Organic Chemistry - How To Find An Organic Chemistry Tutor

Organic Chemistry - How To Find An Organic Chemistry TutorIn the past, learning a new subject like organic chemistry is often very difficult. Organic chemistry is an exciting and challenging subject which needs good and professional teaching methods. But how can we find an organic chemistry tutor in Singapore?There are quite a few websites available online which offer professional tutors who can help you learn and master the syllabus of organic chemistry in Singapore. Some websites have their own organic chemistry tutors, but you may have to do a little bit of searching on the internet to find one that has been certified or is accredited by the relevant university. If you have someone to teach you the subject, then that will make your work much easier. There are many good teachers who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise to help others.The first step is to go to a website where the information about certified organic chemistry teachers and schools in Singapore are avail able. Make sure that the teacher is a reputable person and has a good reputation. Look for feedback from their previous students, if any, so that you know if you are dealing with a teacher who is reputable and reliable.Check out online sources such as Rate My Professors, Superb Tutors and Test Your Knowledge and check if they have anything relevant to organic chemistry. The sites should also have testimonials from their students and should offer up to date information on whether they have been certified or not. It would be best to ask for a reference number so that you can contact them if you have any problems.The only problem in finding a certified organic chemistry tutor in Singapore is that there are not many universities in Singapore that offer the course. Even the educational institutes in Singapore are not too sure about offering this course. There are many institutions and institutes who are willing to teach the subjects to those who want to go back to school but cannot affor d to pay for a regular study course. It is always advisable to check out the credentials of the institute first before deciding to enrol.If you enroll yourself in online courses, make sure that the syllabus is updated regularly and is both up to date and accurate. The course description should also include how many hours should be spent on each topic. You should also read the guidelines on the grade point average, if there is one, for each topic.When you learn a new subject, it is always recommended to talk to your teacher about how to succeed and what to expect out of organic chemistry and how to overcome obstacles. This will greatly help you in the long run in overcoming any barriers.

Preparing for a Skype Interview

Preparing for a Skype Interview By Kathryn StewartIf you are interested in teaching overseas, you will eventually need to interview with administrators or a principal from your potential school. With many of Teach Away’s partner schools, this interview will be over Skype. For those who have never had an interview over Skype, here are some tips to ensure you have the best interview possible.Online Information: Your Skype profile photo, Skype name, and status will be the first things the interview team sees prior to speaking with you. Make sure that these are professional â€" having a separate Skype   account for professional contacts is a great idea.Background: As you aren’t able to meet your potential colleague or supervisor in person, keep in mind that your first impression will extend beyond what you are wearing or how your hair looks.   Your webcam will also show your living or working space. Make sure your area is tidy! A plain background is ideal, as that will allow the interviewer to focus on you instead of trying to decipher your choice of artwork in the background.Technical Preparedness: If you are new to Skype, try a practice run with a friend or your Teach Away placement coordinator before your interview. Use your webcam and microphone to make sure that everything is in good working order. On the day of your interview, we recommend that you are online and ready to go at least 15 minutes prior to your interview time.Acting Naturally: It can be difficult to “be yourself” while on camera. Try to stay as natural as possible, and remember all the points of an in-person interview: for example, making eye contact with the person you are speaking to. You don’t need to act differently in a Skype interview, just make sure that you are being seen and heard on the webcam.On the subject of eye contact, however, making eye contact through a webcam is a little more difficult than in person. Remember that your interviewer’s “eyes” are actually the camera! Try to look into the camera as much as possible, instead of staring directly at your screen.Patience: Sometimes Skype will cut in and out, or it can be difficult to see or hear the person on the other side.   From time to time you may even need to stop the call and try again. Try to be patient!Flexibility:   It is unlikely that your potential employer will be in the same time zone - your interview may be scheduled at a time early in the morning, or late in the evening. Your placement coordinator will do their best to schedule an interview time that works best for both sides, but keep in mind that flexibility is an asset when teaching abroad, starting from the very first interview!Kathryn Stewart is a Placement Coordinator at Teach Away Inc.

