What is it Like to Attend Haverford College

What is it Like to Attend Haverford College The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Celine graduated from Haverford College in 2006 with a Bachelors degree in History. She is currently a tutor in Washington D.C. specializing in SAT prep tutoring, Reading tutoring, French tutoring, and more. See what she had to say about 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? Celine: Haverford College is located about 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia in the residential area of the Main Line. It is surrounded by several colleges, including Villanova University, Rosemont College, and Bryn Mawr College. While the area is residential, there are coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores and a shopping mall within walking distance. One can also walk to the regional train station or to the trolley to go into Philadelphia. The various options of public transportation allow those students who do not have a car or bike to be able to leave campus and get what and where they need. Car sharing programs are also available on campus. Safety at Haverford and outside the campus is not a concern. As a student at Haverford, I always felt very safe and felt comfortable walking around campus at night alone. Nevertheless, Haverford has a strong campus security system and students can call for an escort to be accompanied when going to another location on campus at night. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Celine: Professors, academic advisers and teaching assistants are all extremely available. In addition to having office hours, they will work with students to meet at a mutually convenient time. A large portion of the faculty and administration lives on or near campus, which facilitates their availability to meet with students. Some professors will even make their home phone numbers available to students. If the class is small enough, professors may even elect to have the class in their house. At Haverford, teaching assistants are only assistants. They neither teach courses nor grade exams. They serve as tutors and sometimes will help professors grade homework. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Celine: One of the great things about Haverford is that 98% of students live on campus all four years. This fact makes socialization very easy as you can meet with friends on campus right before class or on the weekend to watch a movie or to go into Philadelphia. However, you dont have to go off campus to have fun on the weekends. Since the school has over 145 clubs, there is always something to do on campus. Students have the option of living in a dorm or in an on-campus apartment. Freshmen live with their Customs group and Customs people, upperclassmen who serve as mentors to the freshmen and support them as they transition into college life. Freshmen and all students who live on campus (except those who live in the apartments) must be on the meal plan, which provides access to dining services at both Haverford College and Bryn Mawr College. Unlike most universities, neither Haverford nor Bryn Mawr outsources its dining services to outside organizations. All meals are prepared at the respective college. The Bi-College Dining Services goes to great lengths to accommodate students with special dietary needs or allergies. Other food options at Haverford include: Lunt Caf (open in the evening), the Coop Baristas Nook (open all day) and the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship (CPCG) Caf (open in the afternoon). 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? Celine: As a small liberal arts college, Haverford is very unique in that its students do not have to major at Haverford. They can also major in any program offered by Bryn Mawr or Swarthmore College and take courses at the University of Pennsylvania. This arrangement allows Haverford to offer a wide selection of majors and programs of study while maintaining its small size. At Haverford, students can major in various subjects in the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. Some students also decide to design their own major if their area of study is not available at Haverford, Bryn Mawr or Swarthmore. During their senior year, all Haverford students, including those who major in the sciences and mathematics, write a thesis. After considering various majors, I ultimately decided to study History at Haverford because I am interested in public policy and the study of the past is necessary for evaluating current situations and how to best improve them. With support from both the Political Science and History departments, I then wrote my thesis on how former President Bachelets election had the possibility of closing historical divides in Chile. 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? Celine: While Haverford is a very friendly campus, it is easier to meet people and make friends when one joins a club. While I had made acquaintances in my classes, I ultimately joined the Crew team to explore a sport I had always wanted to try and to meet more people. Through the crew team, I not only achieved my goal, but I also was able to meet other people, some of whom I am still friends with today. There is no Greek life at Haverford. Haverford is also unique in that it has one of the oldest honor codes in the country. The Honor Code, which guides academic and social life, is based on the principles of trust, respect and concern for each other. These principles are illustrated in several ways. For example, at an academic level, professors expect that students will not cheat and will respect themselves