Ask an MBA Admissions Expert Betsy Massar

Ask an MBA Admissions Expert Betsy Massar Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Betsy Massar has been helping MBA candidates with their business school applications since she was a second-year student at Harvard Business School. She founded her consulting business, Master Admissions, in 2008 and also serves as a resum and writing coach at the StanfordGraduate School of Business. Betsy has been quoted vastly throughout the media in publications such as Forbes, Fox Business News, and Poets Quants. VT: How much time should be set aside to adequately prepare for and complete the application for anMBAprogram? Betsy: Applicants should start as early as possible to wrap their brains around the fact that they are competing for a spot at a top business school. Theres a lot to do! You have to study months for the GMAT, spend time and energy figuring out which programs appeal most, travel to see campuses, cold-call alumni, and corral at least two, maybe three people senior to you to write thoughtful, specific recommendations about your excellence. To add to the indignity of it all, you have to write a set of personal, soul-wrenching essays that inspire admissions directors to pick you over the other potential Nobel Prize winners vying for your spot. Its a head trip. Having said this, I just learned today about a student who got into MIT Sloan off the waiting list who literally threw an application together in a few weeks. Stranger things have happened, but I dont recommend her high-risk strategy. VT: What would you say is the single most important thing to focus on for this kind of application? Betsy: Take the process seriously. But dont take yourself too seriously. VT: What doMBAadmissionsofficers look for most in the essayquestions? Betsy: MBA schools look for authenticity. That means being yourself. Not the person you think the committee wants to read about that person is nowhere near as interesting as the real you. Admissions officers want to read about your successes and foibles. They want you to present your case with maturity, humility, and humanity. Admissions officers act as proxies for your future classmates. Those classmates want to sit next to, or work on a learning team with, someone who can really contribute to the party. They want people who know how to pull their own weight, compete on a very big stage, and make a difference in the world. And also people who are talented, fun and funny. You may be thinking, oh, I am just another cookie-cutter engineer/investment analyst/consultant/IT specialist. But you arent. You are you, the real you. The more authentic you that shows in your application, the better your chances. VT: What are the biggest mistakes one can make on this application? Betsy: The biggest single mistake is to bore the reader to death through platitudes and unsubstantiated claims. If an application sounds like it was downloaded from a collection of Essays that Succeeded, its all over. VT: Is there anything that automatically disqualifies an applicant from being considered for anMBAprogram (i.e. low GPA, lack of particular work experience, etc.)? Betsy: Like in tennis, you have to get the ball over the net. Almost every business school publishes a class profile which gives a range of stats about grades, test scores, years of work experience, and more. Students should fall within that range---which is a bit of a dotted line---its not hard and fast, depending on your profile. Still, I do hear about people thinking they can get in on guts alone, and thats a bit delusional. VT: What kind of work experiences should be highlighted in theMBAapplication? Betsy: You dont have that much room in applications these days, so you should highlight work experiences that demonstrate your emotional intelligence, such as teamwork or ability to influence a group. Other emotional IQ characteristics might include flexibility, resiliency, and empathy. VT: What advice do you have regarding GMAT prep? Betsy: Invest the time and money to take a course or get a tutor who works for your learning style. VT: Is it absolutely necessary to have work experience prior to starting anMBAdegree? Betsy: Yes. VT: What are the characteristics of a greatMBAprogram? Betsy: Almost every top business school offers the following great characteristics: incredibly smart, talented, international students and faculty, a great alumni network, good job placement, and wonderful facilities. The more important question is, what is great for you? You might want to live on a rural campus and I might want to live in the heart of a big city. You might want to work in London after graduation and I might want to work in Silicon Valley You might have gone to a small undergraduate school and want a big university environment for graduate school and I might want the opposite. There are so many variables! The important thing is to figure out what is important to you, not your parents, boyfriend/girlfriend, second-grade teacher, Mark Zuckerberg, or some guy who publishes ranking statistics. Its about knowing yourself and what works for you. Otherwise, why spend the $150,000? For more information, visit MasterAdmissions.com. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Why Focus on Leadership Skills - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Why Focus on Leadership Skills - Introvert Whisperer Why Focus on Leadership Skills? You may have noticed I have a focus on Leadership and I think many people think that means I only work with executives and managers.   I can understand the implication but there’s a bigger purpose for that focus which directly affects you â€" in a very big way. I focus on Leadership skills for two VERY important reasons: Exhibiting leadership skills is the fastest path to promotions â€" regardless of your position, level or career aspirations. Leadership is sorely needed in every group and is in seriously short supply. That’s why there are so many poor managers out there making life miserable for their subordinates. If you think about both of those goals it amounts to more pay, greater success and career satisfaction.   Who wouldn’t want those things?   We all do! Some people think getting a promotion is primarily a factor of time.   