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 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.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Lt. Col. Lisa Hillhouse is an independent educational consultant and the founder of Hillhouse College and Career Advising, based in Atlanta. Prior to launching her practice, Lisa retired from the Air Force after 26 years of active duty and reserve service. Much of that time focused on officer recruitment and leadership development. Lisa began her admissions journey with a special assignment to Air Force ROTC at the University of California, Berkeley. She loved educating and mentoring young leaders and continued that work at the United States Air Force Academy as a deputy liaison officer director and admissions liaison officer. There she helped lead and manage one of the largest recruiting areas in the nation while evaluating and developing candidates for military careers. While in college, Lisa enrolled in AFROTC and went on to earn a scholarship and a commission. Lisa has a Bachelor's degree in Politics from Assumption College, a Master's degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, and a College and Career Planning graduate certificate from the University of California, Berkeley. Lisa is nationally recognized for her expertise and specialty of guiding and supporting students through the complex process of becoming commissioned officers. Many of her students are focused on earning ROTC scholarships, military service academy appointments, or becoming officer training school candidates. Lisa also collaborates with other consultants around the country. She frequently presents at admissions conferences and webinars and has served as a guest presenter for college advising courses. Lisa first appeared on our podcast in episode 104 to discuss Applying To A Military Academy and in episode 184 Demonstrating Leadership In College Applications. You can find out more about Lisa at www.HillhouseCollegeAdvising.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 OUR GUEST A college and graduate school admissions advisor, Stuart Nachbar founded Educated Quest in 2014 to help students and their families consider academic options for majors, minors, and various career paths, college costs, resume building, essay development, and admissions interviews. Stuart is a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling (NJACAC), the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC) and the Education Writer's Association (EWA). In 2021 he earned the distinction: Certified Educational Planner (CEP). The American Institute of Certified Educational Planners (AICEP) awards this credential to professionals, working independently or in schools, who have achieved the highest level of competence in educational planning. Only the best and most experienced counselors qualify to become CEPs. Stuart is one of only 13 professionals in New Jersey who holds this distinction. Stuart has worked around higher education for more than three decades as an urban economic development professional, software marketing executive, writer and admissions advisor. Before starting Educated Quest, he was Senior Vice President of College Central Network (CCN), a provider of Web-based applications to college career centers. For 11 years he helped grow the company's client base from zero to relationships with over 600 schools. After leaving CCN he penned Defending College Heights, a murder mystery around the death of a U.S. Army recruiter during the Second Gulf War. He is completing a college admissions guide, The Good College, that he hopes to release in Fall 2022. Stuart has a BA in Political Science and an MBA in Marketing from Rutgers University, a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as well as a Certificate in Digital Media Marketing from NYU. He completed his Certificate in College Counseling (with Distinction) from UCLA Extension. He and his wife, Carol, live in Central New Jersey. Stuart first appeared on our podcast in episode 78 to discuss What Exactly Is A Good College? You can find out more about Stuart 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 Barbara Pasalis, one of a small percentage of counselors across the nation to earn a Certificate in College Counseling from U.C.L.A. Ext. In addition, she completed the Summer Training Institute of the Independent Educational Consultants Association. In 2003, Barbara launched Northcoast Educational Consulting. In 2010, Barbara became one of fewer than 150 counselors nationwide to earn the designation Certified Educational Planner (CEP). In Spring 2011, Barbara was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, the premier professional organization in the field of educational consulting. She served as Vice President for Ethics in 2012-2013 and Vice President for Committees in 2013-2014. After rotating off the Board, she now serves on the Education & Training Committee. Barbara is a student of colleges and college trends, studying the latest developments in college admission. She has visited over 250 colleges and universities across the United States, meeting with admissions officials to obtain the latest information on academic programs and admission trends, as well as scholarship opportunities. Barbara annually attends professional conferences and workshops and subscribes to college counseling e-lists in order to keep abreast of the latest developments in the field. Her professional associations include the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA, Professional Member), the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Ohio Association of College Admission Counseling (OACAC) and The Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC). As a former middle and high school English teacher and an advisor to youth groups, Barbara brings to the profession over 20 years of experience working with adolescents. Find Barbara at http://nceduconsulting.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 OUR GUEST Lee Norwood is a successful entrepreneur and a published author with two bachelor's degrees in Business/Marketing and English from Elon University. Her energy, connections, humor, knowledge, and talents are expanding our reach and bringing amazing partners to the Annapolis College Consulting family. Lee excels at connecting with students and bringing out the best in them, including helping them find their authentic voice and craft meaningful essays that resonate with college admissions offices. She creates opportunities for growth that matches their interests (non-profit and business internships, local and state connections, creative opportunities) and builds consistency within their application. Described as "a stick of dynamite, in a good way" Lee maintains a strong social media presence, sharing knowledge with anyone who follows her. She keeps everyone laughing throughout the process and the ACC Instagram Stories and Reels are a wonderful example of staying relevant with a dose of humor. You can hear her voice on many podcasts as she is an evangelist for families and students finding the right fit for college at the right price. Lee's motto "a rising tide lifts all ships" has her advocating for many of the newest technologies to reach students and peers. She is a confirmed speaker at the 2022 Independent Educational Consultants Association meeting in Philadelphia, May 2022 to present on Reaching Gen Z Where They Are. Find Lee 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.

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 first 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 is the Simple View of Reading? What are the major signs of a decoding problem? Why do so many reading problems in older students get missed? Why is reading speed such an important component of comprehension? (And why is extra time NOT necessarily the solution on standardized tests?) What can tutors and parents do to help teenagers with reading difficulties? 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 and in episode 99 to discuss Differences between SAT and ACT Reading. Find Erica at https://thecriticalreader.com/. LINKS The Simple View of Reading Erica's extensive catalog of books Breaking The Code Why I Care So Much About Phonics How to identify and assess a reading problem: some strategies for tutors Working with struggling readers: what ACT tutors need to know RELATED EPISODES SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTION AND READING COMPREHENSION DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SAT AND ACT READING ACT READING REPORTING CATEGORIES 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 Yogi Berra observed, "It ain't over till it's over," he wasn't talking about college admissions. He may as well have, though, as even an initial deferral or rejection need not spell the end of the application process. Amy and Mike invited educator Brooke Hanson to reveal the secrets of successful letters of continued interest. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a letter of continued interest or LOCI? Who should consider sending a LOCI? When is the right time to send one of these letters? What should an effective LOCI include? Which kinds of schools are most likely to respond positively to a LOCI? MEET OUR GUEST Brooke Hanson grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and Kansas City, graduated from Stanford University with honors, and holds an MFA in Cinematic Arts Production from the University of Southern California. After spending over a decade juggling a career in Hollywood with her tutoring and test prep work, Brooke founded Supertutor Media to make college admissions and test prep more accessible and engaging. Her YouTube channel SupertutorTV now boasts over 20 million views and 230K subscribers. She's been featured on CNN, US News and World Report, Teen Vogue, and Yahoo! Finance. Brooke has also written two ACT® math books and developed comprehensive online video-based prep courses for both the SAT and ACT. Brooke previously appeared on this podcast in episode 213 to discuss Test Prep YouTube and on episode 290 to discuss First Thoughts About The New Digital SAT. Find Brooke at supertutortv.com or subscribe to her YouTube (youtube.com/supertutortv). LINKS The LOCI: A Secret Weapon in College Admissions! How to Write a Letter of Continued Interest (Tips That Work With Samples) RELATED EPISODES GETTING OFF THE COLLEGE WAITLIST WHY OPTIONAL STATEMENTS AREN'T OPTIONAL USING THE COMMON DATA SET 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.

