4 Things to Know Before Starting High School

4 Things to Know Before Starting High School This post is part of a week-long series to help new high school and college students prepare for their freshman year. Throughout this week, visit the Varsity Tutors blog for advice, tips, and tricks for this critical transition. As the first day of high school approaches, your uncertainty about whats to come may be growing. Youre about to face a new school, new teachers, and new classmates. While this can feel intimidating, high school also includes a wealth of opportunities that middle school never did. In an effort to feel more at ease going into this transition, its important to be as prepared as possible by gathering insights on what to expect. There are many things to know before starting high school: it requires an increased work ethic, it invites you to challenge yourself, and it allows you to explore new interests, for instance. Excited to begin high school, but looking to feel better prepared? Keep reading to learn four things you should know before starting high school: 1. High school will demand a stronger work ethic than middle school The transition from middle school to high school is rife with new expectations, one of which is a stronger work ethic. Once you start high school, youll be tasked with more homework, projects, quizzes, and tests. At the beginning of the semester, you may be given a syllabus in each class, often outlining major due dates throughout the semester. Set aside time to mark these in a planner or an online calendar. This way, you can better track assignments in all of your classes and properly structure your study sessions. 2. High school is an opportunity to challenge yourself High school opens many new doors, both socially and academicallyyoure presented with a multitude of extracurricular and academic options that you likely didnt have before. That being said, strive to select activities and courses that will pose a challenge. This may sound intimidating, but its important to continually task yourself with learning new things and expanding your skills. If youve always wanted to learn more about coding, for example, inquire about any possibilities for advancement on your schools campus. Whenever you have the option to choose electives, select ones that will teach you new and exciting course material. Speak with your parents, teachers, and academic counselor to discuss which classes and activities may be ideal for you. [RELATED: How High School and College Students Can Setand AchieveAcademic Goals] 3. High school requires you to make proactive decisions A big difference when starting high school is that you now must be a more proactive student. Whether it be in your classes or your extracurricular activities, make choices that will ultimately set you up for success. It can be tempting to skip a study session or meeting time, but this could hurt your overall grade or participation in your activity. You must stay on top of all of your assignments, activities, and outside responsibilities. If you notice youre not grasping a particular concept in your geometry class, its up to you to do something about it. Ask your teacher for extra help at lunch, find a friend who can help you with homework, or consider tutoring. Dont wait until you fail an exam to seek assistance. While you arent filling out college applications just yet, its key to remember that letting grades and participation slide early on in your high school career can affect you down the road. [RELATED: Time Management Tips for Students] 4. High school is a time to explore your interests High school presents you with many activities and opportunities at your fingertips. Youll be presented with a plethora of extracurricular activities, sports teams, and academic tracks. Exploring your interests also sets you up to meet other classmates and to boost your eventual college applications. As you begin high school, identify your interests and skills to find the right fit for you. For example: Are you organized, and do you enjoy planning events? Student council may allow you to be involved in the planning of school activities. Are you concerned with global human rights? You might enjoy your high schools Amnesty International club. [RELATED: Should You Join a High School Language Club?] While starting high school can feel intimidating at times, it challenges you to become a better, more thoughtful student. Youll be presented with many new academic and extracurricular opportunities, and its up to you to make the most of them. Good luck! 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.

