A Student Review of University of Michigan

A Student Review of University of Michigan The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Jonathan is a Detroit tutor specializing in ACT prep tutoring, College Essay tutoring, Writing tutoring, and many other areas. He is a 2012 graduate of University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. Check out his review of his time at University of Michigan: 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? Jonathan: The University of Michigan campus is very safe, set in what I would call a middle-class town. The town is definitely not as big as Detroit, Chicago, or even Grand Rapids, so you do not need a car of your own. Parking is also very hard to come by, so if you want to keep a car, expect to put some time and money into parking. There are public buses that are free to University of Michigan students if you want to leave campus, but you will find most of what you need within walking distance. I, and many other students, kept a bike on campus to get around more quickly, but it was not a necessary mode of transportation. VT:How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Jonathan: Overall, I found professors, advisers, and teaching assistants to be very available. Obviously, this varies from professor to professor, but all professors keep office hours, and the university sponsors quite a few programs to help students who are falling behind academically. Most students actually underutilize the resources the university providesthey think they are too cool for them or that they can do it on their own. While this can sometimes be true, why not watch one less hour of television a week and get to know a professor or use an academic adviser to help you plan your next semester? VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Jonathan: The dorms are pretty nice. The university has been renovating about one dorm each year, so most now have a new dining hall, lots of new computers and security technology, and up-to-date furniture. Dorms are a great way to meet other students, whether that is just who you meet in the hall or someone in a student group who also lives in your dorm. Most of the dorms are within a five-minute walk of the academic buildings, depending on where you are taking your classes. Bursley Hall, the Baits Houses, and Northwood are exceptions, as the university has had to put more and more students on North Campus (a 10-minute bus ride from Central Campus) as enrollment has increased. 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? Jonathan: The programs with the largest budgets are probably Engineering, Law, and Business, as well as the medical fields. However, I would say that the university supports all of its programs well. I was part of the Residential College, which is a liberal arts college contained within the larger university. We did not have the free lunches and lavish buildings that other programs had, but our professors and advisers were very invested in our success. Also, the building that houses the Residential College (East Quad) was renovated in 2012, and it is now a very nice dorm. 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? Jonathan: I think meeting people at the University of Michigan is pretty easy. Greek life is big on campus, but there are so many student groups that are easy to access that I never joined Greek life. I felt like I met a lot of people that I am still friends with. If Greek life is not your thing, do not worry. The only thing that would hold people back from meeting others is if they shut themselves in their rooms all day. Keep your door open, check out some groups that sound interesting, and you will have a fine social life. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Jonathan: The Career Center is helpful if you seek out their help. They do not put themselves out there much, so if you want help, go and get it. However, there are a lot of job fairs with a lot of big companies on campus. My wife got two internships at Whirlpool, and Ford hired her straight out of college. She did it all through these job fairs. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Jonathan: Some spaces are definitely crowded, but I found my favorite secluded places and went there. There are a lot of nice, quiet places to study (Hatcher Graduate Library, the Law Library, Pierpont Commons), so if the loud, crowded spaces (Shapiro Undergraduate Library, the dorm lounges, Michigan Union) are not your scene, you can find somewhere you like. The campus is huge, so if you do not like your current study place, just keep searching. 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? Jonathan: The University of Michigan is highly integrated with downtown Ann Arbor. There are lots of great places to eat in any price range, and there are lots of bands and plays that come to town. I also love Ann Arbor's public library system, which is huge. Students sometimes do not venture far from Central Campus, especially in their first year or so, but there is a lot to downtown Ann Arbor, and your explorations will be rewarded. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Jonathan: The student body is pretty big, but once you get past the introductory courses, most classes will only have 20-30 students. This was my experience in my English, Writing, and History classes, so some departments may have bigger class sizes (like Engineering and Business). However, there will always be a professor or graduate student instructor available. I liked the class sizes, and I never felt ignored or abandoned. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Jonathan:In my senior year, I took a photojournalism course where we went out into the community and found stories to tell. It was challenging, because I was afraid at times to approach someone about a story, but it was very rewarding in the end. My photography grew, as did my confidence. I believe the course is still being taught by David Turnley through the Residential College. David was a photographer with the Detroit Free Press for a long time, so he brought plenty of expertise and anecdotes to class. Check out Jonathans tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

