My Experience at Stanford University

My Experience at Stanford University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Michael is a San Francisco tutor specializing in Algebra tutoring, ACT prep tutoring, Writing tutoring, and many other subjects. He graduated from Stanford University in 2013 where he earned a Bachelors degree in Management Science Engineering. See what he had to say about his time at Stanford University: 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? Michael: The Stanford University campus is incredibly beautiful, from the tree-lined paths, to Lake Lagunita, to Palm Drivevery few universities can compare. Stanford Universitys campus is also incredibly safe, with very few crimes committed on a regular basis. It is very well lit, and there are safety beacons every quarter mile around the majority of the campus. While there is a free bus system that is relatively comprehensive, for the day-to-day commute from dorm to classroom, a bike is highly recommended. The campus is very bike-friendly, with bike racks outside every single building and classroom. It is also very car-unfriendly, and while parking is not that expensive, the time it will take you to drive to classes and park is non-trivial at best and much longer at worse. A car is useful to explore the surrounding suburbs, as apart from Caltrain, public transportation is minimal. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Michael: The teaching community at Stanford University is top notch, and professors, advisers, and teaching assistants are readily available to help with anything and everything. From homework help to starting your own company, Stanford Universitys culture prides itself on being readily amenable to the student body and changes over time. However, you must actively seek those resources out. As a freshman, you will be initially guided toward them, but you must seek them out on your own accord if you truly desire them. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Michael: Stanford University students are characterized as being victims of the Duck Syndrome, which stands for someone who looks calm and collected on the surface and who will tell you everything is fine, while under the surface/water, they are paddling furiously to keep up with the demands of school. As a former Resident Assistant, this is entirely 100% true, and it can be a good thing in a certain way. Stanford University has such a wide variety of clubs, academics, and social functions that put demands on your time that the university will stretch you beyond what you have previously encountered. Problems arise when students take it too far, which tends to happen mostly during freshman year. The saying too much of a good thing is extremely applicable here. Dorm rooms are typically very well maintained, dining has some of the healthiest food options in the country, the location of the campus is incredible if you are interested in technology and Silicon Valley, and there are regular opportunities to interact with unbelievably talented peers. 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? Michael: I was a Management Science Engineering major, and the engineers at Stanford University are by far the best-supported students on campus. During my time at Stanford University, 2009-2013, that trend became even more pronounced as Computer Science and startup culture became central to the School of Engineering. There are incredible resources available for those interested in the humanities, but the schools natural focus has shifted toward engineers and startups. 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? Michael: Your ability to meet individuals on campus through your dorm, as well as clubs, is limited only by the amount of time you have to go to those activities. As Stanford Universitys academic load is incredibly demanding, your time will need to be balanced accordingly. On the other side of the coin, students are typically incredibly open and welcoming to new individuals in whatever group they are in. I regularly joined new groups and organizations throughout my time at Stanford University. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Michael: Stanford University students are some of the most sought after students in almost any area of study, but particularly in engineering. While the Career Center can be helpful for basic questions, a large portion of the best opportunities come through the personal network that Stanford University allows you to develop. These can come naturally through your clubs/organizations that you join or pre-professional organizations that promote a certain career path. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Michael: The libraries have almost every possible book, movie, video game (yes, we have a video game archive), database, or magazine in the world, and if they do not, you can typically request it and have it delivered shortly thereafter. The Green Library (the main library at Stanford University) can get relatively crowded during finals periods, but you can always find a desk somewhere. Wireless Internet is plentiful and fast, and it covers the entire campus, so students are frequently seen studying (or not) out on the many acres of lawn around campus. 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? Michael: The only downside to Stanford University is that Palo Alto, the town just off the campuss boundary lines, is not a great college town. Things are generally relatively expensive. However, the Marguerite and/or Caltrain can transport you to San Francisco or Mountain View where plenty of adventure awaits in under an hour. I would highly recommend exploring these areas if possible, and getting off campus if you can. Most students do not take advantage of this nearly enough. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Michael: Each undergraduate class is typically around 1,600 students, with about 7,000 undergraduates overall and approximately 9,000 graduate students across the many graduate schools Stanford University also has on campus. Introductory classes are typically large, often in the hundreds, but as soon as you hit sophomore year and you begin courses in your major, this number decreases dramatically. Discussion sections are also typically very small (about 10), which lowers the average class size. While some classes are large, I never felt as though it impeded my learning experience. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Michael: One of my favorite classes at Stanford University was one I took senior year that focused around venture capital and brought in speakers each week that discussed in detail one aspect of the industry. It was incredibly interesting, and it gave a fascinating perspective on an industry that I had been very interested in for a long time. It was relatively small and every student in the class was able to ask several questions each session. Check out Michaels tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Online Quadratic Graph Tutors

