How to Choose Home Tutoring Solutions That Will Work For You

How to Choose Home Tutoring Solutions That Will Work For YouThere are many different home tutoring solutions that are offered today, and it can be difficult to choose just one. When choosing, you must consider the quality of each home tutor and the services they provide. Here are some home tutoring solutions that can help you learn more about these tutors and what to expect from them.Tuition and tutoring programs are offered through an educational institution, such as a vocational, community college, or university. For tutors working with students at these schools, tuition fees can range from free to small private tuition fees. Each school has its own tutoring curriculum and programs. If you choose to work with an instructor at a public or private school, you must adhere to the policies of the school.Another option for finding a home tutor is through an online course. You must be careful to ensure that you are choosing a legitimate school with a reliable program. One of the things to check is whether the tuition fees are affordable. You should also make sure that the program is relevant to your needs and skills.These online learning solutions may offer a good variety of learning options. The more options you have, the more prepared you will be to succeed in your education. If you already know how to do certain things, or if you want to learn more about specific subjects, online tutoring programs can be helpful. For example, you may be able to learn about more advanced math skills if you enroll in a course that provides this type of help.You may also choose to use an online tutor to help you with personal tutoring. You can ask friends, family members, or other people you trust for their advice. However, you may need to provide the information and documents you will need to verify your identity and personal information.You may also hire a private tutor. While there is some safety and confidentiality concerns about using a private tutor, there are also many benefi ts. For example, you can save money by not having to pay for room and board. Plus, it can be much more convenient for you to keep things separate.By combining home tutoring solutions with online programs, you can save money while increasing your chances of succeeding in your education. Consider all your options before choosing any tutoring solutions to make sure you choose the best solution for you.

Theres still space available in our summer 2012 San Jose SAT courses!

Theres still space available in our summer 2012 San Jose SAT courses! If youre thinking about signing up for SAT prep courses this summer, AJ Tutoring still has limited space available at our San Jose office!   The first SAT preparation course begins June 18, 2012 and meets most Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:30 am 12:30 pm until July 11, 2012.   We are also offering summer SAT prep courses at our San Jose office beginning July 11, 2012 and July 30, 2012.   For a more detailed schedule, including classes at our Palo Alto and Menlo Park locations, please refer to our website.AJ Tutorings group SAT classes are an affordable way to prepare for the October 2012 SAT or PSAT, featuring the same materials used in our one-on-one preparation within a group setting.   In addition to nine two-hour classes, four full-length proctored SATs are included in the AJ Tutoring SAT prep course.Please call (408) 345-5200 or email info@ajtutoring.com to sign up for a summer SAT prep course at AJ Tutorings San Jose office.   Were looking forward to working with yo u!

The College Search Checklist What Your Teen Should Consider When Evaluating Colleges

