Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

When you need expert individual support with skill, strategy, behavior, or body of knowledge, you'll probably reach out to a tutor or coach. How do those roles differ, and how can you get the most out of them? Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Scott Clyburn to define coaching for academic success. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Is there a difference between teaching and coaching? What are simple conversation habits that keep students in the driver's seat in learning? What is the best way to benchmark executive function skills?  Why is it valuable to look at habits you want to change as experiments? What are the most common pitfalls when tutors try to shift to a coaching approach? MEET OUR GUEST Scott Clyburn holds degrees from the University of Virginia and Yale University and is the founder and director of North Avenue Education, a premier test-preparation and study-skills firm based in Portland, Oregon. Originally from Houston, Texas, Scott has taught in both secondary and higher education and has been a professional tutor since 2005. He sees tutoring as an opportunity for any student to become a better learner. Scott specializes in coaching students with LD and is motivated by seeing his students transform their potential into action. Scott is the author of the North Avenue Guide to Study Skills, which will be published this winter and licensable by tutors and orgs in 2026.  Scott previously appeared on the podcast in episode 97 to discuss Test Prep for Students with Accommodations. Find Scott at scott.clyburn@northaveeducation.com or https://northaveeducation.com. LINKS The difference between tutoring and academic coaching RELATED EPISODES EFFECTIVE STUDY SKILLS FOR TEST PREPARATION HOW TO TEACH STUDENTS TO STUDY EFFECTIVELY THE THREE CORE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS AND TEST PREP WHY PROFESSIONALISM IN TUTORS MATTERS WHY YOU WANT TO WORK WITH A CAREER TUTOR ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.

A DIY attitude can not only open the mind to new experiences and illuminate hidden strengths but also save a dollar or two. But we may not want to tackle every important task alone, particularly one as complex and chancy as a competitive college application. Amy and Mike invited independent educational consultant Jodi Rosenshein Atkin to help assess how to know if you need a college consultant. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Does every student need outside help in applying to college?  What does a student's high school have to do with the need for a college consultant?  What role do family dynamics play in the need for external support? What kinds of services do college consultants typically offer? What does it take to do it yourself? MEET OUR GUEST Jodi Rosenshein Atkin is an independent educational consultant in private practice. She holds a BA and an MA in Psychology from the University of Rochester and has over 20 years of experience in educational and clinical settings.  Her first career focused on working with individuals and families living with learning challenges.  She is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, as well as a member of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, New York State Association of College Admissions Counselors, and Higher Education Consultants Association.  Jodi has visited over 300 college campuses in 17 different states and 3 countries! Jodi is committed to finding a "best fit" school for every student, considering academic, financial, social and cultural factors.  It's about more than the mascot and the sweatshirt; it's about finding the places that each student can thrive and grow, making the most of their higher education investment.  Finding the right school is a journey, not a race to some imaginary finish line. Jodi is a frequent guest speaker at libraries, schools, podcasts, and webinars. Her insights have been featured in publications nationally, including the Wall Street Journal, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Teen Vogue, Rochester Business Journal, and The Deseret News (Utah).  She has also presented to professional groups, including the NYS Association of College Admissions Counselors. She and her husband, Louis, have four adult children and live in Rochester, NY with their golden doodle, Dustin.  Jodi has appeared on this podcast in episode 32 to discuss Making the Most of College Visits, in episode 160 to discuss Demonstrating Interest during Virtual College Tours, and in episode 523 to discuss Why This College, Why This Major? Find Jodi at www.jodiratkin.com LINKS When Should You Engage a College Admissions Consultant? IECS and the College Journey RELATED EPISODES HOW TO CHOOSE A COLLEGE COUNSELOR THE DIFFERENT ROLES OF SCHOOL AND PRIVATE COUNSELORS HOW PARENTS CAN SUPPORT (NOT DERAIL) THE COLLEGE PROCESS INTENTIONALITY ON THE ROAD TO COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

