Where To Stay On Your Trip To Germany

Where To Stay On Your Trip To Germany Visit Germany: Finding Your Holiday Accommodation? ChaptersBudgeting For Your AccommodationTypes Of Accommodation In GermanyUnusual Accommodation Options In GermanyIf you have decided to visit Germany for your holiday, you have made a great choice. Germany is a powerful and culturally rich country and unique in Europe as a tourist destination. When planning your trip one of the most important things to organise will be your accommodation in Germany. If you know what cities in Germany that you want to visit and which attractions you are interested in seeing. Then you will be able to choose your accommodation wisely, allowing you to rest at the end of each day. After making the most of the beautiful attractions that German towns like Schleswig, Frauenkirche, Freiburg, Berchtesgaden, Heidelberg, and the more well-known cities like Dresden, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne or Munich have to offer.The Federal Republic of Germany has many places to visit, which means that you have to be strategic in where you choose to stay so that you can mini mise your travel times and maximise your sightseeing. To visiting Germany when your trip is planned to leave you to enjoy the sights stress-free while relaxing as comfortably as possible.Germany offers many solutions to accommodate tourists and travellers, no matter what your budget or desires. Let's learn all the essential information to choose your accommodation during your trip to Berlin, Nuremberg, Leipzig, Dusseldorf or Saarbrücken!These attractions will leave you captivated by Germany. Photo Source: UnsplashPrepare to be amazed. Germany has many surprises waiting to be discovered. Photo Source: UnsplashAirbnb And Homestays In GermanyWhether in Bavaria, Saxony or the Rhineland, it is also possible to stay in Germany at reasonable prices through rented rooms homestays. Less expensive than the hotel option and very easy to find in the country. Homestay accommodation will allow you to spend a peaceful few nights in a comfortable well-placed property. You can cross many signs of t hese rooms for rent on the roads of Bremen, Stuttgart, Bonn or Hannover. Also, many may be registered with the local tourist office.The Airbnb option is a more organised option that can be booked and paid online and in advance. This solution gives you a lovely room or apartment while also letting you reside with the locals or in an area where locals live. This option doesn’t cost very much more than the budget option but provides a lot more comfort. And can allow you to live in Germanic fashion during your stay, in the city centre or more far out.The average city prices of homestay options:You can enjoy a room for 2 from around €30-35 in the countryside and a little more in the cities, including the German capital but prices are not excessive.The Average City Prices Of Airbnb Options:Berlin: 45 €,Cologne : 50 €,Munich: 55 €,Stuttgart: 50 €,Dresden: 37 €,Nuremberg: 40 €,Hamburg: 43 €,Frankfurt: 45 €.HotelsIf you are a more traditional tourist, someone more affluen t or someone who needs a certain level of comfort during their trip. The hotel is probably the accommodation solution that you should choose to visit Germany.The average city prices of Hotels options:Berlin: 110 €Munich: 95 €Cologne: 100 €Frankfort: 120 €Hamburg: 105 €Dresden: 85 €Stuttgart: 120 €Nuremberg:   110 €Portugal is a country offering incredible landscapes. Photo Source: UnsplashUnusual Accommodation Options In GermanyThere are many unusual accommodations in Germany, whether in Westphalia, Baden Württemberg, near the Black Forest or in Lower Saxony. These options for Accommodation include work exchange programs, Couchsurfing, camping and boutique hotels you could also ask to stay with friends. Some of these options will be cheaper than a hotel for you and could perhaps leave you with enough money to do fun activities. Here are a few examples of these accommodation nuggets to discover if you like an adventure.Find German courses London before you go to Germ any.German CampingThere are more than 2000 campsites in Germany because camping is a popular solution at an unbeatable price. That allows you to save a large part of your budget while living at your own pace. The campsite certainly offers freedom in terms of housing. Also, these camping sites are usually placed on the edge of natural areas like lakes or forests. Which allows for a beautiful setting while enjoying the available facilities: showers, wifi (at some sites) and Barbeques.Of course, the campsites will not be located just in front of the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag Palace or another UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Also, you will be located at least a few kilometres to be in the centre of the big German cities, where most attractions are waiting for you to visit.If you are lucky enough not to be put off, then camping is a good and economical way to spend your German holiday.Boutique And Themed AccommodationsThe V8 HotelFans of beautiful and old cars can find everything they are looking for in the V8 Hotel. In this hotel, you will literally sleep in a car, the V8 Hotel offers a unique experience that you can discover when you visit Stuttgart.Le Nhow Berlin HotelThe Nhow Berlin Hotel is an architectural nugget that will keep you going during your holidays.The owner is a former music producer, and the hotel lives to the sound of music. Two recording studios with instruments are free to use for the tourists who stay. If you want a Rock'n’Roll holiday, you know where to sleep.The Mövenpick Hotel HamburgThe Mövenpick Hotel gives you one more reason to take a break. Built inside a 19th-century water tower to accommodate tourists. This hotel has 4 stars under its belt and has a sauna, gym, terrace, bar and restaurant.Why not book a room in each city during your romantic road trip? Or in Munich during Oktoberfest. You can go sightseeing in Germany without breaking the bank. Well, now you have all of the information you need to organise it. Leaving you only to enjoy your time while you discover Germany and its riches, between cultural visits and diving into German cuisine. No matter which room you are looking for you will not have a hard time finding one. Ready to book?