The Importance of Diet and Fitness

The Importance of Diet and Fitness Why Healthy Eating during Personal Training is so Important ChaptersKeeping a Food DiaryAlarming Signs of Bad HealthKeeping Fit by Watching What You EatGet Healthier with a Certified Personal TrainerThe Personal Fitness-Proper Nutrition LinkOvereating, fast food, rich diet: poor diet choices come in many forms and are constantly beguiling us with their salt content, sweet taste and attractive packaging.To say nothing of how they dance on the telly and pose seductively in adverts.Or how they feature beloved cartoon characters to entice our children into forming bad eating habits as early as possible.Meanwhile, the battle rages between the food industry and its corresponding regulatory bodies.And, reporting from the front lines is the NHS that, in spite of all unhealthy food promotions, advocates for fresh choices and puts accountability for our waistlines, clogged arteries and diabetes squarely back on us.How dare they!In the flux of all this sometimes contradictory nutritional information: eggs raise your cholesterol / no they don't... how is anyone supposed to know what to eat these days?One could be driven 'round the bend with all of the conflicting information...But you don't have to be.To avoid anyone obsessing over the subject, let us now have a frank talk about healthy eating.food science wasn't even a science. In the daily struggle for survival, little concern was given to lipids, glucides and proteins, and how they act on the human body.That till-then undeclared frontier revolutionised consumers' attitude toward food.Today, knowledge of food and its effects on our bodies is a bit like the stock market: hard to understand unless you are trained, certified and in the thick of the discipline.And what impact do carbs and protein have on your body and fitness goals?Whether you are trying to lose weight, gain muscle mass or simply want to eat right for health's sake, keeping a food journal is the first step to shaping up.You should write down everything you eat and drink - and how much of each, as well as record any e xercise programs you take part in.  Calculating your Basal Metabolic RateYour basal metabolic rate â€" or BMR tells you how much energy, or calories your body needs to sustain optimal function of basic life systems, such as:breathing: your lungs require a certain amount of energy to work properly, even while you sleepcirculation: your heart must (obviously!) continue to beat in order for you to livedigestive system: as you rest, your innards are hard at work, processing your meals and converting them to energy.For which, ironically enough, they too need energyEvery body is different: in size, height, mass, and even in nutritional needs.Smaller frames can thrive on 1300 calories per day while larger musculoskeletal frames would only just survive on that caloric intake.We haven't even figured on anyone's level of activity, yet!Basic human activity, such as walking or working â€" even at a desk job, accounts for approximately three- to four hundred calories each day.Knowing that, to ke ep your current clothes size, you can calculate your ideal daily caloric intake like so:Weight maintenance = intake of required calories (BMR) + calories to fuel supplemental activities.For a handy guide on how many calories ordinary, daily activities â€" and a few fitness activities consume, you can refer to this chart.You'll notice that high-impact step aerobics can burn more than 700 calories per hour!If you are too weak to pick up a cup of tea, your health may be in danger! Source: Pixabay Credit: SilviaritaAlarming Signs of Bad Health“I'm always so tired!” lamented Kathy, popping a Tim Tam. Discarded sweets wrappers and an empty pack of biscuits lay on the table in front of her.What we eat has a direct impact on how we feel and function.Certain physical signs can clue us in to potentially life-threatening conditions such as: diabetes, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease:Excessive thirstinsatiable hunger â€" especially for sweetshaving no appetite â€" never feeling h ungry could also be an indication of diseasefatigue, especially in those people whose sleep is neither restful or restorativevision troublefrequent infections, or infections that are hard to clear upwounds that take a long time to heal can also be a sign that there is something wrongtingling in the extremities â€" a constant feeling that your hands or feet have fallen asleepsexual dysfunctionIf you experience any or all of these symptoms, you should immediately visit your GP.Food Types that Precipitate Serious Health ConcernsLet us proclaim right now: no food type or cooking method is inherently unhealthy â€" although we do concede that some prepared foods don't necessarily do a body good, even in moderation.However, health and nutrition experts agree: excess is the real culprit.Binging on Netflix while binging on crisps or sweetswhat is a bag of crisps without a refreshing cola?Even diet colas have tons of chemicals â€" aspartame, to sweeten them, for examplefried foods, especially deep-fried: fish 'n' chips, anyone?Red sauce, mayonnaise, prepared salad dressingscakes, pastries â€" not just from the baker's but also factory-producedbleached flour products, including breads and breakfast cerealsReducing intake of these food groups â€" or omitting them from your diet altogether would go a long way toward preventing a cardiac episode and improving your overall health and wellness.Your personal trainer may advise stretching and functional training to start Source: Pixabay Credit: PexelsThe Fitness StepsLevel OneWhen you know what your weight-loss goals are based on your BMI, your should schedule a health assessment with an exercise physiologist.  