Choosing Your Online Education School

Aside from the billion-dollar online commerce, communications, news, entertainment and others, online education is one of today’s growing industries in the Internet.

For people with intentions of enrolling in one of these online learning institutions, it is best to check out upfront some important things. After all, education is one significant undertaking that should not be taken lightly.

Accreditation

The very first consideration about a school is its status. Is your prospective school accredited by reputable organizations or by the industry at large? Your prospective employment will depend on your school’s standing and reputation.

How long has the school been in existence? It may not follow that the school’s age is a barometer for excellence but experience is always a plus factor.

How many students are enrolled? How many have graduated? If the school has few students, it might not reflect much on its credibility. The same is true with low graduation rate.

Costs

The cost of educating yourself with either online or a traditional school is always an important factor. Your tuition should be slightly less than that of a regular university. Look out for overcharged mandatory fees, hidden costs and other extraneous fees.

Determine the curriculum to be used. If there is a requirement for books, check out the costs first. Some institutions dole out their own lesson modules. These come out in other forms of media (downloads in audio, video, PowerPoint, etc.) Check out the fees, if any.

Instructors

Do your research on the school’s teaching staff as well. It is important that they are of the same level or have comparable experience and competence as those of traditional university professors.

Junior college teachers usually have an M.A. degree on the subject they handle. Professors usually have Ph.D. degrees. Online education teachers should be comparably competent.

One other thing is the number of students per teacher. Teachers with many students have less time assisting each one. In essence, online education sometimes is a one-on-one learning process.

Computer needs

From your end, what computer hardware and software are to be used in the lessons? Online education requires that students must be well-versed in current multimedia and other programs.

Will the students purchase additional software for dedicated education programs? Lastly, if your computer is old, it may not work well, or not work at all.

Degrees

Needless to say, the first thing you check out in your prospective online school is the list of degrees offered, and if your degree of choice is offered at all. Some programs may not offer the degree you want.

The next question would be how long will it take to complete the program needed for your degree. Some schools offer the chance of completing some degrees in less time. (Sometimes, they can save an entire year of work.)

Different schools offer different methods of student work: the chance to speed up or to work at one’s individual pace. Some schools require their students to participate in virtual classes and specific deadlines for assignments.

Some schools allow students to communicate with their instructors on all things about their lessons. Others do not offer such kind of assistance and students have to work out things on their own.

This early, it is good to remember that in online education, the student most often takes the initiative.

Writing Great Essays - Some Useful Tips

Writing a good essay, whether in an exam or at any other time, is a task that many find difficult. Essays are required in most subjects, and your exam results may largely depend on your ability to write them so it is well worth tackling the problem energetically.

Why do we have to write essays any way?

Essays test more than your factual knowledge. They also test your ability to understand the significance of the knowledge you have; to apply it to the solving of particular problems; and to communicate this to someone else. So there are three things necessary to write a good essay, whatever the subject:

1. the necessary information;
2. the use of this information to solve the problem;
3. the ability to communicate in the most appropriate way.

But there is one essential point before you can even begin. You must be quite certain you know what the question means. Even if instinct urges you to start writing immediately, resist it. Make quite sure that you have read all of the question carefully, and 'all' means the instructions as well as the actual content of the question.

To summarize:
When you look at an essay question following are the points you should have in your mind:
Is there just one question or is it an Either ... Or?
How many things are you being asked to do? (Look out for the word 'and')
If more than one thing is required are they of the same kind? Or are they of different kinds (Describe and explain)?
Are you clear in your mind about the meaning of all the terms used?

Planning
Once you have got a clear idea of what the question is about, you must start planning your essay. There are two basic steps to planning: collecting and selecting the material and organizing it.

Starting and stopping
Once you have got the general structure of your essay clear, you can start writing. All you need now is a way of getting into it and a way of getting out. The first rule for starting an essay is 'don't put the reader off'. Your opening sentence can refer directly to the question. This is safe and can be helpful to the reader but take care that it is not also too dull. Never repeat the question word for word in your opening sentence. You may also start with an example that is relevant to one or other side of the argument or that simply underlines the question. Whatever style of opening you choose the important thing to remember is that it must lead you smoothly to your first point.

Endings
These are easier. Unless you are writing an imaginative essay, the best kind of conclusion is usually one that reminds the reader briefly of your arguments and states your opinions based on those arguments. The important thing is to leave the reader satisfied that the essay has indeed finished and not just stopped.

Writing
The style of your essay will vary to some extent depending on whether you are writing a factual or an imaginative piece, but two rules must apply no matter what the subject is:

1. What you want to say must first be clear in your mind or it will never be clear on paper.
2. The language you use must be as simple and direct as the subject allows.

The rule 1 does not mean that you must have every sentence complete in your mind before you start to write it down, but that you must have the thought clear. To achieve the aim of rule 2, you must use proper vocabulary, sentence structure, spellings and punctuation.

Visit http://www.perfectyourenglish.com for more articles on English writing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Manjusha_Nambiar

How to overcome stage fright?

When I was at my younger years in school, I could not perform in front of the class nor could I deliver an oral report. It was all because of stage fright, and loss of self-confidence maybe. However, as I go on with my education, especially when I enrolled in medicine, I gradually overcame my stage fright. To know how, read on.

So what is stage fright?

Stage fright or performance anxiety refers to an anxiety, fear or persistent phobia related to performance in front of an audience or camera. This form of anxiety can precede or accompany participation in any activity involving public self-presentation. Wikipedia

How do you know you have stage fright?

Quite often stage fright arises in a mere anticipation of a performance, often long time ahead. It has numerous manifestations: fluttering or pounding heart, tremor in hands and legs, diarrhea, facial nerve tics, dry mouth.

How do you overcome it?

In my own experience, I tried hard before I overcame my stage fright. Here's how I did it:

Before performing or speaking in front of an audience,

1. I practice in front of the mirror, of my sisters or close friends. Practice really makes perfect.

2. I anticipate the possible questions (for my report) and try to answer them - still in front of the mirror. Often times, we get performance anxiety because we are afraid of the questions from the audience. If you have practiced your speech or studied well your report, you shouldn't be afraid of the questions.

3. I volunteer myself to be a speaker for the group. Every time we have a class discussion, where there's a need for a representative, I sometimes volunteer myself. It's one way of exposing myself. More exposure means more practices and gaining more self-confidence.

4. I think positive. Sometimes, we tend to be pessimistic. We are thinking of the worst scenario prior to our delivery of speech or performance. Pessimism adds to our anxiety, thus it should be overcome.

5. I always join group discussions where interaction is a must. This works like practicing myself in front of the mirror or friends.

6. I read tips and books regarding public speaking. Through it, I am learning tips on how to dispel stage fright.

Other helpful posts for overcoming stage fright:

• Six Golden Rules for Conquering Performance Anxiety by David Leisner
• Stage Fright Strategies

Student Loans 101

Student Loans 101
Copyright © 2007-2008 Bernard Pruett


Student loans have become a common form of financial aid, giving prospective college students the opportunity to further their education. What's even better is that college student loans now
come in a variety of shapes and forms to appeal to more college candidates that have different needs and qualifications.

The United States Government works hard to provide eligible students with an equal chance to gain access to federal student loans regardless of bad credit or past financial hardships. Private student loans are also offered to students through banks and other financial institutions based on specific criteria, such as financial need and grade point average. Student borrowers also have the option of student loan consolidation as these loans mature. Although there are distinct differences between federal student loans and private student loans, some pros and cons
common to all college student loans are covered below.