What Your Medical School Essay Reader is Thinking

What Your Medical School Essay Reader is Thinking The following piece was written by Dr. Michelle Finkel. Michelle has been featured in ourAdmissions Expert seriesand is a former HarvardMedical School faculty member. She is the founder of Insider Medical Admissions. If you havent yet had a chance, please take a look at my last piece on writing a medical school personal statement. As I mentioned then, I wrote my personal statements for medical school and emergency medicine residency without much of a clue as to what went on behind the closed doors of medical admissions committees. But I quickly gained a lot of insight when - years later - I found myself reading essays and making admissions decisions as a Harvard Medical School faculty member. In assessing application essays, first at Harvard and now as a professional medical admissions adviser for over six years, I have learned that as much as its hard to believe - faculty are people too: They dont want to be bored. They need to be convinced. And they dont want to miss dinner (keep your essay streamlined and succinct). My last entry had a reality show theme, so Ill continue in that vein, offering you more of my confessions about reading personal statements: Creative non-conformists with wacky personal statements make me shutter. There is no question that being different is an asset in medicine. Those who think outside the box consider diagnoses that others miss, craft approaches to tough patients that others dont conceive of, and come up with solutions to systemic problems that can positively change medicine as a whole. However, being different does not mean being unprofessional. Yes, you want to distinguish yourself in your personal statement, but you want to do that by showcasing your unique and impressive pre-professional accomplishments, not by submitting a zany essay. Think of it this way: It would be a shame to annihilate your career goal because youve made a reader cringe when you were simply trying to write imaginatively. This is not to say your personal statement should be boring! By using good writing techniques crafting a catchy intro, using robust language, even choosing a compelling sequence you can write an outstanding essay while still showcasing your accomplishments. For the skeptic who insists, Michelle, Im special. I can do something wild and not scare off the reader, I will tell you the following anecdote: In all of the time I read essays at Harvard, I remember only one applicant who submitted a truly wacky essay who still received rave reviews (there was a lively discussion about his weird personal statement, however, before he got the thumbs up). This person was a true superstar applicant. He came to our program, was loved by patients and staff alike, and eventually became an emergency medicine chief resident. The point of this story? I remember him because he was an outlier the only applicant in years of assessing candidates whose strange essay did not kill his candidacy. Much like CPR, the vast majority of eccentric essay writers don't respond to heroic efforts to save their candidacy. Take home point: You get one bullet. Dont use it to shoot yourself in the foot. When an applicant does not put a lot of work into his/her essay, I do not put a lot of consideration into his/her candidacy. Im amazed at how many applicants study hard for the MCAT, prepare zealously for tests, and yet dont spend the time necessary to write a strong essay. Of course top grades and competitive MCAT scores are essential for a viable medical school candidacy (you must be this high to ride), but the essay is the admission committees clearest window into what youve done and what your priorities are. It is your way of distinguishing yourself colorfully. Conversely, it allows the committee a means to screen out applicants whose lack of effort or poor judgment is reflected in the personal statement. Writing a great essay takes work and a lot of lead time. Before you hit the keyboard, consider alternate approaches three or four topics for your introduction, for example. Also, make a list of all of the accomplishments you want to highlight. Moreover, don't overlook the basics: Start with an outline to ensure sound organization, develop graceful transitions between paragraphs, and provide convincing examples that support your assertions. Don't let the red ink frighten you. Expect to write ten or more revisions of the personal statement before you are ready to submit. Get help from someone who has extensive medical admissions experience by accessing the resources available to you: If you are fortunate to have an adviser, relative, or family friend who has sufficient expertise, ask that person to review multiple drafts. You may not require the services of an experienced admissions consultant. A motivated applicant who has strong interpersonal and communication skills and full access to sound medical advising can not only survive, but thrive in the applications game. However, for those applicants whose advising resources are less optimal, who are targeting highly competitive institutions or programs, who are applying with specific geographic constraints, who are coming from lesser-known or international institutions, or who do not feel sufficiently confident in their current writing and interviewing skills, the right admissions consultant can make a positive difference with long-lasting consequences. Bottom line: Writing your medical essay is not the time to pull an all-nighter. Now, leverage the knowledge Ive given you above to anticipate a future readers objections so that you can strengthen your personal statement and reach your career goals. VisitInsider Medical Admissionsfor more information, or check out Dr. Finkel onFacebookandTwitter. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

