Saturday, April 4, 2020

Magnetism For Organic Chemistry

Magnetism For Organic ChemistryIt's one of the best lessons in all of Ap science that is Magnetism. Actually, a well designed Magnet can make a student think differently about the universe.When studying for freshman science courses, there is always a large collection of free reading material. If you've ever taken a Freshman Physics course, then you've likely been presented with some, or all of the following reading material. The first is usually available as a study guide, usually placed in the beginning of your course. Each semester has its own Reading Book to help students become more familiar with the subject matter and a good practice with what you're reading.Geometry is one of the first physics topics you'll see when going through a Freshman Physics course. Typically, the book will include a chapter on it. Other topics that may be introduced in Geometry include orbital motion, the concept of tension, and the concept of force.The next course you'll want to consider when taking a Chemistry course is Organic Chemistry. Before, you should have already acquired some experience working with the subject. However, if you've never taken a Chemistry course before, there are plenty of books to choose from.One of the most used textbooks in Organic Chemistry is a textbook known as One-Line Organic Chemistry. If you have had some experience using the subject matter before, then you're probably aware of this book. Another good book on Organic Chemistry is of course, Practical Organic Chemistry. However, one of the most popular textbooks on Organic Chemistry is published by McGraw-Hill (and this title comes highly recommended).Finally, while Magnetism is a subject that has many forms, this lesson is very much related to the last one: Magnetism. Indeed, this lesson teaches you everything you need to know about magnetism. In fact, it's all about the Magnetic Fields. Furthermore, Magnetism is the most commonly used subject in Organic Chemistry.So, if you haven't taken a cour se on Organic Chemistry before, this lesson is going to be an interesting one. You'll learn about the Magnetic Fields, you'll learn about The Second Law of Thermodynamics, and you'll learn about the use of magnets. All of this information is valuable, and all of it can be found in a copy of the Organic Chemistry textbook you chose. The book that you choose should also include a list of helpful diagrams and tables.