The College Search Checklist What Your Teen Should Consider When Evaluating Colleges Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions of your teens life. While exciting, the process of identifying schools and narrowing the list can be overwhelming to many students. CEO and Co-Founder, Eileen Huntington of Huntington Learning Center says the best way for parents to help is by reminding their teens that there are several essential components to evaluating colleges. Too often, teens get their hearts set on one or two things and ignore everything else, she says. Its important to focus on what matters most and not overlook the factors that really make the college experience. She offers this list of key considerations for teens and parents to keep on hand when embarking on the college search: Fields of study Whether teens are certain about a college major or still deciding, its a good idea to ensure any college on their short list has a range of enticing options. Keep in mind that changing majors early in college is common, so parents should caution their teens to not paint themselves into a corner. An engineering college is a great option if theres no chance your teen will end up deciding to switch gears to his or her backup plan, pre-medicine. Size Many teens know right away what theyre looking for as far as student population, but if your teen isnt sure yet, talk about it. Larger universities offer more academic options and the chance to engage in opportunities like undergraduate research. Many also have graduate programs too, if your teen is thinking about taking that path. Smaller schools will have a lower faculty-student ratio and a more intimate classroom and campus feel. There are advantages and disadvantages of both, and its important that teens think this through. Proximity to home Teens who have their hearts set on moving far away for college need to understand the logistics involved in doing so. Parents and teens should discuss things like how often their teens will be able to visit home (because of costs and time involved) and the value that their teens place on having a support system in their new area. Cost and financial aid This is an important consideration, but its hard to make an informed decision by looking at a colleges tuition schedule on their website. A true college price tag will take financial aid assistance and scholarships into account, so while it might be tempting to rule out colleges that have a sticker price that is out of reach, you and your teen should do a little digging. Talk with each colleges financial aid office to learn more about typical financial aid packages, the best approach to applying for scholarships, and more. Campus life Most students go to college to grow both academically and personally, and campus life plays a big part in that transformation. Teens should get a feel for what life is like at a college, either by visiting in person or by talking with current and former students and scouring the colleges websites. Does the college offer the kinds of social and student life opportunities they are seeking? Is there a lot going on outside of the classroom (e.g. athletic events and other fun activities)? What is dorm life like and how many students live on campus as freshmen? Without a doubt, choosing a college is a major decision, but the process can be made simpler when teens take a systematic approach to comparing and contrasting different schools, Huntington says. Our advice at Huntington is to let teens take the reins on this process, as they are the ones who must feel confident in the decision. Offer them a framework for assessing each college, encourage them to take advantage of the knowledge and expertise of their high school guidance counselor, and weigh in when you need to. With this approach, teens are sure to make a smart decision that they will be happy with in the long run. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help atwww.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visitwww.huntingtonfranchise.com. 2018 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee image via https://www.pixabay.com Antioxidants Antioxidants are found in coffee. Antioxidants are substances that can help prevent cell damage of some types. According to a study by researchers at the University of Scranton, coffee is ranked the “number one source of antioxidants.” This is ranked over fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants have a wide range of health benefits including healthy skin, immune systems, and memory. All three of these areas are essential to a college student. No one really wants to deal with bad skin, students prefer to stay relatively healthy, and memory plays a huge role in test taking and even remembering scheduled assignments, meetings, and exams. Although fruits and vegetables provide a lot of antioxidants, coffee provides even more. Coffee and Parkinson’s Disease According to the National Parkinson Foundation website, coffee can be used to treat the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. There is a lot of research that drinking coffee can help prevent getting Parkinson’s Disease, but this new research shows us that coffee can also benefit people who already have it. Parkinson’s Disease is a chronic movement disorder that is progressive or continues to worsen over time. Part of Parkinsons is constant tremors in various parts of the body. Depending on the timeline of severity, most people tend to not be able to live alone and need total care. There is no current cure for Parkinson’s and the specific cause is unknown, but it helps to have some outside factors that help alleviate the symptoms associated with the disease. Coffee is one of those outside factors. Stress Coffee can be used as a fairly healthy way to alleviate stress. As a college student, you more than likely have some stress in your life. Instead of turning to harmful substances and outlets, you can drink coffee to help soothe you. Stress has many negative effects on your health, so it is best to avoid it or work to alleviate it the best and most healthy way you can. Stress can affect people physically and mentally and can lead to other issues such as depression and weak immune systems. Naturally, the college life brings a lot of stress to students. With school assignments, extracurricular commitments, maintaining social lives and trying to perform well academically, it is easy to see where stress would come from. Since coffee is so accessible and better than unhealthy substances, college students should consider drinking it to help take some of the stress off of their shoulders. Mood It is no secret that coffee can definitely lift your spirits. It gives bursts of energy to you when you’re not feeling the most energetic. If you wake up in a poor mood, you may want to give coffee a try. It is interesting trying to figure out what type of coffee works the best for you. It’s all about trial and error when it comes to figuring that out. You may like caffeinated versus decaffeinated. You may like less cream or more sugar. Once you get your perfect coffee order down, it can really help to put you in a good mood. College students can oftentimes use a pick-me-up with the large workload they are bogged down with. Coffee can help to achieve that. Suicide According to the Harvard Gazette, a study shows that coffee consumption can lower the risk of suicide. Going hand in hand with mood elevation, coffee helps to increase the production of neurotransmitters. Chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, make you feel good and this, in turn, lifts your mood and overall feeling of happiness. For more information about the study, check out the article from the Harvard Gazette. If you are dealing with feelings of worthlessness and suicidal thoughts, please call the Suicide Hotline and someone will talk to you (1-800-273-8255). Although everything should be in moderation, rather than excessiveness, next time you drink your cup of Joe, remember the health benefits it provides for you. None of the above-mentioned topics concerning coffee is foolproof and guaranteed to work for everyone. For more health benefits of coffee, check out this Huffington Post article.

