A Student Perspective of Washington University in St. Louis

A Student Perspective of Washington University in St. Louis The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teachtheyre sharing their college experiences as well. David earned both his bachelors and masters degrees from Washington University in St. Louis. He currently tutors in Austin, Texas, specializing in GRE tutoring and Latin tutoring, among other subjects. Read on for his review of Washington University in St. Louis: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. David: Campus is situated in unincorporated St. Louis County and Clayton, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb about fifteen minutes from Downtown. Just north of the main campus is The Loop, a section of Delmar Boulevard replete with shops and restaurants (including the famed Blueberry Hill, where the one and only Chuck Berry performed every month until very recently). Campus is small enough that everyone living on campus, and even those living just off campus, can walk to classes. Campus is well-lit at night and very secure. There are buses on campus, and several nearby Metro stops (which can take you throughout the city). Freshmen are not allowed to own vehicles on campus, and most upperclassmen are fine doing without. WashU also has a fleet of Priuses available to borrow. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants at Washington University in St. Louis? David: Most of my classes were small (I usually only had one lecture per semester), so most of my professors and TAs knew me personally. They also had ample office hours and were available by appointment as well. I had several advisors: one for my entire time as an undergrad, one for my major, one for grad school, and one for my concentration therein. All of them helped me organize my schedule in such a way that I was able to obtain my degrees ahead of schedule, and have kept in touch since Ive graduated. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? David: Freshman floors become very close-knit, and it is not uncommon to build life-long friendships with roommates and suitemates. I ended up living in the fraternity house (which was actually nicer than most dorms on campus) for three years, and still talk daily to some of my brothers. Greek Life is a big and important part of campus social life. There are also many academic, social, athletic and other special interest groups, as well as events geared specifically toward socializing with other students. WashUs food has been rated very highly. I recall having and Im not making this up NY Strip and Lobster in November of my freshman year. There are multiple places to eat on campus, so youre never far from your next meal, ranging from the very healthy, to the gourmet, to the guilt-inflicting but devilishly delicious fried chicken and waffles. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? David: Because of some inspiring teachers I had in high school and my life-long love affair with languages, I set foot on campus with an the idea of continuing my study of Latin. It is for this reason that I majored in Classics, which had a small yet strong department. I and familiar faces had classes with a few professors, and we all became rather close. Making good contacts in this field has kept me gainfully employed during my undergrad years, during my gap semester, during grad school, and continuously since two days before I even received my Masters Degree. Many of the schools programs have been ranked very highly, with the Law and MBA programs ranking in the Top 20 nationwide; Medicine, Architecture, EMBA, and BSBA in the Top 10; and Social Work, number one. 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? David: From freshman year, you are constantly surrounded by other underclassmen, classmates, and other special interest groups. Greek Life is a big and important part of campus social life. There are also many academic, social, athletic, and other special interest groups, as well as events geared specifically toward socializing with other students. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services at Washington University in St. Louis? David: Plenty of career fairs and recruitment events take place on campus. The Career Center helped me compile and update my resume with each passing year, and Im certain its largely due to them (in addition to the contacts I made in my program) that I got into the workforce as soon as I did. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? David: Plenty of open space all over campus. The spacious library is connected to a cafe on the ground floor, which can be noisy, but good for study groups; many secluded rooms which can also be used for study groups or private work; and in its five floors (two underground), one can find areas of absolutely silence for hours. The lower basement is also a veritable treasure trove for anyone interested in the Classics. Each dorm also has several libraries, work spaces, and designated quiet hours. Describe the surrounding town. David: St. Louis is just great. Its got a lot of history, and many well-known landmarks (dont pass on the Gateway Arch!). Like any other decently-sized city, its home to museums and zoos, and a great night-life too, with big music venues, theaters, and the like. St. Louis also has several professional sports teams, so you can catch a Cardinals game at Busch stadium, or see the Blues play at Scottrade Center. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? David: WashU admits about 1500 students in each freshman class. Class size does vary; due to my major, most of my classes were quite small (with as few as four students in one of my Hebrew classes). Lecture halls can seat over a hundred students, so popular, intro, and less-esoteric classes tend to be a bit larger. Some of the bigger classes do have discussion sessions, though, so the class is broken down into more digestible chunks. I certainly enjoyed the smaller classes more, personally, but with an engaging professor, even in a large class, you can make connections with a little effort, which can definitely come in handy when it comes time to get letters of recommendation. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. David: I had a very eccentric Introduction to Linguistics teacher my sophomore year who introduced me to some well-need humility. Let it be known that in addition to my native English, Ive studied Spanish, Japanese, Latin, Hebrew, and Greek and I know snippets of other languages, too. This professor, however, was a true polyglot, well into the double-digits. Answering a question he posed in class (about why we consider it improper to split infinitives in English), I began, In most languages Stop! How many languages do you speak? Lets say five. How many languages are there? At least 6,000. Okay, in the languages Ive studied . . . But with engaging instruction and some fun projects, I rate it among my favorite classes of all-time. Check out David'stutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Poems For Kids

