What is it Like to Attend Canisius College

What is it Like to Attend Canisius College The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teachtheyre sharing their college experiences as well. Victoria lives in Buffalo and is a 2013 graduate of Canisius College. She holds a bachelors degree in biology and specializes in algebra tutoring, anatomy tutoring, and biology tutoring. Check out what Victoria had to say about her time at Canisius College: Describe the campus setting and transportation options at Canisius College. Victoria: Canisius College is located in the city of Buffalo, New York. Throughout my years in Buffalo, I have had the pleasure of watching the city transform into a great place for young adults to live. The campus is located on Buffalos subway line, which extends downtown through a restaurant and nightlife scene, all the way to the waterfront where the Buffalo Sabres play at First Niagara Center. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Victoria: I personally had a wonderful experience with Canisius Colleges faculty and staff, as the student-to-faculty ratio is kept close to 9:1. Teaching assistants are available to help students in labs, but nearly every course is taught by a professor. I felt as if both the professors and the support staff bent over backwards to assist me in all ways possible. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Victoria: I lived on campus for three years, and I thoroughly enjoyed the housing options. In comparison to most schools, Canisius College has spacious, clean, and comfortable choices. The majority of the campus is connected by underground tunnels, which makes it easy to get from the library to your dorm to the dining hall without having to go outside in the winter months. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported at Canisius College? Victoria: Canisius College has a wide range of programs, with strong science, business, and education programs. I chose to study biology, as I wished to attend dental school, and after almost earning my D.D.S., I can attest to the fact that Canisius College prepared me extremely well for graduate school. Canisius College also has an extremely strong accounting program, and it offers graduate courses in a variety of fields. 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? Victoria: With less than 3,000 undergraduate students, it is easy to assimilate and become comfortable when living on the Canisius College campus. Greek life is not a huge component of social life, but students often become very close with people within their majors, as well as people who live close to them in campus housing. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Victoria: The career center is a fabulous tool. If you are interested in the sciences, they provide great resources for mock interviews and resume building. My friends in the business school had great job offers right after graduation, and the network of successful Canisius College alumni in the Western New York area give great opportunities to recent graduates. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Victoria: The Canisius College library was my home away from home, and I actually chose to continue to study there throughout my graduate school career. A Tim Hortons (local coffee shop) was added to campus a few years before I attended, transforming the first floor of the library into a fun social environment. The second floor is designated for quiet study, and the basement offers various group rooms for group projects and activities. There are other study areas throughout campus, and finding a favorite spot never proved difficult. Describe the surrounding town. Victoria: One of my favorite parts of attending Canisius College was getting to know the city of Buffalo. Buffalo has phenomenal restaurants, unique neighborhoods, and friendly people. Elmwood Village and Allentown offer a more hipster vibe, with boutiques, coffee shops, quirky bars, ethnic cuisine, and plenty of annual events. Canalside is the recently renovated waterfront, which includes tons of free fitness classes, concerts, a bike trail, and beautiful views. Chippewa Street is the nightlife district, which is open until 4:00 A.M. The city continues to grow and thrive, making it a fabulous place to live. How big or small is the student body at Canisius College? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Victoria: The student body is relatively small compared to most colleges. Coming from a small high school, I was pleased with the typical class sizes, which generally ranged from 18 to 24. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Victoria: My favorite professor taught organic chemistry, and volunteered to be the faculty member for a club that my friends and I started and funded. As Canisius College Endurance Athletes, the school sponsored us to run in local 5Ks and half marathons. I ran my first half marathon with my favorite professor on a weekend trip to Cleveland. Being able to form connections with faculty members outside of class really enables you to get to know each other, making recommendations for future job opportunities or graduate school easy to obtain. Check out Victorias tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How to Sing with More Confidence Than You Could Ever Imagine

How to Sing with More Confidence Than You Could Ever Imagine Sign up successful Focus on Your Message One trick that some professional singers use is to concentrate more on the message than the actual singing. With every song you sing, you should be trying to get across an idea or emotion to your audience. If you focus on the message more than how you sound or your technique during a performance, you will feel more confident. This is a great tip that can really make a difference! Learning how to sing with confidence is something that will come with time. You might always feel a twinge of stage fright when you first step on stage, but over time, youll learn how to suppress and control it. A confident and bold performer is much more fun to watch on stage so start working today to become the best you can be! 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 InSapphoWeTrust

