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	Titre	Date	Durée
	THROWBACK: WHEN GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS STRUGGLE	05 Nov 2026	00:26:19
To many, the gifted and talented designation seems to promise a future of effortless academic success. How, then, can the adults in their lives help when these students face the inevitable educational challenges? Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Shane Bybee to offer guidance on what to do when gifted and talented students struggle. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How is gifted and talented defined and identified? What is the remedy when gifted and talented students show imbalances in ability? What strategies help when a subject suddenly doesn't come easy to a gifted and talented student? How can gifted and talented students continue to grow even when not being challenged? How can parents and educators support gifted and talented students? MEET OUR GUEST Shane Bybee has spent over half his life teaching. Along the way, he has worked with thousands of different students teaching everything from remedial 7th grade English/Language Arts to Dual Credit English IV and AP Language and Composition and even remedial Algebra I. Every year, no matter the subject he taught, his students outperformed the campus average on standardized tests. He has written curriculum, presented topics at the state convention for English teachers, and created professional development sessions for colleagues and school districts. While earning a master's degree in Educational Leadership and getting certified as an administrator, he started Bybee College Prep. He did research into how schools could help more students achieve National Merit recognition. His research grew into a tutorial service that has helped dozens of students reach National Merit Semifinalist status. As an educator, he is certified to teach Gifted and Talented students and has completed courses for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs.He has also served on test item review committees multiple times for the companies that write standardized tests and helped write online curriculum used by major test preparation companies. He understands what goes into crafting these tests. Find Shane at https://bybeecollegeprep.com LINKS What is Giftedness? RELATED EPISODES WHY GIFTED PROGRAMS ARE UNDER ATTACK THE NECESSITY OF GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAMS SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: INTEGRATED ACCELERATION SYSTEM 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	765. MATH'S "SAT MOMENT": THE SHIFT TO HIGH-SECURITY TESTING	03 Nov 2026	00:27:43
The higher the stakes for any given exam, the more likely it is that some test takers will seek an unfair or unethical advantage, as anyone connected to the American Mathematics Competitions has recently observed. Amy and Mike invited educator Vida John to explain why math's "SAT moment" has arrived along with a shift to high-security testing. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the AMC, and what role does it play in college admissions? How does the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) address score integrity? What are the pros and cons of testing at private centers like Pearson? What are the implications for other contests related to science and humanities? Could we expect something similar happening to the SAT, AP, and ACT? MEET OUR GUEST Vida John is a math coach and tutor who specializes in students preparing for math contests and studying curriculum published by Art of Problem Solving. Vida grew up in Iowa, where she was a high school mathlete before studying at the Stanford School of Engineering and UCSF School of Medicine. After working in Silicon Valley for a medical start-up, she homeschooled her two daughters to provide an excellent education, especially in math and science. She coached homeschooled math teams for 10 years, and with both daughters now attending Stanford, she continues to help students prepare for MathCounts, AMC, and other contests while building their problem-solving skills. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and runs workshops on using math contests to prepare for college-level work. Vida previously appeared on this podcast in episode 255 to discuss Competitive Math And Testing, in episode 536 to discuss All About the American Math Competition, and in episode 628 to discuss Admissions Implications of Academic Competitions. Find Vida at vidajohntutoring.com. LINKS American Mathematics Competitions MATHCOUNTS Foundation Art of Problem Solving RELATED EPISODES MATHEMATICAL MATURITY & TEST SUCCESS HIGH IMPACT STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED IN MATH CHOOSING HIGH SCHOOL MATH COURSES STRATEGICALLY 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	764. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: October 2026	30 Oct 2026	00:28:50
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our own takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What have Amy and Mike been up to this month? How was Amy's son's wedding, and what was its test prep significance? What did Mike love about Cleveland? What are Amy & Mike's favorite Halloween costumes? What's coming up in the next month for Amy and Mike? We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let's get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling! RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: September 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: August 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: July 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2026 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	THROWBACK: ATTENDING COLLEGE IN A BIG CITY	29 Oct 2026	00:28:31
The world's great cities offer some of the biggest, best, and broadest options in virtually any category you can think of, including colleges and universities. What differentiates the metropolitan college experience, and who most--or least--benefits from such a dynamic, diverse environment? Amy and Mike invited NYU Director of Admissions Billy Sichel to shed light on the realities of attending college in a big city. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the advantages of attending college in a big city? What are the disadvantages of attending college in a big city? What kind of student thrives in an urban college setting? Is NYC a great place to go to college? What kinds of safety concerns are there in attending school in a big city? MEET OUR GUEST Billy Sichel has been at NYU for just over 7 years, where he has held various roles in the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Currently, as the Director of Admissions, he is responsible for overseeing the recruitment and selection process for the 10 undergraduate schools and colleges on the New York campus. Prior to working at NYU, he worked in the undergraduate admissions offices at two liberal arts colleges: Wagner College and Franklin and Marshall College, which is also his alma mater. In addition to that degree in Public Health, he has also completed an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business in Business Analytics and Leadership & Change Management. Find Billy at https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions.html LINKS NYU RELATED EPISODES ATTENDING A SMALL COLLEGE ATTENDING A LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE ATTENDING A WOMEN'S COLLEGE ATTENDING A LARGE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	763. ATTENDING A RURAL COLLEGE	27 Oct 2026	00:26:48
Farm country may not contain many of the most well-known institutions of higher education, but the schools you'll find there perfectly fit their communities. Amy and Mike invited Washington Monthly editor-in-chief Paul Glastris to explore the advantages of attending a rural college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the definition of a rural college? What is different or unique about attending a rural college? What are the specific benefits of attending a rural college? What kind of student thrives in a rural college environment? What are some of the best rural colleges to consider applying to? MEET OUR GUEST Paul Glastris is editor-in-chief of the Washington Monthly and founder of the magazine's alternative college rankings. He was previously a speechwriter for President Bill Clinton and a correspondent and editor at U.S. News and World Report. He is a co-founder of the National Vote at Home Institute and co-author of two books, The Other College Guide: A Roadmap to the Right School for You and Elephant in the Room: Washington in the Bush Years. He has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, Politico Magazine, Slate, and other publications. Paul previously appeared on this podcast in episode 699 to discuss Best Colleges For Your Tuition Dollars. Paul can be reached at editors@washingtonmonthly.com. LINKS Best Colleges for Rural America 2026 Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars RELATED EPISODES ATTENDING A SMALL COLLEGE ATTENDING A LARGE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY ATTENDING A LIBERAL ARTS 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	THROWBACK: COLLEGE PRICE TRANSPARENCY	22 Oct 2026	00:26:10
When is a price not a price? When the stated retail cost of a year at any college diverges dramatically from what students actually cost, you can't effectively factor price into your initial college search. Amy and Mike invited educational expert Mark Salisbury to explain the importance of and path to college price transparency. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why isn't a college's "sticker price" enough to understand how much a student actually pays? Why do undergraduate financial offers arrive too late to inform college choice? How can a database of actual college prices facilitate more informed school choices? How effective are standard Net Price Calculators? In what ways does price transparency benefit colleges? MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Mark Salisbury has spent over 30years 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. Find Mark at https://www.tuitionfit.org/ LINKS TuitionFit Mark's TEDx Talk The trouble with Net Price Calculators 2026 Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars RELATED EPISODES NEGOTIATING A FINANCIAL AWARD LETTER BEST COLLEGES FOR YOUR TUITION DOLLARS FINANCIAL AID HORROR STORIES SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: TUITIONFIT COLLABORATIVE 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	762. CREATING BETTER COLLEGE VISITS	20 Oct 2026	00:23:24
Choosing a college often entails deciding where you'll live for the next four to possibly fifty-four years. Why, then, do so many applicants select their new homes without properly evaluating them? Amy and Mike invited student entrepreneur Evan Goldstein to discuss creating better college visits. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Can you truly understand a college without visiting campus? What should every high schooler ask a current college student before committing to a school? What can current college students tell you that admissions offices can't? How much does the person showing you around campus shape your perception of a college? Why does timing play such an important role in effective college visits? MEET OUR GUEST Evan Goldstein is a member of the Class of 2028 at Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon. In the summer of 2025, he co-founded Quadzio with his older brother Jack, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, to bring greater transparency and a student perspective to the college admissions process. Built around the philosophy of "Fit Over Prestige," Quadzio connects high school students one-on-one with current college students, giving prospective applicants a candid, firsthand look at the schools they're considering beyond traditional tours, rankings, and admissions materials. Evan has been featured in Chris Rapozo and Rob Clark's higher education book Attention Gap for his perspective on college admissions and has shared his experiences on several podcasts. Outside of the classroom and his work with Quadzio, Evan is passionate about college sports and Mock Trial. Evan can be reached at egoldstein@quadzio.com. LINKS Campus Visits That Count: What Questions to Ask Before You Commit RELATED EPISODES MAKING THE MOST OF COLLEGE VISITS MAKING THE MOST OF A VIRTUAL COLLEGE ADMISSIONS EVENT HOW TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH COLLEGES 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	THROWBACK: FINISHING A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE ON TIME	15 Oct 2026	00:23:05