to provide an honest portrayal of what they learned in class. As a result, students take un-proctored exams, have closed book exams, and self-schedule their end-of-course exams. Furthermore, the Code encourages an environment were cutthroat competition is not the norm. At a social level, the Honor Code supports an environment where all students feel comfortable to express their opinions in a respectful manner and will not be judged for having a particular opinion. If a student observes an incident (either social or academic) where the Code is not being followed, that student is expected to confront their peers. Anoth er unique piece of the Code is that students write it. Each year, during Plenary, students discuss and revise the Code and vote on it. Based on the Quaker tradition of consensus, this vote is not a simple majority 2/3 of the student body must vote to ratify the Code. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Celine: Haverford has several student support services that are very supportive and work with students to meet their needs. In addition to the Career Center, students can receive support from the Deans Office, the Womens Center, and Counselling and Psychological Services, amongst other offices. The Career Center makes an effort to connect students with alumni who have a career that students are interested in. In addition to having opportunities for on and off campus recruiting, the Career Center hosts an externship program twice a year. In this program, alumni host students for a period of one or two weeks in their current position. The externship gives students an opportunity to see what the real world looks like in their area of interest. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Celine: Students tend to study in one of two libraries: Magill library and the White Science library. While both libraries are open to all students, easily available, and spacious, they provide opposing studying environments. Magill is very quiet while the Science Library is more social. Magills architecture is gothic while the Science Librarys is modern. If a student wants a guaranteed sport for quiet study, he/she can reserve a carrel at Magill. Students also study in the Whitehead Campus Center, Lunt Caf, and dorm lounges. In addition to Magill and the Science Library, Haverford has the Astronomy Library, the Union Music Library, the C.C. Morris Cricket Library, and the word-renowned Quaker and Special Collections, which is open to students and researchers alike. All of Haverfords libraries are part of a larger Tri-College library system shared with Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore Colleges, and Haverford students have full borrowing privileges in all three campuses. 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? Celine: Haverford College is surrounded by the towns of Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Ardmore. Suburban Square, the United States first shopping mall, is located a short walk from campus in Ardmore, and offers various dining options, a Trader Joes, an Apple Store and other retail stores. Additional restaurants, coffee shops, grocery and retail stores, and a movie theater are a short distance from campus. King of Prussia, one of the largest malls on the East Coast, is also 20 minutes away. Students can also take the trolley and regional rail, both run by SEPTA, to go into Philadelphia. In addition, students can use their own mode of transportation or use PhillyCarShare to get off campus. Students tend to try to get off campus at least once a week. However, where they go and what they do usually depends on the amount of work the student has! VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Celine: Haverford has about 1,200 students on campus. The largest classes tend to be the introductory classes and have a maximum of 80 students. As a freshman, my largest class, Calculus I, was about 75 people. Despite the large class size, I had an opportunity to develop a relationship with the professor by attending his office hours and group study sessions. Not all my freshman classes were so big. I also took courses my first year that had about 10-15 students. My smallest class at Haverford was made up of five students. I was generally pleased with the typical class sizes since professors of even the larger classes made an effort to get to know their students personally. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Celine: As a sophomore, I took an introductory history class of about 65 people. I met with the professor to discuss his comments from the essay he had just returned. In grading the next essay assignment, the professor commented on how I improved in the areas we discussed and referenced my last essay. I was both touched and taken aback by the fact that after grading 130 essays, the professor could remember my weaknesses on the first essay and how I had improved on them in the second one. Check out Celines tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Yale University A Student Interview