Of all the factors in the college admissions process, few seem as subjective or elusive as the interview. Do these even happen any more? Amy and Mike invited author Richard Montauk to explain how to prepare for a college admissions interview. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How common are college interviews, and which schools most rely on them? Who usually conducts college interviews? Do interviews have a substantial impact upon admission decisions? What advice do you have for how applicants can prepare to perform their best in their interviews? What are the biggest—or most common—mistakes applicants make regarding interviews? MEET OUR GUEST Richard Montauk has been consulting to applicants to college, professional school (especially law and business school), and other graduate programs since 1991. Richard received a BA in literature from Brown University, an MA in government from Harvard, an MS in finance, and a JD from Stanford Law School. Pursuant to a graduate fellowship, he also studied at the London School of Economics and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (University of London). While an undergraduate at Brown University, Richard was also the head coach of the women's varsity track & field team. After graduating from Stanford Law School, he worked as a corporate lawyer for Latham & Watkins in Los Angeles, then as a corporate strategy consultant for Bain & Co. in London, before devoting himself full-time to admissions consulting. Since 1991, he has consulted to candidates for the world's top universities, for both undergraduate and graduate programs. A member of the National Association of Fellowship Advisors, he has also periodically served as a judge for Venture for America's fellowship. Richard is the author of a series of best-selling guides, all published by Prentice Hall: How to Get Into the Top Colleges (with Krista Klein), How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs, and How to Get Into the Top Law Schools. More recently, he's authored College Interviews: The Definitive Guide, Getting into Brown, Getting into Dartmouth and has completed the first in a series of books designed to help college students pay for college, Waiting Tables for Very Good Money. His writing has appeared in multiple career and education journals, including the Wall Street Journal's Career Journal, the Economist Intelligence Unit's Which MBA?, The Postgrad Guide, Executive Education Casebook, and MBA Career Guide. His articles for university fellowship advisors are to be found in Roads Less Travelled (and Other Perspectives on Nationally Competitive Scholarships) and All In: Expanding Access through Nationally Competitive Awards. Richard has also served as Contributing Editor for two annual international publications, The Global MBA Guide and LLM Guide, both published by Hobsons. Find Richard at richardmontauk.com. LINKS College Interviews: Practice Questions & Strategies RELATED EPISODES SHAPING AN ADMISSIONS CLASS ADMISSIONS INSIGHTS FOR HIGHLY SELECTIVE UNIVERSITIES TRANSPARENCY IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS 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.

College represents one of those backwards pursuits where buyers sell themselves to vendors before they even know the price of enrollment. Is the admissions process really disengaged from economic reality, or do applicants have more agency than they realize? Amy and Mike invited college cost advocate Mark Salisbury to share the finer points of negotiating a financial award letter. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does a financial award letter look like? What are the different types of financial aid listed? Is the amount of aid awarded in a letter final? How and when should an applicant appeal to increase financial aid? Is there a downside to appealing an award letter? MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Mark Salisbury has spent 27 years in higher education. His first decade was as a soccer coach and admissions counselor. He then returned to school and earned a PhD in higher education at the University of Iowa, studying college student access and success as a researcher on the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education and a member of the Teagle Scholars. Since then, he has published both academic research and more mainstream writing on higher ed, including commentaries for the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, interviews with NPR, and the blog, Delicious Ambiguity. From 2010 to 2018, he was an Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs and Director of Institutional Research and Assessment at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. In addition, Mark has done consulting work for colleges and universities over the past decade on how to use data to improve in areas like recruiting, financial aid leveraging, admissions, student retention, graduation, and post-college outcomes. He started the TuitionFit project in the summer of 2018 and continues to be an enthusiastic advocate for the benefits of price transparency for both students and colleges. Mark appeared on this podcast in episode #19 to discuss COLLEGE PRICE TRANSPARENCY and in episode #267 to discuss WHEN BORROWING FOR SCHOOL IS A BAD IDEA. Find Mark at https://www.tuitionfit.org/ or [email protected]. LINKS The College that Just Sent an Acceptance Letter WANTS You to Ask for a Better Price Financial Aid Shopping Sheet How TuitionFit works RELATED EPISODES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STUDENT LOANS THE PRICE YOU REALLY PAY FOR COLLEGE THE TRUTH ABOUT STUDENT LOAN DEBT 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 interaction between tutor and student must always be more than just an automated recitation of facts to a passive learner. An educational collaboration rarely succeeds when a learner lacks motivation or a teacher lacks experience. Amy and Mike invited educator Anthony Celino to clarify all the reasons you want to work with a career tutor. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What distinguishes career tutors from part-timers? How does a long-term commitment to education influence an instructor? What are the educational advantages of working with career tutors? Why are career tutors often better at building authentic educational relationships? In what instances might a less experienced or focused teacher or tutor suffice? MEET OUR GUEST Anthony Celino is the Washington DC Director of Marks Education, a tutoring, test prep, and college counseling firm located in the Maryland, Virginia and DC area. He is a Senior Tutor at Marks who specializes in math, English, and college entrance exams. He also trains and manages tutors in the Marks Education DC office, and he co-writes and edits many of the materials Marks uses, including their SAT prep book, two ACT prep books, and their Calculus manuals. Anthony is originally from Long Island, NY. He has a degree in Math Education from Boston University and a Masters in Writing from Queens College. He's taught math and English in high schools in New York, Massachusetts, and Sydney, Australia, and he has been a full-time tutor for the past 20 years, working first for 11 years as a travel tutor on commission with One-to-One Tutoring in Long Island, and then, after moving to Annapolis, Maryland, with Marks Education as a tutor, writer, and manager. Find Anthony at [email protected] LINKS How to Assess Tutors and Test Prep Providers RELATED EPISODES THE VALUE OF EXPERIENCE IN TEACHERS WHY PROFESSIONALISM IN TUTORS MATTERS TUTORING TREASURES: TIPS FOR TEACHING TEENS 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.

