'There's a lot of tasks that can be done by any': Findings from an ethnographic study into work and organisation in UK community crisis resolution and home treatment services

Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine

Health: is a broad ranging, interdisciplinary, peer reviewed journal related to health and the social sciences. Focusing on the changing place of health matters in modern society, the journal continues to provide an international forum for original articles and review essays from around the world. It offers the breadth of outlook required by sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, and cultural theorists who are addressing problems that cross disciplinary boundaries.

This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

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Rate of ageing may be determined in the womb and linked to birthweight, study reveals

Scientists have found that key metabolites in blood – chemical ‘fingerprints’ left behind as a result of early molecular changes before birth or in infancy – could provide clues to a person’s long-term overall health and rate of ageing in later life.

Published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology, the study of twins led by King’s College London highlights how a technique called metabolomic profiling has revealed a collection of 22 metabolites linked to ageing. One of these, linked to ageing traits such as lung function and bone mineral density, is also strongly associated with birthweight – a well-known developmental determinant of healthy ageing.

This finding suggests that levels of this novel metabolite, which may be determined in the womb and affected by nutrition during development, could reflect accelerated ageing in later adult life.

Scientists say the findings show it is possible that these markers of ageing can be identified with simple blood tests in the future, which may provide further clues to the ageing process and could pave the way for development of therapies to treat age-related conditions.

Professor Tim Spector, Head of the Department of Twin Research at King’s College London, said:  ‘Scientists have known for a long time that a person’s weight at the time of birth is an important determinant of health in middle and old age, and that people with low birthweight are more susceptible to age related diseases. So far the molecular mechanisms that link low birthweight to health or disease in old age had remained elusive, but this discovery has revealed one of the molecular pathways involved.’

Funded by the European Commission, Researchers from the Department of Twin Research at King’s carried out metabolomic profiling – the study of metabolites that specific cellular processes or changes leave behind in the blood. Analysing blood samples donated by over 6,000 twins, they identified 22 metabolites directly linked to chronological age – the concentrations of the metabolites were higher in older people than in younger people.

One particular metabolite – C-glyTrp – is associated with a range of age-related traits such as lung function, bone mineral density, cholesterol and blood pressure. Its role in ageing is completely novel.

Crucially, researchers found it was also associated with lower weight at birth when they compared the birth weights of identical twins. 

To explore the link between birthweight and the metabolite, the researchers showed via genetic tests that the gene influencing the levels could be modified epigenetically (whereby genes are switched on or off by chemical switches triggered by the person’s environment or lifestyle).  These epigenetic changes may then influence metabolism during a person’s lifetime, which in turn influences their risk of age-related diseases.

Ana Valdes, lead researcher from King’s, said: ‘Human ageing is a process influenced by genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors, but genes only explain a part of the story. Molecular changes that influence how we age over time are triggered by epigenetic changes. This study has for the first time used analysis of blood and epigenetic changes to identify a novel metabolite that has a link to birthweight and rate of ageing.

‘This unique metabolite, which is related to age and age related diseases, was different in genetically identical twins that had very different weight at birth. This shows us that birthweight affects a molecular mechanism that alters this metabolite. This may help us understand how lower nutrition in the womb alters molecular pathways that result in faster ageing and a higher risk of age-related diseases fifty years later.

‘Understanding the molecular pathways involved in the ageing process could ultimately pave the way for future therapies to treat age-related conditions. As these 22 metabolites linked to ageing are detectable in the blood, we can now predict actual age from a blood sample pretty accurately and in the future this can be refined to potentially identify future rapid biological ageing in individuals.’

For further information or a copy of the paper please contact Emma Reynolds, PR Manager (Health) at King’s College London, on 0207 848 4334 or email emma.reynolds@kcl.ac.uk

For further information about King’s visit our 'King’s in Brief' page.

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Landmark breast cancer study

A new study could revolutionise the way women with breast cancer will be diagnosed and treated in the future by reclassifying the disease into 10 completely new categories based on the tumour’s genetic ‘fingerprint’.

The study suggests that doctors could one day predict survival more accurately based on these new categories or subtypes, and better tailor treatment to the individual patient.

The research, published in the journal Nature is the largest global gene study of breast cancer tissue ever performed – the culmination of decades of research into the disease.

