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Preparing To Take An English Exam?

8/23/2021

Live this Thursday, August 26th at 11 AM American Pacific Time on the Study in the USA Facebook page.

Join international blogger, TOEFL test taker and graduate student, Pietro Rossini, as he shares his English-language journey and provides tips to help you prepare for yours.
The TOEFL® test is a high-quality, high-standard test that assures admissions officers of your readiness for the classroom and beyond. More than 35 million people worldwide have chosen the TOEFL test to demonstrate their English-language proficiency.

Do you have questions about:

How to sign up?
Which universities and colleges accept the test?
The difference between the TOEFL iBT® and the TOEFL® Essentials tests?
How to find locations, dates and test fees?
How scoring works?
Whether or not the test can be retaken?

Go to www.facebook.com/studyintheusa/live to ask your questions in real time!

TOEFL iBT Test – Tips for the Speaking Section

1/25/2021

If you intend to come to study in the U.S., you will soon find yourself involved with the preparation for the TOEFL iBT test. Any university and college will ask you for a TOEFL score. Every institution has different requirements. To apply for some, you will need a score of 80 while for others 90 or 100 out of 120. Some colleges, furthermore, may ask you for a specific minimum partial score in one of the four sections of the test (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing). In the previous guides, I told about “how to beat the reading section,” and “some tips for the listening part.” Here, I will give you some tips for the speaking section.

The mandatory break and the first strategy
Right after the listening section you will have 10 minutes of mandatory break. I suggest you bring some protein bars or snacks and water. This is the time to take a break from the intense first part of the TOEFL. You are halfway but you haven’t finished yet.
In fact, when you go back to your computer, you will find the speaking section waiting for you. However, this section won’t start immediately after the break. Indeed, you will check the microphone and headphone first. And that is the moment to apply the first strategy: use this time to write down your templates on your scratch paper. It’s not cheating, it’s the best way of managing your time instead.

Tips for the speaking section
After this audio check, you will start with the speaking section. Here I’ll introduce you to each speaking question:

1. INDEPENDENT SPEAKING QUESTION
The first speaking question is an independent question. This means that you will have to express your opinion about a general topic. You will have 15 seconds to prepare your response and 45 seconds to speak.

Does this time sound short for you? Let’s set a strategy to manage this short time better. First, remember that on your scratch paper you have already written your template. There are many templates that you can find around the web, but my suggestion is to create your own template. Once you understand the logic of each question, you can use your words to prepare yourself to answer them.

For this question you should think of 2 ideas and 2 examples. Do not worry too much about details. You won’t have time! Just 2 ideas (why you agree or disagree with the statement in the question) and 2 examples. My advice is to invent 2 like-real very short stories that support your ideas. In the days before the test, try to practice it. You will see that it’s easier than what it seems like.

2. INTEGRATED: CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENT AND CONVERSATION
In this integrated task, you will read a short passage (50 sec.) and then listen to a conversation between two students.

First, from the passage take just the main idea (what the announcement is about) and the 2 pros or cons that the passage claims.

Secondly, for the listening part, you should understand who is expressing an opinion about the issue. Usually it’s the student that speaks more. The other one just asks questions. Focus on the one who’s expressing his or her opinion and take notes about two things: what are the reasons and why the student agrees or disagrees with the announcement.

When it comes your turn to speak, you will report briefly what the announcement is about and what is the opinion of the student in the listening part.

Do not share your opinion in this question! It will drop down your score consistently.

3. INTEGRATED: ACADEMIC READING AND LECTURE
The third task is another integrated question. This time is about an academic passage. Don’t worry — this passage won’t be complicated as the ones in the reading part! It’s a very short passage where you will look just for the main idea (what this passage is about).

In the listening part (the lecture), you will focus on the examples that the professor will make about this topic. This is extremely important because when you speak you will report these examples made by the professor in the lecture. So, don’t worry too much about the reading in this section and focus on listening instead.

4. INTEGRATED: ACADEMIC LECTURE
In the last speaking task, you will listen to an academic lecture. This time without reading a passage about the topic.

Here you will take notes about two things: first, the topic; secondly, the two points and two examples made by the professor to better explain the topic.

Remember that for all three the integrated tasks you won’t express your opinion at all! Only for the first question, you will do that instead.

