5 Goals for the Ambitious Introvert for 2015 - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 5 Goals for the Ambitious Introvert for 2015 - Introvert Whisperer 5 Goals for the Ambitious Introvert for 2015 If you pooh-pooh New Year’s resolutions, this article is for you. I’m not going to suggest resolutions, nor am I going to tell you should tax your wintering  brain to figure some out. I’ve done that for you. All you need to do it print these out, tape them on your desk wall and begin taking action. Any time. Including February. Seriously, could it get any easier? Goal #1: Make a Career Plan Be honest. You probably don’t have a career plan, do you? Where will you end up if you don’t? Too many people think that “something will happen” and are just holding out for that breakthrough moment. Here’s the thing: those moments don’t usually happen without your active involvement. Figure out where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. (Like this thought? Tweet it!) Goal #2: Have a Conversation With the Boss Do you know how the boss views your performance? It does matter. You have to take responsibility for your own career, and one of those responsibilities is engaging the boss in a meaningful conversation about how well you’re doing. Goal #3: Learn to Network Better You may already think you’re networking, but there’s almost certainly room to improve. Make this the year you take your game to the next level. You won’t get ahead without this all-important activity. To start off, try contacting people you used to work with. Just that alone is probably far more than you’ve been doing. See it’s not so painful, is it? Goal #4: Be Heard This can be a tough one for some with introverted tendencies, but there’s an easy solution. Make a goal to speak up 3 times in each meeting you attend. Don’t worry if what you say is a rehash of what someone else has said. There is a lot of repetition in conversations and meetings. If you intend to be a leader, people have to hear from you on all matters. Setting a goal to be heard makes it easier to engage. Goals #5: Make Alliances Make deliberate relationships at work. Pick out a mentor who will give you all kinds of great insight. Find a couple of people at your level who you know have skills that you don’t. You can learn from these people and in turn, share some of your expertise. Think of it like bartering. You’ll notice that 4 out of 5 of these goals involve other people. Our ability to interact with other successfully is known as Emotional Intelligence. You can’t have too much, and recent studies have said it is the number 1 factor for personal and professional success. Make 2015 your Emotional Intelligence development year. Your future depends on it. Go to top Where do you want to take your career this year? Share your Ambitious Introvert goals in the comments! Image: Flickr Personal Branding starts with how well you speak about YOU.   I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook â€" The Definitive Guide to Creating and Using an Elevator Speech.   In this guide, I give you simple to follow instructions for creating a “wardrobe” of ways to talk about you â€" to leave a lasting impression.   Get your copy now: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

