Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Of all the academic choices a student entering eighth grade or high school must make, math course selection exerts the most influence on future choices. What should a student, parent, or counselor consider when weighing the options? Amy and Mike invited author and math expert Richard Corn to clarify the process of choosing high school math courses strategically.  What are five things you will learn in this episode? What should drive math course selection? How do grade level, accelerated, and gifted tracks differ?  Can students change tracks in high school? What are the implications of math course selection for SAT and ACT scores? Should advanced math students choose calculus or statistics? MEET OUR GUEST Before tutoring, Richard was designing and building computer systems for large corporations. He decided to pursue his longstanding interest in mathematics and education, and since then he has helped hundreds of middle school and high school students with their studies in mathematics and with preparation for standardized tests.  His standardized testing students have increased their math scores by as much as 210 SAT points (or ACT equivalent).  When students complained about the quality of the prep books sold by big box publishers, Richard decided to write his own books for the math sections of the ACT and SAT.  His books have been very successful, having sold more than 36,000 copies. Book sales are mostly on Amazon, but there have also been direct sales to school bookstores and tutoring companies. Find Richard at https://www.mathtutorct.com/  RELATED EPISODES MATHEMATICAL MATURITY AND TEST SUCCESS MENTAL MATH AND AUTOMATICITY HIGH IMPACT STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED IN MATH LINKS Richard's extensive catalog of books Considerations in choosing calculus or statistics 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 entire higher ed application process is made easier with both broad and specific support of parents and guardians–with some notable exceptions. Amy and Mike invited college advisor Lisa Goldstein to explain how to not be "that parent" during the college admissions process. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the most common pitfalls you see parents fall into during the college process? When can prior experience with college admissions be misleading? How can parents keep from transmitting anxiety to their teens? What does the admonition for parents not to "should" on their kids mean? What are some strong strategies to begin the college process in a positive way? MEET OUR GUEST Lisa Goldstein has spent over 20 years working with hundreds of families navigating the college admissions process, both as a school counselor and as a college consultant in her private practice, Your College Process. She holds a Master's in Counselor Education from Hofstra University and is the author of The Compassionate College Process: Guiding Your Teen With Less Stress and More Joy. Lisa's approach is built on one core belief: the right college is the one that's right for your kid — not the one that looks best on a bumper sticker. Lisa works with families one-on-one through Your College Process, her private consulting practice based in West Hartford, CT. Lisa can be reached at yourcollegeprocess.com. LINKS The Compassionate College Process: Guiding Your Teen With Less Stress and More Joy Operation Varsity Blues 2019 college admissions bribery scandal  Your College Process RELATED EPISODES DESTRESSIFYING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS FAMILY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS BRINGING CRITICAL BALANCE TO HIGH SCHOOLERS' LIVES 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.

To many, the gifted and talented designation seems to promise a future of effortless academic success. How, then, can the adults in their lives help when these students face the inevitable educational challenges? Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Shane Bybee to offer guidance on what to do when gifted and talented students struggle.  What are five things you will learn in this episode? How is gifted and talented defined and identified? What is the remedy when gifted and talented students show imbalances in ability? What strategies help when a subject suddenly doesn't come easy to a gifted and talented student? How can gifted and talented students continue to grow even when not being challenged? How can parents and educators support gifted and talented students? MEET OUR GUEST Shane Bybee has spent over half his life teaching. Along the way, he has worked with thousands of different students teaching everything from remedial 7th grade English/Language Arts to Dual Credit English IV and AP Language and Composition and even remedial Algebra I. Every year, no matter the subject he taught, his students outperformed the campus average on standardized tests.  He has written curriculum, presented topics at the state convention for English teachers, and created professional development sessions for colleagues and school districts. While earning a master's degree in Educational Leadership and getting certified as an administrator, he started Bybee College Prep. He did research into how schools could help more students achieve National Merit recognition. His research grew into a tutorial service that has helped dozens of students reach National Merit Semifinalist status. As an educator, he is certified to teach Gifted and Talented students and has completed courses for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs.He has also served on test item review committees multiple times for the companies that write standardized tests and helped write online curriculum used by major test preparation companies. He understands what goes into crafting these tests. Find Shane at https://bybeecollegeprep.com LINKS What is Giftedness? RELATED EPISODES WHY GIFTED PROGRAMS ARE UNDER ATTACK THE NECESSITY OF GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAMS SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: INTEGRATED ACCELERATION SYSTEM 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 higher the stakes for any given exam, the more likely it is that some test takers will seek an unfair or unethical advantage, as anyone connected to the American Mathematics Competitions has recently observed. Amy and Mike invited educator Vida John to explain why math's "SAT moment" has arrived along with a shift to high-security testing. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the AMC, and what role does it play in college admissions? How does the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) address score integrity? What are the pros and cons of testing at private centers like Pearson? What are the implications for other contests related to science and humanities? Could we expect something similar happening to the SAT, AP, and ACT?   MEET OUR GUEST Vida John is a math coach and tutor who specializes in students preparing for math contests and studying curriculum published by Art of Problem Solving.  Vida grew up in Iowa, where she was a high school mathlete before studying at the Stanford School of Engineering and UCSF School of Medicine.  After working in Silicon Valley for a medical start-up, she homeschooled her two daughters to provide an excellent education, especially in math and science.   She coached homeschooled math teams for 10 years, and with both daughters now attending Stanford, she continues to help students prepare for MathCounts, AMC, and other contests while building their problem-solving skills. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and runs workshops on using math contests to prepare for college-level work.   Vida previously appeared on this podcast in episode 255 to discuss Competitive Math And Testing, in episode 536 to discuss All About the American Math Competition, and in episode 628 to discuss Admissions Implications of Academic Competitions. Find Vida at vidajohntutoring.com. LINKS American Mathematics Competitions MATHCOUNTS Foundation Art of Problem Solving RELATED EPISODES MATHEMATICAL MATURITY & TEST SUCCESS HIGH IMPACT STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED IN MATH CHOOSING HIGH SCHOOL MATH COURSES STRATEGICALLY 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 consistently focuses 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? How was Amy's son's wedding, and what was its test prep significance? What did Mike love about Cleveland? What are Amy & Mike's favorite Halloween costumes? 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: September 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: August 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: July 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2026 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.