutors need to know How We Learn Orthographic Mapping RELATED EPISODES IMPROVING READING SKILLS WITH STRUGGLING TEENS (PART 1) DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SAT AND ACT READING SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTION AND READING COMPREHENSION ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

The fact that selective admissions has become more and more of a high-stakes competition has never been more apparent than it is today. While competition inspires the best in some people, the struggle for extremely scarce and precious resources brings out the very worst in others. Amy and Mike invited authors Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman to delve into the depths of college admissions insanity. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What inspired the authors to write Girls With Bright Futures? What exactly is insane about the current state of college admissions? Girls With Bright Futures depicts three prep school mothers and daughters locked in competition for a single spot at Stanford. Why is the "one-spot only" premise so important? What is Parental Obsessive College Syndrome (POCS), and who are its victims? What advice might put teens and their parents immersed in the admissions process at ease? MEET OUR GUESTS Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman have been great friends for nearly 25 years. Their debut novel, GIRLS WITH BRIGHT FUTURES, is a dark, suspenseful journey into the cutthroat world of college admissions. Earning starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Library Journal, it's currently in development as a limited TV series with Discovery+. Tracy and Wendy both live in Seattle and between them they have two husbands, four kids (three of whom have survived the college admissions process without a single parent landing in jail), two dogs, and a cat. Find Tracy and Wendy at www.dobmeierkatzman.com and on Instagram @katzndobs LINKS Girls with Bright Futures by Tracy Dobmeier & Wendy Katzman About Girls with Bright Futures 2019 college admissions bribery scandal - Wikipedia RELATED EPISODES TEEN ANXIETY AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS DOES WHERE YOU GO TO COLLEGE MATTER? THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN THE COLLEGE PROCESS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Gender and sexuality are often assumed to be similar concepts, but they are definitely not the same. Since teachers and tutors depend on building strong rapport with students to facilitate learning, shouldn't some preliminary learning take place about how these factors play into self-image and identity? Amy and Mike invited gender specialist Rebecca Minor to clarify what educators should understand about gender. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What about gender is important to understand? What is the difference between gender and sexuality? Why do students need understanding from their educators? How can a tutor create a safe space or welcoming environment for teens? What is the best way to handle the tension between what a student and a parent want regarding gender? MEET OUR GUEST Rebecca Minor, MSW, LICSW is a queer, Jewish clinician and coach specializing in the intersection of trauma, gender, and sexuality. As a Gender Specialist, Rebecca partners with trans and gender-nonconforming youth through their journey of becoming; and is a guide to their parents in affirming it. She also offers coaching for parents and families who are looking for guidance to support their children in their journey to becoming their authentic selves. Rebecca believes in the importance of embracing human diversity and is passionate about partnering with people to cultivate the self-compassion necessary to heal shame, dismantle binaries, and invite opportunities for growth and lasting change. Rebecca is an adjunct professor at Boston University School of Social work and a 200 hour level yoga instructor. In addition to her clinical work, Rebecca has provided cultural responsiveness training and consultation to organizations, schools, and business for the past decade. Find Rebecca at [email protected] LINKS Ever Evolving Glossary of Gender & Sexuality Terms GLSEN's Educator Resource Page Why cisgender individuals should put their pronouns in their bio Disclosure RELATED EPISODES TUTORING TREASURES: TIPS FOR TEACHING TEENS SELF-ADVOCACY IN EDUCATION AND ADMISSIONS HELPING TEENS FIND MOTIVATION AND INSIGHT ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