A student loan is similar to any other type of loan in that it is money borrowed from a lender that has to be repaid in installments over a specified period of time. Like other standard loans, there is a cost associated with borrowing money. An interest expense is charged on the student loan by the lender that has to be paid in addition to the principal loan amount. Although student loans and conventional loans have various similarities, there are some features that make college loans
exceptionally more appealing to borrowers (i.e. students and parents) compared to standard loans.

One key benefit associated with student loans is that interest rates are significantly lower than interest rates charged on standard loans. This helps to alleviate the financial burden on
students who are typically at an age where income is limited. Other than competitive interest rates, lenders generally offer flexible student loan repayment terms that help delay the
financial pressure on students, by allowing them to wait until after graduation to start repaying the loan. Both federal student loans and private student loans generally give students a
6-month grace period, meaning that students don't have to start repaying their loan until 6 months after graduation. The grace period gives students adequate time to get settled into a new job and start earning a salary that is sufficient enough to meet monthly student loan payments.

Another advantage associated with both federal student loans and private student loans is the tax savings provided to students and parents. Students and parents who pay tuition fees for higher education are subject to tax benefits that (1) decrease their income subject to tax and; (2) provide tax credits. Tax credits basically result in a decrease in the amount of tax you are
required to pay by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at the end of your tax period. Thus, tax benefits are another feature that helps ease the monetary demands of student loans.

Although student loans relieve college students of financial burden in the short-term, the long-term financial burden that emerges after graduation can be extremely overwhelming for those who do not prepare themselves. The average student debt is estimated to be around $17,000 and the typical loan repayment period can last anywhere from 10 years to 30 years. These figures are no exaggeration and can be very daunting for someone just entering the career world. Some college graduates simply do not know how to fathom the fact that they owe such a large amount of money and end up overlooking their obligation to pay off their student debts. Other college graduates with newly found jobs simply do not know how to budget their income in a way that allocates sufficient funds to meet their monthly student loan payments. The result of these scenarios, where college graduates are irresponsible about paying off their debt obligations, is a severe burn to one's credit rating. Along with other major consequences, college graduates that have a series of missed payments and/or late payments on their student loan plans can cause severe damage to their credit score. Your credit score is an important aspect of your financial identity, especially as you get older and start earning an income sufficient enough to rent or invest in real estate and other long term assets. Having bad credit can seriously hinder you from financial endeavors in the future, such as getting approved for direct loans and mortgage loans. Financial responsibility is extremely beneficial for all individuals to learn and practice at a reasonably young age to prevent problems in the future.

Budgeting wisely is an important step one can take to achieve financial responsibility. As soon as you enter into the career world, you should immediately write out a budget that allocates
sufficient funds to pay for all your monthly expenses, such as your rent or mortgage, car loan payment, student loan debt, food, gas, and insurance. After you have assigned money to cover your immediate monthly expenses, you should then create a savings fund and allocate approximately $50 to $200 per month to the fund. A savings fund is very useful in unexpected emergencies, such as hospital bills and car repairs, and helps ensure that money is available when needed in urgent situations. Students, student graduates, parents, and other borrowers need to understand the importance of financial responsibility and keeping up with monthly payments, in order to build a healthy credit report for the future.

============================================================
Bernard Pruett writes for http://www.SecureLoanConsolidation.com
Visit their website to learn about student loans
(http://www.secureloanconsolidation.com/student_loan) and
(http://www.secureloanconsolidation.com/calculators.asp)
student loan consolidation. Their network of debt loan
lenders provide college financial aid, loan consolidations,
bad credit debt help, home loans, etc. ============================================================


Read More Articles From Bernard Pruett:
http://thePhantomWriters.com/free_content/d/index.shtml#Bernard_Pruett

5 Tips For How You Can Learn More

By Deanna Mascle

There are a number of reasons why we should be lifelong learners. Continuing education reaps us professional, personal and health benefits that are too numerous to list. However if you do not want to enter another classroom as long as you live then take heart as there are other ways you can be a lifelong learner. Here are five tips for ways to continue your education.

First and foremost is to read. Read for fun and pleasure but also read for information and research. You do not have to fear taking on heavy, dusty tomes filled with multi-syllabic boring language. There is a whole industry of writers who make history and science fun. In fact, you do not even need to read books at all. There are a lot of informative magazines that offer both general and specific information. Check them out at a large book store or your local library before selecting a few to take home. Do not overlook the wealth of information available to you on the internet. There are site and publications devoted to just about any topic you can imagine. Start with a main news site and then begin sifting and searching to find topics that interest you. The best thing about this kind of reading is that you get to pick it -- not a teacher with an agenda you don't understand.

Listening is an often overlooked skill when it comes to learning today. Sure listening in the classroom is important but there are people all around us who have a wealth of knowledge to share if we are only willing to listen. Open your ears and your mind. You might be surprised at what you can learn.

You can also learn by simply observing the life around us. What can you learn about parenting by watching the families around you? You can learn not only what to do but what not to do. What can you learn about financial planning, relationships, and just about everything else you want to know? You can learn from the mistakes of others if you only take the time to be observant.

If you are looking for answers then ask questions. Ask questions of experts as well as information brokers, such as librarians and teachers. You should also ask questions of people like you because they can share their experiences and knowledge.

Finally, the most important part of becoming a lifelong learner is simply pursuing knowledge whether it is for a specific purpose or simply knowledge for the sake of knowledge. It is not important what you decide to study and learn more about and you can change topics as often as you change your shoes if you like. The important thing is to continue opening your mind and filling your brain.

You can becoming a lifelong learner and enjoy continuing education by reading, listening, observing, questioning, and pursuing knowledge. If you take these five steps for continuing education then you will live a smarter and more fulfilling life.

About the author:
Renaissance Woman Deanna Mascle shares more education articles at http://ezinesbydawggone.info/

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

How to Choose the Right School For You

Now that the admission committees have handed you their decisions, it is time for you to choose which college to attend. For some, this choice is easy. Maybe you were admitted early decision or have a clear first choice. For others, the decision is more difficult. Perhaps you have not visited many of the schools on your list, maybe you and your parents disagree about what is best for your future, or perhaps you just can't seem to figure out what you want. No matter the reason, you must decide by the May 1st reply date. What should you do?

Identify your options.

Are you choosing between two schools or several? Have you narrowed down your choices? Are you comparing financial aid packages? Are you trying to get taken off a wait list at a school? What are the factors that you will use to make your decision?

Expand your research.

Now that you know what your options are, it is time to begin or continue your research. Hopefully you already know why each school is on your list. Review what you have learned and continue to learn about the schools. What are you looking for? What does each school offer? Consider how each school matches your interests: academic, extracurricular, social, and otherwise. Use the schools' websites, talk to friends, e-mail professors, visit the campuses. Have discussions with your family and others you trust. If you have not already visited the schools on your list, now is the time. One college applicant, Scott, visited the schools on his list only after he received his acceptance letters. Doing so gave him a new perspective on his choices: "I had applied to the University of Wisconsin-Madison on my counselor's recommendation. I didn't really think I would ever go there because it was so far away from home and I always thought of Wisconsin as a place of pastures and cows. But when I visited, I felt at home. The students were friendly, the classes were tough, and I had no idea Madison had such a fun night life."

Prioritize.

Amanda, an aspiring professional dancer, knew she wanted to attend college. She felt good about her auditions, and was thrilled to be admitted to several schools. After narrowing down her choices to SUNY-Purchase and University of Michigan, Amanda realized she needed to learn more about each school. "I found that the reputation of the schools said that Michigan had stronger academics and SUNY had better connections to the New York dance scene, which is where I want to establish a career. I am also really interested in literature and writing." Amanda had to prioritize. She asked herself, what role did she want her artistic and academic interests to play in her life? What was more important to her?

