Considering how prevalent the topic of AI has become in business, leisure, and education, it was only a matter of time before college students would choose to focus on its study. Amy and Mike invited college dean Jennifer Stephan to explore what you need to know about artificial intelligence as an undergraduate major.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. What do students study when they major in AI? What are some focus areas within an AI degree?

2. Is an AI major a replacement or improvement over a CS major?

3. Are there non-technical pathways to contribute to AI?

4. What majors besides AI and CS can prepare you for a career in AI?

5. What important questions should students interested in studying AI be able to answer?

MEET OUR GUEST

Dr. Jennifer Stephan has held a variety of roles across top colleges and universities, including professor, academic dean, and board of admissions member, in addition to serving as a private college counselor, alumni interviewer for Johns Hopkins University, and parent of three. She holds a BS degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University, as well as an MS and a PhD in electrical and computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Jennifer is currently the Dean of Academic Advising and Undergraduate Studies for the School of Engineering at Tufts University. Prior to joining Tufts in 2016, she spent over two decades serving as a dean and a professor of Computer Science at Wellesley College, where she collaborated with colleagues at MIT, Olin College of Engineering, and Babson College to support students pursuing engineering. While at Wellesley, Jennifer served on the College’s Board of Admissions, reading and evaluating approximately one hundred transfer applications each year.

Jennifer also is the founder of Lantern College Counseling, a robust college counseling practice where she regularly employs insights from her experiences leading in higher education to help students develop their college lists and shape competitive, authentic applications. Jennifer specializes in STEM, computer science, engineering, undecided and transfer students

She is a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).

Jennifer first appeared on our podcast in episode 541 to discuss NAVIGATING THE COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ADMISSIONS and in episode 559 for a Test Prep Profile.

Find Jennifer at [email protected] or https://www.lanterncollegecounseling.com.

LINKS

Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an Undergraduate Major: What You Need to Know

Navigating the Competitive Landscape of Computer Science Admissions: An Expert’s Approach — Lantern College Counseling

RELATED EPISODES

STRATEGIES FOR SELECTING A COLLEGE MAJOR ON TIME

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ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

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.

The global onset of the coronavirus shut down schools, which interrupted the educational process for millions of students. The expectation was that deficits in fundamental areas would be made up once the world opened up again. Did that happen though? Amy and Mike invited education professional Nancy Weinstein to explore post-pandemic learning loss.

 What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. Are students really performing differently since the pandemic? 

2. Does learning loss differ based on age or gender?

3. Were students in all parts of the United States equally impacted by the pandemic?

4. How can students begin to repair pandemic learning gaps?

5. What can parents, educators, and coaches do to repair pandemic learning loss?

MEET OUR GUEST

Nancy Weinstein founded Mindprint Learning with the perspectives of both a parent and an innovator.  Realizing a need to address a common challenge for parents and educators, she drew upon her background in science and business to create Mindprint, the first ever valid at-home cognitive assessment supported with next-step strategies for growth. Nancy has an extensive background in business, including work at Goldman Sachs, The Walt Disney Company Corporate Strategic Planning, Bristol Myers Squibb, and several smaller Internet companies. Nancy has an MBA from Harvard Business School with first year honors and a BS/BSE summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton School of Management and Technology Program, Bioengineering and Finance. As a mother of two, Nancy recognizes the challenges parents face today, from helping with homework, to navigating the ever-changing pace of education and technology. 

Nancy previously appeared on this podcast in episode 132 to discuss The Science of Memory.

Find Nancy at https://mindprintlearning.com/.

LINKS

MindPrint Research Brief - Post Pandemic Brain Changes: Results from 35K Students

Study Finds COVID Harmed Cognitive Skills of Students — and Teachers – The 74

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COVID LEARNING LOSS

THE GROWING IMPACT OF CHEATING DURING COVID

HOW TESTS AID MEMORY

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

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.

Finding your best fit school requires a lot of smart research, so don’t overlook one of the best sources of institutional information available. Amy and Mike invited independent counselor Jane Gabin to discuss how the common data set can help interpret what colleges tell you.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. What is the Common Data Set?

2. How can studying the CDS help with judging the value of a school?

3. What does a school’s graduation rate tell us about the school?

4. How can the CDS be accessed and can anyone look at it?

5. Are there schools that try to hide their data?

MEET OUR GUEST

Jane S. Gabin has been publishing articles on colleges’ over-hiring of adjunct faculty since 2015, when she wrote about the problem in “Ask the College Counselor,” her regular column for InsideSchools.com. Her writing on this subject has also appeared in Inside Higher Ed (June 24, 2019), the Academe Blog (July 2, 2019 and May 21, 2020), and The College Prep Guide (college-prep-guide.com).

A member of NACAC, SACAC, and the International ACAC, as well as the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), she currently works as an independent counselor, addressing groups such as the local NAACP Youth Council about educational opportunities, and speaking to parents and students at local public libraries. 

