What to Know About Choosing a College Application Platform

What to Know About Choosing a College Application Platform The following is a guest post written by Anna Carapellotti of Admissionado, a premier college admissions consulting company focused on helping students get into their dream schools. In addition to choosing which schools to apply to this year, rising high school seniors may have another choice to make: which college application platform to use. With the new Coalition app being released this year, some schools offer as many as four options to begin the path to admission. Here, we will explore four application portals and what each one has to offer: The Common Application With over 600 schools in its network, The Common Application invariably offers access to more institutions than any other platform. Its membership is diverse, including colleges that are public, private, large, small, secular and religious, though they did receive some flack for changing their membership rules in 2014 to no longer require holistic admissions. (This means that member schools are no longer required to review students beyond their numbers using personal statements, school supplements, and letters of recommendation.) The Common App has truly simplified the admissions process, aggregating each applicants information in one place and preventing them from having to re-enter details of their background and education over and over. This also enables students to manage most (if not all) of their deadlines in one place. They even released a mobile app last year, Common App onTrack, to help students keep track of their applications Even with all of the hype surrounding the new Coalition app released this year, the Common App will likely remain the most popular for students, simply because it is so convenient and trustworthy. The Coalition Application Though the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success has also simplified the information collection process for students, it offers less options in terms of schools (just 56). Whats unique about this platform is that it gives students the opportunity to start planning early. One of the main features of the Coalition is the Virtual Locker, a free repository for students to store their work throughout high school. Such work could include a class essay, a video from a school performance, a piece of art created by the student, etc. The Virtual Locker allows students to begin storing items as early as ninth grade and then submit them to colleges and universities later as part of their application. Another advantage of the Coalition is the Collaboration Space. Once students have stored work in their Virtual Locker, they can use the Collaboration Space to get feedback from teachers, counselors, and mentors, who can then engage with the students, measure their progress, and offer advice on coursework and application steps. Each student has complete control over whom they collaborate with and what items they choose to share from their locker. The Coalition aims to make the application process more holistic by getting a more complete picture of applicants. This could include allowing students to add supplemental essays or submit things that are out of the ordinary to better represent themselves. However, it remains unclear whether students will be able to submit more via the Coalition as opposed to using another platform when applying to a particular school. The Universal College Application The Universal College Application (UCA), ironically, is the least universal, as it can only be used to apply to just 34 schools. While all of the schools on UCS are accredited, this portal is like the Common Appin that it does not require schools to use a holistic review process. Questbridge Of all of the application portals, Questbridge is the most competitive, as a successful application could grant both admission to a top school and financial support. This platform has partnered with 39 of the most selective research universities and liberal arts colleges with the goal of matching high-achieving, low-income students with an outstanding education and a full, four-year scholarship worth over $200,000. While there are no strict cutoffs for applying, Questbridge applicants should possess a high level of academic achievement that meets or exceeds the criteria of the partner schools admissions standards. In other words, applicants should have a profile that could get them into the Ivies, MIT, Amherst, and more. Its important to note that this application is due earlier than most (September 27). However, students who are not selected as College Match finalists are able to easily apply early and regular decision using the Questbridge platform. School-specific applications Some schools have made it easy (or more difficult?) by developing their own application portals. MIT, Georgetown, and all of the University of California campuses use their own systems, citing that they like the flexibility that having their own app gives them. For example, this year, the University of California has replaced the personal statement with a series of shorter personal insight questions, which they hope will help them get to know students better. MIT, on the other hand, offers students a chance to share hands-on projects they have worked on through the Maker Portfolio. When choosing an application platform this year, we encourage students to start planning early. See which platforms the schools you are interested in are using and make a game plan that will simplify your life and maximize your chances of getting in. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Is Arabic Hard to Learn