Monday, March 23, 2020

What is it Like to Attend University of California, San Diego

What is it Like to Attend University of California, San Diego The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Derek is a San Diego tutor specializing in History tutoring, Literature tutoring, GRE prep tutoring, and much more. He graduated from University of California, San Diego in 2008 with a Bachelors degree in Economics and Music. Check out his review of his alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Derek: UCSD has a massive, sprawling campus with a lot of open space and greenery. There is even a forest in the center of the campus that most students have to cross each day getting from one class to another. It is always possible to get somewhere within 15 minutes, but sometimes you have to really hike. Half of the campus is at a somewhat higher elevation, so each day there is a lot of walking uphill and downhill. It saves a lot of time to bike or skateboard across the campus, but almost all students walk. There is a campus loop bus that is a godsend when you have to get from one edge of the campus to the other. And beyond this, there is a set of UCSD shuttles that go into the nearby town (University Town Center and La Jolla) for students who want to go off campus to get supplies or hang out. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Derek: Undergraduates are divided into six colleges (subdivisions), and each student gets academic advising from his/her college. As a result, it seemed to me that advisors always develop a personal relationship with their students. However, if you do not have a clear simple academic plan for example, if you are a double-major, or you plan to minor in another subject, or if have not yet decided on a major (undeclared) you may encounter some wrinkles in the system. Academic advisors are just used to helping students fulfill requirements for one major, and you may have to visit your advisor more often if you are still figuring out your preferences. But the advisors will always be happy to help you figure out the best course of action to fit your needs. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Derek: There are many activities and it is really easy to do a range of different athletics, but the campus is pretty quiet. What I noticed was that you may not love your roommate or dormmates, but you gradually become close with them without noticing it. Dorm life is sometimes maddening, because you have to tolerate a lot of quirks, but you end up relying on your dormmates and helping them as well. For students who are still adjusting to the shock of leaving home, I think the quiet and predictable feel to campus life is comforting. But for students who like parties, energy, and socializing, UCSD might be a bit frustrating. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Derek: At UCSD, science majors are generally better supported and best represented. UCSD has excellent non-science programs as well, but the sciences especially biology, pre-med (biochem, cell biology), and psychology are well-funded and popular at UCSD. Generally, as with most UCs, UCSD tries to be competitive and prestigious across all disciplines, including math, humanities, and fine arts. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Derek: This is probably one of the weaker aspects of UCSD. While incoming freshmen cannot avoid meeting new people and making new friends (they usually live with dormmates and meet people in orientation), UCSD does not necessarily help make it easy. The campus is spread out, so it is hard for the student body to congregate in one main area. Also, there is a gloomy (but beautiful!) atmosphere to much of the campus: there is lots of shade, tall dark trees, dark-colored buildings, and its always foggy and cool. Beyond this, there is no famous UCSD sports team or other symbol to create campus spirit. You mainly meet classmates and make friends working and studying together. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Derek: The Career Center is excellent at UCSD and very well-organized. I always felt comfortable going to them with any question, which was a relief considering how uncomfortable I was about job hunting and life after college. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Derek: During most of the year, there are plenty of options for study spaces. Geisel Library, the largest library on campus, is absolutely enormous and an excellent place to study. However, during final exam week, the libraries are packed literally 24 hours a day, especially the ones with computers for student use. There is a student center that is run by student co-ops and a student center with corporate and university-owned stores and restaurants. Dorm lounges are extremely varied. Some dorms were built in the early 1960s, and others in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s. I personally liked the dorm rooms in Muir and Revelle colleges (the oldest ones) most of all they seemed cooler in the hot months, and were surrounded by giant pine trees. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Derek: The surrounding town is University Town Center (UTC) and northern La Jolla. It is mostly high-income residential area. There is a Trader Joes very close to the campus, and plenty of other food and supplies stores. The only thing that requires a slightly longer drive is Target/Walmart type stores, which are about 15 minutes drive on the freeways. By far, the most important local attraction is the beach, which is 10-20 minutes walk time away from the campus. Apart from the beaches, UCSD is in a very scenic and beautiful part of San Diego. And in San Diego there are many great attractions: Sea World, Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, the Wild Animal Park, and further south, Tijuana (which can be dangerous for tourists, be warned). VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Derek: The student body is relatively large; I think it was near or above 30,000 students. In some classes, you are one of 300 students. However, in many classes, you are one of maybe 7 students. So the student body size can sometimes, but not always, affect class size. I believe that in some cases, this same dynamic can make it hard to get to know some professors, but easy to know other ones. I think that the huge size of the student body may be a reason that there is not a strong UCSD identity we are too big and too spread out to feel united. But this is not necessarily all bad: it can be nice to feel anonymous and part of a giant community. Also, the largeness of the student body means that there are more opportunities to meet like minds and develop interesting, varied relationships. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Derek: Keep in mind that the majority of professors at many universities are there because of their research and intellectual contributions, and not their social skills. As a result, many professors are specialists or geniuses in really unique specific subjects, but can be very strange people. A few years ago, I was in a required music theory class, Rhythm and Meter, taught by Ed Harkins, a famous avant-garde trumpeter. Professor Harkins was known to be one of the weirdest, wackiest professors in the music department. True to his reputation, each day of that class was weirder than the last. Prof. Harkins an elderly man at the time would start off some classes sitting upright in a chair with one leg behind his head. He would punctuate his calm lectures with random, abrupt screams. We learned how to read and perform some of the strangest, most impractical rhythms ever conceived. And, to make the final exam the weirdest day of our lives at UCSD, we each had to perform Pygmy music (comprised of complex rhythms of screams and whistles) in duets with a partner from class. One would scream, the other would whistle. At the time, I wondered if Prof. Harkins had escaped from a mental institution, but now I realize that he was giving us an unforgettable and incredibly rich education. I still have and take pride in my knowledge of complex rhythms, and I recognize that had there been more normal, seemingly-sane professors at UCSD, I would have learned much less. Weird and dramatic experiences like this gave all of us curiosity and character, and I think freed us from a limited, conformist way of thinking. Now that I have graduated, I miss those years where each day was guaranteed to be a strange and unforgettable exploration. Check out Dereks tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Friday, March 6, 2020

