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 essays under in light of the ruling against affirmative action in higher education? Amy and Mike invited educator Dominique Padurano to discuss the latest insights into diversity and the college essay. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the expected influence of the recent ...
Aug 04, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 513
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 educational consultant Robert Powers to share insights into navigating college and admissions as an LGBTQ+ student. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are important factors to consider when trying to find the right fit as an LGBTQ+ student? What are the different campus organiza...
Aug 01, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 512
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 can attest. Amy and Mike invited educator Vinny Madera to share his research on answer traps on standardized tests. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is an answer trap, and why do they exist? What is a distractor answer choice? What are common types of math distractor choices on...
Jul 28, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 511
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 invited educational consultant Lee Norwood to explain the W-Curve Model and new college students. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the W-Curve Model? How do the five stages of the W-Curve Model map levels of student comfort at school? Why should new college students be prepa...
Jul 25, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 510
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 standardized testing seek something other than a fair and transparent selection process? Amy and Mike invited educator Daniel Buck to explore who loses when we abolish entrance exams. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How widespread has the elimination of entrance exams been? What ...
Jul 21, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 509
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 Ossanna to share effective study skills for test preparation. What are five things you will learn in this episode? 1. What makes studying a skill? 2. What does a lack of effective study skills look like? 3. What study skills are essential for students preparing for important exams? 4. Why are study skil...
Jul 18, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 508
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 first U.S. administration of a very new version of an old exam. Amy and Mike invited educator and author Brian Stewart to share essential information about the new digital PSAT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How is the PSAT changing in Fall 2023? Will the scoring on the digital ...
Jul 14, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 507
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 first place? Amy and Mike invited college advisor and author Andy Lockwood to explore the meaning of real diversity in college admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the rationale for promoting diversity on college campuses? How effective have colleges been in bringing t...
Jul 11, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 506
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 Independent Educational Consultant (IEC), Certified Educational Planner located in Austin, Texas. Mrs. G first became familiar with independent college counseling when she hired a consultant to work with her three children and Mrs. G ended up doing all the work. After 28 years of working for non-profit organiz...
Jul 07, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 505
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 phenomenal young people in dreaming BIG! She helps families steer through the college admissions process with a minimum of stress and a maximum of fun. Jenny asks tough questions, challenges perceptions, while always listening and tailoring the journey for each individual student. She helps direct a...
Jul 06, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 504
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 and high school teacher of seven years are what led Tonica to create Cardinal College Planning to help students and their families in the college selection process. College is one of the largest investments a family will make, so the stress of making the right decision is understandable! She eases the ...
Jul 05, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 503
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 when she started college in Santa Cruz, CA. Majoring in English and psychology, Jen spent her early post-college years teaching high school English and drama. Her family moved between the West Coast and New Zealand for several years, so Jen chose to home-educate her kids. Finally landing in Washougal,...
Jul 04, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 502
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 College Coaching, and member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association and the New England Association for College Admission Counseling. Nancy visits dozens of colleges per year, and founded, chairs and moderates a group of 40 independent counselors who meet weekly to share best practices. She...
Jul 03, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 501
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 our 500th episode, we’re throwing all that away to focus on ourselves! Amy and Mike invited educator Brian Eufinger to guest host our first show devoted to listener questions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What were Mike and Amy’s favorite topics, most famous guests, and most pop...
Jun 30, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 500
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 compare the most popular and most lucrative college majors. What are five things you will learn in this episode? 1. Do college graduates tend to earn more than non-graduates? 2. How should we evaluate the return on investment of college? 3. Which college majors currently pay the most right out of scho...
Jun 27, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 499
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 if you aren’t ready for what lies ahead. Amy and Mike invited educator Scott Lutostanski to share how to be a successful college freshman. What are five things you will learn in this episode? In what critical way does life at college differ from the high school experience? What is the definition of su...
Jun 23, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 498
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 question that should be asked more often: “How do you know if you are ready for college?” What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does it mean to be ready for college? What are the consequences when a student is not ready for college? What skills and traits should students possess before t...