About 66% of American students FAIL to earn their bachelor's degrees in four years. Yet, those extra years of college come at a tremendous cost. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Edie Steele to explore the benefits and challenges around finishing a four-year degree on time. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why does finishing a four-year degree on time matter? What academic issues keep students from finishing college on time? What credit and career planning issues keep students from finishing college on time? What role do or should colleges play in facilitating on-time completion? How can parents prepare high schoolers to finish their degrees on time? MEET OUR GUEST Edie Steele's expertise was honed as an Academic Advisor and Student Retention Director at diverse colleges and universities. Her Ph.D. in Educational Policy, Planning and Leadership from the College of William and Mary enabled Edie to understand key factors driving student success, and the larger forces that shape and define the American higher education system. Her Master's degree in Counselor Education from the University of Virginia strengthened Edie's skills in supporting individual students. Edie's background includes Career Exploration with students and Admissions Counseling positions at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Edie now coaches students privately through Finish in Four, LLC with a simple goal of helping students finish college on time. With high school and college students in tailored sessions, remotely and in person, she works to identify potential roadblocks, teach students how to navigate college structures, and provide strategies for academic, social and career success. Edie also presents to groups of parents and students about academic success and a dream of a college education pursued the right way: on time and on budget! Find Edie Steele at www.finishin4.org. RELATED EPISODES HOW TO PERSIST TO COLLEGE GRADUATION GALLUP ALUMNI SURVEY AND THE SIX COLLEGE EXPERIENCES THAT DRIVE SUCCESS ADVANTAGES OF DUAL ENROLLMENT EARNING ADVANCE COLLEGE CREDIT 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	761. HOW TO WRITE THE COLLEGE ESSAY THAT AI CANNOT	13 Oct 2026	00:30:31
In the age of artificial intelligence, more and more communication is crafted by sophisticated models–and it shows. Critical messages should be composed by a person for a person. Amy and Mike invited college essay specialist Barak Rosenbloom to discuss how to write the college essay that AI cannot. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the consensus view on AI and college essays? What do people—students, adults, professionals, even teachers—miss out on when they use AI, and what does it do to communication between people? What do people need to know, and what skills do they need, to interact with AI in ways that produce better writing and communication? How should teens approach their college essays to maximize what counts? What role can AI play in a smart essay approach? MEET OUR GUEST Barak Rosenbloom is the founder, owner, and Chief Essay Mentor of Essay Mentors, a Seattle-area company that specializes in college admissions essays. He's mentored over 600 students in a comprehensive 1-to-1 program and has delivered training and workshops to thousands of students, parents, counselors, teachers, and admissions officers. Barak is the lead designer of EssayQuest, an all-in-one system that helps schools, teachers, and counselors help their students write better college essays. Barak and his team developed EssayQuest over eight years, incorporating principles of neuroscience, linguistics, learning theory, and instructional design. Barak started life after college as an English teacher; spent five years at the US Department of Labor; and for fifteen years was a leadership, organizational development, and communication consultant. Barak previously appeared on this podcast in episode 482 to discuss College Essays In The Age of Artificial Intelligence. Barak can be reached at essayquest.co. LINKS AI can write your college essay, but it won't sound like you Fifteen great college essays RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE ESSAY SECRETS HOW MUCH AI IS JUST RIGHT IN THE COLLEGE ESSAY? MAKING YOUR COLLEGE ESSAYS COUNT 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	THROWBACK: MATHEMATICAL MATURITY & TEST SUCCESS	08 Oct 2026	00:25:35
Far too often, we evaluate math ability in high schoolers solely on the basis of grades and level of math learned. A more accurate assessment of a student's potential on challenging math tasks--including those posed on tests like the SAT and ACT--should consider mathematical maturity. Amy and Mike invited author and test prep professional Dr. Steve Warner to define what this means and explain the link between mathematical maturity and test success. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is mathematical maturity? How can you determine your "level" of mathematical maturity? Can mathematical maturity be improved? How does mathematical maturity relate to standardized test scores? What steps can students seeking higher levels of mathematical maturity take? MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Steve Warner, a New York native, earned his Ph.D. at Rutgers University in Pure Mathematics in May 2001. After Rutgers, Dr. Warner joined the Penn State Mathematics Department as an Assistant Professor and in September 2002, he returned to New York to accept an Assistant Professor position at Hofstra University. By September 2007, Dr. Warner had received tenure and was promoted to Associate Professor. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in Precalculus, Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Mathematical Logic, Set Theory, and Abstract Algebra. From 2003 – 2008, Dr. Warner participated in a five-year NSF grant, "The MSTP Project," to study and improve mathematics and science curriculum in poorly performing junior high schools. He also published several articles in scholarly journals, specifically on Mathematical Logic. Dr. Warner has nearly two decades of experience in general math tutoring and tutoring for standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, and AP Calculus exams. He has tutored students both individually and in group settings. In February 2010, Dr. Warner released his first SAT prep book, "The 32 Most Effective SAT Math Strategies," and in 2012 founded Get 800 Test Prep. Since then, Dr. Warner has written books for the SAT, ACT, SAT Math Subject Tests, AP Calculus exams, and GRE. In 2018, Dr. Warner released his first pure math book called "Pure Mathematics for Beginners." Since then, he has released several more books, each one addressing a specific subject in pure mathematics. Steve can be reached at steve@SATPrepGet800.com. RELATED EPISODES CHOOSING HIGH SCHOOL MATH COURSES STRATEGICALLY MENTAL MATH AND AUTOMATICITY HIGH IMPACT STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED IN MATH LINKS Gaining Mathematical Maturity Dr. Warner's extensive catalog of math prep books 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	760. WHAT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CULTURE IS DOING TO OUR KIDS	06 Oct 2026	00:24:48
Obviously, accomplishing big things requires energy and intention. But should admission to a specific school really be the ultimate focus of a child's K-12 journey? Amy and Mike invited college advisor Beth Gelles to analyze what college admissions culture is doing to our kids. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How early does college admissions pressure start in the worst cases? When should parents actually start talking to their kids about college? When does wanting your child to succeed start doing more harm than good? How do we stop turning everything kids do into something for college admissions and give them the space to figure out who they are and what they actually care about? How can parents help kids build resilience before they leave for college? MEET OUR GUEST Beth Heller Gelles co-founded Acceptance Ahead, a college admissions counseling firm, in 2012, and she is the author of Crazy for College: The Stories, The Secrets, & The Shot of Sanity You Need to Make It Through Admissions. After working with hundreds of students and families and visiting more than 160 college campuses, Beth wrote Crazy for College to help families navigate the process with less stress and keep the parent-child relationship intact. A graduate of Harvard College and Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, Beth spent over a decade in advertising and marketing before entering the college admissions world. Beth can be reached at http://crazyforcollege.com. LINKS Are we sacrificing our youth for college admissions? Crazy for College: The Stories, The Secrets, & The Shot of Sanity You Need to Make It Through Admissions RELATED EPISODES HOW PARENTS CAN SUPPORT (NOT DERAIL) THE COLLEGE PROCESS THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN THE COLLEGE PROCESS COLLEGE ADMISSIONS INSANITY ADVOCACY FOR PARENTS OF HIGH SCHOOLERS 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	THROWBACK: USING MINDFULNESS FOR TEST AND SCHOOL SUCCESS	03 Oct 2026	00:23:12
How can we succeed in the moment when we're so burdened by thoughts of the past and anxious over fears of the future? The practice and application of mindfulness can keep a person fully focused on the present. Amy and Mike invited author and test prep professional Logan Thompson to discuss powerful strategies for using mindfulness for test and school success. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is mindfulness? What is "the other half of test prep" and how can mindfulness help prep? What are the "passengers" that steer us wrong in stressful moments? How can simple acknowledgment of negative self-talk create better outcomes? What can educators, counselors, and parents do to help cultivate mindfulness? MEET OUR GUEST Logan Thompson scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT®, GRE®, and GMAT®. He has studied and practiced mindfulness since 2008. After earning his MBA from Vanderbilt University, Thompson lived at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, for two and a half years, spending several months in silent mindfulness retreats. He also participated in a two-year mindfulness teacher-training program by Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBME). Thompson holds a Masters of Education in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University and is an adjunct psychology professor. He has spent the past several years teaching both mindfulness and test prep for Manhattan Prep. Logan is also the author of Beyond the Content: Mindfulness as a Test Prep Advantage. LINKS Ten Percent Happier app Mindfulness and Concentration in Testing RELATED EPISODES HOW TO BREATHE DURING STRESSFUL ACADEMIC SITUATIONS HOW STRESS AFFECTS TEST PERFORMANCE MENTAL TECHNIQUES FOR PEAK TEST PERFORMANCE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	759. WHY DIDN'T MY TEST SCORE INCREASE?	29 Sep 2026	00:27:11
