Are Tutoring Costs FSA Deductible?

Are Tutoring Costs FSA Deductible?There is a lot of confusion out there regarding the two different types of income tax deductible programs available to parents of students who are in the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) process. There is a difference between the two, though, and the important thing to remember is that all of the programs except for the Federal Pell Grant program are subject to being taxed. Here's what you need to know.First of all, when it comes to federal student aid, what the government does offer is not taxable. So the programs that are tax deductible are specifically designed to provide aid to children so that they can go to college. If you use a program like this as a form of aid to pay for your child's tuition, you may be able to deduct part of the cost from your taxes. This is one way that your tax dollars are being used, though, you may also be able to take advantage of other programs that can get tax deductions.The other program that is tax deductible is the various school loan programs that are available to families. The most common ones, though, are the Stafford loans and the Perkins loans. These are just two of the many available, and if you go with a program like the Perkins loan, which is for families with very low or average income, you will be able to deduct the interest as well as the principal of the loan.In addition to these two, there are other programs that are tax deductible, but they may not be as direct. The most common of these is the FAFSA that is offered by the Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.The Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, like the FFEL (the single loan program) is a direct form of Federal education assistance. It is a non-repayable loan that does not have to be repaid. There are two main components of this loan, however, and each is either tax deductible or not.The first component is that you can only claim the interest on the loan if you have been enrolled in the single loan program. However, if you go with the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you can claim the interest on the FFEL too. This means that if you have to go back to school in order to help pay for your child's education, you will have to pay for it out of pocket. This means that if you do not choose the FFEL, you will not be able to claim the interest on your student loans.There are also two other programs that are not tax deductible, but can be claimed if you go with the FFEL. The PLUS loan is a program for families with low to moderate income, and it also does not have to be repaid. However, if you go with the Federal Perkins Loan, you will be able to deduct a portion of the payments that you make. That portion, though, is not available to those who go with the FFEL.

The Real Secret to Improving Your Bands Sound

The Real Secret to Improving Your Bands Sound Suzy S. Do you want your band to sound even better? (Who doesnt?!) Here, San Diego, CA teacher  Maegan W. shares her secret for improving the groups sound as well as your individual musical skills Do you think a metronome is just a personal preference for some musicians? Are you one of those musicians who KNOWS your time is perfect and unmatched? Well Ive got news for you it probably isnt as spot-on as you think. Most fights in bands are due to someone being off-time, and unable to accept that it is them. The truth is that most people honestly believe they are on time. As a drummer, I learned a long time ago the only way to know for sure how good your timing really is, is to use a metronome. Im not suggesting that you always play, practice, and perform with your metronome not all music calls for that. What I am suggesting is that you take your musicianship to a whole other level, and take your power back! There is no greater feeling than knowing 100% where each note, beat, lick, and fill fits in the time and space of the song. Singer-songwriters and guitar players Im calling you out. I challenge you to use a metronome when practicing and learning songs. I have played with so many amazingly talented musicians, guitar-playing singer-songwriters who performed and sounded fantastic alone, but when it came to a band setting, they were like complete beginners. Dont let this be you. Here are some ideas on how to get comfortable with the metronome as youre singing or playing guitar with your band: 1) Listen to your songs against the click. This will help you to see where everything really lines up, and how much time you actually have to do whatever you want to do or play. 2) Devote at least 10% of your practice routine to practicing with the metronome. I recommend more like 50-90% but baby steps are fine for people not used to practicing with the metronome. 3) If youre in a band, have The Talk. This will hold everyone equally accountable for doing what they can to improve their personal timing, which will improve the bands time as a whole. Also having a group practice where the drummer listens to a click is helpful too. It instantly builds trust and competence. (If there is a problem member that cant admit or see their faults, it may be helpful to have some practices where everyone can hear the click through the speakers, to shine light on what needs extra attention.) 4) Be humble. Learning that your timing sucks can be a hard realization, especially for sensitive musicians. This can bruise the ego and come out as anger. Remember the point is not to be right or make someone feel defeated. The point is to improve your bands sound, as well as individual sound. The metronome is the Truth, and sometimes the Truth hurts. 5) Slow down! The best way to really lock down any song, riff, groove, fill, or solo is to slow way down. Take the tempo down to half or 3/4s of the original tempo and practice in slow motion, to let your brain and muscles learn exactly where everything fits.  Do this until your muscle memory learns the movement of the piece. Then when you speed back up, do it gradually in increments of 5 or 10 bpms until you arrive back at the original tempo. Then push past 10 or 20 bpms so you truly have it mastered. You never know when you will need to play it faster or slower, but with this practice, you will be prepared no matter what the speed. These are just a few ways to incorporate the metronome as youre playing guitar, singing, or whatever part you play in your band. I hope this is helpful and remember, its about taking baby steps. This is not something you just want to brush off. Being a master at time will make you a more valuable musician, and more confident in your skills too. It may be tough at first, but anything worth learning is. Go easy on yourself and/or your band. It is challenging, but I know you can do it! Maegan W. teaches drums, songwriting, and more in San Diego, CA. She earned a degree in Percussion from the Musicians Institute, and has been teaching private lessons since 2004.    Learn more about Maegan 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 Jessie Hodge