2018 American Education Week

2018 American Education Week The Huntington Learning Center, along with educators and communities around the country acknowledge American Education Week during the week of November 12 - 16, 2018. The week was created by the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Legion in 1921 to inform the public of the accomplishments and needs of our nations public schools and recognize the professionals who make a difference in ensuring that every child in our country receives a quality education. Each day of the week will spotlight the different people who are critical in building great public schools for the nation's 50 million K-12 students. American Education Week's celebration days include: Monday, November 12: Kickoff Day The nationwide kickoff, with activities and events at schools around the country. Tuesday, November 13: Parents Day A day for parents and/or other family members to join their children at school for a first-hand look at a typical school day. Wednesday, November 14: Education Support Professionals Day A day to honor the contributions of public support staff, such as instructional assistants, office workers, paraeducators, bus drivers, custodians and security guards. Thursday, November 15: Educator for a Day A program that invites community members to school to be guest educators. This day gives them the opportunity to get a feel for all aspects of a school day. Friday, November 16: Substitute Educators Day A day that honors the professional substitute educators who keep classes running smoothly when regular educators must be absent. Co-Founder and CEO, Eileen Huntington of Huntington Learning Center encourages community members to show their support for students and public schools during American Education Week. Public schools welcome all students, regardless of ability or background, she says. We are appreciative of the many people who come together to give children a quality education. At Huntington, we see firsthand that a positive school experience helps children go on and be successful in college and their careers. There are many individuals involved in helping each student build that foundation, from parents to teachers, from guidance counselors to mentors. This week and always, we celebrate them and their efforts. American Education Week is co-sponsored by the National Education Association, the American Legion, the U.S. Department of Education, the National Parent Teacher Association, the National School Boards Association and many other groups. We at Huntington Learning Center could not do our jobs well without the support of parents, teachers and other community members, adds Huntington. To learn more about American Education Week and how to get involved, visit www.nea.org/aew. For more information about Huntington Learning Center, contact Huntington at 1-800-CAN-LEARN or visit www.huntingtonhelps.com. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. 2018 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

SAT Adversity Score

SAT Adversity Score The SAT Adversity Score is supposed to give context to an applicants SAT score by rating his or her neighborhood and high school. The College Board, which administers the SAT, recently introduced its Environmental Context Dashboard (ECD), but it quickly became known as the Adversity Score. The College Board claims this score allows colleges to incorporate a students school and environmental context into their admissions process in a data-driven, consistent way. The Adversity Score does not alter SAT scores or take into account a students personal characteristics beyond their test scores. Instead, it aggregates publicly available information about schools and neighborhoods. It has three components: Students'SAT scores can be seen within the context of the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of SAT scores from their high school. Information on the high school, including senior class size; percentage of students who meet federal eligibility criteria for free and reduced-price lunch; rurality/urbanicity; average first-year SAT score of colleges students from that high school attend; and the percentage of seniors taking an Advanced Placement exam and other information about AP scores and exams. Contextual data on the neighborhood and high school environment, which is calculated using data drawn from a combination of publicly available sources (e.g. U.S. Census Bureau and National Center for Education Statistics). The goal is to allow them to view a students academic accomplishments in the context of where they live and learn. Whether college admissions officers decide to consider the Adversity Score is up to them. The College Board claims the information is not intended to replace or contradict existing information about schools and neighborhoods. It will refresh its Adversity Scores underlying data each year. The tool was piloted for use by admissions officers at 50 colleges and universities in 2018-2019. This fall, the College Board will expand the pilot to more than 150 colleges in a research partnership and continue to shape the tool. It will become broadly available in 2020. Anecdotal feedback from the initial pilot is that the Adversity Score helped colleges recognize hardworking students who care about school but might come from an environment that made it difficult to fully thrive. Some admissions officers reported that the Adversity Score helped them contextualize college entrance exam scores within a high school to give a better idea of what success looks like in a certain area. More information about the Environmental Context Dashboard aka Adversity Score is available on the College Board website.

