Merlin Academics http://merlinacademics.com We are a small company specializing in preparing students for the SAT, the Chemistry and Biology SAT II’s, and the AP exams. Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:36:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Teachers: Friends or Foes? http://merlinacademics.com/?p=181 http://merlinacademics.com/?p=181#comments Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:34:12 +0000 admin http://merlinacademics.com/?p=181 teacher33Most of the students that I work with complain about their teachers. And I have to admit that I usually commiserate with them. I still vividly remember my chemistry teacher who spent more time impressing us with his ability to spell backwards (he claimed it was from years of inhaling mercury fumes) than he did teaching us any chemistry. And then there was my English teacher who always completely marked up my papers without ever really explaining what was wrong with them.

But this is actually a huge lost opportunity!

Stop grumbling and start using your teachers to develop some valuable skills AND improve your grades at the same time. Really! I’m not kidding. Here’s how:

Stop and talk to them. Ask him how he became a biology teacher and if he likes it. Find out what she does for fun outside of school. Ask if he has kids and how old they are. But don’t be an outright schmoozer. Nobody likes that.

Now why would you do such a thing? Well, it never hurts for the person who will be grading your final to like you. Building a rapport with your teacher makes it that much easier to ask her for advice on what went wrong on the midterm.

Stay tuned for more on How to Love Your Teachers. There’s plenty more to this than just getting on their good side.

]]> http://merlinacademics.com/?feed=rss2&p=181 9 What will you do this summer? http://merlinacademics.com/?p=50 http://merlinacademics.com/?p=50#comments Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:59:47 +0000 admin http://merlinacademics.com/?p=50 You are working hard in your classes to get a great GPA. You are studying for the SAT to get a high score. You are volunteering and involved in extracurricular activities.

But how will you stand out from the crowd?

What you do during the summer could provide you with an incredible experience that will give you the substance for a great college application essay. Start thinking about what you can do this summer to gain experience in something meaningful to you.

Choose something that you are passionate about. Give yourself time to plan ahead and research a few options to find the perfect fit for you. Do you want to become a veterninarian? Why not volunteer at a horse rescue facility? Are you planning to become a scientist? Why not find a research lab at Stanford where you can volunteer?

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