Is Arabic Hard to Learn Is Learning Arabic Difficult? ChaptersLet Go of Your Presuppositions Regarding ArabicObstacles in Arabic Lessons Are All RelativeJudging How Difficult It Is to Learn ArabicFor some people, the task of learning a new language with all of its corresponding grammar, spelling, conjugations, and everything else, just seems impossible. Others see learning a new language as a marvellous opportunity to learn something new and expand their horizons, as well as learning about different cultures and regions of the world.One of the main things that puts people off studying a new language is the difficulty often associated with doing so. Many people had negative experiences learning languages at school and are therefore less keen to go through that again.There is always a desire for a so-called quick fix, with some people suggesting it is possible to master Arabic in 30 days. But remember that you will need to be patient when learning this ancient language. Hard work and dedication are both the key to success when learning Ar abic.So what’s it really like learning Arabic?Is it really that difficult to study?Don’t Make Mountains Out of Molehills!Of course, the Arabic language has almost nothing in common with English; either in structure, grammar, or pronunciation. However, this shouldn’t stop you from deciding to learn the language.At the beginning, you’ll hit a few walls as you try to learn Arabic, but this is normal no matter what you choose to study. As long as you keep at it, what once seemed a massive challenge will eventually be completely achievable.Don’t forget to study regularly for your Arabic class!If you truly immerse yourself in the language, and you give it everything you've got, many of the things that previously seemed impossible to absorb will suddenly become obvious and you'll wonder why you ever struggled.You will start to see the many benefits of studying Arabic, and your eyes will be opened to a wide range of fantastic Arabic cultures which have heavily influenced the moder n world in more ways that most people fully comprehend.Don’t Forget the Small Rules!Without realizing it, we use lots of idioms and cliches in English which make it an incredibly tough language, not only to learn, but to understand and to fully utilize.It’s a fact - native speakers are often the worst at judging the difficulty of their language.So for some people, Arabic classes could seem nice and easy, but to others they might appear horribly difficult.Pay attention to what people tell you and do some research about the Arabic language to decide if you really want to learn it. If you decide to pursue Arabic, you’ll find dozens of ways to achieve your goal.What you must remember is that language learning should be fun. Don't get bogged down in the grammatical intricacies of Arabic writing. As a new learner, you should focus on the conversational side of the language, with an emphasis on Arabic words and Arabic phrases.An enormous amount of help can be found online to help you learn Arabic, with a number of free resources being readily available. What's more, most Arabic classes are affordable.Judging How Difficult It Is to Learn ArabicWhen you think that there are over 7000 languages currently spoken in the world, including all the different dialects, it would be difficult to make a purely analytical assessment of which language is the most difficult to learn.So while some African languages have a reputation for having incredibly difficult grammar, or alembic structures, they aren’t often included in the lists of the most challenging languages to learn.Throw yourself heart and soul into learning Arabic!So how can you decide if a language like Arabic is difficult or not?There are several different objective criteria that you can use to judge just how difficult it is to learn Arabic.How Long Does It Take to Learn Arabic?This is a difficult question to answer. This does not only depend on each individual person and how much time and energy they invest in to learning Arabic, but it also has to do with previous language experience, the quality of teaching and the exposure to the language outside of a learning environment. Your attitude and your motivation will also play a key role in how long it takes you to learn Arabic.However, according to the US Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Arabic is a group 4 language. Research done by the FSI suggests that it will take around 720 hours of study to reach a basic fluency level in Arabic, whereby you can talk about social situations and work requirements. This is compared to 480 hours for group 1 languages such as French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.Therefore it is highly recommended that you are committed to learning Arabic, and that you take advantage of all of the resources at your disposal and online to make sure that the process is a successful one.How Similar Is It to Your Mother Tongue?A good way to evaluate how difficult a language will be for you to learn, is to find out ho w different it is from your native language.For example, if Spanish or German seem like the easiest languages for you to learn, that’s because they have more in common with English, especially thanks to the ‘vulgar’ Latin that was spoken as the official language of the Roman Empire at the dawn of the first century AD.After all, French, Spanish, and Italian are all divergent dialects which came from the same language (English is a slightly unique case because of its history of invasions, and although it has many similarities with the Romance languages, it is actually classified as Germanic.)Do all the roads lead to the Arabic language?If you speak Spanish well, there are many words that might seem familiar in Arabic, but with different intonations. This comes from the long Arab presence on the Iberian peninsula.As for French, it might