How to know you should turn down a job offer - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to know you should turn down a job offer - Introvert Whisperer How to know you should turn down a job offer Turning down a job offer sounds preposterous to a lot of people. It is usually the last thing anyone would ever want to do, but there are times when turning down a job offer is the best thing to do for yourself. After months of applying and working on your job search, an offer is the expected end, but sometimes the offer you end up getting is far worse than you expected. Unfortunately, some job offers just shouldn’t be accepted. If you are waffling about accepting an offer, this information can help you. Here are some factors to consider when deciding to leave a job offer on the table. It’s the wrong rung on the corporate ladder. If you are looking to climb the corporate ladder, accepting a position that doesn’t help you attain your career goals is the wrong decision. Settling for just any job is not the solution, unless you really need to start making some money. If you are not in dire straits, you have the opportunity to say no when the job you are offered doesn’t align with your lifelong career goals. It’s just a bad fit. If you applied for a job and later found out during the interview process that the corporate culture does not align with your belief systems, then definitely say no. If you don’t feel that you would fit in, this is the first sign of a future of unhappiness in that position. Sometimes a paycheck and great benefits are not worth your morale and happiness. Although you may be scraping by without a paycheck, you would be better off unemployed than employed by a company that you hate working for. You’ll work too many hours. If your family life will suffer because you will be working too many hours per week, just say no to the job offer. The work-life balance is important than experiencing burnout from working too much. Your personal life is too important to sacrifice for a paycheck that doesn’t begin to compensate missing important family functions. Working too many hours also leads to both physical and mental health problems. Working more than 50 hours per week is not worth the detrimental impact on your health. You’re already looking for your next job. If you are considering accepting this offer while planning to search for a better job, do everyone a favor and decline the offer. Using valuable time working at a job that you don’t want to be working at is disheartening. It is likely if you accept the job you were offered that you will be fighting the urge to quit the whole time and soon end up back where you startedâ€"in unemployment. Gracefully exit by politely refusing the offer before you walk off the job in a huff dissatisfied. It doesn’t pay enough. If the job is great but the pay is not, you may decide to say no while you weigh your options for a higher paying job. However, if the only reason you are attracted to the job is the paycheck, decline it â€" again, unless you are desperate for a paycheck. Spending valuable hours of your life at a job that you hate just to rake in a top salary will make you miserable because money is not enough of an incentive to counteract the misery. If you are leaving your current job for a higher paying job, be sure that you won’t be losing valuable benefits at the job that you already have. Calculate everything including the new commute before you make the decision based on a pay increase. You see better opportunities elsewhere.   If you’re on the fence, one last look around won’t hurt. Before you decide to accept revisit the job resources you used. If you haven’t already, check in on industry-specific and location-specific job sites. Often, opportunities here are not posted on the bigger search sites, and you may have missed them the first time around. There’s a high turnover rate. If a workplace has a high turnover rate of employees voluntarily leaving for reasons other than retirement, there are probably negative things causing them to leave. It could be boredom, low pay, or bad bosses that cause employees to terminate their ties with an employer. You need to investigate and find out why there is a revolving door problem there. If a number of employees are leaving frequently, follow their lead and just say no without the interim stint as an employee. You’re envisioning a grim future. If you have discovered that the industry is a sinking ship, don’t sign on for the beginning of the end with the company. You want to hitch up with a company that has a bright future rather than one with the heyday in the past. Make sure you calculate the risk of a layoff if a merger is in the works. There is nothing worse than being the last one hired and the first one fired. If you make the final decision to walk away, then you know what to do next. You continue the job search until you find the best opportunity for you.