If you do your job long enough you will get more pay and a high position.   I won’t kid you; it is a factor as statistics reflect it even in businesses that have what they consider a meritocracy (pay for performance).   However, for those rare few people that demonstrate leadership skills, they accelerate the process of promotion. Why is promotion accelerated for people with leadership skills?   That type of person becomes a clear stand out in an ocean of “mediocre” co-workers.   In my 21 years managing at Intel and 9 years as a coach, I’ve observed that very little is different from one group to the next.   Very few people do anything to distinguish them from the others.   Most people perform the job and contribute little more than what I would call the “minimum” to get by.   Yes, most people want to think they are rock stars but rarely do anything to ensure they are. What I’ve said might sound negative or insulting but mostly it’s just a fact of life.   Its how “most people are most of the time”.   The good news is that with very little extra effort, you can be a standout rock star that managers dream of having in their midst.   You will make yourself easy to promote because you are doing things that are more than the bare minimum.   You are the dream employee and for that you will get richly rewarded. Hopefully, I’ve made my case.   Even if you have no aspirations of leading the charge, we all have times when we have to step up and be a leader.   Why not capitalize on leadership skills and give you paycheck and level a “lift”? Go to top Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.   Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Thinking About Pursuing a Career in Accounting and Switching Majors

Thinking About Pursuing a Career in Accounting and Switching Majors Pursuing a Career in Accounting Pursuing a Career in Accounting If you want to pursue a career in accounting, it is not a big deal that you must have special skills to manipulate accounting numbers. As a Certified Public Accountant, CPA or Chief Financial Officer, CFO, you will be responsible. They will review and analyze various aspects of financial information for any entity, public or private while financial information are analyzed for several purposes, including: Audit Tax Reporting Advisory Responsibilities for Pursuing a Career in Accounting As an Accountant (CPA) or Chief Financial Officer (CFO), you will be asked to prepare and provide financial reports. It is required to represent the companys board of directors about its overall health, financial strategy or to advise the board about potential mergers, acquisitions or any expansion plans that the company is considering. But in reality, it’s not about crunching the accounting numbers, the technology (accounting software’s) took over the manual book-keeping process. Even though with all the accounting software available to do the job for you, your presence will still be needed as a problem solver for company. Since you will be working very closely with top management or board of directors of the company. In order to become a certified public accountant, you will need to earn not only an additional credits hours. You also need credit hours in addition to your bachelor’s degree but also pass the four semester CPA exam. The average salary for a beginners working as CPA is about $45,500 and it’s around $40,900 if you are a tax accountant. But working as a financial officer/controller, one can earn average starting salary of $90,000, according to Glassdoor.com. More options available for pursuing career in accounting After passing the CPA exam, you have two choices, one is to start your career as CPA of your own firm. And secondly you can work as full time for big or small, public or private companies. Even in major economic crisis, the accounting jobs have a fewer cut than other types of jobs. The beauty of the accounting career is that you will gain a diverse interest which eventually will help you grow as you progresses in your accounting career. Lot of people think that accounting is not a lucrative field, but it’s a very stable field. It’s going to stay here even with the tough economic environment or the accounting software’s that do the job for you. Whether it is the new accounting law that just passed by US congress or it’s a new investment in the renewable energy companies. The accountant will be needed to solve the financial puzzles for the companies. You being a versatile accounting professionals can easily switch career to either finance. You can also start your own business if don’t like the accounting field. According to the latest survey 75% of those says that accounting degree is must in order to advance in their career. 65% respondent says that they will recommend that one should major in accounting in order to get a good start in their career. The most students pursued major in Accounting, Business and Finance. It’s a great idea if you start your career as an intern early when you are in either junior or senior class of high school. For Pursuing a Career in Accounting working at one of the 10 big accounting firms below can be helpful: Deloitte: Ranked number 1 accounting firm. Annual revenue approximately were in the range of $15,067 million and $20,057 million. Company headquarter is in New York City, NY and it employs approx. 35,000 people. PwC: Second in the top 10 accounting firms. The annual revenue ranges from $12,000 to $14,050 million. Companys headquarter is in New York City, NY and employs approx. 30,000 people. Ernst Young: Holds the third position in the top 10 accounting firms. Annual revenues ranges from $9,500 to $11,000 million. Also the companys headquarter is in New York City, NY and employs approx. 30,000 people. KPMG: Came on the 4th place in top 10 accounting firms. Annual revenue ranges from $6,200 to $7,000 million. The company headquartered in New York City, NY and it employs approx. 24,000 people. McGladrey: Hold the 5th position in the top 10 accounting Their annual revenue ranges from $1,350 million to $1,500 million. They are based in the state Illinois and currently employs approx. 7000 peoples. Grant Thornton: Placed on 6th position. Their annual revenue ranges from $1,250 million to $1,300 million. The company headquartered in Chicago, IL and employs approx. 