3 Questions to Ask Your College About Financial Aid

3 Questions to Ask Your College About Financial Aid Learning to navigate financial aid can be challenging, and it is not a topic that is always forefront in students minds as they prepare for schoolafter all, academics, extracurricular activities, and social opportunities are of great interest to students! In order to better understand the system at your institution, here are three questions to ask your college about financial aid: 1. What are the financial aid deadlines, and how can I ensure I have submitted the necessary paperwork? Many students believe that because they submitted their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and indicated their school of choice, they are finished with the financial aid process. However, this is not the case. The college or university you choose to attend may maintain its own deadlines, and in many cases, there are additional steps to address, documentation to provide, and forms to fill out before your financial aid application is considered complete. Ensure you speak to your financial aid office about any next steps after you fill out your FAFSA. Certain offices post information and checklists online, but if you have any questions, call or visit in person for in-depth assistance. Often, schools create student portals for their financial aid system. Students must log in to electronically complete forms, update their information, and submit their financial aid files. Ask your college or university if it will contact you if you need to fill out additional forms or provide documents, or if you will need to check an electronic portal or online student system. Double-check that your contact information, including your email address, is current and accurate. Some schools rely solely on electronic communication, so it is imperative that you have a working email that you check frequently. Here is some great information on colleges that address financial needs. 2. What additional forms of financial aid are available, and how do I go about applying for them? In addition to the funding available through the federal government, there are other types of aid available to students, such as state funds, grants and scholarships for specific colleges or universities, or programs that pertain to certain groups of students (such as education majors or freshmen). Often, these funds require a separate application. Inquire with your financial aid office to determine what other options are available, as well as how you can apply for them. In addition, financial aid offices can frequently direct you to places where you can apply for scholarships, programs, or grants that can provide assistance with school expenses (i.e. textbooks) depending on your specific circumstances. 3. When will I be notified of my financial aid award? Not knowing how much or what types of financial aid you will receive can be stressful. Ask the financial aid office when you will be notified of your award, as well as how you will be notified. If you have not heard back from the financial aid office by the date it notes, contact the office to ensure your award notification was sent. Knowing when you will hear about your financial aid award can help ease your mind, as well as allow you to better plan for your college experience. Financial aid can sometimes be confusing and difficult to navigate, but by asking questions of your financial aid office, you can be sure you have the most information possible. Become as informed as you canabout the financial aid process at the college of your choice, and remember that the staff is there to help you succeed in your academic career!

