With all the concern swirling around college admissions testing, maybe the solution isn’t fewer exams but actually more . Amy and Mike invited education professional Jeremy Tate to shed light on the Classic Learning Test (CLT). What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the Classic Learning Test? How does the CLT differ from the SAT and ACT? Why should schools value the CLT? What schools currently accept the CLT? What kind of student will do well on the CLT? MEET OUR GUESTS Jer...
Sep 04, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 123
Many students do college-level work during high school, but only a fortunate few figure out how to translate their studies to substantial college credits. Amy and Mike invited financial expert Rocky Lalvani to explain the many educational and fiscal advantages of dual enrollment programs. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What do dual enrollment and dual credit mean? Why do some students need more than a traditional high school experience? How does the cost of both private sch...
Sep 01, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 122
The college essay is, at heart, a sales letter intended to close the deal of a student’s admission to a desired school. Why, then, do writers so often ignore the power of rhetoric to inform, persuade, or motivate? Amy and Mike invited educator and podcaster Ryan Tibbens to explore the benefits of writing rhetorically in admissions essays. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What exactly is rhetoric? What are the two essential roles of an admissions essay? Why does writing for a ...
Aug 28, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 121
The traditional college visit presents the perfect opportunity to get a real feel for a school while demonstrating sincere interest. A virtual college visit is no different. Amy and Mike invited admissions consultant Jessie Peck Martin to explain how to make the most of a virtual college admissions event. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What, beyond the obvious, makes a virtual admissions event different from an on-campus admissions event? How do larger virtual college fairs...
Aug 25, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 120
Money is a major concern before, during, and very much after the college admissions process? So why isn’t financial planning integrated more consistently? Amy and Mike invited educator and consultant Lisa Marker-Robbins to explain why and how test prep professionals and financial planners can work together. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How can test scores affect scholarships and other forms of merit aid? Should scholarship opportunities influence college planning? What is...
Aug 21, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 119
Very few students graduate from college thinking that they just lived through the most challenging yet enriching four years of their lives. Then again, most students don’t go to schools like West Point! Amy and Mike invited admissions officer Major Kendrick Vaughn to describe the distinctive experience of attending a military service academy. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a crucible moment? What is different or unique about attending a military academy? Why does ev...
Aug 18, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 118
We all want to get scholarships, right? But how many people want to give scholarships? Amy and Mike did, mainly because scholarship expert Monica Matthews inspired us. That’s why we invited Monica back to help process the lessons learned by offering a scholarship. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What makes offering a scholarship an excellent idea? How quickly can you expect for people to become aware of a new scholarship? What elements make scholarships successful? What will...
Aug 14, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 117
Perfection, according to Vince Lombardi, is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. But is a perfect score on a critical admissions test really impossible, and what else can you catch in the pursuit of one? Amy and Mike invited author and educator Debbie Stier to discuss the road to a perfect test score. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How hard is it to earn a perfect score on tests like the SAT and ACT? What did you learn that can help others ear...
Aug 11, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 116
Community colleges have always served students and their surrounding municipalities and counties in ways that other educational institutions do not, and crisis conditions only amplify their impact. Amy and Mike invited Cuyahoga Community College Director Heidi Nicholas to highlight the crucial role of community colleges in the time of COVID-19. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How did the COVID crisis affect operations at community colleges in spring 2020? What does summer 20...
Aug 07, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 115
While we tend to focus on how much of an academic and social education college can offer, we tend to look past the professional skills students learn. To be fair, that’s because they are rarely taught in the classroom! Amy and Mike invited student advocate and podcaster Justin Dzuy Nguyen to explain what high schoolers should know about the next level. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why do personal social networks matter more than ever before? What are the right ways for te...
Aug 04, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 114
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. Amy and Mike invited parent advocate Mary Jo O’Neill to explain the intricacies of navigating an IEP or 504 plan. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the role of a parent advocate? What is the difference between a 504 and an IEP? How do you start the process to apply for a 50...
Jul 31, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 113
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” activities aren’t viable? Amy and Mike invited entrepreneur Megan O'Connor to discuss gap year alternatives during COVID. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why might a student be wise to pause before entering college? How does the COVID-19 crisis impact college options? What opti...
