A College Students Guide to Disability Support Services

A College Student's Guide to Disability Support Services With all of the resources available at your college or university, it can be overwhelming knowing just where to find the support youre seeking. The disability support services office, also called accessibility services, is available for college students who can benefit from additional assistance addressing learning differences and other related needs. Regardless of whether youve previously had an IEP or a 504 plan, the disability support services department at your school can provide the benefits and support you need. Are you looking for individualized support at your college or university? Keep reading to discover a college students guide to disability support services. 1. Get in touch with your schools disability support services office Sometimes, getting in touch with your schools disability support services department can be a taxing endeavor in and of itself. While there are many ways you can reach out to the office, its important to find which one is best for you. If youre uncomfortable visiting the office without prior knowledge, your universitys disability support services department will likely have a website you can visit in order to get a better idea of the following: What services the department offers Where theyre located What you can expect when you visit in person If youd rather make a phone call as your first point of contact, or simply want to walk in when you have a moment, prepare any questions youd like to have answered. If the semester is already underwayeven if youre closer to the end of the semester than the beginningdont be afraid to contact the disability support services department anyway. Your school will likely recognize that new needs may arise at any time and that not everyone knows about all available resources at the beginning of the semester. [RELATED: How High School and College Students Can Setand AchieveAcademic Goals] 2. Locate any relevant documentation required by the disability support services office If youve had accommodations in the past, locate any previous 504s, IEPs, or medical documentation that will help the accessibility department learn more about you. Your school also needs documentation from a qualified professional for both their own records and to be able to provide you with the appropriate services. Check in with the department to see exactly what kind of paperwork youll need to provide. You may already have this paperworkotherwise, you can get what you need from a new visit to your medical provider. 3. Complete your registration and schedule your intake with disability support services In this step, youll provide the above documentation on your application and accompanying registration forms. At a later date, youll meet with someone from the accessibility department for an intake, or consult, in which youll discuss your needs, resources or accommodation plans that haveor have notworked in the past, and how to use potential resources at the university. 4. Meet with instructors and professors to discuss what was established through the disability support services office Depending on your needs, you may get an accommodation plan, assistive technology, or access to a communication team or resources. You might also have access to housing accommodations, if thats something that you can benefit from. For accommodation plans and other resources that youll use in class, youll meet with your professor to discuss how your established accommodation plan can be implemented in their classroom. This is when youll discuss things such as accommodations for quizzes and tests, assignment extensions, note-taking, and other resources like learning difference tutoring. Its important to understand all of the resources your school offers to help you succeed. As the semester goes on, be sure to keep your own documentation of what is or isnt working. As your education progresses, and as your needs change, you can reference these notes in future meetings with the disability support services office. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

