What is happening on the campuses of secular universities across America? Thousands of Christian students are losing their faith and non-Christian students are becoming entrenched in their unbelief. Why is this happening? Have they discovered that God, in fact, does not really exist, that we live in a careening universe with no divine Pilot at the wheel? Or does something else explain this trend?

The Intellectual Challenge
Christian students on a secular campus face a great intellectual challenge. The underlying principle of the university classroom is naturalism. Students find it everywhere, not just in biology, physics, anthropology, and geology, but also in chemistry, astronomy, psychology, political science, and so on. University faculties defend this pervasive naturalism in two ways: by banishment and by confrontation.

The Banishment Approach
The banishment approach is, of course, the more venerable and the less aggressive of the two. A science professor will state at the beginning of the semester: "Science involves the gathering and analysis of data as the basis for forming hypotheses regarding the nature of reality. It must, therefore, exclude any reference to the supernatural as out of bounds for scientific inquiry. Whether or not God exists, or angels, fairies, pixies, goblins, or the Boogie Man is irrelevant to scientific investigation. Hold to your religious or superstitious beliefs if you want to, but don’t bring them up in this classroom. It is off the subject; we don’t have time for theological debates here."

Students instantly get the idea that believing in God is anti-intellectual or at least one’s faith should be compartmentalized and not allowed to spill over the transom into the science classroom. Be a believer elsewhere if you want, students learn, but come to science as a naturalist.

We Christians cannot accept this banishment. We have made Christ our life (Col. 3:4; Phil. 1:21), and His Lordship extends to every part of our lives. Certainly the One who created the universe at the beginning (Col. 1:16) and who even now sustains it moment by moment (Col. 1:17), has a right to enter a room where his handiwork is being examined and admired.

It is His macro- and micro-planning, organizing, systematizing, and engineering, after all, that makes all science possible. If we did not live in an orderly universe our scientists would be reduced to historians and statisticians who record the millions of haphazard events as they transpire, but can make no deductions, inductions, or educated guesses about what would happen next.

The Confrontation Approach
A more recent and increasingly popular approach in the university classroom is to take the creationist bull by the horns and attack belief in the God of the Bible by any possible means. This is the strategy of journals such as Creation/Evolution and The Skeptical Inquirer. Professors claim the mechanistic/materialistic explanation for origins removes all need for God. Naturalists in the classroom are not above using illogical arguments to win over their students.

For example, they may employ ad hominem arguments, associating belief in a Creator/Sustainer with witch-hunting, skinheads, and the Ku Klux Klan. Or they may use reductio ad absurdum arguments, such as asking how many dinosaur couples went onto the ark, or how Noah could be sure he had both male and female mosquitoes. Or they may knock down straw men, such as claiming victory if they can prove even the slightest changes occur, or limiting creationism only to those who believe the world began in 4004 BC. Or they may commit non sequiturs, such as claiming that since finches differ from one another, therefore, complex, mega-celled organisms evolved from single-celled life forms, and those from non-life.

Of course, we too must be cautious how we make our case, taking care to avoid the same mistakes. But it is difficult to wrestle with an opponent who refuses to fight by the rules.

We need Christian campus ministries because someone must stand up in our university community and affirm the biblical view of origins and of the ground and purpose for our existence.

The Bible clearly affirms these truths about our universe: (1) it had a beginning, all three persons of the Godhead being involved in its creation (Gen. 1:1-3; John 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-17); ( 2) at the beginning, it came into existence out of nothing (Heb. 11:3); and (3) its interdependent systems are all by God’s design and under His ongoing control (Job 38-39; Ps. 19:1-6).

The Bible has a name for those whose dizzying intellects lead them to atheism. Psalm 14:1 calls them fools, referring not to the Stupids, but to self-deceived rebels against God. Just to ensure that we don’t forget, the same psalm recurs as the fifty-third. Paul describes those who have given up their knowledge of God as those whose foolish hearts have become darkened and who then become arrogant (Rom. 1:21-23). In all three of these passages, the intellectual rejection of God’s existence leads to a moral rejection of God’s will (Ps. 14.3; 53:3; Rom. 1:24-32).

The Results of this Naturalism
This prevailing naturalism (or anti-supernaturalism) has at least three far-reaching results. First, our college students are taught that truth is relative. Without God as the everlasting, immutable ground of all reality, truth becomes little more than one’s subjective perception of it. Those who hold to absolute truth are ridiculed and harassed.