Learn How to Play Bass Guitar A Complete Beginners Guide

Learn How to Play Bass Guitar A Complete Beginners Guide Megan L. If you’ve chosen to learn how to play bass guitar for beginners, congrats! Learning to play any instrument can be a lifelong adventure bringing with it a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, as well as a ton of fun along the way! The bass guitar provides the low end, punch, drive, rhythm and groove in most musical genres. Along with the drummer, the bass player is the other member of the “rhythm section” in most bands. He or she plays an important role in every genre by giving live music a solid foundation. Learning how to play bass guitar for beginners requires dedication and practice, but its not a difficult instrument to learn how to play.   You can get a basic understanding and become functional relatively quickly with a little work. Mastering the instrument requires a lifetime of dedicated practice and study, so lets get started! How to Play Bass Guitar for Beginners How to Choose a Bass Guitar If you’re just getting started and aren’t sure if bass guitar is right for you, you’re going to want to buy a “starter” or student bass. Bass guitars can vary widely in price with student models priced under $200 dollars and professional models that can cost thousands. As with anything, to a certain extent you get what you pay for. Of course a $5000 vintage Fender is an amazing instrument, but the good news is that most student models today are perfect beginner instruments that will get you through the early phases of learning. When you begin your search, start by setting a budget and gaining an understanding of the basic parts of a bass guitar. Having an understanding of the parts of the bass and how it’s built will help you ask the right questions and make an informed decision. Here’s a quick overview of the basics: Neck: The neck of the bass guitar includes the headstock, fretboard and an  internal truss rod, which is how the neck is connected to  the instrument body. Headstock: The headstock is the wider part at the end of the neck where the tuning pegs are located. The tuning pegs adjust the string tension and are how you change the pitch to tune the instrument. Fretboard: The fretboard is a thin piece of  rosewood, ebony, or maple. Fretboards can vary widely in quality. The best fretboards are smooth and easy to move your fingers over. They are usually slightly arched from side to side and this arch is known as the radius. Frets: Embedded in the fretboard are thin metal strips called frets. The frets divide the neck into half step increments and determine where each note is played on the neck. While some basses are fretless, they require greater skill from the player and are best left to intermediate or advanced players. If youre learning how to play bass guitar for beginners, you will definitely want a fretted bass. Truss Rod: The truss rod connects the neck to the body and is used to keep the neck from twisting. Because bass strings are much thicker than guitar strings, they exert a lot of pressure on the neck. Adjusting the truss rod allows the neck to be straightened if it becomes bowed or twisted. It is also used to adjust the string height. Types of Bass Guitars for Beginners Bass guitars come in a number of variations including solid body and hollow body basses. Pickups can be either single coil or humbucker, and electronics can be either passive or active. Basses come with four, five, and even six strings. All of these variations (other than the number of strings) effect the tone of the bass and are not crucial to its playability. Smaller scale length basses are available that are perfect for younger players as they are a little smaller than a full sized instrument. The best option for choosing the right bass is to set your budget and then visit your local music store. Play the available options in your price range. The most important factor is making sure the instrument feels comfortable when it’s in your hands. As a beginner you’ll want to spend as much time as possible playing and practicing. As you progress in your studies, you may decide you want a better instrument. At that point it’s good to have more of an understanding of pickups and electronics as these will help shape your personal sound on the instrument. For now, just focus on finding an instrument in your price range that feels good under your fingers and comfortable in your lap. Most beginner basses have adequate electronics and four strings. Play a bunch of different instruments and choose the one that feels right for you! How to Tune a Bass Guitar for Beginners Tuning your bass can be tricky if you’re a beginner. The good news? The more you do it, the easier it will get. Tuning your instrument is crucial especially if you’re going to be playing with other musicians. It will not only make you sound better, it will help you with the learning process. The bass  is