Top Tips for Completing Your College Applications

Top Tips for Completing Your College Applications The following piece was written by Kofi Kankam. Kofi has been featured in our Admissions Expert series and is a former admissions interviewer for The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the co-founder of Admit Advantage. For many, October means cooler temperatures, beautiful fall foliage, and close to fall festivals and outings. But in the world of college admissions, it often means, Yikes! Peeling away the September calendar page to reveal that of October can incite anxiety at looming early November application deadlines. Here are some practical tips to get you through: Set measurable and obtainable goals. By this time, you have hopefully identified all of the schools to which youd like to apply early. Use 3-7 day intervals to complete items. This is particularly helpful when it comes to writing essays and responding to short answer prompts. Setting these self-imposed deadlines will also allow for you to work through multiple drafts while receiving feedback from one or two trusted sources, as well as meet your other academic, work, and extracurricular obligations. It is likely that something will have to give during the fall as you prepare these applications. Keep your priorities aligned with your long-term goals, which means that the thing you will likely have to sacrifice is your social life. Rest easy, however, by keeping things in perspective. This short window may seem interminable while you are in the midst of it, but before you know it, your life will regain its sense of normalcy and completing applications will be a thing of the past (that is, until its time to complete applications for consideration under Regular Decision). Make sure that you have connected with your school college counselor to confirm that they have all necessary materials to complete the secondary components of your application. For a humorous look at the shortcomings of a fictional college counselor and the mayhem that ensues, watch Orange County but not until all of your applications have been completed, of course. Confirm that your recommenders have everything they need to complete their portion of the application. Revisit your essay drafts over the next two to three weeks until they reach submit status. Submit status means that when you read and reread the essays, there is nothing that you wish to change, omit, or add. That being said, there are changes that could be made indefinitely if there were no time constraints or deadlines, which in the real world, is never the case. Use the following checklist to ensure that your essay has reached submit status: the essay addresses the question or prompt; the essay is written in your voice and comes across as genuine; the essay is personal rather than generic and speaks to your specific experiences; the essay flows well from one idea to the next; the essay is free of grammatical mistakes. Once you have submitted your early-admission applications, give yourself a pat on the back. Then, give yourself a week or so off from the process before tackling applications that have January or later deadlines. This will allow you some downtime and perhaps facilitate the completion of second-round applications with a renewed sense of creativity and drive. Visit Admit Advantage for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Is it Possible to Learn Guitar Online

Is it Possible to Learn Guitar Online Suzy S. With the advent of YouTube tutorials for just about everything, its only fitting that there are a lot of videos out there claiming to be able to teach you how to play guitar. While you might think this is a quick and easy way to become a pro, youll want to make sure you have all of the information before diving in headfirst. Online Tutorials When youre surfing the Internet, youll come across many different websites with prerecorded tutorials to help you learn guitar online. But the keyword there is help, as theyre never going to be personalized enough to be the only resource youll need to learn guitar properly. Its all too easy to learn guitar online incorrectly, such as poor strumming patterns or improper chord fingerings, without a private instructor to guide you. In between scheduled lessons, however, using online tutorials can be a great supplemental resource to keep you motivated. When youre working with a private guitar instructor, either in-person or online, he or she may have some suggestions for tutorial videos for the new techniques youre learning. Dont be afraid to ask your teacher for a few videos that can help you master the new lesson material after the instruction time is over. A good teacher will recognize that one of the best ways to learn is repetition, and since its impractical to have instruction time every day to go over the same techniques, the next best thing is to watch (and mimic) tutorials that properly describe the new techniques. Live, Online Lessons In addition to prerecorded tutorial videos, theres also another method to if you want to learn guitar online: live, online lessons. These are great if your schedule doesnt allow for consistent in-person lessons.  If you have a busy travel schedule, for example, scheduling online lessons is a great way to learn guitar online. There are many instructors out there who are able to provide  online lessons through Skype or other video chat services, and most have flexibility in scheduling to make sure that your life and your lessons dont get in each others way. If youre going to go the online guitar lesson route, youll need a few extra things aside from your guitar: a broadband Internet connection, and a webcam to use with your video chat service. Most instructors use Skype for this, but some might prefer other services such as FaceTime and Google Hangouts. All of these chat services are free to sign up for. Of course, one big disadvantage of online lessons is the lack of actual face-to-face contact. If youre developing a new technique and start showing signs of a bad habit, a private instructor may need to physically manipulate your hand position, which cant be done through a computer screen. Even so, most private teachers are able to do a good enough job explaining where youre falling short and can help you break the bad habit through video chat. Best of Both Worlds: Combine Each Resource If you want to get the most out of your guitar lessons, you can combine in-person lessons, live online lessons, and online tutorials. Even if you can only meet in-person once a month, and then have the other weeks where youll be conducting the lesson over video chat, youll still have the chance to have face-to-face contact and can continue learning through video chat. When youre looking to learn guitar online, theres a lot of information available. Most of the tutorial videos have the best intentions at heart, but it can be easy to pick up bad techniques if youre not careful. Working with a private instructor to keep you on the right path is key! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by Jazmin Million

