A Student Perspective on Harvard University

A Student Perspective on Harvard University Sam is a current senior at Harvard University. He is majoring in human biology, and specializes in life sciences tutoring, test prep tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, he shares his experience at Harvard University: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Sam: Harvard is a mix between urban and suburban. Cambridge is definitely not a suburb, but its also much less crowded than Boston, which is just across the river. Most of the undergrad buildings are around the Yard in Harvard Square, and you could get to most classes in a five- to 10-minute walk. The dorms are spread out, with shuttle services running to the furthest ones. The vast majority of undergrads dont have a car; you dont need it, and unless youre a resident of Cambridge, parking is difficult. A bike can definitely make life easier, though. Ive never felt unsafe on campus. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Sam:Generally, faculty are very available to meet with students. Most will provide weekly office hours. You are also free to arrange meetings with them at other times. TAs and advisors are always very accessible. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Sam:Dorms are guaranteed for all four years, so pretty much everyone lives in them. The houses tend to be very tight-knit communities that offer a lot of opportunities to socialize, such as intramural sports or house theater groups. Each house also has its own dining hall. The food is pretty mediocre, especially if youre a vegetarian. The rooms themselves are pretty variable. Some have been renovated in the last five years, while others look like they havent changed much since they were first built. The housing assignments are decided by lottery, with each house having its own specific method for assigning rooms. Generally, they all assign each student a random number, which gives a better or worse priority for choosing rooms. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Sam:The most dominant majors are computer science and economics, with social studies and various branches of the life sciences close behind. The amount of support you receive really depends on the department faculty. My major is human evolutionary biology, and we have two great undergrad advisors along with plenty of engaging professors and lecturers. I cant really speak about other departments, but in general, faculty tend to be very approachable and supportive. 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? Sam:As a freshman, it was pretty easy to meet people. Greek life has a presence, but sororities are a lot more important than fraternities on campus. How helpful are the Career Centerand other student support services? Sam:The Office of Career Services (OCS) puts on networking events every week, and theres a lot of exposure to employers. There are a number of career advisors with specific areas of expertise, such as nonprofits or the entertainment industry, who are available to meet one-on-one regularly. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Sam:Theres not really a student union; the closest thing we have would be the Science Center. Its fairly central, with rooms and open spaces to work in. The main undergrad library is Lamont, which is open 24 hours every day except for Friday and Saturday when it closes at 10 p.m. During midterms and finals, its always pretty crowded. There are other libraries available as well, which are usually more accessible. Most of them have some kind of caf. A lot of people just study in their dorms or dining halls, though. Usually, its easy to find an available space. Describe the surrounding town. Sam:Cambridge and Boston have plenty of things to do, but it can be expensive, especially going to shops and restaurants. A lot of students will go into the surrounding area for internships or other activities, but tend to socialize on campus. Having accessible unlimited food in the dining halls kind of reduces the incentive to leave campus. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Sam:I believe we have around 1,600 students per class year. Theres a wide variety of course sizes. Usually, youll take a number of large lecture courses, with 100 to 200 students, during freshman and sophomore years, as well as one or two smaller seminars, with less than 10 students. As you move into junior and senior years, this ratio shifts so that you end up in more seminars. Most big lecture courses also have smaller section components, where you meet in a group of 15-20 students and discuss the material with a graduate student. For the most part, I was happy with my class sizes. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Sam:My most memorable meeting with a professor was in the first few weeks of freshman year. I met with the teacher for my intro to college writing class to talk about a draft of an essay. I had been having a tough time adjusting to college, especially being surrounded by people who I felt no connection to in terms of interests, ambitions, and general personality. When she asked me how I was doing, I started crying. I was floored by the fact that she expressed even a casual interest in me as an individual, when it had felt like everyone around me was only interested in clubs, activities, internships, and job prospects. I doubt she was expecting it, but she understood the fact that I felt isolated, and helped me start to deal with it without feeling ashamed of it. I eventually took a gap year to pursue nonacademic interests, and came back with a much stronger, more focused state of mind. If I hadnt had somebody in a position of authority in academics show me that its ok to do my own th ing, it would have taken me a much longer time to get to that point. Check out Sams tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How to Practice Singing Practical Tips for Memorizing Lyrics