pitched exactly one octave lower than the guitar. The strings are tuned to the same four notes as the 4 lowest guitar strings: E, A, D, and G. Here  are a couple of methods  to help you get in tune and ready to play. If youre playing with a guitarist and they are in tune, you can have them play the four bottom strings. Use your ears and turn  the tuning pegs on your instrument  to match their pitch. If you have a piano handy you can ask them to play the tuning notes and match the pitch by turning your tuning pegs. Today, there are also a number of apps for your smartphone that will help you tune your instrument. Electronic tuners are available and make tuning a snap. Simply plug your instrument into the tuner and pluck a string, then turn your tuning pegs  until the arrow lines up with the correct note on the face of the tuner and your done. Go through all four strings. One great method to learn that requires no technology and is called the “5th Fret Method.” With this method you need to get one string in tune (preferably the low E) and then use  that string as a reference pitch. Even if you don’t have access to a keyboard or other tuning device, the 5th fret method will let you tune the instrument “to itself. Once you’ve tuned the low E string, press your finger on the 5th fret of the E string. This is the note “A”. Pluck the open A string and compare the two. Use the tuning pegs to match the pitch. Now that the A string is in tune, repeat the process to tune the D string. Fret the 5th fret on that A string, pluck the open D string and adjust the tuning pegs to match the pitch. Using the same process, tune the G string and youre ready to go! How to Read Bass Tabs Bass tablature, or bass tab, is a simple system of music notation to help you learn how to play bass guitar for beginners to advanced players. Tab is available through books, bass magazines and at various websites online. Learning how to play bass guitar using tabs is just a small part of learning the instrument but it’s a great way to start playing songs quickly. Bass tab is a system that shows the strings of the bass drawn horizontally, like this: This is standard bass tab for a four string bass.   The lowest (fattest) string is always at the bottom. In tab, notes are indicated as a fret number on a string. Most basses have between 20 and 24 frets so you may see fret numbers between 0 and 24. For example, you may see something that looks like this: In this example start by playing the 3rd fret on the E-string followed by the 2nd fret on the A-string, the 5th fret on the A-string and finally the 5th fret on the D-string. Measures are marked as in standard notation with a vertical bar line. Often rhythm is not indicated in bass tablature. All you get is the order and position of the notes. Rhythm may occasionally be marked with the count written under the fret numbers. It’s often best to listen to the song you’re  practicing  to get the rhythm of the piece. There’s really not too much to know about reading bass tab. Basically it’s just fret numbers on string lines. While it’s a great way for a beginner to start  playing quickly, the best method is to use tab as you begin to study standard musical notation and memorize the note names on the instrument. How to Practice Bass for Beginners Practice is the key to learning how to play bass guitar for beginners. How long should you practice? Practice as often as you can fit into your schedule. However, it’s best to establish a basic regimen in order to progress. Here are some tips to get you started: • Practice regularly. Preferably practice daily and from 30 minutes to as long as you can. • Find a time of day when you can practice without distractions and when you can concentrate. Some players get up early and practice for an hour before work, some practice after dinner. • Start with technique exercises. Run scales, play arpeggios and chords to get your fingers moving and your mind focused. • As a bass player, developing a strong sense of time is important. Always practice with a rhythm device whether it’s a metronome, a drum machine, or a play-along recording. • Start slowly. Focus on each note and as you gain fluidity and precision, slowly speed up the tempo. • Keep track of your progress with a practice log. Keep track of your routines, goals, exercises and difficult passages you need to work on. Learning to play any instrument is a challenge that can pay dividends for your entire lifetime. While you can teach yourself how  to play bass guitar for beginners, it’s a good idea to  study with a qualified teacher. They can help you avoid bad habits and will offer direction, inspiration and encouragement to get you through challenges that may arise during your studies. Congratulations, you made a great choice when you decided to learn how to play bass guitar! Best of luck on your musical journey! Photo by Sebastiaan ter Burg 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