Classification of Fungi Online Biology Tutors Tutorpace

Classification of Fungi Online Biology Tutors Tutorpace Based on the morphology of mycelium, mode of nutrition, mode of spore formation and fruiting bodies, the kingdom Fungi is divided into 4 classes-Phycomycetes, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes. Phycomycetes:They are called lower fungi and occur in water, on decaying wood and leaves in moist and damp places and also as parasites on plants. Mycelium is coenocytic and aseptate. Asexual reproduction byzoospores in aquatic forms and aplanospores in terrestrial forms. Sexual reproduction is by isogamy, anisogamy and oogamy. Example: Mucor, Rhizopus, Albugo etc. Ascomycetes: They are higher fungi with a well-developed thallus and productions of ascospores within the sac like ascus.They are also called sac fungi. Ascomycetes are unicellular or multicellular. The hyphae are septate and each cell may be uninucleate or multinucleate. Asexual reproduction by conidia and sexual reproduction by the fusion of two hyphae of different mating types. Examples: Yeast, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Claviceps, Morchella etc. Basidiomycetes: They grow in soil, on logs,and tree stumps and as parasites in living bodies. Vegetative reproduction by fragmentation. Asexual and sexual reproductions are absent. Mycelium is septate, multinucleated and branched. Example: Agaricus, Ustilago, Puccinia etc. Deuteromycetes: They are also called imperfect fungi or fungi imperfecti.It is an artificial group of fungi which includes the fungi having only the asexual reproduction. Majority of the members are haploid and possess a septate branched mycelium. They are parasites or saprophytes. They cause a variety of diseases in plants, animals and man. Examples: Cercospora, Alternaria, Fusarium, Colletotricum, Trochoderma etc.

Its Time to Stop Being Easy to Ignore - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / It’s Time to Stop Being Easy to Ignore - Introvert Whisperer It’s Time to Stop Being Easy to Ignore Does the boss go to someone else besides you for (fill in the blank)? Are other, less-qualified coworkers getting promotions, praise or acknowledgement? Every wonder why? One of the worst things in our life and career is not to be hated, but to be ignored. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Disinterest or disregard means that others simply give you no thought. It’s almost like you aren’t there. At least when someone hates you, they’re paying attention. If your intention is to grow professionally, being ignored is the kiss of death. You can turn this around, but it will require your ongoing attention or you risk slipping back into invisibility. This issue is your personal brand, or the lack of a compelling one. Here’s what you can do to change this: 1. Establish Your Expertise While it’s great to be good a many things, make sure you are well known for a couple of very specific things. If you naturally gravitate to something, go deep and then offer to help people using your specialty. 2. Volunteer to Use Your Expertise Don’t wait for someone to ask you to help; step up and volunteer. When you do, you can subtly reinforce your expertise by saying something like, “I could help with that project because I have established relationships with those vendors. If it’s true, it’s true and now everyone else knows it. 3. Have Opinions One of the things about us Introverts is we think and process, which can make us quiet and easy to ignore. Deliberately inject your opinion of things in meetings and conversations. You may also want to add your reasoning to help reinforce your opinion. When you do this, be pleasant about it. Sometimes opinionated people can come across as vehement and someone you don’t want to cross. Having an opinion makes you more compelling as long, as you are nice. 4. Deliberately Communicate If you’re forthcoming with information, you are more apt to be sought out for information. Funny how that works. If you’re unclear on what to communicate about, think about the work you do and give status on that work to the boss and others who might want to know. If you have observations about business or processes, share those insights. You can’t assume others know what you know. 5. Develop Relationships When you have a warm, friendly relationship with your boss and coworkers, you will be sought out. Having relationships with people at work means they’ve gotten to know you as a person and know the type of work you do. It’s part of the Know-Like-Trust formula that’s vital to your career. We do best in intimate, one-on-one situations, which makes this task right up your strong suit. It’s hard to develop any relationships in a group setting. You don’t have to turn into a suckup; you need to genuinely get to know the other person. Professional relationships will pay big rewards in many ways. 6. Watch Your Body Language You might want to read and study this topic. If you take up the least amount of space in a meeting or have “closed” body language, it signals you aren’t open to interaction. Your body language can be doing you a disservice. Watch how other people use their arms and hold their body as a way of learning what you can do. 7. Observe the Sweethearts Every group has one or two people who are the favorite child(ren), and all attention goes to them. While you don’t have to aim for that same level of attention, you can observe and learn some of the things that set them apart. Convert what you learn to actions you can take to garner more attention by the masses. Don’t think that being ignored has to be your life. You can establish a strong and well-regarded personal brand that will have the boss and others knocking on your door. Go to top Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer How do you make yourself acknowledged at work? Share your thoughts in the comments!

