Learning Russian Through Teaching Externship - Why A Russian Tutor Job Is An Absolute Must For People Living Abroad

Learning Russian Through Teaching Externship - Why A Russian Tutor Job Is An Absolute Must For People Living AbroadRussian tutor jobs are an absolute must if you're planning to teach abroad. Most companies that offer foreign language classes require that you be an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher with a college degree in teaching. Teaching abroad for a longer period of time can lead to the possibility of teaching some of the larger countries in the world, which means that you could get hired into one of these programs and teach English to Chinese or German citizens for example.With more people moving to Russia, the number of jobs opening up for native Russian speakers is quickly increasing. This makes a great opportunity for someone who wants to learn the language in the shortest amount of time possible.If you're looking to learn Russian while working abroad, you should start off by finding a native Russian speaker who speaks English to you. He or she should be willing to t ranslate your English to Russian text to you for practice. By doing this, you'll get some valuable practice with the language. As you get comfortable with the spoken language, you can then move on to studying the written language.If you're thinking about teaching ESL to a larger group of people, you'll need to find another way to help you learn the language. The best way to learn a new language is to immerse yourself in the culture and speak with native speakers. If you go out to restaurants and see what people are saying when they speak their native language, you'll develop a better understanding of the culture that the Russian tutor job will require you to pass on to the students.After you've been to your first class, you'll want to start learning as much as you can about the various aspects of Russian language and culture. You'll be able to find out about the traditional etiquette, clothes, food, and architecture. This way, you can get a better understanding of what it is that yo u will be communicating with the students during the lessons.It's a good idea to enroll in a foreign language teacher training program. This way, you can develop and improve upon your speaking skills. You can use this training to improve your reading comprehension and your writing skills. Learning all of these languages together will give you a better chance of passing on a greater amount of knowledge to the students.If you're only going to teach one language to a limited number of students, you should consider trying to teach Russian. There is a lot of demand for people who are able to converse in Russian. Since so many people speak English and Spanish in Russia, you will find more Russian speakers than English speakers, and there is a greater need for teachers. After you've learned the basics of Russian, you can teach the basic grammar and vocabulary and you'll be on your way to success.A good Russian tutor job can be extremely rewarding. If you go to a reputable company that offe rs the highest quality instruction, you'll have the opportunity to work with wonderful people and travel around the world. This is a dream job for many people, but it's also something that every person with a native Russian speaking background should consider.

Peace Corps Calls for Student Applicants With New Recruitment Reform

Peace Corps Calls for Student Applicants With New Recruitment Reform Photo Via: http://upload.wikimedia.org On Sept. 19, 2014, college students were called upon by Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet to make a difference after graduation, according to this press release. Hessler-Radelet is serving as the 19th director of the Peace Corps and is leading the reform to enhance recruitment (the largest reform to occur since her start with the Peace Corps in 2010). According to Hessler-Radelet “there is no better and more important time to apply to serve with the Peace Corps and make a difference.” She later emphasizes this as well as the Peace Corps mission: “Peace Corps’ work â€"helping to reduce poverty, fostering economic growth, and building relationships in some of the most vulnerable communities across the globe â€" has never before been more important.” Photo Via: http://upload.wikimedia.org Established in 1961 by John F. Kennedy, the Peace Corps stands to not only establish a better understanding between countries, but also to address problems in many areas (including, but not limited to, education, health and economic development). If this is something of interest to you, the Peace Corps is urging students to take advantage of the newer, more concise application process currently being implemented. According to the press release, new Peace Corps applicants now have much more leniency in which programs they can choose from. Applicants can choose between 1-3 programs at a time, and these programs can be picked based on professional and personal goals. Also, because everything is online, applicants can also browse the website to get a look at all the different options, and can therefore discern whether or not they are picking the right program for their interests. Whereas the old application process was about 60 printed pages that took more like eight hours to complete, the new application is completely online as well and can be completed within an hour. Finally, the open Peace Corps positions are more clearly distinguished so that applicants have the Apply By and Know By dates, so decisions are much more organized and applicants can plan for their future. “With our new, shorter application process, we’re seeing record numbers of Americans apply for Peace Corps service,”  Hessler-Radelet said. Photo Via: http://aglifesciences.tamu.edu The agency has more than 60 countries worldwide to choose from, and making a difference through international service is something Hessler-Radelet is urging students to take advantage of. In specifically addressing college seniors, Hessler-Radelet said: “While the school year may have just begun, I want to make sure college seniors considering the Peace Corps apply as soon as possible so they can secure the volunteer position of their choice and leave for service shortly after graduation.” The Peace Corps provides international service through volunteer efforts and is actively seeking students to consider the opportunity at hand. If you are interested in volunteering for the Peace Corps, you can go here to view the different openings they are currently looking to fill. For more information on the new application process, go here. Photo Via: http://peacecorpsworldwide.org