A Student Perspective on University of Wisconsin-Madison

A Student Perspective on University of Wisconsin-Madison Rachel earned her bachelors degree in Spanish, international studies, and global cultures in 2009 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She specializes in Spanish tutoring, English tutoring, and math tutoring, among other subjects. Below she shared her experience as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Rachel: Although the campus is in an urban setting, it is full of gorgeous trees and landscaping. It has a mixture of older and newer buildings, a working dairy, a functional observatory, and several natural areas and gardens. It is adjacent to lake Mendota and downtown Madison. Private businesses and restaurants are right next door to campus buildings. Generally, the campus feels safe. However, it is smart to avoid certain areas at night and have a buddy to walk with at night as well (or just take a bus or taxi). There are various ways of getting around campus. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from one end of the main campus to the other. There are also city buses that run on campus, and each student receives a free bus pass. Students can use other forms of transportation such as mopeds, bicycles, or skateboards. Parking is very limited, so I would recommend leaving your car at home. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Rachel: Even though the University of Wisconsin is a very large school (about 30,000 undergraduate students), professors, advisors, and TAs are still willing to assist any student who reaches out to them for help. Some have drop-by office hours, while others are available by appointment only. I was able to receive assistance from my professors, advisers, and TAs in person and through email. Most professors seemed to especially enjoy discussing course topics and other related material with students. Attending office hours or reaching out to your teachers is also a good way to build relationships with professors or TAs who may serve as a reference or recommender for graduate school or a job. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Rachel: The campus has two sections of dorms: the lakeshore dorms tend to be quieter, while the southeast dorms are louder. There are a wide variety of room set-ups and sizes, depending on the dorm in which you live. You may live alone or with up to two other roommates. There are many dining locations across campus, including cafeterias, pizza pubs, coffee shops, and convenience stores. Dining halls are located close to students residence halls and several are even located within them. There are many types of food, and students pay for each food item individually, allowing them to choose how much and when they want to eat without feeling like they are wasting money. There are numerous opportunities in the dorms to meet and socialize with other students. Residence hall associations and houses within the dorms provide ample activities to help get students involved. I highly recommend that all freshmen and transfer students live in the dorms, as it is a great way to get acclimated to the campus and make new friends. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Rachel: The university has 13 schools and colleges which support over 200 majors. Students are able to be undeclared for quite some time while they fulfill general requirements. Students are also able to change declared majors, even if that means they must switch schools/colleges. I began as an elementary education major within the School of Education, but after determining that that was not the right path for me, I switched to Spanish, international studies, and global cultures within the College of Letters Sciences because I love traveling and experiencing and learning about other languages and cultures. As an elementary education major, I was on track to finish school in five years (this is typical for that major, but not all majors), and I was able to finish in that same amount of time even after switching majors and schools/colleges. There were many opportunities for me to attend extracurricular events and activities related to my majors, and my academic adviser was supportive. Although I learned a lot while at school, the universitys career services were not very helpful in preparing me for the working world; they did not do a good job in helping me figure out what kind of jobs I could do with my degree and how to find them. 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? Rachel: I made friends within my dorm and through student groups on campus. I also made some acquaintances through class. Thankfully, I was successful at making friends because I searched out opportunities to do so. One could easily get lost in the sea of students and be lonely if they did not actively try to meet other people. Greek life does play a significant role in the campus social life. UW Madison has over 50 fraternities and sororities and about 13% of the student body are members in a fraternity or sorority. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Rachel: As I mentioned previously, I was not impressed with the career center for my particular college, as they were unable to help me find any pertinent job opportunities. However, I was able to receive useful tips on building my resume and preparing for interviews. Each of the different schools and colleges have career fairs with reputable and relevant companies. There are ample opportunities for you to get your resume in the hands of employers and make a good impression on recruiters. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Rachel: The campus is chocked full of places to study. There are dozens of libraries with varying hours and types of places to study: computer labs, plushy chairs, tables, group rooms, stacks, quiet study areas, etc. The unions, dorms, and academic buildings have plenty of places to study as well. Generally, the dorm study rooms tend to be less crowded. Describe the surrounding town. Rachel: Madison is a beautiful, clean city; it has nice foliage and several lakes and parks. It is the seat of the states government with a capitol modeled after our nations capitol. The campus is located in downtown Madison, which makes it a really fun place to be. While students participate in numerous activities on campus, they often frequent the areas of the city that surround the campus too. There are all kinds of activities always going on, and students can visit escape rooms, museums, farmers markets, concert halls, restaurants, and shopping establishments. State Street is a very popular and eclectic place to be; it is full of neat shops, restaurants, etc. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Rachel: The student body is huge! Class sizes vary and depend on the type of class and subject. For example, all of my Spanish grammar courses had around 20 students in them. On the other hand, some of my survey lectures had as many has 400 students! Most large lectures have discussion sections in which students can discuss the class material in a smaller group led by a TA. This really gives students the opportunity to ask any questions they have and understand the material better. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Rachel: As a Spanish major, I was able to take other Romance languages and have a certain number of credits count toward my degree. So, I decided to take Portuguese. The TA did such a good job of teaching me the language and making it enjoyable that I decided to take more Portuguese classes even though none of the credits would count toward my degree or credit total (I did not need any more credits in order to graduate). Since, I have enjoyed speaking to others in Portuguese and using it in my jobs! Im so grateful for that TA and glad that I decided to study Portuguese! Check out Rachels tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