Expanding Vocabulary for High School Readiness

Expanding Vocabulary for High School Readiness Prepare for High School With an Expanded Vocabulary 8th graders are fast approaching the end of their middle school or junior high careers. The transition from 8th   grade to high school is one of the most difficult educational challenges and many students find that the first semester of high school is overwhelming, mainly due to social changes but also because of a large step up in educational responsibility (READ: How to Get an A Before the End of the Term). One thing that seems to be continuously lacking for students entering the 9th grade is vocabulary expansion. With increasing importance placed on test prep as well as yearly assessments and a heavier emphasis on non-fiction reading and reading comprehension general, 9th graders need to have an excellent handle on vocabulary. Consider the 8th Grade Vocabulary List Parents should consider looking at the 8th grade vocabulary list, easily available online,   and test their kids out with a few of the words. As soon as an 8th grader hears the word ‘test’, they are unlikely to be interested in further discussion. However, parents can easily throw in a word here or there in general conversation and see if their child knows what it means. Parents can also try a more direct approach and simply ask their children to provide a synonym for a list of words. If 8th graders do not have a minimum of a 90% success rate on the appropriate reading list at this point in the year, they are not on track for the 9th grade. Parents are also advised to share the 6th and 7th grade word lists with their children, also available online.   Many students are surprised to find that they dont know as many of the words on these lists as they thought. This is generally because these vocabulary words are not found in everyday language or students simply dont remember them. Exposure to New Words The more a child is exposed to new words the more likely theyll be to remember them and use them in their own speech. Students who are behind should attempt to learn 10 words a week (READ: Five Tips for Success in English Class). This should not detract from their current academic commitments and will not likely be overwhelming, but will start them on their way to age-appropriate vocabulary. Students who know at least 90% of the words on the 8th grade vocabulary list should move up to the 9th grade list. Entering the 9th grade is a huge social adjustment and students are less likely to be able to advance their vocabulary during the first six months of their high school career. Students who are proficient in the 9th grade list prior to starting high school will have a much easier time in their English classes as well as any class that requires reading comprehension or research. Vocab for Testing and College Prep Early vocabulary expansion is also important for both college and college entrance exams, such as the SAT or ACT. College prep students attempt to learn as many as 3,500 words through simple memorization within the three months leading up to the SAT. Students will not be able to learn or memorize that many words in a short time. Because the vocabulary section is one that high school students consistently score low on, early vocabulary expansion, starting at an early age, can potentially earn test-takers up to an additional 100 points when they take their SAT. In addition to test prep, students with advanced vocabulary also have an easier time understanding both fiction and non-fiction literature and are able to participate in class discussions more accurately and more confidently. Later in life, post-secondary students as well as professionals will find that they are often able to communicate better and more effectively with a broad vocabulary, especially adjective usage. Regardless of the reason for vocabulary expansion, its important for all upcoming 9th graders to make sure that they are at least at grade level if not higher. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by TutorNerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.

