521. TEST PREP PROFILE: Keith Brown

The GRE General Test may be the world’s most widely used admissions test for graduate & professional school, which makes the assessment important to anyone considering graduate, business, or law school. Amy and Mike invited educator Vince Kotchian to share details on what to know about the GRE in 2024.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. What does the GRE test and how has it changed over the years?

2. What should students, tutors, and counselors know about the shorter GRE?

3. What should test takers know about the computer-based format of the GRE?

4. What kinds of programs accept the GRE?

5. When should students prepare for and take the GRE?

MEET OUR GUEST

Vince Kotchian grew up in small-town Connecticut and completed the honors program at Boston College, graduating with a B.A. in English Literature. He moved to San Diego in 2007 and has been working full-time as a test-prep tutor ever since. Vince has scored a perfect 170 in verbal (twice) and a 167 in quant on the GRE. He is the founder of both Vince Kotchian Test Prep and GRE Verbal Precision.

Over the years, Vince has written some test-prep books and courses, but still enjoys GRE tutoring: “When a student texts me that she aced the test or got into her reach program, I still literally jump up and down and grin.” 

In his spare time, Vince likes traveling using miles and points (Japan is his favorite country to visit), reading (favorite authors include Haruki Murakami, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, and Philip Pullman), watching The Great British Bake-Off (and sometimes actually baking things), hiking and camping, and rooting for the Red Sox and Patriots.

Vince previously appeared on this podcast in episode # 197 to discuss All About The GRE and in episode # 209 in a TEST PREP PROFILE.

Find Vince at Vince Kotchian Test Prep.

LINKS

About the GRE General Test

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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.

A new test creates new opportunities and requires new study aids. Now that the SAT has gone digital, where should students and educators be looking for prep and practice material? Amy and Mike invited educator Laura Whitmore to explore the options for resources for the digital SAT.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. What materials do you recommend that your students use for the Digital SAT? 

2. When and how should you use the official Blue Book practice tests? 

3. What have your students tried already and what did they think? 

4. Should you trust 3rd party scoring algorithms? 

5. What are the best free materials to use? 

MEET OUR GUEST

Laura Whitmore is the Founder and CEO of Strategic Test Prep, a leading SAT prep service. With extensive experience and expertise, Laura has been helping students achieve remarkable score improvements since 2007. As a former high school Valedictorian and a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Laura's educational background sets a strong foundation for her coaching. Trained by a former College Board question writer, she possesses insider knowledge that enables her to outsmart the SAT and ACT tests. Over the years, Laura has refined these strategies and collaborated with her students to develop additional effective techniques. Laura currently scores a 1570 on the SAT (800 Math, 770 English). 

​Laura's dedication and positive approach have resulted in exceptional outcomes. Her students have achieved grade improvements and remarkable score gains of up to 400 points on the SAT. From local to international levels, Laura's influence has expanded, working with students in various states across the United States, as well as countries such as Finland, Azerbaijan, India, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and Chile.

In addition to personalized coaching, Laura extends her expertise through her popular YouTube channel, Strategic Test Prep, where she shares free test prep information with students worldwide. Recognizing the need for accessible resources, Laura has also developed asynchronous online SAT courses and a Digital SAT prep app called Preptly​​, available on the App Store and Google Play. With degrees in psychology and a dual degree in mathematics and adolescent education, Laura's qualifications and dedication make her a trusted source for successful SAT preparation.

Laura can be reached at Strategic Test Prep.

LINKS

Download the Bluebook Digital Testing App | College Board

Official Digital SAT® Prep | Khan Academy

Mathchops

Roots2Words

Desmos

Digital SAT Math - Desmos Lesson #1 Solve any Equation!

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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.

Considering how exponentially complex the college admissions process has become in the last decade, the decision to work with an independent college counselor makes sense. The bigger question is, “Which one?” Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Julie Kim to explore considerations on how to choose a college counselor.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. How do you know if you need a college counselor?

2. What are some of the most important traits to look for in an IEC?

3. What can a small or solo practice provide that big box solutions cannot? (accountability and consistency)

4.  Is specialization desirable or even necessary in an IEC?

5. What do students and families need to bring to make college counseling successful?

MEET OUR GUEST

Immigrating from Korea in her youth, Julie Kim is a graduate of USC and Harvard (Ed.M). She founded Passion Prep after years of working in larger consulting firms, hoping to establish a new way of approaching college admissions. Julie offers a unique perspective as the first in her family to navigate the American college admissions process, and works with students of similar backgrounds to develop their own stand-out factor among thousands of other Ivy League applicants.

Julie is the host of the "Demystifying College Admissions" podcast and the "Conquer College Admissions" YouTube channel.

Julie previously appeared on this podcast in episode #196 to discuss Creating a Passion Project and in episode #262 in an IEC PROFILE.

Find Julie at passionprep.com.

LINKS

IEC Profile Playlist

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OVERWORKED SCHOOL COUNSELORS

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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.

In the wake of the 2020 global pandemic, every U.S college and university announced test-optional or test-blind admissions, leading some pundits to predict that the influence of standardized test scores in admissions decisions was over. Based on recent announcements from a suite of public and private schools, nothing could be further from the truth. Amy and Mike invited educator Brian Eufinger to share the state of test-optional admissions in 2024.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. As of early 2024, what is the state of test-optional admissions?

2. What is the interplay between grade inflation and post-pandemic admissions policies?

3. How do students know whether to submit scores or not?

4. What does the term 'miswithholding' mean?

5. Will more schools follow Dartmouth and MIT to test mandatory admissions?

MEET OUR HOST

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), SHOULD I TAKE THE ACT WRITING TEST? (#271), TESTING GAMEPLAN FOR THE CLASS OF 2025 (#432), and CELEBRATING OUR 500TH EPISODE

(#500). He also facilitated our 2019-20 ACADEMIC YEAR IN REVIEW (#100).

