How To Succeed In Science And Engineering

How To Succeed In Science And Engineering Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM programs) have historically been the toughest majors, with science and engineering leading the way, according to an article in the New York Times. However, the STEM fields also have the largest potential to boost Americas economy, and that is why President Obama is placing a major emphasis on these programs. But, its not going to be easy. Politicians and educators have been trying to improve students test scores in the STEM fields for years, and they are running out of ideas. Currently, American students trail behind many foreign countries in STEM fields, and Washington is hoping to become more globally competitive through these fields. That is why Obama and industry groups have called on colleges to produce 10,000 more engineers a year and 100,000 new teachers with majors in STEM programs. Obama is hoping this can put America on the leading edge of STEM innovation. Step one: start early. Obama has put grade school students under the microscope, analyzing their STEM scores more closely than any other group and always promoting the fields as career options. His efforts have produced some promising results, as more college freshmen are becoming interested in STEM programs. However, for too many, the interest stops during their freshmen years because they cannot meet the demands of these rigorous courses. Nearly 40% of students planning engineering and science majors end up changing their major or failing to get any degree even though these students tend to have the highest SAT scores. Also, earning a STEM degree is becoming increasingly more challenging. Many freshmen level STEM classes are actually designed to weed students out, and unfortunately, they hit their mark far too often. Making these classes easier is not the answer. So, the Association of American Universities, which represents 61 of the largest research institutions, announced a five-year initiative to encourage professors to employ more interactive teaching techniques a plan many educators are hoping will increase student interest. Educators are trying to make the entry-level classes more about practical, real-world application and less about memorizing equations and facts. Also, they want their classes to be more discussion based instead professors just lecturing. But there are other factors affecting these programs, factors beyond the STEM programs control. Grade inflation in the humanities and social sciences has attracted a lot of students, even some STEM students because their grades historically tend to be the lowest among freshmen. College GPA has always been perceived as a strong indicator for early career success; however, a 3.5 in an English program is not necessarily better than a 2.5 in a STEM program. Many students transfer out of STEM classes to achieve a higher GPA, thinking they will find better jobs out of college. But, thats not exactly true because there are many more open jobs in STEM fields. The struggle has always been getting students to plunge through the difficult entry-level classes. But right now, a STEM degree is one of the most valuable degrees a student can have.

The ACT Test Online ACT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace

The ACT Test Online ACT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace ACT is an abbreviation of American College testing and is an exam taken by high school students to study in the colleges and universities in the United States. Good ACT scores are recognized everywhere and it becomes easy for a student to learn college level courses. The ACT test examines the students knowledge in 4 subject areas, English, Mathematics, Reading and Science. Students taking ACT plus Writing have to also work on their writing skills. This test contains multiple choice questions except for writing section and students must pick an answer from the given options. It is recommended for students to answer easy questions first and little difficult questions later in order to finish on time. English section contains 75 questions and students have to answer them in 45 minutes time. This section measures the grammar and rhetoric skills of the student. Mathematics section consists of 60 questions and the time given for this section is 60 minutes. This means that the student must answer each question in no more than a minute to get a good score. The Reading and Science section each contain 40 questions and 35 minutes time is given to answer questions in each section. It measures the comprehension and reasoning skills of the student and the ability to evaluate and interpret the meaning of the given information. The optional Writing test consists of a topic or an issue where students have to present their point of view on the given subject. Try Free ACT Test Question Worksheet Here In this section find the worksheets on ACT Test Question. This Worksheet surely helps you to increase your ACT exam scores. This is the free of cost worksheet especially to our valuable students.