Excellent Schools for the Very Good Student

Excellent Schools for the Very Good Student ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog This is a guest post byStuart Nachbar, the President of EducatedQuest.com, a leading college admissions blog and guide to the best values in higher education. For more advice and information contact him at stuart@educatedquest.com. I’m often asked: What is a “good” or “excellent” school? It’s not always the one that is the most selective or has students who scored exceptionally high on the SAT or the ACT. Terms such as “quality” and “reputation” are bandied about within higher education, but they have no real meaning. The best way to learn if a school is good or excellent is to do research. You must find the answers to these questions: Does the school engage students early and help them towards an academic direction? Does it effectively guide students to graduation? Does it help students complete their degree with as little debt as possible? And does it provide them with a network that will help them for life? Fortunately, there are numbers that can help you answer these questions. They can be found within resources, including the school itself, that are available for free. These numbers include: The freshman retention rate. Anything over 85 percent is excellent for a liberal arts college. Over 90 percent is excellent for a larger university. That may sound strange at first, subjecting the small school to a lower retention rate, but 15 percent of a smaller number of people is a small number of people. An excellent freshman retention rate is a positive reflection on the admissions office. They admitted a class that was likely to succeed. It is also a positive reflection on academics and student services. The students stay because they’re engaged and happy. Every admissions officer should know their school’s freshman retention rate. If not, ask her for a copy of the school’s most recent Common Data Set. The four-year graduation rate. Only five state-supported colleges and universities have four-year graduation rates in excess of 70 percent: The University of Virginia, The College of William and Mary (VA), The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, The University of Michigan and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. If you are seriously interested in a private college or university, it should be one that graduates students at a rate as good or better than an excellent state school. Again, every admissions officer should know their school’s four-year graduation rate. You can also find it on the school’s Common Data Set. Student indebtedness. The most a student can borrow in Federal Stafford loans, expecting to graduate in four years, is $27,000. One word to people considering a much higher level of debt to attend a “dream” school: don’t. The Project on Student Debt has average student borrower indebtedness for nearly every school. Go to their site, click on the map of the United States in the right hand corner, choose your state and zero in on your school. Alumni base. You want to know how many living alumni a school has, where they live, and where recent graduates prefer to live and work. You want to go to a school where there are alumni who live and work in the same place you want to live and work. Some schools are truly global; others are mainly local. Now suppose you do not have the 4.5 GPA and the 30+ ACT or 1350+ SAT to help you get into an “elite” school or possibly receive a free ride from your home state university. Are there excellent schools for you? Yes--and I’ve made a list to start you off. These private schools retain more than 85 percent of their freshmen, graduate 70 percent or more of their students within four years, and left the average student borrower with less than--or just a insignificant tad over--$27,000 in student loan debt in 2011, the last year data is available. Centre College (KY) Clark University (MA) College of Wooster (OH) DePauw University (IN) Elon University (NC) Furman University (SC) Hillsdale College (MI) Muhlenberg College (PA) Rhodes College (TN) Sewanee, The University of the South (TN) Skidmore College (NY) St. Lawrence University (NY) Taylor University (IN) University of Richmond (VA) Ursinus College (PA) Wheaton College (IL) Williamette University (OR) Wofford College (SC) But numbers tell only part of the story. Every campus community has its own look and vibe. The final decision is hard when you need to consider what a school can do for you and how being there can make you feel. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, 'e604e3c2-45d4-49ab-84f7-15fb598ef95f', {});

