What Do I Need to Get?

What Do I Need to Get?If you are looking for a physics tutor, you may be asking yourself 'what do I need to get?' Well, it depends on what sort of tutor you are looking for. If you are looking for a tutoring experience, a physics tutor will generally help you get your physics grades up, either by helping you to do certain parts of your math or by coaching you on how to solve the physics problems that you encounter.If you have completed your coursework, and you want to take part in your physics tutoring, then you need to look at the different types of physics tutors available. There are some of them that charge very little and some that charge a very hefty fee. This is important to you because you need to decide if you can afford to pay a fee. Or, you may want to take advantage of a free tutor.Some physics tutors that offer free tutoring are not accredited. You need to understand that some courses may not be well known and therefore not well taught. If you are considering taking a cou rse, such as physics, that you are unsure about, then you should definitely consider getting a free tutoring. This is why you need to determine if you can afford the fee beforehand.Many universities offer online physics tutor that you can get a free quote from. But before you sign up for anything, you should first understand what to expect from this kind of online tutor. It may be that you will have to use your own laptop to send email and chat with the online tutor. If you are considering online physics tutoring, then you should also determine if there is an e-mail address to communicate with your instructor and if the tutor is committed to the online physics course.Your tutor should be a Physics Credentialed Physicist (PCP). If you are asking yourself 'what do I need to get,' then you need to know that PCP is a teacher who has been qualified through a number of different certification programs. This means that the teaching methods used are appropriate for students who have complet ed a course like this. The PCP is not an entry-level teacher and is a much more experienced teacher.As mentioned, you should choose to go with a free tutor because you will want to know if they are an experienced teacher. There are some physics teachers that have been in the business for many years. They are experienced in their profession and therefore offer a better overall experience than tutors that are just beginning to learn the ropes.These are just some of the ways you can determine if you want to take advantage of a physics tutor for free. If you are still unsure, then you should ask your professor for help.

4 Questions to Ask Your First MBA Professor

4 Questions to Ask Your First MBA Professor This post is part of our 2017 Back-to-School Series. Throughout the month of August, visit the Varsity Tutors blog for back-to-school advice, tips, and tricks for all ages. When you start business school, you will face a significant adjustment. In addition to learning new names, building relationships with your classmates, exploring new companies and industries, and developing your career, you will also be taking graduate-level courses with professors who want to help you succeed. Initiating a conversation with your professor shows that you are interested in the class and that you value his or her advice. Questions to ask your first MBA professor can include why he or she decided to go into this field, strategies for success you can use in this course, and any advice regarding graduate school. Curious what you should ask your MBA professor to get a dialogue started? Here are four questions to ask your first MBA professor: Ask your MBA professor why he or she decided to pursue this area of teaching Whether its accounting, economics, operations, or statistics, your MBA professor has dedicated years of study to a particular subject in higher education. Hearing his or her story will help you learn more about him or her as an instructor, as well as more about his or her approach to teaching the course. It will also give you an informed perspective about that area in relation to the larger business world. For instance, you might gain insight into how contributing to local nonprofit organizations assists the public perception of global finance corporations. This conversation may either lead you to a new subject to explore more thoroughly in your MBA program, or it may encourage you to pursue other interests that are better suited to your goals. [RELATED: 4 Things to Accomplish in Your First Semester of Business School] Ask your MBA professor what strategies you should use to get the most out of your class experience By asking this question, you are demonstrating to your professor that you are prepared to succeed. You are ready to learn insights that may not come from simply glancing at the outline of the class. As your professor advises you on strategies, listen to which ones are emphasized so you learn which techniques are preferred. In addition, note which strategies might work best for you, and try them out over the course of the semester. Ask your MBA professor which elective courses you should take based on your career interests Your professor has knowledge of not only his or her own area of expertise, but also that of colleagues (i.e. other MBA professors at your school). Even though your professor may teach marketing, he or she might recommend that you take a class in: mergers and acquisitions venture capital finance and so on. Your professor will have an idea of which courses benefited past students in your situation. But dont expect your professor to do all the work for you. Familiarize yourself with the electives available, especially those that you might want to take. Show that you have done your research by asking for your professors opinion of specific courses, and how they may help you achieve your career goals. [RELATED: The 2 Soft Skills You Need for Business School] Ask your MBA professor what he or she wishes they had known when in graduate school Most of your professors will have attended graduate school, if not a PhD program as well. They know what you are going through. Learn from their successes and their mistakes. Your MBA professor can help you navigate the wealth of information coming at you on a daily basis. Listen to how he or she forged a path through postgraduate education, and apply those lessons to your own journey through business school. Your MBA professor is one of the multiple staff members assigned to your business school program to help you succeed. Introduce yourself before your class starts to establish a relationship. View your MBA professor as your instructor in a specific subject, and also as a potential mentor. Your MBA professor can teach you how to find success in your business school curriculum and throughout your future career. [RELATED: 3 Ways to Prepare for the Business School Transition] Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

