Applicants find themselves more confused than ever by current test-optional admissions policies; how do you know if “optional” really applies to you? Amy and Mike invited college counseling expert Judi Robinovitz to explore the complexities of whether to submit test scores or not. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the difference between test optional and test blind? What did test optional look like as a policy before COVID? What does test-optional mean presently in col...
Dec 16, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 423
Higher education might be the priciest purchase in a person’s life. So why are there still so many questions about when and how to put money aside for that specific expense? Amy and Mike invited financial planner John Skomski to share strategies for investing in college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Is it reasonable for families to expect the full cost of college to be covered by scholarships and grants? How much should an average family set aside for college? When is the...
Dec 13, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 422
Empowering Students To Succeed In Life Through Private, Personalized Tutoring with educators Eva Addae and David Blobaum What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind Summit Prep? What differentiates Summit Prep? What kinds of students work best with Summit Prep? What kinds of outcomes do Summit Prep students experience? What else should someone curious about Summit Prep know about it? ABOUT SUMMIT PREP Summit Prep is a premier tutoring company that specializes in...
Dec 11, 2022•16 min•Season 1Ep. 421
Coaches often claim that we play like we practice. Unfortunately, we don’t always replicate our best practice results when it counts. Amy and Mike invited educator Brooke Hanson to discuss what to do when a test score disappoints. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How can test takers determine expectations for test score increases at the outset? What factors should be considered when scores don’t meet expectations? How should a student approach a second, third, or fourth retes...
Dec 09, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 420
The college admissions process can provoke a lot of anxiety, not just in students but in every other person with a stake in uncertain outcomes. Does submitting applications have to be this hectic? Amy and Mike invited high school counselor Candace McMahon to share guidance on destressifying the college admissions process. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is overwhelming students today about the college admissions process? Why has college admissions become an academic arm...
Dec 06, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 419
Discover the power of Niagara University with Alison Boland and Kyle Schwindler What are five things you will learn in this episode? Where is Niagara University located and what are its demographics? What types of students feel most at home at Niagara University? What is the energy or vibe like on campus? What are the strengths of Niagara University? What is something most people don't know about Niagara University? ABOUT NIAGARA UNIVERSITY Founded in 1856, Niagara University is a comprehensive ...
Dec 04, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 418
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Meredith Bagwill , the owner of Total College Prep, LLC . Meredith has 28 years of experience in education. Total College Prep, LLC. provides comprehensive tutoring services that enable students to improve test scores, navigate college admissions, and excel in academic coursework. SAT/ACT test prep courses and academic tutoring sessions are offered in the Dallas-Fort...
Dec 02, 2022•17 min•Season 1Ep. 417
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Kailey Ossanna , the proud owner of KO Tutoring, the test prep company she founded in August 2020. She is a graduate of Campbell University, receiving her BS in Biology. Kailey's path to KO Tutoring has had many interesting stops. From her time as an officer in the United States Army to overseeing quality control of the production of vital medical supplies to teachin...
Dec 01, 2022•16 min•Season 1Ep. 416
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Kuni Michael Beasley has a BS from Texas Christian University (GO Frogs!), an MBA from Oklahoma City University, a Doctor of Ministry in Greek and Hebrew from Tyndale Seminary, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Arlington. He has been helping students prepare for college for over 40 years. Dr. Beasley has helped students enroll in the top colleges in the coun...
Nov 30, 2022•17 min•Season 1Ep. 415
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Jeff Eisenberg , the founder of Long Island Test Prep, has been working as a test prep professional since 1991. He’s a lifelong resident of Long Island. Having just retired from the classroom after a 31-year career teaching Social Studies at East Meadow High School, he’s now working full-time to help students prepare for college by coaching them for all sections of the SA...
Nov 29, 2022•16 min•Season 1Ep. 414
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Huzefa Kapadia is the founder of Scalar Learning LLC , an education services company based in Los Angeles, CA. Moreover, he is a math video curriculum developer, math musician, and a private math tutor. His life is fully devoted to the art of teaching math, and all aspects of content creation are aimed towards helping students master mathematics for both school curriculum...
Nov 28, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 413
Learning and innovation, it is said, go hand in hand. Unfortunately, teachers don't always see how to bring the two together. Amy and Mike invited educator Barak Moore to describe how to be an innovative educator. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What makes innovation such an important cornerstone of education? What academic theories of innovation should teachers and tutors today be excited about? What do you mean when you say that you don't teach SAT, you teach ingenuity? Wh...
Nov 25, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 412
So many important factors converge in the college selection process, yet one of the most critical ones is far too often ignored. Amy and Mike invited college consultant Chris Wills to make the case for considering college financial fit first. What are five things you will learn in this episode? In what ways have the costs of college changed over the last few years? Why shouldn't students wait to consider costs until after they are accepted? What does prioritizing financial fit first look like? W...
Nov 22, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 411
Discussions about education tend to focus on those who do the teaching. Let’s not ignore, however, the abundant opportunities for improvement possible at the point of learning. Amy and Mike invited educator Patrice Bain to explain the importance of feedback-driven metacognition. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why doesn't study time always equate to commensurate learning? How can we discriminate between what we know and what we still need to learn? How are retrieval, spacing...
Nov 18, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 410
Test takers have more ways than ever to prepare for important exams. However, if the way you are learning doesn’t involve actually taking practice tests, does it even count as prep? Amy and Mike invited educator Paul Pscolka to explain why practice tests matter so much. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Is it really test preparation if you don’t take practice tests? What can be learned from practice tests? Why is simulating official test conditions so critical? Are timed tests...
