Let's Talk College

This week's guest is Andi Thacker, a licensed professional counselor who specializes in working with kids and adolescents. Note - We had some technical difficulties during the recording. I worked to patch through the especially rough places. I apologize in advance but promise that Andi's insights are well worth it! You can contact Andi at andithacker@thackercounseling.com. Here are the links to the books and documentaries Andi suggested. Brainstorm by Dr. Dan Siegel Mindful Parenting by Kristen Race The Social Dilemma Childhood 2.0

Brian Eufinger, college prep company owner and expert on college admissions, discusses the challenges of mandatory tests, the complexity of test-optional admissions, the lack of transparency in the admissions process, the experiences of students admitted through test-optional programs, and upcoming changes to the SAT.

Manu Shahi, owner of Homework in a Cafe, is an expert on helping students with executive function and helping parents "connect before you correct." In this episode we talk about a number of the "meta" requirements that go into helping a student be academically successful. Click here for more information on Homework in a Cafe.

I joke that Mike Bergin is the godfather of test prep, but he's been involved in the industry for longer than just about anyone and at all levels having worked with Kaplan and Huntington before starting his own tutoring company Chariot Learning. He's seen multiple changes in the tests themselves as well as the way colleges are usuing the tests for admissions. Click here for information about Chariot Learning. Click here for information on Mike's curriculum at TestBright. Click here for Mike's Roots2Words vocabulary builder Substack. Click here for information on the National Test Prep Association (NTPA).

This week's guest is Jason Robinovitz. As the COO of Score at the Top Learning Centers and Schools in Florida, Jason has a unique insight into trends in college admissions for the range of universities from highly selective on. 

Freddie deBoer was kind enough to find an hour to sit down and catch up with what he's been up to over the last 2 years. He also shares his perspective on what's going on in higher education as well as K-12.  You can click here to subscribe to his work at substack or click here to visit his website.

It's been close to two years since I shelved the podcast to focus on the growth of the business. Things were moving quickly for us, and something had to give. But now we've gotten organized and I can put my attention back on this passion project. In this relaunch episode, I focus on something that isn't getting shared with most parents when they hear about college admissions. Some critical numbers that affect most of the students who apply to college. If you'd like to see the numbers I share in the podcast to take a closer look, here's the blogpost I wrote on the same topic.

Freddie deBoer is a freelance writer. He has a Ph.D. in writing assessment and has worked in administration in higher education. After Harvard announced they would stay "test-optional" through the class of 2026, his article "Why the Fuck Do You Trust Harvard?" had some interesting insights. Follow him on Substack: https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/ Find out about Cult of Smart: https://read.macmillan.com/lp/cult-of-smart/

We're starting off our 2nd year with a conversation with someone who has been doing test prep long enough to see the dramatic changes that have happened. Ben Sexton, owner of Sexton Test Prep, specializes in helping students trying to get into the top 5 percent of test scores. Check out his company at https://www.sextontestprep.com/.

Want to save $50,000 on college? It's been 1 year! (It's been 1 year?) In this anniversary episode, I look at 2 case studies of students we've worked with recently and the value of their test scores in their college admissions process. This podcast is in connection with my recent blogpost. https://bybeecollegeprep.com/college-applications/what-they-dont-say-about-test-scores/