
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
Amy Seeley & Mike Bergin
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Top 10 Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

246. Test Prep Profile: Jen Henson
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
10/04/21 • 18 min
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry?
MEET OUR GUEST
Meet Jennifer Henson a.k.a “The GOAL DIGGER”, a nationally sought after test prep expert specializing in the ACT test. Jennifer, who was Winton Woods City School’s (OH) Teacher of the Year in 2014, holds a Master of Education degree with a Bachelor’s in English from Xavier University—where she was a walk-on tennis player. She’s taught for 21 years and coached ACT prep for over 12 years– and has an army of teachers trained to assist her requests for tutorials. Her former ACT students now attend notable higher learning institutions, including Notre Dame, The Ohio State University, Texas A&M, The Naval Academy, and the University of Kentucky—among others.
Jennifer has assisted students from California to Connecticut—and states in between—to reach their personal ACT goals. No score is too low or too high, as she has doubled the scores of students starting at the low end, in addition to helping initially higher scoring students achieve the coveted 36 on every section of the test. Two young men playing D1 football had a composite score of a 9 originally, and scored 18 and 20 (respectively) after working with her.
Jen first appeared on the podcast on episode #57 to talk Test Scores and the NCAA Clearinghouse.
Find Jen at jenhensonactprep.com.
ABOUT THIS PODCAST
Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

229. Helping Teens Find Motivation And Insight
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
08/17/21 • 25 min
Most parents and educators seek to become the wind filling their children’s proverbial sails, but unwittingly become hurricanes driving them way off course. Amy and Mike invited authors William Stixrud, Ph.D. and Ned Johnson to share insights into helping teens find motivation and insight.
What are five things you will learn in this episode?
- Why do adults nag teens, and what should they be doing instead?
- How true is the claim that many parents don't care about what their kids do so long as they always do their best?
- What does it mean to be a non-anxious consultant?
- Why are sleep and technology such hot button issues to address with teens?
- How important is modeling the right behaviors when parenting teens?
MEET OUR GUESTS
William Stixrud, Ph.D. is a clinical neuropsychologist and a faculty member at Children’s National Medical Center and George Washington University Medical School. Bill writes and lectures widely on the adolescent brain, meditation, and the effects of stress, sleep deprivation, and technology overload on the brain. He is on the advisory board of the David Lynch Foundation, and he plays in a rock band, Close Enough.
Ned Johnson is the founder of PrepMatters and the coauthor of Conquering the SAT: How Parents Can Help Teens Overcome the Pressure and Succeed. Ned also hosts the PrepTalks podcast. A sought-after speaker and teen coach for study skills, parent-teen dynamics, and anxiety management, his work has been featured on NPR, NewsHour, U.S. News & World Report, Time, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.
Bill and Ned are leading voices in parenting and child psychology and the bestselling authors of The Self-Driven Child, which Ned discussed on Tests and the Rest in episode #80 concerning Creating a Homeschool Plan During a Crisis.
Bill and Ned’s newest book is WHAT DO YOU SAY? How to Talk with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home.
Find Bill and Ned at selfdrivenchild.com.
LINKS
WHAT DO YOU SAY? How to Talk with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home
The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives
RELATED EPISODES
ADVOCACY FOR PARENTS OF HIGH SCHOOLERS
BRINGING GRIT TO TESTING AND ADMISSIONS
ABOUT THIS PODCAST
Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

575. TEST PREP PROFILE: Jason Hankins
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
06/05/24 • 11 min
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry?
MEET OUR GUEST
Meet Jason Hankins, who graduated in the year 2000 from Milwaukee School of Engineering with a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering and a minor in Business Administration. Jason works full time as a Software Engineer and part-time as a test prep tutor. He has a love of math and teaching others how to understand it. In 2004 he started his tutoring business, J. Digital Tutoring Services. He specialized in tutoring mathematics courses, math sections of standardized tests, Business courses as well as computer programming courses. Tests that he has helped students with include the NCLEX, TEAS, CLEP, ASVAB, GMAT, ACT, and SAT. With his business minor has been able to help students with accounting, finance, microeconomics, and managerial science courses.
Jason is the founder and moderator of the SAT Exam Prep & Discussion and ACT Exam Prep & Discussion Facebook groups.
Jason has been involved with math tutoring for a long time. His first tutoring job was in college working in the college’s Learning Resource Center. Since then, Jason has produced math instructional DVDs, worked as a math tutor at a local college (15 years), ran a tutoring program at a local church, maintained a math education YouTube channel, managed ACT and SAT Facebook groups, and is currently running his own private tutoring business. When he is not solving math problems Jason enjoys watching the stock market, looking for the next great stock, and watching professional sports.
Find Jason at http://www.j-digital.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. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

