Job Opportunities For Teaching Tutors

Job Opportunities For Teaching TutorsYou are just as likely to find job opportunities tutoring students today as you were a few years ago. And it can help you avoid some of the most common mistakes that many parents make when looking for jobs in education.Too often, the purpose of school curriculum is lost in the shuffle, and teachers have to scramble to include more than their most basic course. In fact, many teachers consider teaching solely as a means to supplement their income. Since so many of the jobs in education these days will require someone with an advanced degree, this doesn't bode well for those who need a certificate of skill.Another main reason why many people go for teaching jobs rather than those in other fields is because there are few positions available to them. Many schools have trouble finding teachers who are qualified and who also have experience. They also often have difficulty recruiting teachers who are available on a short notice.Sometimes, teachers have b een overlooked for a promotion. No matter how skilled they are, many times it takes experience to advance in an educational setting. When you find a good tutoring job, this can be a great opportunity to gain experience before moving up a level in your career.Finding a job in tutoring requires special skills, such as patience and study habits. Some tutors are extremely self-motivated and are more interested in helping others. The ones who are generally the most motivated are the ones who choose the careers that interest them. However, if you are still curious about the field, it can be a great choice.Finally, the good thing about tutoring is that it's a much more flexible job. For example, a school might not have the funds to hire a tutor for every child, but a tutor can cover some of the costs, depending on their schedule. If you have a lot of extra time on your hands, tutoring could be a great choice.Teachers in tutoring have many benefits, especially since there are less students and therefore fewer classes to keep track of. Whether or not you are a teacher in another line of work, find a tutoring job today.

Can I cite Wikipedia as a source

Can I cite Wikipedia as a source No. Not a good idea. Nope. Just no. Right, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let me tell you how you CAN use Wikipedia when researching a paper, project or presentation. Encyclopedias of one type or another have been relied upon for general information since at least the ancient world. From Pliny the Elder’s Naturalis Historia from the 1st century CE, to Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya al-Razis encyclopedia of science from the 10th century CE, to the 28,000 folio volumes of the Yongle Encyclopedia completed in China in 1408 CE, to the monumental French Encyclopédie published between 1751-1772 CE, to the encyclopedias of the 20th century CE like Britannica and World Book, repositories of general knowledge have been required as humans strive for understanding of the world. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits and challenges of studying history, you can read more blog post on the topic here!Now those of us of a certain age will remember the time before internet se arch engines, where we were taught that a starting point for our research paper was our school or local library’s encyclopedia collection. There we could find general information about our topics of choice, and then we would take that new knowledge to the card catalog or librarian to start looking for books on our topics. Now I clearly remember teachers explicitly telling me and my fellow students “Do not use the encyclopedia as one of your sources!” when we visited the school library to find sources for our papers. This, in my mind, echoes the teachers of today who frequently tell their students “Do not use Wikipedia as one of your sources!”. The difference though, as mentioned earlier, is that the teachers of my childhood would recommend we start with encyclopedias, especially when we knew little or nothing about our chosen topics. People today seem to automatically dismiss the usefulness of Wikipedia though, which I find short sighted. Of course a student should not cit e Wikipedia, just like the students of the past were not allowed to cite print encyclopedias. Wikipedia is the primary modern encyclopedia, and it has just as many flaws and biases as print encyclopedias of the past. Just like many book encyclopedias, Wikipedia has a severe lack of female editors or even pages about significant women of history or even present day. So saying that Wikipedia has sometimes inaccurate and biased information, while true, does not negate its usefulness since all other sources out there suffer from similar issues. The key is to teach students how to spot the biases, the exaggerations, the inaccuracies and then how to handle them. Teachers then need to remind students that it is not just print sources or articles from digital databases that have biased or imperfect information, it is also seemingly neutral sources like Wikipedia. A key aspect of the DBQ essay of the AP histories is to engage with the biases of the sources while making an argument. Asking qu estions like: Who is the audience for this source? What is the author’s purpose? What is the author’s background? What information are they potentially leaving out either consciously or unconsciously? Students are then taught to think about how the answers to these questions affect the sources’ information so that they can effectively qualify it and use it helpfully in their essay. Just because a source is biased or factually problematic does not mean it is not a useful source that should be ignored. Similarly, students should be taught that resources they use to get to source materials should be equally examined for bias and other issues. Thus, just because Wikipedia is also often biased or otherwise problematic it should not be ignored as a resource (NOT a source), since similar resources and actual sources themselves are just as biased.Our humanities tutors excel at helping students develop the core skills of research, critical thinking, and writing that are crucial for suc cess in English, in history, and in life. If you’d like to help your student develop these skills or get support in English, history, or social science coursework, please contact us today!Despite bias, Wikipedia is a great starting place for research because it can help students find key search terms and even potential sources. Say a student wants to write a paper on the Sepoy Rebellion for their world history class, but while they know that it is an example of Indians (not Native Americans) resisting British imperialism sometime in the 1800s, they may not know much else. Going to Wikipedia will give them not only the exact date (1857 CE), but also information like other names for the rebellion including: the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Sepoy Mutiny, the Indian Mutiny, the Great Rebellion, the Revolt of 1857, the Indian Insurrection, and the First War of Independence. Therefore when they are searching for information in a digital database of academic articles or searching truste d historical websites, they will have other alternative terms to search and hopefully find more information. They will also find other specific information that they could use as search terms in more academic sources like the names of people involved (one of the most interesting being Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, a queen who is now a cultural figure of resistance to British rule), the exact regions that rebelled, the reasons for rebellion (more than just the British exploiting the Indian people), and beyond. Finally, Wikipedia often has references at the bottom of an article and even direct citations that students can then track down. Even if students cannot find the exact same sources that are listed in the article, they can at least get the names of scholars or authors who write on the topic the student has chosen, which can also help them when searching for source materials.So Wikipedia, like any other encyclopedia, is a great starting point resource for students. It is certai nly not a source, and should therefore not be cited, but it is a helpful resource. For those of you wanting an overview of the Sepoy Rebellion along with lists of fascinating secondary and primary sources please see this Wikipedia article about it.If you’d like to learn more about how our humanities tutors work with students to develop core academic skills in a customized, 1-on-1 environment, please give us a call.

