Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Most of us involved even tangentially in college admissions understand that, while earning a college degree is expensive, the investment is well worth it on a variety of levels. But college is, by an…

Why is it so difficult sometimes for professionals with overlapping competencies to collaborate or communicate even when they seek the same outcomes. Amy and Mike invited Cathy Charles Szendrey, who …

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 …

The SAT and ACT have both been around for decades, but the two tests have never been more alike or universally accepted. How is a college-bound teen to choose? Amy and Mike invited test prep professi…

Comprehensive college advising sets the foundation for college success, but not all students receive this guidance in equal measure. What kind of specific support do urban, rural, and first-generatio…

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…

Test preparation might be the least understood or explored multibillion dollar industry in the world. How has test prep--particularly in the realm of college admissions testing--changed, and how is t…

Students have never had access to more or better digital SAT and ACT prep tools than they do right now. So why aren’t everyone’s scores skyrocketing? Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Tom E…

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 de…

In communities across the United States, libraries deliver critical services to students and families on the road to college. Why do so few people recognize the essential role libraries can play in t…

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 c…

As long as institutions have required admissions tests, applicants have sought out more efficient and effective ways to prepare for them. Amy and Mike took some time to chat about some interesting as…

The SAT and ACT are now offered throughout all four seasons, with tests available nearly every month of the year. That doesn’t mean, however, that every test date is equally auspicious for a busy hig…