Poems For Kids Finding The Best Poems For Children ChaptersFunny Poems For KidsShort Poems For KidsOther Famous Poems For KidsFind The Best Poems For Your ChildIf you want to develop your child’s appreciation of poetry, there are a lot of great places to start.First of all, you may want to think about a few factors, such as:The kind of poems the child has shown interest in;Whether any specific poets or poems are in your child’s English curriculum at school, such as Kenn Nesbitt;Whether your child enjoys poems about particular topics; orWhether your child would like to read short or funny poems, acrostic poems, or rhyming poems.Once you have a good idea of the kinds of poems that would best interest your child and help develop their understanding of poetry, both written and spoken, then you can find a selection of easy to read poems that will entertain them for hours.Note that even branching out to other areas associated with poetry, just like nursery rhymes, can also be a great starting point when thinking about the kind of works that your child will enjoy on their literary journey.Below is a selection of poems based on what your child may like to read, including short poems, funny poems, and famous poems that your child may have already read in school.Choosing poems for children to read can be difficult. (Image: CC0 1.0, qimono, Pixabay)Mitchell’s Underwear by Dennis Lee; andDaddy Fell Into the Pond by Alfred Noyes.Funny poems are always a great way to engage a young audience, and your child is sure to be enthralled and animated by at least one of the above poems.Short Poems For KidsShort poems can also be a wonderful way to introduce your child to the world of poetry or to deepen their appreciation of it.This is because short poems are, by their very nature, quite quick to read. This means that children don’t have to commit much time to read such poems, which is perfect for kids that don’t have very long attention spans or haven’t shown much interest in reading. Their short length also means they are easy to recite.With that in mind, some good short poems to introduce your children to include:How to Paint a Donkey by Naomi Shihab Nye;Valentine by Donald Hall;Happy Thought by Robert Louis Stevenson; andThe Violet by Jane TaylorIf your child is particularly excited by short poems and poetry books and is at the stage where they’re able to practice their writing skills, then it can be a great idea to ask your child to re-write these short poems or try to come up with their own.Learning to write is a crucial skill, and poetry writing can be a fun way to teach your child the importance and role of rhythm in words, as well as grammatical concepts such as syllables and verse.If you need any help coming up with writing exercises or want your child to start writing poetry then you can also turn to an English tutor for some great tips on how to develop your children’s English language skills. There are many tutors out there that have experience in teaching English to young children who can provide personalised help.Happy Thought is a famous poem for children by Robert Louis Stevenson. (Image: CC BY-SA 2.0, EricaJoy, Flickr)Other Famous Poems For KidsAside from funny or short poems, there are also a select number of poems that are famous in their own right and have inspired children and adults alike for a number of years, if not decades.Below are just a few famous poems that your child may enjoy.Macavity, the Mystery Cat, by T.S. EliotThis poem, as the title suggests, is about Macavity the cat â€" a master criminal who consistently evades capture. This poem is just one of many that can be found within  Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, although this poem has risen to be one of the most famous of the