A Student Review of University of California, Irvine

A Student Review of University of California, Irvine The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teachtheyre sharing their college experiences as well. Allison earned her bachelors degree in cognitive sciences at University of California, Irvine and earned a juris doctorate from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. She lives in Sacramento and specializes in algebra tutoring, English tutoring, psychology tutoring, and several other subjects. See what she had to say about her experience at University of California, Irvine: Describe the campus setting and transportation options at University of California, Irvine. Allison: University of California, Irvine has a great campus setting. There are plenty of transportation options. Although I lived on campus the first year in the dorms (so I didnt need to worry about transportation because I walked to class), my remaining three years I lived off campus. University of California, Irvine provided shuttle buses for students outside of campus and even to some of the surrounding cities. I had friends who biked and carpooled as well. One of the reasons I loved UCI was that Irvine was voted one of the safest cities in America. I never had any issues and I found the campus and city safe, welcoming, and clean! How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Allison:I loved the staff at University of California, Irvine. All of my professors and teaching assistants were not only willing, but eager to help. They were always an email, if not a meeting, away, and they really seemed to appreciate students who asked questions and took the time to meet with them outside of class. I also found that my academic advisors were knowledgeable, communicative, and helpful. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Allison:Dorm life was pretty great. We had lots of different options. I personally lived in Mesa Court, but I also had friends who lived in Middle Earth. I felt that I met students with similar interests, but I also had the opportunity to meet students with different backgrounds and goals. The dorms were pretty close to one another and to school, and it took about 5-10 minutes to get to class (walking) from either one. I loved all of the different options for using your meal card. I definitely bought one the first year and it saved my lifeespecially during midterms and finals. The dorms, as well as the student body and organizations on campus, always had something to do. I felt that there was always a place for anyone and everyone on campus. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported at University of California, Irvine? Allison:I think we are known more for biological sciences, and I met a lot of students who were pre-med my first year. With that being said, I was not pre-med; I was part of the Social Sciences School, but I felt that that was represented as well on campus. I had friends who were involved in different majors and programs, and we were all happy with our experience. University of California, Irvine really does go above and beyond, because they provide multiple opportunities and avenues for students to succeed. From professors, TAs, tutors, and even life coaches provided and sponsored by the Counseling Center, University of California, Irvine offers every opportunity for students to achieve their goals. 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? Allison:I thought it was very easy to meet students and make friends as a freshman. For one, University of California, Irvine offers SPOP, which was the student parent orientation program that allowed students and their parents an opportunity to stay in the dorms for a night and meet some of the new freshman. I was so excited to start because I had already made friends before I even started school. I personally didnt feel that Greek life was extremely significant, but thats because I didnt rush my first or even second year of college. I did rush my third year of college and I discovered that Greek Life could be whatever you wanted it to be. If you wanted to be super involved or just a little, finding a sorority or fraternity that respected or met your needs was easy, attainable, and fun. I loved my sorority sisters, but I am glad that I didnt rush until I was sure that it was something that I wanted to pursue. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Allison:I thought our Career Center was great. The staff was helpful and I enjoyed taking the personality assessment tests to find the right career for me. I also really liked our Counseling Center, as they provided opportunities for those in psychology to get involved and harness their public speaking and/or people skills. I didnt utilize the on-campus recruitment options like I wish I would have, but there are so many opportunities, and I had friends who worked at Fortune 500 companies right after graduation. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Allison:From the libraries, common hall, outside lounges, student lounges, and coffee houses, there are so many places to study on campus. The libraries could sometimes get crowded during midterms or finals, but as a whole there was always a seat or desk available when one needed it. And the lounges near Crystal Cove seats are so comfy! Try not to fall asleep! Describe the surrounding town. Allison:Irvine is in the heart of the OC. I lived in Irvine for 4 years, and eventually after school I moved to Costa Mesa and the Laguna Beach. I had friends who lived in Newport Beach, Long Beach, and Huntington Beach and commuted. There is always something going on, whether its at the beach, a music festival, or cook-off. Some students did stay near Irvine, but Irvine as a whole is a pretty quiet town. Some of us traveled outside of Irvine if we wanted to go to the beach or go shopping, but I really liked hanging out in Irvine and trying the different cuisines. How big or small is the student body of University of California, Irvine? Allison:Personally, the student body was overwhelming for me. I came from a school where my entire student body was the size of a full lecture hall. It felt a little too big, initially, but Im so happy that it was such a large class size because I felt thats what made our school so diverse. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Allison:I worked with the Counseling Center for the last two years of my college career. I was a C.O.A.C.H. (aka a student life coach), and it was myself and 13 other students participating in the program. We all had different majors, experiences, and goals, but we all had one thing in common: we wanted to help people. The purpose of C.O.A.C.H. was to help students struggling with social, academic, and personal goals. Although we worked with students with their problems, we also were able to share our own personal history and life stories with each other. I would have never guessed I would have become so close with the other coaches, but we were all so sad to leave by the end. Our mentor and professor set the tone for our group and required that we be honest, respectful, and thoughtful, not only with our clients, but ourselves. This life lesson is something I still use today while working with clients in the legal setting, and I am forever grateful for everything she taught me. Check out Allisons tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