A Little Secret
A TOEFL teacher who worked as a ProctorU (a person in charge of controlling that the TOEFL iBT test is taken without cheating) revealed to me this special secret for the speaking part: SPEAK ALOUD!
You may think, what kind of secret is this? Well, you know that the speaking section is graded by both a computer and a human. The computer grading part highlights the clarity of speech. For this reason, just speaking aloud you will increase your score of about 4 points!

Free websites where you can practice for the TOEFL iBT test
These strategies and tips are not magic or superstition. They need the practice to be effective. It is like when you are learning how to play an instrument. You need to spend time on it applying the correct exercises. The same is with the TOEFL iBT test. The more you practice (correct strategies), the better and faster you become answering the questions.

Here there are some websites that you can use for free for your test practice:
Toeflbank.com – a Korean website where you can practice the 4 sections. I like this tool because it is the only one that gives you feedback also for the speaking and the writing part. Moreover, with your free account, you will get advice on how to get your score goal.

Weixue100.com – a Chinese website that contains tons of free tests. It’s nice for practicing all sections, but particularly the reading part because you can choose one passage at a time.

Zabanexam – an Iranian website that contains full free practice for the four sections. There is only one limit: outside Iran, you need a VPN to use it.

Pietro Rossini is a Xaverian Missionary and ESL student at Framingham State University. He came to the U.S. in January 2020 with the purpose of studying for a master of arts in journalism at Boston University. His dream is to collect and share stories of humanity around the globe, making the world a single family.

American Slang Words You Need to Know in 2021

1/11/2021

For many English learners planning to study or work in the U.S., students are often bombarded with many unfamiliar slang words from American TV shows, songs, or native-speaker friends. Slang words learning are often excluded from formal English education, yet it helps English learners to understand American popular culture and better communication with their American friends.
Today, we’ll cover the top 10 American popular slang words to ease your communication with English native speakers.

1. Bail/ ditch
Bail and ditch both mean to have to break or cancel the plans with someone. for instance, you have to cancel the plans with your friends due to unfinished school work.
Example: “Sorry friends, I have to bail tonight.”

2. Balling/Ballin’
You may have heard of this term in many american pop songs, such as White Iverson by Post Malone when he said: “When I started ballin’ I was young.” in casual conversation, ballin’ means having a wealthy and luxurious lifestyle.
Example: “Heard you went on vacation in Los Angeles again last week, you are ballin’!”

3. Chill/chill out
Meaning “calm down” on casual occasions.
Example: If your friends are being overly excited at a football game, you can say “Hey man, chill out.”

4. Down to earth
Referring to someone when they are humble, genuine, and easy to get along with.
Example: “I made a new friend at the museum last night, she was super down to earth. I would love to hang out with her again!”

5. GOAT
Not the cute animal, but the acronym for “greatest of all time.” Pronounced exactly like the animal, but GOAT should only be used to talk about someone who truly is the greatest of all time.
Example: “Kobe is the GOAT, may he rest in peace”

6. Slay
It is an informal way of saying being greatly impressed by someone from performing or just doing something well.
Example: “Beyoncé slays in her every performance!”

7. Stan
Ehe word was first found in the song “Stan” on American rapper Eminem’s album in 2000. Nowadays, it refers to die-hard fans of celebrities.
Example: “Did you watch JLo and Shakira performances on the Superbowl last night, I stan for them!”

8. Tea/Here is the tea
It is slang for gossip or hot news circulating the situation. it is often used in terms such as “what’s the tea” (what’s the new gossip), “spill the tea” (tell someone about gossip), or just use it as one word referring to the hot news.
Example: “Would you like to spill the tea of your date from last night?”

9. Wack
Different than the traditional definition, wack refers to “boring” or “worse than expectations” in U.S. pop culture.
Example: “How was the movie you watched last night”
“The movie was wack.”

10. What’s good
Equivalent to “what’s up” or “how are you doing,” often used as a causal greeting between friends. When an English speaker asks you that question, you can respond with what you are doing or how you are feeling at the moment.
Example: “What’s good? Haven’t seen you for a while”
“Nothing much, just studying and preparing for the upcoming exams! How about you?”

Learning English is a long and exciting experience, it also allows the learners to be exposed to the American culture and make friends worldwide. Kaplan International Languages provides English courses at all levels with flexible schedules. It is more than an English school with over 75 years of teaching experience but establish the best academic experience and make life-long friends! Click here to find the Kaplan International Schools near you!

