Admittedly: College Admissions with Thomas Caleel S4E42: Inside the Mind of a Top Tutor: Why Students Struggle and How to Help Them Thrive (With Advantage Testing's Michelle Chasin)
In this episode of The Admittedly Podcast, Thomas Caleel speaks with Michelle Chasin, Associate Director of Advantage Testing New York and senior tutor with more than 30 years of experience working with high school students. Michelle specializes in tutor development, long-term academic mentorship, and supporting students through test preparation, foundational skill-building, and the emotional challenges of high-pressure academic environments.
Together, Thomas and Michelle discuss how students actually learn, why academic anxiety is rising, and how consistent practice and strong process habits set students up for success not only on standardized tests but throughout high school, college, and beyond.
Key Topics:
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Why academic anxiety has increased and how to help students break through it
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What "missing foundations" look like and how long-term tutoring repairs them
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How consistent, incremental practice outperforms last-minute cramming
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Why failure and "messing up" are critical parts of real learning
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Effective ways parents can support academic growth without increasing pressure
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How to motivate gifted students who appear disengaged
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Lessons from competitive chess that apply directly to test prep and high-level academics
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Why there is no such thing as a "natural test taker" — only strong processes and habits
Guest:
Michelle Chasin: Associate Director of Advantage Testing New York, senior tutor, mentor, and parent of a seven-time national chess champion, with three decades of experience supporting students through deep, long-term academic development.
Learn more about Admittedly's partnership with Advantage Testing: admittedly.co/programs
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