Student Reps

Whether you are at school, college, or university you will be sitting for examinations frequently. A lot of students face difficulties whilst studying, and even more do not actually know it! Ever wonder why you got such a low grade in that exam that you studied so hard for? Here are some easy ways that will help you study effectively and get the grade you have always wanted.

Memory:

Not all human brains work the same. Some respond the most to visual memory, while others to verbal. If you are not aware of your brain’s preferred memory type, try them out and see which one allows you to comprehend, or memorize, better. However, you can make use of both memories together. Read your notes out loud, think out loud and then re-write them in your own way. Also, memory connects to the place in which you study, where specific things in that place will remind of what you were reading at that time.

Chatting:

Talking to people is very handy when it comes to studying. After you finish a certain chapter, chat with people who covered the same topics and discuss them. Ask questions, make comments and answer questions. Discussions tend to raises different perspectives which will broaden the horizons of your own perspective and propose points that you probably haven’t though of. You may also be able to arrange a few sessions of private tuition as a one to one session can be really helpful. You will learn more than you think you would.

Time:

The time of the day in which you study also plays a role in enhancing the studying process. This, of course, depends whether you are a night owl or a morning bird. However, scientific research proved that the brain works most efficiently in early mornings. So save yourself few hours by being efficient in making use of the time when your brain can operate within its maximum capacity.

Practice:

Practice is perhaps the most vital indicator of whether or not you are on the right path. Practice does not only test your knowledge on the topic you are studying, but improves your exam skills and the way you tackle questions. When answering past papers or practice questions, always put yourself in the conditions of a real exam and limit yourself to the time you will be given. By doing so, you will find yourself less stressed when sitting for the actual exam and more confident when answering exam papers.

Written by Elizabeth James, who writes for kumon.co.uk

Deciding to go to university is a big decision, more so than ever with the proposed changes to fees and funding. Find out more about Leeds Trinity University College and how it is an independent higher education institution offering a wide range of subjects at undergraduate, postgraduate and foundation degree level.

The institution became a University College in September 2009, following the granting by the Privy Council of Taught Degree Awarding Powers.
But at Leeds Trinity we believe it’s important to think about the long-term benefits that higher education offers, and we’re very proud of the fact that 93% of our graduates go on to employment or further study within six months of graduation*.

Primary school teacher, Laura Kirsten Taylor, says, “My Primary Education degree at Leeds Trinity gave me the academic knowledge I needed as well as extensive opportunities to practise and develop my teaching and interactive skills in the classroom as part of the course.

As a result, upon graduation, I secured a permanent position as a teacher at a thriving primary school in Halifax. My experience here has been fantastic as it’s a large, multi-cultural school and I continue to build upon the great foundation that Leeds Trinity gave me to develop my professional skills. I would say if you want to become a school teacher, apply to Leeds Trinity!”

Most of our degree courses include professional work placements, and our well-established links with local business, industry and schools (as part of our PGCE courses ) offer opportunities for you to gain relevant experience and get a head start in the job market.

Our highly-qualified and experienced teaching staff are passionate about their subjects, and committed to delivering a stimulating learning experience to enable you to reach your full potential.

The quality of our university courses are consistently recognised by professional bodies, and students regularly give us a vote of confidence, giving us consistently good feedback in the National Student Survey. In 2010 we jumped 30 places in the rankings to top the second quartile of institutions.

Richie Anderson is now a broadcast journalist with the BBC.

He says, “Immediately after graduating, I started my job with the BBC as a broadcast journalist for BBC Radio West Midlands in Birmingham. I love my job as it’s incredibly varied and fast-paced, and I’m using all the skills I learnt during my degree course.”

The teaching was very hands-on and challenging which means that when you go out into the world of journalism you have a good sense of editorial judgement. The skills I learnt in radio broadcasting, as well as the advice from my lecturer were a massive factor in me landing my job. She gave me the confidence to go out and get into the media during the recession.”

Every spring thousands of new job seekers hit the pavement in search of employment, flooding an already crowded job market. Such fierce competition means that one last summer of fun often takes a backseat to finding a job. And, successful graduates know that planning ahead is the key to success in today’s job market.

But, even if you’ve waited to start the job search until after graduation, you can still get the jump on your peers if you’re proactive.

Lay the foundation while you’re still in college

If you really want a jump on the competition after graduation, get started during college. Do everything you can to prepare for your job search – intern, network, create a list of references, learn how to craft a strong cover letter, and prepare your resume. As you inch closer to graduation, you can even start applying for jobs. The best way to get a jump on your peers after you have graduated is to start the process while you’re still in school.