Bay Area Test Prep Experts - SAT, ACT, SAT Subject, GRE, GMAT, ISEE

Bay Area Test Prep Experts - SAT, ACT, SAT Subject, GRE, GMAT, ISEE Welcome Bay Area test prep students! The fall semester is upon us and so is the college application process. Does your student need one last shot to boost their application? SAT subject tests are one-hour exams offered in a variety of academic subjects.  While not required by most colleges, subject tests are a way to demonstrate your students aptitude and depth in a particular subject.  Good subject test scores provide a nice boost to your students college applications! SAT subject tests: FAQSAT subject tests are offered on the same days as the SAT, Nov. 8 and Dec. 6.  You should plan your students testing schedule ahead of time so he or she has time for both the SAT and the subject tests.SAT subject tests are offered in math, literature, US and world history, biology, chemistry, physics, and most languages.Students can take up to 3 subject tests on one day.Which SAT subject tests should my student take?Bay Area test prep students tend to perform best on subject tests in high-leve l courses they have recently completed.  For instance, if your student is currently enrolled in AP US History, he or she should take the subject test in US History in May or June.If your student is currently taking or has taken precalculus and/or trig, the Math Level 2 exam is a good choice.  For those who enjoy reading and do well in English, the Literature exam would be a natural fit.When are the SAT subject tests offered, and how can I register for them? The SAT subject tests are offered on Nov. 8 and Dec. 6, 2014, concurrently with the SAT (so students cannot take the SAT and the subject tests on the same day).You can register for SAT subject tests on the College Boards website.AJ Tutorings SAT subject test tutoring program In order to fully prepare students to take an SAT subject test, we meet with them for three or four 90-minute sessions.  During those sessions, we cover timing, guessing strategy, and question interpretation.  Using results from students practice tests, w e also pinpoint content gaps and teach students valuable concepts they may have missed in school.AJ Tutoring currently offers subject test tutoring in most subjects.  For more information, please consult  our website.If your student is planning to take SAT subject tests in November or December, now is the time to start preparing.  By starting preparation early, we can effectively space out the tutoring sessions and maximize your students content retention. Learn more about our test prep program.

