What is it Like to Attend University of California, Santa Barbara

What is it Like to Attend University of California, Santa Barbara The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Mary is a 2011 graduate of University of California, Santa Barbara. She holds a degree in Zoology and currently tutors many subjects in Los Angeles including Essay Editing tutoring, SSAT prep tutoring, and Elementary Math tutoring. See what she had to say about her undergraduate experience: 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? Mary: My campus was situated near a small community where most of the students lived, so most people walked, biked, or skated to all of their classes. Pedestrians definitely outnumbered cars. There was a security service available that provided complimentary escort services if you ever felt you needed it, but generally the campus was very safe and there were very few reported incidents of violence. There was also an amazing bus service we could use for free to get all around the city, so there really was no need for a car. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Mary: Any time I had questions or needed extra help, I could find it. Theyre there to help you succeed, and generally they love what theyre doing. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Mary: There were several dorms, and all had delicious dining commons. I lived in the only dorm situated off-campus, but we were only a mile away and it was easy to socialize within our dorm and with friends living in other dorms or in the community. We had social events frequently, and living in the dorm was definitely a wonderful experience I would recommend to everyone! 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? Mary: I studied Marine Biology. Growing up in the mountains far from the ocean made the seas and the life contained within them a mystery to me, and I enjoyed learning everything I could about them. Because I attended a research university, the Sciences were definitely best represented, but there were a lot of Social Sciences as well. My school did a lot of outreach to help us stay informed and make good decisions about our majors, but more often than not you have to get out there and ask questionsthere are always answers, but you have to be proactive. 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? Mary: Greek life was certainly a large part of my university, but I never became involved with the system. I did join several clubs, though, and I met a lot of people my freshmen year, many of whom I am still in contact with. You just have to get out there and find people you can connect with! VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Mary: I really wish Id spent more time at the Career Center: They had a lot of information available, quizzes, and surveys to help you determine which areas you would be suitable for, as well as Career Counselling. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Mary: There was always somewhere with tons of space when you needed it! My school had a 24-hour room in the library that was usually crowded, but there was always room for you to squeeze in next to someone. There were also 24-hour rooms in all of the dorms that you could reserve for yourself or a study group, but there was generally always an open room if you decided to just drop in. The University Center was also a great place to study. 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? Mary: My college was situated next to a small community within the larger city that housed the university. This community was 90% students and had a vibrant culture; there were restaurants, theatres, etc., and always fun things to do, including programs, lectures, concerts, etc. put on by the university. The larger city was accessible by car/bus and also featured many things to do, such as eating out, shopping, watching plays, concerts, movies, lectures, and hitting the beach. Most students split their time between our small community and the larger city, and both had tons of things to do and were very easily accessible. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Mary: The undergraduate student body at my school was roughly 18,000, with approximately 5,000 more graduate students. Because I was studying in the Science department, most of my lower-level classes were quite large (ranging from 150-600 students), which was disconcerting for me since I had attended a very small high school. However, the teachers and TAs were always readily accessible, and my university also offered free study groups that were capped at 15-20 students. Each lecture also had a discussion group of no more than 25 students. Most lower-level classes in other departments were roughly capped at about 300 students. However, when I moved into my upper-division classes, most of my lectures were no more than 150 students, and also had the smaller 15-20 student discussion sections. Overall, I felt a bit overwhelmed at first, but the resources I needed to succeed were readily available. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Mary: I had never received a grade lower than an A, so I had high expectations for myself when I entered college. I struggled a lot because I was not mentally or academically prepared for the rigor of my classes, and at one point I was taking 18 units of math, chemistry, and physics and had to decide which of my classes to slack off in. As a result, I failed Organic Chemistry in order to succeed in the other classes I was better prepared for. It was a humbling and embarrassing experience, but one I learned from: Do not take on too much, and remember that this is your first try at collegeno one expects you to get it all right on the first try. Above all, find something you love to do, and remember that this is supposed to be fun! Check out Marys tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Few Exercise to Develop the Body Language of a Leader - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Few Exercise to Develop the Body Language of a Leader - Introvert Whisperer Few Exercise to Develop the Body Language of a Leader It is important for every leader to maintain a body language that is going to leave a positive impact on others. Every leader has the quality to attract people with their words and gestures. It is not only about hard work or experience which makes a person a leader. Be it any leader in this world, they have an extraordinary personality which makes people listen to them and believe in their words. There are a lot of people, especially the youths who want to obtain leadership skills so that they can stand apart in the crowd. Leadership qualities are not very difficult but you need to follow them and make them your habit so that you don’t need to pretend in front of anyone that your personality is amazing. There are a lot of people who follow a lot of leaders and watch their videos and listen to their speeches and try to copy them. Remember, that copying someone is not going to help you become unique. You need to understand yourself and make yourself different from others. But what can be the most important body language that can help a person become a leader? Well, to understand this in more detail here we have a few exercises to develop the body language of a leader. These tips are surely going to help you become a good leader: The first impression is the last impression: When you meet someone for the first time in your life( i.e attending a meeting or giving a presentation to clients etc.) the people around you are going to start noticing you and observing your gestures in the first 10 seconds only. They will make their mind that you are confident, rude, full of negative attitude or energetic. You just cannot get into their minds and change their thoughts for you. This is the reason you need to follow some essential rule while you are meeting new people. Smiling is the key as it leaves a long-lasting impact on everyone. The time you have entered the room just keep a smiling face and greet everyone. Don’t just try to ignore people thinking that you are superior to others. You need to prove how down to earth you are and ready to communicate with everyone. This gesture is surely going to help people think about you positively. Make eye contact and prove your confidence: There can be many situations when a person can know a lot about you just looking in your eyes. You just need to be positive and confident from inside, your eyes can help you by telling people that you believe in what you are saying and even shows how attentive you are while listening to others. Shake hands with confidence: Handshakes are known to be one of the best ways to establish a connection. According to a report, “A handshake is equalled to 3 hours of conversation one needs to develop a connection”. This proves how essential a handshake is. But what can be the best way of handshake? Well, According to best personality development institutions, “Just make sure you have palm-to-palm contact and that your grip is firm but not bone-crushing”. This way of a handshake can prove that you are a goal-oriented person and full of confidence.

