Organic Chemistry Nomenclature Practice

Organic Chemistry Nomenclature PracticeA lot of students are confused about the organic chemistry nomenclature. They either get frustrated when they do not understand what they are doing or even fail the class because they lack in it.Basically, the course is about learning about different chemical compounds. Each compound has its own function and there are many different compound types. The most common compound is carbon which has four different functions including oxidation, reduction, adduction and polymerization.So, when you study you must have the proper nomenclature to learn more about these different compounds. When you start taking this course, you should learn the different types of chemicals. For example, what is an oxidant? What is a reduction?Then once you get used to learning about these compounds, you will have learned the different ones. Since every compound has its own function, the number of combinations increases.To complete your organic chemistry practice, you shoul d also have a greater knowledge of the functions of different compounds. There are a few common compound types like the alkanes, aromatics, ketones, and cyclics.You should be able to understand the differences between these different compound types so that you can be able to grasp more information when you are trying to understand organic chemistry. Every compound has its own structure and reaction to the environment. For example, each compound has its own reaction to oxygen.Some of the compound types are referred to as intermediates which are intermediates of the path to the final product. So in organic chemistry, it is important to understand the process because in order to achieve the final product, one must first know what happens after the first compound. It is very important for you to understand the compound before you move on.Just remember to read every note because there is a lot of information that you will learn in organic chemistry. Remember that you have to follow the c orrect structure and reaction to understand the chemistry better.

The Opportunities for Students in Ashburn VA

The Opportunities for Students in Ashburn VAAshburn VA has one of the finest school systems in the United States. Students can choose from a wide variety of options including a high-quality, two-year bachelor's degree in education, master's in educational leadership, and a master's in high school leadership. Every student will have opportunities to pursue additional academic programs once they graduate, and there are numerous state-certified teachers and counselors available to aid the student with any problems that may arise.The highest level of leadership training for school leaders is the Master of Arts in Schools Leadership program. The program is offered at nine colleges in Ashburn VA, and one campus in Virginia Beach. In order to get into the program, a student must earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or university with an online program.Both Ashburn VA and Virginia Beach offer their own Master of Arts in Schools leadership program. The Virginia Beach progra m will give students who are interested in careers as administrators, school leaders, and counselors an excellent chance to further their education while still working as educators.Ashburn VA has a few different options for students interested in these programs. The National Association of Independent Schools (NASY) has a high school program for graduates of the College of Education. The program is four years long and is offered online. Some students may also be eligible for an associate's degree or a certificate in an area of interest in order to stay in the job market after graduating.Ashburn VA is home to three colleges that offer other degrees such as a bachelor's degree programs in pre-K through adult education, master's degrees in occupational psychology, and master's degrees in special education. All students will have the opportunity to become licensed teachers. One of the greatest benefits of pursuing a bachelor's degree in education is that it can lead to a job in school a dministration.When it comes to the job market after graduation, many students will not have a steady income. With the help of tutoring, these students will have the opportunity to acquire some job skills that they can use to gain experience. A strong knowledge of social situations and how they are handled by students will help them be better prepared to assist students in a school setting. They will have the opportunity to develop friendships with other students, allowing them to interact in class and to develop relationships with other teachers, administration, and school administrators.In conclusion, Ashburn VA offers the student with the opportunity to obtain an education. Although there are very few college programs for students, the student will be able to earn a degree that will give them more options in the future.

Chemistry and Biochemistry - Is It Related to One Another?

