Ask an Admissions Expert Leah Beasley

Ask an Admissions Expert Leah Beasley Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Leah Beasley received her Bachelors degree from Tufts University, her Masters from the University of Michigan, and her Ph.D. from Michigan State. Having over a decade of experience in college admissions and high school college counseling, Leah is up to date on all of the most important trends and elements in this world. She has worked in many prestigious admissions offices including those at Harvard Universityand the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Leah has evaluated thousands of applications over the years and is now the President and Founder of Beasley College Consulting, her very own admissions counseling firm. VT: How far ahead of time should a student begin working on his or her college application? Leah: While a student may not actually begin to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) until applications come out the summer before senior year, students should begin thinking about their applications well beforehand. First, when visiting colleges it is important to take notes about the visit and begin thinking about why the college might be a good fit. In addition, beginning to brainstorm the personal statement that is required by the Common Application, as well as many other selective colleges, can begin in the junior year. Finally, putting together a list of all extracurricular activities, community service, and work experiences should happen well before a student ever begins an application. However, the best time to actually begin to fill out applications is the summer before senior year as soon as applications become available. This allows the student plenty of time to thoughtfully fill out the application well before any deadline. VT:What are the best ways to go about selecting a terrific essay topic? Leah: It is important to remember that there is no right answer than an admissions officer is looking for in response to an essay questionthey simply want to find out a bit more about who you are as a student, person, family member, friend, etc. Think about what your preferences, values, personality traits and characteristics that make you who you are and write an essay that showcases one or two of these things. Just as you would write any other essay, its important to take time to brainstorm possible essay topics. Often times it may take several drafts of an essay to come up with the right one. After youve written a draft make sure that you have someone that knows you well, like a teacher, parent or counselor, read your essay. If you havent stayed true to yourself, such a person will know it. VT:Are there any essay topics you get tired of seeing or would warn students to stay away from? Leah: As an admissions counselor as well as an independent counselor, Ive read thousands of college essays and Ive seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Here are a couple of tips when thinking about your essay: No topic is inherently a good or bad one. Admissions people want to discover something about you that they cannot learn from your transcript or test scores, so write about something that matters to you, not what you think they want to hear. While no topics are wrong, there are wrong approaches. In general, do not dwell on specific experiences, but on your perception of or reaction to those experiences. Some topics do need to be treated with great care, and should be avoided if you cannot do so. It is very difficult, for example, to write about personal tragedies or those that affect your community or the world. If you choose one of these subjects, be sure to focus less on the events than on how they affected youand never focus on just the negatives, be sure to note how youve overcome this adversity. If you are asserting a strong opinion on a sensitive political, social, or religious issue, you may also want to point out that you are open to the opinions of others. Try to avoid writing about privilege in your essay. VT:What is the biggest mistake a student can make on a college application? Leah: Not staying true to yourself. A close second is, for instance, if you are applying to Harvard and you state that, It has been my lifelong dream to attend Yale! VT: What is the typical process an admissions officer goes through to evaluate applications? Leah: Typically, the evaluation process of a students application varies based on the selectivity of the college. Some colleges simply rely on hard numbers to assess an applicants admissibility and review only grades, courses and test scores. On the other hand, at more selective institutions, a more holistic approach is taken. While admissions officers at highly selective institutions carefully review grades, courses, and test scores, other factors such as activities, leadership, essays, recommendation letters and