Will or Be Going To Video with Exercises

Will or Be Going To Video with Exercises When talking about the future in English, ESL students often have difficulty deciding whether they should use will or be  going to, and the difference in meaning between the two.For example, do you know the difference between these two sentences?I am going to visit Miami next year.I will visit Miami next year.No? Watch the video below, and see if you can do the exercises. If you want to watch more English lesson videos with exercises, click here. Fill in the gaps below with will or the correct form of be going to.1. I ______ visit my friends in Argentina next year.2. I think they ______ be glad to see me.3. Since you cooked dinner, I ____ wash the dishes.4. He ______ run 5 miles tomorrow.5. I ____ be 36 in October.6. The World Cup in Brazil _______ be awesome!7. I promise I _____ make another video next week.8. I think it _____ be warm tomorrow.Write your answers in comments and well tell you how you did! Diniz Congratulation you a good Teacher LOIEnglish Thanks Diniz! Giuseppe Pe rna 1)  I am going to visit my friends in Argentina next year. 2)    I think they will be glad to see me. 3)  Since you cooked dinner, I will wash the dishes. 4)  He is going to run 5 miles tomorrow. 5)  I am going to be 36 in October. 6)  The World Cup in Brazil will be awesome! 7)  I promise I will make another video next week. 8)  I think it will be warm tomorrow LOIEnglish Once again, well done Giuseppe! Another perfect score.   Zenaide Hi, thanks for the class. Really nice! I was checking the Giuseppes answers and I didnt understand the number 5. Is it correct? Isnt it a case of things that cannot change, so, the answer would be will? Thank you! LOIEnglish Youre right Zenaide. Question 5 is will. Although, I wouldnt worry too much about the difference in this circumstance. It is more important to remember to use going to for your plans.   G-fili 5)   Ill be 36 in October (its thing that cannot change). Is it right? LOIEnglish Yes! The answer to number 5 is will. It cannot change and therefore will is correct.   Adolfo I listened to a song and in its lyrics we can find this sentence: Youre gonna miss me when Im gone. I suppose itd be wrong, because its a prediction we cant know whether the other person would really miss him. Could you explain me that, please? Thank you. LOIEnglish Adolfo,  Good question! It is true that sometimes we use going to/gonna for predictions. The general rule is we use these for predictions when we have some evidence supporting our prediction.  For example:   The sky is really cloudy. Its going to rain soon.   My sister isnt going to catch her flight, she left 15 minutes ago and her flight leaves in 5 minutes.   The police man is going to give me a ticket. I was driving too fast.  and with will there is less evidence. (Often times we show some doubt when we talk about predictions with will. i.g. I think, maybe, possibly, etc.)Here are some will predictions:   You will live a very long time.   She will fall in love with him.   The test will be difficult.  You can see the above predictions dont have any real evidence. On a side note: Dont worry too much about the difference as in many cases we can use either will or going to. What is more important is that you use going to for plans rather than will. susana gonzalez 1. I am going to visit my friends in Argentina next year.2. I think they will be glad to see me.3. Since you cooked dinner, I will wash the dishes.4. He is going to run 5 miles tomorrow.5. I will be 36 in October.6. The World Cup in Brazil is going to be awesome!7. I promise I will make another video next week.8. I think it will be warm tomorrow. LOIEnglish Perfect! Sean Hwang 1. I am going to visit my friends in Argentina next year.2. I think they _will be glad to see me.3. Since you cooked dinner, I _will_ wash the dishes.4. He is going to run 5 miles tomorrow.5. I am going to be 36 in October.6. The World Cup in Brazil _will be awesome!7. I promise I am going to make another video ne xt week.8. I think it will be warm tomorrow. LOIEnglish #5 will is a better option.

