Understanding the Common Application

Understanding the Common Application The following piece was written by Rachel Korn. Rachel has been featured in ourAdmissions Expert seriesand is a former University of Pennsylvaniaadmissions officer, as well as the founder of her own admissions consulting firm. Your parents applied to colleges on paper: writing individual applications to each school, filling out the same kinds of forms over and over again, and then finally sending them by postal mail. Today, close to 500 schools use the Common Application, the online application that students can fill out just once and then send to multiple universities. Benefits: One of the primary goals of the Common Application is to assist with access schools want to help reduce environmental and emotional barriers that might prevent you from being able to apply. Therefore, they streamline the process for all, enabling the widest range of students to apply. A basic, easy application that can be sent to multiple schools at the click of a mouse encourages students with a smoother, faster process.It can feel a bit less intimidating. As a result, one of the achievements of the Common Application is that diversity, in every measurable way, has increased and that is a great thing. Moreover, application numbers have significantly risen for the schools, so they now have broader and larger applicant pools from which to select their incoming classes. Increasing the numbers and strength of these pools is a very top priority at every university. Challenges:On the other hand, that very rise in applications also makes it harder for the schools to predict if the students genuinely want to attend there. Admissions staffs want students who can potentially be recruited to attend. Therefore, schools may ask for additional supplemental essays to assess how much you have really researched them as well as to get to know you better. You see several versions of a why us? question in many supplemental essays, and it can be critical for you to answer it thoroughly in order to gain admission. The Common Application has also driven a more extensive use of waitlists. Schools waitlist more students these days since their old formulas of predicting how many admitted students would likely attend are no longer as accurate. Schools hold on to more students to make sure they can craft the classes they want with minimum offers of admission. You should also beware of the trap that you face of over-applying dont feel the need to apply to too many schools just because it is easy. A well-chosen, reasoned list of 5-8 schools should be plenty. You should have a strong passion for every application and complete each supplement with care. The Common Application is a terrific tool that has enabled wider, easier access to schools and in return, has helped the schools expand and enrich their applicant pools and student bodies. Overall, it is a strongwin-win. Visit RachelsAdmissions Consultingsite. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How To Improve Your Guitar Tone Without Buying New Gear

How To Improve Your Guitar Tone Without Buying New Gear Suzy S. Want better guitar tone without spending hundreds of dollars on new gear? Guitar teacher Ben M. shares how you can use the settings already on your electric guitar to drastically improve your sound When it comes to the electric guitar, players can be relentlessly dedicated to achieving the perfect guitar tone. Guitar tone (also called guitar sound) is most simply defined as the sound your guitar produces. Guitar tone can be compared to a painting; it is a masterpiece that results from blending different colors together. In this case your colors are bass, treble, mids, your amplifier, and any effects a guitarist may use. Guitarists pride themselves on their tone because it is what sets them apart as an artist and gives them their own unique sound. But don’t be fooled by this brief definition, guitar players can spend countless hours, days, and even weeks carefully sculpting their ideal tone. However, the good news is that guitar tone is in fact 100% personal and every player, no matter how experienced, has the ability to dial in great guitar tone without spending a fortune on fancy gear (though it is important to have the essentials). This article focuses on simple ways to improve your tone by simply using  all the built-in features your electric guitar already has. First Steps  to Improve Your Guitar Tone When beginning to work on improving your tone it is important to ask yourself a few basic questions: What aspects of my current tone do I like? What aspects do I dislike? (too dark, too bright, etc) Based on my playing style and genre, what aspects of my playing do I want to highlight in my tone (for example: sparkling chords, thick power chords, or clear solo bends) After analyzing what you’ve discovered, set a goal. Maybe you are trying to imitate your favorite guitar idol’s tone or want to focus on creating your own sound. Regardless of what your goal is, an important thing to keep in mind (especially for beginners) is to always start with what you have. How to Use Your Guitar Tone Settings While many players may rush to their local music store and walk out with a handful of effects pedals or even a new amp, most players tend to forget one of the most basic aspects of their guitar’s anatomy; the pickup selector switch and the tone and volume control knobs. Below is a quick breakdown of an electric guitar’s tone settings: Pickup Selector Switch Selects which pickup is active on your guitar. Most guitars have three  switch positions; some guitars like Fender Stratocasters have five. Bridge Pickup (farthest down): bright, sparkling sound, lots of treble Middle Position: warm and shimmery sound, high mids Neck Pickup (farthest up): full and rounded sound, more bass Volume Control Controls the master volume of your guitar, or the amount of signal that