Writing a Thank You Note After an Interview

Writing a Thank You Note After an Interview There is one little mistake many students make that can sometimes hurt the final impression they make after an admissions interview. What is that tiny mistake? Not sending a thank-you note. It is extremely ironic how often this happens. The task of writing a thank-you note is so simple, so quick to do and so overlooked. You may feel like this idea is pointless. You had a lengthy interview with this admissions officer and genuinely thanked them in person with a firm handshake and bright smile. Wouldnt it be a little repetitive to thank them again? No. The answer is no. Remember, these admissions staffers are getting tons of applicants and are going through several interviews. It can be a bit overwhelming and you can easily get lost in the crowd or forgotten. Therefore, it would only make sense to ensure you do not go missing from their radar and remind them that you do exist. With a thank-you note, you are not only reminding them that youre around, you are showing that you are still enthusiastic about attending this school and want to show how much you really want to be a part of it. After all, universities want to accept people who actually want to be on that campus, not just any campus. Most of all, you can take this opportunity to show the admissions officer how much you particularly enjoyed meeting them and what you learned from the interview. Show that you are taking a legitimate interest in what this school is all about. All of this shows you were actually paying attention in the interview and engaging in conversation rather than just reciting rehearsed answers about your credentials. Also, you can smoothly sneak in a quick reiteration of what makes you a great applicant. Although this note doesnt take too much time or thought overall, you still must pay close attention to how you phrase everything and how lengthy it gets. Dont bother this person with basically another personal statement keep the note very brief. And make sure you do not come off as trying too hard or as an applicant sending a generalized thanks. To sum it up: thank the interviewer for their time, express your enjoyment of the interview and eagerness about attending the school, and leave them with your hopes that youll be moving forward. Tailor each of those points as personally as you can and you will have a note of perfection that will keep you ahead in the races.

The 3 Biggest Mistakes Youre Making in Your Voice Lessons

The 3 Biggest Mistakes Youre Making in Your Voice Lessons Sign up successful Not Letting Go OK, so forget the famous Disney song for a second (even though I know its now stuck in your head). The best voice lessons happen only when youre ready and willing to be open, raw, unpolished (at times), and free. And when we voice teachers use the word free, we dont always just mean free of physical tension. We might also mean free in terms of artistic expression. As the brilliant voice teacher Julie Zarukin once told me,  Music is not the song. Music is the singing. We have to let go of both our physical and mental tensions if were to make progress in our learning journeys. Being Afraid A lot of times, what were afraid of in our voice lessons is letting go (see mistake number two above). But just as often, were afraid of not hitting that high note, cracking on that big leap, having too much vibrato, and believe it or not, I think that some students are afraid of singing too loudly, or too well. In some ways, I feel like getting a voice lesson is like getting a physicians exam. You know that you need the diagnosis and treatment, but its not always easy to share so much with a person that you may not know very well yet. And yet, a voice teacher can only find your challenges and help you learn how to get better at singing if youre not afraid to allow them to be found. Making the Most of Your Singing Lessons If you really want to get better at singing and improve your skills, youll need to make the most of your time both in your lessons and during practice! Whether you want to sing cover songs, work on specific techniques, get help picking a song for an audition, or just have some fun exploring your voice, your teacher is there to help you reach your goals and keep you on track. He or she will also teach you the basics, such as: breathing exercises for singers, how your posture affects your singing, and how to care for your voice. Now, if you find yourself making the mistakes listed above in your voice lessons, then it sounds like you may be having a tough time trusting your voice teacher. Try your best to be open and talk openly about your concerns. But just like a physicians patient, a voice student has the right to get a second opinion if you feel frustrated or stuck. The best voice teachers will actually encourage you to get one. Take a break and try a new voice teacher for a couple of months. Sometimes, a new set of ears and a fresh perspective can change the way you look at voice lessons and help you make progress as you work to figure out how to get better at singing. The most important element is finding a voice teacher that you can trust (hint: start your search for a voice teacher with TakeLessons, if you dont have one yet!). To Recap: Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in St. Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and the internationally renowned opera star Andrea Bocelli. Learn more about Heather 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

