3 Tips for Choosing the Right Internship

3 Tips for Choosing the Right Internship With summer break just a few months away, now is an excellent time to begin searching for a summer internship. Accepting the correct internship can set you on a path to success and help you discover the type of work youre passionate about. Choosing the right internship involves networking with companies in your area, identifying your specific interests, and understanding the internships expectations. Hoping to secure an internship this year? Keep reading to learn three tips for choosing the right internship. Tip #1 for choosing the right internship: pursue your specific areas of interest Before searching for an internship, take a moment to identify what youre looking for in this opportunity. Ask yourself the following questions when determining your internship goals: Am I excited to learn more about a specific industry? What size of organization do I hope to intern at? (Remember that both large and small companies offer their own unique benefits.) What types of skills do I hope to strengthen through my internship? Once you know whats important to you, use these criteria when researching internships. There are many internship opportunities available to students, so setting specific goals can be helpful during your search. It can also aid your research to know where to look for such positions. Reach out to your academic advisor, review an online directory through your university, and speak to professors to help add opportunities to your list. [RELATED: How to Get Real-World Experience in Your College Major] Tip #2 for choosing the right internship: network with local companies and organizations Its important to do focused research in your areas of interest when looking for an internship. Once youve identified the area you would like to focus your internship studies on, create a list of local companies and organizations to contact regarding any available positions. It can be helpful to start with organizations you have personal connections with. For example, if youre interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy and are familiar with a local office due to physical therapy you received there after an injury, inquire about any internship opportunities available to students. Additionally, talk to your parents, teachers, and mentors. These adults may have relationships with individuals in the field that youre interested in who can recommend you for an internship position. [RELATED: Why You Should Pursue an Internship in College] Tip #3 for choosing the right internship: understand the positions expectations Make sure youre very clear with whomever youre communicating with in the internship application process in terms of whats expected of you. Clearly state your availability, major requirements, and what you hope to learn from this experience. This will ensure that youre starting out on the same page as your internship coordinator. Secondly, be sure to read everything thats required of the interns chosen. You dont want to be blindsided by certain responsibilities or requirements of the position. Fostering an open line of communication from the beginning of the process can support a positive experience if you do accept the position. [RELATED: 4 Career Skills for Students to Develop] Once youve secured the right internship for you, whats next? Pay attention, be observant, and learn as much as possible. Understand that an internship is the perfect opportunity to strengthen your skills and gain a deeper understanding of your intended career. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

4 Ways to Prepare for Business School During Your Last Undergrad Semester

4 Ways to Prepare for Business School During Your Last Undergrad Semester Your final semester of college is a busy time. Most college seniors are looking for jobs, spending quality moments with friends, and trying to finish strong in their major. If you are also thinking about business school in the future, this is a great juncture to formulate an MBA plan. Even if you arent applying to business school immediatelywhich is usually not encouraged, unless you have significant work experienceyou can use this time to prepare your applications. Here are four ways to prepare for business school during your last undergrad semester. 1. Take the GMAT or GRE Most business schools accept either the GMAT or the GRE as an admissions exam. Your GMAT and GRE scores are valid for five years, so why not take the test now and get it out of the way? It might be easier to take these exams while still in college, rather than to wait until after youre in the working world, because as a current student you are still familiar with your best study strategies. Take both a GMAT practice test and a GRE practice test first to determine which exam you perform better on. Then, study for the exam and schedule your test date so you have a specific goal to work toward in your prep. Consider making this the first step in your journey to business school, and give yourself time to look into extra test prep assistance if you need it, such as online tutoring. 2. Research business schools you are interested in Would you like to study finance, marketing, or consulting? Would you like to attend school in New York, Washington, D.C., France, or Spain? Choose which factors are important to you when applying to MBA programs, and do research on those schools that fit in your scope. Look at their incoming class profiles. Note which companies their students come from and go to. Find out what these programs are looking for in their applicants. Then, with this information, evaluate how you can use this semester to make yourself a more appealing MBA candidate. Find alumni from the schools in your networkincluding faculty and staff at your current collegewith whom you can connect. Keep up your GPA by performing well in your classes. Assess organizations and projects you would like to participate in before you apply to business school. Look for ways to boost your resume with quality volunteer and leadership opportunities before and after graduation. 3. Visit business schools in your area If there is a business school in your vicinity that you would like to attend, definitely visit the campus. Take a tour and sit in on classes if you can. Observe the environment. Meet the faculty and staff. Consider what you would gain from the program and what you would bring to your MBA class, so that you can incorporate these insights into your application. If there is a business school in your area that doesnt quite meet all of your qualifications, consider taking a tour anyway simply to learn more. Even if you dont want to attend the particular MBA program, talking with admissions officers, current students, and other business school applicants can help give you an idea of the general process and will provide you with good practice for interacting with colleagues at this level. 4. Talk with potential recommenders You will need people to provide you with recommendations for business school, and you will need to speak with these people ahead of time. This requires preparation on your part. Set up meetings with professors, supervisors, and colleagues whom you trust and respect. Have your resume and portfolio ready to discuss incase they request more information. Tell them what you want to do, where you want to go, and how they can help you get there. Also, know what the policies and procedures are for submitting the recommendations so that your recommenders have an idea of what to expect. Most importantly, keep in touch with these people after you graduate. Maintaining these relationships will benefit you throughout your career beyond business school. The last semester of college is a conclusion of your undergrad experience, but it is also a good time to set yourself up for the first semester of business school. Although you may not apply to an MBA program for a few years, you can chart the direction in which you would like to go so that your bases are covered once you get there. Laying the groundwork now can help give you an advantage over many of your fellow MBA applicants. So, use this opportunity to both enjoy your last months of college and prepare yourself for the future.