will come out of your amplifier. Tone Control Controls the brightness or darkness of your guitar’s sound by adding or reducing the amount of bass/treble in the signal. Bass = darker tone with lots of low end. Treble = brighter tone with lots of high end and sparkle. How to Adjust Your Guitar Knobs for Better Guitar Tone Now that we have established the basics, let’s focus on learning how to use the guitar  knobs. Players of all levels continue to leave their controls dialed up to 10 all the time, restricting them from loads of undiscovered tone possibilities. To make a comparison, that’s like buying a sports car and only driving it only in first gear. A simple concept that can really help develop a guitar player’s control over their tone is getting into the habit of setting your tones with the volume and tone controls below their maximum levels. When you dial in your tone with the knobs at 10, you have limited adjustment options. Only being able to turn down the knobs will typically make your sound muddy. By giving the controls room to expand, you have an array of possibilities if your tone needs adjusting. Below are common ways to use your guitar controls and bring up your guitar playing IQ. Guitar  Knob Techniques Basic Boost: The volume knob can act as a boost which can take your guitar from clean sounds for rhythm playing to dirty overdrive tones for soloing. When playing a song keep your volume knob at 6 or 7 when playing chords or verse parts and when it’s time to deliver a rockin’ solo roll up the volume to 10 and you will not only hear a boost of gain (overdrive) but also a volume lift over any other instruments in the song. Signal Clean Up: Perhaps your tone is too distorted and you want to reduce the harshness and clean up the signal without changing your amp/effects settings. Simply roll off the volume knob on your guitar a bit and the signal will clean up rather effectively. Buzz Killer: How many players have cringed at the level of buzz coming out of your amp? Guitar buzz is commonly caused by poor grounding in your guitar’s electronics and usually requires repairing. But as a quick fix, turning down the volume knob until the hum is quelled can make your guitar sound more pleasing to the ear. Set Polisher: If you are in a band, always turn the volume knob down while on stage in between songs to avoid buzz. This makes your set seem much more polished and professional. Volume Sweller: A more advanced technique with the volume knob is called swelling. Play a chord or note with the volume knob off and gently roll it back (many players use their pinky on the side of the knob) to let the sound pass through again. Experiment rolling up the knob fast or slow and see what happens. This takes practice but can produce awesome sounds when used while playing. Guitar Tone Control Techniques Tone Warmer: Keeping the tone knob around 9 or 10 is best for warm tones like Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix type sounds. This means the guitar signal has lots of treble making the high ends of the signal sparkle. Tone Darkening: Roll back the tone knob for darker sounding tones like Sunshine of Your Love by Cream or the wholesome solo tone from American Woman by The Guess Who. This setting brings out the bass or low end in the signal. Onboard Wah-Wah: A more advanced tip with tone control is using the tone knob as an onboard wah-wah effect. In essence a wah-wah pedal is just a giant tone control adding treble when pressed down and adding bass when pulled back. You can emulate this effect by playing a chord or note and twisting the tone control rapidly, or slowly, from its maximum level to minimum level (much like volume swelling.) This requires practice and technique but you can get great wah-wah sounds without buying the pedal itself. After reading this article, hopefully you can understand why improving your guitar tone is vital to developing as a player and that there are endless sonic possibilities at your disposal already. Experiment with some of the techniques from this article and find what kind of sounds are most pleasing to your ear. Mastering a guitar’s controls, like playing the guitar itself, takes time so be persistent. Having a solid understanding of the most basic tone tools will not only boost your guitar playing IQ, but also push you in the direction of guitar tone paradise. Do you have any guitar tone questions? Join the conversation in the comments below! Post Author:  Ben M. Ben M. is a student at Saint Josephs University and has nearly 10 years of guitar playing experience. He specializes in  beginner and intermediate guitar playing, blues guitar, and guitar repair. Learn more about Ben here! Photo by Tiago Cunha 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

19 Signs Youre Head Over Heels In Love With Your Guitar

19 Signs Youre Head Over Heels In Love With Your Guitar Sign up successful Making space for it in your home is a sure sign that youre really falling hard. Whether its a special practice corner or the iron throne, when you have a designated guitar spot youre showing how much you care. 3. You give your guitar hugs. You dont want to put your guitar down, even when youre not playing. If youve ever sat with your guitar in your lap, in total silence, you might be falling in love. 4. Youve slept with your guitar in the bed. This was a huge step in your relationship with your guitar, but youre so glad you made the plunge. Now you dont have to get out of bed in the morning to start playing guitar again. 5. You dream about your guitar. Its on your mind all day long, so of course its on your mind when you sleep too. 6. You would rather eat bugs than hurt your guitar. You always take good care of your guitar and would hate to put even the smallest dent in its finish. Even watching someone else hurt another guitar is torture. 7. Your phone is full of guitar photos. If youre flipping through your phone to find guitar selfie after guitar selfie, youve definitely given your guitar your heart. 