In a recent speech entitled, "The Trouble with Being Open-Minded," Bruce Lockerbie said: "In today’s university environment, absolutes dissolve into absolutism and are scoffed at with contempt. Ironically, however, today’s students have been taught that some absolutes survive. Here is a sample of these campus absolutes, of which today’s students and many of their teachers are absolutely certain! (1) I think; therefore, I am [René Descartes]. (2) God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him [Friedrich Nietzsche]. (3) There are truths but no truth [Albert Camus]. (4) We have neither behind us, nor before us in a luminous realm of values, any means of justification or excuse. We are left alone, without excuse [Jean-Paul Sartre]. (5) Life is hard, then you die. [bumper sticker]."

Modern American campuses are similar to the ancient Athenians, whom Luke describes in Acts 17:21: [They] spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas. Since Christianity, with its beliefs and practices, is nearly 2000 years old, they believe it should be jettisoned by all who intellectually have come of age. Second, the faith of our students is challenged in and out of the classroom.

As the Apostle Peter anticipated, people sometimes ask students the reason for the hope that they have (1 Pet. 3:15), and our students should be prepared with a good answer. But Peter also said in 2 Pet. 3:3-4: "in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." This is naturalism’s doctrine of uniformitarianism, contradicted at creation itself and a myriad of times since by the catastrophes and the disasters of nature. Our students must learn the flaws in naturalism’s model so that their faith can stand firm and not erode away by wave after wave of faculty banishment or confrontational ridicule and the peer pressure from other students.

Third, our students are being taught that not only truth is relative, but morality is relative. Isaiah cries: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight" (Isa. 5:20-21).

The Deifying of Tolerance
On campus, tolerance is praise as the highest virtue, and intolerance as the greatest vice. Senator Dan Coats of Indiana spoke recently on the virtue of tolerance. Quoting G. K. Chesterton: "When the world next tries persecution seriously, it will probably be under some new name," Coats stated that persecution’s new name is tolerance itself. Our students are taught not to be judgmental, which has the effect of encouraging them to have no moral judgment at all. Coats recalls that the poet Ogden Nash confessed: "Sometimes with secret pride I sigh / To think how tolerant am I / Then wonder which is really mine; / Tolerance, or a rubber spine."

This deifying of tolerance demonizes any who stand up for moral absolutes and who have the courage to say in love, for instance, to a homosexual, "What you are doing is wrong and is destructive both to yourself and to society." A colleague of mine told me of a Christian student we’ll call Ann, whose work at a local AIDS screening clinic brought her into daily contact with practicing homosexuals. She made up her mind to be salt and light in that place, and as a result, struck up a friendship with a lesbian we’ll call Florence."

After Ann was confident that Florence could sense her friendship, she asked her why she became a lesbian. "When I was growing up," Florence said, "I was always wanting to play rough, climb trees, go hunting, and other ‘guy’ things like that. I wanted to be like my father a lot."

"That’s funny," Ann said. "I was a tomboy too. I used to follow my dad around trying to do whatever he did."

"You did? And you’re straight, right?"

"Yeah."

"I thought only lesbians had my experience."

Ann left it at that for awhile. Then, a few weeks later, when Florence was sharing about her first sexual experience (a lesbian one) and describing how strange it all felt, Ann said, "That makes sense. Maybe it’s like when I first went on a diet and had to drink Diet Coke. No one who first drinks that stuff likes it, but after awhile they get used to it, and then it doesn’t bother them anymore. Maybe gay sex is like that. At first you don’t like it, but if you keep doing it, you get used to it."

Florence didn’t say anything for a moment. "Yeah, maybe you’re right," she finally replied. These two conversations Ann had with Florence brought the lesbian a long way. Not yet all the way to Jesus Christ, but light years closer. If Ann had just shown "tolerance" and ignored the moral difference between her and Florence, nothing would have changed.

Coats says that the irony is how the virtue of tolerance has been stolen from us Christians. It’s time for us to reclaim it. We serve a God who makes his sun shine on the evil and the good and sends his rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Into an intolerant world Jesus introduced tolerance as something revolutionary. He was branded a drunkard and a glutton and the friend of tax-collectors and sinners. Our friends in academia act as if mulitculturalism were something recently invented. But Paul announced it as the way of the Christ: There is neither Jew nor Greek, barbarian or Scythian, slave or free, male and female (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11).

