Academic Readiness

Add things up, and you’ll quickly find the answer – math is crucial both in academics and the real world.

To progress through high school to college and beyond, you better make sure your math skills are strong enough to face the gauntlet of exams, SATs, and more. Mathematics opens up career opportunities and helps students develop critical problem-solving skills that they can use for the rest of their lives.

We spoke with some experts in mathematics and learning to get some quick tips on improving your math skills. “Math is used in almost all parts of our lives, from sciences and computers to music and art,” states Tanya Mitchell, the Vice President of Research and Development for brain training company LearningRx. Tanya says that math struggles often relate to weak cognitive skills, not genetics, gender, age, or study habits. Students can uncover their weaknesses and conquer math by following these strategies and following personal training programs.

1. Write out your work.

It may be basic, but writing out your work is an essential rule to doing great math. Alison Dillard, Owner, is a huge proponent of “show your work.” “Writing out your work will help you take complicated questions and break them down into logical pieces and steps. This will cut down on careless errors, which will improve your test scores and grades. Being able to write down step-by-step how to solve a question will inherently increase your understanding of it.” Good old-fashioned pencil

4 Best Studying Apps for Students and Teachers

The game has changed- studying is no longer relegated to just pen and paper but technology like mobile and online apps. Today, students can learn both in and out of the classroom better than ever before. Ubiquitous platforms like email, Gchat, and Skype have crossed the boundary from personal tools to media that provide practical means to complete academic work.

Brad Zomick, Content Manager at killedUp, says these changes have already become engrained in education. Now, technology and apps are simply a way of life for matriculating students. "A virtual whiteboard is something that's becoming increasingly popular for teachers and students. You're able to access whiteboard notes from wherever you are. Textbooks, once a hallmark of high school and college students alike, are disappearing. Buying electronic textbooks is huge for students. Not only does it cut down on costs, but it saves you from carrying around a heavy backpack all day."

Don't forget about online courses from ultra-comprehensive providers like SkilledUp. "Now anyone can learn what they want through an online course. Some don't necessarily give you a degree at the end of it, but it does make you more valuable for employers. And, you get to learn something new!"

4 Top Apps for Students and Teachers

We've polled veteran educators and students to find some of the most excellent apps for studying. Check out the

The National Tutoring Association has crafted a fine Code of Ethics for its members. While I am well aware that most tutors do not belong to a national organization such as the NTA, nonetheless the NTA's Code of Ethics presents a set of guidelines by which you and I as parents can evaluate the tutors we hire for our children. For sake of this discussion, I also include any teacher who primarily works on a 1 on 1 basis as a tutor. For example, piano, art, and dance instructors, as well as the math and English tutors you will expect to encounter.

Using the NTA's Code of Ethics I have offered comments on each of their tenets. Use these comments to help you assess and evaluate any tutor you hire.

Code of Ethics

The National Tutoring Association is dedicated to providing its members with opportunities to achieve and maintain high professional standards for tutors and administrators of tutoring programs and services.

I understand that my role as a tutor is to enable students to do their own work using the best learning approach possible.

RK: The extra time and attention which a tutor affords his students make it possible for them to understand the material presented. More importantly, a tutor can take time to explain the variations and possibilities inherent in the original problem so that his student is able to recognize them when they do occur. Equipping students to do their own work is

Ever wish you could pick the brain of A+ students? Well, we did it for you — we spoke with dozens of students and educators to find out their secrets for success.

Everything they had to say is compiled here. There’s short term techniques to get you started on your way as well as long term tips to maintain your achievements.

Happy studying! And remember — grades aren’t everything. Use them as a tool to measure your learning, not as a goal in and of themselves.

1. Know your learning style.

Different study strategies work better for different people, and knowing your learning style will help you understand which study methods work best for you. Take this 20 question quiz to find out your learning style!

- Aaron Harris, Harvard alum and CEO of Tutorspree

2. Color code your notes.

If you write notes by hand, have a black pen, red pen, blue pen, and green pen handy. If you take notes on the computer be prepared to change the color of the text. When the teacher gets to a number or date you need to remember, write the numbers in red. If your professor throws out an important term or definition, put the term in blue. And if you need to remember places or famous names, put them in green. Everything else, keep in black.

When you study, memorize the