Researchers from the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit at King’s College London were part of an international collaboration that gathered, and then analysed, the DNA and RNA of 2,000 tumour samples taken from women diagnosed with breast cancer between five and ten years ago.

The scientists classified breast cancer into at least 10 subtypes grouped by common genetic features that correlate with survival – this new classification could change the way drugs are tailored to treat women with breast cancer.

The team discovered several completely new breast cancer genes that drive the disease – these are all potential targets for the development of new types of drugs. This information will be available to scientists worldwide to boost drug discovery and development. 

The study reveals the relationship between these genes and known cell signalling pathways (the messaging networks that control cell growth and division) – this could pinpoint how these gene faults cause cancer by disrupting important cell processes. 

Prof Arnie Purushotham, a co-author of the paper from King’s, said:  ‘This is a huge step forward towards personalising the diagnosis and care of individual patients. In the future we’ll be able to diagnosis exactly which type of breast cancer a woman – and occasionally a man – has, and which types of drugs will work best.’

The next stage is to discover how tumours in each subgroup behave, for example how quickly they grow or spread. More research in the laboratory and in patients is needed to confirm the most effective treatment plan for each of the 10 types of breast cancer.

For further information please contact Emma Reynolds, Press Officer at King’s College London, on 0207 848 4334 or email emma.reynolds@kcl.ac.uk.

For more information about King’s see our ‘King’s in Brief’ page.

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New TB treatment study

A microscope

A team of researchers, led by Professor Juraj Ivanyi at King’s, have identified potential new means to treat tuberculosis (TB). 

They have developed a monoclonal antibody which was found to offer protection against tuberculosis infection in experimental models when combined with interferon, a modulator of the immune system.

The study was carried out by researchers from King’s College London, University of Dundee, and St George’s, University of London, and the findings were published in the most recent edition of Journal of Immunology.

TB remains a recognised global emergency, claiming around two million lives across the world each year, and 2010 saw the largest number of new cases of TB in the UK for over a decade.

Approximately one-third of the world's population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for this huge public health problem. Unfortunately, the BCG vaccine used in some countries does not protect against disease in all adults, and drugs need to be delivered for several months.

The problem has been compounded by a dramatic rise in TB strains displaying multiple drug resistance. As a result, new ways to prevent and control tuberculosis are urgently required, and the strategy developed by the London/Dundee teams paves the way toward a previously unexplored form of treatment.

With a team of collaborators, Dr Sucharitha Balu in Professor Ivanyi’s team at King’s produced the human monoclonal antibody, which is of the IgA type and can specifically recognise Mycobacterium tuberculosis. IgA antibodies are proteins normally used by the immune system to identify and neutralise foreign microbes like bacteria and viruses within the lungs and intestinal tract.

The human monoclonal antibody generated in the research is a homogeneous antibody preparation with the capability to specifically attach to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium and trigger immune processes that prevent bacterial growth. Although human monoclonal antibodies are widely used to treat various forms of cancer and inflammatory disorders, this is the first demonstration that they might have applicability against tuberculosis.

Dr Woof from the University of Dundee explained the need to develop new treatments and vaccines for TB, and the potential to develop this research further. 'The number of cases of TB remains very high, and so this is clearly a major problem,' she said. 'Across the world, there are millions of people falling victim to infectious diseases such as TB, so the implications of this research could be considerable'. 

'Antibodies exist as five different types in humans, with those of the IgG type already being used in some clinical treatments. Antibodies of the IgA type are slightly different. They possess properties that we believe may be important in governing how this IgA antibody works against TB infection'.

The study, funded in part by the Wellcome Trust and the Dunhill Medical Trust, was the result of a productive collaboration with each team bringing a different sphere of expertise. Professor Juraj Ivanyi at King’s is an international expert in tuberculosis research, while Dr Woof's team in Dundee brought experience in human IgA antibodies. Dr Reljic at St George’s has expertise and special facilities for experimental models of TB infection.

Several years of previous research by Professor Ivanyi, Dr Reljic and their collaborators at the HPA Salisbury and Palermo, Italy provided general ‘proof of concept’ for this sort of approach, while this study opens the road for translating it toward human application.