Citations:
"White Iverson by Post Malone". SoundCloud. Post Malone. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
White Noise: The Eminem Collection. Thunder's Mouth Press. 2003. ISBN 978-1-56025-534-5. "Stan," Eminem's most celebrated track, folds an epistolary rap into a horrorcore scenario.
CTA

TOEFL iBT Test – Tips for the Listening Section

12/28/2020

If you intend to study in the U.S., you will soon find yourself involved with the preparation for the TOEFL iBT test. Any university and college will ask you for a TOEFL score. Every institution has different requirements. To apply for some, you will need a score of 80 while for others 90 or 100 out of 120. Some colleges, furthermore, may ask you for a specific minimum partial score in one of the four sections of the test. In a previous post, I talked about “how to beat the reading section.” Here, I will give you some tips for the listening part.

Tips for the listening section
The reading section is followed by the listening section. You will be given approximately 41 minutes to complete it. The listening consists of two parts, and each part includes one conversation and at least one academic lecture. One part will consist of one campus conversation and one academic lecture, while the other will include three passages, one campus conversation, and two academic lectures.

First of all, in the actual test, the listening part follows the reading part. That means that you will be very tired after 54 or 72 minutes spent on the reading part (I tell you this from my personal experience!). Take this into the account while you are practicing for the test day. You should work on stress management to beat this section. Indeed, the most important thing for the listening part is FOCUS, and note taking will help you in this task.

In fact, during the listening section, you can take notes. First, it’s not recommended to write down everything. You should write down: the main idea, why the speaker says something, and important details such as names, places, dates, and other specific ideas. Indeed, if you write down everything you hear, the risk is to get distracted and lose important details. On the other hand, if you just listen without taking notes, you will be distracted anyway because you will be tired after the reading section. So, in a nutshell, use note taking as a tool to get focused on what you are listening to. But remember that this is not the writing section! Let’s take a look now at how to take notes for the two kinds of listening that you will find in the test.

How to take notes for the conversations
Two of the listening parts will be conversations between a student and a professor or another university employee. For this kind of listening, you will draw a line in the middle of your scratch paper (Note: If you are taking the Home Edition, you can’t use papers. So, you need a hand whiteboard instead!). On one side you will take notes of the important details said by the student, and on the other side, the ones by the professor. In this way, your mind is focused on the conversation, and it acknowledges important details and who is saying so.

The following picture shows how your scratch paper (or whiteboard) will look like:

Example of the scratch paper for the conversations

How to take notes for the lectures
The other listening parts are academic lectures. In this case, you can use a “bullet format.” Every time you hear a detail such as a date, name, place, or something you consider important for the meaning of the lecture, you will write it down. Put everything as a list of contents. Then, connect content between them using keywords. In fact, at the end, you will have a chronological order of the details heard in the passage. This is very useful because the questions follow chronological order as well.

The following picture shows how your scratch paper (or whiteboard) will look like:

Example of the scratch paper for the lectures

After each listening section, you will be asked to answer questions about the main idea, author’s purpose, and details heard in the lecture or in the conversation. For this reason, while you are listening, try to foresee these questions. With practice, you will soon understand the logic that test makers use. And you will beat this section as well.

Free websites where you can practice for the TOEFL iBT test
These strategies and tips are not magic or superstition. They need the practice to be effective. It is like when you are learning how to play an instrument. You need to spend time on it applying the correct exercises. The same is with the TOEFL iBT test. The more you practice (correct strategies), the better and faster you become answering the questions.

Here there are some websites that you can use for free for your test practice:
Toeflbank.com – a Korean website where you can practice the 4 sections. I like this tool because it is the only one that gives you feedback also for the speaking and the writing part. Moreover, with your free account, you will get advice on how to get your score goal.

Weixue100.com – a Chinese website that contains tons of free tests. Nice for practicing all sections, but particularly the reading part because you can choose one passage at a time.

Zabanexam – an Iranian website that contains full free practice for the four sections. There is only one limit: outside Iran, you need a VPN to use it.
Keep following studyusa.com for more posts about TOEFL iBT test tips. In the next few weeks, you will find other tips for the other two sections (Speaking and Writing).

Pietro Rossini is a Xaverian Missionary and ESL student at Framingham State University. He came to the U.S. in January 2020 with the purpose of studying for a master of arts in journalism at Boston University. His dream is to collect and share stories of humanity around the globe, making the world a single family.

