Ask a Private School Admissions Expert Amanda Uhry

Ask a Private School Admissions Expert Amanda Uhry Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Amanda Uhry is the founder and owner of Manhattan Private School Advisors, which helps up to 1,600 families per season in regards to preschool and K-12, boarding school, special needs admission, and college preparation. Before founding Manhattan Private School Advisors, she attended the University of Pennsylvaniaand Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. What is the typical timeline for private school admissions? Amanda: Getting in is a one- to two-year process before acceptance. Our many preschool and K-12 applicant families begin preparing for admissions one year in advance. Applications are due between October 15 and December 1. During that time or the spring before, parents tour schools and attend open houses and students are observed (younger children) or interviewed, a process which may go on until January. Parents are also interviewed separately at most schools. Final decisions are mailed or emailed in mid-February for continuing schools or early March for preschools. Parents have a number of days or weeks to make final decisions before schools go to wait lists. What is the typical process admissions officers go through to evaluate applications? Amanda: It depends on the school and the admissions director or staff, but all are generally looking for a child and family that might be a good fit for the school community. Children applying to kindergarten are often evaluated at a group or individual visit to the school, by school reports from preschools, and, at some schools, by AABL entrance exam testing. Children applying to older grades are evaluated via individual interviews or visits, transcripts and recommendations from teachers at present schools, and by scores on the ISEE or SSATentrance exam or often, both. What are the most important things children need to have represented on their applications? Amanda: Applicants need to represent who they really are and the same is true of parents in their parent statement. It is pointless to tell a school that a child is a brilliant, budding mathematician if he or she actually neither likes nor does well in math, just as it is a shame not to tell a school that an applicant is interested in any subject even if a parent thinks its silly. Classrooms are made up of all kinds of kids with all kinds of personalities and interests. Parents should not be afraid to discuss a childs weaknesses or areas that are emerging: this is the hallmark of an honest parent, not a flawed child! What are common mistakes parents and/or their children make when applying to these programs? Amanda: Children rarely make mistakes they are simply children. Parents make tons. They lie about their childs talents or interests. A five-year-old who likes to sing is not really the next Lady Gaga, just as a ten-year-old who won the science fair prize is not going to go for the Nobel Prize anytime soon. Parents also tell schools what they believe the schools want to hear and it often sounds silly and false. Parents need to work with qualified sources not get their info on schools and admissions from haunting parenting websites that often provide more disinformation on high-stakes schools admissions than usable or even reasonable advice. Just be yourself. Can you imagine spending K-12 at a school positioned as someone who is not you, not your kid, and not really your family? How should parents go about determining the culture of a private school, and whether it would be a good fit for their children? Amanda: The best way we have found is to connect applicant families with families who have students already at the schools. Parents at a school have nothing to gain or lose by being honest about that schools community. How important are standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Amanda: That depends entirely on the school. At some schools, testing is very important. At some other schools, it is not important at all and some schools do not test. What is universally important is that subtests of admissions tests do not have glaring discrepancies. In the ERB for younger kids, for example, it is far better to have average scores on the verbal and performance portions of the test rather than high scores in one area and low scores in another. What are the most important things parents need to represent about themselves when meeting with admissions officers? Amanda: Once again, honesty is always the best policy. If you feel progressive education is a waste of time, dont go tell the admissions director at a progressive school you think its marvelous and vice versa regarding traditional education. Remember that if you get in, faking it til youre making it may not work in a school community. You could wind up transferring out and doing the entire nightmarishly-competitive private school admissions process all over again. How competitive? Well, a good number of schools have reported receiving more than 1,000 applications for an average 60 kindergarten spots, and it gets worse moving up. That is not including siblings and legacies. Know before you go and discuss what you want as a family. Dont be afraid to be funny and relaxed in your parents interview; its a marvelous ice breaker. Also, do not do not, and I repeat do not assume admissions officers and staff whom you meet are your new friends. They are nice to everyone and professionally distant with all. That is because, in the end, they have to reject or waitlist up to 90% of the applicants! How does networking and having in-school connections affect one's chances of admission? Amanda: Its helpful and