Professor Ivanyi is based at the Dental Institute at King’s, which has a long history of pioneering research into mucosal immunology and vaccines. He said: 'This study brings us much closer to finding new ways to treat tuberculosis, although further research is needed before we can begin to trial this approach in patients.

'I am excited about where this project can lead us in terms of potential new treatments for this devastating disease.'

Notes to editors

King's College London

King's College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (2010 QS international world rankings), The Sunday Times 'University of the Year 2010/11' and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has nearly 23,000 students (of whom more than 8,600 are graduate students) from nearly 140 countries, and some 5,500 employees. King's is in the second phase of a £1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate.

King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £450 million.

King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing and dentistry) and social sciences including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones and radar. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe; no university has more Medical Research Council Centres.

King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are part of King's Health Partners. King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering global collaboration between one of the world's leading research-led universities and three of London's most successful NHS Foundation Trusts, including leading teaching hospitals and comprehensive mental health services. For more information, visit: www.kingshealthpartners.org

For further information please contact Emma Reynolds, Press Officer at King’s College London, on 0207 848 4334 or email emma.reynolds@kcl.ac.uk

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Study India 2012

Rt Hon David Willetts MP and Tayyeb Shah during the panel discussion

King's celebrates end of 2012 UKIERI Study India Programme

The Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science, hosted a celebration event in London last week to formally close this year’s UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) Study India Programme. The programme, managed by King’s College London since it began in 2009, has played a vital role in strengthening mutual understanding between India and the UK by giving British students the opportunity to study and work in India. So far over 700 students from King’s and other UK universities have travelled on the unique scholarship programme to Delhi and Mumbai, with over 70 percent of this year’s group keen to go back to India to pursue career opportunities.
David Willetts welcomed a panel of delegates from UKIERI, King’s and other key stakeholders – Tata Consultancy Services, the Indian High Commission, the universities of Mumbai and Delhi – to the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to celebrate the success of the programme. The panel was joined by students from this year’s programme who had the opportunity to engage in a discussion about future opportunities in the field of Indo-British education.
The Minister congratulated students and organizers on the highly successful project and underlined the importance of such innovative ways of improving student mobility to India. This year 102 internship opportunities were provided by Tata Consultancy Services and other Tata companies as part of the initiative, an engagement for which BIS paid particular acknowledgment.
In a series of inspiring talks, alumni students spoke about of their experiences of India and their life-changing impact.
Charlotte Buchanan introduced the audience to the India-Britain Youth Organisation, an initiative she co-founded as a consequence of Study India to strengthen mutual understanding between young people in India and Britain. King’s students Chloe Mclauchlan and Alexander Mayhew spoke on behalf of Project Chirag – a charity working to bring solar power to Indian villages. Elliot Bromley and Mofozzul Choudhury summarized in moving words the positive impact their visits to schools in India and the UK had upon the pupils and themselves. The programme now includes a school outreach project which has already reached over 2,500 school pupils, through workshops delivered by Study India students.
The event this week comes after a lively celebration at the British Council in Delhi earlier this term which marked the end of the students’ time in India.
Professor Rick Trainor, Principal of King’s College London, who attended the event as part of the King’s delegation visit to India said: ‘The Study India Programme is imbued with the notion of global citizenship – students get to understand India and more broadly the world in which India is becoming ever more important. I hope many of you will build on your experiences in India and relationships you have made here as part of your future careers.’

King’s staff and students from the Study India Programme celebrate in Delhi

Rob Lynes, Director of the British Council in India, addressed the students in Delhi saying: ‘All of you here, from both India and the UK, are the future workforce. Your experience, shared expertise, networks and resources will build stronger ties between India and the UK and help make both our countries more prosperous and secure.’
He added: ‘Around a quarter of a million students from India have studied in the UK over the last 10 years, yet there are probably less than 10,000 from the UK who have studied here in the same period. If we are really serious in the UK about understanding India in the 21st century, then the challenge is to get thousands of students, like you, from the UK to India, encourage more private sector support, and engage more universities both in India and the UK in this programme and others. If we can do that, then we will really make a difference.’
Tayyeb Shah, Director of Executive Education at King’s, said: ‘King’s is proud to be managing the Study India Programme for UKIERI and playing our part in introducing UK students to living and working in another culture. Education in the 21st century must not be limited by national boundaries – as the world is now globalised, our students benefit much more from learning with their peers in India. India is such a vibrant country and this outstanding programme is a life-changing experience for anyone who takes part.’
For further information, please contact Katherine Barnes, International PR Manager, King's College London on +44 (0) 207 848 3076 or email katherine.barnes@kcl.ac.uk

Find out more about the UKIERI Study India Programme. 

