Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Amy Seeley & Mike Bergin
  • 4.8 (44)
  • Courses
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to THE college admissions industry podcast! Join Mike Bergin and Amy Seeley as they discuss the latest issues in testing, admissions, learning, and education with leading experts. Tests and the Rest is perfect for parents, students, counselors, educators, test prep professionals, college consultants, and just about anyone engaged in the college admissions process. You can subscribe to this podcast or stream it online via any podcast app, including iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio. YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and Leap. Between the two of us, expect over 60 years of industry insight, expertise, insider news, and a bit of sarcasm.

  1. 2d ago

    SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Desmos SAT Math Course

    Know everything that the SAT Desmos calculator can do for you. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind the Desmos SAT Math Course? How does the Desmos SAT Math Course work? Who should use the Desmos SAT Math Course?  What kinds of outcomes does the Desmos SAT Math Course deliver?  What should someone curious about the Desmos SAT Math Course know about it? ABOUT THE DESMOS SAT MATH COURSE A complete self-paced video course covering every calculator concept and every practice question — so students walk into the test knowing exactly what the SAT Desmos calculator can do for them. To learn more, please visit desmosSATmath.com. 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.

    17 min

  2. 5d ago

    WHAT COLLEGES AREN'T TELLING YOU

    If you think the massive amount of information colleges expect applicants to absorb is too much, think about the equally essential insights that are left unsaid. Amy and Mike invited ed tech professional Reetu Gupta to dive into what colleges aren't telling you. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are colleges actually looking for today that they weren't before? Why is "minimum to compete" an important consideration for applicants? What should parents thinking "my kid has great grades, but I'm still worried" know? What are colleges doing behind the scenes to find their next class of students — and why does every family need to know this? What is one thing every college-bound teen should start thinking about immediately? MEET OUR GUEST Reetu Gupta is the co-founder and CEO of Cirkled In, the #1 student portfolio platform connecting students with colleges, internships, jobs, and scholarships. Under her leadership, Cirkled In has seen remarkable growth, empowering over a million and a half students to showcase their full potential beyond test scores and gain access to life-changing opportunities. A recognized leader in EdTech, Cirkled In has received prestigious national and global accolades, including the Grand American Business Awards (Top 10 Companies in the U.S.) and Elite 200 by GSV (Top 200 Global EdTech Companies). The platform has also been featured in national and local media for its role in transforming education and workforce development. Before founding Cirkled In, Reetu spent 15 years in corporate America, working across startups and Fortune 50 companies. She holds an MBA (Valedictorian) from the University of Washington, along with MS and BS degrees from India. Her entrepreneurial excellence has earned her a spot on Forbes NEXT1000 as an inspiring entrepreneur, as well as the "Female Entrepreneur of the Year" award. A firm believer that education is the most powerful tool for change, Reetu is on a mission to modernize this 100+ year-old industry and ensure that every student has access to the opportunities they deserve. Reetu can be reached at reetu@cirkledin.com. LINKS Cirkled In RELATED EPISODES BUILD A WINNING BRAND TO ACE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS UTILIZING A REFLECTION JOURNAL TO PREPARE FOR A COLLEGE ESSAY FINDING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF IN THE PATH TO COLLEGE 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.