What is it Like to Attend The University of Victoria

What is it Like to Attend The University of Victoria The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Roderick is a St. Louis tutor who specializes in Calculus tutoring, Physics tutoring, Computer Science tutoring, and more. He graduated from the University of Victoria in Canada in 2010 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. See what he had to say about his alma mater: VT: How easy or difficult is it to get around on your campus? Is it hilly, do lots of people bike, are there buses, etc. Roderick:This was a big bonus for pedestrian/non-drivers. Several buses run every 3 minutes at many stops all around the city that have final destination at UVic. The city itself isn't very large and with some scenic routes, it makes it ideal for bikers to/from campus. The campus itself has the main road which is a circle that goes around the campus so it's very easy to figure out where to go.VT: How helpful are the academic advisors? Roderick:In my experience advisers were not very helpful (I only dealt with the engineering department, it could be totally different in other departments). My main complaint was that engineering students had to switch on and off each semester between full course load and co-op/internship terms (each term is 4 months). So this basically made it possible to be moving every 4 months which was a huge hassle to be in classes and also worrying about trying to find a job at the same time. This puts a ton of students in a state of panic with overloaded schedule, serious financial issues (moving around is not easy) and everything else that can come with troubles of moving (many students don't have vehicles...). Advisers did not come up with any good ways to figure out schedules to get around this, so I ended up just taking a longer time in the program.VT: How would you describe the dorm life? Roderick:Iwas only in dorms my first year. This is probably pretty typical; orientation, meet and greet ice breakers, etc. I'd also like toadd that there is the possibility of living in a 'family dorm' for people with children. It's basically an apartment complex on campus but more remote from the rest of the dorm buildings. This might be something worth mentioning for students with families that are looking to stay on campus. I never stayed at one of these places myself but some fellow students I know had stayed there during their degree and from what I've seen they do appear to have all the amenities as well as private areas to live.VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Roderick:I would think that the most supported programs are environmental studies and geology. Iwouldlike to add engineering to that list but from '2' I think the organization of co-ops was a total mess. Co-op is mandatory in engineering which makes the whole issue unavoidable. If more jobs were available for engineering students at the school, this would have cleared up a lot of problems, but pretty much all the positions were to be held off campus and potentially anywhere else in the country. Also, making something *mandatory* for adults is a big no-no in my books.VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Roderick:This is easy enough, people in this area are very friendly and there is always some sort of party/event going on. Finding people with vehicles are a plus for road trips or just renting a vehicle. There is a lot to explore in the natural surroundings.VT: How helpful is the Career Center? Roderick:I never dealt with Career Center since this is separate from the engineering department.VT: How are the various study areas? Libraries? The Student Union? Dorm lounges? Roderick:Study areas are very nice. I am 100% happy with what was available.VT: What is the surrounding town like? What are the best local attractions that make it unique? Roderick:For people from big cities, this may be a bit of a challenge to get used to. The city is fairly small and compact but the exploring is more in the natural world side (beaches, mountains, etc). For city people, Vancouver is a ferry ride away. In general B.C. is an expensive place to live but doable if you can find cheap rent.VT: How big or small is the student body and how does that affect your experience? Roderick:I am not too aware of how the student body operated so I can't comment on this question.VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you dreaded the most. Roderick:Profs are hit or miss for the first 2 years in the engineering department since most of the classes are to get students up to speed on math/chemistry/physics/computer science. Once you get into the actual engineering classes though, it's a big/fun challenge if that is what you are looking for. I personally favored Signal Analysis classes since this was mostly conceptual and did not require too much mathematical mechanics but more critical thinking.VT: Anything else a prospective student should know? Roderick:Overall I'd rate my time at school pretty high, however it did have its draw backs. I think the area helped me with my schooling as it isn't really a party school but more a laid back society with lots to explore when you aren't hitting the books. There is some world class skiing, surfing, scuba diving and mountain/rock climbing all close by which is a rare combination to have accessible. Check out Roderickstutor profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How to Write a Personal Statement