June Language Challenge Video Pledges

June Language Challenge Video Pledges See Whos Taking June Language Challenge If you are taking June Language challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get the summer of to a great start! Click the links below to see: June Language Challenge Video Pledges 2 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 3 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4 Janie    from Thailand is learning Spanish and Italian Janie has been learning Spanish and Italian with our native teachers on italki for a while, she had took part in our New Years Language Challenge and cant wait for another exciting challenge. Janie will be participating in our June Language challenge and continue to improve her Spanish and Italian! Cheer her on by leaving a note on her notebook entry. Autumn   from Nova Scotia, Canada is learning French Autumn has been teaching English on italki for 4 years, and shes also been a student learning on italki at the same time. As a teacher and student she thought its great that you can only have to pay a 100 ITC registration fee and if you finish the challenge you end up winning 300 ITC (and improve your language ability as well) !   Autumn is traveling to French speaking Canada so decided to take our June Language Challenge to improve her French! Sylin   from Paris, France is learning Croatian Sylin speaks 30 different language!  How inspiring! If you missed it, she send an inspiring video of her speaking 30 different languages on italki!   Right now shes learning Croatian and hope that she can manage to reach B2 level in this language. Give her some love by writing on her notebook. Cassie from Newcastle, Australia is learning French This is Cassies second language challenge.   Her Public Pledge this time is pretty unique because her ultimate goal is to be able to teach bread-making completely in French.   Check out her video below and also learn the basics of bread-making!   Shes also got a cute daughter that distracts her!   Support her by leaving a message in her notebook entry. Pierre Bredle from Brazil is learning English Pierre Bredles has done our language challenge 4 times!   Hes also won the language challenge all four times.   We expect that he will also complete this language challenge.   Hes taking this challenge to bring it to the next level!   Cheer him on by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Aurore from France is learning Japaneses Since being a student on italki, Aurore has made an amazing progress by learning Japanese on italki! Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Claudia from Italy is learning French Claudia is a Italian teacher on italki.   Claudia speaks very fluent French and shes participating our June Language Challenge to improve her French. Cheer her on by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Jonathan from France is learning Spanish Jonathan is participating our June Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. David from Sweden is learning Japaneses and German David speaks pretty decent Japanese, he lived in Japan for 2 years. Now hes talking June Language Challenge in order to maintain his Japanese and also improve his German!   Support him by leaving a message in his notebook. Amanda from the United States, is learning Turkish Amanda is learning an interesting and beautiful language-Turkish! This is her June Language Challenge public pledge video. Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Philip from Germany, is learning Turkish Philip is a language enthusiast and hes learning Turkish at the moment even he hasnt learned any before except few words, but he can still speaks pretty good Turkish! Give him some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Thomas from Germany, is learning Spanish and improving his Englsih Thomas is learning Spanish and also improving his English! His ultimate goal is at least have 5 minutes conversation with his friend in Spanish! This is his June Language Challenge public pledge video. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. June Language Challenge Video Pledges See Whos Taking June Language Challenge If you are taking June Language challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get the summer of to a great start! Click the links below to see: June Language Challenge Video Pledges 2 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 3 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4 Janie    from Thailand is learning Spanish and Italian Janie has been learning Spanish and Italian with our native teachers on italki for a while, she had took part in our New Years Language Challenge and cant wait for another exciting challenge. Janie will be participating in our June Language challenge and continue to improve her Spanish and Italian! Cheer her on by leaving a note on her notebook entry. Autumn   from Nova Scotia, Canada is learning French Autumn has been teaching English on italki for 4 years, and shes also been a student learning on italki at the same time. As a teacher and student she thought its great that you can only have to pay a 100 ITC registration fee and if you finish the challenge you end up winning 300 ITC (and improve your language ability as well) !   Autumn is traveling to French speaking Canada so decided to take our June Language Challenge to improve her French! Sylin   from Paris, France is learning Croatian Sylin speaks 30 different language!  How inspiring! If you missed it, she send an inspiring video of her speaking 30 different languages on italki!   Right now shes learning Croatian and hope that she can manage to reach B2 level in this language. Give her some love by writing on her notebook. Cassie from Newcastle, Australia is learning French This is Cassies second language challenge.   Her Public Pledge this time is pretty unique because her ultimate goal is to be able to teach bread-making completely in French.   Check out her video below and also learn the basics of bread-making!   Shes also got a cute daughter that distracts her!   