    26 min

  3. Jun 30

    TAKING A HIGH-STAKES TEST AT HOME

    Much of the stress involved with taking an important exam is related to testing in a proctored environment surrounded by your anxious peers. What happens when you shift to more familiar ground? Amy and Mike invited educator Brian Eufinger to explore the experience and implications of taking a high-stakes test at home. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the technical and logistical requirements of an in-home exam? What security measures prevent widespread cheating? What are the benefits of taking a high-stakes test in your home? What are the downsides of taking a high-stakes test in your home? How does the CLT compare to the SAT or ACT? MEET OUR GUEST Brian Eufinger graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis in May 2004. While an undergrad, he enjoyed working as a teaching assistant for Political Science 101, a resident advisor (RA), and as a volunteer paramedic with WashU's Emergency Support Team. Brian is frequently invited to speak about test prep, college admissions, and scholarships at PTSA meetings at Atlanta-area high schools as well as Edison Prep's free parent meetings. Brian serves on the Board of Directors of the National Test Prep Association. He is an active member of Washington University's Young Alumni chapter in Atlanta, as well as the WashU Alumni Admissions Interviewer Program. Brian was our guest to discuss THE REALITY OF GRADE INFLATION (#28), SELF-PREP FOR THE SAT & ACT (#131), and SHOULD I TAKE THE ACT WRITING TEST? (#271) TESTING GAMEPLAN FOR THE CLASS OF 2025 (#432) and STATE OF TEST-OPTIONAL ADMISSIONS IN 2024 (#550), and THE ROLE OF TEST SCORES IN COLLEGE MERIT AID (#593). He hosted the show CELEBRATING OUR 500TH EPISODE and facilitated our 2019-20 ACADEMIC YEAR IN REVIEW (#100). Find Brian at https://www.edisonprep.com. LINKS CLT RELATED EPISODES WHAT IS THE CLT? HOW DOES REMOTE PROCTORING ACTUALLY WORK? SUCCESS IN COMPUTER-BASED TESTING 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.

    34 min

  4. Jun 26

    EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2026

    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? How was the NTPA National Conference in Chicago? Where did Amy travel, and who planned her trip? How's Mike's garden growing? What are your hosts looking forward to this summer? 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: May 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: April 2026  EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: March 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: February 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.

    31 min

  5. Jun 23

    735. BEACH READS FOR BETTER SCORES

    According to Henry Ward Beecher, there is a temperate zone in the mind, between luxurious indolence and exacting work; and it is to this region, just between laziness and labor, that summer reading belongs. Teens willing to spend time in this region will benefit from much more than just the sheer pleasure of a good book. Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Marina Yalon to dive into beach reads for better scores. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What's wrong with the "harder is better" reading approach? What's the benefit of contemporary fiction? What kinds of skills can students build from reading contemporary fiction? Do beach reads really have SAT vocabulary words? What are some book recommendations for summer reads? How should parents approach helping teens find the right book? MEET OUR GUEST Marina Yalon is the founder of MYPrep, a virtual tutoring company dedicated to taking the stress out of SAT and ACT prep. With deep expertise in both exams and nearly two decades spent coaching students to achieve their goal scores, she brings a highly individualized approach to test prep—meeting each student where they are and building from there. Through sessions, students build test (and life!) confidence. She's the kind of tutor students want to tell their friends about. Marina loves working with all kinds of learners, and her sessions are as likely to end with a book recommendation as a practice set. An avid reader with a soft spot for plot-twists and unreliable narrators, she's thrilled when a student gives her a new addition to her ever-growing TBR list. Her philosophy: it's all figure-out-able! Marina previously appeared on this podcast in episode 233 for a Test Prep Profile. Marina can be reached at https://www.learnwithmyprep.com. LINKS A Little Reading Every Day RELATED EPISODES VOCABULARY ON THE SAT & ACT IMPROVING READING SKILLS WITH STRUGGLING TEENS (PART 1) IMPROVING READING SKILLS WITH STRUGGLING TEENS (PART 2) 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.

