The Little-Known Difficulties Of Playing Beginner Guitars

The Little-Known Difficulties Of Playing Beginner Guitars Suzy S. If youre in the market for a guitar, youve likely seen beginner models and packages offered. But are they worth it? Find out in this guest post by Austin, TX teacher  Samuel B... Recently some of my beginner students have requested shopping tips for more advanced models of guitars. Though my familiarity with standard models for various genres is considerable, I dont train aspiring musicians to master one specific genre. Although jazz sounds best when played on a hollow-bodied electric with f holes on either side of the strings (just as blues-rock is played best on a Fender Stratocaster, electric Chicago-based blues on its cousin the Telecaster, and so forth), I dont recommend that you purchase one of these models for the reason cited above. Beginners frequently learn to play “beginner” guitar models (miniature instruments made by obscure companies). If youre a beginner, I recommend that your brand of purchase instead be recognizable. It need not be brand new or first-hand, but it should be a model of some note. Martin is one name of repute. So are Fender, Yamaha, Washburn, and Epiphone. These models are known not only for their sound, but for their relatively uncomplicated maintenance. While inexpensive, the beginner guitar models you see have multiple drawbacks: Beginner guitars produce a poor sound My first acoustic guitar (a “beginner” model) did. This is not an issue when youre being introduced to the instrument, but will likely become one once you reach an understanding of your potential as a musician. You want an instrument that broadcasts (not simply delivers) your sound. You might as well start with one. Beginner guitars are generally more difficult to re-string than their mainstream counterparts Im remembering several bridge-related hiccups with my first electric (another obscure model), some of which required the use of Allen wrenches. At one point, I even lost a weak tuning peg on it and had to resort to an ill-fitting replacement during the rest of the instruments shelf life. If memory serves, the pickup itself wobbled as it appeared to have been poorly fastened. Recognizable Plug-In Acoustics Give You the Most Options I can only recommend the genre-specific models listed at the beginning of the article if youve made your desire to master only one technique unequivocal. Otherwise, recognizable plug-in acoustics give you the most leverage, whatever your aspiration be it to perform, record, lead singing, teach singing, or even embark on a musicological endeavor like collecting and learning little-known folk songs. Theyre durable, sonically pleasing, and are proper equipment for anything from Kum Ba Ya around a campfire to a CSNY reunion show at the Hollywood Bowl in that the simple element of electricity (or lack thereof) determines the role theyll play. So, What Type of Guitar Should Beginners Purchase? As a performer, my act falls within the singer-songwriter category, which typically involves the use of an acoustic guitar plugged into a sound system. I own two: a Yamaha (purchased from some former housemates for less than $100) and a Takamine (which I obtained roughly 10 years ago upon trading in both my first black electric model and my Telecaster imitation model I may have even sacrificed an inexpensive amplifier or two in the exchange as well). My Takamine has been a faithful sidekick during innumerable sets at local coffeehouses here in Austin. Its also one of the most recognizable acoustic-electric brand names. I always have it in my lap when I teach and I believe it to be among the top user-friendly models; it has proved itself the most versatile and reliable guitar Ive ever owned or played. It sounds cleaner and is more robust than any other model familiar to me. Its durability has allowed me to serve the multiple roles of performer, teacher, and independent recording artist. I can also maintain my relatively low-consumption lifestyle the backpack straps on its case (a separate purchase) make for easy transport on bike, bus, and even plane. Be Patient And Open-Minded While Shopping The best shopping advice, of course, is to explore multiple options. Despite my mainstream-oriented advice about the brands, I recommend that you seek your model in a pawn shop or locally-owned music store, as these outlets tend to have better deals than large chains. You might even have luck on Craigslist. I also recommend that you compare prices as much as possible. Just as you need a reliable vehicle to carry you long distances, you need a sturdy, versatile, and aurally-attractive instrument to accompany the ongoing development of your musical knowledge and enthusiasms â€" preferably from the very start. That way, you wont have to anticipate replacing your instrument down the line. Samuel B. teaches beginner  guitar lessons in Austin, TX. He teaches lessons face-to-face without sheet music, which is his adaptation of Japanese instruction (involving a call-and-response method).  Learn more about Samuel here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by rosipaw