Jun 20, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 497
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 realize how many scholarships are available to industrious students. Amy and Mike invited scholarship expert Dave Peterson to share 12 must-see scholarships. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What elements make a scholarship worth looking at? What makes replicability so valuable i...
Jun 16, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 496
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 ground. Amy and Mike invited college consultant Malinda Schantz to share admissions considerations for aviation majors. What are five things you will learn in this episode? 1. What are the different aviation majors? 2. What are some considerations to keep in mind when researching professional pilot pr...
Jun 13, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 495
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 strengths and weaknesses often requires expert assessment. Amy and Mike invited educator Marcus Gray to explain the Highlands Ability Battery. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the Highlands Ability Battery, and how does it help students discover their strengths and weaknesses? In ...
Jun 09, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 494
As the primary ambassadors to prospective students throughout the application process, college admission representatives manage most communication on behalf of their institutions. So how should applicants communicate with them? Amy and Mike invited educator John Durante to share advice on how to speak to a college admissions rep. What are five things you will learn in this episode? 1. What, in your experience, is the role of a college admissions representative? 2. What kind of questions should a...
Jun 06, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 493
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid has always been a crucial but complicated and challenging step in receiving financial aid for college or graduate school. What improvements does the future hold? Amy and Mike invited financial aid advisor Ed Recker to explain the impact of the Better FAFSA for both new and previous filers. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the major differences in the current FAFSA and Better FAFSA? How do these changes impact calculation o...
Jun 02, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 492
Evaluating college fit encompasses so much more than finding the right academic programs. Many students also seek environments where they can continue to live and grow in the ways that are most important to them. Amy and Mike invited college advisor Dana Ponsky to explore navigating college and admissions as a Jewish student. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are important factors to consider when trying to find the right fit as a Jewish student? What are the different ca...
May 30, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 491
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Mackenzie Lee, Mackenzie Lee operates a “solopreneur” online tutoring business ( website ) focused primarily on test prep for the SAT and ACT, though also catering to occasional academic subject tutoring and other standardized tests. He has worked in tutoring for 11 years, first starting in the chemistry tutoring center at the University of South Florida, where he ea...
May 26, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 490
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Stefanie Toye, the Dean of Tutoring & Test Prep at Collegewise , a collective of admissions consultants and tutors. She has extensive leadership experience, of both full-time and part-time teams, and has helped individual offices, as well as million-dollar divisions, grow through her focus on marketing and streamlining operations. She has 2 decades of experience ...
May 25, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 489
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Nick Rubin, who grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He returned to graduate school for a Master’s in History and a PhD in Musicology. He taught high school and college courses in various disciplines for over twenty years and started Rubin Academics in 2019. He teaches in-person and on Zo...
May 24, 2023•22 min•Season 1Ep. 488
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Ingrid Moats, the founder of Tampa Bay Test Prep, who started the company as a way to give back to the community. She worked as a math teacher and credit recovery specialist in the public school system for over 10 years and she started the company as a way to help students who were just one test away from getting their high school diploma. Through her services, she w...
May 23, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 487
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Jim Shaver, who has been working with and preparing students for the ACT for 11 years. He has followed a very non-traditional path to his current career in the test prep industry. After earning his bachelor’s degree in secondary education, Jim served as an officer in the U.S. Army for 25 years. He drew from his years of experience in training Soldiers and Cadets to d...
May 22, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 486
Sometimes, the best way to ensure that everyone taking a test is compared fairly is to make sure that not everyone takes the test the exact same way. Testing accommodations are meant to level the playing field in the case of disability or differences. Amy and Mike invited accommodations expert Bailey Graham to describe common mistakes in applying for ACT accommodations. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What accommodations are available to test takers? What is the right timeli...
May 19, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 485
While schools are recognized primarily as institutions of academic study and knowledge acquisition, students learn so much more there… especially when they are in the right frames of mind. This is where SEL comes in. Amy and Mike invited educator Andy Tucker to answer the common question, “What is social and emotional learning?” What are five things you will learn in this episode? What exactly does social and emotional learning (SEL) entail? Why is SEL so relevant in educational conversations? W...
May 16, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 484