What is it Like to Attend The University of Texas at Austin

What is it Like to Attend The University of Texas at Austin The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Larrissa is a Houston tutor specializing in Psychology tutoring, Reading tutoring, ISEE prep tutoring, and more. She studied Communications at The University of Texas at Austin and graduated in 2009. See what she had to say about her 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? Larrissa: There are plenty of ways to get around UT-Austin the bus system being the most useful. There are university buses that run around campus, the close surrounding areas, and the areas that are made of mostly student housing. In addition to that, every UT student can ride an Austin city bus for free with their student IDs. I didnt have a car in Austin until I started graduate school, and I did just fine. You can take buses to the grocery stores and everything! As for safety, I would say there are the same safety concerns as every big school, especially those in the middle of a growing city. It isnt recommended to walk across campus alone at night, and there are student groups that will walk to you and escort you anywhere on campus. The UTPD officers are also very helpful with these things, and there are emergency call boxes everywhere on campus ! VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Larrissa: The professors are typically pretty available, depending on their work-loads and class sizes. Sometimes you have to wait to see a professor but they all have office hours and are pretty good about being in their office during those hours. The TAs are almost always available and spend a great deal of energy meeting with students, in and outside of their office hours. Academic advisors go through busy seasons with registration being the biggest rush of students. As long as you have a little patience and plan ahead for those times, there is never a problem. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Larrissa: Dorm life at Texas is a great time. There are dorms to fit every lifestyle and need, but I would recommend joining a residential FIG. They are basically groups matched by dorm and major, so you are in som e of the same classes as people living in your dorm. It creates a small community within a huge campus and makes it feel like home FAST! There are cheap, yummy dining choices and delicious expensive dining choices and everything in between. UT does a great job of making sure they have pretty convenient things for students! VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Larrissa: The business school at UT is highly ranked nationally, and the engineering program is top as well. That being said, every major at Texas is backed up with the international credibility of The University of Texas. I studied Communications for my undergrad and masters degrees. I chose this because I had an intense fascination with how people interact with each other, but not on a clinical scale like Psychology majors. Being a Communication Studies major had a ton of benefits in school, and no w outside of school. It is so translatable to many different professions, and I got to study exactly what I was passionate about. VT: 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? Larrissa: The residential FIG definitely encouraged friend-making, as do all of the social/spirit groups at UT. There are many Greek organizations, and organizations that have the structure of Greek ones without the Greek letters. The incredible part about UT is that anyone can start a club with 2 friends and $15. The more incredible part about UT is that someone else probably already started the club and you can just join! 50k students means a lot of people with similar fringe interests, and everyone wants to find a niche there. Its awesome! VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Larrissa: The Career Center is pretty he lpful, and many of the colleges have their own Career Centers. You can choose to go to the University-wide one, or one just for your college (like the College of Engineering). The career fairs that are hosted by individual colleges and the university as a whole are really neat! There are so many companies hiring so many different types of people that most people go to career fairs every year, on the job market and not! VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Larrissa: Of course, during finals time, the libraries can get pretty crowded. When that happens, there are plenty of other places around campus to go study. Empty classrooms, dorm lounges, outside, nearby coffee shops theyre all available. Once you go to school there for awhile, you develop your favorite spots to study. Mine was always the Life Sciences library, in the base of the UT tower. It is whats left of the original libra ry at UT (the stacks) and looks like a library that would be in Hogwarts. Its so beautiful and peaceful. 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? Larrissa: Luckily for students at UT, you dont have to choose between campus area and downtown campus is basically downtown! If you want to do it, there is probably a bus to take you close to where you want to go. Austin is a place for dreamers and doers, and its beautiful. You absolutely never run out of things to do there! Im originally from Austin and even when I return back there, there are new and old exciting things to do that are new to me! VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Larrissa: The student body is pretty huge. I think it was over 50,000 students when I attended, so I am sure it is higher than that now! Class sizes range from 25-600. It really depends on the class type and how many credit hours you need to take it. As you progress in your academic career at Texas, your classes get smaller. There are definitely times that the class size is overwhelming, but the workload is formatted differently in big classes to make up for it. Big classes use scantron tests while smaller classes write papers. Its just a matter of how you learn and work. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most.Larrissa: I definitely had some professors that were exceedingly challenging, but I will never forget the incredible team of Drs. Daly and Vangelisti. They both changed how I see myself, the world, and school in different ways but amazingly influential just the same. Dr. Daly is the reason I pursued Communication Studies for my undergrad, thanks to his Interpersonal Commu nication class (one of the classes that has 500+! Hes THAT good!) His beautiful wife, Dr. Vangelisti is the reason I pursued graduate school, thanks to her love of research and desire to shape young minds into what they want to be. I cannot speak highly enough of the CMS department, the College of Communication, and The University of Texas. The motto What starts here changes the world is truly fulfilled and I could not be happier to forever be a Texas Longhorn. Much love, and Hook Em Horns! Check out Larrissas tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How to Follow Up With Networking Contacts (Without Being Annoying) - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to Follow Up With Networking Contacts (Without Being Annoying) - Introvert Whisperer How to Follow Up With Networking Contacts (Without Being Annoying) Career Attraction August 18, 2014 Communication, Networking No responses How to Follow Up With Networking Contacts (Without Being Annoying) You just made a great connection at a networking event. You feel that “burden to meet someone” lift from your shoulders and decide to relax with a drink at the bar. On your way over, you realize: I have no reason to contact this person again. How am I going to follow up? Don’t panic. You can still save the connection and build a solid relationship with a series of “light touches.” This helps you to stay in someone’s mind without (literally) being in their face. Here are a few touch points to try: They mentioned an upcoming work event, client meeting, training, conference, workshop or other events send an email asking how the event went. Their alma mater or favorite sports team won an important game congratulate them. They have an upcoming vacation or staycation or are in the process of choosing a vacation destination send a recommendation or a link to an article you found on the destination. They are battling an illness or aiding a sick parent, spouse, friend or child check-in and send wishes for a speedy recovery. They have a new baby or a baby on the way, or found out if they were having a boy or a girl congratulate them and offer some nice memories of your own if you’re a parent. Be careful with the advice here â€" they are getting a lot of it. It is their birthday or a child’s birthday, or they’re attending or throwing a birthday party ask how it went. What to Do When You Don’t Know That Much Forgot to jot down the details of your conversation? Here are some additional follow-ups to effectively (but not annoyingly) stay on someone’s radar: Create connections for the person by introducing them to a vendor who can help them or to a potential client. Invite them to or let them know about upcoming events they might enjoy or benefit from. Send your regards through a mutual friend. Congratulate them (on a job promotion, securing a new client, etc). By the way, an easy way to stay on top of news regarding your contacts is a service called Newsle. Newsle sends you a message whenever someone you have set up an alert for is mentioned in the press. Keeping Up With the Details Before we leave this topic, I want to quickly touch upon one final thing: how to keep track of your contacts’ details. One trick I use is that after I have had a conversation with someone, I quickly jot down a few key points from the conversation on the back of their business card (if I’m at an event) or in a notebook if I met the person for lunch or at a meeting. Then, I transfer these notes to their “contact” record on my computer when I get back to my office. How have you learned to keep in touch with your network? Share your tips in the comments! This post originally appeared on MichelleTillisLederman.com and was republished with permission on Career Attraction. Image: Flickr Go to top Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.  Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Even and Odd Trig Functions - Trigonometry Online Tutoring

