What is it Like to Attend Michigan State University

What is it Like to Attend Michigan State University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Marci is a Phoenix tutor specializing in Algebra tutoring, Calculus tutoring, and Chemistry tutoring. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2010 with a Bachelors degree in Biochemistry Molecular Biology. Check out her review of her alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Marci: Michigan State University in East Lansing is a large, nature-filled campus at the heart of a college town. I always felt safe at MSU and it was easy to walk or take the bus to restaurants and cafes in town, or in the capital city of Lansing. The bus system at MSU is rated one of the best in the country, so you definitely dont need a car. Some people prefer biking because the campus is so large, and there is even a bike shop on campus. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Marci: It was so easy for me to make appointments with professors, even if I wasnt taking their class. This is what led me to decide to apply to graduate school, because professors from all different fields, from Environmental Sociology to Agricultural Economics, were so open to helping me on my projects and career decisions. I was in the Honors College as well as Lyman Briggs College so I had several advisors to choose from, and they were all very helpful. During my undergraduate, I wish I had contacted teaching assistants more. Now that I am a teaching assistant at Arizona State University, I realize how helpful they can be for students to talk to. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Marci: I lived in the Lyman Briggs College dorm for three years and I absolutely loved it. Some of my best friends are from that same floor, and we would always go to the cafeteria together, or on weekends go to a nearby restaurant or see a free movie on campus. There were always vegetarian options at the cafeterias, and it was easy to grab a meal in between classes or lab wherever you were on campus. Even though MSU is a big campus with a lot of students, I always ran into someone that I knew in the cafeteria! VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Marci: MSU is a research university as well as a land grant college, so all majors are well supported but Science and Math are especially good programs. I was in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program, which is one of the most rigorous majors, and something that really helped me was getting good foundation of chemistry, biology, and physics through the Lyman Briggs College. I also worked in labs and as a teaching assistant and I learned a lot about biochemistry through those extracurricular activities. VT: 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? Marci: It was extremely easy for me to make friends at MSU. My younger sister is there now, and shes having a similar experience of meeting lots of friendly people. Because Lyman Briggs College is a residential learning experience, I was in the same dorm as other students in my labs and classes so we became friends by studying together. Greek life has a big role at MSU but I was never involved. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Marci: I never interacted with MSUs Career Center, but I wish I had! VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Marci: MSU has a lot of places to study on campus and I utilized them often. In my dorm, we had common areas and a cafe that were good for working on group projects or in a more casual setting. There were also places in my dorm and on campus that were designated for silent study. The library at MSU is huge! VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Marci: East Lansing is mostly a college town, so it has a lot of restaurants and shops that are geared toward college students. I really enjoyed biking around town, or out into the surrounding area which is mostly farmland. I had a group of friends and campus staff who would bike to a local pizza place in Lansing every Friday. Lansing also had a fun event in the summer called Be a Tourist in Your Own Town, where you got entry to museums and cool places all over town for only $1. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Marci: MSU had about 40,000 undergraduates when I attended, and now has almost 50,000. Many of my class sizes were large lectures, which is the norm for science and math classes. But notable exceptions were small Honors classes, upper-level history, philosophy, and sociology of science classes through Lyman Briggs College, and small labs and recitation groups. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Marci: Several of my friends were in a program at MSU called, Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy (STEPPS) that they kept trying to get me to join. I finally decided to join since I had already taken most of the classes, and my senior year at MSU, I found the group of students and professors in STEPPS who really got what I wanted to do. Again, at the suggestion of my friends, I took my senior seminar class with Dr. Mark Largent, the director of STEPPS. Dr. Largent helped steer me toward the graduate program I now attend, and he has been a continued positive influence on my career. Check out Marcis tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