The Tests and the Rest podcast has always been relentlessly focused on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our own takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What have Amy and Mike been up to this month? Where did Mike travel? What are Amy and Mike's favorite family meals? What is Impact 9, and what are your hosts presenting on? What's coming up in the next month for Amy and Mike? We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let's get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling! LINKS Impact 9 RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: December 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: November 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: October 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: September 2025 ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

There's not a single question on the SAT or ACT that absolutely requires a calculator to solve. So are these powerful tools even necessary, and if so, where do they make a difference? Amy and Mike invited educators Vinny Madera and Tony Miglio to explore the importance of calculators on the SAT and ACT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How important is a calculator on the SAT and ACT? What are the best calculators to use on the tests? What skills are helpful to know for using DESMOS on the SAT and ACT? Is it better to take the digital ACT in order to be able to use DESMOS? Should test takers download useful programs into their calculators in advance? MEET OUR GUESTS Vinny Madera is the guy who shapes Test Prep Wizards and helps the team determine the most effective and efficient ways to get the results students need. Tutoring in some capacity since college, Vinny decided in 2007 to become a full-time tutor and works directly with over 800 students per year through his classes and individual students. Aiding numerous school districts, private institutions, and tutoring companies, Vinny has developed all Test Prep Wizards' reporting software and has written the company's SAT and ACT manuals, which have been licensed by many school districts as an efficient, low-cost means of helping their students.  Vinny is a huge nerd fan of data and statistics, moonlighting as a math enthusiast at Fairfield University, where he teaches a variety of math courses and freshman experience workshops. He brings this love of numbers and trends to Test Prep Wizards in the form of its state-of-the-art analysis programming. Vinny is the author of Demystifying the Calculator: A Guide to Using the TI-84 PLUS CE on the ACT. Vinny first appeared on the podcast on episode 141 to discuss Tracking Test Score Data, in episode 225 to discuss Calculator Usage On The SAT and ACT, in episode 340 for a SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Test Prep Wizards Score Reporting, and in episode 511 to discuss Answer Traps on Standardized Tests. Find Vinny at testprepwizards.com or vinny@testprepwizards.com. Tony Miglio is the owner of NKY Tutoring and a nationally sought-after test prep expert specializing in the math section of the ACT. He has worked with students both locally in the Greater Cincinnati area and also with students throughout the US and Europe. He works with students in person and virtually; in groups, and 1-1, and is able to help build a rapport with each of his students to help students grow in confidence, along with growing their ACT Scores. Tony is a former teacher and has been an ACT tutor for more than 15 years, with the last 10 specializing in helping students improve their ACT Math Scores. His specialty is customizing the mental approach for each student based on their score to drive success on the test.  Tony first appeared on the podcast on episode 48 to discuss How Test Prep and Sports Are Similar, and in episode 225 to discuss Calculator Usage On The SAT and ACT. Find Tony at nkytutoring@gmail.com or nkytutoring.com. LINKS Live Online Calculator Class Demystifying the Calculator: A Guide to Using the TI-84 PLUS CE on the ACT Be Calculator Smart on Test Day RELATED EPISODES Using The Desmos Calculator In Digital Testing All About Digital SAT Math Calculator Usage On The SAT and ACT ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.