Common Mistakes When Learning German and How To Avoid Them

Common Mistakes When Learning German and How To Avoid Them How to Learn German Fast Free of Mistakes ChaptersWhy is Learning German So Hard?Common Spelling Mistakes in GermanCommon Mispronunciations When Speaking GermanHow To Avoid Some Common German Grammar MistakesExceptions to Rules in German GrammarLearning a language is hard. Generally, you assume the beginning is the hardest, but there comes a point where you can build sentences without looking up words in the dictionary and your online language course is starting to actually be fun.Then, a few months in and you’re frustrated. You feel you are stagnating. You are making the same mistakes over and over, even though you know better. Sound familiar? Don’t worry! You have reached a learning plateau, a time where your brain is taking some time off to process everything you have already learned.To free yourself from this stagnation stage, you can try new methods of learning, or really sitting down and looking at your mistakes in a cool and logical fashion.Then there are other letters that are not pronounced exactly as they are i n English - “c” and “z”, for example - while some sounds don’t even exist in English, like “ch”.How To Avoid Some Common German Grammar MistakesGrammar is never easy, and German has many pitfalls for the unwary student. Photo credit: Internet Archive Book Images via VisualHuntUsing the right gender is possibly the most common challenge for anyone learning German; using the right case, the second. The third, of course, is where to put the verb.Where to put the verbIn normal sentences, within a main clause, the verb always comes second, no matter what comes first. In a subordinate clause, it comes at the end. When the verb form includes an auxiliary verb, the auxiliary comes second and the participle at the end in a main clause and at the very end after the participle in a subordinate clause. Infinitives in an infinitive clause come at the end as well, but if you are asking a question without using a question word, the verb comes first.Little mistakes that are easy to ma keBut little things can trip you up just as well - whether to use “wenn” or “wann” when you mean “when” (it’s complicated), “will” or “werde” when you mean “will” (”werde”), and whether to negate with “kein” or with “nicht” (”Kein” is for negating nouns while “nicht” negates verbs.)Exceptions to Rules in German GrammarGerman would not be a proper language if it didn’t have exceptions.The “weaker” sex: second-declension masculinesThough German has the decency to only decline the articles, and not the nouns themselves (with the exception of the genitive, of course). But then comes the so-called “second declension” or “weak masculines” (and one neuter, “das Herz”), in which the masculine in question gets an “-n” or “-en” at every case except the nominative. The fascinating thing is that there are exceptions to these exceptions, with second declensions that follow a different pattern.Every language has exceptions to its rules of grammar and spelling. German simply has less than most. Photo credit: Anne-Marie Yee via Visualhunt.comGerman verbs with an inseparable prefixWhile in most marriages between a verb and a prefix the two have an open relationship, with the prefix often wandering off on its own to the end of a sentence, there is a group of verbs where the two are as inseparable as lovebirds. Specific prefixes that remain attached are: Be-, Emp-, Ent-, Er-, Ge-, Miss-, Ver-, Voll- and Zer-.German prepositions using the genitive caseWhile most prepositions we learn about take either the accusative or the dative, there is a small, rather elitist group that takes the genitive. These are words that are often considered as belonging to a more elegant language and so do not appear that often in everyday speech. The more common ones, such as “wegen”, “während”, “trotz” and “dank”, are regularly used with the dative when speaking, a practice that is gaining more and more acceptanc e among grammarians.At home in GermanWhen speaking of home, the German language has a few oddities. While you otherwise go “zur Apotheke” or “zu Lidl”, you go “nach Hause”, but once you’re there, you are “zu Hause”. The little “e” at the end is a fossil, left over from a time when the noun was also declined.Despite these difficulties, learning German is very rewarding - don’t let your mistakes keep you down. Remember, even German native speakers make mistakes, and they speak it every day! Learn German online  with Superprof tutors. We have thousands of tutors across the world teaching german via webcam. You can also get face to face tutors wherever you are. Whether it be german courses London, Glasgow, Belfast or Cardiff.