Support her by leaving a message in her notebook entry. Pierre Bredle from Brazil is learning English Pierre Bredles has done our language challenge 4 times!   Hes also won the language challenge all four times.   We expect that he will also complete this language challenge.   Hes taking this challenge to bring it to the next level!   Cheer him on by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Aurore from France is learning Japaneses Since being a student on italki, Aurore has made an amazing progress by learning Japanese on italki! Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Claudia from Italy is learning French Claudia is a Italian teacher on italki.   Claudia speaks very fluent French and shes participating our June Language Challenge to improve her French. Cheer her on by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Jonathan from France is learning Spanish Jonathan is participating our June Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. David from Sweden is learning Japaneses and German David speaks pretty decent Japanese, he lived in Japan for 2 years. Now hes talking June Language Challenge in order to maintain his Japanese and also improve his German!   Support him by leaving a message in his notebook. Amanda from the United States, is learning Turkish Amanda is learning an interesting and beautiful language-Turkish! This is her June Language Challenge public pledge video. Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Philip from Germany, is learning Turkish Philip is a language enthusiast and hes learning Turkish at the moment even he hasnt learned any before except few words, but he can still speaks pretty good Turkish! Give him some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Thomas from Germany, is learning Spanish and improving his Englsih Thomas is learning Spanish and also improving his English! His ultimate goal is at least have 5 minutes conversation with his friend in Spanish! This is his June Language Challenge public pledge video. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. June Language Challenge Video Pledges See Whos Taking June Language Challenge If you are taking June Language challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get the summer of to a great start! Click the links below to see: June Language Challenge Video Pledges 2 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 3 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4 Janie    from Thailand is learning Spanish and Italian Janie has been learning Spanish and Italian with our native teachers on italki for a while, she had took part in our New Years Language Challenge and cant wait for another exciting challenge. Janie will be participating in our June Language challenge and continue to improve her Spanish and Italian! Cheer her on by leaving a note on her notebook entry. Autumn   from Nova Scotia, Canada is learning French Autumn has been teaching English on italki for 4 years, and shes also been a student learning on italki at the same time. As a teacher and student she thought its great that you can only have to pay a 100 ITC registration fee and if you finish the challenge you end up winning 300 ITC (and improve your language ability as well) !   Autumn is traveling to French speaking Canada so decided to take our June Language Challenge to improve her French! Sylin   from Paris, France is learning Croatian Sylin speaks 30 different language!  How inspiring! If you missed it, she send an inspiring video of her speaking 30 different languages on italki!   Right now shes learning Croatian and hope that she can manage to reach B2 level in this language. Give her some love by writing on her notebook. Cassie from Newcastle, Australia is learning French This is Cassies second language challenge.   Her Public Pledge this time is pretty unique because her ultimate goal is to be able to teach bread-making completely in French.   Check out her video below and also learn the basics of bread-making!   Shes also got a cute daughter that distracts her!   Support her by leaving a message in her notebook entry. Pierre Bredle from Brazil is learning English Pierre Bredles has done our language challenge 4 times!   Hes also won the language challenge all four times.   We expect that he will also complete this language challenge.   Hes taking this challenge to bring it to the next level!   Cheer him on by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Aurore from France is learning Japaneses Since being a student on italki, Aurore has made an amazing progress by learning Japanese on italki! Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Claudia from Italy is learning French Claudia is a Italian teacher on italki.   Claudia speaks very fluent French and shes participating our June Language Challenge to improve her French. Cheer her on by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Jonathan from France is learning Spanish Jonathan is participating our June Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. David from Sweden is learning Japaneses and German David speaks pretty decent Japanese, he lived in Japan for 2 years. Now hes talking June Language Challenge in order to maintain his Japanese and also improve his German!   Support him by leaving a message in his notebook. Amanda from the United States, is learning Turkish Amanda is learning an interesting and beautiful language-Turkish! This is her June Language Challenge public pledge video. Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Philip from Germany, is learning Turkish Philip is a language enthusiast and hes learning Turkish at the moment even he hasnt learned any before except few words, but he can still speaks pretty good Turkish! Give him some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Thomas from Germany, is learning Spanish and improving his Englsih Thomas is learning Spanish and also improving his English! His ultimate goal is at least have 5 minutes conversation with his friend in Spanish! This is his June Language Challenge public pledge video. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook.