Simple Study Tips to Improve Habits Grades - Private Tutoring

Simple Study Tips to Improve Habits Grades BobbiM Apr 21, 2015 If your child is struggling in school with one particular class or even a few classes, most parents and students are looking for some solutions.     There are several options, including private tutoring. However, that can’t be the only step that you take. Making sure that what is learned in class or with a tutor is really understood is critical to your student’s success. We’ve come up with several tips from experts and tutors that work with us that we thought we’d share with you! Study Tips #1 Ask your kids what they learned while in school or during their tutoring session. This will enhance a student’s critical thinking skills. Critical thinking allows a student to understand a topic, subject or skill in their own words and then being able to explain it to another person. You can ask questions during a casual conversation or over dinner. Have patience at times while they try to put a new concept or skill into words or demonstrate it for you.  Study Tips #2 â€" Make sure to initiate open discussion in a positive and enthusiastic vein. Ask your child what is going on! Find out what they are covering and what he or she is liking or not liking. Make sure that your child is getting what they need and what you are paying for. Communication means you aren’t in the dark or having to guess what is going on or where they might be struggling in school or with their tutor. If you have hired a private tutor and there isn’t progress or the fit doesn’t seem to be working, it’s your option to find a new tutor or discuss it with the tutor you are currently working with. There are different styles in teachers and tutors and the key is to find the right match for your child. You might also enjoy: 4 Basic Principles of Problem Solving Study Tip #3 Teach your child that they need both a healthy mind AND body! Good sleep and the right foods make all the difference in each of our ability to learn and absorb new topics and information. A few tweaks (or a lot of tweaks) to eating habits and sleep habits may be just what the doctor ordered (if you had gone to a doctor…..). Simple steps like a consistent bed time and healthy meals are important habits for a child to learn for life. Incorporating gradual changes into your family’s lifestyle may make a huge and positive difference for everyone. This is especially important before big exams, tests or other brain draining activities. Study Tips #4 â€" Keep an eye on the results of your child’s new study habits and abilities. Whether it’s from a change in studying practices or from having an at home private tutor, see if there’s some improvement in confidence, skills and, of course, grades.     If you’ve initiated several changes and still are not seeing results, there might be other factors that are impacting your child. For more information, search private tutors in your area today!