How to Write a Personal Statement Tips for Writing an Effective Personal Statement ChaptersThe Purpose of the Personal StatementPersonal Statement ParticularsThe Effective Personal StatementWhat Not To Do on Your Personal Statement“Tell me about yourself.”Whether applying for a job or a spot in an undergraduate study program, the question above is the most dreaded. What are ‘they’ looking for? What should I include in my narrative?If I tell them about my awesome ski skills, would it sway a vote in my favour? Hint: probably not, but your dedication and perseverance in pursuing your sport might, if phrased properly.That simple question - 'tell us about you', evokes so much panic in applicants all over the world for a couple of reasons, one of them being that we’re taught not to brag on ourselves.Modesty is generally considered a virtue but it seems that the most pertinent question to get ahead in life â€" to land that job or win an offer from the university of your choice, the one that demands we make ourselves exceptional, goes against everything we’re t aught, doesn’t it?Still, there’s no need to despair over being asked to talk about yourself.Your Superprof wants to help put you at your ease; to give you some points to consider and tips to build an amazing personal statement. We’re also going to touch on the ‘don’ts’ of writing such a narrative. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Purpose of the Personal StatementWherever you encounter that question in any of its forms or settings, all you need to know is that it is designed to measure two of your personal qualities: maturity and authenticity.If you are a traditional student, meaning you’re following the standard ac ademic path â€" preparing to sit A-Levels (or the International Baccalaureate) while wading through the university application process, you might wonder how much maturity prospective students are expected to have.Maturity, in this sense, does not refer to wisdom beyond your years but to the trifecta of purpose, intention and direction, and your ability to operate within those parameters. The maturity required for admission to university is not in years but what you've learned from your life experiences Image by Free-Photos from PixabaySo, as you think of drafting your personal statement, think of it as an essay that describes why you want to pursue the studies you’re applying for, what you will do with the knowledge you gain from your courses and how it will influence the direction of your life.Conversely, if you have had an experience that has led you into a certain direction â€" the desire to study a particular field, you may touch on it in your narrative.It might read a bit like this:Our family has always had cats; our cats always hunted and brought home ‘gifts’. My attempts to nurse those offerings back to health and my heartbreak when it couldn’t be done convinced me that I have an affinity for animal care…Can you imagine the personal statement you could build on this premise?This glimpse into your history kicks off a satisfactory arc: animals in your life for as long as you can remember, an event that caused you to learn something â€" you can’t simply pet a dead animal back to life. Your exposure to the cycle of life and death at an early age fostered your desire to care for animals.You could then go on to project how animal caregivers are needed more than ever in the current environmental crisis â€" which conveys the idea that you are aware of current events and the wider world.In personal statement parlance, this is known as the ABC rule: Action, Benefit and Course.It also perfectly demonstrates your maturity as well as your authenticity.Personal Statement ParticularsWhether you are British or a prospective international student with sights on the UK, applying to university is done through UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admission Service.In many ways, this online application system makes the process of applying easy: you only need to enter all of your information one time, after which you may apply for a place in up to five courses of study.A major part of your UCAS application process is the personal statement essay.Its parameters are set by the program: you will not be permitted to exceed 4,000 characters â€" that includes your words and the spaces between them. That limits you to roughly 700 words.You are further restricted to 47 lines â€" whether text-filled or blank is immaterial. Whichever limit you hit first marks the end of your essay.You will have to be concise yet sufficiently descriptive to get your point across while staying within those boundaries.Naturally, such constraints make formatting your text especially tricky. For instance, knowing that a blank line will cost you, should you insert one between paragraphs?Likewise indents: if you type up your statement in as a formatted Word