Excel in School. Excel in Life.
The Premier Tutors | [email protected] | 617-756-4113
So it’s test day, and you’re beginning to freak out, even about things that didn’t even occur to you yesterday. Before you’re in a full-blown panic, take a deep breath, and follow these three steps before you sit down to take the test:
Have you ever found yourself reading and rereading the same paragraph a dozen times, but still not absorbing anything? It happens to the best of us so don’t feel bad. Sometimes it means you should take a break or go somewhere quieter or you’re thinking about too many things while you’re trying to read. But for those times when you’re on the clock and really need to get this read, don’t let your brain trick you into reading the same thing a hundred times over, because if you do it right, you’ll only need to read a section once.
This is a scenario we’re all familiar with: you’re getting ready to study, but you decide to clean up your room first, so you don’t get distracted; or run an errand, so you can really get studying without potential distractions; or any number of things that’ll get in the way of your actually finishing that assignment or prepping for that test. This is procrastination—the bane of every student’s existence, the scholar’s constant temptation, and the wrench in the gears of academic progress!
Here’s the thing: procrastination does you no good. Even while you’re doing it, it’s not like you’re enjoying yourself, because the whole time you’re anxious about the work you should be doing but aren’t. So let’s deal with this thing.
Nobody wants to be called a teacher’s pet, but the bottom line is that when you are in school, the teacher is the boss. If you want to get paid in the real world, you have to do what your boss says. If you want to get an A in school, you have to do what your teacher says. It’s just the way it goes.
Here are some things you should always do in order to get an A in any class. Continue reading
Have you ever seen a true speed reader? Check out this video of a speed reader in action. Although, to be honest, we weren’t talking about speed reading out loud. We are talking about the kind of speed reading that will get you ahead academically, no need to sound like a chipmunk on 5-hour energy!
Speed reading is a handy skill. In fact, let’s not even call it speed reading. Instead, we’ll call it “Learning to read faster.” Research has shown that as you read, your eyes are also moving around and seeing other words on the page at the same time, which can slow you down. There are also a lot of “filler” words used in text to make it grammatically correct but don’t really add to the meaning.
Sigh. We know that summer reading lists are not really a favorite subjects for students trying to enjoy their summer break. However, if you are trying to prepare for the AP English Literature Exam, the summer is a perfect opportunity to “know a few works well” which is what the AP English Literature exam advises.
Here are 5 great summer reads that are enjoyable, in addition to helping you prepare for the AP Exam. Rather than having to read amidst 4-6 other classes’ worth of homework, you can take your time and make yourself an expert on these novels. Then, you can save the more, shall we say “challenging” (meaning often dry and difficult to figure out without the help of a teacher) texts for when you’re back in school.
Summertime is here! Isn’t that the best feeling EVER? The feeling of the last finals being over, the last papers turned in, and the glorious sound of the last bell ringing. It’s time to for beaches, fun family vacations (is that an oxymoron?), swimming pools, later curfews and a ton of lying around and sleeping in.
Studying in the summertime is no fun at all, at least not for most of us. But you can spend some time this summer doing things that are enjoyable and help to keep your brain functioning. As we’ve mentioned before, the brain is like a muscle; the more you use it, the stronger it gets, so don’t leave it in storage.
You know that old familiar feeling: your heart pounds, your breath accelerates, and forget butterflies – you’ve got bald eagles barreling around your insides! There must be a test in the near future.
There are 10 things you can do before a test to help alleviate test anxiety and absorb the information needed to achieve your target score. The ability to remain calm and centered, in the midst of testing jitters, is equally important as accessing the brilliant knowledge stored in your brain. If you practice these “10 Things To Do Before A Test,” you’ll begin to see your test scores rise.
Having a solid vocabulary is an indispensable tool for success for any person in their academic or professional career. Undoubtedly, the best way to increase your vocab would be to read challenging literature, but let’s face it: in today’s world sometimes it’s hard to find the time or the patience. Sadly, with the huge internet boom many people have replaced their time reading real “vocab-building” literature, with surfing the internet. While your average individual might end up reading the same quantity of words, the quality of the material read leaves a lot to be desired, as most websites aren’t thinking in terms of reading difficulty or vocabulary-building and usually won’t quite challenge a third-grader.