    27 min

  6. Jun 16

    COLLEGE ENROLLMENT TRENDS FOR 2026 AND 2027

    If you've been paying attention over the last year, you've observed tremendous change, chaos, and uncertainty roiling higher education.  Behind the scenes, things are even crazier than they seem, which affects every single applicant. Amy and Mike invited educational consultants Aly Beaumont and Meg Joyce to unpack college enrollment trends for 2026 and 2027. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the big theme for college admissions right now? What two pathways do students need to decide between in selective admissions? How are adverse economic conditions affecting colleges and financial aid? What are the unforeseen benefits to applicants from the endowment tax? How can students and families navigate the current enrollment climate? MEET OUR GUESTS Aly Beaumont is the founder of Admissions Village, a family-focused, affordable, one-on-one college guidance consultancy. Aly is deeply committed to making the college admissions process less stressful, and her success in this objective can be measured by both the growing number of referrals she receives and the repeat business from family members. Aly is also a founder and advisor to The College T, a website connecting high school students with college students and recent graduates so that first-hand information and experiences can be shared. Aly is a graduate of Tufts University, where she majored in History with a concentration in Modern Women and African American History, and was captain of the Equestrian Team. She lives in Wilton, CT, with her husband Perry, their two dogs Buddy and Buzz, and their three sons. Two of their sons are currently in college at The University of St. Andrews in Scotland and Kenyon College in Ohio, and one graduated from Santa Clara University. Aly is a Professional member of IECA, and she has her certificate as an Independent Educational Consultant from the University of California, Irvine. Aly previously appeared on this podcast in episode 212 to discuss PREPARATION FOR HIGHLY SELECTIVE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, in episode 341 to discuss COURSE SELECTION FOR HIGHLY SELECTIVE ADMISSIONS, in episode 406 to discuss WHAT DOES UNHOOKED MEAN IN ADMISSIONS?, in episode 537 to discuss WHAT DO TRULY TEST OPTIONAL COLLEGES FOCUS ON?, and was the subject of an IEC PROFILE in episode 264. Meg Joyce works with Aly at Admissions Village, helping students and their parents navigate every step of the college search and application process. A self-professed research and detail geek, her favorite part of her job is watching students grow in skills and confidence as they work their way through high school and eventually college applications. Meg wants every student to feel supported and heard, and most of all - special - because when students feel that, it comes through not just in their applications but in everything they do.  Meg is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she studied finance and English and worked in the alumni office, talking to alums to learn about their time on campus and later volunteering for many years as an alumni interviewer. Meg works with Aly at Admissions Village helping students and their parents navigate every step of the college search and application process. A self-professed detail geek, her favorite part of her job is watching students grow in skills and confidence as they work their way through high school and eventually college applications. She likes to say she treats every student as she would want her own child to be treated (she's got four grown ones of her own). Meg is a Professional member of IECA, a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), and has a certificate as an independent educational consultant from the University of California, Irvine. Meg and Aly previously appeared in episode 630 to discuss THE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS PROFILE. Find Aly and Meg at https://www.admissionsvillage.com. LINKS Trends in Admissions and Higher ED, Part 1 - Colleges are Following Two Pathways Trends in Admissions and Higher ED, Part 2 - Admissions is Competitive Not Just For You, But Colleges As Well Trends in Admissions and Higher ED, Part 3 - Students Should Follow One of Two Pathways FAQs: How the 2025 Net Investment Income Tax ("Endowment Tax") Rate Increase Affects Harvard University RELATED EPISODES THE DEMOGRAPHIC CLIFF IS HERE WHAT IS THE CSS PROFILE? POWER DYNAMICS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS 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.