Last Minute SAT Study Guide - by TutorNerds

Last Minute SAT Study Guide - by TutorNerds Last Minute SAT Study Guide From an Irvine SAT Tutor The SAT is this Saturday so what you do or don’t do this week will make a significant difference in your score (our Irvine SAT test prep tutors are always here to help). For some of you this is the first time you are taking the SAT and you have multiple more times to take it, for others this is it. Try these last minute tips to give you the best chance of success this weekend. 1. Don’t overestimate yourself. You may have mastered the long passages or the triangle problems long ago but if you haven’t reviewed them within the last two weeks, you should do so now. Go over all of the sections that you were doing well on and do at least one of each throughout the week. Make a list of all of the sections where your expected success rate has dropped and do a second one by Thursday. 2. Tackle those really hard sections. Perhaps you have given up on graphs or sentence corrections, thinking that you will pick up enough points on the sections that you excel in. It’s not too late to go through the explanations in the back of your test prep book and see what you are missing. Picking up even 2-3 points per section could make a huge difference in your composite score (READ: 5 Awesome SAT Apps). 3. Know when to omit. If you always get the ‘except’ questions wrong, and every single strategy you have ever tried and everything your tutor has ever told you still isn’t working, then it may be time to admit that these questions aren’t for you and consider omitting them on the test. Remember that you are penalized for guessing on the SAT (READ: A Timeline Study Guide for the SAT). 4. Tally up your score. If you have only been calculating your score on certain sections or if you haven’t been keeping track at all, now is the time to tally up a composite score. The only score that really counts is the one given by the College Board but it’s better to know what your potential score is before going into the exam. If your current practice test composite score for all sections is a 1500, then you will likely score between a 1400 and 1600 on the real test. Of course, there are plenty of factors that can change your score either up or down but it is always good to have an estimate. 5. Take one full length practice test. If it’s been several weeks since your last full length practice test or if you have yet to take one, do your very best to sit down one day after school Monday-Thursday and take a full length practice test. This will help you understand how long you will be sitting down and how long the test will require your full attention (READ: SAT Subject Tests). 6. Follow your pre-test routine on Friday. Basically, if you haven’t learned a particular concept or technique by Friday, then you probably won’t have a ‘light bulb moment’ on Saturday morning at 3 AM. It is important to rest your brain and body the day before a big test such as the SAT. On Friday, eat a good breakfast, lunch and dinner. Go for a walk after school and get some invigorating fresh air and sunshine. Go to bed in time to get at least eight hours of sleep but nine would be better. Good luck on the October SAT! All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at info@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 post about.

6 Reasons Why Your Kid Should Love Science - TutorNerds

6 Reasons Why Your Kid Should Love Science - TutorNerds Orange County Science Tutor Tips: 6 Reasons Why Your Kid Should Love Science Science is such a great subject that encourages analytical thought and imagination at the same time. Kids who get into science at an early age will learn how to question things they dont understand, investigate, research, and so much more. Science helps kids look at the world in a new light and helps them understand things from all five senses. Whether a kid is collecting samples out in nature or doing research in a lab, science will help them improve their overall academic success and keep them curious about the world around them. 1.   Research skills Science can help young learners improve their research skills and understand what type of research is effective and how to do it. Most people think of science when they think about doing research but this skill is actually applicable to pretty much every subject kids study in school. Older students will complete research papers for English, history, and economics and students of all ages can use research to think about the world around them and determine fact versus fiction. 2. The scientific method Kids who get into science will also learn about the specifics of the scientific method. This is a really important aspect of education because it leads to new technology, new medical care, and other important scientific discoveries. Its an important lesson for kids to understand that their research, where appropriate, must adhere to the scientific method and that other people’s experiments need to as well. 3.   A creative perspective Although we dont immediately think of creativity and imagination when we think about science, this subject can actually broaden the perspective of any student. It helps them think about things outside of the textbook and imagine all five senses when doing experiments or completing research. Kids who are creative learn how to problem solve, deal with difficult situations, discover new ways of being successful, and tend to have a more well-rounded education (READ: 5 Ways to Study for Science Class). 4.   Questions and answers One of the most important skills young students can learn is how to ask a question and how to answer it. Whether theyre answering their own question or another person’s, this simple skill is at the heart of all education and learning. Asking the right questions, the ones that lead to a concrete answer or perhaps an infinite number of answers can be really difficult for a young child who is just beginning their academic career. Science encourages students to ask a ton of questions and come up with different answers that can lead to a solution. 5.   Thinking outside the box Science also encourages students to think outside the box. If an experiment fails, students will have to look for a new solution or create an entirely new experiment. If one thing doesnt work, they have to figure out another way to be successful. Of course, this train of thought is helpful in science, but its also helpful in all aspects of life both academic and personal. Much of education encourages students to think inside the box, so its essential for them to be able to step back, take a moment and think about all the possibilities available to them. 6. Details Studying science also helps students develop a detail-oriented way of thinking. Whether doing research, conducting an experiment, or learning about scientists from the past, students will have to look at every minute detail to discover a solution to whatever problem theyve been given. Many careers require people to be extremely detail oriented, so its a great idea for students to develop the skill early on. Want to improve your grade in science class? Call us today and well match you with one of our experienced Orange County science tutors. 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.

