638. MENTAL MATH AND AUTOMATICITY
Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
Release Date: 04/08/2025
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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...
info_outlineMental math trains working memory, boosts confidence, supports faster problem-solving, enhances number sense, and facilitates everyday calculations. So why do so many teachers deemphasize this valuable academic and life skill? Amy and Mike invited educator Mike McGibbon to explore the value of mental math and automaticity.
What are five things you will learn in this episode?
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Why do you need mental math if you have a calculator?
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What does automaticity mean and why is it important?
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What are some examples of higher-level problem types that depend upon automatic math skills?
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What is math debt?
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Why is mental math important in everyday life?
MEET OUR GUEST
Mike McGibbon started tutoring at Kaplan while he was a student at UC Berkeley. After graduating in 2002, he moved to NYC to study music and play the trumpet professionally.
During this time, Mike also worked for several NYC tutoring agencies, and eventually transitioned to a full-time tutoring career. He now runs his own solo tutoring practice, focusing on the ACT, SAT, and ISEE. He is also CEO and co-founder of Mathchops.com and Grammarchops.com, adaptive math and grammar practice tools.
Today, Mike teaches in Westchester County, where he lives with his wife and three kids. He also provides free advice through articles and videos on www.nyctestprepadvice.com and the Mathchops YouTube channel.
Mike previously appeared on this podcast in episode 165 to discuss Differences Between SAT and ACT Math, episode 372 to explain Making Learning Science Work For You, episode 332 for a SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Mathchops, episode 480 to discuss How Standardization Can Benefit Education, and in episode 532 to discuss All About Digital SAT Math.
Mike can be reached at [email protected].
LINKS
The Top Six Reasons Why Mental Math is Important and Useful
RELATED EPISODES
MATHEMATICAL MATURITY & TEST SUCCESS
HIGH IMPACT STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED IN MATH
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.