Newsletter September 2012

Newsletter September 2012 TutorZ.com is a nationwide network of tutors. We match students and parents with the best tutors for their specific needs. In recent months we have been working hard to make TutorZ.com even more convenient and useful for our customers than before. We have pushed several updates, including  SSL encryption of the users’ data, upgrade to HTML5 standard,  improvement of our social media and payment functionality. We have also created a new video tutorial and extended even more, our already large database of tutors. Moreover, in September 2012 TutorZ  accomplished a  migration to a dedicated hosting server. We have grown so large that a VPS server will no longer suffice. Now we need the raw power of a i5 Quad Core dedicated sever to serve our students and tutors with the fast and reliable referral needs they expect from us.  says Dirk Wagner, CEO of TutorZ.com. Now, when the new school year  is at its height, we are  eager to continue our work on  connecting everybody who is seeking  help in studying with qualified and professional private tutors. Lets take a glance at  some of what was going on during this month. Find me a tutor Featured Tutors Mrs.  Tammy Jata Oregon City, OR Teaches:  Math,  Algebra, Geometry,  Dyslexia, ADD-ADHD,  English, Reading, Spelling, Vocabulary, Writing, Elementary, Pre-school I can give your child the tools to understand and comprehend the math and reading material. I use a gentle and supportive approach to learning. Eva Holtz    Menlo Park, CA Teaches: Algebra, Trigonometry,  Applied Math, Statistics,  Molecular Biology, Physics,  Chemistry, Evolution, Psychology,  History,  English, French, Spanish, Essay Writing,  ACT,  ISEE, SAT, Humanities Since 2003, I have dedicated myself to a career in education. I enjoy working with students on a range of subjects, including academic tutoring, test prep, and college advising. Minaz M.   Chicago, IL Teaches:  Accounting, Algebra, Business Accounting Provided academic tutoring assistance in accounting to individual students or in groups. Courses tutored included: Introductory, Intermediate, Advanced Accounting and Managerial Accounting. James Cordaro   Lithonia, GA Teaches:  African Studies, Math,  Physics, Political Science,  Public Speaking,  Sociology,  Martial Arts,  Basketball I would like to become a tutor in hopes to share my skills and study habits with the next generation. I would like to help the youth make good decisions before it is too late. Miss  Shefali   New Hyde Park, NY Teaches: Chemistry,  Biology,  Algebra,  History,  Sociology, English,  Creative Writing, GED,  CLEP,  Geography, Meteorology,  Drawing I work in the field of education and my belief is that anyone who wants help deserves help and with patience, effort, and dedication, he or she can achieve his or her goals. Read with TutorZ Best Articles from our Blog We invite tutors, parents and students to enjoy our articles on some interesting education-related topics: Literacy, Do We Need it Today?  Literacy is one of the keys to knowledge and education; it develops humans’ minds and allows them to achieve their goals; it is an intangible sign that unites people via time and space by means of unbiased words. Sure, literacy by itself is not an earnest of success, other talents and skills are also needed for personal progress. Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it’s off to school we go  It’s time to do the parental dance of, “the kids are going back to school, la la la la laaaa!!!” It’s an ancient tradition passed on from generation to generation. Of course never let the kids in on it until they are at the age where their already forgiving you for all the past deeds done. But hey, at least we may have time to breathe again. Or God forbid, think about our own needs for a while. Seattle, the Emerald Dream City for Students and Young Professionals  Mutually beneficial alliance of Seattle’s great educational opportunities and thriving intellectual companies results in a general prosperity of the region and creates the unique conditions for students seeking knowledge and young professionals. To be or Not to be, Math is the Question?  I always found the history of mathematics and the mathematicians themselves far more interesting than the actual math. I have never really figured out if this is because I’m lousy at math or that I just do not have enough interest to make great strides into the ever advancing world of mathematics? New Video on TutorZ Youtube Channel Continue to learn Spanish words and word combinations for traveling with our fourth video of our series Spanish Traveller Basic Lesson. Spanish Basics Part 4 Spanish is spoken by more than 300 million people worldwide, and is the official or national language in a number of countries. It is widely spoken in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Antonio, among other cities, and is used officially as a second language in the state of New Mexico. In this video, we have converted English basic words to Spanish which are useful at the time of traveling. We wish all our clients a great back to school 2012 fall season! Keep us in mind for all your tutoring needs. Sincerely, The Tutorz.com Team Email: contact@tutorz.com Phone: (805) 288-7338