GCSE Chemistry Chemical Changes

GCSE Chemistry Chemical Changes Chemical Changes and Other Topics That Appear On Your GCSE Chemistry Syllabus ChaptersGCSE Chemistry: Chemical ChangesGCSE Chemistry: Energy ChangesRevising Topics Such As Chemical Changes And Energy Changes As Part Of Your GCSE Chemistry ExamThere is a lot to learn when tackling a GCSE in chemistry! Whether you’re learning about:The periodic table;The different states of matter;Global warming and greenhouse gases; orThe structure of an atom,There’s plenty of material to learn. That, unfortunately, also means that there is a lot of material that you need to revise when the time finally comes to sit your exams.Thankfully, when it comes to revising a subject such as chemistry, students’ lives have been made easier through the fact that the vast majority of exam boards split the topics that you learn during your GCSE chemistry course into different topics.This not only makes learning about chemistry much more manageable, but it also means that it’s easier to break down your chemistry revision into various different topics, which gives you a chance to chec k whether you’re comfortable with all the areas in a particular topic before revising a new topic.For instance, you might decide to focus your revision efforts initially on topics such as atomic structure, chemical study and analysis, or chemical bonding, and then move on to other topic areas, such as organic chemistry, once you're happy that you've revised the other topics fully.Out of the many chemistry topics you’ll learn about during your GCSE chemistry course (regardless of whether you’re studying chemistry as a single science or as part of a combined science with biology and physics) you’ll more than likely encounter two in particular: chemical changes and energy changes. This is especially the case if you’re studying chemistry as a single science GCSE under an exam board such as AQA or Edexcel.Below this article outlines what the topic areas of chemical changes and energy changes tend to cover, and provides some insight into how you might revise for these areas when the time finally comes to prepare for your GCSE chemistry exam.Start A Level chemistry tuition now.You may well learn about acidic and alkaline solutions as part of your GCSE chemistry studies. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, congerdesign, Pixabay)An alkali has a pH value over 7 and will go on to make an alkaline solution when in water; andAny solution with a pH of 7 is classed as neutral â€" that is, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.One of the ways you’ll be familiar testing the pH level of a solution is by using litmus paper, which is always fun to watch as it turns different colours depending on whether the solution is acidic, alkaline, or neutral.Most likely you'll have experimented a little using litmus paper in school, but if you haven't just ask your teacher if they can do a quick demonstration to show you how the paper works.GCSE Chemistry: Energy ChangesPart of any study on energy changes is likely to include discussion of exothermic and endothermic reactions.Essentially, in ch emistry, a chemical reaction discusses how energy is being transferred. Exothermic reactions refer to a chemical reaction, which results in energy being transferred externally. A common example of an exothermic reaction that you may already be familiar with is combustion. Exothermic reactions should also result in an increase in the surrounding area's temperature.Endothermic reactions, on the other hand, refer to a chemical reaction, which results in energy being transferred internally. This means that often there is a decrease in the surrounding area's temperature.As part of your studies on energy changes, you may also learn about how batteries and fuel cells work, covering aspects such as voltage as part of your work in this area.You might also learn about batteries during your GCSE chemistry lessons on energy changes. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, Manuchi, Pixabay)Revising Topics Such As Chemical Changes And Energy Changes As Part Of Your GCSE Chemistry ExamAs with any exam, if you wan t to get the best possible results then ideally you should have a good idea of what you would like and, indeed, need to achieve during the revision stage in order to get those marks when the day of the exam does come around.While doing well in chemistry may not be as important for some students, for others, getting good marks in chemistry, in particular, is extremely important. For instance, if you think you’d like to take chemistry as a subject at A-level, or perhaps even have aspirations to study chemistry, biochemistry, or a related field at university, then getting the best marks possible in your chemistry GCSE should be your goal.Regardless of how much importance you place on your GCSE chemistry results, there are some things that all students, regardless of ability level, should take into consideration when putting together a revision plan for an upcoming chemistry exam, such as:How much time you have before the final exam and how much of that time you can devote to revising chemistry compared to other subjects;How confident you already are with certain topics on the chemistry syllabus; andWhether you can comfortably complete and pass a past paper under exam conditions.One way to revise effectively for an upcoming GCSE chemistry exam is to have an idea of how long you have to dedicate to revision. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, monicore, Pixabay)Try To Revise Each Topic In The SyllabusIf you have enough time, try to go through your chemistry GCSE syllabus and take note of the various topics that the syllabus comprises.This is so you have an understanding of all the topic areas that could be tested during your actual exam, while also giving you the chance to see whether you would be comfortable answering a question about any given topic in the exam.For example, when it comes to revising the topics of chemical changes and energy changes, try to think about whether you have enough of the fundamental knowledge needed to answer an exam question on areas such as:Ch emical ChangesAcids, bases, and alkalis;Salts; andElectrolysis.Energy ChangesEndothermic reactions; andExothermic reactions.If you wouldn’t be comfortable answering a question on areas such as these, then have a think about whether you should go back and revise those areas until you are comfortable answering a question about them.What’s more, you can adopt this approach to revision with all the topics that appear in your GCSE chemistry syllabus, regardless of whether that topic relates to the states of matter, the composition of various elements, the differences between a proton, neutron, and electron, or something else entirely.Find  chemistry tutors near me  on Superprof now.If you work through all the topics in this way, testing your knowledge as you go along, you should hopefully build your confidence levels and have the belief that you have the ability to complete your GCSE chemistry exam when the day comes.Of course, there are other ways of preparing for an exam. For insta nce, you could go through your notes from previous chemistry lessons and re-read them to consolidate your knowledge, or you could speak to your chemistry teacher after class and ask them if they can give you some additional help if there are any areas you’re unsure of.There are also plenty of resources available online, such as BBC Bitesize, which provides easy-to-read summaries of topics within GCSE chemistry, and also provides some practice questions so that you can test your knowledge and see whether you’re ready to move on to another topic as part of your revision.Ultimately, one of the most important tasks you should undertake as part of your revision plan is to work your way up to being able to complete an entire past GCSE chemistry exam paper under examination conditions. This will require a mix of good time management, confidence in your own knowledge, and experience answering questions to an exam standard.If you need any help preparing for your GCSE chemistry exam, or w ould like some extra help when it comes to things such as improving your exam technique, you might find it helpful to have a chemistry tutor on hand as you revise for your GCSE chemistry exam. Superprof has a range of experienced chemistry tutors who are able to provide one on one, online-only, or group revision workshops.Search for an online chemistry tutor  now.