Chemistry and Biochemistry - Is It Related to One Another?Chemistry and Biochemistry are not related to each other. Neither do they relate to Organic Chemistry and BioScience. So what is the connection between the two? In this article, we will discuss the nature of science, the importance of science, why science matters, how science changes the world, the necessity of science in society, why there are two kinds of science and why there are more than one kind of science.Science is defined as the systematic analysis of a phenomenon in order to understand its mechanism for producing and sustaining the same. As the term says, science deals with empirical data and theories which are introduced to explain the data.Science is a natural process and results in general laws that serve as a guide to our life. The tools and techniques of science are very many and wide. Scientific method or methodology depends on the acceptance of general theories, testing those theories by applying them to certa in facts, theories that are created and tested from objective and logical information that is gathered from empirical data.The sciences have their own controversies and philosophy about methodologies and methods, but the purpose of the disciplines is always to make the world a better place. Science can never exist without knowledge.The discipline of science includes all areas of the sciences such as chemistry, biology, physics, psychology, and so on. There are many branches of the science that should be included in the category of science.Biochemistry, genetics, plant physiology, animal behavior, animal anatomy, insect anatomy, and physiology are among the other branches of biochemistry. In addition, there are many branches in genetics such as the human genome project, functional genomics, and comparative genomics. Plant physiology is also another branch of biochemistry. Natural sciences include Botany, Astrophysics, Geology, Chemistry, Physics, Ecology, and the number goes on.Chemi cal engineering is one of the specialties in chemistry. The aim of this branch of chemistry is to apply research into the fundamental properties of chemicals and to develop practical applications. Many fields in the chemical sciences are provided by chemical engineering.

A Student Review of Rice University

A Student Review of Rice University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Olivia is a senior at Rice University studying Materials Science. She currently tutors several subjects in Houston including SAT prep tutoring, Chemistry tutoring, and German tutoring. Check out her review of her school: 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? Olivia: Campus is very safe; its a little bubble within Houston. The running joke is that we live in the 4th biggest city in the country but go weeks without leaving campus. Its definitely true, but there are also lots of opportunities to get off campus if you are interested. For example, the student association arranges student nights at the Rodeo every year and the Alley Theater every semester. There are buses on campus, and Houston has some public transportation for which we have unlimited passes. Most students only have cars if theyve moved off campus as upperclassmen. By far the most popular method of transportation on campus and within the university area is biking. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Olivia: The professors here are typically pretty available, both in terms of time and personality. TAs are typically grad students and also are good about being available for class and academic advice. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Olivia: Theres a reason why Rice is consistently ranked #1 for quality of dorm life. All the dorms here are different and youre assigned to one dorm for all 4 years. You really get close to a small section of campus and have a family to support you through everything. Campus life is very vibrant because so many students live on campus, there is always something different going on. 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? Olivia: The Architecture, Music, and Engineering schools are among the smallest at Rice, but are also 3 of the top ranked programs in their fields. The Materials Science program in particular is currently ranked #1 in the world, I believe. I chose to study Materials Science because of a graduation project required by my high school, where I shadowed research scientists at Air Products and Chemicals in Allentown, PA. Ive toyed with minoring or double majoring in just about everything under the sun while here, but Ive never wavered in my choice of Materials Science as my primary area of study. The Materials Science department at Rice is very small in terms of undergraduate students. Were actually part of the Mechanical Engineering department, which presents us with a lot of unique cross-disciplinary opportunities. Strictly Materials-focused faculty easily outnumber the undergraduate students, so I can actually walk into a professors office on any given afternoon and there will be a goo d chance that they will have a minute to talk. We also have a lot of grad students in Materials Science, who are great resources for info on classes, internships, and school life in general. 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? Olivia: Theres actually no Greek life at Rice. Dorms are instead assigned randomly in a Harry Potter style. Youre assigned to one dorm for all 4 years, and even if you choose to live off campus, you still get to participate in that dorms special events and family activities. When you move in freshman year, youre assigned 3 upperclassmen advisors with ~8-10 fellow freshmen/new students and you have a whole week to pick classes, get to know the freshmen class, and get familiar with campus. Your matriculating class at your dorm really becomes family. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Olivia: There are several large recruiting/career fairs on campus every semester. Some are specific (ie. Engineering, Consulting, etc.) and some have a wide range of firms. As an engineer going into industry rather than grad school or consulting, I prefer to use my professors industry connections in terms of job opportunities and recruiting. I have used the Career Development Centers resume and interview workshops, however, and they are great tools to help prep for the internship and job hunt. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Olivia: There are study rooms and/or lounge areas in almost every building on campus. The librarys individual study rooms are popular, especially around exams, so they can be hard to get a hold of. Theres always room available somewhere though. 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? Olivia: Houston is such a great city. It gets a bad rap sometimes because its in Texas and because Austin likes to be the cool Texas city, but theres a lot of up and coming activities in the city. Theres a strong local business movement, a growing job market, a huge arts and entertainment sector with things from public art festivals to fine arts museums and various theater companies, and a huge diversity of restaurants from fancy places to food trucks. Our student IDs get us free/discounted access to a lot of arts and entertainment around the city, from museums and theaters to the zoo. How much you take advantage of it really depends on where exactly your interests lie and your schedule. Its definitely easier to get off campus as a senior and/or if you have a bike or car. In terms of night life, there are a lot of bars next to campus which have stand-up comedy or live music and you only have to be 18 to get in. Two of the local breweries were also founded by Rice grads, so a big rite of passage senior year is to go with the senior members of your dorm for a tour. Theres also a pretty significant social dance scene in Houston. The Americas Classic Championship (Pro West Coast Swing championship) was in town recently. SSQQ, the place where Texas two-step was standardized in the early 1900s, is only about 7 miles from campus. One of my personal favorites is a country-western dance hall called Wild West. Its a great way to get off campus and meet people and experience the Texas culture. Many student groups carpool there weekly or monthly for social events. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Olivia: The undergraduate population is about 3,000 students. Some of the intro level classes as well as physical fitness classes are fairly large, but those are typically classes that are good to have more students. When you get to more specialized classes, the class size drops dramatically. Most classes Ive taken here have been between 5 and 25 students. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Olivia: I think this honor has to go to a class Im currently taking. Ive had a lot of great experiences with Materials Science professors and related technical classes, but one class Im currently auditing stands out the most. The class Im auditing this semester is an architecture seminar called the Joy of Materials. The professor was hesitant to let me into the class because I am not an architecture student and he was concerned I was looking for a technical class. Two weeks into the class, he has personally thanked me for taking the course and bringing unique discussion to the class. On the other hand, it has brought another perspective of materials to my thought process. So much of the BSMS program at Rice is focused on nanoscale properties of materials, which is very important for engineering. But bringing bulk and aesthetic properties of materials into consideration brings a new dimension to materials selection. This dimension is particularly important for those planning to go into product design/bulk materials type positions, rather than nanoscale research or grad school. Check out Olivias tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Become a Better Guitarist