5 Quick Tips for Writing a College Application Essay

5 Quick Tips for Writing a College Application Essay The following is a guest post written by Anna Carapellotti of Admissionado, a premier college admissions consulting company focused on helping students get into their dream schools. Often, these final college application essays are the toughest essays to tackle, assuming that you already exerted significant effort on essay-writing this winter. So, whats the best way to buckle down and hammer out a great essay when you have little time to do so? Here is a five-step approach to quickly (and effectively!) write a college application essay: 1. Read the prompt This may sound like a painfully obvious first step, but many applicants will write essays that do not consider the prompt. Sometimes this is simply negligence or a misunderstanding. Other times, applicants are set on writing something that they believe will help their candidacy, even if it doesnt really answer the question. Unfortunately, failing to address the prompt in your response will never help your application! [RELATED: 4 Ways to Find Application Essay Writing Inspiration] So, we encourage you to carefully read the promptand then read it again, and consider what the admissions committee is looking for in the answer. (Hint: the prompt is likely not a trick question!) 2. Think about your answer Now that you understand what the prompt is asking of you, its time to think about your answer and organize your thoughts. There are several ways to approach this: you could write an outline, do some freewriting, etc. You should approach this in whichever way allows you to get the best results. Some prompts, such as the ones that ask why you want to attend a particular school, will require doing some extra research. While it may seem more efficient to just dive right into writing the essays themselves, writing an outline and doing some research will, in reality, make the essay-writing process so much easier. Besides, youre applying to these programs because you want to attend them, so this process should be exciting! 3. Write! Dont just sit there staring at the blank page. Start writing and accept that the first draft is not going to be perfect; it never is. However, if you have already written an outline and organized your thoughts, as we suggested above, the first draft should be pretty good! We also suggest that you dont worry about the word limit in early drafts. Give yourself plenty of room to flesh out your ideas. [RELATED: The Importance of Writing Skills] 4. Rewrite! To ensure a completely coherent essay, you may wish to write two to four iterations before submitting. After you have written a solid first draft, set it aside for a couple of days before going back in to edit it. (Of course, how many days you have to set your essay aside will depend largely on how far in advance you started working on your application!) Even if youre running short on time, set your essay aside for at least 24 hours, which will allow you to come back to it with a fresh perspective. You will be more likely to notice what is missing and where your writing is lacking clarity. [RELATED: Top 10 Essay Editing Tips] The rewriting stage is the time to ask for the input of others, as well. Ask a parent, friend, counselor, or someone else whose advice you trust to provide some feedback. They will likely notice leaps in logic or areas lacking clarity in your writing that you failed to see! 5. Trim and polish Once you finally have a draft that youre happy with, one that conveys everything that you want it to say, you should give it a good polish. Remember, you should adhere to any word limits required by the college/university, as failure to follow directions is seen as unsavory by admissions officers. (Often, youll have no choice but to remain within the word count because the online platform will not let you enter more than is allowed.) Also check to make sure that your essays are error- and typo-free! The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Singing Competition Secrets Are They Really Worth It

Singing Competition Secrets Are They Really Worth It Suzy S. Thinking about auditioning for a televised singing competition like  American Idol? Here,  Corona, CA teacher  Milton J.  shares what could be an even better idea For years, we’ve tuned into our favorite singing competitions, voting for our favorites each week, and hoping they win the coveted record deal at the end of the season. We’ve watched as the juggernaut American Idol â€" a derivative of Pop Idol from Europe â€" gave way to others like The Voice and X-Factor. Many other worthy (and not-so-worthy) opponents have aimed to get a slice of the reality singing competition show pie. Yet, one thing many of us aspiring performers and singers dont realize is that local and regional singing competitions are actually a much better start than trying for a television show as your first venture into stardom. It’s First A TV Show I first tried out for American Idol at 17 years old. I was wide-eyed, eager, and willing to do whatever it took to get the smile from Paula, the fist pump from Randy, and the tepid accolade from Simon. What I soon realized over my two-day endeavor was that this was about 85% TV production and faux-reality, and only 15% singing competition and talent search. The Voice and X-Factor are no different. That does nothing for the kid who makes it to the round right before getting on television as their first foray into competition. While that didn’t deter me from the performing life at all, it very well could spell doom and gloom for the less-than-strong yet incredibly talented performer. These shows are perfect launching pads, but serve the seasoned performer with an established fanbase that’s larger than their circle of family and friends much better. Utilize Local and Regional Singing Competitions As a Launching Pad The best launching pad for the novel performer taking lessons and improving every day is local and online singing competitions. Here in Southern California, a great competition to get your start is the SoCal Icon Annual Solo Vocal Competition. Last year I had a student, Autumn Carter, place second in the Riverside competition, and I will have three others compete next year. In fact, Autumn is readying a callback audition for The Voice this December! Additionally,  the Hal Leonard Vocal Competition  and the Singist Vocal Competition are all launching pad-type competitions to help you along the path of becoming a performer. National Television Singing Competitions Are Still Worthwhile With all of that said, it is still a worthwhile endeavor to try out for American Idol and The Voice. These shows have established fanbases, solid-enough ratings to warrant new upcoming seasons, and possibilities for stardom that cannot be slighted. However, the best way to maximize your return on these television shows is to come in seasoned with a fanbase ready to be unleashed to propel you to the top. Are you ready to take the plunge? Find a local TakeLessons instructor today and bring these tips to your first lesson as you and your teacher cultivate your plan to take flight on your dream! Milton J. teaches guitar, piano, singing, music recording, music theory, opera voice, songwriting, speaking voice, and acting lessons in  Corona, CA. He specializes in classical, RB, soul, pop, rock, jazz, and opera styles. Learn more about Milton 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  familymwr

