Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Industry Podcast

Powerful graphing calculators can provide potent math problem solving advantages for students that know how to use–and can afford–them. What is the impact, then, when everyone has free access to leading edge calculation tools? Amy and Mike invited educator Kyle Terracciano to explore using the Desmos calculator in digital testing. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the Desmos calculator, and what can it do? How is Desmos integrated into college admissions testing? What are the best resources to learn Desmos for the Digital SAT? When is it best to utilize Desmos on the Digital SAT? In what kind of test problems are calculators less useful? MEET OUR GUEST Kyle Terracciano is the founder of the company Tutorllini, the math test prep YouTube channel Tutorllini Test Prep, and the Facebook group Digital SAT Prep. Since 2019, he has been on a mission to empower students to dominate their college admissions tests and bring much-needed clarity to the confusing world of academic math. Kyle’s journey as an educator began in his college years while working as a competitive swimming coach, sparking his passion for mentoring others. After graduating with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Connecticut in 2018, he couldn't resist the call of teaching. Kyle went on to earn a Master's Degree in Mathematics Education from Rutgers University in 2020, and then through Tutorllini, dedicated himself fully to his goal of empowering students everywhere with not just a deeper understanding of math, but more confidence as well. But Kyle doesn’t stop there. Determined to make a global impact, Kyle runs one of the fastest growing YouTube channels and Facebook groups focused on the Digital SAT, all completely free to anyone who is ready to learn. By using the most modern tech and impactful visuals with a dose of humor and his trademark relatable personality, Kyle helps students unlock their full potential. Kyle previously appeared on the podcast in episode 476 to discuss The New Digital SAT Experience: A Student Perspective and in episode 470 to discuss Getting Ready For The AP Statistics Exam. Find Kyle at tutorllini.com. LINKS Desmos Graphing Calculator Desmos (Digital PSAT, NMSQT, and SAT Version) Kyle’s Free Digital SAT Math Desmos Course Learn Desmos Playlist Desmos User Guide Mastering Desmos for the Digital SAT App or Scrap? (ep 8): Digital SAT Strategy Guide RELATED EPISODES RESOURCES FOR THE DIGITAL SAT ALL ABOUT DIGITAL SAT MATH CALCULATOR USAGE ON THE SAT AND ACT ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

When Ralph Waldo Emerson suggested that it's the journey, not the destination, that matters, he may not have had higher education in mind. That said, applicants often overlook what really matters on the road to college. Amy and Mike invited college consultant Arthur Smith to explore the intrinsic value of the college admissions process. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does the college admissions process entail in general? What is actually involved when you focus on “the process” instead of the outcome? How can focusing on “the process” lead to more satisfying outcomes in the admissions process? What roles do ambition and authenticity play in the college admissions process? In what ways does learning how to focus on the process set students up with a valuable life lesson that goes beyond the college applications? MEET OUR GUEST With 25 years of experience working with students and their parents at Cornell and Duke Universities as an advising dean, admissions chair, and Division I head coach, Dr. Arthur Smith is intimately familiar with what it takes to be successful in the selective admissions process. Dr. Smith, known as Artie to his colleagues and students, studied history and Africana Studies as an undergraduate in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University, where he graduated cum laude and with distinction in all subjects. He continued his education at Duke University, where he earned his MA and Ph.D. in history. Returning to Cornell, Artie served as an assistant director of admissions in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and was the athletics liaison between the seven different admissions offices at Cornell and the university’s 36 varsity teams. He then spent nine years as an admissions and advising dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, where he chaired admissions committees and guided hundreds of students through the college’s curriculum. His unique journey in higher education has also been defined by a highly successful 23 years of coaching track and field and cross country at the Division I level. A nationally recognized distance coach who worked with 19 All-Americans, 31 Ivy League champions, and 12 Eastern champions while coaching 19 Ivy League Championship teams, Artie was Cornell’s head women’s track and field and cross country coach. During his time in the Ivy League, Artie chaired admissions committees and evaluated over 20,000 applications, served as a faculty advisor and advising dean, managed the TransAtlantic Series, an Exchange between Cornell