SAT Vocab Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace

SAT Vocab Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace SAT test paper consists of 3 important sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing. These sections measure the skills and knowledge attained by the student till high school. SAT is taken by high school students so that they get enrolled into colleges and universities in the United States. SAT test helps students to prepare taking college level academics so that they understand the lessons learnt in the college courses without any difficulty in reading and writing. SAT reading section consists of two sub sections where the first sub-section includes questions on sentence completion. The second sub-section consists of questions based on a reading passage. These two sub-sections examine the necessary skills required by the student to successfully read and understand any given course material. In order to get good scores in the reading section, students must have good knowledge in English vocabulary. This is due to the reason that in the reading passages, it is very common to ask questions on the meaning of certain words. In those cases, the students are given multiple choice options among which the student must pick the right answer. SAT vocabulary questions are usually questions on giving the correct meaning of certain words used in the passage. To be able to answer vocabulary questions, students should practice daily knowing some new words from a good dictionary. It is obvious that there are many words, but it surely helps if students observe commonly given words in the previous test papers also and can learn the meaning of those words.

My Experience at University of California-Berkeley

My Experience at University of California-Berkeley The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Daniel is a San Francisco-Bay Area tutor and 2014 graduate of University of California-Berkeley. He holds a Bachelors degree in Anthropologyand tutors several subjects, specializing inCollege Essay tutoring, GRE Verbal Reasoning tutoring, and Writing tutoring. Check out what Daniel had to say about his time at University of California-Berkeley: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or rural is the campus? Did you feel safe on campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Daniel: University of California-Berkeley is a bustling, urban campus ringed by businesses, restaurants, office buildings, clothing stores, and cafes. It is centrally located in the city of Berkeley with easy access to BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), as well as a multitude of regular bus lines that head toward attractions in Oakland, Emeryville, San Francisco, and beyond. There are several all-night buses for those late trips into the city. Though there is certainly crime in and around campus (typically muggings late at night), the university police force is a presence, and the campus provides a reliable late-night shuttle service. Bikes are very common, often with dedicated lanes or streets, and cars are absolutely unnecessary (plus you will quickly find yourself inundated with late-night airport trip requests as that person with the car). VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Daniel:Professors and GSIs (graduate student instructors, or teaching assistants) hold weekly office hours. Depending on the popularity of the professor, time slots can fill up almost immediately. Although professors are usually friendly and helpful, it often seemed to me that teaching was not their academic priority. GSIs may be just as busy, but they generally lavish more attention and time on students. It helps that the average GSI is much closer in age to the average undergraduate. My major adviser was knowledgeable and supportive, but from what I have heard, that does not necessarily carry across all departments. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Daniel:I never lived in the dorms, but I lived in the off-campus student cooperative system for several years. A very popular option for students (with an accompanying long waiting list), the Berkeley Student Cooperative consists of 13 houses and three apartment buildings scattered around the north and south sides of campus. The houses range in size from 17 to 149 members (all students), who work, cook, study, and socialize together. In the apartments, priority is given to low-income students. Two members cook dinner for the house six days a week, and there is a fully stocked kitchen. Decisions are made democratically at weekly councils, and members pool money to put on frequent social events. Veteran co-opers can go on to become house managers, central office employees, or members of the Board of Directors. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Daniel:STEM majors are generally better funded than the humanities and social sciences. University of California-Berkeleys Computer Science and Business majors are considered especially selective (and well-funded), as is the College of Chemistry and the College of Engineering. New Astrophysics, Business, and Engineering buildings are currently being built, as well as a new art museum which may house the Art Practice major. I majored in Sociocultural Anthropology. I felt drawn to Sociocultural Anthropologys unique combination of philosophy, critical theory, and interpersonal fieldwork. Anthropology at University of California-Berkeley has many world-class faculty members and a strong graduate program, meaning strong graduate student instructors. Sadly, Anthropology does not garner much attention from the university, so graduate students receive very little funding. This means fewer discussions can be held. Discussions are small, GSI-led classes meant to explore and reinforce what is l earned in the weekly lecture. I found my discussion classes to be regularly enlightening, and I disliked their relative scarcity. Other relatively underfunded majors, like Philosophy, do have discussion sections for every course. Other than that, the university provides an adequate framework for undergraduate research opportunities in Anthropology and other fields. Paid research opportunities are occasionally available, usually subsequent to a volunteer position. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Daniel:Living in student cooperative housing, I found it very easy to make friends. The student co-ops emphasize consent, antidiscrimination, and other safe-space social activities. It is noticeably more difficult for students living in apartments, but certainly not impossible. Many students struggle until they find a club with like-minded people. Luckily, there are a plethora of student organizations available. Greek life (sadly) plays a significant role on campus despite the numerous sexual assaults which have been reported in recent years. There are certainly positive and productive Greek organizations, particularly the academic fraternities and the queer fraternities and sororities. VT: How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Daniel:I know many people who have found the Career Center to be a helpful and supportive environment. There are several large career fairs every academic year, as well as many smaller, major-specific recruitment fairs and information sessions. VT: How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they overcrowded, easily available, spacious? Daniel:There are dozens of on-campus libraries, reading rooms, study lounges, and cafes open to undergraduates. Different students study more efficiently in different levels of noise, light, color schemes, etc., and the plethora of venues available suit any situation. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments/things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between? To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Daniel:Berkeley is a vibrant city with tons of interesting restaurants, bookstores, and parks. The campus is located next to bustling and urban downtown Berkeley, as well as more quiet and quaint neighborhoods like North Berkeley and Elmwood. Anyone who gets tired of Indian food, botanical gardens, and Marxist libraries can hop on a bus or BART and head into Oakland for an arts fair and amateur professional wrestling every first Friday. Emeryville has Ikea, Target, and other big box stores, and San Francisco has anything and everything. For nature enthusiasts, Tilden Park and the Strawberry Canyon Fire Trails are easily accessible. Marin is also available, if a bit more of a trek. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Daniel:University of California-Berkeley is a large school, though not unmanageably so. It is easy to find oneself within a fairly circumscribed social circle where coincidental mutual friends are common. The class sizes vary greatly, and most large lectures are helped by smaller discussion sections. I generally enjoyed my smaller classes more, but large lectures are an inevitability at a university with celebrity professors. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Daniel:My first semester after transferring to University of California-Berkeley from a community college, I signed up for a Medical Anthropology course based on the provocative title Critical Bioethics. As the course began and we read and discussed my professors work, I realized, to my shock, that I had already been taught this. Her cases had been used as boilerplate examples and her ideas taught as basic anthropological theory in my community college classes. I came to realize that at University of California-Berkeley, it is normal to stumble into a class with someone whose exceptional work has become fundamental to a field. Check out Daniels tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

6 Easy Improvements to Make to Your Study Space This Fall