Every person has particular psychological and cognitive attributes that reveal their beliefs, values, and goals. Believe it or not, schools possess the same, and some institutions have learned the value of understanding themselves and their students. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant David Viggiano to explain the influence of psychographics in college admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are psychographics? Why do educational institutions need understanding of their brand personalities? Does every educational institution have a story to tell? How do colleges use psychographic data to assess student affinity and fit? What aspects of college admissions are informed by psychographic analysis? MEET OUR GUEST David Viggiano has dedicated more than two decades to designing strategic communications, enrollment, and research solutions. Today, Dave is the Executive Vice President of Research, Strategy, and Creative at Carnegie. He and his team empower colleges and universities to elevate their brands and reputations as well as to learn more than ever about their student audiences. Dave is an expert at coordinating with leadership at the highest levels of institutions, and he has a unique ability to identify and solve the most pressing needs of organizations across the country. Prior to Carnegie, Dave spent 16 years at Syracuse University in a variety of leadership positions within enrollment and marketing. From the front lines of recruitment and reviewing applications, to responsibility for admission notification, to building strategic communications teams, leading digital marketing initiatives, implementing technology advancements, and speaking to thousands of visitors on campus, Dave understands what it takes to win in today's challenging higher education landscape. Dave was born and raised in Syracuse, obtained his BS in Communications and MBA at Syracuse University, and now lives in central Florida with his family. David's psychographic persona is The Resilient and Rebellious Ringleader. Find David at [email protected]. LINKS Psychographics Case Study RELATED EPISODES WHAT DO COLLEGES KNOW ABOUT APPLICANTS? DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS AND COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TRANSPARENCY IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS 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 college searches focus on factors like majors, rankings, and cost but ignore most of the features of a school that define the college experience. Amy and Mike invited educational expert Moira McCullough to explore overlooked aspects of campus life. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why should prospective students pay attention to the social and cultural components of a college experience? What are the consequences of a bad campus fit? What aspects of campus life tend to be overlooked during the search process? How should students uncover the kind of information they need about campus life? What makes resources and culture off-campus so relevant? MEET OUR GUEST Moira McCullough founded College Scoops in 2019 to provide parents of college-bound students with the resources needed to save time, money, and stress when planning a college trip. With the help of a dedicated staff, dozens of college interns, and a veritable army of student and parent ambassadors, College Scoops creates curated, interactive guides highlighting favorite places to eat, stay, and play around campus, for both students and parents. A parent of three college-bound students, Moira is well-versed in the college admissions process. Having worked in the technology and consulting fields at NYNEX and PwC in NYC and London, Moira used her experience to create a comprehensive platform to help prospective families plan a college visit, saving them time, energy and stress. Moira earned her M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a bachelor's degree in American Studies from Fairfield University. A serial traveler and connoisseur of chocolate and coffee (in that order), Moira enjoys open water swimming, reading and spending time with her family exploring new sights and bites. Find Moira on social media or at [email protected]. LINKS College Scoops Resources RELATED EPISODES GALLUP ALUMNI SURVEY AND THE SIX COLLEGE EXPERIENCES THAT DRIVE SUCCESS BENEFITS OF JOINING A FRATERNITY ATTENDING COLLEGE IN A BIG CITY 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 of us live within a carefully planned budget, where we spend based on anticipated costs and expenses. But how can we predict the cost of a college application when the numbers involved are so hard to read or even find? Amy and Mike invited researcher Laura W. Perna, Ph.D. to explain all about net price calculators. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a net price calculator, and why are they important? Does every college have a net price calculator and where can you find it? What should you beware of with net price calculators? How does the net price calculator align with a family's EFC? What are the real costs of college attendance? MEET OUR GUEST Laura W. Perna is Vice Provost for Faculty, GSE Centennial Presidential Professor of Education, and Executive Director of the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy (AHEAD) at the University of Pennsylvania. Her program of research focuses on identifying how social structures, educational practices, and public policies promote and limit college access and success, particularly for students from groups that are underrepresented in higher education. She is a member of the National Academy of Education, fellow of the American Educational Research Association, and past president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education. She is also on the board of directors for PNPI, the Postsecondary Network Policy Institute. Find Laura at [email protected]. LINKS Questioning the Calculations - Are colleges complying with federal and ethical mandates for providing students with estimated costs? RELATED EPISODES THE PRICE YOU REALLY PAY FOR COLLEGE WHEN BORROWING FOR SCHOOL IS A BAD IDEA THE RAMPANT COST OF COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. 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 Shayda Moshirvaziri, the founder of Pivot Tutors. Shayda graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Biomedical Engineering in 2003. She was accepted at MIT, John Hopkins University, Stanford, and UCSD for Ph.D. programs in Electrical Engineering and Bioengineering on full fellowship. She chose to attend UCSD for graduate school and received her Masters and Doctorate in Bioengineering in 2007 and 2010, respectively. Shayda has over 15 years of teaching and tutoring experience with all levels of mathematics and science for middle school, high school, and college-level students. She has a passion for teaching young students and has taught undergraduate courses at UCSD, including Introduction to Bioengineering, Human Physiology, and Computer Science. Before starting Pivot Tutors in 2012, she developed an ACT boot camp course for a private high school in San Diego and taught as a premier level ACT and SAT instructor for different test prep centers. Pivot Tutors, LLC is a premier private academic and test prep tutoring company serving San Diego middle and high school students for the past 8 years. With nearly 1000 students under its wing, Pivot has helped its students excel in their academic classes and standardized tests. Find Shayda at pivottutors.