How to Make Legendary New Years Resolutions

How to Make Legendary New Years Resolutions Megan L. Did you celebrate New Years Eve at a big holiday bash or with a quiet evening at home? However you chose to ring in the new year, this is a great time for reflecting on the past year and setting goals for the year to come. With each new year, we have a chance at a new beginning, to change a habit or to try something weve never done before. If youve resolved to spend 2014 learning a new skill or working on a creative endeavor, you may be unsure of how to set goals to help you keep your resolution. Here at TakeLessons, were big believers in using SMART goal setting. But, if youre looking for a little extra new years inspiration, check out these lists of goals from music legends Johnny Cash and Woody Guthrie. Even the Man in Black made New Years resolutions. This handwritten list was auctioned in 2011 for $6,400! One of the interesting things about this list is how delightfully simple some of Cashs goals were. Numbers 5 and 6 in particular can be accomplished with ease several times a day. Its a great reminder to all of us that its important to set small goals alongside our larger ones. Achieving our small goals helps us gain the confidence we need to tackle the big ones. Johnny Cash also included piano practice on this list. Cash was famous for singing and playing the guitar, but this list shows that he wasnt satisfied with just those skills. Why not branch out in 2014 and try your hand at something new or unusual for you? The results might just surprise you. For even more goal setting inspiration, check out a few of Woody Guthries 33 new years resolutions from 1942. You may be familiar with his work even if you dont recognize his name. Guthrie wrote many classic American folk songs, including This Land is Your Land. His work has inspired artists from Bob Dylan to Wilco, and his influence continues to be felt in the folk music scene today. Like Cash, many of Guthries goals are simple. However, he also set the very ambitious goal to write a song a day. At first glance, this might seem like a crazy feat to accomplish, but its actually a wonderful goal with a great lesson we can all apply to our own goals. First, notice that he just set out to write a song every day- not a hit song, not a great song, just a song. If you have a creative goal, you can certainly apply this philosophy when making your own resolutions. Find a way to get in the habit of doing creative work without putting pressure on yourself to be an artistic genius. The more time you spend on your craft, whether it is music, acting, or dance, the more improvements you will see in your skills overall, even if you dont see huge gains from one day to the next. What are your New Years resolutions? If you want to learn something new, improve on a skill, or branch out creatively, enrolling in private lessons is a great way to make sure you keep your resolution this year. TakeLessons offers private, one-on-one lessons with qualified instructors in music, performing arts, and academic tutoring. Search for your perfect teacher today! You might also like Videos We Love: Girl Learns to Dance in a Year The Importance of Perseverance, As Told by Hilarious GIFs Don’t Start Lessons Without Asking this Question Megan L. TakeLessons Staff Member and Blogger Photo by hebedesign