Become a Better Guitarist How to Improve Your Guitar Playing Chapters1. Warming Up is an Essential Part of Improving Your Guitar Playing2. Use a Metronome to Improve your Guitar Playing3. Play Slowly at First in Order to Improve Your Speed4. Study, Understand, and Memorise Chords in Order to Play Guitar Better5. Motivate Yourself to Become a Better Guitarist6. Regular Practice: the Best Way to Improve Your Guitar Playing7. Improve Your Playing by a Recording Yourself8. Play Without Any Accompaniment to Improve on the Acoustic Guitar9. Improve Your Guitar Technique by Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone10. Play as Part of a Band in Order to Become a Better Guitarist“Art is making something out of nothing, and selling it.” - Frank ZappaWhen you start playing the guitar, there are limitless possibilities. You're like a newborn baby who doesn't know how to walk and is learning to take their first steps.  In this case, it can be difficult to work out where to start and how to stop playing the guitar.Here are our 10 tips for becoming a better guit arist. PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors1. Warming Up is an Essential Part of Improving Your Guitar PlayingWhen you play the guitar, your hands will be in positions that they're not used to being in.You need to warm up your fingers and hands before you play the guitar. (Source: KleineKiwi)To be able to comfortably play the guitar, it's a good idea to warm up first.  However, unlike when you do sports, the goal of warming up before you play the guitar isn't to avoid injury but rather improve your dexterity.Start by warming up your neck and your shoulders so that you're comfortable when playing.  The next thing you should do is warm up your arms, your hands, and your fingers with a series of circular motions with your elbows and moving your wrists as if you wanted your hands to touch them.Make sure you keep your back straight when you're playing the guitar.  5 minutes of warming up will help you feel more relaxed and improve your playing.To warm up the fingers on your left hand (if you're right-handed), there are plenty of different exercises you can do.Bit by bit, you'll see your speed and dexterity improve. You'll also see that you make more progress during a session if you've warmed up.2. Use a Metronome to Improve your Guitar PlayingEven the most beautiful chord progressions in the world will sound awful if they're not being played in time.  Being able to play in time is an important skill for any guitarist.I know it doesn't seem very glamorous playing with a metronome that's constantly clicking away, but if you want to learn how to play in time, it's essential!Practising with a metronome will ensure that you are always in time. Don't worry if you can't manage it at first. Over time, you'll get there.The goal is to get so used to playing in time that you can eventually play without a metronome. You'll start hearing the regular ticking of a metronome even when one isn't there.3. Play Slowly at First in Order to Improve Your SpeedTo get the most out of playing with a metronome, it's a good idea to start off slowly at first. You can set the tempo to whatever you want.Break down all the movements you do when playing. (Source: langll)However, if you want to improve, it's a good idea to start off slowly and work on individual phrases and master playing them at the slower tempo.You can’t play quickly if you can’t play slowly. Your brain needs to understand every little movement that you need to make in order to play the correct notes with the correct timing.If you start by playing quickly at the beginning, you'll never progress. In fact, your playing will be sloppy and you'll pick up bad habits that will be difficult to correct later on down the line.4. Study, Understand, and Memorise Chords in Order to Play Guitar BetterChords are an essential part of guitar playing.To get better at them, you should check out chord diagrams.By spending just 10 minutes a day studying your chords, you'll discover new chords and fingerings. Don't forget to go back over chords you've already studied from time to time. You'll also need to study intervals: second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.Finally, don't forget to work on your scales and their relation to different chords in order to improve your improvisation and composition. PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12 ) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors5. Motivate Yourself to Become a Better GuitaristIf you aren't motivated, you'll never progress.  It's pretty obvious when you think about it. You're going to learn better if you actually want to learn.However, you may notice that your motivation wavers. One day you might be incredibly motivated to play the guitar and another day you couldn't care less.  