Pathogens free essay sample

Analyse Barry Turners ideas on Pathogens and critically evaluate how pathogens could lead to a large scale disaster. In your discussion you are encouraged to investigate the thoughts of other leading authors on root cause analysis and how these compare and contrast to Turner’s ideas. (2996 words, including diagrams). In the course of this paper I will assess Barry Turner’s ideas on pathogens in his manmade disaster model, whilst evaluating its practical relevance compared to root cause analysis, using historical events to provide context and support my conclusions. Much of our contemporary basis for disasters having a social, as well as technical origin was precipitated by the ‘man-made disaster model’ of Barry Turner (Turner, 1978; Turner, 1994; Turner and Pidgeon, 1997). His work stipulated the presence of a social factor inherent in accidents, generally due to the complex nature of their harboring systems. This work has since been built upon in both US and European contexts (Vaughan, 1990; Toft and Reynolds, 1997), two of such developments being Perrow’s (1984) normal accident theory and Reason’s (1990) Swiss cheese model. We will write a custom essay sample on Pathogens or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This body of literature and its subjective approach to identifying risks are often said to adopt a ‘socio-technical’ systems view. Crucially this lens of system design and management recognises the need to broadly consider both the technical and social factors at play in disasters (Cherns, 1987), in contrast to objective methods which are deemed to overlook the ‘socio’ element. As such, those concerned with maintaining control within their organisation must consider three channels of control: both managerial and administrative as well as technical (? gure 1). (? ure 1) Essential to the socio-technical framework is recognition that conditions for disaster do not arise overnight but instead â€Å"accumulate over a period of time† during an incubation period (Turner and Pidgeon, 1997, p. 72). In this time a con? uence of preconditions known as Pathogens interact with one another. It is important to now highlight two distinct features of socio-technical a nalysis. Firstly, it is the accumulation and interaction of such pathogens which foster disaster, when each independently is unlikely to result in a similarly extreme outcome. Secondly and of similar importance is the axiom that disasters are a â€Å"signi? cant disruption or collapse of the existing cultural beliefs and norms about hazards† (Pidgeon and O’Leary, 2000, p. 16). Synthesising these two points then, such incubation periods occur when a series of small events, discrepant with the existing organisational norms occur and accumulate unnoticed. Disasters are then precipitated by a trigger event, which, in light of the build up of pathogens to a critical level leads to a catastrophe. In his paper, Turner (1994) identi? s two distinct trends which can be seen as symptomatic of pathogen build up in complex systems; sloppy management and unsound system design, both of which we will now explore. Within the umbrella issue of poor management I have collected Turner’s thoughts and identi? ed speci? c precondition enablers. Fore-mostly is the issue of information mis-use, but speci? cally information asymmetries. Such asymmetries might arise when individuals throughout the hierarchy fail to pass on and reveal information, whether deliberately or otherwise, whilst often the information is mistakenly passed to those who cannot effectively use it. Importantly, there are also cases of deliberate disregard for information as we will see shortly. Signi? cantly this information issue is enhanced as often it cannot be readily identi? ed. Agents operating within the environment believe it is normal and acceptable for such a ‘degraded state’ to prevail (Weir, 1991). If this is the case, it precludes the possibility of pre-condition neutralisation, as it becomes impossible to recognise the behavior as divergent, as it is no longer discrepant with the organisational norm. Turner (1994) goes on to postulate that an ef? ient operating state of information cannot in-fact exist, as the balance it calls for is impossible to reach. Surely, whilst too little information fosters the so called ‘degraded environment’, we could envisage that too much information would result in equal, if not greater inef? ciencies due to a saturated environment underpinned by the bounded rationality of agents within the system. Concurren tly, we ? nd certain system structures which are known to be particularly susceptible to this dif? culty. The literature has often spoken of the dif? ulties that can arise through information friction and overload where we ? nd hierarchal rigidity, such as a bureaucracy (Simon, 1947), with alarming information failures in the FBI, DOJ and CIA preceding the 9/11 attacks (Kramer, 2005). Similarly, such in? exible structures are prone to the phenomenon of ‘groupthink’ (Janis, 1982). Here the authority commanded by management allows them to not only enforce their unrealistic views upon surrounding agents, but to ensure agents are brought in beneath them who are like-minded, ensuring that the issue is systemic. The second trend identi? ed is system properties. In such cases, as the complexity of technology systems becomes increasingly developed, there is the possibility of disasters occurring due to unforeseen interactions. This theory was developed by Perrow (1984) in response to the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island and their elimination can only be achieved through system reengineering (Turner and Toft (1988)). Such actions should be focused on moving away from tightly coupled, interdependent elements, as evidenced in serious E-Coli outbreaks caused by the spread of infected meat through the standard food distribution network (Pidgeon and O’Leary (2000)). Support in the literature which calls for the broad scope of socio-technical theory is notable. According to two papers cited by Turner (1994), 70-80% of all disasters are precipitated by a social – administrative and managerial – fault, with subsequent public enquiries proposing a similar percentage of changes in such social contexts (Drogaris, 1991; Turner and Toft, 1988). Similarly, a study by Blockley (1980) found that in the case of 84 technical failures, greater attention had to be paid to both political and organisational conditions which were deemed to foster human error (alluding to the aforementioned institutional norms). He found that technical failures were underpinned by managerial and administrative frailties such as engineers who were fully aware of technical issues but failed to report them. Also, though such complex systems are inevitably unique, the previously outlined pattern of failure is one which is found time and again in disasters around the world. To illustrate this pattern, I have constructed a chain of causality which appropriately contextualises Turner’s (1994) model using the Bhopal chemical leak (? ure 2). (? gure 2) By employing a socio-technical systems view, dangerous gaps were uncovered in the safety culture and environmental awareness not only at the plant, but throughout increasingly industrialised, developing economies (Broughton, 2005). Such problems are not isolated to developing nations however; another disaster which was scrutinised heavily occurred in January of 1986, when the space-shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after take-off. Similarly to the Bhopal chemical incident, concerns were expressed prior to the disaster however a fundamentally different method of ad-hoc analysis was used in the Presidential investigation that followed. Traditionally, accidents had been viewed in a linear, two dimensional fashion where each failure is linked in a sequential chain (Qureshi, 2008). One such method of assessment is root cause analysis (RCA), which seeks to identify the primary element in the chain and was chosen by the Challenger investigative body. Such an approach seems a reasonable and logical response when it is inherent in human nature to search for â€Å"simple technical solutions as a panacea’ (Elliott Smith, 1993, p. 226). In most cases, stakeholders primarily look for a simple explanation to help them understand the issue, often to assess liability. According to the RCA literature, once this root cause has correctly been identi? ed, through corrective action the issue should be resolved and will consequently not occur again. In light of the events of the Challenger disaster, both machine and human loss including a civilian, the public and government need to identify a ‘root cause’ seems understandable, particularly when the circumstances of the disaster point to a technical fault. The investigation concluded, relying heavily on the video-evidence available from over 200 cameras, that a failure in the o-ring seal in the right solid-rocket-booster caused the explosion, having been rendered ineffective due to the cold weather. Through my own investigation and that of others however, such ? dings seem to grossly oversimplify the events that lead up to the disaster. Roger Boisjoly, an engineer employed at booster manufacturer Morton Thiokol already knew of the technical shortcomings, in