Best Tutoring - Clear and Accurate Explanations

Best Tutoring - Clear and Accurate ExplanationsIn short, your best tutoring is in providing clear and accurate explanations to the children. It is essential that the child understands what is expected of him or her. This will enable him or her to prepare himself for the next stage of learning. In this respect, effective teaching and effective tutoring can be provided by the teacher as well as the student.Most people are under the misconception that tutoring is only about providing clear explanations. While it is true that understanding will help in preparation for the next stage of learning, the preparation should not be limited to understanding. A well-informed child will appreciate the benefits of using the library of knowledge available in the home. Providing clear explanations and a clear way of analyzing and presenting the information to the students is the best method to provide good, quality tutoring.The classroom environment offers the opportunity to teach and motivate the st udents to generate unique ideas and creative use of resources. Thus, in order to provide the student with the best tutoring possible, you need to create an environment where he or she can use all the acquired knowledge.By creating the right kind of environment, you are likely to inspire the student to discover new ideas to make his or her learning experience better. The student will find learning exciting, will be able to apply the acquired knowledge and will get the benefit of the other learning.In addition to teaching different methods of doing things, you also need to show the students how it is done. For instance, in general, giving an explanation to the students in your class does not make sense if you do not do the same to the students in your group. If you have your group members taking part in a project, then give them some responsibilities of their own. Another good idea is to schedule some activities that involve the entire group.Many parents and teachers have always belie ved that the student is the one responsible for knowing how to use the material in the book and as a result they were not in a position to create clear explanations. This is not true. While the information contained in the book can be used to solve the problem, the student needs to have the ability to understand it and to organize it in a way that makes sense to him or her.Therefore, if you want to improve your class and your services, make sure that you have clear explanations and a clear way of presenting the information. The best tutoring is in providing clear and accurate explanations to the students so that they can come out with skills that will make them beneficial and efficient employees.

Find Out What Your English Tutor Can Do For You

Find Out What Your English Tutor Can Do For YouThe English tutor at AJAX is your personal tutor who will help you improve your level of English. Your tutor is an expert in the field and knows how to tackle different problems associated with learning, from grammar and vocabulary to communication skills. You don't have to worry about speaking with your instructor because he/she will be fully conversational and able to answer any question that you may have.As long as you are practicing your English skills in front of a mirror every day, your tutor will continue to help you improve. He/she will also show you how to tackle your mistakes so that you will have better chances of speaking with others. Your English tutor has a lot of experience, so you are likely to receive good quality instruction.If you are ready to take your English up a notch or two, you should consider booking an appointment with your AJAX tutor. As your instructor, he/she will help you out in the areas that you need the most help with. For example, if you are thinking of improving your writing skills, your tutor can help you write better English to get your point across to others. There are also other topics like pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, which you may find challenging.You will get a personal tutor who will help you with all aspects of your English lesson. Since your instructor is trained in the field, you can expect them to be very knowledgeable about the subjects that you are going to be taught.However, there are certain things that you need to keep in mind before choosing the right English tutor for your needs. First of all, you need to find a tutor who is certified and authentic. If you want to focus on a particular area, such as vocabulary or grammar, you should book your instructor based on these areas.Since the instruction given by AJAXEnglish tutors is very thorough, you will learn the basic English vocabulary and grammar to master your new language. Once you have mastered thes e two major aspects, you can then move on to other topics. You will be able to speak fluently and ask any questions you might have, and once you have done this, you will feel more confident with your English and you'll be ready to start speaking with other people.AJAX English tutors can improve your English even faster than it is already going. Through a good tutor, you will be able to speak with more confidence than ever before. Just make sure that your instructor is experienced in this field, because he/she will be the one that can help you achieve your goals.