Find out what shape your body is in through a clinical test of endurance that will measure your cardiorespiratory fitness through a series of aerobic exercises.These are the same exercises a cardiologist would conduct for a heart stress test.Level TwoDiscuss the results of your fitness assessment with your personal train er. S/he will then work with you on a program design tailored to your current fitness level.S/he may also consult with a registered dietitian or nutrition specialist to help establish a sound nutritional program for you to follow.Your first step in fitness training may be corrective exercises, to prepare your muscles and joints for a more rigorous workout.If your goal is to get fit rather than lose any weight, you may start out with functional training: a series of exercises to improve movement in your daily life.In any case, functional training is the next level, after remedial workouts. Improved performance will clue your personal trainer that you are ready to move up the fitness ladder.Level ThreeYou can jumpstart your sports conditioning by working on your aerobic capacity: classes such as Zumba or other cardio workouts offered at the gym.You could also join a bike club, take up jogging and/or swimming, and dance â€" or exercise to music.Anything that raises and sustains an elev ated  heart rate is aerobic exercise.Exercise physiologists aver that alternating between fast and slow â€" on a treadmill or stationary bike works your heart better and helps get in shape faster.Be sure to consult with your fitness professional to see if you are ready for this type of athletic conditioning and, if so: how much?Overworking your muscles is just as dangerous as not working them at all!Level FourOnce you have attained a satisfactory level of sports conditioning, where your fitness goals take you is your choice entirely.Do you want:to continue losing weight, while toning your muscles?Resistance training is for you.a more sculpted look? To become a bodybuilder?You should talk to your fitness instructor about strength trainingto participate in athletic competition?Depending on your sport of choice, you may need to train one on one with an athlete of that disciplineWhat about fitness programs for the whole family?Considering the alarming rates of childhood obesity in Great Britain, it might not be a bad idea to get the whole family enrolled in a fitness program.Your family's fitness education is as close as your computer: you can find a group fitness trainer online, or search for a fitness centre  that offers family fitness classes near you.Nutrition and Exercise Science for Special PopulationsNot everyone can look to private training for their fitness and nutrition questions.Some aren't even motivated to seek out training programs... yet!For whatever reason, the most vulnerable segments of our population are at greatest risk of poor nutrition and suffer the extremes of poor physical conditioning.The obese, the disabled, the young, the old, the poor and disenfranchised have little to no access to health fitness education.Fortunately, our NHS takes the lead.On their page, you can find it all: senior fitness, youth fitness; even exercise programs for the disabled.You can learn about biomechanics and training techniques, and learn about exercising safel y.Don't leave yourself dead in the water; feed your body the fuel it needs! Source: Pixabay Credit: JodumaThe Personal Fitness-Proper Nutrition LinkAnyone in the fitness business will emphatically state that you cannot get fit unless you feed your body.Just as you would not put low grade fuel in your Audi A4 and expect high performance, you cannot put foods of nutritionally poor value in your body and expect to have a healthy body composition.Or any energy for anything â€" let alone physical fitness!Your personal fitness trainer would advise you to take in the proper fuel for your fitness goals:To build muscle mass, you should take in plenty of proteinand carbs, to give you the energy for those heavy barbells!To tone and trim your figure, leaner is betterplenty of fresh fruits and veg, whole grains, and lean meats (or other forms of protein)To build endurance â€" for crossfit and circuit training, or maybe registering for that marathon is what motivates youhere again, carbs are key. Any type of interval training, especially at high intensity for short bursts, calls on your muscles to give up glycogen for fuel.That is why carbs are essential to your fitness plan: they convert easily into sugar, that you will burn off as you work out.To determine your current level of fitness and knowledge of nutrition, you can take quizzes online.Again, our NHS leaps to our aid with this overall fitness challenge.From that page you can find all manner of help and insightful articles about various societal challenges that get in the way of our health and fitness plans.And at Superprof, you will find any number of certified fitness professionals who will help you overcome them, to become the best and fittest you!

