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
116. The Road To A Perfect Score
Perfection, according to Vince Lombardi, is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. But is a perfect score on a critical admissions…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
115. Community Colleges In The Time Of COVID-19
Community colleges have always served students and their surrounding municipalities and counties in ways that other educational institutions do not, and crisis…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
114. College Declassified: What High Schoolers Should Know About The Next Level
While we tend to focus on how much of an academic and social education college can offer, we tend to look past the professional skills students learn. To be…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
113. Navigating An IEP Or 504 Plan
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans provide paths to procure formal help for K-12 students who struggle in school. However, pursuing these…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
112. Gap Year Alternatives During COVID
The COVID-19 continues to upend all of our assumptions about education, particularly in regard to advancing directly from high school to college. What other…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
111. Do Test Optional Policies Drive Equity?
Advocates of abolishing admissions tests claim that exams like the SAT and ACT discriminate against some populations while serving as proxy wealth tests. But…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
110. Tutor Self-Care (Tests and the Rest Summit Panel)
Teaching, tutoring, training, and coaching all describe ways we give of ourselves to help others become better in one way or another. But how can we support…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
109. Essentials of Client - Teacher Communication (Tests and the Rest Summit Panel)
How can educators ensure that students and their families understand not just important instructions and policies but also professionalism and a clear…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
108. How IECS and Test Prep Professionals Can Work Together (Tests and the Rest Summit Panel)
Independent educational consultants and test prep professionals are natural partners, at least in theory. What are the keys to uncovering the kinds of…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
107. Why Optional Statements Aren't Optional
With so many components of the college application designated as optional these days, you have to wonder what that term even means. For context, Amy and Mike…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
106. Benefits of School Day Testing
The ACT and SAT are, at least for the moment, always offered at schools. But what happens when the exams are offered DURING school? Amy and Mike invited school…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
105. How Does Remote Proctoring Actually Work
The SAT and ACT have always been the ultimate paper-and-pencil exams, but that era is approaching its end. But how secure can the digital tests of the future…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
104. Applying To A Military Academy
U.S. military service academies are among the most respected and rigorous colleges in the nation. Unsurprisingly, they are also among the toughest to get into…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
103. Using Student Self-Analysis To Improve Instruction
We sometimes look to educators like oracles who can predict a student's academic future based on faint and inscrutable hints. But why guess in the dark when…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
102. Why Testing Standards Matter
Nurse practitioners are among the host of medical professionals we rely on every day for life saving health care. Does it surprise you to learn that they need…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
101. Upside Of A Semester Online
We probably won't know until September what the Fall 2020 college experience will truly be like, but students need to make momentous decisions about their…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
100. 2019-2020 Academic Year In Review
The 2019-20 academic year will live on in infamy as one of the craziest years to rock secondary and higher education. Is it a coincidence that we started the…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
99. Differences Between SAT and ACT Reading
The multiple-choice reading sections of the SAT and ACT have never been more similar, but closer analysis proves they are hardly the same. Amy and Mike invited…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
98. Delivering Education And Admissions Messaging
These days, every teacher, tutor, and college consultant has moved business online. Why does it seem, though, that some professionals are engaging with…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
97. Test Prep For Students With Accommodations
Almost every test taker finds the SAT and ACT challenging. However, learning and testing disabilities add a whole new level of difficulty, which demands…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
96. College Admissions For Twice-Exceptional Learners
You may have never heard the term "twice-exceptional," but you've likely met 2E learners and recognized the distinctive challenges they faced. Amy and Mike…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
95. The Ultimate College Stress Test
Heading into 2020, various market stresses already threatened the viability of some of America's colleges and universities. Then came COVID-19! Amy and Mike…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
94. Family Conversations About College Admissions
When managed properly, the college admissions process is very much a team effort, and an applicant's family can be the most critical members of that team. Amy…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
93. Letters Of Recommendation: Good vs. Great
Despite their role as essential components of college applications, letters of recommendation--specifically how to elicit great ones--receive far too little…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
92. Sports Recruiting In The Time Of Covid
The annual rhythms of sports seasons and college recruiting cycles have always been comfortably familiar. Then came COVID-19. Amy and Mike invited college…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
91. College Admissions For Homeschoolers
Homeschooling offers a distinctive choice for families seeking a flexible, specialized K-12 education for their children. Full immersion into higher education…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
90. 50-50 Colleges And The Perfect List
While the general public tends to rank colleges mainly on the basis of exclusivity and Division I sports success, applicants should consider so many other…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
89. Different Ways To Look At Test Score Increases
Test prep differs from various other forms of academic instruction in that progress can be measured quantitatively. How many ways can this data be evaluated…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
88. What You Need To Know About The FAFSA and CSS Profile
If you think the college admissions process is an intricate and delicate dance involving numerous complex steps to be executed at precise intervals, take a…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
87. Observations Of A Test Site Supervisor
Obviously, high schoolers put a lot of work into preparing for test day, as do teachers, tutors, coaches, and parents. But don't forget those unsung heroes who…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
86. Deciding Between The SAT and ACT, Part 2
The SAT and ACT may be more similar than ever, but they are definitely not the same. Picking the right exam to showcase your particular strengths can make a…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
85. Transitioning Your IEP Or 504 Plan To College
Many high schoolers benefit from academic accommodations intended to give a student with a disability an equal opportunity to benefit from the educational…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
84. High Impact Strategies To Help Students Succeed in Math
The world seems to be cleanly divided into two groups: people who aren't good at math and those who miraculously are. Yet that belief that a person is…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