It is often said that intention is one thing, but execution is another. That observation is little comfort to students who study and prepare with the best intentions yet still fail to reach their goals. Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Bobby Nicholson to unpack the regrettably common question, "Why didn't my test score increase?" What are five things you will learn in this episode? When students say, "I know the material—I'm just a bad test taker," what is usually preventing them from scoring higher? Why isn't taking more practice tests enough, and what should students actually do with the questions they miss? What separates test preparation that feels productive from preparation that produces meaningful score increases? What is the most productive response when official scores don't match practice test scores? What should parents look for–and be skeptical of–when comparing test prep options? MEET OUR GUEST Bobby Nicholson is the founder of Outliers ACT Prep, a Knoxville-based education company helping students achieve measurable, life-changing score increases on the ACT. What began as one-on-one tutoring has grown into a multi-coach, team-based program used by students and schools across the region, known for its data-driven diagnostics, proprietary coaching app, and five-point composite score guarantee. Beyond test prep, Bobby is building a broader ecosystem around education, character development, and long-term human flourishing. He is a co-contributor of the FLOY project (Future Leaders of Yesterday), a multi-decade project to design a practical "life curriculum" that teaches young people how to think clearly, build strong relationships, contribute meaningfully to their communities, and pursue lives that are happy, free, and fit for the good of others. Bobby is an entrepreneur, systems-builder, and lifelong student of learning science, psychology, and philosophy, with a particular interest in how motivation, meaning, and skill-building intersect. When he's not working with students or building new education programs, he enjoys endurance training, cooking ambitious meals, reading widely, and designing new tools to help people grow. Bobby previously appeared on this podcast in episode 748 for a Test Prep Profile. Find Bobby at bobby@oaprep.com. LINKS Why Does So Much ACT Prep Fail—and What Actually Works? Standardized Test Preparation Checklist RELATED EPISODES WHAT TO DO WHEN A TEST SCORE DISAPPOINTS WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A BAD TEST TAKER? BRINGING GRIT TO TESTING AND ADMISSIONS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	758. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: September 2026	25 Sep 2026	00:27:59
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our own takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What have Amy and Mike been up to this month? Where in the world is Amy today? How many podcasts has Mike been on this month? What do your hosts think are red and green flags about themselves? What's coming up in the next month for Amy and Mike? We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let's get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling! LINKS Mike on Your College-Bound Kid with Mark Stucker Mike on Edtech Frontiers with Jam Mirzakhalov Amy on the Dr. Joe \| SupportED podcast Mike on the Dr. Joe \| SupportED podcast RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: August 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: July 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: May 2026 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	THROWBACK: NEED BLIND AND NEED AWARE ADMISSIONS	24 Sep 2026	00:24:36
Is any aspect of college admissions more mystifying than the determination of financial aid? The concept of "need" and how different schools consider need in both admissions and aid decisions goes deeper than most people realize. Amy and Mike invited admissions consultant Jona Jacobson to bring clarity to the topic of need blind and need aware admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What do the terms "need," "need blind," and "need aware" mean in college admissions? What is gapping? Do all colleges meet 100% of need? Does need or the lack thereof influence admissions decisions? What does it mean when schools claim that x% of students receive financial aid? MEET OUR GUEST Jona Jacobson is an independent educational consultant who coaches students on choosing colleges and completing their college applications and essays. A former attorney and substitute teacher, Jona is in her seventh year of advising students and families through the college application process, both locally and nationally. Find Jona Jacobson at http://collegeadvisorusa.com. ADDITIONAL LINKS Information on how much students can borrow through guaranteed student loans FAFSA4Caster Student Loan Calculator RELATED EPISODES FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE BETTER FAFSA THE BETTER FAFSA FOR NEW AND PREVIOUS FILERS 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	757. THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER: EXPLORING INTERNATIONAL ADMISSIONS	22 Sep 2026	00:26:08
With thousands of colleges and universities at home, few American students ever consider studying abroad. Amy and Mike invited independent education consultant Alan Sheptin to explain why he says the world is your oyster when you're willing to explore international admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the benefits and disadvantages of studying outside the U.S.? What is the cost of a non-US education? Can you decide what you want to study, or do you have to declare a major before entering school? What kind of student thrives when studying abroad? How does the application process differ from the United States? MEET OUR GUEST Alan Sheptin is the owner of Sheptin Tutoring Group (STG). He 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 and has completed several exams toward Fellowship. In addition to his college consulting expertise, Alan is a respected Mathematics tutor, successfully working with students at 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 Precalculus 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 admissions 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 constantly revamps materials and lessons to ensure students receive the most up-to-date exam information. 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. Alan previously appeared on the podcast in episode 289 for an IEC Profile. Alan can be reached at 914-232-3743 or alan@sheptin.com. LINKS Why Not Consider a Degree Outside of the US? Degrees from the Start-Up Nation: A Guide to Israeli Universities – IECA RELATED EPISODES ATTENDING UNIVERSITY IN EUROPE STOP MAKING $EN$E: THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PROBLEM 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	THROWBACK: ACT SCORE REVIEW AND VALIDATION	17 Sep 2026	00:23:16
Security at testing centers is almost as tight as screening at American airports. Yet some test takers still find ways to cheat on the ACT or at least raise suspicions. Amy and Mike invited school counselor Desiree Rodriguez-Gould to explore the process of ACT score review and validation. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How does ACT, Inc. handle score review and validation? What roles can counselors and test prep professionals play in the review process? How badly can ACT score cancellation impact some students? In what ways does the SAT score review process differ? What are some possible ways to avoid ACT and SAT score review? MEET OUR GUEST Desiree Rodriguez-Gould, M.Ed., born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, is a first-generation Latina college graduate and is passionate about college admissions and educational opportunities for all. She was a College Counselor at St. Edward High School. Desi is married to Matt and has three beautiful children, plus an adorable Labradoodle, Riff. With a background in college counseling and strong involvement in professional development organizations and university advisory boards, Mrs. Rodriguez-Gould is an eager student and higher education advocate. LINKS ACT-Test Security-Procedures for Conducting Individual Score Review What should you do if your ACT score is under review? A lawyer answers. 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	756. GUIDANCE FOR WRITING A STRESS-FREE COLLEGE ESSAY	15 Sep 2026	00:23:24
Students often approach their college applications as if each essay is the most important piece of prose they've ever written, which leads to overthinking and anxiety. There is a better way! Amy and Mike invited essay specialist Jill Margaret Shulman to share guidance for writing a stress-free college essay. What are five things you will learn in this episode? 1. What are myths that exist in essay writing? 2. What stops students from getting started with their essay in the first place? 3. What techniques help empower students to write? 4. What are some positive steps if a student gets stuck? 5. What is the one piece of advice about personal essay writing that every student needs to hear? MEET OUR GUEST Jill Margaret Shulman is the author of College Admissions Cracked: Saving Your Kid (and Yourself) from the Madness and College Essay Confidence: Conquer Blocks, Free Your Voice, and Write a Knockout Application Essay. She's also the founder of In Other Words, a college essay coaching service. She has spent decades shepherding families through the college admissions process and has evaluated applications at elite colleges. Shulman has also taught writing at The New School, City University of New York, and NYU and has been featured in Forbes, LA Times, The New York Times, Parents, and elsewhere. She lives in the higher education mecca of Western Massachusetts. Jill can be reached at jillshulman.com. LINKS College Essay Confidence: Conquer Blocks, Free Your Voice, and Write a Knockout Application Essay RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE ESSAY SECRETS MAKING YOUR COLLEGE ESSAYS COUNT DESTRESSIFYING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	755. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: MentoMind (Fall 2026 Updates)	11 Sep 2026	00:15:46
Expanding your tutoring business with MentoMind with educator Amit Jain What are five things you will learn in this episode? How are tutors using MentoMind? How is the MentoMind platform evolving? What are the users of MentoMind like? What kind of courses are tutors creating on MentoMind? What is the new video solution platform Think10x all about? ABOUT MENTOMIND MentoMind is a white-label platform that helps tutoring companies, test prep businesses, and college advisors scale their SAT, ACT, and AP prep services. Your curriculum, ours, or both: use MentoMind's expert-created practice questions and full-length tests across SAT, ACT, and AP, bring your own, or run entirely on your existing curriculum. Tutor-led or fully automated: deliver it through your tutors, or run it fully automated with no added workload on staff — opening up a lower-cost, self-paced option for families who can't afford or fit into your tutoring schedule. MentoMind's Think10x is an AI product that generates step-by-step whiteboard-style video solutions — complete with figures and diagrams — narrated in the teacher's own voice, in English, Spanish, and many more, giving students 24/7 support for every question in the curriculum. It is integrated into MentoMind and also available as a standalone platform. Amit first appeared on the podcast in episode 539 to discuss How Can Tutors Use AI?, in episode 631 for a SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: MentoMind, and in episode 691 for another SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: MentoMind. To learn more about MentoMind, please reach out to amit.jain@mentomind.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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	THROWBACK: ANXIETY AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS	10 Sep 2026	00:23:35
While all teenagers are alike in certain ways, those at the very top and very bottom of the socioeconomic spectrum share some disconcerting similarities. How are these peer groups connected, and what can be done to help them? Amy and Mike invited psychiatrist Anthony Villani to bring clarity to the topic of anxiety and socioeconomic status. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What fascinating aspects of teen life has Dr.Suniya Luthar uncovered in her research? What behaviors do teens at the highest and lowest socioeconomic levels exhibit? Does gender enter into the teen anxiety equation? How can parents, educators, and counselors mitigate these levels of teen anxiety? How does envy undermine teens in school? MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Anthony Villani is a practicing psychiatrist, former school board member, parent of two teens, and college applicant interviewer. He's also a competitive math coach. LINKS Children of the Affluent: Challenges to Well-Being (Suniya S. Luthar and Shawn J. Latendresse) RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE TRANSITIONS AND DISTRESS TOLERANCE FROM STAGE TO TEST: WHAT PERFORMANCE TEACHES US ABOUT TEST ANXIETY DESTRESSIFYING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	754. WHAT STUDENT RESEARCH MATTERS THE MOST TO COLLEGES?	08 Sep 2026	00:26:03
