Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Lt. Col. Lisa Hillhouse is an independent educational consultant and the founder of Hillhouse College and Career Advising, based in Atlanta. Prior to launching her practice, Lisa retired from the Air Force after 26 years of active duty and reserve service. Much of that time foc...

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST A college and graduate school admissions advisor, Stuart Nachbar founded  Educated Quest  in 2014 to help students and their families consider academic options for majors, minors, and various career paths, college costs, resume building, essay development, and admissions interv...

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Barbara Pasalis , one of a small percentage of counselors across the nation to earn a Certificate in College Counseling from U.C.L.A. Ext. In addition, she completed the Summer Training Institute of the Independent Educational Consultants Association.  In 2003, Barbara lau...

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Lee Norwood is a successful entrepreneur and a published author with two bachelor's degrees in Business/Marketing and English from Elon University. Her energy, connections, humor, knowledge, and talents are expanding our reach and bringing amazing partners to the Annapolis Coll...

When evaluating grades and test results, we take for granted that most high schoolers know how to read and look to other reasons to explain poor performance. But what if language comprehension and decoding skills really are the problem? In the first of a two-part series, Amy and Mike invited Erica Meltzer to share strategies for improving reading skills with struggling teens.  What are five things...

When Yogi Berra observed, "It ain't over till it's over," he wasn't talking about college admissions. He may as well have, though, as even an initial deferral or rejection need not spell the end of the application process. Amy and Mike invited educator Brooke Hanson to reveal the secrets of successful letters of continued interest. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a let...

Of all the factors in the college admissions process, few seem as subjective or elusive as the interview. Do these even happen any more? Amy and Mike invited author Richard Montauk to explain how to prepare for a college admissions interview. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How common are college interviews, and which schools most rely on them? Who usually conducts college int...

College represents one of those backwards pursuits where buyers sell themselves to vendors before they even know the price of enrollment. Is the admissions process really disengaged from economic reality, or do applicants have more agency than they realize? Amy and Mike invited college cost advocate Mark Salisbury to share the finer points of negotiating a financial award letter. What are five thi...

The interaction between tutor and student must always be more than just an automated recitation of facts to a passive learner.  An educational collaboration rarely succeeds when a learner lacks motivation or a teacher lacks experience. Amy and Mike invited educator Anthony Celino to clarify all the reasons you want to work with a career tutor. What are five things you will learn in this episode? W...

Every person has particular psychological and cognitive attributes that reveal their beliefs, values, and goals. Believe it or not, schools possess the same, and some institutions have learned the value of understanding themselves and their students. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant David Viggiano to explain the influence of psychographics in college admissions. What are five things you...

Most college searches focus on factors like majors, rankings, and cost but ignore most of the features of a school that define the college experience. Amy and Mike invited educational expert Moira McCullough to explore overlooked aspects of campus life.  What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why should prospective students pay attention to the social and cultural components of a col...

Most of us live within a carefully planned budget, where we spend based on anticipated costs and expenses. But how can we predict the cost of a college application when the numbers involved are so hard to read or even find? Amy and Mike invited researcher Laura W. Perna, Ph. D. to explain all about net price calculators. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a net price calc...

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Shayda Moshirvaziri , 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...

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST A Georgia native, Blake Shealy attended high school in Cobb County at McEachern High School. While there, he earned valedictorian and STAR student honors and attended the University of Georgia in 2004 as a Bernard Ramsey Scholar and a member of the honors program. After gra...

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Manjri Gupta. Manjri wears many hats. She is a wife, a proud mother, an avid walker, and the owner and founder of a growing business in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  She holds a B.S in Chemistry and an M.B.A in Finance. Though her career began within the walls of big corp...

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Travis Minor founded Open Door Education in 2011 with the goal of building the best and most impactful tutoring company in Massachusetts. Travis, who earned his B.S. in Secondary Education at the University of Vermont and his M.Ed. at Harvard's Graduate School of Education,...

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Ashley Boggs , the owner of Problem-Solving Math, LLC located in Parkersburg, WV. She holds multiple degrees and teaching licenses in elementary education, secondary mathematics and science education, and school administration with a Master's degree in Educational Lead...

Up until 2020, not many educators or students had direct experience with live online instruction, but once COVID arrived, everyone did. Was this just a passing phase? Amy and Mike invited educator Adam Snoza to explore why remote tutoring is here to stay. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Is online tutoring here to stay, even post-pandemic? What are the benefits of online tutori...

Many families envision scholarships as a substantial contributor to an expensive college education. Yet surprisingly few have any experience actually getting those awards. Mike and Amy invited educational consultant Sherri Graf to point out common catastrophic mistakes in scholarship applications. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why does every successful scholarship applicatio...

The Talmud teaches that a timid person cannot learn. While well-intentioned adults might negotiate obstacles and opportunities for teens, the most successful students are usually the ones who learn to stand up for themselves. Amy and Mike invited educator Barak Moore to explore the importance of self-advocacy in education and admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What do...

Inequitable access to high-quality education harms all of us in society, particularly the least advantaged among us. Yet some efforts to mitigate the advantages of wealth and privilege in admissions may inadvertently do the exact opposite. Amy and Mike invited researcher Adam Tyner to explore whether eliminating tests makes education more or less equitable. What are five things you will learn in t...

Some states find innovative and generous ways to support higher education for their residents, and Florida is one of them. As the first of what will be an ongoing series on state scholarships, Mike and Amy invited educational consultant Carrie Bedard and educator Jason Robinovitz to discuss the Florida Bright Futures Scholarships. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the F...

The economic benefits of a college degree are not just to individual learners but entire towns, counties, states, and countries as a whole. So why don't we as a society invest in higher education attainment more directly? Amy and Mike invited author Morley Winograd to make the compelling case for tuition-free college . What are five things you will learn in this episode? What economic benefits acc...

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Parke Muth , who has worked in education for over 35 years . Most of that time he served as a Dean at the University of Virginia in the admissions office and in the English Department. He now works with companies, schools, families, and students across the world but mostly...

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Sandy Andolsek , an Independent College Counselor who spent her career in the field of College Admissions since 1991. Her extensive experience in both the private and public college sector allows her to serve students and families with a comprehensive understanding of the...