book’s poems and seems to have been written with younger readers in mind.Macavity, the Mystery Cat is a very famous poem for kids. (Image: CC0 1.0, drazewski, Pixabay)Jabberwocky, by Lewis CarrollKnown as one of the most famous nonsense poems ever written in English, Jabberwocky describes the killing of the Jabberwock. Although the poem itself features within Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the poem has risen to its own level of prominence and fame and is known as a great poem for kids.This poem would be great to introduce to any child that has read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, or any child that would appreciate a good nonsense poem.The Owl and the Pussycat, by Edward LearAnother nonsense poem that has enchanted children for generations, the poem was written during the 1870s and was actually written with young children in mind.Featuring a cat, owl, pig, and turkey, the famous first line describes how the owl and pussycat go to sea “in a beautiful pea green boat.”Now We Are Six, by A.A. MilneA great poem to read to children that discusses the difficulty of growing up, perhaps with an underlying desire to not age, this short and sweet poem is ano ther classic from A.A. Milne of Winnie-the-Pooh fame.Find The Best Poems For Your ChildOf course, while your child may have already read some of the above poems, or is scheduled to learn them at school over the next few years, there are so many poems out there, it’s just a case of experimenting to see which poetry styles your child enjoys and making sure they get exposure to such works as much as possible.Kids poetry is a large field and captures a wide range of works and writing styles, from limericks to haikus, sonnets and beyond. What's more, poetry taps into emotions as wide as happiness and love to grief and loss, so poems for kids can be a powerful learning tool while also stirring up a number of feelings in children.This means that your child's poetry journey can be as long or short as your child and yourself would like. If your child has a particular love of poetry, then the good news is that there are so many poets and poet laureates to keep them entertained for years to come.It can also be very helpful to have children write poems in their favourite style, whether that means the poem uses a lot of alliteration or takes the form of a limerick. Writing is a great way of developing core English skills and writing poems can really help to engage a child’s creative side.If you do find yourself struggling to teach your child more about poetry, you could try singing the poems as songs or if you would like some extra tips on which new poems would be good to read, then you could always turn to a tutor for some additional help.An English tutor can help identify which works of poetry are likely to engage your child and they can also set them tasks to help develop their writing skills. Naturally, English tutors do not just specialise in poetry, so they can also help your child with any aspects of the wider English curriculum as well, including things such as:Sentence structure and tenses;The definitions of terms such as pronouns, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs; andWider reading, whether that’s works of fiction or non-fiction.If you’d like to find an English tutor for your child, then you can use sites such as Superprof to find an English tutor close to you. Equally, if you’d prefer for poetry lessons to be conducted online, then there are a number of tutors that are also happy to provide tuition remotely. This means that you have the flexibility to decide whether one to one or remote learning would be the best way for your child to learn.So take a look today and see whether tutoring could work for you!