fact expressing concerns speci? cally of the shuttle exploding (Seconds From Disaster, 2007). He made two efforts to make senior of? cials aware prior to launch: initially writing a memo to Thiokol managers six mo nths in advance, ? nally arranging a teleconference the night before the ill-fated voyage in an increasingly desperate attempt. The outcome of the conference had little effect in the wake of heavy resistance from NASA representatives such as Lawrence Mulloy, head of rocket booster technology. Incredibly, this resistance came even in the face of photographic evidence of the o-ring cold weather liability, from recovered boosters from a Discovery launch in similar weather a year earlier. In an independent investigation author James Chiles uncovered further issues which could have been readily identi? ed with a more fastidious safety culture (Seconds From Disaster, 2007). Having made it through the initial launch phase, Chiles postulates that the o-ring rupture would not in-fact have proved fatal as the fuel’s aluminium additive resealed the leak after launch. It was only when Challenger passed through a violent jet-stream (winds of over 300 kilometers per hour) that this makeshift seal was re-opened, causing the explosion. The existence of this jet-stream could easily have been identi? ed as a commercial airliner, passing through the launch area half an hour earlier had already reported it and it subsequently showed up on Challengers ? nal telemetry. It was overlooked however when NASA weather balloons, which had in-fact drifted away from the launch area, reported nominal conditions. Attributing the disaster to the o-ring failure alone is to apply a narrow-minded view to the issue and might have ultimately done more harm than good. In the subsequent investigation into the Columbia disaster years later, the investigation found NASA liable by not having reconciled the organisational safety philosophy in the wake of Challenger. Indeed, Morton Thiokol went on to supply the new shuttle boosters and Lawrence Mulloy was made head of all propulsion systems at NASA. Following the Columbia reentry disaster years later it was stated, â€Å"the foam debris hit was not the single cause of the Columbia accident, just as the failure of the joint seal that permitted O-ring erosion was not the single cause of Challenger. Both Columbia and Challenger were lost also because of the failure of NASA? s organisational system† (Columbia Accident Investigation Board, 2003, p. 195). Similarly telling was an independent investigation conducted by Nobel Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman. His observations of the Challenger disaster at no point mention the o-ring but instead focused on the failings in NASA management (Lentz, 1996). Feynman’s ? ndings were relegated to the appendix of the investigation report. Lessons were not learned, and it is my belief that the elementary nature of the ? ndings, emphasising a technical fault over obvious gross mis-management were at least partially to blame for what followed. The weaknesses of RCA become clear then, particularly in light of industry developments since the 20th century with system complexity becoming commonplace. Importantly, Hollnagel (2004) notes that particular industries that are problematic for such analysis are aviation, aerospace, telecommunications, power production (nuclear particularly) and healthcare. I believe what makes these distinct, is not just their highly technological systems, but the high degree of human autonomy found in these industries. RCA is also undone in the context of complex systems due to its sequential view of events as following one another, ensuring it can’t tackle bidirectional causality (e. g. competitor response to marketing initiatives (Okes, 2009)). Looking at the Bhopal and NASA examples, it’s clear to see that such systems require an epidemiological approach and perspective, as whilst the factors and preconditions can be viewed chronologically, importantly it’s not because of such a chronological manner the disaster occurred. Whilst we could conduct multiple RCA’s to identify multiple root elements, there is little consensus on how to aggregate such ? ndings and implement appropriate solutions. This is of particular issue in the healthcare industry which relies heavily upon RCA (Root cause analysis, 2012). It is my belief this over-reliance on a limited tool is due to the common need to place liability in the wake of healthcare accidents, to assess potential legal action and remuneration. Further issues are it’s inability to effectively tackle human errors such as sloppy management, and the tools limitation to its users bounded rationality and knowledge: RCA is not able to expand its users understanding beyond incumbent mental faculties. The alignment of disasters explored with Turner’s (1994) model are evident. In the Challenger case particularly, we see how it was the interaction of mis-management (not utilising critical information), high wind conditions as-well as the technical o-ring de? ciencies which combined to cause disaster. According to Chiles (Seconds from Disaster, 2007), if you were to remove the high-altitude jet-stream, the aluminium seal may not have shaken loose and the shuttle may have continued unharmed. This supports our earlier axiom of pathogen interaction as necessary for disaster. Following the events at Hillsborough, the Archbishop of York Dr. John Habgood, speaking at the memorial said â€Å"events of the magnitude of Hillsborough don’t usually happen just for one single reason, nor is it usually possible to pin the blame on one single scapegoat Disasters happen because a whole series of mistakes, misjudgments and mischances happen to come together in a deadly combination† (Taylor, 1989, p. 20). Indeed, public inquiries following con? rmed as much. The examples explored perfectly illustrate both the broad nature of preconditions – technical and human – in provenance, as well as the existence of an incubation period. As such, they lend credibility to socio-technical theory as a descriptive tool. At the same time I believe its strengths go beyond post-hoc analysis, being ideal for usage as a prescriptive form of risk assessment and systems design. Recent developments in literature have focused in this area by learning from highly reliable organisations (HRO’s). Remedial measures include incident learning systems (illustrated in ? gure 3 overleaf), the promotion of organisational learning and reevaluation of institution culture in order to realign and rede? e the norms (Carnes, 2011; Reiman, 2007), as done in the US Nuclear Power Industry. Pidgeon (2012) similarly promotes organisational learning alongside senior management commitment to safety, shared care and concern for hazards and a recognition of their impact, as-well as realistic and ? exible norms and rules about hazards. Empirical evaluation by Rognin, Salembier and Zouinar (1998) utilising a complex systems approach have also explor ed the aviation industry, recognizing their use of mutual awareness, mutual monitoring and communication as preventative tools toward a Pathogenic environment. These prescriptions are all highly congruent with one another, adding weight to their applicability for research based management. (? gure 3. Cooke and Rohleder (2006)) This having been said, RCA does have its place amongst certain post-hoc analysis. Many different forms exist and have been employed with great effectiveness in non complex systems which are isolated from a human factor. Two distinct examples are Toyota’s development of the iterative ‘? ve-whys’ method (Bodek, 1988) in tandem with Ishikawa diagrams (1968). This example is a staple tool in the Toyota production process and required learning during employee induction. An example of it’s usage is illustrated in ? gure 4. However, I postulate Toyota’s success with RCA is due to the automated nature of system design in their production process and the lack of human autonomy found in their plants, as opposed to alluding to any great power in the framework. (? gure 4. Ohno (2006)) To summarize, assessing the two models and addressing them as mutually exclusive concepts, RCA clearly has merits when applied to purely technical systems and failings. Whilst there is some literature which maintains the two are not such exclusive methodologies, this has been beyond the scope of my analysis. Once we begin to look at increasingly complex systems, RCA clearly becomes unsuitable. Socio-technical theory in contrast has considerably greater scope as both a descriptive and prescriptive tool. As such, it is my ? rm belief that in a world of increasing complexity, with ? rms heavily investing in the design of more complex systems facilitated by greater computing capabilities, root-cause analysis is at best a foundation tool. Often it is likely to be insuf? cient to identify an appropriate cause and even when it can, further investigation should be employed using a systems view which accommodates complexity in order to rescribe suitable changes. As such, in the coming weeks, I would expect the investigation into the Texas fertilizer plant explosion to go considerably beyond RCA in its analysis, though using it initially to satisfy the public need for a quick answer in the wake of such human loss.

