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, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio.
YOUR HOSTS
Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and Leap.
Between the two of us, expect over 60 years of industry insight, expertise, insider news, and a bit of sarcasm.
- Update frequency
- every 4 days
- Average duration
- 24 minutes
- Episodes
- 673
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
513. DIVERSITY AND THE COLLEGE ESSAY
The written portions of applications to selective colleges have always evoked a lot of stress to say all the right things under limited word counts. How much more pressure are students crafting their…
512. NAVIGATING COLLEGE AND ADMISSIONS AS AN LGBTQ+ STUDENT
Success in college depends on more than just finding the right academic fit–you have to find an environment where you can be yourself in all the ways that are important to you. Amy and Mike invited …
511. ANSWER TRAPS ON STANDARDIZED TESTS
The difficulty of individual multiple-choice questions depends on far more than just the questions themselves, as any test taker who has struggled to differentiate between several tempting choices ca…
510. THE W-CURVE MODEL AND NEW COLLEGE STUDENTS
New college students invariably arrive on campus flush with optimism for all the good times, academic successes, and healthy relationships ahead. If only life proceeded that smoothly… Amy and Mike in…
509. WHO LOSES WHEN WE ABOLISH ENTRANCE EXAMS?
Admissions decisions for selective educational programs require as much useful data about applicants as possible, particularly regarding academic skills and ability. Is it possible that opponents of …
508. EFFECTIVE STUDY SKILLS FOR TEST PREPARATION
We accept as bedrock truth that every important test should be studied for. How often, though, do we explore what studying actually entails? Amy and Mike invited educators Anna Solomon and Kailey Oss…
507. THE NEW DIGITAL PSAT
Most years, the PSAT feels inconsequential for all but the highest-scoring students. The October 2023 exam, however, will put everyone–students, schools, and College Board itself–to the test as the f…
506. REAL DIVERSITY IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
The Supreme Court’s ruling outlawing race-conscious admissions seems, on its face, to be a blow against diversity in higher education. But how authentically diverse were selective schools in the firs…
505. IEC PROFILE: Deb Davis Groves
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant?
MEET OUR GUEST
Meet Deborah Davis Groves. “Mrs. G” as her clients call her, is an Independen…
504. IEC PROFILE: Jenny Buyens
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant?
MEET OUR GUEST
Meet Jenny Buyens, an independent educational consultant who enjoys assisting…
503. IEC PROFILE: Tonica Johnson
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant?
MEET OUR GUEST
Meet Tonica Johnson. Her experiences as a first-generation college student an…
502. IEC PROFILE: Jen Nelson
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant?
MEET OUR GUEST
Growing up in suburban Minnesota, Jen Nelson made her way to the West Coast w…
501. IEC PROFILE: Nancy Steenson
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant?
MEET OUR GUEST
Meet Nancy Steenson, a graduate of Tufts University, owner of Steenson Colleg…
500. CELEBRATING OUR 500TH EPISODE
The success of the Tests and the Rest podcast can be credited to our focus on fascinating guests with specific expertise and insight into admissions, testing, education, and learning. To celebrate ou…
499. COMPARING MOST POPULAR AND MOST LUCRATIVE COLLEGE MAJORS
While a college education represents far more than just job training, a substantial return on that tuition investment certainly doesn’t hurt. Amy and Mike invited policy expert Michael Itzkowitz to c…
498. HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE FRESHMAN
Entering the halls of higher education for the first time can feel momentous and exciting, which is true. What is also true is how challenging life can be at the next level of education, especially i…
497. HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE READY FOR COLLEGE?
Graduation from high school may signal the natural time to enter the halls of higher education, but is that actually the right time? Amy and Mike invited psychologist Tamir Rotman to answer a questio…
496. 12 MUST-SEE SCHOLARSHIPS
Everybody recognizes that four or more years of college costs a lot of money, but few know exactly how much will be required or where they’ll be finding that money. Even worse, far too few applicants…
495. ADMISSIONS CONSIDERATIONS FOR AVIATION MAJORS
Believe it or not, you can go to college to learn to become a pilot or work in the airline industry. Just keep in mind how much there is to know if you’re hoping to get a career in aviation off the g…
494. WHAT IS THE HIGHLANDS ABILITY BATTERY?
When the time comes to select courses of study and future career paths, we hope to align what we are interested in with what we excel at. The preference part may be easy, but determining our strength…