5 Top Maths GCSE Resources For Students

5 Top Maths GCSE Resources For Students Are you studying for your maths mocks or GCSEs? Fortunately, there are plenty of maths resources available online, that are free and easily accessible. These are a smart way to prime yourself for your exams, as they condense what you need to know and also test your knowledge. Here's a selection of our favourites. While maths resources are a brilliant way to revise, bear in mind your teacher or a maths tutor should be your first port of call. Especially if you feel confused about or unable to do something and they can also talk you through your exam technique. 1. GCSE Maths Revision Resources This site is designed to help you with your maths revision via maths revision cards, making this a fantastic resource. Each maths revision card relates directly to the types of questions asked in the GCSE maths examination. There are free download samples, or you can buy the revision pack for 1.50. All packs are divided into specific grades. 2. Project Maths Here you will find hundreds of click and show, interactive questions and Edexcel past papers. Best of all is the free videos, which show you everything for Factorising Quadratic Expressions to shape, space and measure queries. They also have 49+ interactive questionnaires to test yourself on what you've learnt and 138+ past papers and revision material to assist in your revision. 3. The Maths Teacher This maths resource is a virtual classroom with maths GCSE lessons available to you together with links to download lesson notes for revision. Lessons are divided into foundation and higher tier work and come with exam-style questions after to test your knowledge. 4. Mr Barton Maths Mr Barton Maths is a fantastic resource for maths and maths GCSE. The maths topic index page takes you to a range of sections that help you with everything from Algebra skills to Fractions and Ratio and Proportion. Find out exactly what the examiners could ask you, so you know what you need to revise via worksheets, exercises, videos, quizzes written for the new maths GCSE and have them automatically marked, and read explanations given by students all around the world until you find the one that makes sense to you. 5. BBC Bitesize Maths GCSE A great site to use as you can choose the exam specification that matches the one you study. The GCSE AQA guide, for instance, goes through all the areas you need to know, showing you key revision areas for each topic with questions and answers. Once you have revised a specific area, you can then take a test and see how you score. The answers then reveal the working out and tell you why you were right or wrong so you can learn from your answers. The best part of this site is if you sign in, it will take you right back to where you were each time you log in so you can track what you have done. Further information on maths GCSE and revision can be found at: GCSE revision sources Mock GCSEs and how to pass your Maths GCSE Contact is for a maths tutor near you.

Kaplan International

Kaplan International Kaplan International The CompaniesKaplan International Colleges offers university preparation in partnership with leading universities in the UK and US. KIC programmes offer a high level of personal support as well as access to the facilities and resources of our university partners. KIC also operates partnerships in Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, China, Australia and the US preparing students for entry to higher education programmes. International Institute for Languages, is a Saudi based company and part of IGIT one of the leading Training and Consultancy Companies in the Middle East. IIL will be the direct employer and will provide all HR related services such as accommodation, health coverages, visas, transportation etc. The ClientThe National Industrial Training Institute (NITI) is an independent not-for-profit training institution that is established jointly by Saudi Aramco (SA) and the Technical Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. NITI trains Saudi high school and Colle ges of Technology graduates. The main program is of two years followed by 6 to 12 months of On-the-Job Training (OJT). NITI trainees shall be competent and skilled in their technical specializations, proficient in English, computer literate technology efficient and armed with safety awareness, personal discipline and work ethics. NITI operates at two locations in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia; Abqaiq Al Hasa. One location, Abqaiq, commenced operation in April 2014 with approximately 300 students. In September 2014 a brand new campus in Al Hasa opened with 1000 students, and will grow to capacity of 2,500 within 3 years. Further information can be found on the following website - http://niti.edu.sa/.Kaplan International Colleges, will oversee curriculum development and delivery of NITI’s academic training modules which includes: English language, math/science, and information technology. The curriculum also contains co-curricular elements such as study skills, life skills, communication skills, critical thinking and problem solving etc. Our Saudi project partner, International Institute of Languages (IIL), will be the direct employer in-country and will provide all HR related services such as accommodation, health coverages, visas, transportation etc.