7 Easy Tricks for Memorizing Spanish Vocabulary

7 Easy Tricks for Memorizing Spanish Vocabulary Suzy S. At times, learning Spanish can feel overwhelming, with so many new words to take in after every lesson and new Spanish vocabulary appearing in every text or video you encounter. The problem is that new words often fail to stay in your memory on their own accord â€" you need to utilize special tips and tricks. Here are a few of our favorites: 1. Return to Your List of New Words Often The first time you learn a word is called initial contact, and you cannot expect to remember vocabulary after just this one time. A better method is to make a list of all your new Spanish vocabulary to revisit at regular intervals over the next week. This process of repetition will help you transfer the knowledge to your long-term memory. Jim Porter of Speekee suggests keeping a vocabulary diary as an easy way to keep track of what youre learning. 2. Learn Cognates Cognates are the easiest of Spanish words to learn, as they have a similar sound, meaning, and spelling to their English counterparts. However, it is important to note  false friends â€" words that appear to be cognates but actually have a very different meaning. One example is  â€œÃ©xito,” which sounds like “exit” in English but translates as success. Want to practice Spanish vocab with one of our teachers? For a limited time, take one of our live, online group classes for free! Learn more here.   3. Understand How to Use Words As you progress in your studies, you will notice that you are learning additional words though context. When reading, take note of any words   that were previously unfamiliar to you and search for them in other texts to gain a better idea of how to use the vocabulary. This will help to ensure the words stick in your memory. 4. Use Flashcards The reason why flashcards are so often cited as an ideal study tool is because they are so effective for many learners. Plus, it is no longer essential to make physical flashcards â€" there are a variety of free apps available to create flashcards for your smartphone and tablet! 5. Create Pictures in Your Mind Create a specific picture in your mind to fit every word, which you can conjure up whenever you need to recall the meaning. This technique is particularly useful for visual learners â€" those who learn better with visual cues than auditory cues. 6. Learn Song Lyrics If you are more of an auditory learner, learning through song lyrics could be a useful technique for you. Find songs that are easy to sing along to and contain at least a few new words. This will both put the vocabulary into context and provide a new way to remember vocabulary through sound. 7. Practice Your Spanish Vocabulary Strike up a conversation with Spanish speakers whenever you get the chance, and make an effort to use as many new words as possible. If you are unable to speak to others in Spanish often, you can write down sentences or, even better, talk out loud to practice your pronunciation. Also, check out this free E-Book from Viva Languages to help you memorize and grow your Spanish vocabulary fast! These tips will help you with your Spanish vocabulary, but keep in mind while studying Spanish on your own is valuable, the best way to master the language is by working with a Spanish tutor. He or she will be able to catch your mistakes, keep you on track, and cater the lessons to your learning style and interests. Good luck learning! 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 Lisa Stevens

6 Tips to Increase Your Accuracy in Math

6 Tips to Increase Your Accuracy in Math Frequently at AJ Tutoring, students come in who express a familiarity with key math concepts but don’t score as well as they’d imagined on quizzes and tests. A common source of missed questions is inaccuracy. It can be frustrating because such errors happen even if you have mastered the material and know the problem-solving techniques. Our math tutors excel at helping students minimize missed questions. Click here to learn more about math tutoring at AJ, and read on for some tips to increase accuracy in math.1. Stop Calling Your Mistakes Stupid It is completely predictable that as a human you are going to make mistakes, and it under no circumstances makes you stupid or silly or lazy. The first step is to retrain your mind to see these mistakes for what they are: Accuracy Errors. By changing your mindset and accepting that you will inevitably make these mistakes, you enable yourself to plan for and thus correct any that do occur. 2. Make a ListAs we discussed above, accuracy error s are predictable, and the cool thing is you probably have a set that you are most susceptible to. So, whenever you get an assignment back, dont just say to yourself, Darn, I made 5 silly mistakes! Instead, classify them: Did you forget to distribute or drop a negative sign? Did you answer the wrong question? Did you do 3+2=6? Did you not write your units? By categorizing your errors, you make it easier to check for them during an assignment or exam. Instead of chanting Dont make any accuracy errors to yourself, you can quickly run through your list of common errors and feel confident in moving on to the next question.    3. Read the QuestionI know it seems simple, but there are a lot of predictable ways this can go wrong. If you feel overly confident with a familiar question type, you might rush through the prompt and miss an important tweak your teacher made. If you feel uncomfortable with a question or its length, you might let the question intimidate you and turn what was actua lly a simple problem into a nightmare. So, read all the words, annotate as you see fit and if necessary break the question into chunks and read those separately until you feel you have a handle on the entire question.4. Underline, circle or highlight what is being asked of youThe key here is that at the end of the problem you can quickly check if you have actually answered the question. This way we can avoid that gut-wrenching feeling when you get your test back, start to look over a problem you missed and realized you gave the answer for X when your teacher asked for Y.    5. Write out your workI mean all of it! Even if you are typically able to perform accurate computations in your head, by not writing down your work you rob yourself of the opportunity to catch and correct accuracy errors. At the same time, make what you are writing out count. If you cant read your work, or it becomes hard to work accurately because the work is not well organized, we have the same problem as not writing it out. 6. Write out your unitsUnits get a bad rap as teachers’ favorite way to shave off points on a students test, but they are actually a really handy tool to see if you have completed the problem correctly. If your units dont work out, it’s a quick red flag that you should check your work. At the same time, by determining what the units of the answer should be ahead of time you can often devise a road map of how to solve the question.