Tips for Using Music to Help You Learn English as a Second Language

12/23/2020

Music is an important part of life. It improves your cognitive, mental, and emotional health. Music can also help you learn languages.

Music can help a person improve their pronunciation and listening skills, which then has the potential to help a person improve their speaking skills. Here are some benefits of using music to learn English as a second language.

Music Can Lead to Improved Pronunciation
One of the hardest things about learning a new language, especially English, is mastering pronunciation. Using songs to learn English can help train a person to speak the language with the proper accent.
The nice thing about songs is that they are catchy. A catchy song is repeated time and time again. If you take music with you and listen to it regularly, such as by using headphones while walking to school, you will gradually begin to repeat and remember the patterns you hear. The learning process becomes instinctive.

Songs Can Improve Grammar and Sentence Structure
It can be difficult to learn or understand English if what you are hearing is not in context. Most songs have a general theme that contextualize the lyrics being sung. This offers a context to learn vocabulary.
The more you hear the lyrics, the better your vocabulary becomes. Comprehension improves with time because you will not only sing the song, but if the song is popular, you will probably discuss it with others. Songs in English benefit from a simple structure. They use conversational language, so it’s easy to understand them. Not only can you understand the grammar in a song, but it’s easy to remember.

It’s Fun Listening to Music
Learning a language can feel boring. It can feel repetitive. Music boosts motivation to learn. Music touches the heart, and emotion is a key part of learning a language.

Music allows you to learn without focusing on learning. If you have a favorite song, you will play it over and over in the background. Without knowing it, you are learning unfamiliar words. If the song has been translated to multiple languages, you could listen to the translations back to back.

Music Is Linked to Memory
When you listen to a song, you are instantly transported to the previous times you heard the song. Music stimulates both sides of the brain. Because of this, it makes learning English and other topics easier.
Using music to learn a language is most effective if you not only listen but also sing-along. You might not know how to correctly pronounce all the lyrics at first, but find a lyric sheet and read along. You will soon watch your vocabulary grow, your pronunciation improve, and your English confidence strengthen.

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico.

5 Pro Tips to Making a Multi-linguist Resume

12/3/2020

The need for interpreters and translators will grow at a rate of 19% between 2018 and 2028. So, your language skills in a resume matter a lot in defining your chances of getting hired.

But it is not limited to translator and interpreter jobs. The requirement of additional languages is expanding in a lot of other jobs as well. In the hospitality industry, the candidates are preferred to be fluent in more than one language.

In this guide, we will help you showcase your language proficiency in a resume and clear doubts in terms of where you can add these skills.

Relevance to the target profile
It is likely that the position you are applying for does not require you to possess skills in more than one language. So, you need to determine the relevance of your language skills to the profile you are targeting and update your resume accordingly. But there are jobs where you need more than one language to get hired.

To do this, we advise you to go through the job description of your target job and understand the requirements. Based on the insights, you can highlight your language skills accordingly and tailor your resume to a specific job.

For instance, if the post requires candidates to have expertise in Spanish to assist customers. You can highlight your proficiency in Spanish in the professional experience section.

For example, you can include a point displaying the skills in a manner highlighted below:

“Assisted English speaking customers in the hotel and handled reservations from guests of French origin.”

You can follow this approach to highlight your language skills throughout the professional experience section.

Add it in the summary
As the resume summary is written right below the name, recruiters are inclined to go through this section first.

For this aspect only, the summary is reserved for skills and achievements that candidates want the recruiters to notice first.

When you are trying to showcase your linguistic skills, a summary is a great place to include them. In the career summary, you can include pointers about how you utilized these skills in your professional career and why you hold them in such high regard.

For example, check the example written below:

“Trilingual hotel manager with 5 years of experience in the hospitality industry and conversing with guests from major European countries. Proficient in Spanish, English, and French to handle customers with ease.“

Make a language skills section
After determining the relevance of your language skills in the target profile, your resume is meant to showcase your linguistic skills.

Apart from adding them to your summary, you can create a separate section to write them for the recruiter’s perusal.

Having these skills listed in a separate section will enable the recruiter to locate them easily. You can place this section near the “key skills section” that showcases your core competencies.

Include the proficiency level
The proficiency level of your language skills is highly critical to have recruiters understand your fluency with the language. Hence, you must write the proficiency level as per your understanding of the language. You can think of it in terms of reading, listening, and speaking comprehension.