How to Create a GRE Prep Plan

How to Create a GRE Prep Plan If youre applying to graduate school and need to take the GRE, its time to create a plan. With a plethora of advice and study material available, the choices can be overwhelming. Which books should you purchase? How long should you review questions for each section? When should you take the official exam? The first step in answering these questions is to create a GRE prep plan. To establish a study plan, take GRE practice tests, identify your goals, and create a prep schedule. Hoping to make the most of your GRE test date? Keep reading to learn how to create a GRE prep plan. GRE prep plan tip #1: take a full-length GRE practice test The best way to know how to start studying for the GRE is to sit for a practice GRE exam. The official test takes three hours and 45 minutes. Therefore, your practice exam should take the same length of time. When taking a practice test, dont skip the Analytical Writing section. Complete both the Issue essay and the Argument essay. Then, go through the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections. Once youve finished, write down your score, and then review your exam results to determine your strengths and weaknesses. GRE prep plan tip #2: identify your GRE goals Based on the results of your practice exam, as well as the requirements of the graduate program youre applying to, choose your priorities for your GRE preparation. When pinpointing your GRE goals, ask yourself questions such as: Should I focus on writing? Do I need to improve my verbal skills? Do my quantitative skills need assistance? If youre entering a program based in mathematics, like engineering or finance, make sure that your performance on the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE reflects your highest abilities. Conversely, if youre applying to graduate school for programs like English or education, then the Writing and Verbal Reasoning sections will also be important. [RELATED: 3 Ways to Get GRE Writing Practice] GRE prep plan tip #3: register for your GRE test date Your official GRE exam date will give you a target to work toward. Depending on your application deadline, allow for sufficient time to prepare, as well as a cushion in case you need to take the exam again. If youre a prudent planner who has six months to a year before your application is due, register for a GRE exam date two months from now, and forecast a backup GRE exam for three months from now. This will provide you with at least three months to work on the rest of your application after youve completed the GRE. [RELATED: How is the GRE Scored?] GRE prep plan tip #4: create a study schedule Consistency is key when preparing for the GRE. Block out times with specific topics to study throughout each week, broken down into separate question types. For example, for your Verbal Reasoning times, decide whether youll work on reading comprehension, text completion, sentence equivalence, or general vocabulary memorization. On Quantitative Reasoning days, determine whether you want to focus on arithmetic, algebra, geometry, or data analysis. Additionally, include full practice GRE exams throughout your schedule so that you can monitor your progress. [RELATED: GRE Tips for Test Day] GRE prep plan tip #5: keep your end goal in mind Your GRE prep plan will help you succeed on the GRE only if you follow the plan. Remember why youve scheduled study time throughout the week and why you want to create the strongest application possible for graduate school. Also, if necessary, adjust the plan. As you prepare for the GRE, you may develop your skills in certain sections more easily than others. Update your plan accordingly. Creating a GRE prep plan that addresses your needs requires focus and discipline. Establish your goals, and create a study schedule to support your GRE exam success. Following these steps can help make your GRE preparation process successful. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

ACT Science Sifting Out What Matters (and what doesnt)