How to Plan Your GMAT Prep Schedule

How to Plan Your GMAT Prep Schedule Planning your GMAT prep schedule is the first step to success on the exam. But what should be on that schedule? How much time should you dedicate to certain topics? When should you implement specific strategies, like GMAT practice tests or study groups? How should you maximize your prep in the weeks close to the test? Lets look at a template for GMAT prep over a two-month schedule, which can be extended or compacted for your personal study needs. Here is a general overview: Suggested GMAT prep timeline Determine when you plan to apply to a graduate school business (MBA) program Register for the GMAT Take a practice exam to find out your current strengths and weaknesses Study and do related test prep Take additional practice exams to measure your progress GMAT Prep Schedule Week 1: Take a practice exam to determine your current starting point, even if you have taken the GMAT previously. Once you get your results, go back over the test to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Did you perform better in the Quantitative section than you did in Verbal? Did you have difficulty with the Analytical Writing Assessment? Was it tough to put the pieces together for the Integrated Reading section? Figure out what areas need the most attention. Next, register for the GMAT. This will give you a definite end point to work toward. (For this template, the exam day will occur two months from the start date.) Then, create a study schedule. Dedicate consistent blocks of time on your calendar specifically for preparing for the GMAT, ideally two to three hours every other day. GMAT Prep Schedule Week 2: Start reviewing how to approach each question type, and complete practice questions from each section of the exam: AWA, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, and Verbal. Note your performance on each question type and review the questions you answer incorrectly. Also, make a trial visit to the testing center. Plan alternate routes as well, in case there are any unexpected impediments on exam day. Introduce yourself to the center manager. Find out the locations of the lockers, water fountains, and restrooms. Advanced preparation is key to experiencing a smooth test day. GMAT Prep Schedule Week 3: Take your second practice exam. You should concentrate on building your familiarity with the material and applying the approaches you have developed to answer different question types. Based on your results, decide whether you should continue getting ready for the GMAT on your own or seek outside help with your preparation by possibly joining a study group or enlisting assistance from a GMAT tutor. Once you have made your decision, adjust your schedule accordingly and stick to it. GMAT Prep Schedule Week 4: Continue studying each section of the GMAT. Begin to spend more time on challenging sections while maintaining your skills in areas in which you have more proficiency. For instance, if you have mastered the art of sentence correction, but still have difficulty with the math covered on the exam, consider moving on to data sufficiency and problem-solving. You should notice some progress as you increase your understanding of the exam. GMAT Prep Schedule Week 5: Sit for your third practice GMAT. Now that you have more experience with the question types, take this opportunity to increase your stamina and further develop your test-taking abilities. Pace yourself as you move through the sections, and stay on track. Dont worry about getting every question correct. Focus on maximizing your score. Use your time wisely, and use all of the time provided. After you tabulate the results, compare your performance on this practice exam to your previous work. Determine where you are improving, where you still need work, and what changes you have noticed over your studying period. GMAT Prep Schedule Week 6: Keep goingdont give up! As you continue working through practice questions, take the time to look at where you started and where you are now. In addition to checking whether you answered a question correctly, examine the construction of the questions with which you have trouble. Are lengthy questions more challenging for you, or questions with variables, or ones involving inference? Patterns should emerge regarding your test-taking habits. GMAT Prep Schedule Week 7: Take your final practice exam. Simulate the testing center experience as well as possible by tackling all of the sections over a specific time period and taking your timed breaks. After completing the test, compare your results to your previous attempts. Look at what has changed and what has stayed consistent. Decide which areas you can improve over these last two weeks before your GMAT. GMAT Prep Schedule Week 8: During this last week of GMAT prep, focus your attention on fine-tuning your skills for the next six days. Then stopdo not cram on the day before the exam. You can feel confident that youve done tons of substantial preparation up to this point. Instead, use this time to rest or engage in an activity you enjoy. Make sure you get a good nights sleep on both the night before the exam and the previous night. You need to retain your energy for the big day. On the day after exam, celebrate! You survived the GMAT. It is now time to plan your next move in the MBA application process. If you are happy with your scores, start working on your essays or plan a campus visit. If you would like to increase your scores, then take a short break before you jump back into study mode and take the exam again. Either way, following this eight-week GMAT prep schedule can help make this standardized test experience less intimidating and more manageable. Two Month GMAT Prep Timeline Action Week 1 Register for a GMAT test date, take a practice exam Week 2 Do practice for each section of the exam, visit the testing location Week 3 Take another full-length practice exam Week 4 Continue test prep, determine if you need additional help (private tutoring) Week 5 Address specific areas for improvement Week 6 Take a third full-length practice exam Week 7 Continue to examine your progress, take another full-length practice exam Week 8 Avoid cramming the night before, prepare yourself mentally and physically for test day Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us atblog@varsitytutors.com.

