Best Testprep Podcasts (2025)

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674. How And Why To Perform Your Best on the PSAT 29:59

Play Pause

31m ago29:59

29:59

The PSAT/NMSQT may not influence college admissions decisions, but the test matters in more ways than you might think. Amy and Mike invited educator and author Brian Stewart to discuss how and why to perform your best on the PSAT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What role does the PSAT play compared to the SAT or ACT? What are …

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673. Preparing For A College Admissions Interview 26:18

2h ago26:18

26:18

Someone once said that interviewing is tough, especially if you don't know what you're looking for. Another complicating factor is having no answer to predictable questions–a regrettably common occurrence for higher ed applicants. Amy and Mike invited educator Alison Slater to explore the importance of preparing for a college admissions interview. …

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672. From Stage To Test: What Performance Teaches Us About Test Anxiety 28:49

7d ago28:49

28:49

All the world’s a stage, which means that performance anxiety can be debilitating in a variety of contexts. What does it take to silence your inner critics and do your best when only your best will do? Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Christine Gangelhoff to explore what performance teaches us about test anxiety. What are five things you…

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671. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: August 2025 27:43

11d ago27:43

27:43

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 takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. …

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670. Intentionality On The Road To College 25:21

17d ago25:21

25:21

It’s been said that when we set an intention, somehow the world seems to magically come to meet us. Does that apply in college admissions? You'll never find out if you don’t try. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Ann Cadwallader to outline the impact of intentionality on the road to college. What are five things you will learn in this epi…

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669. College Essay Secrets 27:55

21d ago27:55

27:55

Few writing assignments loom as large or feel as significant as the application essay does to a college-bound teen. But what if the keys to a statement that makes a difference were both simple to understand and easy to implement? Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Susan Knoppow to reveal valuable college essay secrets. What are five things…

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668. STRATEGIES FOR THE COMPUTER-BASED ACT 29:37

28d ago29:37

29:37

Starting in September 2025, the ACT will be administered nationally both on paper and on digital devices. Should you take the ACT on a computer? If so, what do you need to know in advance? Amy and Mike invited educator Adam Snoza to review Strategies For The Computer-Based ACT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What should test t…

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667. THE IMPACT OF DUAL ENROLLMENT 26:09

1M ago26:09

26:09

Imagine two models of education, one of which reserves opportunities for college credit for college students and another which allows high schoolers to also earn college credit. Which do you think most college-bound students would prefer? Amy and Mike invited admissions professional Audrey Moreno to explore the impact of dual enrollment programs. W…

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666. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: July 2025 26:15

1M ago26:15

26:15

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 takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. …

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665. HOW TO MANAGE PROCRASTINATION IN THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS 25:56

1M ago25:56

25:56

Procrastination does not necessarily stem from laziness or disorganization. Sometimes, we put off important tasks to cope with negative emotions associated with their outcomes–perfectly understandable but highly undesirable when it comes to complex college applications and strict deadlines. Amy and Mike invited education consultant Michelle McAnane…

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664. TESTING GAMEPLAN FOR THE CLASS OF 2027 34:04

2M ago34:04

34:04

When tests change, so should the conventional wisdom about timelines and options. How will the Enhanced ACT factor into your admissions exam plans? Amy and Mike invited educator Brian Eufinger to review a testing gameplan for the HS class of 2027. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the main issues for students in the high…

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663. ADMISSIONS NOTES FOR THE HS GRADUATING CLASS OF 2026 29:12

2M ago29:12

29:12

Every year, new calculations and complications impact the college application process. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Rebecca Stuart-Orlowski to return to the show with admissions notes for the HS graduating class of 2026. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Is the enrollment cliff real, and what does it mean for the C…

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662. COLLEGE ADMISSIONS FOR THE STUDENT ATHLETE 29:30

2M ago29:30

29:30

The path for high school athletes seeking to play at the next level becomes more uncertain every year. The increasing complexity of college sports recruitment is matched only by the uncertainty of every other part of the application process. Amy and Mike invited college advisor Barb Smith to share answers about college admissions for the student at…

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661. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: VEGA AI 18:16

2M ago18:16

18:16

AI-first data-driven platform to build, deploy, analyze, and personalize any course. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind VEGA AI? How does VEGA AI work? Who currently uses VEGA AI? What kinds of outcomes do users experience? What should someone curious about VEGA AI know about it? ABOUT VEGA AI VEGA AI lets…

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660. HOW ARE POLITICAL CHANGES SHAPING HIGHER ED? 26:26

2M ago26:26

26:26

The walls of academia have always seemed distant and distinct from the corridors of political power. But even the ivory tower isn’t safe during periods of dramatic societal change. Amy and Mike invited educator Dominique Padurano to explore how political changes are shaping higher education. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What…

