Today I thought I would field some common questions about Apple’s iCloud…
Top Tips for a Stress-Free School Year
It’s that time of year again, the start of school: new classes,…
How to Back Up Your iPhone or iPad so that You Never Lose Anything
It’s happened to everyone. Coffee spills. Dropped phones. Stolen bags. And while…
How to Google (and actually get the results you want)
I have to admit, I use Google. A lot. All day, everyday.…
I have to admit, I use Google. A lot. All day, everyday. For everything from figuring out the name of that song I heard on the radio to researching sources for my graduate level papers. The point is, how you use Google, and how helpful your search results actually are matters. So today I’ll give you my quick tips for getting the results you actually want.
Guest Post: How to Guarantee Your Child Gets Better Grades with Minimal Extra Effort
Today, I’ve got a special guest post from Steve Dorfman of Tier…
Today, I’ve got a special guest post from Steve Dorfman of Tier One Tutors, especially for parents. Check out some of his great study skills advice below! Check out my guest post on “How to Get the Most Out of Your College Visit” at Tier One Tutors, here.
Studying and Living Abroad: Banking & Money
A lot of things are stressful when moving abroad to work or…
A lot of things are stressful when moving abroad to work or study, but figuring out the complexities of international banking and credit cards shouldn’t be one of them. In this second part of my series, Studying and Living Abroad, I’m sharing my experiences and tips for making the financial move overseas easy and as stress free as possible. Want to check out the whole series? Click here.
The Researcher’s Workflow
This workflow can used for any type of research based work, from…
This workflow can used for any type of research based work, from upper level high school research papers to doctoral theses. It’s especially helpful in keeping your ideas and sources organized and help you to avoid any issues with plagiarism. This is the setup I used for my graduate school dissertation, and it worked exceedingly well. I hope it helps you in your research too! It requires computer access, free Mendeley, Dropbox, and Evernote accounts, a copy of Microsoft Word, and and optional iPad or Android tablet with the iAnnotate PDF app.
Secret (and Free!) Tool of Choice for Research: Mendeley
The post is part of the Researcher’s Workflow; if you haven’t seen that…
The post is part of the Researcher’s Workflow; if you haven’t seen that post, check it out! Mendeley is an amazing tool when used to its full potential and is completely customizable to your research needs. At its barest, Mendeley serves an important tool to keep your sources organized and avoid any mistakes that may lead to plagiarism. At its full potential, it serves a crucial part of the research, development, and composing process! How do I use Mendeley? See the steps below.
How to earn free space in Dropbox – fast!
Dropbox.com offers users a free 2GB of space. However, by completing some…
Dropbox.com offers users a free 2GB of space. However, by completing some simple tasks, you can expand your space to more than 10GB, without much effort. In a hurry? Earn an additional 4 GB of space fast by jumping to step 4. (Sadly, these two services are no longer available as of February 2016.)
How to Create a Desk Organizer from an iPhone Box! (And Bonus Coupon/Receipt Organizer)
I thought today I’d post a quick, simple and green tutorial for…
I thought today I’d post a quick, simple and green tutorial for creating a desk organizer from an old iPhone box. My family upgraded our iPhones recently, leaving several of these boxes laying around. They are such nice boxes that I had to come up with some clever way to reuse them! So here it is – desktop organizers that serve as a one stop place for pens, sticky notes, and more, but also have a built-in shelf and can close for easy transport (homework stations and college dorms anyone?).
Studying and Living Abroad: Mobile Phones, Apps, & Keeping in Touch
Welcome to Part I of my series, Studying and Living Abroad, where…
Welcome to Part I of my series, Studying and Living Abroad, where I’ll be highlighting all of my tips and tricks that my experience living (and studying) overseas has taught me. Check out the whole series here.
Moving abroad is a big step, only made harder if you can’t keep in touch with friends, family, and businesses back home. Not only should you call your mom from time to time – but it’s critical to be able to reach your bank back home in an emergency. So here are my tips and tricks for keeping in touch.