Maths is Everywhere Examples of Maths in Real Life

Maths is Everywhere Examples of Maths in Real Life Maths is Used in Everyday Life ChaptersLearning Maths from an Early AgeThe Importance of Number Discovery for ChildrenWhy Maths is Important in FinanceThe Relationship Between Maths and SportIf we’ve not heard these questions being asked, we’ve been the ones asking them.“What is maths for?”“Why do I need to learn my times tables?”“I just don’t understand how people can enjoy solving equations”The time has come to put a stop to this. Even if you don’t like maths, nobody can deny its importance in today’s society.Not only is maths essential to scientists, doctors and astronauts, but it also plays a crucial role in our day to day lives.The science of mathematics applies to the clouds; the radiance of starlight nourishes the rose; no thinker will dare say that the scent of hawthorn is valueless to the constellations... - Victor HugoWe are formally introduced to the subject in school, where learning is mostly theoretical. However, throughout our lives we begin to appreciate that mathematics is wit h us from crib to coffin, having significance in everything from visiting the shops to playing sports. MyriamMaths Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £200/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Dr parikhMaths Teacher 5.00 (8) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KamalMaths Teacher 5.00 (9) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PetarMaths Teacher 5.00 (8) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GowsikaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RubenMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ConorMaths Teacher 4.75 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLearning Maths from an Early AgeIt’s difficult to know what’s going on in the heads of young babies when they only communicate through facial expressions and noises.Whilst their language acquisition is still in its early days, babies use their sight to take in their surroundings. Li ttle by little, their observations and experiments help infants found an understanding of the world.Thanks to new research on the cognitive development of children, we know a lot more about their learning abilities.When it comes to maths, the capacity of children to make sense of their surroundings is astounding. Studies led by Dr Elizabeth S. Spelke at Harvard University showed that at the age of 6 months, babies are able to:Visually estimate quantitiesRecognise a difference between two representations of numbersBabies who pay more attention to numbers at a young age are more likely to have less difficulty learning the subject in their school yearsIn their first two years, toddlers learn maths skills to hone their number sense and estimation skills. Whilst they are learning to walk and talk, toddlers begin to put words to the simple mathematical concepts they have been noticing.Children like songs when it comes to learning ¦ source: Pixabay - PublicDomainPicturesEncouraging infant s and helping them show interest in numbers is proven to be beneficial.In 1980, paediatrician Hallam Hurt from Philadelphia discovered that children who receive more attention at home have a higher IQ in general.The developmental benefits of introducing children to numbers are exactly why children should be introduced to math concepts such as geometry and arithmetic.The Importance of Number Discovery for ChildrenThroughout our academic careers, maths is an essential part of the national curriculum and school syllabus.From nursery school, children are taught through methods which are adapted to their age. However, their age is not a reason to shield them from mathematics.Children learn about the fundamentals of maths through playing games which let them:Get to know how numbers work (for example, spotting the hundreds, tens and digits)Gain an appreciation for the applications of mathsExplore how numbers relate to each otherFrom primary school, the maths syllabus is split into 3 main t opics:Numbers and calculationScales and measuresGeometryMastery of the notions learnt at primary school means less difficulty with maths at a higher level.Maths lessons encourage children to think logically and develop reasoning skills which will serve them throughout their adult lives.Mental arithmetic is equally as important as it allows children to form links between numbers and understand how they work.According to official figures, 25% of children fail to understand the basics of mathematics by the end of primary school.For this reason, it is critical that teaching is adapted to the age of each student and that they have the academic support they need to develop the right study skills.Maths can seem abstract and overly complex when no link is made with its uses in the real world, and this is where many comprehension problems stem from.But rest assured that as a parent, it’s easy to support your child in their maths education. Keep in mind that concrete examples of real-life a pplications of maths help your child get to grips with a topic through visualisation, which will also help them remember what they have learnt.By mastering the basics, students prepare themselves to overcome any difficulties in the future, particularly once subjects become more specialised and they begin learning physics, for example.Why Maths is Important in FinanceStudents all over the UK breathe a sigh of relief once they graduate, waving farewell to maths lessons.However, the reality is that no one is ever really finished with maths!Throughout your life, even if you don’t use trigonometry, differential equations or fractions on a daily basis, maths is always there â€" particularly when it comes to budgeting!No matter what your career path, maths will feature in your life ¦ source: Pixabay - Alexander SteinOf course, there is software available to help you with this, but even in an Excel spreadsheet, if you don’t know how to create formulae, you won’t get very far!So, in w hich aspects of adult life does maths feature?Everyday budgeting: Knowing how to plan your spending in advance and make decisions about how to spend and save your moneyLong-term financial projects:  Such as taking out a loan or buying a property where you have to compare and plan for the future.Taxes: Filling out your tax return correctly is incredibly important. Being able to trace your earnings can help you find out what how much tax you should be paying and what you’re entitled to.Starting a business: Any entrepreneur must have specific skills such as budgeting and forecasting to be able to adequately manage their business.Understanding the Global Economy: Some say money makes the world go around. Scholarships, finance, economic policy, the list goes on. Behind the scenes of the financial workings of our society are people using maths to plan and analyse.If you find yourself in difficulty when it comes to your maths skills, why not take some refresher lessons  with a maths tuto r to help you in your day-to-day life?How can Maths Help You Manage Your Money?It’s a simple fact that being good at maths can help when it comes to understanding your income and expenditure.Being able to mathematically follow your money can give you peace of mind and know when there is a problem. A good knowledge of maths means that you’ll be able to keep track and minimise the risk of financial issues.Maths can also help people control their gambling addictions! A polytechnic school in Milan has launched a training programme with a view to help addicts understand winning probabilities so they can evaluate the risks they take.The Relationship Between Maths and SportEven sport depends on maths!Whether it’s amateur or elite sport, maths can make all the difference when it comes to improving performance.When maths and new technologies make it possible to develop new performance analysis tools, athletes can focus their training on specific points for improvement.In high-level and elite sport, performance analysis tools allow for hundreds of aspects of data to be analysed un real time, including:Heart rateMuscle strengthPosition on a pitchSpeedLevel of fatigueEven some aspects of sport rely on maths! ¦ source: Pixabay - skeezeSports trackers can be found in t-shirts, caps, and even rackets! The performance of athletes is scientifically analysed so they can get personalised training recommendations.This kind of analysis can help athletes to:Go a few centimetres furtherAvoid injuryOptimise the recovery periodImprove techniqueIn recent years, mathematicians have also begun to focus on specific problems, looking at techniques scientifically to help athletes achieve optimum performance on a given day.What is the ideal trajectory?Is coordinating strokes the most efficient way to row?Which forces act on an air-born shot put?Sports scientists are always coming up with things to analyse. Solving problems offers new perspectives for athletes who feel they have hit a plateau or need something to focus on to improve their technique.When mathematics comes into play, people tend to be disinterested. Since new roads for athlete advancement have been established, new records are being set.In the 2012 Olympics in London, 32 world records were brokenAt the 2014 Football World Cup, the German team trained with technology which analysed the performance of rival teams â€" and it must have worked as they became winners!In the beginning, they were reserved for high-level sport, but now analysis tools are within reach for everyone. Amateur sports enthusiasts now have access to these new technologies which are not just gadgets, but performance tools.And we have maths to thank!