seem easy for an English speaker to learn because a lot of English words actually came from French originally. However, the pronunciation is ofte n very different and can pose a challenge for French students.As you are probably now starting to see, the further from English (or a Romance or Germanic language) you go, the more difficult the language will seem, and you’ll face more challenges as the language you’re studying seems to have less in common with English.Are the Sounds Similar?If two languages have similar sounds, learning to speak a new language will often seem slightly easier.But in Arabic, it is difficult to find any similar vowel or word sounds to English.If you asked a native Arabic speaker to pronounce the difference between ‘in’ ‘on’ and ‘an’, would they hear a difference?According to one study, Italian is considered to be the most beautiful European language, but that might be because most of the sounds in Italian are also present in other European languages, to various degrees.It is this sense of familiarity which makes us think that Italian is a beautiful and easy language to learn.With the A rabic language, it’s more difficult to find similarities in the sounds and pronunciations, especially since vowels are barely pronounced in the language.Even though the Arabic alphabet has a somewhat familiar 28 letters, none of them resemble what we tend to use in America or Europe. Not to mention that the shape of each letter changes depending on where it’s placed in the word.From this point of view, alas, it seems a given that learning Arabic will be more difficult for English speakers than for students who are coming from other languages.Complex Grammar StructuresArabic is spoken by more than 400 million people worldwide.However, there are many different variations on Arabic, especially between the written (literary Arabic) and spoken (dialect) forms.It isn't necessary to learn literary Arabic if you want to speak Arabic, but it’s a very good place to start if you want to learn the structure of the language well and avoid any bad linguistic habits.Spoken Arabic, on the oth er hand, is something quite different. Essentially, each Arabic speaking country has developed its own local dialect, with its own unique vocabulary, expressions, and grammar.If you live in Morocco, it isn’t a given that you’ll be able to understand Tunisian or Egyptian Arabic, or even that will understand someone from the United Arab Emirates.You should think about which Arabic dialect you want to learn to speak, and make sure you find the right teacher and resources to learn the type of Arabic that you want to.You will surely find the right teacher for your Arabic lessons London on Superprof!A Confusing ScriptMost Western languages use the Latin alphabet, and it is easy to recognize all the different letters that make up the English alphabet.This is another challenging aspect about Arabic - there are 28 letters in the Arabic alphabet, but their forms all change depending on where the words fall in the sentence.Learn to decode the Arabic alphabet!You might see the same letter a t the beginning, end, or in the middle of a word, each time with a completely different meaning.You’ll also have to learn to stop reading from left to right, and begin reading in the opposite direction - but this is a hard habit to break for a native English speaker!The 3 Unknown SoundsFinally, pronunciation and reading pose one of the big challenges to learning Arabic - there are 3 sounds in Arabic which don’t exist in most Western languages, and are written with the numbers 3, 7, and 9.These sounds don’t exist at all in English and therefore mastering them can be somewhat tricky.But what are they? The sound ‘qu’ which comes from the back of the throat, a rough ‘h’, and finally a vocalized ‘h’ that sounds like ‘ai.’Once you’ve learned how to understand and interpret all of these little quirks and differences of the Arabic language, learning Arabic will be just the same as any other language.As you can see, learning Arabic will take a lot of personal dedicati on; it’s a long process which requires regular study of spelling and grammar rules.Arabic is not a language that you can just dip in and out of. It requires dedication and a commitment of time and effort if you truly want to learn to speak and write it.You will also need to make good use of a wide range of resources. It is highly recommended that you get hold of a good English-Arabic dictionary, especially if you want to learn Modern Standard Arabic. You should also search for some of the best smartphone apps to help you to practice what you have learned whilst you are commuting to and from work.But perhaps the best way to tackle learning Arabic is to find an Arabic course. This could be an Arabic for beginners course at a local language school, private one or one classes with a native speaker, or if you are particularly motivated, free online classes for learning Arabic on the internet.The prospect of learning Arabic can often seem quite difficult when you first start studying it , but so long as you work hard and maybe do a bit of conversation practice with an Arab speaker, you’ll make consistent progress.If you make good use of all of the tools and resources available to you, you will progress quickly and you will learn about fascinating history of a language and a culture which is constantly shaping the modern world in which we live.There isn’t just one place to go to learn Arabic, and since it’s spoken in so many countries you have a wide choice to choose from. So whether it's Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, or Lebanon, take your pick and discover a language that has been evolving for millennia. And remember, this is your best bet to learn Arabic quickly.