Online Body Organs Tutors

Online Body Organs Tutors Our body is a wonderful machine. It is a perfect combination of different organs working together in perfect harmony. The human body is divided into a head, atorso, two upper limbs and two lower limbs. These parts are subdivided into other organs. The different types of tissues are associated to form an organized structure called organ. An organ performs specific function. Some of the organs in the body are the brain, the heart, the lungs, the stomach, the kidneys etc. Each organ operates well. The brain is the control center of the body with all the organs contributing their part. The brain is provided with food and oxygen fromthe blood pumped from the heart. It does the thinking,makes decisions and gives orders. The function of the lungs is to supply the rest of the bod y with oxygen which is necessary for life and to remove CO2 which is harmful waste substance from the body. The function of the stomach and digestive organs is to draw nutrients from the food for the needs of the body. The skeleton is to support and protect the body. The muscles provide the power to move the bones. The eyes, the ears and other senses help the brain to know what is going on in the world outside the body. When one part of the body suffers the whole body is affected. All organs of the body must function together in harmony.

Top 4 Reasons to Attend a Big School

Top 4 Reasons to Attend a Big School One-size-fits-all: not a phrase to describe college student bodies. Everyone has a different preference when it comes to the size of the school they plan on attending. It is one of the pivotal factors to the college decision. There are a lot of assumptions made about what a small school does for you and what a big school has to offer differently and of course, let us not forget about the medium-sized school. However, even if you decide on a student body that is somewhere in between small and large, its numbers and culture are most likely going to make it lean more in the direction of one category or the other. Both small and large schools have very defined cultures that are shaped due to their respective sizes and every student should be fully aware of what those cultures are before making a decision. Here is some great information on large schools vs. small schools that you may want to check out. As discussed before in regards to small schools, there is a clear difference between liking the idea of a certain type of school and actually liking the school itself. Rather than just taking obvious concepts and blowing them out of proportion to fit the dream school you are picturing, you should identify a few specific things about yourself that will help indicate what type of school you are ready for. If you already went through that list in reference to small schools and figured out that it isnt the path for you, try out the evaluation for big schools. You might find that this is the kind of college experience you are not only looking for, but pretty naturally prepared for. You may want to check out these reasons to attend a small schoolas well. A large school is more than just huge crowds and a well-known reputation. Find out if you would fit the mold of this of eclectic atmosphere by determining if the following descriptions apply to you. You Like to Try New Things: Academically, socially, culturally if you enjoy expanding your horizons, a big campus will suit you well. A bigger school means more opportunity and more space to showcase those opportunities. Large events will be held throughout campus more frequently with interesting educational presentations, visiting concerts and comedy tours by big names, club and job fairs, and various social/mingling events. Additionally, being on a big campus means you have the chance to explore a wider span of ethnic restaurants, unique entertainment venues, and other intriguing establishments in the extensive downtown area. Moreover, you will have more classes to choose from in your field of study as well as a lot more options when it comes to study resources and other creative ways of exploring that academic path youre on. A larger faculty to reach out to doesnt hurt either. You Love Meeting New People: Although most students enjoy this and it is certainly something you can carry through at a smaller school, a big campus is just a little more appropriate for those who really enjoy it. Making new acquaintances is a bit more exciting at a large school because there are just so many people to meet. More importantly, you can pretty much be guaranteed that there will always be more new people for you to come across even after the meeting the core of your class during that first year. Joining more clubs and attending more events will certainly make this more likely, but the comforting thing about being at a large school is that you have that easy chance of meeting new people every single day just by walking to class. You will constantly have the opportunity to make new connections without even trying. You Get Bored Easily: Although similar to liking to try new things, this is in reference to someone who just hates feeling restricted to one place or one path. Small schools tend to offer you one, simple world to be a part of, which can be great. However, if you like to mix it up once in awhile and feel you need to escape certain areas of campus every now and then, youre going to feel more at ease at a big school. When its so easy to check out a different spot of campus or learn about a new student organization, youll never feel at a loss for direction. Many smaller schools leave you feeling like youve seen it all after your first year a larger school will keep you guessing. Youre Passionate About Sporting Events: Many students choose to go to a big school because they are huge fans of its football team. Perhaps they grew up watching them or have always had their hearts set on attending a school in that particular conference. Medium to large schools are more often going to be the ones with a popular football team, giving them an attractive edge in some students eyes over the quintessential small school. Even if the large school does not have a football team, however, its sports teams that are considered to be major are going to have quite the exciting following. Small schools certainly show pride and buzzing support for their teams as well, but the electrifying atmosphere of giant stadiums, tailgates, and towns decked out in those school colors exhibit something truly special and different. A college decision should not made on sports alone, but if you are in fact a sports fanatic and love showing outward spirit for your team, you are bound to enjoy thos e perks of a large school. Anything that makes you more passionate about your school and happy to be there is certainly a positive factor to think about. The majority of appeal in a big school lies in the seemingly endless number of options. A student who simply wants more and gets excited by the idea of being a part of something huge would likely be very happy on such a campus. And remember large schools are not just for extroverted, outgoing people. Shy students can be just as happy in this environment as long as they are ready for those sometimes overwhelming elements that set it apart. Make your decision accordingly and enjoy the search! You may also want to check out these tips on how to prepare for the college searchas well!