6 Easy Improvements to Make to Your Study Space This Fall School is back in session! As such, you might be wondering how you can enhance your study space to help you perform at your highest potential. There are several quick changes you can make to improve your study space right at home heres what you can do: 1. Cut out distractions What tends to distract you when you are trying to buckle down and study? Is it a nearby poster with bright colors that catches your eye, a beanbag chair that is a bit too relaxing, or a mechanical pencil you constantly are playing with? Any distracting objects or features of your study space should be eliminated. In theory, getting rid of these distractions should be relatively easy. Excessive light can be reduced with curtains and furniture can be rearranged. With some creativity, mostly everything about your study space is adjustable. [RELATED: Top 5 College Study Tips] 2. Clear the clutter Your study space should only contain the things you need to study nothing more, nothing less. When you keep more than you need in your study space, it can lead to stress and distractions. Clean up garbage, put away extra books, and relocate picture frames, trinkets, etc., or any other objects that are not conducive to studying. Go for a minimalistic approach. 3. Adjust the lighting Lighting can have a huge psychological impact on your study efforts. Your study space should be properly lit: not so bright that it hurts your eyes, but not so dim that you have to squint. Natural light is often better than artificial light, so take advantage if your study space has a window or skylight. If possible, open the blinds rather than flipping a light switch (you can save electricity this way, too). 4. Reduce noise Some students enjoy studying with their headphones in or the radio on. However, some studies show that people tend to remember less of what they study when they study with too much background noise. However, there are other instances when music can be helpful to ones concentration, perhaps when it is soft and familiar. New sounds can negatively affect concentration, however, as they will likely be distracting. All in all, this aspect of a study space depends on your personal preferences. 5. Personalize To customize your study space, you must get to know yourself. Think about all of the different parts of your study space: lighting, seating arrangement, organization, temperature, acoustics, etc. Now, think about how you can tailor those elements to make them create the perfect study environment for you and only you. Only you know under what conditions you learn best. 6. Ditch your phone One surefire way to increase your study productivity is by putting your phone down for awhile. As hard as it may be, not having email, texting, and social media at your fingertips will greatly help you focus on the schoolwork at hand. At first, it may be a tough adjustment, but you are very likely to be pleased with how much you accomplish. If you are ever using your study space for group work, encourage your team members to put their phones aside as well; they just may thank you later! Improving your study space does not have to be difficult or expensive. Follow these tips and you will have already taken the first step to higher test grades. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Improving Work Ethics For Introverts - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Improving Work Ethics For Introverts - Introvert Whisperer Improving Work Ethics For Introverts When you read the words ‘work ethics’ how do you feel? Does it conjure up images of HR workshops and dreaded role plays? Or does it? As an introvert, make you feel instant anxiety when you think about playing an active part in the workplace?   In general terms, workplace ethics covers behaviour based skills such as dedication, teamwork, integrity engagement and behaving appropriately and respectfully. Introverts may not immediately see how their natural common traits can benefit themselves and others in an obvious way in the office, but you would be wrong!   Many introverts have gone on to be great leaders of history.       One of the most famous introverts in history would be Mahatma Gandhi, but some great leaders will surprise you. For example; Rosa Parks, who infamously remained on her seat on the bus, was a very introverted, gentle and quiet woman. Elon Musk whom it would seem loves the stage and taking the mic in huge auditoriums, is a tech-focussed introvert who had to train and change certain behaviours to take that seat at the head of the boardroom table. JK Rowling’s introverted nature allowed her to write and write and write, building beguiling worlds full of wizards and fantastic beasts.   Sure, these guys are a tiny per cent of truly, globally successful people, but it demonstrates that being an introvert should not hold you back and you can contribute and live positive work ethics every day.   Engagement is probably the toughest ‘natural spot’ for those that tend to be a little introverted. The thought of a work party with its loud music and cackling laughter and singing can feel a bit overwhelming, and you may be tempted to hand back at your desk chatting to the office cleaner rather than join the fun. You may also recoil at the thought of presenting to a group of people, but your introversion shouldn’t hold you back when it comes to seeking out friendships, good working relationships and in turn, positively raise your profile in the workplace.     Connect with people in a comfortable way for you.   Have a quiet morning coffee or breakfast one on one with your manager or maybe some colleagues who are collaborating on a project with you. One to one time and small group gatherings are a great forum to get your point across and share ideas. If you are a team leader, share your wins!   