8. Your guitar has a name. Just like B.B. King with his Lucille, you know youre a goner when youve named your guitar. 9. You stay up late to spend more time with it. If youre missing sleep for your guitar but you dont mind, it sounds like youre in love. 10. You buy your guitar lots of presents. Picks, straps, new strings Nothings too good for your baby! 11. You and your guitar have a special song or hundreds of special songs. And whenever your song comes on the radio, you think about playing it with your guitar. 12. Sometimes, your guitar is all you can talk about. Wherever you go, the word guitar is right on the tip of your tongue. 13. Sometimes, your guitar is the only one you can talk to. No matter what happens,  your guitar is there for you. 14. Everything makes you think about your guitar. Why cant you be together all the time? 15. You want to keep getting better, so you can impress your guitar with your skills. You practice every day, and youre always learning new things. Maybe, one day, youll be good enough for your guitar. 16. Youve introduced your guitar to your friends and your parents. When theyve met your parents, you know youre in the love zone. 17. Sometimes youre overwhelmed by how beautiful your guitar is. Is it real? And its really yours? 18. You dont mind carrying your guitar around. Wherever you go, your guitar can go too! 19. Playing guitar makes you happier than anything else in the world. At the end of the day, you know youre in love because you feel great. Colors are just a little brighter, sugar tastes a little sweeter, and life is better because you have your guitar by your side. Ready to take the next step in your relationship? Take the leap and sign up for guitar lessons! 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

The Top 10 South American Food Recipes

The Top 10 South American Food Recipes The Best of South American Cuisine ChaptersEvolution of South American RecipesSouth American Recipes Throughout the WorldTop 10 Recipes from South American CountriesBonus South American RecipesFrom agricultural goods such as lima beans and corn, to geographical diversity of the Amazon basin and Andean mountains â€" learn how the eating habits of South American countries have been formed from a blend of ancient history and modern socio-economic movements.Empanadas are not only wildly popular but can also be easy to make GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsEvolution of South American RecipesWhile many South American foods are classified as traditional today - like tamales, hominy or plantain - these traditions were often shaped by the fusion of recipes from Amerindians, or indigenous people, and the various forces of colonization and immigration that the continent has witnessed. With the food norms brought by groups like the Spaniards and Portuguese, colonization brought many changes to the continent.From Tierra del Fuego to Peru, many South American countries have integrated ancient agricultural traditions with modern ones. One great example of this can be seen through the lens of sugar. While there is no denying the tragedies engendered by the exploitation of slaves and indentured workers for the propagation of sugar cane plantations, it is also widely recognized that this trade transformed foods in South America.While many historic accounts of th e evolution of food on the continent involve a “pre-Columbian” notion of the Americas, this view of history doesn’t do justice to the culturally important, ancient civilizations and food rites independent of colonization narratives.While obvious examples of this can be seen through awe-inspiring ruins, like the ones found at Machu Picchu in Peru, food can also serve as the gateway towards understanding and appreciating the ancient civilisations of South America. The growing and harvesting of the deliciously nutritious grain, quinoa, dates back to the Incan Empire.While this account does not delve into the intricate progression of culinary practices in South America, it does reveal how important ancient, criollo or creole, immigrant and invading groups have been towards the formation of many of the traditional dishes of South America.Have a look at the best cooking classes London on Superprof.South American Recipes Throughout the WorldFrom passion fruit to maize, the influence of South American cuisine can be felt throughout the world. In fact, many of the dishes traditionally thought of as limited to the South American kitchen can be found in countries like Romania and India.There are many reasons why South American dishes find their doppelgangers worldwide, one of which has to do with the fact that the colonization of South America introduced many new cooking practices to the continent from Europe and its other colonies.One dish that seems to have escaped that is the empanada. While the origins of empanadas in the Americas are still a bit murky, they generally follow the same recipe involving a savory, stuffed, dough baked pastry. This comfort food is actually also eaten in the Philippines, where it developed independently from South American influence. There, the empanada is cooked by being either deep fried or baked.From ceviche and cornmeal to beans and rice, there are many dishes that South America has either made popular or that hold similarities t o dishes in other countries.From the Andean mountains to the Islas Malvinas, or Falkland Islands - South American food and geography is extremely diverseTop 10 Recipes from South American CountriesFrom Paraguayan to Peruvian cuisine, South American foods and food culture is incredibly rich and diverse. Whether you’re Central American, European or more, expand your drink and food options by trying any of these tasty recipes.1. Argentina: ChimichurriWhether you’re cooking the red or green version, chimichurri sauce is said to have