Questions no one knows the answers to (English listening exercise)

Questions no one knows the answers to (English listening exercise) Its been a while since Ive had the time to visit the Ted website and watch a video, much less make a new listening exercise using one of their videos. So it wasnt until today that I found out about a new series of Ted videos called TED-ED.According to the TED-Ed website:TED-Eds mission is to capture and amplify the voices of great educators around the world. We do this by pairing extraordinary educators with talented animators to produce a new library of curiosity-igniting videos.The animation is truly great. I think that for people learning English, it is especially helpful to see the ideas in the videos illustrated. I wish we were able to do this kind of animation with our English videos weve been making!Below youll find one of the videos that TED-ED has created to introduce this new project. The video is about questions that humans dont know the answers to, curiosity and learning. Watch the video, and below youll find an English listening exercise to go with it. I used to ______ _ ____ a lot of things as a boy.What does the sentence above mean?What were the first three questions he asked himself as a boy?Is the future ___ to be ______?What does the sentence above mean?I mean, I ____ __ assumed that someday I _____ __ ____ the answers to all these questions.Why does he like working on these kinds of questions?

Support for Heart Tutoring Surpasses Record and Brings Program to 17 CMS School Partners - Heart Math Tutoring

Support for Heart Tutoring Surpasses Record and Brings Program to 17 CMS School Partners - Heart Math Tutoring Support for Heart Tutoring Surpasses Record and Brings Program to 17 CMS School Partners Support for Heart Tutoring Surpasses Record and Brings Program to 17 CMS School Partners September 26, 2017 CHARLOTTE, N.C. â€" Sept. 26, 2017 â€" Heart Math Tutoring (Heart) â€" a Charlotte nonprofit dedicated to helping students in high-poverty elementary schools develop math skills and academic confidence â€" wrapped up its Spring Funding Initiative with the largest amount raised to date: $840,342. This enables Heart to grow from 12 to 17 school sites during the 2017/18 school year. Funds raised were from grants, corporate donations, and community support. In the fourth quarter, grants were awarded by Skeebo Foundation ($147,302), The Dickson Foundation ($25,000), TIAA ($10,000), Duke Energy/Piedmont Natural Gas ($10,000), and a general operating grant from The Leon Levine Foundation ($40,000). In total, support from The Leon Levine Foundation makes up $170,000 of the $840,342 raised for the 2017/18 school year, comprised of the $40,000 general operating grant awarded in June 2017 and $130,000 of a three-year, $350,000 capacity-building grant awarded in March 2017. “We are so grateful for the generosity of our community partners and the financial support that will impact hundreds more students this school year,” said Emily Elliott, Executive Director of Heart Math Tutoring. “Funds raised will ensure that all students we serve develop the strong foundation in math and enthusiasm for academics needed for long-term success. Together we are helping students succeed in the classroom and beyond.” At scale, it costs $50,000 to fully fund a Heart school site where 50-80 students receive one-on-one instruction for 30 minutes twice a week from September to May. The cost of a new school site includes an on-site Program Coordinator, tutoring supplies, volunteer recruitment, assessments, and data analysis. Heart Math Tutoring is a math intervention program that recruits, trains, and supports volunteers as tutors in high-poverty elementary schools in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). Hundreds of community members spend one hour each week delivering Heart’s research-based, structured curriculum. 56% percent of economically disadvantaged students in CMS performed below grade level in math on 2017 North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests. In the 2016/17 school year, 98 percent of Heart students met program growth goals in math, growing in two or more building block concept areas. On average, students doubled the goal â€" growing in 4.9 concept areas. Heart students began the year with 26 percent of foundational skills needed, based on grade level standards. By the end of the year, they grew to have 59 percent of the skills they need, cutting the gap in half. Since 2013/14, Heart has grown from serving 105 students across two schools to more than 850 students across 17 school sites in 2017/18. Heart’s 750 volunteers collectively gave more than 13,000 hours of targeted, one-on-one instruction to students during the 2016/17 school year. Much of the volunteer growth has been spurred by volunteer tutors, who have recruited friends and colleagues to join in Heart’s efforts. In addition, 100 percent of surveyed Heart volunteers rated their experience as positive, and 99 percent would recommend Heart to friends and colleagues. Heart Math Tutoring Heart Math Tutoring is a Charlotte-based nonprofit with a mission to ensure that all elementary students develop the strong foundation in math and enthusiasm for academics needed for long-term success, by helping schools use volunteers as tutors. Community members commit one hour per week to deliver an effective, hands-on curriculum through one-on-one tutoring sessions during the school day in high-poverty elementary schools. For more information, visit http://hearttutoring.org. The following is a dropbox link to Heart Math Tutoring images https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jjlr3tqkeni7rm1/AACDCjrZ8Mt85MmeOG0-hh4Ia?dl=0