How To Learn Chemistry Online

How To Learn Chemistry OnlineChem tutoring students can get help with their homework and tests through the Computer Education Academy at UCI, the nation's largest online chemistry tutoring school. The college provides the best online science curriculum and tools, training in chemistry and physiology, and special support for students who are struggling.Chem tutoring students who need extra help to complete their assignments can use UCI's Assessment Software, which includes several Chemistry Tutoring Programs and a community portal that serves as a bulletin board, where students can post their work. Using their UCI account, tutors can post their questions, answers, progress reports, notes, and even test preparation resources. Each of these features is available on the website, so students can be up-to-date on current events and how to get involved with their education program.An online chemistry tutor may also offer their services through the Internet Labs Portal. Students can access t he lab board and perform all of their assigned tasks there, through the university's online lab's system. This means the lab assistant is in a far more familiar setting and has the ability to work with a student without risking personal contact or jeopardizing results.For students who wish to get started right away, the Chemistry Academic Consulting and Tutoring Program is designed to give a quick lesson and have students create and solve a scientific problem. This course is not necessary, however, and some online chemistry tutors offer complementary programs such as online labs and EAP (Extra-Curricular Activities).Many schools have two or three courses, allowing a student to choose one for a semester or quarter, or continue with another. If students start with the third-year course, it will give them a better opportunity to master a more specialized science.UCI chemistry tutors take their studies seriously and are able to interact with students and their faculty in the same way th at science professors would. To find the best online chemistry tutor, students should search their school's website, ask their teachers, and contact a local tutor they know personally.For any science course, the ability to approach a subject with an open mind, to participate in group discussions, and to identify what is being taught are important. No matter what course you enroll in, chemistry is one science that requires learning the 'other side' of every single concept, so that you are equipped to become a better person.