originated with Basque settlers in Argentina. The preparation for Argentinian chimichurri is typically made from parsley, garlic, pepper flakes, olive oil and wine vinegar. Served as a side, but typically eaten as a condiment, this Argentine dish is best eaten fresh and can be poured on top of churrasco.2. Bolivia: SaltenasIf you’re looking for a delicious alternative to arepas, look no further than the Bolivian version of empanadas. This empanada can be found made differently from city to city, but is generally made up of a meat filling wrapped up dough baked pastry.3. Brazil: FeijoadaWhile caipirinha might be your go to Brazilian recipe, the national dish, feijoada, is even more satisfying to make. Especially popular in Rio de Janeiro, the dish is a black bean stew mixed with meats such as pork or beef. In the northeast, people typically add in vegetables like cabbage, potatoes or okra.4. Chile: Pisco sourWhile pisco today is primarily made in and associated with Peru and Chile, the origins of the drink are intensely debated between the two. In any case, it has not only stood the test of time but also become one of the most popular dishes in both countries. A brandy made from distilling grape juice, pisco can be made into a variety of different cocktails. The most popular preparation, the pisco sour, in Peru involves mixing pisco with egg white, syrup, lime juice and bitters. The Chilean preparation differs only with the omissi on of bitters.5. Colombia: AguardienteThe term literally translates into firewater, and is a general term for alcohol that ranges from 20% to 60% alcohol content. This liquor is the most popular drink in Colombian cuisine, especially in the Andean regions. The drink, made from sugar cane and flavoured with anise, is typically drunk neat and can be found made in a variety of different ways both in Colombia and around the world.6. Ecuador: llapingachoIf you’re familiar with Colombian arepas, then you have a basic idea of what an Ecuadorian llapingacho is and how delicious it is. While the origin of the dish inside of Ecuador is still a bit murky, it basically involves frying up a cheese and mashed potato mix. While it is generally served along side eggs, sausages like chorizo, and salad, it’s preparation can vary. The crisp-like llapingachos can be made out of yuca and cassava too.7. French Guiana: FricasseeWhile there is a diverse array of foods that typify French Guiana, such as blaff, a seafood chowder, or roti, a stuffed flatbread â€" there is one food that continues to be a favorite amongst locals and visitors alike. While fricassee is just a general term used to identify the method of cooking meat, the French Guiana version serves this stew like concoction alongside a hearty helping of rice and beans. The meat used for this dish is normally game meat including tapir and paca.8. Guyana: PepperpotTraditionally eaten on Boxing Day, pepperpot is a meat stew that can find its origins in the ancient civilizations of South America. It is typically flavoured with cassareep, a sauce derived from cassava root, cinnamon and chili peppers. This dish is eaten with bread, rice or Guyanese roti and normally takes several hours to cook.9. Paraguay: KaguyjyAlso known as mazamorra, variations of this dish can be found in many South American countries as well as in the Caribbean and Spain. In Paraguay, it is called kaguyjy in Guarani and is essentially a rice dessert con sidered to be one of the most traditional in the country. Cooked with honey, milk and sugar, kaguyjy is often comparable to locro, a thick corn stew typical of the Andean regions.10. Peru: PicaronesWhile the history of churros and bunelos is still a bit murky, a general consensus has been reached over the origins of picarones. During colonial times, the Peruvian population started to make and modify the recipe of bunuelos as they were, then, too expensive to prepare. Made with squash and sweet potato, it takes on a circular form with a doughnut consistency. This delicious dessert is usually drenched with syrup.South American food culture isn't all about food recipes but also delicious drinksBonus South American RecipesSuriname: Bojo CakeWhile American cuisine is typically known for its flower based recipes, from apple pie in the north to the corn and meat pies of Chile â€" the Americas are also home to many flowerless delights. This is especially visible in the many desserts of Sout h America, and one particular recipe is both easy and delicious to make. Surinamese bojo cake recipes can vary from family to family, but the recipe generally involves these raisins, cassava and coconut.Uruguay: Capeletis a la carusoIf you didn’t know, Uruguayans eat a lot of pasta. Like many countries on the continent, Uruguayan gastronomy was influenced by the fusion of Amerindian, criolla or creole, and European cuisine. One country in particular, Italy, had a large influence on many of the classic dishes Uruguayans enjoy today. In fact, capeletis a la caruso was invented in the 1950s by a Montevideo restaurant. Named as an homage to the Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso, the sauce is comparable to bechamel and is generally made of cream, ham, cheese, mushrooms and nuts. The preparation of capeletis a la caruso naturally starts with making caruso sauce and adding it to round pasta like capeletis.Start making amazing dishes with the best cooking courses around.Venezuela: Chicha de arrozLike many of the world’s dishes, the exact origins of chicha are highly debated. In Venezuela, chicha de arroz is considered by many a traditional drink and can be bought alongside street food in many major cities. While in some countries this drink is normally fermented, the Venezuelan preparation involves boiling rice, milk and sugar and drinking it non-fermented. In the Andean region of Venezuela, this drink does involve adding fermented pineapple and is usually served on Boxing Day.