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£2.1 million for kidney transplant study

MRI scan of kidney

The MRC Centre for Transplantation has been awarded a £2.1 million grant from the Medical Research Council (MRC), to fund a three year clinical study into the efficacy of the drug Mirococept in renal transplantation. 

Last year, the team at King’s announced that it had developed a technique to extend the life of a donor kidney; this involves perfusing the organ in a solution of Mirococept during the transfer from the donor to the recipient. Mirococept is engineered to stick within the organ during this process. The drug limits the action of a part of the immune system, known as the ‘complement’ system, which would normally attack and attempt to destroy cells from any intruder organism, including the cells of a donor organ. This is the first major clinical investigation into the usefulness of therapeutic regulation of the complement system in human renal transplantation using this approach, which could ultimately lead to extending the life of kidney transplants.  Professor Steven Sacks, director of the Centre, said: ‘The MRC has made it possible for us to try a completely new approach to protect donor kidneys at the time of transplantation, offering better prospect for a successful kidney treatment.’ King's College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (2010 QS international world rankings), The Sunday Times 'University of the Year 2010/11' and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has nearly 23,000 students (of whom more than 8,600 are graduate students) from nearly 140 countries, and some 5,500 employees. King's is in the second phase of a £1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate.  King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £450 million.  King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing and dentistry) and social sciences including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones and radar. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe; no university has more Medical Research Council Centres.  King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are part of King's Health Partners. King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering global collaboration between one of the world's leading research-led universities and three of London's most successful NHS Foundation Trusts, including leading teaching hospitals and comprehensive mental health services. For more information, visit: http://www.kingshealthpartners.org/.  For further information please contact Emma Reynolds, Press Officer at King’s College London, on 0207 848 4334 or email emma.reynolds@kcl.ac.uk

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New Study Rates U.S. News Business School Rankings

A recent study found that U.S. News has the most stable business school rankings, compared with the Financial Times and Businessweek.

Which business school rankings are the most reliable and valid? According to a scholarly article, it's the U.S. News & World Report Best Business Schools rankings, published as part of our Best Graduate Schools rankings.

In the article in the June 20 edition of the Journal of Marketing Education, "A Psychometric Assessment of the Businessweek, U.S. News & World Report and Financial Times Rankings of Business Schools' MBA Programs," Dawn Iacobucci examines the three major full-time MBA rankings.

This peer-reviewed article joins a rapidly expanding body of academic literature that take a scholarly, analytical approach to the study of academic rankings and their impact.

The Vanderbilt University professor favors U.S. News largely because she believes our Best Business Schools rankings have shown greater reliability over the years and have greater validity in terms of objectivity.

In an email, Iacobucci wrote, "I would look at U.S. News as a result of this research partly due to objectivity of the measures and components that go into the ranking. It would also be extremely difficult to game U.S. News. The Financial Times is pitched to favor the more international schools, and the Businessweek student poll has a good deal of variability to it. You don't want to see schools slipping up and down and all over the place. If there is that much variance, what good can there possibly be to the ranking?"

The study measured whether the salaries earned by MBA graduates were influenced by the rankings by looking at the monetary differences students earned by going to higher-ranked schools in the three different rankings.

U.S. News did significantly better on this measure. The analysis found that students who attended business schools that ranked higher in the U.S. News rankings earned larger salaries.

For each higher U.S. News rank, a school's graduates earned $908.03 more in yearly salary, on average, at their first jobs following business school for the most recent year of data.

Every rank improvement for a school in the Financial Times rankings translated to, on average, $377.58 more, and in the Businessweek rankings, $605.27 more.

The paper evaluated the consistency and reliability of the overall rankings by looking at how schools' ranks had changed over time, starting by looking at all the b-school rankings of each publisher from the time each of the three rankings were first published.