The apprenticeship model of academia requires more than just passive learning from students. How can applicants seeking entry to selective programs demonstrate that they have the ability and ambition to contribute to their desired fields? Amy and Mike invited professor Robert Malkin to consider what student research matters the most to colleges. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the different forms of research high school students have access to? Why are in-person lab experiences becoming increasingly valuable for high school students? What are the biggest mistakes students make when trying to find research or lab opportunities? How can students approach professors, universities, or labs even if they don't have prior experience? What makes a research experience truly meaningful from a college admissions perspective? MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Robert Malkin is a Professor of the Practice of Biomedical Engineering and Global Health, Emeritus at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He is also the Founder and Executive Director of the International Research Institute of North Carolina. Previously, he was the Herbert Herff Professor of Biomedical Engineering at The University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, and The University of Tennessee. Before moving to Tennessee, Dr. Malkin was a professor of Electrical Engineering at The City College of New York and a member of the graduate faculty at The City University of New York and a research associate at Columbia University. Dr. Malkin was the founder and Director of Engineering World Health and The Global Public Service Academies, organizations dedicated to improving healthcare in the developing world. Dr. Malkin received his MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Duke University in 1993. Prior to attending graduate school, Dr. Malkin taught English in Thailand, worked at EM Microelectronics in Switzerland designing integrated circuits, worked for Cordis Corporation designing pacemakers, and worked for Sarns Incorporated designing heart-lung machines. Dr. Malkin served as an expert advisor to the World Health Organization's Advisory Group on Healthcare Technology, Advisory Group on Innovative Technologies, and on the World Health Organization's subcommittee on medical equipment donations. Dr Malkin received the BS degree in Electrical Engineering from The University of Michigan in 1984. Dr. Malkin has received numerous awards, including service awards from The Republic of Nicaragua; EM Microelectronics and Cordis Corporation. He was named an Engineering Hero Award by IEEE and received an Outstanding Faculty Research Award from The College of Engineering, an Established Investigator Award from the American Heart Association, and an award for Innovation and Excellence in Undergraduate Education from The President of The City College of New York. Currently, he serves as the Founder and Executive Director of IRI, wherein they provide STEM remote research opportunities to students around the world with the goal of empowering young minds that can potentially advance human knowledge, especially through their peer-reviewed journal publications. Bob can be reached at robert.malkin@duke.edu. LINKS International Research Institute of North Carolina RELATED EPISODES HOW STUDENT RESEARCH IMPACTS COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CREATING A PASSION PROJECT CULTIVATING AND RECOGNIZING ACADEMIC CURIOSITY FINDING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF IN THE PATH TO COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	THROWBACK: BRINGING CRITICAL BALANCE TO HIGH SCHOOLERS' LIVES	03 Sep 2026	00:23:41
Many of today's high school students somehow appear to cram 30 hours of academic, extracurricular, work, and social commitments into each of their 24-hour days. Is that frenzy of activity sustainable or even healthy? Amy and Mike invited school counselor Eric Domroes to analyze the need for bringing critical balance to high schoolers' lives. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does balance mean for a high school student? Where does the pressure to do too much come from? What should students consider when planning for life after high school? Is balance just a euphemism for doing too much? How can counselors help students find balance? MEET OUR GUEST Eric Domroes is a 21-year veteran educator and lead school counselor at Pittsford Mendon High School, which has the notable distinction of consistently achieving top academic standing in all of Upstate New York. His work developing a diversity of students gives him some unique perspectives on how best to support good planning and advocacy for student preparation for college and beyond. RELATED EPISODES DESTRESSIFYING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS FAMILY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	753. MAKING THE FIRST COACHING SESSION MATTER	01 Sep 2026	00:27:27
Real improvement takes time, which is to say that a single class or lesson can only take us so far. However, getting off to a good start can go a long way towards an ideal ending. Amy and Mike invited educational entrepreneur Lisa Tran to explore the importance of making the first coaching session matter. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does rapport mean in an educational or coaching context? What does an ideal first session structure actually look like? How can educators and coaches cultivate effective rapport? What is the role of students and parents in making the first session work? What happens in a first session that makes students want to come back? MEET OUR GUEST Lisa Tran built her tutoring business, Lisa's Study Guides, from her own one-on-one students up to 35 tutors and 200+ students, and eventually sold it. She now runs Tutorboss, where she helps tutoring business owners stop being the bottleneck in their own businesses and step into being the CEO. She is an Aussie based in London. Lisa can be reached at tutorboss.co or @imlisatran on Instagram. LINKS The 7 Traits of Top Tutors How Building Rapport Helped My Students Take Risks RELATED EPISODES THE ROLE OF RAPPORT IN EDUCATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS WHY YOU WANT TO WORK WITH A CAREER TUTOR CULTIVATING AND RECOGNIZING ACADEMIC CURIOSITY 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	752. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: August 2026	28 Aug 2026	00:28:29
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our own takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What have Amy and Mike been up to this month? Why is Mike headed to NYC during a busy month? What big project did Amy complete? What is a habit Amy and Mike are trying to build or break? What's coming up in the next month for Amy and Mike? We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let's get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling! LINKS Tutor: Perfectionism is About Fear Seeley Test Pros/ LEAP HSPT On-Demand Course RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: July 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: May 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: April 2026 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	751. ARE SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAYS DEAD?	25 Aug 2026	00:25:52
Even in the Common App era, completing college applications can feel like an interminably long and complex process with far too many permutations from one school to another. But some schools are announcing what appear to be efforts to eliminate application bloat. Are they really, though? Amy and Mike invited independent education consultant Beth Kraemer to answer the question, "Are supplemental essays dead?" What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why are some colleges eliminating supplemental essays, and do their stated reasons tell the whole story? Are supplemental essays simply another application hurdle? What additional information is elicited through supplemental essays? Which schools have eliminated supplemental essays heading into the 2026-27 admissions cycle? How should applicants determine whether they should write optional essays? MEET OUR GUEST Beth Kraemer is the co-founder of In College Consulting and has spent more than a decade helping families navigate the increasingly complex world of college admissions. With a background in journalism, education, and law, she brings both storytelling expertise and strategic thinking to her work with students. Beth earned a journalism degree from Northwestern University, a master's degree from The Ohio State University, and a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law. She first became involved in admissions as a Northwestern alumni interviewer. She is a Professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association and regularly visits campuses to stay current on admissions trends. In addition to her consulting work, Beth serves on the board of the Pinpoint Scholars Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access and leadership in STEM education. Beth previously appeared on this podcast in episode 715 for an IEC PROFILE. Beth can be reached at incollegeconsulting.com. LINKS The Admissions Funnel Is Clogged. Here's How to Fix It. Some Colleges Drop Supplemental Essays for 2026–27 Fall 2027 Essay Question - UGA Admissions Georgia Tech Simplifies First-Year Admission Application by Removing Supplemental Essay UVA removes supplemental essay prompt from 2025-2026 undergraduate application RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE ENROLLMENT TRENDS FOR 2026 AND 2027 WHY THIS COLLEGE, WHY THIS MAJOR? WHY OPTIONAL STATEMENTS AREN'T OPTIONAL 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	750. TEST PREP PROFILE: Eric Rath	21 Aug 2026	00:20:11
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Eric Rath is the founder and president of Rath Tutoring, where he's spent the last decade building a remote test-prep and academic tutoring practice. His career in test prep goes back nearly twenty years, with senior business and instruction roles at some of the field's best-known names — Applerouth, ArborBridge, and Revolution Prep — before he struck out on his own in 2016. A UC Berkeley graduate, Eric is a frequent speaker on testing, assessment, and education, presenting everywhere from individual high schools to admissions-industry organizations like NACAC and IECA. He works with students across the full range of exams — the SAT, ACT, and TOEFL; graduate tests like the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT; and private high school entrance exams — and he's known for a calm, practical, jargon-free approach that takes the anxiety out of the process. Find Eric at info@rathtutoring.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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	749. TEST PREP PROFILE: Amy Brooks	20 Aug 2026	00:16:31
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Amy Brooks, the founder of Amy Brooks Tutoring, an academic tutoring and test prep practice serving K–12 students and families both in person and online. With over 30 years of experience in education, Amy specializes in standardized test prep for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and ISEE, along with academic tutoring and educational consulting for families from homeschool, private school, and public school backgrounds. Amy graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Spanish. Her professional background includes corporate IT consulting and training, classroom teaching in both public and private schools, directing an area homeschool group, and enjoying 15 years of homeschooling her own four children. She is a member of the National Test Prep Association and is committed to providing the highest level of professionalism and expertise in test prep coaching, helping students develop both the strategies and confidence needed to succeed on standardized exams. Amy and her husband, Taylor, have been married for 31 years. Their four children graduated from their homeschool and went on to attend Texas A&M University and Abilene Christian University. Today, Amy enjoys being a lifelong learner and encouraging students to grow in academic confidence as they discover how they learn best and pursue their future goals. She and Taylor are also delighted in their newest role as grandparents. Find Amy at https://www.amybrookstutoring.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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	748. TEST PREP PROFILE: Bobby Nicholson	19 Aug 2026	00:18:12