What is it Like to Attend Carnegie Mellon University

What is it Like to Attend Carnegie Mellon University Douglas specializes in algebra tutoringand physics tutoring. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2015 with a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering. Interested in attending Carnegie Mellon University? Check out the college experience interview below. Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Douglas: Carnegie Mellon University is a great middle ground for students looking for a beautiful, green campus with traditional quads and outdoor gathering areas adjacent to an urban center. The campus is large and singular, considering its position in the Oakland neighborhood of the city of Pittsburgh. The campus itself was extremely safe, and there were very few reported crime incidents in my four years at the school. As part of the student activities fund built into tuition costs, Carnegie Mellon University provides free bus transit and entrance into local museums and venues with a student ID. You do not need a car or bike on the campus (especially in your freshman and sophomore years). How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Douglas: The teaching staff at Carnegie Mellon University are obviously very busy, as you would expect from professors performing research at most universities. With that being said, my experience with professors and teaching assistants (TAs) was extremely positive. Professors and TAs post their office hours and contact information on the first day of every class. In addition, one-on-one meetings could be scheduled with professors and TAs with one weeks notice. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, and socialization opportunities with other students? Douglas: Housing and meal plans are expensive at Carnegie Mellon University, but they are required for freshman students for at least one semester. The school allows you to pick your top three dorm locations before your first day. The rooms and dining areas are clean and are centrally located within a half mile of all freshman dorms/academic buildings. The school has many clubs and Greek organizations that are important outlets for students to develop their interests at Carnegie Mellon University. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Douglas: The School of Computer Science and the electrical and computer engineering major in the Carnegie Institute of Technology are the top-rated programs. All programs are well supported. My major was mechanical engineering. The college did a great job of integrating micro-controllers and other ECE topics into design classes in mechanical engineering. For example, my mechatronics capstone class required teams of mech-es and ECEs to collaborate on a masters level capstone project. The school does an excellent job instilling the fundamentals of engineering. (I cannot speak for non-engineering majors as I have little experience.) One frequent criticism is that the school prepares students for the rigors of a PhD in their area of study, but does not engage students with collaborative design projects until the beginning of their junior year. With that being said, I still felt prepared for the workplace after graduation. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Douglas: I personally chose to join a fraternity at the beginning of my sophomore year after trying a few clubs. I became close with my freshman floormates, but struggled initially to branch out to friends outside our dorm. Being active in a campus-wide club is important when trying to meet a broad range of people. Greek life has a large presence at Carnegie Mellon University at between 20-25%. Each group of people have their own group personalities, and there is a place for everyone if they are interested. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Douglas: The school hosts career fair events that are crucial to landing a job after college. The Technical Opportunities Conference in the early fall semester for engineering and computer science students, alongside the Business Opportunities Conference for Tepper Business School, provides chances to meet university recruiters face to face during a two-day event. Many students land interviews the following week on campus in the career center. The career center partners with a wide range of companies and has a great reputation with those companies. How are the various study areas, such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Douglas: With a relatively smaller student base, the large Carnegie Mellon campus is rarely crowded. There are tons of places outdoors to study or meet friends when the weather is nice. Describe the surrounding town. Douglas: The campus is surrounded by three communities. South and southeast of campus, the Schenley Park network of open parks is a great place to unwind in the warmer months. It is the biggest park network in Pittsburgh, providing great views of downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland. On the west side of campus, Oakland is home to Pittsburgh University. It is an urban area with many great places to explore. Downtown Pittsburgh is a 12-minute bus ride away, whereas Oakland is walking distance. People go to Oakland frequently, but downtown trips are more of a weekend excursion. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Douglas: In 2014, the school enrolled 13,285 students according to the schools website. That figure is broken down roughly 50/50 between graduate and undergraduate students. Freshman year classes are large because there is overlap between requirements for many majors. In my opinion, this is unavoidable. TA breakout reviews scheduled during the week are a more manageable maximum of about 25 students where questions can be answered. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Douglas: I will always remember my experience with our schools introductory economics requirement class, Principles of Economics. Professor Klepper, who sadly passed away in 2013, was particularly influential in my college experience. His class was notoriously difficult, and his exams were also difficult. His exam was the first test many freshman took in college. I scored under a 50%, along with a large portion of the class. Professor Klepper called meetings with every student who scored below a 50% on the first test with their TA in attendance. In our private meeting, he asked how much I had prepared for the exam and what methods I had used to study. He developed extra review sessions (which he taught) for me and the other struggling students. He told me in the private meeting that he was absolutely positive that I could get an A on the next test and a B in the class overall if I was willing to put in the work and attend the scheduled review sessions. He was correct, and his guidanc e during a very vulnerable stage in my college development helped me to understand that a bad grade should motivate you, not demoralize you. Check out Douglas tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Should I Go To The University of Rochester