The study concluded that "comparing across media, we see that Businessweek varied quite a bit over its first 15 years or so (e.g., the formulae may have been changing, school sampling may have undergone changes, etc.), and it has become stable since approximately 2004. On this criterion, we can laud the U.S. News as yielding the most stable results, year to year, even from its inception. The Financial Times results are stable as well."

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Pack Traits, Not Possessions to Study at a U.S. College

Take advantage of your time as an international student by bonding with classmates and opening yourself up to new ideas and experiences.

Packing your life into two suitcases is no easy task. You will never realize the full number of possessions you own until you try to select the most essential items. What will you truly need to make it through a year as an international student?

When I first moved to the U.S. in 2007, I had no clue. I ended up with bags stuffed mostly with clothes.

I did not realize until later that there were a few far more important things I should have thought about before I boarded the plane in Copenhagen destined for Atlanta.

The following are a few things international students bound for a U.S. college should take with them.

1. An open mind: From watching movies and TV shows, reading papers and magazines, playing video games and listening to music you probably think that you have a fairly good idea of how America functions. But don't cling to your preconceived notions.

Chances are that your perception is far from reality, which you will realize rather quickly if you enter each situation and conversation with curiosity and make an effort to see the world through the eyes of your American peers.

After all, you are in their country. Let them show you how it works before you start questioning it.

[Prepare to meet your American college roommate.]

2. Courage to befriend students of other nationalities: When social dilemmas occur – and believe me, they will – sticking with your countrymen will always be the easy way out. This happens frequently at colleges with large cohorts of international students from the same countries.

Choosing to spend time with your countrymen over others is not a bad thing, but it defeats part of the purpose of studying abroad.

Americans are outgoing and tend to befriend you whether you want to or not. Respond with a similar openness, and before you know it you could end up at someone's house for Thanksgiving dinner or a football watch party.

Foreign students of different nationalities also have a tendency to bond because they have all been thrown into an unfamiliar environment. Some of the strongest friendships I have made in the past six years are not with Americans, but South Africans, Croatians and Israelis.

3. Willingness to work hard: America was built on the idea that anyone willing to work hard can be successful. Despite what news headlines or skeptics may tell you, that still stands.

But Americans not only work hard, but also spot hard workers with potential and give them the chance to develop further. Athletic and academic scholarships are excellent examples.

Don't shy away from the daily grind, because persistent work that yields great results rarely goes unnoticed and can open up opportunities you have only dreamed about.

I'm writing this at the Brussels office of the news agency Reuters. I ended up there for a summer internship after less than one year as a journalism student, simply because the right person noticed my work.

4. Knowledge that you made the right choice: I spent a good number of sleepless nights my freshman year looking at my friends' Facebook pictures, wondering if training 20 hours per week in the South Carolina countryside as a swimmer really was the best choice I could have made.

When I returned home the next summer and traded stories with my friends, I quickly realized that most of them envied my opportunities. The same thing will happen for you.

Most people never make it to the U.S. You are lucky to have done so.

[Learn the do's and don'ts of packing for a U.S. college.]

5. Willingness to learn football and baseball: Americans love their sports. No matter how much you try to explain the charm of soccer, rugby, tennis or volleyball, they will continue to throw around the egg-shaped football and play catch with the small, white baseballs and large leather gloves.

Make an effort to understand the rules of the game, and you will quickly get the chance to impress your American peers. Doing so will also make viewing parties far more enjoyable.

This list does not include any physical items, for one simple reason: You are going to the U.S. You can buy anything there.

Anders Melin, from Sweden, is a former collegiate swimmer for Limestone College and the University of Missouri, where he earned an undergraduate degree in finance. He is now pursuing a master's degree in journalism at New York University.

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Jump-start SAT and ACT Study Plans With Free Apps

Built-in competition via social media is one way students can benefit from SAT or ACT prep apps.

Preparing for college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT can be a lonely, time-consuming process. While there's no substitute for sitting down with a practice test or study guide, tablets and smartphones offer plenty of ways to study on the go and – in some cases – to connect and compete with other test-takers.

There's no shortage of test preparation apps on the market, but the four listed below offer unique and highly effective ways to augment your existing study routine. These apps go the extra mile to make it easy for you to keep review sessions fresh and learn from your mistakes.

[Follow a summer study plan to maximize SAT preparation.]