    33 min

  7. Jun 12

    SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: The Gauntlet

    The Gauntlet: Harder Questions, Higher Scores What are five things you will learn in this episode? What's the story behind The Gauntlet, and what problem inspired it?  How does The Gauntlet solve the challenge of managing prep material and what's actually in the library? How does the new tutor dashboard streamline day-to-day student management?  What is The Gauntlet's pricing model, and how does it alleviate changes in student utilization. For tutors who are already invested in different resources, what makes The Gauntlet worth trying? ABOUT THE GAUNTLET From the very first student he tutored, John McDowell has been on a single mission: get his students the highest scores possible. That obsession exposed a problem he couldn't ignore—free and official prep materials simply weren't hard enough. A student returning from test day complaining that the test was "much harder than the practice tests" isn't just a letdown; it's a bad rap for a tutor.  So he built the answer himself: The Gauntlet Today, The Gauntlet offers the most rigorous SAT prep in existence, anchored by The Gauntlet book series on Amazon: a Math Challenge, a Verbal Challenge, and now a Vocabulary Challenge built from the most frequently repeated SAT words. Built on a proprietary pedagogy that has delivered an average gain of over 70 points from a baseline SAT Reading and Writing score of 660, the platform delivers the 300 hardest SAT verbal and math questions available anywhere, full-length and section-only mock tests, Mr. John's famous high-frequency vocab and must-know math flashcards, and 3,000+ categorized drill questions—every one written and vetted by six published content experts, not AI, with new content added each week. Now Mr. John's Test Prep is opening The Gauntlet to private tutors and agencies with its next leap forward: a tutor dashboard that serves as a true command center. Tutors can assign content from the full library—or their own custom drills, quizzes, and practice tests—to individual students or entire cohorts, track performance in real time with at-a-glance metrics like days to test, score deltas, target gaps, and each student's weakest area, and schedule homework effortlessly with an industry-first drag-and-drop calendar view. Students get automatic inbox reminders on due dates, and with a built-in command palette and persistent messaging, everything tutors need lives in one place. And the best part is the pricing: industry-first prorated billing per student. Most test dates don't fall at the end of the month, so why pay for a student's access for days they'll never use? It can save tutors thousands compared to other platforms—and tutors can even let students pay for their own access, with account connection still a breeze. Built by an SAT specialist with a transparent record of one-on-one success and an MA in Applied Linguistics, The Gauntlet is for students chasing top percentiles—and the tutors who get them there. Learn more at passthegauntlet.com. To find out more, please contact support@tutorstack.com. 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.

    18 min

  8. Jun 9

    STRATEGIZING YOUR TESTING AND ADMISSIONS TIMELINE

    A great many tasks need to be accomplished successfully in order to secure a seat at a selective college. Luckily, they don't all need to be done at once, but proper timing makes a world of difference. Amy and Mike invited educator Eric Greenberg to discuss the finer points of strategizing your testing and admissions timeline. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why is it important for students and parents to assess testing plans by the end of 10th grade? By when should students strive to earn their best SAT or ACT scores? What are the dos and don'ts regarding choosing between the SAT and ACT? How should different rounds of applications (ED1, ED2, Rolling, RD, etc.) impact the "SAT, ACT, or neither" decision? Why is it crucial for students to understand the short-term and long-term implications of application submission dates? MEET OUR GUEST Eric Greenberg is a leading educational services expert. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School and is a graduate of The Fieldston High School in Riverdale, New York. Since establishing the Greenberg Educational Group in New York City in 1991, Greenberg and his team have helped thousands of students, of all ages, achieve their academic goals.  Greenberg Educational Group provides students and families with the tools needed to help achieve their educational aspirations. The team offers highly acclaimed Strategic Educational Advising & Application Essay assistance for all levels of a student's education, Test Preparation services, and Subject-Specific Academic Tutoring. Greenberg Educational Group's clients include students in elementary & middle school, high school, college, and graduate school, both domestically and internationally.  Eric can be reached at greenbergeducationalgroup.com. LINKS College Testing Plan for the HS Class of 2027 Testing & Scholarship Timelines Webinar RELATED EPISODES WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE THE SAT OR ACT? CHOOSING BETWEEN THE DIGITAL SAT AND THE ACT SHOULD I APPLY EARLY DECISION OR EARLY ACTION? 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.

    27 min
See All (740)

4.8
out of 5
44 Ratings

About

Welcome to THE college admissions industry podcast! Join Mike Bergin and Amy Seeley as they discuss the latest issues in testing, admissions, learning, and education with leading experts. Tests and the Rest is perfect for parents, students, counselors, educators, test prep professionals, college consultants, and just about anyone engaged in the college admissions process. You can subscribe to this podcast or stream it online via any podcast app, including iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio. YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and Leap. Between the two of us, expect over 60 years of industry insight, expertise, insider news, and a bit of sarcasm.

Information

You Might Also Like