Kaplan Audition

[Wasabi]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone had any creative ideas on what I should teach during my audition at Kaplan this Wednesday!

Thanks a bunch!

Wasabi

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[praying mantis]

I'm auditioning on Tuesday and I think I'm going to make chocolate chip cookies that only need three ingredients. It's simple and quick; it's hard to find something to teach in less than 5 minutes.

 

[Mossjoh]

Wasabi, I have the perfect thing. I'm not going to post it here though, if you want this idea email me. It has to do with the trends in general chemistry like ionization energy, atomic radius, electron affinity, and electronegativity.

Mossjoh

 

[Wasabi]

Mossjoh,

Oops! I guess I forgot to mention that the topic must be non-academic!

Thanks for the suggestion, anyways.

 

[Jessica]

Does the non-academic topic apply to all Kaplan auditions?? I have one this week or next week (have not gotten too many details so far)... We only have to talk for 5 mins??? Does anyone know what else is required?

 

[EW1779]

do a presentation on how to keep from KILLING yourself while completeing the AMCAS web application!!

 

[gobears]

I'm an MCAT teacher for Kaplan right now. When I auditioned, I showed how to make paper airplanes. I've heard of people teaching how to read wine labels and how to make origami.

They just want to see that you're comfortable talking in front of others. Make sure you speak loudly and get the observers to participate somehow. I gave out sheets of paper so that the observers could follow along as I made the paper airplane.

Good luck!

 

[gobears]

Hey Wasabi, which Kaplan center are you auditioning for? I see you're from Chicago. Maybe I'll be working with you.

 

[Yogi Bear]

show them some magic tricks..hehe i remember there's one trick where some magician rubs two rubber bands together (they're placed on thumb and index fingers, and the guy would rub them back and forth, and pull both apart so that they rubber band looks like they're still two diff. rubber bands), and after awhile, they fuse or soemthing and get separated. i dunno how to describe it. anyone ever seen this trick b4?

 

[Wasabi]

Hey guys, thanks for all your wonderful responses. I just looked over the schedules for the two courses I am planning to teach, the MCAT and the DAT, and noticed that the location I'm auditioning at has only one MCAT course and one DAT course that starts June 2002. My question is can I teach at other locations or am I only limited to the courses at this center?

 

[Wasabi]

Originally posted by gobears:
•Hey Wasabi, which Kaplan center are you auditioning for? I see you're from Chicago. Maybe I'll be working with you.•

I signed up for the Highland Park Kaplan center.

 

[USeF]

Congrats on getting the audition. I was going to do something standard that had visual props (like the making cookies, paper items etc.) than I was discussing the stigma of punk rock kids with my roomate at the time [we both go to 10+ punk rock concerts/year] and decided to explain punk rock culture and how to enjoy a punk rock show. The guy thought it was awesome, and we started talking about his punk rock roomate in college.

The key I've found with auditions (from speaking with other instructors at Kaplan) is to include an intro, get the 'class to participate' by asking Q's and have a closing. If you have those three and you speak with some confidence, you're in.

Welcome to Kaplan Instructor Land
May the Wasabi be with you

 

[csgirl]

Would anyone who is a Kaplan instructer please share their MCAT scores? Please? Thanks.

 

[phd2b]

Teach them the correct method to tie a neck-tie! I did this once, it lasted 5 minutes, and I went over 4 knots! They loved it!

Pass out outrageous neckties for them to practice with!

Just an idea...

 

[baylor06]

Originally posted by csgirl:
•Would anyone who is a Kaplan instructer please share their MCAT scores? Please? Thanks. •

Most of the centers (I'm an instructor in SoCal) want your scores to be in the 90th or above percentile.

If you have those scores and make it past the initial audition, you can still be cut in the 5 session instructor training class. They usually cut you at the end of the fourth session. If you do your prep work and present well this is not an issue.

My MCAT instructor had a 33 and a 10 on the verbal so he did not teach the verbal section of my class. So it's always possible to teach selected portions of the course instead of all sections. Hope this helps.

 

[gobears]

Hey Wasabi, I teach at the Highland Park Center too. Right now, I'm teaching MCATs at Northwestern (it's through the Highland Park Center). I'm sure I'll run into you eventually. The Highland Park Center really needs teachers, so they'll probably hire you no matter what. No worries.

CSGirl, when I taught over the summer, there were 3 of us. We all got 37's or 38's.

 

[ckent]

I auditioned but wasn't accepted, they must not have been wowed by my presentation on retirement planning, it's very difficult to present on something you know very little about with five minutes of preparation...

 

[USeF]

I met the bare requirements to teach: over a 30 (31) and 11+ (11P, 11B) on the section you are teaching which as stated above, 11 covers 90%.

My key was extensive teaching/tutoring background in math and chem. They were also desperate for teachers as it was May and a couple med students that were teaching were off to residencies. They also liked that I didn't take a prep course, which probably made me 'coachable' to their way of thinking. Not really sure how significant that is. Oh yeah, made a kiss ass comment when ever asked why Kaplan "after I took the MCAT, I realized how many great strategies there were in the Kaplan books I missed out on that could've improved my score, so I'd like to help the others that come through here get those points!"

 

[gobears]

Hey Wasabi, the Highland Park Kaplan Center doesn't like to split up the sections with different teachers. They want one teacher to teach Chem, Phys, Orgo, Bio, Verbal, and Writing. Just to let you know.

Good luck!

 

[Wasabi]

Hey gobears,

Today I decided to teach my group how to make sushi! No surprise to anyone at SDN, but I didn't include the *wasabi* this time because I was afraid that it may be too intense for some. Anyways, I did get accepted and I'll be teaching the MCAT/DAT courses very soon.

Thanks for the advice everyone!