Terms You Need To Know For Refinancing Your Student Loans

Terms You Need To Know For Refinancing Your Student Loans http://www.thefinancegirl.com An option for you graduates with student loans is to refinance your loan in order to combine your multiple loans into one payment with a lower interest rate, which overall lowers your premiums. This process can get confusing, especially when students have never refinanced a loan before. Here are terms for students to be familiar with before going through the refinancing process. 1. Private lender  A non-institutional, or non-bank, individual or company that loans money. Normally, students get loans from a bank. 2. Borrower  The individual receiving the loan. In other words, this would be the student or graduate. 3. Interest rate An annual percentage of the outstanding balance, charged by the lender (bank or individual). 4. Cosigner An individual who claims responsibility on payments if the borrower cannot. Many college students have to have a cosigner (usually a family member) in order to get a loan, since they have not built up enough credit or even have bad credit. 5. Deferment  To postpone. By refinancing a student loan, graduates are deferring their payments. 6. Loan forgiveness  A program created for students, which cancels all or some of their federal student loan balance. Having a loan forgiven means that the student is no longer responsible for the amount owed. 7. Premium  An additional charge. This is referring to interest on a loan, since it is an extra charge to a loan.

The 8 Best Translation Apps for Android, Period

The 8 Best Translation Apps for Android, Period The 8 Best Translation Apps for Android, Period Horrible meat lock.Slippery shrimp doctor.A termination and four weddings.These are just a few of the phrases left in my head after I finished testing out various translation app features with different texts.Yes, machine translation has a long way to go.But translation apps are very useful if you dont purposely push them beyond their capabilities (or even sometimes if you do).Whats more, most major automated translation technology is now available to the masses. That is, its online and compatible with your humble Android phone. Often for free.In this post, were going to explore the possibilities presented by the best translation apps for Android.But first, lets look at why you should care about translation apps in the first place. Why You Definitely Need at Least One Translation AppWhether youre a language learner, a traveler, someone living abroad, all of the above or none of the above, not having a translation appâ€"assuming you have a smartphoneâ€"is just silly. Here are a few reasons why.You may need to have a conversation with someone who you cant communicate with otherwise. Language learners can be a proud bunch. Im learning so that I wont need to rely on a translator, we say. But the reality is that none of us know what language were going to need and when, and theres no reason to let your pride get in the way of helping someone else or yourself, especially in an emergency situation.Translation apps with a voice recognition component are invaluable for language speaking practice. Even if you dont use a translator app for the intended purpose, theyre actually a great way to practice your speaking. Voice recognition technology is definitely not perfect, but if a translator can understand you, theres a good chance that a speaker of the language youre learning will be able to, too.Some translation apps provide helpful context for understanding language.  In this post, we wont just look at straightforward translator apps. The apps on this list provide feat ures like phrasebooks, website translation and comparisons of human translations. These features can help you navigate confusing situations and learn how to approach real-world language, much like FluentU, which takes real-world videosâ€"like movie trailers, music videos, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language lessons.So lets check out the best translation apps for your Android.The 8 Best Translation Apps for Android, PeriodBefore we start, I want to note a couple of things. First, there are a lot of translation apps, but many are just slightly different versions of other apps. These below all offer something unique.Secondly, not all the language apps below can be compared apples to apples. Five are fairly similar in that they include the same basic translation features (text, voice, conversation, photo). The other three serve different primary functions and are still very useful.All right, lets take a look!Google TranslateGoogle Translate  is still con sidered the translation app  for a variety of reasons:It offers translations for over 100 languages.It offers translations for text, voice, (two-way) conversation, photo  and handwriting. All of these features work relatively well across languages, are intuitive and are accessible from the home screen on the Android app. (Note: Not all features are available for all languages.)Additional features include the ability to save translations to a phrasebook and download some individual language packs for offline translation.One thing Google Translate is notable for is its  instant camera translation: You can simply aim your camera at whatever you want translated. This seems to work best on medium-sized printed text with good contrast (bold black font on white paper, for example). The main downside is that, especially with small-sized texts, translations fluctuate when the text is viewed at even slightly different angles, sometimes becoming jumbled up and illegible. However, if you can ho ld your phone with a steady hand, the feature can be very useful for reading menus, signs, flyers and the like. You can also opt to scan the text instead.Its difficult to beat all of the above. Keep reading, though, because there are some surprises ahead.Microsoft TranslatorMicrosoft Translator is also pretty good on all fronts. Here are the main differences between it and Google Translate:It offers translations in over 60 languages. Fewer than Google Translate, but still a lot.It also offers regular  text, voice, conversation and photo  translations. All of these work decently, but some features arent available for some major languages, e.g., you cant get photo translation for Arabic.Conversation features are more extensive.  