How to Practice Singing Practical Tips for Memorizing Lyrics Suzy S. Need to memorize lyricsquickly? Take a look at these helpful tips from Ann Arbor, MI voice teacher  Elaina R For many people, memorizing words is easier if the words are set to musicâ€"that is why songs are often used in education (there is even a song that lists all 50 states!). That being said, trying to memorize a song on a deadline is not fun. Not many people know how to practice singing lyrics effectively, and singers often need to learn multiple songs on short notice. If you are struggling to memorize lyrics, you are not alone. Plenty of people have trouble memorizing lyrics to songs. Memorization becomes even harder if the song in question has lots of words or is strophic (has a repeated melody with different words each time). Here are some tricks that will help you learn how to practice singing the right words in just a few days. Memorization Methods Without Singing Singing a song over and over while looking at the music can help you memorize, but it can also tire your voice out. Here are some memorization methods that don’t involve any singing at all. 1. Speak or mouth the words: Try reading a passage from the song, then repeating it without looking at the words. Keep doing this, making the passages longer and longer each time. Eventually, you will be able to speak the whole song without looking at the lyrics. If you need to save your voice, try mouthing the words instead of saying them. 2. Write the words out: This exercise is similar to the previous one. Read a short passage from the song, and write it down without looking at the lyrics. Continue doing this, working your way through the song and making your passages longer and longer as you memorize more. Remember to write with a pen or pencil and paper; physically writing has been proven to jog your memory better than typing. 3. Listen to the song: If you have a recording of the song available, great. If not, make a quick one featuring yourselfâ€"it doesnt matter if it doesnt sound perfect, as long as you get all of the words right. Listen to the recording, singing along with it mentally. You can do this anywhere you want as long as you put the recording on an iPod or smartphone. 4. Run through the song in your head: Even if you do not have a recording available, try running through the song in your head, taking care to think each word as you go. If you find you can’t remember a particular word, look at the lyrics and try again. How to Practice Singing Lyrics Of course, singing the song is another great way to memorize the lyrics. Here are a few memorization techniques you can use that involve singing. 1. Sing the song without looking at the lyrics: Even if you think you arent ready, try singing through the whole song without looking at the words; you may surprise yourself. Take note of difficult parts and double-check the lyrics before you try again. You can also alternate between singing while looking at the lyrics and singing without looking at them. 2. Sing along: Play a recording of the song and sing along. If you falter, the singer on the recording will fill in the words for you. Pay careful attention while you do thisâ€"otherwise, you may go on autopilot and not remember the words. Practice Makes Perfect Now that you know how to practice singing the words to a song, it’s time to put that knowledge into action. For any of these techniques, whether you are singing, speaking, or simply thinking the words, the key is to practice every single day. If you have very limited time, you may even want to go over the words multiple times a day. Put in the time, and your brain will do the rest. Happy memorizing! Elaina R. teaches opera voice and  singing in Ann Arbor, MI, as well as through online lessons. She is currently  working on a Master of Music at the University of Michigan, and she has a B.M. from the University of Southern California.  Learn more about Elaina here! 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  kizzzbeth