Online Quadratic Graph Tutors Quadratic equation graphs help analyze many equations and solve many questions. Quadratic means square. The equation which has the highest degree for the variable as two is called a quadratic equation.The general form of a quadratic equation is ax2 + b x + c = 0. Here x is the unknown variable and a. b. c are the constants. The sign of the variable a decides if the graph of the quadratic equation is upward or downward. The quadratic equation needs to be solved to graph it. Example 1: Graph the quadratic equation x2 + 6x + 9. Solution: Given here is the quadratic equation x2 + 6x + 9. The first step is to solve for the quadratic equation. The equation can be written as x2 + 3x + 3x + 9 Now factoring the common terms gives x(x + 3) + 3(x + 3) = 0. Hence (x + 3) (x + 3) = 0 Therefor x = 3 is the solution. The graph of the quadratic equations is given below. Example 2: Graph the quadratic equation x2 + 7 x + 10. Solution: Given here is the quadratic equation x2 + 7x + 10. The first step is to solve for the quadratic equation. The equation can be written as x2 + 5x + 2x + 10 Now factoring the common terms gives x(x + 2) + 5(x + 2) = 0. Hence (x + 5) (x + 2) = 0 Therefor x = -5, - 2 are the solutions. The graph of the quadratic equations is given below.

Simplify Expression Calculator - Online Calculator - Tutorpace

Simplify Expression Calculator - Online Calculator - Tutorpace Expression are mathematical equations which are very commonly used in algebra. There are different types of expressions in math such as algebraic expressions, rational expressions, irrational expressions, polynomial expressions etc. Expressions consist of one or more than one unknown variables with different coefficients and constant numbers. There are various mathematical operations which are used to simplify and solve the given expressions. Example 1: Find the solution by simplifying the expression 3 x/ 2 + 4 x/ 5? The given question is on Adding rational expressions. This question contains adding with the same polynomial x. The first step of the question is to calculate the LCM of the denominators 2 and 5, is 10. Now 3 /2 and 4 /5 can be added with the LCM of the denominators as 10. This makes the solution 3 x/ 2 + 4 x/ 5 = 15 x3/ 10 + 8 x3/ 10 = 13 x3/ 10. Hence the solution is 13 x3/ 10. Example 2: Find the solution by simplifying the expression x/ 3 + 5 x/ 2? The given question is on Adding rational expressions. This question contains adding with the same polynomial x. The first step of the question is to calculate the LCM of the denominators 3 and 2, is 6. Now 1 / 3 and 5 /2 can be added with the LCM of the denominators as 6. This makes the solution x/ 3 + 5 x/ 2 = 2 x3/ 6 + 15 x3/ 6 = 17 x3/ 6. Hence the solution is 17 x3/ 6.