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Bobby Nicholson. Bobby is the founder of Outliers ACT Prep, a Knoxville-based education company helping students achieve measurable, life-changing score increases on the ACT. What began as one-on-one tutoring has grown into a multi-coach, team-based program used by students and schools across the region, known for its data-driven diagnostics, proprietary coaching app, and five-point composite score guarantee. Beyond test prep, Bobby is building a broader ecosystem around education, character development, and long-term human flourishing. He is a co-contributor of the FLOY project (Future Leaders of Yesterday), a multi-decade project to design a practical "life curriculum" that teaches young people how to think clearly, build strong relationships, contribute meaningfully to their communities, and pursue lives that are happy, free, and fit for the good of others. Bobby is an entrepreneur, systems-builder, and lifelong student of learning science, psychology, and philosophy, with a particular interest in how motivation, meaning, and skill-building intersect. When he's not working with students or building new education programs, he enjoys endurance training, cooking ambitious meals, reading widely, and designing new tools to help people grow. Find Bobby at bobby@oaprep.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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	747. TEST PREP PROFILE: Mishkaat Rawjee	18 Aug 2026	00:17:22
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Mishkaat Rawjee. Mishkaat is the owner of Mishmath, a solo tutoring business that focuses on one-on-one academic and test prep tutoring for the SAT, ACT, GRE, and K–12 math. She has an undergraduate and master's degree in computer science, but quickly realized that sitting at a desk all day wasn't for her. Tutoring started as a way to make extra money and naturally turned into a full-time career—and she's been doing it ever since. Mishkaat understands today's students and the constant distractions they're navigating with social media and the internet. She genuinely enjoys finding new ways to learn and teach, and she believes tutoring has to evolve with the times. When a student recently introduced her to an AI-based SAT platform, she encouraged it rather than dismissing it—seeing it as part of the future of education and something that can be used thoughtfully to support learning. Running her own tutoring business has given Mishkaat the freedom to explore, travel, and design a lifestyle that works for her. She works roughly half the year in the U.S. and half in India, using different time zones to her advantage while teaching students around the world. The flexibility tutoring offers, both professionally and personally, is something she deeply values. When she's not tutoring, Mishkaat enjoys traveling, hiking, long walks, and cooking. Find Mishkaat at https://mishkaatrawjee.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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	746. TEST PREP PROFILE: Myles Múnera-Keating	17 Aug 2026	00:16:49
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Myles Múnera-Keating. Myles graduated early from Stanford University with a BS in Mathematical and Computational Science, concentrating on statistics and machine learning. His deep enthusiasm for numbers and probability, coupled with talents in writing and standardized testing, makes him a versatile educator who supports students across a wide array of domains from math and science to the humanities to college applications. Myles's approach is not only about helping students master content: he coaches them through developing the effective learner habits essential for academic success. Bringing an incredible breadth and depth of knowledge to the table, Myles has a unique ability to demystify even the most challenging subjects, making learning both accessible and enjoyable. He equips students with executive functioning skills they can rely on both in and out of the classroom, fostering a mindset and skill set that enables them to engage meaningfully with material, manage their workload, and thrive. While Myles tutors in many subject areas, his favorite kind of engagements involve working closely and holistically with students experiencing significant emotional and academic challenges. Find Myles at myles@nowtestprep.com or https://nowtestprep.com/contact. 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	745. WHY ARE SOUTHERN COLLEGES SO POPULAR?	11 Aug 2026	00:33:27
While higher education is grappling with the implications of a demographic shift among applicants, an equally important trend of a decidedly geographic nature is creating winners and losers on opposite sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. Amy and Mike invited independent education consultant Mark Stucker to explain why Southern colleges are currently so popular. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Are Southern colleges and universities really outpacing other schools in popularity, and why? How did the pandemic influence admissions trends? Are there any particular schools drawing more applicants? Are students happy at Southern colleges once they get there? What should students who aren't from the South know about attending Southern colleges? MEET OUR GUEST Mark Stucker has spent more than 25 years helping students and families navigate one of life's most important decisions: finding the right college fit. Throughout his career, he has worked in college admissions, boarding school admissions, and college counseling across independent, public, and charter schools, as well as in private practice, guiding more than 2,000 students from all 50 states through the admissions process. His philosophy is simple but powerful: every student deserves a college that is both the right academic and personal fit—and one that is financially attainable for their family. Mark's career has included leadership roles at Westtown School, where he served as Associate Director of Admissions, chaired the admissions committee for five years, and worked extensively in college counseling. He later spent more than a decade with KIPP Metro Atlanta, building and leading college counseling programs that helped approximately 70 students each year successfully transition to college. In 2010, he founded School Match 4U, an educational consulting firm dedicated to helping students identify their best educational opportunities. Widely recognized as a trusted voice in college admissions, Mark is the author of 171 Answers to the Most-Asked College Admissions Questions and the founder, co-host, and producer of the Your College-Bound Kid podcast, which has become Apple's most-listened-to podcast in the Education for Kids category. His expertise is informed by visits to more than 350 college campuses and professional involvement with organizations including IECA, NACAC, and SACAC. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Summer Institute for College Admissions and Stanford University's Counselor Outreach Program. When he's not talking college admissions, Mark enjoys traveling, golfing, gardening, reading, exploring different cuisines, and following college and professional sports. He and his wife of 35 years are the proud parents of two successful daughters, and his passion for helping students discover their futures continues to shape the advice and insight he shares with families across the country. Mark can be texted at 404-664-4340. LINKS The Lure of the South: Why More Students Are Heading South for College The Rising Popularity of Southern Colleges RELATED EPISODES THE FLUTIE EFFECT IN ADMISSIONS ATTENDING A LARGE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY THE BENEFITS OF JOINING A FRATERNITY 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	744. HOW TO DEFINE A DREAM SCHOOL	04 Aug 2026	00:27:19
Young adults should always be encouraged to dream big when imagining their futures. When the time comes to actualize those aspirations, though, practical details matter most. Amy and Mike invited author Jeff Selingo to clarify how to define a dream school. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the "Top 25 or bust" mentality and why do so many families still equate selectivity with quality? Do you need to attend a top-ranked school to get an exceptional college education? How do you define fit, and what specific factors should families consider when evaluating whether a college is truly the right match for a student? What is a hidden gem college and what characteristics do these institutions tend to share? What indicators should families look for when assessing a college's ability to prepare students for meaningful careers? MEET OUR GUEST Jeff Selingo is a New York Times bestselling author of four books on education and the job market, including his newest, Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You (September 2025). Based on more than two years of research and a survey of some 3,000 parents, the book gives families permission to think more broadly about what signals a "good" college and then the tools to discover their dream school. His previous book, Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, was named one of the New York Times's 100 Notable Books of the Year in 2020. For more than twenty-five years, his in-depth reporting and storytelling have provided practical insight about the future of higher education and the workforce to university leaders, corporate executives, as well as students and parents. Jeff has talked before scores of colleges, businesses, healthcare organizations, and financial services companies and helped leaders understand what's next for education and how companies can better compete for talent, especially among today's Gen Z. He has appeared at the Milken Global Institute, LinkedIn, Ohio State University, Salesforce, Spain's Bankinter Innovation Foundation, the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions, and Deloitte, as well as before the boards of Carnegie Mellon University, the Duke Endowment, and Amherst College, among others. As both an observer of higher education and an insider with an academic appointment at one of the largest universities in the country, Jeff occupies a unique position to explain the intersection between work, life, and learning. He writes regularly for The Atlantic, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. His research focuses on the changing nature of work and its impact on education, paying for college, the student experience, and shifting expectations for what the public and employers want from colleges. He is co-host of the podcast, Future U., and writes a biweekly newsletter, Next. Jeff is a special advisor to the president and professor of practice at Arizona State University, where he is the founding director of the Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership. He has also served as a visiting scholar at Georgia Tech's Center for 21st Century Universities. In addition, Jeff regularly counsels universities and organizations on strategy. Previously, Jeff was the top editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education, where he worked for sixteen years in a variety of reporting and editing roles. His work has been honored by the Education Writers Association, Society of Professional Journalists, and the Associated Press. He received a bachelor's degree from Ithaca College and a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University. He is a member of the board of trustees at Ithaca College and the board of directors of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). He lives with his wife and two daughters near Washington, D.C. Jeff previously appeared on this podcast in episode 126 to discuss Shaping an Admissions Class. Find Jeff at https://www.jeffselingo.com/. LINKS Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You RELATED EPISODES FINDING YOUR COLLEGE FIT FINDING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF IN THE PATH TO COLLEGE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS INSANITY 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	743. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: July 2026	31 Jul 2026	00:35:37