Be honest with yourself.

Radha, a senior from New Jersey, had narrowed down her acceptances to two schools: Boston University and University of Southern California (USC). Both schools were a good fit, as Radha wanted a city school with a lot of options and school spirit. After sorting out the pros and cons of each school, Radha was still stuck. Something else was bothering her. I asked, "If both schools were close to home, which would you choose?" Without hesitation, Radha replied, "USC. I just loved my visit and really loved the students I met." Suddenly, we had uncovered the issue that was hindering Radha: she wanted to go to USC, but she did not want to go far from home. After our discussion, Radha talked about the issue with her family. As an older sister with divorced parents, Radha had secretly decided she needed to stay near her younger sister whom she often looked after. Discussing her concerns with her parents helped Radha make the brave decision to attend the school she wanted. By looking deeper into the issue that was really troubling her-her fear of leaving home-Radha was able to make the decision that was best for her. It is important to remember that there are many factors that play into the decision of which school to attend. Going off to college often signifies the beginning of a more adult life, so this decision can be influenced by anxieties about leaving home.

Go with your gut.

We've been through the rational decision-making processes like making pro and con lists and prioritizing. However, intuition is often our best guide. Adam, now a few years out of college, recently said, "I don't know why exactly I chose Georgetown, but as soon as I got in I got excited. Somehow I just knew it would be the best place for me. And I was right." Pay attention to your gut. Trust yourself.

You can't be wrong.

Here is the good news: there is no such thing as the wrong choice. Like any experience, college is what you make of it. Take advantage of opportunities, choose challenging classes, become involved in your interests, and your decision will have been the right one. Chances are you will be happy at any of the schools on your list. After all, you applied to them because you discovered they were good matches for you. If you later find you would rather be somewhere else, you can always consider the transfer option. But most students are happy with the choice they made, and graduates often look back, saying: "I am glad I went where I did, but I think I would have been happy and successful at many colleges."

--Jackie Shapiro, MA IvyWise, LLC http://www.ivywise.com

Jaclyn Shapiro, MA College Admissions Counselor IvyWise, LLC 140 W 57th Street New York, NY (212) 262-3500

http://www.ivywise.com

Scholarships not Working for You Neither, Huh?

We're going to college, and we need cash. We have tuition and food, housing, books... like I said, we need cash. We hear about these billions of dollars of unclaimed scholarship money just floating around, yet you can't seem to get your hands on any of it, nor on any other form of financial aid. We're out here working like dogs, trying to make time to study an keep from losing our insanity, until we finally just give up. This sounds like a pretty big problem. What to do?

First of all, you should know that there aren't billions of dollars out there just waiting to fall in your lap. In fact most counselors and financial aid assitants wonder why this rather enormous figure is stated so often, but its not the case. So don't feel bad or think you "suck" because you haven't won some of this dough. However, there IS some money to be made out there that many people either overlook or figure it isnt worth pursuing. Trust me, its worth taking a look at and worth pursuing.

Usual Suspects

Your first destination should be the government. The FAFSA needs to be the first thing you do. You may be eligible for grants or other special awards. Then go to your school to see if they have any special scholarships that are only available to students of that college or university. After that, sign up to fastweb.com and scholarship.com and become familiar with those two sites, they are two of the most used on the web.

There's something for everyone!

People commonly think that only minorities and people with really low incomes and awesome grades can get scholarships. This is just not so. There are plenty of scholarships out there that are aimed at people in certain national or local clubs, that serve different interests such as drawing, writing, or a sport, and even some that are strictly for those with work experience. Tons of scholarships for college students are aimed at specific majors and corresponding social networks, for example the Audio Engineering society and American Medical Association. Be creative when searching. There are plenty of companies giving money away in hopes of attaining a student base of prospective future employees. If you're working on computers, for example, see what top technological companies such as Qualcomm and IBM have to offer, if you're working in finance and economics, checkout some big time (and small time) Wall St. corporations, for instance.

Also, don't forget to checkout your own community. YMCA, churches, local youth groups and sports teams, they all give out money to deserving individuals, so do some homework on your hometown before moving on to bigger venues.

The essay contest

These are wonderful. Checkout what you like, what you know a lot about and are passionate about, and write an essay to submit to a contest or scholarship offer. Get friends in on it...help each other out and promise to share earnings.

Why isn't this EASY?

Now, I don't want to brag, but I won quite a few scholarships in my day. However, I remember always getting questions about "how do you do it," "you're so lucky," and so on. Well, it really isn't that complicated-- its going to take some work and dedication. Start early, make a list of scholarships, plan for scholarship-work time, and get busy. Don't feel bad when you don't win, most students are happy to win a few because that's usually what it takes. Just keep focused on what you're trying to do, hope for the best, and do NOT stress out about it.

Alternatives

There are a few alternatives. Never resort to credit cards. Ever. What you want to look for are student loans because they have lower interest rates and usually have friendlier grace periods and payback periods. Don't worry about being in student loan debt upon graduation...$10000-$15,000 is not bad at all (if being repaid in ten years). Stafford loans are the most common. They offer around $2600 for first-year, $3500 for second year and $5500 for third year students. Perkins loans usually don't have to be repaid until nine months after graduation and you have 10 years to pay. Checkout private loans, maybe from loan-specialists companies and your own school. Checkout the American Education Society which also provides private loans for people.

Don't Stress It

There is money to be made, just be focused, dont't get discouraged, and work hard at it. Well, what are you waiting for?

Vincent St. James is a writer and researcher for thecollegeguys.com, where you can find more of his work related to finance, health,and movies.

College Without A High School Diploma - Possible?

Don't give up your dream of enrolling in an online university just because you didn't get your high school diploma. Although most colleges (online and otherwise) require a high school diploma to enroll in any program that grants bachelor degrees, there are still several options available to students who lack the paper to prove that they graduated high school. See which choice will fit you best:

Community College

Most community colleges assume that a certain percentage of their population will apply without a high school diploma, and they plan accordingly. They often have programs specifically designed to help people who show potential succeed without the diploma. Since more and more community colleges are beginning to create online programs, many new options are opened up for distance learners.

GED

Some colleges will allow students to enroll with a GED. Designed to be a high school equivalency test, the GED proves that passing students are comparable with the current graduating class of seniors.

Non-traditional student status

Students who have been out of high school for a long time may qualify for "non-traditional" student status. This means that the student has been outside of school for an extended period of time and is older than the average student. Almost all colleges have an organization dedicated to helping these students find success. You may be able to bypass traditional requirements (such as the high school diploma) by proving you have relevant life experience and demonstrated maturity.

Concurrent enrollment

If you still want to get your high school diploma, you may be able to take college at the same time you're working on your high school credits. Many colleges have special programs that negotiate concurrent enrollment, which allows a student to attend two schools at the same time. The good part is that many high schools allow students to earn double high school credit by completing college courses which means you may be able to kill two birds with one stone.

Daily updated blog of articles and news about e-learning and distance learning ! Get advice and information about this new way of achieving knowledge and qualifications . Click http://www.e-learning-101.com/

Free Article Access: Wiley Interscience

"These contributions provide insight into current areas of debate in the field of inflammation and immunology. In particular, they highlight current interest in the interface between innate and adaptive immunity and present intriguing prospects for future therapeutic developments in a variety of disease areas. We should not forget that infectious disease is a huge burden on humanity and the defensive systems of the specific and non-specific immune systems deserve our full attention. We hope that this series of reviews is both timely and useful, stimulating new thought and research in this key area of pathology."