How Many Spanish Speakers Are in Your State [Infographic]

How Many Spanish Speakers Are in Your State [Infographic] Suzy S. Spanish is quickly becoming a prominent language in the US in fact, its estimated that there are now more than  54 million Spanish language speakers throughout the country, accounting  for almost 20% of the entire US population! These stats alone are a compelling reason to learn Spanish as a second language. But its also interesting to look at how the language has grown over the years. The infographic below, put together by Day Translations (with data from the US census, Pew Research Center â€" Hispanic Trends, and Wikipedia) shows the distribution of Spanish speakers in the US, and just how much the total has increased  since 1970. Check it out: Continue reading the post here.  And if you want to learn more about Spanish speakers in the US, the Pew Research Center for Hispanic Trends is another cool website to browse! Ready to Learn Spanish? There are so many benefits to being bilingual, and Spanish is a great second language to choose! Here are some resources to help you get started: Live, online group classes from TakeLessons (for a limited time, sign up for one of our classes for free!) Private Spanish tutoring Spanish articles and guides Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

How to Assess an Analytical Writing Assessment Prompt

How to Assess an Analytical Writing Assessment Prompt The Analytical Writing Assessment, or AWA, is the first section of the GMAT exam. You are allotted 30 minutes to compose an Analysis of an Argument essay in which you must assess the strength of an argument by identifying its assumptions and flaws. Here are five steps to help you craft an effective critique in the minimal time the AWA allows. 1. Read the prompt Before you begin your response, review the AWA passage presented to you. Determine what is being said, as well as who is saying it. For example, consider the Analysis of an Argument prompt available on page 25 of this document, which concerns a potential uniform policy at Bayview High School. This prompt poses the question of whether high school students at one school should wear uniforms based on the performance of students at another school in the same town. This issue is being raised via a letter written to the editor of a newspaper. Now that we know the situation at hand, what is the next step? 2. Determinethe argument The argument often appears at the end of the passage, and it usually includes a prediction, a suggestion, or an assumption-based conclusion. What does the author of this letter to the editor think should happen? He or she hopes that Bayview High School will adopt a uniform policy. Once you find the argument, assess its overall strength and start outlining your response. 3. Identify the assumptions What is the author basing his or her argument on? Why should Bayview High School students wear uniforms? According to the writer, Acorn Valley Academy students, who do wear uniforms, generally earn higher grades and are more likely to attend college than Bayview High School students. Additionally, Acorn Valley Academy students are infrequently absent, late, or disruptive. The writer appears to associate the notable performance of students at Acorn Valley Academy with uniform use, and he or she believes that students at Bayview High School should have the same clothing requirements. This stage can be difficultif necessary, request the assistance of a mentor or GMAT tutor as you complete practice prompts. 4. Develop two to three flaws What is incorrect about the authors assumptions? How does he or she leave the argument vulnerable to attack? In the example above, the unnamed writer provides no proven evidence that the presence of uniforms at Acorn Valley Academy has caused its students exemplary performance. The differences between the students at the two schools may be attributable to other issues. For instance, though the students live in the same town, they do not necessarily live in the same neighborhoods. They may come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. The students at each school might not even be the same age. Furthermore, the quality of the classes, teachers, and administrative staff at the two schools may be far from equivalent. More qualifying information must be provided before deciding that uniforms are the best way to resolve the discrepancies between the two groups. If possible, include a concrete example of schools in a similar circumstance whose characteristics differed based on reasons outside of uniforms. These are some simple ways to improbve your writing skillswhich may help you as well. 5. Conclude with advice Conclude your response by restating your main thesis and what must be examined before arriving at a decision. How can these logical flaws be addressed? How would doing so strengthen the argument? In this example, research could be conducted to examine the effects of requiring uniforms at other schools in the region. In addition, a survey could be completed at both Bayview High School and Acorn Valley Academy to assess what qualities the students, parents, teachers, and staff believe influence average grades and college attendance. In addition to following these five steps, remember to budget your time wisely. You only have 30 minutes to compose a detailed critique. Use the first five minutes to plan your essay. Spend the next 20 minutes writing as much as you can. Finally, use the last five minutes for editing and polishing. Your prose need not be perfect, but it should leave the reader with the best impression possible of your composition skills as a future MBA student. Here are some great tips on how to increase your GMAT analytical writing score.