Yale University A Student Interview The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teachtheyre sharing their college experiences as well. Aisha specializes in ACT tutoring, SAT tutoring, and GRE tutoring. She is a 2013 graduate of Yale University where she earned her Bachelors degree in English. Check out what she had to say about her time at Yale University: Describe the campus setting and transportation options at Yale University. Aisha: Yales campus is a pretty small community with the majority of classes taking place within the radius of the residential colleges. The transportation is pretty thorough, but many students also prefer to travel by bike. The Yale shuttle system provides free transportation to Yale students at predetermined locations around campus. Between walking and taking the shuttle, most students have a pretty easy time getting around. The times that having a car might be helpful are those when you might be taking a large shopping trip (Ikea or groceries) or attending an off-campus event. Luckily, there are regular shuttles out to the athletic fields for games and tailgates and to my knowledge, Yale still provides individual rides for those students riding outside of the route or times of the basic shuttle. For students who wish to be more mobile, Yales campus has Zipcar, a ride-sharing program that allows users to rent a car by the hour. Additionally, a decent number of students do own bikes with convenient bike racks located across campus. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Aisha: One of my greatest regrets about my time at Yale was that I didnt make better use of the professors/TAs with whom I had contact. Some of the more tenured professors didnt particularly like to meet with undergrads, but it is required that all professors teaching an undergraduate class hold office hours weekly. By and large however, I found most professors to be very flexible and willing to meet to discuss class material, assignments, or their general knowledge about the field. TAs were by and large the same, also holding office hours each week. I think that the biggest barrier to availability at Yale was the intimidation factor. I often felt like I wanted to further discuss a concept or idea, but had a hard time approaching professors to articulate those thoughts. Once I broke through that barrier, however, I found that I got a lot of support and engagement from all staff I encountered. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Aisha: Yales Residential Colleges are meant to be like mini-communities within the larger Yale College family. As freshmen, most students live on Old Campus, a space entirely comprised of freshman dorms. On Old Campus, the opportunities for socialization are plenty as students meet up in rooms and common rooms for movie nights, study nights, parties, and other gatherings. Additionally, all students are assigned a Freshman Counselor (FroCo for short) who is responsible for welcoming a group of students within their college. This FroCo lives in the freshman dorms (in a suite with other FroCos) and is there to help resolve roommate conflicts, assist with lockouts, and generally help freshmen get acclimated to freshman year at Yale. FroCos also hold various social events meant to bond their cohort and sometimes the entire freshman class within that college. Once a sophomore, students move into their residential colleges where they will spend the rest of their tenure at Yale (assuming tha t they dont move off campus). In each college, students may find a dining hall, a library, multiple common rooms, and student rooms. A lot of organizations meet in these spaces and students share opportunities to congregate with others. Most colleges hold study breaks where off-campus food is brought in and shared for free as students come down to chat and take a break. Additionally, residential colleges hold many dances and other events that allow students the opportunity for dorm-related engagement. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported at Yale University? Aisha: If I had to name the most common programs at Yale, I would say that the economics and political science programs are some of the largest. Additionally, I would say that the sciences (physics, chemistry, biology) are pretty well represented, with a large number of students choosing those majors as well. I chose to study English at Yale and took a lot of classes in Religious Studies. I actually arrived at Yale ready to take the pre-med track and began with taking sciences. After a few terms, however, I started to realize that my high school education hadnt prepared me for the vigor of the program. I believe that I could have completed it, but it would have taken 100% of my energy and focus. While figuring this out, I took some great English courses that really invigorated me and I loved the types of conversations we were having about literature. I ultimately decided to declare that as my major, as it was truly where my passion was, and I havent looked back since. There are a pre tty large number of English majors at Yale so I would definitely say we were pretty well supported. I got a lot of one-on-one support from my chosen advisor for my senior thesis and the department was great about answering questions and clearly communicating requirements. 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? Aisha: Yales Residential College system is a great way for freshmen to make friends. In addition to those in the suite youre assigned to, there are plenty of activities planned within the college aimed at bonding freshmen together. Additionally, if a student joins any clubs (there are activity fairs at Bulldog days and recruiting early first semester), they will absolutely make friends from various colleges of various ages. I will say that the ease with which one makes friends freshman year really depends on the person. Outgoing people who are willing to try anything and are always interested in going out will likely make friends more quickly. But those who are more reserved will also find others with common interests, the length of time it takes being determined by how out there you put yourself. I would say that Greek life plays a sizeable role in Yales social scene, but it is by no means