• The role of TLR activation in inflammation
• Nod-like proteins in inflammation and disease
• TNF-mediated inflammatory disease
• Macrophage activation by endogenous danger signals
• Control of apoptosis in autoimmunity
• The highway code of T cell trafficking
• Cellular and molecular mechanisms of fibrosis
• The immunology of sepsis
• IL-10 and the resolution of infections
• Immune activation and inflammation in HIV-1 infection: causes and consequences
• Innate and adaptive mechanisms to control of pathological intestinal inflammation
• Innate immunity in inflammatory bowel disease: a disease hypothesis
• Stress proteins in CNS inflammation
• The role of natural killer T cells in lung inflammation

Free Public Speaking Tips: 7 Secrets of Great Public Speakers

The major secret of great speakers is that they do not think about themselves during a talk. Great speakers prepare and practice before the big event and when the big event comes, they think about their audience.

At its core, public speaking is not about your image or ego. It is about communicating a message and that means connecting with an audience.

Here are seven ways of creating an experience that will wow audiences and make sure they come away with your message:

1. Respect Your Audience.This means you view your audience as your equals. You neither look down on them nor crawl before them in hopes of winning their approval. You make some effort to find out what information they already have. That way, you can offer a presentation that gives them something new and does not insult their intelligence.

2. Listen to the Audience. Communication is a two-way street. Even when you are the only one talking, your audience will communicate with you through facial expressions and body language. Listen to these communications, so that you can give the audience what they need. If you see a lot of confused looks, slow down, back up and repeat your last statement. If you see sleepy body language, speak up, use gestures and visual aids to inject energy into the room.

3. Maximize Learning. The most effective speeches cover enough material to be engaging, but not too much. Ideally, you should make three to five clear points, but never more than seven. Give an overview of the main points in your introduction and a recap of them in your conclusion. The rest of your material should be facts that accurately support those points. If you can state the main points concisely, your audience can learn them.

4. Speak Their Language.In most cases, the shortest, most direct words are the best. However, there are some situations that call for academic, technical or other jargon. Even in the most academic settings though, listeners appreciate easy to remember words and phrases. Unless you are a comedian with a very tolerant audience, absolutely avoid profane or crude language.

5. Make Them Comfortable.Make the audience stiff and unresponsive by memorizing your speech. As much as possible, speak as if you are having a conversation with a very comfortable friend about something you care about. That does not mean being loud and obnoxious: it means you capture the feeling of sharing something you are excited about. If you think your topic is not exciting, do some work to identify why it is important. This helps your audience feel comfortable with you and enthusiastic about your topic.

6. Show Them What You Are Talking About. Use high-quality visual aids to help drive your message home. It does not need to be complicated. For instance, a talk about the life of Benjamin Franklin would benefit from something as simple as his portrait. Other aids are PowerPoint slides with a minimum of text listing your main points or slides of art prints.

7. Be Honest. When you give a presentation, you are trying to change something about your audience like increase their knowledge, change their beliefs or habits and convince them to take a particular action. A great speaker does any or all of that by giving an ethical speech. That means you avoid plagiarism, falsehood or exaggeration. Even in a persuasive speech, you never try to force, coerce or deceive. What you want is to teach and convince with clean, logical argument and concrete evidence.

Connecting with an audience is an art with foundational rules like any other art. You have learned these seven methods in just a few minutes. You can devote a lifetime to mastering them and so become a truly great public speaker.

About the Author

Ranju is assistant editor at MindPower Marketing, which helps entrepreneurs and independent professionals to earn more by making their marketing and communication more persuasive. For tips on more persuasive communication, sign up for the free e-class mastering public speaking

Free Study Tips: How to Make an Oral Presentation

The very thought of making an oral presentation is enough to make many people -- old as well as young -- want to stay in bed on the day of the presentation. So daunting is the thought of standing up in front of a room full of people and speaking that most people will avoid this as far as possible. Unfortunately there are many situations in life, especially during school life, where you are required to make an oral presentation as part of your subject grade.

If you find yourself in the position of needing to speak in front of the class there are a few things that you can do to prepare yourself for this experience, and if you follow them, you won't find it nearly as traumatic as you think it 's going to be. You might even enjoy it!

Presentation Preparation: Know your stuff. Whatever it is you're going to be speaking about, make sure that you know it backwards, forwards, inside out. Practice what you're going to say, and if possible have someone time you so that you manage to get in all the important points within the time limit you're given for the presentation. Create a cheat sheet of all the questions -- with the appropriate responses -- that you think will come up if there 's to be a question and answer session after your presentation you're already prepared. Of course there 's always a possibility that someone will ask something that 's not on your list, but at least you'll have done some thinking about the questions and so be prepared about how to go about answering the ones that aren't on your cheat sheet.

Who 's the Audience? Know who you're going to be speaking to. This will help you to make your presentation interesting. If you're presenting to your classmates, keep it on their level. Make it interesting. Where possible, use examples that they can relate to. If you can, make it funny (within the context of your subject area) so that they don't start to chatter or switch off.

Involving the audience in some way is another way of actively engaging with them, perhaps asking them a question relevant to your presentation such as "how many of you know?" Or "how many of you have ever?" If no-one responds, ask again. If still no response, make a comment like it 's obviously a good thing that you're there then or they'd miss out on knowing about it! If some people respond, then indicate that this is great because they'll already have some idea about what you're talking about.

Audio Visual Aids: During your presentation preparation think about ways that you can use any audio or visual aids in your presentation. These could include music, speech, overhead projection sheets that show bullet points of your main presentation themes (only reveal each point as you start to speak about it so that you are keeping their interest going by not showing the entire list at once.

Speak -- Don't Read: A presentation isn't to show that you know how to read. You are presenting your subject, not reading about it. Make sure that you know your information, and you have a plan of what you're going to say but don't read word-for-word from a "script" that you've created. A presentation where the person at the front of the room is making eye contact with the audience, and has a tone that is varied, is going to hold the audience 's attention. Someone who looks down constantly at their papers and speaks in a monotone voice won't.

End with a Bang: Well not literally! But finish your presentation with some form of audience interaction such as "Do you feel you've learned anything?" "Hands up if you're still awake?" Or some other form of question that requires action from them will ensure that you've ended with them all still with you. You could also end with some form of humor related to your subject area which again will give interaction as they will laugh.

Oral presentations are rarely as bad as you think they're going to be. Make sure that you're prepared and you remember to look at your audience instead of reading a "script", and to interact a little with them, and you'll be just fine!

Jane Saeman runs an In-Home Tutoring service called Aim High Tutors. Find out about how to help your student reach their full potential at http://www.aimhightutors.com/blog

Ideas to Make the College Admission Process Easier

By Arthur Gueli

1) Apply to 6 to 8 colleges, minimum.

One of the things that we have found is that it does no good to apply to so few colleges that you don't get admitted anywhere or admitted to only 1 or 2.

You don't need to apply to 30 different colleges, and in fact, it can actually hurt you in the long run. But, the ideal amount is to apply to 6 to 8 colleges.

These are things you should look for in colleges that you apply to:

1. Colleges that you have a fairly good shot of getting into;

2. Colleges that have financial aid to give, or are affordable even if you don't get
financial aid;

3. Colleges that you would be really happy to attend.

2) Visit the Colleges.

Please be sure to visit each of the colleges WHEN THE COLLEGE IS IN SESSION. It does you absolutely no good to visit colleges during summer when no one is around except for the janitor.