How to Meditate

How to Meditate What Are the Best Daily Meditation Practices? ChaptersDaily Meditation: Take 5 Minutes for Yourself When You Wake Up or Go to BedDaily Meditation: Listen to Your BodyDaily Meditation: Listen to What’s Happening Around YouDaily Meditation: Mindful EatingDaily Meditation: Focus Your AttentionDaily Meditation: Use Your SensesDaily Meditation: Let Your Mind WanderDaily Meditation: SleepingDaily Meditation: WritingDaily Meditation Focus On What You’re Doing“Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body.” - Marcus Tullius CiceroThere are more and more things in our daily lives that stress us out and negatively influence our thoughts. With work, family, and money, we find it harder and harder to take a step back from our lives and start feeling increasingly stressed and anxious. This is where meditation can help.Regularly practising meditation allows us to improve our deep breathing, manage stress, recentre ourselves, and let go. 74% of adults in the UK have felt 'overwhelmed or unable to cope' at some point in th e past year. There’s never been a better time to practise meditation and relax.But first, you'll need to learn more about the meditation practice itself, the benefits of meditation, and how to meditate.So what is meditation?When you think of meditation, you might think of people sitting in a cross-legged position in complete silence. While you can meditate this way, meditation actually involves using a technique and focusing on certain things in order to make yourself calm, control your emotions, and free your mind of distraction.You'd be surprised at the benefits of meditation. In fact, once you learn to meditate, you'll get into the habit of sleeping better, gaining a deeper understanding and awareness of the world around you, control negative emotions and feelings such as anger and tension, and enjoy better harmony between your mind, body, and spirit.In this article, we're going to look at a variety of different ways to meditate. CarleyYoga Teacher 5.00 (5) £100/h1st lesson f ree!Discover all our tutors LynnYoga Teacher 4.89 (9) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GenYoga Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JulieYoga Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AliceYoga Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LauraYoga Teacher 5.00 (6) £70/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UndramYoga Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LottieYoga Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDaily Meditation: Take 5 Minutes for Yourself When You Wake Up or Go to BedIf you’ve decided to do daily meditation, this means that you’re aware of the potential benefits, would like to work on it, and manage depression or improve your mindfulness. All this can be done by concentrating for 5 minutes when you wake up or before you go to bed.Meditation isn't as complicate as you think. (Source: obpia30)Why not take some time for yourself by waking up peacefully or going to bed feeling relaxed?Li e or sit down and focus on a single thought without letting other thoughts distract you. If you can’t manage this, don’t worry. You just have to go back to that initial thought and focus on it again.This can help you over the course of five minutes to become aware of small everyday moments. Simple and effective relaxation techniques can make you feel happier, help you to breathe, and give you a better understanding of your own body.Daily Meditation: Listen to Your BodyGuided meditation occurs when you listen to your body, mind, your thoughts, feelings, desires, etc. Happiness comes from harmony between your mind, body, and spirit.For example, if you do sport early in the morning, think about whether you feel happier having done the exercise or deciding to stay in bed for another two hours instead. Meditation is about being the moment and enjoying every single moment of inner peace.The simple act of focusing on your body is hugely beneficial to your physical, mental, and spiritua l wellbeing.Daily Meditation: Listen to What’s Happening Around YouWhile you may think yoga is a solitary and self-centred pursuit, you also need to be aware of the world around you. Imagine that you’re alone in your room and there isn’t a single noise in the whole house. Proper meditation requires you to be aware of what’s happening in the street as well.In just a few days, you'll realise that you can practise yoga anywhere. (Source: leninscape)Doing this every day allows you to be mindful of what’s happening in the present moment by listening to the sounds of the birds, cars, and the lives going on around you. By working on your concentration, you’ll start seeing results.Don't forget to also work on your alignment!Daily Meditation: Mindful EatingWhether you think about it or not, we tend to eat several times a day. This is why eating is actually an important part of mindfulness for both beginners and experts.Being aware of what you're eating while you're eating it is a n important part of meditating. (Source: RitaE)What’s better than eating and meditating?You need to be aware of what you eat and what you’re putting into your body.  