How to Find a Private Tutor Near Me What You Need to Know - Private Tutoring

How to Find a Private Tutor Near Me What You Need to Know BobbiM May 1, 2017 The most common phrase we hear from parents and students is, I want to find a private tutor near me!   Because when you realize that a course (or semester) isnt quite going the way that you would like, getting fast and effective help is what you are looking for.   Any current or past student will be able to tell you that education, and the exams that come with it, aren’t all that easy. Sometimes a little extra help is exactly what students need to help them reach their full potential and those higher grades â€" and that’s why you want to find a private tutor near you. What to Look For In a Private Tutor There are hundreds of private tutors out there, and if you’re going to spend money on extra tuition you want to make sure that out of those hundreds, you find the right private tutor for you. The first thing you should check is their qualifications. Before you start paying a tutor, you need to know that they’re qualified to teach the subject and at the level you need help. If you need tutoring for a specific subject, look for a tutor who has graduated in that subject area, taken several related courses on the topic someone who is a specialist in that field. Or if you need a tutor for a younger student, who hasn’t yet narrowed down the subjects that they’re studying, a tutor with a teaching degree and experience working with children of similar ages might be more suitable. Everyone has different learning styles, so if you need lessons that are more specific than general teaching methods to help you take everything in, ask potential tutors if they’d be able to cater to different learning styles. You could even ask for a sample lesson plan. If you’re seeking tutoring before an upcoming exam, it’s also worth asking tutors if they’re familiar with your exam board and mark schemes. This way, they can help you learn exactly what you need to know, and give you tips on how to present answers in an examiner friendly manner. The private tutoring cost is also something you want to consider when looking for a tutor. Generally, tutors charge per hour, and the cost is usually between $15 and $45. How much a tutor charges can be an indicator of their experience. Tutors that have cheaper hourly rates may not have that much experience, but equally, if a tutor is a little on the expensive side, you should check that they can justify their private tutoring cost with relevant qualifications and experience. Why Is It Important to Find a Private Tutor Near Me? Why Not Just Use an Online Tutor? It’s all very well to find the perfect tutor ready and able to assist you in whatever course or area you are looking for, but if they’re located hundreds of miles away, they’re not going to be much help. You need a tutor that’s only a stones throw away. There are a lot of online tutors and resources nowadays, which might seem like the easier option, but finding a tutor who will deliver lessons in person will help you progress much more quickly. Often, online tutors and resources are for generic use by many students. A tutor near you will get to know you personally, and cater to your individual abilities and learning style. A local tutor is more likely to be familiar with your school’s syllabus and exam processes and requirements, as most of their students will attend the same schools. Often, local tutors are in contact with the teachers at local schools, and work with them to improve students’ points of weaknesses. So hiring a private tutor near you means that you’ll be getting personal support from all angles. If this is the case, you might find that local tutors can even deliver their lessons within your school, so that lessons can take place in a safe and familiar environment, and make use of all of the possible resources. You Might Also Be Interested In: Home Tutors Private Tutors If you plan on having the lessons either at your own home or your tutor’s home, obviously you’ll need your tutor to be close by. Having a private tutor near you will make it much easier to plan lessons last minute should you find out you quickly need help in some area or before a test, and at times that suit you both. The closer your tutor is, the more flexible you’ll be able to be with lessons and schedules generally. The closer the tutor, the less the private tutoring cost will be. If you have to travel to them, remember to take into account the cost of fuel on top of their hourly rate. If they travel to you, you might find the hourly rate is a little more expensive to cover the cost of their journey, or they may even ask for fuel money on top of the lesson price.  A local tutor  in your area will save both of you the hassle of any additional mileage or travel expenses. How Can I Find Private Tutors Near Me? Now that youve made the decision to find a private tutor near you, the next step is to determine just how to find one near you.   Most of us dont have a long list of tutors readily available for whatever topics either we or our child might need. One of the easiest ways to be put in contact with reliable tutors near you is to use an agency or website that offers top notch private tutors. Tutors that work with an organization are usually required to undergo background checks, and have to meet certain levels of qualification and experience requirements, so you can be sure you’re in safe hands.   And theses days, making sure that there is some qualifications checks as well as verification of the tutor themselves adds a level of safety and security that is important for you and/or your child. A private tutoring site also makes it easy to find a whole range of tutors in one place. Rather than continuously searching different websites, you can just search their database of tutors to see the wide selection of tutors that might be able to help you. So whether you are looking for college math tutors or just want to know how to easily find a math tutor for your child, this is a fast, secure and easy way to do that.   No matter where you live, there is bound to be a range of suitable tutors near you. Another advantage to using an organization is that you’ll be dealing with a company rather than just an individual. If your tutor can longer make a lesson, you may be able to quickly find a replacement. Or if you have any issues, the company will help you resolve them in the best way they can. There are of course other ways to find private tutors. You could also find private tutors near you by asking your school if they know any tutors that they’d recommend. Teachers will know what their students need to help them progress and excel at the course as well as the subject matter, and will be able to suggest tutors that the school knows are reliable, trustworthy, and suitable for your needs. The only trouble with finding a tutor this way is that the school may be in contact with limited tutors, so searching online is definitely the best way to go. You don’t even have to search for too long, in fact, you can search for tutors right here on our site. We have a huge database of tutors, ready to teach you everything you need to know and help you pass any upcoming exams with flying colors.   Plus, we make it super simple with our Good Fit Guarantee!   Try a tutor and see if theres a fit and if they can help, and if it doesnt work out.   You dont pay for the first session.   What could be easier than that? So simply type in your zip code and subject or subjects in the 2 boxes and before you know it, youll have tons of qualified, affordable and knowledgeable tutors that meet your criteria of a private tutor near me that are ready to help you reach your goals starting right now! Find the Best Private Tutors At Reasonable Rates - Get Real Results Fast! Choose Your Subject - Add Your Zip Code - Find Top Rated Tutors Today InPerson or Online Online InPerson