3 Ways to Help Kids Learn Spanish (That Make a Difference)

3 Ways to Help Kids Learn Spanish (That Make a Difference) Suzy S. Should kids learn Spanish differently from adults, or does it matter? Find out in this guest post by Honolulu tutor  Jinan B... Weve all heard that children are like sponges and can pick up language very easily. While children do have an incredible capacity to rapidly assimilate information, it’s important to keep in mind the differences in learning languages that exist between children and adults, and how to best make use of language learning for children. The following are some things to keep in mind as you look into introducing your child to the Spanish language. Create the Right Environment Children can absorb information extremely quickly, but it’s important to create a conducive environment for this to happen. Children actually pick up on what the majority language being spoken is (in other words, the language they see the majority of the people around them speaking); sometimes, this can cause resistance in learning a minority language. You can help avoid this by creating lots of immersive environments for children: arrange play dates in which the majority language is Spanish, play music and watch cartoons in Spanish, and otherwise encourage Spanish to be a major language in daily life. You can also deal directly with any resistance by creating games; depending on the age of the child and whether you are also speaking the language, you can establish “Spanish-only” times in which anyone who speaks in English or any other language has to put a dollar in a jar, for example. Making it into a playful competition or game can encourage your child to engage in the foreign language. Use Games and Play Another point to consider regarding how kids learn Spanish is that, while adults often learn best in a focused, one-on-one setting, children often learn best through games, play, and group activities. This means there can be less focus on seriousness and extremely focused goals. In the beginning of learning a language, exposure and play in the language are more important than trying to meet specific benchmarks. Children naturally pick up underlying grammar structures through listening and experimentation, so there is less need for explicit grammar exercises. Be creative, and make as much use of music, books, and any other materials you can find in exploring the Spanish language with your child. Editors Note: Check out Kloo Language Games for a fun way to learn Spanish, French, or Italian! Work With Your Child Lastly, one of the best ways to foster enjoyment in language learning for children is to model this behavior for them. If you don’t already know Spanish but would like your child to learn, what about attending classes with them, or studying independently on your own? This not only illustrates the value to your child, it also helps you to understand the challenges of learning a new language and enables you to engage in mutually beneficial practice with your child in Spanish. As your child progresses in the Spanish language, you can also explore summer programs and consider traveling to a Spanish-speaking country as a family. This is a direct and wonderful way to show your child the benefits of speaking another language; being able to use it while traveling allows you to communicate with some people you otherwise might not be able to, increases your engagement in the culture, and deepens your understanding of the language, culture, and heritage. With these things in mind, you should be well-equipped to help your child learn Spanish. Most importantly, make sure you and your child are having fun exploring language learning, and remember that language learning has lifelong benefits, so it’s well worth the time, energy, and economic investment you are making! Jinan B. tutors in Honolulu, HI. She is currently an  Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, teaching various courses including  Community Nutrition, Concepts in Nutrition Education, and Advanced Child and Adolescent Nutrition.  Learn more about Jinan 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  Faraz Khan

5 Things Online Tutoring Services Wont Tell You

5 Things Online Tutoring Services Wont Tell You Often businesses are not upfront saying what they do not offer. This may lack fulfilling the expectation level of the customer. Let’s check what it is for online tutoring Your child will learn from different tutors: The primary aim of taking one-to-one tutoring is to get personalized care of your child’s need. The personalized care is possible only when your child takes session from one tutor. However, many online tutoring companies do not guarantee that your child will learn from single tutor. The tutor keeps on changing employing various teaching styles. Tutoring online services cannot handle learning disabilities: Often parents of the child having minor development disorders or dyslexia turn around to online tutoring services to fix the problems the child is facing at the school. Some reputed tutoring centers are equipped to handle such disorders, but other online tutors come with the answer that they cannot identify or manage mental disabilities.     So if you have already diagnosed with learning disabilities then look for the tutor who have special skills with advanced learning tools and techniques that manage such disorders. Online tutoring is a cheaper way than others: Often online tutoring services claim that they offer cheap and affordable tutoring. However, if your child is academically good but due to lack of time if your child requires some assistance in daily homework then online tutoring is a costly option. In such cases, your child can definitely take help from peer tutoring at school or get low-cost private tutoring. Online tutoring, one-stop destination for academic help-much like a marketing strategy: Often online tutoring websites boast as one-stop destination for all kinds of academic help. But the question does it provide superior quality of tutoring to the students who requires assistance in all the subjects? Does it guarantee A+ grade in all the subjects? Perhaps, many of tutoring services do not give expected improvement in academic scores for each of the subjects offered. It seems like “Online tutoring-One stop destination” more serves marketing aspect rather than satisfying quality tutoring needs. Just confirm about the quality standards especially for Math, English, Science tutor. Offer scholarships but not upfront about it: None of the online tutoring services offer scholarship or financial aid directly. They do not announce but offer financial aids to children who cannot afford it. Often tutoring companies give some discounts to the children who enroll for some 30-40 hours of tutoring. They even offer more room for discounts on negotiation and client’s financial status.