The Top Full Body Workouts For Bodybuilding!

The Top Full Body Workouts For Bodybuilding! What Is The Best Full-Body Workout For Muscle Growth? ChaptersWhat Is A Full Body Workout?What Are The Benefits Of A Full Body Workout?Can I Gain Muscle With A Full Body Workout?What Is The Best Full Body Work Out To Build Muscle?Examples Of A Full Body Workout To Gain MuscleBodybuilding has experienced  a boom in recent years, bringing together athletes bodybuilder champions and fans of muscle mass building, bench presses, weightlifting and bodybuilding competitions. Bodybuilders are also no longer exclusively men, female bodybuilders and male bodybuilders train side by side at the gym to perfect their six-pack. Both dedicated to bodybuilding fitness, bodybuilder nutrition and building muscle mass.Gyms have undoubtedly become more popular as people are dedicated to their fitness goals of gaining muscles and losing fat like never before. But as we grow more concerned about our appearance, we also find ourselves becoming busier in everyday life. When you can not dedicate an hour a day to your workout routine, the best thing to do is to e nsure, that the time that you have in the gym counts.One of the best ways to do this is by focusing your workout program on full body routines. You can do this by dedicating a different day to a part of your body or you can do high-intensity full body workouts.Get personal fitness advice from an online personal trainer.Compound movements demand so much energy and burn lots of calories which is a great benefit for you to lose body fat and build muscle. But the downside is that this kind of exercise can really exhaust your muscles and requires a more extended rest period between gym visits.It is a joy to do workout daily and enjoy the benefits. Photo Source: UnsplashWhat Are The Benefits Of A Full Body Workout?If you have become accustomed to spending hours in the gym to be able to maintain your physique and find it harder to find the time. Then read on as full body workouts could be perfect for you.Full body workouts are flexible and very easy to create and recreate from month to mon th. This gives you greater variety and also ensures your muscles remain active, which avoids training plateaus.A full body workout has a lower time commitment when compared to your standard bodybuilding exercises. This is a massive bonus as it can be hard to find time for working out for hours every day when you have so many other things going on as well. Full body workouts can be practised for around 3 days a week and for a shorter session length if structured well.If you tend to need a while to recover from your workouts, then you will love this one as full body workouts lessen recovery time. If you are dedicated to being a bodybuilder, then this is a significant plus as one of the main reasons muscles tend not to improve is because they have not had time to recover. If you work out every day, this can be an issue even if you are not focused on the same muscleIf you enjoy other exercises outside of weight lifting or need to improve your flexibility by adding in some cardio. Full b ody workouts will allow you the time to do other things. This could be sports or activities that you enjoy, although you should be aware that the body does need some downtime between the workouts so if adding another exercise into your schedule make sure you are giving yourself the appropriate time to recover. The full recovery of your muscle is a key to the success of your muscle building.Your central nervous system gets time to take a break in between workouts. I know this one sounds weird but did you know that each time that you do something even as basic as a squat your central nervous system is activated. After continued workouts, it gets tired and starts to feel fatigued all the time, which has a knock on effect for your weight training.Fed up of those early mornings at the gym? Fed up of leaving home in the cold or rain to get to the gym? Well, this one is for you. Full body workouts can be done at home because they require less equipment. In fact, you could just use dumbbell s.Does your schedule keep changing and mess with your body workout? With full body workouts, it doesn’t matter if you miss a day, as each session benefits the entire body. When working out different parts of your body on different days, you are under pressure to find time to fit in your missing workout to make sure your whole body gets the benefit. Thank goodness for full body workouts, as that is now a thing of the past.Trying to get rid of some extra fat to reveal your muscles