How to Score a 5 on the AP World History Exam

How to Score a 5 on the AP World History Exam Sign up successful 2. Know the World Map In order to get a solid grasp on the material you’re learning, you should first become familiar with the world map. Pay special attention to places that have changed over time. For example, “Mexico” used to be called “New Spain” and “East Pakistan” is now “Bangladesh.” I’ve seen plenty of students confused because, not realizing the territory has been renamed, they can’t find New Spain on the map! To make sure you have a good geographical foundation, practice drawing the world map a few times (or at least filling in a pre-drawn but blank world map). Make it a contest with fellow classmates or friends to spice up this activity. Also, there are plenty of online sites to test your “map and geography knowledge.” (Try Lizard Point Geography Quizzes.) 3. Make A Timeline Many teachers will tell you “dates aren’t that important for the exam.” In essence, I agree with this statement, especially the farther back in history you go. However, it’s important to know the general chronology of historical events. Here’s why: The AP World History Exam places emphasis on global interactions and change-over-time (there is actually a “Change-Over-Time” essay), both of which require having a reasonable idea of when things occur (not necessarily dates) and what else is going on in the world simultaneously. This emphasis makes sense: People, countries, and continents are not isolated. They may exist separately but they fluctuate together, constantly evolving. So, to really understand “time,” I suggest a timeline. Now, because so much happens in our world’s history, it’s important to have a big timeline. If there’s room in your house, put up a roll of paper from one of the wall to the other. Then you can make a line and label events as you go t hrough the world history course. Make it interactive by drawing pictures to go with significant events. If you don’t have room in your house, you can go online. I recommend Prezi.com (or a similar site with a wide open canvas that you can zoom around on, add information, and upload pictures and video). 4. Supplement Your Reading If you’re taking a class, you will almost undoubtedly be working with a history textbook. However, words on a page often have trouble sticking in our brains by themselves. What you need to do is find movies and short videos (use Youtube) that you can watch after you’ve read about an event. Then go back to the textual information and reread it, checking to see if the way you imagined the event matched up with what you saw. This helps you more than you realize. By combining reading and watching, you’re first creating an original virtual reality experience, then comparing that with the media you’re viewing, and then, during the second read through, you’re analyzing the differences. This process interweaves many facets of your brain enabling strong recall and memory with the information you’re learning. Yes, it may take a little extra time to read, watch, and then reread information on one particular concept. You definitely don’t want to do this with every significant event. To start, I recommend choosing 10 important events (spaced out over our historical timeline) that interest you. How do you choose the events? If you have an AP Review Book, they will have an “important events” list at the end of each unit, which are generally separated by time periods. Otherwise, go online, type in “AP World History Important Dates,” and choose some from a list that comes up. If you’re stuck, here’s a good starter list (but remember there are so many to choose from): 2000 Judaism begins w/Abraham 1320-1340 Spread of Bubonic Plague 1029-258 Zhou Dynasty 470-430 Golden Age of Athens 610 Rise of Islam 1492 Columbus expedition 1600-1690 Scientific Revolution 1770 Beginning of Industrial Revolution 1948 Creation of Israel 1959 Cuban Revolution Don’t forget to put all the events you spend extra time with onto your timeline. Finally, remember that world history is just one, long, ongoing story about the human race. Try to put yourself in the shoes of those you read about and recognize that understanding the concepts is far more important than knowing exact dates. Learning specific study skills for this type of memorization can be easily achieved with a tutor, so check out TakeLesson’s selection of experienced world history tutors for additional help. For more information about the test, visit The College Boards website. Tali H. tutors in various academic subjects in Olympia, WA, as well as through online lessons. Since 2010, she has worked with  numerous students in elementary, middle, high school, and college in both group settings and one-on-one. Learn more about Tali here!   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by  KarandeepSingh

Um, So What Should I Be Choosing As My First Guitar