document and then paste it into the UCAS field meant for it, the system will automatically strip your text of any formatting, including paragraph indents.You might find a happy medium by ending each paragr aph mid-line, as we did the paragraph above, so that your text has the appearance of paragraphing without sacrificing any precious space allotment.Now join the discussion: what is the best method for choosing a course? Brainstorming your personal essay and making a checklist is a great way to organise your thoughts Image by TeroVesalainen from PixabayThe Effective Personal StatementIn his book titled On Writing, American author Stephen King advocates for a ‘clean’ writing process: dispensing of frilly language and worn clichés, using active voice rather than passive verb constructions and varying sentence length.Considering the limitations imposed by the UCAS application system, that advice is on the mark: you have little room for elaborate descriptions.A great way to get started on your admission essay is to brainstorm ideas, writing salient points as bulleted statements. This exercise is both easy and fun; feel free to ask friends and family to toss out ideas, too.To demonstrate the concept, we return to our love of cats:Veterinary medicine â€" our proposed course of studyalways been around animals (1)love animals (1)Sat GCSEs and A-Levels in biology and chemistry (2)Watch a lot of animal do cumentaries (3)worked on a farm over summer holiday (4)worried about fires and their impact on wildlife (5)volunteer with RSPCA (4)worried about predicted extinction events (5)Now, it’s just a matter of putting these points in proper order and fleshing them out. To do so, you should number your bullets in the following order:Your introductory paragraph (1) should detail why you hope to gain a spot in that study programme.Bear in mind that, if you choose more than one course of study, perhaps in unrelated fields, your introduction should be general enough to address all of the subjects you’ve chosen.Next, you should present your academic background as it relates to your chosen course list (2), followed by how you’ve pursued that interest outside of the classroom (3).Immediately after, talk about any extracurricular work you’ve done that relates to your chosen subject (4).Briefly, discuss any hobbies and interests you might have, especially if you can relate them to your chose n field of study (5).Your essay’s conclusion should sum up all of the points you’ve made. It’s a good idea to mention your graduate school aspirations here, and how earning a spot in that programme will advance your career goals.You might shudder at this unabashed self-promotion but, rest assured: you are expected to sell yourself and your accomplishments.You have to put yourself in as favourable a light as possible on your school application but, then again, you’re not so much highlighting yourself as your accomplishments.Now that you have all of your points in their proper order, you may start writing â€" in Word or whichever word processing software you work in.For your first draft, don’t worry about the word/character counter; you can always refine your statement and trim away any excess in later drafts.In a sense, applying for university in general and, in particular, writing this statement is good preparation for all of the academic writing you’ll do later on! If you are applying for several courses, be sure your personal statement will be satisfying to all of the admitting committees that will read it Image by StockSnap from PixabayWhat Not To Do on Your Personal StatementBefore we leave you to ponder how best to highlight your strengths, we need to touch on what not to do when writing a personal statement.1. Don’t open with a bang; go for sincerity and get to the point: why do you want this course? You might give humour a pass too; often, it doesn’t come across well.2. Remember all of those ‘wow words’ that got hammered into our heads in primary school? Disregard them! Writing experts advocate using adjectives sparingly and only when absolutely necessary.3. Avoid quotes and chichés: the admissions committee want to read your words, not another’s, no matter how quotable s/he may be.In that same vein, avoid making lists (of books you’ve read, shows you’ve seen, etc.) no matter how pertinent they are to your subject matter. I nstead, highlight what you’ve learned.4. Don’t include any unnecessary information about yourself/your experiences, or anything that cannot be verified or proven. Selling yourself is good but over-selling is not!And do not plagiarise: UCAS will flag any text that has been copied and notify your prospective university.5. Grammar and punctuation are critical in this writing effort! Don’t forget to proofread your essay; you should ask at least three other people to go over it, too.It’s your writing skills that will give the admissions team their first impression of you; think hard about how you want to stand out â€" surely, it’s not for writing badly!With these tips, we hope you are better prepared to tackle writing a good personal statement.Your turn to chime in: when should students start applying for university?