Maintaining Concentration in Mentally Exhausting Jobs - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Maintaining Concentration in Mentally Exhausting Jobs - Introvert Whisperer Maintaining Concentration in Mentally Exhausting Jobs Some jobs are sprints, others are marathons. There are lots of roles, such as those in retail, hospitality and logistics, where you are likely to be bouncing between quiet, calm periods and busy, highly demanding periods several times in the same day. Others, such as marketing, copywriting and many office-based roles, are slow burning but taxing all the same. Spending all day sat at a desk doesn’t sound awfully tiring, but mental exhaustion is just as exacting as physical exertion. Here are some simple but valuable tips for staying as energetic as possible throughout your day. Eat little and often Snacking is often the bane of anybody who wants to keep in shape, yet spends their 9 to 5 sat at a desk. Despite the abundance of unhealthy snacks in the 21st century, this doesn’t have to result in a diet loaded with additives. In fact, nutritionists have stated that this is not detrimental to your health when done right, and is just as good for your body as a solid three meals a day. Smaller boosts of energy spread out amongst your working hours can be just what you need to prevent your concentration from flagging â€" just be sure it isn’t all sugar! Take mini breaks This is not to suggest you should start dictating your own work schedule over your manager, but there’s no harm in letting your mind and body take a quick breather from the screen and having to hold that horribly stiff computer desk pose. There’s nothing tricky in this; simply walk away from your desk. Get yourself a tea or coffee, nip to the toilet, go and restock on pens from the stationary cupboard. Anything that allows you to defocus and stretch your legs for a few minutes is ideal. Deliberately loitering is, of course, not going to go down well, but a small and meaningful reason to disengage from your keyboard could be all you need to recharge for the next couple of hours. Keep your desk clear A cluttered work space is a cliché for creative types, and in my experience it’s true more often than not. Trying to cope with a disorderly desk, however, is preventing you from numerous benefits. When your physical working area is clear and organised, your work life can see fantastic improvements such as greater focus, more freedom to be adaptive and a good reputation with your managers. Demonstrating your ability to keep things organised and tidy is a great indicator that you’re serious about your work and you’ll keep things in check, which can always lead to better opportunities down the road. Set daily goals Having small checkpoints for your work can make it much easier to get through a long list, particularly when used to break a big task or project down to simpler, bite-sized tasks. In project managing roles, this is referred to as a work breakdown structure (WBS), and it is commonly employed to help keep everyone involved on-track and focused on their individual goals. When combined with small rewards for yourself (such as that coffee break or a harmless bit of chocolate), you can make the work day far less daunting and almost turn it into a game of sorts. There are lots of ways you can make the work day flow easier, and the things that will work best depend on the kind of person you are. Maybe music keeps you focused, or perhaps any noise whatsoever is the concentration killer. Be open and communicative with your management, and see what they can help you incorporate â€" after all, they want you to work at your best, and you should too! Ethan Lee writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in finding candidates their perfect  internship.  To browse our  graduate jobs, visit our website. Go to top Let me emphasize that Self-Promotion doesn’t have to be obnoxious to be effective.  But, if you don’t Self-Promote you, who will? If you ever want to get ahead, you have to learn how to Self-Promote. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that shows you simple, yet effective ways to Self-Promote. Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

What Are the Most Popular Japanese TV Shows

What Are the Most Popular Japanese TV Shows [NO h1 found] ChaptersWhat Do the Japanese Watch on Television?Japanese TV: Ninja WarriorJapanese Game Show: Takeshi’s CastleJapanese TV Series: Tetsuko’s RoomJapanese Drama and Game Show: Dero!Other Popular Japanese Drama Series and Game Shows4th stage: the last stage is by far the most difficult - definitely better than watching a romance comedy shows on a high school student. Only four candidates make it to this round where, instead of obstacles, there is a large tower that each candidate must use to climb to reach the top. If the candidate doesn’t make it before time is over, this rope will be cut and they lose the game. 2018 saw the introduction of 3 obstacles to this final round.There are definitely no nakama, or friends, in this game: the rules state that each candidate gets only one chance to compete. The only exception is when the show experiences technical difficulties. The reasons for elimination range from physically going