Even and Odd Trig Functions - Trigonometry Online Tutoring To understand about even and odd trig functions, it is first important to understand the concept of even and odd trig functions. A function is said to even function if the following relation persists:- The relation for even function is f (-x) = f(x) And a function is said to be odd function if the following relation persists:- The relation for odd function is f (-x) = - f (x) In case of even and odd trig functions, the following are the main even as well as odd functions:- Sin (-x) = - Sin (x), hence by definition it is odd function Cos (-x) = Cos (x), hence by definition it is even function It is important to note that tan (x) and cot (x) are both odd functions. Question 1:- Evaluate the value of Sin (-30) and tell whether it is even or odd function. Solution 1:- Here in this question we need to evaluate the value of Sin (-45) We know that Sin (-30) = - Sin (30) And we know that the value of Sin (30) = Therefore, Sin (-30) = - Sin (30) = - Since in this case the relation f(-x) = - f(x) , therefore Sin (-30) is odd function. Question 2:- Evaluate the value of tan (-45) and tell whether it is even or odd function. Solution 2:- Here in this question we need to evaluate the value of Sin (-45) We know that tan (-45) = - tan (45) And we know that the value of tan (45) = 1 Therefore, tan (-45) = - tan (45)= -1 Since in this case the relation f(-x) = - f(x) , therefore tan (-45) is odd function.

