Podcast
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
Hosted by Amy Seeley & Mike Bergin · EN
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.
48episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
704. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: January 2026
Jan 2900:23:18Tap to summarizeThe 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 education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What have Amy and Mike been up to this month? Where did Mike travel? What are Amy and Mike's favorite family meals? What is Impact 9, and what are your hosts presenting on? 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! LINKS Impact 9 RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: December 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: November 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: October 2025 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: September 2025 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.
Transcribe →703. THE IMPORTANCE OF CALCULATORS ON THE SAT & ACT
Jan 2700:26:45Tap to summarizeThere's not a single question on the SAT or ACT that absolutely requires a calculator to solve. So are these powerful tools even necessary, and if so, where do they make a difference? Amy and Mike invited educators Vinny Madera and Tony Miglio to explore the importance of calculators on the SAT and ACT. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How important is a calculator on the SAT and ACT? What are the best calculators to use on the tests? What skills are helpful to know for using DESMOS on the SAT and ACT? Is it better to take the digital ACT in order to be able to use DESMOS? Should test takers download useful programs into their calculators in advance? MEET OUR GUESTS Vinny Madera is the guy who shapes Test Prep Wizards and helps the team determine the most effective and efficient ways to get the results students need. Tutoring in some capacity since college, Vinny decided in 2007 to become a full-time tutor and works directly with over 800 students per year through his classes and individual students. Aiding numerous school districts, private institutions, and tutoring companies, Vinny has developed all Test Prep Wizards' reporting software and has written the company's SAT and ACT manuals, which have been licensed by many school districts as an efficient, low-cost means of helping their students. Vinny is a huge nerd fan of data and statistics, moonlighting as a math enthusiast at Fairfield University, where he teaches a variety of math courses and freshman experience workshops. He brings this love of numbers and trends to Test Prep Wizards in the form of its state-of-the-art analysis programming. Vinny is the author of Demystifying the Calculator: A Guide to Using the TI-84 PLUS CE on the ACT. Vinny first appeared on the podcast on episode 141 to discuss Tracking Test Score Data, in episode 225 to discuss Calculator Usage On The SAT and ACT, in episode 340 for a SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Test Prep Wizards Score Reporting, and in episode 511 to discuss Answer Traps on Standardized Tests. Find Vinny at testprepwizards.com or vinny@testprepwizards.com. Tony Miglio is the owner of NKY Tutoring and a nationally sought-after test prep expert specializing in the math section of the ACT. He has worked with students both locally in the Greater Cincinnati area and also with students throughout the US and Europe. He works with students in person and virtually; in groups, and 1-1, and is able to help build a rapport with each of his students to help students grow in confidence, along with growing their ACT Scores. Tony is a former teacher and has been an ACT tutor for more than 15 years, with the last 10 specializing in helping students improve their ACT Math Scores. His specialty is customizing the mental approach for each student based on their score to drive success on the test. Tony first appeared on the podcast on episode 48 to discuss How Test Prep and Sports Are Similar, and in episode 225 to discuss Calculator Usage On The SAT and ACT. Find Tony at nkytutoring@gmail.com or nkytutoring.com. LINKS Live Online Calculator Class Demystifying the Calculator: A Guide to Using the TI-84 PLUS CE on the ACT Be Calculator Smart on Test Day RELATED EPISODES Using The Desmos Calculator In Digital Testing All About Digital SAT Math Calculator Usage On The SAT and ACT 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.
Transcribe →702. WHAT IS THE CSS PROFILE?
Jan 2000:31:31Tap to summarizeThe old saying that you won't receive what you don't ask for definitely applies to college financial aid. Nobody likes paperwork, but there's one critical financial aid form that unlocks access to more than $14 billion in nonfederal aid. Amy and Mike invited financial planner Brian Eyster to explain exactly what the CSS Profile is. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the CSS Profile, and how does it differ from the FAFSA? Do all private universities require the CSS? How can I find out which colleges? Which assets and which income(s) do you need to reveal or disregard? How do you value your farm, business, and real estate, and how do you discount the values properly with documentation? Are you able to amend the CSS after submission? MEET OUR GUEST Brian Eyster, CCFS®, ELA™, LIC, is the visionary founder of the G.R.A.D. Process™, a groundbreaking system created to help families navigate the challenge of paying for their children's college education without sacrificing their retirement goals. Over his 27-year career, Brian has developed a profound understanding of the financial needs of families. His personal experiences with college planning for his own kids have shaped his approach to wealth management, risk mitigation, resource allocation, and college funding strategies. As a highly sought-after speaker, Brian shares his knowledge on Creative Funding for College, Cash Flow Design, Income Planning, Risk Management, and Tax-Advantaged Strategies. Clients trust and respect Brian for his commitment to delivering exceptional service. Brian lives in Metro Detroit with his wife, two kids, three cats, and enough guitar and softball equipment to last three generations. Brian can be reached at https://essentialstrategies.net. LINKS CSS Profile How to Complete the CSS Profile Participating Institutions and Programs FHFA House Price Index® Datasets How Student Loans Secretly Sabotage Your Financial Future College Planning With Brian Eyster RELATED EPISODES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FAFSA AND CSS PROFILE THE BETTER FAFSA FOR NEW AND PREVIOUS FILERS WHAT DO FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES MEAN FOR FINANCIAL AID? 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.