University and Oxford and Cambridge Universities in the United Kingdom, and mentored hundreds of student-athletes. Artie’s teams and athletes were outstanding in the classroom, with six of his students earning CoSIDA Academic All-American honors, two students earning NCAA Elite 89/90 honors, and three going on to win Marshall and Goldwater Scholarships. Notably, every student he coached who applied for medical school, veterinary school, or law school gained admission. Artie is here to listen and work with each student’s goals. His two decades of mentoring experiences contribute to his firm belief that success in college—and beyond—comes from a person’s creativity, authenticity, and concern for others. He can help you tell your story. Artie can be reached at https://www.arthursmithadvising.com. LINKS RELATED EPISODES POWER DYNAMICS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS 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. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

California is the most populous American state with a veritable cornucopia of exceptional and reasonably well-funded high schools. Why, then, do Californian teens need to travel hundreds–and sometimes thousands–of miles to sit for the SAT or ACT? Amy and Mike invited student Sebastian Gillmore and educator David Blobaum to discuss the need for testing sites in California. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the problem with SAT & ACT testing locations in California? Why are testing locations so scarce? Why is access to testing so critically important for students? What has been done so far to address this problem? What else can and should be done to expand testing access in California? MEET OUR GUEST David Blobaum is the director of outreach for the National Test Prep Association, which works to support the appropriate use of testing in admissions. He is a co-founder of Summit Prep, which opened its doors in 2013 to help empower students through education to succeed in life. Sebastian Gillmore is a rising Senior at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California just North of San Francisco. He’s a hardworking student with a passion for mathematics, and he’s on a mission to make college entrance exams, like the SAT and ACT, more accessible for California high school students. He recently authored an Op-Ed in the LA Times titled, “I live in Northern California. Why do I have to travel hundreds of miles to take the SAT?” David first appeared on the podcast in episode 79 to discuss Why The SAT And ACT Are Awesome and in episode 421 for a Sponsor Spotlight. David can be reached at www.summitprep.com. LINKS I live in Northern California. Why do I have to travel hundreds of miles to take the SAT? It Shouldn't Be This Hard to Take the SAT and ACT https://testaccess.org/ RELATED EPISODES TESTING POLICIES AND EDUCATIONAL EQUITY REVISITED WHY UC WAS WRONG TO STOP USING THE SAT WHO LOSES WHEN WE ABOLISH ENTRANCE EXAMS? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

The bespoke nature of homeschooling can be a great advantage for tailoring education to a student’s individual needs. However, those differentiated programs present challenges when the time comes to apply to college. Amy and Mike invited education consultants Michele Evard and Holly Ramsey to review the intricacies of college documentation for homeschoolers. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What do stakeholders in the admission process need to know about homeschool documentation? What are some best practices for homeschool documentation? How do homeschoolers show the depth & breadth of their studies? Who writes recommendations for homeschooled students, and do colleges believe them? Should homeschoolers claim credit for every potential learning experience? MEET OUR GUESTS Dr. Michele Evard is an independent educational consultant who assists homeschooling families with planning & documenting K-12 education as well as the college application process; she specializes in assisting families of gifted and 2E young people. She is an active member of multiple professional organizations including IECA, NACAC, SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) and the Digital Learning Collaborative. While homeschooling her three children and mentoring others, Dr. Evard co-founded Many Rivers Unschoolers and served as president of Voyagers Homeschool Cooperative and Resource Center. Michele can be reached at https://evardconsulting.com. Holly Ramsey is an independent educational consultant specializing in working with homeschoolers and their parents to create clear, concise, and compelling college applications and counselor documents. She is a professional member of Independent Educational Consultants Association, where she served in a variety of roles and is a recipient of IECA’s Making a Difference Award. Ms. Ramsey is also a member of the Texas Association for College Admission Counseling. In addition to homeschooling her own five children over 20+ years, Holly taught writing to hundreds of homeschoolers through Brave Writer™ and mentored new Brave Writer instructors. Holly can be reached at https://thoughtfulhomeschooling.com. Dr. Michele Evard and Holly Ramsey are co-authors of College UnMazed: Your Guide to Design & Document Your Homeschool. This book provides guidance for any professionals helping homeschoolers in the college admission process. Tests and the Rest listeners can use the coupon code HOMESCHOOL10 for 10% off this book AND anything else on the College UnMazed site. LINKS College UnMazed: Your Guide to Design & Document Your Homeschool How to Create Your School Profile As A Homeschooler RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE ADMISSIONS FOR HOMESCHOOLERS LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: GOOD VS. GREAT CRAFTING YOUR COLLEGE RESUME ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