interviews play an integral part of who will ultimately be offered admission. VT:What do you think is the single most important thing a student should make sure they present in the best possible way on their application? Leah: The single most important thing a student should present is their authentic self in the application. What makes them tick, how do they think, what are they truly passionate aboutthese are the things that will shine through in an application and will make an admissions officer take notice. VT: How should students go about determining the culture of a university, and whether they would be a good fit? Leah: Visiting college campuses in person can be one of the most helpful and important activities during your college search and application process to help you determine if a college is a good fit for you. Touring the campus, talking to current students/faculty and getting a feel for the environment are crucial in helping you to make the all important decision of where youll best fit. To schedule a college visit, simply call the admissions office at an institution and inquire into the times for tours, information sessions, and interviews. Also, check the websites for tour and information session times. These visits do not typically require an appointment, but occasionally they do, so call ahead (at least two weeks in advance of your visit). VT: Early-action, early-decision, binding/non-binding, regular decisions...With so many choices when applying, what do you recommend to students? Leah: Deciding what type of application to submit is a very personal decisionand varies with each student. Some things to remember though if you are thinking about applying as an early decision applicant: Early decision simply means that you are submitting your application early (typically in Nov.-Dec.) of your senior year and will generally receive a decision in December. If you choose to apply early decision you may only apply to one college using this plan and, if accepted, you are bound to attend and must then contact any other colleges to which you apply to remove your applications from consideration. Therefore, I encourage students who use this option to do so carefullymake sure that you have visited the campus (more than once if possible) and can say that it is hands-down your #1 choice. VT: How important are grades and standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Leah: Essays? Grades? Test scores? Activities? What matters most when an admissions officer sits down to review your application for admission?I often get this question from families and many are surprised by the answer. So what matters most? According to the National Association of College Admissions Counselors2011State of College Admissionreport, the three most important factors (as rated by admissions officers surveyed across the country as considerably important) are: 1) Grades in college prep courses83% 2) Strength of curriculum66% 3) Admission test scores59% Regardless of the selectivity of the college, these three factors will always be weighed most heavily in an admissions decision. However, a second set of factors including essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest were rated as moderately important in the admissions review. These factors can help admissions officers at highly selective institutions to differentiate between the often very well qualified applicants. The report also finds that interviews and AP/IB scores, while ranked of moderate to low importance, can also help to provide more information for comparing candidates of similar academic qualifications. Finally, factors such as SAT Subject Tests were rated as having little or no importance and are often simply used for placement purposes. So a word to wise studentswork hard in a rigorous curriculum while ensuring that you are prepping for standardized tests, but also ensure that you take the necessary time to research and visit colleges of interest and give your essays the time they deserve to show an admissions officer why you are a good fit for their campus. VT: What tips do you have for students asking their teachers for letters of recommendation? Leah: When asking a teacher for a letter of recommendation, do so in person. Remember that you are asking them a favor, so you want to be polite and also allow them to thoughtfully decline if they feel that they cannot write you a strong letter. If the teacher agrees to the write the letter, it can often help if you provide them with additional information about yourself as well, such as an extracurricular resume. Finally, make sure to write a handwritten thank you note after the letter has been submitted. Visit the Beasley College Consulting website for more details on Leah and her admissions consulting services.The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Find a Job in Education and Career Guidance