No one has more experience in multiculturalism than the church, which for 2000 years has been taking the gospel to every nation and culture as it fulfills the Great Commission.

We Christians believe in tolerance. But our tolerance is not shallow like that of the academic community. In his speech Coats points out that tolerance has two extremes: permissiveness and persecution. Our non-Christian colleagues on campus stand on the permissiveness extreme–standing for nothing and falling for everything. They believe that Christians are at the other extreme, equating us with racists, ethnocentrists, and homophobes.

But we are not there. We hold Coats’ middle ground: persuasion (2 Cor. 5:11, 14-21). It is not that we try to force people into conforming to our (really, the Lord’s) standards. To the contrary, we have learned from our Master that outward conformity has little value if the heart is not in it. Rather, we try to change people’s thinking, confident that with changed hearts, their actions will follow.

Steve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles. He has been an editor, reporter, and public relations consultant. He has taught college-level Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses and has taught seminars in 11 states and the Caribbean.

Go to his DeeperStudy.com for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore "The Shallows," plumb "The Depths," or use the well-organized "Study Links" for original sources in English translation. Check out the DeeperStudy Bookstore for great e-books, free books, and great discounts. Subscribe to his free "DeeperStudy Newsletter" or "DeeperStudy Blog."

Whatever you want to label "learning at home" and however you want to define the latest buzz words for non-traditional education, you can find a program and method that suits your needs. Right now over 1.2 million people in the U.S. participate in some form of distance learning, with a projected expansion to 2.3 million in just a few years.

In looking at this rapidly expanding and viable form of education and training, there are a few basic things you need to consider and some decisions you need to make in order to create the environment that will best suit your needs. You need to know the what, the why, the benefits and the how of the various forms of distance learning.

Distance learning (correspondence courses) started in Europe in the 1800’s and has evolved into a multifaceted term that serves many purposes. Some of the forms of distance learning are: correspondence courses, online education, internet based education, electronic education, e-education, electronic learning, and e-learning. How these terms differ will depend upon how the institution defines and labels the programs which they offer. To simplify the whole concept, let’s say that these terms represent ways of learning away from a "brick and mortar" facility. Some distance learning and/or online programs may or may not be connected to a university or college. There are many programs that are independent and are not affiliated with any institution.

Distance learning offers a variety of paths to personal goals which include: GED, associate degrees, bachelor degrees, graduate certificates, master degrees, doctoral degrees, non-credit training courses, and others. Whether a person is seeking a degree, keeping professional skills updated, or pursuing skills for an interest area or hobby, there is a program or offering that should work.

Why are so many people turning to distance learning? What are its advantages? On a personal level look at such pros as: maintaining privacy; provides convenience; enables a flexible schedule; allows for balancing job and family obligations; working at own pace, going slowly or accelerating learning; can be less expensive; great for homebound individuals; no unnecessary travel; no formal class attendance; and can "learn while you earn." These are a few of the many things that are causing quite a number of people to take an entirely different approach to attaining knowledge/skills and/or earning a degree.

Those who advocate against an alternative of distance learning, often site the lack of socialization which is a part of a traditional type of education. However, not everyone is looking for the classroom activities, college events/parties, and the interactions that are a part of a school campus. Many of the classroom activities such as discussion and support can be achieved online. The other things that an online education will reinforce are: reading - ebooks, up to date references, current research; listening - through audio lectures or clips; seeing- through graphic illustrations and demonstrations; doing - assignments, quizzes, exams, research papers; and speaking/communication - through email, chats, and electronic discussions. A distance learning program can be far more than just reading and writing.

What are the requirements for becoming a part of a distance learning program? Many programs require a minimum of a GED or taking an admissions test. Usually, the process for applying will include: an application; transcripts; test scores; an essay; and letters of recommendation. The less formal the program, the less formal the requirements. There is a wide range in answering this questions. However, what is necessary for an online program is the right computer equipment with the internet connection (high speed), word processing capability; email; and multimedia player. The program you choose will provide more specific details for recommendation about equipment and software.

In choosing a program there some questions to ask as you do your research and make your selection. Ask about the following: help/support is offered; qualifications of the instructors; number of years the institution has provided services; is it an accredited program; details about the curriculum; and multimedia elements of the program. By the way, accreditation is voluntary since there is no officially sanctioned entity in existence. However, most schools considered the six regional accrediting agencies listings to be legitimate agencies. Ask if it is regionally accredited.