The old saying that you won't receive what you don't ask for definitely applies to college financial aid.  Nobody likes paperwork, but there's one critical financial aid form that unlocks access to more than $14 billion in nonfederal aid. Amy and Mike invited financial planner Brian Eyster to explain exactly what the CSS Profile is. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the CSS Profile, and how does it differ from the FAFSA? Do all private universities require the CSS? How can I find out which colleges? Which assets and which income(s) do you need to reveal or disregard? How do you value your farm, business, and real estate, and how do you discount the values properly with documentation? Are you able to amend the CSS after submission? MEET OUR GUEST Brian Eyster, CCFS®, ELA™, LIC, is the visionary founder of the G.R.A.D. Process™, a groundbreaking system created to help families navigate the challenge of paying for their children's college education without sacrificing their retirement goals.  Over his 27-year career, Brian has developed a profound understanding of the financial needs of families. His personal experiences with college planning for his own kids have shaped his approach to wealth management, risk mitigation, resource allocation, and college funding strategies.   As a highly sought-after speaker, Brian shares his knowledge on Creative Funding for College, Cash Flow Design, Income Planning, Risk Management, and Tax-Advantaged Strategies. Clients trust and respect Brian for his commitment to delivering exceptional service. Brian lives in Metro Detroit with his wife, two kids, three cats, and enough guitar and softball equipment to last three generations. Brian can be reached at https://essentialstrategies.net. LINKS CSS Profile How to Complete the CSS Profile Participating Institutions and Programs FHFA House Price Index® Datasets How Student Loans Secretly Sabotage Your Financial Future College Planning With Brian Eyster RELATED EPISODES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FAFSA AND CSS PROFILE THE BETTER FAFSA FOR NEW AND PREVIOUS FILERS WHAT DO FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES MEAN FOR FINANCIAL AID? ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.

Even as many competitive colleges are returning to test score requirements for admissions, many others remain at least nominally optional. What does the near future hold for testing, and who stands to gain from improved exam performance? Amy and Mike invited educator Phillip Bates to explore the college admissions edge of test scores. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How significant are standardized test scores in today's increasingly holistic college admissions landscape? What strategies can students employ to maximize their test scores and gain a competitive edge in college applications? What are the benefits and drawbacks of test-optional policies? How has the importance of test scores in college admissions evolved over the past five years? What steps should students who are struggling with standardized tests but still aspire to attend competitive colleges take? MEET OUR GUEST Philip Bates is a lifelong learner and educator with an unwavering passion for equipping educators with the tools and strategies to help students transition from the classroom to college success. As Director of College Readiness at UWorld and host of the From Classroom to Campus podcast, he draws on 18+ years of experience as a teacher, principal, and education leader to equip educators with the knowledge and strategies to help students succeed in higher education. A dynamic speaker and advocate for college preparedness, Philip is committed to making the path to college more accessible and achievable for all learners. Phillip can be reached at UWorld, through the From Campus To Classroom podcast, and on LinkedIn. LINKS Where Are Test Scores Required? College Testing Plan for the HS Class of 2027 RELATED EPISODES THE PREDICTIVE VALIDITY OF TEST SCORES IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TESTING GAMEPLAN FOR THE CLASS OF 2027 WHO LOSES WHEN WE ABOLISH ENTRANCE EXAMS? WHY TESTS MATTER: STUDENT PERSPECTIVES ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

After 699 episodes devoted to amazing conversations about testing, admissions, education, and learning, it's time for something completely different. Amy and Mike invited educator Scott Greenspan to help celebrate our 700th episode.  What are five things you will learn in this episode? How did Tests and the Rest start, and how has it changed over time? What impact has the podcast had so far? What are Amy and Mike's theme songs, mentors, and dream vacations? Who else would Amy and Mike be willing to host TATR with? What might the future hold for the National Test Prep Association? MEET OUR GUEST Scott Greenspan is the founder/president of Span Test Prep in Glenview, IL, which is located in the north suburbs of Chicago. For well over 30 years, Scott has helped over 4000 students reach their goals on the ACT and SAT. He especially enjoys working with his students on motivation, mindfulness, and mastery of the content. He and his staff also do academic tutoring and college admissions coaching. Scott is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis with a BA in math, and he earned an MA in teaching from North Park University. His hobbies include tennis, skiing, and hiking. Scott is on the Board of Directors for the National Test Prep Association. Scott first appeared on the podcast in episode 191 in a Test Prep Profile and in episode 540 to discuss How Tennis And Test Prep Are Similar. Scott can be reached at sgreenspan@spantestprep.com or https://www.spantestprep.com/. RELATED EPISODES CELEBRATING OUR 600TH EPISODE CELEBRATING OUR 500TH EPISODE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF TEST PREP: AMY SEELEY'S ORIGIN STORY SAT & ACT TESTING TIMELINES: MIKE BERGIN'S ORIGIN STORY ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.