ACT Science Sifting Out What Matters (and what doesn’t) ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog The ACT Science section has a rather misleading name. Perhaps a better name would be the ACT Reading Section Part 2: Science Concepts. The exam requires no prior knowledge of scientific content or concepts. Instead, students are required to interpret data graphs, what the scientific method is and how scientific theories disagree from each other. These are concepts taught in every high school in the country. The ACT is a standardized exam that must provide a level playing field for all applicants, from all demographics across the United States. As such, it may be comforting to know that advanced science concepts such as DNA transcription and translation or the Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium won’t be tested. To succeed on this portion of the exam, exposure to ACT Science questions and practice solving them is critical. The following is an important tip to succeeding on the ACT science section: Do NOT try to read and understand the entire passage and all its figures! The ACT purposely fills the passage and the figures with a lot of useless information that will not be tested. You should be skimming both with only two questions in mind: What is their point in writing this? What is this figure showing? Let’s look at a sample ACT Science Passage and try to extract the main idea while tossing out all the details that don’t matter. What do you think the main idea is here and how can you paraphrase this simply? Paraphrased Version: There is a really old lake. It was formed from glaciers. Trapped water and sediments tells us about the climate when they were deposited. Figure 2 shows a cross section (will cover below). Figure 3 deals with ratios and has a funny symbol before 18O. We don’t need to worry about that. Just know that the smaller values correspond to colder temperatures. Now let’s look at Figure 2 and make sense of it. Figure 2 below shows a cross section of the lake. Imagine, literally cutting out a rectangular piece of the lake to study. The top of it is the surface and as you move down in elevation, you experience the different types of sediment/rock. Do not worry about what “glacial till” is, since it’s very unlikely the ACT will ask you to define or understand it. We can see there are 3 different sites between the 2 locations of Winnipeg and Grand Forks. There are different sediment types and different elevations for all 3. For instance, at site 1, there is lake/clay at 200 m above sea level. However, at site 2, there is glacial till at that elevation. These are some simple takeaways from this sample passage and figure to better understand how to effectively maneuver through the ACT Science section. Remember not to get caught up in details or spend too much time trying to understand the entire passage and all the figures. Search for the main idea, check the graph axis and try to extract the bigger picture. This will both save time and set you up for success instead of bogging you down with confusing, unnecessary details!

Healthcare Communication Problems with Linguistic Minorities

Healthcare Communication Problems with Linguistic Minorities Dissatisfaction with Healthcare Communication in the Second Language By Gabriel Émile Édouard Nicolet (Swiss, 1856-1921) [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsEffective communication between healthcare providers and their patients is an important factor in patient satisfaction. Global patient satisfaction with healthcare has been found to be lower among patients who have more provider-patient communication problems (Charles, Goldsmith, Chambers, Haynes, Gauld, 1996). The most commonly reported problems involve failures on the part of providers to communicate when communication is expected, such as failing to explain what the provider is intending to do while examining a patient, keeping the patient in the dark about daily routines, and failing to communicate adequately during discharge planning. Dissatisfaction with Healthcare Communication in the Second Language Global dissatisfaction with healthcare becomes more acute, however, when the provider and patient cannot effectively communicate in each other’s language. In a study of 26 international medical graduates enrolled in an Internal Medicine residency program at Wayne State University, a significant correlation was found between language proficiency and patient satisfaction (Eggly, Musial, Smulowitz, 1999). In another study, Spanish-speaking patients in San Francisco were also found to be less satisfied with the care they received from non-Spanish speaking physicians (Fernandez et al., 2004), and in the North-eastern United States, a variety of non-English speaking patients reported less satisfaction than their English-speaking counterparts with emergency room care, courtesy and respect, and with discharge instructions (Carrasquillo, Orav, Brennan, Burstin, 1999). Comparisons made between members of the same linguistic minority group also showed a correlation between language proficie ncy and satisfaction levels. For example, low-English-proficiency Korean patients over the age of 60 in the U.S. were less likely to be satisfied with the healthcare service they received than Koreans with higher levels of proficiency (Jang, Kim, Chiriboga, 2005). Indeed, not speaking the language of the patient adds to a patient’s suffering. One emergency department study found that Spanish-speaking Hispanic patients were half as likely to receive analgesia in the treatment of their long bone fractures as their English-speaking counterparts (Todd, Samaroo, Hoffman, 1993). Worse still, a failure to anticipate communication problems and accommodate low-language proficiency clientele can turn fatal, as was recently illustrated in a news story of an Albanian immigrant who killed himself, thinking his wife had been diagnosed with AIDS when hospital staff told him his wifes blood type was A-positive (The Canadian Press, 2007). Improving Healthcare Access for Linguistic Minorities One obvious solution to increasing healthcare access to linguistic minorities is to use interpreters. Whereas the use of hospital-trained interpreters in pediatric emergency departments was found to increase parents’ satisfaction with their physicians and nurses (Garcia, Roy et al., 2006), in primary care medical interviews a reliance upon interpreters is somewhat more problematic. Aranguri, Davidson, and Ramirez (2006) observed that during regular doctors’ appointments with Hispanic patients about half of the words exchanged between doctor and patient were missing from interpreters’ translations. All small talk, known to increase patients’ emotional engagement in their treatments and their doctors’ ability to get a comprehensive patient history, was eliminated. Patients’ questions, an important indication of patients’ engagement with their own care, were also significantly reduced when an interpreter was used. To reduce the heavy reliance on interpreters in healthcare, Zambrana et al. (2004) recommend hiring more minority, linguistically competent, and culturally competent healthcare providers in managed care networks. They argue that having healthcare providers that speak the same language as their patients will lead to lowered costs, greater healthcare access, better health outcomes, patient satisfaction, and patient compliance. There is evidence to support this claim. One study investigating patient outcomes found that asthma patients cared for by doctors who spoke their language were more likely to take their medication and less likely to miss office appointments or make resource-intensive emergency room visits than patients with doctors who did not speak their language (Manson, 1988). Another study found that patients whose doctors spoke their language asked more questions and had a better recall of their doctor’s recommendations (Seijo, Girmez, Freidenberg, 1991). A Resource Medical Professionals Learning English The Virtual Writing Tutor grammar checker is equipped with a number of pronunciation tools, including a text-to-speech engine that can help medical professionals refine their pronunciation in English. To practice the questions needed to perform a  medical history interview, the Virtual Writing Tutor provides a Flash-based simulation of a medical history interview with an English-speaking diabetic man. To help medical professionals become better aware of their medical English and to develop their medical vocabulary, the Virtual Writing Tutor also has a vocabulary checker. References Aranguri, C., Davidson, B., Ramirez, R. (2006). Patterns of Communication through Interpreters:   A Detailed Sociolinguistic Analysis.  Journal of General Internal Medicine,  21(6), 623â€"629. Carrasquillo, O., Orav, E. J., Brennan, T. A., Burstin, H. R. (1999). Impact of language barriers on patient satisfaction in an emergency department.  Journal of General Internal Medicine,  14(2),   82â€"87. Charles, C., Goldsmith, L. J., Chambers, L., Haynes, R. B., Gauld, M. (1996). Provider-Patient Communication Among Elderly and Nonelderly Patients in Canadian Hospitals: A National Survey.  Health Communication,  8(3), 281. Eggly, S., Musial, J., Smulowitz, J. (1999). Research and Discussion Note The Relationship between English Language Proficiency and Success as a Medical Resident.  English for Specific  Purposes,  18(2), 201â€"208. Fernandez, A., Schillinger, D., Grumbach, K., Rosenthal, A., Stewart, A. L., Wang, F., Perez-Stable, E. J. (2004). Physician language ability and cultural competence an exploratory study of communication with Spanish-speaking patients.  Journal of General Internal Medicine,  19(2), 167â€"174. Jang, Y., Kim, G., Chiriboga, D. A. (2005). Health, healthcare utilization, and satisfaction with service: barriers and facilitators for older Korean Americans.  J Am Geriatr Soc,  53(9), 1613â€"7. Manson, A. (1988). Language Concordance as a Determinant of Patient Compliance and Emergency Room Use in Patients with Asthma.  Medical Care,  26(12), 1119â€"1128. Seijo, R., Girmez, H., Freidenberg, J. (1991). Language as a communication barrier in medical care for Latino patients.  Hisp J Behav Sci,  13(363). The Canadian Press. (2007, December 11). Caregivers must be open to cultural differences,  commission told. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2007/12/11/qc-bouchardtaylor.html Todd, K. H., Samaroo, N., Hoffman, J. R. (1993). Ethnicity as a risk factor for inadequate emergency department analgesia.  JAMA,  269(12), 1537â€"1539. Zambrana, R. E., Molnar, C., Munoz, H. B., Lopez, D. S. (2004). Cultural competency as it intersects with racial/ethnic, linguistic, and class disparities in managed healthcare organizations.  Am J Manag Care,  10 Spec No, SP37â€"44. Please follow and like us:

Can I get a job teaching in Japan if I dont have a college degree

Can I get a job teaching in Japan if I don’t have a college degree With college tuition costs soaring worldwide, many people don’t have the time (or money) to earn a college or university degree. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean your lack of a degree is an automatic barrier to teaching English abroad. In fact, we wrote a blog post listing countries that don’t require a degree to teach English - many of which offer a ton of well-paying English teaching jobs. With the good news out the way, let's break the bad news to you. Japanis not one of those countries. Cue sad violin music. By and large, your college major is unlikely to have any bearing on whether you land an English teaching job in Japan. Your degree doesn’t have to be in English, education or linguistics, for example.But an undergraduate bachelor’s degree in any field is still a hard requirement for English teaching jobs in Japan.. Can I get accepted into theJET Program without a degree? We’ll keep this short and sweet. You can’t land a job as an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) with the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programwithout a degree. Bummer! Is there any way to find teaching work in Japan without a degree? As a rule of thumb, reputable private ESL schools and language centers in Japan do require, along with native-equivalent English proficiency, an undergraduate degree. The same goes for international schools in Japan (except the requirements are even higher here, and typically include a teaching license and classroom experience). Why’s this? Well, it comes down to visa eligibility requirements. The Specialist in Humanities visa for English teachers in Japan require applicants to hold, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree. Exceptions to this rule are incredibly rare and are usually reserved for highly experienced ESL instructors. So if you have the experience but not the degree, all is not lost - and an ESL certification like a TEFL will certainly help bolster your application. So, what are your options if you’re dead set on Japan as your teaching destination of choice? 1. Try teaching English to Japanese students online. How does the life of a digital nomad, traveling the length and breadth of beautiful Japan, sound to you? If exploring the world of remote work is something you’re down for, then select online English teaching companies catering to Japanese students will hire online ESL teachers without a degree. 2. Try volunteer teaching in Japan. There is some demand for volunteer English teachers in Japan, not least in some of the bigger cities like Tokyo and Osaka. Numerous non-profits are in operation across the country, that will offer free accommodation, a modest stipend and a flexible teaching schedule to international volunteers. You in? Go Abroad is our go-to source for great volunteer teaching opportunities in Japan. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. 3. Try a working holiday in Japan. Are you aged between 18 - 30? How about being a citizen of one of the following countries: UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Germany or Austria? Then you’re in luck - your country has a reciprocal visa relationship with Japan! This means you could be eligible for something called a Working Holiday Visa, which lets you stay and work in Japan anywhere from six to 18 months. This way, you could start your job hunt for a full or part-time English teaching position in Japan, either in advance or when you arrive. Again, check out Go Abroad for more info on working holidays in Japan. Note:This isn’t an option that’s open to US citizens, but you could still be eligible for a student work permit for Japan if you’re currently enrolled in an undergraduate program. Word of warning re. getting a teaching job in Japan while on a tourist visa: This one almost goes without saying, but it’s also illegal to teach in Japan while you’re on a tourist visa. Commenters on online teach abroad forums and subreddits could encourage you to enter Japan on a 90-day tourist visa, start your job hunt from there and transition to a work visa later on. Aside from the obvious risks (not finding an employer willing to sponsor you, being unable to rent an apartment, needing to return home when your three-month tourist is up without a whole lot less money in your bank account), heading to Japan on a tourist visa with the intention of looking for a job is actually illegal. The Japanese government are increasingly looking to crack down on these sketchy job-hunting tactics so we strongly advise you not to go down this route.