nice, but it doesnt always result in an acceptance not at all. Connections to board members who know you, your family, and your child are helpful. Connections to active families at the schools are helpful, but somewhat less so. Connections to teachers and staff at a given school are often not helpful at all in an admissions decision. How can a student best prepare for admissions interviews? Amanda: Your student can be his or herself. Children should also get used to speaking with adults because this is often an issue. Looking a teacher or admissions person in the eye while speaking to them, shaking hands, and saying simple greetings and farewells goes miles in a student interview. Additionally, so does having the student think about one or two school experiences he or she has enjoyed recently at his or her own school and being able to recount and discuss this with poise and passion. Visit Manhattan Private School Advisorsfor more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Looking to Study Arabic Any Idea of the Best Way

Looking to Study Arabic Any Idea of the Best Way Learning to Speak Arabic: What to Study? ChaptersWhat Is Linguistic Immersion?The Arab World.Learning Arabic through ImmersionAiding Memory Through Arabic ImmersionThe Other Benefits of Learning Arabic AbroadThe 'Year Abroad': Going to the Arabic-Speaking World with University.The 'Home-Stay': Learning Arabic Locally.The 'Private Tutorial': Get Your Own Arabic Tutor.The 'Conversation Class': Join an Arabic Class - or Set One Up Yourself.The 'Self-Taught' Learner: Can You Learn Arabic by Yourself?What, then, Are You Waiting For?“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardour and attended to with diligence.” - Abigail AdamsLearning Arabic, like any other language, often happens in the same way if you learn in a school. You’ll learn some words, practise reading and writing, and it can be painfully dull at times.There are 22 different Arabic-speaking countries who are also members of the Arabic league.In 2014, the Arab League covered 13.5 million km ² and is home to 378 million Arabic speakers.What better place to learn how to speak in Arabic?In this article, we’re going to look at what linguistic immersion is, how you can use it to learn a language, how immersion aids memory and the benefits of learning a language abroad through immersion.But we're also going to look at some of the other ways to learn the language - those same ones that can be painfully dull, those that might help you get to where you need to be before you go abroad, and those that you can fit around your schedule seamlessly.University of Cambridge: - at Cambridge, you can do as you please for your year abroad - obviously within reason. Their students have travelled to Palestine, Oman, Lebanon, and Egypt, and usually return pretty satisfied with their experience.University of Edinburgh: - in a similar way, Edinburgh has no fixed destination to which you will travel, but, over the thirty weeks you will be required to spend abroad, the university will make sure that you keep working and improving with your la nguage.School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London: - on an Arabic course at SOAS, you can take a year abroad at one of three institutions: the Qasid Institute in Amman; the Alif Institute in Fez; or the Alexandria School of Languages, in Egypt.Years abroad are a fabulous way to hone your language skills - and it is the reason language degrees are usually an extra year long. And these years make these extra years well worth it.The 'Home-Stay': Learning Arabic Locally.One of the most rewarding options available to those seeking an Arabic language immersion programme is the home stay. If you haven't heard about these before, they sort of do as they say on the tin: you stay in an individual or family's home, and learn the language whilst you are experiencing local habits, ways of life, food, and routines.People who do something like this usually say it is one of the best experiences of their life - and it is the peak of that contemporary buzzword that drives travelers these days: authentic.There are many organisations offering these experiences these days, with options available in Oman, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and more. The prices vary dramatically by region and by organisation, but you could be paying as little as $60 a week and as much as $1000 a week too!If you want to bypass the organisation and get a cheaper rate, you can go direct to your host. However, this can be something of a risk, as the organisations both accredit the host and insure against any risk.The 'Private Tutorial': Get Your Own Arabic Tutor.If you're interested in learning how to speak Arabic, then private tutorials are a great option. On Superprof, you can get one on one private tutorials, online tutorials, or group tutorials.Private tutorials are the most effective and also the most costly. This is because your tutor will tailor the lessons to you, your strengths and weaknesses, and your preferred learning style. This means you'll get a bespoke service from them.S uperprof is a great place to find yourself an Arabic tutor, with over 800 available across the world. They charge an average of £17 an hour, and you can find native speakers, graduates, university students, and even academics available to give you tuition.They are qualified, experienced, and friendly, and they will have you speaking, reading, and listening effectively in no time.This is the best option for those of you who don't fancy traveling abroad just yet, or who don't have a sufficient grasp of Arabic for immersion to be productive. As, sometimes, it's helpful to have a basic understanding of