Rather than just having a two-way conversation, you can give out codes to multiple other users to let them join a conversation. This means you can essentially have a group chat where everyone is using their own phone to communicate remotely across different la nguages, with all text being translated into your language of choice. Each user can either input text with a keyboard, or do voice-to-text.Additional features include  pre-made phrasebooks, offline language packs for some languages and the option to  pin favorite translations.While you cant get instant camera translation like with Google Translate, the photo feature is clean, simple and may work better for smaller-sized texts.Considering the above, Microsoft Translator might be best for business and academic purposes. Its not quite as user-friendly as Google Translate, but it has its advantages.Yandex.TranslateYandex is the translation app I found the most unexpectedly exciting. Lets look at the breakdown:It offers text  translations in more than 90 languages. Not bad.It includes voice, conversation and photo translations for some languages. For me, these all worked pretty well.Additional features include built-in  dictionaries,  whole website translation, phrase collections, some o ffline language pair packs and the ability to save translations in Favorites.It also gives you the ability to interact with social media accounts and texting apps for quick communication.So thats all good to know. But what was most impressive to me was the actual translation tech. As you type or talk, you can watch the translation shift and change according to the current context. In my experience, Yandex was  the best at using context  out of any of the apps on this list.No joke, it photo-translated an entire page from Prousts À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time) from the original French in a way that was mainly comprehensible. And when I started inputting the actual text, it started translating it in a way that was virtually indistinguishable from a human translation. Im not suggesting that it was able to make the same refined choices a human literary translator would make, but it definitely seemed to be educating itself as it went along.Yandexs penchant for con text may  actually make it work less well overall for shorter texts like signs and titles. I noticed it sometimes tries to make sentences of bits of text that arent actually linked. However, it can be  frighteningly good at translating longer texts written in complete sentences. Frighteningly. Time to prepare for the robot revolution.Naver PapagoPapago is a fairly new app made by Naver, the corporation behind the popular Korean search engine of the same name. Heres what its got:Text translations between 13 languages.Voice, photo, and conversation translation between some languages. Voice recognition works pretty well; photo translation seems to work best for larger text. It isnt as intuitive as some photo translation on other apps. However, it gives you more options, allowing you to select what text you want translated.Handwriting input for East Asian languages (which, in my opinion and experience, works better than the Google Translate handwriting input).Whole website translation, pre-made phrasebooks with cool features like sample conversations and on-off switches for honorifics. It also has Papago Mini, which allows you to highlight any text on your phone screen and receive an instant translation without even switching apps.Overall, Papago in some ways feels like a work in progress, but an ambitious and exciting one. Some of the features, like photo translation, feel a little shaky, but others, like the handwriting input, are incredible. Among English speakers, this one  will no doubt appeal most strongly to learners of Korean, Chinese and Japanese.iTranslateiTranslate is another translation app that offers all the main features of the major apps above, but it doesnt offer all of them for free. Heres what were looking at:Text translations between 100 languages.Voice, conversation, photo and website translation.Offline translation for over 40 languages.Multiple additional features, including  dictionaries and verb conjugations, the ability to rate translatio ns and the ability to adjust audio speed.Compatibility with the Dash Pro translating earphones.Some features, including voice translation and Lens (the photo translation tech) are only available with iTranslate Pro for  $39.99 a year (theres a week-long free trial).I found that Lens was better at capturing smaller text in low-contrast situations than other apps. The voice recognition technology was also pretty impressive. However, in my experience, the actual translation results were mixed. Unlike with Yandex, iTranslate  seems to do best with shorter, conversation-based translations.In general, iTranslate isnt as user-friendly as Google Translate or many other apps, but theres a lot under the hood. Its main appeal is that it offers all-in-one features over a variety of languages. It seems like it would be best for dedicated travelers and business professionals who want to get as much as possible out of  only one app and are willing to spend some time learning to use it most effecti vely.SayHiThis super simple app uses Microsofts translation tech along with a different type of speech tech and only one main feature:  basic two-way conversation.SayHi can quickly be fired up when you need it for a bilingual conversation. Its the simplest, most intuitive app on this list, and is good for everyone to have on hand, as it could come in handy in an emergency or other unexpected situation.Reverso Translation DictionaryYou may be wondering, what is a translation dictionary? Well, Reverso uses Googles voice translation tech, but then allows you to deep-dive into the results and examine them closely through definitions, example sentences, related phrases and conjugations. In other words, it doesnt just leave you hanging with the given translation but allows you to check for yourself how accurate it is.While, true to its name, Reverso makes it easy to reverse language pairs, its best application may be using a language you already know to look up idioms and other phrases yo ure unsure about in your target language. For example, I need to get some air in English brings up Jai besoin de prendre lair in French, along with related phrases and examples.Dictionary LingueeWhen you search for a word or phrase (which can also be done by voice lookup) on Linguee, you dont just get a definition. You get a host of already translated webpages between your learning and target language.So for example, if I search for how to say coffee in Russian, it gives me the word, ????, along with example sentences and related words and phrases. It then gives me a whole list of excerpts taken from real websites that include the word coffee in English with the surrounding language and the Russian version of those same sentences.Linguee gives you the chance to see how a word or a phrase has been translated in context, over multiple contexts.This makes Linguee not only a great dictionary app, but a wonderful tool for professional translators, language learners and anyone else studyi ng a language for any reason.The robot revolution may not actually be here yet.But theres no harm in making peace with the machines already among us.Download any of these great translation apps for Android and see for yourself.Elisabeth Cook is a freelance writer who blogs at Lit All Over.