Why A Strong Leader Must Be at the Core of Any Business - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Why A Strong Leader Must Be at the Core of Any Business - Introvert Whisperer Why A Strong Leader Must Be at the Core of Any Business Even more important than the impact leadership has on your business as it stands today, one must look at the implications that it brings to the table in terms of the future of your organization in particular. The chances are high that even though you founded your business, youre not going to be steering the ship forever. Youre going to want to step aside gracefully at some point and when that day comes, hopefully, there will be a viable candidate to pick up the baton and carry on in the way youve always envisioned. Without prioritizing leadership today, however, there is a very slim chance of that actually happening.  Leadership Will ALWAYS Be the Core of Your Business Consider the fact that according to a recent HRPA study, 63% of millennials in the workplace feel like their leadership skills are just not being developed by the companies that they work for. As a result, a massive 71% of those millennials are looking for opportunities to leave their job within the next two years to help fix this problem as soon as possible. A failure to promote the other strong leaders within your organization besides yourself is a massive problem for many companies these days but thankfully, its also one with an easy fix. You probably already use a tool like Visme (which I founded) to create collateral aimed at bringing your message to the widest possible audience of potential customers. You can use those same tools to focus a leadership-driven message inward, too. Dont just create Infographics to get your customers ready for that upcoming product or service launch create Infographics that will also help you visualize the direction you want your company to go in for the next five, ten and even twenty years. Use it to convey to your employees the leadership skills that matter the most to you the qualities that you will collectively need to make those dreams become a reality. This is a great opportunity to not only get everyone on the same page as far as leadership is concerned, but to also begin developing some of those necessary leadership skills as soon as possible. Any type of collateral that you would create to broadcast an outward message can also be focused inward in these ways including presentations. Start creating presentations that will help you focus on the leadership skills that will align your efforts to further develop your existing employees with your long-term objectives as an organization. Not only will this go a long way towards actually getting everyone on the same page, but it will also be a great way to show the younger generations that work for you that you do value their skills and their place in the future of your business. When these people see that leadership development is actually one of your priorities, it will go a long way towards solving the problem of quality employees jumping ship in search of someone else to work for.  Actions Speak Louder Than Words Another important thing to consider is that sometimes the importance of leadership is best conveyed through action something that is true both in terms of how essential leadership is today and with regards to the types of leadership qualities you want to instill in the future managers of your brand. If you pride yourself on having a forward-thinking company, for example, you should constantly be on the lookout for new ways to put your money where your mouth is, so to speak. Take the type of marketing collateral that you create. Everyone these days is uploading videos to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter or YouTube for their customers. But is there an opportunity to go above and beyond that you may be overlooking? Instead of simply following the rest of the industry, consider forging your own path using a service like Uscreen. Uscreen is a video monetization tool that lets you sell your video content as subscriptions, for a fixed price. Using a tool like this, you have the chance to do things with your content that few others are actually doing you can create a streaming site built around your industry, develop an educational learning site and more. Not only will this pay off in terms of the additional return on investment that youre able to guarantee for your collateral today, but it also sends a number of important messages about leadership to your company. It shows that youre willing to take risks and always look for new opportunities to connect with your audience. It also shows that youre not content to simply reactively chase trends and are instead eager to proactively take advantage of some new ones on your own. Rest assured, these are the types of qualities and actions that people will sit up and pay attention to if you give them a chance.  A Strong Leader is All That Matters The only reason your business was able to get to where it is today is because there was a strong leader at the heart of it all: yourself. Youre more than just the captain of a ship youre the light in the darkness. Youre the person with the vision that people can buy into the one who they want to follow even when they cant necessarily explain why in words. The importance of this is something that cannot be overstated enough. But this need for a strong leader is something that, if all goes well, can and should outlast you a strong leader will always be the core of your organization. The simple acknowledgment of this fact along with the actionable steps that you take today to reinforce those ideas will determine whether or not your business is actually around in another decade or more. About the Author: Payman Taei is the founder of Visme, an easy-to-use online tool to create engaging presentations, infographics,   and other forms of visual content. He is also the founder of HindSite Interactive, an award-winning Maryland digital agency specializing in website design, user experience and web app development. Go to top Let me emphasize that Self-Promotion doesn’t have to be obnoxious to be effective.  But, if you don’t Self-Promote you, who will?  If you ever want to get ahead, you have to learn how to Self-Promote. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that shows you simple, yet effective ways to Self-Promote. Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

How to Handle the College Application Process as a Parent