4000 people. CBIZ/Mayer Hoffman McCan: Number 7th position in the top 10 accounting firms. Their annual revenue ranges from $785 million to $800 million. They headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio and employs approx. 4100 people. BDO: Holds the 8th position in the top 10 accounting firms. Their annual revenue ranges from $620 to $700 million. Their head office is located in Chicago, IL and currently employs approx. 3000 people. Crowe Horwath: Positioned themselves on number 9th position. Their annual revenue ranges from $600 to $620 million. They are headquartered in Oak Brook Terrace, IL and currently employs approx. 3000 people. Clifton Larson Allen: On number 10th position. Their annual revenue ranges from $550 million to $600 million. They are based in the State of Milwaukee and currently employs approx. 4000 peoples. There are some accounting placement services also if you don’t live near the top 10 firms above. The top accounting placement services are: Robert Half Finance Accounting: Accounting employment and staffing agency. Their offices spread across Unites States. One can search for Robert half on google search engine and find their office near you. Accounting Principals and Staffing Services: Provides accounting employment and staffing services. They matched the right skills with right type of job. Kelly Services: Global company providing the job placement in accounting, finance and other industries. Accounting and Finance Staffing Services: Expert in matching the right skills with right type of accounting and finance jobs available. Kforce Staffing and Solution: Professional accounting placement services matching job seekers and employers in accounting, finance, and healthcare. The college students can start their career as an accounting tutor helping students in junior or senior high school. Several tutoring companies students can work part time as tutor. Tutor Pace is one of the best tutoring companies that offers a handsome hourly rate and one can work conveniently from home, library, or even café. If you preparing for CPA exam and you need assistance, you can connect with Tutor Pace Online Accounting Tutors anytime, anywhere. With so many doors open now a days to accounting and financial professionals, I recommend students, entry level professionals and hiring managers to do their homework to learn what certifications is best for them. Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save

The Guide to Drawing Mountains

The Guide to Drawing Mountains How to Draw Mountains ChaptersHow to Draw a Mountain: Pay AttentionWhat Techniques Should You Use to Draw a Mountain?Drawing a Mountain: The Steps to FollowFinding Models to DrawPractise Drawing“An artist must be a reactionary. He has to stand out against the tenor of the age and not go flopping along.” - Andre MauroisPainting, drawing, and art are both relaxing and creative pursuits. While there was a huge boom in colouring book sales, it quickly plummeted afterwards. That said, painting is becoming more popular.White backgrounds with pine trees, bears, and alpine lodges are popular amongst many artists.So why not learn how to draw them?With coloured pencils, oil paint, or graphite, you’ll soon know how to draw a snowy mountain top!Art supplies at the ready! In this article, we'll be looking at painting and drawing mountains. FernandoDrawing Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaDrawing Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidDrawing Teache r 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaDrawing Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenDrawing Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SabrinaDrawing Teacher 4.33 (3) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Julia janeDrawing Teacher 5.00 (5) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvelinaDrawing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow to Draw a Mountain: Pay AttentionYou need to pay attention when drawing real things. Unlike creating something yourself, when you draw a mountain, you need to look at the details to ensure that you capture what makes it real. If you want to draw a mountain, you first need to pay attention to it. (Source: kimura2)Ideally, you want to be looking at some real mountains. It’s harder to get more realistic than the real thing. Of course, not everybody lives opposite or even near a mountain to have the time to sit down and think about them as they draw them.Furthermore, you can also get a feel for your surroundings. You want to capture the atmosphere and ambience when you draw a landscape. In some cases, you’ll need to take some artistic licence to convey the things you can’t see. In other words, you need to convey how the mountain makes you feel and what they're really like.To draw well, you need to be in a comfortable place with your sketch pad and pencils. You don’t want to lug all your art supplies up the side of a mountain, after all. A couple of pencils and some paper will do the trick.  You need to try and reproduce the shapes of the mountains and their proportions on paper.If you aren’t lucky e nough to live next to some beautiful mountains, you might want to find a photo of some online. You can also copy from somebody else’s work but just for practice. Using this work would be plagiarism.What Techniques Should You Use to Draw a Mountain?Graphite, watercolours, gouache, acrylic paint, oil paints, Indian ink, mixed media, etc., there are plenty of different materials and techniques to choose from to show off your drawing skills. It's a good idea to start with the technique that you're most comfortable with. (Source: aalmeidah)For those just getting started, we recommend you use a graphite pencil. This means that you’ll be able to correct any mistakes that you make when sketching.Of course, there are no rules when it comes to what you’d like to use to draw your mountains. On the other hand, it’s not very easy lugging oils and canvases up the side of a mountain either. Most people opt for watercolours when painting nature as you can get watercolour palettes from most art shops. You just need a few paintbrushes, your colours, and some water.Once you’ve finished your sketch, you