Further, you can create a better impact by taking a self-assessment test called ILR (Interagency Language Roundtable). It was established by the U.S. government to assess the language proficiency standards of candidates. This test divides the candidates into 5 categories:

Beginner: This level just covers professionals who have just begun learning a new language.
Intermediate: The intermediate skill level is for professionals who can carry a basic conversation and understand basic grammar rules of the language.
Proficient: Proficient professionals possess the ability to talk, write, and read the language with little difficulty.
Fluent: This level is reserved for professionals who have covered almost all aspects of the language and can hold the conversation without any error.
Native: Native proficiency level is for professionals who have mastered the language and most likely grew up speaking it.

Add language certifications
Apart from the ILR assessment test, if you need to showcase the credibility of the mentioned language skills. Add all your language certifications.

For example, here is how you can write certifications in your resume:

“English for Professionals | ESL.com | Pasadena, California | Dec ‘19”

Key takeaways
Here are a few key takeaways from the article:

Determine the relevance of your target skills to the target profile and modify your resume accordingly.
Add your language skills in the summary to make it a highlight of your resume.
Create a separate language section for the recruiter’s perusal.
Add the proficiency level for each language.
Include all your language certifications to create a better impact.

Aditya Sharma is a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Hiration — an AI solution to help job-seekers find their way in the treacherous job market across the world.

Choosing a Career Filled with Traveling AND Making a Difference

11/25/2020

Picking a career can be a difficult endeavor, both for young adults and more experienced professionals who are seeking change. And choosing one that aligns with your passions and ideals makes the situation even more complex. You may even hope to secure a career wherein multiple (seemingly unrelated) passions align, such as service to others and traveling.

Fortunately for those who hope to travel as well as make a difference in the world, our multicultural, interconnected world allows plenty of opportunities to do just that. For example, you could enter the nonprofit world, or pursue a career in teaching or counseling. Keep in mind that to secure a job that fulfills your passions, you may need to beef up your soft skills and being proficient in a second language is a huge asset to your search.

Here’s what you need to know about finding a fulfilling career that also involves travel and the importance of doing what you love.

The Importance of a Fulfilling Career
Your future career serves as your means of making a comfortable living, but it’s much more than that. Your overall happiness and satisfaction with life as an adult may even hinge on how much you enjoy your job. In fact, research indicates that being unhappy in your career can be detrimental to your health.

According to Fast Company, when you are dissatisfied with your job, you’re more likely to experience insomnia, anxiety, and depression. As job dissatisfaction takes a toll on your physical and mental wellbeing, seeking a fulfilling career has the power to literally improve your life. And by choosing a career in philanthropy, education, or another type of humanitarian aid, you’re also helping to improve the lives of others.

Job Opportunities for the Young and Adventurous
If you hope to travel while also working to facilitate meaningful change, the possibilities are virtually endless. To get started on your search for the career path that best suits your passions, consider the environments in which you’re most likely to thrive. Don’t be afraid to ask yourself the big questions, and be honest with yourself. After all, it’s your future at stake.

For instance: Do you love working with large groups of people or would you be more comfortable in a behind-the-scenes role? Is it your dream to improve the lives of underprivileged children, or do you see yourself working as a registered nurse on the front lines?

You should also consider the nuances of working as an independent contractor versus taking the traditional employment route. Both types of employment come with their own benefits and drawbacks, while also providing ample opportunity for you to travel abroad. Travel-centric humanitarian jobs run the gamut from teaching English as a second language to being an international aid worker.

Many jobs that let you travel abroad may even cover certain types of expenses, such as lodging and food. As an independent contractor, you’re more likely to be on your own in that regard. In regards to careers filled with traveling and philanthropy, this type of independence may significantly impact your finances and even your personal safety.

Staying Safe While Working Abroad
The myriad benefits of travel abroad are well-known and scientifically proven. NBC News reports that traveling abroad can provide stress relief, enhance your creativity, and help boost your overall happiness. What’s more, some consider travel to be the purest form of education, taking you outside of your comfort zone and opening your mind to cultures and experiences that are vastly different from your own.

Yet that’s only part of the story, as traveling also inevitably comes with inherent risks. For starters, you may experience loneliness and small bouts of culture shock upon arrival in a foreign place. You may be vulnerable to those who make a dishonest living, preying on unsuspecting tourists and novice ex-pats. Inclement weather events are also a distinct possibility, especially in tropical climates and remote work locales.