Find Brian at https://www.edisonprep.com.

LINKS

Truth About Test Optional

What Does Test-Optional Mean?

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TEST SCORES: TO SUBMIT OR NOT

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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.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry?

MEET OUR GUEST

Meet Jeffrey Dalton, who graduated from New York University in 2006 with a Bachelor's in Linguistics and Languages. After college, he taught English in Lahore, Pakistan for 4 years where he helped middle school students develop their literacy in English. After returning to the USA, Jeffrey worked for 2 years as a Math and Verbal tutor for SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT in New York and New Jersey for a leading international test prep company before making the shift to Dubai in 2015. A passionate educator, Jeffrey recently finished his Master's in Education in Instructional Design through Purdue University. He uses his knowledge as an educator to capably and efficiently guide his students to achieve their target scores on standardized tests. In fact, one of his students scored a perfect 1600 on the SAT.

Find Jeffrey at jrdalton258@gmail.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. 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.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry?

MEET OUR GUEST

Meet Anna Moss, the founder of Mind the Test LLC, a tutoring company that empowers learners by teaching test prep and academics paired with lifelong research-based study skills. After earning a BA in Linguistics from the University of Chicago and a certification in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, she taught English and SAT/ACT prep all around the world for five years, spending summers as a cognitive psychology teaching assistant at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.

She followed her passion for the science of learning to the University of Cambridge, where her MPhil thesis research focused on improving educational equity via linguistic dialect-sensitivity on the SAT.

When not teaching, Anna can be found reading about sociolinguistics, baking interesting desserts, and traveling. She lives in South Jersey with her husband, dog, and little four-month-old baby. 

Find Anna at anna@mindthetest.com.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry?

MEET OUR GUEST

Meet Ari Freuman, the Founder and Lead Tutor at Ivy Tutor. He began his tutoring career in 2013, serving students in New York City and Northern New Jersey. As a tutor, Ari recognized how difficult it was for parents to find effective SAT and ACT tutors like himself. To address this need, Ari assembled and trained a team of dynamic and inspiring tutors, creating what is today, Ivy Tutor. 

Ari is obsessed with delivering results. He adheres to an evidence-based ethos to develop and refine Ivy Tutor's strategies. His mission is to ensure that each student receives the most effective instruction possible from him and his team.

Find Ari at https://ivytutor.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. 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.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry?

MEET OUR GUEST

Meet Nikki Rooks, a lifelong learner with a love for helping students build confidence and achieve their academic goals! After changing majors a few times, she graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with undergraduate degrees in mathematics and computer science. Nikki worked in the IT field for 5 years before deciding to pursue her passion for education and becoming a full-time tutor. 

Nikki primarily works with middle and high school students in the Nashville area, offering individual support in K-12 math and ACT/SAT/ISEE prep. She takes joy in connecting mathematical concepts and demonstrating that math can make sense!

In her free time, Nikki enjoys playing with her dog, cheering on the Nashville Predators, and trying new recipes. She is also an avid ballet dancer and is a company member of Ignite Dance.

Find Nikki at nikkirooks7@gmail.com or www.nikkirooks.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. 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.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry?

MEET OUR GUEST

Meet Paul Oberman, who has been involved with education since 1989 as a teacher, principal, and head of school. He has been at boarding schools and day schools, Catholic schools and Jewish schools and non-denominational schools, single gender schools and coed schools, progressive schools and conservative schools. He has coached all of the mainstream sports: springboard diving, Ultimate Frisbee, and water polo. 

In the summer of 2023, Paul started his own tutoring company, Oberman Tutoring, which helps students prepare for the ACT/SAT and supports students in math classes from middle school through high school. Paul also loves playing Ultimate Frisbee and performing stand-up comedy.

Find Paul at https://www.drpauloberman.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. 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.

The most massive revision ever to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid burst into the new year like a brick through a window–everyone is talking about it, but nobody is happy. Amy and Mike invited financial aid advisor Ed Recker to review the latest news and timelines to date along with our first impressions of the better FAFSA.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. How has the “soft launch” of the Better FAFSA® gone?

2. What has been the feedback about the user experience on the FAFSA®?

3. How have college professionals reacted to the FAFSA rollout?

4. Will the FAFSA delays impact the traditional May 1st admission decision deadline?

5. What recommended action steps and advice should those involved in the financial aid process take to heart?

MEET OUR GUEST

Ed Recker is a Director of High School Relationship Management with Sallie Mae, serving high schools, states, and professional organizations throughout the U.S. He joined Sallie Mae in 2019, and has over 20 years’ experience in the financial aid and enrollment industry.  Prior to joining Sallie Mae, Ed was a Senior Consultant within the Enrollment Division of Ruffalo Noel Levitz, held the position of Vice President for Enrollment Management at the University of Findlay, and held various financial aid positions at the University of Findlay, Terra State Community College, and Bowling Green State University. Ed holds a M.Ed. in Higher Education from the University of Toledo, and resides in Ottawa, OH with his wife Kate and daughter Evelyn.

Ed appeared on the podcast in episode #492 to discuss The Better FAFSA For New And Previous Filers, which provides essential background information for this episode.

Find Ed at Edward.Recker@salliemae.com.

LINKS

FAFSA® 2023: How to Apply for Financial Aid | Sallie Mae

FAFSA Simplification: A Better FAFSA Process Means a Better Future for Borrowers | Federal Student Aid - Financial Aid Toolkit

2024-25 FAFSA Student Aid Index Update and Timeline

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THE PRICE YOU REALLY PAY FOR 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. 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.