Best Amy Seeley Podcasts (2025)

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626. THE RISE IN AP TESTING 28:03

27m ago28:03

28:03

During a period of American education history where most standardized tests fell at least momentarily out of favor, one series of exams seems to be growing in popularity with no end in sight. Amy and Mike invited educator Rob Franek to explore the explosive rise of Advanced Placement testing. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Wha…

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625. COLLEGE TRANSITIONS AND DISTRESS TOLERANCE 28:21

8d ago28:21

28:21

Big life changes hit all of us differently, which is to say that not every teen is equally prepared for the dramatic academic, social, and emotional shift that comes with moving away from home. Amy and Mike invited counselor Katie Burchenal to discuss college transitions and distress tolerance. What are five things you will learn in this episode? W…

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624. THE DEMOGRAPHIC CLIFF IS HERE 26:15

14d ago26:15

26:15

The entire edifice of higher education and industry depends on a steady flow of students coming in and qualified graduates flowing out. What happens to the system when the crucial input of applicants drops dramatically? Amy and Mike invited journalist Jon Marcus to answer that very question, because the dreaded demographic cliff is here. What are f…

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623. THE MOST COMMON NEUROMYTHS 28:01

21d ago28:01

28:01

A widely held belief about brain function is that very little is truly understood in modern science. Unfortunately, most people probably know even less than they think! Amy and Mike invited education professional Gretchen Wegner to explore and debunk the most common neuromyths. What are five things you will learn in this episode? 1. What exactly is…

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622. ADMISSIONS LESSONS FROM ADMISSIONS REPS 31:23

28d ago31:23

31:23

The opacity and complexity of elements of the college application process inspire endless speculation about what really matters. In many cases, though, the best place to find answers is with the colleges themselves. Amy and Mike invited educator John Durante to review admissions lessons learned from admissions representatives. What are five things …

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621. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: January 2025 29:27

1M ago29:27

29:27

A new year brings new excitement. The Tests and the Rest podcast has always been relentlessly focused 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 in…

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620. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS AN UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 25:18

1M ago25:18

25:18

Considering how prevalent the topic of AI has become in business, leisure, and education, it was only a matter of time before college students would choose to focus on its study. Amy and Mike invited college dean Jennifer Stephan to explore what you need to know about artificial intelligence as an undergraduate major. What are five things you will …

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619. POST PANDEMIC LEARNING LOSS 30:22

1M ago30:22

30:22

The global onset of the coronavirus shut down schools, which interrupted the educational process for millions of students. The expectation was that deficits in fundamental areas would be made up once the world opened up again. Did that happen though? Amy and Mike invited education professional Nancy Weinstein to explore post-pandemic learning loss.…

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618. HOW THE COMMON DATA SET CAN HELP INTERPRET WHAT COLLEGES TELL YOU 25:25

2M ago25:25

25:25

Finding your best fit school requires a lot of smart research, so don’t overlook one of the best sources of institutional information available. Amy and Mike invited independent counselor Jane Gabin to discuss how the common data set can help interpret what colleges tell you. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the Common D…

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617. PREPARING TEENS FOR COLLEGE: ARE THEY READY? 28:14

2M ago28:14

28:14

Wanting to pursue higher education is not exactly the same as being ready for higher education and all that its pursuit entails, as too many students learn to their detriment. Amy and Mike invited educator Carey Dukes to explore just how prepared and ready most teens are for college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Are students…

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616. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: December 2024 29:45

2M ago29:45

29:45

The Tests and the Rest podcast has always been relentlessly focused on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Once in a while, 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 e…

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615. THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLEGE INTERVIEWS 35:26

2M ago35:26

35:26

How odd is it that one of the most effective ways to learn about college applicants tends to be among the least frequent steps in the process. How valuable is direct conversation for evaluating prospective members of an educational community and what might the future hold? Amy and Mike invited college admissions expert Parke Muth to explore the imp…

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614. QUALITIES OF GREAT EDUCATORS AND COACHES 31:45