1. ACT Question of the Day: Available for Android users, ACT Question of the Day presents a daily question for both the mathematics and verbal section of the exam. It also provides a short explanation of the correct answer, which can be useful for improving future results. Although these explanations are short, they aim to provide the user with useful bits of information that ease memory recall.

The ACT Question of the Day is the perfect way to get in a quick review session during your commute. If you need a little more practice, the app will randomize questions from the last 30 days for you to practice.

[Follow these six tips for ACT success.]

2. ACTStudent: This is the official app for ACT test takers, and is available for iOS users. Students can use this app to register for tests, view past scores and practice four of the five sections on the exam.

Like ACT Question of the Day, ACTStudent explains the reasoning behind the correct answer, as well as how to reach it. While the app includes science questions – a rarity in the app world – it does not offer practice for the writing section of the exam.

3. SATLadder: One of the best ways to prepare for the SAT is to compete against fellow students. SATLadder is available to iOS users and tests critical reading, mathematics and writing. Head-to-head competitions allow you to challenge friends or strangers to climb the ladder with correct answers.

But this app is not all about play. SATLadder stores answered questions for later review, and allows users to earn points to unlock explanations for the challenges that troubled them. SATLadder is an excellent option for students who are motivated by a little competition.

4. SAT Up: SAT Up integrates social media elements into the study experience. By completing banks of questions, users can earn achievement badges such as "See the Light," awarded for 10 correct responses, and allow SAT Up to predict SAT scores.

[See how teachers are incorporating online tools into classrooms.]

The iOS app uses this information to personalize suggestions for future practice areas and provide data about where scores fall relative to those of other users. SAT Up can even set daily reminders for you to review test material. Its longer test sections means the app isn't engineered for studying between classes or on the bus, but it's powerful and fun nonetheless.

If you are glued to that mobile device of yours most of the time anyway, make better use of your technology and start studying with simple and free test prep apps.

Caroline Duda is a professional SAT tutor with Varsity Tutors. She earned a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor's degree from Saint Lawrence University.

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Follow a Summer Study Plan to Maximize SAT Preparation

Reading literature is a natural way to broaden vocabulary and improve SAT results.

October's changing leaves and SAT dates might seem far away in these early summer days, but the weeks and months speed by quickly. For students planning to take the October SAT, summer offers an opportunity for a slow and steady approach to test preparation.

The following summer SAT study guide provides students with a plan to make the most of the summer months.

1. Organize a study plan: A roughly 12-week summer study plan allows students to retain a lot of material. Because of that extra time, a plan should be tailored to the student's strengths and challenges with SAT topics. The best way to assess the focus of a study plan is to first take a practice exam.

Before the Fourth of July, students should take a timed practice exam in a test environment. Students should score the exam using three colors to identify the areas where they experienced low, middle and high levels of difficulty.

[Understand these common misconceptions about standardized tests.]

The next step is to note the following three tasks on an easily visible calendar, and carry them out for the first five weeks of study:

• Three days per week, take partial, timed exams focusing on your most challenging sections.

• Two days per week, practice untimed questions in your midlevel areas.

• Practice your strong areas for 30-60 minutes a day in fun ways.

Over the course of five weeks, use the colors from the previous timed exam to note which types of questions shifted from high to medium to low levels of difficulty.

Summer is also your opportunity to master two important tricks and skills for the SAT. First, memorize the top SAT vocabulary words, such as the top 200 words on Quizlet. Second, learn to simplify math problems with the plug-in method. This strategy involves inserting a number to get a value when math problems mention integers such as "x" or "y."

A great deal of success on the SAT is not only knowing the materials, but knowing how to take the test. Techniques like the plug-in method for SAT math mastery take time to learn – something summer study provides. More information on test-taking techniques is available through online sources and books.

2. Take SAT study on summer adventures: SAT prep is very portable, and it can be fun. Gather up some crossword and Sudoku puzzles, a beach or hiking blanket and enjoy the summer weather while you study.

Puzzles require the key skill of creative critical thinking, which helps keep a student's mind nimble while also stepping outside the SAT format.

Excerpts of internationally recognized journal articles and early 20th-century literature make for great on-the-go summer study sessions. Reading Scientific American or a short story by James Joyce might not be the same as following the Kardashians on Twitter, but it helps students develop an ease with sophisticated writing, which can increase reading comprehension and vocabulary.