ACT Math Strategy Series [Part 2 of 3]

ACT Math Strategy Series [Part 2 of 3] ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog Math is a subject that most students either love or hate. In either case, preparing thoroughly for the Math section of the ACT is important in order to do your best. If math is not your strongest subject, building a solid foundation of understanding will be important for maintaining a decent overall score. If math comes easily for you, reviewing will still be important in order to fill in the gaps in your knowledge, especially if you want your score to truly reflect your ability. Either way, this series of posts gives you valuable strategies that will help you maximize your score. This post is the second of a three part series that looks at strategies for acing the ACT Math section. Strategy #4: Budget Your Time Since the ACT is a timed test, using your time and focus effectively will have a huge effect on the outcome. Sixty minutes for sixty questions may seem like plenty of time, but the questions cover a range of difficulties, and some will take much longer than a minute, which means that others will have to take much less. For example, suppose you take two minutes to complete one problem. Then you will have to complete two problems in only thirty seconds to make up for this time. If it took you three minutes to answer one problem, you would have to answer three more in only twenty seconds each to stay on par. And a six-minute problem would cost you six ten-second problems! So, if a problem is taking too much time or draining your ability to focus, don’t be afraid to skip it and come back to it if you have time. Since all of the questions count the same regardless of their difficulty, the more you are able to answer the better. Strategy #5: Factor In Order Of Difficulty One factor to take into account in budgeting your time is that the difficulty of the problems tends to increase as you go along, so you should be able to complete the earlier problems much faster. If you complete early problems in less than a minute, or even better, in less than 30 seconds, you are essentially “banking” time that you can then use for the later, more challenging problems. A good target to aim for is having two thirds of the problems completed when your time is halfway up. Strategy #6: Read Questions And Answers Carefully As on all multiple-choice tests, make sure that you clearly understand what each question is asking for, and be wary of choosing intermediate steps as answers. Just because you are proceeding with a calculation and come across one of the answer choices doesn’t mean it is the correct one; make sure you have completed the problem all the way to arrive at the final answer. Dane Dormio is an online tutor and blogger with an unconventional approach to education. Visit his tutoring blog at www.synergy-tutoring.com. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '6baac2ae-05a3-4610-9d1f-265c8cbd809f', {});

Why Tutoring Can be the Key to ACT Success

Why Tutoring Can be the Key to ACT Success When School Isnt Enough: Why Tutoring Can be the Key to ACT Success We've encountered many parents over the years who have questions about the benefits of the ACT tutoring programs at Huntington Learning Centers. These parents are searching for answers about the effectiveness and impact of exam prep programs. Often, their questions are very similar and indicate that many parents have the same concerns when their children are preparing to take the ACT. We've gathered some of the most frequently asked questions about ACT tutoring and hope the answers help you determine whether such a program is right for your child. Why choose ACT tutoring? The ACT is a high stakes test that assesses your child's ability as a snapshot in time. Years of hard work preparing for college admissions can be negatively affected by a weak ACT score. Investing in ACT tutoring provides your child with the extra practice, knowledge, and confidence necessary for success on the exam. The content and format of the ACT exam may feel overwhelming if you are working to prepare your child on your own. How do you know exactly what to study? How much emphasis should you place on each content area? What is the best way to prepare for the specific format of the exam? The professional tutors at Huntington Learning Centers are specifically trained to help students prepare for the exam. Through a careful combination of assessment, instruction, and practice your child will gain the necessary knowledge and skills to prepare for the exam. What are the benefits of tutoring at Huntington Learning Centers? The main goal of the ACT tutoring programs at Huntington Learning Centers is to prepare students for the rigors of the ACT exam focusing on academic knowledge, test taking skills, and time management skills. Your child will learn from the best and experience a comprehensive and prescriptive tutoring program based on ongoing assessment data. Not only will your child gain the skills and knowledge necessary for success on the ACT exam but you'll likely notice an increase in confidence as well. Your child will be able to confidently look forward to the exam. What are the differences in tutoring programs? We offer three different tutoring programs and are confident one of these will meet your child's specific needs. The Premier Program is recommended for students that have six to eight weeks to devote to ACT tutoring and is customized to meet your child's individual needs. Ongoing progress monitoring and interim conferencing provide you the assurance that your child is benefiting from the tutoring program. The 28-Hour Program is designed as a five to seven week program that prepares students in all content areas in a limited amount of time. The 10-Hour Program is designed for students with limited time that want targeted practice in a single content area. If you'd like more information about which of these programs is a best fit for your child contact a professional with Huntington Learning Centers. How will tutoring complement my child's high school education? Your child is learning a lot in high school and the mastered skills and acquired knowledge will be incredibly beneficial on the ACT exam. Using careful assessments, we determine what your child already knows and what content areas remain a struggle. We'll work to close the gaps and strengthen your child's academic foundation. The tutoring sessions also expose students to the exam's format and teach successful test taking tips. Many of these lessons are also applicable to other exams your child will take during both high school and college. The benefits will continue to pay off over time. Huntington Learning Centers are proud to serve local communities by offering high quality tutoring for students preparing for the ACT exam. Will your child be taking the ACT exam this school year? What other questions do you still have about the benefits of ACT tutoring? Let us know on one of our social media pages or share this information with others who may benefit by clicking on one of the social media buttons above.