Dr. Gabin has over 20 years in the college admissions profession. She worked for 10 years for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she was in charge of all international admissions and counselor relations. She followed this with 11 years in college advising at independent schools in the NYC area, primarily at the United Nations International School (UNIS). 

She gave a talk at the SACAC 2020 conference on “Another Way of Looking at What Makes a College ‘Good’” when she addressed this issue (in addition to suggesting a close look at colleges’ admission rate, retention rate, class size, and graduation rate). 

Additionally, she has given or led sessions (primarily on the essay process) at the New Jersey ACAC, the New York State ACAC, NACAC, and for KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) in NYC.

She received a Ph.D. in English at UNC-Chapel Hill and has published one novel and is working on another. As an independent scholar, she is currently researching the lives of women artists in the 19th century.

Jane previously appeared on this podcast in episode 328 to discuss Concerns About College Staffing Trends.

Find Jane at  [email protected].

LINKS

Common Data Set

The Shortest Guide to College Admissions

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USING THE COMMON DATA SET

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ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

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.

Wanting to pursue higher education is not exactly the same as being ready for higher education and all that its pursuit entails, as too many students learn to their detriment. Amy and Mike invited educator Carey Dukes to explore just how prepared and ready most teens are for college.

 What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. Are students typically prepared for both the academic and emotional challenges of college?

2. What critical skills should students develop to enhance their readiness for college life and beyond?

3. Why does approaching college in terms of semesters make sense? 

4. Why should student persistence be a priority for colleges?

5. What role do parents and educators play in fostering college readiness among teens?

MEET OUR GUEST

Carey Dukes brings a unique blend of expertise in business management and academic leadership, honed over three decades in both the corporate and educational sectors. Currently an Assistant Professor of Management at North Greenville University, Carey has a distinguished career that spans from managing large-scale transportation operations to pioneering new approaches in student retention and academic success.  

With a Doctorate in Business Administration and extensive experience as a CEO in multiple companies, Carey has a deep understanding of business process improvement, change management, and organizational development. His work in the trucking and logistics industry, where he specialized in fixing broken processes and leading innovation, has equipped him with practical insights into managing complex systems and driving efficiency.  

In academia, Carey’s focus has shifted towards addressing one of higher education's most pressing challenges: student retention. Drawing from his own experiences as a first-generation college student, Carey authored a book and developed a model aimed at improving student readiness and retention, particularly in the critical first year of college. His research identifies key variable components that predict student success, offering actionable strategies for institutions to retain more students and reduce the high dropout rates that plague universities.  

Find Carey at [email protected]. 

LINKS

The Readiness for Change Institute

https://www.youtube.com/@HigherEdReady

College Readiness Benchmarks

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HOW TO PERSIST TO COLLEGE GRADUATION

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COLLEGE READINESS ADVICE FROM A COLLEGE PROFESSOR

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

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.

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. Once in a while, 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?

1. How was the NTPA Winter Workshop?

2. How did Amy celebrate the end of Mike’s term as NTPA President?

3. How will Amy and Mike be celebrating the holidays?

4. Where is the newest place you can find Tests and the Rest?

5. What are our goals for the new year?

We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let’s get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling!

LINKS

https://www.youtube.com/@TestsAndTheRest

RELATED EPISODES

EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: November 2024

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ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

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.

How odd is it that one of the most effective ways to learn about college applicants tends to be among the least frequent steps in the process. How valuable is direct conversation for evaluating prospective members of an educational community and what might the future hold? Amy and Mike invited college admissions expert Parke Muth to explore the importance of college interviews.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. What is typically meant by a college interview?

2. How common and impactful are interviews in the current admissions process?

3. What are the best ways to prepare for college interviews?

4. Why should interviews be used more often?

5. What are some of the downsides of requiring more interviews?

MEET OUR GUEST

Parke Muth has worked in education for over 35 years. Most of the time he served as a Dean at the University of Virginia in the admission office and in the English Department. He now works with companies, schools, families, and students across the world but mostly focusing on Asia where he spends about 1/2 of the year. 

While at Virginia, Parke was, among other things, Director of Selection and Recruitment of Honors Scholars, Director of Application Assessment Training, and Director of International Admission. He’s been serving for over 25 years as a member of the Jefferson Scholars selection committee. This four-year, full scholarship is among the most elite programs in the United States. Parke also serves as an advisor for the Ron Brown Scholars Program, an elite scholars program that provides financial support and leadership training, networking, and career services for underprivileged black students. 