Managing Test Anxiety with Repetition

Managing Test Anxiety with Repetition I had test anxiety all throughout high school and for the first few semesters of college. It wouldn’t show in every course but it was definitely there for others. I would study so hard for an exam and then become incredibly frustrated when I made a poor grade, especially after knowing that I studied much harder than some of my classmates. I sat down one day after repeatedly doing poorly in a course knowing that I would have to retake it wondering, where am I going wrong?I talked to a few other students as well as my adviser and realized that I had test anxiety, which is fairly common for most students. I would put as much effort as i could into studying for a test and then blank out once I started the exam. It took me a few tries to understand what method worked for me and it might be the same for others or different but the important part is making the change when it comes to studying. My confidence going into a test had gotten so low that it was also affecting my performance so m y first change was to change my attitude. I then began the practice of repetition. I would do every homework assignment multiple times, rewrite class notes over and over until I could explain the lesson to another student, and ask for extra problems in order for me to fully feel confident. Once I knew i had everything down, going into the test was no big deal because I knew I could do it. I know this seems like a lot of work for a test but when it comes to test anxiety, it is very important to be confident as well as repeat the work so many times that you won’t blank out. Once you regain your confidence, you can find easier methods to do and still make the same good grades.

5 Tips to Tackle the Foreign Language Notebook and Keep Yourself Motivated

5 Tips to Tackle the Foreign Language Notebook and Keep Yourself Motivated 5 Tips to Tackle the Foreign Language Notebook and Keep Yourself Motivated Demand evidence.Without tangible evidence that what youre doing is working, motivation is hard.When you start to lose weight, youre motivated to continue when your clothes fit a little looser and the numbers on the scale go down.And you know exactly what to do to continue the trendâ€"eat well and exercise.Learning a language is decidedly more difficult.The evidence isnt as easy to come by, and theres so much to do to make progress.Thats where a foreign language notebook comes in handy. Why Should You Keep a Foreign Language Notebook?You may be asking yourself: Why would I want to take the time to set up a notebook?  I could use other resources to practice and learn?Here are some of the most important reasons why this particular learning resource is so handy:Keep up with your progressThis is the main idea behind a language notebook. The notebook will allow you to see the progress you’ve made. Let’s say you want to be able to write a letter in French. This is the perfect place to do it. So, you write the best letter you can. During the process, questions arise and you look at some of the aspects of letter writing that give you the most trouble.You focus on improving by writing more letters, emails or other correspondence. At the end of the month, youve written 15 letters. Now go back and look at that first letter. Where have you improved? What do you know now that gave you such a hard time at the beginning? This can be just as motivating as seeing the scale go down!Create a single space dedicated to the new languageWhen youre trying to reach fluency in another language, learning can sometimes be sporadic. New words might pop up throughout the day or a question may arise during your commute. Put all the information on those scraps of paper or Post-its in one placeâ€"your notebook. Rewriting this information and  reorganizing your notes is a great way to move information into your long-term memory.Its also important to mention that if youre learning multiple languages (good for you!), then you need multiple notebooks. This will help with compartmentalizationâ€"so when your Portuguese notebook is out, youre only focused on it!It’s a place to practice new vocabulary, grammar and writingAlthough the work you do in your foreign language notebook will positively affect all areas of language learning, its a great place to specifically target essential writing skills. Written communication is just as important as oral communication, and to truly master a language you need to be able to write it.Have places in your notebook where you can address tricky grammar rules and where you can draft longer paragraphs utilizing new vocabulary and grammar. When you need to reference that rule again, its easily accessible!It’s tailored to youUnlike an app or online course where someone else has set up the lessons, you get to be your own teacher. By no means do you have to set up elaborate lesson plans, but you do get to set up the notebook in a way that works best for you.Are you an educator learning Spanish? You can have a place in your notebook dedicated to that vocabulary. Going to China for business? Think about what youll need to be successful. You might find that having a space for cultural and social norms is just as valuable as having an area for vocabulary.Well discuss this in more detail later on in the post, but the content of the notebook is completely up to you! Whatever youre lacking, you can design a notebook to meet those needs.It’s privateNo one else has to see your notebook. It’s the equivalent of your teenage diaryâ€"you can record your mistakes and your progress, then look back on previous pages without judgement.It’s motivatingWeve already discussed the importance of motivation while learning. Along with allowing us to measure our progress, a foreign language notebook can also encourage us to keep going by providing