Um, So What Should I Be Choosing As My First Guitar The Beginner Guitarist's Guide to Making the Right Choice. ChaptersHow to Avoid Ending Up With an Inappropriate Guitar?What are the Different Types of Existing Guitars and Their Features for Beginners?Choose the Right Guitar: Buying Options.In ConclusionWith eight years of practice, I’ve often had to deal with students’ loss of motivation, simply because of an inappropriate guitar, bought too quickly or often based on an attractive design. They don't pay an attention to the playability, the fact that it sounds great, or that its features - say its headstock, body and neck - are actually made well.I’m Kelsey and I’m a guitar teacher.For some, during the first purchase of a guitar, only the electric guitar matters - because it has style, it plugs into an amp, and makes noise! Acoustics or classical guitars are generally overlooked in favour of the vision of being a cool electric guitar player.The other problem that people with a new guitar find is that they expect to be a master of their musical instrument straight away. Above all, peo ple often believe that it is easier to play before they actually learn how to play the guitar. Which is not entirely wrong and you will understand why.People put a lot of value on their first guitar, so to choose well, some key features have to be kept in mind when buying.  You should also be remembering the fact that, although your hands are itching to shred that fretboard, you are a beginner guitarist - and that you first and foremost need an appropriate guitar for beginners.Of course, you will evolve and progress during your guitar lessons near me and, at the same time, you will refine the type of sounds you are looking for. Also, you will probably desire to try several different sounds and styles after a few guitar lessons. Maybe you will become interested in fingerpicking, meaning you might find yourself wanting an acoustic or an electro acoustic guitar. You might find that the deeper, groovier noise of the bass guitar sounds great, and so you check out the electric bass. This is to say that you need to follow what you like, acoustically and in terms of the style of music.  You will then start to acquire other guitars: it’s not uncommon to meet an amateur with several guitars. He will make his choice according to the style tackled.Pay attention and don’t forget that you are a beginner. Even if it’s interesting to start with an instrument that matches your desires and musical tastes to keep the spirit up during that tough time of learning, the type of sounds coming out of the guitar should not be your first concern. Keep in mind that when you first start learning to play the guitar, you're not sure to continue... So pay attention to the cost of this first purchase: go for the low end of price, but don't compromise on quality.Also, you should have a complete guide to selecting and changing your guitar strings...What are the Different Types of Existing Guitars and Their Features for Beginners?Who is your favourite guitarist? Maybe their instrument choi ces can help you decide.There are three main types of guitars, not to mention more specific models like the Dobro for instance.The first thing that someone who wants to learn how to play the guitar should do is to choose the guitar that suits them best according to its characteristics and sound.The Classical GuitarA classical guitar is the usual choice for beginner guitarists or parents. It is perfect for styles like bossa, classical or flamenco - as these nylon string musical instruments were developed with these styles in mind. The body shape, the size of the fingerboard, and the delicate hollow body are all designed specifically for these purposes.The classical guitar is for the purists!But is not ideal for beginners. The classical guitar, as its name indicates, is initially intended to play classical pieces.However, it can also appear in other musical currents such as bossa nova, jazz or flamenco, but will be less present in styles like rock, pop, pop rock, or even funk.The clas sical guitar has a wider neck than all the others and nylon strings. Of course, nylon strings are softer than the steel strings you find on acoustic guitars, but it does not make it easier to play, quite the contrary! Depending on the material, the price of the guitar strings may vary.By default, beginners or parents tend to buy this model of guitar because it has the most affordable prices. However, the width of the neck and the more spacing between the strings can quickly hurt beginner guitar players' fingers. And the affordable price is a bit misleading: they are marketed for beginners and they are, more often than not, not great quality.    