An assortment of institutions as diverse and differentiated as colleges and universities can be ranked and sorted in any number of ways. If not all listing criteria are equally relevant, which ones should you trust to find your best fit schools? Amy and Mike asked Washington Monthly editor-in-chief Paul Glastris to clarify his rankings for the best colleges for your tuition dollars. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What's wrong with the metrics that U.S. News and similar ranking systems use to rate colleges? What alternative metrics would be better to rate colleges? How can upward mobility of graduates be measured? Which "hidden gem" colleges should rank highly but don't show up prominently on other lists?  What makes a school a good value for most students? MEET OUR GUEST Paul Glastris is editor in chief of the Washington Monthly and founder of the magazine's alternative college rankings. He was previously a speechwriter for President Bill Clinton and a correspondent and editor at U.S. News and World Report. He is a co-founder of the National Vote at Home Institute and co-author of two books, The Other College Guide: A Roadmap to the Right School for You and Elephant in the Room: Washington in the Bush Years. He has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, Politico Magazine, Slate, and other publications. Paul can be reached at editors@washingtonmonthly.com. LINKS Washington Monthly's 2025 College Guide and Rankings 2025 Trends in College Pricing 🎓🦅 RELATED EPISODES WHICH COLLEGE RANKINGS CAN YOU TRUST? US NEWS & WORLD REPORT COLLEGE RANKINGS CONSIDERING COLLEGE FINANCIAL FIT FIRST RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Public schools are mandated to provide educational opportunities to all students and generally work very hard to support learners with profound deficits or differences. But what about learners who require enrichment rather than accommodations? Amy and Mike invited Kenneth Shores to examine the question of what public education owes to advanced students. What are five things you will learn in this episode? In theory, what is the purpose of public education? Why has public education struggled to support advanced students? Does harm occur when enrichment is withheld from thriving students? Why shouldn't families be responsible for providing enrichment? How does supporting advanced students align with the purpose of public education? MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Kenneth A. Shores is an associate professor specializing in education policy in the School of Education at the University of Delaware, and he is affiliated with the UD Center for Research in Education and Social Policy. His research is focused on educational inequality and encompasses both descriptive and causal inference. To this end, his work addresses racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in test scores, school disciplinary policy, classification systems, and school resources. In addition, he has examined how improvements to school finance systems can reduce educational inequality and how vulnerabilities in school finance systems can contribute to it. Dr. Shores was a National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellow, a Philanthropy and Civic Society Fellow, a Stanford Graduate Fellow, and an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Predoctoral Fellow. In 2018, he was the co-recipient of the National Council on Measurement in Education's Annual Award for exceptional achievement in educational measurement. He received his Ph.D. in education policy analysis from Stanford University. Prior to graduate school, he was a middle school teacher on the Navajo Nation. Kenneth can be reached at https://kennethshores.com or kshores@udel.edu. LINKS Rethinking What Public Education Owes to Flourishing Children High-achieving students deserve to be challenged in school RELATED EPISODES WHY GIFTED PROGRAMS ARE UNDER ATTACK THE NECESSITY OF GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAMS HOW GRADING POLICIES INFLUENCE GRADE INFLATION ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: December 2025 The Tests and the Rest podcast has always been relentlessly focused on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our own takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How was the NTPA Winter Workshop? What are Amy and Mike's plans for finishing the year strong? What are Amy and Mike's favorite Christmas carols? What are Amy and Mike's goals for 2026? What's coming up in the next month for Amy and Mike? We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let's get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling! RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: November 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: October 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: September 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: August 2025 ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Every dollar saved for college is a dollar you won't have to borrow. But even if you can save, what's the best way to put money aside for higher education? Amy and Mike invited financial expert Joanne Dashiell to explore new ways to use your 529 plan. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What exactly is a 529 plan, and how does it work? Can you talk about the two different types of 529 plans, savings and prepaid? What are some of the tax advantages associated with using a 529 plan? How have 2025 policy changes expanded 529 plan flexibility? What is the one message you hope families take away about saving for college?  MEET OUR GUEST Joanne Dashiell serves as Chief Marketing Officer at CollegeWell and Private College 529 Plan. In her current role, Joanne is responsible for leading all marketing efforts across multiple audiences and channels for CollegeWell. She brings over 20 years of higher education experience and a passion for helping families and students make their college dreams an affordable reality. Through her varied roles, Joanne has helped tens of thousands of families prepare for college by developing education and outreach programs for audiences of all ages.  As an industry expert, Joanne has delivered presentations throughout the country at national, regional, and state conferences. She serves as a resource for secondary and post-secondary professionals, providing guidance on financial aid regulations and trends in college enrollment and financing. Joanne's higher education career began in 2001, during which she spent several years working in financial aid at both public and private institutions, as well as in various roles at MEFA, ASA, and the Higher Education Assistance Group.   Joanne can be reached at education@pc529.com.  LINKS Can 529 Funds Be Used to Pay for Test Prep? Private College 529 Plan | What is a 529 Plan? Education Savings Vehicles: Know Your Options RELATED EPISODES 529 COLLEGE SAVINGS PLANS THE ROLE OF TEST SCORES IN COLLEGE MERIT AID BUSTING MYTHS ABOUT HOW TO PAY FOR COLLEGE  

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUESTS Kevin S. McCormick is a certified New Jersey English teacher who has taught middle and high school in Elizabeth, NJ since 2013. Before joining Teach for America, he worked in Institutional Equity Sales at Salomon Smith Barney, the NYSE, and the American Stock Exchange. He holds an MBA in Finance and International Business and a BA in English from NYU. Dani Fleischer is a writer and educator whose work has appeared in The Huffington Post and The Washington Post. Like Kevin, she teaches Middle School Language Arts in Elizabeth, NJ, helping students grow as readers, writers, and critical thinkers. She holds a BA from Rutgers University.  Kevin and Dani founded Steel Trap Tutoring ten years ago, developing their own proprietary materials for ACT and SAT prep. In their free time, they endure the lifelong struggle of being New York Giants and Knicks fans—valuable firsthand experience in resilience to pass along to their students. Find Dani & Kevin at 646-499-0019 or steeltraptutoring@gmail.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Lucy Zhang is the owner of A+ Test Prep and Tutoring, a 30+ year–old company helping students boost SAT/ACT scores and academic performance. She also co-founded SetSail, an online tutoring company connecting U.S. tutors with students abroad, and now runs both organizations. Lucy is focused on growing her impact by bringing additional tutoring teams into the fold, so more students can access high-quality, one-on-one support. Find Lucy on LinkedIn. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Roman Marchenko. After 15 years of teaching high school social studies in public and private settings, Roman transitioned to full-time test preparation. He's always been a big fan of standardized tests, and a large part of his practice is getting students to evolve their mindset about the ACT and SAT. So many view these tests as a necessary evil, at best, but that serves as an obstacle to performance!  Roman's favorite part of the job is getting to glimpse the lives of his students as he looks for unique ways to help them. He lives and works in the North Shore of Chicago and has one employee, a Bernedoodle named Millie who greets the students and acts as one of the least qualified security guards in the world. When he's not tutoring, he's trying his best to steer his four boys through school, safeguard a modest Lego collection, and indulge in a love of EDM music. Find Roman at yourexaminedlife@gmail.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Angie Kelley. Angie is the founder of Land Run Learning, a test prep and tutoring company dedicated to helping high-performing students train smart, test strong, and claim their futures. A licensed Oklahoma educator and graduate of Oklahoma Christian University with a B.S.E. in Mathematics, Angie draws on twenty years of classroom experience and a passion for strategic learning to help students reach their potential on high-stakes exams. Her work bridges the gap between academic mastery and confident performance, empowering students to thrive under pressure. Find Angie at angie@landrunlearning.