Meet the teacher ESL Instructor, Mark, in Gwangju, South Korea

Meet the teacher ESL Instructor, Mark, in Gwangju, South Korea We caught up with Mark, an ESL teacher from Illinois, who has been teaching abroad on a Teach Away placement for three months at a school in Gwangju, South Korea. We asked him some questions about his experience so far, so he could share an insight and his perspective with others interested in teaching in Korea. What initially interested you in teaching abroad? Well, firstly, I’ve always been really interested in travel, and when I decided to head out for my TEFL placement, I was well-positioned to try something new because I wasn’t tied down by anything in particular. I had a lot of freedom to explore the idea of a new adventure. I also have a couple of friends who have either taught ESL previously or are currently abroad teaching, and they’ve had nothing but good things to say about their experience. Also, whenever I’ve travelled I’ve found it to be such an educational experience. I’ve learned a lot about the world, but also about myself and about others. So not only do I get to go abroad and teach others, but I get to learn something new as well. Why did you decide on South Korea? I was pretty indiscriminateâ€"in my application, I picked 8 countries that generally interested me. I then decided on South Korea because I had friends teaching there already who all had positive things to say about their experience, and I had also taught several international students from South Korea in the United States as part of an exchange program. Those students made a great impression on me. Did you have any concerns before you left? I actually didn't have many concerns, I'm pretty laid-back and like to go with the flow. I think it’s important to be as easygoing as possible when making such a drastic move, otherwise anything could bother you. Although I’ve heard some people say that their actual situation differed slightly from their contract, my experience here in South Korea has proved to be a very pleasant surprise. Describe the school that you teach at and what a typical workday looks like for you. Something that I like about my placement is that no two days are the same. I arrive at the school I teach at for 11 am, although I don't start teaching until 12 pm, and on Thursdays not until 1:20 pm. This gives me a good amount of prep time. Having a later start time also allows me to reserve my mornings for myself and activities that interest me personally. The school is a combination of three Kindergarten-type schools and two hagwonsâ€"or private Korean institutes. I have one class that I see everyday, but the other classes are all once or twice a week. All of the materials are provided, which makes lesson-planning very easy. At most, I need 30 minutes to prepare for a whole day of lessons. After teaching in the United States and seeing how much time and effort I needed to put into planning, this process seems like a piece of cake. I don’t have to worry about take-home work because all necessary grading can be done within the hours I’m at the school. What have you learned about life in South Korea from your teaching experience? I’ve learned a lot about South Korean culture through my placement, which I’ve really enjoyed. It has often been a challenge when communicating, but despite that fact, my experience has been one to remember thus far. Everyday is a new opportunity to learn a little bit more, not just about South Korea, but about myself as well. I’ve also learned a lot about different educational styles and educational systems, and have made adaptations to my teaching style based on this system. What is your favorite meal that you’ve had? A Korean friend of mine made me a traditional Korean brunch of duck and pumpkin, which was my favorite meal here thus far. Other foods I’ve also really enjoyed are bibimbap, gimbap, samgyupsal, to name a few. I’ve pretty much enjoyed it all here, I love how spicy things can get. It feels a lot healthier, tastier, and fresher than the food I was used to back home. What’s your neighborhood like? My neighborhood is nice and quiet. There is a park in the heart of the neighborhood, and a lot of my coworkers and friends live in nearby buildings. It creates a real sense of community here. My apartment is small, but that’s to be expected in Korea, and I’m able to get out and do interesting things nearby anywayâ€"I enjoy the local restaurants, and the mountains for hiking are literally a six-minute walk from my place. I’ve found the people here to be super nice and welcoming. Where would you like to go next? I haven’t really thought that far ahead because I’m enjoying my experience here, but I think one day I’d like to do a placement in Bolivia, if it presents itself. What resources did you find helpful as you planned to go abroad? I think trying to connect with teachers that are either currently placed at the same school, or teachers who have taught there in the past is really helpful. Do you have any tips for teachers who are looking to apply to teach abroad? Do your homework beforehand to understand as much as you can, but also realize that at some point you will just have to roll with it. Don't look at this as something you will do for a short timeâ€"embrace it as your new life and new home, even if you’ll only do it for the one year. Think about culture and food. They are very important, and it's important to embrace new things and not just carry your old habits and traditions with you. Your good attitude will enhance your experience. Finally, if you can, try and email or talk to teachers that are currently at the school and get their impressions and their advice before you begin.