We focus so much on our teens getting through high school and into college yet spend little time looking at the space between or how everyone involved needs to change and adapt for success. Amy and Mike invited educator Dr. Andrea Malkin Brenner to discuss the parent transition from high school to college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What role can parents play to support their students as they become self-reliant and college-ready? What are the major differences between being a high school parent and a college parent? How can parents help students prepare for the academic, practical, and social responsibilities that come with independence? When should conversations about college transitions ideally begin? What are scenarios parents of college students might not expect but should be ready for? MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Andrea Malkin Brenner is the creator of the Talking College™ card decks and co-author of How to College: What to Know Before You Go (and When You’re There), a leading guide for college-bound students and their parents/guardians. Andrea brings 25 years of experience as a college professor and university administrator at American University in Washington, DC to her presentations with high school and college audiences. See her website for her articles, podcast recordings, and upcoming talks and webinars. Find Andrea at www.talkingcollege.com. LINKS Talking College card decks How to College: What to Know Before You Go (and When You’re There) RELATED EPISODES THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN THE COLLEGE PROCESS ADVOCACY FOR PARENTS OF HIGH SCHOOLERS THE W-CURVE MODEL AND NEW COLLEGE STUDENTS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

When the most important exams in our lives tend to be meticulously crafted instruments based research, statistics, and standards, a sloppy and spontaneous approach just won’t cut it. Amy and Mike invited educator Russ Hanush to outline a scientific approach to test-taking. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why is general knowledge an irreplaceable foundation for test takers? What’s the best way to create study aids? What test-taking strategies do most students fail on? How can you leverage the odds on multiple choice? What physical preparation is necessary for a successful testing experience? MEET OUR GUEST Inspired by the rings of Saturn at 8 years old, fascinated by San Francisco's Exploratorium at 14, and motivated to make a difference in education when he witnessed a mother unable to help her child with their homework, Russ Hanush has always been about learning. After a research career in nuclear physics and chemical kinetics spanning decades at America's national laboratories and inventing The Periodic Table of Dimensions, Russ opened Physics Phor Phun Tutoring in 2007. Over the years the name has changed, Physics Phor Phun Tutoring is now Acclaimed Tutoring, and they've grown from a single tutor driving around the dusty vineyards of Templeton and Paso Robles, CA to helping students from Beverly Hills to Portland, OR, and Honolulu to Paris, France. Acclaimed Tutoring has helped hundreds of students become successful scientists, engineers, doctors, lawyers, vets, teachers, professional athletes, and entertainers. Besides inventing The Periodic Table of Dimensions, Russ is also the author of over a dozen technical publications as well as two books: The Parent's Guide to Choosing the Right Tutor and Harnessing Your Seven Senses. Helping students navigate their education, and their life after high school is Russ' passion. With one-on-one tutoring available for most math and science classes from middle school through college, college, and career counseling, and standardized test preparation, Russ' promise is to help students become happier, more confident, and more successful, guaranteed. Russ can be reached at 805-610-1725 or russ@acclaimedtutoring.com. LINKS Harnessing Your Seven Senses: Help Your Child Become A Happier, More Confident, More Successful Student by Harnessing Their Seven Senses (A Scientific Approach to Study Skills) The Periodic Table of Dimensions PhysicsPhorPhun AP Resources RELATED EPISODES EFFECTIVE STUDY SKILLS FOR TEST PREPARATION MAKING LEARNING SCIENCE WORK FOR YOU HOW TO BECOME A RIDICULOUSLY EFFECTIVE STUDENT ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