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 A Georgia native, Blake Shealy attended high school in Cobb County at McEachern High School. While there, he earned valedictorian and STAR student honors and attended the University of Georgia in 2004 as a Bernard Ramsey Scholar and a member of the honors program. After graduating in 2008, Blake began a career in medical research and worked in labs across the U.S. including Harvard Medical School, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Arizona. In Arizona, he began teaching part-time at a local college and quickly decided to pursue this full-time. Since then, Blake graduated summa cum laude with a masters in public health and later spent ten years teaching as both a high school science teacher and college professor. In 2018, Blake made the decision to pursue test prep full time, and his days are now spent furthering his expertise in both the SAT and ACT. ​Blake Shealy enjoys spending time with his wife and two kids but still tries to catch as much college football as he can in the fall. He trains as an amateur lifter in his spare time and has coached baseball and track/field in the past. Find Blake at https://www.insight-tutoring.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 Manjri Gupta. Manjri wears many hats. She is a wife, a proud mother, an avid walker, and the owner and founder of a growing business in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She holds a B.S in Chemistry and an M.B.A in Finance. Though her career began within the walls of big corporate climates, Manjri has always believed in the value of education. One might say that education is literally in her blood. Both of her grandfathers were proponents of education, having started universities in their respective hometowns. Like her grandfathers, Manjri has made learning her life's work. Ten years ago, Manjri envisioned a tutoring service that would meet the needs of the whole student. She developed Axios Tutoring, a Pittsburgh-based educational center where students come for a range of services including higher executive functioning coaching, college admissions counseling, subject tutoring, diagnostic testing, and standardized test prep. At present, she manages two centers, one in Pittsburgh's North Hills and one in the South Hills, and her business is growing. Manjri's goal is to help students navigate school, standardized tests, college admissions, and transition to college with the skills and confidence that lead to the careers and lifestyles they envision. She says, "It is rewarding to watch them grow beyond the distractions of adolescence into the forward-thinking adults of the future." Not only does Manjri treat every student and family as if they were her only clients, but she has also hired a staff that works as a team, using a mentoring model and on-board training to utilize her tutors' strengths and match their teaching styles to students' learning styles. Manjri understands that everyone learns differently. She makes it her work to find the right path for each student. She monitors their progress closely and keeps parents in the loop. If something is not working, she goes back to the drawing board and refines the strategy. The lesson of her grandfathers is never far from her mind: learning is a lifelong journey. Find Manjri 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 Travis Minor founded Open Door Education in 2011 with the goal of building the best and most impactful tutoring company in Massachusetts. Travis, who earned his B.S. in Secondary Education at the University of Vermont and his M.Ed. at Harvard's Graduate School of Education, began his teaching career in West Philadelphia, where he became acutely aware of the profound impact of enthusiastic, rigorous tutoring and test preparation. As a 2005 graduate of Concord-Carlisle High School, Travis understands the pressures and challenges facing students attending competitive high schools, and he also knows the life-long benefits of learning to rise to overcome these obstacles through patience, grit, and a willingness to ask for help (something he is still working on). When he's not at Open Door, Travis serves as the chair of The Scholarship Fund of Concord and Carlisle, the Vice President of Ethics for the National Test Prep Association, and as the Education Entrepreneurship Teaching Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Travis is a founding Board Member of the National Test Prep Association. Travis first appeared on the podcast in episode #21 to discuss Implications Of An Environmental Context Dashboard. Find Travis 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 Meet Ashley Boggs, the owner of Problem-Solving Math, LLC located in Parkersburg, WV. She holds multiple degrees and teaching licenses in elementary education, secondary mathematics and science education, and school administration with a Master's degree in Educational Leadership. A National Test Prep Association member, Ashley is also the only ACT-Certified Educator in the region and helps students reach their test score goals to earn college admittance and scholarships. Before opening the tutoring center in 2020, Ashley taught middle school math for several years but actually started tutoring others when she was in middle school. Currently, academic math tutoring and test prep are provided to learners of all ages through individual, small group, and virtual settings. Ashley enjoys helping students build a solid foundation and confidence in their abilities and problem-solving skills. Resource development and sharing instructional strategies that work have become additional ways for her to contribute to the educational field. The "aha" moments witnessed, scholarship offers celebrated, and referrals received are the best motivators as she continues to build a practice preparing her community's students and virtual students around the country for their next steps. Find Ashley at http://www.ProblemSolvingMath.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.

Up until 2020, not many educators or students had direct experience with live online instruction, but once COVID arrived, everyone did. Was this just a passing phase? Amy and Mike invited educator Adam Snoza to explore why remote tutoring is here to stay. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Is online tutoring here to stay, even post-pandemic? What are the benefits of online tutoring over in-person? How do you maintain engagement in one on one tutoring and group classes online? What tech tools make a difference in online instruction? In what instances is in-person instruction still more advantageous? MEET OUR GUEST Adam Snoza graduated from Creighton University and was a high school English teacher for 9 years in both public and private schools. He has spent 13 years in ACT test prep with Aim High Test Prep in Omaha, NE, where he is the president, lead instructor, and curriculum developer, authoring his own 350-page instructional manual. Adam is also an ACT Certified Educator (ACE) in all 6 certification areas: Basics, English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing. Now, he is a trainer of the ACE program and works with teachers and tutors across the country on how to effectively teach the ACT test. In addition, Adam co-authored the 2021 update to The Official ACT Mathematics Guide. Though every student he helps gain a life-changing scholarship or entry into an elite college gives him great satisfaction, his greatest pride comes from working with multiple local charities to bring test prep to underserved populations in an effort to bridge the education gap. Adam previously appeared on this podcast in episode 159 to discuss ACT Math Reporting Categories and episode 249 for a Test Prep Profile. Find Adam at aimhightestprep.com. LINKS Face To Face or Facetime? Consider Online Tutoring RELATED EPISODES MAKING ONLINE TUTORING MATTER MORE COLLEGE ADVISING AND PREP BY VIDEOCONFERENCE HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF ONLINE TEST PREP ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. 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.