University of Virginia A Student Interview

University of Virginia A Student Interview The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Trevor is a Philadelphia tutor and 2012 graduate of University of Virginia. He holds a Bachelors degree in Environmental Science and tutors several subjects, including Environmental Science tutoring, Geology tutoring, and Spanish tutoring. Check out what Trevor had to say about his time at University of Virginia: 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? Trevor:University of Virginia, where I attended school as an undergraduate, is known for its beautiful campus (called grounds by its students and faculty). The Rotunda is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The campus itself is fairly safe, and the administration has implemented several safety features, including blue emergency telephones and SafeRide, a late-night service that students can use to return to their homes or dorms. Charlottesville is mostly quite safe, and it offers great restaurants, entertainment venues, and outdoor activities. Getting around is easy the university has a student-operated bus service that runs from as early as 5:15 a.m. to as late as 2:00 a.m. on some nights. City transit is free to university students, and it is very accessible. However, many students enjoy biking around campus, and a car is helpful, especially for students living off-grounds. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Trevor:I would imagine that this is highly department-specific. However, in my experience, professors were very accessible. They were willing to help students with both academic and professional questions. Furthermore, University of Virginiais a major research university, so its professors are, in many cases, highly accomplished researchers. This leads to a very stimulating environment for motivated undergraduates. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Trevor:Dormlife at University of Virginia offers students as much interaction with roommates and suitemates as they like. In my experience, many students developed strong relationships with those individuals who shared their dorms or suites. University of Virginia has three dining halls, all of which are open at different times. They all offer different options, so it is hard not to find something satisfying. There are also a number of on-campus cafes that are great for mid-day snacks. Charlottesville is known for its great restaurants, and many smaller cafes offer affordable prices for students. The university also offers a number of special residential colleges that require applications. While I never lived in one of these, my friends who did found the experience unique and stimulating. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Trevor:My major was Environmental Science, which is a fairly large department. Lots of research goes on in the department in a variety of areas, and undergraduates can certainly participate. I chose my major because I found it interesting, but I would say that I was lucky in the sense that the department is very strong. I also took several upper-level courses in the Spanish department, which is also highly recognized. While I found that many of the classes were a bit too large to allow for really detailed discussion, the professors were very interesting and knowledgeable. Moreover, a fairly wide variety of courses were available, which is not always the case for language departments. VT: 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? Trevor:The best way to make friends at University of Virginia was to join student organizations. I met nearly all of my friends that way, while a few others I met in classes. That said, Greek life is very big at University of Virginia, and many students participate. I, however, chose not to. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Trevor:I used the Career Center in my final semester to try to improve my chances of finding a job. For my particular field, the Career Center did not offer much assistance. That said, it did seem as though many companies, particularly those related to Finance and Business Management, were interested in recruiting University of Virginia students. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Trevor:Libraries are major study areas at University of Virginia, and there are many of them. Each offers a unique study environment, and they are all very easy to access. For students who need very quiet environments to study, such as myself, the three major libraries all have areas dedicated to quiet study, and in two cases, those areas allow almost complete isolation from other students. All three libraries also have space for group work and for students who enjoy a slightly louder environment. 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? Trevor:Charlottesville is quite stimulating for a town of its size (less than 100,000 people). Students definitely venture out into town quite frequently, but some prefer to stay near campus. Again, it largely depends on what you enjoy doing. The downtown area has a number of great restaurants, quirky shops, and thrift stores, as well as bars for those interested in nightlife. Charlottesville is located more or less in the mountains, so for those interested in outdoor activities, it is ideal. I found all of these activities to be very accessible, both when I had a car and when I did not. Charlottesville is also quite close to Richmond and Washington, D.C., both of which are larger cities with additional opportunities. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Trevor:I believe there are about 15,000 undergraduates. Lower-level classes tend to be quite large, especially in introductory Economics, Biology, Chemistry, and Politics courses. These courses may exceed 300 students. However, for humanities and social science courses, smaller discussion sections are often included, which give students some more personal interaction with instructors. As you begin to take higher-level courses, the class size decreases. For my upper-level Spanish courses, class size never exceeded 25, and I took at least two Environmental Science courses where there were 12 or fewer students in the course. This means that first and second year students will probably take larger courses, while third and fourth years will take smaller courses. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Trevor:In my first semester, my introductory Spanish literature course was very small, with about seven students all in different years of school. I was very intimidated at first, but as the course progressed, I gained more confidence because of the other students and because of our professor, who was actually a Ph.D. student. It was that course that prompted my interest in 20th century Latin American literature, and it ultimately propelled me to keep taking courses in the field. I do regret not having time to take more courses in some of the universitys strongest departments, such as English and Politics. Check out Trevors tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Feedback and Links Page