The 10 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500

The 10 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500 Megan L. When youre looking for the perfect beginner acoustic guitar, there are lots of factors to think about. For many students, finding a great guitar for a low price is a huge part of the search. Guitar teacher Jeff S. sent us his recommendations for the best acoustic guitar under $500, and we put them together into this handy chart to help you find the best guitar for your buck! 10 Best acoustic guitars under $500 | Create Infographics Is there anything we missed? What do you think is the best acoustic guitar under $500? Let us know in the comments below! Jeff S. teaches guitar, ukulele, speaking voice, songwriting and more in Perth Amboy, NJ, as well as online.  Jeff has created and taught songwriting and music business classes at colleges, universities, and music schools throughout the country for many years. Learn more  about Jeff 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

Ask an Admissions Expert Eddie LaMeire

Ask an Admissions Expert Eddie LaMeire Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Eddie LaMeire has worked in higher education since the late 1990s. His direct admissions experience began at Loyola Universitywhere he read approximately 500 applications every year. Later on, he worked for the University of California San Diegoin undergraduate admissions as well as the outreach and student recruitment programs. Eddie currently coaches students through the college application process at his own firm, LaMeire College Consulting. VT: How far ahead of time should a student begin working on his or her college application? Eddie: Let me start by saying this: A perfect college application wont make up for subpar grades, test scores, activities, and so forth. But, a poorly put together application can kill an otherwise strong applicants chances. With my students, we begin laying the groundwork for the application over the summer; most of the supplemental essays for colleges dont come out until August, so we cant get everything underway too early. Add to that the fact that most competitive applicants will do some sort of summer program, and mid-August is probably the earliest we would get started anyway. All this being said, there are really just three parts of the app a student would need to work on over the summer after determining her list of schools: the essays, the resume of activities (to refer to for application Extracurricular Activities sections), and the bragsheet (a document highlighting their most salient accomplishments for their recommenders). So, its not as though its a massive amount of material. But, beginning any later could put the student behind schedule. VT:What are the best ways to go about selecting a terrific essay topic? Eddie: There are entire sections in Barnes Noble detailing this, so let me try to make this response a bit different and interesting while still being accurate. I find that there arent any great essay topics in and of themselves. What makes a great essay, in my opinion, is not the storyline of the essay, but the reflection that the student takes on the storyline. In other words, its not what happened, but how the student reacts to and thinks about what happened. Now, this all being said, its much easier to accomplish this with interesting content than mundane content. That is, it would be a lot catchier to write about learning a lesson while taking an airplane out of a nosedive than writing about learning the same lesson in Honors Pre-calculus. But, in my opinion, its the thinking that drives the quality of the essay. So, to directly respond to the question, one of the better ways that a student can select a topic is to ask herself this: How have I changed in recent years? Why did I change? What precipitated the change? Employ this central concept as the backbone of the essay and build around it. VT: Are there any essay topics you get tired of seeing or would warn students to stay away from? Eddie: Like I mentioned, its the students perspective rather than the content of the essays that really counts. But, there are still some topics (usually the clichs) that will just not get the benefit of the doubt. The three Ds as theyre called (death, drugs, divorce) are generally considered overused, as is the last second shot or any variation thereof. That all being said, Ive read some fabulous essays on all four of these concepts, so they shouldnt be ruled out a priori. Let me address an interesting concept, though, thats asked at least once each year: What about problems with drugs? Alcohol? Delinquency? My position on this is the following: Youre safe to use these as subjects as long as A) they happened far enough in the past that they wouldnt seem to be matter of immediate concern for a university, and B) the student makes a compelling case that hes surmounted the problem. VT: What is the biggest mistake a student can make on a college application? Eddie: Assuming that theyre a list of accomplishments a resume rather than a person. USC has a great slogan. It goes, A college isnt a trophy. Its a match. Students need to be aware of this about themselves, too: colleges are not necessarily looking for the trophies. Theyre looking for the kid that will thrive in the environment offered. So, dont make the essay look like a list of awards; dont spout off a litany of accomplishments in the interview; and, for younger students, do an activity because you like it, not because it seems coveted by colleges. Whats coveted by colleges is whats rare, and right now honesty is rare. VT: What is the typical process an admissions officer goes through to evaluate applications? Eddie: I think that most people in the profession will tell you that there arent many universal commonalities between admissions offices. The admissions offices I worked in had processes that were not remotely similar to one another. You can find commonalities within certain types of schools, though. In elite private schools, which most people think of when they think of college admissions, you will usually have at least two readers who need to come to an agreement on a student. A third reader can break a tie. But, its not like this is information you can do anything with. Just about everything with the process is variable. Ive worked for a school where I spent a half-hour reading the essay, and a school where I took two minutes; a school that had comprehensive review, and another that was on a points system; a school where I was expected to write up a full defense of the student for review, and another where I bubbled in a Scantron form. In short, theres a lot of overlap between what schools are looking for, but not a ton of true universals in the process. 