Google Trends Now Predicting Virus Outbreaks

Google Trends Now Predicting Virus Outbreaks plus.google.com This study, published in the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that the chickenpox virus isn’t spread how we initially thought, and might be much more of a problem than it was in the past. But to look a little bit further into this data, researchers used a very unlikely source: Google Trends. Researchers used Google Trends previously to look at past influenza rates as well as to estimate future influenza rates. Knowing this, researchers assumed they’d be able to use the same system to track chickenpox rates. So, they decided to run a study to determine whether or not the chickenpox, like many other viruses such as the common cold and the flu, is a seasonal disease. So, researchers looked at the Google search data over a period of 11 years and spanning 36 countries. The data was then validated by published clinical cases. So what were the results? The findings showed that the virus peaked in the spring on a global scale. However, the study also showed that the countries that regularly use vaccines had a much weaker peak in the spring. On top of this, the study’s results were fairly limited because the countries that were studied were fully developed. This means that the countries studied had internet access, high levels of education and literacy all necessary to search for the information necessary to the study online. According to Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, “Data can instruct a ministry of health, where they don’t have any idea about chickenpox [rates].” Schaffner was not involved in the study, but claimed that the findings would be useful to countries where a vaccine for said virus would not be common and the rate of the virus wouldn’t be tracked. He also noted the extent of difference in chickenpox searches among the countries studied in the research. According to him, “In countries where we immunize routinely, the seasonality is much more muted and the inquiries themselves aren’t about disease and symptoms and treatment [but] about vaccines.” This is probably because news of the infection is spread through word of mouth, so the searches on Google were most likely due to fear or concern from a parent that their child was infected. Kevin Bakker, the lead author of the study, was the mind behind the use of Google data for the study. He claimed he wanted to use this data after noticing a correlation between Google searches and seasonal peaks in infectious diseases. According to Bakker: “I think digital epidemiology, which is using Google trends or Twitter trends … is a complement to clinical data … You take your child to the doctor and the doctor sends the case report to state health officials and the CDC compiles it all. If I go to Google Trends, you can see the top trends in data anywhere in the world.” Bakker is currently a graduate student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan. Through this use of Google Trends, Bakker has bypassed the tediousness of finding traditional, reported clinical data and has instead formed a much quicker way to a conclusion (which will, of course, have to be backed by the reported data down the road). But just for the sake of saving time, this new method appears to be ingenious. Because it takes so long for data to finally reach the CDC, it’s important for researchers to have access to the data beforehand, even if it is secondhand data found on search engines. Bakker stressed the importance of supplementing clinical data with the Google data, as one will help achieve faster findings while the other will prove invariably that these findings are in fact correct. Dr. Amy Edwards is a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University Hospitals Rainbow Babies Children’s Hospital. She does believe that more evidence is needed to back up the Google data (suggesting there’s still going to be a tedious fact-checking period), but she also believes that Google data is going to be largely beneficial in future research regarding outbreaks of certain diseases. According to Edwards, “It has the potential to be extremely interesting particularly in unreported and under-reported diseases.” She also suggests that such information can help medical personnel preemptively screen for viruses as well as to plan better in terms of preventative care. While it sounds ridiculous that Google Trends is actually helping in medical research, the search engine may have just saved researchers eons of time they otherwise wouldn’t have had. And as for the general public, we’re probably going to benefit the most. So technology isn’t all bad, huh?