You definitely want to visit college when it is in session, even it means you miss a day or two of high school. Also, as part of the visit, take their formal tour, but more importantly, walk around-- and at some point lose your parents if they have tagged along-- and make sure you get a chance to stick your head in a couple of different classrooms, pretending that you are lost while class is in session, so that you can see what actually happens.

It is also important to stop and get a cup of coffee or a soda somewhere on campus at one of the refreshment facilities so you can also get a feel for what the students are like there. Different colleges will attract totally different students. Remember, these are the students that you will be making friends with, dating, studying with, and possibly bringing home to mom and dad one day; so, you want to hang out with people that you are going to enjoy hanging out with.

Also, if you feel like asking questions, probably the single best question that you could ask is:

"What sort of help will you give me once I have graduated from your college?"

A good college will go into great detail explaining the different alumni programs they have put together, as well as different ways they have of taking care of you-like helping you find a job or get into graduate college-- which is a much better answer than a blank stare.

3) How to Get Accepted

In talking to admissions officers, there are several distinct things that you can do to make yourself more desirable to them.

I am going to list these on the points that follow, because you don't want to have your application rejected because you missed a deadline or you didn't really impress them:

Apply Early, But Not Early Admission.

Apply early, no later than October 31st of the year before you wish to go to college. Why do we suggest this?

Well, the reason is real simple; everyone loves to procrastinate myself included. You probably are like this too. We love to wait to the last minute on things.

When you are an adult and you are paying your taxes, as long as they are paid by the deadline, it's no big deal and no benefit to you to get them there early, however, this is different.

The reason is because everybody waits until the last possible second, and then the admissions office gets flooded with applications. They are overworked, cranky, tired, and just want to get through it-- so they sometimes don't give the full amount of attention that they should to each application.

On the other hand, if you get your application in 4 to 6 weeks before the deadline (and by having everything turned in by October 31st, you'll do just that), you're going to get them when they are in a much better mood and they have more time to go through your application.

They have actually admitted that this does make a difference particularly because they have a certain number of students that they have to accept each year.

So, if they can get your application approved, that is one less that they have to worry about later and they get to go home earlier…… so definitely have it in early.

Write a Killer Essay.

An essay is one of the ways that you can really stand out and make yourself appear as an individual, different from all of the other students.

There are two books that almost every admissions officer that we have ever talked to has recommended to us:

The first book is "On Writing the College Application Essay" by Bauld. Be sure to check out his photo on the back once you get the book-- you'll see why-- Ha, ha! This is a step by step instruction of how exactly how to write your college essay. He'll walk you through all of the steps needed and he'll show you how to do it very, very fast.The second book is "100 Successful College Application Essays" by Christopher Georges. Guess what's inside? That's right, 100 successful essays, or in other words, essays that actually got those kids into the college that they were looking at.

You don't have to actually read this book-- unless you need to; and here's when you would need to-- if you get stuck, there is no point in sitting staring at a blank computer screen or a blank sheet of paper for hours. Instead, the minute you find yourself getting writer's block, pick this book up, find the section that contains the essays that most closely resemble what you are trying to write, and start reading.

You'll get to see what other kids have written that has gotten them into college. Also, each essay has a note from someone on Harvard's Staff saying why they liked this essay and why they thought it worked; so you can go through and get some ideas; which will hopefully unblock your brain so you can get back to work writing a great essay--and getting it over with.

Get an Internship or Job in the Area You are Interested

Now this is a touchy area, because it's going to take some time, but hear me out on this; for a lot of you, you're looking at possibly pursuing a career in something that you've probably never seen first hand before; and the reality is often a lot different than what you'd expect.

In other words, if you watch The Practice or Ally McBeal and see what it looks like lawyers do all day long, that's not what they really do. You need to see first hand for yourself what the reality of the job is.

So, if you have a career that you're thinking about pursuing why not getting an internship in that field? Now, here is how you set it up: simply call 3 or 4 firms in that profession and ask.

In other words, if you want to be a lawyer, call 3 or 4 law offices and tell them that you'll be their unpaid slave for x number of hours per week. In return, you want to see first hand what they do all day long and you expect a good letter of recommendation that you could use later (for college, or a job interview) if you do a good job for them.

Be sure to treat it just like you would a real job that you were getting paid for-- show up on time, work your butt off, and stay late if you need to.

This is going to do a couple of things:

1. It will give you some real experience on what the job is really like, so you can see if it's something worth going to college for. If you love it, great! You'll have an edge over everybody else both when you apply to college, and even when you get out of college, you'll be able to tell future employers that "Hey, I've been working in this field for 7 years as an intern", versus everybody else whose barely getting started, so that gives you an added edge.

2. More importantly, if you hate it, we need to find that out now before you end up in college studying for something that you have absolutely no interest in actually doing. If that's the case, let us know, and we'll help you research some other careers.

Do well on your SAT's.

This is also really critical. If I hear one complaint all of the time, it's that nobody is doing as well as they wish on their SAT's. If you'd like some help on this, please see us about this, we can recommend some excellent SAT prep courses.

One thing to keep in mind is that the SAT's aren't as important as they used to be-- so if you do bomb them, don't stress yourself out. However, we would like to see you do as good as you possibly can-- it never hurts and always will help.

Conclusion

That's what you should be concerned with for now. These are the main items that we'll be discussing with you and your parents, in addition to doing your college search and career profile. If there is anything else that we can help with, please let us know.

About the author:
Ron Caruthers is the nation's leading expert on how to get into college and pay for it-as well as helping students choose their careers and command top money in their fields.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

10 Easy Ways To Make Children Smarter

Scientific research shows that intelligence is both genetic and environmental. Intelligence is also not fixed but can be increased because the brain develops new neurons and interconnections with stimulation.

A supportive environment fosters numerous aspects of intelligence. The following 10 easy ways to stimulate intelligence in children will provide an "enriched environment" for brain growth.

One: Love and Self-Esteem Improve Academic Performance

In a long series of experiments, Prescott Lecky, an American educational researcher, found a high correlation between low self-esteem and learning problems in children.

He correctly theorized that by raising a child's self-esteem, learning performance would also improve.

His success stories include a poor speller who averaged 55 in six months, a Latin student who went from 30 after three encouraging conversations with a teacher, and a student considered to have no aptitude for English who improved over a semester to win the school's literary prize.

Two: Breast Fed Babies Are Smarter

Danish researchers found that mother's milk contained essential micronutrients for brain development. In fact, the longer the child was breast fed, the more the brain was nourished. For example, infants breast fed for 9 months were smarter than infants only breast-fed for two months.

Three: Proper Nutrition Improve Health And Nerve Conduction

Diets high in sugar, Trans fatty acids, and salt decreased health in children. Junk food failed to provide sufficient iron for healthy brain development, resulting in poor nerve impulses. Children with nutritional deficiency also missed school more often because of illness and fell behind their peers.

Four: Proper Breakfast Improves Attention At School

Thirty years of research has shown a strong correlation between breakfast and mental alertness. Children who had nutritious breakfasts had better memory. They also concentrated better and absorbed more information during class. Those who had no breakfast or poor breakfast were more irritable and distracted during class.

Five: Exercise Benefits Intelligence And Personality

Research conducted by the University of Illinois showed that fitter children performed better academically. Besides the obvious physiological benefits of improved oxygen intake, blood flow, immune stimulation, and neural transmission, there was also a psychological and sociological component, too. Psychologically, fitter children showed higher self-esteem. Sociologically, those who participated in organized sports displayed more confidence, more cooperation, and spontaneous leadership.