Of course, you can support your guitar while playing by choosing the right guitar strap so that your arms don't get overly tired...If you wish to play bossa nova music, classical or flamenco, the classical guitar is the one you need. But if you are looking more into playing folk, pop or rock music, forget about the classical guitar and head t o an acoustic guitar.It is purely personal and taking into account my eight years of experience in teaching guitar lessons, I advise against a classical guitar to begin with. Unless, of course, you are absolutely committed to the sound produced by these musical instruments.For others, however, after some time practiced on a guitar more adapted for you, you will refine your tastes and your pursuit for sonority. Therefore, it is not impossible that the classical guitar can correspond with you afterward. For me, I only use it occasionally when I have to record melancholy themes.Discover how to choose a guitar strap, and check out the straps that Guitar Center has to offer.The Acoustic Guitar: Great for Beginners because of its Versatility and Thinner NeckThe folk guitar is ideal for beginners.Unlike the classical guitar, the acoustic guitar has steel strings and a much thinner neck. This feature makes it a versatile guitar, adapted to play a great diversity of musical styles. It is wid ely used in pop, rock, blues, jazz, and pretty much every other style you can think of.It covers a much wider range than the classical guitar. If you want to play popular pieces that you hear everywhere, play with friends, sing together, take it with you wherever you go and if your musical influences are folk, rock, pop, pop rock, variety or blues, this is the guitar you need.Despite a slightly higher price than its little sister, the classical guitar, the acoustic guitar remains an extremely versatile instrument. It covers a much larger range of music than the classical guitar and is also much easier to play thanks to a thinner neck. It’s also more comfortable and more suited for playing current music. This is the guitar that I recommend you  begin taking guitar lessons with.You'll find that the acoustic guitar comes in all different shapes - from the dreadnought to the parlor to jumbo and grand auditorium. And you'll notice in the picture above that some have a cutaway and other s don't. These changes in body style become more important as you become more familiar with the instrument, but just note now that the size of the guitar body - and consequently of the sound hole - affects the sound: some are louder and more resonant, whilst others are more gentle.If you are starting out, the best acoustic guitar might not be the dreadnought - as these are very large.The Electric Guitar More expensive and bulky than the others; less suited for beginners unless you only dream of playing rock.Choosing your first guitar is hard - but don't fret too much.The electric guitar is a guitar without a sound box: it’s the main difference with acoustic guitars. The microphones placed under the strings produce the sound.The electric guitar became a mythical instrument in the 20th century, thanks to legendary guitarists like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and BB King.The electric guitar strings are quite similar to the acoustic guitar strings (steel strings), although they are gene rally softer. The electric guitar is used for playing  a vast variety of styles, from jazz to hard rock. The electric guitar's very thin neck and very low tension of the strings make it one of the easiest guitars to play. Its disadvantage, however, is that it must be connected to an amp so that the volume is correct: this implies additional purchases.The electric guitar's price also remains affordable. While it may be easier to play, it is, however, more difficult to move and involves purchasing an amp. It is not the guitar that I recommend to begin with, unless you greatly appreciate its unique style.Choose the Right Guitar: Buying Options.Acoustic: Epiphone DR-100A very good acoustic from a well-regarded brand: nice design, good playability, and great sound for the price.Acoustic: Seagull S6A new brand that makes incredibly good instruments. Pricier than other beginner instruments, but a dream to play - both for amateurs and experts.Electric: Yamaha Pacifica PAC112VOne of the most respected brands in beginner musical instruments. Classic Stratocaster shape with great price.Electric: Epiphone Les Paul Special II PackA good option for those looking for a stylish axe but with all of the accessories.Classical: Cordoba Iberia C5From the best of classical guitar manufacturers, the perfect beginner guitar.Classical: Yamaha C40A great, reliable instrument from one of the most-loved guitar brands out there.In ConclusionThe classical guitarAdvantages: Has a very soft sound, ideal for bossa nova, jazz, and flamenco.Disadvantages: It's limited in terms of style and difficult to play.The folk guitarAdvantages: A versatile guitar, adapted to playing almost any style. It has a thin neck that makes it easier and more comfortable to play. Ideal for learning to play the guitar.Disadvantages: It has steel strings, it's less flexible than nylon strings and hurts the fingers in the beginning, but that can be overcome quickly.The electric guitarAdvantages: It has a very thin neck and very weak strings that make it easier to play. It's suited for all styles (a multitude of sounds).Disadvantages: It's less portable than the folk guitar, and you also have to buy an amplifier to go with it.Now that you have all this information, you just need to decide which guitar you want to play and get started learning on the guitar that best meets your expectations: how to choose the guitar of your dreams thanks to these few recommendations.Once you’ve found your dream guitar, find a guitar class around you thanks to Superprof.And for more guitar accessories?