Should I Go To The University of Rochester Ian is a current junior at the University of Rochester. He is majoring in chemistry, and specializes in AP Biology tutoring, organic chemistry tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, he shares his experience at the University of Rochester: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Ian: The University of Rochester is set along the peaceful Genesee River in Rochester, NY. It is about four miles south of the small western New York city center of Rochester, NY. The university campus is flanked by the river on one side, Strong Memorial Hospital and University of Rochester Medical School Campus on another, and Mt. Hope Cemetery on another. This provides for a very quiet campus and not much cross-traffic from the outside community through the campus. This allows the best of both worlds for a university student, because you can have the feeling of a spacious, safe, and insulated campus that is not in a city, but have readily available access to the city if your heart so desires. If you want to get around the city and surrounding suburbs, this is easily accommodated by the bus system that the university maintains for students. All week long, there are shuttles that run from the university to the city, namely the Eastman School of Music, which is also part of the university. The buses have routes to get to the two local malls on the weekends, and you can even stop at a Wegmans while you are out. How available are the professors, academic advisors, and teaching assistants? Ian: The professors, advisors, and teaching assistants are readily available to anyone on campus. Professors and advisors will typically have posted office hours that you can freely visit them during, but you can also email them to set up another time to meet. In general, most people are very open and welcoming to meeting with students, because the environment on campus is a nurturing one that wants to see its students succeed. As a teaching assistant myself, I can say that teaching assistants will go out of their way to meet with you and help you with anything you are having trouble with, and are generally more available than professors and advisors. This makes planning a meeting time much easier and manageable. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Ian: Dorm life is something that is drastically different from any other type of living you may have experienced in your life. I mean that in the best sense, because you will meet so many new and exciting people while you are staying in a dorm environment. The rooms are split into doubles (two people live in one room) and singles (one person in a room). As a freshman, it is possible to be placed in a triple (three people in a room), which is a bummer because they typically do not have any bigger rooms than most doubles on campus. However, that is a living arrangement that will only last for your freshman year. After your freshman year, you have a lot of housing options for where you want to live. You can go to more apartment style living, which gives a much more independent sense of living, but they are typically located farther from the center of the campus. You can go into suite style dorms, where multiple people share a common space and a kitchen typically, and everyone has their own personal room to sleep in. You could also go into a normal single or double again. What is really cool is that, as a sophomore, Special Interest Housing becomes an option, which is the type of living I currently am in. Special Interest Housing is a collection of people that have very particular interests, and they all live together on the same floor and form a very close-knit group. My SIH, as they are called, is Interclass Living Community, and we try to endorse community on campus and the greater Rochester area by hosting different fun programs, being close friends, and having at least one volunteer activ ity per semester. Overall, there are many options to choose from and everyone has their own personal preferences. When it comes to dining, you can either have swipe plans, where you have a certain number of accesses to one of the dining halls, or a declining plan, which is just what we call our dedicated food money here. They both have advantages and disadvantage. Swipes are nice to go to the dining halls and eat, but you are limited to mostly just those food outlets. Declining often runs out very quickly, so many people start to share declining with each other to make it through a semester. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Ian: Hands down, the best supported and represented major/department is the biology department or the engineering department. The biology department/majors are widely broadcast because there are a lot of pre-medical students at the university. The engineering departments are widely publicized because there is an entire school of engineering attached to the university, the Hajim School of Engineering. I myself study chemistry and think that the chemistry department is very well seen on campus. Because of the wide disdain for organic chemistry that many pre-medical students have, I think it gets a bad rap. I myself am a pre-medical student, but I love the chemistry department, and I was roped in with organic chemistry in my freshman year by taking the freshman organic chemistry class that is offered to those that score high on the AP Chemistry exam. I enjoy chemistry just because, to me, it seems very elegant and everything just flows naturally from one state to another. It is an amazing field to study and I love every aspect of it. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Ian: When I first came to the university as a freshman, meeting new people was extremely easy. Almost everyone here is ready and willing to help other people out, and it makes an open and welcoming environment for people to enter. With the number of different clubs and activities, there is something here for everyone to do to be involved in and meet new people. I personally joined the Quidditch team and made most of my friends there in my freshman year, while also having a great time playing an awesome, new, up-and-coming sport and travelling with the team. And even if you dont like sports, there are other more academic activities, or just fun things to join in. There is also a relatively large Greek life presence on campus. It is possible to avoid Greek life for all four years that you might spend in Rochester, but most people go to at least one or two events during that time. For the most part, Greek life is a wonderful experience and those involved in it, including myself, have no regrets about their decision to join. I have made great friends in my fraternity, and I love all my brothers. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Ian: I personally have not used the Career Center or many of the other support services that are readily available on campus, but I have used UCC (University Counseling Center) and UHS (University Health Service). UCC and UHS have been a joy to visit when you need it, because the people that work in these two services care about your overall health. The UCC system, however, can become very full, so making an appointment can be several weeks in the future and may not be of help for whatever you may be experiencing at the time. I have received many emails from the other support services of different opportunities that are ongoing, so I imagine if you reach out to them they would be helpful. The events that they advertise over email tend to be career panels hosted by different groups and career fairs or company visits, so there is plenty of opportunity. How are the various study areas, such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Ian: Another of the beautiful experiences of the Rochester campus is that there are so many places that anyone can study, depending on what you need to study. If you need absolute quiet to study and be productive with work, there are the Stacks in Rush Rhees Library where there are several floors that are composed of shelves of books and desks to work at. If you might need a little more noise in your studying, you can go to one of the other library spaces on campus, such as Carlson Library, Wilson Commons, or any other space you can find. If you need a very social space to study, Gleason Library is the place to go. I dont actually know why Gleason Library is called a library, because there arent any books there. But, like any college or university, how many people are trying to study in any given space is dictated by the time of the semester and if people have looming exams. Most times during the semester, though, it is a relatively easy task to find a study space. Describe the surrounding town. Ian: The area immediately around the campus has been renovating and building up new, and the newest addition is called College Town. This is a small area with a few shops, restaurants, and other things that students will regularly visit to get a meal, get books from the bookstore, or buy Insomnia Cookies (something you will learn to love if you attend the university). Beyond that, on the weekends most students will get on a bus and either explore the downtown area, possibly getting a cup of Joe from Javas Coffee, or sometimes students will go to one of the local malls or Wegmans to explore. If you have a different trip in mind, there are also Zipcars available to rent and drive to anywhere you might want to go, which, again, there are a lot of options since you are in western New York. You could go on a day trip to Niagara Falls, about an hour and a half west, or maybe you plan a day trip and a hike with friends in Lewiston State Park and all the beautiful gorges there, or maybe you just take a drive on the I-90 when the leaves are changing in the fall to look in awe at the beautiful array of colors on the trees. There is always something to do around campus or on campus, depending on what you want to do. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Ian: The student body is fairly small at about 4,500 undergraduate students. At this size, you will regularly see some people throughout your day, or sometimes you can see the same person four or five times while just walking through the halls. This gives a very small and tight-knit community feeling that makes the campus truly feel like home. What is an odd little effect of this is that as you get to know more people on campus, you may find that your friends all know each other independent of you. This atmosphere also translates into the class sizes, as well. For the most part, class sizes are fairly small and you can get to know your professor if you put yourself out there and try to make that connection. However, the traditional introductory science courses and the pre-medical courses are always filled with people and average somewhere between 60-80 students. But, these are introductory courses that everyone has to take, and class sizes drop off after this. Most classes have about 10-20 students, which in my mind is a comfortable number to learn as a student. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Ian: The most memorable experiences I have ever had in a class was during my freshman year during a lab lecture for second semester organic chemistry lab. The professor was telling us about scientific papers and we had a lab report due in the next few days, and they often were very long write-ups due to the inclusion of large graphs and tables. Despite their length, most of us had developed a certain amount of laziness in writing them and would wait until the last few days before the lab was due to write it out. In the lecture, the professor was commenting about lab reports and he casually dropped the comment of: but you all probably havent started writing them yet, and we all thought it was hilarious. In the same lecture, he commented on how he couldnt remember the last time he read something over 20 pages long, which we all connected with, and it was a great laugh. He was my favorite professor in my freshman year. However, with all good experiences, there are bad experiences and I will detail one that was not as great. In one of the introductory public health courses, the professor was an interim professor (thus this professor is no longer here), and would casually make disparaging comments about doctors, which I thought was frustrating because a lot of students here are pre-medical students. This was unfortunate, but has so far been an isolated experience, but one worth sharing. Check out Ians tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