Don't worry, though. This is normal. As human beings, we need stimulation in our daily lives.One thing's certain, you'll progress more quickly if you're motivated.So, you'll need to find ways to motivate yourself. Set yours elf short and long-term objectives to achieve such as discovering new music and bands, talking to other friends who are musicians, writing new songs, working on new techniques, etc.To feed your motivation, make sure that you keep things varied. This could include taking a regular guitar class, playing for your families and friends, watching films and documentaries about famous musicians you like, reading books on your favourite guitarists, etc.Just don't give up if you're not feeling motivated one day, your motivation will come back.6. Regular Practice: the Best Way to Improve Your Guitar PlayingWe often say this on Superprof but it's true, practice makes perfect.Do you really think that the world's greatest guitarists only practise once a week? (Source: Free-Photos)Whether you're learning a language, playing a sport, or learning how to play a new musical instrument, doing a little bit of practice each and every day is far more effective than doing a lot of practice once a week.Even if you can only practice for 10 minutes a day, do it! It's better than not practising and all.Ideally, you'd be able to get a break from work for half an hour to practise your guitar playing.  Don't forget to set aside some time where you'll be doing nothing or at least not playing guitar.You'll also need to give your brain time to assimilate everything you've learnt, and bit like when you put a computer on standby.To get the most out of your practice sessions, consider creating a schedule of when to practise and what to practise.Being able to see what you're working on and what you've achieved is a useful way to stay motivated and monitor your progress.7. Improve Your Playing by a Recording YourselfSometimes you need to be objective and critical of yourself in order to improve.  Recording your playing and listening back to it is a good way to see the progress you're making and highlight any errors that need correcting.Similarly, it can be useful to film yourself playing as this wi ll allow you to see any physical mistakes you're making. You can also use this for learning languages, dancing, or other performance arts.You can use this to check on your posture, your finger placement, and avoid picking up bad habits.  It's a great way to take a step back from your practice sessions and evaluate yourself in a more objective way.Some guitarists will only see the negative aspects of their playing whereas others mightn't be able to see anything wrong with what they're doing.It's important to try and place yourself between these two extremes and be aware of both the good parts and bad parts of your playing.8. Play Without Any Accompaniment to Improve on the Acoustic GuitarAs a guitarist, you might be used to playing along with the music.  You may even get the impression that you playing to the best of your abilities as if you are playing as part of the famous band.  Try playing on your own and seeing if you do really sound that good.Playing records on their own one so und exactly the same when you've got no music to back you up.As you train and practise, you can imagine yourself playing in a famous band.9. Improve Your Guitar Technique by Stepping Out of Your Comfort ZoneYou won't improve without putting the effort in.  You need to work on something that you aren't already an expert in otherwise you won't progress. It may be comforting to do something you're good at but it won't help you get better.If you really want to improve, you need to challenge yourself and stepped outside of your comfort zone.  Take a song or a guitar solo that you've dreamt of playing and break it down.Slow down the tempo and play it bit by bit, step by step, until you can play it  at full speed.  While this may take some time, research, and perseverance, it will all pay off in the end because you'll progress more quickly than if you hadn't.10. Play as Part of a Band in Order to Become a Better GuitaristFinally, our final tip for those who want to become better guitarists is to join a band.Learning with other guitarists is a good way to improve your playing. (Source: Pexels)The guitar is a great instrument to play as part of a band or as part of a group. Learning to play with other musicians, singing, creates songs, improvised, and perform shows is a great way to become a better musician.It's also a great way to motivate yourself because you never know what you're going to play or how you can improve.So are you ready to become the next Joe Satriani?If you're struggling, don't forget that private guitar lessons could help. Your guitar teacher can help you learn to play, understand music theory, and improve as a guitar player as you go from strumming a few basic chords to improvising complex jazz solos.The main advantage is that they'll tailor each guitar lesson to you. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or expert, they'll be able to teach you at your level with a focus on the types of music you like.In beginner guitar lessons, you can learn how to play guitar at your own pace. Once you reach the intermediate level, you can take lessons focusing on techniques specific to genres such as blues guitar and rock guitar. By the time you're an expert, your music teacher will be able to show you the best guitar techniques and how to master them.Check out even more advice for guitarists.