3 Things Every High School Senior Should Do During Winter Break

3 Things Every High School Senior Should Do During Winter Break Most high school seniors view winter break as the perfect opportunity to sleep and to socialize with family and friends. Of course, if you focus on everything but school, you may return to your classes feeling unproductive and anxious in regard to finishing your coursework, as well as preparing for graduation and college. Although a bit of rest and relaxation is healthy for the often-stressed high school senior, it can greatly benefit you to spend your time wisely during your vacation. Complete these three tasks and you will feel energized and confident when returning to school in January: 1. Finish a portion of your homework each day Your teachers may have assigned you various readings or projects to complete over your winter break. And though it can be tempting to procrastinate, it is also unwise especially during senior year, when your grades matter most. To avoid frantic hours of last-minute work, set a homework schedule and follow it. One good strategy is to spread out your assignments. That way, each task will seem less daunting. Start by reviewing all of your assignments, and then estimate how much time it will take you to complete each one. Divide the total number of hours you will need to finish your work by the number of days in your break. The result is the amount of time you will need to spend on schoolwork each day. Of course, if you know some days will be busier than others, apply more effort on the lighter days. You may also wish to calculate your daily homework time by omitting one day from the total length of your break. That way, you will hypothetically have all of your work done a day early, which allows you the opportunity to resolve any loose ends on the last day of your break if necessary. 2.Complete and submit your college applications Each college has its own application deadline, with early action or early decision applications typically due in November and regular decision applications often due in January. If you are applying to colleges via regular decision and have not yet submitted your applications, winter break is the right time to do so. Ensure all of your applications and supplemental materials like test scores, letters of recommendation, and essays are sent on time. Here are some tips on how to ask for a letter of recommendation. Make a college applicationchecklist and include the name of each college or university, its application deadline, and the required components of its application package. As you complete and send in your applications, check off the name of each school on the list. This will help ensure you do not miss a deadline or fail to include all parts of an application. Here is a college search tip on how to narrow down your application choices. 3.Get a head start on the college financial aid process No matter how you plan on paying for college, it is worth filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). These are 6 tips to maximize your search for financial aid. This form is used by the United States Department of Education to determine your qualification for need-based financial aid. Depending on your financial and demographic information, you may qualify for loans, scholarships, and/or grants all of which can help offset the costs of your education. Incoming or continuing college students are required to fill out a new FAFSA form before the start of each academic year in order to qualify for federal financial aid. FAFSA forms become available each January and they should be submitted as quickly as possible. Spend the last few days of your winter break familiarizing yourself with the FAFSA form, and show it to your family. Besides your information, you will need their personal and financial details, including federal tax returns, which can be a time-consuming process. Do both them and yourself a favor by getting started on your FAFSA as soon as the form becomes available.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Factors and Multiples - Math Online Tutoring

Factors and Multiples - Math Online Tutoring What are factors? Numbers that can be multiplied to make another number is called factor. Example: Factors for number 6 are 6, 1 and 2, 3 What are multiples? Number that can be made by multiplying by a certain number is called multiples. Example: Multiples of 6 are 6, 12, 18, 24. GCF: Greatest Common Factor How to find GCF? a) List the prime factors of each number b) Multiply the common factors of both the numbers. Example: GCF of 18 and 24 Prime factors of 18 = 2x 3x3 Prime factors of 24 = 2x2 x2 x 3 There is one 2 and one 3 in common The GCF is 2 x 3 = 6 1) Find LCM of 2 and 5 Answer: Multiplies of 2 are 2,4,6,8,10,12,142 Multiples of 5 are 5,10,15,20,25,30 Least common multiple is 10. NOTE:When LCM and product of numbers is given to find the GCF then the formulaused is LCM x GCF = product of two numbers If x y then LCM (x, y) is x. If x y then GCF (x, y) is y.