7 Food Ordering Apps For Hungry Students

7 Food Ordering Apps For Hungry Students Image via Bich Tran at Pexels These three scenarios share a common  solution. Sometimes, cooking just requires too much effort and far too much time. Those thirty-minutes-or-less recipes always end up taking forty-five for one reason or another. Doing the dishes is another story. Sometimes (often), your food shopping schedule is thrown off by, well, life. Between multiple classes, internships, jobs and professional development opportunities, plus the demands of maintaining a strong social life, students know this all too well. Luckily, food ordering apps have risen in prominence and usefulness in the past few years. It’s the new way to order takeout, without the hassle of calling a noisy restaurant and hoping that your order is interpreted correctly on the other end. Food ordering apps can be true lifesavers if ever you encounter the above scenarios. Furthermore, it’s a real treat to have your favorite restaurant dish delivered to your door; you don’t even have to put real pants on, much less actually leave your house! By granting you a single space through which to browse hundreds (even thousands) of different restaurants, food ordering apps might even cause you to become more adventurous. You have almost too many options; you can order your favorite, trusty rustic Margherita pizza, or try a butternut squash gnocchi to mix things up. Maybe you’ll even decide to order from a place you’ve never heard of before, or spontaneously decide tonight is the night to explore Ethiopian food. There is no shortage of food-ordering app options out there for hungry students; here are seven food ordering apps to try out, and some ideas on what to order. 1. GrubHub Living in California’s Bay Area, I see GrubHub as one of the most prominent food ordering apps locally. It’s available in 900 cities! You can usually find a sign in the window of most popular restaurants that displays the GrubHub logo, meaning that restaurant is a participant. To use the GrubHub app, type in your location and you will find a list of restaurants in close proximity. If you have a specific food item in mind, like “pizza” or “sandwiches,” you can search specifically for thoseâ€"or, you can search based on cuisine for a broader selection of menu items. According to their website, you also have access to “reviews, coupons, special deals and a 24/7 customer care team that tracks each order and makes sure you get exactly what you want.” Given that so many restaurants are compatible with Grubhub, you can order almost anything that you’d like! I’m a huge pasta fan, so I’m usually searching for penne primavera or linguini with fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella sprinkled on top. The app makes recommendations for you based on your ordering history, so the more often you use the app, the more refined your recommendations will be. 2. Seamless Seamless is an app belonging to Grubhub’s brand portfolio, but I list it separately here because it is technically a separate app. This food delivery app is another option if you’re looking to order food without (usually) having to pay a delivery fee. Certain restaurants do enforce a fee, but overall the app does not charge delivery fees the way many other apps do. According to digitaltrends.com, however, there are often order minimums enforced if you order from the Seamless app. The app is available in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Miami, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and they often offer discounts to new users, so if you’re on the fence and looking to try Seamless, you’ll have that incentive available. On Seamless, you can browse restaurants by city, or search over 75 cuisine options on the website. You can get really specific if you filter by cuisine; beyond the most highly advertised optionsAmerican, Italian, Mexican, Asian foodsSeamless offers categories such as Afghan, African, Cajun, Cuban, El Salvadoran, Egyptian, Filipino, Halal, Jamaican, Moroccan and Pakistani cuisine for its users. You can even search for bagels, bakery items, BBQ, frozen yogurt, smoothies, and ice cream. Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, Kosher and low-carb eaters shouldn’t fret eitherthere are categories for each of you! Infographic by Julia Dunn 3. Tapingo Tapingo  is unlike the other food ordering apps on this list in that it is a college campus-based commerce app. According to their website, “[They] believe in a world where technology removes the hassles and stress of everyday transactionsâ€"so humans can focus on more important things. You know, human things.” Students can use Tapingo to order a coffee drink and pick it up at the campus coffee shop without having to wait in line, or they can use it to request deliveries from campus eateries.  