The last thing you need to think about is your motivation and work ethic. If you are a good reader (good reading comprehension skills) who doesn’t procrastinate and can avoid distractions, you will be a good candidate for an alternative approach to education. In this age of global education and the need for current knowledge and skills, this is a fast delivery system that will bring all the technological advancement right into your living room instantaneously. It works for more than a million people, and it can work for you.

Visit our Resource Center on Distance Learning at: http://sbmag.org/distancelearning.html

Copyright usage: No permission is needed to reproduce this story. The About the Author statement must remain in tact. We also request notification of where the article is being used so reciprocal links can be considered. mailto:barb@sbmag.org

About the Author
Barbara Snyder is a retired California Distinguished School Principal and Coordinator For Human Resources. She has a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She holds elementary education, secondary, community college, and administrative credentials. She is currently the publisher of http://EducationResourcesNetwork.com, co-publisher of Strictly Business Magazine, http://www.sbmag.org.

ENTERTAINMENT & PUBLIC RELATIONS INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE NOW! "As we celebrate our twentieth (20th) anniversary as one of Hollywood’s most prominent entertainment PR firms, I’m convinced that our intern program continues to be one of the most dynamic in the entire entertainment industry. Since 1983, over 2,200 interns have passed through our doors. We now estimate that over 250 hold prominent jobs within the entertainment industry, having begun their career as an intern in our office." — Michael Levine Prestigious Entertainment Public Relations firm is seeking Interns to assist one of its busy Publicists. This is an unpaid position for dedicated, reliable individuals eager to learn and experience a real work environment and which offers the following:

* Knowledge, experience and opportunity for someone seeking a career in the entertainment or public relations fields.

* College credit in accordance with your educational institution’s policies on internships.

The Levine Communications Internship Program requires a minimum of 15-20 hours per week. Opportunities are what you make them - the more time invested, the more knowledge and experience gained. Duties include working as an assistant to one of the firm’s press agents, doing computer work, information gathering, research, administrative and general office work. Candidate must possess writing and telephone skills and have an obsessive attention to detail.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn about Publicity and Show Business from an accomplished member of the entertainment industry willing to offer general career counseling during the internship period in addition to the experience offered. A desire to explore career positions in PR and/or entertainment is a plus.

ONLY RESPONSIBLE, INTELLIGENT AND DEDICATED PEOPLE NEED APPLY.

This is an Equal Opportunity position.

Positions are available beginning immediately. Interested parties should call Clarissa directly at 310.248.6222, ext. 14, as soon as possible for an interview. INTERNSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE ON A YEAR ROUND BASIS.

Read what LCO interns have to say about their experience: "As a college student who is struggling with my specific direction I can not think of a better way to get hands on experience and gain real knowledge (not out of a textbook) in my field of interest." — Courtney

"I love learning and I feel everyday that I am learning a lot from this firm. I am learning how to adapt to a new and challenging environment. I am glad that we have regularly scheduled intern meetings because I feel it creates an opportunity for a more open dialog with the president of the company." — Kevin

"This internship has given me the opportunity to get an inside look at what a public relations firm is all about and how a successful one runs. I am excited to have this opportunity to work for such a successful company filled with hard working, warm and friendly people making my internship at your company a very positive experience." — C.M.

"Being an intern for Levine Communications is a good educational experience for me. It makes me feel highly valued because I am being given so much more responsibility than ever before. I know for a fact that when I leave here, this experience will have an impact on what I do with my future." — Bernadette

"My time at Levine Communications has been quite rewarding. I am definitely learning the different aspects of the public relations world and how important research is in PR. As a result, my researching skills have improved dramatically." — Laura

Contact LCO for information: 310.248.6222 ext. 14 or email clarissa@levinepr.com

Michael Levine is the founder of the prominent public relations firm Levine Communications Office, based in Los Angeles. He is the author of Guerrilla PR, 7 Life Lessons from Noah’s Ark: How to Survive a Flood in Your Own Life.

GuerrillaPR.net is a resource for people that want to get famous in the media, without going broke. http://GuerrillaPR.net

The problem with student and any small move comes when a small load has to be transported a long way:- For the moving company, the mileage and road time costs are not much less than for moving a whole house…So your quote is unacceptably high.