Tough mathematics becomes easy with Tutor Pace online tutoring methods

Tough mathematics becomes easy with Tutor Pace online tutoring methods Knowledge is something that stays with us until we die. It may be with us after our death as well. Bookish knowledge is one part and increasing your intellect is another part of the same coin. Since the initial days of our education, we are forced to amplify our bookish knowledge that helps us to get into increasing our intellect quote as well. From our school days we are taught to take up each subject properly and to devote time and concentration over each subject. But as well grow up we find some of the subjects tough and some of the subjects that can be easily handled. The ones that are easily handled can be self taught as well and there no need of any teacher is justifiable. Students can arrange any kind of help for themselves regarding such subjects. But some subjects that seem tough for them needs some special care. Special care means taking out more time for that subject and seeking guidance from any of the good tutor. Mathematics comes under the second lot and thus requires lot of concentration for the work to be done. Without the help of a good teacher it is not possible for anyone to crack this tough subject with ease until the candidate is a genius. Is private tutoring beneficial? Let us talk about the private tutor who is there to help you out during your need. Yes, today many such teachers are found in every nook and corner of each city but have you thought how much and which is effective in every sense. There are very few teachers in today’s time you will get who are very much serious about their profession and make it a point to teach their students with full dedication and much importance. Everyone is professional in today’s date and thus devoting much time on one student does not make sense to them anyhow. The private tuition classes have opened up with coaching classes as well in which the class is accompanied with many students at a same time and the teacher delivers his speeches and notes to all. This form of teaching can be ok for any of the average or intelligent student but for those who are weak at any of the subject and for example in maths, what will happen to them. They will not be able to cope up with ease and thus fail badly in their grades. Such students need something extra. Something that will bring them closer to know the subject with ease and in a better way. A teacher who will reach out them, whenever they will face any hurdle. But such type of desires where baseless before as nothing of such type was formed. But today with the advent of technologies things are changing many new way outs have also been arrived. Online tutoring is a one stop solution Yes, it is the online tutoring that is the best and the newest way of solution for any education related problem. Today many institutes are arriving in that helps any student to learn a subject easily ad without much difficulty. The entire process of learning is conducted through the help of internet. A good internet connection is enough to enroll into such classes. The institutes gather some of the good teachers under one roof who are capable to teach the students with any kind of subject as per their demand. Whether it is a difficult subject or it is an easy subject, the teachers are well versed with the subject and know how to handle it. Not only this but the teachers first reads the minds of the students and then frame out the actual problem that the student is suffering from related with the subject. The form a strategy and work on it for the student’s development. This way the student is able to learn and know about the subject in a much better way. The entire process takes less time and also more importance is devoted on one student at a time. This is possible because of the availability of some of the good teachers. The good teachers make it possible for any student not to get scared with any of the subject and to face it boldly. But this is possible when you have in depth knowledge about the subject. Online tutors are available all round the clock and throughout the year as they do not have any holiday session and this characteristic of them makes them even more attractive. The students are showered with lots of help from such kind of online tutoring facilities. Even the interview process of the teachers is also tough and this is the result that they get some of the best teachers for their institutes. Which one to opt for?   You may be in a dilemma as which one to opt for. You will be thinking that which institute is best among the lot as many institutes have come up with same service catalogue. For this I can suggest one name and that is TutorPace. TutorPace is a great institute that helps in teaching its students in some of the brilliant way possible. It is a reputed institute and has some expert and experienced teachers who can carry of their subjects with dedication and devotion. The teachers are available always and do not have any time duration. The most amazing part is that each student is entertained by a single teacher and that particular teacher devotes their entire time upon one single student at one point of time. This way the self confidence of the student also increases up and that becomes visible with their grades. In respect to many other similar institutes, TutorPace charges lesser. The rates for any of the service are affordable for any of the middle class family and it does not become a burden for them. Where we find good online math tutoring will no longer be a question that will be asked future as TutorPace is ready to serve.  