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? Eddie: To repeat, and this is especially the case for the top-tier schools, I feel that personal growth is the best quality to showcase. You could make the argument for academic passion, but this can be a bit one-dimensional. Presenting growth shows several things: -The students life through a series of vignettes. -A students thought process and her ability to reflect. -Maturity and an understanding of her place in the world. Again, academic passion (as well as innumerable other aspects of a students character) is certainly important, but growth, maturing, confrontation of obstacles, and the like can provide a kaleidoscope of personal information in comparison to the former quality. VT: How should students go about determining the culture of a university, and whether they would be a good fit? Eddie: There are so many ways to access information out there that its probably easier to say what they shouldnt consider. I'd say the least reliable way to get info is through hearsay, followed closely by the colleges own marketing materials; the latter are designed for sales, not information. Clearly, the best way to get to know a place is to visit, sit in on a class, and spend the evening in a res hall. But, some other pieces of advice: -Look through college papers. Theyll give an idea of the issues that are important to students, as well as how the place functions as a community. -Along the same lines, look at independent student papers, like the Florida Alligator. Theyre less beholden to the marketing arm of the school (i.e., admissions). -Find a way to get in touch with current students. Again, try to stay away from the ones whore hand-picked by admissions; theyll usually have a slight agenda. Look in chatrooms, to the extent that its welcome and wouldnt come entirely unsolicited, email students on Facebook who would like to talk about the school, and so on. Just be polite (this is their free time), dont overwhelm them with questions, and use your common sense. (Dont be creepy, weird, and overbearing.) Finally, Ive been using Unigo as a good source of information for the last several years. Even though you're getting subjective input, at least it's from current students, and it helps to have a wide enough array of voices to balance out any rogues. In the interest of full disclosure, by the way, I work for Unigo as a featured counselor. VT: Early-action, early-decision, binding/non-binding, regular decisions...With so many choices when applying, what do you recommend to students? Eddie: Set your interests and priorities first, then consider the decision plan. Early Decision (ED), for instance, will offer far higher acceptance rates than Regular Decision (RD), sometimes double the RD rate. But, just because you can get into Johns Hopkins (for instance) easier through ED, do you want to? After all, with ED, you have to go if youre admitted. Ive seen far too many students do this, thus putting the cart before the horse. They think, first, What is the best school where I can use the decision plan as leverage? rather than thinking, Where would I be most successful? Students with this mentality might wind up at a school a few notches higher on the U.S. News rankings, but they could regret a commitment that they didnt make for the right reasons. Just something else about EA/ED and the early plans in general: Students who have low test scores or have had a poor 6th semester (second semester junior year) should probably think twice about applying early, even to their top choice. The statistical benefits of ED, in this case, can be outweighed by, for instance, a slightly downward grade trend or lower than desired test scores. VT: How important are grades and standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Eddie: In terms of absolute importance, theyre always the most important part of the application, with the transcript in first place followed by the test scores. In terms of relative importance, it varies. To clarify, no one is considered for HYPS (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford) without near-perfect numbers (what Im calling grades and tests). This is the absolute importance part. However, no one will be admitted to HYPS on numbers alone. This is the relative importance part. The further you get down the selectivity ratings of the school, though, the more the relative importance of the numbers goes up. For instance, although no one can ride a 4.0/2400 into Yale, they can certainly do so with San Diego State, who cares almost exclusively about the numbers. So, long story short, the numbers are always important, but students shouldnt expect to impress top-tier schools on the basis of GPA and test scores alone. For the lower level schools, though, they can. VT: What tips do you have for students asking their teachers for letters of recommendation? Eddie: In all cases, you want your recommender to be the person who can write about you in the most glowing fashion. However, this doesnt always happen. Coaches, club advisors, and the like, one would think, would write wonderful LoRs. But, you simply cant use these folks for this function! In most cases, I use the following cheat sheet: -The recommender should be a teacher in an academic class. Auto Tech and AVID, for instance, are out. Math, science, and the humanities are in. Elective teachers, art instructors, and similar profs can go either way, although there are some selective schools that accept LoRs from art teachers only if the classes taken from them were AP level or similar. -You should have studied under the recommender for a full year. In other words, an instructor that youve had for just a semester wont work. Remember: in just about every LoR form, there will be the question, How long and in what context have you known the applicant? A one-semester teacher reflects weakly on you. -Stay away from freshman year teachers, unless youve taken courses with them after freshman year. -Stay away from teachers whom you will have had only for senior year. Theres not enough time for them to get to know you! -If, after all of this, you still have a large number of potential LoR writers, this would be the tie-breaker: Who can write you the most glowing letter? -The final tie-breaker? All other things being equal, choose one math/science and one humanities teacher. Its nice (although usually not required) to show both sides of the brain. Keep in mind, by the way, that you will need two recommenders for most private school applications. Finally, build a brag sheet, which is really just a heavily annotated resume that highlights the students most impressive attributes, areas of involvement, activities, and skills. It helps to both remind and guide the recommender. Check out Eddies website, LaMeire College Consulting, for more information.The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

English Idioms about Memory - Learn English with Harry ??