Find a Job in Education and Career Guidance Recently Graduated or Accredited? Here’s Where to Start Job Hunting for Career Counselling Jobs ChaptersEducational Psychology and Career Advising for StudentsCareer Counsellor for ProfessionalsOther Career Guidance ProfessionalsExplore Career Options in the Private Counselling SectorWhether you’re giving career guidance to students, offering career exploration to fresh graduates, providing career development or career planning for professionals - there are many different job opportunities for people who are interested in becoming counsellors. In fact, there are countless of ways you can accomplish your personal and career goals with the plethora of career options. One major example is helping people with special needs integrate into the job market, which can be both fulfilling and a helpful way of engaging with a community to boost the economy.However, with many a career path to choose from comes with the difficulty of both knowing what kind of qualifications you should get as well as what kinds of career services you should engage with. From taking a new career in education al psychology or seeking a career change into becoming a career counsellor, the possibilities you can benefit from are endless.Where will you find your job as a psychological or career advisor? Here’s our guide on everything you should know about tips and resources on accreditation, resume and cover letter materials for jobs in the field!Take different self development courses here. Juggling college and career troubles? Start looking at job postings to know what skills to attain TraceyPersonal development Teacher 4.92 (9) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IsamPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyPersonal development Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelePersonal development Teacher 4.73 (7) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlloydPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliverPersonal development Teacher 4.33 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsEducational Psychology and Career Advising for StudentsIf you’re interested in becoming a professional school counsellor, here is what the world of work will look like. Job seek ers in this field should be aware that there are two major differences between these two career pathways. Understanding types of career choices you will need to take for either field will help improve your job search strategies and interview skills whether you’re just starting out in the job market after graduation or if you are starting to draft your career plan.Those that are interested in becoming an educational psychologist are those who are interested in the fields of psychology and social work. The type of qualifications you will need in order to become a professional in this field in the UK will require you to complete a postgraduate course in educational psychology, which normally takes the form of a 3-year, vocational training program that results in a doctorate.According to the Association of Educational Psychologists in the UK, there are currently 13 universities in England that offer doctorate programs in this field. Both Wales and Northern Ireland have one university that offers this course of study. One of the most common degrees for undergraduates wanting to take on this career path is in psychology, which will give you the necessary foundations to be able to not only get into a graduate program but also a postgraduate one as well.On the other hand, if you’re interested in being a student counsellor, your tasks will involve less psychological and behavioural support for children and teens and more course and career management. One of the most common ways to become involved in this field is by searching for career options in the sector for Further Education and Training.This sector combines the fields of vocational training with career advice and career assessment. It is ideal for those who have worked in a particular industry but who enjoy or want to transition into giving advice to those looking to enter the field through career fairs, in a career centre or by providing online or in person career resources. The most common job that you can look for if you’re interested in this type of work is working at a Further Education, or FE, college in the UK, which teach everything from English to Higher National Diplomas. The most common qualifications you’ll need if you want to work at an FE college are:Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET)PGCE SecondaryIf you’re interested in being more of a school related career coach for students, in person or online job you can look out for is a university application specialist. These kind of in person or online career specialists are experts in giving you advice on how to get into everything from undergraduate programs to perfecting your PhD application. The types of skills you’ll need to have are similar to those working in FE colleges: knowing how to get an appointment with a degree specialist, understanding what kind of cover letters to write for different degrees, and participating in a career fair or two. Doing your research is part of the job: know how the job market is doingCareer Counsellor for ProfessionalsWhether you’re still in high school thinking about what career occupations you might be interested in or if you’re already employed and looking for a career change, looking in to becoming one of the UK’s many career counsellors might just be the job for you. You can start by understanding what type of counselling, as well as the educational requirements involved, entails.Working as a career guide or advisor, you will typically work for a company that specializes in connecting people with employment opportunities, performing career assessments, or offering in-person or online resources for career information.If you’re working in this field, one of the most common career opportunities you will encounter is being a career consultant. On a day to day basis, you will be in charge of helping clients in a whole range of topics, from deciding what career choice will lead to a pr omotion to helping someone transition between career fields.Another similar option would be to start as a jobs and internships consultant at a university career centre. Some of the tasks you may be charged with can include conducting a mock interview to increase student success in attaining a job, updating job postings on the university online job board, and offering to assist students in their internship search or to explore possible career paths.Whether you’re working in student employment or with established professionals, helping people decide what kind of career moves they should make is always a difficult job. In order to be able to offer career and student resources, participate in an annual job fair, maintain office or walk in hours, and offer individualized career plans - you will have to master key interpersonal and professional skills. These can include:Excellent verbal and oral communicationOrganizational and basic computer software skillsListening techniquesOffer crea tive solutionsOther Career Guidance ProfessionalsBelieve it or not, there are many more ways you can work in career guidance than just the occupations we’ve already mentioned. If you’re less interested in working in a development centre and more interested in giving people advice on the specifics that go into attaining, maintaining and advancing in a career - you may want to look into these professions.If you’d like to combine your entrepreneurial spirit with your professional or career interest, become a postsecondary trainer. Becoming a professional trainer can be an interesting way to combine skills in jobs you are already experienced in and teaching others how to excel in them. This kind of work can involve anything from training adults skills they never learned, such as using computer software, to giving advice on how to advance in a career you’ve already mastered.Another one of the career or student services you can provide is running informative workshops, whether you ’re part of a governmental career centre or have started a business of your own. There are many government bodies dedicated to finding jobs for people who are unemployed as well as tons of opportunities to start your own career information hub online or in-person. If you’re interested in being in charge of running career workshops, you can delve into topics that range from how to write a CV to how to ace a job interview.If you’re more interested on the psychology side of things, there are many different types of fields you can get into in the public sector. Whether you want to be a psychologist offering help in drafting policies relating to young adult mental health to providing aid services to people who are unemployed. Build your personal skills by doing the things you love, from long distance running to paintingExplore Career Options in the Private Counselling SectorLooking to the private sector, there are many other opportunities you can take advantage of as a career or psychological counsellor - whether it be in a large corporation or as a private career coach. While the concept of a career coach might sound strange if you haven’t heard of it before, it is as natural as sports and life coaches.In fact, the problem both teens and adults often face related to emotional, behavioural and career issues is most often that they are simply not informed. This misinformation can come as not knowing proper de-stress or anxiety-relief techniques and even as simply not knowing how to start writing a CV.Whether you’re interested in working in the public or private sector, as a school psychologist or as a career advisor, you should always look into becoming accredited with reputable organizations. This can help you stand out from others in the job market!