Chemistry Laboratory Can Be An Interesting Work With Lots Of Benefits

Chemistry Laboratory Can Be An Interesting Work With Lots Of BenefitsAs an individual engaged in higher education and career studies, it is quite essential to get an appropriate chemistry laboratory at your college or university. The work of a chemistry laboratory is quite complicated and requires adequate training and experience to be employed effectively. It is also important to obtain a laboratory where it will not disturb other class activities.Chemical engineers are employed to analyze the chemical composition and analyze related analysis. Those employed in this field must have excellent quality of reading, writing and understanding of the language required for this kind of work. On the other hand, students are required to make clear and concise presentations about various products, processes and methods of using such materials. Aside from this, students must also do well in their lab assignments and tests.Chemicals need to be handled with great care. Hence, the work of a chemis try laboratory is very important and need to be handled with utmost care. In this field, people are employed to handle chemicals of different varieties, shapes and sizes.Besides this, there are employees who are required to do quality work as well. They have to take the quality reports of the finished work of the employee and make any amendments or modifications as per the requirements of the organization. These reports are to be signed by the employee himself to confirm that all required amendments have been taken care of.If you are interested in furthering your study and professional career, you can take the help of chemical engineers who provide numerous jobs to professionals interested in such line of work. These jobs would include salary support, work in a laboratory, and important work related to the management of the company.Chemical engineers also work on development of new chemical products, processing of different products, conducting research and development of new drugs. You can avail these kinds of jobs by going through various job portals and career fairs. These can give you necessary information about various types of jobs available.Moreover, it is important to get the right people working for you to get the right results. This can be done by seeking references and conducting interviews with applicants. Moreover, you can also contact local chambers of commerce in your area.

The Chemistry Definition of Salt

The Chemistry Definition of SaltWhen students first hear the chemistry definition of salt, they may have a problem. They may think that the definition is incorrect or irrelevant. To help them understand this definition, let's talk about what it means to be salt. The chemistry definition of salt is also used for other types of substances that can react with others to form new compounds and combinations.A salt is any compound that can be dissolved in water. The word 'salt' has several meanings, depending on the context it is used in. If it is a salt, then it is solid and if it is a crystal, then it is crystalline.The term 'salt' also refers to a solid form of water. When a solution is exposed to air, it becomes dry. In a solid, the liquid content remains and when the solution is changed to a solid, it becomes a crystal.A crystal is also a liquid, but it is not a solid. It is a solid that is formed by combining different elements with different frequencies. For example, a salt which con tains chlorine has the ability to become a white powder when mixed with water. When you mix together with sodium chloride and water, you end up with sodium chloride.All salts are formed by combining elements, which have different properties, into a solution, making one and other turn into different salt forms. This is why a mixture that contains too much sodium chloride will become too salty.Water is the common substance that all salts are formed from. The properties of water to determine which kinds of salts they can be made from. The chemistry definition of salt helps us to understand the chemical properties of water, and how salts can interact with each other and with the atmosphere to create chemical reactions.These chemical reactions are important to our health, but also a topic of research. At present, the chemistry definition of salt helps us to understand how chemical reactions can be affected by environment and physical processes. Because of this understanding, we can do re search and develop strategies to protect ourselves from the many environmental hazards that we face.