What the Filibuster is Going on in D.C.

What the Filibuster is Going on in D.C. Photo from Calwatchdog.com If youre like most Americans  youre probably wondering why things on Capitol Hill have gotten so dysfunctional recently. After all, the current 112th congress has only passed 200 public laws, the lowest level since World War II. So, what could possibly be the cause of this abysmal output? The short answer is: the filibuster, an endless debate on the senate floor to keep legislation from being put up to a vote. If youve ever seen the movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, his speech at the end was a typical filibuster. How is this causing all of the gridlock? Its a bit of a fuzzy picture, but in order to get past a filibuster, the senate must invoke something called cloture, which  forcibly  stops all debate, by a three-fifths majority or 60-40 assuming all senators vote. The process of invoking cloture takes up a lot of time by itself and even if a cloture motion passes, there are six other points in the process at which an opponent of the legislation can filibuster. Now, one might argue that the filibuster is a crucial tool for the minority to check the power of the majority and I would completely agree. The problem with the filibuster stems from the fact that there arent really any criteria limiting the filibuster. Any senator can filibuster any bill for any reason and most of the time the filibuster is applied to a motion to proceed, which is how bills make it to the floor, so most filibustered bills arent even debated, undermining the very concept. Until recently, filibusters were extremely rare and when they did come up people took notice because these senators were talking for  over 24 hours. Why then arent we hearing about these marathon speeches day in and day out? Photo from ncpeaceaction.org Because theyre not happening. There isnt a lot of filibustering going on in congress but there is much threatening to filibuster. These silent filibusters happen before the bill makes it to the floor.  The reason threats of filibustering are just as effective as actually filibustering has to do with senate majority leaders of both parties wanting to get things done. If a senator informs the majority leader that he or she intends to filibuster, normally the majority leader will just remove that from the agenda because a 60-vote majority for cloture is rarely attainable in congresses as divided as in recent times. How should we go about fixing this problem? Recent efforts of Democrats in the senate have shown a desire to reform the rules of filibustering so that any work can get done in congress. By October of 2012, this congress had only passed 2.8% of the bills that made it to the floor as illustrated in the graph above. Congress works based on simple 51-49 majority most of the time; requiring a super majority of 60 votes or more is only called for in very specific circumstances.  Due to the current abuse of the filibuster, however, the minority party has the power to make a 60 vote majority the de facto requirement to getting any legislation passed. Democrats are proposing a change to the way filibusters happen in order to restrict the number of opportunities to filibuster, especially concerning filibustering a bill before it reaches the floor, and filibustering a bill before it goes to conference committee. The biggest proposed change is to require what proponents are calling a talking filibuster wherein a senator who wants to block legislation must stand on the floor and make their case for as long as they want to block the bill, or, to put it another way, filibuster exactly the way senators used to filibuster. Are the Republicans okay with these proposed changes Dont be silly! The Republicans are pretty upset by these proposed changes.  The current senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says that his partys opposition to the filibuster change comes from their frustration over being denied the opportunity to add amendments to bills because all the available slots had been filled by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nv.).  He says that because of this amendment tree filling the filibuster is the only way Republicans have their voices heard.  I take issue with this stance for many reasons. The amendment tree  has been filled by Reid during this congress but it has only happened 22 times. To further confound the issue, Reid claims to have filled the tree because the amendments the republicans wanted to add were so called poison pill amendments designed to make the legislation unacceptable resulting in its failure to pass. To me, the idea that the filibuster is how Republicans currently  get their voices heard is laughable because a bill can be filibustered before its debated, ensuring  nobodys  voice is heard regarding that bill. What I think is perfectly clear to anyone who looks at the congress today is, something absolutely has to be done. If the minority party (though both parties are guilty) cant be trusted with the power of the filibuster, then rules need to be adopted that facilitate debate without derailing the legislative process. Our senate was intended  to work with a simple majority, its time we do away with this partisan tactic that necessitates a supermajority. The filibuster is important and gives the minority ample opportunity to give their side of things and stir up debate but thats only when they actually make use of the filibuster instead of just threatening it in order to stall legislation. Besides, it would be a tragedy for them to throw away something thats as much fun to say as  filibuster.