Google Voice: The Traveler’s (Free!) Secret Weapon
Google Voice is a great service for both travelers and those living…
Google Voice is a great service for both travelers and those living abroad. Firstly, it’s an inexpensive way to call overseas while you are in the U.S., with competitive per minute rates. It’s also a way to have a U.S. phone number that you can both call from and receive calls to (on a computer) while abroad. This means that friends and family have an inexpensive method of calling you, as your phone number is a local, U.S. one; it also means that you can call any phone in the U.S., from an actual phone number, for free, while abroad. I recommend that if you travel abroad often, or going to be living or studying abroad, that you add your Google Voice phone number to any accounts that you hold in the U.S. and may need to still contact while you are abroad (banks, insurance companies, etc.). It’s a great way to keep your personal accounts secure and easily accessible, even when you no longer have access to a normal U.S. phone number. [Updated 2016]
How to use Apple’s iMessage and Facetime for Free International Messaging and Calls
Apple iPhones are my suggestion for anyone planning to study or live…
Apple iPhones are my suggestion for anyone planning to study or live abroad. Why?
Great Free Resources (That You Probably Didn’t Know You Had Access To)
I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like free stuff. So here’s a…
I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like free stuff. So here’s a list of some things that you may not have known you have access to – for free!
How to get the most out of your college visit
college visits can be stressful, but by making the most of your…
college visits can be stressful, but by making the most of your visit, you don’t have to worry! Check out these tips and tricks to help you get the most out of each visit.
Top 5 Tips on How to Study in College
Congrats! You got into a great school and are ready to hit…
Congrats! You got into a great school and are ready to hit the books. I know you knew how to study in high school (you got into college didn’t you?), but studying in college is a bit different. You have a lot more independence, and with that independence comes great academic responsibility. So here are my quick tips to help you make the grade:
When You Should Be Doing Everything College
When should I be… ….applying to college? ….visiting campuses? ….asking for recommendations?…
When should I be…
….applying to college?
….visiting campuses?
….asking for recommendations?
….applying for funding/aid?
These are probably my most-asked questions – particularly by high school students and their parents. There is no “right” answer, but hopefully this post will give you some insight in to how you should begin your college planning. Remember to this is just a guide – tailor this schedule to your needs and deadlines.
A little advice on dealing with guidance counselors
From time to time I hear from parents and students…
From time to time I hear from parents and students who are frustrated with their guidance departments at their high schools. While every situation varies, I thought today I’d share some advice on dealing with guidance counselors that I’ve learned over the years. Whether you are trying to work out class schedules or discuss college, there is a smarter way.
How I graduated early from college and saved two years and over $30,000!
Yes, you read that correctly. I did graduate with my undergraduate degree…
Yes, you read that correctly. I did graduate with my undergraduate degree in two years. While I always thought of it as an accomplishment, its real significance was lost on me – until I started talking about it. Not everyone can get a big scholarship, but everyone can do what I did and save a lot of time and money.
Parents of students are usually more than a little surprised, and often confused. And then it dawns on them: you mean you paid half the amount of tuition of a normal student, without including scholarships or aid? Yes. For me, at an in-state public university (usually considered a bargain) that’s over $20,000 in tuition fees and books – and much more than $30,000 if you are including room and board, or $70,000 at a private university. So, how did I do it?
Testing Quick Reference Glossary
So, you may find yourself asking, what are these important tests so…
So, you may find yourself asking, what are these important tests so many students take in high school? Well, here’s a quick and simple breakdown for you…
Why you should make a resume now – even though you are still in high school
High schoolers, I hate to break this to you, but you will…
High schoolers, I hate to break this to you, but you will be writing and re-writing your resume for almost the rest of your life. Sorry. It’s just a fact. The good news is that you can get ahead of the game – today – by getting started on it now and surprise your college recommenders, universities’ admissions boards, and human resource departments everywhere.
How to ask for a recommendation (and get a really good one!)
Asking for a recommendation can be tricky and intimidating – but…
Asking for a recommendation can be tricky and intimidating – but it doesn’t have to be. The best advice I can give about asking for a recommendation is this: make doing so as easy as possible for the recommender.
How to organize your planner to get things done
Balancing school work, deadlines, and life can be difficult, and if you…