How to Sing Better Instantly [Super Simple Trick]

How to Sing Better Instantly [Super Simple Trick] Megan L. Most aspiring vocalists are on the lookout for tips on how to sing better.  Everyones voice is different and unique.  However, there is one simple trick for how to sing better that applies to singers of all styles and skill levels:  learn how to relax both your mind and body. Relaxing your mind and body will improve your singing voice dramatically. Keep reading to find out more. How to Sing Better Instantly What Happens When You Relax The secret to learning how to sing better is to stay relaxed. If you learn to relax while singing, you can expect the following changes to take place: Your voice will double in size.  When youre relaxed, your voice wont get stuck on the way out. Instead, your voice will work naturally and without strain or injury. Your tonal range and vocal colors will multiply.  Think back to the last time you sang when you were tense or nervous. You may have sung accurately enough, but you may have noticed a metallic sound coming through. Now think about the last time you sang when you were relaxed. More than likely, your tone was much richer and stronger than in the other scenario. You will be able to sing for longer.  Tense muscles are tired muscles, and after a while, theyll start to ache. If you are relaxed, you are less likely to tire yourself out by working too hard to achieve half the results. 3 Tips to Relax Your Voice While Singing Unfortunately, the vast majority of people find that as soon as someone tells them to relax, theyre immediately tense. The more they try to unwind, the more wound up they become. You may understand this tool for how to sing better instantly, but if you cant implement it, it wont do you much good. To combat this effect, try some of the following singing tips and see what works for you: 1. Take care of yourself. The difference between a singer and an instrumentalist is that we are our instruments. If a violinist has a cold, for example, they can still put on a good performance. A singer will find it harder to do so as their blocked nose or scratchy throat will get in the way. Do your best to take care of yourself and avoid getting sick. Get enough rest, drink water throughout the day, and pay attention to the foods you eat. 2. Warm up your body. You probably already know that its harder to sing when youre feeling lethargic. Start with a few gentle stretches to make sure that youre physically relaxed and ready to put your best foot forward. Proper posture is also key to learning how to sing better, and exercises will help in this area. 3. Be prepared. Theres nothing guaranteed to make you tense up quicker than not preparing your music properly. Practicing often will help if youre anxious about forgetting words or missing high notes during performances and auditions. For even more tips on how to sing better instantly, check out this helpful tutorial from vocal teacher Arlys A. Finally, no matter how well your strategies for relaxing while singing might be, there is only so much you can do by yourself. If you are a self-taught singer, there are all kinds of hidden tensions that can creep into your technique that you might not notice, and that will set you up for vocal problems or permanent damage. The best way to avoid this is to find a qualified vocal coach  who can see and hear problems as they occur, and help you fix them.  If you really want to learn how to sing better, nothing can replace having a vocal coach by your side. Good luck on your singing journey! 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 Ihsan Khairir