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

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

5 Employers That Offer Tuition Assistance

5 Employers That Offer Tuition Assistance pixabay.com 3. Chipotle   Chipotle offers plenty of benefits for both part-time and full-time employees healthcare, 401k, meal discounts and more importantly, educational assistance. Every year, part-time and full-time employees can receive up to $5,250 in tuition assistance and up to $5,185 in federal grants. Aside from money assistance, you can even receive up to 44 credits by receiving job promotions at Chipotle, lessening the burden of taking more courses. 4. Walmart and 5. Sams Club Walmart and Sams Club are also partnered with a specific university: American Public University. Both part-time and full-time employees are able to benefit from the Lifelong Learning Program, which helps them and their eligible family members save 15 percent off the universitys courses. Eligible family members include dependent children, siblings, parents, and spouses of any active employee of Sams Club or Walmart. The eligibility for the program begins on the employees first day of employment. Program participants must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent and the program is restricted to American Public University or American Military University. Undergraduate students are also eligible for the programs undergraduate book grant to cover almost all of the required reading materials, which amounts to $1,000 per year on average.

This Young Kumon Reading Program Completer is an Aspiring Computer Engineer

This Young Kumon Reading Program Completer is an Aspiring Computer Engineer This Young Kumon Reading Program Completer is an Aspiring Computer Engineer Kyler, 13, Level M Math, Reading Program Completer Two years ago, and at just 11-years-old, Kyler completed the Kumon Reading Program, which ends with analyzing Shakespeare. Now, he’s just a few levels away from successfully completing the Kumon Math Program as well. Considering he’s only in the 8th grade and is working on trigonometry, it’s not surprising that Kyler is far above his peers. But to him, he is just paving the way for his aspiration of one day becoming a computer engineer. “I enjoy working with the software side of computers and want to share my love of it with the world,” said Kyler. He particularly enjoys challenging math problems, and credits Kumon for keeping his brain sharp and focused. Outside of the classroom, Kyler is an accomplished violinist in the school orchestra, and practices piano in his spare time at home. He also recently took on a new challenge with working on a robotics team to compete in the FIRST Lego League Robotics Challenge (FLL). The FLL seeks bright young students to research a real-world problem such as food safety, recycling, energy, etc. and develop a solution. The solutions developed by teams include basic STEM applications, critical thinking, presentation skills, and creativity. Kyler’s natural competitive spirit and passion for STEM, has lead him to compete in the Verizon AppChallenge. Verizon Innovative Learning created the annual App challenge along with the Technology Student Association and the MIT Media Lab, to inspire young students with STEM aspirations, and provide a hands-on learning experience. In 2016, Kyler’s team made it all the way to the top 10 in the entire U.S. with an App that helps musicians practice more efficiently. Kyler’s hard work has not gone unnoticed, having been one of 55 students selected to attend the 2018 Kumon Student Conference in Calgary, Canada. We had the opportunity to speak to Kyler about his Kumon journey thus far. How has Kumon helped you academically? Kyler shakes hands with Kumon North America President Mino Tanabe Kumon has given me the intellectual advantage in the classroom to succeed and stay ahead. It also boosts my confidence in my academic studies. I also appreciate having a great and patient Kumon Instructor who encourages me. If you could sum up your Kumon experience in one word, what would it be? Success. I chose success because Kumon has helped me strive to succeed in everything I do. How has Kumon helped you outside of the classroom? Kumon has taught me to not fall behind on my assignments and