What You Need to Know About Project-Based Learning

What You Need to Know About Project-Based Learning Have you heard about project-based learning? Edutopia defines it as a dynamic classroom approach in which students explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge. This innovative methodology encourages students to think on their feet and collaborate to produce projects that present what they learned. Sound intriguing? Here are a few things you should keep in mind: It requires preparation. Project-based learning is student-led, but it requires a lot from you as the teacher. Projects you assign should be open-ended, but you must ensure that the problems or questions you have students work on are tied to content standards and establish clear learning goals. Youll achieve the best results when projects connect to the real world. Pose a complex question or challenge, and then let your students loose. Think of the project as something that might take place in the workplace. Your students must engage in critical thinking and communication and work together to come up with a solution. Its best to get students involved in the creation. Sam Houston State Universitys Center for Project-Based Learning explains that students find projects to be more meaningful if they play a creative role in the construction and planning of them. Take on the role of facilitator. Youll see your students transform. Project-based learning puts students in positions where they apply classroom knowledge to their lives and the problems they will face in the real world. There are many resources out there to learn more, including Edutopia, Buck Institute for Educations PBLWorks, and Sam Houston State Universitys Center for Project-Based Learning, among others. Do your research and get started!

New School Year Ramp Up

New School Year Ramp Up It may feel like summer just started, but next years school year is right around the corner. For kids with ADHD getting back into the swing of things at school can be challenging. A rough start to the school year can be difficult to bounce back from, and for some kids with ADHD it can kick off a downward spiral of low self-confidence and poor academic performance. Use these 5 quick tips in the 30 days leading up to the start of school to help your child with a smooth transition: Get back on a schedule set a routine. Its hard to abruptly transition from the lax routine of summer to early morning wake-ups and routines, especially for kids with ADHD who are prone to having difficulties falling asleep at night and waking up on time in the morning. So, phase in the school-year schedule gradually. Begin by inching back their wake-up time in 15-minute increments in the weeks leading up to the start of school, and make sure youve reached the school wake-up time at least one week before the first day of school. The same goes for bedtime, where later summer bedtimes should be inched back in 15-minute increments until you reach school-appropriate bedtimes at least one week before school begins. Build excitement, not dread. Instead of dreading the end of summer, work on building excitement for the year ahead! Yes, school is stressful for kids with ADHD, but there are many things that kids enjoy about school as well. Engage your child in activities that remind him or her about the fun parts of learning, like museum outings focused on science topics for the upcoming year, or popular and engaging movies about famous inventors or historical time periods. Read bedtime stories that focus on your childs favorite part of school (even if thats recess!). Form strong relationships with the teachers. Strong relationships among parents, teachers, and students are essential when a child has ADHD, and its practically never too early to start laying the foundation for good relationships here. If your school offers an open house, take advantage even if this isnt your childs first year in this school. Meet the teachers, counselors and support staff who will be assisting your child and agree to create a plan together for your childs success. Talk positively to your child about his or her new teacher. Coach your child on how to introduce himself or herself and invite your child to a meeting that both of you attend, when he or she can start to advocate for himself or herself and come up with strategies for getting extra help when needed. If your child has a 504 Plan or an IEP, get a meeting scheduled as early in the school year as possible, and have your child attend the meeting if this is appropriate in your school setting. School supply shopping with organization in mind. You know your child needs notebooks and pens but use school supply shopping as the time to set-up a homework organization plan. Ive written several blogs with recommendations about what your childs homework plan and space should look like and those may be a helpful reference here. The key thing is to get as many pieces of the homework puzzle in place before the first day of school, so your child can start building good homework habits right away. Start building academic skills before the school year begins. Huntington Learning Centers offer summer tutoring programs designed for kids of all ages. For elementary students, summer tutoring can help identify areas of weakness, and work toward developing core skills in reading, writing, and math that are at or above grade level. Your childs instructors can also help set up study skill plans that your child can use from Day 1. Being proactive and planning for the start of the new school year ahead of time can help prevent problems before they start and help your child transition into a new classroom as smoothly as possible. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center 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 of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