outside the delimited boundaries, not arriving at the buz zer before time is over, committing an in fraction and more.At the beginning of the show, each candidate is invited to do a small dance in order to introduce their personalities to the public. This is definitely one of the most well-known Japanese TV shows - and not without cause. Watch just one episode and you’ll find out why. NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsJapanese Game Show: Takeshi’s CastleWith television drama and mangas like Futur e Diary and world-renowned dances like Kabuki, Japanese television has been giving Taiwanese and Korean dramas a run for their money. While the best Korean dramas and Taiwanese shows include classics like Meteor Garden, The Heirs and more - Japanese game shows are still some of the most popular shows in the region.Takeshi’s Castle is a Japanese game show that aired on TBS, or Tokyo Broadcasting System, from 1986 to 1990. Like Ninja Warrior, the show consisted of several obstacle courses in which contestants would be eliminated in each round based on time limits, ability and more.The goal was, of course, for the between 100 to 142 contestants to reach the final round - were usually only 9 would remain. Winning the game meant winning 1 million yen - around 7,300 pounds.Spice up your screening parties with Japanese game shows!From every prefecture, class and religion, this live action game show was played by all. Here are some of the obstacles you’re bound to see if you watch the s how:Velcro Fly: candidates must cross a body of water by swinging at the end of a rope in order to then stick to a Velcro board (they are also equipped with Velcro coveralls),Soft Stone: contestants must cross a body of water by hopping on some stones that are made of polystyrene,Balloon Bridge: the candidate must cross an unstable bridge holding a golden balloon while other candidates shoot them with black balls,Sumo wrestling in disguiseAttention Rock: candidates must reach a summit while rocks run down the slope,Wall Explosion: the candidate must run and pass through walls, all the while not knowing which one is a screen and which one is a wallWhile there are many other obstacles, these can readily be found with the help of the internet - go check out the show, sit back and get ready to laugh!Interested in learning more about Japanese media? Check out this guide on Japanese literature, publications and more!Japanese TV Series: Tetsuko’s RoomWith variety shows, shows about and f or love, anime series, thrillers, terms like shonen, otaku and more - Japan has made major contributions to entertainment for decades. Whether you’re in need of a subtitle or dubbed show, you should definitely start watching what cities like Kyoto and Tokyo are producing.One such show, airing on TV Asahi since 1976 is hosted by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. Running for 30 minutes at a time, Tetsuko’s Room is a talk show that, in Japanese, is called Tetsuko no Heya.On the 27th of May 2015, the show celebrated its 10,000th episode, entering into the World Record books for the longest running, single-hosted talk show in the world. Imagine people growing up with the show since it first aired in the 70s!While Vietnamese, Thai and South Korean drama has a lot to offer, there’s nothing like taking part of history and watching a show with one of the largest amounts of shows in the world.Tetsuko Kuroyanagi was born in 1933 in Tokyo. She started as an actress in many Japanese films and is known b eyond Japan specifically because of her autobiography. She has been an ambassador for UNICEF since 1984 and created the Totto foundation that educates hearing-impaired actors.Japanese Drama and Game Show: Dero!From Meteor, Yamato Nadeshiko, Hotaru no Nikki or Nippon Hotaru and more, Asia has churned out documentaries, original series games and more that are worth a lifetime full of binge watching. Whether you’re already subbed to a channel dedicated to Japanese games shows or are already a fan of some of the ones we’ve already discussed, here’s another game show that’s bound to keep you on the edge of your seat.Dero! Is a game show that’s formatted as an escape game. The goal of the show is for the participants to escape a room after completing a number of crazy challenges. While it sounds simple, it gets a bit more intense. The participants get to choose between 8 different rooms: one filled with moving sand, one that gets smaller and smaller, in chains or one with a movi ng floor.Take a look at great Japanese talk shows to get a grasp on the language and cultureOther Popular Japanese Drama Series and Game ShowsAs you’ve seen, the shows that the Japanese public consumes doesn’t include those made in Europe. On the contrary, the game shows and television dramas they produce are so wildly popular, audiences around the world have been watching for years. Here are some more game shows you should definitely watch if you love the ones we’ve already mentioned.Dead MeatHuman TetrisAKBingoCandy or Not Candy?Human BowlingGaki No TsukaiSlippery StairsMarshmallow Funny FaceInterested in finding out about more shows, TV and films the country has to offer? Here's our complete guide to Japanese media and entertainment!