What Are NCAA Divisions Division 1 vs 2 vs 3

What Are NCAA Divisions Division 1 vs 2 vs 3 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Generally speaking, NCAA divisions separate schools by the level of competition and the resources of their athletic departments. Most collegiate sporting events you see on television, from March Madness to the College World Series, are competitions between Division I schools. Division I offers the highest level of competition and Division I schools' athletic departments have the biggest budgets. Division III is the lowest level of competition in the NCAA, and Division III schools tend to have the smallest athletic department budgets. In this article, I'll break down the differences between NCAA divisions to give you a better idea of what separates Division I, II, and III schools. For those of you who wish to participate in intercollegiate athletics, you can get an idea of which division would best suit your interests and abilities. For those of you who don’t want to compete but care about sports, you can use this guide to determine if the division of a college’s sports teams will be a determining factor for you when selecting a college. What Is the NCAA? The NCAA is the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It's the major governing body for intercollegiate athletics. More than 1200 colleges and universities are members of the NCAA. It's a "non-profit" organization whose revenue in 2012-2013 was $912 million. What Are the NCAA's Responsibilities? The NCAA's primary responsibilities are to oversee championships and to enforce and establish rules for its member institutions. Many NCAA rules deal with financial aid for athletes, recruiting, and determining athlete eligibility. Additionally, the NCAA is responsible for changes to the rules of some of the sports that it governs. NCAA member institutions are divided into 3 divisions: Division I, II, and III. For football, Division I is further divided into Football Bowl Subdivision schools (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision Schools (FCS). The purpose of the divisions is to create parity and a more level playing field in intercollegiate sports. Also, the existence of divisions gives smaller schools with fewer resources the opportunity to compete for championships. There is prestige and publicity associated with competing in NCAA sports, especially at the highest levels in the major sports. For example, Butler, a somewhat unknown school in Indianapolis previously, received $639 million of publicity by reaching the final game of the NCAA men's Division I basketball playoffs in 2010. Colleges want the opportunity for the exposure and prestige that NCAA participation can give them. Generally, the higher the division, the more possible publicity a school can receive through its athletics program. Even at the lower levels, though, NCAA sports programs generate publicity and attract students (and their tuitions) from across the world. Let's go into further depth about each of the NCAA divisions to determine the differences between them. Division I Division I schools have the biggest student bodies, the largest athletic budgets, and the most athletic scholarships. More than 350 schools that field more than 6,000 teams providing opportunities to more than 170,000 student-athletes are members of NCAA Division I. All of the major sports conferences, including the SEC, Big 10, Pac 12, and ACC are composed of Division I schools. Ivy League Institutions are Division I, but they don't offer athletic scholarships. The Ivy League schools are Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale. Rules for Division I Schools The NCAA sets standards for its member institutions to meet in order for a school to reach or maintain Division I status. These rules are set to ensure competitive balance and gender equity. Also, there are specific rules for football and basketball. Because those are the sports that generate the most revenue, they're more closely monitored, and the disparity between the haves and have-nots in those sports is much greater. Division I schools have to sponsor at least seve sports for men and seven sports for women (or six for men and eight for women). Each playing season (fall, winter, and spring) has to be represented by each gender. For sports other than football and basketball, Division I schools must play 100% of the minimum number of contests against Division I opponents. Anything over the minimum number of games has to be 50% Division I. Men's and women's basketball teams have to play all but two games against Division I teams. Men's basketball teams must play 1/3 of their games in their home arenas. Division I schools must meet minimum financial aid awards for their athletics program, and there are maximum athletic financial aid awards for each sport that a Division I school can't exceed. FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) The FBS is the highest level of collegiate football. FBS schools participate in bowl games. There is an obscene amount of money in FBS football, so much so that the highest paid FBS coaches make $7 million annually. In 2014, Forbes valued the University of Texas football team at $131 million. FBS teams have to meet minimum attendance requirements. An FBS team must average 15,000 people in actual or paid attendance per home game. Attendance requirements must be met once in a rolling two-year period. In 2014, average attendance for an FBS home game was 44,190. If a team can't even average 15,000 people, most likely it can't be competitive with other FBS teams. There are both public and private colleges in the FBS. Examples of private FBS schools include Stanford, Notre Dame, Duke, and Northwestern. Examples of public FBS schools include Alabama, Oklahoma, UCLA, and Michigan. The University of Alabama football team having some fun with President Obama FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) FCS is the next highest level of collegiate football after FBS. FCS schools participate in an NCAA-run championship. FCS teams do not need to meet minimum attendance requirements, but just so you can compare the attendance figures with those of FBS schools, the 2014 average FCS home game attendance was 7,666. Examples of FCS private schools include Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth, and Colgate. Examples of FCS public schools include Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UC Davis, North Dakota State University, and Illinois State University. Division II Almost 300 schools are part of Division II. Division II schools still offer athletic scholarships, but there are fewer scholarships than in Division I. Full athletic scholarships are more common in Division I; most Division II athletes receive partial athletic scholarships. The schools and athletic department budgets are smaller in Division II than in Division I. While Division I schools often travel nationally to compete, regional rivalries dominate the schedules of Division II. Examples of Division II schools include UCSD, University of West Florida, Northern Michigan University, Oklahoma Baptist University, and Valdosta State University. Rules for Division II Schools Just like for Division I schools, the NCAA sets standards for Division II schools in order to maintain competitive balance, opportunities for all athletes, and gender equity. Division II schools have to sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women (or four for men and six for women), with two team sports for each gender, and each playing season represented by each gender. Each sport has contest and participant minimums. Football and men's and women's basketball must play at least 50% of their games against Division II, FBS, or FCS opponents. Unlike Division I, there are no attendance requirements for football or arena game requirements for basketball. There are maximum financial aid awards for each sport. Division III Division III is the largest of all of the NCAA divisions. In Division III, there are 444 institutions and more than 170,000 student-athletes. A key difference in Division III is that there are no athletic scholarships. However, a majority of the athletes are on some form of academic or need-based aid. Also, there are shorter practice hours and less travel for games in D III. In Division III, the emphasis is on the value of competing in sports to the participant. There is less of a focus on generating revenue or creating events for spectators. Examples of Division III schools include Babson College, California Institute of Technology, Emory, Eastern Connecticut State University, and the University of Rochester. Cal Tech, home of The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper, is a Division III school. Rules for Division III Schools The rules for Division III are designed to maintain gender equity and to ensure that schools offer a minimum number of opportunities to all athletes. Division