How Much to Charge for Private Tutorials

How Much to Charge for Private Tutorials How To Change Your Rates According to Place ChaptersAnalyse Where You Live in Order to Set the Right RatesOffer Certain Rates to Check the MarketCompare the Rates of Tutors in Different PlacesTalk to Local Students to Decide On Your RatesWork Out Rates According to the Subjects You Teach“I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” - Albert EinsteinPrivate tutorials are an interesting option for both young and not-so-young learners. Whether you’re in school, university, working, or interested in changing jobs, looking to re-learn English, study chemistry or physics, or learn to play a music instrument, anyone can get private tutorials.However, before you start getting homework help or academic support, you need to have a look at exactly how much private tuition is going to cost you.The average cost of private tuition can vary a lot depending on a number of different factors. Of course, some will cost more than others according to competition and where the tutorials are takin g place. A tutor needs to set their rates so that they’re not seen as too expensive or too cheap.So how do you know if you’re charging too much for your lessons or whether you’re getting ripped off with the rates you’re charging?In this article, we’re going to look at how to set the right price for your private tutorials.And other criteria that the students deem important.Make sure you do your research and consider the rates in different neighbourhoods, too! (Source: StartupStockPhotos)There are so many pertinent questions you could ask about private tutors. Additionally, each student has their own criteria when choosing a private tutor. However, you also need to be aware of current trends and keep an eye out for which subjects are currently very popular and which subjects students are struggling with at school.Pedagogy is important too! A private tutor who is willing to hold classes out of doors might rank highly with students...Work Out Rates According to the Subjects Yo u TeachWhen it comes to private tutoring, no two tutorials are alike. You can get one on one tutoring in almost anything nowadays and, like with all other goods and services, supply and demand will affect the cost. The rarer a subject, the harder it is to find a tutor and the more a tutor can charge, given there's demand for the subject. For example, academic tutoring is available for the following subjects:accountingbiologyeconomicsforeign languages such as French, German, Italian, Spanish, etc. (covering grammar, spelling conversation, etc.)mathematics (including trigonometry, geometry, calculus, algebra, statistics, etc.)psychologystudy skillstest prep, essay writing, help with an assignment, etc.Etc.If there are plenty of one to one tutors in a given subject, they'll either have to have better qualifications or experience than the competition or offer better rates. This means that a lot of tutors offer free tutoring for the first hour so that they can show potential students wha t they're capable of and show them that their instruction is worth the price.Have a look on Superprof for the subjects you teach and check out the competition.Don't forget that home tutoring isn't the only option. For example, an English tutor could offer their academic coaching to students all over the world thanks to the internet. While the students being tutored aren't in the same room, with a computer, webcam, microphone, and a decent internet connection, anyone in the world can access the best tutors.So what does this mean for your rates?Well, if you don't have to travel, you don't have to pay to travel. An online tutor can charge less than a tutor who has to travel to their student's house.As you’ve probably understood, being a private tutor is a great job and it’s very rewarding for both the tutor and the student. However, it can be difficult to decide on your rates. If you take the time to do your research and see where you fit in the market, you should be able to find t he perfect price whether you're a chemistry tutor, reading tutor, French tutor, or an online tutor!Now discover other locations you might hold private lessons in...