83. Who Benefits Most From Test Optional Policies?
Media reports would have us believe that all colleges and universities will eventually eliminate all testing requirements from admissions decisions for the…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
82. The Inner Game Of Testing
According to author Timothy Gallwey, every game is composed of two parts, an outer game and an inner game. We play the outer game against an external opponent…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
81. You Can't Handle The Truth: Secrets Of College Admissions
You may have heard the saying, "Laws are like sausages. It's better not to see them being made." Does that advice apply to admissions decisions as well? Amy…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
80. Creating A Homeschool Plan During A Crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the locus of education from schools to homes. But should parents serve as proxy teachers or take different roles to further…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
79. Why The SAT And ACT Are Awesome
If you ask your average high schooler (or parent) for some adjectives describing the SAT and ACT, the extensive vocabulary list will likely skew negative. But…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
78. What Exactly Is A Good College?
Year after year, countless teens stress over a perceived need to attend a "good" college. But what does that even mean and how does reality differ from…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
77. Early Decision and Early Action
Policies that allow students to apply to the colleges and universities of their choice ahead of the rest of the pack seem to offer tremendous advantages. But…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
76. College Admissions During A Global Pandemic
When everything in the present is turned upside-down, how can students manage current challenges while working towards long-term goals like college admissions?…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
75. ACT Superscoring and Section Retesting
ACT, Inc. didn't always endorse the practice of superscoring for admissions, but the test maker has changed its institutional stance on the basis of compelling…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
74. College Advising And Prep By Videoconference
Learning doesn't have to stop just because schools are closed, does it? The future arrives whether we are ready or not, which means counselors, educators, and…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
73. Virtual College Tours
The traditional college selection process usually includes plenty of live campus visits. But what happens when logistics, expenses, or unexpected pandemics get…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
72. What SAT & ACT Diagnostic Tests Can Tell You
Taking high quality practice tests at deliberate intervals is an indispensable part of any true test preparation regimen. But what makes mocks or diagnostics…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
71. Attending A Women's College
While many Americans have either personally attended or know alumni of all-boys or all-girls high schools, very few have met graduates of women's colleges. Is…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
70. Taboo Essay Topics
Admissions essays, more than any other piece of the college application process, allow applicants to communicate distinctive and personal aspects of their…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
69. What Every Pre-Med Major Should Know
Everyone knows that you have to graduate medical school to become a medical doctor. Less obvious are the actual steps required to get into medical school. Amy…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
68. Common Testing Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
The gap between a test taker's potential best and actual best depends entirely on delivering an error-free performance when it counts. But how easy is that in…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
67. Does College Engagement Matter More Than Selectivity?
Every college applicant seems to dream of attending an elite academic or athletic institution. But does the difficulty in getting into a school predict the…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
66. How To Win Local Scholarship Awards
When it comes to paying for college, we could all use a bit of help. Why, then, do so many families ignore easily accessible sources of college funding right…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
65. In Defense Of State Tests
Most of us intuitively understand why testing is necessary to assess learning outcomes. What is the problem, then, with attempting to accurately assess these…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
64. Why Take A Gap Year?
The typical path for a student seeking higher education is to enter college right after high school. For what possible reason, then, would--or should--a teen…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
63. New Options For The ACT
There are so many decisions to be made on the path to college, including deciding which college entrance exam to take. ACT has announced new options coming for…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
62. Looking For A Full Ride
Every high school athlete dreams of playing for an elite college team, ideally with tuition, room, board, and all associated expenses covered. But how closely…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
61. Attending An Historically Black College or University
American colleges and universities represent many of the highest ideals of an educated, democratic society, and few institutions of higher education are as…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
60. Legal Issues For Educational Enterprises (Part 2)
When you work in the business of education, you are bound to receive an education in business law. Don't learn your legal lessons the hard way! Amy and Mike…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
59. Legal Issues For Educational Enterprises (Part 1)
When you work in the business of education, you are bound to receive an education in business law. Don't learn your legal lessons the hard way! Amy and Mike…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
58. Keeping Student Data Private
In the course of common school day activities, students share extensive personal data, completely oblivious to the many ways this information can be--and often…
- Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
57. Attending University In Europe
Colleges and universities in the United States draw international acclaim and interest. Why, then, might American students be wise to consider schooling…