While choosing a college feels like one of the biggest decisions of your life, choosing to leave one may be even more difficult. That said, swapping the wrong school for the right one can do wonders for your grades, mental health, and future prospects. Amy and Mike invited college advisor Jaime Smith to explore what you should know about transferring. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How common is college transfer? How has the rise of credible online programs impacted transfers? What are the best and worst reasons to transfer? What are the main transfer pathways? Can a student transfer at any time? MEET OUR GUEST Jaime Smith, M.A., MS.Ed., is a Certified Educational Planner with 25 years of experience in the field of education. After many years of teaching English at the middle, high school, and college levels, Jaime turned to online education and founded a virtual K-12 supplementary education program, Online G3, where she continues to teach gifted and twice-exceptional homeschooled students. As a college advisor, Jaime specializes in transfer admissions, application essays, homeschoolers, neurodiverse learners, and other non-traditional applicants. In 2023, she completed a Post-Master's Certificate in Transfer Leadership and Practice at the University of North Georgia in collaboration with the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students. A California native, Jaime now lives in Oregon with her husband and pet bunny. She has one daughter, a former homeschooler turned transfer student who just started grad school. Learn more about Jaime at TransferSavvy.com and follow her on Linkedin. LINKS Common App for transfer https://www.transferology.com https://www.assist.org RELATED EPISODES HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE FRESHMAN WHAT TO DO WHEN A STUDENT STRUGGLES IN COLLEGE THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF COLLEGE SUCCESS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Alex Pint, the owner and founder of Pathway Prep in Kansas City! Alex attended Kansas State University, where he received a BS/MS in Architectural Engineering. To earn some extra money during college, he got a campus job tutoring math and physics, and thus the seed of being an educator was planted. After graduating in 2015, Alex started working at a KC consulting engineering firm but soon began a test prep side hustle. Alex continued working in engineering for 5 years, earning his Professional Engineer’s license along the way, before deciding to pursue test prep full-time in February 2021. Alex works with high schoolers in the KC area, focusing almost exclusively on ACT prep through individual and small group formats. He enjoys experimenting with insights from psychology and business in his test prep process. In his free time, Alex enjoys spending time with his wife (high school sweetheart), enjoying his season tickets for Sporting KC, and reading new books. He is also an avid runner and completes multiple half-marathons and/or marathons per year. Find Alex at https://pathwayprepkc.com/ alex@pathwayprepkc.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Remy Zaken Andersen. Remy is a graduate of Columbia University, where she majored in Psychology with a focus on social cognition and emotion. A former professional actress, she serves as a strong role model for students striving for academic excellence while balancing extracurricular and career interests. She scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT and SAT, and also received perfect scores of 5 on the AP exams in Biology and US History. Tutoring professionally since 2013, she is a skilled instructor who has found students connect well to her warm, engaging, and energetic personality. She is passionate about teaching important study and organizational skills, while working with her students to manage test anxiety so they can reach their full potential on these exams and in their future academic careers. She has tutored Lower, Middle, and Upper-level students on the SSAT and ISEE and has seen at least 100 point increases in both the verbal and math sections for SSAT and 3 stanines on the ISEE. Every single one of her SHSAT students who started tutoring in April and completed their homework has been accepted to a specialized high school. She's also had students accepted to Hunter College High School. There are many more success stories upon request! Find Remy at https://www.and-ed.com and remy@and-ed.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Jason Hankins, who graduated in the year 2000 from Milwaukee School of Engineering with a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering and a minor in Business Administration. Jason works full time as a Software Engineer and part-time as a test prep tutor. He has a love of math and teaching others how to understand it. In 2004 he started his tutoring business, J. Digital Tutoring Services. He specialized in tutoring mathematics courses, math sections of standardized tests, Business courses as well as computer programming courses. Tests that he has helped students with include the NCLEX, TEAS, CLEP, ASVAB, GMAT, ACT, and SAT. With his business minor has been able to help students with accounting, finance, microeconomics, and managerial science courses. Jason is the founder and moderator of the SAT Exam Prep & Discussion and ACT Exam Prep & Discussion Facebook groups. Jason has been involved with math tutoring for a long time. His first tutoring job was in college working in the college’s Learning Resource Center. Since then, Jason has produced math instructional DVDs, worked as a math tutor at a local college (15 years), ran a tutoring program at a local church, maintained a math education YouTube channel, managed ACT and SAT Facebook groups, and is currently running his own private tutoring business. When he is not solving math problems Jason enjoys watching the stock market, looking for the next great stock, and watching professional sports. Find Jason at http://www.j-digital.net. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Loni Lebanoff founded CogniTutor with a simple mission: help millions of students Learn to Learn. She is an international teacher who, to name a few, has worked with doctors in Vietnam, taught English to Italian children, and conducted piano lessons in Canada. Loni conducts and studies the latest research on memory, learning, and cognition. She demonstrates her belief in life-long learning through her dance, art, musical instruments, and other varied pursuits. Through her research, learning, and travels, Loni continually improves her and CogniTutor’s effective and original methods of teaching. Some of these methods are the same methods that she used throughout her schooling and that helped her receive a perfect score on the ACT. “CogniTutor instructors are enthusiastic and care about their students. No one ever stops learning. By helping students learn to learn, our tutors aid students in their academic careers and the rest of their lives.” Find Loni at https://www.cognitutor.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Mike Settele, the founder of Settele Tutoring, an SAT prep company that specializes in creating user-friendly SAT resources. Mike has published thousands of hours of SAT lessons on his YouTube channel, which are watched every day by students around the world. Mike began his SAT career while an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins University, where he studied political science and philosophy. He started as a Writing section tutor for Capital Educators, a test prep company that runs courses in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. After graduating, Mike became a full-time program director for Capital Educators, but he eventually found his true passion helping to create their curriculum for the new SAT in 2016. Once the new test was released, Mike moved to Los Angeles and founded Settele Tutoring, shifting his focus to private tutoring so that he would have time to create new SAT materials. He has since published the “SAT Packets” study guides for both the Reading and Math sections of the exam, with new editions coming soon for the digital SAT. In fact, when he’s not tutoring, Mike can often be found sitting on Santa Monica Beach, writing SAT questions. Find Mike at https://setteletutoring.com/ or his YouTube SAT channel. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

An undergraduate education should never be mistaken for a job training program. That said, gainful employment is usually the obvious expectation after graduation. Amy and Mike invited educator Bill Coplin for thoughts on how to guarantee career success after college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why is coursework alone not enough to explore and get jobs? Is there academic coursework that would help build skills, experience, and networks? How should students increase their chances of getting internships and/or part-time jobs? Are some colleges better than others to help students gain skills through experience and build networks? What steps are essential for students who don’t know what they want to do after graduation? MEET OUR GUEST Based on his experience mentoring 2,000 alumni over the past 50 years, Bill Coplin knows how undergraduates can be ready for the next step after graduating college with or without going to graduate school. Success is not guaranteed by the brand of the University, the degree program chosen, or the GPA. Employers want students to demonstrate skills that include taking responsibility, communicating effectively, interacting with people, and developing computer and analytical skills. To do this, students should see undergraduate programs as a Skills Gymnasium where they practice these skills in the classroom and outside the classroom, while they are building their networks through student activities, jobs, internships, and community service. Bill can be reached at https://billcoplin.com. LINKS Five Steps for Success After Graduating From College RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE DECLASSIFIED: WHAT HIGH SCHOOLERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE NEXT LEVEL HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIPS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE FRESHMAN MAKING THE MOST OF COLLEGE SUPPORT SYSTEMS HOW TO PREPARE FOR A COLLEGE ADMISSIONS INTERVIEW ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Now that we’re moving back to more of a test-required college admissions paradigm, the pressing question for most students regards which test to take. In some cases, the answer is not as binary as you might expect. Amy and Mike invited counselor Becky Priest to explore who should take the CLT? What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a classical education? What is the Classic Learning Test? What schools currently accept the CLT as an admissions test? What kind of student does well on the CLT? What are the best ways to prepare for the CLT? MEET OUR GUEST Becky Priest is the founding College Counselor at The Cambridge School, a Pre-K-thru 12th grade Christian classical school, in San Diego, California. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she attended Washington University where her college work study job was in the Financial Aid Office. She was later employed full-time in the FAO, processing financial aid awards for incoming freshmen. Now, as a high school counselor at a classical school, her students were test-takers for the very first public administration of the Classic Learning Test and, over the years, several have earned scholarship money as a result. She has served on the CLT Academic Board of Advisors. Becky can be reached on LinkedIn. LINKS The Classic Learning Test (CLT) SAT/ACT/CLT Concordance RELATED EPISODES WHAT IS THE CLT? WHY TESTS MATTER: STUDENT PERSPECTIVES FIVE MYTHS ABOUT ADMISSIONS TESTS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

For many teachers, tutors, counselors, and coaches, the actual delivery of insight, expertise, and service comes easy. Creating and maintaining business structure and processes, on the other hand, can be an ongoing challenge. Amy and Mike invited educator Danny Pernik to explore tools and tips to build your educational practice. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What qualifies as an educational practice in a discussion like this? What considerations make sense for anyone building an educational practice? Why are websites so valuable for educational businesses? What tools or tips would you recommend specifically for teachers and tutors? Are relationships or results more important in building a strong practice serving students? MEET OUR GUEST Danny Pernik is the owner of Open Path Tutoring, which specializes in personalized SAT & ACT prep, and cofounder of CreatorsWeb.Co, which develops elegant custom websites for small businesses. Through prior ventures, he envisioned and helped launch a digital currency minted by social action and sought to simplify the process by which an average person could build a team and bring a new idea to life. This wide variety of experiences and expertise has brought Danny a wealth of insights and resources that he happily shares with students, parents, tutors, and small business owners. Danny can be reached at https://openpathtutoring.com/. LINKS The National Test Prep Association Workflowy OnePageCRM RELATED EPISODES HOW STANDARDIZATION CAN BENEFIT EDUCATION GAME-BASED LEARNING USING AND CREATING EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

Getting into your best fit school usually feels like the prize at the end of a long and grueling journey, but the next step in the undergraduate adventure has really just begun. Will you emerge victorious, degree in hand? Amy and Mike invited college consultant Beth Howland to share insights into how to persist to college graduation. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the difference between retention and persistence and how is each related to graduation rates? What are the most common reasons students leave college? How should families think about college readiness? What can families do before a student leaves for college to increase their persistence? What can families do if their student is talking about leaving college? MEET OUR GUEST Prior to founding College Navigators LLC, Beth A. Howland spent 25 years advising and mentoring undergraduate students at several institutions. Most recently, Beth worked for 14 years at Cornell University in both direct service and leadership roles in student development within the College of Engineering, the Hotel School, and the Office of Undergraduate Biology. Beth graduated with honors from Ithaca College and is a two-time NCAA National Champion, Academic All-American, and Hall of Fame inductee in women’s soccer. After earning her undergraduate degree in psychology, she worked for five years as a Family Caseworker for Family and Children’s Service in Ithaca. She then completed an advanced degree in health and human performance with a concentration in sports psychology. Over the course of her career, Beth served as a pre-major mentor, major advisor, and faculty advisor at both Duke University and Cornell University; and as a Crisis Manager and Residential House Fellow at Cornell University. She provided advising and support for thousands of students, including those who identify as BIPOC, first-generation, pre-health, under-prepared, and high-achieving, as well as Division I student-athletes and students who were managing a variety of challenges or disruptions throughout their college experience. During her career Beth founded and directed comprehensive