the monopoly of social interaction on campus. I personally was part of Greek life at Yale, and it definitely helped me to make female friends a lot quicker. I definitely had historically struggled with bonding with other girls, so the recruitment process and the subsequent years in my sorority definitely defined a lot of my experience. There is a pretty solid contingent of students participating in Greek life, with many sports teams aligned to certain fraternities. What Ive heard from my friends who didnt participate in Greek life is that they almost never noticed it. While it was the center of my social life, my suitemate who seldom attended Greek events had a really robust social life based on activities, independent friendships, and other organizations she had joined. I would say that Greek life definitely has a presence and will introduce you to a lot of the campuss athletes and movers and shakers, but what you get from it really depends on who you are as an individual. How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Aisha: Many very large companies, primarily finance and consulting companies, recruited on Yales campus pretty frequently. For those seeking internships as undergraduates and hoping to secure employment before graduation, this process is pretty effective and provides structure for an otherwise chaotic time in the lives of undergraduates. As far as our Career Center goes, I felt it was a mixed bag. Someone from the Career Center came out to talk to my sorority about resumes, which was really helpful, but I often found some of their information sessions and resources to be a bit superficial (wasnt telling me the real nitty-gritty of what I needed to know to succeed in any given industry). When I graduated, I was pursuing a career in public relations and unfortunately didnt find the career resources at Yale very helpful. I will say that the alumni database proved to be helpful as it enabled me to make connections with former Yalies already working in the field. It took a lot of independ ent research and networking, but I was able to secure some internships and finally a job post-graduation. Unfortunately, there were many things that I didnt know about PR at the time and I found Yales lack of Communications program to be a large barrier to understanding the reality of what I was entering into. I think that was where Yale could have done better to improve career prospects for humanities majors. Better resources to help students discover new careers and understand the reality of their careers of interest would definitely be a helpful improvement. How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Aisha: There were two main libraries at Yale, Sterling Memorial (known as the stacks) and Bass Library. Bass was by far the more crowded of the two, as it had several group and individual study rooms. They also had a caf that enabled students to stay longer and get some real work done. The stacks were definitely quieter, with sixteen floors of bookshelves and various cozy nooks and crannies on each floor. As for the dorm lounges, I would say that varied by residential college, but they all had several common rooms (some had movie-screening rooms, others a dance studio, etc.) in addition to the common spaces within each suite. Describe the surrounding town at Yale University. Aisha: New Haven is definitely an interesting little metropolis outside of Yales campus. Many stores are located centrally on campus (bookstore, restaurants, shopping, etc.), and within driving distance there are various bigger stores like Walmart and Ikea. As far as the social scene of the town goes, there are various haunts that students frequent, the most popular being Toads Place and Box 63. There are several clubs that Yalies attend (primarily for private Yale events) and far more bars and restaurants to meet depending on the night of the week. Students seldom ever leave the walkable campus for a social life, as its pretty robust and insular amongst Yalies. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Aisha: Yale has a total of about 5,500 students, and I believe that you often feel the smallness of that number. Once you find a niche within Yale, you get to know pretty much everyone within your peripheral circle of social interaction, including those people you know from your academic department, extracurriculars, and athletics. The class sizes really vary by subject and popularity. Chemistry lectures had close to 100 people and so did some of the bigger, more popular humanities classes, but the size barrier was remedied with discussion section, which broke the class up into smaller groups. Overall, I found class sizes to be pretty reasonable. The popularity of the class often mandates size restrictions, so my advice would be to apply early for anything highly rated! Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Aisha: One of my favorite classes at Yale was Milton, taught by Professor John Rogers. He is a captivating speaker, an excellent Milton scholar, and an engaging and approachable professor. I think my most memorable experience was the time we spent reading and dissecting Paradise Lost. My high school education didnt include too many of the classics pre-1800s, so I was blown away by the level of analysis, reflection, and discussion surrounding one work of literature. I found myself voracious for learning, reading 100% of the assignments each week, taking extensive notes with highlighted questions, and always having something to ask or say in discussion. It was truly one of my favorite experiences at Yale because it was the class that made English click for me as a major. I finally felt at home. Check out Aishas tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How Technology Can Support Childrens Education