The taste of green beans, the sourness of a lemon, the water in a melon, there are plenty of sensations to be aware of when you eat mindfully. You can hone your concentration and discover more about mindfulness meditation.Check out these essential yoga asanas! CarleyYoga Teacher 5.00 (5) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LynnYoga Teacher 4.89 (9) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GenYoga Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JulieYoga Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AliceYoga Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LauraYoga Teacher 5.00 (6) £70/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UndramYoga Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LottieYoga Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDaily Meditation: Focus Your AttentionThere are easier exercises than this to do when you’re meditating. However, this is something you can do at any point throughout the day. You need to work on your concentration and be mindful of the present. Imagine an imaginary finger pressing into a certain part of your body.Imagine the finger moving from your nose to your shoulder blades, around your feet, all while applying a small amount of pressure. The goal is to feel this finger despite it not existing. This can be tricky to do but meditation can allow you to achieve this.Put simply, you're becoming more aware of every part of your body, even parts that you probably don't even think about.Daily Meditation: Use Your SensesJust thinking about what we’re feeling at any given moment is a meditative act in itself. A smell, a touch, the inside of your pocket, a taste, even if you’re not eating anything.What am I feeling at this exact moment?This is what meditation is all about: knowing what you’re thinking an d feeling at any given moment and who we are at that time. We need to be aware of what’s going on in the present.Daily Meditation: Let Your Mind WanderIf there’s one thing that meditation allows, it’s thinking. Working on your concentration also allows your mind to wander and follow a stream of consciousness and think about many things.Being aware of your environment is meditation in itself, an action that allows us to relax. Just like Buddhist monks!Daily Meditation: SleepingAlong with eating, sleeping is one of the most everyday things you can do. Sleeping can also be a meditative act because our mind needs rest to process and digest all the information we’ve taken on board throughout the day.Sleep is an important part of meditation if you do it right. (Source: Free-Photos)This task allows us to focus on a single idea, even if we do so subconsciously. This is almost like Zen meditation but we won’t benefit from it directly because we’re asleep!Both when you go to bed a nd when you wake up, you can also use some of the other meditation techniques we mentioned earlier, too.Daily Meditation: WritingOf all the things we do almost every day, writing is another thing we can do as part of our meditation.Who doesn’t write something almost every day?We’re not talking about writing a novel or a memoir but rather writing something down to work on our concentration.A shopping list could be an easy way to focus your attention. Focus on what you have to buy, what you want to buy, and forget about everything else. That’s what meditation is all about: the here and now, making the most of each moment, and enjoying the benefits.Daily Meditation Focus On What You’re DoingFinally, the last tip for meditating is arguably the simplest thing you can do, focus on what you’re doing. We’ve been talking a lot of about concentration and focus. You can focus at any given moment of the day and concentrate on what you’re currently doing.At work, think about the se nsations you’re feeling as you’re typing away at your keyboard. When you make yourself a cup of coffee, think about the warm feeling emanating from the cup into your fingers. You can do this with any humdrum daily activity that you do. Meditation isn’t that complicated, after all.Thanks to these ten tips, you can meditate every day, regardless of your experience meditating, and start living in the here and now. Get ready for mindfulness meditation!If you need help with mindfulness exercises or mindfulness-based stress reduction, you should consider getting mindfulness training from a tutor or instructor on Superprof. You can search for both online tutors and face-to-face tutors.Online tutors provide instruction over webcam using programmes like Skype. With fewer expenses, they tend to be cheaper than other tutors. However, a one-on-one tutor tends to provide more effective instruction for physical disciplines like meditation and yoga near me, for example.If you're on a budget, you can always get a few friends together to split the cost of private tutorials!