Trump Empire The Conflict Of Interest

Trump Empire The Conflict Of Interest by Gage Skidmore via Flickr.com Many of those who intend to vote for Mr. Trump cite his business experience as a major source of confidence in his ability to take on the role of President of the United States. They believe that Trump can renegotiate the trade agreements like TPP and NAFTA that he criticizes, that because he knows the ins and outs of dirty-money politics in America, he is the only one who can stop it. They frown upon Clinton for being one of these dirty politicians. Yet, what fails to be recognized is the other side of the coin: if Hillary Clinton is too tied into big money, Trump is the big money (and its in his interest to keep it that way). In fact, he contributed to her political campaign in 2008 (Washington Examiner). He now claims that he contributed for business reasons. Presumably, if Trump were to step up to the plate in 2017, he would still have at least a finger in, if not a firm grip on, the family business, and that means his interests wouldnt suddenly be reoriented to those of the workingman. In fact, whats to stop Donald Trump, a man whos been fighting for his business his entire life, from enacting law to specifically favor that very same Trump business? Donald Trump admits to making political donations to fodder friendly political winds now hes simply cutting out the middle man. He has taken full advantage of the devaluation of currency in China and Mexico that he complains about by setting up his factories there. To make the same profit margins he does now with factories in the United States, domestic factory workers would have to work for virtual slave wages (about a tenth of what the average factory worker makes now if he wanted to be on par with China) (Huffington Post). Trump has played the system at every junction, so why would he want to affect change that would take away the advantage he already has as a very wealthy man? by Sharon McKellar via Flickr.com Another disturbing fact is that when given the opportunity, Donald Trump bankrupted his casinos four times. The bill fell on his investors and business partners while he collected millions of dollars in salary, bonuses and other payments(NY Times). He made blatantly irresponsible business decisions, acquiring loans with unsustainable interest rates and acquiring outrageous debts. Take for example his touted project the Taj, on which the debt exceeded 820 million. The failure of this casino gets lumped into the bankruptcies of a number of New Jersey casinos, however, the Taj was barely afloat years before the others went under. Even before its opening it would have needed to gross an unprecedented 1.3 million a day in revenue just to make its interest payments. Yet, Trump doesnt seem to regret any of these decisions; in fact, he  brags about them, and frequently talks about how much profit he made. He never seems to mention the small companies he destroyed by failing to pay, or the employees he left on a sinking ship. Which begs the question: Whose side will he be on when the going gets tough? His countrys or his own?