What to Do When Youre Waitlisted by a College

What to Do When You’re Waitlisted by a College Unlike a definitive yes or no response, being placed on a college waitlist means that you can only attend if a space becomes available. It can feel frustrating to get this kind of response from a college, especially if its your dream school. How do you move forward if you know a school is theoretically willing to accept you, but only if a spot opens up? When youre waitlisted by a college, its important to decide whether or not you wish to remain on the waitlist, have a backup plan in place, and touch base with the admissions office of the school at which you were waitlisted. Have you been placed on a college waitlist, but arent sure how to proceed? Keep reading to learn what to do when youre waitlisted by a college. When waitlisted by a college, decide whether or not to stay on the waiting list When colleges send you a waitlist decision, you may be asked to confirm whether or not you want to remain on the list. You should only keep your name on the waitlist if you really want to attend that college. Therefore, this is the time to re-evaluate if this school is the right fit for you. When making your decision, you should consider whether or not there are any consequences of remaining waitlisted. Sometimes, students who are waitlisted miss out on items like financial aid or housing opportunities since they will learn of their admission later than other applicants and cant apply in time. If getting these items is important to you, this could be a downside of choosing to remain waitlisted instead of focusing your energy on getting accepted to another college. Try to find a colleges waitlist admissions rate online or through its admissions office. Finding out where you are on the waitlist may also help you make a more informed decision about whether or not its worth your time and effort to stay involved with that school. [RELATED: 6 Things for High School Seniors to Remember as Graduation Nears] When waitlisted by a college, create a backup plan You might choose to remain on a waitlist if you feel passionate about a school and if it makes financial sense for you to attendeven if you dont get first pick of financial aid, housing, etc. However, you should get ready to attend another college if it turns out you dont get selected for admission after all. Take a hard look at all of the colleges that have accepted you (without a waitlist) and select the one that you feel is the best fit. Fill out any necessary admissions paperwork and send in a deposit right away to secure your spoteven if youd rather go to the school that has waitlisted you. If you ultimately choose to go to the school thats waitlisted you, youll lose this deposit. But since admission from a waitlist is not guaranteed, its best to at least know you have a college to attend. [RELATED: 4 Financial Aid Tips for Students] When waitlisted by a college, contact the schools admissions office Being waitlisted means a college is fairly sure or knows you have what it takes to be a student at their institutionat least based on your academic records and admissions essays. Sending an additional letter to the admissions office of the college thats waitlisted you may help to push admission in your favor. In the letter, you can include the following: Restate your interest in the college Mention any new accomplishmentsacademic and extracurricularthat you werent able to include on your application [RELATED: Is It Important to Declare a Major Before Starting College?] When youre waitlisted by a school, its important not to panic. Take this time to create a backup plan, research the schools waitlist admissions rate, and analyze whether this school is the best fit for you. 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.

5 Ways to Know Your SAT Test Well

5 Ways to Know Your SAT Test Well 0SHARESShare Even before you start preparing for SAT test, it is necessary to know SAT well, along with its various sections such as SAT writing and SAT subject tests such as SAT Biology and SAT chemistry.  1-  Time Management: One of the critical aspects of the SAT test is time management. Solving SAT or any other competitive tests such as GMAT/GRE are all a race against time. The SAT test time management skills will make you a much better manager than what you are now. 2- Multiple skills, varying degrees: The SAT test is not just about one subject; hence it is known that a student should have multiple skills. If the student can write well then sure that student can do well in English SAT. This is to say that talent should be developed by developing your new skill-sets to manage deadlines and multiple skills. 3- Setting the right priorities:  You know you have a SAT test is due the next week on Friday. Focusing on a particular subject requires one to know what is expected from the student?Setting the right expectations from the online tutoring is essential but at the same time students also make their well-known presence by felt by asking questions and queries? 4- Setting the right expectations: You know, it will be difficult to have a perfect score but it is not impossible. Setting the right expectations will allow you more time to think over problems and appear them thoughtfully, one by one. 5- Know your syllabus: You are good at Math and science and you know the formulas. But you don’t know the syllabus. It is essentials to know all the 4 points along with the syllabus.   [starbox id=admin]