the language before you dive in.Online Arabic Tutors.Online tutorials are similar but are cheaper because the tutor doesn't have to factor the cost of travelling to you into their rates. They'll deliver their private tutorials via webcam using a programme such as Skype.And honestly, these days, such technologies can facilitate as productive and helpful conversations as those had face-to- face. Talk to your heart's content - whilst you will be set up with homework, writing tasks, and solo research to do in your own time.If you are not in an area well-served by Arabic tutors, you can find - through Superprof again - and connect with more tutors than you could possibly imagine. Technology is awesome these days.So, if you are travelling to Morocco and want to polish your Moroccan Arabic, or if you are going to the Levant and want to brush the cobwebs off your Levantine, then connect with a tutor there who speaks the dialect, and you'll be talking away immediately.The 'Conversation Class': Join an Arabic Class - or Set One Up Yourself.Finally, it's worth mentioning that group tutorials have the advantage of being the cheapest per hour. This is because the hourly rate is shared by all the students in attendance.This also means that you won't get the same amount of attention from the tutor and the class won't be designed with just you in mind. But, that needn't be such an issue. The thing here is that people often learn better in group environments - building on different people's mistakes, hearing questions that they hadn't necessarily considered themselves, and enjoying the social element added to it.If there aren't any group classes or conversational classes in Arabic available in your home town, why not set one up? Get in touch with a Superprof tutor and see whether they are available and willing. It won't be good just for your language skills - but for your social life and your wallet too.The 'Self-Taught' Learner: Can You Learn Arabic by Yourself?This is a question that people often ask about learning languages:  can I learn it by myself?It's also a method that people think would be best, as they can study in their own time, at their own pace.It might even be possible with a language that is a little more similar to English - a language that shares the alphabet, that shares a few words, that has similar phonological patterns. Even then, with no -one to talk to or to ask questions, it's still pretty tough.With Arabic, you aren't going to enjoy any of the similarities that a language like Italian or German has with English. With Arabic, the alphabet, the sounds are incredibly dissimilar to English, and it is one that you may not have come into much contact with before.Sure, with all the resources available online and in books it might be  possible.  But it is far from preferable, and the challenge might prove too much.What, then, Are You Waiting For?If you are committed to learning Arabic, the last thing to say is, what exactly are you waiting for? The language is not going to learn itself!

Find expert physics tutor has a solution with TutorPace

Find expert physics tutor has a solution with TutorPace School is a place where we learn various things in life and find physics tutor. It is a place where our step towards education and knowledge begins. Teachers in school help the students to know and grow. They are even addressed as our second parents. Whatever we learn and whatever we know helps us to live a better and a bright future ahead. Every subject that we deal with has some or the other kind of importance and so it is been included in the syllabus list. When we read the subject, we are not able to make out the exact value of these subjects and thus we lack to study with efficiency. But every subject has its own set of brand value and its importance. Science is a subject that requires lot of effort to deal with the subject. Dealing well with the subject can help you to learn better and also perform better. The subject is divided into three parts- chemistry, physics and biology. Every part deals with something important and it has a future for it. Chemistry mainly deals with equations, formulas, chemical and so on. This is a subject that can lead you towards being a scientist, a pharmaceutical expert and many more. Different carrier options are opened if you choose chemistry as the subject. Physics is a subject that deals with light, weight, energy, force and so on. It is an interesting part of science and many opt for this subject because of the fact that it can lead you to something much more interesting than ever. Here also chances are there that a student who is pursuing the subject can become a scientist. They can invent new things and can this will help them to grow more interest in it. Biology is a subject in which you have to deal with the living things of the universe. Biology lands you to being a doctor or a near about such career option. Here, we will talk about physics. Physics is the natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through space and time, along with related concepts such as energy and force. It is the natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through space and time, along with related concepts such as energy and force. Dealing alone with the subject can be tough as well as time taking. But if you have a good support beside you then you can easily come across the subject and even grow interest in it. Online tutoring is one of the best way through which you can easily come across all the topics that physics holds with it. The teachers are all expert and have a good grip over the subject that helps the student to learn more and with ease. There is also other way out such as private tutors