The Making of a Stellar Score on the GRE

The Making of a Stellar Score on the GRE GRE/MAT Graduate School Blog I often hear people wonder whether it is possible to increase one’s GRE score. They believe that a standardized test score is more or less set in stone, one’s score changing plus or minus two points depending on the day. This line of thinking is actually woefully inaccurate; with a combination of diligence, resources, and the proper approach, you can greatly increase your score. Indeed, I’ve seen a couple of Magoosh students increase their scores by 29 points. Mind you, I’m not trying to shamelessly promote our brand. Instead, I not only want do away with the thinking that one’s GRE score is immutable, but also show you how to make significant point increases to your current score. An Important Question So what is a good GRE score? Well, it is one in which you improve dramatically. What this means differs wildly on the situation. To illustrate, imagine two students who have gone up by 12 points. One goes from a 145 in both sections to a 151 in both sections; the other goes from 164 in both sections to a perfect score. Clearly, the latter is far more impressive, since any point increase you can attain once you are over 165 is amazing. The first student, by contrast, hasn’t really done too much for his competitive edge. Had that student increased by 24 points, on the other hand, then he has achieved a great score. He need not feel like he has to get in the mid-160’s to make his effort worthwhile; his scores will help him get into some decent programs. The reason I mention this hypothetical student is I don’t want to give the impression that the only good score is one in the high 160’s and that everyone is capable of achieving that score. My experience has shown me that certain point increases are difficult to come by. Anything over a 30-point increase is exceedingly rare on the GRE. How Do You Get Your “Good” GRE Score? Diligence You’ve hard it countless times before, but it’s true: hard work is the only way to make big things happen. The GRE is no exception; you’ll need to apply yourself day and night, making sacrifices in your social life or your Netflix viewing. Relaxing to your favorite music might have to be replaced by listening to GRE vocabulary podcasts. Resources There is a plethora of bad material out there. Really speaking, anyone with a blog can start writing questions or pitching strategies. Always exercise caution and stick with trusted names and questions. (For helpful book reviews: Magoosh’s GRE book reviews). Approach This is, in many ways, the most important facet to improving your score; yet, it is often the subtlest. First off, don’t just do practice question after practice question. Understand your mistakes, and how the test writers create question. Learning the kind of answer choices that tempt you is important as well. Try out the strategies in a few different prep books to find out which one(s) suit you best. Finally, take plenty of practice tests so you can constantly see how you are improving and, more importantly, which parts of the test you need to focus on. Takeaway By combining the three elements above, you can witness dramatic increases in your GRE score. Of course, you will need plenty of time to see this happen. But during those periods where you aren’t improving, or aren’t improving as much, know that it is possible. About the Author This post was written by Chris Lele, resident GRE expert at Magoosh, a leader in GRE prep. For help with GRE vocabulary, check out our free flashcards and Vocab Wednesday videos on the Magoosh GRE Blog.

Exam Day Hints

Exam Day Hints Exam time is here but there’s no need to panic! Our tutors have shared their best exam day tips to get you through this scary time. From everyone at Tutorfair: GOOD LUCK! 1. The night before: go to bed half an hour earlier than usual to wind yourself down ready for a good night’s sleep. 2. In the morning: eat a high protein and complex carbohydrate breakfast. It will release energy  slowly through the day, keeping you alert for your exam. 3. Write a list of anything you wish to take with you to the exam in advance. Forgetting even a small thing, such a pre-exam snack, could throw you off course and add to feelings of nerves. 4. Arrive early to your exam venue and don’t speak about the exam topics with your peers. Last -minute discussions about which topics everyone has focused on won’t help and may panic you. 5. Accept those butterflies in your stomach before the exam! Those feelings of nerves are increasing your heart rate, delivering more oxygen to your brain and keeping you alert. 6. When the examiner announces the start there will be a frantic rustling of papers. Don’t dive in with everyone else: wait for the commotion to die down and then calmly turn over your paper. When you see the questions for the first time, you’ll be quiet and focused instead of panicky. 7. Once  you’ve  warmed up your brain with a few of the easier questions,  consider going to the  end of the paper and working backwards. Doing the harder questions first, when your brain  is fresher, may result in fewer careless mistakes. 8. An old but important favourite: check how many marks are assigned to each question and spend your time accordingly! If it’s a 60-minute exam with 60 marks, you can spend 1 minute on each mark. 9. Jot down any vital equations, facts, quotes or dates at the start while your brain is fresh. As you get more tired you can refer back to them. Anything that takes less than a minute to put down is worth it. Don’t spend too much time though â€" they might not come up. 10. Don’t waste your energy and confidence on a question that feels insurmountable. Circle it and come back to it later. You might figure it out while filling in the rest of your paper; or a later question may even remind you of the answer.

How to start the school year right

How to start the school year right Teachers in many countries across the world go back to school this week and next week. For all of our teachers at home and overseas, good luck in the new school year, and remember these tips to start the year off right!Introduce yourself - Every teacher has a different level of comfort with how familiar they are willing to be with their students, and it’s up to you to decide how much personal information you choose to share with your class. However, letting your students know a little about yourself - your interests and hobbies, what you did with your summer, your pets - can set a welcoming atmosphere and ease first-day jitters for students. Other slightly more unconventional facts about yourself might include your least favorite food, a bad habit you have, or the most interesting place you've ever visited.Get to know your students - Have your students share the above information with you! Icebreaker questions get students smiling and help you learn more about their personalities. For a challenge, ask students to share something unique about themselves that they think is true for only them and no one else in the class. You'll learn which student raises pet tarantulas, which one has twelve brothers and sisters, and which one has a fear of butterflies.Learn names as quickly as possible - Some teachers are better than others when it comes to memorization. During the first few days, use a labeled seating chart and say students’ names out loud every time you speak to them in order to commit them to memory. This is crucial to establishing classroom order.Reinforce your goals - Before your students arrive on the first day of school, remind yourself of your short-term and long-term goals for the school year. Repeat throughout the day, and every day of your first week, in order to maintain the right perspective and outlook for the year.Remember to breathe - The first day of school is hectic for everyone. As a teacher, you might be feeling even more stress than your students. Not only is it your responsibility to ease your students into the new year, but you have the added burden of needing to do so while also setting the tone of your classroom and establishing authority. Not an easy task! Whether you’re teaching kindergarten or high school, don’t let first-day nerves overwhelm you. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that things will have settled down tomorrow.Have your own tips? Share your ideas with us below! We'd love to hear your first-day-of-school classroom activities.