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659. HOW MUCH AI IS JUST RIGHT IN THE COLLEGE ESSAY? 27:47

2M ago27:47

27:47

Smart college applicants know not to let artificial intelligence agents write their entire personal statement but might shudder at the idea of ignoring these tools entirely. How much is too much? Amy and Mike invited educator Razi Hecker to explore how much AI is just right in the college essay. What are five things you will learn in this episode? …

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658. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2025 26:52

2M ago26:52

26:52

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 takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. …

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657. DOES IT MATTER IF YOU TAKE CALCULUS IN HIGH SCHOOL? 30:22

3M ago30:22

30:22

If you’re applying as a STEM major or looking at selective colleges, there’s no question that you should consider taking advanced or accelerated math courses at the secondary level. The question instead revolves around which course to take. Amy and Mike invited researcher Adam Tyner to review whether taking calculus in high school is absolutely nec…

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656. HOW TO PLAN A GAP YEAR 25:23

3M ago25:23

25:23

Most students matriculate directly from high school to college. But what if you’re not like most students? Amy and Mike invited education consultant Julia Rogers to explore how to plan a gap year. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Is there a typical profile of "who" takes a gap year? What are the biggest benefits of taking a gap …

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655. TEST PREP PROFILE: Kristen Lefebvre 16:37

3M ago16:37

16:37

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Kristen Lefebvre, the National Director of Education at StudyPoint, an educational services company that supports students across the U.S. on their journey to college by providing one-on-one academic and test prep tutor…

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654. TEST PREP PROFILE: Allen Tsao 17:18

3M ago17:18

17:18

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Allen Tsao, who started out as an Electrical Engineer (BS at UC Berkeley, and MS at Stanford University), and worked as a full-time engineer for 11 years before switching to tutoring full-time. He loves helping students…

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653. TEST PREP PROFILE: Margaret Duden 16:00

3M ago16:00

16:00

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Margaret Duden, Founder of Twin Cities Test Prep Tutor, is a full-time test prep and writing tutor who specializes in helping highly motivated students hone their writing skills, achieve their score goals on the ACT and…

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652. TEST PREP PROFILE: Ren Abraham 17:01

3M ago17:01

17:01

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Ren Abraham, the founder of Telos Tutors, a test prep and academic tutoring company serving students in the Philadelphia suburbs and beyond. With nearly two decades of teaching experience across both the humanities and …

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651. GAME PLAN FOR THE ENHANCED ACT 46:47

3M ago46:47

46:47

The unfolding changes to the ACT take effect everywhere in September. Are you ready? Let two nationally recognized experts in education–your hosts of the Tests and the Rest podcast–help you understand both the ACT enhancements and how students should navigate them. This free Game Plan for the Enhanced ACT webinar was presented live as part of the T…

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650. HOW CAN PAST POOR DECISIONS AFFECT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS? 25:24

4M ago25:24

25:24

To err is human, which makes adolescence a particularly intense expression of the human condition. Yes, we all make mistakes, but some are more glaring and likely to impact acceptance than others. But which ones? Amy and Mike invited student advocates Susan Stone and Kristina Supler to clarify how past poor decisions can affect college admissions. …

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649. AI AND THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS 29:38

4M ago29:38

29:38

In a process with as many steps as choosing, applying to, and being accepted at a target higher education institution, small improvements in efficiency at any point can compound dramatically for both applicants and admissions offices. Amy and Mike invited ed tech entrepreneur Sam Bernstein to explore the current state of AI and the college admissio…

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648. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: May 2025 26:25

4M ago26:25

26:25

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 intersection of business and educati…

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647. THE PREDICTIVE VALIDITY OF TEST SCORES IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS 30:39

4M ago30:39

30:39

The last thing anybody wants to do is sit for a meaningless test. Entrance exams like the SAT & ACT should be able to inform both test takers and target institutions about the likelihood of success at the next level. So do they? Amy and Mike invited educator David Blobaum to explore the predictive validity of test scores in college admissions. What…

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646. ENROLLING IN A TRADE SCHOOL 26:06

4M ago26:06

26:06

Not everyone assumes that life after high school automatically entails immediate enrollment in college. Many teens graduate ready to pursue a more practical education. Amy and Mike invited education market researcher Brady Colby to explain the implications of enrolling in a trade school. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What exa…

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645. TRUE COLLEGE ROI 24:06

4M ago24:06

24:06

One should not take on what is potentially the biggest expense of a lifetime lightly. Motivated students can absolutely make sure college pays off academically, socially, and emotionally; financially, though, can be a big question mark. Amy and Mike invited educator Gage Mersereau to define the concept of true college ROI. What are five things you …

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644. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: April 2025 31:23

5M ago31:23

31:23

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 intersection of business and educati…

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643. A TEST TAKER’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE ENHANCED ACT 33:16

5M ago33:16

33:16

The ACT has been a remarkably stable exam, administered in roughly the same way for decades. However, a new version is on the horizon, and some intrepid souls have braved the uncertainty of the field test to experience it. Amy and Mike invited someone who sat for the April 2025 Enhanced ACT to share the test taker’s perspective. What are five thing…