can always add colour to it there or take it back with you and finish it at home. Don’t worry too much about your choice at first. FernandoDrawing Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaDrawing Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidDrawing Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st l esson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaDrawing Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenDrawing Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SabrinaDrawing Teacher 4.33 (3) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Julia janeDrawing Teacher 5.00 (5) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvelinaDrawing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDrawing a Mountain: The Steps to FollowOnce you’re sitting comfortably in front of your mountain or photo, it’s time to start drawing. Make sure you practise drawing mountains. (Source: KeithJJ)Sketching the OutlineWhether you’re a beginner or experienced artist, you’ll want to start with a sketch. Some experts can skip this step but it’s always a good idea to plan out your drawing with a sketch where you can correct any mistakes quite easily.Start with the outline of the mountain on your sketch. Follow the contours and summits you see. For more realistic drawings, you need to pay particular attention to the proportions between the various mountains.In addition to drawing the outlines, you also need to separate the various mountains from one another.You need to be flexible when doing a sketch. Don’t hesitate to make several marks in the same place. You’ll choose the best one when it’s time to ink. Before then, let your hand go with the flow. You’ll soon start making quick and steady progress.Even if your drawing isn’t perfect, try to let go.Discover how to draw beaches.How to Draw ReliefOnce you’ve got the main contours drawn, it’s time to give your drawing some relief. You can also complete this step with a pencil. You always have your rubber if you make a mistake.As you’ll have noticed, mountains aren’t smooth. You can’t just draw a few triangles alongside each other for a mountain range.  To give your drawing more relief, you need to work on areas of light and shadow. Mountains tend to have deep crevasses. You need to darken these areas with your pencil either through crosshatching or shading. This will give your mountains more character.You can then add some vegetation to the sides of your mountains.Learn how to draw gardens and parks.Colouring Your DrawingYou can keep your drawing in black and white if you want, but colour can bring it to life.Like we explained before, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to adding colour to your art. Acrylics, pastels, markers, coloured pencils, etc., you can even colour your work digitally on a computer.You can colour your picture realistically, respecting the colours as they appear in real life, or you can colour to accentuate certain areas. You can work with light and shadows to add depth and relief to your images. You need to use colours and darker shades for deeper areas. Soon, your drawing will be finished.It’s quite complicated making specific marks when drawing a mountain. Some artists prefer to draw realistically whereas others prefer to draw to a feeling. Every artist has their style.After all, mountains drawn by young children are just as recognisable as mountains as those drawn by adults. Each artist has their techniques, style, and inspiration.  The most important thing is to enjoy yourself when you draw.Learn how to draw houses.Finding Models to DrawIf you don’t live near a mountain, you’ll have to find examples of mountains you can work from. What better resource than the internet for finding images from all over the world.You can start by searching for images on Google. Find a cop yright-free image and practise drawing.  Social networks are also great places to find mountain landscapes. There are plenty of users sharing photos of their holidays in the mountains in both summer and winter.This is particularly true on networks like Pinterest and Instagram. You can also find drawings and paintings shared by other artists that you can use as inspiration.There are plenty of examples of images done with charcoal, pastels, pens, inks, and paint on social networks.Practise DrawingThe best way to draw better mountains is by regularly drawing mountains. Any artist will tell you that you need to regularly work on your art. Your practice will help you to develop reflexes and drawing will become second nature to you.By copying or imagining mountains every day, you’ll start to see your work getting better. You can always ask a private tutor for help with drawing mountains. (Source: Fotocitizen)If you don’t want to teach yourself, you can always look for art teachers or tutors to teach you in a workshop, class, or private tutorial.There are also classes for drawing landscapes. A tour guide and art teacher can accompany you up a mountain and help you as you draw. In addition to showing you how to draw, they’ll also show you the best parts of the mountains to draw.Drawing and painting classes are also important for learning the techniques you’ll need and developing an understanding of light and shadow, proportion, still life, or life drawing.You’ll learn how to create drawings and colour them!If you'd like to take a drawing class, learn about figure drawing, painting techniques, basic drawing, ceramics, or art history, or sculpture, consider getting in touch with a private tutor on Superprof. You can get either face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, or group tutorials.Each come s with its pros and cons so take your time when deciding what's right for you, your learning style, and your budget. Face-to-face tutorials are more cost-effective but also more costly while group tutorials tend to be cheaper but you won't get as much one-on-one time with your tutor.Keep in mind that many of the tutors on Superprof also offer the first hour of tuition for free. You can use this time to get to know them, discuss what you want out of your tutorials, and agree upon the conditions of your private tutorials. Try out a few different tutors before you decide on the one that's perfect for you.