The Boston University College Experience

The Boston University College Experience Shannon earned her bachelors degree in math education from Boston University. She specializes in math tutoring, geometry tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, she shares her experience at Boston University: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Shannon: Boston University (BU) is an extremely urban campus located right in the city of Boston. Our campus is a 1.7 mile stretch down Commonwealth Avenue. Being in the city, there is no need for cars and most students walk to class, as the academic buildings are all centrally located near each other. If you are not up for walking, there are many other modes of transportation as well. BU does run its own shuttle that has eight stops on the main campus and three on the medical campus. It is free to all students and there is a mobile app to track it. Also, because BU is located in the heart of Boston, we have the MBTA (subway) Green Line run down our campus. There are seven stops on our campus and you can use the T to either get to class or take it to various destinations in Boston. As for safety, I never felt unsafe at Boston University, but that is not saying you dont have to be smart. The university itself and campus are very safe and offer many different programs to keep you safe. The campus itself has a blue light system that has phones attached that call directly to Boston University police department, which are about every 100ft from the last one. On the back of every student's ID, there are numbers for BUPD, Health Services, and an escort system that, if you are leaving the library at 2 AM and dont want to walk across campus alone, will send a male and female student to walk with you. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Shannon: Every professor and teaching assistant is required to have as many office hours as they teach, but this is not the only time they are available. I have never had any issue just emailing them and saying I cant make their office hours or I would like to meet more. The professors want you to succeed, so if you need a little extra help, they are certainly willing to do so. Sometimes you may click better with your teaching assistant, as they were students in this class once. Generally graduate students, TAs are super helpful and can sometimes relate better than a professor can. As for advisors, they are usually teachers as well, so you will have to work around their own class schedule. My advisor was a godsend with all my questions, even answering my emails at midnight. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Shannon: Dorms are great. BU has no exclusive freshman dorms, but there are some that are mostly freshmenWest Halls and Warren Towers. These dorms are both the large dormitory style with the communal bathrooms on the floor. These dorms each are located above dining halls, laundry, and mailrooms so you dont have to go far to do anything. What makes these dorms great is their sense of community. In Warren Towers there is a common room on every floor that connects the sides of the floor. This is a great place for everyone to hang out and get to know each other. When I was a freshman, getting to know my entire floor of 40 people and have 40 new friends before I even started my first class was the biggest relief in the world. So there are some benefits to large dormitory style dorms. But those arent the only options. At BU we also have apartment (with kitchen) and suite-style living (with its own bathroom). We have houses called Brownstones that are like living in a typical house on the s treets of Boston. They have 8-15 rooms in them and 4-5 bathrooms depending on the building. Less underclassmen live in these, but they are definitely a viable option. I myself lived in one as a junior and I loved it. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Shannon: Boston University is very into research, so if you want to delve into a major and do research, we have the tools for you. For example, Boston University is one of the leading researchers in brain trauma and neuroscience, so there are tons of opportunities for learning in that particular field. That being said, within BU there are so many colleges and schools that it's hard to say one is not supported by its own college. For instance, our College of Communications is #2 in the country and our School of Hospitality is #1, so they clearly have programs and supports set in place. I had friends in just about every school, from the School of Business to the School of Fine Arts, and every single one of them loved their programs and loved the opportunities they had. As for my experience, I majored in Math Education in the School of Education and I never felt unsupported. My school was constantly checking in on me, making sure the program was working for me, and generally getting to know me as a person. Being in the second smallest school at BU, I was able to really know my professors on a personal level. 