Feedback and Links Page Check your feedback and links on the feedback page. Start by clicking on the feedback link on the navigation menu at the top right, under the share icons. Feedback Tab This tab shows the latest text you submitted to the Virtual Writing Tutor grammar checker. Each text is dated. The Virtual Writing Tutor keeps your feedback and links for you for 1 year. You can delete all the information listed by clicking Delete all. You have the right to be completely forgotten. Feedback and links tab Feedback tabLinks tabPDF tabDelete all of your feedback. You have the right to be forgotten.Delete feedback from each dated submission. Not everything is worth keeping, right?The last submission you made to the grammar checker, showing the date, the number of words, the number of sentences, the number of errors, the error density, the text you submitted, the feedback you received, and a link (if any) to a remedial online practice exercise or resource. Links Tab The Virtual Writing Tutor generates an instant curriculum for by counting and prioritizing the links shown with the feedback you receive. Obviously, understanding the errors you make most often should be your highest priority. Sometimes, the link will take you to a page listing 50 common errors. This page will give other examples of the same error and further information about the error. Other links on the Links Tab will take you to a page listing remedial online practice exercises. Links tabThe number of times a link was triggered by an error detection rule The link to an online remedial exercise or resource PDFs Tab The Virtual Writing Tutor can generate PDFs that you can send to your friends, students, clients, or your teacher. If you lose a link to the PDF you want to send, dont worry. A copy of the link is available on the PDFs tab. PDFs tabThe link to the PDFWhat service generated the PDFThe date the PDF was generatedDelete the PDF forever and remove the entry from the list Conclusion If you havent used this page before, check it out. I created this page to help the users of Virtual Writing Tutor recover lost texts and to prioritize which online exercises to do. Many users have written to me in a panic to ask if a copy of their text has been saved in the database. Dont worry, I say. Check your feedback and links page. If you were logged in, it is there. It is a big relief to be able to recover an essay you were working on when the power suddenly goes out. Your Other Stored Information The Virtual Writing Tutor also stores other information to serve you better. Your first language preference is stored in your profile, which is what the system uses to translate your feedback. The Virtual Writing Tutor also stores essay outlines you create. To review your essays on the Community Forum, head over there and scroll down. Please follow and like us:

5 Ways to Prepare your English for a Business Meeting

5 Ways to Prepare your English for a Business Meeting I recently had a student who was preparing for a business meeting with an important client he was hoping to make a sale to. My student is from Spain, and his client is from England. The client did not speak any Spanish, so my student had two options: get an interpreter or try test his business English at a real, live meeting.After some coaching from myself and another teacher, Muireann, the student decided he could handle the meeting without an interpreter. Yesterday he reported back to me to say that the meeting went very well. He was able to understand his client, say what he needed to say, and is pretty confident that the sale was made. Here are some tips I developed based on how we prepared the student for his meeting.Practice, practice, practice: Our student added extra classes in preparation for his meeting. Each of these classes was specifically focused on preparing him for the upcoming meeting. There is no good substitute for live classes with a native English speaker.Accent and Dialects Matter: Our student had been taking classes with me. I have an U.S. accent, but the person he was meeting with has a British accent. To help him prepare for different accents, we had the student take classes with Muireann, who is from Ireland, so that he was prepared for the sound of different English accents. We also studied some differences between British English and U.S. English.Role Play: In preparation for the meeting, we (the teachers) pretended to be the client, and asked our student to present his product to us. We worked with him on how to present his business, and how to say some of the key points of his presentation in English.Live English: We advised the student to listen to as much English in his daily life as possible, whether he was tuning into the radio, watching the television or movies, reading or listening to podcasts. Specifically, we told him to listen to BBC radios podcasts as often as he could, to help prepare him for a British accent.Confidence: Once youve done all the preparation you can, its time to relax and be confident. Youre probably going to make some mistakes. There may even be some small misunderstandings. But overall, if youve prepared well, you will be able to say what you need to say, and understand the things that are important to understand.Does this sound helpful to you? Take a class! The first one is free.English Classes | Aulas Inglês | Cursos Inglés