2M ago31:45

31:45

Just about anyone can become an educator or coach, but can anyone become great at it? Amy and Mike invited educator Dan Lerman to enumerate the qualities of great educators and coaches. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the foundational qualities of a great tutor or coach? What can be taught to tutors and how? How do you…

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613. IEC PROFILE: Alison Merzel 15:40

2M ago15:40

15:40

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Alison Merzel. Alison Merzel is the founder of AHM Advising LLC, an independent educational consulting practice focused on helping high school students and families find their best-fit post-secondary educational options. Pr…

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612. IEC PROFILE: Julie Spak 17:07

3M ago17:07

17:07

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Julie Spak. Since 1985, Julie has been connecting students to their futures in her work as a College Admissions Officer, Financial Aid Officer and Honors Program Counselor at the University of New Hampshire, where she recei…

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611. IEC PROFILE: Stef Mauler 17:17

3M ago17:17

17:17

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Stef Mauler, founder of the Mauler Institute™ and author of The Complete Candidate™. She began working in Ivy League admissions over 30 years ago. She met thousands of high school students and their families as they went th…

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610. IEC PROFILE: Michelle Siddons 16:20

3M ago16:20

16:20

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Michelle Siddons. Michelle is an Associate Member of IECA, a new member of NTPA, and has her Masters in Education from Seton Hall and undergraduate degree from Colgate University. Michelle has been helping high school stude…

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609. IEC PROFILE: Feiyang Liu 18:51

3M ago18:51

18:51

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Feiyang Liu. As a naturally introverted high school student, Feiyang felt immense pressure to adopt a bubbly, inauthentic persona for my college applications. This led to a lack of fulfillment and a realization that pretend…

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608. HOW TEST PREP PREPARES YOU FOR COLLEGE 29:38

3M ago29:38

29:38

The successful outcome of preparing for the SAT & ACT can yield a massive return on investment, but the real value lies in the process itself. Amy and Mike invited educator Rob Pollak to explore how test prep prepares you for college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Is test prep all about tips and tricks? How is standardized te…

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607. THE DIFFERENT ROLES OF SCHOOL AND PRIVATE COUNSELORS 29:36

3M ago29:36

29:36

Teens on the road to college tend to encounter a variety of counselors positioned to support them on their journeys. However, not every one of these counselors has the same job. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Margaret Rothe to define the different roles of school and private counselors. What are five things you will learn in this episo…

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606. HOW GRADING POLICIES INFLUENCE GRADE INFLATION 32:37

3M ago32:37

32:37

The fact that students are earning higher grades than ever without any appreciable increase in other assessments of academic ability should be well-known by now. Less understood are the root causes of this increasing phenomenon. Amy and Mike invited researchers Maia Goodman Young and Dan Goldhaber to dig into the data on how grading policies influe…

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605. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: November 2024 28:04

3M ago28:04

28:04

The Tests and the Rest podcast has always been relentlessly focused on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Once in a while, 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 e…

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604. ALL ABOUT THE ACT TEST ENHANCEMENTS 31:25

3M ago31:25

31:25

The ACT has been remarkably stable since the last time the exam was “enhanced” in 1989. However, significant changes are coming more quickly than you might think to this influential college admissions exam. Amy and Mike invited ACT representative Catherine Hofmann to share all the details about the ACT Test Enhancements. What are five things you wi…

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603. BUILD A WINNING BRAND TO ACE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS 25:03

4M ago25:03

25:03

You don’t need to be a future business major to bring some marketing acumen to your application to higher education. Amy and Mike invited marketing professional Stacey Ross Cohen to review how to build a winning brand to ace college admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How are college admissions and personal branding rel…

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602. HOW ADMISSIONS COUNSELOR MORALE IS CHANGING ADMISSIONS 26:05

4M ago26:05

26:05

The current college admissions dynamic where selective schools routinely receive 10, 15, or even 20 times as many applications as they have available seats has been a tremendous source of stress for applicants and their families. But how are the professionals who have to manage these applications holding up? Amy and Mike invited author Teege Mettil…

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601. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: October 2024 39:27

4M ago39:27

39:27

The Tests and the Rest podcast has always been relentlessly focused on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Once in a while, 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 e…