How to Handle the College Application Process as a Parent 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. His face was alight with the joy of life. Not a care in the world, he would always greet me, arms open, beaming, I love you, Mom. Good morning. I trust you slept well. Anything I needed, from the floors being mopped to cleaning out the refrigerator, done without pestering or even request. But all of a sudden, fall semester of senior year, he morphed into some other teenager. So, if you happen to have the kid described above, God bless you because your next one is sure to be his out-of- control, system-bucking counterpart to balance things out. The reality is that few of us experience the extremes of the personas described above, but life does sometimes change, and not necessarily for the better, for many families walking through the college application process. From an already stressful and over-scheduled existence, families delve into college season viewing the application process as the element that sends someone in the family, head-first, plunging into the deep end. And quite often, it is the parents. The gripes and complaints vary, but overwhelmingly, I hear three most often. Here they are, presented in no particular order, with some tips and strategies on how to overcome them: I just cant get him motivated to complete his applications. Ah, procrastination. It is the root of much parental frustration and angst. It has reared its ugly head in the past but likely with less at stake. Heres the first thing that you, as a parent, must acknowledge this is your childs college experience, not yours. If you are in a position to assist your son or daughter with organizing their materials and you feel comfortable doing so, then by all means, feel free. Create a chart or timeline that is useful in helping them understand the time constraints that can define the pressure-cooking application season. Send them reminders about looming deadlines for standardized tests, college visits, high school recruiters, and applications. Assemble documents that they may need to reference in order to complete the applications and then check in regularly to gauge their progress. However, you must realize that the more handholding you do during this final year of high school, the harder the transition will be come freshman year of college. You kn ow the old saying about leading a horse to water? Well, consider your child the horse. At some point you will need to cut the ties that may cripplingly bind and let your child rise or fail to rise to the occasion. You know your child and the amount of assistance they may need to be nudged along; use this as your compass without crossing the line. You do not want to be that parent on the college campus advocating for a grade change next fall and then five years later discussing his promotion on the job. If your child seems resigned to failure, even with the scaffolding youve put in place, perhaps he isnt ready for college at 17 or 18 years old and a year to grow and experience what life is like outside the world of academia may suit him well and motivate him to take more of a proactive role the second time around in the application process. We cant even talk about his applications without the conversation morphing into an argument. Children are very perceptive, especially college-bound seniors. If college has become your singular focus, they will pick up on it immediately. Remember, your child is more than a mere application. Try to revert to conversations of yesteryear and show a genuine interest in your child beyond his applications and pending acceptances. Let him know that you are there to bounce ideas off of and review materials as needed. You must also realize that application season is a particularly vulnerable time for students. Try to recall your own experience with applying to college. Too long ago? Go back to your last job interview. Remember the feeling of outlining all of your experience and qualifications and then waiting for the verdict? Well, this is your childs new reality. Often, for the first time, these students are putting their existence of the last three plus years on the line for evaluation, and that is a scary prospect. A short fuse or resistance to engage in an ongoing dialogue with you about applications may be less a reflection of his feelings for you and more an indication of how scared and insecure he may be feeling during this process not to mention the delicate dance he is now doing to manage all of his academic and extracurricular commitments beyond the applications. Let your child know that you recognize the stressful nature of this period and are there as an outlet. Encourage him to take a break and plan something fun, like a trip to his favorite restaurant or seeing a movie. The greater the sense of normalcy and balance you can maintain, the more likely he is to come to you to discuss his college application questions and woes. He wont even let me read his essay. The shroud of secrecy that envelops college essays often drives parents insane. Equally, parental badgering and inquiries to read the essay often annoy kids beyond belief. As a parent, the first thing you should ask yourself is what is your motivation for reading the essay? Will you be critical or judgmental? Will you attempt to hijack the essay and make it your own? In reviewing the essay, your motivation should be to support your child in writing an essay that is authentic, relevant, and effective. It should be his voice that comes across, it should answer the question being posed, and it should leave a lasting impression on the reader. When you ask your child if you can read the essay, try to do so in a manner that is supportive and encouraging. Again, reflect on your own similar experiences in which one piece of writing or project carried significant weight, and share the experience with your child. Acknowledge the difficulty of conveying something meaningful in a few meager paragraphs but also affirm your belief that he is capable of writing a strong essay. And rather than always asking directly, Can I read the essay now?, show a genuine interest in his writing process by inquiring, Hows the essay coming along? When you do finally get the chance to read the essay, youll want to remain as objective as possible and only offer feedback that is candid and constructive. If you completely destroy the essay, its not likely that your child will continue to solicit or accept your feedback. Highlight the strengths of the essay and encourage him to develop weaker areas by pointing out portions of the essay that are effective. Finally, if you find that both you and your child have drawn lines in the sand and are unable or unwilling to talk out your differences regarding the essay, seek the advice or counsel of someone else. This may come in the form of a family friend who has recently gone through the application process. It could also be an aunt or uncle with whom your child has a strong and less contentious relationship. It could also be an English or History teacher for whom you child has written other papers. Realize that sometimes it is the collective feedback from a few trusted key sources that can ultimately shape and guide an essay that is well written and engaging. Visit Admit Advantage for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