Tips to Help You Relieve Stress College Edition

Tips to Help You Relieve Stress College Edition Image via. https://pixabay.com/en/runners-silhouettes-athletes-635906/ Go for a Walk/Jog/Run Even if you don’t love to exercise, I highly recommend you start incorporating cardio into your routine. Walking/jogging/running are great ways to clear your head… it helps your health both mentally and physically (talk about killing two birds with one stone). Even if you just do the cardio for 15 minutes each day, I promise you that it will make a difference and that you will end up increasing your cardio time because you will start to see the amazing benefits. If you go to a school where it’s warm enough to be outside, run outside, if not, go on the treadmill. While doing your cardio, either revel in the silence and enjoy the mindlessness of the activity, or listen to an awesome playlist that puts a smile on your face and/or calms you down. Remember to take whatever cardio you decide to do at your own pace and go about it in a way that fits your schedule (don’t work around anyone else’s workout schedules other than your own). Working out with other people can be great, but sometimes working out alone is less stressful and more calming. Image via. https://pixabay.com/en/people-woman-yoga-meditation-2573216/ Go to a Yoga Class People swear by yoga (including many of my close friends). Yoga is a great activity to do early in the morning or at night right before you go to bed because it calms you down and it combines fitness, focus, and an overall sense of self and healthy well-being. Yoga is definitely hard to get into and stay committed to, but it should definitely be a part of your weekly routine. The great thing about yoga is that it is often offered for free at your university’s gym, or local yoga studios will offer you fantastic and financially manageable class packages so that you don’t have to worry about sacrificing your bank account for the benefit of your mental health. Similar to walking/jogging/running, yoga is great for both your mental and physical health and yoga is offered in a variety of difficulty levels so that you know what you’re doing and you don’t hurt yourself. Plus, even though all classes focus on being present in the moment, some classes will be more introspection heavy while others will be more physically straining. Pick which class is best for you! Do Some Meditation Meditating is easier said than done, and I really should practice what I preach because meditation has unreal de-stressing benefits and it doesn’t take much time out of your day. The art of meditating is simple. You sit straight up either on the floor or in the chair, you close your eyes, and you take deep and purposeful breaths. The recommended time for meditation is around ten minutes, but even five minutes of meditation will do wonders for your overall mental well-being. However, if you are like me and have a hard time meditating on your own, there are apps that you can download on your phone that can help guide you through the meditation process: Headspace, The Mindfulness App, Calm, MINDBODY, buddhify, Insight Timer, Smiling Mind, and many more. Most of the apps are free, and you can find out more ample information on them on Healthline. Image via. https://pixabay.com/en/peppers-papria-prepare-red-filled-2990832/ Cook an “Elaborate” and/or Healthy Meal In the past, when I was stressed, I thought that ordering lunch and dinner for delivery would help because it would give me more time to attend to other things (like homework) that I needed to do. However, I found that when I took the time to cook dinner for myself, I felt a lot better and healthier, physically and mentally. The dinner doesn’t have to be the typical elaborate dinner people usually think of, but go on Tasty and find some exciting new and quick recipes. Cooking is extremely therapeutic and there is nothing more satisfying than eating a home-cooked meal. Easy go-to meals that take 30 minutes or less are baked salmon, cut up some rotisserie chicken with rice and veggies, pasta and salad, veggie burgers (you can buy these frozen) with frozen sweet potato fries, and more. Cooking will eventually become a part of your routine and studies show that healthier foods that are cooked at home actually help to create stronger mental health. I hope these tips were helpful. However, if the stress seems to become too much and you are worried about your mental/psychological well-being, either go to your local emergency room or your local university counseling/mental health services or call one of these numbers: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Suicide Crisis Hotline: 1-800-999-9999 Help Finding a Therapist: 1-800-843-7274 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 You can de-stress and if the stress has driven you to the point of mental illness, I promise that you have a support system… whether that be family, friends, professors, advisors, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, etc. You aren’t alone and you will get through this. Just be sure to take advantage of the suggestions above and the resources I’ve listed if the stress gets to be too much. You aren’t alone and you got this!