Six: Musical Training Improves IQ Into Adulthood

Long-term research by the University of Toronto showed that organized music lessons benefited children all the way into adulthood. The longer the child studied music, the higher their IQs as adults. Music students also displayed better grades throughout their schooling.

Seven: Some Video Games Enhance Mental Acuity

Research by the University of Rochester found that certain video games improved sensory perception, strategic thinking, and planning ahead of time. The video games that created positive mental improvements had an educational element that improved motor skills and enhanced memory.

Eight: Mind Games Do More Than Entertain

Board games like chess, checkers, creative games like Lego and jigsaw puzzles, and brainteaser games like crosswords, cryptograms, riddles, and Sudoku improved intelligence. Specifically, they stimulated better decision-making, smarter analytical thinking, and more accurate problem solving.

Nine: Reading Improves Both Creativity And Logic

Whether a child was read to at bedtime, or actively read their own books, silently or aloud, they displayed increased left and right brain intellectual growth. Both fiction and non-fiction books improved creative imagination and logical, sequential thinking.

Ten: Nurturing Curiosity Creates An Open, Absorbent Mind

Curiosity, the urge to seek knowledge, is essential to improving intelligence in children. Conducting educational outings, teaching new skills, and supporting hobbies encouraged the development of curiosity.

These 10 ways of raising intelligence in children are easy to apply, practical, and within the reach of parents and teachers. Research has shown that they are highly effective in creating the environmental support children need to develop their intelligence.

About the author:
Learn more about your childs development and child education at http://childrenlearnmore.info


Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Nursing Master Degree: For A Better Future

The technological advancement in patient care and the newer discoveries in medical sector call for extra work force in the form of nurses. All this reinstates the fact that there is a huge demand for nurses not just quantitatively but qualitatively too. A nursing master degree can prepare you for the higher complexities of health care involved in this profession.

Nursing Master Degree: Preparing Future Nurse Force

Online nursing schools are there to prepare effective and capable nurse scholars who prove an asset to any organization. The curriculum of a nursing master degree program includes basic clinical skill development, introduction to research, integration of practice and theory and much more. In other words, it gives an additional depth to the knowledge you have already acquired through your associate or bachelor nursing degree. Even employers are seeking nurses who have qualification and skill to match the more complex demands of today’s patient care. Because when you are qualified and trained, you can adapt yourself in a better way.

You would not have any problem in getting an employment after acquiring a nursing master degree. The demand for nurses does not limit itself to just hospitals or private clinics. Nurses are required in a wide range of other settings as well like – public health agencies, primary care clinics, and home health care, out patient, surgicenters, health maintainence organizations, nursing homes, schools, mental health agencies and many more.

Although it is researched that employment opportunities in hospitals, the largest sector, will grow at a relatively slower pace but the opportunities in other sectors more than make up for that. These other sectors include home health care. There is a growing tendency among people to undergo complex medical treatments at home. Also even older people with functional disabilities prefer medical care at home. The technological advances in medical sector make all this possible but it also establishes the need for nursing degree professionals who are rightly qualified to perform complex medical procedures.

Then employment in nursing home is also expected to grow faster than usual due to increase in the number of elderly who would need special nursing care. The growth in long-term rehabilitation centers will also boost employment in nursing sector. You can take advantage of these job opportunities through an online nursing degree program that will prepare you to meet the growing challenges in this field.

About the author:
Nursing degree info is an online information bank for people who wish to make successful career in nursing. Go ahead enhance your knowledge about Online Nursing Schools and Nursing Master Degree.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Article Writing: Great Tips On How To Write An Article.

Article Writing: Great Tips On How To Write An Article. by Lance Brown

So you have figured out that article writing will bring targeted visitors to your website but you are a little fearful of how to go about it. This is going to seem obvious but I know I didn't do it when I started article writing and I really wish I had.

" WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT IS SEARCHING OUT A GOOD ARTICLE WRITING MENTOR."

So before you say " I don't have unlimited cash flow to sign up with some expensive program at this point " let me say this. It won't cost you a dime if you do this.

I am going to recommend you start poking around a few of the big article directories to begin your search. Why? Because the mentor you are needing should be writing regularly in one or all of these directories. Ezine Articles, Article Dashboard, Article Base, and Article Blast in my opinion are the four big kahunas I would recommend at this point. They are the ones I have been getting the most exposure from with my articles. If you are not a free member of these go ahead and sign up because in the future you are going to want to submit your articles to them.

Of course now you are going to read articles on " how to write an article " or " article writing " for the next little while. Give yourself a week or so and don't commit to anyone financially. When you find a few good articles written by a potential mentor go ahead and do a search on him in Google. He should be well established and have his articles all over the internet. I am talking about millions of links to his websites. If he doesn't why would you want to be schooled by him. That's what you want isn't it? Lots of links back to your site.

Next thing is step out of the boat onto the water. Chances are he has a free newsletter he sends out or something along those lines. Go ahead and give him your email and sign up. At this point you still haven't committed a dime.

What you are going to do is glean as much teaching as you can for free from the newsletter or whatever it is you are now getting from him. Pay special attention to how your mentor writes his articles. You'll be surprised how much you can pick up about writing good titles, keywords, article templates, good topics..etc.

Lastly let me say that no good mentor who has your best intentions in mind demands money up front. He should be willing to build a genuine friendship with you before you ever buy anything from him. I think you should be able to talk with him too. If you can't kick him to the curb and find a better one. You still will have learned a few good things from him even if you ditch him.

So there is my first golden pointer on writing articles. If you embrace it you won't make all the mistakes I did when I started article writing.

Great help with your home business
http://ezmakedollars.blogspot.com
Free article writing teleseminars
http://www.myarticleexpert.com

Article Source: ArticlesUniverse.com

Job Interview Tips for Corporate Sales Positions

by: Clint Cora

Job interviews for corporate sales positions are unlike other types of job interviews. These interviews are used to assess whether a candidate is suitable in the sales environment in addition to reviewing background histories and skills. Interviewers would often ask tricky questions that test the personalities of candidates in order to determine sales potential.

If during a corporate sales job interview and the reviewer asks you a question on whether you prefer to work alone or with others in groups, you have to be careful here. If you say a solo environment is definitely better, they may not see you as a team player. If you say that you prefer working in groups, they might think that you would not be effective in sales since most of the time, sales reps are out in the field on their own.

Therefore, the safest route to take here is to say that you like both environments and can be effective in both. When you are alone, you can be effective as an independent worker. Then when you are working with others in group projects or at meetings, you can also work effectively in teams.

You must convey the impression during a job interview that your skills enable you to excel in both scenarios. Don’t get fooled by the interviewer’s trick question. Here’s an effective response;

“I like both. I realize that most of the time, sales reps work alone and I certainly can be effective in this mode. Working with others at times will be a nice change and I can also be quite effective in teams as well. It’s a good working mix in my mind.”

Asking you about your strengths during an interview is an opportunity for you to sell yourself. Asking you about weaknesses is another matter and is another example of a tricky question. You must be careful here not to expose any specific weak skills that may hurt you during an interview. Whenever I encountered questions about my weaknesses during my interviews, I countered with something like this;

“In all honesty, the only weakness I think I have is perhaps a lack of industry specific experience since pharmaceutical sales (or any other field) will be new for me. However, I am strong on my communications and sales related skills. I am also a fast learner so I am certain that industry specific training that your company could provide will help me make up for this lack of industry experience. I’m sure that I would be able to get up to speed pretty quickly and start growing those sales for your company.”

Notice that I bring up the trainability fact in the above statement. It is extremely important that you convey the fact that you are an effective learner of new skills and environments. I use this attribute to effectively wipe out any weaknesses.