How Technology Can Support Children’s Education Todays students are digital natives who have never known a life without computers and the internet. As we all know, technology (in the form of cell phones and social media) shares blame for distracted students and many other problems. But technology also has all kinds of advantages for teachers as well as parents and students. Here are several ways technology can enhance your childs education: Your child can dig deeper into any topic. Theres no denying that one of the greatest benefits of living in the digital age is that students can fairly easily track down information on anything. Library resources are available online and anecdotal research is at students fingertips. If your child wants to know what a village in Peru looks like, all he or she has to do is look up images online. When your child isnt certain how to complete that algebra problem (and neither are you), a quick internet search will likely point him or her to a website or video that can help. Theres an app for everything. If your tech-savvy child doesnt embrace the paper planner, there are lots of other digital tools that might be of interestfrom to-do list apps (e.g. Remember the Milk or Todoist) to full-blown homework/planner apps (e.g. iStudiez Pro). For the child who needs something to keep lots of ideas, notes and brainstorming in one place, tools like Evernote are worth a look. Bottom line: technology has opened the floodgates for creative people to invent useful digital tools. Digital learning means high engagement. Educators often argue that one of the best things about the infusion of technology into education is the greater variety of learning experiences. Passive learning wherein students listen while teachers lecture is a thing of the past, and difficult topics can now be taught more easily using rich media. There are lots of interactive games and tools to help your child practice concepts taught in class. Your childs education is certain to be richer because of them. Your child can stay on top of school work more easily. Many school districts use learning management systems where teachers share homework and updates and students can access their attendance records as well as grades on assignments, tests, projects and quizzes. These systems foster collaboration and help students stay connected and improve their performance. Lastly, a few words of caution regarding technology use. While the internet is the curious childs best friend and has dramatically expanded opportunities for independent student research, it can be a big distraction. Use good judgment when establishing family rules for technology time and usage limits. Its also important to encourage your child to talk with teachers about high-quality, reliable resources when researching online and make sure you reinforce school rules regarding ethical internet usage. Technology has changed every industry, including education. If youre ever unsure how your child can get the most out of technological tools, reach out to his or her teachers for guidance. They can advise you on the best ways for your child to use technology to make new discoveries and boost his or her education. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. 2018 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

Which A-Levels Should I Take

Which A-Levels Should I Take When it was time for me to pick my A-Levels I had no idea what I was doing. Now that I've finished my AS Levels I have a bit more knowledge when it comes to this. Here is some advice that I wish I would've had a year ago. Choosing which A-Levels you should take may be one of the biggest decisions a student has to make straight after they receive their GCSE results. You must pick a subject that you are relatively good at, but also one you would not despise after two years of study. In order to correctly choose your A-Levels you must first look at what would you like to do in the future. Doing this, you will be able to look at further education options. For example, if you would like to become a Doctor, you are going to need a Medical Science degree. These types of degrees have A-Level subject requirements, and often it is Maths and/or  Biology. This should hopefully limit how many subjects you have to choose from. Some degrees do not require any specific A-Levels. In this case, choose A Levels that you think will prepare you for the chosen degree. Often students who would like to go into Computer Science may choose subjects such as Maths or Physics as these are both essential subjects to put you in a specific mindset for the degree. Just before you embrace these A-Levels, ask yourself, “Am I able to achieve good grades in these subjects?” You don’t want to spend the next two years working hard just to open that envelope with disappointment. Make sure to pick something you are good at; if you are not good at Maths, don’t pick it! Finally, would you like to study these subjects? There is nothing worse than learning about something day to day that you simply don’t enjoy. Your overall experience of College/Sixth Form will not be pleasant being forced to do something that you hate. Having a subject that you truly enjoy or find interesting will not only give a good chance of better grades, but you will also not hate yourself, as much. Good luck to all awaiting for their results and choose your A-Levels wisely! Still have questions? You can search  Tutorfair  for experienced A-level tutors across a range of subjects from Maths, to physics and English.