who can also help the students to learn better but the qualification that they have may not match with the requirement of the subject. The online teachers have an identification that can make the students also feel comfortable and develop confidence in oneself. Now some of the merits of online tutoring that will help in continuing with the work to know easy and faster. Parents after reading this can be very relaxed with the level of services that online tutoring institutes provide. It will help you to get a chance to know something more about online tutoring institute. The appointment of online teachers is done in a very structured and good manner. It takes time for any teacher to be appointment. Candidates have to pass through a very tough process of interview so that one can get appointed. This increases the power of online tutoring as the most efficient and expert person will be only chosen and appointed for the teacher. Having an expert teacher helps a child in lot more ways than we think it would. A good teacher is always into the motive to teach their students with the best things so that any doubt with the subject can be easily overcome. A student can get help for the subject which can lead to creating depth in the subject and also helping the student to score more. The online tutoring facility has a merit or advantage that it can function all round the clock. Yes, you heard it right. Online tutoring institutes can easily function or deliver its help and assistance all round the clock. This is really helpful for students as they do not have to plan their schedule with the tuition classes. They can carry on with the classes whenever they want and this helps in saving their time and energy. This energy can be utilized in some other important work as well. The online physics tutor can understand the need of a student largely and this is very beneficial for a student as well. The online teachers first try to study the student and then they figure out all the problems that the student faces with the subject. After that they help the students to cope up with the weak areas of the subject and like this way the students become much stronger and informative regarding the subject. The online tutoring service also provides one with one on one service of learning as well. In this service you can easily get the best service. The service enrolls one teacher for every single student that can help the student individually without any kind of distraction. This helps the learning process of a student to be easy as well as they can understand with much depth. The base of the subject gets tightened up. With some of the best facilities, you can also wonder as which institute can provide you with such services. So, you can easily come across TutorPace.

Learning Maths at Key Stage 3 What to Expect

Learning Maths at Key Stage 3 What to Expect Help for Students Learning Maths in Secondary School ChaptersMath Concepts in The KS3 Maths CurriculumKey Stage 3 Maths ExamsFinding Help With Math Problems During KS3Key Stage 3 (commonly abbreviated to KS3) consists of years seven, eight and nine â€" so students from ages eleven to fourteen in secondary school in the UK.KS3 school maths is a pretty big and sometimes challenging journey, starting from year seven and ending in year nine before you embark upon maths GCSE, which is one of the mandatory subjects to take at GCSE in the UK.The jump from KS2 in primary school doesn’t have to be too scary, as you will be eased in at a comfortable pace, just building on from what you have been studying in your year six maths lessons.Key stage 3 maths is about learning to interconnect mathematical concepts that pupils can move between with ease and fluency. Being able to identify patterns and overlapping concepts in maths topics is key to KS3 progression.Although the maths topics in years seven, eight and nine are presented as distinct from o ne another on the school syllabus, students should be able to make connections across the topics and build upon prior key stage 2 knowledge to develop confidence and fluency in maths study.KS3 maths will also help pupils develop their mathematical reasoning and maths problem solving to a higher, more sophisticated level. Students will find that KS3 maths will enter into other subjects, applicable to science, ICT and geography, for example.KS3 maths can be applied to many subjects! Photo credit: Tim Geers via Visualhunt.com / CC BY-SAAs we’ve seen, maths can appear in other subjects that pupils will study during key stage 3. Certain topics in chemistry, physics, biology will no doubt contain some maths, and subjects such as ICT, geography or business, for example, could also contain some mathematical situations as well.So keeping up to speed and staying engaged with maths lessons isn’t just important for your mathematical progression alone. It will help immensely with subjects a cross KS3 study, especially with the natural sciences which will start containing more and more maths in the run up to GCSE.KS3 maths revision can benefit your other subjects too! Photo credit: CollegeDegrees360 via VisualHunt / CC BY-SAThe maths involved with physics, chemistry and biology can be quite tricky and requires extra attention sometimes. Pupils will see overlaps in these syllabi, and should therefore seek help or guidance as needed with any maths that seems challenging, regardless of the subject.SuperprofSuperprof, if you didn't know, is a platform that connects diligent students to experienced tutors. Right now, it has over six million tutors across the world - offering personal tuition in over a thousand different subjects, including maths and related subjects. So, whatever it is you want