Work with a recruiter

You have plenty of job hunting opportunities at your disposal: Networking, online job sites, traditional ads in newspapers and other publications, and family and friends. To complement your job search, you may want to consider enlisting the help of recruiter. Recruiters are traditionally hired by companies looking to fill a position. If you have the skills and the experience for which a company is looking, you may find success with a recruiter.

There are several factors to keep in mind, however, when considering working with a recruiter: Recruiters are looking out for the best interest of the company, not for your best interests. You may not hear from a recruiter for months if no positions match your skills and qualifications, and you can typically only be considered for one position at a time with a recruiter.

Because a recruiter won’t cost you any money, it may be a path you want to consider to make sure all your bases are covered and to get a jump start on your peers.

Search for unadvertised positions

Unadvertised positions are just that. They are unadvertised by traditional means, such as an online or a print advertisement. The best place to start looking is on the company’s website for open positions. You can also check out trade journals and connect with people in your network to determine if they know of any open, unadvertised positions.

Remember, when searching for unadvertised positions, look where you normally wouldn’t look. Like the company’s Facebook page, and follow the company on Twitter. Companies will often advertise jobs through their social media accounts.

Earn a graduate degree

Earning an undergraduate degree has almost become a necessity for job market success. But, the bar is slowly rising as more college graduates are heading back to the classroom for their masters or doctoral degrees. A graduate degree will provide you with more specialized knowledge of a topic, will allow you to hone your research and analytical skills, and will give you more networking opportunities. You may also enter the job force at higher than entry level and earn a higher salary than you would with only an undergraduate degree.

Go where the jobs are

Getting your foot in the door might mean being willing to move to another part of town or even another part of the country to where the jobs are. Flexibility is key to getting a jump on your peers. A willingness to move to find a job, to work longer hours, and to prove your worth to a company can all help you land a job after graduation.

Recent grads have plenty of opportunities for getting a jump on their peers. Start preparing for life after graduation while you’re still in college – prepare your resume, gather your references, perfect your cover letter writing skills. Searching for unadvertised positions, furthering your education with a graduate degree, being flexible in where you find your first job, and working with a recruiter can all help you get ahead of the competition in the job market.

Frankie Eybsen is a writer for career and job industries. He works with ResumeBucket and has currently collected the most sales resumes on the Internet.

Have you ever heard of Mali? Mali is an African country that lies south of Spain. Children in Mali only spend 2 years in school. Out of all the countries in the world, Mali is last in number of years children spend in school. Unfortunately, more than half of them start working between the ages of 10 and 14. Most of us complain about school and  homework, but in reality we should be happy we are one of the top countries when it comes to years spent in school.

One thing that also sets the U.S. apart from poor countries is that even if you are poor and have little or no resources, you still have access to student loans and scholarships. Literally any U.S. citizen can get a great education if they work hard and dedicate themselves. This is not meant to make you feel bad, rather you should be grateful for what you have and the opportunities you are given. 

Sometimes school can be hard and stressful, but when it does you need to sit back for a minute and think about how you are doing something that other people will never get to do. Many kids dream of going to college but they will never get the opportunity. Could you imagine if you only had two years of school and you started working when you were 10? It is sad to think about the conditions some people deal with but occasionally we need to be reminded about how blessed we really are.

How exactly can you be thankful for your education? First of all, make sure you do your best. Make sure every dollar you spend on tuition is worthwhile, especially if you aren’t the one paying for it. Also, a great way to be thankful for your education is to use your talents and abilities to help those who are less fortunate. If you major in music, why not hold a benefit concert for orphans in Brazil? Or if you are a business major, you can look into possible business ventures to help people in other countries.

Whatever you decide, it is imperative that you recognize how lucky you are to be going to college. Few get the opportunity and even fewer take advantage of it. So when you are tired and sick of school, think of the children in Mali. Maybe that will give you the motivation you need to keep on pushing and make something of yourself. Just make sure you stay thankful and do your best.

About the Author:

Parker Boyack writes for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people learn more about online education and decide if online schools can help them meet their goals.

I think it is safe to say that just about every School, college University and private educational institution uses allows its students and teachers to type up documents using Microsoft Office rather than some other word processing software which is in itself a major reason why students should use Microsoft Office 2010 but don’t worry, I have more reasons why you should use Microsoft Office as well.