Physics Online Tutoring Can Rescue From Tough Physics Topics

Physics Online Tutoring Can Rescue From Tough Physics Topics Every child when is in school thinks of reaching college level. They think college to be a different place where they can live their life to the fullest. Movies always have a bigger impact in our lives. We always tend to get drenched into the life what is portrayed in movies. But it is not always possible. Movies can never be depicted in real lives and vice versa. It is very certain for all of us to know that movies do inspire us, but when you are a teenager then it inspires you more. You begin to think your life as an ongoing movie and move away from the reality of life. Every movie that has college life in it shows the life to be larger than life. In reality things are not as that is shown in movies. Yes, it is true that college lives are different from school days. You can play pranks, bunk classes, and go for outing and all such stuffs which is never possible during school life. But along with all these you also need to have studies beside it. Studies are a big part in college days as well. Without the help of studies college life lands nowhere. The number of subjects is very less in college life as compared to school. You have to concentrate on only one subject and its various parts. It is quite natural that during school days we need private tutors more than in our college days. School days help you to create our base and college helps us to make that base stronger. It is very essential that one should be very much dedicated towards their studies so that they can have a much better future ahead. Private tutors are very essential for any school student as school do not help anyone in that manner. Some amount of extra help is always needed for them to uplift their knowledge as well as grades. Nativities of private tutoring But with time everything is changing and thus the teaching process is also changing to a great extent. Private tutors are also least concerned about the students they are teaching and they do not belong to any responsibility of helping the student to get more support. This decreases and affects the grades of students largely. With lack of good and proper guidance they are not able to reach to a certain limit and fall off hitting themselves. A good guidance is very important at this high age. Without the help of a good teacher it is not at all possible for anyone to lead a better life. Private tuitions fail to provide you with all the facilities and guidance that you being a student truly deserve. Good opening for online tutoring services It is a situation of lot of pain as tension as now from where will you get some other help. But it is no more a cause of worry for you as with the advent of various technologies newer ways of help has been introduced. Online tutoring is an entirely new concept which is being liked by people largely and students are taking a chance to enroll oneself into these institutes to get help from them. The number of institutes is increasing day by day and this is helping students lot. Today internet is being used by all students and it is helping them. Physics online tutoring is also a great way and can be said as one of the easy way through which you can get into the nerves of the subject and the subject properly. It helps you to raise your marks very instantly and with ease. Online tutoring has many features that help a student and their parents to get attracted towards it. Let us now note down some of the features that will help them to know the subject better. The teachers who are involved with this process of online teaching make it a point to know the subject deeply so that they can know how to teach a weak student as well. They have lot of knowledge with the subject which they can pass on to their students. All the weak students can be benefitted by their teaching and can increase their grades easily. With the increase in their grades comes a high level of self confidence in them. This high level of self confidence helps them to lead a much focused and new approach towards life. The online teachers help in making you look deep into the subjects and not only with the topics but it also helps you to know the subject better. It helps you to complete your homework and get good response in the class by knowing the topic beforehand. The assignments and projects are also controlled by the online tutors and thus they turn out to be perfect in all respect. The no limitation to time is one of the best factors that online teachers provide you. When you are into no time bondage then you can explore and fly high. Whatever and whenever you have doubts, you can easily clear it off and this is because of the fact that you can attend the class whenever you want as per your convenience. The charges are very affordable for any parents to bear it. Today each parent wants their child to be better than other and they make every possible help to make it true. But sometimes due to high charges it is always not possible for each parent to afford such tuition classes. Online tutors bring relief in such cases with the amount that they charge. Every middle class parent also can afford it that easily. TutorPace and its help Today you will get many such institutes those who help you for a better life. But very few are there who conduct the entire process is a much better way than other. College physics online tutoring  is a service that is enlisted in TutorPace service list that is not found anywhere else.  

Encouraging Literacy Through Public Service

Encouraging Literacy Through Public Service Encouraging Literacy Through Public Service Many parents work hard to find ways to teach their children to be good citizens and caring people, but with a little planning, you can also foster your childs interest in reading at the same time. If you volunteer as a family or are looking for opportunities to help worthwhile organizations in your community, here are a few ideas that may benefit your child. Read in a siblings classroom. If you have an elementary school student and a preschooler, talk with your preschoolers teacher about having your older child read to his or her little brothers or sisters class. This is a great chance for both children to feel special and an opportunity for your older student to see how much younger children enjoy being read to. Work with organizations to help low-income children. Your child might be surprised to know how many children in the United States and around the world do not have access to books. Organizations like First Book (www.firstbook.org), a nonprofit that strives to provide books to schools and programs for children in low-income families, works in hundreds of communities across the U.S. You and your child can reach out to a First Book Advisory Board near you to find out how you can help. For other ideas, check with your local library. Share your books. Your child could get involved with BookCrossing (www.bookcrossing.com), a worldwide book sharing program. This program is a fun way for your child to celebrate literature by sharing and tracking books he or she no longer needs. Talk with your school or local library, too, for other ideas on how your family can share books you no longer want with organizations in need (or volunteer with those same organizations). Start a book drive. There are many great local and national organizations that strive to add to libraries inventories, give books to organizations in need (homeless shelters or nursing homes, for example) and get books into the hands of children. Check with schools and libraries in your area, and also check out organizations near you for ideas on how to start or get involved in a book drive. BooksEnds in California, Chicago Book Drive (www.chicagobookdrive.com) and Books4Cause (based in Chicago but serving the Midwest) are all great examples. Volunteer at the library. One of the best ways for students to serve their communities while gaining valuable exposure to books and literature is to volunteer at the library. Your public library likely has many opportunities for young students to get involved, such as read-aloud programs, childrens story times and other programs, special projects, shelf and display organizing, and materials sorting. Look throughout your school and town for opportunities to help others enjoy reading and encourage your student to get involved. The more you can incorporate reading into your childs daily lifeboth by having him or her read and fostering reading in your communitythe better. Of course, while these are great activities, there is no substitute for frequent reading. If your child is struggling or could use targeted help, call Huntington. We can develop a customized learning program to help your child become a stronger reader, which will help him or her learn to enjoy this wonderful pastime.