III schools have to sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women, with two team sports for each gender, and each playing season represented by each gender. There are contest and participant minimums for each sport. Major Differences Between Divisions Division I is the most prestigious, has the most money, and the highest caliber of athletes. Division I schools also are the largest on average. Division II still offers scholarships, but there are fewer, and Division II schools typically have fewer athletic department funds and fewer sports teams than Division I schools. There are an average of 18 sports at Division I schools and 15 at Division II. Division III offers no athletic scholarships, tends to have the lowest level of competition, but the highest number of participants across all divisions. Division III schools offer an average of 18 sports per school. Also, Division III has the highest average percentage of the student body participating in sports. Here's a breakdown by the numbers of these differences between NCAA divisions. Generally, the biggest disparities between divisions are in the traditional revenue generating sports of football and men's basketball. While the average attendance of a home football game at an FBS school is over 44,000, the average attendance of a home football game at a Division III school is less than 2,000. Many FBS head coaches receive multi-million dollar salaries. Meanwhile, many Division III head football coaches also have teaching positions at their colleges to supplement their incomes. It's important to note that just because a school is in a lower division doesn't mean that its student body doesn't care about sports or that the school is not as concerned with its athletes. Many Division II and III schools have passionate fan bases, especially in the high profile sports and for teams that regularly compete for championships. Other Intercollegiate Sports Associations Besides the NCAA, there are two other governing bodies for intercollegiate sports, the NAIA and the NJCAA. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or the NAIA, has about 300 member institutions. NAIA schools are smaller and have relatively low athletic department budgets, roughly on par with Division III schools. However, unlike NCAA Division III, NAIA schools do offer athletic scholarships. Examples of NAIA schools include Morningside College, Mayville State University, and Florida Memorial University. The NAIA doesn't have the prestige of the NCAA, but it offers an alternative for smaller schools that want to compete. The National Junior College Athletics Association, or NJCAA, is the governing board for sports at two year colleges. Members of the NJCAA can also offer athletic scholarships. Scholarship Limits By Sport and Division For those of you who are hoping to get an athletic scholarship, I'm linking to the following chart to give you an idea of the number of athletic scholarships available for each sport in each division. If you're trying to get an athletic scholarship for college, this chart can inform you of your available opportunities, and you can see the differences in available athletic scholarships by division. Some of these numbers have changed slightly, but they're roughly accurate. You may notice that, for most sports, there aren't an equal number of scholarships available in the same sport in the same division for men and women. The primary reason for this is because the NCAA, for both ethical and legal reasons, wants schools to give roughly the same amount of aid to men and women; because there are so many scholarships for football, there are more maximum scholarships for women in most of the other sports. Also, even though there are more scholarships in some sports at the NJCAA level than at the NCAA level, keep in mind that the scholarships are worth significantly more at the NCAA level because two-year colleges are much cheaper. Finally, on the chart you'll see the term "head count sport" next to some sports. A head count sport can only offer full scholarships. The head count sports are FBS football, Division I basketball, Division I women's gymnastics, and Division I women's volleyball. Most sports aren't head count sports and also offer partial scholarships. Final Note: Each Division Has Advantages and Disadvantages There are pros and cons of each NCAA division, and you can determine which division may be best for you based on your priorities and aspirations. If you are an athlete, you should be realistic about your current skill level, your athletic goals, and your desire to compete. If you want to go to the Olympics or become a professional in your sport, perhaps you should attend a Division I school and test yourself against the top athletes. If you're only being recruited by Division II schools, maybe it's in your best interest to attend one of them and have a better chance to compete, rather than walking on at a Division I school and possibly not getting a chance to participate in a real game. If you're a sports fan, maybe you'd enjoy the environment at Division III sporting events where you can get really close to the action and often for free. Or, maybe you would prefer to go to an FBS school to get the opportunity to be in a stadium with 100,000 other screaming fans and be able to regularly watch your school compete on national television. Ideally, athletics should only be one factor in determining your college decision, and it should be less of a concern to you than academics. However, sports can play a huge role in your collegiate experience. The NCAA division of your school does play a part in determining what your college experience will be like. What's Next? Now that you're familiar with what separates NCAA divisions, you can find a full listing of Division I, II, and III schools by state. Also, if you're an athlete, learn about how the recruiting process works. For the NCAA clearinghouse, find out what SAT scores and ACT scores ou need to qualify. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

A Critique of the Flint Michigan Water Crisis

A Critique of the Flint Michigan Water Crisis Several years ago, there began a crisis in Flint Michigan with their water supply. It had been heavily polluted and became very undrinkable. The residents in these areas had water of every color in the spectrum, such as brown, yellow, and black. Such issues occurred because mistreated water eating away at the lead pipes. This lead to toxic levels in the supply, which inevitably made it change color as well as be deemed unsafe for consumption. Many individuals in such areas are still facing these issues, and resolution is not only complex but seems nearly impossible at this point. Even those who are not directly suffering these issues should be sympathetic as well as helpful for those experiencing such issues. I personally have a friend who attends a university in this town. His name is Saud and he is still having many problems with his water supply. Although, he claimed that the color is becoming much better, he still does not trust it to drink. He says that there are many in the same boat as him and that it is taking way too long to resolve such issues. Purchasing filtered water for consumption as well as showering has become a huge expense to him. This problem is so bad that he is actually considering switching universities because he is tired of waiting and dealing with such issues. I not only feel bad for my friend, but for all the others undergoing similar situations. It is highly unfair that anyone is not granted clean water. We all need this to survive and without it we would surely parish. I remember watching something on television with the CEO of Nestle water. The interviewer asked this man if everyone is deserving of clean and clear water and he said only if they are paying for it. This really struck me, and I still think of that from time to time. Here is a guy who has millions if not trillions of bottles of water, and he would not even give some to these poor individuals for free. What a perfect example of corporate greed, while many people suffer, those who can vastly make a difference turn their cheeks to the issues. Although such situations are very sad, they have given me a newfound appreciation for what I do have. Clean water may not seem like a great thing until you do not have it. Clean water is not only an issue in Flint but throughout the world as well. Many third world countries are left without clean water, while many travel miles for dirty brown water. While we simply get free clean and clear water anywhere, even free at restaurants. Often times we take for granted simple luxuries such as water. No one appreciates such things until they are taken from them. I, however, will always be grateful for the clean water supply I have had my entire life. I will pray for these individuals in Flint, and the others throughout the world who do not have good water supplies.