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? Shannon: BU has over 1,000 clubs and sports, so its easy to find what you like and become a part of that community. At the beginning of the year we have an event called Splash where all of the clubs and sports set up booths, and freshmen can wander around, gather information, and sign up. It makes it easier to see what clubs BU has and learn more about them. I myself was part of the Dog Pound, the student pep club, and I met most of my friends through this club. As a freshman, I probably signed up for 20 clubs and then I narrowed it down to the few I felt truly fit me. Aside from clubs, we also have 21 division one sports, club sports, and intramurals that you can also sign up and join. Lastly, we do have Greek life at BU, but its not large, clocking at only around 11 percent. However, we do certainly have Greek life available if you want to join. I was not in a sorority myself, but I had friends who were and they loved it, so its all about what you want. BU has so many different opportunities to find your niche within the university. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Shannon: Several of the colleges atBU have their own Career Center, as well as a career center for the whole university. They will help with a variety of things, like resume review and applying for jobs. I went to the career center for the whole university as a senior and was shown lots of tools for how to find education jobs. As for recruiting, that really depends on the individual school or college. I know that there are several career fairs each year in all of the schools and several opportunities to meet with potential recruiters, both within each school and the university as a whole. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Shannon: There are libraries in each school, as well as study lounges in every dorm. Depending on the size of the dorm/school and time of day, the lounges and libraries vary in fullness and noise levels, so its about what environment you like to study in. There are tons of places to pick from, so if one is full because its exam week, there is always another place to go. Describe the surrounding town. Shannon: BU is in the city of Boston, not on the outskirtsit is fully immersed in the city. That being said, as a student you have the entire city and a world of opportunities at your disposal, and BU students tend to take advantage of that opportunity. Theres nothing better than picking something to do in the city and going out and exploring. You have many things to do, from pro sports to some of the best museums in the world. There is so much to do that it's really hard to get bored. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Shannon: We are a medium sized university with 16,000 undergrads. So, we are smaller than a big state school and larger than a small liberal arts school. That being said, it does not feel big. Walking down the street everyday, I see tons of people I know everywhere and always feel comfortable. As for classes, the average class size is around 25 people, but you do have some large classes of 100 people in introductory classes. Those large, 100 people classes are required to have discussions later in the week. These discussions are generally around 10-15 students and you have a chance to meet with the teaching assistant, go over anything you dont understand, and ask questions. After you start to delve into your major, it becomes more rare to have classes that big and most classes have around 10-30 people. I never felt overwhelmed by class size. If I was having questions in a class, there were so many ways for me to get helpfrom the discussion classes to office hours. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Shannon: I came to BU undecided about my major, so I originally started in the College of Arts and Sciences. About halfway through my freshman year, I decided I might be interested in the School of Education. In order to transfer or even see if you wanted to transfer into the school, you were required to take ED100an introduction to the department. Professor Phil Tate taught this class. Professor Tate is the first professor that students are introduced to in the School of Education, so in some ways, he has the ability to make or break it for you. During my first class, Professor Tate began with a fun little anecdote about what hat you will wear as a teacher. He began his crazy introduction by putting on different hats and talking with different exaggerated accents. But as crazy as his little speech sounds, it worked. As he talked, I immediately knew I had found what I wanted to do. He had this essence about him that pulled me in and reassured me that being an educator was one of the greatest things I can do. After that class, I knew what I wanted to do with my career. Check out Shannon'stutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Wish or Hope Video and Exercise