Nov 15, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 409
Helping Tutoring Companies Grow Their Businesses with educator Matt McCorkle What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind Clear Choice Prep? What makes Clear Choice Prep the clear choice? What kinds of organizations work best with Clear Choice Prep? What kinds of outcomes do Clear Choice Prep clients experience? What should someone curious about Clear Choice Prep know about it? ABOUT CLEAR CHOICE PREP Clear Choice provides a 100% custom-branded test prep solution...
Nov 13, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 408
Most new college students say they don’t want a reprise of high school, but rather a brand new world of educational immersion and independent living. So why are so many teens not only unprepared for exactly that but unable to locate the resources put in place for their benefit? Amy and Mike invited educator Perry LaRoque to share strategies for making the most of college support systems. What are five things you will learn in this episode? In what critical way does life at college differ from th...
Nov 11, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 407
Most of us understand the meaning of the term “hook” in the context of a catchy song or piece of writing, but when did we start using it for college applicants? Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Aly Beaumont to explain what “unhooked” means in admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What exactly is a "hook" in college admissions parlance? Why do institutional priorities carry so much weight in admissions? Are hooks the same from one college to another? Is there...
Nov 08, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 406
We all value physicians, which means we all, by extension, value medical school. Like it or not, that must mean we all value that really challenging admissions exam all future doctors in the U.S. must excel on. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Shirag Shemmassian, Ph.D. to tell us all about the MCAT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is tested on the MCAT? How is the MCAT scored, and what is a good score? What kinds of schools or programs use the MCAT for admiss...
Nov 04, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 405
While college applicants are often offered all different sorts of financial aid, one type of aid stands head and shoulders above the rest. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Nancy Paul to answer the most common questions about merit aid. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is merit aid, and why is it more desirable than other forms of financial aid? What are the most common criteria for merit aid, and do test scores still matter? Can a student ever earn enough meri...
Nov 01, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 404
Generations of applicants have turned to the same metrics and authorities time and again to compare institutions of higher education. Should they? Amy and Mike invited professor Jed Macosko to explore which college rankings you can trust. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why are college rankings so influential? What do traditional college rankings purport to tell us? What do the traditional rankings often tell us instead? Should applicants trust college rankings? How should a...
Oct 28, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 403
The ability to achieve incredible things usually results from the combination of two powerful ingredients: practice plus coaching. However, nobody can follow that painstaking path to success without a third, equally essential element. Amy and Mike invited educator Sean McCormick to answer the age-old question, “How do I motivate my student?” What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why are executive function skills as important to focus on as math or reading skills? How can parents a...
Oct 25, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 402
Most conversations about memory tend to focus on familiar challenges with retention and retrieval of what we’ve previously learned and must know now. An overlooked but equally important area of concern should be what we need to remember later. Amy and Mike invited educator Andrew Watson to explain how to improve future memory. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is prospective memory? What makes remembering the future difficult? How can habits alleviate working memory overl...
Oct 21, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 401
In May 2020, the University of California Board of Regents eliminated standardized testing as part of its admissions considerations for at least five years. The move was alternately hailed or condemned, depending on your thoughts about education, standards, and opportunity. But what did the evidence suggest? Amy and Mike invited professor Donald Wittman to clarify why UC was wrong to stop using the SAT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What led the University of California Re...
Oct 18, 2022•33 min•Season 1Ep. 400
Unique Insights Into College Admissions, Costs, Academics, Reputations, and Rankings with Stuart Nachbar What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind The Good College ? What experience is The Good College based on? Who was The Good College written for? What kinds of outcomes should readers experience? What should someone curious about The Good College know about it? ABOUT THE GOOD COLLEGE The Good College offers unique insights into college admissions, costs, aca...
Oct 16, 2022•18 min•Season 1Ep. 399
With nearly 3,000 four-year schools in the United States to choose from, prospective students need ways to tell them apart. But how exactly are institutions of higher education sorted? Amy and Mike invited journalist Sarah Wood to share some of the thinking behind US News & World Report college rankings. What are five things you will learn in this episode? 1. What are the most significant metrics that US News uses in its ranking systems? 2. How have the college rankings changed over the last...
Oct 14, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 398
As if taking high-stakes exams wasn’t stressful enough, test takers today don’t just need to contend with fantastically challenging content and rigorous time constraints. Some days, even the parts of the test experience that you take for granted work against you. Amy and Mike invited educator Rob Pollak to explore how and why to manage your proctor. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What exactly is the role of a test proctor? How does the professionalism of the proctor influen...
Oct 11, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 397
Parents, educators, and all the other adults in children’s lives focus on helping them become healthier, smarter, and better prepared for their futures. Sometimes, though, we forget about what’s ultimately most important. Amy and Mike invited pediatrician Hansa Bhargava to advise on building happier teens. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why do teens seem to be facing more pressure than ever? What are the main drivers of teen unhappiness? Why is building resilience essential...
Oct 07, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 396
Colleges and graduate programs seek a broad range of attributes in applicants, only some of which are effectively measured in current entrance exams. Amy and Mike invited professor Robert Sternberg to explore advancements for improving admissions tests. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the theory of successful intelligence? How do we test for a broader range of contributors to success? What do assessments of creativity or wisdom look like? How predictive are tests lik...
Oct 04, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 395
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Erin Billy is the founder of Test Magic in San Francisco, California and the test prep forum Urch Forums . Since 1991, he has personally worked with thousands of students to help them get into great universities in the US, from the academic preparation in the early years to the tests and applications required to apply, both to under-graduate and graduate programs. Erin wo...
Sep 30, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 394