3 Easy Online Courses Worth Taking

3 Easy Online Courses Worth Taking Image via Pexels Online courses offer flexibility for nontraditional students who may have full-time jobs, re-entry students hoping to ease their way back into the usual classroom setting, and students with otherwise complicated schedules that do not lend themselves to an in-person classroom experience. But how do you determine which online courses are worth taking? Here are 3 easy online courses to take that won’t waste your time. 1. Personal Finance Offered by Missouri State University, this class will teach you highly practical tips for navigating personal saving, credit and retirement planning. If you’re fuzzy about your finances, this eight-class course will help you gain more control over money management. According to USA TODAY, you can find the course on iTunes U and Youtube via Open Culture, a site any student seeking online courses should visit, as it “allows you to search for free online classes by topic, then directs you to all available formats.” Given that this course’s topic is non-academic, it shouldn’t pose too much stress for students, and even finance-savvy students could find this class a nice refresher that will set them on a steady path to financial stability. 2. Communication Skills and Team Building The second course in Fullbridge’s four-part Career Development XSeries, “Communication Skills and Team Building” can help any student succeed regardless of their field/major. If you find interest in personal and professional development, you’ll enjoy the tips this course offers to help you thrive in the workplace and improve relationships with colleagues. The course requires only an hour or two per week, and the benefits of learning better communication strategies outweigh the $60 cost. According to the class description, you will learn “how to determine the most appropriate format for different messages, how to use top-down thinking to structure your communications, how to manage conflict in a professional and appropriate manner, how to achieve team synergy by using the forming, storming, norming, and performing methodology, and how to scope, plan, execute, and reflect on projects,” among other topics. Students may think they know all there is to know about best practices for communication, but there’s always more to learn, and knowing how to collaborate with others will serve anyone for a lifetime. 3. A Beginner’s Guide to Irrational Behavior The title alone makes me want to enroll in this course. The class, accessible via Coursera but hosted by Duke University, claims to “introduce students to the range of cases where people make decisions inconsistent with standard economic theory, which assumes rational decision making, and think about how insights about that sort of behavior can be applied”but don’t worry if you’re not that well-versed in behavioral economics. The course listing claims students only need to have “curiosity about human nature.” It seems highly promising, especially given the instructor, Dan Ariely, is highly recognized in the field. In general, it’s worth noting that the subject of your online class may affect your motivation and productivity. In high school, I opted to take U.S. History course online instead of in-person because it was my least favorite subject. I figured that it was the most sensical choice, that it would be less bothersome if I didn’t have to physically sit in a history class. However, I quickly learned that the less you enjoy your online course, the more likely you’ll put off the coursework and become frustrated when you cannot receive immediate support from an instructor. I now believe it’s much easier to take an online class that excites you, whose coursework you won’t want to delay each night when your calendar alerts you to complete readings and take that pesky comprehension quiz. Additionally, it’s not always the best idea to take many classes for your major online, as you’ll usually get the most immersive experience in a physical classroom with peers and instructors accessible. Lastly, while these courses are relatively “easy,” online courses taken for more academic purposes can be as challenging (or more challenging) than a traditional course. As said in an article by Rasmussen College, “It’s true that online courses offer you the flexibility to learn in your own time and space, but that doesn’t change the amount of work you put in. You still have the same amount of workâ€"just without the formal classroom setting.” That said, you get out of an online course exactly what you put into it. To search for online classes that peak your interest, try browsing on edX, a free online course platform that lets you search for what you’d like to learn! Coursera, a similar site, will also direct you to tons of courses across disciplines.