[Check out the debate over the best summer reading titles.]

Social studying plans heighten morale, so invite others to join your study plan. Play Scrabble to boost on-demand vocabulary skills. Have friends challenge you with math or grammar flashcards.

3. Gear up for game day: Around week six, students should take a second timed exam and capitalize on their improvements. Note how much of the exam you completed when time expired. Score the exam, but also finish the rest of the questions untimed. Adjust your study calendar and spend less time practicing items that have become easy.

From weeks seven to 10, practice by taking two sections per week under timed conditions in your remaining high-challenge areas, one per week in midlevel areas and one untimed practice session in low-challenge areas. Make sure also to include one entire timed essay section each week, even if the essay poses a low level of difficulty.

Around the end of August, consider signing up for SAT tutoring for help with any continuing trouble spots. Even one or two sessions can help open up creative solutions for studying roadblocks on a given section.

[Explore how more students are taking the SAT for free.]

During the last two weeks of September, adjust your study calendar to accommodate three timed exams. Just like any activity that requires conditioning for success, SAT prep includes building the stamina it takes to sit for almost four hours.

The more frequently students experience test-like conditions, the more agile they will be on test day. Mimic those conditions by taking the test at any location that will challenge your concentration and help you refine your focus.

Starting SAT prep now will help you take a deliberate approach and avoid scrambling to prepare during the school year. Those puzzle-beach-blanket days will be worth it in the end.

DeAnna Rivera is a professional tutor with Varsity Tutors. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from the State University of New York — Stony Brook and a J.D. from the University of Arizona.

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Argentina Student Creates Video of Study Abroad Experience

Sohee Cha, a University of Pennsylvania student who attended our Argentine Universities Program in Buenos Aires, created a video of her experiences in Argentina. The video is posted on YouTube. Sohee was also one of our IFSA-Butler Ambassadors. Great work, Sohee!

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Course Registration | Sharjah Study Abroad | IFSA-Butler

Course Registration | Sharjah Study Abroad | IFSA-Butler Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Sharjah, UAE Study Abroad Orientation and Excursions | IFSA-Butler

Arrival and orientation

Airport pick-up10-day on-site orientation: Includes transportation, accommodation, activities and most mealsIntensive language classes to give students everyday language skillsWelcome meal

Other activities and events coming soon!

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Sharjah, UAE Study Abroad Program Dates and Fees | IFSA-Butler

See individual program pages for program dates!

Below are links to our fees for all programs in the United Arab Emirates. You can also visit program pages for individual program dates and fees.

Spring semester fees are available online around October 1. Fall semester and academic year fees are available around April 1.

Fall semester 2013

Academic year 2013

Spring semester 2013

What's included in our Sharjah, UAE program fees

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Travel Information Form | Sharjah Study Abroad | IFSA-Butler

Travel Information Form | Sharjah Study Abroad | IFSA-Butler Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Study in Sharjah, UAE | IFSA-Butler

Combine the atmosphere of a modern, growing emirate with one of the Arab world's cultural centers, and you'll find yourself in Sharjah. As one of the seven territories that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sharjah is an oil-rich kingdom and a perfect choice for the student who seeks a unique and traditional but stable study abroad destination.

Despite its wealth and 21st century conveniences, Sharjah proudly bears a reputation as a guardian of Arab tradition. Known as the cultural center of the UAE and once named the UNESCO Cultural Capital of the Arab World, Sharjah is rich in museums, historical centers, exquisite mosques and souks (markets) that reflect centuries-old Arab architecture, history and customs.

More conservative than nearby Dubai, Sharjah offers a traditional Middle East study abroad experience in a comfortable, academically enriching atmosphere. You can join locals in cheering on local cricket and soccer sports teams or enjoy the stunning views of the Persian Gulf along Sharjah's many beaches, while also soaking up traditional Arab culture. Because of its status as an Arab culture center, Sharjah is also an ideal location for learning or improving your skills in the Arabic language.

Our Sharjah, UAE program offers study at the American University of Sharjah, a well-regarded university with an American structure and Middle Eastern outlook. Its students come from nearly 50 different nations, and all contribute to a friendly, multicultural atmosphere. Top-notch curriculum and an unparalleled cultural experience are awaiting your discovery in Sharjah.

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