Special Dorothy was a guest of Meloney Hall on Lights, Camera, HOA - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Special Dorothy was a Catch this short recorded Hangout hosted by Meloney Hall where Im interviewed about insights on Introverts.  I have a chart in it to help you understand that most of us possess both Introvert and Extrovert traits.  Enjoy… OFFICE POLITICS Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today! Start watching now: CLICK HERE! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

14 Tips to Construct the Perfect Work Resume - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 14 Tips to Construct the Perfect Work Resume - Introvert Whisperer 14 Tips to Construct the Perfect Work Resume Did you know Google gets around 3 million applications a year but only hires about 7,000 people? With so much competition not just at Google but almost everywhere, even landing an interview somewhere becomes a difficult task. A typical recruiter goes through hundreds of resumes in a single day and skims through each one for only 15-20 seconds. So how does one stand out among his or her peers and surmount these overwhelming odds? Well, the answer is pretty simple. Create a stellar resume that catches the attention of the recruiter. In order to do this, your resume must be well optimized with clear subsections, a clean scannable format, well-optimized bullet points, lots of action words, quantification of achievements and much more. A lot of people tend to use the same conventional format, use the same action words and in fact, list the same set of hobbies that everyone else has added in their job resume. This usually backfires as there’s limited differentiating factor and ultimately leads to rejection. Hence it is no wonder 98% of the applicants, don’t even make the first cut. So, to start with, you can make your resume easily skimmable by implementing the 1-Page Rule. Fitting all the information in one page helps the recruiter go through the entire resume quickly and look for any relevant information. In case you have significant work ex. (8 years+) then a 2-page resume is also viable. Use a standard font like Arial which is legible and easy on the eyes. Be selective with your content. Mention only the most recent and relevant work experience. Same goes with education. Action words are basically keywords that the recruiter is looking for while browsing through resumes. Make sure your resume contains them. And before sending your resume, make sure you have the resume proofread by another person to look for any grammatical or formatting errors. Implementing these few tips will go a long way in improving one’s resume. To make your job easier, we have drafted an infographic which would give you a snapshot view of how to go about a resume which grabs attention. Want more detailed tips? Check out these 23 tips to make a perfect job resume.

Miller Analogies Test (MAT) Review Series Pivot Terms

Miller Analogies Test (MAT) Review Series Pivot Terms GRE/MAT Graduate School Blog In this continuation of ourMAT review video series, we approach working through a standard MAT style Analogy via a technique using the “Pivot Term.” A “Pivot term” is a term that cannot relate to the blank in the analogy; ithelps you correctly determine the relationship between the given terms in the original analogy before evaluating answer choices.It’s imperative to identify thisrelationship before looking to the answer choices, as you will be better able to narrow your focus to pair the blank to one term vs. anything in the list of choices. Key pointers from this video: Identify the pivot term in the analogy Articulate the original analogy and identify the specific relationship between the pair Apply this relationship to help you fill in the blank by eliminating answer choices which don’t fit the relationship The MAT likes to pair one familiar term to one unfamiliar term in the given analogy, which can make it harder to eliminate answer choices. Avoid trap answer choices which offer a simple relationship such as, A is like B C is like D. This video was produced byMyGuruDirector of Online Instructionand expert online MAT tutor Stefan Maisnier. Visit ourYouTube channelfor more MAT analogy videos.