French Grammar Basics When to Use Tu and Vous

French Grammar Basics When to Use Tu and Vous Sign up successful French grammar dictates that “vous” be used in two basic situations. In one situation, you are still speaking to only one person, but that person is your social superior. It could be your boss at work, a teacher or professor, or a friends older relative. Depending on the level of formality used in a family, it could also be used by a child speaking to his or her parents or grandparents, although many families do not require this. In any other situation that requires formality, or when in doubt, use “vous.” In the second basic situation, the speaker is talking to more than one person. It doesnt matter if you are talking to two people or a thousand, to women, to men, or to both (and yes there are languages that care about this, too!). The formality of the situation also becomes less important in this case, since the speaker will use “vous” in any case. In some regional spoken dialects of modern English, people will say “yall” (short for “you all”) when speaking to more than one person. For those English-speakers who include “yall” in their speech, this is a reasonably closer English equivalent to vous than the simple “you.” So when you are speaking and are trying to figure out which one to use, ask yourself three basic questions: Is it a formal situation? Are you speaking to more than one person? (Use “vous!”) Or are you speaking to one person in a more relaxed, familiar situation? (Use “tu!”) And keep at it with your study of French language and grammar! Learning French takes persistence, but time and effort will help you master it. Carol Beth L. teaches  French lessons in San Francisco, CA. She has her Masters in French language education from the Sorbonne University in Paris and has been teaching students since 2009.  Learn more about Carol Beth 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 Gareth Williams

How to Prepare for GMAT Vocabulary

How to Prepare for GMAT Vocabulary When it comes to tackling the GMAT, unlike the GRE, you wont be tested on the meanings of individual vocabulary words in context. You will need to feel comfortable with the type of vocabulary used on the GMAT, however, particularly in Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Integrated Reasoning questions. There are many ways to prepare for GMAT vocabulary, such as taking practice tests and incorporating GMAT vocabulary into your daily life to gain familiarity. When preparing for GMAT vocabulary, you will need to understand both the content of the passages and how to answer the related questions. For students who need help with GMAT vocabulary, here are four steps to prepare for the types of language you will find on the GMAT exam: 1. Take a GMAT practice test When preparing for the GMAT, sit for a full-length GMAT practice exam, including breaks. If you have already taken a practice test recently, pull it up. Then, review your results. Go through each section of the exam, and look at the questions you answered correctly or incorrectly. This will help you learn the language of the GMAT. Familiarize yourself with the types of words used in each of the sections, including Quantitative and Integrated Reasoning, and identify the words that you did not understand. Additionally, examine which questions you were able to answer correctly, even though you didnt know all of the vocabulary involved. Using clues in context will help you find the correct answers on the GMAT when you dont necessarily know every word in the question. [RELATED: How to Plan Your GMAT Prep Schedule] 2. Create a list of GMAT vocabulary words Write down every word on the test that you are unfamiliar with in a separate list. Then, write down the definition of each word on the list. As you go through the exam, you will notice these words appearing in multiple places on the GMAT. For example, the word species is often included in both Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning questions. The words prime, median, mean, and reciprocal are found in many Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency questions. Words like consumption, dramatically, proliferation, and yield are common words in the Analytical Writing Assessment topics. Making a list of unfamiliar vocabulary words can help you better understand what areas you can work to improve on. Once you know what these words mean, studying for the GMAT becomes much easier. 3. Make GMAT vocabulary flashcards From your list of unfamiliar words, write one word on one side of an index card. On the other side of the card, write the definition of the word along with your own sentence defining that word. Test yourself on 5-10 words per day, eliminating words once you are confident that you know them. Continue this practice as you study from official GMAT material and encounter more words you dont know. This will keep the words in your head and help you process GMAT passages and questions more efficiently. 4. Read magazines and newspapers with similar language to GMAT vocabulary The Reading Comprehension passages found on the GMAT exam can involve a variety of topics, including: biology astronomy American history European history economics environmental science physics human resource management In addition to working through actual GMAT passages, students can also read publications like Scientific American, Financial Times, The Economist, and Bloomberg Businessweek to get comfortable with the writing styles that appear on the GMAT. These magazines often contain composition and language found in certaintexts and case studies that you mayin encounter in your MBA program. So, understanding this vocabulary now can help not only on the GMAT, but also in business school. [RELATED:4 Reflective Questions to Guide Your GMAT Prep] Though memorizing GMAT vocabulary may not be your primary focus in preparing for the exam, becoming familiar with the types of words found on the GMAT will help improve your overall performance. Combined with a regular study schedule in which you practice on official GMAT questions, improving your GMAT vocabulary will help you prepare for the material you will face on your exam day. 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.