to learn - whether that's about equations or something else - you'll find the right person for the job (and for you!) with Superprof.Be sure to read about your prospective tutor and take advantage of the one free lesson policy so that you can get a feel for their teaching methods and work out if you think you will get along in a professional student-teacher manner.Remember, the cost does not always reflect the person's experience and qualifications (the cheapest tutors are not necessarily the least successful at teaching learners and the pricier ones are not always the top teachers) but, that said, you do get what you pay for so don't be reluctant to pay for a good tutor and then complain that you haven't learned what you had wanted to!If you choose a tutor who does not live nearby, the chances are that they will set you work by sending you questions and tasks electronically, and will also schedule some virtual face to face catch ups via Skype or  video call to ensure that you benefit from real-time interaction and instant feedback as well as simply being left to work things out for yourself.Additional Ways To Support Learning MathsYou don’t necessarily have to spend lots of money on books and website subscriptions to get ahead with your studies, as a range of educational books (including those specially-adapted revision guides) can be borrowed from libraries in your nearby towns.Of course, you won’t be able to make notes in the books you borrow, as they are officially the property of the library, but you can take the materials away to read or even to photocopy (many libraries offer photocopying services on site too so you could even have the opportunity to copy certain articles, exercises or definitions to put in your revision folder and go back to at a later date) and make your own revision guides.Most libraries are open for quite long hours so you can usually find a suitable time to visit around your busy educational schedule. As mentioned, you can read and photocopy relevant materials and even try to recall items that someone else has borrowed. In addition, many libraries now offer modern digital platforms, whereby online data and journals can be accessed and viewed.Your school may have their own library, however, you might find that the study areas get quite busy in the run up to exams. Also, the likelihood of relevant Maths books being available is quite low, since around two dozen (or more if you have a large year group) of you will all be working towards the same goal. That is why visiting libraries in and around your area is a wise idea.Discover how useful maths can be in life and why you should consider studying it.

Easily confused words in English Why the Butterfly Effect is not the Butterfly Affect

Easily confused words in English Why the Butterfly Effect is not the Butterfly Affect You have probably heard of the book and movie The Butterfly Effect, but do you know why it is not called The Butterfly Affect? These words sound the same, and are often confused by people learning English, and even by plenty of people who are native English speakers. EffectThe word effect is generally used as a noun in English. It refers toa result brought about by a causean impression of somethinga phenomenon, wither real or illusorymeaning or senseHere are some examples of its usage:The effect of the flooding on the house was clearly visible. The soothing music had a powerful effect on the child and lulled him to sleep. She put flowers on the table to create a homely effect. The pill had an immediate effect on my headache.Occasionally, effect is used as a verb. In this case it is used to evoke a change that has been brought about.Here is an example:Our school director changed the rules in order to effect a change on how we behaved ourselves.AffectAffect on the other hand, is normal ly used as a verb in English. It means to: change someone’s state emotionally or psychologically influence someone or something assume a behavior attack or infectHere are some examples of how it is used.Polio can affect sufferers’ legs and reduce their ability to walk. He can really affect an English accent although he is not French. The current economic crisis affects all our salaries. The high rainfall levels will affect tourism this year.Learning the difference between affect and effect through musicNow, we will listen to two songs one of which uses effect and the other affect. See if you can figure out which one.[Rihanna:]?Thats how much I love you?Thats how much I need you?And I cant stand you?Must everything you do make me wanna smile?Can I not like you for awhile? (No.)??[Ne-Yo:]?But you wont let me?You upset me girl?And then you kiss my lips?All of a sudden I forget (that I was upset)?Cant remember what you did??[Rihanna:]?But I hate it?You know exactly what to do?So tha t I cant stay mad at you?For too long thats wrong??[Ne-Yo:]?But I hate it?You know exactly how to touch?So that I dont want to fuss.. and fight no more?Said I despise that I adore you??[Rihanna:]?And I hate how much I love you boy (yeah)?I cant stand how much I need you (I need you)?And I hate how much I love you boy (oh whoa..)?But I just cant let you go?And I hate that I love you so (oh..)??[Ne-Yo:]?You completely know the power that you have?The only one makes me laugh??[Rihanna:]?Said its not fair?How you take advantage of the fact?That I love you beyond the reason why?And it just aint right??[Ne-Yo:]?And I hate how much I love you girl?I cant stand how much I need you (yeah..)?And I hate how much I love you girl?But I just cant let you go?But I hate that I love you so??