402. HOW DO I MOTIVATE MY STUDENT?
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
10/25/22 • 28 min
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 and educators support better executive function in students?
- What makes a breakdown in executive function the perfect opportunity for growth?
- How does motivational interviewing work?
- What are the ideal expected outcomes for motivational interviewing?
MEET OUR GUEST
Sean McCormick is the founder of Executive Function Specialists, an online coaching business which guides middle, high school, and college students in overcoming procrastination, disorganization and anxiety by teaching time management, prioritization and communication skills so they feel motivated, prepared, and empowered.
He has spoken about executive function skills at prominent conferences including the Association of Educational Therapists' National Conference, The Executive Function Online Summit, and the Love Tutoring Festival. Sean is also the host of the Earn More Tutoring Podcast with a mission to eradicate educator poverty.
Find Sean at [email protected].
LINKS
Motivational Interviewing For Students
5 Ways To Motivate Your Students
Turning some Ideas on their Head: Dr. Adele Diamond, TEDxWestVancouverED
Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding
RELATED EPISODES
HOW EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING PROCESSES IMPACT LEARNING
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AND ADD/ADHD
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. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

405. ALL ABOUT THE MCAT
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
11/04/22 • 29 min
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 admissions?
- When should students prepare for and take the MCAT?
- When should students retake the MCAT?
MEET OUR GUEST
Shirag Shemmassian, Ph.D. is the founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions and college admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school and top colleges using his systematic and proprietary approach.
Shirag first appeared on this podcast in episode #215 to discuss GETTING INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL.
Find Shirag at www.shemmassianconsulting.com.
LINKS
Taking the MCAT® Exam | Students & Residents
MCAT: The Ultimate Guide (2022) | Shemmassian Academic Consulting
RELATED EPISODES
WHAT EVERY PRE-MED MAJOR SHOULD KNOW
GETTING READY FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL
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. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

485. COMMON MISTAKES IN APPLYING FOR ACT ACCOMMODATIONS
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
05/19/23 • 26 min
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 timeline for requesting accommodations?
- How important is professional documentation in the application?
- What are common missteps in applications?
- What chronic or sudden medical issues may warrant accommodations?
MEET OUR GUEST
Bailey Graham is the Senior Accommodations Analyst at ACT, Inc. and has been there for three years. She has an undergraduate degree in psychology and a dual Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and Art Therapy from Adler University in Chicago. Bailey has had over a decade of experience working in the developmental disabilities field and has operated in several different roles ranging from direct service provision, case management, compliance, counseling, and program development & management. Prior to working at ACT, she served as a Disability Specialist at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she helped hundreds of students with disabilities navigate the college experience. Bailey currently lives with her husband and one year old son in the Iowa City area. When she’s not working, Bailey can be found reading books curled up with her pets and cultivating her houseplant collection.
Send your questions about ACT accommodations to [email protected] or 319-337-1332.
LINKS
RELATED EPISODES
RECEIVING TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS
TEST PREP FOR STUDENTS WITH ACCOMMODATIONS
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. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

496. 12 MUST-SEE SCHOLARSHIPS
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
06/16/23 • 30 min
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 in the scholarship process?
- Which specific scholarships should all applicants consider?
- What connects all of these scholarships?
- What can future applicants do to prepare for scholarship success?
MEET OUR GUEST
Dave Peterson, The Scholarship Coach, is the father of a rising college junior who, to date, has won over $80,000 in scholarships. Because of his son's success with scholarships, people started asking him for advice on how their children could win scholarships. These questions prompted Dave to write the book DEBT-FREE COLLEGE: Proven Strategies for Winning Scholarships and Other Tools to Help You Avoid Student Loan Debt. Dave shares a new scholarship opportunity every day on his podcast and Substack called "Your Daily Scholarship." He provides one-on-one coaching for students and families to help them find and win scholarships to achieve their debt-free college dreams.
Find Dave at [email protected].
LINKS
GE Reagan Foundation Scholarship
Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship
Chick-fil-A Community Scholars
Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program
Equitable Excellence Scholarship
Burger King Foundation Scholarship
Taco Bell Foundation Live Más Scholarship
Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarships
VFW Voice of Democracy Scholarship
RELATED EPISODES
HOW TO WIN LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
COMMON MISTAKES IN SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS
WHAT IS SCHOLARSHIP DISPLACEMENT?
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. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

498. HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE FRESHMAN
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
06/23/23 • 29 min
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 success for a college freshman?
- Why is engagement so critical for new college students?
- What types of students tend to struggle in college?
- What strategies can lead to success in all dimensions of college life?
MEET OUR GUEST
Scott Lutostanski began his career as a Special Education teacher in Chicago Public Schools. While working in special education, Scott also earned a Master’s degree in Community Counseling from Argosy University and became a Licensed Professional Counselor. For six years, he worked at a private counseling practice in the suburbs of Chicago. He specialized in providing executive function coaching, academic coaching, and individual counseling for high-achieving, underperforming students.
Scott combines his unique expertise in special education, school administration, and therapeutic counseling to foster meaningful relationships with clients. His main goal is to help direct students along the path to self-directed learning, executive function skill sets, personal growth, and independence.
Find Scott at [email protected].
LINKS
Your First Year of College: 25 Tips to Help You Survive and Thrive in Your Freshman Year
RELATED EPISODES
THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF COLLEGE SUCCESS
WHAT TO DO WHEN A STUDENT STRUGGLES IN COLLEGE
GALLUP ALUMNI SURVEY AND THE SIX COLLEGE EXPERIENCES THAT DRIVE SUCCESS
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. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

314. IEC PROFILE: Stuart Nachbar
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
03/30/22 • 18 min
Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant?
MEET OUR GUEST
A college and graduate school admissions advisor, Stuart Nachbar founded Educated Quest in 2014 to help students and their families consider academic options for majors, minors, and various career paths, college costs, resume building, essay development, and admissions interviews.
Stuart is a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling (NJACAC), the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC) and the Education Writer’s Association (EWA). In 2021 he earned the distinction: Certified Educational Planner (CEP). The American Institute of Certified Educational Planners (AICEP) awards this credential to professionals, working independently or in schools, who have achieved the highest level of competence in educational planning. Only the best and most experienced counselors qualify to become CEPs. Stuart is one of only 13 professionals in New Jersey who holds this distinction.
Stuart has worked around higher education for more than three decades as an urban economic development professional, software marketing executive, writer and admissions advisor. Before starting Educated Quest, he was Senior Vice President of College Central Network (CCN), a provider of Web-based applications to college career centers. For 11 years he helped grow the company’s client base from zero to relationships with over 600 schools. After leaving CCN he penned Defending College Heights, a murder mystery around the death of a U.S. Army recruiter during the Second Gulf War. He is completing a college admissions guide, The Good College, that he hopes to release in Fall 2022.
Stuart has a BA in Political Science and an MBA in Marketing from Rutgers University, a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as well as a Certificate in Digital Media Marketing from NYU. He completed his Certificate in College Counseling (with Distinction) from UCLA Extension. He and his wife, Carol, live in Central New Jersey.
Stuart first appeared on our podcast in episode 78 to discuss What Exactly Is A Good College?
You can find out more about Stuart at [email protected].
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. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.

534. CHOOSING BETWEEN THE DIGITAL SAT AND THE ACT
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
11/21/23 • 34 min
Now that college admissions is moving back into a test-preferred environment, students don’t have to struggle with the choice of whether or not to take a college entrance exam but rather which one. Amy and Mike invited educator Susan Powers to weigh the important factors in choosing between the digital SAT and the ACT.
What are five things you will learn in this episode?
- Why should students give thought to which test they want to take?
- How are the ACT and digital SAT different?
- How does the ACT Science section play into a decision about which test to take?
- Should you prepare for both the ACT and digital SAT?
- Are there any general rules for what types of students are better suited to either test?
MEET OUR GUEST
Susan Powers is the founder and CEO of Woodlands Test Prep, a tutoring company based in the Houston area that improves students’ scores, supports students’ academic success, and helps families navigate the college admissions testing process with much less stress.
Susan started teaching SAT and GMAT classes for Kaplan in 1994 as a hobby while an executive for a large oil and gas equipment company, doing strategy and acquisitions. The arrival of children put hobbies on hiatus, and she was able to return to tutoring in 2011, founding Woodlands Test Prep. The company has grown from a solopreneur to a larger company with multiple tutors. Susan delights in all aspects of the business from tutoring to curriculum and resource development to process improvement to hiring those few rare gems and teaching them how to help students too!
Susan was a National Merit Scholar and has a B.A. in French and a B.B.A. in Finance from Southern Methodist University and an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, focusing on entrepreneurship. She lives in the country with her partner, Joe, and three dogs, a cat, and a parrot named Monkey. Her two children now live adventurous lives in the mountainous West. She loves to travel around the world, play day-long board games, sing, write poetry, garden, and read a couple of books at a time.
Susan is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Test Prep Association. She first appeared on the podcast in episode 231 in a Test Prep Profile.
Susan can be reached at www.woodlandstestprep.com.
LINKS
RELATED EPISODES
WHY PRACTICE TESTS MATTER SO MUCH
THE NEW DIGITAL SAT EXPERIENCE: A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
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. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast have?
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast currently has 601 episodes available.
What topics does Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast cover?
The podcast is about Learning, College, Counseling, Courses, Podcasts and Education.
What is the most popular episode on Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast?
The episode title '101. Upside Of A Semester Online' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast?
The average episode length on Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast is 24 minutes.
How often are episodes of Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast released?
Episodes of Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast are typically released every 3 days.
When was the first episode of Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast?
The first episode of Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast was released on Jun 13, 2019.
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