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired The Effects of College Sleeplessness

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired The Effects of College Sleeplessness The only differences between myself and this picture was that I am a girl and I own a Mac. Third, my physical appearance drastically changed from each night to each morning according to how long I had slept and where I had slept. After my “best” night of sleep, I awoke, eyes glued together with rheum, lips severely chapped and hair disheveled. I felt not refreshed, but angry that five hours of sleep had done absolutely nothing for me. On a different night, I fell asleep at a table on top of an assignment and awoke the next morning with purple eyes, a sallow face, and the shakes from sleeping in the cold common room. Another quite interesting side effect of my sleep-deprived week was my obviously fluctuating weight. My eating habits and appetite became sporadic and my weight differed by a number of pounds every day. By Friday, I was sick of this. Performing in class, at rowing, and just going along in daily life was becoming nearly impossible â€" I needed to do nothing. I made sure I had no plans last night, and I slept for approximately eleven hours. I woke up this morning feeling better than I have since I entered college a month ago, and my outlook on the rest of my college career has been drastically altered. Not sleeping is not fun! Both your body and mind suffer from missing out on the sweet stasis of slumber. Dont you wish your sleep was THIS peaceful?

Irvine Math Tutoring Tips How to Excel at Math this Summer

Irvine Math Tutoring Tips How to Excel at Math this Summer Tips From an Irvine Math Tutor: 3 Great Ways to Help Your Kid Excel at Math this Summer Tips From an Irvine Math Tutor: 3 Great Ways to Help Your Kid Excel at Math this Summer Math is one of the core subjects and is important for every young student to learn and master, but its also one of the harder subjects and a fair portion of students struggle when it comes to calculating numbers. Students who are always a little bit behind will find math frustrating and start to avoid it, making the situation even worse. Summer is a great time for students to sit down in the comfort of their own home and work with a one-on-one tutor or attend a summer school program to gain math skills that they found challenging throughout the school year. Because students wont have to focus on other subjects over the summer, they can give 100% of their mental energy to math and, hopefully, feel more confident with numbers once they start school in the fall want to improve your math grades? Book a private Irvine math tutor for the summer. 1. Set an individual pace Many younger students struggle with math because they need a little bit of extra time to understand the concepts and the process. More often than not, students must move on to a new lesson immediately upon understanding the original concept. When it comes to math students, they need time to practice their newly developed skills and become comfortable calculating a particular type of problem before they can move on. If students are working on math over the summer, its essential that they can set their own individual pace, so they have time to practice what theyve learned before their brain has to comprehend something new all over again. 2. Apply math to the real world Many students become bored with math problems, and consequently stop making an effort, because they dont understand why math is important. Many math textbooks demand a set of problems without an explanation of why these calculations are important. When students see that they can apply computation to the real world, especially something they are interested in, it becomes more exciting and encourages students to focus on the task at hand. Students might utilize geometry to build a model house or some other kind of structure that requires careful measurement and correct calculation of triangles, squares, rectangles Etc. Students could apply fractions to a recipe and learn how to cook or bake as part of the process. Once numbers are applied to real-world situations, they become a lot more interesting (READ: Tips from a Fullerton Reading Tutor: 3 Ways to Work on Reading this Summer). 3. Take breaks When a student is working on a topic that has been difficult for the past year they will start to view it as frustrating. Everybody gets frustrated at some point, but younger students have a lower frustration tolerance, in general. If students are working on math two hours a day, Monday through Friday, all summer, they will probably learn to hate math all over again. Since their brains are working hard to refine a new skill, students are probably better off having breaks in between sessions. Perhaps they work on math Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday. Taking breaks from learning is an essential element of the overall process. Improve your math grades over the summer with the help of a private Irvine math tutor. Call us today to book your tutor! Members of the TutorNerds team and our private tutors write every blog post. If you have any questions about our blog, please email us at pr@tutornerds.com.