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Jonah Fishel. Jonah has spent nearly a decade helping students and families unlock confidence and mastery in learning. His journey began in an unexpected place: volunteering as a mentor inside a juvenile detention center in central Virginia. There, he worked with young people facing immense challenges, including behavioral issues, learning differences, and years of disrupted schooling. What he discovered was that the real work wasn't just teaching math or reading. Instead, it was showing students that learning was worth the effort, and that they were capable of doing it. That early experience reshaped his entire philosophy of education and has guided his work ever since. Today, with a decade of test prep tutoring experience, Jonah specializes in supporting students with learning differences, helping them build both academic skills and self-belief. He holds a B.A. in Storytelling from the College of William & Mary, with minors in Computer Science and Religious Studies, and is completing his Master's in Education at Villanova University. He also spent nearly five years at Inspirica, a New York–based tutoring firm, where he worked as a full-time test prep tutor before becoming the company's Education Technology Manager. Find Jonah at nextstepprep.net. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Expanding your tutoring business with MentoMind with educators Amit Jain and Chris McKenna What are five things you will learn in this episode? How are tutors using MentoMind? How is MentoMind helping tutors attract more students? How is MentoMind evolving from an SAT/ACT platform to an all-learning course platform? What kind of courses are tutors creating on MentoMind? What is the new and upcoming AI-powered toolkit "TutorHub" all about? ABOUT MENTOMIND MentoMind is a revolutionary SAT/ACT prep platform designed to support students and help tutoring and test prep businesses thrive. MentoMind helps tutors attract and engage students through free diagnostic tests, practice questions, fun quizzes, and video courses. With robust white-label capabilities, freemium features, and payment gateway integration, tutors can launch their own branded platform to offer free content and sell digital subscriptions or self-paced programs. By using automated drip emails and parent communication, tutors can nurture a community of students and become their go-to choice the moment students need additional support in the form of full tutoring services. MentoMind uses AI-powered insights, adaptive learning technology, and high-quality test prep content to deliver personalized practice and strengthen student outcomes. The platform offers more than 3,500 expert-created practice questions, full-length tests, and real-time performance tracking, making it a well-rounded resource for standardized test preparation. For tutors, MentoMind streamlines time-consuming tasks such as grading, quiz creation, and student progress tracking. Its centralized dashboard lets instructors assign practice tests, monitor performance, and provide personalized feedback. It also integrates parent communication tools to support transparency and engagement. With AI-powered features, tutors can create or upload their own learning and practice materials, allowing them to focus more on teaching and student growth. One noteworthy feature of MentoMind is its AI-powered learning assistant, which offers 24/7 support to students. It provides hints and step-by-step guidance when they encounter difficulties, while keeping tutors informed of their conversations and progress. This interactive tool adapts to individual learning needs, making study sessions more engaging and effective. Beyond test preparation, MentoMind provides a holistic environment for both learners and educators. Whether you're an independent tutor, a test prep center, or a school, MentoMind delivers the tools, insights, and automation needed to enhance student success while streamlining workflows and supporting business growth. With advanced AI capabilities, automation, and white-label flexibility, MentoMind is a forward-thinking solution for college test preparation. TutorHub by MentoMind is an AI toolkit and content marketplace built for tutors. It enables tutors to quickly convert their existing practice worksheets into digital problem sets that are easily shared with students and graded automatically. And we're just getting started—powerful tools for creating new content and publishing to the marketplace are coming soon. Amit first appeared on the podcast in episode 539 to discuss How Can Tutors Use AI? and in episode 631 for a SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: MentoMind. To learn more about MentoMind, please reach out to amit.jain@mentomind.com or chris.mckenna@mentomind.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.