There are two ways to approach a solution to high cost removals: You could hire a van, (and there are van hire companies that will rent a small van 21 year olds, sometimes one way), or you could look for a removal company with whom you can part load with someone else going the same way.

One way van hire could be particularly attractive if you could then find a partner to split the cost, and get a one way deal, but the problem of finding a qualifying driver may be insurmountable.

So the problem for most student movers is in finding a company who will part load at a good price.

Moving Tips

1) Spend some time phoning around: There is an element of luck in finding a van going your way.

2) Be as flexible as possible with your date - maybe you can organise someone at your destination to receive your property.

3) Try to find your own partner who is also going your way, and approach a removal company with a joint proposition.

Apply common sense to make sure the job is easy to understand and execute for the remover To get the best price it is vital to convince a remover that your assessment can be trusted.

4) Stop and consider the quantity of your removal:- because removals tend to be arranged before you have packed, peoples own estimates are often hazy, usually under assessed, and sometimes the actual job bears little relation to that described.

5) Package and box as much as possible, for speedy loading, protection, easy trolleying, and secure, tidy stacking on the van.

6) Consider any likely impediments to access or delivery (like locked barriers on campus)

7) Offer all the assurances needed about having your things easily accessible and that you will be ready to go before the van arrives.

The author has spent 25 years in various service industries, including the last 8 in the removals sector. His website http://www.student-movers-forum.com is a resource for all small movers. You can find sources of low age van hire, specialist part load removers, packaging, message boards and advice.

It’s no secret that more and more people are looking to the internet for a convenient way to further their education. Online classes are a great way to obtain an accredited college degree from home and continue to work a full time job. Many times a student can attend classes from their computer and schedule those classes around their job. Some schools allow the student to login to a class at their convenience. Imagine taking a class from the comfort of your own home and not having to deal with parking problems, child care, lunch, or transportation expenses.

You can also get an online degree from top, accredited online colleges and online schools that may not be available in your local area. An online education is also a great option for non-traditional students, the handicapped, people in remote areas, and people with a full-time job or a schedule that doesn’t allow for a traditional education.

Distance education can be delivered in several ways. We will examine two of the many ways education can be delivered via the internet.

One of the most common is through live media. In this type of online classroom, students typically login to a chat room type environment that allows not only for text chat but also live audio chat, similar to many of the popular “instant messaging” programs that are widely used today. The lecture can be heard through the computer speakers or through a set of headphones. The students communicate with the teacher and other students by text chat or simply by talking into a PC microphone. The teacher can also allow students to view him/her in a smaller window on the monitor via a webcam. The lecture can also be recorded and posted to the school website to allow students to listen to the lecture and review the material at a later time according to their schedule, and as many times as necessary.

This type of online class makes it necessary to be at the computer at a scheduled time each day.

One advantage to this type of online college classroom environment is the student receives live instruction with structured classes. It is well known that students working within in a structured setting have a higher probability of success of finishing their degree. An obvious disadvantage would be lack of scheduling flexibility.

Another variation of the online classroom setting involves text messages such as email and message boards. Each class may share a group mailbox or a message board system, which becomes the "electronic classroom". The instructor generally posts lectures on the topic of study, posts the assignments, and provides discussion questions related to the topic. The student can view lectures, notes from the instructor and other students, and assigned projects. The student can also post messages or questions to the instructor and other students.

One advantage of this system is 24 hour access to course materials and the ability to work at one’s own pace without regard to scheduling. A disadvantage would be lack of direct contact with the instructor.

In both scenarios students are expected to logon to the class site a certain number of days per week. Students also can contact the instructor via e-mail to ask questions or receive answers. When assignments are due, students send them to the instructor online or by email, where they are graded and returned. Students may also have access to their individual performance reports by logging in to a website where that information is posted. Test may also be taken online. Typically, online classes last five to six weeks.

Although the degree of difficulty is the same for the online classroom as in a traditional setting, the internet has broken down many barriers and is providing educational opportunities for people worldwide that were not previously thought possible.

Tim Arnold has recruited online students for http://www.acit.com and also recruits students via his online college portals at http://www.educationlocation.net/ and http://www.finding-a-college.com.

Distance Learning Makes the Grade

Distance Learning might make all the difference for you between your hole in the wall job and your dream job. Many working professionals have learned that they don’t have to stop working to fulfill their dream of learning more. What do they do? They work on their education at night while still going to work.