The Clothes You Need for Dance Classes

The Clothes You Need for Dance Classes How to Dress for a Ballet Class ChaptersChoosing a Leotard for BalletBallet Slippers and Pointe ShoesHow Much Does a Ballet Outfit Cost?Stage Makeup for Ballet Dancers“The job of feet is walking, but their hobby is dancing.” - Amit KalantriThere are an estimated 17,000 dancers in the UK. With many different dance clubs and dance schools, you might be wondering if there’s anything, in particular, you’d need to wear to attend.Some dance schools have a very strict dress code including a leotard, tights, and ballet slippers, whereas others will let you wear anything suitable for dancing. So far, so good. In some cases, the colour of your leotard will indicate your level. In most schools, however, you’ll just be expected to wear clothing appropriate to the style.In this article, we’ll look just at what you need to wear for ballet classes. SeamDance Teacher 4.96 (24) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamieDance Teacher 5.00 (6) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErickaDance Teacher 5 .00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamuelDance Teacher 5.00 (4) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlavioDance Teacher 5.00 (7) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimDance Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HannaDance Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ClareDance Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsChoosing a Leotard for BalletThe leotard is a close-fitting garment that allows you to effectively dance without being bothered by your clothing and it also helps your teacher to see your movements. It was invented by French trapeze artist Jules Léotard to help him with his work. Tutus are only usually worn during performances and not during practice. (Source: nikidinov)Not to be confused with a bodysuit, which is also worn by dancers, particularly in modern dance. The leotard looks a lot like a swimsuit. It’s often worn without underwear. Tights are often worn under the leotard.The small skirt sewn into some leotards is known as a tutu. The leotard can be worn with a tutu, shorts, leggings, trousers, or a cache-cÅ"ur.There are various types of leotard and you need to choose for the one that fits the best and works well with your dancing:Thick strapsThin strapsCriss-cross strapsBacklessCrew neckShort sleeves3/4 sleevesLong sleevesLeotard with shortsThe second decision you need to make is the material that your leotard is made of. Leotards were originally made from cotton. This is a comfortable material but it doesn’t wick away sweat very easily. It will also become rougher after multiple washes. Don’t hesitate to try different materials: lycra, elastane , microfibre, polyester, polyamide, Tactel nylon. Each has its advantages and disadvantages so it's up to you to see which works the best.The best thing is to try them on in the shop, especially if it’s your first time buying one. Each brand is different and sizes might be bigger or smaller than what you’re used to. A leotard needs to be tight-fitting but shouldn’t leave marks on your skin when taken off. Make sure that the straps stay in place and you can move easily.In terms of colour, that’s up to you: pink, red, black, white, blue, green, etc. There’s something for everyone.Ballet Slippers and Pointe ShoesWhile a lot of little girls dream of owning some pointe shoes, we’re not going to start there. Before you can use pointe shoes, you need solid heels so that you don’t injure yourself. Generally, young girls will start wearing pointe shoes from 11 or 12 depending on their strength. There are many different factors to consider when buying ballet slippers. (Source: StockSnap)Pointe technique is very demanding so you need to have the technique mastered before you can try. If you’re starting ballet as an adult, you’re going to need to be patient before you can start dancing in pointe shoes.You’ll need to invest in some good demi-pointe shoes before you can start doing pirouettes and a grand jeté!There are several types of ballet slipper. Similarly, there are many things you need to consider:The sole of the demi-pointe shoes: when you first start doing ballet, it’s recommended that you opt for a full sole to offer you stability. When you get to an intermediate level, you can move onto half-sole demi-pointe shoes, which means the middle of your foot is free to move around in the slipper, which can help you for pointe technique. There’s also leather or suede parts under the heel and under the