International Scholarships 101 - by TutorNerds

International Scholarships 101 - by TutorNerds Tips from an Irvine College Consultant:   International Scholarships 101 Many students dream of coming to the United States to attend college or university. With such an expansive geographical area, multiple cultures, climates, and every major imaginable, the USA is a fabulous place to get a postsecondary education. Unfortunately, international tuition is extremely expensive and the majority of students will need help of some kind. Fortunately, there are some fabulous scholarships available through private and public institutions and some universities are more generous at handing out scholarships and financial aid than others. Lets take a look. 1. Foreign Fulbright Student Program This scholarship offers a potential full-ride for an international student who would like to come to the USA in pursuit of a post baccalaureate degree, such as a Masters or PhD. This is a fabulous opportunity because, in addition to basic tuition and educational expenses, it also covers health insurance and even airfare. This particular scholarship is provided by the government rather than a specific college or university (READ: 8 Reasons Applicants Fail to Get Into the College of Their Choice). 2. Money directly from universities In addition to government scholarships, many universities offer either merit or need-based scholarships. Some of these programs include the Amherst College scholarships, Arkansas University scholarships, Columbia College scholarships Cornell University scholarships and so on. A full list is available here. Particularly impressive is the help offered from Berea College, where every admitted student can receive a four-year tuition scholarship. Colby-Sawyer College offers up to $24,000 per year in aid and Concordia College offers up to $25,000 per year. 3. Private institutions and non-government agency scholarships The AAUW International Fellowship provides international female students with the opportunity to conduct full-time study or research in the US. This fellowship is for post baccalaureate study and can provide up to $18,000 for Masters Degree study and $20,000 for PhD study. Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme offers a small number of scholarships for postgraduate studies that can be used in the United States. This is meant for students who can find no other way to finance their studies. Although a few extremely lucky international students will receive full scholarships or hefty aid packages, many students will find that education is partially funded through a scholarship but that they are responsible for the remainder. So what is the next step for students who need to come up with enough money to make ends meet during their international studies? 1. First off, always contact the financial aid offices of each college or university directly. Larger universities generally have some money set aside for international aid. However, its entirely up to the student to ask for and gather this information on their own. 2. Have a high score on the TOEFL. The majority of colleges and universities that give merit-based or need-based financial aid to international students from countries that don’t speak English, will require a high TOEFL score. The higher the score, the better the chances. International students who are hoping for aid packages should be prepared to take the TOEFL two or three times even if they are already conversational or fluent in English. 4. Beware of Scams! There are many fabulous legitimate scholarships and financial aid packages out there, but international students coming to the USA are subject to people who are trying to scam students out of their hard-earned savings. Students should look out for a few red flags when applying for international scholarships (READ: 5 Tips For Your College Entrance Essay). 1. Too good to be true? Programs that offer an incredibly large amount of money, or some sort of guarantee, or any other thing that seems too good to be true, probably is. Scholarship programs never give money away so it’s important that students watch out for this type of scam. 2. Money and fees. If the program asks for a hefty fee upfront or a lot of money to process the application, the applicant should be under alert. If the program advertises that they will give $100,000 in scholarship money in exchange for $250 upfront, its probably a scam. 3. Social media checks. Students can protect themselves by doing social media checks on suspicious scholarship programs. Its highly likely that somebody who was scammed in the past will have written about it online. Any scholarship that looks even slightly suspicious should be a red flag for students to do an online background check. Always make sure to talk to somebody in person or on the phone, look for complaints, and get appropriate references. Always use your best judgment. Although funding study in the United States can be very difficult, its a fabulous place to learn and live in, and at the end of the day there are so many great options for international students. Sources: International Student: Avoid Scholarship Scams International Student: International Scholarships