Many families envision scholarships as a substantial contributor to an expensive college education. Yet surprisingly few have any experience actually getting those awards. Mike and Amy invited educational consultant Sherri Graf to point out common catastrophic mistakes in scholarship applications. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why does every successful scholarship application begin with following instructions? Does good writing make a difference in scholarship applications? Is there a benefit to providing more information than requested? What other elements of a scholarship application need to be respected? What mistakes should students avoid after an application is submitted or awarded? MEET OUR GUEST Sherri Graf is an education consultant, author, software application developer, speaker, and CEO of Imagine Scholarships. When Sherri waded through the college admissions process with her own children and the hundreds she has mentored over the last decade, she saw an opportunity to make a bigger impact on the world. With a degree in communications and a background in education, she was equipped for the task at hand. Powered by her love for young adults and a passion for helping others, she created Imagine Scholarships. Sherri now wears the nickname "collegeprenuer" proudly. Since 2010 she has worked with students of all ages and their families to help them achieve their educational goals and find the money to do it. As a first-generation student herself, she knows the power of earning scholarships to help educational dreams come true. The passion behind the company is her desire to help others achieve their full potential and the belief that with a guiding hand, anyone can create a positive future for themselves. Sherri has a knack for writing and loves TED Talks. With her 4 beautiful children, the right 80s tunes, and her beloved golden-doodle, Sherri is determined to empower the next generation to find their place in the world and have access to the funds needed to help them achieve those goals. Find Sherri at https://www.imaginescholarships.com. LINKS Tips From Scholarship Committee Experts Celebrate You Scholarship RELATED EPISODES HOW TO WIN LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS WHAT IS SCHOLARSHIP DISPLACEMENT? LESSONS LEARNED BY OFFERING A SCHOLARSHIP 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 Talmud teaches that a timid person cannot learn. While well-intentioned adults might negotiate obstacles and opportunities for teens, the most successful students are usually the ones who learn to stand up for themselves. Amy and Mike invited educator Barak Moore to explore the importance of self-advocacy in education and admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does self-advocacy mean in the context of an educational environment? What are examples of how students advocate for themselves in admissions decisions? Why do students struggle to stand up for themselves or ask for what they need? What makes student self-advocacy so powerful? How do we teach children to advocate for themselves? MEET OUR GUEST Barak Moore has been a professional SAT and ACT tutor for more than three decades. He is a graduate of Princeton University, and was formerly the Director of the Princeton Review of NJ. He has been a consultant to leading educational organizations such as McGraw-Hill, the United Nations, IBM, the New York City Board of Education, the Marine Corps, and the World Bank Find Barak Moore at facebook.com/baraktutor LINKS Advocating For Your Rights On Test Day Cultivating Self-Advocacy for All Students on College Campuses Speak for Yourself! The Importance of Self-Advocacy RELATED EPISODES ADVOCACY FOR PARENTS OF HIGH SCHOOLERS THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN THE COLLEGE PROCESS 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.

Inequitable access to high-quality education harms all of us in society, particularly the least advantaged among us. Yet some efforts to mitigate the advantages of wealth and privilege in admissions may inadvertently do the exact opposite. Amy and Mike invited researcher Adam Tyner to explore whether eliminating tests makes education more or less equitable. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the origins of anti-test sentiment in modern American education? Why are some public university systems phasing out college admissions tests? What does the research tell us about inequity in the college admissions process? Are tests the only indicators of socioeconomic inequality? If tests are phased out of the application process, is inequity eliminated? MEET OUR GUEST Adam Tyner is National Research Director at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, where he helps develop and manage Fordham's research projects. Prior to joining Fordham, he served as senior education analyst at Hanover Research, where he executed data analysis projects and worked with school districts and other education stakeholders to design custom studies. Adam has also spent several years leading classrooms, teaching English as a second language in both China and California and teaching courses at the University of California, San Diego. His work has appeared and been cited in national and international media such as The Economist, The New York Times, Forbes, Education Week, Education Next, and The Diplomat, as well as in numerous local outlets. Adam holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, San Diego, where he completed his doctoral dissertation on the integration of rural-to-urban migrant workers in China's cities. He also holds a bachelor of arts in international studies from the University of Oklahoma. Adam first appeared on the show in episode #140 to discuss Social Studies Instruction and Reading Comprehension. Find Adam at fordhaminstitute.org. LINKS Would eliminating college admissions tests really make education more equitable? Essay Content is Strongly Related to Household Income and SAT Scores: Evidence from 60,000 Undergraduate Application The Education Gadfly Show Podcast RELATED EPISODES FIVE MYTHS ABOUT ADMISSIONS TESTS HOW SAT AND ACT SCORES HIGHLIGHT EDUCATIONAL INEQUITY DON"T SHOOT THE MESSENGER: WHAT TESTING TELLS US DO TEST-OPTIONAL POLICIES DRIVE EQUITY? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. 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.

Some states find innovative and generous ways to support higher education for their residents, and Florida is one of them. As the first of what will be an ongoing series on state scholarships, Mike and Amy invited educational consultant Carrie Bedard and educator Jason Robinovitz to discuss the Florida Bright Futures Scholarships. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the Florida Bright Futures Scholarships? How much can these scholarships amount to? Are these scholarships only open to Florida residents? What are the general requirements for Bright Futures? What should aspiring scholarship applicants know in advance? MEET OUR GUESTS Carrie Bedard and Jason Robinovitz are the moderators of the Bright Futures Scholarship Parent page on Facebook. Carrie Bedard of Soar 2 Success Consulting graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Hospitality and a Minor in Psychology. She has worked in education throughout her career, including teaching, tutoring and personal essay development. She has an extensive background in Marketing and Public Speaking, which she uses to help her students to become the best they can be to achieve their goals. In 2012, she decided to make helping students a full time venture, after seeing parents had no idea how to guide their students in the college guidance and admissions process and guidance counselors were over worked with hundreds of students and couldn't give the 1-1 attention necessary to properly guide students. She has traveled and met with college admissions staff, joined the Southern Association of College Admissions Counselors, and worked with over 100 families around the globe. Carrie first appeared on this podcast in episode 50 to discuss Utilizing A Reflection Journal To Prepare For Your College Essay. Find Carrie at [email protected]. Jason Robinovitz is the Chief Operating Officer of all Score At The Top Learning Centers. Jason oversees each Center's day-to-day operations, ensuring the delivery of top quality educational support and guidance services to client families. As team leader for a staff of more than 100 educators, Jason is in charge of strategic decision-making, including best practice policies, customer service, staffing, training, marketing, systems, and technology. Jason is also involved in educational consulting services for college, boarding school, and law school clients. Meeting with students, Jason specializes in directing pre-law and future law-school students toward the extracurricular activities that will help position them for success. Skillfully guiding them through the application and essay process, Jason helps students distinguish themselves from the rest of the applicant pool. He also works with families seeking therapeutic placements for their children, identifying the "best fit" schools and programs for them and interfacing with these schools and programs to ensure successful placements. Jason is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the National Test Prep Association. As an active member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and the Secondary School Admission Test Board, Robinovitz is part of a professional network of admission directors, educators, psychologists and other educational consultants. Jason first appeared on this podcast in episode 20 to discuss Therapeutic Schools and Teens In Crisis. Find Jason at [email protected]. LINKS Florida Financial Aid Application Florida Bright Futures Program Details RELATED EPISODES HOW TO WIN LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS WHAT IS SCHOLARSHIP DISPLACEMENT? 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.