Many Students access Education at Night While Working Full-Time

Most people can’t afford to stop work in order to get educated. So how do you learn when you’re still working? How can you educate yourself further? But how can you afford not to go to school when all of your coworkers are working on their educations?

Maybe you’ve tried school but found that it just wouldn’t work with your schedule. Learn what others have about learning via a distance program. Most distance programs offer an asynchronous forum for classrooms. That means that you still have deadlines and weekly (and possibly daily) quotas, you don’t have to be somewhere at the same time as the educator.

Going to school online doesn’t limit you to just a distance university. You can take special classes in a distance education setting that will help you improve your writing, your interview skills, write a better resume, or even learn what you want to do with the rest of your life. If going online doesn’t work for you, consider the many correspondent courses out there that will help you bridge the distances between you and learning. You’ll get access to an educator, who will help guide you, provide you with lectures and notes, and provide you feedback on your work. You’ll find that you’ll learn just as much if not more than you would in a traditional setting.

You owe it to yourself to be your own career builder. Look into what online line educators can provide you. Bridge the distance between you and your future. Take the time to educate yourself about the options you have to learn in a non-traditional setting.

Resource based site to help you change your life, change your career and get a new job!

More articles like this: http://www.get-a-new-job.com

Online Colleges require successful team building

Most online colleges require their students to work together in teams to fulfill their coursework obligations. The University of Phoenix Online, for example, requires weekly participation and discussion questions, 4 to 5 individual assignments, and 3-4 team assignments. Many other online programs have similar requirements. Contrary to a popular myth about going to school online, you won’t be working on your education alone and isolated.

Education professionals often group online students by geographical areas To have a successful experience with your college’s online program, use the following tips when working with your team online:

• Assign team responsibilities. Treat your distance learning assignment just like a work assignment. Have a second in command for most projects just in case the person in charge doesn’t follow through.

• Educators like to receive papers that have “one voice.” Formatting, the outline, even the tone that the paper has should all be worked out before everybody logs off to do their work.

• Work out chat sessions online to help speed through team discussions. Topics in threaded discussion groups online can take a really long time to work their way out since not everybody is online at the same time.

• Plan for the worse online. Set internal deadlines that give you extra time before the assignment is due in case somebody doesn’t carry their weight.

Educators will usually group students by their geographical areas to help with time zones. If your educator is new to the online milieu, suggest that you’d like to be grouped together by time zones.

Resource based site to help you change your career, change your life, and get a new job!

Want to read more? http://www.get-a-new-job.com

If you are studying for an exam or if you need to learn some material for a presentation, you may be wondering how early you should start to study, and how often you should review the material in order to remember it.

Is it best to study large chunks of the information at a time, or should you try to master small bits of it? Should you review the material again the next day? Or is it best to let a few days go by?

Learning experts have proposed several different schedules for reviewing study materials, but the following is one that works well for most people. Try it to see if it works for you, or whether it is more effective to introduce minor changes to the review schedule.

First, study what you can thoroughly learn in a 40-minute period. During this time keep your mind actively engaged in the material by making notes, asking yourself questions about it, speaking out loud, and making learning maps. Then take a five or ten minute break to do something completely different, preferably something which includes physical exercise and deep breathing.

After your ten-minute break, go back and review your original material and your written notes. Review for about five minutes. The next day review the material again for five minutes. A week later review it for five minutes. A month later review it for five minutes.

If you need to remember the information longer, review it for five minutes after two months, and then again after six months.

Your review will be even more successful if you speak your thoughts out loud. You can say a verbal summary out loud to yourself, or you can speak the summary to someone else.

Each time you repeat the same physical action, or review the same study material, there are chemical changes that take place at the synapses between your brain cells, making it easier for the signal to go through the next time you repeat that thought or action. That is why review and repetition help fix acquired skills and knowledge in your brain.

Saying the material out loud, or writing out a few notes again will involve more of your brain cells in the process of remembering.

People who have sustained some brain damage due to advancing age, brain injury, or because of alcohol or drug use may no longer have the ability to easily refresh their knowledge by quickly reviewing material again. These people may have to spend much more time and effort on reviewing material, and still have a lower rate of recall.

For the majority of people however, the above schedule is a time-effective way to keep information easily available to your memory.