How A Students Mindset Impact Academic Performance

How A Students Mindset Impact Academic Performance Im just not a good reader.  Im not a geometry person.  We hear comments like these from our students all the time at AJ Tutoring, unfortunately.   While these may seem like harmless off-the-cuff remarks, they can reveal quite a bit about a students mindset and attitude towards challenges.Fixed vs. growth mindsets in studentsSome of our tutors and leadership team recently read Carol Dwecks book  Mindset:The New Psychology of Success.  In  Mindset, Dweck, a psychologist, examines the difference between  fixed and growth  mindsets.  According to Dweck, hallmarks of the growth mindset include an openness to learning new subjects, the ability to persevere in the face of difficulty, and the willingness to fail while trying something new.   In contrast, fixed mindset students tend to be afraid of failure, resistant to challenges, and unwilling to put in much effort to master a new concept.   Its possible for students to exhibit a growth mindset in some areas of life, for example athleti cs, while being entrenched in a fixed mindset in academics.Whats wrong with a fixed mindset?A fixed mindset is problematic for both our test prep and academic tutoring students.   Test prep students who have a fixed mindset are often afraid to take risks and try a new approach to a tricky math problem, preferring to try the same old algebra when they could solve the problem more quickly working backwards from the answer choices.   When fixed mindset students get problems wrong, they see the misses as evidence that theyre no good at the SAT and theyll never improve, rather than just a sign that they need to try a new approach or work more carefully.Fixed mindset academic tutoring students often to come us with a closed mind about how successful they can be in a particular class.   Whether they have a history of struggling with math or being behind grade level in reading comprehension, theyre not optimistic about their ability to learn and improve their grades.How can we encourage a g rowth mindset in test prep and academic tutoring students?Praise wisely!   Praise your students process (her effort, strategies, focus, and perseverance) rather than her intelligence or the outcome of a test.Educate your student about the growth mindset.   Tell him that every time he moves out of his comfort zone and tries something difficult, neurons in his brain are forming new, stronger connections.   Just knowing this fact has a measurable impact on students performance![Click image below to view Carol Dwecks TED talk on mindset]

Exam anxiety

Exam anxiety With exam time just around the corner, many students will begin to suffer with exam anxiety during the next few weeks. There are four main areas that can contribute to exam anxiety: lifestyle issues information needs studying styles psychological factors You may have tight muscles, constant low grade headaches, insomnia and/or an upset stomach. These symptoms can in turn affect your behaviour. You may find that you are unable to concentrate or focus when studying. Many students neglect their normal routine near exam time. Some may turn to binge eating or constant snacking. Others will drink coffee or take other stimulants thinking it will help them concentrate for longer periods of time. Fear, worry, frustration or panic are all symptoms revealing that you maybe under exam stress. Anxiety reduction techniques can help reduce the above symptoms. If you find yourself confronted with constant negative thoughts, you can use thought replacement techniques to overcome this problem. Try interrupting negative thoughts with the following statements: I can do this! I will do my best I can pass this exam I will focus only on the question in front of me. Irrational thinking is not reality. It is your preconceived perception of yourself or your abilities. Put yourself into a positive frame of mind by imagining how you would LIKE things to go. Imagine yourself turning up for the exam feeling confident and relaxed. A good private tutor can help you organise your study skills, focus on aspects that need the most attention and also boost your confidence in your own abilities. If you know you will start to panic near exam time, talk to your tutor, explain what issues are worrying you the most. Experienced tutors know too well what students go through near exam time; not just because they have other students who suffer similar issues but from their own personal experience! If you have studied hard for your exams but feel you lack confidence and need that extra boost until exam time, click here to find the perfect tutor for your needs. Best of luck!