Shows / Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
Welcome to THE college admissions industry podcast! Join Mike Bergin and Amy Seeley as they discuss the latest issues in testing, admissions, learning, and education with leading experts. Tests and the Rest is perfect for parents, students, counselors, educators, test prep professionals, college consultants, and just about anyone engaged in the college admissions process. You can subscribe to this podcast or stream it online via any podcast app, including iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify…
Episodes
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
THROWBACK: WHEN GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS STRUGGLE
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
765. MATH'S "SAT MOMENT": THE SHIFT TO HIGH-SECURITY TESTING
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
764. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: October 2026
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
THROWBACK: ATTENDING COLLEGE IN A BIG CITY
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
763. ATTENDING A RURAL COLLEGE
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
THROWBACK: COLLEGE PRICE TRANSPARENCY
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
762. CREATING BETTER COLLEGE VISITS
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
THROWBACK: FINISHING A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE ON TIME
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
761. HOW TO WRITE THE COLLEGE ESSAY THAT AI CANNOT
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
THROWBACK: MATHEMATICAL MATURITY & TEST SUCCESS
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
760. WHAT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CULTURE IS DOING TO OUR KIDS
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
THROWBACK: USING MINDFULNESS FOR TEST AND SCHOOL SUCCESS
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
759. WHY DIDN'T MY TEST SCORE INCREASE?
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
758. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: September 2026
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
THROWBACK: NEED BLIND AND NEED AWARE ADMISSIONS
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
757. THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER: EXPLORING INTERNATIONAL ADMISSIONS
With thousands of colleges and universities at home, few American students ever consider studying abroad. Amy and Mike invited independent education consultant…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
THROWBACK: ACT SCORE REVIEW AND VALIDATION
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
756. GUIDANCE FOR WRITING A STRESS-FREE COLLEGE ESSAY
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
755. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: MentoMind (Fall 2026 Updates)
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?…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
THROWBACK: ANXIETY AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
754. WHAT STUDENT RESEARCH MATTERS THE MOST TO COLLEGES?
The apprenticeship model of academia requires more than just passive learning from students. How can applicants seeking entry to selective programs demonstrate…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
THROWBACK: BRINGING CRITICAL BALANCE TO HIGH SCHOOLERS' LIVES
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
753. MAKING THE FIRST COACHING SESSION MATTER
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
752. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: August 2026
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
751. ARE SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAYS DEAD?
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
750. TEST PREP PROFILE: Eric Rath
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
749. TEST PREP PROFILE: Amy Brooks
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
748. TEST PREP PROFILE: Bobby Nicholson
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
747. TEST PREP PROFILE: Mishkaat Rawjee
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
746. TEST PREP PROFILE: Myles Múnera-Keating
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
745. WHY ARE SOUTHERN COLLEGES SO POPULAR?
While higher education is grappling with the implications of a demographic shift among applicants, an equally important trend of a decidedly geographic nature…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
744. HOW TO DEFINE A DREAM SCHOOL
Young adults should always be encouraged to dream big when imagining their futures. When the time comes to actualize those aspirations, though, practical…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
743. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: July 2026
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently explores important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
742. WHY COLLEGE FLASH ISN'T FIT
How many bad relationships begin because people prioritize superficial qualities over true virtues? Whether you are looking for a partner or applying to…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
741. WHAT IS AN IEC AND WHO NEEDS ONE?
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
740. DECODING STUDENT LOANS
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
739. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Desmos SAT Math Course
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
738.WHAT COLLEGES AREN'T TELLING YOU
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
737. TAKING A HIGH-STAKES TEST AT HOME
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
736. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2026
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
735. BEACH READS FOR BETTER SCORES
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
734. COLLEGE ENROLLMENT TRENDS FOR 2026 AND 2027
If you've been paying attention over the last year, you've observed tremendous change, chaos, and uncertainty roiling higher education. Behind the scenes…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
733. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: The Gauntlet
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
732. STRATEGIZING YOUR TESTING AND ADMISSIONS TIMELINE
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
731. FINANCIAL AID HORROR STORIES
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
730. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: StudySpaces & Assessiv
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
729. HOW COLLEGES USE AI IN ADMISSIONS
With everyone in the world angling to access the benefits of artificial intelligence without succumbing to the plentiful pitfalls of excessive automation…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
728. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: May 2026
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
727. BUSINESS VS ENGINEERING MAJORS FOR TECH-MINDED STUDENTS
High schoolers who show advanced aptitude and interest in science and math often seem destined to concentrate on STEM in college. Surprisingly, though, many…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
726. NEW TRENDS IN SAT READING & WRITING
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…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
725. TAKING A MEDICAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM COLLEGE
As much as every student anticipates four or more years of perfect health during their undergraduate studies, life happens. Luckily, illness or injuries don't…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
724. HOW DATA IS TRANSFORMING THE WAY STUDENTS NAVIGATE COLLEGE DECISIONS
How often does a thorough college search process involving hours of research and weeks of onsite college visits take an unexpected last minute twist because of…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
723. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: April 2026
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
722. GETTING READY FOR THE AP BIOLOGY EXAM
Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take. Amy and Mike believe that…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
721. WHEN ACADEMIC PRESSURE TURNS INTO BEHAVIORAL ISSUES
Pressure is a privilege, according to Billie Jean King, who said it's what you do with it that matters. Millions of students, however, may beg to disagree…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
720. WHAT MOTIVATES STUDENTS IN TEST PREP?
It's been said that pain in life is inevitable, but we can choose whether to suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. How can we help learners make…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
719. IEC PROFILE: Brooke Daly
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Brooke Daly. Brooke is the…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
718. IEC PROFILE: Sarah Abaza
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Sarah Abaza. Cairo-based Sarah…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
717. IEC PROFILE: Ingrid Latham
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Ingrid Latham. Ingrid has been…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
716. IEC PROFILE: Steve Tapper
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Steve Tapper, who serves clients…