You don’t need to get on the mic or take a bow, but you can send a thankful email to the business sharing the successes and how your team has improved the company. Similarly, if a team member has performed well, remember to give them a thank you.   Ditch the headphones! It can be a comfort zone to stick on the headphones and concentrate on your work, but to others, it can be perceived as isolating yourself from the group or disinterested in the team or those around you. Keep the headphones for when you’re working to a tight deadline or need to concentrate on a specific document leaving yourself open to some engagement and conversation.     Introverts have some excellent traits when it comes to promoting good work ethics.   We think before we speak, choose our words carefully, and we tend to steer clear of watercooler gossip.   Because we tend to take our time with responses, we can also navigate office politics pretty well, but it’s good to remember that from time to time you do need to put yourself out there and speak up in meetings, or if you believe strongly in an opinion.     If you don’t know where to start, think about some coaching, or speak to your HR department about some training on speaking publicly and presenting.   It may never be your comfort zone, but you’ll feel a great deal of achievement when you do hit those milestones and feel rewarded when the company you work for gets to recognise your good efforts.       Ultimately, we all need to connect with other people, it’s human nature, and by taking steps to communicate more with others, you may find that you have more in common with some of your colleagues than you think! Author Bio: Lara Blanco: Culture happiness centric individual with the belief that happy teams make happy  customers, which in turn makes everyone happy. I also know a thing or two about cleaning

6 Sided Polygon

6 Sided Polygon A polygon is a geometric shape bounded by more than two straight lines. For example: - Triangle is polygon of three sides, quadrilateral, square, rhombus, rectangle, parallelogram, trapezium all are polygon of four sides similarly pentagon, hexagon are the examples of polygon or simply we can say a polygon consists with a n number of sides where n= 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and so on. Regular polygon is a geometric shape where all sides and interior angles are equal. For example square is a regular polygon of four sides where each interior angle is 90 degrees and all the sides are equal. Similarly equilateral triangle is also a regular polygon of 3 sides where each sides and angles are equal. 6 sided polygon is known as Hexagon. Sum of interior angles of a regular polygon= (n 2) x 180 Example: - Find the sum of interior angles of a 6 sided polygon. Solution: - n= 6 for a 6 sided polygon. Therefore for a 6 sided polygon (i.e., n=6) then Sum of interior angles of 6 sided polygon= (6 2) x 180 = 4 x 180 = 720 degrees. Each interior angle of a polygon = (n 2) 180 / n. Example: - Find each interior angle of a 6 sided polygon. Solution: - Since Each interior angle of a polygon = (n 2) 180 / n. For a 6 sided polygon, n=6 therefore Each interior angle of a polygon = (6 2) 180 / 6 = (4) 180 /6 = (4) 30 = 120.

Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse Henri Matisse and his Many Modes of Art ChaptersEarly Years and Tentative ExplorationsHello, Fauvism!Matisse: Life Beyond the CanvasSunset: Matisse’s Final YearsLegacyMatisse had a name fairly meant for the Parisian art scene, if only because it is a near homophone of the French word ‘artiste’.He stumbled upon painting through an unusual set of circumstances but once he declared himself a creator of art, there was no turning back.Rather little is known of his early life other than he was first-born into a wealthy family. His father was a grain merchant and his mother enjoyed dabbling in painting.Young Henri showed little inclination for art; he studied law in Paris before returning to his hometown in northern France to work as a court clerk and administrator.When he was 20 years old he was stricken with appendicitis that led to a prolonged episode of recovery during which he could not work. To help him pass the time, his mother gifted him a trove of art supplies.  She had no idea that simple act would completely chan ge her son’s life, deeply disappointing her husband in the process.The art world, on the other hand, delighting in having Henri Matisse break new ground in artistic expression and direction.Superprof now looks at the 60-year art career that Henri Matisse enjoyed and how he continuously reinvented himself to remain relevant. FernandoPainting Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaPainting Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidPainting Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPainting Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StefaniaPainting Teacher 5.00 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SakinaPainting Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenPainting Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Off2themoonholliePainting Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsEarly Years and Tentative Exploratio ns As he learned more about colour theory, Matisse soon abandoned his dark portrayals Source: Wikipedia“In painting, I have discovered a kind