Note that you can only use Tapingo to order from your campus restaurants if your university partners with the company; participating universities include San Jose State University, Temple University, The University of Texas-Austin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, UCF, Arizona State University, Virginia Tech and more (Tapingo now serves  over 200 campuses  across the U.S. and Canada). Wikipedia notes that Tapingo users can “browse menus, place orders, pay for the meal and schedule the pickup or have it delivered. On certain campuses, students are able to use their universitys meal dollars to pay for food.” Furthermore, an  article  by VentureBeat states “The app knows your location and learns about your preferences over time to make contextual recommendations. For example, the app will know if you get a latte every morning and offer to place the order for you.” Sounds delightfully dangerous, doesn’t it? Out of the apps on this list, Tapingo is the most college student-orientedso if you find yourself hungry, running late for class, and without the time to stand in line waiting for somebody to make your sandwich, order it on the Tapingo app! This platform is gaining increasing amounts of traction, challenging the way consumers engage in mainstream commerce, and it could really save students some time in their daily routine. 4. HealthyOut   I only heard about HealthyOut somewhat recently, and as a vegetarian who loves “health food,” I decided to take a closer look. HealthyOut is a food delivery app focused on providing users with more information about various restaurant dishes than just the cuisine category to which it belongs. The app allows you to search for menu items that fall within a certain caloric range, as well as items that are tagged as paleo, pescatarian, low-carb, dairy-free, high protein or gluten-sensitive (and more). From here, the app will show you a list of local restaurants and the number of dishes on their menu that fit the criteria you set during your search. HealthyOut will even display a visual breakdown of a menu item’s composition (i.e. how much of it is fat, carbs, protein, and so on) for folks who really need to know what their food is made of. If you have highly specific dietary restrictions and want to understand what your options are for ordering delivery, HealthyOut may be the best app for you. Often times, students with specific dietary needs experience trouble at their university’s dining hall, and despite speaking with the chefs and managerial staff, they may find significantly fewer options that work for them in their meal plan. Perhaps HealthyOut can alleviate some stress for these students (although, of course, buying restaurant food regularly can add up). Image via Pexels 5. Eat24   Its slogan being “the best food in town, right in your pocket,” Eat24 has become a popular food delivery app that works with 20,000 restaurants and counting. Eat24, now under GrubHub’s management after having started out as a Yelp platform, is popular namely due to its unique “What’s Good” feature. According to Lifewire.com, Eat24 “uses an algorithm to pick out the absolute best dishes for you based on popular items, local tips and user reviews. You can even use your camera to scan your credit card through the app if youre the one picking up the tab!” Thus, students looking for a pretty comprehensive food delivery app may enjoy Eat24’s suggestions. 6. DoorDash   DoorDash has an interface fairly similar to its competitors, yet it maintains popularity among college students and the non-student population. Personally, I appreciate the real-time tracking feature that DoorDash provides after you place your order. From the comfort of wherever you are, you can watch your order move through the preparation and delivery processes and anticipate when it will arrive. An article by Digitaltrends.com highlights something called the “DoorDash Delight” scoring system. They note that “the ‘Delight Score’ uses factors such as food quality, restaurant popularity, delivery time, and customer satisfaction in order to recommend the best restaurants in your area.” For individuals who don’t necessarily know what they’d like to eat at a given time, checking out the “Delight Score” could help indecisive eaters make a decision based on several intersecting criteria. Additionally, if you’re in need of a job and don’t mind driving around town to different restaurants, DoorDash hires “Dashers” to complete delivery orders; they promise a flexible schedule, allowing Dashers to set their own working hours. 7. Uber Eats  The offspring of the San Francisco-based ride-requesting app, Uber, Uber Eats is exactly how it sounds: Uber for your food. They claim to make ordering takeout as easy as requesting a ride, and it’s pretty true: just add dishes to your cart, check out through the app, and wait for your items! Uber Eats is available in over 50 cities in 13 countries, and students with dietary needs can use the “Special Instructions” field to write down requests applicable to the dish they have ordered. Next time you’re hungry, take a few minutes to investigate the food ordering apps popular in your town. Each of the above apps operates under relatively similar parameters, yet their features differ slightly to accommodate varying populations. If you’re looking to really scour the food delivery app scene, check out Postmates and Delivery.com, both of which deliver more than just food. You may even want to see if your university partners with any of these companies (other than campus-based Tapingo) in order to offer special deals to students. As a graduate student at San Jose State University, I have received exclusive student-only offers from the campus bookstore for a few of the above food ordering apps, which is a nice perk! You can click here to find out the most popular food delivery app in your city, according to Recode, and here to discover what college students in other towns and states like to order most often on these apps as reported by USA TODAY College. Happy eating!