Essential College Foods

Essential College Foods Image via pinterest.com Instant oatmeal. Who does not like oatmeal? Not many people, that is for sure. Not only do you get a healthy serving of oats in under two minutes or less, it comes at a great cost. I tend to look for a variety pack with flavors ranging from maple to brown sugar cinnamon to apple cinnamon and even strawberries and cream. I also cannot stress enough how hearty and filling it is. When debating for a meal to hold you over for a while, consider a bowl of oatmeal. Frozen waffles. From the freezer to the toaster to your plate all in under three minutes. Keep it simple and stress-free with a couple of your favorite brands of frozen waffles with some syrup for a quick and sweet breakfast. Toaster pastries. To many of you, Pop-tarts. However, since this is the budget friendly version, seek out your grocery store’s version of toaster pastries. Lesser quality? Sure, but not too much by and large in my opinion. Also, brown sugar cinnamon is the best flavor and if you disagree feel free to stop reading this now! Here are some quick and easy lunch foods to help you save your money for other fun college activities. Image via Pixabay Sandwiches. Tried and true, sandwiches are a common staple in many college students’ lunch options. The easiest and most traditional? Peanut butter and jelly. Nothing like slapping together two pieces of white bread with some nut butter on one and grape jelly on the other. If you prefer some more protein, buy some lunchmeat and deli slices of cheese to make a quick deli sandwich or sub. Quick and easy for a perfect snack in between classes. Quesadillas. Buy some tortillas, throw some shredded cheese in the middle and just like that you have instant microwaveable quesadillas. To make them even tastier, add in some shredded chicken or pork. A delicious lunch in less than a few minutes. lifelistened.com Soup. My go-to lunch for about a month was a can of cream of chicken with oyster crackers. Soup, in general, is a convenient, microwave-friendly way to have a quick meal while keeping it cheap. Many times cans of soup are a dollar or less and some crackers to go along with it are cheap too. For those of you worried about too much sodium, this may not be the best meal for you but thicker soups will keep you fuller for longer. Time for a fast dinner. Here are some quick, cheap dinners. Image via: SoupAddict Ramen. You knew this would be on here at some point. For a majority of you, you know why ramen is on this list so I will not go too in-depth with this one. All I will say is that Maruchan beef flavored ramen is the basically the equivalent to a five-star meal. emaze.com Frozen pizza. I cannot tell you all how many of my dinners were frozen pizza. If you go to the right store, you can get five to last for a week or two for only about $10. To add some spice to the frozen ‘Za, sprinkle some garlic powder on top to make it taste less like a frozen pizza and more authentic. Image via Thecountrycontessa.com Easy Mac. Another staple for lunch or dinner. Pour some water into the cup of noodles, heat, mix in the DELICIOUS processed cheese packet and just like that you have a quality cup of mac. “Quality” might be a subjective term for some but Easy Mac is a quick fix for those not wanting to make a full meal. Chicken fingers. My personal favorite fast frozen food growing up. Warm up 8-10 on a plate for a few minutes, pop open a bottle of ketchup, and then enjoy. Warm up some fries in the oven as well for a nice, fast meal. What are your favorite foods that are an essential part of your college diet? Leave a comment below and your usual cost. You could give your fellow students a new food or frozen delight to try out!