While you shouldn’t live in constant fear, you should also take steps to protect yourself when working abroad. For starters, never wander into unfamiliar neighborhoods on your own, and always make sure all of your essentials are secure, from your passport and wallet to smartphone and work laptop. Before setting off on your work adventure, consider investing in protective equipment and gear such as a theft-proof laptop backpack, especially one that has water-resistant properties. When traveling for work, it’s best to be prepared for anything.

Key Takeaways
As we look towards the future, most of us hope to live a happy, secure life, working in a career field that sparks joy in our souls. There’s no reason that you can’t make those dreams come true, even if you hope to make travel a cornerstone of your professional life. In the 21st century, you have more opportunities than ever to make a difference in the world while also immersing yourself in new cultures and experiences.

Adrian Johansen is a freelance writer in the Pacific Northwest.

Getting an Education Despite Financial Insecurity

9/30/2020

Heading off to a different country to continue your education is an exciting yet daunting prospect. The benefits of international travel are myriad. For those learning English as a second language (ESL), studying in the U.S. is a chance to immerse yourself in the culture and boost your working knowledge of the dialect. But studying abroad is not without its challenges.

There are always a range of logistical hurdles to overcome — from gaining school acceptance to planning for a smooth relocation. Finances have always been high up on that list of issues. Students don’t always have the same economic support systems that they might have at home or don’t have a great deal of savings to begin with. But financial insecurity shouldn’t be a barrier to a rich educational experience.

We’re going to take a closer look at how you can study in the U.S. with limited access to finances. What sources of funding are in place, and how can you best take advantage of these? Are there lifestyle approaches and tools that can help make your economic situation while getting an education a little more manageable?

Handling Loans
It’s no secret that studying in the U.S. is one of the most expensive educational experiences in the world. One report determined that annual university fees alone cost on average $24,914. As many of us don’t have ready access to this kind of cash, most ESL students will need to look into their loan options.

Unfortunately, the federal student loan system that is popular among U.S. citizens and permanent residents is not available to international students. This means that you’ll have to make applications with private institutions. Some specialize in international student loans, but there are some steps to take that can help your application.

These include:

Use a Co-signer. Many U.S.-based international study loan programs require a guarantor before they’ll authorize funding. In general, this will need to be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident with a good credit history. While not all international student loans require a co-signer, you’ll find that you have more options if you have a friend or family member able to act in this capacity.
Gather Proof of Income. Loans are generally not approved until you have acceptance of your place at a school and obtain the relevant visa. However, to do this you will usually need to demonstrate to your school and consular officer that you can support yourself while you study. Organize materials that clearly show your finances, and your working experience — if you currently work a remote job such as tutoring online, that you can continue while abroad, all the better.
Maintain Good Credit. Most lenders will require your credit report. Additionally, you’ll likely have to apply for a new loan each semester. Therefore it is in your best interest to maintain good credit practices, even while you’re studying. If you’ve already defaulted on student loans in the past, its best to repair your credit history before applying for another. Rebuild your profile by making regular payments on credit cards, and consider subscribing to utilities such as Netflix in your name and keeping up with the bills.

Scholarships and Grants
Taking out a loan or series of loans to tackle your student expenses can feel overwhelming. However, you can reduce your reliance upon finances you have to pay back by reviewing your scholarship and grant options. You might be surprised at just how many opportunities there are.

The Foreign Fulbright scholarship is probably the most well-known funding opportunity for international students. It’s a government-funded program that is largely aimed at graduate students, young professionals, and artists who wish to spend a year or more studying in the U.S. There are also a variety of specialist opportunities under this umbrella, including the English Teaching Assistant program that provides school placement, language improvement, and options for independent study or research.

It’s also worth your time to investigate several smaller scholarships and grants that could help make a dent in your overall tuition and day-to-day living costs. Many don’t require you to be seeking a degree. The Abbey Road Summer Scholarship program is aimed at high-school-aged language students seeking to spend the summer studying in the U.S. Other programs are aimed toward encouraging cross-cultural relations. The #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship is a good example of this; their application requirements are centered around video or written essays demonstrating your commitment to promoting intercultural learning. If you’re willing to put in some extra work — doing some research and producing some essays — you can lighten your financial load.