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently explores important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our own takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What have Mike and Amy been up to this month? How did Mike work with ACT recently? What has Amy been philosophizing about? Is a perfect test score worth working for? What's coming up in the next month for Amy and Mike? We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let's get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling! LINKS Understanding the ACT: Foundations and Tools for Student Success RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: May 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: April 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: March 2026 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	742. WHY COLLEGE FLASH ISN'T FIT	28 Jul 2026	00:27:16
How many bad relationships begin because people prioritize superficial qualities over true virtues? Whether you are looking for a partner or applying to college, your deeper values should inform your decisions. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Ann Cadwallader to explain why college flash isn't fit. What are five things you will learn in this episode? In terms of both college admissions and dating, what does it mean to say "flash isn't fit?" Why do students and families get pulled toward what looks impressive when building a college list? How does the idea of "potential" show up in the college process, and why can it be misleading? What do students needing to define their own criteria actually look like in practice? If a student is building a list right now, what important mindset shift should they adopt? MEET OUR GUEST Ann Cadwallader, founder of My University Coach, has worked in education for 35 years and has guided students through the college admissions process as an Independent Educational Consultant for nearly two decades. She holds a BS from Stanford University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota, and in 2020 earned the Certified Educational Planner designation — an achievement that reflects her deep expertise in college advising. Ann has personally visited 193 college campuses across the country, giving her firsthand insight into a wide range of schools and student experiences. Known for her calm, strategic approach, she is dedicated to reducing stress for both students and parents and helping families make smart, intentional choices—so students can tell their story with confidence and clarity. Ann previously appeared on this podcast in episode 670 to discuss Intentionality On The Road To College. Ann can be reached at ann@myuniversitycoach.com. LINKS Flash Isn't Fit: What Dating Reminded Me About College Admissions RELATED EPISODES SELECTING YOUR FOREVER SCHOOL FINDING YOUR COLLEGE FIT FINDING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF IN THE PATH TO COLLEGE POWER DYNAMICS 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	741. WHAT IS AN IEC AND WHO NEEDS ONE?	21 Jul 2026	00:24:17
Most people know–or at least think they know–the role of a school-based counselor. What about all of the professionals in private practice who support families on their admissions journeys and more? Amy and Mike invited IECA CEO Stephanie Simpson to learn what an Independent Educational Consultant (IEC) is and who needs one. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What role do Independent Educational Consultants (IECs) play in a student's academic journey, and how do they How can IECs complement the contributions of school counselors, especially in districts where high counselor-to-student ratios make individualized support difficult? At what point in a teen's academic journey can IECs be most valuable? What else do IECs offer beyond application coaching? What does a qualified, ethically grounded IEC practice look like in today's landscape, and how should educators and school counselors help families evaluate who they choose to work with? MEET OUR GUEST Stephanie Simpson is the Chief Executive Officer of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), the leading professional organization representing independent private college and career counselors who support students and families navigating postsecondary education pathways. Previously, she served as CEO of the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE), the world's largest and oldest professional association dedicated to helping middle school educators cultivate the potential and possibilities of young adolescents. Stephanie's nearly 15 years of association leadership experience includes senior roles at the American College of Cardiology and the American Psychiatric Association. She holds a JD from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and a BA from DePaul University. Stephanie can be reached on LinkedIn. LINKS Independent Educational Consultants Association IEC profile Archives - TestBright RELATED EPISODES HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU NEED A COLLEGE CONSULTANT? HOW TO CHOOSE A COLLEGE COUNSELOR THE DIFFERENT ROLES OF SCHOOL AND PRIVATE COUNSELORS HOW SCHOOL AND PRIVATE COLLEGE COUNSELORS 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 the founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	740. DECODING STUDENT LOANS	14 Jul 2026	00:29:32
Paying for college poses serious challenges for most families, but should understanding the rules around borrowing really be one of the hardest parts? Amy and Mike invited financial aid expert Will McGinley to offer guidance into decoding student loans. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why are student loans such an important topic? How much do students borrow on average for their undergraduate degrees? What is the difference between federal DL, PLUS, and Private education loans? Which student loan option is best for most students? When should someone start applying for their loans? MEET OUR GUEST Will McGinley is an Account Executive for the PHEAA Keystone and PA Forward student loan programs. He brings nearly 20 years of financial aid experience to the role, most recently serving at Baldwin Wallace University, Ashland University, and Liberty University, in roles ranging from loan processing to Director of Financial Aid. His career has provided extensive experience presenting to students, families, and higher education colleagues on a variety of topics, including financial literacy, the financial aid process, and gap financing. He has also served on committees for the NCAA and OASFAA. Will and his wife of 19 years enjoy spending time with their 2 teenage sons, coaching, hiking, and playing with their French bulldog, Pierre. Will can be reached at William.Mcginley@pheaa.org. LINKS EducationPlanner.org MySmartBorrowing.org Keystone Student Loans RELATED EPISODES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STUDENT LOANS THE TRUTH ABOUT STUDENT LOAN DEBT THE PRICE YOU REALLY PAY FOR COLLEGE UNDERSTANDING YOUR COLLEGE TUITION BILL 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	739. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Desmos SAT Math Course	10 Jul 2026	00:16:42
Know everything that the SAT Desmos calculator can do for you. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind the Desmos SAT Math Course? How does the Desmos SAT Math Course work? Who should use the Desmos SAT Math Course? What kinds of outcomes does the Desmos SAT Math Course deliver? What should someone curious about the Desmos SAT Math Course know about it? ABOUT THE DESMOS SAT MATH COURSE A complete self-paced video course covering every calculator concept and every practice question — so students walk into the test knowing exactly what the SAT Desmos calculator can do for them. To learn more, please visit desmosSATmath.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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	738.WHAT COLLEGES AREN'T TELLING YOU	07 Jul 2026	00:26:06
If you think the massive amount of information colleges expect applicants to absorb is too much, think about the equally essential insights that are left unsaid. Amy and Mike invited ed tech professional Reetu Gupta to dive into what colleges aren't telling you. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are colleges actually looking for today that they weren't before? Why is "minimum to compete" an important consideration for applicants? What should parents thinking "my kid has great grades, but I'm still worried" know? What are colleges doing behind the scenes to find their next class of students — and why does every family need to know this? What is one thing every college-bound teen should start thinking about immediately? MEET OUR GUEST Reetu Gupta is the co-founder and CEO of Cirkled In, the #1 student portfolio platform connecting students with colleges, internships, jobs, and scholarships. Under her leadership, Cirkled In has seen remarkable growth, empowering over a million and a half students to showcase their full potential beyond test scores and gain access to life-changing opportunities. A recognized leader in EdTech, Cirkled In has received prestigious national and global accolades, including the Grand American Business Awards (Top 10 Companies in the U.S.) and Elite 200 by GSV (Top 200 Global EdTech Companies). The platform has also been featured in national and local media for its role in transforming education and workforce development. Before founding Cirkled In, Reetu spent 15 years in corporate America, working across startups and Fortune 50 companies. She holds an MBA (Valedictorian) from the University of Washington, along with MS and BS degrees from India. Her entrepreneurial excellence has earned her a spot on Forbes NEXT1000 as an inspiring entrepreneur, as well as the "Female Entrepreneur of the Year" award. A firm believer that education is the most powerful tool for change, Reetu is on a mission to modernize this 100+ year-old industry and ensure that every student has access to the opportunities they deserve. Reetu can be reached at reetu@cirkledin.com. LINKS Cirkled In RELATED EPISODES BUILD A WINNING BRAND TO ACE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS UTILIZING A REFLECTION JOURNAL TO PREPARE FOR A COLLEGE ESSAY FINDING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF IN THE PATH TO COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	737. TAKING A HIGH-STAKES TEST AT HOME	30 Jun 2026	00:34:09
Much of the stress involved with taking an important exam is related to testing in a proctored environment surrounded by your anxious peers. What happens when you shift to more familiar ground? Amy and Mike invited educator Brian Eufinger to explore the experience and implications of taking a high-stakes test at home. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the technical and logistical requirements of an in-home exam? What security measures prevent widespread cheating? What are the benefits of taking a high-stakes test in your home? What are the downsides of taking a high-stakes test in your home? How does the CLT compare to the SAT or ACT? MEET OUR GUEST Brian Eufinger graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis in May 2004. While an undergrad, he enjoyed working as a teaching assistant for Political Science 101, a resident advisor (RA), and as a volunteer paramedic with WashU's Emergency Support Team. Brian is frequently invited to speak about test prep, college admissions, and scholarships at PTSA meetings at Atlanta-area high schools as well as Edison Prep's free parent meetings. Brian serves on the Board of Directors of the National Test Prep Association. He is an active member of Washington University's Young Alumni chapter in Atlanta, as well as the WashU Alumni Admissions Interviewer Program. Brian was our guest to discuss THE REALITY OF GRADE INFLATION (#28), SELF-PREP FOR THE SAT & ACT (#131), and SHOULD I TAKE THE ACT WRITING TEST? (#271) TESTING GAMEPLAN FOR THE CLASS OF 2025 (#432) and STATE OF TEST-OPTIONAL ADMISSIONS IN 2024 (#550), and THE ROLE OF TEST SCORES IN COLLEGE MERIT AID (#593). He hosted the show CELEBRATING OUR 500TH EPISODE and facilitated our 2019-20 ACADEMIC YEAR IN REVIEW (#100). Find Brian at https://www.edisonprep.com. LINKS CLT RELATED EPISODES WHAT IS THE CLT? HOW DOES REMOTE PROCTORING ACTUALLY WORK? 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	736. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2026	26 Jun 2026	00:31:07