Put an End to Summer Learning Loss - Private Tutoring

Put an End to Summer Learning Loss Anna L Jul 8, 2018 Find a Top Rated Private Tutor Near You! It's Simple and Secure - Get Real Results Fast. Find Expert Private Tutors at Reasonable Rates Today! InPerson or Online Online InPerson Summer learning loss prevention is something that we, as parents, need to think about with our kids!   Many experts believe that the summer learning loss percentage can be 1 month of learning from during the school year, though other studies show as much as 25-30% of a loss.  Many children reach their academic peak at the end of the school year, after all they have studied, reviewed subjects and sat for endless amounts of tests while being in school nine to ten months at that point. Their brains are full of information that they can recall at the drop of a hat. And then what happens? Summer vacation. Around ten to twelve weeks of freedom, fun and no stress or pressure from school. Sure, kids need time to be kids and to enjoy their childhood, but summer learning loss can cause real problems upon the return to school. What is even more problematic is the divide that summer learning loss can create between children. While some learning loss is to be expected, the good news is that it can be minimized. The bad news is that some children are more susceptible than others. This article aims to explain who is most affected and hopes to offer some solutions to this educational-dividing issue. Summer Learning Loss the Problem and Some Solutions Every child is at risk of experiencing summer learning loss. There are, of course, a small percentage of children who attend regular summer school and similar programs, which significantly reduces any learning loss. Unfortunately, in general, children who come from lower income families tend to experience summer learning loss more than their wealthier counterparts. The reasons for this are highlighted here, as well as strategies to prevent summer learning loss regardless of age, economic status or learning ability. With a few steps to minimize learning loss, you can help your kids get on track to have a great start to the new academic year! Summer Learning Loss Low Income â€" Why? One theory suggests that the reason lower-income students return to school with a large learning deficit is due to their lack of resources over the summer period. During school, all students have fairly equal access to learning, especially during class time, thus making similar learning gains and improvements. However, over the summer, students from higher-income families tend to have access to more resources to continue on an ever increasing learning curve. The tips in this article are not dependent on a high income and are guaranteed to help the positive learning continue no matter what your financial resources. What Causes the Problem… In order to prevent summer learning loss, children must keep learning. This doesn’t always mean summer school or extra tutors, although, for some children this is beneficial. Learning happens in a large variety of ways. Holidays, language lessons, and sport camps are all ways to keep learning. They also come at a cost that many families cannot afford. Simply engaging children in conversation and spending quality time together can help reduce summer learning loss, but this can be difficult for single parents, those who work long hours and can’t afford time away from work, or those who, for a variety of reasons, have less than positive familial relationships. However, family doesnt mean just blood relatives.   Extended family and friends can all be a part of this as well.   Kids learn from whomever is around, just give them the chance! Some Solutions to Fix It The simple answer is to keep children learning throughout their summer break. Of course, having a healthy budget can help with the type and number of activities children participate in, but money doesn’t have to be a limiting factor. Most summer learning loss articles offer expensive suggestions that are targeted towards families that can afford it. This only increases the educational gap and does nothing to help low income families. Not this article. Check out the following list of low-cost, accessible and fun learning experiences to aid summer learning loss prevention in all children. Read, Read, Read One of the best things children can do over the summer is read. Libraries are usually free to join and offer an abundance of books for children of all ages. Librarians are full of knowledge about books to help advise you on what might suit your child the best, and what might help them develop a love for reading. A child may be a hesitant reader simply because they haven’t found a style of book they enjoy. Get Writing Writing is a valuable skill for all educational levels. It only requires a notebook and a pen or pencil and can help stimulate the creative brain as well as helping children maintain the fine motor skills required to write. This may sound silly, but several months without even gripping a pen can be very detrimental to this widely used skill. For younger children, drawing and coloring are helpful too. Promote a thirst for learning The type of children that learn best at school are the ones that want to learn. You can make almost any activity a learning experience by encouraging conversation and asking your child questions. Hopefully, this will stimulate them to think about things and start a journey of curiosity and inquisitiveness. Try simple questions like these; “ where does the food you are eating come from?” “ how do they build bridges over water?” The best type of questions are ones that naturally form part of a conversation, such as “why do you think…” and “ what will happen if…” Hopefully you get the idea. Once a child begins to question the world and desire a meaningful and valuable answer, there will be no stopping them!  Learning new things is key to summer learning loss prevention! Explore free or near free events and areas Most towns and cities have summer events and activities to get involved in or to explore.   Summer concerts, art programs, STEM program (growing in popularity and availability), library or community center options are all free or near free to those residents in the community. In addition, there are a lot of online resources as well for your kids to explore.   For example, do you or your child like to write?   Then perhaps writing a book would be something fun like this summertime book writing program to get involved in!   