Top 10 Innovative Ways to Enhance Learning for Students

Top 10 Innovative Ways to Enhance Learning for Students Our educational system is vast and complex. Implementing innovations to stimulate and strengthen educational system is not simple. Here are a few innovative ways to enhance the learning in the modern age where the entities like student, tutors, institutions and parents need to move out of the confined classrooms. Project-based Tutoring: It is the way of educating students beyond the textbooks to study complex topics with real-time case study. Unlike learning from traditional book-based instructions, project-based tutoring allow students to collect information from the Internet and expert interviews. The entire curriculum can be covered into multiple projects where students can present his learning acquisition beyond the school including parents and community groups. Integrated Learning: The subjects like history, art and literature are interwoven. A student should reach across the confined boundaries in the name of subjects and explore the relationship through integrated learning. Integrated learning should allow students to learn subjects beyond the simple text and numbers to include color, graphics, animation, and music. Sharing knowledge: Teamwork among students help collaborating with team members. Each student in the team is responsible to learn the topic and deliver it to other team members. Knowledge sharing develops emotional and social skills forming valuable foundation for their lives as a wise citizen. Comprehensive Assessment: Test is an opportunity to learn from the mistakes and improve the scores. Assessment should include detailed and continuous assessment of the student strengths and weaknesses. A student, teacher and parent can monitor academic assessment and focus on improving weak areas. Intellectual and Emotional guide: With increasing curriculum, teachers can spend less time in molding student emotionally and intellectually. The teachers should be a coach or guide to take the student through the learning process. They should give attention to nurture students’ interest and self-confidence to seek any additional challenges. Sharpen Teachers’ skills Teaching skills should continually sharpen their lessons and tips from other teachers by attending seminars and conferences. They should spend time in refining their tutoring skills under the guidance of other expert teachers. Technology: Using technology smartly to modernize the curriculum, include creative tutoring methods and increase parents’ involvement. Online tutoring now includes lesson plans and classroom demonstration to educate in more productive and creative way. Software tools like interactive whiteboard, voice based training email, voice mail helps teachers, students and parents stay in close touch. Restructure Resources: Resources like facilities, time and money should be restructured. The education should not be confined to 45-minute period but should be available for help on demand. Schools should conduct camps and activities in summer vacations for teachers’ development, student activities, parenting classes and community use. Parents Involvement: The parent is the first guide when stay involved to build strong alliances with schoolwork gives motivation to the student results in better performance. Educational institutions should inform parents about their goals, importance of good performance of each child and ways to assist their child in their classroom and homework lessons. Community Partners: Educational institutions and students should partner community organization, museums, government agencies, businesses and industries to provide critical information, technology and real time experience for teachers and students. Institutions can enlist professionals who act as mentors for students and teachers.