underneath? Well, the full body workout is created for fat loss. This goes well with any fat burning diet where you are may be taking in fewer calories than the standard amount. As the workout doesn’t ask too much from the body regarding For the bodybuilding diet, you may need to restructure what you eat to meet the change in demand from the reduced workouts and reaction from your muscles.All bodybuilders lift weights in some form or the other. Photo Source: Unsplash CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5 .00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st le sson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCan I Gain Muscle With A Full Body Workout?The short answer is yes you can and will if your program is created with this in mind. Even if you practice just twice a week, the full body workout is designed to challenge your muscles enough to build muscle mass and develop strength. With a full body workout, you don’t have to give up gains or power if you find that you can't train as often as before.However, the strength retention is longer lasting when compared to typical weight lifting and bench pressing. Because the whole nervous system is switched on when you use the full body workout since you are ‘of course’ using all of the bod y. The central nervous system being activated like this ensures that the body is evenly trained. Which avoids neglect to unworked on areas of the body and disruption to the training schedule.What Is The Best Full Body Work Out To Build Muscle?Full body exercise uses compound movements to maximise your potential as they require a more considerable input of energy than isolation exercises. They also work for many muscle groups at once which is why you can spend less time working in the gym when practising full body workouts.The best full body workouts depend a lot on your body type, your commitment, your availability and the fitness goals that you have for your workout. So it is more efficient to look for the best full body work out for you rather than trying to find a generic full body workout which may not give you the results that you are looking for.Working with a personal trainer will support you in finding the best full body workout. After a fitness test and a chat to determine your goals. Trainers will be able to create for you a personalised program that will take you from skinny novice to bulking bodybuilder in no time.Begin with what you can do and build up from there.Photo Source: UnsplashExamples Of A Full Body Workout To Gain MuscleThere are some characteristics that many of the successful workouts share. You can use these similarities as your baseline and tweak from there, to develop the best full body workout for you.Working out 2 -3 times per week with rest days in between workouts.You can mix repetitions and change the rest time between exercises.You should set yourself an achievable target when starting to plan your reps. Increase weights and reps each week slowly to challenge yourself and allow your body the time it needs to adjust to more challengingThe abs, calves, triceps and biceps get worked out during the workout so don’t really need to be targeted directly.Each workout contains one compound exercise per major muscle group. You should ensure that you work the lower body muscles, upper body pushing muscles and the upper body pulling muscles plus always add a shoulder exercise.An example of lower body exercises include squats, deadlifts and lungesAn example of upper body push exercises includes pushups, dips and bench presses.An example of upper body pulling exercises include pull-ups, chin-ups and Lat Pulldowns.An example of shoulder exercises includes the military press, lateral raises and upright rows.If you would like to, you can also add an isolation exercise for 2 muscles such as your abs, calves, triceps and biceps.The core exercises of many full body workouts are the squat, deadlifts, overhead presses and farmers carries.While there are a few disadvantages to using the full body workout as your primary workout. Such as you cant use powerful techniques due to not having enough time to recover fully between workouts.The full body workout is an adaptable, high-frequency workout that gives you fast long lasting results. Flexibility in your time investment and the exercises that you use to develop your program and adaptable to many environments. So if you have never used the full body workout, would you consider adding it to your routine?Get ripped quickly with a personal trainer.Check out the isometrics for muscles here.Want to know what the Lafay workout is?