The Cost of Visiting Morocco

The Cost of Visiting Morocco How Much Does It Cost to Visit Morocco? ChaptersHow Much Does Transport Cost in Morocco?How Much Does Accommodation Cost in Morocco?How Much Do You Need to Budget for Attractions and Activities?How Much Does Food in Morocco Cost?A Sample Budget for a Week in Morocco“Travel the best way to be lost and found at the same time.” - Brenna SmithOver 9 million travellers visited Morocco in 2017, 12% more than in the previous year. A new record for the country! A trip to Morocco isn’t very expensive and it’s just a few hours from the UK by plane. However, cheap doesn’t mean free. You’ll still need to budget before you go there.In this article, we'll look at the cost of getting to Morocco, how much you'll pay getting around the country, and other things you'll need to budget for. HalimaArabic Teacher £13/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KotaibaArabic Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SoledadArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NancyArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaouesArabic Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DinaArabic Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AbrarArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UsamaArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Much Does Transport Cost in Morocco?Before you go to Morocco, try to establish a budget. Transport is a significant part of any budget. Before you can start bartering in the souks, you need to get there. (Source: DanielWanke)Getting to MoroccoFirstly, you’ll need to get to Morocco. There are several airports with direct flights from the UK. From London, there are direct flights to Essaouira, Rabat (the capital), Fez, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier, Casablanca.There are also direct flights to Morocco from other cities in the UK including Liverpool, Manchester, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, and Newcastle.In terms of rates, you can expect to pay between £30 and £250 for return flights depending on where you go, where you fly from, and when you travel. Generally, the later you leave it, the more you’ll pay.  You can compare the cost of flights on sites like Skyscanner.Check out our guide to visiting Morocco.Getting Around Morocco by BusIf you are staying in an all-inclusive hotel, you won’t need to worry too much about travelling around. If lying around isn’t for you, the bus network between the main cities and eve n a few secluded parts of the country is quite advanced.There are three main bus companies:CTMSupratoursSATASYou’ll need to pay around 5Dh for your bags (around 50p) with a surcharge if you have more than 10kg. Here are some example prices:Casablanca-Rabat: between 25 and 60Dh.Tangier-Fez: between 115 and 125Dh.Rabat-Marrakesh: between 135 and 190Dh.There are also buses to Meknes, Ouarzazate, or even Kasbah. Make sure you get to the bus station early in the morning if it’s warm because you won’t be the only one to opt for the bus.Taxis in MoroccoIn the city, you can cheaply travel by taxi as long as you know the rates. Insist that your driver puts the meter on. If they refuse, don’t ride. Official taxis have to respect the rates, with the meter generally starting at 2Dh (3Dh the evenings or from in front of your hotel) and between 4 and 8Dh per kilometre.Make sure you have small change so you can pay exactly what you owe! In the event of a conflict, take the taxi’s number and mention that you’ll get in touch with the Tourist Police. You’ll see that there’s no conflict.Would you like to learn Arabic before you go?Other Types of TransportTo save money, you might think about hitchhiking, which is quite common in Morocco. You need to be sensible and careful. Don’t do it on your own.It’s not recommended that you rent a car in Morocco, even though all the main companies are there. Insurance contracts are a little blurry and driving in Morocco is complicated.Need Arabic lessons London?How Much Does Accommodation Cost in Morocco?There are several types of accommodation for those travelling with their family, as a couple, or on their own. If you’re going on a honeymoon, for example, you’ll probably want something with all the trimmings in a hotel in Marrakesh.Other travellers may prefer youth hostels as they’re cheaper. Why not opt to stay in a riad in the Medina in Marrakech? (Source: kkortmulder)Hotels in MoroccoAs for accommodation, the cost of hotels varies according to location, rating, and season.  There are large hotel chains like Ibis and Sofitel but there are also independent hotels for all budgets, too.You can find a double hotel room for as little as £4 a night in Meknes. In Casablanca, rooms are available for around £50 a night and in Tangier, you can expect to pay around £40 a night.It’s not necessarily advantageous to opt for a youth hostel unless you’re in one of the larger cities like Rabat, Casablanca, or Marrakesh. There’s not a lot of them and, in some cases, you’ll pay as much as you would for a hotel.Airbnbs in MoroccoIf you’re looking to stay in Morocco, you can always look at Airbnb and get a private room with a Moroccan family. You can expect to pay between £30 and £70 a night for a private room.If you want to enjoy a Moroccan riad, you can expect to pay anywhe re between £30 and £250 depending on where you are.  