10 Tips for Acing Your College Admissions Interview

10 Tips for Acing Your College Admissions Interview The following piece was written by Joie Jager-Hyman. Joie has been featured in ourAdmissions Expert seriesand is a former Assistant Director of Admissions for Dartmouth College. She is the founder of her own admissions consulting service, College Prep 360. While not every school offers interviews for admission, if the opportunity is presented to you, take it! Before the school year starts, research your colleges websites to see if they offer interviews. If they do, reserve your spot as soon as possible. Even if an interview isnt officially recommended, it can still be a great opportunity for students to demonstrate interest in the school and possibly compensate for any blemishes on their academic records. Whether your interviewer is a member of the admissions staff or a local alumnus, it is extremely important that you put your best foot forward. Having personally conducted scores of admissions interviews, I have compiled 10 easy tips for students to ace their interviews. The following are taken from my new book, B+ Grades, A+ College Application: 1.Bring your resume: In my experience, many interviewers will use your resume to guide the conversation for the interview and pose questions about your extracurricular activities, community service, personal interests, and so on. Discussing your resume will give you plenty to talk about and will help the time fly by.2.Familiarize yourself with current events: Thanks to the internet, it only takes a few minutes per day to peruse national newspapers like The New York Times or to stream national news on NPR. Your interviewer will expect you to have a general understanding of major headlines, so do your daily homework.3.Read outside of school: While you make time to brush up on current events, also take the time to read for your own enjoyment. Doing so will give interviewers a lot of insight into your intellectual curiosityespecially if you choose to read books outside the realm of pop culture (e.g., the Twilight series, Harry Potter).4.Know your academic interests: Chances are your inte rviewer will ask about your favorite academic subject and what you might want to study in college. Think of a class you really enjoy and be prepared to elaborate (enthusiastically) on how you would like to pursue studies in that subject area. Also, do some legwork and research online how this area is taught at your interviewers college. If you can name a course or professor that interests you, all the better!5.Reflect on your personal interests: Be prepared to shed light on personal interests or activities, such as photography or music. Even if you simply enjoy seeing photography in museums or playing music in your friends cars, be ready to talk about your passions! Your interviewer will want to know what youve learned from the time youve spent viewing or taking pictures and how you would want to pursue that activity in college.6.Show passion for a cause: Colleges are looking to admit students who will take charge and use their educations to make a positive impact on the world. This would be a great opportunity to talk about any community service efforts on your resume, but if youre not that involved, think about issues you care about and be prepared to discuss how you want to leverage your passion for those issues to make your mark on the world.7.Do your research: By interviewing, you are exhibiting a serious commitment to a particular college and your interviewer will expect you to have some familiarity with his or her school. Go beyond what it is on the colleges website and chat with a current student, or read the schools newspaper to get a sense of the major issues on campus and what the student body is like.8.Ask three questions: An interview is as much an interviewers opportunity to learn about you, as it is for you to learn more about the college and see if it is a good fit. At the end of your interview, you will likely be asked if you have any questions. Be sure to ask thoughtful, qualitative questions that you cant find the answer to online such as: H ow accessible is the faculty outside the classroom? or, What kind of research opportunities are available to underclassmen?9.Writea thank-you note: In these days of e-communication, a handwritten note makes a wonderful impression on an interviewer. You can keep it brief and just mention how you enjoyed meeting him or her, making sure to include a few highlights from your conversation.10.Practice makes perfect: While you may never have been interviewed before, you can take comfort in knowing that interviewing is a skill that you can learn through practice. Based on my tips, you now have a pretty good idea as to what interviewers will ask you, so jot down a list of questions and practice with someone you trust. Make sure you practice well in advance of your scheduled interview so that you wont feel overwhelmed with questions! Check outCollegePrep360 for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Blues Guitar Basics How to Play a Blues Shuffle