How to Buy a Guitar All Your Questions Answered

How to Buy a Guitar All Your Questions Answered Megan L. Getting your first guitar is a super exciting milestone in your musical life! If youve never made such a big purchase before, you might have a lot of questions about how to buy a guitar. In this guide, well go over the basics so you know where to go, what to look for, and the extras youll need to start jamming out. What Kind of Guitar Should I Get? There are two main types of guitars, acoustic and electric. So, whats the difference between the two and what kind of guitar should you buy? Most beginners are perfectly happy learning how to play guitar on an acoustic guitar. The acoustic guitar is made of wood and has a hollow body, with a hole cut out underneath the strings. The hollow body of the acoustic guitar is what amplifies its sound. Youll commonly see folk singers, country musicians, and classical guitarists playing acoustic guitars. Electric guitars are the cornerstone of rock and roll. Youll need to buy an amplifier as well if you decide you want to play electric guitar, as these babies dont make much noise when theyre not plugged in. It is generally a little bit harder to play an acoustic guitar than an electric as youll need to press a little harder on the strings. Many teachers actually recommend starting on acoustic for all guitarists to build finger strength and master technique. The idea being that once youre able to play an acoustic guitar with ease, picking up an electric will be a breeze. How Much Does a Guitar Cost? Depending on what kind of guitar you want and where you go, you can find a guitar at any price point. However, as with all things, the cheapest options are not always the best. Just because you can buy a $5 guitar at a garage sale doesnt mean that you should. If youre just getting started on the guitar, you probably dont want to buy the most expensive instrument. Luckily, there are many affordable options out there for reliable beginner guitars. Yamaha makes some pretty good acoustic guitars starting around $150, and Fenders Squire model is a great inexpensive option if youre looking for your first electric guitar. Where Should I Buy a Guitar? Although you can easily buy guitars online, for your first guitar we recommend visiting a local music shop. Take some time to play or hold several different guitars and get a sense of which instrument is the right fit for you. Guitars can have wider or narrower frets, different sized bodies, and many other variables that might make one guitar more comfortable for you to play than another guitar. Try several guitars both sitting and standing until you find one that feels like it fits your body. If you have a trusted friend or family member who plays guitar, you might ask them to come with you to help you pick out the right guitar for you. Ask them if there is a brand or local store that they would recommend for you. Your  guitar teacher, they can also be a great resource to help you find the right instrument. Guitar teachers are very familiar with the special needs beginning guitarists have and can give you a good idea of what to look for in a guitar. Should I Buy a Used Guitar? For many students, a used guitar can be a great, inexpensive option, as long as the guitar is in good condition. Get familiar with the different parts of the guitar so you can quickly learn how to spot a good used instrument. If you choose to buy a used guitar, here are some things to look for: Is the neck straight? Hold the guitar out along the length of your arm and look down the neck. If the neck bows or curves, do not buy the guitar! Youll want a guitar with a nice straight neck so it stays well-tuned. Are the frets worn? If the frets are worn down so that some are higher and some are lower, youll have a much harder time getting the right notes and sound out of your instrument. Do not buy a guitar with worn frets. Is the body warped? Look at the guitars body and notice any bulges, dents or dings. Its okay if there are some scratches in the pick guard or a chip in the finish here and there. Small marks wont affect the sound quality of your instrument. However, if you see a bulge near or under the bridge, do not buy that guitar. What Kinds of Guitar Accessories Do I Need? Once youve found your perfect guitar, youll still need to get a few extras so you can get the most out of your instrument. Heres a quick list of things youll need to get started: Guitar Picks. Picks come in different shapes, thicknesses, and weights. Beginners usually like lighter, softer picks. If youre playing for speed, try a heavier pick. Guitar Strap. Your local guitar store should have lots of strap options for you to choose from. You can express yourself with a fuzzy leopard strap or go basic with plain leather. The important thing is that your strap allows you to play guitar in a standing position, which is important to practice if you plan to perform standing up. Guitar Tuner. Your guitar wont sound too hot unless youre able to keep it in tune. There are several different kinds of tuners, so you can pick the tuner thats best for what you need. Most beginners playing an acoustic guitar are very happy with a chromatic tuner. This type of tuner has a microphone built in and will show you what note you are playing. Guitar Case. Depending on what type of guitar you get and where you shop, a case might be included with your purchase. Hard plastic cases and soft fabric cases are both quite common. If you have the option, we recommend a hard case. Hard cases protect your guitar when you are traveling with it and also allow you to store your guitar in a safe place when youre not playing it. Amplifier and Cables. If youre buying an electric guitar, youll need something to plug it into! You can get a small practice amp for around $100 to $200, or spend more on a big monster stack. Just keep your goals and budget in mind and ask questions at the guitar store. Dont forget to get cables to plug your guitar in to the amp! Once youve got a guitar to call your own, starting private lessons with a great guitar teacher is the next step to success in your musical journey! TakeLessons teachers are available to teach one-on-one lessons in your home, in music studios, and online, so its easy for you to find the right teacher for you. Visit TakeLessons today and find your perfect teacher! 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 You might also like Roadmap of the Notes on a Guitar How to Read Guitar Chords Play Thousands of Songs Using these Guitar Chord Progressions