[Both:]?One of these days maybe your magic wont ______me?And your kiss wont make me weak?But no one in this world knows me the way you know me?So youll probably always have a spell on me Now, here is the second o ne:Every morning the last couple of weeks In between shaving and brushing my teeth Id lean on the sink and practice my lines By now you would think theyd be memorizedBut leave it to me to come all this way Get down on one knee and forget what to say Im at a loss should have known this is how it would be Cause you have that _____ on meI must admit I still dont understand Why I lose my head holding your hand Theres no explanation no simple excuse For this intoxication I feel around youAnd now truth be known since Ive met you girl Ive been walkin around in my own little world One look in my eyes and darlin any fool could see That you have that _____ on meYouve had your eyes on a two carat ring I finally went out and I bought it Right now its at home sittin on my TV Would you believe I forgot itBut you cant blame me cause its plain to see That you have that ______ on me Yeah you have that _____ on me Girl you have that ______ on meExercisesNow, let’s see how what you’ve learned. Her e are some final exercisesThat car accident has had a profound _______ on his confidence while driving. Did you notice the ______ of the white curtains against the orange walls? Will the rise in prices ______ your holiday plans this year? I know she spent a year in Australia but that accent seems really _______ Do you think Paul will _________ a change in the company?Got questions? Email us or ask them in comments below. Sign up for our English classes. Inscribéte para nuestros cursos de inglés. If you found this lesson helpful, feel free to share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Mo Money, No Problems 5 Foreign Language Scholarships

Mo Money, No Problems 5 Foreign Language Scholarships Mo Money, No Problems: 5 Foreign Language Scholarships Having money is the dream, but it can definitely bring problems.Your sister will want you to buy her a new dress.Your cousin will want you to fund his sons private school education.Your grandmother will want you to sponsor her pole dance classes and go to all her recitals.But for all the problems money can bring, it can also definitely solve problems. Case in point: It can help you fund a very useful language education.Sadly, even with all the  free language learning options  out there, learning a language for free  isnt for everyone.Some will want the credits and/or the experience of a more formal education.However,  studying a language in college  can be pricey, and not everyone can afford it. In addition to courses, you may also need to study abroad to complete your studies, and costs can add up quickly.Resources may seem scarce, but luckily, you dont have to go it alone. There are scholarships out there to help you get your language education without breaking the bank. Whether yo ure majoring in a language or just want to learn a language to round out your skill set, there are programs that can help you reach your goals. Below are five great foreign language scholarships you might want to apply for. How to Land a Foreign Language ScholarshipStay on top of deadlines. All of  the best colleges  and scholarship programs have deadlines. Whenever youre considering applying for a scholarship, pay careful attention to the deadlines and try to get your materials in well in advance. Theres nothing worse than going to the work of putting together the application materials and then realizing youre too late!Write a killer essay/personal statement.  Some scholarships may require essays or personal statements. These could address topics like motivation, goals and/or financial need. Regardless of what youre asked to write about, make sure your essay is on point. Reflect carefully on whatever question is posed to you and answer as clearly and thoroughly as possible. You m ight also have friends, family and/or your universitys tutoring center review your work for grammar, spelling and clarity. Even if you have mad writing skills, it can be hard to catch your own mistakes.Have trusted language-related references ready to go.  Some programs may request references, so if youre considering applying, you may want to already know who youll ask. Better still, you may want to have already spoken to potential references. It often helps for references to know your goals, motivation and accomplishments so that they can better speak to your qualifications. Having your references lined up and ready can save you time and ensure that if a scholarship opens up, youre ready to roll!Study up with FluentU to make sure you meet requirements for any scholarships you may apply for. Some foreign language scholarships dont require any knowledge of a language at all, but some want to see that youve reached a certain level of fluency. FluentU is a flexible, easy way to get in the practice you need to improve and maintain your proficiency.FluentU makes it possible to learn languages from music videos, commercials, news, inspiring talks and more.With FluentU, you hear languages in real-world contextsâ€"the way that native speakers actually use them. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of FluentU videos on offer:FluentU really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothing but engaging, effective and efficient learning. It’s already hand-picked the best videos for you and organized them by level and topic. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started!Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab.You can use FluentU’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases fro m the video through fun questions and exercises. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word youre studying.The program even keeps track of what you’re learning and tells you exactly when it’s time for review, giving you a 100% personalized experience.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store.Mo Money, No Problems: 5 Foreign Language ScholarshipsCritical Language ScholarshipWouldnt it be great if you could study an important language for free? Wouldnt it be even better if you could do so abroad? Good news, folks! The Critical Language Scholarship program offers free, intensive language study abroad in languages deemed critical to national security and economic prosperity.You dont need to be a language major to apply. In fact, the program encourages students from diverse disciplines to apply since the idea is to get skilled speakers for a variety of future caree rs. However, you do need to be an American enrolled at an American university.Programs usually last for around two months each summer. The scholarship covers travel expenses, language instruction, room, board, activities and even academic credit. Its open to both undergraduate and graduate students.Complete beginners through advanced-level students can apply for programs that teach Azerbaijani, Bangla, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Punjabi, Swahili, Turkish and Urdu.Advanced beginning through advanced students can apply for Arabic, Persian and Portuguese programs.Intermediate and advanced students can apply for Chinese, Japanese and Russian.IES Study Abroad ScholarshipsIf youre looking to study abroad, whether its to study a language or study another topic and maybe learn a little language on the side, study abroad provider IES probably offers a scholarship for your needs.Even if you havent yet been admitted to a study abroad program, you can still apply for aid and get a quick respons e.There are an array of aid options, including need-based scholarships, donor-funded scholarships, diversity scholarships, disability grants and more.IES offers plenty of programs with language study options, so interested students may be able to learn Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese and/or Spanish.CEA ScholarshipsCEA is another study abroad provider that offers an array of scholarship options that you can use to access programs that include a foreign language component. In fact, CEA commits over $2 million annually to financial and scholarship programs.These include merit-based scholarships, need-based scholarships and diversity scholarships.Depending on the program and location, language options can include Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, Czech, French, German, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Many programs allow you to also study additional subjects while learning a language abroad. For instance, you can also study business, tourism, humanities and/or science.Boren Awards ScholarshipsProvided through the National Security Education program, Boren Scholarships fund studying less commonly taught languages that are considered critical to U.S. national security.With this scholarship, you propose the study abroad program you hope to participate in. Theres a preference for longer programs. Another important qualification to note is that you must agree to go on to work in a national security position with a federal government agency for at least one year.Most Boren recipients study in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe or South America. A complete list of emphasized countries is available.You might also review a  list of recent recipients  (complete with language studied, institution, field of study and country of study) to give you a clearer idea of whether you may qualify.Benjamin A. Gilman International ScholarshipThe Gilman Scholarship is a need-based program through the U.S. Department of State thats designed to allow students who might not otherwise be able to study abroad the opportunity.You select the program you want to participate in, so theres flexibility with regards to language and location. As you can see from the  list of recent recipients, scholarship winners come from all over the United States and travel all over the world.Additionally, if you receive this scholarship, youll have a competitive advantage for certain federal jobs for the next 12 months by being allowed to apply for jobs only open to federal employees.Bonus OptionsCheck with your university.There are tons of university-specific scholarships, so you might find the perfect scholarship (or scholarships) for you through your own school. If you want to study a language abroad, you might check with your schools study abroad office. If youre wanting to study a language on home turf, check with your schools scholarship coordinator and/or language department.The other big benefit of applying for a scholarship through your university is that there s less competition. Since its a narrower pool of potential applicants to begin with, youll be at a distinct advantage. Plus, if a scholarship is not well-known on campus, you might find even less competition than you would have expected.Look for language-specific scholarships.Youll generally have an easier time finding a language-specific scholarship than a general language scholarship. If youre studying a popular language, chances are youll find a number of options.To find more scholarships, you might search BigFuture,  Lead with Languages  and/or  ACTFL. BigFuture focuses more on general scholarships, while Lead with Languages and ACTFL focus more squarely on language-related scholarships.Getting a foreign language scholarship might not make all your problems go away, but it sure couldnt hurt.So try applying for these great foreign language scholarship programs.