English Idioms about Memory - Learn English with Harry ?? Everybody has memories. Hopefully, you have a lot of happy memories. Memories are very important for humans. And of course there are many  English  idioms about memory and mind  in our  language. In this post you are  going to learn English idioms about memory or that are in some ways connected to memories.  I wish you a lot of memories!When you scroll down, you will also see an English video lesson about confusing English verbs REMIND vs REMEMBER.   10 English Idioms about Memory and Mind 1. YOUR MEMORY IS PLAYING TRICKS ON YOUThis means you recall or recollect something that actually happened differently in real life.Example: Michael told his son that he was at the Cup Final the day his team won the Football Cup for the first time. In fact he watched it on television. His wife reminded him and said your memory is playing tricks on you.2. BEAR SOMETHING IN MINDKeep something in mind when the opportunity arises.Example: John got a phone call from his friend. His friend wanted to know if he knew of any good jobs that were available. His friend told him that he was prepared to do anything. John said he would bear that in mind if/when he heard of any jobs being available. 3. FOOD FOR THOUGHTSomeone gives you some idea to think about  (food for the brain!!).Example: Mary was talking to her best friend about her relationship problems with her boyfriend. Her friend gave her some advice as to how she should approach these problems. Mary was very grateful and thanked her friend. She told her: You have given me plenty of food for thought. I will think over your recommendations and let you know what I decide to do.4. A GUT REACTIONYour gut is slang for your stomach or area around your stomach. A gut reaction is usually your first reaction when you hear about something or are asked your opinion about something. Its what your body tells you.Example: Dmitriy asked Pavel for his opinion about his choice of a new car. Pavel could not decide between two cars. Dmitriy told him: My gut reaction is to choose the car with the 4 seats. Your wife is expecting a baby and this would be more practical. 10 English Idioms about Memory 5. LOSE THE PLOTWhere you go a little crazy and forget what you were really supposed to do and do something entirely different. A plot is like a plan or an idea.Example: Francois was supposed to make a presentation to the staff about the new budgets and targets for 2020. Instead his presentation was about his ideas to quit his job and take up writing science fiction stories full time. He has lost the plot, he must be having a breakdown!6. (TO BE) MILES AWAYDaydreaming about someone or something and not concentrating on the real world.Example: Jack was sitting at the kitchen table looking into space. His wife called his name two or three times before he answered her. Sorry I was miles away.7. BETWEEN TWO MINDSWhen you cannot make up your mind about a choice or a decision as to what you should do.Example: In the restaurant the waiter handed Jennifer the menu. When he came back to take the order Jennifer said: I am in two minds whether to have the meat or the fish. What would you recomm end?8. MEMORY LIKE A SIEVEWhen you cant retain things in your memory and quickly forget about things.Example: Jane was not a particularly hard worker, she was vague and a poor timekeeper, and she had a memory like a sieve.9. ON THE TIP OF YOUR TONGUEWhen you have a feeling that you know something but cant remember (a name, a word, etc).Example: Oh, whats it called? Dont tell me its on the tip of my tongue.10. RING A BELLWhen something is familiar to you, you’ve heard or seen it before but you can’t remember fully.Example: His name rings a bell, but I cant remember where I heard it before. Confusing English Verb Pairs - Remind vs Remember  In this English video lesson you will learn what is the difference between REMIND and REMEMBER. Remind vs remember. Intermediate level English lesson to help you improve your speaking skills.