Living Costs
When discussing studying abroad, financial conversations are often focused on tuition costs. However, there are many more expenses that you’ll need funds for during your stay. Books, accommodation, perhaps even the occasional trip back home during the holidays will need to be factored in. Let’s face it, you’ll also want to spend some money on experiencing the fun aspects of U.S. culture and student life. Thankfully, managing your day-to-day student finances can be made less painful.

While you’ll almost certainly have some student loans, you should do your best to limit the debt you accrue. Create a strict budget to live within your means. Seek on-campus work that not only provides you with income to live on but reduces commuting expenses. This might not seem like the most exciting way to experience life in the U.S., but it keeps your expenses and your debt to the absolute minimum.

Today’s advanced technological society also brings with it some expenses. See where you can minimize unnecessary utilities such as home broadband by utilizing campus wifi, or cafes. As an international student it’s important to keep in contact with your loved ones back home, but do some research on which phone plans are geared specifically toward international students. See who provides the best mixture of international talk plans to chat with your family and data allowance for when you’re not in the vicinity of free wifi.

Conclusion
Getting an education in the U.S. when you’re not financially secure can be difficult, but it’s certainly not impossible. Take steps to improve your loan prospects, put work into applying for scholarships, and plan to minimize your living expenses. International study is a unique, enriching experience that you shouldn’t miss out on.

Secret Revealed: How Virtual Reality Can Change Learning Process

8/3/2020

Our new era of digital devices has brought important changes with it, along with enhanced technological development. One of which is virtual reality (VR). In this new world of opportunities, the content is delivered through an active engagement of the participant. A virtual world is created — either real or imagined — that allows users to interact with it, and thus, accelerate their learning process. Being immersed into this world, users will quickly acquire whichever skills or content they must engage with.

Today, students can benefit from high-quality VR. Because technology is expanding at a fast pace, facilitating students’ learning process and making things easier for everybody is a must. VR is changing education as we speak, aiming to be in the classrooms in the near future. With a pandemic hitting hard and schools closing, students must have some type of tangible learning tool to engage with, and VR might be exactly what the educational system needs.

In the classroom
The first thing we must consider about VR is that it can be easily integrated into the classroom. Here are the top reasons why you would want that and what the benefits would be.

Students can virtually travel to all kinds of places and explore new concepts with their own eyes. They can move from theory to practice by implementing VR, exploring actively (and learning faster!) without leaving the classroom.
Students can also explore various career fields and see which ones they like the most by taking VR journeys.
Students can now develop empathy for communities in need. This would happen if they had the ability to travel to specific places and experiment with what is going on in certain parts of the world (crisis or not).
Students can also get creative and share their own worldviews by sharing their own VR content.
Anatomy is another important subject that students can more easily learn about with VR.

Making the impossible possible
The coolest thing about VR is that it can turn the impossible into possible. Students are now able to get the real hands-on experience that they need in order to become professionals in their field. Some students may not have access to what truly inspires them; but the possibilities with VR could give them the opportunity to explore careers that might be of interest to them. “If students cannot access or explore their needs and wants, how are they ever going to know what they actually wish for?” asks Aussie essay writer, Jeffrey Watson. VR could be an important tool in making the unknown, known.

Changing the game
While many students will opt for essay writing service uk and other types of online assistance available, others will prefer to learn by doing. But if the school assignment is too boring and the motivation is not high enough, how will that work? The right answer is through games. Playing games is another learning method that VR brings to life.

Titans of Space: to learn about the Solar System
Discovery: the VR option for the Discovery Channel
Anatomyou: to learn about the human body
King Tut: super cool lessons on Egyptian history
InMind 2: to learn about human emotions

These are just five of the multitude of apps that you can find online. There are many options for various topics, so research to see what else is available.

Creativity and the learning process
The VR industry is progressing at a fast pace, and so is creativity. According to Assignment Help, understanding creative design, interactive promotion, and engaging advertising are just some of the things that can help our students get the gist of the technological world. Oculus Rift has been in place for some time now and it is a wonderful opportunity to get to experiment more than we know, especially when it comes to business (but in other areas of interests too). VR encourages students to engage, enroll, and explore. It can transform how they think and help them develop the skills that they need.

Conclusion
Virtual reality will change the way in which the world operates and provide the perfect aid for a hands-on learning experience. Students will be able to immerse themselves in a new world of endless possibilities and acquire new skills and content quickly and easily.