Blues Guitar Basics How to Play a Blues Shuffle Sign up successful Step 1 The blues shuffle is made up of eighth notes alternating between a long and short note. The long note falls on the beat. The shorter note is in between and comes in on the upbeat. You are playing an eighth note triplet but leaving out the middle note. Simple as that. The easiest way to get a feel for the rhythm is to play along to a recording or with your guitar teacher. Mute your strings at first so youre not worried about playing specific notes while you get the rhythm down. Listening is important. After a few attempts at playing it slowly by yourself you can speed it up and play with confidence. Then you have it locked in. Like riding a bicycle, over time the rhythm will become automatic for you. Step 2 Most Blues songs are 12 bars long. Try playing through this example in A Major using the IV chord, V chord, and the I chord which are: D, E, and A respectively. Step 3 Now that youve got the rhythm, you will start to notice it and identify it in songs you have heard for years in jazz, blues, and rock.  Blues guitar inspired songs to check out include: “ Texas Flood” by Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble, “Rockin’ Me” by The Steve Miller Band, “You Shook Me” by Led Zeppelin, and “Something To Talk About” by Bonnie Raitt. Now that you know how to play a blues shuffle, youll be able to learn these tunes in a snap! If you want to take it to the next level and solo over a blues shuffle, its easiest to work off the pentatonic scale for the key you are playing in.  You can’t hit any wrong notes with pentatonic scale shapes. You can also use your ear to throw in blue notes using a blues guitar scale shape.  To find the key of the song look for the key signature on the sheet music or use your ear. While sight-reading music is a handy skill to have, I prefer to use my ears, as it is quicker for me. Find what works best for you and enjoy playing the guitar! For more tips on mastering the guitar, why not sign up for lessons with a private guitar instructor? Your guitar instructor will be able to give you the personal attention you need to reach your musical goals. Search for a guitar teacher now! James W. teaches guitar, singing, and acting  lessons in Jacksonville, FL. He specializes in teaching pop, rock, and modern country styles. James has been teaching for 10 years and joined the TakeLessons Team in 2010.  Learn more about James  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 Kristina Servant

11 Annoying Things People Say to Female Guitarists

11 Annoying Things People Say to Female Guitarists Megan L. Female guitarists rock just as hard, if not harder than some men, yet the things people say to us sound like theyre straight from the 1950s! Ladies, women, and girls, here are 11 of the most annoying things Ive heard in my years of playing guitar. Maybe a few will sound familiar to you too? 1. Is that for your boyfriend? Why do some people find it so unbelievable that youre carrying your own gear or shopping at Guitar Center for yourself? 2. Youre pretty good for a girl. Would you tell another musician hes pretty good for a man? Nope. Please stop saying this. 3. Are you the singer? Because thats the only thing you think women are capable of? Please go back to rock and roll history and study Lita Ford, Joan Jett, Kaki King, Nancy Wilson, or any of the other hundreds of women who have made their mark in music with an ax in hand. 4. Oh, youre IN the band! If youve ever had trouble being allowed in to a venue for your own show, you know just how annoying this one can be. This is doubly annoying when someone assumes youre a groupie. 5. You should show off your body more and be sexier. Because when I asked for feedback on my performance, I really wanted to hear about how I looked. Even young girls arent immune from this misguided advice. Please stop making female performers feel like their sex appeal matters more than their music. Its just sad. 6. You only got that gig because youre hot. Like a meaner, more petty version of the last comment, this implies that any attention or success you enjoy as a musician is all thanks to your looks. Luckily, people will mostly say this one behind your back, so you only need to roll your eyes when you hear this through the grapevine. Then you can get back to crushing it. 7. Do you want to be in a band? Were looking for a chick bass player. Why would you want to work with someone whos already objectifying you before theyve heard you play a single note? 8. Let me explain your gear to you. I just haul it around, set it up, play it, own it, and love it. So sure, please tell me all about my amp. 9. Wow, are you going to play that? Nope, I just carry a guitar around for fun. 10. Chick guitarists are hot! Do you want to jam sometime? Unfortunately, nine times out of ten, they dont really mean jam. 11. I dont usually like chick music, but you were actually pretty good. For the love of music everywhere, please stop acting as if music made by women is in its own single genre. There are women who shred and women who croon, women who get down and funky and women who play smooth, sweet jazz. The sooner people can stop treating female musicians as novelties and start hearing us for the talents we possess, the sooner we all can enjoy a more equal and exciting music scene. Now its your turn. Ladies, what really grinds your gears? Share the most annoying thing someone has said to you about playing the guitar in the comments below! 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