ball of the foot to facilitate turning.The material of the shoe: leather is more durable but less supple. Canvas is supple but tends to wear. You’ll also need to buy demi-pointes if there are holes in them. There are also satin or mixed materials (leather and canvas or elastane) options available.The colour: pink is one of the most common colours but there’s also beige, black, white, red, etc.For pointe shoes, there are also a few other things to consider:The width: this has to be according to the width of your foot. If they feel tight, you may need wider shoes. If you’re sliding around in the shoe, go for narrower shoes.The durability of the sole: Beginners will start with a supple sole and move up to harder soles over time. Each time you buy new ballet shoes, you’ll need to ask yourself whether or not they need to be harder.The length of the upper: This is how much of the shoe covers the top of your toes and foot.The shape of the inside of the shoe: This might be square or conical depending on the shape of your foot.It's very important choosing the right ballet shoe or dance shoe to take your time and make sure that you try them on.How Much Does a Ballet Outfit Cost?Starting ballet classes requires a bit of investment both in terms of the classes themselves and the ballet outfit. You might be happy starting to do ballet in a t-shirt and bottoms but you’ll soon see that you need to free up your movements. The leotard-tights-slippers combination is the obvious one to go for. While entry-level ballet outfits are quite cheap, you can spend a fortune on professional gear. (Source: Vladislav83)Leotard: this can cost between £10 and £60 depending on the style and brand you go for. You can get leotards from Decathlon for just over £10.Tights: these aren’t like your regular tights that ladder at the slightest movement. Ballet tights are reinforced and more resistant. You need to pay around a tenner for a pair of ballet tights. Don’t hesitate to get a few pairs to find your favourites.Dance shoes: these can also cost between £10 and £60 according to style and brand. Block demi-pointes are the professional standard but you’ll expect to pay a good amount for them. If you want to get pointe shoes, you’ll be paying upwards of £50.Other items: leggings, bottoms, tutu, cache-coeur, brassier, etc. There’s plenty of choices for those who don’t feel comfortable in just a leotard and tights. That said, it will cost you a bit more. You can pay around £40 for each of the above.Clothing for warming up: cache-coeur, gaiters, warm-up boots, etc. The price will vary according to what you opt for!Dance accessories: bag, hair accessories, pointe protectors, etc. It’s up to you how much you’re willing to spend on these.The average cost of a basic ballerina outfit (leotard, tights, slippers) should be around £50. However, this will depend on what you get.Stage Makeup for Ballet DancersIf you’re going to be performing on stage, you’ll need to think about the makeup you’ll be wearing and learn how to do stage makeup. You won't apply makeup for a dance performance in the same way you usually do. (Source: kinkate)The most important thing to know is that stage makeup is made to be seen. Your audience won’t be close to you and stage lights and spotlights tend to make faces paler. Thus, you’ll need to exaggerate the colour of your eyes, mouth, and complexion.Start by applying makeup to your eyelids with three lots of eyeshadow. Apply the lightest layer first, a darker second layer in the middle, and the darkest layer around the edge. Then, add a thicker eyeliner than you’d usually wear. Next, generously apply mascara to your eyelashes.Now let’s look at your complexion. Consider using a liquid foundation and working from the centre of your face outwards. Powder and matte your skin so that it doesn’t appear shiny on stage. You can also add blush to your cheeks to give your face some contrast.You’ll want your mouth to be a matte red. Shiny lipstick won’t pop with stage lights. The best idea is to apply it to the contours with a brush. Finish by accentuating your eyebrows.For more information, don’t hesitate to check our full article on makeup for dancers.So when will we see you in your first ballet lesson?If you need more help with ballet, think about getting in touch with the talented and experienced tutors on Superprof. You can get either face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials and since each comes with its pros and cons, make sure you carefully consider which one will work best for you, your preferred learning style, and your budget.