5 Steps to Acing a Job Interview - TutorNerds

5 Steps to Acing a Job Interview - TutorNerds Succeed in Your Job Interview With These Five Tips                                                               Image via career-intelligence.com The transition from college to the workforce can be fun and exciting but also stressful. You have searched for jobs for a period of time and now you have been selected for an interview. This is pretty exciting and a positive step toward gainful employment. Many things about looking for a job have changed but the interview process is still pretty traditional. Follow these 5 tips in order to ace that interview (READ: What to Consider if You Plan on Going to Grad School). 1. Practice If you are new to interviewing, it is important to practice ahead of time. This is something that people have been doing for decades. Make a list of questions that you think you will be asked or that relate to your field or the company that you are applying to. Write them down on 3 x 5 cards and ask a trusted friend to help you practice. You may know all of the answers by heart but the way you present yourself in a job interview demonstrates a lot about your commitment so take at least 20 minutes to sit down and practice. 2. Prepare You should be highly prepared for your interview. Candidates who show up unprepared or who seem to be unprepared usually don’t get the job (READ: Best Libraries in South Orange County for Studying). Take some time to research the company that you are applying to and answer these questions before going to the interview: What, specifically, will your job title require? What are some of the other jobs and/or services offered by this company? How large is the company? Do they have 5 or 5,000 employees? What is the company’s history? How long have they been around? What is the mission statement? What are the ideals that the company strives to meet? Who runs the company? Most importantly, ask yourself who will be interviewing you. (Hint: The answer is that it could be anyone. Be prepared to impress a person of any background, gender or age.) These are not questions that you need to actually ask at the interview but ones that you should find out for yourself before going to the interview. Always bring a hard copy of your resume to the interview as a courtesy even if the interviewer already has an electronic copy. Be prepared to provide at least two references. 3. Be Original This, of course, is easier said than done. It is important nonetheless. Is there something that makes you who you are as a person? Is there something that would make you a uniquely good employee? If so, then make sure to present this at the interview. If you are applying to work at a veterinary hospital and you have volunteered as a foster kitten provider, be sure to mention it. If you are applying to be a web designer and you have a killer art portfolio, bring it to the interview. 4. Be Honest Always be honest about your past experiences. Employers will always be able to check up on you through social media so make sure that you are honest about what jobs you have had in the past and how many years of experience you have. (Speaking of social media, now would be a good time to delete any photos that you don’t want the whole world to see.) I you are new to the job market talk about your volunteer experiences or your high school job. You can even bring up your extracurricular activities from your college days (READ: How to Make Extracurricular Activities Extra Significant) . If you coordinated movie night for the sociology job, talk about the planning and organizational skills that you used to plan this activity in your free time. It is not, however, necessary to mention that you like to go shopping with friends on the weekend or that you love scary movies. Your personal life is personal and should not be presented at an interview unless it directly relates to the job. 5. Say Thank You Always say thank you. I can’t stress this enough. You have taken time out of your day which is why the interviewer will say ‘thank you for coming in today’. The interviewer has also taken time out of his or her day so you should thank them in return. The etiquette is as follows: Say ‘thank you for taking time out of your day to talk with me’ (or similar) upon completing your interview. Email the following day to say thank you in writing and ask the company if they would like any additional information from you. (Candidates used to send hand written thank you notes. If you can easily obtain a postal address [such as from the company website] then do this. Some employers prefer not to directly advertise their address these days and if this is the case then a follow up email should serve just fine.) All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at info@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. Applying to a university? Our La Jolla college admissions consultants offer interview preparation help. Sign up today!

Shanghai HD Bilingual School

Shanghai HD Bilingual School Shanghai HD Bilingual School Shanghai HD Bilingual School Shanghai HD Bilingual School is a private bilingual school with courses from kindergarten and primary school to secondary school. HD School provides the comprehensive and international education solution for Chinese families who seek an authentic international education. Blending the best of international educational philosophy with Chinese curriculum, HD School provides students with a comprehensive and balanced learning experience. This is where tradition meets creativity and East meets West. About HD UK: Hurtwood House (HD UK) is recognised as one of Englands most successful and honorable school, putting the vigour and enthusiasm back into education. With its outstanding academic record (the average A-level results ranking top 2 in recent seven years), about 35% of Hurtwood House students are admitted into top 7 universities in UK; about 20% students go to top 5 universities like Oxford and Cambridge each year. Our Chinese and international teachers are educators with a heart. They come from different cultures and are professionally qualified. Motto Education Creates Character Vision Shanghai HD Bilingual School, founded in the best traditions of Chinese culture and outstanding international education concepts, is committed to fostering bilingual students with 21st century skills of Creativity, Critical-thinking, Collaboration and Communication. Educational Approach ? High quality bilingual education ? Creativity and academic rigour ? Focus on 4Cs: Creativity, Collaboration, Communication Critical-thinking ? 21st Century Skills ? Education Globalized Chinese Recruitment phone:400 682 6728