Online searches will show several opportunities for kids to get involved in areas that will stimulate and help them grow academically and have fun doing so. Create a positive and supportive environment A child will be more willing to learn if they feel comfortable. Don’t put your child down for asking questions or when they make mistakes. Encourage them to persist, talk about mistakes, and lead by example by trying new things yourself.   If they get nervous about trying something new, maybe you could try it as well?   Or show them you trying something else that’s new to you so that they see everyone goes through the same types of experiences. Do something different If you can afford to take a small holiday, do it. Trips like camping or visiting relatives can often be done without breaking the bank. Taking your children out of their everyday environment gives them a break and a chance to see and do things that they don’t ordinarily do. They will gain new experiences and build more positive relationships with you. Try rearranging the living room together, doing some gardening, eating at the table instead of in front of the television, or playing a board game. Day trips are good too, and there are always cheap and free activities for children during school holidays â€" you just have to pay attention to what they are. Our summer learning loss articles are just the beginning of the steps that are available to you to test out!   Explore and discover other ways that you can help your kids not have as much or any issues this year!   Let us know what steps you do and share so others can get ideas as well.We can help you find the best private tutor near you! It’s simple and secure â€" Get real results fast. Your first hour with any tutor is protected by our Good Fit Guarantee: You don't pay for tutoring unless you find a good fit. Choose Your Subject â€" Add Your Zip Code â€" Find Top Rated Tutors Starting Today! InPerson or Online Online InPerson

Critical thinking behind math skills reading skills

Critical thinking behind math skills reading skills Common Core and Critical Thinking: Helping Students Hone This Important Skill The Common Core State Standards are intended to help students prepare for college and the working world, wherein they must think critically and apply the skills they learn in the classroom to a variety of real-world scenarios. The buzz about the standards is that they go much deeper into all math and English-language arts areas and emphasize comprehension and building understanding more so than rote memorization. The standards are meant to strengthen students ability to think, analyze, comprehend, defend and support ones ideas, and much more. According to the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, the Common Core State Standards weave such aptitudes throughout the standards. Here are a few examples: Reading Reading comprehension is top of mind at all levels. As students read a variety of textsboth literature and nonfictionthey will be expected to make logical inferences, express their insights, explore ideas, and think about topics from many different viewpoints, among other objectives. Speaking and listening Through speaking and listening (and through media), students must assess and offer complex information and ideas. The classroom will focus on smaller group discussions as well as one-on-one discussions as a way to encourage students to think critically, work together to develop ideas and answer questions, and more. Writing Students are expected to write thoughtful, logical arguments, express their opinions, reason, and conduct focused and in-depth research. Media and Technology A huge part of 21st-century learning is knowing how to use, critically analyze and produce media and technology. Technology and media are woven throughout the standardsfrom teaching students to present ideas and knowledge in various media formats to using technology to develop mathematical models that link classroom math to everyday decision making. Mathematics High school students will be expected to apply mathematical ways of thinking to real-world issues and challenges and think and reason their way through math problems. The elementary and middle school standards help prepare students for this type of thinking. There are many things you can do to help your student build his or her critical thinking skills, thereby equipping him or her for the curricular changes resulting from Common Core. Here are a few simple ideas to help your student engage in critical thinking each and every day. Ask your student questions that confirm his or her understanding of the texts that he or she reads. Encourage your child to analyze what he readswhether thats newspaper or magazine articles or fiction stories and books. Ask questions about the main idea of the story such as what the authors purpose is (to entertain or persuade, for example), whether a piece is opinion or fact and how he or she can tell, and what clues he or she can identify about a storys plot, main message or takeaway. Ask your child how he or she feels about texts and readings and why. Why does he or enjoy a story or not? Why does he or she think a certain event or point is the most important in a passage or story? Why does he or she like certain characters? When using measurement in math homework, encourage your child to think about how and where measurements are used in life. As your child completes math problems, have him or her explain how he or she reached an answer and why he or she thinks that approach makes sense. When using graphs in homework, encourage your child to carefully interpret data, think about how graphs make it easier to represent data (versus communicating data in a different way), and consider how he or she might collect and show data in a different way. In math word problems, have your child talk you through the information provided and explain how he or she will use such information to solve problems (as well as what information might be missing). Encourage your child to notice patterns in the real world. Have your child point out the use of fractions in everyday use. Critical thinking is an important life skill that is now becoming a focal point in math and English-language arts curriculum. Talk with your childs teacher about how you can support his or her development of such higher order thinking abilities. Also, throughout your childs daily life, encourage him or her to think, reflect, make decisions and develop opinions.