Because of his experiences in admissions, Parke is a highly sought-after speaker He has been interviewed by the New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, Bloomberg, Associated Press, NBC, etc. He has had over 6 million people read his responses on the website Quora.com. He also has a blog with over 4,000 pages of content, all free, no ads or promotions: https://onlyconnectparke.blogspot.com/

Parke previously appeared on this podcast in episode 81 to discuss You Can't Handle the Truth: Secrets of College Admissions and in episode 148 to discuss Stop Making $en$e: The International Student Problem and in episode 292 for an IEC Profile.

Find Parke at [email protected].

LINKS

Glimpse by InitialView

Can You Answer These 10 College Interview Questions?

Askwith Education Forum Details Impact of Wealth on College Admissions

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ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

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.

Just about anyone can become an educator or coach, but can anyone become great at it? Amy and Mike invited educator Dan Lerman to enumerate the qualities of great educators and coaches.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. What are the foundational qualities of a great tutor or coach? 

2. What can be taught to tutors and how?

3. How do you know if you are not a great tutor or coach?

4. Beyond a test, what does a great tutor teach? 

5. What is the current state of tutor training? 

MEET OUR GUEST

Dan Lerman is a professor of Cognitive Science at Columbia University. He is passionate about using Cognitive Science to optimize learning, and his specialty is in creative problem-solving. Dan has previously taught at St. Paul's School in London, Saint Ann's in Brooklyn, and Oxford University, and he has founded three companies in the tutoring space. He is passionate about social skills, personal growth, and combating the loneliness epidemic, which has spawned the Backyard Comedy Series. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, daughter, and dog. 

Find Dan at [email protected] or at danlerman.com.

LINKS

Advanced Tutoring Techniques | Programs | TC Academy

Rogers Three Characteristics/Attributes Needed for Client-Therapist Relationship

How to Assess Tutors and Test Prep Providers

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ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

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.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant?

MEET OUR GUEST

Meet Alison Merzel. Alison Merzel is the founder of AHM Advising LLC, an independent educational consulting practice focused on helping high school students and families find their best-fit post-secondary educational options. Prior to launching her business in 2019, Alison was at The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business for 15 years, most recently as the Senior Director of Graduate Recruiting and Admissions. 

Alison holds a BS from Northwestern University in Communications and Spanish and a Master of Labor and Human Resources from The Ohio State University. She has a certificate in Independent Educational Consulting from the UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education. She is a Wow Writing Workshop Certified College Essay Coach and completed the Gap Year Association’s 2022 Counselor Institute. Alison is awaiting the results of her CEP assessment (Certified Educational Planner) and upon approval, will become just the 6th education professional in the state of Ohio to hold this designation. 

Alison is a professional member of IECA, the Independent Educational Consultants Association, where she serves as co-chair of the Jewish IEC Affinity Group and as a member of the College Tour subcommittee.  She is also a member of NACAC, OACAC, and OASFAA and serves as an Advisory Board Member for College Planner Pro, software that is designed exclusively for IECs. 

Locally, Alison is a member of the Bexley Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Board of Trustees of Congregation Tifereth Israel where she serves as the Co-Chair of the synagogue’s Personnel Committee. 

Alison and her husband, Jeff, have lived in Bexley for 17 years and have three children (17, 15, and 10) The Merzel family is not complete without mention of Marvin, an Australian Labradoodle, and Toby, a Cavapoo.  

Find Alison at www.ahmadvising.com.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

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.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant?

MEET OUR GUEST

Meet Julie Spak. Since 1985, Julie has been connecting students to their futures in her work as a College Admissions Officer, Financial Aid Officer and Honors Program Counselor at the University of New Hampshire, where she received her M.Ed in Counseling and BA in Communication and English. Julie also worked as a School Counselor, so she knows how to help students and families from "both sides of the desk." She is a Past President of New Hampshire School Counselors Association and is currently a member of the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association and National College Advocacy Group (NCAG). Julie is Birkman certified.

Julie's coaching produces a stand-out college application and also accelerates the career search during college and beyond. Working as a Career Coach & Educational Consultant combines all of her passions of helping students learn about their strengths and finding the best fit college major and institution while keeping finances in mind.

Julie lives in suburban Philadelphia with her husband and two active boys, where there is truly never a dull moment!

Julie previously appeared in episode 479 for a SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: National College Affordability Group.

Find Julie at [email protected] or https://www.juliespakconsulting.com/.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

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.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant?

MEET OUR GUEST

Meet Stef Mauler, founder of the Mauler Institute™ and author of The Complete Candidate™. She began working in Ivy League admissions over 30 years ago. She met thousands of high school students and their families as they went through the mysterious Ivy League admissions process. Discovering that the majority of applicants had the academic record, but were not accepted, she set out to find patterns in what differentiated the students who were accepted from those who weren’t. Stef holds a B.A. in Economics and International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania, an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a Graduate Certificate in College Counseling from the University of California, San Diego. Stef is a Certified Educational Planner and a professional member of IECA, HECA, AICEP and NACAC.

Find Stef at https://www.themaulerinstitute.com.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

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.