Tips for Salary Negotiation

Tips for Salary Negotiation Image via Pixabay In the upcoming months, thousands of young twenty-somethings will walk across a college stage to receive a piece of paper that represents a college degree one has worked anywhere from three to five years for. The end goal is to enter the work world and begin working at a really great job, making a really great salary, and paying off those hefty student loans. By working so hard to earn your degree, you are well ahead of those who opted not to go to college and certainly ahead of those who barely made it out of high school and are still working their part-time high school job at your age. However, there is a good chance that most grads will be so happy to even land a great job that they will fail to do one thing: Ask for the money they really want. You may think, “This is my first job, I don’t want to make a bad impression so I will keep my mouth shut and do what they tell me.” Or, “I am so excited to have this offer compared to friend 1 who received a lesser offer and friend 2 who didn’t receive an offer at all.” Or, still, “The company knows what it’s doing; I’m just a new grad with a lot to learn.” (Sure, the company knows what it’s doing and it’s largely looking out for its own best interests). But has any of this ever crossed your mind? A 2015 survey by NerdWallet and Looksharp found that out of almost 8,000 new graduates who entered the working world in a three-year period (2012 and 2015) and 700 employers, only 38 percent of those who responded negotiated with their employers upon receiving a job offer. And nearly 75 percent of employers said they had space to increase their first salary job offers by 5 percent to 10 percent. On top of that, 84 percent of employers said one would not be putting their job at risk if they asked for a negotiation, including entry-level candidates. So, what does this mean for you? Well, it means two things. First, you don’t have to give in to fear of losing a job or job offer. PayScale revealed in its Salary Negotiation Guide that 28 percent of survey respondents felt uncomfortable negotiating their salary, 19 percent didn’t want to be perceived as pushy, and 8 percent feared losing their job. When it comes to dealing with money, things can get awkward and even make you feel anxious at the negotiating table. But, come on, it’s your life. What do you have to lose? According to David Fletcher, career advisor at American University, “Employers work very hard to identify a strong candidate the last thing they are going to do is toss out a top candidate because someone wanted a few thousand dollars more.” Second, companies always have room to pay more. However, they will pay as low a salary as they can for the greatest amount of productivity possible. The company may not willingly offer a pay raise and thus you’ll probably never get one if you don’t ask. The biblical admonition, “ask and ye shall receive” still rings true. If you don’t ask, you won’t get. So, if you’re a recent grad, here are some tips to follow to negotiate your salaries: DO YOUR RESEARCH Throughout the interview process, show that you can do the job, prepare for the role, and act as if the job is already yours. Find out what is expected in the job position, and then train yourself to take on the role. Be knowledgeable and show you are capable. When it comes to negotiation time, the hiring manager will offer the lowest end of the salary stick. You can present an outline of what you will do or have done in the job position and work your way up to the salary you desire. USE YOUR BRAIN You must have a rationale for the pay raise. This can be based on previous experience whether paid or unpaid. It can be based on a  general salary range for the position. It can be based on unique skills you bring to the company. Saying you want a pay raise just because isn’t going to cut it. Don’t come across as demanding or entitled. If they say no the first time, don’t give up. Bring it up again in three months, six months. In between that time, prove yourself. ASK FOR ALTERNATIVE PERKS An increased salary may not always be feasible or possible at the time of your request. Consider asking for additional vacation time, one day a week to work remotely, work schedule flexibility, stock options, a better retirement package, increased health benefits, and so forth. You want to be both respectful and reasonable. An all or nothing approach will hurt you far more in the long run than getting what you want or at least what can be beneficial to you all along the way. KNOW YOUR WORTH This should probably be number one. But enter the process with reasonable expectations and information to support what you’re saying. If you increased sales at Company One by 50 percent in six months, then it is likely you can do it for Company Two. Know what you’re capable of and be humbly firm and confident about it. Don’t go by what your friends say they did to get the job or what they earn or that you have $XX expenses to cover. The goal is to share your skills, experience, ability, education, and how you can make a difference in the overall goal of the company. If you know who you are, know how good you are, and know what you can offer and politely and reasonably express your request for a salary increase, any employer would be willing to work with you and in the end, you may end up getting far more than you asked for.