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our own takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How was the NTPA National Conference in Chicago? Where did Amy travel, and who planned her trip? How's Mike's garden growing? What are your hosts looking forward to this summer? What's coming up in the next month for Amy and Mike? We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let's get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling! RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: May 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: April 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: March 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: February 2026 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	735. BEACH READS FOR BETTER SCORES	23 Jun 2026	00:26:40
According to Henry Ward Beecher, there is a temperate zone in the mind, between luxurious indolence and exacting work; and it is to this region, just between laziness and labor, that summer reading belongs. Teens willing to spend time in this region will benefit from much more than just the sheer pleasure of a good book. Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Marina Yalon to dive into beach reads for better scores. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What's wrong with the "harder is better" reading approach? What's the benefit of contemporary fiction? What kinds of skills can students build from reading contemporary fiction? Do beach reads really have SAT vocabulary words? What are some book recommendations for summer reads? How should parents approach helping teens find the right book? MEET OUR GUEST Marina Yalon is the founder of MYPrep, a virtual tutoring company dedicated to taking the stress out of SAT and ACT prep. With deep expertise in both exams and nearly two decades spent coaching students to achieve their goal scores, she brings a highly individualized approach to test prep—meeting each student where they are and building from there. Through sessions, students build test (and life!) confidence. She's the kind of tutor students want to tell their friends about. Marina loves working with all kinds of learners, and her sessions are as likely to end with a book recommendation as a practice set. An avid reader with a soft spot for plot-twists and unreliable narrators, she's thrilled when a student gives her a new addition to her ever-growing TBR list. Her philosophy: it's all figure-out-able! Marina previously appeared on this podcast in episode 233 for a Test Prep Profile. Marina can be reached at https://www.learnwithmyprep.com. LINKS A Little Reading Every Day RELATED EPISODES VOCABULARY ON THE SAT & ACT IMPROVING READING SKILLS WITH STRUGGLING TEENS (PART 1) IMPROVING READING SKILLS WITH STRUGGLING TEENS (PART 2) 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	734. COLLEGE ENROLLMENT TRENDS FOR 2026 AND 2027	16 Jun 2026	00:33:27
If you've been paying attention over the last year, you've observed tremendous change, chaos, and uncertainty roiling higher education. Behind the scenes, things are even crazier than they seem, which affects every single applicant. Amy and Mike invited educational consultants Aly Beaumont and Meg Joyce to unpack college enrollment trends for 2026 and 2027. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the big theme for college admissions right now? What two pathways do students need to decide between in selective admissions? How are adverse economic conditions affecting colleges and financial aid? What are the unforeseen benefits to applicants from the endowment tax? How can students and families navigate the current enrollment climate? MEET OUR GUESTS Aly Beaumont is the founder of Admissions Village, a family-focused, affordable, one-on-one college guidance consultancy. Aly is deeply committed to making the college admissions process less stressful, and her success in this objective can be measured by both the growing number of referrals she receives and the repeat business from family members. Aly is also a founder and advisor to The College T, a website connecting high school students with college students and recent graduates so that first-hand information and experiences can be shared. Aly is a graduate of Tufts University, where she majored in History with a concentration in Modern Women and African American History, and was captain of the Equestrian Team. She lives in Wilton, CT, with her husband Perry, their two dogs Buddy and Buzz, and their three sons. Two of their sons are currently in college at The University of St. Andrews in Scotland and Kenyon College in Ohio, and one graduated from Santa Clara University. Aly is a Professional member of IECA, and she has her certificate as an Independent Educational Consultant from the University of California, Irvine. Aly previously appeared on this podcast in episode 212 to discuss PREPARATION FOR HIGHLY SELECTIVE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, in episode 341 to discuss COURSE SELECTION FOR HIGHLY SELECTIVE ADMISSIONS, in episode 406 to discuss WHAT DOES UNHOOKED MEAN IN ADMISSIONS?, in episode 537 to discuss WHAT DO TRULY TEST OPTIONAL COLLEGES FOCUS ON?, and was the subject of an IEC PROFILE in episode 264. Meg Joyce works with Aly at Admissions Village, helping students and their parents navigate every step of the college search and application process. A self-professed research and detail geek, her favorite part of her job is watching students grow in skills and confidence as they work their way through high school and eventually college applications. Meg wants every student to feel supported and heard, and most of all - special - because when students feel that, it comes through not just in their applications but in everything they do. Meg is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she studied finance and English and worked in the alumni office, talking to alums to learn about their time on campus and later volunteering for many years as an alumni interviewer. Meg works with Aly at Admissions Village helping students and their parents navigate every step of the college search and application process. A self-professed detail geek, her favorite part of her job is watching students grow in skills and confidence as they work their way through high school and eventually college applications. She likes to say she treats every student as she would want her own child to be treated (she's got four grown ones of her own). Meg is a Professional member of IECA, a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), and has a certificate as an independent educational consultant from the University of California, Irvine. Meg and Aly previously appeared in episode 630 to discuss THE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS PROFILE. Find Aly and Meg at https://www.admissionsvillage.com. LINKS Trends in Admissions and Higher ED, Part 1 - Colleges are Following Two Pathways Trends in Admissions and Higher ED, Part 2 - Admissions is Competitive Not Just For You, But Colleges As Well Trends in Admissions and Higher ED, Part 3 - Students Should Follow One of Two Pathways FAQs: How the 2025 Net Investment Income Tax ("Endowment Tax") Rate Increase Affects Harvard University RELATED EPISODES THE DEMOGRAPHIC CLIFF IS HERE WHAT IS THE CSS PROFILE? POWER DYNAMICS 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	733. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: The Gauntlet	12 Jun 2026	00:17:43
The Gauntlet: Harder Questions, Higher Scores What are five things you will learn in this episode? What's the story behind The Gauntlet, and what problem inspired it? How does The Gauntlet solve the challenge of managing prep material and what's actually in the library? How does the new tutor dashboard streamline day-to-day student management? What is The Gauntlet's pricing model, and how does it alleviate changes in student utilization. For tutors who are already invested in different resources, what makes The Gauntlet worth trying? ABOUT THE GAUNTLET From the very first student he tutored, John McDowell has been on a single mission: get his students the highest scores possible. That obsession exposed a problem he couldn't ignore—free and official prep materials simply weren't hard enough. A student returning from test day complaining that the test was "much harder than the practice tests" isn't just a letdown; it's a bad rap for a tutor. So he built the answer himself: The Gauntlet Today, The Gauntlet offers the most rigorous SAT prep in existence, anchored by The Gauntlet book series on Amazon: a Math Challenge, a Verbal Challenge, and now a Vocabulary Challenge built from the most frequently repeated SAT words. Built on a proprietary pedagogy that has delivered an average gain of over 70 points from a baseline SAT Reading and Writing score of 660, the platform delivers the 300 hardest SAT verbal and math questions available anywhere, full-length and section-only mock tests, Mr. John's famous high-frequency vocab and must-know math flashcards, and 3,000+ categorized drill questions—every one written and vetted by six published content experts, not AI, with new content added each week. Now Mr. John's Test Prep is opening The Gauntlet to private tutors and agencies with its next leap forward: a tutor dashboard that serves as a true command center. Tutors can assign content from the full library—or their own custom drills, quizzes, and practice tests—to individual students or entire cohorts, track performance in real time with at-a-glance metrics like days to test, score deltas, target gaps, and each student's weakest area, and schedule homework effortlessly with an industry-first drag-and-drop calendar view. Students get automatic inbox reminders on due dates, and with a built-in command palette and persistent messaging, everything tutors need lives in one place. And the best part is the pricing: industry-first prorated billing per student. Most test dates don't fall at the end of the month, so why pay for a student's access for days they'll never use? It can save tutors thousands compared to other platforms—and tutors can even let students pay for their own access, with account connection still a breeze. Built by an SAT specialist with a transparent record of one-on-one success and an MA in Applied Linguistics, The Gauntlet is for students chasing top percentiles—and the tutors who get them there. Learn more at passthegauntlet.com. To find out more, please contact support@tutorstack.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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	732. STRATEGIZING YOUR TESTING AND ADMISSIONS TIMELINE	09 Jun 2026	00:26:54
A great many tasks need to be accomplished successfully in order to secure a seat at a selective college. Luckily, they don't all need to be done at once, but proper timing makes a world of difference. Amy and Mike invited educator Eric Greenberg to discuss the finer points of strategizing your testing and admissions timeline. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why is it important for students and parents to assess testing plans by the end of 10th grade? By when should students strive to earn their best SAT or ACT scores? What are the dos and don'ts regarding choosing between the SAT and ACT? How should different rounds of applications (ED1, ED2, Rolling, RD, etc.) impact the "SAT, ACT, or neither" decision? Why is it crucial for students to understand the short-term and long-term implications of application submission dates? MEET OUR GUEST Eric Greenberg is a leading educational services expert. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School and is a graduate of The Fieldston High School in Riverdale, New York. Since establishing the Greenberg Educational Group in New York City in 1991, Greenberg and his team have helped thousands of students, of all ages, achieve their academic goals. Greenberg Educational Group provides students and families with the tools needed to help achieve their educational aspirations. The team offers highly acclaimed Strategic Educational Advising & Application Essay assistance for all levels of a student's education, Test Preparation services, and Subject-Specific Academic Tutoring. Greenberg Educational Group's clients include students in elementary & middle school, high school, college, and graduate school, both domestically and internationally. Eric can be reached at greenbergeducationalgroup.com. LINKS College Testing Plan for the HS Class of 2027 Testing & Scholarship Timelines Webinar RELATED EPISODES WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE THE SAT OR ACT? CHOOSING BETWEEN THE DIGITAL SAT AND THE ACT SHOULD I APPLY EARLY DECISION OR EARLY ACTION? 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	731. FINANCIAL AID HORROR STORIES	02 Jun 2026	00:24:32