academic advising, career development, and community engagement programs for Division-I student-athletes at Cornell University, Tulane University and Duke University. Beth transitioned out of athletics in 2005. Prior to returning to Cornell Beth worked as the inaugural Assistant Director of Student Development for the Robertson Scholars Program, a multi-campus, cohort-based, collaborative leadership development program with Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill. Throughout her career in higher ed, Beth prioritized advocating for university policies, procedures and opportunities to be more inclusive, equitable, transparent, and visible. During the pandemic Beth confirmed that she is most energized by coaching individual students as they discover themselves, negotiate life’s ups and downs, and prepare for their careers. Beth’s passion for working intensively one-on-one with students and extensive understanding of and ability to assist students navigate the complexities of institutions within higher ed, led her to start College Navigators LLC and invest full-time in college student success coaching…decision to degree. Beth previously appeared on this podcast in episode # 455 to discuss What To Do When A Student Struggles In College. Find Beth at beth@college-navigators.com. LINKS Persistence and Retention How America Completes College Student Persistence vs. Retention in Higher Education Student survey gauges importance of a college degree RELATED EPISODES THE W-CURVE MODEL AND NEW COLLEGE STUDENTS COLLEGE READINESS ADVICE FROM A COLLEGE PROFESSOR THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF COLLEGE SUCCESS 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...

The artificial intelligence genie is out of the bottle, and there’s no way to put it back in. All we can do is learn to live with AI as productively as possible. No surprise, today’s youth are leading the charge from middle school to college. Amy and Mike invited ed tech expert Annie Chechitelli to describe how students use generative AI. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How are students using generative AI? What are positive and productive ways to use generative AI? What are less-productive ways to use generative AI? Are current detection tools keeping up with AI-generated work? How can educators promote positive adoption and use of AI tools? MEET OUR GUEST Annie Chechitelli has spent the past two decades innovating with educators to expand access to education, meet the quickly changing needs of learners, and empower students to do their best, original work. As the Chief Product Officer at Turnitin, Annie oversees the Turnitin suite of applications which includes academic integrity, grading and feedback, and assessment capabilities. Prior to joining Turnitin, Annie spent over five years at Amazon where she led Kindle Content for School, Work, and Government and launched the AWS EdTech Growth Advisory team, advising education technology companies on how to grow their product and go-to-market strategies with AWS. Annie began her career in EdTech at Wimba where she launched a live collaboration platform for education which was ultimately acquired by Blackboard in 2010. At Blackboard she led platform management, focused on transitioning Blackboard Learn to the cloud. Annie holds a B.S. from Columbia University and an M.B.A. and M.S. from Claremont Graduate University. She resides near Indianapolis, Indiana with her youngest child and husband, with two children attending college on the East Coast. Annie can be reached at LinkedIn. LINKS Resources For AI Writing Empowering Students for Tomorrow with AI Writing Solving The AI Writing Puzzle RELATED EPISODES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY COLLEGE ESSAYS IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HOW CAN TUTORS USE AI? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

The Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take, and AP Computer Science is no exception. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educator Edward Lee to share valuable strategies, insights, and resources for getting ready for the AP Computer Science A exam. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is tested on the AP Computer Science A exam? How do AP Computer Science A and AP Computer Science Principles differ? What are the highest priority topics on the test? How should students prepare for the AP Computer Science A exam? What are the best prep materials for AP Computer Science A? MEET OUR GUEST Edward Lee is the owner and founder of Lee Tutoring, which he built from the ground up to make online test prep and academic tutoring as engaging and valuable as possible for digital natives. He has nearly a decade of experience in test prep and a bit more than a decade with computer science tutoring. While he originally intended to earn a degree in Computer Science, his love for teaching won out and he earned his degree in Philosophy instead, which he completed alongside a thesis on Samuel Beckett's novels and learning as overcoming "good sense." He's been tutoring full-time ever since! Edward's life mission is to reconcile his interest in both the