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600. CELEBRATING OUR 600TH EPISODE with educator Susan Powers 32:22

4M ago32:22

32:22

After 599 episodes devoted to amazing conversations about testing, admissions, education, and learning, it’s time for something completely different. Amy and Mike invited educator Susan Powers to help celebrate our 600th episode. Get ready to hear from the ghosts of podcasts past, present, and future along with a modified Colbert questionnaire! Wha…

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599. TEST PREP PROFILE: Sara Kohn 20:00

4M ago20:00

20:00

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Sara Kohn, who was raised in South Florida and attended Florida State University, where she obtained a degree in marketing. She later pursued a master's degree in exercise science. About two decades ago, She began tutor…

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598. TEST PREP PROFILE: Reema Chitalia 17:15

4M ago17:15

17:15

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Reema Chitalia, a dedicated test prep expert passionate about shaping the futures of students pursuing education abroad. After earning her Master's degree in the United States and working as a consultant at Deloitte, sh…

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597. TEST PREP PROFILE: Dan Cozzens 18:20

4M ago18:20

18:20

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Dan Cozzens. Dan has worked at Bespoke Education for almost twenty years: first as a Tutoring Associate, then Operations Director and now COO and Head of Tutoring. Building on individual subject tutoring mastery (includ…

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596. TEST PREP PROFILE: Mary Bassey 16:08

4M ago16:08

16:08

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Mary Bassey, a multi-passionate professional whose education and experience has spanned multiple subjects and standardized test types in the tutoring industry, in traditional education, in presenting literature from neu…

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595. TEST PREP PROFILE: Kate Fisher 17:51

4M ago17:51

17:51

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Kate Fisher, who grew up in Englewood, NJ, and graduated cum laude from Horace Mann School, where she remains an active part of the community and is a member of the Alumni Council. Private tutoring is not Kate's side hu…

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594. IS ROTC FOR YOU? 31:48

5M ago31:48

31:48

Many young adults grapple with the decision to either pursue undergraduate education or enter a branch of the U.S. military. Why choose when doing both can pay off in so many different and meaningful ways? Amy and Mike invited college counselor Phil Black to explore answers to the question, “Is ROTC for you?” What are five things you will learn in …

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593. THE ROLE OF TEST SCORES IN COLLEGE MERIT AID 24:51

5M ago24:51

24:51

We all know that getting into and paying for college represent two very different challenges. But what if you could focus on factors that improve your odds of accomplishing both at the same time? For a surprising number of schools, you can! Amy and Mike invited educator Brian Eufinger to explain the role of test scores in college merit aid. What ar…

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592. MAKING YOUR COLLEGE ESSAYS COUNT 26:21

5M ago26:21

26:21

As short as college application essays have to be, they still contribute heavily to holistic admissions decisions. Don’t waste a single word! Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Sheree Gravely to discuss how to make your college essays count. What are five things you will learn in this episode? When should students start the college essay w…

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591. ADMISSIONS NOTES FOR THE HS GRADUATING CLASS OF 2025 28:10

5M ago28:10

28:10

Every year, the conventional wisdom about getting into college gives way to painful, new truths and exciting, new opportunities. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Rebecca Stuart-Orlowski to return to the show with admissions notes for the HS graduating class of 2025. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How are colleges an…

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590. HOW TO PREP FOR THE DIGITAL PSAT 25:43

6M ago25:43

25:43

Every October, the PSAT is administered in high schools. Even though the test has no bearing on admissions, college-bound students should still take–and prepare–for it. Amy and Mike invited educator Brian Stewart to explore how to prepare for the digital PSAT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How has the PSAT changed over the pa…

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589. THE ROLE OF RAPPORT IN EDUCATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS 30:51

6M ago30:51

30:51

When learners work with teachers, tutors, consultants, and coaches, developing domain mastery and a strategic plan is an obvious component of success. Less obvious, however, is the instrumental roles personality and chemistry play in the learning process. Amy and Mike invited Jagmohan Durganandan to explore the role of rapport in educational relati…

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588. BIG CHANGES TO AP TESTS IN 2025 29:35