Cold-Weather Meals to Keep You Warm This Winter

Cold-Weather Meals to Keep You Warm This Winter via Pixabay Baked Mac ’n Cheese Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food recipe. It is full of cheesy gooeyness that will warm you up instantly. Not to mention, Mac ’n cheese is one of the most delicious meals you can make! Make sure to go with the homemade baked recipe, though. The cheese is so much thicker and you get so much more of it compared to making it straight from the box. You find a delicious classic baked recipe here. Crockpot Chili There is nothing better than a warm bowl of chili on a cold winter day. There are so many different flavors that can be put in chili. You can make it mild or super spicy to really make sure you’re warmed up. The beauty of making chili is that you can cook it in a crockpot, which means you can throw all of your ingredients in the pot that morning and come home to a fully cooked meal waiting for you to enjoy. To top off this cold-weather meal, whip up a fresh batch of homemade cornbread to eat with it. You can find a hearty crockpot chili recipe here. Jambalaya If you’re looking for some spice in your life during the cold weather, throw together a quick pot of jambalaya. This Cajun rice dish is full of hearty meats such as chicken, sausage, and you can even add shrimp. Jambalaya is also super easy to throw together and has a quick clean up afterward. You’ll find yourself wanting to make a large pot of it to keep in the fridge and heat up during the week. You can find a one-pot recipe here. Vegetable Soup To make sure you are getting your daily serving of vegetables, have a bowl of some hearty vegetable soup. It is one of the most iconic cold-weather meals and one of the easiest to make. You can literally find any vegetables your fridge, some vegetable or chicken stock, and tomato paste, throw it in a pot and boil it until it’s cooked. Voila! You have a hearty and delicious vegetable soup to keep you warm on those cold winter nights. Feel free to add rice or pasta noddles to the soup to give it even more substance. You can find a quick and easy soup recipe here. Indian Butter Chicken One of the best things about cooking cold weather meals is that they make your apartment smell so good that it will make your neighbors jealous. This Indian Butter Chicken recipe will definitely make your home smell delicious, especially with the creamy-based tomato sauce. You’re definitely going to want to pick up some naan to wipe your plate clean with this incredible dish. On top of being delicious, you’ll only need one pot to cook it making for incredibly easy cleanup. You can find an easy, aromatic recipe here. Stir Fry Stir fry is one of the easiest, most delicious cold-weather meals to make. It’s full of nutritious vegetables and protein that will be sure to warm you up while also providing rich flavors that you can enjoy. There are so many varieties of stir fry that you can make, so you won’t get tired of eating stir fry throughout the winter months. You can also switch up the type of meat you add or choose to make a vegetarian version. You can find an easy chicken stir fry recipe here. Lasagna For those days that you are feeling lazy and very hungry, you cant go wrong with a hearty meat and cheese-filled lasagna. While it can be a lot of work to make, the meal itself is completely worth the hard work. Not only will you be eating lasagna until next week, but it tastes better the longer it sits in the fridge because all of the layers really sink into each other. You can find a classic Italian recipe here. Cold Weather Meals You Need to Make Eating at home means saving money, getting some practice with cooking, and eating healthier meals. The best time to stay in and cook for yourself is during the winter with these cold-weather meals. Try some out this winter so you stay full and warm.

