765. MATH'S "SAT MOMENT": THE SHIFT TO HIGH-SECURITY TESTING
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
Release Date: 11/03/2026
THROWBACK: CHOOSING HIGH SCHOOL MATH COURSES STRATEGICALLY
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
Of all the academic choices a student entering eighth grade or high school must make, math course selection exerts the most influence on future choices. What should a student, parent, or counselor consider when weighing the options? Amy and Mike invited author and math expert Richard Corn to clarify the process of choosing high school math courses strategically. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What should drive math course selection? How do grade level, accelerated, and gifted tracks differ? Can students change tracks in high school? What are the...
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766. HOW TO NOT BE “THAT PARENT” DURING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
The entire higher ed application process is made easier with both broad and specific support of parents and guardians–with some notable exceptions. Amy and Mike invited college advisor Lisa Goldstein to explain how to not be “that parent” during the college admissions process. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the most common pitfalls you see parents fall into during the college process? When can prior experience with college admissions be misleading? How can parents keep from transmitting anxiety to their teens? What does the admonition for parents...
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THROWBACK: WHEN GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS STRUGGLE
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
To many, the gifted and talented designation seems to promise a future of effortless academic success. How, then, can the adults in their lives help when these students face the inevitable educational challenges? Amy and Mike invited test prep professional Shane Bybee to offer guidance on what to do when gifted and talented students struggle. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How is gifted and talented defined and identified? What is the remedy when gifted and talented students show imbalances in ability? What strategies help when a subject suddenly doesn’t...
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765. MATH'S "SAT MOMENT": THE SHIFT TO HIGH-SECURITY TESTING
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
The higher the stakes for any given exam, the more likely it is that some test takers will seek an unfair or unethical advantage, as anyone connected to the American Mathematics Competitions has recently observed. Amy and Mike invited educator Vida John to explain why math's "SAT moment" has arrived along with a shift to high-security testing. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the AMC, and what role does it play in college admissions? How does the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) address score integrity? What are the pros and cons of testing at private...
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764. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: October 2026
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses 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? How was Amy’s son’s wedding, and what was its test prep significance? What did Mike...
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THROWBACK: ATTENDING COLLEGE IN A BIG CITY
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
The world’s great cities offer some of the biggest, best, and broadest options in virtually any category you can think of, including colleges and universities. What differentiates the metropolitan college experience, and who most--or least--benefits from such a dynamic, diverse environment? Amy and Mike invited NYU Director of Admissions Billy Sichel to shed light on the realities of attending college in a big city. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the advantages of attending college in a big city? What are the disadvantages of attending college in a...
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763. ATTENDING A RURAL COLLEGE
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
Farm country may not contain many of the most well-known institutions of higher education, but the schools you’ll find there perfectly fit their communities. Amy and Mike invited Washington Monthly editor-in-chief Paul Glastris to explore the advantages of attending a rural college. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the definition of a rural college? What is different or unique about attending a rural college? What are the specific benefits of attending a rural college? What kind of student thrives in a rural college environment? What are some of the best...
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THROWBACK: COLLEGE PRICE TRANSPARENCY
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
When is a price not a price? When the stated retail cost of a year at any college diverges dramatically from what students actually cost, you can’t effectively factor price into your initial college search. Amy and Mike invited educational expert Mark Salisbury to explain the importance of and path to college price transparency. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why isn’t a college’s “sticker price” enough to understand how much a student actually pays? Why do undergraduate financial offers arrive too late to inform college choice? How can a...
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762. CREATING BETTER COLLEGE VISITS
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
Choosing a college often entails deciding where you’ll live for the next four to possibly fifty-four years. Why, then, do so many applicants select their new homes without properly evaluating them? Amy and Mike invited student entrepreneur Evan Goldstein to discuss creating better college visits. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Can you truly understand a college without visiting campus? What should every high schooler ask a current college student before committing to a school? What can current college students tell you that admissions offices can’t? How much...
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THROWBACK: FINISHING A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE ON TIME
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
About 66% of American students FAIL to earn their bachelor’s degrees in four years. Yet, those extra years of college come at a tremendous cost. Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Edie Steele to explore the benefits and challenges around finishing a four-year degree on time. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Why does finishing a four-year degree on time matter? What academic issues keep students from finishing college on time? What credit and career planning issues keep students from finishing college on time? What role do or should...
info_outlineThe higher the stakes for any given exam, the more likely it is that some test takers will seek an unfair or unethical advantage, as anyone connected to the American Mathematics Competitions has recently observed. Amy and Mike invited educator Vida John to explain why math's "SAT moment" has arrived along with a shift to high-security testing.
What are five things you will learn in this episode?
-
What is the AMC, and what role does it play in college admissions?
-
How does the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) address score integrity?
-
What are the pros and cons of testing at private centers like Pearson?
-
What are the implications for other contests related to science and humanities?
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Could we expect something similar happening to the SAT, AP, and ACT?
MEET OUR GUEST
Vida John is a math coach and tutor who specializes in students preparing for math contests and studying curriculum published by Art of Problem Solving. Vida grew up in Iowa, where she was a high school mathlete before studying at the Stanford School of Engineering and UCSF School of Medicine. After working in Silicon Valley for a medical start-up, she homeschooled her two daughters to provide an excellent education, especially in math and science.
She coached homeschooled math teams for 10 years, and with both daughters now attending Stanford, she continues to help students prepare for MathCounts, AMC, and other contests while building their problem-solving skills. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and runs workshops on using math contests to prepare for college-level work.
Vida previously appeared on this podcast in episode 255 to discuss Competitive Math And Testing, in episode 536 to discuss All About the American Math Competition, and in episode 628 to discuss Admissions Implications of Academic Competitions.
Find Vida at vidajohntutoring.com.
LINKS
American Mathematics Competitions
RELATED EPISODES
MATHEMATICAL MATURITY & TEST SUCCESS
HIGH IMPACT STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED IN MATH
CHOOSING HIGH SCHOOL MATH COURSES STRATEGICALLY
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.