Wish or Hope Video and Exercise Wish and hope are two similar words that are commonly confused in English. Ask a native English speaker (who doesnt teacher English) and theyll probably have to think a long time to define the difference between these two words.For example:I (wish/hope) I was a man.I (wish/hope) I had some wine.I (wish/hope) he wins the election.Watch the video to see if you were correct, then try the exercises below. Choose the correct answer. Write your answers in comments and we will correct them.1. I (wish/hope) you wouldnt order hamburgers at nice restaurants.2. I (wish/hope) you would take me to restaurants with better hamburgers.3.  I (wish/hope) you have a nice vacation.4.  He  (wishes/hopes) he will get a better job.5. He (wishes/hopes) he had more money.6. I (wish/hope) you got the apartment you wanted.8. I had (wish/hope) he would have called me sooner.9. We (wish/hope) you a merry Christmas.10. Lets  (wish/hope) that everything is better next year. Gloria 1. I wish you wouldn’t order hamburgers at nice restaurants. 2. I wish you would take me to restaurants with better hamburgers. 3. I hope you have a nice vacation. 4. He hopes he will get a better job. 5. He wishes he had more money. 6. I wish you got the apartment you wanted. 8. I had wish he would have called me sooner. 9. We wish you a merry Christmas. 10. Let’s hope that everything is better next year. LOIEnglish GloriaYou had two problems. Number 6 and 8. Number 6 is something we want for the future but we dont know the results yet. Because it is a desire for the future we need to use hope. We use the past tense of wanted because we dont know the result or if our desire happened. So the correct sentence is, I hope you got the apartment you wanted. Number 8 We never use wish with an auxiliary before. So we cant say I had wishinstead we use hope. I had hoped he would have called me sooner. We could also say this: I wish he would have called me sooner. But notice wish is alone without an auxiliary. I ho pe this helps. RoBO The last example on the video I was hoping you could work for me might also be referring to the future to the speakers desire that the other person might be able to work for them in the future. The use of the past continuous I was hoping is just to make the request a little more indirect, but it still refers to the future. Another common structure of this type is I was wondering if you could work for me tomorrow. Using wondering makes the question more open, whereas with hoping the implications is that but maybe you cant, ie its more indirect and polite and makes it easy for the other person to say no (just a thought) YC Lai 1 Hope 2 Hope 3 Wish 4 Hopes 5 Wishes 6 Wish 8 Wish 9 Wish 10 Hope

Reading Programs for Kids

Reading Programs for Kids The Huntington Learning Center is launching its annual summer reading program this week, called Reading Adventure. Reading Adventure runs May to August and is open to students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Students choose books from Huntingtons pre-selected book lists, which offer a variety of high-interest choices by grade level and reading ability. Each student receives a reading passport in which to record books as completed and make a few notes of what he or she learned and enjoyed about each book. Eileen Huntington, CEO and Co-Founder of Huntington Learning Center says that summer reading is one of the simplest, most effective ways to keep students learning over summer. Regression is a common problem over summer break, but we find that a regular reading habit can help prevent students from sliding backward, she says. Best of all, this is a great time for children to read what they want to read for the pure enjoyment of it. Our reading lists include many popular titles that are perfect for students of all reading ability. Reading Adventure is intended to get children excited to read over summer, but Huntington offers several other suggestions to make literacy a priority during the break: Go to the library regularly. While there, be sure to explore summer reading activities, book clubs and other opportunities to get involved. Choose a family book that you can all read together. Celebrate milestonesa pizza night or ice cream outing for every three books read, for example. Make reading a family affair, spending 30 minutes each night reading on the patio together. Check out books on CD from the library for your summer road trip. Read the newspaper together each morning. Read a few books-turned-movies together, then plan a night to watch the movie versions (think the Harry Potter or The Lightning Thief series, for example). Try books related to your childs hobbies, such as autobiographies on favorite sports icons or handbooks or guides for the avid gamer. To learn more about the Huntington Reading Adventure program, contact Huntington at 1-800-CAN-LEARN or visit www.huntingtonhelps.com. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. 2018 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.