4 Differences Between High School and College English Courses - TutorNerds

4 Differences Between High School and College English Courses - TutorNerds 4 differences between high school and college English courses By the time students reach their freshman year of college, they will have already taken four separate English courses. It likely seems that students know everything there is to know at this point, but once students reach the college level most of the old rules go out the window. There are several differences between high school and college English courses of which most notably is the time and independence required. If students can prepare for these differences, theyre more likely to do well in their challenging university-level classes our Orange County private high school and college English tutors are here to help. 1.   The 5 paragraph essay By the end of high school students will be pros when it comes to writing a five-paragraph essay. In fact, it seems that the whole world must be written in five paragraphs because this particular format is given such emphasis throughout a student’s high school experience. Unfortunately, most college professors disregard this format almost straight away. This can be a tough sell for students who have molded their writing to fit within five paragraphs since they were a freshman. However, getting away from this format is a great thing for students and allows more independent thought as well as the ability to write about whats important rather than trying to meet a specific word count. Most college papers have a required word count range allowing student writers to get an idea of their scope of work without being too strict or limiting. 2. Scholarly works cited College students will be utilizing scholarly sources to a much higher degree than they did in high school. Its important for students to familiarize themselves with the campus library and know how to tell the difference between a scholarly journal and a basic credible source. This can be more difficult these days because almost everything is found online, making it harder to distinguish between a scholarly article and a basic one. Students should start by looking for an abstract and an author with three letters after their name to help them get an idea if theyre on the right track (READ: 5 Things That Can Ruin Your Study Time). 3. More time, more revisions In general, high school students will have to write a rough draft and final draft when it comes to essay writing. However, once they get into college, they may find that theyre writing four or more drafts before they create something they can turn in to the professor. Students often need to change their thesis once they start doing extensive research or may find that their original idea was either too broad or too narrow. This means a lot more effort on the part of the student as well as excellent time management skills. Students are given three or four weeks to complete their essay from start to finish, but they will likely need the majority of this time to deal with those extra drafts. 4. Complex thought processes In high school, students mainly work on an analytical essay or an argumentative one and often take a position on one extreme or the other. Once at university, students will be asked to look at several different sides of an argument and perhaps come up with a thesis that lies within the gray area of the two opposing opinions. This requires a much more complex thought process and can certainly be mentally fatiguing. Students working all hours of the night will often find that the ideas dont come to them as quickly as they wanted. Its a good idea for students to carve out a specific time in their schedule or work with a study group where they can brainstorm for different ideas. Whether youre in high school or college, do well in your English classes with the help of private Orange County English tutoring from TutorNerds. 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.

How to Build A Business Before You Graduate

How to Build A Business Before You Graduate Photo via Celestine Chua on Flickr. The Ideal Time to Start a Business The idea of building a multi-billion dollar business in college actually wasnt the original idea Mark Zuckerberg had in mind when he started The Facebook during his sophomore year of college. In fact, the site began as a simple dating platform, and was something Zuckerberg created into the wee night hours in his dorm room and between classes at Harvard University. He simply didnt let the fact that he was a still a student deter him from building the base of his business, which has now turned into one of the largest social media platforms of the modern age. Believe it or not, your college years are the ideal time to begin building a business. At first glance, it may seem like the opposite is true due to the pressing issues of class workload, athletics and your part-time job, but take a moment to think about the time you  do  have. At this point, many of your expenses are being paid through Federal loans, scholarships, grants and/or parent contributions. This leaves, remarkably, tons of free time available to begin working on the basics of a business, since many of your living expenses have been taken care of without the need of a full-time job. The important thing to remember is that if you want to be an entrepreneur, you can. Dont fall into the trap of thinking you have to follow tradition when it comes to college and career. As Brandon Anderson, owner of Transportation Supply,  stated in an article, junior year I had many friends attending career fairs and competing for internships at companies where they would hope to be