Should I Go to University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Should I Go to University of Maryland, Baltimore County Teauna earned her bachelors degree in biological sciences from University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She specializes in algebra tutoring, biology tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Check out what she shared about her time at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Teauna: I recently graduated from University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and the campus was very diverse. Just by stepping on campus you are sure to encounter someone from a different culture than you. We are located near two rural towns, but not far from the city of Baltimore. There are free shuttles that transport students to and from the surrounding towns as well as a shuttle that goes to the Baltimore Harbor. There is also access to MTA (Maryland Transit Administration) buses which you will have to pay to use. I felt extremely safe on my campus. The campus itself is encircled by a road that is typically used only by people who are coming to or leaving campus (so, mostly students and faculty). We have blue lights located throughout the campus that can be used to call for help and you can contact the campus police at any time even just to walk you back to your dorm at night if you ever feel unsafe. The campus is pretty small and if you live in on-campus housing, you will never need a bike or car to get to class. Your farthest class takes 10 minutes to get to, and thats if youre walking at mild pace. The campus is also wheelchair accessible. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Teauna: Most professors are very available and approachable. They love taking questions after class and respond quickly to email. They also have several office hours during the week in which you can talk to them. As a freshman, you get a general advisor and they have many students so it may be a little harder to get in touch with them. However, during your sophomore year you are placed with a major specific advisor. These advisors have less students and are more available. They are interested in getting to know you as a person and not just your academic life. Teaching assistants can vary. Some are more approachable than others. Because many teaching assistants are also students, they may have less availability. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Teauna: UMBCs dorms are great. You may find yourself complaining here and there about small cosmetic issues, but compared to most colleges the dorms are amazing. Most freshmen end up in the typical dorm room which includes two beds, two desks with chairs, two wardrobes, and a sink to be shared between you and your roommate. Then you have a bathroom that connects you to an adjacent room. The people who live there are your suitemates. The four of you will share a bathroom which is much better than having a communal shower. You can also order a microfridge from the school which will allow you to have a refrigerator and a microwave in your room. You could also choose a dorm that has two bedrooms (that hold two people each) and is connected by a living space which includes a couch, coffee table, end table, and chair. You also have a bathroom. Then there are the apartments. There are 3 apartment complexes on campus which include 4 bedrooms, a living room, bathroom, and a full kitchen. And they are furnished! You get a couch, coffee table, kitchen table with 4 chairs, beds, closets, and desks with chairs. For dining you could eat at the dining hall, which some people enjoyed (I didnt). Its similar to a high school cafeteria. Then theres the Commons. The Commons is a building located in the center of the campus that has a student organization space, gameroom, restaurants and more. Here you can choose restaurants that serve Indian food, Chinese food, Mexican food, Italian food, a grill that serves typical American burgers and chicken tenders, or Mondos which sells subs. There is also a Chic-Fil-A and Starbucks located at the University Center. Most dorms are a 5 to 10 minute walk from all the dining options and classes. There are plenty of opportunities to socialize with other students. The student events board plans many events throughout the year for students to get to know one another. If you live on campus, the residential assistant will plan programs for you to get to know the people on your floor. If you are commuting then there are programs for you as well. There are several student organization and if you dont find one you like, its pretty easy to start your own. You can also attend a summer bridge program so that youll start the year already knowing several people and some faculty. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Teauna: Majority of students at UMBC are STEM majors and there is a lot of support for STEM majors, from scholarships to tutoring to research positions and more. I studied biological sciences because I want to be a dentist and most of the prerequisites for dental school would be covered in that major. Also, I genuinely love biology! UMBC offered all of the aforementioned support to me as well as supporting me in my goal to go to dental school through their pre-professional advising and the pre-dental student organization. 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? Teauna: I actually attended the summer bridge program called Collegiate Success Institute. We did a lot of team bonding and spent a lot of time together during the 6-week on campus program so I actually started my freshman year with several friends and made more friends soon after simply by living on campus and participating in activities with the people I lived with. Greek life does not play a significant role in the campus social life. We have a few fraternities and sororities, but not being in one will not affect your social life. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Teauna: The Career Center is very helpful in providing advising and resume critiques. There are also several career fairs that are hosted on campus and have included companies like Kennedy Krieger Institute and Northrop Grumman Corporation, Stanley Black and Decker, and more. Career Services also posts job listings in every academic area. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Teauna: The libraries can get very crowded during the week and may be hard to find a place to work. However, if you can find a place you can choose from quiet floors where everyone has to be quiet or normal floors where talking is allowed. Dorm lounges can be nice but they cannot be reserved, so it may be hard to find a lounge where people arent already there. Since most people hang out in the dorm lounges and the Commons, youll probably be better off studying in your room. If not, you can try reserving a study room in the library. Describe the surrounding town. Teauna: There isnt too much to do for fun in the surrounding towns. There are a few old fashioned shops in Catonsville that might be fun for some, but taking the shuttle to the Baltimore Inner Harbor can be really great. The Inner Harbor is full of shops and restaurants. The Gallery Mall is a huge mall with several floors and great stores. You could rent a boat and go for ride or simply hang out by the water with friends. Most students just go to Arundel Mills Mall on the shuttle because its only a few minutes away. Its all a matter of personal preference and how far youre willing to travel. However, these shuttles are only available on Saturday and Sunday, but you can get there by taking the MTA any day of the week. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Teauna: The student body is fairly small in comparison to most universities. The school has about 11,000 undergraduate students. I was generally pleased with the typical class sizes. Most science classes were large lectures that had about 200 students, but as you take higher level classes the size gets smaller and smaller. In my last year at UMBC I was taking science classes that had maybe 40 people in them. Most psychology and history classes are also around 40 people. Even with the large lectures there would often be a discussion portion where the class sizes were much smaller. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Teauna: My most memorable experience was with my Calculus II professor freshman year. I had done horribly in the class and waited until the end of the semester to talk to her (side note: always meet with your professors as soon as you notice you arent doing so well]). She was very honest, but extremely kind and forgiving. She told me that shed be teaching the class in the summer and to register for the class. She assured me that she would not let me fail. I took the class in the summer and with her help I got an A. Check out Teaunas tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