Transcribe →567. GETTING READY FOR THE AP COMPUTER SCIENCE A EXAM
Apr 26, 2024Tap to summarizeThe Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take, and AP Computer Science is no exception. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educator Edward Lee to share valuable strategies, insights, and resources for getting ready for the AP Computer Science A exam. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is tested on the AP Computer Science A exam? How do AP Computer Science A and AP Computer Science Principles differ? What are the highest priority topics on the test? How should students prepare for the AP Computer Science A exam? What are the best prep materials for AP Computer Science A? MEET OUR GUEST Edward Lee is the owner and founder of Lee Tutoring, which he built from the ground up to make online test prep and academic tutoring as engaging and valuable as possible for digital natives. He has nearly a decade of experience in test prep and a bit more than a decade with computer science tutoring. While he originally intended to earn a degree in Computer Science, his love for teaching won out and he earned his degree in Philosophy instead, which he completed alongside a thesis on Samuel Beckett's novels and learning as overcoming "good sense." He's been tutoring full-time ever since! Edward's life mission is to reconcile his interest in both the cutting-edge field of computer science with his interest in classical education. In 6th grade, his father packed a copy of The Iliad into his backpack for some "light reading," but it hardly fit next to the Arduino project Edward had constructed for his physics class. His commitment to a socratic approach is symbolized by the Ionic column motif in Lee Tutoring's logo and his approach to technology is evident in the source code he writes to keep his business running! Edward and his team at Lee Tutoring have helped well over a thousand students achieve their goals on the SAT and ACT. Edward has personally helped dozens of students prepare for the AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Calculus AB/BC exams. Edward can be reached at leetutoring.com. LINKS AP Computer Science A CodingBat AP CSA Java Course — AP CSAwesome Albert.io AP Computer Science A Premium, 2024: 6 Practice Tests + Comprehensive Review + Online Practice (Barron's AP Prep) RELATED EPISODES GETTING READY FOR THE AP LANGUAGE EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP US HISTORY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP STATISTICS EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP CHEMISTRY EXAM 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.
Transcribe →566. GETTING READY FOR THE AP LITERATURE EXAM
Apr 25, 2024Tap to summarizeThe Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educator Christy Shriver to share valuable strategies, insights, and resources for getting ready for the AP Literature exam. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is tested on the AP Literature exam? What are the different approaches required by each essay? What strategies lead to higher scores on the AP Literature exam? How should students practice and prepare for the AP Literature exam? How has AI impacted student readiness for the AP Lit exam? MEET OUR GUEST Christy Shriver is an educator from Memphis, TN. Currently, she produces the How to Love Lit Podcast, a tool to support IB and AP students in preparation for their exams. She has been teaching both AP and IB in public and private schools in the Memphis area for the last 20 years. Christy graduated from the Escola Americana de Belo Horizonte as an IB student and has lived much of her life internationally, primarily in the country of Brazil. Although she is a strong advocate of the IB program, she is currently an AP Language teacher and AP reader. Christy first appeared on this podcast in episode 199 to discuss Choosing Between AP and IB Programs and episode 472 to discuss Getting Ready For The AP Language Exam. Find Christy at christy@howtolovelitpodcast.com. LINKS AP English Language and Composition Exam – AP Central | College Board AP English Language and Composition Exam What is the Test Format of the AP® English Language Exam? RELATED EPISODES GETTING READY FOR THE AP LANGUAGE EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP US HISTORY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP STATISTICS EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP CHEMISTRY EXAM 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.