Why You Need an Irvine College Admissions Consultant

Why You Need an Irvine College Admissions Consultant Four Reasons Why You Need an Irvine College Admissions Consultant Four Reasons Why You Need an Irvine College Admissions Consultant For many high school students, applying to college is the main focus right now. Whether you are applying to as many as possible or sticking to your top two or three, putting together a college application can be a lot of work. From a high GPA to extracurricular activities and sports, you’ve done all you can to put your best foot forward, but that still might not be enough to woo the admissions director. Fortunately for you, our private Irvine college admissions consultants are highly educated and experienced. Though college applications vary, most consist of more than one piece. For example, a college might require you to submit your high school transcript, test scores (SAT ACT), an essay, letters of recommendation, and possibly an interview. That’s a lot to put together, all while trying to present it in a consistent manner that makes you look exceptional. The best way to get into the college of your dreams is to work with a private Irvine admissions consultant. Here are four reasons why you should get some extra help 1. Help You Stay On Track As mentioned in the intro, applications require an assortment of documents, essays, test scores, and recommendation letters. A private admissions consultant has been through the process before and has the credentials to prove they know what they are talking about (you can book our Harvard-educated admissions consultant today). Your consultant will help you create a plan that fits in with the due date of the application. That way you won’t be rushing last minute to get a missing piece of the puzzle. Further, your consultant will be there to answer any questions you have along the way, which will save you the time and stress (READ: College Decisions: 3 Things to Think About). 2. Help You Stay Calm Applying to college is stressful. While you’re busy writing essays and preparing for interviews, your friends are getting acceptance letters. It can be overwhelming for students as well as disheartening. Thankfully you’ll have the help of a highly educated consultant who knows what it takes to get into the top universities you can get the assistance of a Harvard educated admissions consultant when you call TutorNerds today. 3. Take Your Application from good to great College is getting more and more competitive. We do not doubt that on your own you can come up with a proper application. The bad news is that good doesn’t cut it anymore; If you want to get into the college of your dreams, your application needs to be great. Usually, admissions advisors spend more time on applications that catch their attention in the first few seconds. They can spot the great from the good better than anyone. A private college consultant will make sure your application catches their eye and keeps their attention. 4. Prepare for Your Admissions Interviews Not all colleges require or offer an interview for admissions, but if you have the opportunity for one, we advise you take it. Whether it’s through an alumni connection or available to all applicants, an interview with an admissions advisor can be daunting. Thankfully, our private Irvine admissions consultants are pros and can prepare you for your big day. From prepping questions to ask to practice with mock interviews, a consultant is key to entering that interview with confidence. The last thing you want to do is to go into an interview unprepared and unenthusiastic. Call TutorNerds today to book your private college consultant! 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.

Top Brain Foods for your Child - ALOHA Mind Math

Top Brain Foods for your Child Did you know that the foods children eat affect their behavior, ability to learn, and memory power? In fact, eating the right food and creating a balanced diet goes a long way in developing your child’s brain. There are many factors that contribute to a child’s brain development throughout their growing years. One of them is “brain foods”. Let’s take a look at the top foods that boost brain development. Antioxidants Foods rich in antioxidants are good to improve memory and protect your child’s brain from regular wear and tear. Berries, especially blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are packed with antioxidants. Complex Carbohydrates â€" Foods rich in complex carbs are essential to the brain’s functioning because they are its main source of fuel. The body absorbs complex carbohydrates after they’re broken down into glucose, which the brain uses as energy. Some good sources of complex carbs are whole-grain breads, pastas, crackers, cereals, pancakes, waffles, and brown rice. Choline- is essential for brain development and memory function. It helps the brain communicate with the rest of the body. Good sources of choline are egg yolk, beans, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, yogurt, tofu, buckwheat, and lean beef. Protein â€" Foods rich in protein are important for brain development. Eggs, lean meat, lentils, milk and yogurt are good sources of protein. Iron â€" is an essential mineral that helps your child stay energized and concentrate well. Lean beef, spinach, black bean, and soy are great options. Vitamin E â€" aids brain development and protects brain-cell membranes from damage. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds are good sources of the antioxidant vitamin E. Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids â€" are crucial to brain and eye development. They also they help stabilize mood. Salmon, shrimp, scallops, walnuts, flaxseed, and omega-3 enriched eggs and yogurt are great sources. As a parent, you want the best for your child. You want them to be smart, intelligent, and get a scholarship to the best school or college. You want to be proud of their achievements, be it in sports, music, education, or any other field they choose to take on. It’s never too late to change your child’s food habits in order to incorporate foods that boost brain development. For all you know, your child could be the next Einstein, Mozart or Pele in the making. At ALOHA we have learning programs that enhance the overall learning development of your child. Visit our website for further information www.aloha-usa.com