High Notes High Fashions What to Wear to Your Next Audition

High Notes High Fashions What to Wear to Your Next Audition Sign up successful This is a topic that many students don’t ask their voice teachers  about because, let’s face it, in a 45- to 60-minute lesson there is a lot to cover! On the day of an audition there is a lot to think about, such as your song choice, dealing with nerves, remembering to bring specific materials (headshot and resume), hoping the pianist plays your piece to your liking, memory issues, and, of course, how you look and feel. Having one or two “go to” audition outfits lets you have one less thing to think about on the day you have that really important audition. Looking and feeling great is just an added bonus to having a successful audition! Here are some helpful tips on choosing what to wear to an audition Tips for Women • Cinderella is proof that a pair of shoes can change your life Well, a pair of shoes can make or break your audition! Make sure your feet feel comfortable and that you can sing comfortably. Keep in mind that adding four-inch heels can change vocal posture. Be sure to practice in your shoes before your audition! • Say Yes to the Dress! When choosing a dress, make sure you feel comfortable enough to sing in it and you have plenty of room to breathe! It is a good idea when buying a dress to breathe deeply in the dressing room before you buy it, and also make sure it complements your body type. Black is always in style and is slimming to every body type. Things to avoid include large prints and extremely bright colors (which can distract a judge), and a dress that is either too tight or too short. • I wear the pants For those who sing operatic mezzo roles, consider a classic blazer, solid-colored dressy blouse, and black slacks. When wearing this type of audition outfit make sure your pants are ironed and/or dry cleaned to avoid wrinkles or looking messy. •  Good hair day:  Please keep your hair off your face! There is nothing worse than watching someone brush their hair away from their face constantly during a song. Great options include wearing your hair half up, a bun, or a fancy ponytail. • Maybe it’s Maybelline Makeup is just another part of putting a look together. When applying makeup for an audition, make sure it is natural and that you still look like your headshot picture! • Put a ring on it: Jewelry is a personal choice and statement. If you choose to wear jewelry with your outfit, make sure, again, you feel comfortable in it. Also remember that less is more.  Things to avoid include jewelry that feels heavy on the neck or ears, long dangling earrings, very sparkly necklaces, and earrings that could distract the judge. If youre wearing bracelets, avoid ones that have charms that make noise. You want the judge to be focusing on the beauty of your voice, not your bling! Tips for Men • Check your fly: When choosing a suit, make sure it is tailored to your body type! Choose a dress shirt and/or tie that complements the color of the suit. If youre wearing a three-piece suit, make sure the vest and pants have plenty of room so you feel comfortable enough to sing and breathe! If you have gained or lost weight make sure to take your suit in for the appropriate alterations. • Dressy/casual: Not wearing a suit? A great pair of jeans, dress shirt, and tie are sometimes all you need! Just make sure the jeans are in great condition jeans with holes look sloppy and unprofessional,  and could potentially give an air of not caring about the audition. • Shoes are a girl thing: Though this may be true, a pair of great dress shoes can really complement a suit. Be sure the shoes are not too tight and are comfortable to stand and sing in! There is nothing worse then putting on shoes that are too tight. When wearing dress shoes make sure to wear a nice dress sock that is pulled up. Happy shopping happy singing! Chelsea F. teaches singing, piano, and music theory in New York, NY. She holds a  Bachelor of Music from Cleveland Institute of Music and a Master of Music from Manhattan School of Music. Learn more about Chelsea 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 Photo  by  Amgad Fahmi Photography