1. Get Top Grades

The key point to note is that Microsoft Office can help improve your marks by improving the presentation of your work A well-presented essay will catch the attention of the person marking it and will show them that you have spent a considerable amount of time on it. Of course the work still needs to be well written but a well presented article certainly will help squeeze out those extra marks from your examiner and could mean the difference between a low grade and a higher grade. Make use of all the presentational features which are available to you in order to improve the presentation of your essay such as borders, bold headings and images from clipart. When implemented properly and appropriately, these features can improve the presentation and readability of your essays.

You may also decide to add table and charts into your essay to emphasise trends and figures. You can create the chart or graph and Microsoft Excel and then import it to your essay on Microsoft Word.

2. Get it cheap

The biggest drawback with Microsoft Office and consequently the main reason why people opt for a different Office suit is because of its price. The Professional version of Microsoft Office 2010(the version which everyone would prefer) costs an excess of £200 which quite simply many students cannot afford to pay as they have a number of other bills to pay such as university bills and accommodation bills. However, there is now a solution as student software discounts are now available with the submission of a valid educational institution email address. You can now purchase Microsoft Office 2010 Professional edition for just £37.89 and the offer is open to students and staff which means that you can no longer complain about the price of Microsoft Office.

3. Be more organised

No doubt, every student will have heard from their peers that to succeed at University you need to be organised which means organising your time effectively to include time for both studying and revision. Being a university graduate myself, I can testify to the importance of being organised. Use Microsoft Outlook to create reminders of what time you have a meeting or when you are going to study and stick to these times religiously. This means carrying out revision exactly when prompted to and it also means socialising when prompted to. Keep yourself organised and you find that you will never miss an essay deadline and you will still have ample time to enjoy a healthy social life.

4. Be more proficient at work

Although it seems a long way away, your educational days will soon be over and before you know it, you will soon be looking to get a job. But don’t fear as many graduates find themselves in trainee roles as their first job and will receive training on how to carry out their job but many employers will expect knowledge in certain areas such as the ability to use using basic programs proficiently such as Microsoft Office and will therefore not provide training in these areas. Therefore it is essential that you gain these skills prior to graduation as many graduates find they have a number of other tasks to attend to and can’t find time to learn skills that they should have learnt whilst at University.

Well done if you’ve just graduated from college. Not only are you about to head out into the world armed with a life-changing college degree, but you’ll also no doubt be carrying a life-changing debt too. That’s because a recent survey by Mark Kantrowitz, the publisher of FastWeb and Finaid student aid websites has revealed that the class of 2011 will depart with an average debt of $22,000 each. That figure works out at an 8% rise since last year and an incredible 47% rise over the last decade. It seems that whilst the rest of the world tries to bring their debt levels down, US colleges are currently pushing their students in the other direction! Part of the reason for the increase is that parents are struggling to provide as much cash at the moment thanks to the current economic climate. The other reason is that tuition fees tend to go up by about 5% every year.

Of course, a college degree is still worth investing in. The Wall Street Journal noted recently that as of 2009 households containing people with a college degree exceeded the pre-tax income of households that were less well educated by over 100% . Similarly, the unemployment rate of those who never managed to finish high school was 14.6%, those who had only a high school diploma was 9.7% and amongst college graduates was only 4.5%.

However, there is something still quite depressing about the debt burden that comes with the college degree. For many students the debts can end up causing more problems and more obligation than their later home loans or credit card debts. In some cases student debt comes complete with interest rates that are equal to those on subprime mortgages and they are a lot harder to disown if you get into financial difficulty. College degrees cannot be returned to the college like houses can and bankruptcy might not do any good either. All of this is made more difficult still by the state of the job market and economy at the moment and the fact that the average earnings of those with degrees has dropped from $46000 in 2009 to $37000 this year. As of 2010 the total outstanding debt for students was a staggering $530 billion, a rise of 29% since 2007.

Perhaps the only way to console yourself is with the old theory that being in debt and needing to meet loan repayments focuses the mind and the career in ways that no other incentive can and that your massive debt is actually a good thing. Honest. 

Alex is a blogger and journalist. He currently writes a blog covering the loans sector and everything from mortgages to personal loans at www.payday-loans.co.uk.

Driving in Europe. How hard can it be? Surely as long as I remember to stay on the right hand side of the road I’ll be fine? Well, not driving in the same lane as on coming traffic is certainly a great way to start, however, there’s much more to driving abroad than simply adapting to right hand drive. Remember even if you get cheap car hire, Spain is a country that will not hesitate to fine you for breaking traffic laws, meaning all of those Euros you saved will end up in the hands of the police and not in your wallet.