Heart Math Tutoring Featured in The Mint Hill Times - Heart Math Tutoring

Heart Math Tutoring Featured in The Mint Hill Times - Heart Math Tutoring Heart Math Tutoring Featured in The Mint Hill Times Heart Math Tutoring Featured in The Mint Hill Times February 22, 2018 Heart Math Tutoring was featured in The Mint Hill Times newspaper on February 14, 2018. We are grateful to The Mint Hill Times forsharing with the broader Mint Hill community how someone could volunteer to help an elementary student who’s falling behind in foundational math. Heart is offered in 17 CMS schools, which include Lebanon Road Elementary and Piney Grove Elementary near the Mint Hill area. The organization is looking to add volunteers at both schools, along with others around CMS, Marion said. Heart’s programruns on volunteer time. The one hour a week a Heart volunteer spends means so much to students who just need an adult to give them one-on-one attention and build their confidence and enthusiasm around math and academics. “You don’t have to be a math whiz or math expert,” Marion said, while discussing requirements for volunteers. “Volunteers get the satisfaction of building a relationship with students while also helping them catch up to grade level in math. Right now is a good time to get involved since the commitment is only for the Spring semester, which is now through April. New volunteers will get the chance to try tutoring and see the impact they can make on students,” she said. Read the full story here.

Creating A Scholarship Game Plan

Creating A Scholarship Game Plan Parents of high school students have plenty on their minds, but at the top of the list is paying for collegeand for good reason. The cost of college has risen steadily for the last three decades.* While many families plan on taking out federal loans to help cover the cost, teens should absolutely apply for scholarships. That gift aid (free money) can make the cost of college a little or a lot more affordable. There are thousands of scholarships out there that can come from many different sources: the federal government, state government, colleges and universities, private organizations, nonprofits and even businesses. It is definitely worthwhile to search and apply for scholarships, but in a methodical, organized way. Here are a few tips on creating a scholarship search game plan: Create a spreadsheet for tracking research. Before teens start researching scholarships, its a good idea to develop a system for keeping track of them. Many of the popular scholarship engines out there have a dashboard of their own that allows students to manage their scholarship matches and application progress, but its wise for teens to have their own database too since they might apply to different scholarships from different sources. A simple Google Sheet or Excel spreadsheet will do the trick. Research. Too often, high schoolers disregard the idea of scholarships, thinking theyre reserved only for the highest achieving students. However, there are scholarships for students from many backgrounds with various skills and in different niches. Students should do their research, keeping several things in mind: Get to know the guidance counselor. Sign up for any college platform or email list recommended by the high school guidance counseling office (such as Naviance), which is likely to be the best way to keep on top of deadlines for scholarships the school advertises. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is used by both state and federal agencies (and colleges use the FAFSAs Student Aid Report to determine the financial aid award they offer, which might include scholarships). Keep small scholarships in mind, as they tend to be less competitive and can add up quickly. Start early, as many scholarships require elements like letters of recommendation and essays. Find ways to be efficient, like reusing/revising personal statements and essays to fit similar but slightly different scholarship applications. In addition to the guidance counselors office, there are many other places to look for scholarships: Scholarship databases like scholarships.com and fastweb.com Local foundations, community organizations, businesses and civic groups Library resource desk Dedicate time each week to scholarship research. There are lots of scholarships available to students, but those who earn them are dedicated and diligent. Teens should make time every week for researching scholarships and applying to those for which theyre qualified. Log progress. Teens should update their scholarship spreadsheet regularly, which will keep deadlines top of mind and keep them motivated to continue the effort. Heres an example of how a tracking system might look: Name Provider Website Deadline Award Criteria Other Status Johnson Scholarship ABC Foundation ABCFoundation.com 11/1/2019 $5K - $10K per year for tuition + fees in-state schools 3.75 GPA New Freshman, Top 10% of class Average SAT 1300 Average ACT 30 Letter of rec Interview required Requested letter from Ms. Smith 8/10/2019 Started online application 9/1/2019 Applying for scholarships takes effort, but the task is much less stressful when teens stay organized. Parents, encourage your teens to approach the job in a disciplined way, which will make it easier to apply widely and streamline the application process. * Trends in College Pricing 2017, published by the College Board, states that over the past three decades, the dollar increases in published tuition and fees (in 2017 dollars) ranged from $1,550 (from 1987-88 to 1997-98) to $2,690 (from 2007-08 to 2017-18) at public four-year institutions and from $5,860 (from 1987-88 to 1997-98) to $7,220 (from 2007-08 to 2017-18) in the private nonprofit four-year sector.