Do Singers Need Metronomes

Do Singers Need Metronomes Suzy S. As a vocalist, should you practice singing with a metronome at your side?  Read on for St. Augustine, FL teacher  Heather L.s advice   Metronomes are devices that produce sounds in regular, pre-chosen rhythms. Many years ago, the only metronomes were simple gadgets. Though the first one thats even similar to what we now think of as a modern metronome was invented in the 19th century, the kind that most adults are familiar with is a mechanical, wind-up metronome. It makes a sound like someone knocking on a small door. Nowadays, nifty electronic metronomes are manufactured on their own, or in a small device combined with a tuner, and they can now even be found online and on your smartphone as an app. They are utterly customizable, and Im not talking just about the time signature, but even the sound itself. Pros and Cons of Using a Metronome So many musicians use a metronome all the time, but theres always been a lot of debate on whether or not theyre even effective. Supporters of its use say that it helps to encourage an internal sense of rhythm, it helps to keep musicians playing at a constant speed (if they tend to have a tendency to speed up or slow down), and because you can set it to a composers indicated tempo marking, you can get a true idea of the speed he or she wanted the piece to be played. Opponents of the metronome claim that it simply creates mindlessly mechanical musicians, devoid of music expressiveness. Over the last decade of teaching piano, Ive used a metronome sparingly, fearing that students would go insane if I played it incessantly. But recently, Ive found it more and more useful. Overall, Ive come to believe that pianists, especially those in the beginner and intermediate stages, need a metronome. But do singers need a metronome? Using a Metronome for Singing Practice I taught a voice lesson this morning to a 65-year-old female student. She is a complete beginner who has a lot of promise. Because its so important that all of my students learn to sight read, I made sure that I got an intensive session in for her today. In the middle of sight reading melodies, she suddenly asked, Why is that dot round and without a stem? She was asking what a whole note is. As I explained note rhythms, and specifically that a whole note is one thats sung or played for four beats, I realized how much I needed a metronome in that moment. I wouldve played my guitar, the metronome wouldve sounded its steady beat, and my student wouldve heard that steady beat in the background as she sang. As she sang that whole note, she couldve heard four beats go by. That wouldve reinforced her learning aurally. Sure, I was able to strum and tap my guitar side to get a similar effect, but what happens to my student tomorrow when she goes to practice singing on her own? She doesnt play an instrument. And even if she did that doesnt mean at her beginning stage that shed be sure to stay consistent in her rhythms. Yes, music is a living thing, and living things naturally slow down and speed up. Music is a living thing that lives inside us, not on a written page. That page is a guide, a map that shows us the way. But its not the way. Rubato, for instance, is an Italian term that means literally to rob, and musically, it means to slow down and take time away, so to speak, only to give it back and speed up later on. Its a beautiful thing. But metronomes dont know rubato. They are faithful, true, and dependable, which is exactly why theyre so important for your musical studies. Other Ways a Metronome Can Help Singers need metronomes. A lot of composers and even songwriters include very particular, and even not so particular, tempo markings in their works. These markings go from vague, like with movement, to an exact number of beats per minute, like 132. Unless you know just what 132 beats per minute sounds like, when you see that 132 on your page of music, youll just be guessing. And have you ever slowed down or sped up in song, without even knowing it? Me, too. Metronomes help. Think of the last time that you sang with another musician. Did you find yourselves having to take a few minutes to talk about exactly what tempo youd play? Did you get a little frustrated when someone sped up on his own? A metronome wouldve helped. In the end, the metronome becomes a trusty friend, there whenever you need it. But someone doesnt have to be your roommate to be a trusty friend. And your metronome doesnt have to be a nagging, annoying, or constant companion. You can be simply friends, and what a great friend it is to have. Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in St. Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and the internationally renowned opera star Andrea Bocelli. Learn more about Heather here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Niki Odolphie