Academic Support The Link Between the Student, Tutor, and Parents

Academic Support The Link Between the Student, Tutor, and Parents How to Help Struggling Students ChaptersThe Increasingly Systematic Approach to Academic SupportWhat Are the Benefits of Academic Support Tutorials?Academic Support Tutorials: The Relationship between the Parents, Tutor, and ChildHiring Private TutorsAcademic support isn’t simple. The child’s parents and their private tutor need to put their all into their work.Private tutorials are very involved. Not just for the tutor. In fact, we could describe it as a team that includes the tutor, the parents, and the student. Each one needs to work together in different ways.They all have the same goal, though: to help the student improve their grades, pass an exam, avoid resits, and get into good universities.If you're looking for academic success, it doesn't hurt for students to have someone providing them with supplemental instruction.While some schools and universities offer workshops, drop-ins, peer tutoring, and collaborative student learning sessions, in this article, we're going to focus mainly on how students can gain important academic skills and benefit from private one on one tutorials rather than the services offered at school or on campus. Let’s have a look at how this works...Not every private tutor has to be a qualified teacher, either. This is because private tutorials only objective is to improve their grades.The parents know this and the tutor knows this. However, since the child might not be aware, let’s have a look at how this works.Academic Support Tutorials: The Relationship between the Parents, Tutor, and ChildThe parents, the tutor, and the child need to all trust one another to ensure that the academic support is successful. This is true for whatever service the parents are looking for:Homework helpSupport tutorialsTutorials for failing studentsCatchup tutorialsTutorials for getting into universityExam and test prep (GCSE, A Level, etc.)Longterm supportHoliday tutorialsTo help you and your child achieve your learning goals, Superprof recommends looking for academic suppo rt tutorials precisely because the best tutors are gifted in adapting their teaching style to every student they work with.Maybe you’ve been thinking about it but aren’t convinced. Let’s see what it’s all about...The Relationship Between Parents and ChildrenMost parents worry about their child’s education. They worry even more so if the child happens to be failing or struggling at school. It’s true that we often don’t know what to do in situations like this. You can’t always fix it with a few kind words or a telling off.  The child needs to assess why they’re struggling.Getting the results you're after with private tutorials will have you jumping for joy! (Source: jill111)Parents can get academic support for children who aren’t struggling, too. You can get them for children with big ambitions. We’re talking about those applying to top universities and competitive courses. It can help improve their grades.Put simply, in 99% of cases, it’s the parents who decid e that it’s time to get private tutorials. Not the child. In this respect, you’ll need to sit down and talk with them and mention that you’re going to get academic support tutorials for them. You should make this clear that it’s to help them rather than punish them.Your child should be aware that you’re paying for these private tutorials. It can be quite the sacrifice for some families. They should, therefore, take their lessons seriously to get a return on the investment.The Relationship Between the Parents and the TutorYou need to talk about trust.  Whether it’s to catch up, help a struggling student, or get into a top university, you’ve decided to place your trust in a private tutor.In some cases, you have to invite someone that you’ve only spoken to on the internet into your home. You have to trust them a lot. You need to ensure that you’re choosing the right tutor for academic support tutorials.You need to ask every tutor you meet the right questions. It’s i mportant to know whether they are the right person for the job and the right person to provide academic support tutorials to your child.The tutor needs to earn your trust. They’re professionals dedicated to academic support. The goal is never to finish the programme as quickly as possible but rather get the right results: improved grades.It should be noted that this s a professional vocation and a tutor needs to be paid accordingly.The Relationship Between the Tutor and the StudentThe relationship between the tutor and the student is the cornerstone of the whole thing. If it doesn’t work, the academic support won’t be effective.A tutor has to have a great rapport with their students! (Source: ValeriaRodrigues)If the two get on well, the results will be well beyond anything you expected.  The tutor needs to adapt to their new student. They need to learn how to speak to them. They need to establish their needs in order to get the most out of their time together. If the student h as some serious struggles, the academic support tutor will have the mammoth task of trying to resolve them.This is when academic support becomes more psychological than theoretical. School can cause some real problems for certain students that can’t be solved at the drop of a hat. Instead, they can be solved in a number of subtle ways.Having a tutor there advising and mentoring the student can be really beneficial. Tuition can help them learn valuable study skills for taking exams and this means the learner can succeed not just in the subjects they're being tutored in, but also improve their grades in other subjects, too.Tutors can provide help with various study strategies, note taking, and preparing for university, either by guiding them through the admission process and helping them apply to the university they want to go to.This is also useful for gifted students who are looking for funding or a scholarship. For a lot of scholarships, students are expected to complete an assig nment. A tutor who's familiar with the process can help them put this together.Hiring Private TutorsIf you're looking for private tutors or just an academic advisor, don't forget that a lot of the tutors on Superprof offer free tutoring for the first hour. While they probably won't provide much academic coaching or tuition during this hour, it can be useful to see what kind of tutor they are and whether it's worth scheduling more in the future.If you're concerned about the cost of hiring private tutors, you could also consider getting a tutor to do a group tutorial or a workshop for several students at once. While these sessions will be more like a seminar at college or university, students can get far more out of them than they otherwise would in the larger classes they're used to at school.Whether they're at primary school, secondary school, sixth form, college, or university (undergraduate and postgraduate), any student can benefit from having someone there to assist them with th eir studies during the academic year and the holidays.Now find out about the growing idea that academic support could replace traditional academic learning...