Questios about graphs Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Questios about graphs - Lab Report Example Such is the best solution rather than closing down the company. The number of firms remains steady in neither short-run, whereby no firm can enter nor exit. When the market price exceeds the average variable cost, the revenue generated by the firms will then cover the variable cost and some revenue left over to offset the fixed costs. The quantity supplied by each company will decrease and remain steady to where it can sustain to operate in the conditions. Thus, the quantity supplied in the market may not meet the required demand by the customers since the quantity will neither decrease nor increase till the firms are out of operating at loss (Caimcross 66). Q3. b) Monopoly is a market where production is under the control of a single supply. The marginal revenue is less than the average revenue because when the monopolists wants to sell more, they must reduce the price on each unit; this prevents the competition from happening. Q4. b) Economic profits are driven to zero when the demand curve, as well as the average total cost curves, are tangent to each other. In this case, the prices are equal to average total cost and thus the firms will earn zero economic profits. The quantity of outputs in the monopolistic competition is much smaller than the quantity that minimizes average total cost. But in perfect competition, price is equal to the minimum average total cost thus the companies produce at their efficient scale. The price in monopolistic competition is greater than marginal cost since the firm has the market power unlike in perfect competition where it is equal to marginal cost. Q5. b) Oligopoly is where a few firms exist in the market. The oligopolies face the downward sloping demand curve. In this case, the rival firms cannot follow a price increase by one firm hence demand will be relatively elastic and rises in the price that will lead to a fall in total revenue of the firm. Also, the rivals

The influence factors that affect to the Thai consumers' decision on Dissertation

The influence factors that affect to the Thai consumers' decision on online shopping - Dissertation Example 2). Customers are seen as kings in their own accord as their behaviors in purchases are dependent on the treatment given by sellers. Moreover customers preferences and needs influence the suppliers production practices in that suppliers would not supply the goods that have lower reception within the market and thus customers say proves supreme. The supremacy of the consumers is not only explained through the fact that it is through the ‘consumer’ that the producers remain in business and make their gains. As a king is special in how he is to be handled, a customers in a like manner requires proper treatment in order to sustain them. Online customers require treating well through good treatment in order to retain them for their own benefits or that of the suppliers. Despite the emergence and embrace of online trading avenues as discussed above, there are ongoing debates concerning the effectiveness of online practices as compared to the physical retail trade. The supporte rs of physical shopping reason that shopping from physical outlets is easy and entails little logistics as compared to the internet buying. Online shopping or trade is highly acknowledged from the spheres of debate that it provides a customer with an opportunity to access easily and exchange notes on various products in order to make informed decisions. Besides, time and resources are saved over the internet as one would access the items from the comfort of own office. Cultural orientation, proficiency in internet use as well as institutional frameworks would best explain the factors that influence personal decision to engage in online trade. This paper focuses critically on reasons and factors that influence the people of Thailand to engage in online trade through special attention on influencing factors such as level of literacy, awareness campaigns, cultural values as well as government policies. Besides, the experience in using online shopping means by the Thai people would be i nstrumental in influencing the current as well as future tendencies in shopping from internet. For instance, fast moving beauty products for the women or female genders may record better reception as compared to other products for the opposite gender. Much of the past studies that have addressed the topic of online shopping and factors that influence the decisions have confined much attention to the risks perceived while engaging in online purchasing habits. Emphases have been that the risks as identified all over the world go a long way in influencing the decisions as well as behaviors of consumers through online purchasing. However, a new dimension of looking to the online shopping is through considering the benefits that come with the practice. The world has increasingly been embracing technological advancement especially concerning internet use through diversified platforms such as through computer systems as well as through mobile telephones. This in effect has been claimed to have influence on perceptions of individuals concerning online business transactions. This study therefore focuses on and considers main factors of consumers’ decision on online shopping as regards to the people of Thailand. It will show the problem for applying the result to solve problem with Thailand’s online shopping system for improvement and development in the future. However, the question that will guide our study is ‘what influence factors affect the Thai consumers’

Introduction to Sociology Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Sociology Essay In this paper it will evaluate the impact of sociological behind what we call family and social change that has evolved during the ages. There are three factors that must be reviewed Functionalism, Conflict, and Interactionism. 1. Functionalism * Functionalism would claim that each member of the family is interdependent and contributes to the functioning of the family. * Family members play their role and have great attitudes there is balance, peace and unity in the family. * The rebel against his or her role then the role as a family as a whole suffers imbalance, stress, disunity and dysfunctional tendencies. * Each member has some power to agree to disagree what is decided. * By having input into decisions each member feels validated and the family can grow based on the idea of consensus rather than authoritarianism. 2. The functionalist theory is a sociological philosophy that attempts to explain social institutions as collective means to fill individual biological needs. 3. The Conflict Theory is a theory that states that society or an organization functions so that each individual participant and its group struggle to maximize their benefits which inevitably contributes to social change such as political views and revolutions. * The theory of conflict within families starts with the premises that family members undergo conflicts and disharmony. * The study includes family dynamics and the roles played by various family members. * The source of the power and the causes of the conflict must be identified. * When the family is dissected and the sources of conflict and power identified the family can better and more effective ways to communicate. * The study of dynamics can help members become more empathetic and understanding of the underlying causes of their conflict. 4. The interactism theory has become one of the dominant sociological perspectives in the world today. The theory studies individuals and how they interact in society. * Symbolic interaction theory describes the family as a unit of interacting personalities. * This theory focuses attention to the way people interact through words, gestures rules and roles. * It is based on how humans develop a complex set of symbols to give meaning to the world. * Understanding these symbols is important in understanding human behavior. * Symbolic interactionism unique contributions to family are families are social groups and that individuals develop both a concept of self and their identities through social interactions. * Symbolic interactism is the way we learn and give meaning to the world through our interactions with others. 5. All three theories, interactism, conflict, and functionalism have to do with social and mental states of the family being determined by a specific role or condition. 6. Functionalist is a macro level analysis. It focuses on how people come together to create society. * It also focuses on whether the actions are good for the equilibrium of society and these are called dysfunctions. * Conflict theory do not see society as whole coming together well for one purpose. It focuses on class conflict. * The main difference between the three is that functionalism and conflict are macro level. Symbolic interactism is micro-level. The beginning of life is the institution most responsible for the achievement of adult satisfaction and social integration. The beginning of human life begins with the family institution; depending on the upbringing of the person will likely determine the social future for society. * Functionalists view the family from the standpoint of universal functions the family provides to society. * Symbolic interactions views family as to what they can bring into society from study how they interact with each other. * Conflict theory focuses on class conflict or the conflict with the family as a group. Conclusion: Each theory will affect social change within the selected institution and depending on how each person uses this information will depend on how society views them as a whole. References: WWW. How does interactionism theory apply to family.edu Social Interactism theory by Lee Flamed.edu Conflict theory- New World Encyclopedia. Functilism theory- New World Encyclopedia Vising, Y (2011). Introduction to Sociology. San Diego, CA: Bridge point Education,Inc. *