There are more available in the north of Morocco than in the south so think about them if you’re planning on visiting a lot of Morocco.Find out the best time to visit Morocco. HalimaArabic Teacher £13/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KotaibaArabic Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SoledadArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NancyArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaouesArabic Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DinaArabic Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AbrarArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UsamaArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Much Do You Need to Budget for Attractions and Activities?Going to Morocco and not doing anything would be a shame! While certain activities like the souks and beaches are free, you’ll have to open your wallet for the other activities. While unmissable, trips to the desert on a camel aren't free! (Source: Wolfgang_Hasselmann)Any good trip to Morocco should include some time in the desert. Whether you go to the Merzouga dunes or the Sahara desert, you’ll have the choice of going on a camel or in a Jeep. Most tour operators offer trips lasting several days in the desert.You’ll be camping in the desert under the watchful eye of a local guide. This is another way to enjoy Moroccan culture and customs while enjoying a view straight out of 1,001 Nights.Most hotels can help you book your trip to the desert for around £50 for 2 days and a night in a tent.How Much Does Food in Morocco Cost?Morocco cuisine is very famous. It’s a blend of Berber, Arab, and Jewish cuisines with some African and Indian influences. With so much good food to eat, it's convenient that it's not very expensive! (Source: annazuc)You can have tagine, couscous, mechoui, briouats, as well as mint tea at the end of each meal. There are also local specialities that you’ll have to try.  For those with a sweet tooth, you’ll enjoy your time in Morocco. Pastries with almonds, honey, cinnamon, and orange blossom. In terms of cost, you can eat in a restaurant every day for every meal. Lunch will cost you between 20 and 50Dh (around £2 to £4).A Sample Budget for a Week in MoroccoNot everyone will be travelling on the same budget. That’s why we’ve put together three sample budgets: the backpacker budget, the average budget, and the premium budget.Backpacker BudgetNot including the flights, you can spend less than £300 for a week for two people in Morocco.  Here are the average prices for two people: £25 per night for accommodation £10 per day for food £4 per day for transportOpt for free activitiesThe budget will be s imilar for most Moroccan cities but you won’t be able to do trips to the desert or anything like that.The Average BudgetWith £700 for a week for two in Morocco, you can enjoy beaches or the souks in Marrakech. For two people, it’ll cost you: £55 per night for accommodation £25 per day for food £10 per day for transport £6 per day for activitiesYou could always do a camel trip, for example.The Premium BudgetThis is for those without almost no spending limit in Morocco. If you’ve saved up a bit, you can make the most out of almost everything Morocco has to offer. You can bring back argan oil and babouches for the whole family. For two people, you’ll spend over £1,000 for the week: £75 per night for accommodation £30 per day for food £20 per day for transport £20 per day for activitiesEnjoy everything Morocco has to offer.What are you going to do when you go to Morocco?Whether you visit the High Atlas Mountains, Chefchaouen, the Atlantic Coast, or the Mediterranean Sea, make sure you get the most out of your accommodation.Check out our tips for visiting Morocco.Before going to Morocco, you should consider learning some Arabic. Fortunately for you, there are plenty of talented Arabic tutors on Superprof. There are three main types of tutorials available: one-on-one tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials.One-on-one tutorials are a bespoke service offered to you by your tutor. During the lessons, you'll have their undivided attention, making these the most cost-effective tutorials available. However, they also tend to be the most costly per hour as you're paying for personalised tuition and all the tutor's time both inside and outside of your classes.As long as you've got a webcam, mic, and decent internet connection, you can enjoy online tutorials. This is when your tutor teaches you remotely via a video call. Since the tutor has fewer overheads, this type of tutorial tends to be cheaper than one-on-one tutorials.Finally, online tutorials are wh en the tutor teaches a group of students. These may be students who already know one another or strangers. Either way, with several students footing the bill, these tutorials tend to be the cheapest option per student per hour of tuition.