How to Learn Math the Fun Way - Tutorpace.com

How to Learn Math the Fun Way - Tutorpace.com 0SHARESShare When it comes to math, both parents and kids dread teaching and learning it respectively. It neednt necessarily be all that bad an experience and there are fun ways to learn math too! Don’t believe it? Read on to learn a couple of creative and easy ideas to make math learning enjoyable. Use electronics for learning Many math tutors today have opted to use electronics to help children learn math. Whether it is by means of flash cards, simple games or other applications that help children understand math better, online math tutors swear by this mode of learning. Learning by doing Projects are great means to learn concepts and understand them thoroughly. For instance, giving students assignments that involve puzzles that require application of certain concepts or simply assigning projects that require understanding of underlying concepts are useful ways to assist learning and not only are schools employing such techniques, online tutoring platforms too are using them. Give examples The best way to help students understand a problem at hand is by citing examples. When a student seeks math homework help online, the tutor explains the problem in relatable terms and helps the student solve it by means of examples and correlation. This helps the student grasp the concept better. Flashcards For remembering formula, flash cards are perhaps the best idea. In fact, these are available as apps too today and all a student needs to do is download them. These are especially helpful during exams. Encouragement as always helps build confidence It isn’t important to handhold the student through all the steps but it is very much important to encourage them even when they go wrong. Harsh criticism can only create fear of the subject and impact their morale negatively. Positive encouragement on the other hand will help them build confidence and give the problem another try. Help them think and ask questions Simply sticking to text books isn’t a good idea. Students should be encouraged to ask questions and think outside the box. For instance, when a student seeks math assignment help, it is important to encourage him/her to think about the assignment and ask as many questions as they can come up with. This will stimulate their creativity and also help them try to relate to the given problem in terms that they understand and thus help them grasp the subject better. With these tips and ideas, math learning can definitely be made fun and students will begin enjoying working on a math problem rather than cringing at the very thought of math.

5 Amazing Benefits of Learning to Speak French

5 Amazing Benefits of Learning to Speak French Sign up successful Learning French may take you to a higher position in your current company or could even lead you to your dream job! 2. Enhance Your Travel Experiences Even a basic knowledge of French can make traveling easier and more enjoyable, allowing you to communicate with people at hotels, restaurants, and transit systems. Furthermore, with 75.9 million French speakers around the world, the language will provide you with the opportunity to talk with locals from countries like France, Canada, Switzerland, Monaco, and many African nations. 3. A Gateway to Culture Understanding French means fashion, culinary arts, theater, dance, visual arts, and architecture all become more accessible. In addition, you will be able to read classic works of literature by authors such as Victor Hugo,  Anatole, France,  Molière, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, and others all in their original language. Lastly, with 4 percent of the content on the Internet in French and around 59.8 million users communicating in the language, learning French will even give you the chance to experience more of modern culture. 4. Increase Your Education Opportunities If you reach a high enough level in French, you may be able to enroll at a top university in a French-speaking country. This not only gives you the chance to gain your graduate or postgraduate degree, studying abroad enables you to experience a different way of life and improve your knowledge of the French language. 5. Use French As a Starting Point for Other Languages If you would like to learn several languages, French is a good place to begin. French is reasonably easy for English speakers to pick up, allowing you to quickly reach a basic conversational level, which may improve your confidence for tackling more challenging languages. Plus, French is very similar to other Romance languages â€" Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian â€" meaning that it will be much easier to learn these languages in the future than if you were starting from scratch. Learning French on your own will only get you so far. If youre ready to dive into the French-speaking world, your best option is to take French lessons with a private tutor. Bonne chance! 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

Benefits of tutoring on Children

Benefits of tutoring on Children If your child has ever failed a test or struggled through one or more subjects or classes, youve probably thought about looking into tutoring programs that could help. Eileen Huntington, co-founder of Huntington Learning Center says that most parents recognize the obvious benefits of tutoring, but there are many other positive results as well. Individualized tutoring can help children fill in any learning gaps and raise their grades, says Huntington. The great news is that there are so many other wonderful byproducts of tutoring that can have a lasting impact on a child and help shape his or her future for the better. Huntington shares some of the positive things that tutoring can do for your child: Foster independence. Children who struggle to keep up in the classroom often feel helpless and stuck, unable to complete tasks on their own. When they receive individualized instruction and develop the building blocks needed to progress in their learning, over time, they will feel empowered and more comfortable taking ownership of their education. Improve self-esteem. Most children who struggle with school for an extended period of time begin to feel worthless and embarrassed, thinking of themselves as stupid or incapable of learning. The right personalized tutoring program will start to yield positive results, leading a child to feel relieved and even proud of his or her newfound abilities. Renew interests. When children seem indifferent or angry about school, they might be masking their struggles to understand basic concepts and their feelings of frustration about even the smallest tasks. Tutoring will help pinpoint the root of any academic problems so that parents and teachers can take action. Once a child begins to feel more capable and confident, he or she will also remember what it feels like to be interested in learning. Motivate. For children who repeatedly struggle in school, its a daily challenge to muster up the motivation to put effort toward homework or assignments. Sadly, these students tend to feel that no matter how hard they try, they will fail. A customized program of instruction will help a child become a better student, and as a result, allow that child to experience the positive feelings associated with acquiring new knowledge. Soon, that child will feel more inspired to work harder and persevere when things are difficult. One of the best things tutoring can do for your child is prompt him or her to feel more optimistic about schooland happier overall. When children are able to finally understand something that has historically been difficult for them, its an immediate boost to their confidence and feelings of self-worth, says Huntington. Without a doubt, tutoring is a wise long-term investment in your child that you as a parent will see paying dividends for years to come.