The Age of Innocence Essay -- essays research papers

The truth that lies behind fantasies The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton is a book that gave the word â€Å"love† many other meanings, such as impossible, meaningless and incomplete. There were many unbearable obstacles that Countess Ellen Olenska, one of the main characters, had to face because of love. She was treated badly by many people and always longed for love but never obtained it. With everyone cursing her, betraying her and hurting her, there was one person who was always there for her. Newland Archer wasn’t only sympathetic towards her; he also began to fall in love with her. The love she always wanted. He was the man who truly cared for her and always helped her make decisions. Out of all the selfish people in New York who degraded her, including her very close relatives, Newland Archer was one person who was there to listen to her problems and helped her solve them. Countess Olenska had to face many difficulties in her life. After having problems with her husband, Count Olenski, she left her home in Europe and lived with her grandmother, Mrs. Mingott. When she came to New York, Newland Archer was the only one who was there for her and listened to her problems. Furthermore, when she wanted to get a divorce Newland Archer, being a lawyer, talked to her about it and made her change her mind. He fell in love with her, knowing he was engaged to her cousin, and supported her. If he wanted, he could have forced her into getting a divorce and get married to her with...

Contributors of the Periodic Table of Elements Essay

The First International Congress of Chemists took place in September 1860 in Karlsruhe, Germany to review scientific matters that there was little agreement to. Following this congress led to the development of the periodic table of elements. Top contributors to the periodic table included Staislao Cannizzaro, Dmitri Mendeleev, Henry Gwyn-Jeffreys Moseley, John William Strutt, William Ramsay, Friedrich Ernst Dorn, and Glenn Seaborg. Stanislao Cannizzaro, born in 1826 and died in 1910, was an Italian chemist. He presented a method to measure atomic masses and to interpret the results of the measurements. Cannizzaro’s method aided scientists into agreeing standard values for atomic masses. The scientists then searched for relationships among atomic masses and other properties of the elements. Dmitri Mendeleev, born in 1834, was a Russian chemist, and is sometimes considered as the ‘father of the Periodic Table’. Mendeleev was in the process of writing a chemistry textbook and he wanted to organize the elements according to their properties. Mendeleev created a table where elements with similar properties were grouped together. Mendeleev’s table left several empty spaces because there were elements that had not been discovered yet. Then in 1871, Mendeleev predicted the existence and properties of three elements. His predictions were a success and it led to scientists accepting his periodic table. Henry Gwyn-Jeffreys Moseley, born in 1887, was an English scientist that discovered that atomic number, not atomic mass, was the basis for the organization of the Periodic Table. Moseley and Rutherford performed multiple experiments on 38 metals and Moseley discovered a pattern in which the positive charge of the nucleus increased by one unit from one element to the next when the elements are arranged as they are in the Periodic Table. His studies also led to the modern definition of atomic number and it provided justification for Mendeleev’s ordering of the Periodic Table by properties rather than just by atomic mass. Mendeleev’s Periodic Table did not include noble gases because at that time it was not discovered then. The English physicists John William Strutt and William Ramsay discovered four of he noble gases. Argon and helium were discovered by the two scientists in 1894. To fit argon and helium into the table, they proposed a new group that was placed between Group 17 and Group 1. Then, krypton and xenon were discovered by Ramsay in 1898. Radon, the final noble gas, was discovered in 1900 by a German scientist named Friedrich Ernst Dorn. Glenn Seaborg was an American scientist and he discovered all the transuranic elements from 94 to 102. With this discovery, he was the last person to majorly change the Periodic Table by placing the actinide series below the lanthanide series.

Why did the US find it impossible to defeat the Vietcong?

There were a number of problems facing US forces when fighting the war in Vietnam. Perhaps one of the biggest problems that they faced was the fact that the Vietcong were fighting using guerrilla tactics: fighting on a small scale, taking independent, irregular actions.The Vietcong depended on stealth, concealment, and surprise attacks and ambushes. Guerrilla warfare spread as Vietminh soldiers who were trained and armed in the North – the Vietcong, returned to their homes in the south to assassinate, ambush and sabotage. Unlike conventional wars in which the Americans may have fought, the war in Vietnam had no defined front lines. Much of the fighting consisted of hit and run attacks, with the guerrillas striking at government outposts and then retreating into the jungles.Most of the US soldiers were also caught out by booby traps set up by the Vietcong. These ranged from simple holes in the ground to metal spikes covered in poison or human excrement. Despite their sophistica ted weapons, the Americans could not eradicate the skillful and determined rebellions of the Vietcong.Another thing that made fighting the war difficult for the Americans was the uniform that the Vietcong wore. Their uniforms consisted of black pajamas and shirts, with straw hats. This led to a great lack of trust among the Vietnamese and the Americans, as they were unable to distinguish between real Vietnamese civilians and Vietcong soldiers in disguise.The Vietcong were also able to remain well hidden with their extensive underground tunnel system, which reached 250 kilometers in length. There were underground kitchens, weapon stores, dormitories, hospitals and rest areas. These tunnels made it increasingly difficult for the US forces to find the Vietcong.By 1966, the Americans began a series of ‘Search and Destroy Missions' in order to hunt down the Vietcong. The problem was that, by doing this, they began to loose the trust of, and ‘alienated' the Vietnamese civilian s. More importantly the American public began to doubt whether or not they were the ‘good guys’ in this war and grew increasingly dissatisfied with the nations war policy. The American government began losing the support of the public once they witnessed reports about the war and events such as the My Lai massacre.The unfamiliar terrain and conditions in Vietnam also made life more difficult for the US forces. The intense heat made it difficult for them to see where they were going, carry weapons and move swiftly. As much of Vietnam was covered in jungle, swamp and paddy fields, it soon became clear that the terrain was unsuitable for tanks.