Jul 28, 2020•24 min•Season 1Ep. 112
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 positions? Amy and Mike invited student advocate Dr. Yoon S. Choi to analyze whether test optional policies drive equity. What are five things you will learn in this episode? If the test scores correlate highly with income and race, does eliminating tests address the underlying contributors to low scores? W...
Jul 24, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 111
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 and Mike invited three nationally recognized educators--Michael Jordan, Ben Sexton, and Bara Sapir--to sit on our Summer 2020 Summit panel on the importance of self-care for tutors and test prep professionals. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why is self-care important for tutors ...
Jul 23, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 110
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 communication early and often. Amy and Mike invited three nationally recognized test prep professionals--Laura Link, Andrea Kay McFarland, and Andre Kiss--to sit on our Summer 2020 Summit panel on the essentials of client-teacher communication. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Wh...
Jul 22, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 109
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, families, and everyone else involved? Amy and Mike invited three nationally recognized educational consultants--Judi Robinovitz, Lt. Col. Lisa Hillhouse, and Stacey Cunitz--to sit on our Summer 2020 Summit panel on how IECs and test prep professionals can work together. What are five things you will lear...
Jul 21, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 108
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 Schiffman to clarify why optional statements aren’t optional. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Do all colleges ask a “Why College X?” question? How should students respond to such an essay prompt? What should students avoid in their essays? How influential is an optional statement ...
Jul 17, 2020•22 min•Season 1Ep. 107
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 benefits of school day testing. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What underserved populations benefit from school day testing? What logistical challenges does school day testing pose? How did implementation change from one year to the next? What benefits did Valley HS see from...
Jul 14, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 106
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 in person? Amy and Mike invited ProctorU executive Ashley Norris to illuminate the reality of how remote proctoring actually works. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How does remote proctoring work? What hardware does remote proctoring require? In what ways are remote and in-person...
Jul 10, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 105
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 consultant Lisa Hillhouse to share detailed steps and timelines for applying to a military service academy. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a military service academy, and who is eligible to attend? How do you know which is right for you or your child? What makes the military a...
Jul 07, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 104
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? Amy and Mike invited test prep expert Phil McCaffrey to describe how to use student self-analysis to improve instruction.. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why does self-reflection matter? How can an educator best elicit effective self-reflection? Why are physical journals superi...
Jul 03, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 103
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 are up to the challenge? Amy and Mike invited educator and nurse practitioner Latrina Walden to share a unique perspective in the debate on why testing standards matter. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What kind of testing is required to become a nurse practitioner? How stringent...
Jun 30, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 102
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 college counselor Tim Lear to offer insights into the upside of a semester online. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why would students hesitate to attend traditional colleges remotely? What are the unexpected disadvantages of pausing education? What are the unexpected benefits of a s...
Jun 26, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 101
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 began? Amy and Mike invited our friend Brian Eufinger to host our 2019-20 academic year in review. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What topics were expected to be a big deal during the 2019-20 academic year? What were the real stories? What did everyone learn over the course of t...
Jun 23, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 100
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 explore the subtle differences between the SAT and ACT reading sections. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How similar are the reading sections of the SAT and ACT? Which section is more likely to feature 19th century or earlier passages? Which reading section may be easier to earn a ...
Jun 19, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 99
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 more effectively than everyone else? Amy and Mike invited marketing expert Mario Ronci to share insights into delivering education and admissions messaging online. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What unexpected advantages do educators have in marketing? Do educators and admissi...
Jun 16, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 98
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 preparation. Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Scott Clyburn to discuss best practices in test prep for students with accommodations. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What kind of testing accommodations are usually granted for the SAT and ACT? Why do educators have to act as adv...
Jun 12, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 97
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 Kircher-Morris to explore specific challenges and opportunities around college admissions for twice-exceptional students. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does twice-exceptional (2E) mean? What should 2E learners look for in a college? Why can self-advocacy be difficult for 2E lear...
Jun 09, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 96
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 Baldridge to explain the implications of the ultimate college stress test. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How does a stress test work, and what should it reveal? What tend to be the greatest predictors that an institution might close? How has the COVID-19 crisis impacted the survival ...
Jun 05, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 95
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 professional Rick Clark to describe the importance of family conversations about college admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Should parents decide which schools their teens should apply to? What is a useful technique to make sure parents and teens have the same college goa...
Jun 02, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 94