a creative outlet.Your notebook can be as colorful and fun as you want it to be. Feel fre e to add pictures, positive quotes or color-coding to your hearts content. Many of us have little tchotchkes on our desks to keep us going, like a favorite pen or a souvenir from that trip to Italy. Your notebook can serve that same purpose.Anyone can do itAnyone at any level can start a foreign language notebook. If youre at the beginning of your language-learning journey, a notebook will help you lay the foundation of your new skills.The more advanced learner might find their notebook with only a couple of sections dedicated to new vocabulary, grammar structures or more nuanced components of the target language. Thats the beauty of it! No matter where you are in your studies, you can use a notebook to your advantage.5 Tips to Tackle the Foreign Language Notebook and Keep Yourself Motivated1. Find the right notebook for youAs we talked about before, the beauty of keeping a foreign language notebook is how customizable it is. You choose what kind of notebook you want to use and set it up however youd like. Your language notebook can be as simple or complex as it needs to be. You can create it to have a strict design with lists or have a loose structure.Now you may be wondering, where do I find the time to set up and use a notebook for my foreign language? Youre not alone! If the idea of setting up a notebook is overwhelming, you could order a  foreign language notebook online.If you already have some ideas in mind but would like to see more examples, check out YouTube to see how others have organized their notebooks  to give you some ideas.Planning is an important part of choosing the right notebook. So once you have an idea of how big or small youll need it to be, you can better decide what you need. You can use a plain, lined notebook  or repurpose an old binder and fill it with notebook paper. Or, if you just want to give a language notebook a try but need a place to begin, you can find language worksheets on the internet and use your notebook as a place to house those.2. Divide your notebook into sections: vocabulary lists, grammar practice, writingBy dividing up your notebook into sections, youre designating spaces to focus on different goals and concepts. Having a space for vocabulary, grammar and writing practice is a good place to begin because theyre the fundamentals of language fluency.Keeping a list of vocabulary helps you track which words you struggle with and words youve memorized. You can create an alphabetical list or segment words by categories, such as food or telling time.Similarly, keeping a section for grammar concepts gives you something to refer to when you forget a specific structure, and a writing section is a great place to practice those vocabulary and grammar skills.How many pages youll want per section is up to you, but dividing a notebook into three equal sections is a good place to start. Use sticky tabs to divvy up the pages into these three main sections. Experiment with color codingâ€"differentiating top ics with color can be especially helpful to visual learners.After a while, or if you think you need room for more sections, you could add a space for more complex vocabulary lists or a thesaurus-like section where you list words with similar meanings, which can be helpful when writing.3. Find creative writing ideasStruggling to come up with what to write?Here are some ideas to jump-start your practice:Write letters or emails to friends and family.Write a few diary entries.Review your favorite books, movies, shows, recipes or restaurants.Create dialogues using new vocabulary or grammar structures with different scenarios.Plan a dinner menu.Write a magazine article.Create a make-believe travel journal.Use the writing section of your notebook to write whatever you want, but its a good idea to keep it varied. Its like using different equipment at the gym, working different muscles makes you stronger overall. Writing creatively makes your language skills stronger, allowing you to use new vocabulary words and grammar.4. Write down goalsUse the notebook to write down goals for yourself in the target language. You might even create a section dedicated to goals and check the goals off once theyve been reached.Think about what you want to achieve. How many sentences do you want to be able to write? What kind of writing do you want to do? What new words do you want to be able to use? Which grammar concepts do you need to master?Set up a series of goals, each one getting bigger or harder as you go along. For example, challenge yourself every couple of weeks to write for a longer period of time without using a dictionary. This way, youre forcing yourself to focus and challenging yourself to be imaginative with the language.5. Create a system to reward yourself when you reach a goalSet up a reward system for yourself. Since youre recording your goals, youll know when youve achieved them. Its important for you to recognize how far youve come!A reward  could be something as s imple and childish as fun stickers  or new stationary. Maybe youre keeping a list of foreign movies to watch in your notebook, so now would be a good time to reward yourself by watching one!Completing a goal and moving onto the next one means youre moving forward with using the language. It may not be as fun as seeing the scale go down, but its just as motivating!To sum it all up: Your individual language journey should be customized to you.A foreign language notebook is a practical and useful tool for the serious language learner to personalize their learning experience.So, go get one!And One More ThingFind motivation for your language learning creativity in FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Sc reenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.