What to Do If You Get Rejected From Your Dream College

What to Do If You Get Rejected From Your Dream College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You’ve sent out your applications and can't stop envisioning yourself at your top-choice school. But then the unthinkable happens: you get a college rejection letter.You start to wonder: what went wrong? What do I do now? Is it still possible to attend my top-choice school? The truth is that I've been in this exactsame situation. In 2008, I got rejected from my top-choice school, Stanford.Though the rejection letter hurt, on the plus side, it taught me a lot about what I did wrong, both in my application and my overall high school career. In this article, I use my own rejection experience as a guide to explain how likely a college rejection is for you, how to avoid getting rejected from college, and the steps to take in case your top-choice school just isn’t that into you. How Likely Is It That You’ll Get a College Rejection Letter? First things first, how likely is it that you’ll actually get rejected from college- more importantly, from your top-choice school? The answer to this question varies depending on two main factors: How competitive your top-choice college is How strong your college application is How Competitive Is Your Top-Choice School? As you might've guessed, your chances of getting rejected from college depend a lot on how hard your top-choice school is to get into. Many students’ top choices are Ivy League institutions, such as Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, or other prestigious, top 25 schools, such as Stanford, Rice, and the University of Chicago. Now, what do many of these schools have in common? That's right:extremely low acceptance rates.These rates dramatically affect your likelihood of getting accepted (or getting rejected). Below are the acceptance rates for the top 25 universities, as determined by the most recent US News rankings for 2018. All schools are listed in order of ranking. (Pro tip: click the school name to learn more about its admission requirements!) School US News Ranking Acceptance Rate Princeton 1 7% Harvard 2 5% University of Chicago 3 (tie) 8% Yale 3 (tie) 6% Columbia 5 (tie) 6% MIT 5 (tie) 8% Stanford 5 (tie) 5% University of Pennsylvania 8 9% Duke 9 11% Caltech 10 8% Dartmouth 11 (tie) 11% Johns Hopkins 11 (tie) 12% Northwestern 11 (tie) 11% Brown 14 (tie) 9% Cornell 14 (tie) 14% Rice 14 (tie) 15% Vanderbilt 14 (tie) 11% University of Notre Dame 18 (tie) 19% Washington University in St. Louis 18 (tie) 17% Georgetown 20 17% Emory 21 (tie) 25% UC Berkeley 21 (tie) 16% UCLA 21 (tie) 18% USC 21 (tie) 17% Carnegie Mellon 25 (tie) 22% UVA 25 (tie) 30% As you can see, your chance of acceptance to top-tier colleges ranges from just 5% to as much as 30%.Your chance of college rejection is highest for schools ranked in the top 10. At these colleges, the typical applicant has a whopping 90-95% chance of getting rejected. These are very, very general estimates, though.How high or low your chances of rejection are will ultimately depend on the overall strength of your application (we discuss this more below).To get a slightly more accurate idea of your admission chances to a particular school, use our college admissions calculator. Still, the point is clear: most applicants to highly selective schools get rejected.Your chance of getting a college rejection letter will be less likely if your top-choice school is ranked lower and has a higher admission rate. You have a lower chance of getting rejected from NYU than you do from Columbia. (jpellgen (@1179_jp)/Flickr) How Strong Is Your College Application? The other major factor that affects your chances of getting rejected from college is the strength of your application. A strong college applicationusually has the following features: A high GPA and rigorous, challenging course load High test scores on theSAT/ACT,SAT Subject Tests, AP exams, etc. A compelling personal statement Cogent letters of recommendation An impressive resume/CV- particularly one that showcases your ongoing commitment to a particular field A highclass rank (if your high school calculates rank) For the Ivy League and other highly competitive schools, you’ll definitely need to stand out from other applicants.And the best way to do this is tocreate a big spike in your application. A spike is essentially something you’re passionate about and have continuously striven to master. It could be anything from a love of writing short stories to a passion for chemistry. Most importantly, your spike should be a field you’re truly committed toand for which you have sufficient evidence to prove your commitment. If you have a spike as well as high test scores, a high GPA, etc., you’ll have a much better chance of being a top-choice candidate for your school. All of this also means that you should avoid aiming for a well-rounded application. This can put you right in the crapshoot of college applications, significantly reducing your chance of acceptance (and thereby increasing your chance of rejection). For more tips on how to put together a strong application, look at a real Harvard application and acceptance letter, supplied by our resident perfect SAT/ACT scorer. My Experience: I Got Rejected From Stanford Some of you reading this might be wondering why I’m writing this article. Well, let me start with some facts. Rejection is nothing new to me. I applied to college in 2008 (yeesh, I’m getting old!). At the time, Stanford was my top choice, so I applied restrictive early action, meaning that my application was due earlier (by November 1) and that Stanford was my #1 pick for college. A little while later, I received a rejection by email. It was the first university I heard back from in the application process, and its letter was by far the most painful.I remember bursting into tears as soon as I finished reading it and then running to my parents for comfort. So many questions ran through my head: how come they didn’t like me? What did I do wrong? Did I mess up my application somehow? Was I simply not good enough? Months later, I got accepted to USC and decided to attend that school instead. And I had a blast: I joined a couple of clubs, wrote for the school newspaper, worked on-campus, made good friends, and had an overall fun and eclectic experience I’d never trade for anything. Sometimes, though, I think back to that initial college rejection and wonder: how did I manage to get through such a difficult, stressful time in my life?And how can I use what I know now to help other students in the same position I was once in? Here’s why I’m telling you all of this: I want you to know that I’m speaking from experience:This is not an article coming from one of those top students who got into every Ivy League school and has never dealt with the crushing pain of rejection. Trust me, I’ve been there- and I know exactly how it feels! It’s important to know that you’re not alone:Lots of students get rejected from college- honestly, more than you might think!