In recent years many European governments have realised how much of a drain on resources it is to go through all the time, effort and bureaucratic procedures it takes to recovers fines issued to traffic offenders living overseas. Whilst there is still a chance that you may return home and receive a notice to tell you that you’re being fined for an offence, it is much more common now for police to issue tourists with on the spot fines, thus avoiding all that rigmarole. In some cases, even if you do not have the cash to hand, the officer in question may march you off to the nearest ATM machine and force you to extract it.

It is therefore much more difficult to evade fines than it has been in the past and, even if you can get a 50% discount for paying within 20 days, now more than ever it’s worth knowing how to avoid them.

One major difference is that the drink driving limits in Spain are much lower than in the UK. This comes as a surprise to many who imagine Spainish culture to be more tolerant of moderate drinking than the UK. This is, however, simply a myth. So if you’re enjoying car hire in Malaga or a similar party town, and you’ve been enjoying a few glasses of sangria or a couple of nice cold bottles of San Miguel, you should be very aware that the drink drive limit is about half of what it is back home. Fines are on the spot and you can be imprisoned for up to 3 months (or more if you cause an accident.)

Whether you want to earn your Masters in Education or an Associates in Accounting, distance learning is a smart way to get the schooling you need. From versatility to cost-effectiveness, here are the top three reasons why online degrees are cutting edge.

1) The Ability to Manage Your Time Flexibly

Getting your online Masters in Education or any other Internet-based degrees is far more flexible in terms of how and when you get your coursework completed. Distance learning does not require you to go to an actual campus for classes, so you are saving time by not driving to and from school, and you don’t have to sit in class for an allotted amount of time. Whether you are a busy parent that needs to be home for his or her children, or you have a full time job that you can’t afford to put on hold, online colleges give you the opportunity to work on your own time. Since there is no scheduled class time, you can read your course materials, do homework, and contribute to class discussion forums whenever it’s convenient for you. Most online instructors will give you access to a syllabus, which lists the due dates of all assignments for the semester. This makes it simple to plan your life around college, giving school the attention it requires while also attending to other obligations that structure your day.

2) The Possibilities to Pick a Field, Any Field!

Online universities have a huge range of different concentrations to choose from in terms of degrees. You can get a PhD in Education, a Bachelors in Criminal Justice, a Masters in Nursing, or just about anything else that interests you. There is variety in terms of degree concentration and also when it comes to your learning level. Two year, four year and higher learning degrees are all readily available.

3) The Blessing of Bidding Farewell to School-Related Debt

A huge benefit of distance learning schools is that they are almost always less expensive than conventional college. If you choose an accredited university, you can still get the same caliber education as you would from a reputable state school. At the same time, expenses are significantly less; since your school often has no campus location, gone are the costs associated with on-campus learning. You won’t have to pay for gas to drive to school, shell out for room and board, or have to pay fees for other various activities. Your only costs will be books and other learning materials, as well as tuition, and possibly the price of having a reliable Internet connection if you choose to do work at home. Best of all, many employers will pay some or all of your tuition costs if your degree relates to your job.

Jessica writes about a wide variety of topics.  She especially enjoys writing about education. You can learn more about Masters in Education at universities.com

With jobs harder to get thanks to the recent economic downturn, more and more young people are opting for university life in order to stave off the job hunt for another three to four years but, unfortunately for some, this increased competition for places has resulted in students not getting into their first or backup choices. This year, more students than ever were denied a place in any university after not making their grades and failing to find a place through clearing so if you made it onto a course you should count yourself lucky.

Now that you are a university student you need to make the most of it. We recommend approaching uni life with confidence and getting stuck into all the buzz and activity that happens on every campus. In this way you’ll be sure to get the most enjoyment from your time their and grow more as a person than you could ever think possible. Just ask anyone you know who is at, or has graduated from, university and they will tell you the same thing

Most universities will have a thriving society scene with groups set up for almost every conceivable hobby or activity from the more obvious team sports and outdoor pursuits to the smaller but no less passionate crowds that gather to play table football or debate politics. During your first weeks at university you will no doubt learn which clubs are around and if one doesn’t exist that you think should why not try setting one up?

Other than societies, you should try to get to know as many people on your course as possible. In this way you will not only have a great network of like-minded friends but also a great number of people to work alongside to get the most from your degree.

These are just a few pieces of advice about student life and we’ll have a lot more for you as term progresses.