Guitar Hacks How to Jazz Up Scales Start Improvising [Videos]

Guitar Hacks How to Jazz Up Scales Start Improvising [Videos] Suzy S. Many beginner musicians want to learn to improvise on the guitar, but just don’t know how to start. In this guest post, Greg O’Rourke from fretdojo.com teaches you three easy tricks that will supercharge your guitar scales and bring more life to your solos. Have you ever tried to improvise on the guitar and it sounds like you’re just running scales up and down the fretboard? Look: Regardless of what style you want to improvise in, only knowing the scales isn’t enough. Here’s the deal: To sound like a convincing improviser, you need to learn the vocabulary of the style you want to play meaning the particular patterns and approaches that give a style of music its unique sound. Which is what this article is all about. By the end of this post, you’re going to learn three easy jazz tricks to transform any boring old guitar scale into a hip, jazzy-sounding pattern that will supercharge your soloing. Let’s get into it! The Basic Idea The approach I’m going to show you is to: Look at the finger patterns on each string of a guitar scale, then Substitute them with finger patterns commonly used in jazz. For this lesson were going to use the ol’ faithful C major scale. Lets use the well-known pattern commonly played in the 7th position on the fretboard (for those of you who know the CAGED system, this would be the E pattern of C Major): Listen Play: Guitar Improvisation Exercise 1 Audio: If you arent familiar with this guitar scale pattern yet, practice playing bits and pieces of it over the backing track to get familiar, as the video below demonstrates: Video Example: Backing Track: As you can see, if you improvise just by going up and down guitar scales it sounds like, well… just like scales going up and down. Boring! Let’s see what we can do to jazz this sucker up Step 1: Substitute the ‘134’ Pattern Look at the notes that sit on the 3rd string for this guitar scale: As you can see, this string uses fingers 1, 3, and 4, hence a ‘134’ pattern. Hmmm lets try something. Replace this finger pattern with a ‘4123’ pattern instead: To get used to the idea of replacing the finger pattern, play the simple exercise below. Listen Play: Guitar Improvisation Exercise 2 Audio: Heres the trick. Now, whenever you play the 3rd string as you improvise, replace the ‘134’ pattern with the new ‘4123’ pattern. Video Example: Go on try it! Here’s the backing track once again: Backing Track: Hang on: Notice how this can be used on other strings of this C major scale as well Eureka! The 4th string also has this ‘134’ pattern. Do the same finger pattern replacement on this string too. Listen Play: Guitar Improvisation Exercise  3 Audio: I want you to practice soloing over the backing track once again. This time, whenever you hit the 4th string or the 3rd string, play the pattern ‘4123’. Backing Track: Great you’re sounding a whole lot jazzier already! Lets have a look at how we can mess with the other strings to get more of that jazzy sound into our soloing. Step 2: Substitute the ‘124’ pattern Here’s the finger pattern on the 1st string in this C Major scale: As you can see, the 1st string has a ‘124’ finger pattern. It’s time to soup up this finger pattern too. Can we use the ‘4123’ pattern (the one you used on the 3rd and 4th string) here? No, you can’t the final note (the ‘3’)   will be a note that is not in C Major, which will sound bad. For this approach to work, we need a pattern that will finish on a scale note. So, we’ll need a different pattern. Let me think… How about this one: Looks good this new ‘43241’ pattern ends up on a scale note (the ‘1’). This ‘43241’ pattern is one of the most commonly used vocabulary ideas in jazz, and its easy to play too. To get familiar with this new pattern, play this exercise on the 1st string: Listen Play: Guitar Improvisation Exercise 4 Audio: Improvise with the backing track in a similar way to what you did on the 3rd and 4th string. This time, whenever you play the 1st string replace the ‘124’ pattern with the ‘43241’ pattern. Video Example: While youre