offered a position their senior year. While this seemed like the road to follow, I knew that I had different passions for my future, Anderson said. There are several steps you can take to start pursuing an idea for a business, with little to no cost involved. Step One: Start Networking Another reason college is the ideal time and place to start a business is because its essentially a networking melting pot full of educators, professionals and a student body ready to give feedback and tips regarding your idea. Take the story of Nate Robert, John Reynolds, Chris Benson and Tyler Wortman, 2013 seniors attending MIT, who effectively started the implementation of a project and model for beer distribution (now named  Glydsedale) while still attending their university. “The MIT network, mainly through the Trust Center but outside it as well, was absolutely amazing and is the only reason we’ve been able to find the successes we have, Nate said in an  article  featured on Forbes. “When we first started, we had absolutely no idea what to do! We reached out to our networks and talked to everyone we thought might be able to help.” Reach out to professors and departments that relate to your business idea and discuss it with them. It would be best to draw up some type of business plan (or at least a rough overview) of what your business is looking to provide as well as how you plan to provide it. For instance, is your service or product going to be offered online or in-person on campus? Find a Niche for Your Idea Sometimes, networking with other professionals (and even friends) ends up offering different perspectives regarding your idea, taking it from a potentially broad, abstract idea and pulling it into a niche. Daniel Vitiello, during his junior year at Texas Tech University, launched an iPhone repair business after a friend asked him to fix her phone, according to an  article  via U.S. News Weekly.  Vitiello had previously described himself as a household handyman, but after realizing his skill at fixing iPhones, went on to start charging less than competing shops in the area and began fixing roughly 10 phones per day, at $40 a pop. He now works full-time developing his business, United iPhone Repair. Vitiello is an example of a student honing his handyman skills into a profitable niche, before he even receives a degree. A simple way to do this is to consider opportunities relating to your idea that provide a service to other students, or perhaps even consider offering teaching or tutoring services. Say, for example, youre a whiz at Photoshop or have a personal photography collection that rivals what you can find in most magazines; you can effectively start a small business offering photography and one-on-one Photoshop tutorials for profit. This not only builds your business and puts cash in your pocket, but it also helps other students pursue their dreams of photography, or any other medium you find yourself teaching. Carve Out Time This is perhaps one of the most critical steps you can take in your business-building venture: carving out the time needed to make it succeed. Businesses require marketing, social media networking and the time of actually working your business. However, if you are passionate about an idea, this time will merely be a reflection of your passion, and will be well worth the sacrifice in the end. These tips from various entrepreneurs can give you an idea of how to make time: Multitask An excellent way to create more time for yourself while juggling classes and building your business is to multitask efficiently. This may involve sending out emails in between studying or at lunch, or making phone calls during your walk to the gym. However, be sure to know which tasks to devote your full attention to, as too much multitasking can result in a decrease in quality if executed poorly. Create To-Do Lists To-do lists are very effective, especially when theyre placed in sight of your working area. In order to make these more effective, consider prioritizing your lists, arranging tasks in order of importance for the day. Take Breaks Really, take a break. Studies have shown  taking regular, intermittent breaks can improve creativity and productivity, and according to University of Illinois psychology professor Alejandro Lleras, Constant stimulation is registered by our brains as unimportant, to the point that the brain erases it from our awareness. This shows that paying attention to tasks for too long can negatively affect our concentration, and force our brains into perceiving them as unimportant. It is also important that while you are taking this break, that you really take it, and try to relax your mind while doing something totally unrelated to what youre working on, such as going for a jog or cooking up a meal. Mark Zuckerberg isnt the only entrepreneur known for starting his business in a dorm room; many notable individuals, such as Michael Dell, founder of Dell Inc., and Frederick W. Smith, founder of FedEx, launched their businesses while still attending college. It isnt necessary to set out with a goal of creating a multi-million dollar company (although this kind of positivity cant hurt!) during your college years, but it is important to realize what it is you want out of your life. Do you see yourself at a 9 to 5 desk job, following the same monotonous routine for years, or do you see yourself pursuing your potential idea and developing it into a profitable, passionate business endeavor? If your heart is whispering the latter, remember: the time is now. Run your own business, get control of your future, make an impact on your life. To learn more about College Pro, click here or call 1-888-277-7962.