Fulfilling Your New Years GMAT Resolutions

Fulfilling Your New Year's GMAT Resolutions GMAT MBA Admissions Blog Now that the calendar has turned to 2018, millions of folks have set (and are hopefully still following!) their New Year’s resolutions. For most, these involve some measure of personal improvement â€" eat healthier, exercise more, boost savings, or maybe improve career prospects. Many looking to further their career will potentially consider building upon their scholastic resume with an MBA. Of course, one of the early steps on the road to an MBA is taking the GMAT and getting a score that will be enticing for your target schools, but with so much to do it can be challenging to decide how to start. Step 1: Set a Goal The first step to any resolution is, of course, identifying a goal. Having a target to strive towards allows you to track progress and feel pride as you make the steady march towards your ultimate achievement. However, everyone’s goal should be different. It must be based on your personal goals and abilities, not just something you heard about how ‘everyone taking the GMAT needs a 700’. Identify your target colleges to determine their admissions requirements and see realistically if you are capable of meeting those benchmarks based on your resume, GPA, and of course your potential GMAT score. For instance, just in MyGuru’s hometown of Chicago, there are numerous business schools from which to choose. These include top five B-schools such as Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and University of Chicago Booth School of Business which boast an average GMAT score in the 730s to University of Illinois at Chicago Liautaud School of Business and Illinois Institute of Technology Stuart School of Business which accept scores in the 500s, with even more schools in Illinois and worldwide that will fall somewhere in between. Wherever you want to go to business school, make sure to do some research (mba.com is a great place to start) to determine what your GMAT goal should be to earn strong consideration from admissions officers at your preferred MBA destinations. Step 2: Find an Instructor and Materials Don’t worry, this isn’t a pitch where I tell you that everyone needs a tutor. However, everyone does need an expert source for instruction and the best text for that, and practice questions, is going to be the Official Guide to the GMAT. If you prefer lugging around heavy things, get the paperback version. If not, get the e-book which will lighten your load and encourage best practices for scratch work since you’ll be working from a screen â€" just like you will on test day. If you need additional practice problems, you can also get the Official Guide GMAT Bundle including Verbal and Quantitative workbooks. Now, if you think you would benefit from additional help beyond reading the limited instructional material provided in the Official Guide, but want to try studying on your own to start there are a ton of additional textbooks from various prep companies or worksheets from sites such asMath-Aids. You can also find numerous online pre-recorded GMAT self-study materials from a variety of sources.If you think you would like direct assistance from a GMAT expert, consider online or in-person tutoring and online or in-person classroom instruction. Classroom instruction is going to be the most cost-effective option, but the difference between a class and one-on-one tutoring is similar to the difference between taking a yoga class and training with a yogi. The former will teach you the broad strokes and provide you with a predetermined set of skills, while the latter will tailor each lesson specifically for you and provide exactly the skills you need to excel at the task. Of course, MyGuru has a team of expert GMAT instructors around the country available for in-person or online instruction and we would be happy to discuss your specific prep needs anytime. Step 3: Set a Schedule Prepping for the GMAT is going to be more akin to training for a marathon than studying for a test. In short, you cannot cram for a marathon, so don’t try it for the GMAT! Instead, try to fit in daily drills and review for no more than an hour or two at a time. Since half of all improvement is reviewing mistakes, a frequently recommended approach is doing practice problems for an hour or so before work and then reviewing those questions for approximately the same amount of time afterwards. This will split up your training and give a consistency to the approach which will keep you fresh every time you study. You will also need to set aside time for full timed practice exams every 3-4 weeks on days you don’t work. Yes, this will likely mean sacrificing some weekends. This is a necessary sacrifice, because taking a full practice exam after a long day at the office is rarely a fun or, more importantly, focused experience. This can lead to lackluster performances and frustration when you see scores that are not truly representative of your skills. Ultimately, until scoring in the 700s each test taker should be more concerned with eliminating simple errors of calculation or focus above anything else. So, taking your practice tests in a serene environment and in top mental condition is imperative. Step 4: Set a Deadline Now, this does not necessarily mean sign up for a test immediately. Of course, if you have admissions deadlines you want to hit, those will take precedence over all other considerations. Still, even if you’re waiting until the next application cycle you will want to set a rough deadline for when you want to take the exam. Think of it this way, you wouldn’t prepare for a race without an end, so you won’t want to begin prepping for the GMAT without a deadline. A good rule of thumb for setting a GMAT deadline is that you’ll want at least eight weeks to prep, but probably not more than 24. The good news is, that you will take practice exams during your prep and you can always shift the exam up or back depending on how your practice scores are faring compared to your target goal. About halfway through your prep be prepared to schedule the exam to ensure that you can get a seat relatively soon after finishing your prep. If you are taking a GMAT class or working with a tutor, best practice is to take the exam within two weeks of your final lesson to avoid having your skills decline while waiting. Follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to fulfilling this year’s GMAT New Year’s Resolution! About the Author: Stefan Maisnier is the Director of Online Tutoring at MyGuru, and sometimes contemplates the lagging Verbal scores of business school applicants while gazing wistfully at his own Masters of Science in Journalism diploma from Northwestern University.