HEART Student Gets Heartwarming Glimpse at Future - Heart Math Tutoring

HEART Student Gets Heartwarming Glimpse at Future - Heart Math Tutoring HEART Student Gets Heartwarming Glimpse at Future HEART Student Gets Heartwarming Glimpse at Future February 20, 2014 A field trip to UNC-Chapel Hill turned into an eye opening experience for a fifth grade HEART Student. The student was one of three Billingsville Leadership Academy students who recently toured the campus with Communities In Schools. While there, he saw the Old Well and Kenan Memorial Stadium, but seeing a class in session was the highlight of the trip. I feel like I am stepping into my future, the student said. He will be in good company if his future takes him to Chapel Hill. Both of his HEART tutors are class of 2011 graduates. They work with him one-on-one every week on foundational math skills. “I was excited to learn my student visited my alma mater! I hope my partner tutor and I can be living examples of the positive experience a four-year university can provide,” one of his tutors said.

Biology, the Science of All Life

Biology, the Science of All Life It often happens that academic disciplines seem to students inapplicable to real life and therefore undeserving of in-depth study. But nobody can say this about biology. The term biology originates from the Greek words bios life and -logia, study of. So biology is the study of life and living organisms. Biology researches the basis of vital activity and interaction between all living things. It is a vast science containing many subdisciplines, including cell biology, microbiology, botany, zoology, anatomy, virology, genetics, biochemistry, physiology, agriculture, ecology, epidemiology, pharmacology, and many others. This branch of knowledge not only provides understanding of our Mother Nature and the essence of life but also helps us to survive. However, there are still many people who believe that biology is a discipline  concerned mainly with the boring examining of flowers and insects under a microscope. It is not true, of course. So let’s think, what is the practical value of biology? First of all, biology is a source of knowledge about the surrounding world. With the help of this science, a person learns the laws of nature, recognizes oneself as a part of nature and realizes that everything is connected. Each organism, even a tiny bug or a microbe, has its function in nature and none of them is useless. It is necessary to observe ecological balance between diverse species, if one of them is destroyed the whole ecosystem will be affected. Besides, the natural resources are exhaustible and learning biology helps to perceive the idea of rational use of these resources. This way the study of biology serves to form the ecological reasoning of modern people. Another important branch of biology is human study. This knowledge is vitally important for everybody as it helps to organize ones life in a better way in terms of healthy food, mental and physical activity. Rational use of the body resources and understanding of physiology may significantly increase operational efficiency and personal level of life. In ancient times the development of biology allowed us to research the specifics of the human body and created the theoretical basis for medicine, the importance of this fact cannot be overestimated. Biology is also important in the scope of economics, particularly for agriculture and bioengineering. Researching  the laws of organisms’ evolution makes it possible to breed new varieties of plants and strains of cattle adapted for cultivation in an artificial environment. This results in an increase of grain yields and the harvest of meat, which is a vital task for humanity now, when the population grows faster than the natural resources. Biology is a vast branch of knowledge concerned with the entire biosphere around human beings and the humans by themselves. Biology has changed the world and the basic knowledge of this science is needed to orient oneself in the present-day life. Biology has incontestable practical value as a basis of all modern technologies of food production and medicine. Besides, understanding the laws of nature forms the mentality open to environment-friendly ideas which is utterly  important for saving the ecological balance on our planet. Learning biology from an early age is essential for personal development of the young individual and for making right decisions in the situations related to  environmental pollution and personal health. Visit  TutorZ.com  to find a biology  tutor in  Los Angeles,  Portland,  Phoenix,  Salt Lake City,  Dallas,  Minneapolis,  Chicago,  Nashville,  Orlando,  Indianapolis,  Atlanta,  Philadelphia  or any other U.S. city.