5 Test Prep New Years Resolutions

5 Test Prep New Years Resolutions Happy New Year from AJ Tutoring! The turn of the calendar page to January always brings with it a renewed resolve to set ambitious goals. This year, why dont you think about making some test prep resolutions? Here are 5 goals to get you started in 2014:Create a testing schedule for junior and senior year.   You may have heard the adage Failing to plan is planning to fail.   While harsh, this statement is mostly accurate for standardized testing and college admissions.   By now, juniors should have a concrete plan for when theyre going to take the SAT, ACT, and any SAT subject tests.   Its a good idea to complete a full round of testing by the end of junior year, saving the fall of senior year for retakes.   Many students take the SAT in March, the ACT in April, and SAT subject tests in May and June.Look at your PSAT scores and honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses.   By now, most juniors should have received their 2013 PSAT scores.   PSAT scores are a good predictor of SAT pe rformance, so use that data to your advantage!   Adding a zero to the end of a PSAT score gives you the approximate SAT score.   The PSAT score sheet also includes valuable information on your performance in each section for instance, if you aced algebra but struggled with geometry.   And if youre missing a lot of easy questions, watch out for careless mistakes!   Use this information to focus your SAT review on your weaknesses.Consider taking the ACT.   Colleges accept both the SAT and the ACT for admissions purposes.   Most students perform similarly on each test, but some students do much better on the ACT.   The ACT is more straightforward but faster-paced than the SAT.   If youre wondering whether the ACT would be a good fit for you, read more about it here.Decide how youre going to study for the SAT and ACT.   We hope that youll tutor with AJ Tutoring for your standardized tests.   Were proud of our SAT and ACT curriculum and our passionate, professional tutors!   However, ev en if you dont work with us, you should have a plan of attack in place.   Students get into trouble when they assume they can manage this test prep thing on their own, and then put off studying until a couple weeks before the test.   The SAT and ACT are NOT cram tests.   Unlike your tests in school, the SAT and ACT dont require you to store large volumes of information in your short-term memory, only to be forgotten when the test is over.   The SAT and ACT are critical reasoning tests that reward methodical preparation and a strategic approach.Make progress towards your test prep goal every day.   Whether you want to increase your SAT score by 50 points or 500 points, youll only get there through consistent effort.   Goal-achieving gurus (see Jerry Seinfeld, for example) recognize that its not short bursts of sporadic effort that help you achieve your goals its making a little progress every day until it becomes a habit.   You dont need to take a practice SAT every day.   Even doin g a few math problems or reviewing 20 vocabulary words will eventually make a difference.   Consider using apps like Habit Streak or Commit to track your progress with a specific test prep goal.Good luck with achieving your goals in 2014!

Increasing Your Return on Investment in College

Increasing Your Return on Investment in College ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog Over the past several decades, the cost of college has been rising at a much faster rate than people’s income in the United States. What this means is that it`s effectively become a lot more expensive to go to college. The value of the entire decision to attend is being reevaluated. Many articles are being written about this â€" here’s one example. This means a few things. For one, it means that students need to be more and more careful about which colleges they choose to go to and secondly, it means that students need to think long and hard about how to increase their return on investment when they decide to go to college. And so what we`d like to do is spend a little bit of time here thinking about that second point, increasing your return on investment when you decide to go to college. Then at the end of this post, we`ll come back and talk about that first point which is choosing which college to attend. College is a unique investment in that you can really control the return that you get from it. Let`s assume college costs $25,000 a year, so that`s $100,000 to get a degree, assuming you finish it in four years. Let’s consider that investment versus an investment in, for example, the stock market. Well, with the stock market, you buy some stock for $100,000 and while you can choose which stocks you buy, once you buy them, you just sit back and wait and see how they do. College is very different because you can control what that $100,000 returns to you in “value.” If you take that $100,000 and you basically “buy” a degree from a mid-tier school, party a lot and get a C average, well, the return that you get on that investment will be relatively low in the form of a less prestigious job or a lower salary, et cetera. Compare that to taking $100,000 and spending it on a degree in engineering from Harvard, for example. Well, that degree is going to be worth so much more, therefore the return on that $100,000 is going to be so much higher. It might seem obvious, but it’s an important point to think about. You should start thinking about this concept early, well before you`re even ready to go to college. Of course the concept would apply both for college and graduate school for those that are getting PhDs, MBAs or law degrees. The better that you do in high school (i.e,. higher GPA, more activities, etc.), the better position you`ll be to make those dollars that you`re going to invest in a college degree more valuable. If you don`t get the right grades or the right test scores in high school, you`re not in a good position to get into the type of a college that gives you a high return on your investment. So that`s the important thing to think about - college is an investment, but one where you can control the return on that investment. In a future blog post, we`ll touch upon the first point that we started off making - students might just want to think long and hard about which colleges make the most sense for them, based on the value of the degree they’ll have once they graduate relative to the tuition cost being charged. They also might want to begin thinking much harder about how AP classes, summer school, and online courses can help reduce the cost of college my increasing the number of credits they can transfer in. But that’s a topic for another time. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '6baac2ae-05a3-4610-9d1f-265c8cbd809f', {});