You Can Improve your LSAT Score

You Can Improve your LSAT Score LSAT Law School Blog With modest preparation, my score jumped almost 10% the second time For those who sit forlornly staring at those admission grids, showing admitted students’ LSAT scores and GPAs, there is hope. I am living proof that you can improve your LSAT score. Yes, the test bills itself as one that requires no preparation. It purports to be simply a review of your existing analytical and critical thinking skills. Anyone who believes that probably won’t do well in American corporate/legal culture. There are tricks to the trade, and insider knowledge to be gained. I’d bet my law school debt that no one on the LSAC committee sends their children to take the LSAT without extensive preparation. However, I did not have insider information when I first took the test. I went to a state university on the West Coast -- University of Oregon, in laid-back Eugene, where many students imagined a fulfilling life without entry into a top school. I’d always tested well, so I read a couple of exam books and tested myself at my leisure. I was doing pretty good! I took the LSAT Winter Term of college, while I was interning in Washington, D.C. I arrived to register early in the morning at the Georgetown campus, and stood in line behind students who apparently all had taken the Kaplan course. They were talking about the exam with the familiarity of obsessed fans, like people talk today about the details of the Kardashian family. It was unnerving to me how confident they all sounded and how much they knew. Then we started the first section â€" the analytical section, normally my strong point. I did great on the first problem but then looked up at the clock and panicked. I’d used up much of the time already and I’d have to scramble to get through at least two more problems. I worked feverishly, watching the minutes tick down, when the woman seated in front of me calmly set her pencil down. She set her pencil down! Time wasn’t even called yet, and she was done? That unnerved me only more, as I frantically filled in a few more bubbles before time ran out. I wasted several minutes into the next section trying to shake off my disappointment over the first one. On our break, I waited in line for a bathroom stall, while two women talked about how easy the analytical section was. My heart sank as I dragged myself back to my seat with self-flagellating thoughts. And then, I opened the test book to my next section â€" another analytical section, that was far easier than the first one. Aha! There were two sections, so the first must have been the test section! When it was all over, I did manage to score in the high 80th percentile. But I usually scored in the 90th percentile on standardized tests, and I aspired to a Top 20 school. So I enrolled in a prep course at San Francisco State. It was four Saturday mornings from 9-1. Each day was devoted to strategies for approaching a different section, and on the last day we took a full, timed LSAT test from a prior year. The second time I took the LSAT, I went in confidently â€" I had a plan, I knew what to expect, I knew exactly how to pace myself, I knew not to listen to other people in the bathroom, and I’d trained myself to shake off the prior section as soon as we started a new one. This time, I scored in the high 90th percentile. Nine percentage points higher than the first time, which was enough to win admission to a Top 20-ranked law school. I wanted to return to the Northwest, and at the time, the University of Washington Law School, in Seattle, had been climbing the rankings and had just sneaked into the Top 20. Keep in mind that I’d had little to no prep, and certainly not very useful prep the first time I took the test, so there was room to improve. If you take a good prep course the first time and then want to re-take the test again, you can probably improve your score, but it may not be a dramatic improvement. The lesson I offer is that you can prepare for the test. There are tricks to be taught, approaches to be learned, meta strategies to the test overall. I’ll be blogging over the next few months sharing tips and insights for the test. During law school, I taught a law school prep course myself. I worked with a friend who’d taught for years with Kaplan. He was one of those geniuses who earned near perfect scores across the range of LSAT, GRE, GMAT, you name it. I will share the Kaplan strategies I learned from him, along with my own techniques. I’m not a freakish test genius like him, but I do fairly well in the LSAT corner of the world. It’s too bad that the LSAT score is so determinative, but in most law schools, I believe, it remains paramount. It certainly doesn’t measure emotional intelligence, or the range of other skills that go into making productive members of society. But it is what it is, so prepare yourself as best you can â€" and later I’ll write a blog about admission strategies if you don’t have the stats for a top school.

Helping Your Child Become Faster and More Efficient by Embracing Routine and Structure

Helping Your Child Become Faster and More Efficient by Embracing Routine and Structure Help your child be faster and more efficient this school year! For a busy parents with limited time, it's frustrating when your child seems to have no sense of urgency and no motivation to get things done. If you're having a hard time getting your child to move fasterhere are a few tips to help him or her become speedier and more organized in school and life. Give your child checklists. Some children do much better when they have a visual to-do list that they can check off step by step. Create a checklist for any daily routine that seems to spark your childs inner procrastinator. For a younger child, draw or write out the steps and laminate the checklist. For the morning checklist, for example, your child can check off each step with a dry erase markerfrom getting dressed to making a lunch to checking that all homework and other items are in placed into his or her backpack before heading out the door. Older children might do well with smartphone reminders and alarms. Plan aheadand get your child to do the same. Whenever possible, do things ahead of time. If your child has basketball practice shortly after school, have him or her get out the gym bag, clothes and gear the night before, so that all he or she needs to do after school is change clothes and grab a quick snack. If the morning routine is difficult for your child, have him or her lay out his or outfit and get his or her backpack ready to go at night rather than in the morning. Set time limits for each and every task. Some children are relatively organized, but slower than they need to be. If this is your child, set small goals for each task. For example, if a homework worksheet should take your child 10 minutes to complete, set a timer for 15. If he or she dawdles or gets distracted while getting ready for school, set a goal of getting to the breakfast table by a specific time. Then, set another goal of having his or her shoes on and backpack ready 10 minutes before departure time. Keep an organized house and have your child do the same. Good organization and efficiency go hand in hand. When your child is disorganized, its too easy for him or her to lose things and overlook important dates, obligations and homework assignmentsand these problems are only exacerbated by his or her tendency to move and work slowly. Encourage your child to embrace a reliable organizational system at his or her desk, in his or her room and anywhere else. This leads to less wasted time and minimized stress. Have a frank conversation. Sometimes, the logical approach can work wonders. Talk with your child about all of the things that need to be accomplished each day by your child and by you. Explain that it is difficult to finish those tasks when he or she wastes 25 minutes on something that should take two, and that you want his or her help in keeping the household chaos to a minimum. Let your child know that the more efficient he or she is with time, the more time he or she will have to do fun things like play games or hang out with friends. Build in extra time. The reality is that some children may just do things slowerfrom eating dinner to showering to completing school work. Do your best to establish and stick to routines whenever possible, but also be realistic about your expectations. Your child may simply be hard wired to move more slowly than you would prefer. Build a little extra time into your daily routines to accommodate and avoid the stress of constant scolding and nagging. With effort, patience and practice, you can help you child become responsible and efficient with his or her time. Remember: all children are different, so while he or she may not do things exactly as you like, you can help him or her become a self-starter and an organized student and person. Those skills will stay with your childand benefit him or herfor the rest of his or her life.