of paradise” Henri MatisseOnce he was fully recovered from his attack of appendicitis, Matisse returned to Paris for a second round of studies â€" not of the musty subject of Law but of art.He enrolled at Académie Julian, a private art school, where he learned intricate brushwork through landscape painting and still lifes.At the outset, his painting technique was quite traditional but his eyes kept straying to the works of other French artists like Manet and Chardin; in fact, he often spent his free time at the Louvre copying works by other famous artists.Matisse approached his art education intellectually rather than by any drive to create. He sought out the best teachers, even travelling to meet them and learn from them.Such was the case when he set out to meet Australian painter John Russell, who was staying on the island of Belle Isle. Th ere, he was introduced the brightness of van Gogh paintings; an experience that completely changed his palette.Mimicking the Dutch impressionist artist, he abandoned dark colours in favour of more realistically-hued works, such as Blue Pot and Lemon, displayed at the Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg.In a further tribute to Vincent van Gogh, Matisse painted a Vase of Sunflowers; he also executed Study of a Nude, employing elements of pointillism.Matisse, fully realising he was a novice among great painters, always followed advice from those he saw as his betters. So it came to be that, when Camille Pissarro suggested he travel to London to study the works of British painter William Turner, he readily complied.Fully enthused by life in the art world, upon returning to Paris, he nearly bankrupted himself buying up fellow artists’ works: Rodin, Gauguin and Paul Cezanne. The van Gogh that he had been given at Belle Isle also adorned his walls.In spite of showing well at Salon â€" the French government bought two of his oil on canvas paintings, Matisse needed something to advance his carefully-studied career.Hello, Fauvism!“Impressionism is the newspaper of the soul.” Henri MatisseUp to the turn of the century â€" for the first few years of Matisse’s career, he was considered an impressionist painter; whether he disdained that designation or not is in question still today. However, the above quote gives an indication of his feelings about impressionistic art in general.He felt that impressionist paintings are themselves a blank canvas upon which the viewer projects his own emotions and ideas or, conversely, find their ideas and feelings reflected in them, validating them in some way.As the movement's creator, Claude Monet would tell you, impressionism was, in effect, representational. Fauvism, by contrast, called for strong colours and more than a touch of abstraction.The Fauves â€" wild beasts in French, were young painters, themselves seen as unrestraine d in their creation of art, as though they were the beasts in question.Henri Matisse was a leader of the Fauvist art movement, along with André Derain. He  had sojourned in Tahiti, where he had picked up a predilection for bright colours; a bias that served him well as a Fauve.This style of painting advocated for the use of bold colours whether they were representative of the subject matter or not, meaning that artworks of this period, while audacious, did not reflect mainstream sensibilities.In other words, Fauvism was condemned virtually from the start.Naturally, this did not do a good turn for any Fauvist. Each of the three exhibitions of Fauvist works garnered nothing but criticism, with Matisse’s work singled out for special wrath.By this time Henri Matisse was married and had children to feed. His work being consistently panned made it very difficult for him to support his family so, when Gertrude Stein bought his most reviled painting, it not only lightened his mood but fl oated his family along until that most ill-received of art movements came to an end.Yes, that is the same Gertrude Stein who was Spanish painter Pablo Picasso’s patron. And there is another Picasso link: Georges Braque, the co-father of Cubism, was initially a Fauvist.Henri Matisse and that Spanish artist met at the height of the Fauvist period, in 1906. In spite of their age difference, they would become lifelong friends and gentle rivals. Henri Matisse was always looking for greater technical challenges; here he tries his hand at pointillism Source: WikipediaAll of this inventiveness â€" finding new ways of expressing his artistic vision served him well, especially toward the end of his life.Sunset: Matisse’s Final Years“It has bothered me all of my life that I do not paint like everyone else.” MatisseContrary to the frenzied brushstrokes an expressionist painter in full passion for his work, Matisse had always been methodical â€" in learning how to paint and in depicting his subject matter.His diligence, fastidious manner and regimented work schedule earned him equal parts of scorn and admiration in the Paris art community; even as he lingered at the Galette, he wished he could fit in better with the famous painters idling there.Matisse what diagnosed with abdominal cancer in 1941. France was already occupied by that time but, fortunately, the Germans found Matisse’s work pleasant so they helped him secure an