All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about. International Scholarships 101 - by TutorNerds Tips from an Irvine College Consultant:   International Scholarships 101 Many students dream of coming to the United States to attend college or university. With such an expansive geographical area, multiple cultures, climates, and every major imaginable, the USA is a fabulous place to get a postsecondary education. Unfortunately, international tuition is extremely expensive and the majority of students will need help of some kind. Fortunately, there are some fabulous scholarships available through private and public institutions and some universities are more generous at handing out scholarships and financial aid than others. Lets take a look. 1. Foreign Fulbright Student Program This scholarship offers a potential full-ride for an international student who would like to come to the USA in pursuit of a post baccalaureate degree, such as a Masters or PhD. This is a fabulous opportunity because, in addition to basic tuition and educational expenses, it also covers health insurance and even airfare. This particular scholarship is provided by the government rather than a specific college or university (READ: 8 Reasons Applicants Fail to Get Into the College of Their Choice). 2. Money directly from universities In addition to government scholarships, many universities offer either merit or need-based scholarships. Some of these programs include the Amherst College scholarships, Arkansas University scholarships, Columbia College scholarships Cornell University scholarships and so on. A full list is available here. Particularly impressive is the help offered from Berea College, where every admitted student can receive a four-year tuition scholarship. Colby-Sawyer College offers up to $24,000 per year in aid and Concordia College offers up to $25,000 per year. 3. Private institutions and non-government agency scholarships The AAUW International Fellowship provides international female students with the opportunity to conduct full-time study or research in the US. This fellowship is for post baccalaureate study and can provide up to $18,000 for Masters Degree study and $20,000 for PhD study. Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme offers a small number of scholarships for postgraduate studies that can be used in the United States. This is meant for students who can find no other way to finance their studies. Although a few extremely lucky international students will receive full scholarships or hefty aid packages, many students will find that education is partially funded through a scholarship but that they are responsible for the remainder. So what is the next step for students who need to come up with enough money to make ends meet during their international studies? 1. First off, always contact the financial aid offices of each college or university directly. Larger universities generally have some money set aside for international aid. However, its entirely up to the student to ask for and gather this information on their own. 2. Have a high score on the TOEFL. The majority of colleges and universities that give merit-based or need-based financial aid to international students from countries that don’t speak English, will require a high TOEFL score. The higher the score, the better the chances. International students who are hoping for aid packages should be prepared to take the TOEFL two or three times even if they are already conversational or fluent in English. 4. Beware of Scams! There are many fabulous legitimate scholarships and financial aid packages out there, but international students coming to the USA are subject to people who are trying to scam students out of their hard-earned savings. Students should look out for a few red flags when applying for international scholarships (READ: 5 Tips For Your College Entrance Essay). 1. Too good to be true? Programs that offer an incredibly large amount of money, or some sort of guarantee, or any other thing that seems too good to be true, probably is. Scholarship programs never give money away so it’s important that students watch out for this type of scam. 2. Money and fees. If the program asks for a hefty fee upfront or a lot of money to process the application, the applicant should be under alert. If the program advertises that they will give $100,000 in scholarship money in exchange for $250 upfront, its probably a scam. 3. Social media checks. Students can protect themselves by doing social media checks on suspicious scholarship programs. Its highly likely that somebody who was scammed in the past will have written about it online. Any scholarship that looks even slightly suspicious should be a red flag for students to do an online background check. Always make sure to talk to somebody in person or on the phone, look for complaints, and get appropriate references. Always use your best judgment. Although funding study in the United States can be very difficult, its a fabulous place to learn and live in, and at the end of the day there are so many great options for international students. Sources: International Student: Avoid Scholarship Scams International Student: International Scholarships All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.