Top ten books for great half-term reading

Top ten books for great half-term reading Half-term gives kids a great chance to catch-up on some great, fun, reading time. And with these adventure-packed, hilarious and heart-warming books, we guarantee your child won't get bored this break. Keep their minds sharp and boost their English skills with some of these fabulous new releases: 1. The Racehorse Who Wouldn't Gallop by Clare Balding A classic, funny, animal story about 10-year-old Charlie Bass who is absolutely horse-mad. After her dreams come true and she buys a pony that she thinks is perfect, Charlie faces a major problem; her horse, Noble Warrior, won't gallop. With the family farm at risk of being repossessed and Darby Day just around the corner, Charlie is convinced that Noble Warrior can save the day. Can Charlie enlist the help of her family and help Noble Warrior overcome his nerves? 2. Clover Moon by Jacqueline Wilson Jacqueline Wilson's new book about Clover Moon, a bright, young heroine who's imagination is her escape from her hard life in Victorian London. Sad, moving, exciting, this book has everything and your children will struggle to put it down. A great read for ages 7-12. 3. The World's Worst Children by David Walliams For those who have yet to read this wonderfully funny and entertaining book about truly terrible children, then this half-term is the perfect opportunity. Get ready to meet five beastly boys and five gruesome girls including Dribbling Drew, Grubby Gertrude and Nigel Nit-Boy. An absolute must-read for all young readers who enjoy a good giggle. 4. Double Down (Diary of a Wimpy Kid book 11) by Jeff Kinney The Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a best-selling series and for all those fans this read is an absolute must. Greg's mum is on his back about the amount of time he spends playing video games. With Halloween coming up, Greg discovers a bag of gummy worms and his mind goes into overdrive. Can Greg make a movie and become rich and famous getting his mum off his case in the process? Or will doubling down just double Greg's troubles? 5. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K.Rowling Author of the adored and internationally best-selling Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling introduces this magnificent adventure-packed story about Newt Scamander, a Magizoologist who arrives in New York. When Newt loses his magical case and some of his unusual beasts escape, there is trouble for everyone. The film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be released in theatres on 18th November. 6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Illustrated Edition by J.K.Rowling, Jim Kay (illustrator) For those who want to revisit Harry Potter with the exceptionally beautiful illustrations by Jim Kay then this book is for you. Unforgettable characters, such as Dobby and Gilderoy Lockhart, and dark, intriguing themes this book is full of humour and magic. Now in year two at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft, Harry Potter and his friends seek out a legendary chamber and the deadly secret it hides. 7. DanTDM: Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal by Dan TDM and Daniel Middleton For all YouTube fans this graphic, adventure-filled novel sees Travarus and DanTDM embark on an exciting, yet dangerous adventure when a strange looking crystal plummets to earth and shatters into five pieces. When they recover one of the shards they quickly realise they hold an object that is far more powerful than they have ever known. Follow them on their quest to defeat evil. 8. Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven This heartbreaking and exhilarating love-story is a new best-seller and an absolute favourite half-term read. It tells the story of Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed 'America's fattest teen' and the girl with dreams and Jack Masselin, the charming, Mr.Popular who can't recognise faces. Their lives are pushed together when they both end up in group counselling and the more time they spend together, the less alone they begin to feel. 9. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff This fabulous YA book is based on the story of 16 year-old Mia Corvere who has been having lessons in death since the age of ten. Since the day Mia lost everything she made a promise to seek her revenge. But first she must be trained by the Red School; and Mia is no ordinary student. A wonderful story of a heroine in a dark, dangerous fantasy world. 10. Flawed by Cecelia Ahern 'Flawed' is a great novel about teenage life and trying to keep up with your peers. The story is about a young, beautiful model named Celestine. From a poster girl, Celestine's life is turned upside down after a moment of compassion sees her made an example of. A must read for all teenagers and a great thought-provoker.