at it, make it more interesting by experimenting with different rhythms and accents each time you play the pattern. Backing Track: This ‘43241’ pattern works really well on the 5th and 6th strings too, as they also have a ‘124’ pattern in this C Major guitar scale. Ill show you what I mean: Listen Play: Guitar Improvisation Exercise 5 Audio: Step 3: Enclosures Great, so we have now jazzed up every string of this guitar scale Or have we? Hang on it looks like one string hasn’t been covered yet: the 2nd string. The problem with the 2nd string in this C Major guitar scale pattern is that there are only two notes on the string. Doh! We cant play the other two patterns you’ve learned so far, as they were for three notes, not two. Don’t sweat! There is a solution. We’re going to use enclosures to surround (or ‘enclose’) each of these two-note scales. I know what you’re thinking: “What’s an enclosure??” I knew you were going to ask that. Let me explain. Enclosures are one of the most commonly used devices found in jazz solos. They give a great chromatic sound and are characteristic of jazz bebop in particular. Enclosures are useful as they can be added to any note in any guitar scale. Heres an example of an enclosure: Listen Play: Guitar Improvisation Exercise  6 Audio: In this next exercise, you’re going to apply an enclosure to each of the two notes found on the 2nd string of the C Major guitar scale pattern: Listen Play: Guitar Improvisation Exercise 7 Audio: Now try to improvise on the backing track with enclosures on these notes whenever you hit the 2nd string: Video Example: Backing Track: Note: You can do enclosures on any note of the scale, not just these two scale notes on the second string try it and see! Step 4: Combining it All Together Fantastic! We have now jazzified every string of C Major guitar scale. Your final challenge awaits… Have a go at playing the substituted finger pattern for each string one after the other, going from the 1st string to the 6th string: 1st string: 43241 2nd string: enclosures 3rd string: 4123 4th string: 4123 5th string: 43241 6th string: 43241 Listen Play: Guitar Improvisation Exercise  8 Audio: Now improvise on the backing track by adding the relevant pattern for each string here and there as you solo. Video Example: Backing Track: A couple of things to be aware of as you improvise on the guitar: If you do the new jazzy patterns too much, it will sound too “spicy.” Just add them here and there and it will sound totally hip. The challenge here is to remember what pattern goes with which string in the guitar scale. Be careful as you’ll find it won’t sound very good if you mix them up by mistake. Huzzah! Just by adding some simple finger patterns, you know have an interesting, jazzy foundation for your guitar solos. Summary You can apply this technique to any guitar scale: Whenever you have a ‘134’ pattern on a string, replace it with ‘4123’. Whenever you have a ‘124’ pattern on a string, replace it with ‘43241’. Whenever you have only 2 notes on a string, use enclosures around each note. So there you have it: three simple finger patterns that you can apply to any guitar scale, to instantly get that jazzy sound. The question is… What guitar scales do YOU have under your fingers to jazz up? Let me help you out. Download a free copy of my Essential Guitar Scale Patterns PDF eBook, and youll learn  the most important guitar scale shapes that you need to know for any style of music. I would also like to give a  shout-out to Matt Warnock at  mattwarnockguitar.com,  whom I credit first showing me these innovative ideas for scale patterns. He’s a great teacher and has a ton of resources about jazz guitar improvisation on his site. I wish you well in your guitar practice. Happy soloing! Ready to learn more? Find a local or online guitar teacher, or check out our live, online group classes for guitar! Post Author: Greg O’Rourke Greg O’Rourke is a professional Australian jazz guitarist and holds a Bachelor of Music (Hons) with the Australian National University. He’s also the owner of fretdojo.com, which offers detailed lessons and eBooks on how to master jazz guitar.

