What is it Like to Attend University of Missouri-St. Louis

What is it Like to Attend University of Missouri-St. Louis The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Nathan is a St. Louis tutor specializing in SAT prep tutoring, Calculus tutoring, all levels of Algebra tutoring, and more. He is currently a senior at University of Missouri-St. Louis majoring in Math Education. Check out his review of his school: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Nathan: UMSL is a much more commuter-based school; there are two campuses, North and South. Both campuses are connected to the Metrolink, but I take my car on most days as it's a lot more convenient. I feel pretty safe on campus, though there are some parts or some times where it is less safe. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Nathan: This really depends on the professor or staff member you are talking about. On one end, I've had a professor willing to email all the students and set up meetings outside of class that weren't office hours, and on the other, I've had a professor who never replied to email and only held office hours. The academic advisers usually meet by appointment only, but the Friday walk-in is a viable option as well. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Nathan: I actually don't know much about the dorm life as I live off campus. The dining options are much better on North campus, though, with South campus trying to catch up. As far as socialization, it's pretty easy to find your interests represented on campus and if not, the process to make a group is fairly straightforward. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Nathan: UMSL is touted as a business school; that being said, though, I haven't actually met many Business majors in my day to day adventures on campus. Then again, I'm mainly on South campus where I study Middle School Education because I love to teach and help people. I know there are a couple of student groups, such as Nursing and Business, and overall there is a good amount of support from the university toward all areas of studies. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Nathan: While I did not go to UMSL as a freshman, it was fairly easy for me to make acquaintances and friends both in and out of class. I belong to a couple of clubs currently and I have a lot of friends in my major. I don't see much of Greek life participation, but I know that they do quite a bit around both the campus and community. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Nathan: The Career Center hosts many classes for free as well as a lot of Job Fairs and support for the students. There is also a Nursing/Health center, a Recreational Center, and other awesome forms of support provided. I have always had a good deal of success when dealing with any department. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Nathan: They are pretty useful, with a lot of computers and quiet areas. The staff and resources both online and offline are very useful, and questions are answered promptly. The student union is a great resource as well; it helps advertise events and is a solid meeting place for most of the clubs on campus. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Nathan: UMSL is located near the airport in a county of St. Louis known as Normandy. It's an okay community, with a few places to eat but not much to do. Most students will take the Metrolink or their cars elsewhere to socialize. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Nathan: I believe the student body is about 16,000 people, but it really doesn't feel like a large number. I tend to see the same people a good amount of the time, and with the advantage of taking some freshman classes, I know a fair amount of people outside of my major. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Nathan: My best teacher wanted us to call her 'WB. She was one of my Education teachers. She truly cared about each one of us succeeding beyond the scope of her class and wanted to make sure we had the ideas that she made very enjoyable. She also took myself and another student for a tour around McCluer North High School to get an idea of what actually goes on in St. Louis schools. This experience was quite valuable to me as I moved away years ago and had no idea what to expect. My fellow students and I always call the really awesome assignments we create, WB style worksheets. Check out Nathans tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

What is the Best Way to Learn Japanese in Order to Prepare for a Test

What is the Best Way to Learn Japanese in Order to Prepare for a Test How to Prepare for a Test with Your Japanese Tutor ChaptersWhy Enlist the Help of Japanese Teachers?There are Many Japanese Teachers Out There: Finding the Best Japanese Tutor with SuperprofHow to Study Well for Your Japanese TestWho Should Take a Test in JapaneseThere are many different ways to learn Japanese, but like most people, you are probably asking yourself what is the best way to learn Japanese.There is no simple answer to this question. Firstly there are a number of different learning styles  and it depends depends on which one is most effective for you. Everyone learns a little bit differently. Some people need more visual stimulus, whereas others rely more on an auditory method.The second important factor relates to your motivations for Japanese learning. The different ways of learning Japanese are aimed to teach you in a specific way. If you want to learn Japanese quickly so that you can become fluent, then a Japanese course in Tokyo would be best as you would be completely immersed by the language with plenty of opportu nities to practice.If you want to just learn basic Japanese in order to have a few greetings and phrases before you visit Japan, then a course in Japanese online might suit you better.If however you have a test coming up, and you need to practice Japanese grammar and improve your Japanese vocabulary, then lessons with a private tutor are probably the way to go.It doesn't matter if you are studying for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), or a set of national exams in a particular country, a private tutor can help you prepare for the test in a way that aims to improve your weaknesses and build on your strengths.Here is a guide to how to progress thanks to a private tutor, and prepare for your Japanese exam in an effective manner!Ability to understand spoken Japanese and identify what is being said in short  spoken dialogues and narratives about everyday topics.Ability to complete sentences in a way that is appropriate in terms of structure (grammar), vocabulary, and context s.Identify usage that is both structurally correct and contextually appropriate.Understand such points as the main and supporting ideas. Selections are taken from materials you might encounter in everyday situations, such as notes, menus, newspaper articles, advertisements, and letters.You should also look at the format of the test to find out the best way to prepare for it. Again the format will differ depending on the level, and different skills will be tested using a variety of methods. It is recommended that you do some specific exam preparation with your Japanese tutor so that the format of the test is familiar when you come to sit it. This will limit the amount of nasty surprises that you might experience.If we use the example of the JLPT, the upper levels have three parts; Language knowledge-vocabulary, Language knowledge-grammar, and listening. There is no speaking aspect in the JLPT.Now that you have all the cards in hand to succeed when you take your Japanese test, the onl y thing left is study study study...by following the advice of your Superprof!Hopefully the success that you have on your test will lead to you taking a study trip to Japan. Learning a new language is tough going and the boost of doing well in a test is essential in helping any learner stick to their task of studying the language and culture.