Learning in the 21st Century Are we heading towards the right direction

Learning in the 21st Century Are we heading towards the right direction Since the Internet was created and developed over the decades, the education has never been the same. Students have changed, educators have changed, learning itself has changed. Today, there are so many ways to study anything you want! And you don’t even have to leave home anymore to learn something new. Let’s imagine you want to play a new song on your guitar. Simply go to YouTube and find accurate guitar chords, and a step-by-step explanation. But, then a question springs to mind: what do we need teachers and tutors for if we have the Internet and gadgets that are so easy to use (PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone)? I remember trying to teach myself to play a guitar using only Internet lessons, mostly the ones on YouTube. Unfortunately, after a short sonata by Beethoven that I managed to master, I decided to end my promising music career. Since then, I didnt have the desire neither did I have time to learn anything else. So, back to the question â€" what do we need tutors for in the era of cutting-edge technologies? A good tutor is more than just a teacher. The main goal of a tutor is to do his best to tailor his teaching methods to meet your needs. Every student needs a different approach. This is what a school or university teachers lack. At school, everybody has to study the same curriculum and complete the same exercises. And only the results will be different. What if we try to combine both: new technologies and constant information (knowledge) exchange between a tutor and a student? I would say that it is more than possible nowadays. But keep in mind, distance learning is not for everyone. You have to experiment and find a perfect solution for yourself. Judging from my personal experience, it is unproductive to have Skype-lessons with children and some teenagers, mostly between 6 and 13 years. At this age children tend to distract themselves or not pay attention. It is extremely hard to keep them focused without in-person supervision. In this case, Id recommend in-person tutoring. At TutorZ we encourage students to use multiple tools to become successful. It could be anything, YouTube channels, books, movies, and/or websites like TutorZ.com, where students can always find a highly qualified, friendly and creative tutors. Learning in the 21st Century Are we heading towards the right direction Since the Internet was created and developed over the decades, the education has never been the same. Students have changed, educators have changed, learning itself has changed. Today, there are so many ways to study anything you want! And you don’t even have to leave home anymore to learn something new. Let’s imagine you want to play a new song on your guitar. Simply go to YouTube and find accurate guitar chords, and a step-by-step explanation. But, then a question springs to mind: what do we need teachers and tutors for if we have the Internet and gadgets that are so easy to use (PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone)? I remember trying to teach myself to play a guitar using only Internet lessons, mostly the ones on YouTube. Unfortunately, after a short sonata by Beethoven that I managed to master, I decided to end my promising music career. Since then, I didnt have the desire neither did I have time to learn anything else. So, back to the question â€" what do we need tutors for in the era of cutting-edge technologies? A good tutor is more than just a teacher. The main goal of a tutor is to do his best to tailor his teaching methods to meet your needs. Every student needs a different approach. This is what a school or university teachers lack. At school, everybody has to study the same curriculum and complete the same exercises. And only the results will be different. What if we try to combine both: new technologies and constant information (knowledge) exchange between a tutor and a student? I would say that it is more than possible nowadays. But keep in mind, distance learning is not for everyone. You have to experiment and find a perfect solution for yourself. Judging from my personal experience, it is unproductive to have Skype-lessons with children and some teenagers, mostly between 6 and 13 years. At this age children tend to distract themselves or not pay attention. It is extremely hard to keep them focused without in-person supervision. In this case, Id recommend in-person tutoring. At TutorZ we encourage students to use multiple tools to become successful. It could be anything, YouTube channels, books, movies, and/or websites like TutorZ.com, where students can always find a highly qualified, friendly and creative tutors.