Liberal arts colleges represent what may be the most misunderstood class of higher ed institutions. What are the hallmarks of these schools, and what kinds of students should seek them out? Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Matt Arant to provide instruction in Liberal Arts Colleges 101. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How are liberal arts colleges defined in comparison to other types of schools? Is the application process different for liberal arts college applicants compared to those applying to research universities? Can you study STEM subjects at liberal arts colleges? What sort of pre-professional advising or alumni engagement programs are available at liberal arts colleges? Will I be adequately prepared for life post-graduation? How do I know if a liberal college might be a good fit? MEET OUR GUEST Matt Arant is the founder of Arant Academic Planning, LLC. Prior to becoming an independent counselor, Matt worked as an admission representative at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At F&M, Matt was the primary athletics liaison for the Office of Admission, working closely with over two dozen intercollegiate sports throughout the entire application cycle.  Matt has been invited to present on college athletic recruitment and the admissions process to public and private schools all across the country and is an active member of both the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and Texas Association for College Admission Counseling (TACAC). He is also a current associate member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), based in Metro Austin, Texas.  Matt previously appeared on the podcast in episode 634 to discuss Division III and Ivy League Athletic Recruitment. Find Matt at https://www.arantacademicplanning.com. LINKS How a Liberal Arts Degree Helps You Advance Your Career RELATED EPISODES ATTENDING A LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE ATTENDING A SMALL COLLEGE FINDING YOUR COLLEGE FIT ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.

The Tests and the Rest podcast has always been relentlessly focused on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our own takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How busy was last month for Amy and Mike? How was the College Board Forum? What new professional role has Amy taken on? What's been keeping Mike so busy? What's coming up in the next month for Amy and Mike? We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let's get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling! RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: October 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: September 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: August 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: July 2025 ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Most college-bound teens tend to focus on core English, history, science, and math classes as the keys to the schools of their dreams. Little do they know how important or influential their language studies can be. Amy and Mike invited educator Rachèle DeMeo to explore foreign languages as a superpower in college admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What's the best way for students to make their language proficiency really stand out on a college application, so it doesn't just look like another bullet point?  How can students highlight their language skills on their college applications? How can foreign language knowledge help students skip certain classes in college? How can students weave their language skills into their college experience—whether through study abroad, tutoring, campus jobs, or other opportunities that let them practice and even get paid for it? What are some of the long-term benefits of being bilingual or multilingual—not just for a student's academic journey, but also for their personal growth and future career opportunities? MEET OUR GUEST Rachèle DeMeo was born in Nîmes, in the south of France, and raised in a multicultural family with American, British, and Italian roots. Growing up bilingual, she developed a deep love for languages and cultures, which set the stage for her lifelong mission: helping others discover the power of languages. After earning her French Baccalaureate in languages, philosophy, and literature, she moved to the United States, where she completed a B.A. in Christian Education, taught French in various institutions, and even worked on Capitol Hill. She later moved to California to teach French at the middle school, high school, and college levels, and went on to earn two Master's degrees and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. With more than 20 years of teaching experience, Rachèle has taught everyone from young children to college students and professionals, both in-person and online. She is the founder and president of FLAM San Diego, a nonprofit school that provides French language and culture programs for children across the U.S., and the founder of Belle Terre Academy, which offers online language courses. She is also an author of six (published) books, an educational speaker who trains teachers worldwide, and a YouTuber with a growing community of over 18,000 subscribers. Beyond education, Rachèle is passionate about humanitarian work, having supported refugee and orphan projects around the world. She's also a musician, a lover of travel, and a fan of extreme sports like surfing and snowboarding. Today, she and her husband are raising their two children bilingually, continuing the family tradition of celebrating languages as a bridge between cultures. Rachèle can be reached at Rachele@flamsandiego.com. LINKS Rachèle DeMeo's books Foreign Languages for University Admissions — Setting Up for Success RELATED EPISODES GETTING READY FOR AP WORLD LANGUAGE EXAMS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.