Top 5 Online English Pronunciation Resources

Top 5 Online English Pronunciation Resources If youre not living in a country that speaks English, learning to properly pronounce English can be difficult. Like all languages, English contains some sounds that may not exist at all in your language. Not only will you have to learn to pronounce these sounds, but youll have to learn to hear them as well.Below are my 5 favorite online English pronunciation resources that will help you with anatomical demonstrations, audio and much more. We also recommend taking classes with our native English speaking teachers. Click here to register for a free trial class.5. The Poetry Foundation is one of my favorite things to show my students for general English learning, and for pronunciation practice. I like to use poems in my classes to help my students learn English pronunciation because great poems have a focus on the sound of the English language. But the Poetry Foundations website also offers free mp3s of many of the poems being read by the authors. Heres one of my favorites, by Robert Fr ost.4. ManyThings.org offers great practice using minimal pairs. This is a pair of words that are almost exactly the same, but differ by one sound. Studying them is a great way for students to learn to distinguish and pronounce sounds that my be difficult for them to separate in a new language. The site offers recordings of the minimal pairs, as well as tests students can take of their ability to distinguish the sounds.3. Rachels English channel on YouTube offers a great series of videos with detailed instructions on American English pronunciation, with explanations of how to move your mouth for particular sounds.2. Here is a great video on YouTube for learning the American English accent ??1. The University of Iowa has a very ambitious project on its website here that allows you to choose specific sounds from the English language, and watch videos of them demonstrated by animations that show what happens inside the mouth when the sounds are formed, video showing an English speakers mouth as she says the words, and audio. Its a great resource for very focused work on your English pronunciation.Thanks! Please let us know if you have any more great resources to add to the list. Mother Hi,let me suggest you a simple chrome extension which helps you while reading english web articles, it is calledHow Do You Sayjust highlighting a word you can hear the correct pronunciation, from my point of view it is perfect to improve pronunciation hope for you too!bye! Ext Heres a video-based pronunciation site to learn how to pronounce English words:http://www.embedplus.com/dictionary/how-to-pronounce-words-and-use-them.aspx LOIEnglish Seems like a very promising tool!

The perfect teach abroad candidate 5 qualities schools look for

The perfect teach abroad candidate 5 qualities schools look for Hiring schools abroad often receive hundreds of applications for each vacancy they’ve posted. And because great schools are built on great teachers, they’re very committed to making the right hire and usually have a pretty good idea of what they want more of at their school. So, what are these highly coveted qualities that make an ideal international teaching candidate? To find out, we reached out to some hiring schools to find out what they want to see in every candidate they hire. In no particular order, here are the 5 qualities employers overseas are really looking for. 1) Teachers with the right qualifications This one’s a bit of a no-brainer When you're job hunting, you need the right education and experience. We recommend you read the job requirements carefully before applying, but as a general rule: To teach at an international school or program overseas, you’ll need to have: Your bachelor’s degree Ateaching certification/license Depending on the position, you may also need a couple years of teaching experience in the right curriculum under your belt. Not sure if you fit the bill? Drop by our job board for the largest variety of certified teaching jobs around the world. To teach English abroad, you’ll need to have: Your bachelor’s degree An internationally-recognized ESL certification (like a TEFL) For the latest ESL teaching vacancies abroad, check out Teach Away’s Explore Program 2) Culturally responsive teachers This one is high on our list for a reason - it’s a must-have for any teach abroad candidate. International and language schools abroad are diverse places. This means that hiring schools are looking for educators who not only embrace their students’ cultural backgrounds - they’re also seeking teachers who can actively nurture a culturally responsive learning environment in the classroom. Need to brush up on your making your classroom more culturally sensitive? Read more about becoming a culturally responsive teacher. 3) Open-minded teachers Not being open-minded is a surefire path to misery if you’re teaching abroad. Different cultures think, act and behave differently to what might be the norm for you and where you call home. You need to be curious and willing to consider things from different angles and viewpoints. If you're excited to embrace this, then great! Every day may surprise you at the start, but you’ll gain a whole new perspective on life and education. 4) Adaptable teachers Remember, the way schools run in other countries may not be what you’re used to. They may be less (or more) organized and you may have fewer (or greater) responsibilities. Hiring schools will be on the lookout for candidates with the right mindset, who can demonstrate comfort with change and a willingness to learn new ways of doing things. 5) Teachers who care about their own professional development Our classrooms are changing at an ever-increasing pace - hiring schools are more eager than ever to hire candidates who are proactive about their professional development and care about making their classrooms a great place to learn for each and every student. If you’re looking for a smart way to make your application stand out from the competition, we recommend you take some professional development courses - especially any courses covering emerging trends in 21st century education, likedigital literacy. So there you have it - five qualities that will get you hired to teach abroad in no time! Hopefully this has helped paint a clearer picture of what employers look for in a teach abroad candidate. Interested in landing your dream teaching job abroad?Get your application in today to teach in the UK