The Importance of Practice Tests for Effective Test Preparation

The Importance of Practice Tests for Effective Test Preparation Hello AJ Tutoring clients and friends! We hope you all are having a great school year so far. One thing on the minds of many juniors these days is getting ready for the SAT and ACT.Completing full practice tests is a great way for students to get the feel of the test and track their progress. Sometimes, though, a student will come to our next tutoring session with the test partially completed, or not done under ideal circumstances. This ends up partly wasting the student’s time, since we can’t get an accurate idea of how he or she is doing. Which begs the question: what should it look like when students do practice tests for homework?If possible, we always encourage students to take proctored tests offered every weekend at many of our locations throughout the Bay Area. We’ll tell students what to do and when, just like the day of the test. This takes guesswork out of the equation and gives accurate results. Plus, students get their tutoring homework done in one morning. Win-win !But if it’s not possible to come in for a proctored test, students should do the test at home, in an environment that resembles the testing environment as closely as possible (minus all the other stressed-out students). What should this look like?1. NO DISTRACTIONS!This is so important. Most high schoolers treat their phones like extra appendages. You can’t have phones during the SAT, so don’t have them out while you’re taking a practice test. You can use the phone as a timer, but put it across the room. No talking, no texting, no Facebook.2. Do the whole test in one sitting.Yes, this is hard, and yes, it will take about four hours. Yes, we know you have sports and theater and hours of homework to do. But test day is a marathon, not a sprint. Lots of students could get great scores, if only they could split up the test over many days! The SAT is partly testing your ability to focus and think for several hours straight, so you need to practice that. No shortcuts here!3. Time it like the actual test.Follow the timing directions at the top of each section, and set a timer to go off when time’s up. Stop writing when you hear the timer, and don’t fill in more answers.4. Go in order.Don’t do all the math sections at once, or all the reading and writing sections together. Complete sections in the order they’re presented in the test.5. Take the test when you’re feeling rested.Weekend mornings are a great time to take practice tests because the test itself is given on a Saturday morning. Regardless of what day you choose to complete the practice test, don’t start it at 9 o’clock at night on a Thursday night after you finished all your other homework. Practice tests completed at 1 o’clock in the morning don’t end well: trust us!6. Parents: help create a good environment.Make sure your son or daughter has a cleaned-off place to sit and complete the test without distractions. Don’t interrupt to talk or ask questions. Encourage them to do the t est in one sitting, and provide positive reinforcement when they get it done. Put the test up on the fridge after they get the score back (okay, you don’t have to do the last part).Completing several practice tests under testing conditions is one of the best predictors we at AJ Tutoring have found for a student’s eventual score improvement. Implementing the advice above is sure to help you have a great test day when the real exam finally rolls around.If you’d like to sign up for SAT or ACT preparation, or if your student needs help getting ready for the ISEE, SSAT, or HSPT, please give us a call today!