The economic benefits of a college degree are not just to individual learners but entire towns, counties, states, and countries as a whole. So why don't we as a society invest in higher education attainment more directly? Amy and Mike invited author Morley Winograd to make the compelling case for tuition-free college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What economic benefits accrue from access to tuition-free two- and four-year college? What are the potential downsides of access to tuition-free college? What is the public take on the issue of tuition-free college What are the current political realities for making college free in 2022? How has free college impacted higher education enrollment in states that have implemented it? MEET OUR GUEST Morley Winograd is a nationally known expert on the Millennial generation. He is co-author (with Mike Hais) of three highly acclaimed books, Millennial Momentum (2011), Millennial Makeover (2008), and Millennial Majority (2013) on the impact the generation will have on America's future. He served as senior policy advisor to Vice President Al Gore during the second term of the Clinton administration and directed its reinventing government efforts. The Campaign for Free College Tuition (CFCT) is an inter-generational coalition who believe today's economy requires the country to make higher education affordable for everyone if we are going to have a workforce with the skills needed for us to compete in the global marketplace. Established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in 2014, CFCT has been at the forefront of the free college tuition movement since its inception. Find Morley at [email protected]. LINKS The Campaign for Free College Tuition Morley Winograd's books The Power of College: Economic and Personal Benefits of a College Education How do college graduates benefit society at large? Lifetime Income Distribution Estimates by College Major RELATED EPISODES ATTENDING A COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD THE TRUTH ABOUT STUDENT LOAN DEBT 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 Parke Muth, who has worked in education for over 35 years. Most of that time he served as a Dean at the University of Virginia in the admissions office and in the English Department. He now works with companies, schools, families, and students across the world but mostly focuses on Asia where he spends about 1/2 of the year. While at Virginia, Parke was, among other things, Director of Selection and Recruitment of Honors Scholars, Director of Application Assessment Training, and Director of International Admission. He's been serving for over 25 years as a member of the Jefferson Scholars selection committee. This four-year, full scholarship is among the most elite programs in the United States. Parke also serves as an advisor for the Ron Brown Scholars Program, an elite scholars program that provides financial support and leadership training, networking, and career services for underprivileged black students. Because of his experiences in admissions, Parke is a highly sought-after speaker He has been interviewed by the New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, Bloomberg, Associated Press, NBC, etc. He has had over 6 million people read his responses on the website Quora.com. He also has a blog with over 4,000 pages of content, all free, no ads or promotions: https://onlyconnectparke.blogspot.com/ Parke previously appeared on this podcast in episodes 81 (You Can't Handle The Truth: Secrets Of College Admissions) and 148 (Stop Making $En$E: The International Student Problem). Find Parke 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 Sandy Andolsek, an Independent College Counselor who spent her career in the field of College Admissions since 1991. Her extensive experience in both the private and public college sector allows her to serve students and families with a comprehensive understanding of the college application process. She is well versed in the complexities that may sometimes overwhelm many embarking on this journey. Sandy is committed to providing individualized guidance to students and families as they navigate through the college admission process. She remains current in the field in order to guide and ultimately help find a college that meets the needs of each student. Sandy holds a Master's degree in Counselor Education and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Her progressive experience in the profession has included her position(s) as the Associate Director of Admissions at the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Buffalo, Assistant Director of Admissions at Manhattanville College, and as an Admissions Counselor at Monroe Community College. She is a current member of NACAC (National Association for College Admissions Counseling). Find Sandy at https://www.theroadaheadcollegeconsulting.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.

When a test as influential and controversial as the SAT faces a new iteration, people take notice. But when that same test will be administered in an entirely new format that leaves the classic #2 pencil behind, people start to lose their minds. Amy and Mike invited educator Brooke Hanson to help unpack First Thoughts About The New Digital SAT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What did the College Board say about a new digital SAT? What is the projected timeline for the new test? What is an adaptive test anyway, and why does this matter? What does ACT's digital format experience have to do with this? How does this announcement impact current high schoolers? Brooke Hanson grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and Kansas City, graduated from Stanford University with honors, and holds an MFA in Cinematic Arts Production from the University of Southern California. After spending over a decade juggling a career in Hollywood with her tutoring and test prep work, Brooke founded Supertutor Media to make college admissions and test prep more accessible and engaging. Her YouTube channel SupertutorTV now boasts over 20 million views and 230K subscribers. She's been featured on CNN, US News and World Report, Teen Vogue, and Yahoo! Finance. Brooke has also written two ACT® math books and developed comprehensive online video-based prep courses for both the SAT and ACT. Brooke previously appeared on this podcast in episode 213 to discuss Test Prep YouTube. Find Brooke at supertutortv.com or subscribe to her YouTube (youtube.com/supertutortv). LINKS Digital SAT Suite: Resources The SAT admission test is going digital and getting shorter The New Digital SAT RELATED EPISODES COMPARING PAPER- AND COMPUTER-BASED TESTING ACT SUPERSCORING AND SECTION RETESTING SUCCESS IN COMPUTER-BASED TESTING 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 Alan Sheptin, owner of Sheptin Tutoring Group (STG). Alan has been a professional member of IECA since 2017 and became a Certified Educational Planner in 2020. He earned a BA in Computer Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA in Finance from Fordham University and a Certificate in College Consulting from UCLA. Prior to establishing his company in 2007, Alan was an Assistant Vice President and Actuary with AXA, specializing in actuarial product development and management. He attained Associateship in the Society of Actuaries with several exams completed towards Fellowship. In addition to his college consulting expertise, Alan is a respected Mathematics tutor, successfully working with students in all levels of Math. He is most sought out for his expertise in Algebra II, Precalculus, and Calculus. He teaches both Precalculus and Calculus at Iona College. He has also undertaken long-term consulting assignments teaching BC Calculus and Pre-Calculus at John Jay and Fox Lane High Schools in Westchester County. Alan first became interested in college admissions when he was the NYC Secondary School Chairman of Alumni Interviewing for the University of Pennsylvania, training alumni interviewers and serving as a liaison between Penn's admission office, interviewers and prospective freshmen. He has leveraged this expertise, plus his extensive knowledge of US and international colleges and universities, to counsel students on the optimal admissions strategy. To date, he has visited over 130 colleges and universities in seven countries. Alan's "alumni" are present at all of the top 50 US universities and colleges, as well as at universities in the UK and Canada. Additionally, Alan has been preparing students for the SAT and ACT examinations for 30 years. He is widely respected for his in-depth expertise in maximizing test scores, as well as his ability to make intrinsically difficult concepts in all areas of Mathematics (from pre-Algebra through Calculus) easier to grasp. Many of Alan's students have continued to work with him in college classes and as they prep for the GRE and GMAT exams. He and his outstanding team of 35 teachers and tutors can offer support in any academic area in middle or high school. He is constantly revamping materials and lessons to ensure that his students are receiving the most recent information about exams. Sheptin Tutoring Group maintains offices in Chappaqua, New York and New York City. Its clients come from as close as the tri-state area to as far away as China, the United Kingdom, and