How to Learn Any Language for Absolutely Free, Gratis, Gratuit, Besplatno, Kostenlos...

How to Learn Any Language for Absolutely Free, Gratis, Gratuit, Besplatno, Kostenlos... How to Learn Any Language for Absolutely Free, Gratis, Gratuit, Besplatno, Kostenlos I know, there are wastrels  out there who will drop cash  on university Spanish  classes, or a Portuguese language school on a tropical island.Ive, ahem, done both, and  in terms of linguistic bang for your buck, they arent the most cost-effective  ways Ive  learned languages. Often, theyre not even the most effective in terms of learning outcomes or time spent.So while there are fantastic, cheap ways to learn a language that are much better,  this post is particularly  for  the extreme cheapskates. Yes, you can become perfectly fluent in a language without traveling anywhere, and without  spending  a dime.Ill cover the best ways to do that hereâ€"but  Ill also discuss  a few methods for learning that are almost free but really, really worth it if you can scrape a few pennies together. How to Learn Any Language for Absolutely Free, Gratis, Gratuit, Besplatno, KostenlosFirst, well take a look at the options you have online for more structure, formal learning. There are tons of lesso ns available out there to teach you the key grammar lessons you need to advance.1.  Libraries stock language guidesIf youre lucky, your local library may have a small selection of books published in your target language. In terms of language guides, look for self-teaching books, ideally with an audio component, such as Assimil  or the Teach Yourself series, rather than  classroom-oriented texts.If youre prepared to spend any money on your language learning adventure at all, though, buying at least one good book is worth the investment (you can try out options at the library before you buy). Youre going to need it for more than the several-week lending period. And printed paper is a lovely thingâ€"I  almost exclusively own  e-books now, but my language guides are of the paper sort, allowing me to  mark them up, flip through their worn pages and manhandle them with all of the love and anguish that language learning inspires.Use your local library to take potential learning books you m ay want to purchase for a test run. This will ensure that you end up with a book that youll actually use, and that works for you.Be sure to ask your librarian if there are more books covering more languages available offsite, as they can usually request what you need from other libraries in the area, or from a nearby college or university.2. Youve probably heard about the internetSearches can provide you with free and approachable articles on specialized subjects, from evil  German cases  to  delightful lessons on  talking with Spanish animals.  (And yes, there are also non-FluentU blogs floating around in lesser parts of the Internet.)There are also online reference works that are language-specific, two options that cover a lot of languages are wordreference.com (and its lovely forums where you can pose questions to seemingly out-of-work translators) and wiktionary.org. I got rid of my paper dictionaries a decade  ago.3. YouTubeOh yeah, YouTube is a great source of free,  native la nguage videos and songs.Of course, if  youre prepared to pay just a little, you can learn anything from beginner to advanced language lessons with videos by joining FluentU. Take it for a spin with their free trial.Youll be able to choose from a wide variety of authentic, real-world videos  specifically targeted to your skill level and personal interests, and use an integrated learning program that helps you review and use the vocabulary and constructions that you learn by watching the videos.Now, if youre dying to learn in an actual classroom, with a solid four walls and a real, live person teaching, then there are free and cheap options out there for you in the real world too. Lets take a look at those!4. Take advantage of your employer or schoolCheck with community, university  and employer programs for scholarships and language learning programs. Youre likely not the only one who wants your language skills to improve!Check in with the human resources office, your supervisor, you r universitys study abroad programs office or office of global affairs. Let them know your interests and goals, and I bet theyll come up with something for you.5. See whats available for people learning your target languageMinority and even not-so-minority languages in many parts of the world have government and non-profit programs that support their diffusion.It can be free or very cheap to learn languages like Catalan, Breton, Navajo, Serbian, etc.If youre a true cheapskate, you might even choose to tackle one of those languages for this very reason. Just to give an  example, the government of Catalonia offers heavily subsidized courses as part of its effort towards linguistic normalization. The more a language has the support of a government that fears for its disappearance, the more likely it is to financially support learning materials and classes.Now, were going to move on to less structured learning. This is great for anyone who learns well through immersion, and for learners who are reaching fluency.Self-directed, online learning  can be  the most efficient way to learn.Its also the cheapest and, if you do it right, its free.6. Online language  exchangesThese are completely free.Youre just paying with the  time that it takes for you to help your language partner with their goals. Examples of how to start finding partners include free websites like Polyglot Club, italki (under the community menu), forums and programs specific to your target language. If youre a native English speaker, youre in demand.The entire world always wants to practice its  English.And if you pay just a little bit on italki, you can also schedule private online lessons with professional tutors from around the world. Youre paying so as not to spend any time speaking your native language, which is what youll have to do with a free language exchange partner. Rather, youre only spending time on the language youre learningâ€"and your time might very well be worth that cost.Paying for c lasses can also be worthwhile since theres always a risk of language exchange partners being a bit less serious and flaking out on scheduled sessions.There are both professional teachers on italki as well as students and others who are simply willing to rent their time to have a chat with you in their native language, slowly, and correct your language use. Choose whatever is best for you!You can always do mostly free language exchanges, and then pay for a private, professional session every couple of months to give yourself an extra boost.7. Offline language exchangesThese can be even more motivating and fun.  Couchsurfing, InterNations  and Meetup meetings can be a good way to meet people in your area who speak your target language, or you can post a message in those forums about what youre looking for.Also look for community events and volunteer work in your target language if possible. For example, Ive practiced my  Portuguese a lot by  taking Samba de Gafieira classes. If youre in an area with a community that speaks your target language, what are ways that you can make yourself useful to native speakers while practicing? Can you volunteer with children or old people, or do  community activism?8. DatingYup, this is also great (I plead guilty to using Tinder for my language goals!).Pillow talk is inevitably both more motivating and more memorable than a grammar text. Of course, to avoid bad feelings you should be honest about your intentions from the start, whether romantic, platonic, sexual or linguisticthough any of these can easily get confused once passion kicks in.Ill leave you to decide if youre cheapskate enough to make dating into a truly free activity.9. Find a PenpalFor most learners, writing is  a goal  or at least a major support of learning, and you can exchange writing help with native speakers the same way that you do oral language exchanges.A good, focused  way to do this  is through the site Lang-8.com. Users of the site exchange correction s of each others texts. Its a great, highly organized  and free way to get native speakers reactions to your writing.You can also look for local people to exchange help with. Translators in particular are always looking for help unraveling tricky phrases, and willing to trade for help correcting your texts. If youre a native English speaker with friends from different lands, youll be hit up countless times for help correcting CVs, letters, etc. Partly to reduce the number of requests, but also for my learning benefit, I always ask these friends for help in return with correcting a text that Ive written in their languages.If your previous excuse for not getting going on your language goals was a faulty budget, I hope Ive blown that out of the water with this post. In general, with free options, youre spending a little bit more of your own time and you have to be more self-motivated and self-directed. But these tend to be quite positive tendencies  in other ways  and will favor  your ultimate success in language learning.Dont forget: You can save any extra cash  for a trip to a tropical island with your library book, or your Portuguese language exchange partner.Mose Hayward is a polyglot and language learning addict who, for the good of humanity, has collected and  translated every single one of the  53 Catalan expressions involving poop.