operation to remove the cancer.Unfortunately, he suffered serious post-operative complications that left him bedridden for the next few months but, undeterred, he set about creating art differently: decoupage became his new medium.Matisse had cut painted paper into abstract shapes before; first as the stage designer for Igor Stravinsky’s The Nightingale and again for the Paris-based Russian Ballet.He had always seen paper-cutting as separate from his work as a painter but now, seriously incapacitated and unable to paint or sculpt, he relented in his assessment, ultimately increasing the size and his output of cut-outs.Matisse continued to work in whatever capacity he could until the 3rd of November, 1954, when he succumbed to a heart attack. We can see van Gogh's influence in Matisse's early work By Henri Matisse via WikipediaLegacyLike Italian Renaissance painter Leonardo da Vinci, Henri Matisse refused to let illness, injury or old age slow him down.A French impressionist at the outset, he created the most famous paintings of his career after Fauvism but before he relocated to Nice. Still, he was always ready to experiment with another medium or movement... as long as it did not offend his sensibilities.One of the blandest compliments ever paid him was: “Matisse’s art is eminently reasonable.” but, as it turns out, it is true - and the artist himself knew it.Today, Matisse is considered one of the vanguards of modern art; he ranks among the most famous artists of the early 20th CenturyAlthough his are not the most expensive paintings, they can be found in multiple countries, in their museum of art. They are generally appreciated, with little indication of the turmoil or trouble the artist might have endured in pa inting them... possibly because there was not much trouble.Now discover other famous works of art and the most famous painters in art history...

Taking the GMAT Advice for the Big Day!

Taking the GMAT Advice for the Big Day! GMAT MBA Admissions Blog A guest blog post by David-Anthony Gordon, a journalist working for BusinessBecause.com, a professional networking and news site for the business school world. Check out the site for info on MBA rankings and MBA jobs and daily business school news. The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is probably the most important entrance exam you’ll take. Every major English-speaking MBA program requires applicants to take the GMAT. Top business schools such as Cornell, the London Business School and HEC Paris view your score as ‘very important’, and you’ll need at least a 680 or higher to be accepted. Standing out from the thousands of MBA applicants is difficult but the best way to help yourself is to prepare effectively. There isn’t a set way to prepare. Everyone has their own techniques and preferences. However, there are a few key things you should do so that you don’t end up wasting the $250 you paid to take the test. Study hard. You get what you put in so don’t expect to do well if you haven’t put in the hours of study. You can find practise exams on the MBA.com website or, like many applicants, you can get private tutoring. Relax. Your score is important but remember that it’s only one part of the MBA admissions process. You can further enhance your application with your essay or interview and there are cases of low-scoring candidates impressing in other ways. Arrive early. You can’t be too early, especially on test day. To prevent cheating, you have to go through various security checks and this takes time so if you arrive less than 15 minutes before your exam, don’t expect that you’ll start on time. It’s a good idea to make a trip to the test centre in advance so that you can figure out traffic and travel times. It can also calm you to know what the building looks like. Eat and sleep well. Last minute cramming and binge eating will hinder your chances of doing well. Remember that you’re not a teenage college student anymore and the GMAT isn’t your average test. Take care of your body and give your brain the best opportunity to perform to its optimum. Send out your results. You are allowed to send your results to five schools for free so make use of them and increase your chances by paying to send a few more. If you feel you haven’t done well, you can stop your results being sent to schools as soon as you’ve finished. However, you will have to make this decision before you see your scores so be rational before you roll that dice. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '11ceb73f-a188-46a7-92c2-5d749ff3ce20', {});

Focus The New Key to Academic and Professional Success