Michael Gorman is a freelance writer and a custom essay service proofreader from the UK who currently works at top essay writing services. Being interested in everyday development, he writes various blog posts and discovers new aspects of human existence everyday while providing dissertation services for his clients.

Why Reading Past Papers Is the Easiest Way to Succeed at University

7/31/2020

Today, students are bombarded by numerous academic tasks required to successfully graduate from university and get a degree. That is why the time has become a valuable resource, which students cannot waste. Many of them believe that studying is either reading the textbook multiple times or reading a chapter and making notes to summarize it in their own note format. Both approaches are probably the most ineffective ways to study since students are only asked about 30% of the subject in their exams. But how to prepare for actual exams if reading textbooks over and over again and making notes is not relevant? To find an answer to this question, you need to understand that studying is not subject practice. Far from that, it is exam practice, where you take all you have done in the classroom and homework and see how this knowledge comes up in your exam.

Studying hard is not an equivalent of studying smart. Students need to make the learning process as efficient and productive as possible to succeed at university. If you want to prepare for your actual exams and pass them successfully, you should make past papers your best friend. There are numerous reasons why reading past papers is the easiest way to success at university. In this article, we have summarized the best benefits of this approach to studying.

1. You can familiarize yourself with the key topic areas
Reading past papers allows you to get a feeling for the main topics and themes that you are likely to encounter in your upcoming exams. The overwhelming majority of all exams are very predictable. With this knowledge in mind, try to sit with past exam papers for an hour or two and you will understand what we are talking about. You will identify certain trends and patterns that will help you get prepared for your exams more effectively. For example, after identifying trends and patterns, you can tell what subject areas you are good at and what themes and topics you know little or nothing about. As a result, you can focus your attention on certain themes to further extend your knowledge and get a proper grasp of certain subject areas. Furthermore, by reviewing past papers, it is possible to refresh your memory with the common phrases and terminology that you are likely to use in the actual exam. This will help you feel more confident and success oriented.

2. Reading past papers can get you a higher exam mark
In accordance with a study conducted by The Super Generation, an education organization that helps students learn more effectively, average students who focus on reading past papers and study smart tend to get above average or even excellent exam results. This is because spending your time practicing old exam papers and example sheets, as well as using them to guide your exam plans, can greatly assist you in developing your answer. Furthermore, reading past papers can help you practice answering exam questions and definitions. Given that fewer marks are allocated in this area, you can spend the majority of your time on the essay-style questions that generally count as a higher portion of the grade.

3. Past papers provide you with a feel of the forthcoming exams
Getting through past papers is also beneficial for your success at university since it enables you to experience the style, variety, and number of exam questions. With this knowledge in mind, you can plan on how to tackle each question in a highly effective manner. Reading past papers also enables you to familiarize yourself with the style of questions used, such as short-answer, multiple-choice, or essays. As a result, you will be able to get a better understanding of how to handle your exam paper in the best way possible and get a high mark.

4. You can further develop your skills
Reading past exam papers is also essential for your ability to further develop your time management and exam answering skills. For example, use these papers in order to practice and see how much time it would take to complete your exam paper. If you fail to deal with the paper within the time specified, analyze your answer and identify how you could improve and enhance it to achieve success in your forthcoming exams.

5. Reading past papers saves your time
Many teachers and students know that the majority of study courses have numerous associated topics, so it is problematic to cover them all in one exam. That is why reading past papers is crucial for your success as a student. When reading these papers, you are able to shift the focus of your mind from the broad subject to the exact, narrow questions. Given that only 4 hours of exam paper reading is worth around 10 hours of reading the textbook and taking notes, you should take this opportunity as early as possible to study effectively and increase your chances to get a high exam mark. Of course, don’t totally skip reading textbooks. While exams cover only a fraction of topics and subject areas, you will still need to give additional detail to your answer and provide the examiner with extra information to demonstrate your knowledge and comprehension.

Studying past papers is an effective strategy when it comes to exam preparation because it helps you focus on important themes and subject areas while also practicing exam-style questions. By following this simple strategy, you can approach the examination day with confidence and succeed at any point of your academic career at university. Just remember to stay positive, calm, and optimistic, and you will do well. Most universities provide their students with access to past exam papers on their website or digital library.

Ellie Richards is an online marketing manager for Original PhD, specializing in Ph.D. research paper help. Her focus is research, content and article writing on various topics, including education, marketing, and technology.

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Why Reading Past Papers Is the Easiest Way to Succeed at University

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