Be prepared to answer trick questions during interviews for corporate sales positions. They are designed to see if you really have what it takes to be in sales. Learn all you can about the sales job in the industry you are applying for and focus on selling your skills as well as personal attributes.

About The Author

Clint Cora is the author of the book "How To Get A Dream Job In Pharmaceutical Sales - Direct Inside Advice and Guidance from a Sales Manager". He had a very successful fourteen year career as a pharmaceutical sales representative, sales trainer, product marketing manager and a national sales manager. More information about pharmaceutical sales careers can be found at http://www.GetPharmaceuticalSalesJob.com.

Choosing An Online MBA Degree

by: Kateri White

The Master of Business Administration is one of the most popular and sought-after degrees available today. As the world moves to an increasingly corporate and service-based economy, companies have an ever-growing need for business savvy and certain sets of technical skills. And an MBA-holder is likely to have those skills and savvy.

School accreditation is the most important factor to consider when deciding on an online MBA program. Proper accreditation could mean the difference between an online MBA degree that gets you a promotion and a degree that isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.

There are three types of accreditation agencies that are essential to consider when earning an MBA online: regional accreditation, professional accreditation, and distance learning accreditation.

1. Regional accreditation is your best bet.

2. Personal accreditation will make your online MBA stand out.

3. Distance Learning accreditation may not be accepted everywhere.

4. Any other type of accreditation will not be as important as the three listed above.

You can earn a general MBA degree, or choose a particular specialization depending on your strengths and career goals. Disciplines are available in technology, IT, human resources, administration, marketing, and accounting; all the aspects of a well-oiled business machine. All MBA degrees will ensure you have a comprehensive education in business.

Study Option:

The mode of studying for an MBA is also evolving. The executive MBA allows students to work and study at the same time, arranging a mixture of classes, meetings, online work, and individual tutoring. A marketing MBA may allow you to prove your business credentials without having to go through the process of working in junior level positions. Since this qualification can be used across a broad range of sectors, your employability should be good.

Executive MBA:

An Executive MBA is a graduate degree designed for executives, managers and other leaders in business. An executive master of business administration degree may have some similarities to other business programs but is carefully focused for its intended participants.

Executive master of business administration degree programs are designed specifically for people who are currently in business but who wish to further their education. Students can usually complete their executive MBA degree within two years even when working full time. The program of study for an executive master of business administration degree covers the full spectrum of business concepts with emphasis on integrating the areas together. Course topics include accounting, statistics, finance, marketing, and management and information technology.

Marketing MBA:

A Marketing MBA is a master's degree program designed to give you the skills you need to successfully manage an organization. A marketing MBA could be right for you, if you wish to gain business skills and need to have a good foundation in the arts of merchandizing and creating a desire for goods or services.

An MBA degree online can create the expertise, experience, and knowledge needed to have a competitive edge in today's job markets. Getting a degree online is now much more convenient with the colleges and universities through expanding Internet options. The Internet is quickly changing the way those advancing their educations are studying, and the Internet is attracting thousands of students who want to return to school to further their experience and knowledge.

There are many different schools that offer MBA degrees online and each school has a different course of studies and requirement for completion. Those seeking degrees should investigate the limitless options that the Internet has brought in advancing educations, careers, and personal growth.

Of course, it is a good idea to investigate all that is available before committing to a specific school program. Potential students will want to make sure that any program that they are researching offers an MBA degree online that is accredited. Also, speak with academic counselors at various schools, getting information about the different requirements and estimated time tables involved. Be sure to look for hidden costs also. Why not start today and investigate getting an MBA degree online.

About The Author

This article has been published by Kateri White currently writing on online degree programs topics for our website http://www.onlineuniversitydegreeprogram.info. For more details about the online degree programs, please visit our website. If any mistake found please mail kateriwhite@gmail.com

The All Time Top Ten Study Tips For Success In Tests And Exams

by: Michael Tipper

There comes a time in every student's life when those things that you dread begin to loom on the horizon. Depending upon how confident you are about them, your horizon will either be measured in months, or maybe days. What am I talking about? Of course I mean examinations. You may be about to go into mid term mock examinations or you could be facing your final tests.

Whatever your situation and whenever you are going to be sat in an examination room it is never too early to start getting ready for those tests. Thorough preparation will provide you with a strong foundation and will give you the confidence and belief that you can do them and that you will get the grades you want.

But where do you start and which of the hundreds of study tips and study skill ideas do you use?

I am often asked for my top ten tips when it comes to exam success and over the years I have accumulated many ideas, some of which are more effective than others. However if I were to limit myself to just the top 10 that I felt were the most powerful based on all of the work I have done in this field, here are the ones that I think are the most powerful:

1. Find your own deep and compelling reason to successfully learn your subject and pass your exams.

This really is the most important of the study tips I shall share with you here because your success will be deeply rooted in your motivation to learn. Many kids at school do not want to be there and can't be bothered to try which is often why they fail. It does not mean that they are unable to learn, it just means that they have not applied themselves to the work at hand. I know that this is often true because I have met literally hundreds of people who "failed" at school by conventional standards yet later in life made the decision to go back to studying a subject because they wanted to do it. And because of their motivation to succeed the did.

So what does that mean to you? Well understand that you are driven by emotional needs and not necessarily logical ones. If we were driven by logic, the world would be a much better place. So you have to find a deep emotional reason for achieving success as a student. And if you can dig deep and find that reason then nothing will stop you because you will find a way.

2. Plan your time to include study, revision and social commitments - a balance of having fun, taking breaks and studying is vital.

Balance is very important to have a successful and rewarding life and the same is true when you are a student. OK you could spend every waking hour reading every book you could find and learning everything you could and yes you would pass your exams provided you had not burnt out. But it would not be fun, you would have no friends and you would definitely be out of balance.

Taking appropriate breaks and giving yourself little rewards when you have finished an essay or learnt something new for your exams is vital for your success. This is because it keeps you in balance and gives you a degree of variety that keeps you fresh and alert. Yes having a night out with your friends is good for you - but only if it is as a reward for doing good work and is as part of your overall plan.

3. Use multi-coloured Mind Maps for your notes.

My friend and mentor Tony Buzan developed the most powerful thinking tool ever (and I am not exaggerating here) when he invented the Mind Map. Imagine being able to get the key facts from an entire book on a single page in a way that was not only easy to remember but would stay in your memory for as long as you wanted it.

Imagine having a thinking tool that allowed you to prepare essays and assignments in a fraction of the time than you do at the moment AND have them much better. Imagine being able to give a powerful hour long presentation from a single page of colourful notes that you put together in about 10 minutes.

Well all these are possible with the Mind Map. It is an amazing tool that combines the power of association, the fact that we have a very strong visual processing mechanism and that it combines right and left brain processing.

I have seen what Mind Maps can do for students of all ages and all abilities and if I had my way it would be a compulsory tool taught to kids from a very young age.

4. Review your notes regularly to reinforce your new-found knowledge.

This is another very simple but extremely powerful tip for you. The experience of most students is that the learning that takes place in the classroom is really an information gathering exercise. When it comes to revising for their exams at the end of the year they go to their notes and often can't remember ever seeing that information before. They know they must have because the notes are in their handwriting but they can't remember anything! So the preparation for exams becomes a re-learning exercise.

This study tip is so simple and powerful yet most will not bother. If at the end of every day, every week and every month you quickly scanned what you have learnt, made a few key word notes and then reviewed those ultra-condensed notes regularly, you would be amazed at how much you could remember. This only need take 10 minutes at the end of the day, half an hour at the end of the week and maybe an hour or two at the end of the month.