Getting Started with Composing for Films

Getting Started with Composing for Films Suzy S. Learning how to read and write music can open up tons of possible pathways for music careers, including composing for films. Read on for some helpful advice from Linden, NJ piano teacher Richard D Have you ever found yourself listening to your iPod or stereo, and felt like the music was perfect for whatever you were doing in that moment?  Sometimes, when I’m walking to the store or heading to work while listening to music, the song plays with my imagination and emotions, almost as if Im in a music video or a movie. Maybe I just have an overactive imagination, but this is the power that music has over us. We can feel the emotions that the piece is expressing. If you’ve ever wanted to be a film composer, I have a few tips that I’d love to share with you. Pay attention to what other successful composers are doing, because there’s a reason they’re successful. This will begin to change the way you watch movies, as I tend to study movies now, instead of watch them. I like to sit and enjoy the movie, then listen to the soundtrack by itself at a later time. Although sometimes, it’s tough for me not to take notes. Never stop writing music. The only way you can consistently grow as a composer is to keep working and learning. You need to keep evolving as a musician. The music in a movie is very important; so important that it was the only thing heard in silent movies.   The better you are at your craft, the better your music will be. Make friends with directors, writers and anyone else in the business. It doesn’t matter how many pieces you write if no one hears them. Building your network is very important in the music industry. Keeping your music on your computer or in your notebook makes it impossible for anyone to hear it. Share what you’ve created, and be proud of it. Creating your own website is a great way to build a network. When you have people to give you projects, whether they are films, commercials or videos, then your work will be seen by their friends as well. In the meantime, practice on movies you already own… just press mute. If you have a program that can rip DVDs and allow you to work on the actual file with Pro-Tools or Logic, practice on those. Don’t delete anything, and don’t share anything you aren’t finished with yet. This is two points in one for me. There will come a time when you’re working on a piece, and you just don’t like it. Don’t delete it. Just because it isn’t working out now, doesn’t mean it still won’t work later. Richard D. teaches piano, music recording, music theory and songwriting lessons to students of all ages in Linden, NJ. His specialties include Logic studio and other digital software, hip hop songwriting and production, RB songwriting, orchestral composition, music theory, and composing for film. He joined the TakeLessons team in December 2012. Learn more about Richard, or search for a teacher near you!   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 liza31337

Changing Your Beliefs About Learning - Private Tutoring

Changing Your Beliefs About Learning BobbiM Apr 3, 2014 Youve learned about the components that make your learning beliefs, now see what you can do to change them. -Be aware of you beliefs. If you have beliefs that are getting in the way of your learning, consider changing them. However, before you can change a belief, you must first be unsatisfied with your current beliefs about learning. When you find yourself giving up on a task too quickly or trying to merely memorize when you need to understand and apply difficult concepts, you can reflect on your beliefs, rethink your approach, and take time to really learn the information. -Look for the big picture. Instead of memorizing a lot of separate facts, make a conscious effort to relate ideas to what you already know and to other ideas discussed in class. -Learn to live with uncertainty. It is sometimes difficult to accept that there are no right answers to some questions. -Dont compare your ability with others. Worrying that you are not as good as your roommate in math will not get you anywhere. Focus instead on how to improve your ability to learn in the subjects that you find difficult. You can find a tutor or work with or form a study group to help you learn. It may take you longer to get there, but remember that college learning is more like an endurance sport than a spring. -Realize that learning takes time. If you begin your assignments with the expectation that they will take time to fully understand and complete, you are likely to experience less frustration and more understanding. Dont expect to learn complex concepts the first time that you encounter them. Instead, plan to spread out your study time so you can review difficult material several times. Excerpt from  College Success Strategies  by Sherrie L. Nist and Jodi Patrick Holschuh.

Three Things To Consider When Your Child Gets a Bad Report Card

Three Things To Consider When Your Child Gets a Bad Report Card One question that is often asked by parents is what to do when their child receives a bad report card? There is no concrete way to address this as every situation is different, but we did find some very useful tips in a parenting blog post the New York Times published a few years ago. The blog post featured the question of one parent who asked for advice after her childs progress report showed grades that were significantly lower than normal. The child was so scared of being punished that she initially hid her report card. Readers of the parenting blog were polled and asked to leave their opinions on what they would do in a similar situation. Here are several key points taken from their comments: 1. It Might Not Be Effort: Effort is not necessarily the problem when a student receives poorer grades than usual. There are so many variables that affect performance. The class size could be larger than normal, affecting the student's ability to get the one-on-one attention he or she needs. It could also be a matter of the time of day the class is held. Considering the environment and other variables might help to determine why your child is struggling. 2. Punishment Only Makes It Worse: Parental pressure was a major cause of concern echoed in reader responses, as they thought back to their own school experiences. Rather than learning the material, many of the readers polled recalled being so obsessed with grades that they didn't care about the subject matter itself. If your child is struggling but trying, it might make more sense to offer encouragement rather than punishing him or her right away. This could help foster confidence in the student and allow him or her to relax, which may help put focus on learning versus stressing about grades. 3. It All Starts with Communication: Communication was another common theme from reader feedback. It might be advantageous to communicate with your child about interests and current challenges to get a better idea of potential issues. Is your student too focused on extracurricular activities at the moment? Is he or she overwhelmed by a heavier-than-normal workload? You could also speak with your child openly about your own struggles and how you overcame them, so he or she knows that everyone has struggled with school work at times. An open line of communication serves as the best way for a child to ask for help when it's needed. In the event that you need outside assistance to get your child back on track, we encourage you to contact us today. Our tutors not only are skilled in their subject areas of expertise; they are dedicated to helping students get the best grades possible through proven practices. Whether your child needs specific subject tutoring or ACT test prep to get for ready for college entrance exams, our tutors are up for the challenge. Contact us today to learn more.