?? 4 Reasons You Should Consider Becoming A Tutor

?? 4 Reasons You Should Consider Becoming A Tutor 4 Reasons You Should Consider Becoming A Tutor Tutoring is a flexible, rewarding and interesting job where you’ll make a positive difference. Whether you work with children or adults, the one-on-one educational support that you provide can empower them to achieve their full potential. As a tutor, you’ll help students prepare for exams, work together on class work they need guidance with and help them improve in a particular subject that they’re struggling in. If you’re new to tutoring or thinking about going into this profession, the great news is that there’s a growing demand for tutors. According to The Sutton Trust, the private tuition market has expanded, and research reveals that a quarter of families in the UK have used a private tutor at some point in the past three years. With that in mind, here are four reasons you should consider becoming tutor.1. FlexibilityTutors are usually self-employed which means you’re basically your own boss. Unlike a standard nine to five job, it’s much more flexible and convenien t. The flexibility in scheduling your workload gives you the opportunity to accommodate work around personal commitments, resulting in a better work-life balance. You can choose what days you want to work, how many hours you want to work and where you want to work from. Typically, tutors will go to the student’s house or even have the student travel to their home. Online tuition is also an option and is useful if your pupils are not particularly local. You can give your one-to-one lessons online, via call or video chat, and easily share files and other teaching material with your students to ensure a productive lesson.You may need to be flexible with your student’s requirements. For example, it’s likely that they will have school during the week so won’t be able to see you until after 3pm.Alternatively, some tutors may choose to work for companies that provide tutoring services. This probably wouldn’t have the same level of flexibility, but you’d have consistent work com ing in. As you’ll be dedicating different days, times and maybe even subjects to every student, it’s a sensible idea to have an official written contract tailored to each student. In this, you need to outline important information, such as the location, contents of the lessons and payment policy. 2. Supplement your incomeTutoring is a great way to increase your income while sharing your knowledge with others. For example, it might be that you’re already working as a teacher and want to earn some extra money on the side. Alternatively, you may have a completely different day job. For example, you may be a website developer who provides tutoring services for people who want to improve certain IT skills, like learning how to code a website. Tutoring is also something you could take on as a university student if you know your particular subject area really well. As a tutor, you can set your own rates, take charge of your own income and decide how much time you can dedicate to eac h student. When you’re setting your tuition rates, it’s important to consider your financial needs as well as your educational and professional credential. Then weigh up the competition within your specific subject area. If your skills are in high demand, you can probably charge more. Every student will require a different level of tutoring based on their existing knowledge, educational achievements and speed of comprehension. Therefore it’s important to tailor your rates according to every individual’s situation. You’ll be able to decide what each student needs once you meet them, and discuss their requirements and what they hope to achieve from your tutoring. It’s also worth considering any special offers you could do, such as discounting your hourly rate when your services are bought in bulk or if your students recommend you to their friends. If you have competition within your particular subject area, having good offers is a way to stand out from the crowd. 3. Rewarding for your effortsTutoring is very different to a typical classroom setting. Each session is unique and solely focused on the one student. This one-to-one learning experience is something many students wouldn’t normally get in a classroom. Naturally, they’ll be able to ask as many questions as they want. As a result, you’ll feel you’re making a real difference in each student’s life.Your influence as a tutor can have a real impact on students. Whether you’re helping them gain more confidence in a subject area or teaching them something new, it’s about making the learning process as enjoyable as possible. Through your support, students can start to build their confidence and apply what they’re learning outside of the lessons. When you start to see this pay off in their exams, assignments and general knowledge, it will give you a real sense of gratification and pride. 4. Intellectual fulfilment Tutoring also reinforces your own skills and techniques as you†™re exposed to different learning styles. It strengthens your communication and leadership skills and your ability to adapt these skills to individual students and their needs. These skills are important for your own growth as a professional, whether you’re in the teaching field full-time or not. You’ll also be required to remain highly knowledgeable in the area you’re tutoring in. This means you’ll be continually adding to your knowledge base, which will keep you intellectually active. Consequently, tutoring is something that not only helps your students develop, but also you. What’s more, if you have other career plans for the future aside from teaching jobs, having tutoring experience on your CV is invaluable. Being a tutor is something that will always be in demand not just in the education sector, but also across various professional industries. If you have the genuine passion, patience, drive and commitment to educating people, then tutoring could be a brilliant job for you. Haleema Khokhar writes for CV-Library, the UK’s leading independent job board. For more expert advice on education jobs, careers and the workplace, visit their Career Advice pages.

Five Twitter Accounts Every College Girl Must Follow

Five Twitter Accounts Every College Girl Must Follow Photo via Twitter If Cher from  Clueless  were a real person,  Trendy Problems  would be her stream of consciousness. At first, this Twitter seems like it is written by someone who would probably have a panic attack without their coconut water and credit card, but after scrolling through a solid number of tweets, it becomes clear that it is a normal person taking on the snobby, trust fund baby persona for entertainment. My favorite: “We are never ever ever getting in a cab together. #trendyremixes.” It is borderline terrifying how relatable  Awkward Girl  is for single girls in college. She really has a thing for Ben Jerrys ice cream and would rather someone take a cheese grater to Mrs. Honey Boo Boos forklift heels and put the shavings on [her] lasagna than dance at a bar. Get at her. Shit Girls Say  consists of all of the short phrases we use on a daily basis and don’t realize how obnoxious we sound, such as “I can’t even look at you right now” and “You should come, free drinks.” It was made popular by a series of YouTube videos, which are also noteworthy.