Look Up To - Phrasal Verb of the Day

Look Up To - Phrasal Verb of the Day Todays phrasal verb of the day is: Look Up ToInfinitive form: Look Up ToPresent Tense: Look Up To/ Looks Up Toing form: Looking Up ToPast tense: Looked Up ToParticiple: Looked Up ToLook Up To is an inseparable English phrasal verb. It is also a three word phrasal verb.This particular phrasal verb is mainly used when you  view someone with respect and/or admiration1. When the teacher asked who my idol is, I answered with, Ive always been looking up to Mother Theresa since I was a kid.2. People generally look up to people who exudes confidence, strength, and faith at all times.Exercises: Write your answers in comments and we will correct them.Complete the sentences below with the correct form of Look Up To.1. Heidi ____ ___ __ her mother since her mother has always been there for her.2. Sam does not ____ ___ __ people who disrespect him.3. Sandra used to ____ ___ __ Lance Armstrong, but changed her mind when she learned about his doping .4. My uncle _____ ___ __ a Nelson Mandela. For him, that man serves as his inspiration in life.5.  Whenever you feel unsure about a situation, it helps to think how the person you _____ ___ __ wouldve handled it.Change the example sentences above to negative sentences (or positive, if the sentence is already negative). Then change them to questions.

Four Great Common Core Resources for Teachers

Four Great Common Core Resources for Teachers As your school navigates the significant changes resulting from the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, you may need help. Here are four great resources to help you make the transition.As your school navigates the significant changes resulting from the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, you may need help. Here are four great resources to help you make the transition.EduCore: www.educore.ascd.org - This collaboration between the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ACSD) and the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation offers resources, tools, professional development resources and more for teachers who are implementing Common Core.Achieve the Core: www.achievethecore.org - Achieve the Core was developed by Student Achievement Partners, which is composed of authors of the Common Core State Standards. On their website, you can find free curricular tools, professional development materials, Common Core-aligned writing samples and lessons, and much more.National Education Association (NEA) Common Core State Standards Toolkit: www.nea.org - This NEA publication offers all kinds of helpful curriculum and instruction resources, a list of resources by state, professional development modules and much more.

5 Dos and Donts When Social Networking as a Freshman

5 Do’s and Don’ts When Social Networking as a Freshman Social Networking as a Freshman: 5 Do’s and Don’ts Now that students are going off to college, they are thinking about the many ways they can benefit from their university education. Of course, college-educated ladies will have a huge benefit once they enter the workforce and more opportunities to make money in their dream field. Additionally, the concepts and topics taught in college courses are complex and exciting and provide students with more knowledge of their primary field of study as well as the world around them. One thing freshmen should focus on is how to network successfully on a social level. Social connections made in college can be fruitful and long-lasting when done right. However, there are a few dos and donts when it comes to social networking that new college students should consider. Do: Make Genuine Friends One of the most important parts of social networking is to gain genuine friendships. Social networking is different from professional networking in that people aren’t specifically looking for a job or career-related information. Although social networking might lead to professional contacts, later on, freshmen are encouraged to focus simply on making genuine friendships with people who have an interest in developing their education and being successful while at a university (READ: 5 sings you need a math tutor in college). Don’t: Expect results right away It can be tempting to expect positive results straight away. Everybody wants to make new friends, join a successful study group, or line up their first internship. However, making new friends can take a significant amount of time, especially when everybody is focused on so many things at once. As a freshman, ladies have to focus on academics, a new living situation, financial independence, and time management in addition to their social prospects. Patience is a virtue when it comes to social networking as a college freshman. Do: Make connections within your major Its a good idea for people to make connections within their intended major field of study. People who intend to go into the same field will often have similar interests and a similar schedule of classes. These people make great study buddies and even serve as career connections later on. Havent decided on a major yet? Thats okay. Start making friends in classes that are interesting or might serve as a potential choice of major (READ: 5 Things to do Before You Go To College). Do: Participate in philanthropic activities Its always a good idea to participate in activities that give back to others or the community. Many genuine friendships can be formed while participating in volunteer activities on campus. Additionally, joining a philanthropic club or organization can introduce students to peers who dont happen to be in the same courses. Its a great idea to diversify social networking opportunities to learn about different types of people as well as new and exciting things. Don’t: Get discouraged Many college freshmen get a little bit discouraged if they dont have a huge social network right away. Some people are social butterflies and others are not. Its totally okay to be on the shy side when coping with this huge adjustment from high school to college. If someone doesnt feel up to organizing a new club or activity, they can simply join in on activities and let their social side shine once they feel more comfortable. In reality, even ladies who seem incredibly social are probably dealing with the same fears and stressors as everybody else. Remember, going to college is a huge adjustment for everybody and making a whole new set of friends can be tough at first. However, great social networking requires a little bit of perseverance and patience but its, totally worth it in the end. Ask your private Orange County college tutor from TutorNerds how to stay focused in college. Call us today to book your tutor.