Ask an Admissions Expert Susan Goodkin

Ask an Admissions Expert Susan Goodkin Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Susan Goodkin is a national college consultant specializing in admission to highly selective colleges such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, and much more. She is a graduate of Harvard University, as well as Oxford University where she was a Rhodes Scholar. Susan has been featured in several well-known publications such as The Washington Post and The Miami Herald. She currently does college admissions consulting at the California Learning Strategies Center. VT: How far ahead of time should a student begin working on his or her college application? Susan: First, too many students think working on applications just means drafting essays. The list of extracurricular activities is extremely important in the application process, especially for schools such as the Ivies. A carefully drafted activities list can help a student strengthen his or her application, but too many students leave that part of the application for the last minute. Students can save themselves a lot of stress and can turn out much better applications if they start working on the essays and the extracurricular lists (as well as their list of honors and awards) the summer before 12th grade. Once the school year starts, finding quality time to work on applications is a lot harder. Students should also be aware that this year the Common Application will no longer have a topic of your choice option for the 500-word essay, but instead will offer five essay prompts.These new prompts have recently been released, so theres no excuse for not working on them during the summer! VT: What are the best ways to go about selecting a terrific essay topic? Susan: While there are many approaches to coming up with a good essay, Im going to suggest some easy approaches that have worked well for many of my clients who are stumped. Heres something that might surprise a lot of students, but Ive found that parents often have great ideas for essays maybe because theyve been focused on every up and down in their childs life from day one! So, my first suggestion for coming up with an essay topic is to spend time around the dinner table with your mom and/or dad and talk about possibilities. Students can also make a list on their own of the events in their lives that have been important to them. Those moments dont necessarily have to be big moments. As an example, I always tell my students that an essay talking about the day they won the science fair will often be less interesting to an admissions officer than an essay that tells the story of how they became interested in the topic of their science fair project. VT: Are there any essay topics you get tired of seeing or would warn students to stay away from? Susan: I dont get tired of any essay topic that tells me something truly unique about a student. But I see a lot of essays written about community service that could have been written by any of thousands of students (Volunteering at the homeless shelter made me see how lucky I am, and now I realize its very important to give back to the community.). Ive also read some terrific community service essays by kids who have explained how volunteering shaped their career aspirations, or shaped them in profound ways. One of the cardinal rules of essay writing is to ask yourself if anyone else could have written the essay; if the answer is yes, you need to start again. VT: What is the biggest mistake a student can make on a college application? Susan: Apart from the obvious glaring errors such as an application that includes lots of typos and misspellings, lately Im seeing students make another kind of critical error. Many students are now applying to well over ten colleges, and too often they try to recycle essays for different colleges. Sometimes that works, but often the recycled essay doesnt really fit the new prompt. Its critical that students answer the actual prompt! Relatedly, students often give generic answers to the question, Why do you want to come to our college? Students need to do their homework -- the strongest essays include specific details about the college. A strong why here essay helps convince an admissions reader that the student would be a good fit for the college, and vice-versa. For colleges that are concerned with yield rate the percentage of accepted students who end up enrolling a strong why here essay is also important because it suggests that if accepted, the student will likely attend. VT: What is the typical process an admissions officer goes through to evaluate applications? Susan: The process varies widely depending on the school. Some large state schools, for example, hire outside readers to review the essays. Most schools including the more elite schools -- will have all parts of the application reviewed in-house. Heres a tip to find out more about the admissions process of a college youre interested in: go onto the colleges website and check to see whether there is an admissions blog. At many colleges, admissions officers (and/or students who work in the admissions office) will blog about the process, and applicants can learn a lot of useful information from such blogs. VT: What do you think is the single most important thing a student should make sure they present in the best possible way on their application? Susan: By the time a student applies to college, much of the information on their application, including their test scores, GPA, and activities, is pretty much set. Nor can they entirely control their recommendations. The essays are completely within students control, and offer students an opportunity to shape their application by telling admissions officers their story apart from the numbers. Students need to think hard about the story they want to tell, and make sure they tell it in a compelling way. VT: How should students go about determining the culture of a university, and whether they would be a good fit? Susan: Theres no substitute for visiting a college when school is in session. Once there, students must do more than just take the college tour. They need to sit in on a class (preferably in a subject theyre interested in as a major); check out the flyers posted on campus, which will tell a lot about what causes and activities students are interested in; eat in the cafeteria, and while there, chat with the some of the students about what they like and dont like about the college; check out a dorm room; and read the student newspaper. In addition or when a college visit just isnt feasible students should go onto the college website and read the student blogs, as well as perusing the Facebook pages of student groups they might be interested in joining. Ive learned that you can glean a lot about campus culture from the web! VT: Early-action, early-decision, binding/non-binding, regular decisionsWith so many choices when applying, what do you recommend to students? Susan: Applying early decision generally will increase a students odds of being accepted -- particularly at selective schools that routinely lose some of their most-impressive admitted students to even more selective schools because the colleges know all students admitted through early decision have committed to attend if accepted. However, students shouldnt apply early decision if theyre not absolutely sure their ED school is the one they want to attend; if they want the opportunity to compare financial aid offers from a number of schools; and if they arent a solidly competitive applicant. Applying EA wont help your odds of being accepted as much as applying ED, but there are fewer drawbacks since you dont have to commit to the college. Unless students think they will increase their odds of acceptance by applying later (perhaps because they think their senior grades, or some other achievement, will strengthen their application), I generally encourage them to apply EA to one (or where possible, more) of their college choices because its always a relief to hear early in the process that youve been accepted. Along those lines, I also advise students who are applying to schools with rolling admissions (that means the school reviews the applications, and makes decisions on them as they come in, so students can learn of the decision relatively shortly after they apply) to try to get their applications in early in the year. Again, hearing early in the process that youve already been accepted to one or more of your schools makes the long wait to April decisions much less stressful. VT: How important are grades and standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Susan: The importance of grades and standardized tests varies greatly between colleges. Large state schools are most likely to focus more on grades and standardized test scores, while giving less weight to activities and recommendations (some schools dont even require recommendations at all). At the most selective schools, unless youre a star quarterback or the like, great grades and test scores are merely a minimum requirement to be competitive for admissions. Many a valedictorian with impressive test scores is rejected. On the other hand, an increasing number of excellent schools no longer require SAT or ACT scores. VT: What tips do you have for students asking their teachers for letters of recommendations? Susan: Teachers recommendations can play a critical role in bringing students to life for the admissions committee. Colleges are looking for recommendations that say more than that the student is a hard worker who got an A in the class. Ideally a teacher recommendation will address topics such as the genuine interest the student showed in the class, what the student contributed to the classroom, and how he/she stood out from other students. Students should ask for recommendations from teachers who know them well, and who can share anecdotes that will illustrate the students strong points. It also helps if students give the teacher a resume, so the teacher has a sense of the students accomplishments and interests outside the classroom. You can reach Susan by visiting LearningStrategiesCenter.com or by calling 805-642-6686.The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.