This article is taken from the new book by Royane Real titled "How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative" If you would like to know how to improve your learning, download it today or get the paperback version at http://www.lulu.com/real

On March 12, 2005, high school juniors across the country were the first to take the new SAT I test, the standardized testing used in the college admission process. The test is 3 hours and 45 minutes, instead of just 3 hours, and contains a third writing section. So, the new test has three sections: Math, Critical Reading, and Writing, each scored out of 800 points, for a total of 2400 possible points.

To prepare for this test, students must realize that the test has not changed that dramatically and in some ways it is easier with the insidious and ambiguous analogies eliminated from the reading section. The math section is a bit more challenging, but more congruent with 10th and 11th grade math. Students should brush up on math formulas and know how to break down word problems. To be successful in the writing section, know how to write a good thesis that is logical, clear and concise. The thesis does not have to be overly analytic or compelling, but every paragraph has to relate to the thesis. Focus on grammar, which is a big component of the new SAT I test. Know the difference between an adverb and a preposition. Since the essay is handwritten, use print instead of script so that the essay is legible. Be aware that SAT vocabulary words are very important, so know the root words, prefixes and suffixes.

Overall, learn the basic skills in writing, math and vocabulary before taking practice tests. Tutoring is sometimes helpful to provide structure and motivate a student to prepare for the test. The SAT tests do not measure intelligence, they merely measure how well students do on the test and rank them in comparison to other SAT test takers. If the SAT I test is extremely challenging, consider taking the ACT test instead. Most schools will accept the ACT test, but it is a good idea to check with the universities that you are applying to and find out which tests are required for admission. Students should take practice tests in the SAT and ACT to determine which test yields the better result.

For parents, know that students are very anxious about the test and help them in dealing with the pressure. If your child has a learning issue and will benefit from more time, then lobby the school for extended or untimed test taking. Play the SAT vocabulary test with your child at the dinner table or in the car.

Finally, put the test into perspective. While it is certainly a factor for college admissions, it counts about half as much as the rigorousness of a student’s high school curriculum and grades. So, for students who are lackluster test-takers, they should prove themselves academically by taking a challenging course load and working on grades. Colleges are much more interested to know how students perform in the classroom over 4 years, than how they did for 4 hours on a Saturday morning.

Katherie Cohen, Ph.D. is the founder and CEO of IvyWise, a comprehensive educational consulting company. http://www.ivywise.com

Getting into college is a stressful experience for most high school students. However, there are steps that parents can take to help alleviate the stress and make the experience more positive. To begin with, parents should make the process about “you” not “we” when discussing college choices, allowing the student to have a sense of empowerment or independence over the college selection and application process.

Parents should NEVER fill out applications, call schools or schedule appointments for their children with guidance counselors or admissions officers. High School students are quite capable of doing the work necessary for “getting in” to college. Parents should be open to the schools that their children are leaning toward and not fall into the “one school only” trap as the ultimate prize and reward. Always remember that the emphasis is on enjoying the learning experience, not winning. There are over 3,500 colleges in the US and only 200 of them accept fewer than _ of their applicants.

It is less important to push your child towards a prestigious school than it is to focus on the school that provides the proper match for successful learning and a meaningful college experience. Encourage your child to research schools early and make several visits to college campuses. Plan to accompany your child on these visits, but allow your child the freedom to explore and ask questions independently. Be supportive and encourage your child to do mock interviews with other adults to prepare for the college visits.

If possible, begin the college planning process in the 9th grade, so that your child can proceed in “baby steps” instead of at a fast-paced schedule. Parents need to remind their children that there are many colleges and many options and that it is “okay” if students don’t get into their first choice selections.

–Katherine Cohen, President & CEO IvyWise LLC http://www.ivywise.com

Katherie Cohen, Ph.D. is the founder and CEO of IvyWise, http://www.ivywise.com a comprehensive educational consulting company. Dr. Cohen graduated from Brown University in 1989 and continued her studies at Yale University, receiving Masters degrees in 1992 and 1994, and a Ph.D. in 1997. She received certification in College Admissions Counseling from U.C.L.A.

Dr. Cohen is the author of two books on college admissions. The Truth About Getting In, which serves as a detailed manual for approaching the college admissions application process and Rock Hard Apps: How to Write a Killer College Application, which follows three students through the college application process and uses dozens of other real applications to illustrate what’s effective in a college application, and what’s not.