5 Benefits Of Giving Your Kids Chores

5 Benefits Of Giving Your Kids Chores For most children, there is a lot to fit into each day: school, homework, sports and other activities, and dinner. If youve resisted giving your child additional work to do around the house, you might reconsider. Chores are proven to help children build skills that are valuable in school. Need more convincing? Here are five advantages of having your child do chores: They help children learn responsibility. Chores give children a job to complete outside of school and homeworkand yes, thats important. Children who complete chores are being held accountable for their contributions to maintaining the household. This helps them develop self-sufficiency and a sense of accountability, which leads to greater confidence. Children become better at time management. As children grow older, its expected that they will be able to manage an increasing level of responsibility in school. Not only must they keep track of multiple classes with different expectations, they need to become independent outside of school as well to mature into capable young adults. Chores help with this, teaching children to get their have-tos finished before they enjoy free time. They foster good work ethic. As the saying goes, nothing good in life comes easy. As teachers do in school, parents should stress the relationship between their childrens hard workhousehold choresand positive resultsa clean, orderly home and minimized stress for the family. Encouraging children to pitch in at home increases their feelings of self-worth and satisfaction that come with completing tasks. Routines like chores promote positive behavior. Without question, children who embrace routines are more organized, efficient and successful. Chores serve as a model for structure, and structure teaches students to take pride in their work, be more responsible, and set and work toward goals. They promote organization. What child couldnt use a little help with organization? Its helpful to busy parents to have their children lighten the burden of household duties, and an added benefit is that certain chores emphasize the importance of good organization. Learning how to maintain a tidy household can easily translate into the building of essential skills like keeping track of assignments, having a place for everything and managing multi-step assignments. The next time you think its easier to do something yourself or that your child shouldnt be bothered with things like laundry and cleaning dishes, remember: chores are good for your child. Research corroborates this fact: a 20-year study by the University of Minnesota found that doing chores at an early age is the best predictor for growing up into a young adult with a completed education, a career with a clear direction, and healthy personal relationships with family and friends. On top of this, chores teach indispensable life skills. So, invest in your childs well-being and give your child the chance to develop his or her self-efficacy, prioritization skills, and diligence. Involving Children in Household Tasks: Is it Worth the Effort? Marty Rossman, University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development 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 at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. 2017 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.