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642. GETTING READY FOR THE AP ECONOMICS EXAM 25:48

5M ago25:48

25:48

The Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take, and AP Economics is no exception. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educator Michael Rodriguez to share valuable strategies, insights, and resources for gettin…

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641. GETTING READY FOR THE AP PRECALCULUS EXAM 23:41

5M ago23:41

23:41

The Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take, and AP Precalculus is no exception. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educator Joey Lin to share valuable strategies, insights, and resources for getting ready…

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640. GETTING READY FOR AP WORLD LANGUAGE EXAMS 28:22

5M ago28:22

28:22

The Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take, and the various AP World Language and Culture exams are no exception. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educator Milton Alan Turner to share valuable strategie…

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639. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Wise 15:49

5M ago15:49

15:49

AKA Not Just Your Tutoring Software–It’s Your Tech Team What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind Wise? How does Wise work? Who currently uses Wise? What kinds of outcomes do users experience? What should someone curious about Wise know about it? ABOUT WISE Founded by a former test prep tutor, Wise is a feature-p…

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638. MENTAL MATH AND AUTOMATICITY 25:25

5M ago25:25

25:25

Mental math trains working memory, boosts confidence, supports faster problem-solving, enhances number sense, and facilitates everyday calculations. So why do so many teachers deemphasize this valuable academic and life skill? Amy and Mike invited educator Mike McGibbon to explore the value of mental math and automaticity. What are five things you …

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637. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: ScoreSmart 26:17

5M ago26:17

26:17

A test platform by tutors and for tutors Better SAT and ACT Tests, Smarter Analytics with educators Sonya Muthalia and Neill Seltzer What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind ScoreSmart? Which tests does ScoreSmart support? Who currently uses ScoreSmart? What kinds of outcomes do users experience? What should som…

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636. THE COLLEGE PLEASING EPIDEMIC 27:54

5M ago27:54

27:54

You can’t please everyone, nor should you seek to, because then you won’t please anyone, least of all yourself. When actor Dylan Moran dispensed that bit of wisdom, he probably wasn’t aware of how aptly it applied to highly selective admissions. Amy and Mike invited education consultant Feiyang Liu to highlight the troubling college pleasing epidem…

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635. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Edison Prep AP History Boot Camps 16:57

6M ago16:57

16:57

Learn everything you need to ace the AP U.S and World History Exams in One Day What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind Edison Prep AP History Boot Camps? How do Edison Prep AP History Boot Camps work? Do you need to live in Atlanta to attend Edison Prep AP History Boot Camps? What kinds of outcomes do users exp…

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634. DIVISION III AND IVY LEAGUE ATHLETIC RECRUITMENT 27:09

6M ago27:09

27:09

Many student athletes (or at least their parents) dream of earning a full ride to the college of their dreams. What most applicants find is that having sports on their resumes yields different but still substantial advantages. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Matt Arant to demystify Division III and Ivy League athletic recruitment. What …

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633. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: March 2025 27:29

6M ago27:29

27:29

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 intersection of business and educati…

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632. THE THREE CORE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS AND TEST PREP 26:56

6M ago26:56

26:56

Traits like cognitive flexibility and impulse control strongly influence student grades and test scores to such an extent that they may be best learned in an academic context. Amy and Mike invited educator Ariel Lieberman to explore the relationship between the three core executive functions and test prep. What are five things you will learn in thi…

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631. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: MentoMind 19:32

6M ago19:32

19:32

Expanding your tutoring business with MentoMind with educators Amit Jain and Jeremy Bryant What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind MentoMind? How does MentoMind work to help with student outcomes? How does MentoMind work to help educators attract students? Who currently uses MentoMind? How is MentoMind helping …

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630. THE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS PROFILE 31:29

6M ago31:29

31:29

So much of the college search and application process looks forward, focusing on the destination. Where a student is coming from matters quite a bit though. Amy and Mike invited educational consultants Aly Beaumont and Meg Joyce to explain the significance of the high school class profile. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What i…

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THE DIGITAL SAT: HOW IT STARTED AND HOW IT’S GOING 35:32

7M ago35:32

35:32

A year ago, an innovative new digital adaptive SAT came to the United States–a year after its first appearance internationally. This is the perfect time to find out how College Board feels about both the obstacles and opportunities encountered over this historic transition. Amy and Mike invited Vice President of SAT Suite Program Maureen Forman to …

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628. ADMISSIONS IMPLICATIONS OF ACADEMIC COMPETITIONS 26:45

7M ago26:45

26:45

While we generally profess to celebrate all interests and contributions, the clubs and activities that mean the most to some high schoolers fail to earn the respect that other extracurriculars do, even when students receive recognition on a state or national level. Do colleges at least care? Amy and Mike invited educator Vida John to explore the ad…

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627. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: February 2025 28:58

7M ago28:58

28:58

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 intersection of business and educati…

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626. THE RISE IN AP TESTING 28:03

7M 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

7M 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…