How to Help a Poor Speller

How to Help a Poor Speller How to Help a Poor Speller For some children, learning to spell is incredibly frustratingand something that never seems to get easier or less confusing. The bad news is that spelling troubles are unlikely to go away on their own. The good news is that there are many things parents can do to help their children become better spellers, and as a result, better students. Here are several tips to help your child improve his or her spelling ability: Encourage mastery of the sight words. You probably recall the words sent home by your childs kindergarten and first grade teachers that you were instructed to have your child memorize by sight. Sight wordsalso known as Dolch wordsare the most frequently used words in the English language. Many sight words have irregular spellings and it is critical that students memorize them and know how to spell them. Make sure your student understands the different sounds that letter combinations make. Reading fluency is achieved through a series of building block skills, including understanding that words are composed of letters and word units and that letters (and letter combinations) make individual sounds. Your child should be able to sound out: Individual letters (consonants and vowels) Blends (such as pl or sm) Digraphs (two letters that make one sound, such as sh or ng) Diphthongs (two vowels that form as one syllable, such as au or ai) Help your child recognize word families. Once your child masters train, give him or her a list of other words that share the same ain ending, such as chain and brain. Guide your child as he or she plays with letter combinations to understand word patterns. Help your child memorize common spelling rules. Scholastic offers a helpful printable chart that summarizes spelling rules for ei vs. ie words, compound words, plurals, possessives, prefixes and suffixes. Once your child memorizes these basics, he or she will be able to apply them consistently and catch his or her spelling mistakes more easily. Practice, practice, practice. Provided a student has a basic understanding of word structure, letter sounds, common spelling rules and relationships between words, repetition is critical to master spelling. As your child studies his or her new weekly spelling words, try the look, visualize, write, check approach. If your child gets tripped up with the same words over and over, practice them in the same way you would if they were brand new spelling words. Spelling takes continued practiceand even adults can struggle with it throughout their lives. Frequent reading and repeated exposure to the spoken and written word are the best ways for students to acquire strong spelling skills. And when problems arise, early intervention is critical (as with all literacy skills). The sooner you can spot and correct spelling difficulties, the easier it will be for your child to become a good speller.

Four Things Students and Tutors Should do AFTER an Initial Tutoring Session

Four Things Students and Tutors Should do AFTER an Initial Tutoring Session Improving Academic Performance As we’ve mentioned, there are many things you can do before the initial tutoring session to get the most out of tutoring. After you have attended your initial tutoring session, there are a few things you should do to ensure that you retain all the information you reviewed. In this blog article, we will discuss four things you should do after the initial tutoring session. Write Summary Notes It can be hard to absorb the lesson content or test-taking strategies your tutor is reviewing while also taking copious notes on the session material during a tutoring session. Because multi-tasking during a tutoring session may take away from you absorbing important material or test-taking strategies, I would recommend focusing on the lesson content during the tutoring session. After you’ve completed your initial tutoring session, be sure to take time to write down notes about test-taking strategies, content knowledge, and tips that your tutor reviewed during the session when everything is still fresh in your head. In fact, as Dr. Barbara Oakley teaches in her popular MOOC “Learning How to Learn: Powerful Mental Tools to Help You Master Tough Subjects,” summarizing in your own words is a powerful strategy for learning new things in general. You are more likely to retain information by summarizing lesson content or test-taking strategies in your own words, than if you copy thin gs down word for word. Practice, Practice, Practice! The age-old adage that there is no better way to absorb, retain, and excel at something than to practice at it as much as possible still holds true today. It may be the case that you quickly understood new content that your tutor reviewed with you. Or perhaps, you were able to quickly absorb and apply a new concept or strategy in your session. Even so, you should still take time to continue practicing using the new strategies or content that you just gained in order to commit it to your memory. Some ways that you can practice using a new test-taking strategy is to complete practice problems on a practice exam. To commit new content knowledge to your memory, try writing out or summarizing the content knowledge, drawing diagrams, or teaching it to someone else. Make sure that you are engaging in “deliberate practice” when completing practice problems. Taking time to focus deeply on what you are doing, why each step matters, and when and how you are making mistakes, is far more powe rful than rote repetition, as noted by the American Psychological Association. Practice new strategies/content knowledge regularly, preferably on a weekly basis until you are completely comfortable with it. Review In order to retain new and old test-taking strategies and content, it is important to review them regularly. Set aside a few minutes a day, or 30 minutes each week to review test-taking strategies and content. Additionally, prior to each tutoring session, take time to review strategies and content so that it’s fresh in your mind during each tutoring session. This will make tutoring sessions flow smoothly, as you can dedicate more time to building on concepts and strategies, rather than spending a chunk of time reviewing strategies and content that you covered in previous tutoring sessions. Complete Homework for the Week It is important to come prepared to each tutoring session, ready to learn new content and strategies. In order to do so, make time to complete any homework assignments or practice problems that your tutor assigned you. If you are having difficulty with the assignment, make sure to jot down your questions and ask your tutor about them during your next tutoring session. Taking the time to complete these four simple tasks after each tutoring session will help to improve your retention of new strategies and content, as well as improve your test scores and academic performance.