Why You Might Regret Not Taking an AP Class - TutorNerds

Why You Might Regret Not Taking an AP Class - TutorNerds Why AP? A Savings Story Why AP? A Savings Story With homework, clubs, sports, and friends to juggle, it can be difficult for a high schooler to justify the added pressure and workload of an Advanced Placement (AP) class book your private Irvine AP tutor today. US History was hard enough, right? Why would you want to throw an AP in front of it and make your life that much harder? Because it might help you save $70,000. But before we get to the money, let’s talk about other important reasons for signing up for AP. AP classes are meant to simulate a college-level educational experience. This is why they tend to be more rigorous; the curriculum is programmed at a level above traditional secondary school material. As such, when college admissions counselors see that you are taking (and hopefully excelling in) AP classes, this is a signal that you are capable of handling college work. This is a big positive since colleges want to accept students who will be able to handle their classes and succeed in their school. In many high schools, AP classes are also weighted differently than your standard classes for your GPA. This means that an “A” in an AP class will improve your grade point average and class rank more than an “A” in a normal class. Ever wonder why you hear people talking about GPAs even higher than 4.0? AP classes are usually key contributors. Need a GPA boost? Try adding an AP class and consider finding an experienced tutor to help you make sure you stay on track and get that “A” to maximize your GPA. Aside from just showing that you are capable of taking college-level courses, AP classes also allow you to cap off the year by taking the AP exam in that subject. And, if you’re successful, you can expect colleges and universities to give you free college credit for your score (READ: Irvine AP Tutor Tips: 5 Ways to Conquer Your AP Exam). This is where the savings come into play. I can speak from experience that the credit given from AP exams can be very significant to your college career. For me, my university estimates a cost of attendance at a whopping $72,000 per year. Over $50,000 is intuition alone. Without significant financial aid or scholarships, this is what students at this college can expect to pay out of pocket (or out of loans) for a year of education. However, I was able to find a fast track out of these high costs. In high school, I took seven AP classes: Chemistry, Physics, Calculus AB, English Language, English Literature, US History, and US Government and Politics. For me, this was the maximum number of AP classes I could take since students at my high school were only allowed to enroll in AP classes in their junior and senior years. I took all of the AP exams for these classes to earn college credit, but I still wanted more. Outside of my regular classes, I self-prepared for four more AP exams: Biology, Environmental Science, Calculus BC, and Psychology. You do NOT have to be enrolled in an AP class to take the exam at the end of the year. By creating a schedule for myself and studying explicitly to pass the exams, I was able to prepare myself successfully. When it came time to attend college, this hard work paid off. My school granted me credit for all but one of my AP scores. For most, I earned 3 college credits, and for a few, I earned 4. This is typical practice for nearly all universities, and their policies for which scores they accept and how many credits they grant can usually be found online or by contacting the school in question. Before I had even begun college, I already had 33 college credits walking in the door â€" or the equivalent of just over a year of full-time college education. This allowed me to have more freedom in school. I had many prerequisite classes out of the way, and I had an amplitude of credits for wiggle room. I ended up graduating with a double major degree after only three years. My AP credits allowed me to add a second major, graduate an entire year early, and even have the luxury of taking more fun and interesting classes in my senior year instead of only classes needed to graduate. Even if your college is fully paid for by scholarships, financial aid, or family, AP credits like this can still save you a fortune. You might not be cutting out a $70,000 cost of attendance bill, but you will be entering the workforce a year earlier, allowing you a head start on your career, gaining experience, and making your own money. Graduating early doesn’t look too bad on a resume either. While eleven AP exams might seem unmanageable or overwhelming, it can be accomplished by many students with the right guidance. An experienced tutor, teacher, or mentor can help you plan for which tests meet your skill set and circumstances. Did you take honors biology but not AP biology? With some extra help, you might be able to study the new information faster than you think. Do you excel at English but your school doesn’t offer an AP Literature class? You might be surprised by the progress you make with a study plan and official practice tests. Looking for which tests are the easiest for you to study and pick up some extra credits quickly? Many educators are experienced with these tests and with students in your situation and can help you pick the AP exams for you. My only regret is not taking a few more AP exams. You shouldn’t have the same regret, especially if you’re looking at expensive loans for school. Don’t underestimate the importance of free college credit, and don’t underestimate your ability to learn new material on your own and succeed. Michael C. is currently a private math, science, and standardized test tutor with TutorNerds in Irvine and Anaheim. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.