6 tips on how to help your child develop their handwriting skills

6 tips on how to help your child develop their handwriting skills Handwriting is one of those amazing skills that children learn with practice and patience. It is a difficult and challenging skill to master but an important one; and there are plenty of ways to ensure your child develops their handwriting in a smooth and fun way. Practising is key to the development of a child's handwriting and encouraging small things such as sitting properly and holding the pencil in the correct way are key to ensuring success. Having some handwriting materials at home and incorporating handwriting into a child's daily routine are great ways to assist your child in their handwriting journey. Recording their progress with a reward chart and praising their progression continuously are also vital aspects of developing this important skill. Here are 6 tips that can help your child develop their handwriting skills: 1. Make learning fun I think we can all agree that when a child is having fun whilst learning a new skill their chances of faster progress is a given. Simply offering your child the choice of different coloured pencils or different types of paper is a great way to heighten their interest in an activity. Playing fun word games such as hangman or anagram games and asking them to write the answers instead of simply getting them to copy words will instantly make writing more appealing. 2. Hold the pencil in the right way Learning to hold a pencil in the right way is not as straightforward as it sounds and some children find this task more challenging than other aspects of learning to write. The best place to hold a pen or pencil is to let the pencil rest next to the base of your thumb. There are some fun utensils you can get such as pencil grips which can help your child get used to holding the pencil in the right way. Practising is key here and praise is also an essential part of the learning process. 3. Finger painting Building a child's handwriting skills is not simply a matter of ensuring they hold a writing tool in the right way but also improve and strengthen their muscle skills. Finger painting is a fun and interactive way of building a child's muscles and teaching them to use their imaginations and express themselves freely. Praise your child's art skills when they are finger painting (or drawing shapes in the sand) and encourage them to use their fingers and hands to practice shapes and letters that may need some extra practice. 4. Encourage learning games Learning games will not only help a child develop their handwriting skills but will ensure they also develop their fine-motor skills. Simple tasks such as controlling their writing utensils, learning to sit with the correct posture and developing their coordination can all be implemented through some fun learning games. Fun games such as Jenga where your child will learn that a steadier hand is key to success and other board games that require different muscle building skills will all be beneficial to assisting your child's development. 5. Use the right tools Having the right size writing tool is very important. If your child is struggling with a longer pencil try giving them a shorter pencil and ensure that you encourage them to hold the pencil in the right way. There are also handwriting aids available that can be a great help and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes; take your child with you and allow them to choose and try until they find one they feel comfortable with. Also make sure your child has a good eraser for rubbing out those mistakes and understanding that mistakes are inevitable but an eraser can get rid of them. 6. Have patience Patience is probably the most important aspect of helping a child develop any skill. Show your child as many times as they need to be shown and praise their efforts along the way. Concentrate on what your child needs according to their age and ability and concentrate on one thing moving forward only when you feel your child is comfortable with what they have learnt. To conclude Making sure your child has a comfortable place to practice their writing and different writing tools to train with can make all the difference to their development. Handwriting is a skill that must be learnt but does not have to be a chore and with some fun and patience can be accomplished in a wonderful way.