The Key to a 700 GMAT Score (or Higher) Multiple Levels of Strategy

The Key to a 700 GMAT Score (or Higher) Multiple Levels of Strategy GMAT MBA Admissions Blog There is just something about breaking that 700-score threshold on the GMAT that feels, and perhaps really is, very important when you are applying to business school. In this article, I’ll share a less “technical” view on how to approach the GMAT to improve your chances of scoring 700 or better. The title of this blog post says “multiple levels of strategy.” So first, let’s define the word strategy. What is a strategy? When I was a new analyst at a “strategy consulting” firm, fresh out of undergraduate business school, one of the first questions they raised in training was, what is a strategy? People would give long answers. Some might start talking about identifying attractive markets, or building better products, or having lower costs, or designing better processes, etc. But really, a strategy is just the plan you put in place for allocating various resources (your time, focus, money, people, etc.) to achieve a goal. In my first job, we were taught that “strategy” is about consciously choosing what you will and what you will not do. And we’ve previously written on this blog thatsuccessful people use strategies. They succeed because of how they think and plan, not because of innate talent. Why is having a “strategy” so critical when taking the GMAT? The GMAT is indeed a test of academic skills and so there are specific concepts and ideas you’ll have to understand, but more importantly it’s a test of flexible, creative, logical, and strategic thinking. It’s not a math test focused on specific concepts that you can cram for or master through memorization. The math concepts on the GMAT, by and large, don’t go beyond what most U.S. students learn in 10th grade. But, the GMAT covers a very wide range of math topics, employs a variety of question types, and asks questions in a variety of ways that force you to think logically to reason your way to the best answer. When I talk about the importance of strategy when it comes to the GMAT, I think there are three “levels” of strategy to consider. Level #1: Strategically creating your study plan If “strategy” is about choosing what you will and won’t do, then level one is about having a structured study plan that’s customized to your strengths and weaknesses and general situation. A strategic GMAT student will take a diagnostic test early in the process. He or she will then design a plan of attack that allocates more time to addressing deficiencies, and less time to areas where skills are already very strong. A solid, strategic study plan will also allocate more time to concept review and practice problems early on, and more time to practice tests and review of missed problems as the exam date nears. It will also be specific. As you design your study plan, set a test date and target score, determine when and where you will study week by week, and plan when you’ll take practice tests to track progress. If you don’t set a goal and work back in time to develop a plan to meet that goal, you are less likely to be happy with your eventual score. Level #2: Strategically attacking questions on the test Many people fail to realize that the GMAT is more like a game than a math test. It’s a crucial failure. You need to have a strategy for each question. Here’s an example of this. One of the simple formulas you’ll need to know for the GMAT is the Pythagorean theorem for lengths of sides of a right triangle. A^2 + B^2 = C^2. Now, let’s say the question says A = 3.2 and B = 4.2, so what does C = ? The answer choices are: A) 3.9 B) 4.9 C) 5.3 D) 6.5 E) 8.7 If you treat this like a math test and you remember the formula, you start plugging numbers into the formula. But, now you are working with decimals, it’s taking a little while, and you might make a calculation error. But, what if your strategy is to find ways to remove the need to use decimals, operating under the correct assumption that 90% of the time, the GMAT does not really want you to be working out multiplication on paper. It wants to force you to find creative alternatives to solve the problem. In this case, you would say well, 3.2 is pretty close to 3. And 4.2 is close to 4. If it was 3 and 4 I was working with, I’d know that 3^2 = 9 and 4^2 = 16, and then I’d be looking for the square root for 9 + 16 = 25, and that’s 5. Then, you’d say OK, so the answer has to be B or C. Finally, because you started with one number a little higher than 3 and another that’s a little higher than 4, the answer must be C. It would take you probably 30 seconds to work this through in your head, and you’d know for sure you were right. Many GMAT questions are like this. You can in fact answer the question correctly by just plugging the numbers into the formula. That’s one approach. But there are usually less quantitative but perhaps far more effective and strategic paths to the right answer. Level #3: Strategically managing your time during the test So, level 1 was about high-level strategy from a study planning perspective. Level 2 was about approaching questions strategically when you have a handle on the question. But what do you do on the test when you are faced with a question you really are not too sure about. You may think you know what to do, but you fundamentally feel stumped. The GMAT puts most students under intense time pressure which both a) leads to missed problems just because time runs out and b) raises most folks’ stress levels, which can sometimes lead to unforced errors. This raises two important “level 3” strategies. First, if you really don’t know, don’t spend time trying to figure out, on the spot, how to do the problem. Instead, spend your scarce resource (time) identifying how to increase the chances you’ll guess the right answer, and leave more time for working out future problems you do understand. So, take the question from the last section. But assume you don’t remember the Pythagorean theorem. You know there’s some sort of formula, but you are drawing a blank on what it is. You could quickly realize you’re in trouble because you don’t remember the formula. Then, you could look at the picture and say well, C has to be longer than A or B, so answer choice A is not right. And if B = 4.2, it doesn’t seem like C could equal 8.7. That’s too long. So, you choose B, C, or D. Now, your chances of getting it right are 1/3, instead of 1/5. That’s strategic guessing using process of elimination. Second, if you start to panic during the test because you are running out of time or just feel like you are performing poorly, though it may seem counterintuitive, you might want to just stop and breath for 30 seconds. This strategy allows you to calm yourself and more accurately identify when you do or do not truly know how to attack a problem. You’ll spend 30 seconds collecting yourself but may then find yourself better positioned to make the right decisions as you engage with the next few problems. In sum, remember that the key to success on the GMAT is strategy, and that applies to high level planning, thinking through specific questions, and time management on the day of the exam. For information on GMAT tutors and packages, click here.