Focus The New Key to Academic and Professional Success Improving Academic Performance I just finished listening to a great podcast episode from Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman’s Psychology Podcast (one of my favorite podcasts because it’s generally, entertaining, informative and practical as it relates to helping you better understand the world around you) about the concept of Deep Work. In this blog article, I’ll offer a very brief summary of the podcast episode (very brief, because I want you to listen to the podcast) and two key takeaways: 1) that focus is one underappreciated key to success in today's world and 2) that skill and mastery are derived from sustained, deliberate practice, not inborn talent. Quick Summary The podcast was a discussion between Dr. Kaufman, who is a professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and Cal Newport, a professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, about Newport’s new book, Deep Work. The theme of the book is that in the new “knowledge” economy, the most successful students and professionals will be those who cultivate the ability to be highly focused so that they can think about issues on a deep level to be able to solve complex problems. Newport and Kaufman hit on many topics, including some that we talk about regularly on this blog and some that we do not. Here are a few examples: The importance of deliberate practice in building skill, and the differences between deliberate practice and deep work (though they are related) The relative importance of IQ in determining success (it’s perhaps much less important than is commonly assumed) The downside of trying to “find your passion” (few people have pre-existing passions; people end up loving what they do as a result of a complex mix of factors, and instead young people should focus on studying hard, acquiring knowledge, being curious, and building skills) First key takeaway: focus is the key to making yourself indispensable Newport argues that focus is the key to creating value in today’s economy. He points out that any task which is easily automated is ultimately going to be outsourced or performed by a computer or a machine. So, students should get comfortable with the notion of building a career in which you are solving complex problems that require you to engage with your work in a deep focused way to design unique, valuable solutions. Kaufman notes that, in his research, designing something unique and different is the definition of creativity. So, in that sense, creativity is the key to being valuable in an increasingly globalized and technology-driven world. Critically, Newport points out that you don’t have to have a very high IQ to do this, and that focus is a skill that can be cultivated. I would argue that it’s a skill you should begin to cultivate in high school and college, not only because you’ll need it in the workforce in the medium to long term but because it will lead to better grades in the near term. You can probably imagine the types of behaviors that don’t lead to deep and sustained focus: checking your email constantly, multitasking, social media usage, etc. Newport recommends some simple strategies for building your ability to focus, including trying to schedule time FOR social media, and avoiding it for the rest of the day (for example). Second key takeaway: skill and mastery come from sustained, deliberate practice (even in the hard sciences like mathematics and physics) not talent Because I’m familiar with Newport’s Study Hacks blog, I know that although he has a PhD in Computer Science from MIT and is now a professor at Georgetown University, in high school he wasn’t in the most advanced calculus class available at his school (he took AP Calculus AB, not BC. If I remember the story correctly, he didn’t even get a score of 5 on the AP Calculus AB exam). So, he didn’t really consider himself a math person. But, something clicked in college, and he realized that with practice and focus, he could become increasingly good at math. Newport himself is a good example of the importance of sustained, deliberate practice. The average person would probably agree (though note, I think they would be wrong) that by senior year of high school, the math class you’re in tells a lot about whether you’re on a path to a PhD in Computer Science. But at that point, a lot of schooling remains. That perspective assumes that talent and natural ability plays a much more important role in the process of learning math than it actually does. Sure, some minimum amount of ability/talent/IQ is necessary to get a PhD in Computer Science. But more people probably have that minimum amount than is commonly assumed. Why? Because deliberate, focused practice is more important to building math skills than most people realize. In the podcast episode, he notes that mathematics undergraduates are always somewhat amazed by how “smart” the graduate students are who teach them. Those same graduate students are always amazed at how “smart” the junior professors are with whom they interact. And, the junior professors are amazed at how “smart” the senior tenured professors are. But Newport’s point is this. Any given person at each point in the chain I just described used to be at a different point in the chain. The graduate student was at one point an undergraduate. They didn’t “get smarter.” They just kept building their skills, and were thus better equipped to solve increasingly complex problems, which made them seem more naturally gifted to those who hadn’t put in that hard work. Summary Whether you’re a high school or college student, young professional, anyone else really, it’s important to realize that focus is what leads to the ability to solve complex problems. So, instead of worrying about how “smart” you are in a given area at school or at work, worry about how focused you are on the required work in that area.