cutting-edge field of computer science with his interest in classical education. In 6th grade, his father packed a copy of The Iliad into his backpack for some "light reading," but it hardly fit next to the Arduino project Edward had constructed for his physics class. His commitment to a socratic approach is symbolized by the Ionic column motif in Lee Tutoring's logo and his approach to technology is evident in the source code he writes to keep his business running! Edward and his team at Lee Tutoring have helped well over a thousand students achieve their goals on the SAT and ACT. Edward has personally helped dozens of students prepare for the AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Calculus AB/BC exams. Edward can be reached at leetutoring.com. LINKS AP Computer Science A CodingBat AP CSA Java Course — AP CSAwesome Albert.io AP Computer Science A Premium, 2024: 6 Practice Tests + Comprehensive Review + Online Practice (Barron's AP Prep) RELATED EPISODES GETTING READY FOR THE AP LANGUAGE EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP US HISTORY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP STATISTICS EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP CHEMISTRY EXAM ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

The Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educator Christy Shriver to share valuable strategies, insights, and resources for getting ready for the AP Literature exam. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is tested on the AP Literature exam? What are the different approaches required by each essay? What strategies lead to higher scores on the AP Literature exam? How should students practice and prepare for the AP Literature exam? How has AI impacted student readiness for the AP Lit exam? MEET OUR GUEST Christy Shriver is an educator from Memphis, TN. Currently, she produces the How to Love Lit Podcast, a tool to support IB and AP students in preparation for their exams. She has been teaching both AP and IB in public and private schools in the Memphis area for the last 20 years. Christy graduated from the Escola Americana de Belo Horizonte as an IB student and has lived much of her life internationally, primarily in the country of Brazil. Although she is a strong advocate of the IB program, she is currently an AP Language teacher and AP reader. Christy first appeared on this podcast in episode 199 to discuss Choosing Between AP and IB Programs and episode 472 to discuss Getting Ready For The AP Language Exam. Find Christy at christy@howtolovelitpodcast.com. LINKS AP English Language and Composition Exam – AP Central | College Board AP English Language and Composition Exam What is the Test Format of the AP® English Language Exam? RELATED EPISODES GETTING READY FOR THE AP LANGUAGE EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP US HISTORY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP STATISTICS EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP CHEMISTRY EXAM ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

The Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educator Shayda Moshirvaziri to share valuable strategies, insights, and resources for getting ready for the AP Calculus AB or BC exam. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is tested on the AP Calculus exam? How important is a calculator on the AP Calculus exam? What are the highest priority topics for this exam? What are the best prep materials for AP Calculus? How should students prepare for the AP Calculus? MEET OUR GUEST Shayda Moshirvaziri is the founder of Pivot Tutors Shayda graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Biomedical Engineering in 2003. She was accepted at MIT, John Hopkins University, Stanford, and UCSD for Ph.D. programs in Electrical Engineering and Bioengineering on full fellowship. She chose to attend UCSD for graduate school and received her Masters and Doctorate in Bioengineering in 2007 and 2010, respectively. Shayda has over 15 years of teaching and tutoring experience with all levels of mathematics and science for middle school, high school, and college-level students. She has a passion for teaching young students and has taught undergraduate courses at UCSD, including Introduction to Bioengineering, Human Physiology, and Computer Science. Before starting Pivot Tutors in 2012, she developed an ACT boot camp course for a private high school in San Diego and taught as a premier level ACT and SAT instructor for different test prep centers. After recently selling Pivot Tutors, she has returned to tutoring students across the country. Shayda first appeared on this podcast in episode #303 as the subject of a Test Prep Profile. Shayda can be reached at shaydamoshirvaziri@gmail.com. LINKS AP Calculus AB AP Calculus BC Test Preparation Books - GET 800 AP Calculus AB/BC designed to help Students get a Perfect Score Chung, Dr. John RELATED EPISODES GETTING READY FOR THE AP LANGUAGE EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP US HISTORY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP STATISTICS EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP CHEMISTRY EXAM ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.