Ask A Nerd! What Does Holistic Admissions Mean

Ask A Nerd! What Does Holistic Admissions Mean Ask A Nerd! What Does Holistic Admissions Mean? Ask A Nerd! What Does Holistic Admissions Mean? Question: What does it mean when a college states that they have Holistic Admissions? ? Brief: When a college advertises that they have holistic admissions it means that they will consider the entire student not just one grade or test score. Answer When a college or university states that they have a holistic admissions process it means that they will consider every aspect of the application and applicant. This includes a student’s grades and GPA, especially grades in the field of study the student wants to major in (assuming they are declaring a major as a freshman). It also means they will consider test scores and may take scores from both the SAT and the ACT and might also consider ‘super scoring’. The college’s admissions department will also focus on the student’s various AP courses, and look heavily into the student’s personal essay, whether its on the Common Application or provided directly from the university our private Orange County college admissions consultants are here to assist you through the application process. 1. The Application Essay Many college prep students focus heavily on their standardized exams and eventually become too tired to focus on their personal essay or, alternatively, simply dont spend time on the essay because they feel its not that important. In fact, universities that advertise holistic admissions will heavily view the personal essay. Students might have excellent test scores and endless AP classes but still not be admitted. A poorly written application essay is a common reason for rejection. Its important for college prep students to remember that the essay is their one and only chance to stand out as a unique individual who can greatly add to the academic community (READ: Ask A Nerd! How Should I Start My College Essays?). 2. Standardized Tests Students shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that, because a college advertises holistic admissions, test scores aren’t paramount. Anyone applying to a large university should be prepared to achieve an SAT or ACT score well within the acceptable range of the colleges ‘average admitted students’. Holistic admissions means accepting everything, which definitely includes standardized exams! The exception includes small liberal arts colleges that will sometimes advertise that the personal essay is worth much more than grades and standardized test scores. To be on the safe side, students are advised to consult the website of the specific university to ensure they understand how much their personal essay and test scores are weighted. 3. The Individual Universities with holistic admissions will often look at the individual applicant as a unique person as opposed to a number. This is a benefit for nearly every applicant because it gives them a chance to stand out as a talented and important member of their high school community who will later become a unique and contributing member to their college campus. For instance, did a student go out of their way to take AP Psychology because they wanted to later become a social worker or therapist? Did the student hire a special tutor for AP Art History because they want to be an archaeologist or travel the world to learn about different cultures? Does the student participate in team sports because they have a passion for Kinesiology? Any time a student finds out that a university uses holistic admissions, they should know they have a chance to stand out and demonstrate theyre a well-rounded individual (READ: 5 Things to do Before You Go Away to College). Bottom Line Although holistic admissions are widely used and are a positive aspect of the university application process, applicants should be aware that their test scores and GPA will still be a huge and important part of the process. In many ways, colleges and universities will use test scores and grades as a way to narrow down the amount of applications that receive careful consideration. Many large public universities will only consider applicants if they meet the minimum test score/GPA requirements. However, it’s important to know that each universitys admissions process is confidential, meaning any strategic planning is only an educated speculation. Students are advised to apply to a mixture of schools including large public research universities, small private schools, and liberal arts colleges. Regardless of how universities choose their applicants, the more universities a student applies to, the better chance they will have of being accepted to at least one of the schools on their lis t. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.