The Chinese philosophical concept of yin and yang describes how forces that appear opposite or contrary may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world. Can we observe this concept at work in the highly unnatural world of college admissions? Amy and Mike invited educator Belle Liu to explain the relevance of yin and yang in college admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How would you describe a Yin-Yang Philosophy? Does this school of thought apply to college advising? What does holistic college advising look like? How can this philosophy be applied to parenting? Does this philosophy apply to test prep? MEET OUR GUEST Belle Liu, the founder of Amerisist International Education, immigrated to the U.S. in 2008 as an exchange scholar when she was a graduate student at Capital Normal University majoring in English Literature in Beijing, China. Her cross-cultural studies major plus 10+ years U.S. residence life-experience make her understanding and compassionate to people with diverse ethnic backgrounds. She started teaching English in high school and has taught a range of student levels, from three-year-old elementary school students to renowned corporate professionals from Air China, Ecco, and Starbucks. Committing the past 10 years to Chinese students studying abroad in U.S. secondary schools, she has served as department director in several leading international education service companies supporting over 2,000 students as team leader. Her expertise on academic and college counseling made her well suited as a center director of a national test prep company. Belle proudly received her MBA degree while performing major responsibilities as corporate leader and, most importantly, loving mother of two kids. She loves to encourage students of all backgrounds to never stop pursuing their dreams and work above and beyond what they think they could achieve. As a mother and educator who has been working years with teenagers, she not only cares about student academic performance, she also cares about the student's holistic well-being and their mental health throughout her college counseling practice. She believes a healthy mind is the foundation of students' sources of positivity and long-lasting success through the marathon that is life. Combining her UCLA College Counseling Certificate program professional learning with her oriental traditional philosophy thinking, Belle has created a unique counseling practice that not only helps her students achieve their near goals but also benefits them in the long run. Find Belle at [email protected]. LINKS Yin and Yang: What Does the Symbol Mean? Chhichhore - Wikipedia RELATED EPISODES ADVOCACY FOR PARENTS OF HIGH SCHOOLERS THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN THE COLLEGE PROCESS HOW PARENTS CAN BEST SUPPORT STUDENTS IN TEST PREP ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

In every country around the world, some student is dreaming of pursuing higher education at an English-speaking university. Admissions exams like the SAT and ACT may evaluate specific reading and writing skills, but say nothing about broad fluency, especially in regard to listening and speaking English. Luckily, another test assesses English as a foreign language very well. Amy and Mike invited testing expert Michael Knab to tell us all about the TOEFL. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the TOEFL? Who takes a TOEFL test? How do colleges or organizations use the TOEFL IBT score? What is the format and content of the TOEFL IBT? How should a student prep for the TOEFL? MEET OUR GUEST Michael Knab is the Director of Content Marketing for the TOEFL family of English-language assessments at ETS. He joined ETS in 2002 and has been part of the TOEFL team in various roles since 2007. He is the host of the "Inside the TOEFL Test" video series and has developed numerous resources for TOEFL test takers, teachers, advisors, and institutions, including two TOEFL MOOCs. Before coming to ETS, he developed standards for accomplished teachers at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. He was also a middle-school English and mathematics teacher. Michael holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Trinity Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts from Villanova University. Find Michael at [email protected]. LINKS The TOEFL Family of Assessments RELATED EPISODES SUCCESS IN COMPUTER-BASED TESTING STOP MAKING $EN$E: THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PROBLEM 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. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Eileen Sullivan Studdert, owner of Performance Prep & College Admissions in western Connecticut, is a rigorous academic who loves empowering students in their college-bound journey. She helps students reach top test score potential and builds upon their test success to assist them in crafting unique and compelling college applications. Eileen began her career in magazine publishing and capped 12 years in the profession as Promotion Director for Better Homes & Gardens magazine. Propelled by a New Horizons Scholarship from Fordham University, Eileen went back to school to earn her M.A. in English Education. She began teaching middle and high school English, before relocating with her family to Southbury, Connecticut. Juggling work and family, Eileen held part-time positions as a Literacy Instructor, Executive Functioning Coach, and SAT Tutor for Excel, a small boutique tutoring company. It was there that Eileen developed her passion for test prep and fascination with every component of the college admissions process. In January 2014, after Excel relocated out of state, Eileen launched her own consulting firm. Initially focused on concierge test prep with successful outcomes, she became aware of the vital need for college consulting in her community. Eileen expanded her services and went back to school to earn her College Consulting Certification from UCI Irvine to grow her expertise. Today, Performance Prep offers a full range of college consulting services, including college list building, personal, supplemental, and scholarship essay writing, and financial aid guidance. Performance Prep's mission is twofold: to empower students to take charge of the college admissions process and alleviate parents' stress. Eileen is a proud member of the Independent Education Consultant Association (IECA) and National Test Prep Association (NTPA) and appreciates the collective wisdom of experts in these organizations who have helped her expand her knowledge, grow her business, and serve her community. You can find out more about Eileen at www.studdertcollegeprep.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.