stick with a problem without giving up. What did it mean to you attending the Student Conference? It made me proud to be one of the students representing my branch. It has given me a lifelong experience and memory where I met so many new friends who enjoy Kumon just as much as I do. What advice do you have for other Kumon Students? Even if you get frustrated and feel like you want to give up, keep going because it’s going to pay off in the long run. Discover even more student success stories. You might also be interested in: Passion and Dedication are the Key to this Young Computer Coders Success Meet Jessica, a Kumon Reading Program Completer Who Has a Way With Words This Young Reading Program Completer Developed a Love for Literature in Kumon Kumon Reading Program Completer Motivated by Other Students This Young Kumon Reading Program Completer is an Aspiring Computer Engineer This Young Kumon Reading Program Completer is an Aspiring Computer Engineer Kyler, 13, Level M Math, Reading Program Completer Two years ago, and at just 11-years-old, Kyler completed the Kumon Reading Program, which ends with analyzing Shakespeare. Now, he’s just a few levels away from successfully completing the Kumon Math Program as well. Considering he’s only in the 8th grade and is working on trigonometry, it’s not surprising that Kyler is far above his peers. But to him, he is just paving the way for his aspiration of one day becoming a computer engineer. “I enjoy working with the software side of computers and want to share my love of it with the world,” said Kyler. He particularly enjoys challenging math problems, and credits Kumon for keeping his brain sharp and focused. Outside of the classroom, Kyler is an accomplished violinist in the school orchestra, and practices piano in his spare time at home. He also recently took on a new challenge with working on a robotics team to compete in the FIRST Lego League Robotics Challenge (FLL). The FLL seeks bright young students to research a real-world problem such as food safety, recycling, energy, etc. and develop a solution. The solutions developed by teams include basic STEM applications, critical thinking, presentation skills, and creativity. Kyler’s natural competitive spirit and passion for STEM, has lead him to compete in the Verizon AppChallenge. Verizon Innovative Learning created the annual App challenge along with the Technology Student Association and the MIT Media Lab, to inspire young students with STEM aspirations, and provide a hands-on learning experience. In 2016, Kyler’s team made it all the way to the top 10 in the entire U.S. with an App that helps musicians practice more efficiently. Kyler’s hard work has not gone unnoticed, having been one of 55 students selected to attend the 2018 Kumon Student Conference in Calgary, Canada. We had the opportunity to speak to Kyler about his Kumon journey thus far. How has Kumon helped you academically? Kyler shakes hands with Kumon North America President Mino Tanabe Kumon has given me the intellectual advantage in the classroom to succeed and stay ahead. It also boosts my confidence in my academic studies. I also appreciate having a great and patient Kumon Instructor who encourages me. If you could sum up your Kumon experience in one word, what would it be? Success. I chose success because Kumon has helped me strive to succeed in everything I do. How has Kumon helped you outside of the classroom? Kumon has taught me to not fall behind on my assignments and stick with a problem without giving up. What did it mean to you attending the Student Conference? It made me proud to be one of the students representing my branch. It has given me a lifelong experience and memory where I met so many new friends who enjoy Kumon just as much as I do. What advice do you have for other Kumon Students? Even if you get frustrated and feel like you want to give up, keep going because it’s going to pay off in the long run. Discover even more student success stories. You might also be interested in: Passion and Dedication are the Key to this Young Computer Coders Success Meet Jessica, a Kumon Reading Program Completer Who Has a Way With Words This Young Reading Program Completer Developed a Love for Literature in Kumon Kumon Reading Program Completer Motivated by Other Students