Jobs For The Boys More Idiomatic Expressions in English

Jobs For The Boys More Idiomatic Expressions in English One of my students asked me the meaning of the idiomatic expression Jobs For The Boys this week. Have you heard it before?Let’s look at it in this lesson.  What is the meaning of the expression jobs for the boys?  Jobs for the boys refers to favoritism in the workplace. The word boys suggests a closed circle of contacts to whom jobs are offered mostly including family or close friends.The saying is said to reflect the traditional public school bias in the United Kingdom towards ‘the old boys network.’ Here, professional contacts are comprised of acquaintances and friends from the same schools and later universities and jobs are often given on this basis.Let’s watch an excerpt from a British satirical program from the 1970’s called Yes Minister where the prevalence of the jobs for the boys mentality in the British political system is ridiculed.Before you watch the video note that the word Quango mentioned refers to a quasi (almost) non-governmental organization, or an organi zation to which the government has handed over power. This satire suggests that these Quangos were filled (at that time) with jobs for the boys.

D.C. in Crisis Answering Americas Questions

D.C. in Crisis Answering America's Questions source: http://www.artsobserver.com/2012/01/01/graft-tree-by-roxy-paine-ringing-in-2012-with-symbol-of-life-growth-order-and-chaos/ I was not pleased when I found this robot tree in the Sculpture Garden of the National Gallery of Art.  Roxy Paine’s sculpture supposedly represents the conjoined nature of order and chaos and the hope of a new year.  However I see this “art” for what it truly is, government mandated robotification of nature and wildlife.  What are their goals? Will the robot trees be used as weapons to enforce tyranny upon the citizens of the U.S.?  Will they be used to watch us? So many questions while so few are the answers. Pictured here is the Washington Monument in its current state of repair.  The Obama administration I am sure is tired of the old stone appearance and will most like plate the monument in chrome, much akin to the metal tree, and use it as a giant robot weapon that will terrorize people up and down the streets like Godzilla enforcing his robo-oppression. The sun sets on the monument, as it does on our great nation.  My fears were all too real. The things that I saw in D.C. left me dumbstruck with fear and doubt.  Some may see the grand ornate architecture of national buildings and wonder at the unwavering principle and respect they represent, but others see the truth.  How could our government commit such unthinkable horrors and house such abominable secrets?  It seems as the though Americas concern about the competency of our leadership is more real a fear than ever.  The only thing that brings me peace in this time of hopelessness is that these old buildings from Americas origins are still standing in a salute to Americas infallible spirit.  A spirit which President Overlord RobO-bama may try to extinguish, or should I say exterminate, in the near future.