Getting into your top choice college may feel like a dream come true, but figuring out how to pay for it can turn into a nightmare, especially when you don't know what you're doing. Amy and Mike invited financial aid expert Howard Freedman to recount some financial aid horror stories. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How can transferring assets to reduce assisted living costs hurt a student? How can failing to report reportable assets on a financial aid form reduce financial need? What is the impact of grandparents giving money to their grandchildren for college? How can failing to establish accountability lead to family stress? How can getting a jump on financial aid forms turn into a timely mess? MEET OUR GUEST Years after founding Financial Aid Consulting, Howard Freedman was recruited to oversee the ACCESS Program at Boston Public Schools. This position broadened his experience by providing financial aid services and scholarships to over 2,700 high school seniors at more than 20 schools. Consequently, he received a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He graduated from the College Board's Financial Aid Institute and completed ongoing training with experts from college financial aid and admissions departments. This helped me gain a better understanding of how these organizations are taught and operate. He was a member of the Massachusetts School Counselors Association (MASCA) and the Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (MASFAA), where he connected with college representatives and guidance counselors to gain diverse perspectives on higher education and student support. Howard assumed leadership roles in professional organizations while also becoming a public speaker and author for national publications on general topics and college-related issues. A substantial collection of his articles and podcasts is available at Financial Aid Consulting. He is also a highly regarded author of three editions of Making College Happen. For over twenty years, he has consistently empowered his clients by teaching them how to make objective decisions to evaluate the most affordable colleges and other forms of career development. He is also an author, comedian, podcaster, financial analyst, public speaker, and friend to his clients. Howard can be reached at Financial Aid Consulting. LINKS Making College Happen: An insightful guide to making savvy financial decisions and cutting college costs RELATED EPISODES BUSTING MYTHS ABOUT HOW TO PAY FOR COLLEGE WHAT DO FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES MEAN FOR FINANCIAL AID? FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE BETTER FAFSA WHAT IS THE CSS PROFILE? 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	730. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: StudySpaces & Assessiv	29 May 2026	00:19:51
What if your PDFs could grade and track themselves? with educator Jam Mirzakhalov, Vinny Madera, and Aaron Golumbfskie What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind StudySpaces? How does StudySpaces work? What is the story behind Assessiv? How did the StudySpaces and Assessiv collaboration come together? How is this combination a net benefit for everyone in test prep? ABOUT STUDYSPACES AND ASSESSIV StudySpaces is the home of modern tutoring, the one platform test prep and tutoring companies use to run their curriculum, assessments, and student experience in one place, all branded as their own. StudySpaces has now merged with Assessiv, the hand-curated SAT content library built by veteran test prep experts Aaron Golumbfskie of PrepMatters and Vinny Madera of TestPrepWizards. It brings the best tutoring platform and best-in-class content under one roof. Every plan includes a free SAT library: 5 adaptive mock exams and 175+ worksheets, 2,500+ questions in all, ready to assign on day one. Inside the platform, tutors organize and tag their content their own way, then assign quizzes, drills, and full-length mock exams to one student or a whole cohort in a single click. Everything is auto-graded on submit, with scoring, pacing, and weak-area analytics flowing straight back to the tutor, and branded parent reports going out automatically. Because the platform is fully white-label, students and parents experience it as the tutoring company's own product, never StudySpaces. StudySpaces doesn't compete with tutors, it powers them. As a strategic ACT partner, StudySpaces also delivers official ACT practice tests, and it works whether students test digitally or on paper. Paper-based programs still get every test scored, with the same analytics and parent reporting as digital. SSAT, ISEE, and more are rolling out alongside, plus the option to bring in custom content for any exam (AP, GRE, MCAT, and beyond). To learn more, reach out to Jam at jam@studyspaces.com or book a call at studyspaces.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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	729. HOW COLLEGES USE AI IN ADMISSIONS	26 May 2026	00:27:38
With everyone in the world angling to access the benefits of artificial intelligence without succumbing to the plentiful pitfalls of excessive automation, you'd expect higher ed administrators to explore every way possible to harness tech for more accurate and efficient student selection. And you'd be right. Amy and Mike invited ed tech professional Ashish Fernando to examine how colleges use AI in admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does AI actually look like inside an admissions office today? Why are data silos a problem across educational institutions? Does AI lead to less bias in admissions decisions or more? Where is the human advantage in making admissions decisions? Looking ahead five or ten years, what will separate the colleges that survive and thrive from the ones that struggle? MEET OUR GUEST Ashish Fernando is the Founder & CEO of EDMO, an AI-powered education technology company that provides enrollment solutions to higher education institutions. With an education background from Bentley University, Ashish has spent the last several years building intelligent tools that automate document evaluation, streamline enrollment workflows, and enhance student engagement. Growing up in an education-focused family inspired his mission to make global admissions more accessible, transparent, and efficient. A member of the Forbes Technology Council and a frequent higher-ed speaker, Ashish also hosts the Edu Unlocked podcast, where he brings together leaders driving innovation in universities. His work reflects a simple philosophy: use AI to empower institutions and create better experiences for students worldwide. Ashish can be reached at https://goedmo.com/contact. LINKS What Really Happens to Transfer Students' Credits? Why Test Scores Matter More Than Ever RELATED EPISODES AI AND THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS WHAT DO COLLEGES KNOW ABOUT APPLICANTS? COLLEGE ESSAYS IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	728. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: May 2026	22 May 2026	00:35:03
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our own takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What have Amy and Mike been up to this month? Where did Mike travel? How was the IECA Conference in Baltimore? What are your hosts' current thoughts on AI? What's coming up in the next month for Amy and Mike? We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let's get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling! RELATED EPISODES Testing & Scholarship Timelines Webinar Top 15 SMEs for Test Prep (SAT, ACT, AP) in USA RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: April 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: March 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: February 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: January 2026 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	727. BUSINESS VS ENGINEERING MAJORS FOR TECH-MINDED STUDENTS	19 May 2026	00:27:57
High schoolers who show advanced aptitude and interest in science and math often seem destined to concentrate on STEM in college. Surprisingly, though, many choose a more financially focused track. Amy and Mike invited college counselor Mike Hammer to explore business vs engineering majors for tech-minded students. What are five things you will learn in this episode? If a student is talented in math and science, and interested in both business and engineering, which one should they go for? If a student is interested in engineering but might do better in business, should they go for a business major in college? What are the major differences between business courses and engineering courses in undergrad college? What kinds of intellectual curiosity suggest business or engineering as ideal majors? Engineering majors can be competitive; are business majors as competitive? Will it be a problem for the college application if a student's high school did not offer any business classes? MEET OUR GUEST Mike Hammer earned his Business degree from the Haas School at UC Berkeley. Besides higher ed, his background includes work in for-profit, non-profit and consulting sectors. Mike's 25 years at Cornell University included working closely with admissions directors and reading admissions for 14 cycles. He was responsible for helping administrators understand changing trends in applications and helping the university adapt to serving increasingly diverse applicants. Mike also served as a mentor for STEM student groups including the McNair Scholars, helping students navigate the complex environment of higher education. His experience gives him a comprehensive understanding of the importance of matching each student's talents, goals and dreams to the environment that is right for them, and how to communicate a student's unique story to the admission readers. Mike first appeared on the podcast in episode 463 in an IEC PROFILE. Mike can be reached at mikehammer@stemadvising.com. LINKS The 10 most in-demand bachelor's degrees—No. 1 isn't engineering Global Essay Prize \| John Locke Institute RELATED EPISODES HOW BUSINESS-MINDED STUDENTS CAN STAND OUT IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS NAVIGATING THE COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ADMISSIONS HOW COLLEGES ADMIT BY MAJOR 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
	726. NEW TRENDS IN SAT READING & WRITING	12 May 2026	00:34:47
While the SAT changed in a very big way during the digital transition, the exam has continued to evolve in a way that test takers need to understand. Amy and Mike invited educator Lori Goldstein to review new trends in SAT Reading & Writing. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How have the Words in Context questions changed? What is the new way in which "weaken the claim" questions are appearing? What is the new twist in the Transitions questions? What have been important changes to the Rhetorical Synthesis questions? Should students do RW module questions in order? MEET OUR GUEST Lori Goldstein grew up in NY and NJ and attended the University of Pennsylvania, earning a degree in Communications. She worked in television for a while (behind the scenes) and then took a job in Florida. Eventually, Lori started selling sailboats in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, which provided her the opportunity to go sailing every chance she had. After raising her family, Lori decided to become a math teacher. She enrolled to get the credits needed to re-learn all the high school math that she had forgotten. This was actually fun for her, allowing her inner nerd to come out. She started tutoring kids in math. Eventually, one parent asked if she could help their daughter with the SAT. "Why not?" she said. The rest is history. Lori previously appeared on this podcast in episode 235 for a Test Prep Profile and in episode 538 to discuss All About Digital SAT Reading & Writing. Lori can be reached at circletestprep.com. LINKS Meet The Digital SAT: READING AND WRITING RELATED EPISODES RESOURCES FOR THE DIGITAL SAT HOW THE DIGITAL SAT IS SCORED THE NEW DIGITAL SAT EXPERIENCE: A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE NEW SAT TEST SPECIFICATIONS 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, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.

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