Transcribe →565. GETTING READY FOR THE AP CALCULUS AB OR BC EXAM
Apr 24, 2024Tap to summarizeThe Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educator Shayda Moshirvaziri to share valuable strategies, insights, and resources for getting ready for the AP Calculus AB or BC exam. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is tested on the AP Calculus exam? How important is a calculator on the AP Calculus exam? What are the highest priority topics for this exam? What are the best prep materials for AP Calculus? How should students prepare for the AP Calculus? MEET OUR GUEST Shayda Moshirvaziri is the founder of Pivot Tutors Shayda graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Biomedical Engineering in 2003. She was accepted at MIT, John Hopkins University, Stanford, and UCSD for Ph.D. programs in Electrical Engineering and Bioengineering on full fellowship. She chose to attend UCSD for graduate school and received her Masters and Doctorate in Bioengineering in 2007 and 2010, respectively. Shayda has over 15 years of teaching and tutoring experience with all levels of mathematics and science for middle school, high school, and college-level students. She has a passion for teaching young students and has taught undergraduate courses at UCSD, including Introduction to Bioengineering, Human Physiology, and Computer Science. Before starting Pivot Tutors in 2012, she developed an ACT boot camp course for a private high school in San Diego and taught as a premier level ACT and SAT instructor for different test prep centers. After recently selling Pivot Tutors, she has returned to tutoring students across the country. Shayda first appeared on this podcast in episode #303 as the subject of a Test Prep Profile. Shayda can be reached at shaydamoshirvaziri@gmail.com. LINKS AP Calculus AB AP Calculus BC Test Preparation Books - GET 800 AP Calculus AB/BC designed to help Students get a Perfect Score Chung, Dr. John RELATED EPISODES GETTING READY FOR THE AP LANGUAGE EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP US HISTORY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP STATISTICS EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP CHEMISTRY EXAM 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.
Transcribe →564. GETTING READY FOR THE AP GOVERNMENT EXAM
Apr 23, 2024Tap to summarizeThe Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educator Dan Corrigan to share valuable strategies, insights, and resources for getting ready for the AP United States Government and Politics exam. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is tested on the AP Government and Politics exam? What are the highest priority topics for this exam? How should students prepare for the AP Government? What are the best prep materials for the AP Government exam? Is there anything distinctive about the AP Government exam? MEET OUR GUEST Dan Corrigan graduated from Princeton University in 1982 with a degree in History. He received his Masters in Teaching from Marygrove College. He has been a teacher at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio for 40 years, where he has taught AP US Government and Politics for 30 years and also AP European History. LINKS AP United States Government and Politics AP U.S. Government and Politics | C-Span AP®︎ US Government & Politics (College-level) | Khan Academy RELATED EPISODES GETTING READY FOR THE AP LANGUAGE EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP US HISTORY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP STATISTICS EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP CHEMISTRY EXAM 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.
Transcribe →563. GETTING READY FOR THE AP PHYSICS 1 EXAM
Apr 22, 2024Tap to summarizeThe Advanced Placement exams represent some of the most challenging subject-specific standardized tests a high schooler might ever take, and AP Physics 1 is no exception. Amy and Mike believe that every test warrants smart, serious preparation, so we invited educators Jennifer Boughton and John D’Alessandro to share valuable strategies, insights, and resources for getting ready for the AP Physics 1 exam. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is tested on the AP Physics 1 exam and how does it differ from the other physics APs? How important is a calculator on the AP Physics exam? What are the highest priority topics for this exam? What are the best prep materials for AP Physics? How should students prepare for the AP Physics? MEET OUR GUESTS Jennifer Boughton is an enthusiastic educator fascinated by the studies of physics and mathematics. She received bachelor’s degrees in Physics, Physics Education and Mathematics Education along with a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Bowling Green State University. After spending a few years teaching high school, Jennifer accepted a position with the federal government supervising an operational team and serving as an adjunct instructor for training programs across the United States working with the CIA, DoD, FBI, and JCITA for more than 12 years. Jennifer returned to public school teaching in 2016 and currently works in the Cincinnati, Ohio area as a Physics instructor at Saint Xavier High School, an adjunct instructor of Physics, Mathematics and Robotics at The University of Cincinnati for the Upward Bound Program and a Physics, Mathematics, ACT and SAT tutor for LEAP-Test Prep and College Counseling. Jennifer can be reached at info@leaprogram.com. John D’Alessandro teaches multiple levels of physics at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, OH. He received a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Michigan. While he was pursuing a doctorate in astrophysics at the University of Kentucky, he was exposed to modern tools to teach physics at the high school level, and that changed the course of his life. He realized teaching was what thrilled him. He left UK with a master’s degree in physics and then received a master’s of science in secondary school science education from Columbia University’s Teachers College. John is a National Board Certified Teacher in physics, is trained as an instructional coach, and has more than thirty years of experience teaching physics. He also coaches a FIRST FTC competitive robotics team. John can be reached at jdalessandro@stxavier.org. LINKS AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based AP®︎/College Physics 1 | Science | Khan Academy RELATED EPISODES GETTING READY FOR THE AP LANGUAGE EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP US HISTORY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP STATISTICS EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM GETTING READY FOR THE AP CHEMISTRY EXAM 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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