Encouraging Summer Math and Reading for Kids with ADHD

Encouraging Summer Math and Reading for Kids with ADHD Summer gives kids with ADHD the opportunity to take a break from the pressure and hard work that comes with staying focused and on-task all day long. They have more time to explore their creative side, burn off their extra energy while playing outside, and become absorbed in activities that they truly enjoy. Given how challenging school can be, many parents of kids with ADHD want to provide them with a complete break from academic activities over the summer. As tempting as this may be, and as important as non-academic activities are, some academic learning is necessary to avoid a summer learning backslide. Studies show that on average kids lose up to 2 months of math and up to 1 month of reading over the summer. Engaging in educational activities over the summer can help prevent summer backsliding. Unfortunately, many kids with ADHD will push back against these activities in large part because of negative experiences they have had throughout the school year. As a parent, how do you g et your child to read a book or practice his or her math facts without engaging in a summer-long power struggle? Start with clear expectations. Let your child know that summer represents a break from school, but not a break from learning. Describe the summer backslide and explain that by reading and doing math problems over the summer he or she can help his or her brain grow stronger so that school will be easier when he or she returns in the fall. Develop a summer learning schedule and share the plan with your child in advance. It may be helpful to also highlight the amount of time he or she will spend on fun activities, like attending camp or going to the pool, so he or she can clearly see that the entire summer isnt being consumed by academic tasks. Set goals and track your childs progress. Even with the best of intentions, very few kids will be satisfied with learning for learnings sake over the summer. Set clear goals for daily academic activities and give your child the opportunity to track his or her progress. Seek out summer learning programs that focus on building specific academic skills and monitoring growth and progress over time. Be a role model for your child. Set your own summer learning goals and share them with your child. Your goals can be simple, like reading for a few minutes every day or spending time each week learning something new about an interest you would like to explore. Set goals for yourself and share them with your child. You can both track your progress together. Set your child up for success. Much of the stress that kids with ADHD feel during the school year comes from struggling to keep up with their peers and hold their own in classroom settings that arent designed for their learning style. Counteract these negative experiences by providing your child with the opportunity to experience academic success in the summer. Set initial goals that are easily achievable, like completing math worksheets that are quite simple, or reading books that are well within his or her current ability level. Then gradually make the goals and academic material more challenging. Aim for targets that are just ahead of where your child is at currently, but are still within his or her reach. Praise and reward effort. Spending time on math and reading over the summer, and working to achieve academic goals will be challenging for most kids with ADHD. Let your child know that you recognize his or her hard work and praise his or her effort. If your child needs extra motivation, then consider offering activities or privileges that can be earned for achieving his or her goals. Encouraging kids with ADHD to participate in reading and math over the summer isnt always easy. So, make a solid plan, set clear expectations, be a good role model, and praise and reward their effort. The payoff will be great when their school year gets off to a great start in the fall. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

In the Defense of Journalism

In the Defense of Journalism Taken from Jazzed About Stuff Facebook, Twitter, videos uploaded from iPhones to YouTube; information comes swiftly speeding all over the globe to reach those thirsty for information. It’s amazing how, within seconds of some major news event, anyone with complete access to the internet can be updated with the knowledge of that event’s existence. Today in our internet age the consumer is incredibly fortunate to be able to acquire information at the tips of their fingers in an instant, but while the digital age is booming with new possibilities, journalists are becoming concerned about their own futures. As young students of journalism, naturally, they’re thinking about the future and whether it’s a waste of time to go into such a field that, to a large amount of individuals, seems so up in the air. With the amount of uncertainty that exists during a time when tuition costs are high, jobs are limited and student loans still need to be paid back after graduation, journalism seems less appealing to those attempting to make a career out of it. So why not just give up on journalism and let the non-journalists on the internet do all the work? Well, the journalists of today are retold over and over again as to why journalists still exist and why they will most likely continue to exist in the future. The Crystal Cox case reminds us that journalists need special protections, as a part of their work, to ensure their sources remain confidential,” CJ Cornell wrote in an article for PBS’s Idea Lab. “Occupy Wall Street represents countless examples where journalists are granted special access.” Crystal Cox refers to herself as an “investigative blogger” and not a journalist. What’s the difference you ask? Well Kevin Padrick, an attorney and co-founder of Obsidian Finance Group in Lake Oswego, Ore, was able to sue Crystal Cox for defamation after she blogged that he acted illegally and unethically as a trustee in a federal bankruptcy proceeding. Because she wasn’t tied to any news publication with legal teams, and didn’t have the definition of a journalist backing her up with her freedom of the press, she ended up losing her case and ended up having to pay $2.5 million to Padrick. The backing that Cox lacked ended up hurting her in the long run, but for others, lacking the proper skill and training can lead you in the path toward inaccurate information. The regular Joes on the blogosphere may get a story out through Twitter as soon as it happens, but fact checking, research, interviews and proofreading from journalism professionals will answer the who, what, when, where, why and how that you may not get from a tweet. Journalism school encourages eager young people searching for careers, in starting a conversation and spreading knowledge about the world around them, to learn more about gathering accurate information and distributing the truth to people willing to stay in the loop. The digital age obvious creates new challenges and situations that did not exist in the older days when print journalism was king, but if journalism adapts and uses these new technologies as tools, rather than large obstacles, to produce the same quality work in a new and exciting way, then journalism will thrive. “Never forget that journalism is all about the public,” said Geneva Overholser, director of USC Annenberg’s School of Journalism, in a recent Nieman Journalism Lab article. “We can easily focus on the new technologies, the new social media tools, and the new possibilities for financial support. Yet the far more interesting and promising change is the new way of working with the public to make journalism better than it has ever been.”