Nigeria. Find Alan at 914-232-3743 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 independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Kristina L. Dooley, a Certified Educational Planner (CEP) and founder of Estrela Consulting, an Ohio-based independent educational consulting firm. Kristina has more than 20 years of experience working with students from around the world navigating the complex college and school search processes. Prior to launching Estrela Consulting in 2008, Kristina served as the Assistant Director of Admission at Hiram College (OH) and as the Director of Admission and Marketing at Andrews Osborne Academy (OH). A first-generation college student, she is a graduate of Hiram College (B.A.) and Kent State University (M.A.). In addition to her work with students, Kristina is an instructor for the University of California Irvine teaching College Consulting Resources and also serves as a faculty member of the IECA Summer Training Institute for aspiring educational consultants. An expert in her field, Kristina has contributed to several websites, books, and magazines on education-related topics. A sought after speaker, Kristina presents at conferences around the country each year. Kristina is the President of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), and holds membership in AICEP, NACAC, HECA, and the Ohio and International Associations for College Admission Counseling (OACAC & IACAC). In addition, Kristina is a member of the Hiram College Board of Visitors and the IECA Foundation Board. She has served on Admission Advisory Boards at several institutions including Lehigh University, Lynn University, and Washington and Jefferson College. In her free time, Kristina volunteers for Beyond Type 1 and JDRF and serves as a mentor for College Now Greater Cleveland. She resides in Northeast Ohio with her husband and their 10-year-old triplets. Kristina previously appeared on this podcast in episode 183 to discuss The Role Of Parents In The College Process. Find Kristina at http://www.estrelaconsulting.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 OUR GUEST Meet Zach Galin, who has spent over a decade working independently with students and families in the college admissions process. From test preparation to college matching, applications, and financial aid, Zach has helped students gain acceptance to their top-choice schools. Zach spent his undergraduate years at Northwestern University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Learning and Organizational Change. He was actively engaged in student government, Greek life, cultural affairs, and community service. Upon graduation, he ran an academic tutoring and test prep center on New York City's upper west side. He worked with hundreds of families to diagnose students' specific academic deficiencies and develop courses from a variety of text-based and digital curricula to improve their skills. Zach was then accepted into Teach for America and taught science, test-taking strategies, and organizational skills in a middle/high school in the South Bronx. While a corps member, he received his master's degree in education from New York City's Bank Street College of Education. Zach previously served on Hillel's International Board of Directors, Bank Street College's Board of Trustees, and the Madison Jewish Community Day School Board of Directors. He currently serves as the chair of the Camp Shalom (Verona, WI) committee, as a member of the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Foundation board, and as a board member of the Jewish Federation of Madison. Find Zach 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 attainment of a law degree in the United States is bookended by two essential standardized tests. While work in the legal field depends on passing at least one bar exam, the whole journey starts with an important admissions test. Amy and Mike invited educator David Lynch to explain all about the LSAT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the LSAT? What kinds of schools or programs use the LSAT for admissions? When should students prepare for and take the LSAT? What should test takers know about the computer-based format of the LSAT? Will the GRE dethrone the LSAT? MEET OUR GUEST David Lynch is the founder of StudyLark Test Prep. He has been working with students worldwide since 1999 on the LSAT, SAT, ACT, GMAT, and GRE tests, and he's taught Chemistry and English as a Second Language. Dave is the author of the StudyLark Guide to SAT Writing and Language as well as several other books on the LSAT and other standardized tests. He works with test preparation shops large and small to create high-quality custom teaching materials, and he has served as technical editor for study guides by nationally recognized brands. StudyLark provides individual tutoring for college and graduate school admissions. You can earn more about Dave and her background, experience, and practice in his TEST PREP PROFILE from episode #173. Find Dave at studylark.com or [email protected]. LINKS About the LSAT RELATED EPISODES GETTING READY FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL ALL ABOUT THE GRE THE INNER GAME OF TESTING 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 odds that any individual college applicant will accept, enroll, and persist to graduation may not mean much to a given institution, but those same numbers for the entire applicant pool mean everything. No wonder schools track every applicant interaction so carefully! Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Matthew Herr to clarify how much colleges really know about applicants. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the purpose of an enrollment management CRM like Slate? How much does a school really know about its applicants? How is this data beneficial to the student and to the school? What differentiates this accumulated information from "demonstrated interest"? What should students do to display strong digital demonstrated interest? MEET OUR GUEST Matt Herr currently serves as the Integrations Manager and Senior Slate Strategist at Underscore, a Carnegie Company. Before joining the Underscore team, he spent 14 years progressing through the ranks in Enrollment Management at various institutions; both small-private, as well as highly selective: in numerous roles including Senior Director of Admissions, Director of Enrollment Data Management, Director of Transfer Admissions, and Assistant Director of Financial Aid. Matt has a passion for helping institutions meet enrollment goals, while providing a student-centric approach to enrollment. His experience and passion combine in his current role to help schools implement and enhance their Slate instances to meet the needs of a continuously changing higher education landscape. Find Matt at https://www.underscorehighered.com/. LINKS https://technolutions.com/solutions/slate https://slate.org/ RELATED EPISODES TRANSPARENCY IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DO COLLEGES CARE ABOUT THEIR APPLICANTS? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH: SECRETS OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. 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.

Curriculum, structure, and delivery of educational services like academic tutoring and test prep tend to vary widely. So why is there so little diversity in the way clients pay for these services? Amy and Mike invited educator Dave Crystal to discuss educational services pricing models. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the traditional pricing models for educational services? Where do these models fall short? What are some alternative test prep pricing models? What are the advantages and disadvantages of alternative models? What new opportunities in alternative business models do you foresee over the next few years? MEET OUR GUEST Dave Crystal is a cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he received Honors in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. The author of one book and many published essays and op-ed pieces, he was a columnist for the Daily Pennsylvanian and a contributor to Penn's prestigious journal of political science, Sound Politicks. Dave founded Crystal Clear Tutors in 2008 when he noticed that there was a tremendous void in the test-prep industry in south Florida. Since then, Crystal Clear Tutors has helped get over 400 students into top-100 universities and over 250 students into top-40 universities, including all Ivy League schools. Dave's prior professional history includes being an investment manager research analyst for Merrill Lynch; a licensed financial advisor; and the President of 3rd Channel, an e-commerce solutions company. He has also lectured at many fine institutions including Books & Books, NYU, and Penn. Dave also has an MBA from the University of Miami. Additionally, he has been the subject of articles in Front Page Magazine, The Jerusalem Post, Philadelphia Weekly, The Forward, The Miami Herald and The Jewish Exponent. Find Dave at 888-981-PREP. LINKS Tutor Pricing Strategies: PREMIUM RELATED EPISODES HOW TEST PREP TUTORING SHOULD WORK ESSENTIALS OF CLIENT-TEACHER COMMUNICATION HOW TEST PREP PROS AND FINANCIAL PLANNERS CAN WORK TOGETHER ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. 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.