6M ago29:35

29:35

Advanced Placement courses have set the standard for accelerated subject studies in many high schools, but next year’s offerings may look very different from what teachers and students are used to. Amy and Mike invited educator John Moscatiello to explain the big changes–both in testing platforms and course options–in AP tests in 2025. What are fiv…

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587. SHOULD I APPLY EARLY DECISION OR EARLY ACTION? 28:53

6M ago28:53

28:53

SHOULD I APPLY EARLY DECISION OR EARLY ACTION? When applying to highly selective schools, every advantage makes a difference. Why, then, would a student pass up one of the biggest multipliers in acceptance rate? Amy and Mike invited education consultant David Parker to explore the existential college admissions question: should I apply Early Decisi…

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586. WHAT DOES THINKING CRITICALLY IN COLLEGE MEAN? 26:47

7M ago26:47

26:47

The standard high school education covers a broad and deep array of state-mandated subjects but doesn’t necessarily cultivate strong critical reasoning skills. That’s a shame, because those skills are essential to success in higher education. Amy and Mike invited college dean Louis Newman to explore what thinking critically in college means. What a…

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585. HOW PREPARATION AND MINDFULNESS GO TOGETHER 29:16

7M ago29:16

29:16

Some people embrace practice and coaching in order to be ready for a certain moment, while others train to be fully present in any moment. When it comes to the most important moments, why not both? Amy and Mike invited educators Claire Russell and Aproteem Choudhury to explore how preparation and mindfulness go together. What are five things you wi…

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584. USING THE DESMOS CALCULATOR IN DIGITAL TESTING 33:18

7M ago33:18

33:18

Powerful graphing calculators can provide potent math problem solving advantages for students that know how to use–and can afford–them. What is the impact, then, when everyone has free access to leading edge calculation tools? Amy and Mike invited educator Kyle Terracciano to explore using the Desmos calculator in digital testing. What are five thi…

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583. THE VALUE OF THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS 24:46

7M ago24:46

24:46

When Ralph Waldo Emerson suggested that it's the journey, not the destination, that matters, he may not have had higher education in mind. That said, applicants often overlook what really matters on the road to college. Amy and Mike invited college consultant Arthur Smith to explore the intrinsic value of the college admissions process. What are fi…

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582. THE NEED FOR TESTING SITES IN CALIFORNIA 25:32

7M ago25:32

25:32

California is the most populous American state with a veritable cornucopia of exceptional and reasonably well-funded high schools. Why, then, do Californian teens need to travel hundreds–and sometimes thousands–of miles to sit for the SAT or ACT? Amy and Mike invited student Sebastian Gillmore and educator David Blobaum to discuss the need for test…

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581. COLLEGE DOCUMENTATION FOR HOMESCHOOLERS 27:17

8M ago27:17

27:17

The bespoke nature of homeschooling can be a great advantage for tailoring education to a student’s individual needs. However, those differentiated programs present challenges when the time comes to apply to college. Amy and Mike invited education consultants Michele Evard and Holly Ramsey to review the intricacies of college documentation for home…

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580. THE PARENT TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE 26:55

8M ago26:55

26:55

We focus so much on our teens getting through high school and into college yet spend little time looking at the space between or how everyone involved needs to change and adapt for success. Amy and Mike invited educator Dr. Andrea Malkin Brenner to discuss the parent transition from high school to college. What are five things you will learn in thi…

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579. A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO TEST TAKING 26:57

8M ago26:57

26:57

When the most important exams in our lives tend to be meticulously crafted instruments based research, statistics, and standards, a sloppy and spontaneous approach just won’t cut it. Amy and Mike invited educator Russ Hanush to outline a scientific approach to test-taking. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why is general knowledg…

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578. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TRANSFERRING 27:08

8M ago27:08

27:08

While choosing a college feels like one of the biggest decisions of your life, choosing to leave one may be even more difficult. That said, swapping the wrong school for the right one can do wonders for your grades, mental health, and future prospects. Amy and Mike invited college advisor Jaime Smith to explore what you should know about transferri…

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