Each time you review what you have learnt, even in condensed key word format, it is more deeply engrained in your memory.

5. Swiftly skim through your text books and course material before you read them in depth to give you an overview of your subject.

Now there is not enough space here to explain why this tip is important because it is a fundamental part of learning how to read faster and absorb more information. Just trust me on this one and before you start reading, skim through your book (no more than 10 minutes) to get a feel for the contents.

As you read in greater depth later on, some of what you have got from the quick scan will help put into context that information and allow you to make the necessary links in your mind and memory.

Doing this will often stop you from getting stuck at any point because you will have a flavour of what is to come later in the book and this added preview can help the understanding of earlier information.

6. Learn how to remember lists of things by linking each item to a location on a journey or route you are familiar with around your town. You could even use your own home.

At some point, once you have understood your subject, you will need to be able to memorise it. Many people think that just understanding it is enough to learn it but unfortunately that is not the case and so some memorization is necessary.

The most powerful way of doing this is to create a "filing system" in your mind. One way to do this is to create a little journey in your imagination (it can be a real place or you can make it up). See for example the chair, the bed, the TV, the door and the window in your bedroom. If you wanted to remember a sequence of items you would link an outrageous (and therefore memorable) picture to each location.

To recall the information, simply revisit the journey in your own mind and "see" the information in the silly pictures you have created.

7. Before you do any revision, warm up by doing some gentle exercise to relieve any tension in your body and to get a rush of healthy oxygen flowing to your brain.

There is a saying - "a healthy body, a healthy mind" - and nowhere is this more true than when it comes to learning. Two things happen when you physically warm up before studying. First of all you get rid of any physical tension that will create stress in the body and mind (not good for learning) and secondly you will get a rush of oxygen to the brain which will help you think more clearly (definitely good for learning).

8. Do past papers under thorough exam conditions as often as possible to familiarise yourself with the format and the pressures of working under exam conditions.

If you are training in a sport or practicing a musical instrument, you will practice the plays or rehearse the pieces for the big day. It would not make sense to spend months doing push ups and then turn up on the big day and expect to play soccer really well. It would also be unwise to only practice scales on your instrument and then when the big performance comes up expect a perfect recital.

So the same is true of exams. Fortunately these days you can get hold of past exam papers from previous years. Do these, under the same exam conditions, over and over again so that when the big day comes you will have exam experience under your belt.

Doing this will give you more confidence, much better exam techniqe and an insight into how the examiners for your subject think. Remember practice makes perfect.

9. In an exam, make sure you read the question completely and fully understand what the examiner wants before you allocate your time and begin answering the questions.

This is commonsense but you would be amazed at how many people do not do this. Take your time, plan what you are going to write and then write it.

10. If you are faced with a mental block breathe deeply, relax and ask yourself "If I did know the answer to this question, what would it be?"

This might sound silly but if you do it with a positive expectation that your very powerful subconcious will give you the answer, then you will be amazed at what comes to mind. The combination of the breathing, relaxation and expectation is the key. Of course you have had to have done the preparation beforehand because this won't work with information that you have not previously learnt or covered in class.

So there you have my top 10 tips. Each are very powerful and just doing one of them will make a big difference to your success...but if you do all 10...Wow!

Good luck and please do let me know how these work for you.

About The Author

Michael Tipper makes it very easy to be highly effective at learning and passing exams in a way that any student can easily achieve. To receive your free 7 day mini-course on being a highly effective student visit http://www.the77habits.com.

himself@michaeltipper.com

Why schools should exclusively use free software?

Recently, I read an interesting article urging schools to use free software for teaching students written by Richard Stallman.

There are general reasons why all computer users should insist on free software. It gives users the freedom to control their own computers—with proprietary software, the computer does what the software owner wants it to do, not what the software user wants it to do. Free software also gives users the freedom to cooperate with each other, to lead an upright life. These reasons apply to schools as they do to everyone.

But there are special reasons that apply to schools. They are the subject of this article.

First, free software can save the schools money. Even in the richest countries, schools are short of money. Free software gives schools, like other users, the freedom to copy and redistribute the software, so the school system can make copies for all the computers they have. In poor countries, this can help close the digital divide.

This obvious reason, while important, is rather shallow. And proprietary software developers can eliminate this disadvantage by donating copies to the schools. (Watch out!—a school that accepts this offer may have to pay for future upgrades.) So let's look at the deeper reasons.

School should teach students ways of life that will benefit society as a whole. They should promote the use of free software just as they promote recycling. If schools teach students free software, then the students will use free software after they graduate. This will help society as a whole escape from being dominated (and gouged) by megacorporations. Those corporations offer free samples to schools for the same reason tobacco companies distribute free cigarettes: to get children addicted (1). They will not give discounts to these students once they grow up and graduate.

Free software permits students to learn how software works. When students reach their teens, some of them want to learn everything there is to know about their computer system and its software. That is the age when people who will be good programmers should learn it. To learn to write software well, students need to read a lot of code and write a lot of code. They need to read and understand real programs that people really use. They will be intensely curious to read the source code of the programs that they use every day.

Proprietary software rejects their thirst for knowledge: it says, “The knowledge you want is a secret—learning is forbidden!” Free software encourages everyone to learn. The free software community rejects the “priesthood of technology”, which keeps the general public in ignorance of how technology works; we encourage students of any age and situation to read the source code and learn as much as they want to know. Schools that use free software will enable gifted programming students to advance.

The next reason for using free software in schools is on an even deeper level. We expect schools to teach students basic facts, and useful skills, but that is not their whole job. The most fundamental mission of schools is to teach people to be good citizens and good neighbors—to cooperate with others who need their help. In the area of computers, this means teaching them to share software. Elementary schools, above all, should tell their pupils, “If you bring software to school, you must share it with the other children.” Of course, the school must practice what it preaches: all the software installed by the school should be available for students to copy, take home, and redistribute further.

Teaching the students to use free software, and to participate in the free software community, is a hands-on civics lesson. It also teaches students the role model of public service rather than that of tycoons. All levels of school should use free software.

School Tips: Study tips for students

1. Get your study materials then start studying. If you can concentrate, then it’s good. But if you think you can’t absorb what you are studying, stop for a while maybe try some relaxing activities like listening to music and watching TV. But you have to set your mind to go on with your studying later. This way, you have set a goal.

2. As many have advised, you can use highlighters. I prefer using dermatographs because it does not stain my book. Choose a light colored one because light colors bring good energy.

3. My books serve as my notes. I summarize what I have just read at the side columns or empty spaces of my books using a pencil. Then after I am done with the page, I review them. I have observed that it helps me recall everything faster. You can also use sticky notes (Post-it) to summarize what you’ve read and paste it on the page.

4. Try using arrows and diagrams when studying. These materials aid for better recall. It is better if you write a diagram of your own based on your understanding than just merely rely on what diagram written on the book. This does not mean that you have to alter everything. Maybe you can provide more details because some books offers only a summary.

5. Put everything you need in your study table. These include all the books you might need, materials you’ll use and of course, don’t forget the snacks. biggrin.gif

6. Try wearing your uniform while studying. Believe me, this stimulates learning because psychologically you feel like you’re still in the classroom to learn. This was also attested by one of our best doctors here in our city. And he keeps on advising us this technique.

7. Sleep early and wake up at dawn. You will have a very refreshed mind and it had enough rest. Re-fueled kumbaga.

8. Try making a schedule. Yeah, in many cases this turns out useless as you can always break the schedule but at least when you go back to your study table, you know where to start. Your mind will be organized then.