Anyone who has ever sat in a classroom knows that some students need a higher level of academic enrichment and challenge than others. When did such a fundamental facet of education become controversial? Amy and Mike invited author and editor Brandon Wright to explain why gifted programs are under attack. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why exactly are gifted and talented programs under attack? How has this opposition impacted gifted programs? What makes opposition to gifted programs bad educational policy? What makes opposition to gifted programs bad politics? Why are programs for high achievers fair and equitable? MEET OUR GUEST Brandon Wright is the Editorial Director of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. He is the co-author or co-editor of three books: Failing our Brightest Kids: The Global Challenge of Educating High-Ability Students (with Chester E. Finn, Jr.), Charter Schools at the Crossroads: Predicaments, Paradoxes, Possibilities (with Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Bruno V. Manno), and Getting the Most Bang for the Education Buck (edited with Frederick M. Hess). His writing has appeared in places like the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, U.S. News, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, National Review, Newsweek, Education Next, Education Week, Phi Delta Kappan, the Journal of School Choice, and dozens of state newspapers. He holds a J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and a B.A. from the University of Michigan. Brandon frequently appears on radio stations across the country. Find Brandon at [email protected] LINKS Attacking gifted education is bad policy and bad politics Rigorous courses are a good thing—and good for equity Failing our Brightest Kids: The Global Challenge of Educating High-Ability Students Universal screening increases the representation of low-income and minority students in gifted education RELATED EPISODES THE NECESSITY OF GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAMS WHY SELECTIVE SPECIALIZED SCHOOLS MATTER LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD 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'd love to hear from you!

We often talk about how expensive a college education can be, but we don't explore often enough how to make earning a degree less expensive. Amy and Mike invited educator David Vise to discuss different ways to earn advance college credit. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are different ways high schoolers can earn advance college credits? What are the advantages and disadvantages of entering college with a lot of credits? Is it really possible for students to earn a Freshman Year for Free? Which kinds of schools or majors are least likely to accept advance credit? How do the CLEP and AP exams or IB programs compare or overlap? MEET OUR GUEST David Vise is the executive director of Modern States Education Alliance, a philanthropy dedicated to making college more accessible and affordable for all. A Pulitzer Prize-winner, Vise spent more than 20 years as a reporter at The Washington Post. He is the author of four books, including The Google Story, a national bestseller published in more than two dozen languages. Vise received his MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he is included on a list of 125 most influential alumni. He serves as a senior advisor at New Mountain Capital. Find David at [email protected] or 202-439-0318. LINKS Modern States Education Alliance Earn College Credit with CLEP RELATED EPISODES ADVANTAGES OF DUAL ENROLLMENT CHOOSING BETWEEN AP AND IB PROGRAMS WHEN BORROWING FOR SCHOOL IS A BAD IDEA 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 Tests and the Rest podcast has always focused in part on celebrating and supporting amazing test prep professionals. Why, then, are we ending our successful run of professional development summits? We invited educator Dan Ascher to join us for a discussion of the history and future of the Tests and the Rest Summits. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What initiated the first Tests and the Rest conference? What was the immediate and long-term impact of the Boca Raton TATR conference? How did the global pandemic influence these test prep events? Why are the summits moving from Tests and the Rest to the NTPA? Is there still a need for professional development programs like the TATR summits? MEET OUR GUEST Daniel Ascher, M.Ed., President of A+ Test Prep and Tutoring, has been a professional educator since 1988. Dan began tutoring students while in graduate school and enjoyed one-to-one instruction so much that he decided to go directly into the field upon completing his Master's degree. In 1992, he started A+ Test Prep and Tutoring out of his home. In 2022, A+ is celebrating its 30th Anniversary! The company currently employs 35 tutors who work out of two office locations, at students' homes and schools throughout the Philadelphia Area, and online. A+ specializes in one-to-one instruction for SAT and ACT test preparation. In addition, they provide Executive Function coaching and instruction in all school subjects. Besides working with private clients A+ has tutoring contracts with several Philadelphia Area school districts. Dan first appeared on our podcast in episode 27 to discuss COMMON MYTHS ABOUT THE SAT AND ACT. Find Dan at www.aplustutoring.com. LINKS Tests and the Rest Online Summits RELATED EPISODES INTRODUCING THE NATIONAL TEST PREP ASSOCIATION TUTOR SELF-CARE (Tests and the Rest Summit Panel) ESSENTIALS OF CLIENT-TEACHER COMMUNICATION (Tests and the Rest Summit Panel) 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 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. Find Pranoy at www.PMTutoring.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 Nikki Highfield, owner of Helping Hands Educational Services. Nikki is a native of Cincinnati, OH. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education and an MBA from Xavier University as well as a M.Ed in Special Education from St. Joseph's University. Nikki spent 15 years working in the financial industry before returning back to the world of education. She started Helping Hands Educational Service in 2014. She focuses on ACT/SAT test prep and academic subject tutoring for students. When Nikki is not helping students, she is spending time with her children either at a Broadway musical or a Xavier basketball game. Nikki is excited to be a member of the National Test Prep Association! She looks forward to continuing to develop relationships with other test prep professionals and growing her business. Find Nikki 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 Meet Steve Feldman. As Founder and Managing Partner of Private Prep, Steve initiates and manages strategic partnerships. Steve also leads Private Prep's growth into new geographic markets and additional services. Since founding Private Prep in 2006, the company has become recognized as one of the leading personalized education services in the NY Tri-State Region, the Washington DC Metro Area, South Florida, Los Angeles and Internationally. Private Prep has made the Inc 5000 list for fastest growing privately-held companies, for five consecutive years, ranking as one of the top growing companies in the education industry. Additionally, Private Prep has been recognized as one of the 100 best places to work in New York by Crain's Magazine. In addition to a MA in education from the Steinhardt School at New York University, Steve brings over 20 years of tutoring and a deep love of learning and connecting with students. He is focused on maintaining the high level of personalized care students and families have been experiencing since he began tutoring students himself. Growing up in Bethesda, Maryland, Steve has been a coach, teaching assistant and tutor since 1993. After graduating on the Dean's List at Emory University, Steve moved to New York City and worked in finance at UBS while moonlighting as a math and test prep tutor. After two years, his enthusiasm for education, combined with his students' success, inspired him to build a private tutoring service. After over a decade in NYC, Steve now lives In Bethesda, MD with his wife, Lauren, who was integral in the launch of Private Prep, and their children Spencer, Poppy & Dylan. Find Steve 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.