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631. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: MentoMind

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Release Date: 03/14/2025

658. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2025 show art 658. EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2025

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

The Tests and the Rest podcast has always been relentlessly focused on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our 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? How was the NTPA Conference in Minneapolis? Where did Mike go after Minneapolis? What projects are Mike and Amy working...

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657. DOES IT MATTER IF YOU TAKE CALCULUS IN HIGH SCHOOL? show art 657. DOES IT MATTER IF YOU TAKE CALCULUS IN HIGH SCHOOL?

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

If you’re applying as a STEM major or looking at selective colleges, there’s no question that you should consider taking advanced or accelerated math courses at the secondary level. The question instead revolves around which course to take. Amy and Mike invited researcher Adam Tyner to review whether taking calculus in high school is absolutely necessary. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the typical pathways for showing math rigor in high school? Does the choice between calculus or statistics matter? In what cases would one of these choices be more...

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656. HOW TO PLAN A GAP YEAR  show art 656. HOW TO PLAN A GAP YEAR

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Most students matriculate directly from high school to college. But what if you’re not like most students? Amy and Mike invited education consultant Julia Rogers to explore how to plan a gap year. What are five things you will learn in this episode? Is there a typical profile of "who" takes a gap year? What are the biggest benefits of taking a gap year to this particular sub-generation of students? How does a student get started with planning a gap year? What steps should students and families take to ensure the gap year is structured and meaningful? What are the financial...

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655. TEST PREP PROFILE: Kristen Lefebvre  show art 655. TEST PREP PROFILE: Kristen Lefebvre 

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Kristen Lefebvre, the National Director of Education at StudyPoint, an educational services company that supports students across the U.S. on their journey to college by providing one-on-one academic and test prep tutoring services and college admissions coaching. Kristen graduated from Bates College and earned her master’s degree at Tufts University. Always interested in education, she joined StudyPoint in 2002 as a program manager for the Greater Boston area....

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654. TEST PREP PROFILE: Allen Tsao show art 654. TEST PREP PROFILE: Allen Tsao

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Allen Tsao, who started out as an Electrical Engineer (BS at UC Berkeley, and MS at Stanford University), and worked as a full-time engineer for 11 years before switching to tutoring full-time. He loves helping students improve their problem-solving ability, especially in difficult classes. His business (Bothell STEM Coach) specializes in AP Physics, with around 150 students studying with him each academic year, along with about 30 AP Calculus students each...

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653. TEST PREP PROFILE: Margaret Duden show art 653. TEST PREP PROFILE: Margaret Duden

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Margaret Duden, Founder of Twin Cities Test Prep Tutor, is a full-time test prep and writing tutor who specializes in helping highly motivated students hone their writing skills, achieve their score goals on the ACT and SAT, and gain acceptance at their top choice colleges. Margaret conducts all tutoring sessions herself and prides herself on customizing lessons to meet each student’s unique needs and goals. She is a member of the National Test Prep Association...

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652. TEST PREP PROFILE: Ren Abraham show art 652. TEST PREP PROFILE: Ren Abraham

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Ren Abraham, the founder of , a test prep and academic tutoring company serving students in the Philadelphia suburbs and beyond. With nearly two decades of teaching experience across both the humanities and STEM, Ren brings an interdisciplinary approach to SAT and ACT prep. After experiencing the limitations of one-size-fits-all SAT prep as a high school student, Ren resolved to craft more responsive, student-centered experiences—grounded in the belief that...

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651. GAME PLAN FOR THE ENHANCED ACT show art 651. GAME PLAN FOR THE ENHANCED ACT

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

The unfolding changes to the ACT take effect everywhere in September. Are you ready? Let two nationally recognized experts in education–your hosts of the Tests and the Rest podcast–help you understand both the ACT enhancements and how students should navigate them. This free Game Plan for the Enhanced ACT webinar was presented live as part of the Tests and the Rest Seminar Series. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How is the ACT changing? How does the Enhanced ACT compare to the Legacy test? What is the difference between the ACT and SAT? Which tests should...

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650. HOW CAN PAST POOR DECISIONS AFFECT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS? show art 650. HOW CAN PAST POOR DECISIONS AFFECT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS?

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

To err is human, which makes adolescence a particularly intense expression of the human condition. Yes, we all make mistakes, but some are more glaring and likely to impact acceptance than others. But which ones? Amy and Mike invited student advocates Susan Stone and Kristina Supler to clarify how past poor decisions can affect college admissions. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What kinds of past poor decisions might hurt admissions chances? Can criminal charges prevent someone from getting into college?  How can social misconduct impact college...

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649. AI AND THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS show art 649. AI AND THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast

In a process with as many steps as choosing, applying to, and being accepted at a target higher education institution, small improvements in efficiency at any point can compound dramatically for both applicants and admissions offices. Amy and Mike invited ed tech entrepreneur Sam Bernstein to explore the current state of AI and the college admissions process. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How is AI changing the way students search for colleges and navigate the application process? How should students and parents be using AI in the college process—and where should...

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More Episodes

Expanding your tutoring business with MentoMind with educators Amit Jain and Jeremy Bryant

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

  1. What is the story behind MentoMind?

  2. How does MentoMind work to help with student outcomes?

  3. How does MentoMind work to help educators attract students?

  4. Who currently uses MentoMind?

  5. How is MentoMind helping educators transition to an AI future?

ABOUT MENTOMIND

MentoMind is a revolutionary SAT/ACT prep platform designed to support students and help tutoring and test prep businesses thrive.

It helps tutors attract and engage students through free diagnostic tests, practice questions, fun quizzes, and video courses. With robust white-label capabilities, freemium features, and payment gateway integration, tutors can launch their own branded platform to offer free content and sell digital subscriptions or self-paced programs. By using automated drip emails and parent communication, tutors can nurture a community of students and become their go-to choice the moment students need additional support in the form of full tutoring services.

MentoMind uses AI-powered insights, adaptive learning technology, and high-quality test prep content to deliver personalized practice and strengthen student outcomes. The platform offers more than 3,500 expert-created practice questions, full-length tests, and real-time performance tracking, making it a well-rounded resource for standardized test preparation.

For tutors, MentoMind streamlines time-consuming tasks such as grading, quiz creation, and student progress tracking. Its centralized dashboard lets instructors assign practice tests, monitor performance, and provide personalized feedback. It also integrates parent communication tools to support transparency and engagement. With AI-powered features, tutors can create or upload their own learning and practice materials, allowing them to focus more on teaching and student growth.

One noteworthy feature of MentoMind is its AI-powered learning assistant, which offers 24/7 support to students. It provides hints and step-by-step guidance when they encounter difficulties, while keeping tutors informed of their conversations and progress. This interactive tool adapts to individual learning needs, making study sessions more engaging and effective.

Beyond test preparation, MentoMind provides a holistic environment for both learners and educators. Whether you’re an independent tutor, a test prep center, or a school, MentoMind delivers the tools, insights, and automation needed to enhance student success while streamlining workflows and supporting business growth. With advanced AI capabilities, automation, and white-label flexibility, MentoMind is a forward-thinking solution for college test preparation.

Amit first appeared on the podcast in episode 539 to discuss How Can Tutors Use AI?

To learn more about MentoMind, please visit mentomind.ai or reach out to [email protected] or [email protected].


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 and LEAP. 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.