Tips From an Irvine College Consultant Dollars and Sense

Tips From an Irvine College Consultant Dollars and Sense Tips From an Irvine College Consultant: Dollars and Sense at College Students who are excited to go off to college this fall will be primarily focused on how to manage their academic workload, make new friends, and do well on their exams. What most freshmen dont think about is how to manage their money. Some students will have funds provided by their parents to help support them while theyre concentrating on their studies while others will have income from a part-time job. Either way, most college students don’t have experience with financial management. The following tips from an Irvine college consultant can help students manage their money so they can focus the majority of their energy on education. 1. Get out the calculator Incoming freshmen are encouraged to get out the calculator and their bank statements prior to leaving for college and look at how much money per month they expect to earn and spend. For example, if a student has secured a part time job at a coffee shop on campus, they should consider the following: $8 per hour X 15 hours per week =$120 to spend before taxes. Don’t forget to factor in taxes! If tuition and fees are being funded by family or a scholarship, a student will have around $100 per week on miscellaneous activities. A movie out with friends costs about $13.50; a cup of coffee to keep going through a long study session costs about $1.50. 2. Open a bank account Many students who started working at a part time job at 16 already have a bank account. Those who dont should open one as soon as they turn 18. Opening a bank account generally requires a minimum of $50 be put into savings and checking. Also consider the importance of choosing a bank that has an ATM and branch location located either on campus or near campus. Students who are attending school out of state are reminded that not everything is national and they may need to open a second account if they’re attending school out of state. Remember to check the account at least once a week to determine how much money was spent and how much is left. Students with an overdraft in their account could find themselves subject to any number of fees and penalties (READ: 5 Things to do Before You Go Away to College). 3. Credit versus debit Remember to think about the difference between a credit card and debit card when paying for miscellaneous living expenses. Students are responsible for paying their credit card bill on a specific day each month while debit takes money directly from their checking account. It’s tempting to put a lot of items on a credit card and pay the minimum fee, however, this can leave students in a bad position when they graduate as they may have excessive debt but no full time job to pay it off. 4. Additional earning If having $120 per week for pocket money simply isnt enough, one option is to extend work hours. However, many college freshmen will already struggle to deal with academics and won’t want to choose this option. Students who need extra work hours should consider working on the weekend, during breaks, or during the summer when their educational commitments are not as strict (Read: Unpaid Internships: Weighing the Benefits). 5. Practical ways to save New college students should weigh the difference between similar expenses to see where they can save money. For instance, a movie out costs about $13.50, while a Redbox movie costs about $1.20. A brand new, shiny chemistry book costs around $100, while a used chemistry book (with a few pencil marks and highlights) costs around $75. Bottom Line These are just a few basic examples, but it’s important for new college students to remember that every dollar adds up and that the old adage that “a penny saved is a penny earned” really holds true. Regardless of a student’s circumstances, its important to consult somebody experienced in finance to help manage money prior to going off to college in an unsupervised financial situation. Too many college students graduate at 22 to find they have far more debt than they can handle, which makes the early-career period more difficult. Theres more than just one type of intelligence. Being smart with money is one of the most valuable skills of all. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.