Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans provide paths to procure formal help for K-12 students who struggle in school. However, pursuing these plans can be an education in themselves. …

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 options exist when even traditional “pause…

Advocates of abolishing admissions tests claim that exams like the SAT and ACT discriminate against some populations while serving as proxy wealth tests. But do data or evidence support these positio…

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 others if we don’t support ourselves? Amy …

How can educators ensure that students and their families understand not just important instructions and policies but also professionalism and a clear commitment to their success? Nothing beats clear…

Independent educational consultants and test prep professionals are natural partners, at least in theory. What are the keys to uncovering the kinds of productive synergies that benefit students, fami…

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 invited Tulane admissions director Jeff S…

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 counselor Larry Mandernach to describe …

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 be without proctors watching test takers …

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. Amy and Mike invited educational consul…

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 all the answers are right in front of you?…

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 to pass certain tests to show that they …

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 semester plans NOW. Amy and Mike invited col…

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 podcast right when it …

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 best-selling author Erica Meltzer to ex…

These days, every teacher, tutor, and college consultant has moved business online. Why does it seem, though, that some professionals are engaging with potential clients on social media platforms far…

Almost every test taker finds the SAT and ACT challenging. However, learning and testing disabilities add a whole new level of difficulty, which demands thoughtful approaches to practice and preparat…

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 invited professional counselor Emily Kirche…

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 invited consultant and author Susan Baldri…

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 and Mike invited author and admissions p…