?? Tutora is becoming Tutorful

?? Tutora is becoming Tutorful Tutora is becoming Tutorful Tutora has become TutorfulFrom the moment we built our first two desks in Scott’s spare bedroom all the way back in August 2015 to launch Tutora, we have always held a very firm vision about who we are and what we stand for.Tutora was conceived from realising the very real pain faced by parents seeking help for their children, and by tutors struggling to position themselves as trustworthy educators in their local area. We built Tutora on a foundation of delivering trust, transparency and an extraordinary level of service for all.Over the two and a half years since, we’ve remained committed to upholding these ideals - an effort which has led to tremendous success in cultivating a talented community of tutors, who believe in our mission. In working together to embody these values, we've earned the trust of parents and, together, we've been able to help tens of thousands of empowered learners.Our Team's VisionMany of you will have spoken to our friendly team of Education Advisors, w ho enjoy getting to know you and your needs. They are part of a wider, close knit team of 20 - a team which shares these common goals…- To help every learner, across every subject, level and age, find the help they need to achieve their goals.- To help great tutors meet students they can truly help.- To help facilitate the best lessons possible and to make tutoring simple.- To build an incredible community, which works together to improve learning for all.In seeking to achieve these aims, we believe that we can help a huge number of people experience the transformative power and joy of learning, whatever the subject, whatever the age, wherever they are.We believe that learning is wonderful. We are Tutorful.The FutureWe're sure that you're as proud as we are to have been able to help tens of thousands of learners to date. We hope that you can see how hard our team, as Tutora, has worked to get to this point, but also how determined we are to do much more, as Tutorful.As you share i n our vision and continue to work with us to further grow our community, we'd love to hear how we can improve the site or our service. We always listen to your feedback and try to make the changes needed as quickly as possible so we can keep progressing in the right direction and to further improve learning together.The Short-TermChanging our name to Tutorful will not result in any change to the way our service works. The website, your dashboard and the process of tutors and learners interacting together will remain exactly the same.We switched over on the morning of Tuesday 12th December. Now we’re back up and running you’ll notice the new Tutorful branding across the site and you’ll be able to find us at our new web address of tutorful.co.uk. Over the remainder of next week you’ll notice other changes such as our email addresses, social media and other links changing. As soon as this happens we’ll update you with our new contact details, but don’t worry as all of our p revious contact details will still work too.We know you may have a lot of questions not answered here about why we’ve chosen to move to Tutorful and about using our platform, so as usual our support lines and email will be fully available to help.To close, we’d like to extend a personal thank you from the entire Tutorful (formerly Tutora) team for sharing this journey with us. We're excited about what the future holds and look forward to continuing to work with you.Scott and MarkCo-Founders @ Tutorful