It`s Friday

It`s Friday Waking up in the morning and realizing it`s Friday! It`s such a nice feeling, isn`t it? For those who need to catch up weve got a tutor wholl be your ideal guide! TutorZ will provide you with a great tutor for every subject and every grade level!  Spend less time studying by getting help from a professional tutor  who loves to teach. Have  a nice  weekend!

Organic Chemistry Tutor

Organic Chemistry TutorOrganic chemistry tutor can help you learn how to make the right mixture of ingredients and how to react them together. The problem with so many chemistry teachers is that they tend to be very clinical and not friendly. These teachers will try to give you a 'do it your way' approach, and probably yell a lot.You can probably find a lot of organic chemistry tutor's online. You need to make sure you choose the right one for you. The right one for you will allow you to get more out of your chemistry classes and get more done in less time.Don't think that just because a teacher is an organic chemistry tutor, he has to be good. Some people think that all teachers are good, but that is definitely not true. There are all kinds of teaching styles out there, from strict disciplinarians to teachers who are too lenient. To choose the best one, you need to understand what kind of chemistry that you want to be exposed to.If you want to learn about nuclear and radioactive che mistry, then you should consider a teacher who is very scientific and tries to make their students work harder. A teacher like this may not be too friendly, but rather will just yell at you all the time, especially if you make mistakes. But in a classroom environment, you will learn a lot more when you come up with problems.In a chemistry class, most students learn to do all kinds of experiments. If you have a teacher that doesn't really care about experiments, then it may be time to consider other options. For example, you can choose to learn through a written lab manual, instead of being asked to go out into the real world and test out some chemicals.This type of teacher will let you learn about different chemical compounds and processes, but won't focus on testing out things for you. As long as you learn a little bit, this type of teacher can be a great asset for your career, as well as giving you some valuable lessons about how chemistry works.What's more, if you don't know how to write a lab manual, organic chemistry tutor can teach you. Some teachers will even take the time to write their own lab manual for you, which can make your learning a lot easier.

Private English Tutor - How to Find the Best One For You

Private English Tutor - How to Find the Best One For YouDo you need a private English tutor in Japan? Well, if you're planning to spend your holiday in Japan, consider this: the language lessons and tutoring that you'll get are often in Japanese, and you will have to speak Japanese while you're studying. A language school in Japan might not be a good idea unless you have a great amount of time on your hands. However, a private tutor might be just what you need to make the time you need to study come together.There are a number of language schools in Japan. The two main ones are the Nihon University of Foreign Studies (NUFS) and the Nihon Keisatsu-shi. Most language schools these days offer lessons in English, however, there are some that provide classes for Japanese as well.Nihon Keisatsu-shi offers classes in English as well as Japanese. These classes may be taught in the evening or during the day, depending on the availability of students.A big advantage of attending a Nihon Keisat su-shi class is that most of the courses are taught by Japanese people who are native speakers of the language. In other words, the teacher will have good enough conversational skills to teach you the lessons with a fair degree of fluency.If you are self-taught, it would be better to take classes at a higher level so that you can gain enough knowledge in English. Your main goal is to acquire enough knowledge that you can speak effectively with people around you and be able to properly answer questions with them.In spite of the language courses being in Japanese, there are some lessons that are not taught in English. You will also have to attend a class with a group, so if you are alone you should be aware that this class will not be very helpful for you.In addition to the language courses, there are also many other things that you need to know about the country that you're going to in Japan. If you wish to learn more about this country, you might want to visit it yourself. However, if you're going on a holiday and you're looking for a place where you can start learning English right away, consider a private tutor in Japan.