- and it’s a totally normal part of the college admission process. Yes, some lucky people will get accepted to all the schools they apply to, but the fact is that most students will get rejected from at least one school, especially if they're applying to highly competitive ones. Rejection is part of life:It sucks to admit this, but it's the truth. The better you can learn to handle rejection, the easier it'll be to move on and look for new (and better) ways to achieve your goals. (As a bonus, I’ve also gotten rejected from grad schools, so once again I’m pretty experienced at this rejection thing!) Now that you know my story, let’s start with the positives: how to avoid getting rejected from college in the first place. If this doesn’t work out for you, no worries- I’ll also give you advice on what to do if you do get rejected. Unfortunately, my tips for avoiding rejection don't apply to asking people out on dates. How to Avoid Getting a College Rejection: 6 Tips Since getting my first college rejection from Stanford, I can tell you this: I’ve learned a lot about what I did wrong in my application. For one, my application wasn't unique enough.I didn’t have a "spike" that made me stand apart from other applicants; instead, I naively believed in the misconception that well rounded was what all top schools wanted the most. (Hint: it’s not!) In addition, my SAT score wasn’t up to par. At the time I thought I'd done fairly well on the test, but I didn’t realize that pretty good isn’t usually good enough for top schools like Stanford. These days,you'd need to score around 1520 (or in the top 1%) just to meet the average at Stanford! Finally, I didn’t take advantage of the AP/honors classes available at my high schools (I moved and attended two schools). I remember thinking that two or three AP classes and a couple of high AP scores would be good enough. Again, though, this isn’t that impressive to top-ranked schools. So what can you do to ensure that you have a better chance of getting into your top-choice school? Here are my top six tips: #1: Maintain a High GPA While Also Challenging Yourself Most students probably know this, but you’ll need a pretty high GPA to keep from getting rejected. Why? Well,a high GPA proves that you’re not only responsible and studious but also capable of performing consistently well in a variety of disciplines. By excelling in several classes, you’re providing direct evidence of your deep commitment to learning and academic success. So what constitutes a high GPA? The answer to this will depend on the school you’re applying to.If you’re aiming for a top 25 school such as Stanford, aim for a 4.0 (unweighted) or pretty close to it.If you’re not sure how high of a GPA your school expects, try looking on the school's website for any information or data about the average GPA of admitted applicants. That being said, getting a high GPA alone isn’t as important as getting a good GPA and taking a challenging course load. Here’s what I mean by this: when applying to top colleges, a 4.0 unweighted GPA is no doubt great. However, you’ll be a much more competitive applicant if you have, say, a slightly lower 3.8 GPA and have also taken loads of challenging AP/honors courses. This means that you could get mostly As and a couple of Bs in challenging AP courses and still have a higher chance of getting accepted over someone who got all As but took only easy classes. This is because colleges like to see that you’re continuously challenging yourself. For me, this was a critical point I didn’t get at all in high school. I took a few AP and honors courses, but I didn’t take nearly as many as I should have.Instead, I stuck mostly to classes I knew I’d get As in and refrained from truly challenging myself by taking harder ones. This is probably part of the reason Stanford rejected me. #2: Get a High SAT/ACT Score Like the tip above, this is kind of a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how little I thought of it when I applied to college back in 2008. While colleges understand that the SAT/ACT is just one part of your application, it’s still pretty important to get a high score on one of the two tests- especially a score that sets you apart from other applicants. A good SAT/ACT scorewill vary depending on the schools you're applying to.For example, if you were applying to Harvard, you'd want to aim for a perfect 1600 on the SAT or a 35 on the ACT. These are the 75th percentile SAT/ACT scores for admitted applicants to Harvard. In other words, get this score level and you’ll have a higher score than 75% of applicants. Even if you got slightly lower than this- such as a 1570 on the SAT or a 34 on the ACT- you'd still be in relatively good shape. The point, however, is that you want to shoot as high as possibleso you can give yourself the best chance of admission. On the other hand, if you were applying to a less selective school like the University of Houston, you'd only needan SAT score around 1320 or an ACT score around 28. Again, you could still get accepted with slightly lower scores than these, but aiming high ensures you'll have a great shot. As you can see, what’s considered a high SAT/ACT score will depend greatly on where you’re applying.If you can hit (or almost hit) your top-choice school’s 75th percentile score, you’ll stand out and lower your chances of rejection. To find your school’s test score information, search for â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar" on Google. Click our link to the school’s Admission Requirements page to see the school's average SAT/ACT scores and its 25th/75th percentiles. Here’s an example of our Admission Requirements page for Stanford: #3: Work On Developing Your Spike This piece of advice is essential for those applying to theIvy League or Ivy League-level institutions (and it’s definitely something I wish I’d known back when I applied to Stanford). And here's what it is: part of crafting an incredible college application is working on developing a spike. I briefly introduced this concept earlier, but now let's look at in detail. Your spike is what makes you stand out from other applicants.This is typically an ongoing passion for and commitment to some kind of academic and/or personal interest. For instance, perhaps you're a lover of writing who's published his own self-help ebook and tutors elementary school students in creative writing on weekends. Or maybe you’re a science whiz who's conducted numerous experiments and submitted her results to conventions. Get the picture here?Think of this spike as the opposite of being well rounded. When I applied to Stanford, I assumed that well rounded = automatic acceptance. I was a member of my school's honor society, ran on the cross country team for two years, and played the piano in my spare time. All of this, I thought, made me an eclectic, ideal candidate. Boy, was I wrong. In truth, colleges- particularly selective ones like Stanford- see tons of applicants like this. This is likely a big reason I got rejected: I wasn't unique enough! Instead, I should have spent more time developing the hobbies I enjoyed most and participating in activities more strongly tied to my most passionate interests. That's what I did wrong. Now, here's what you can do right.Below, I list some options you can try to help you further develop your spike: Take classes related to your passion:Into writing? Take extra writing-oriented classes such as newspaper, yearbook, or journalism. Also, if possible, opt for the hardest versions of these classes (e.g., take AP English instead of regular English). Join a relevant club:If you’re a lover of geometry or calculus, join the math club. Putting in extra time shows that you’re interested in this field outside of school as well. Enter fairs, contests, and conventions:This tip is especially relevant to those in the science field. Say you’ve got an invention, made a discovery, or created a piece of art that you want to show off. Don't just keep it for yourself- submit your project somewhere in order to highlight your commitment to making a change in the world. Teach younger students:Becoming a volunteer tutor/teacher demonstrates your devotion to helping others develop their passions in a field you enjoy. If you're an artist, volunteer to teach drawing or painting classes to students at a local Boys Girls Club, for instance. Get a relevant part-time job:Not all students have the time or opportunity to secure a part-time job in a field relevant to their interests, but if you can, I highly recommend doing so, as it can stress both your commitment to your field and your responsibility as an employee. All in all, don’t rely on the trap of being well rounded, particularly if you’re trying to get accepted to highly selective schools. The only thing you want to be well rounded is the bubble you're blowing. #4: Write a Compelling Personal Statement and Consider Context Even if you’ve got both stellar grades and a high SAT/ACT score, schools want to see that you’re an interesting, passionate person who is committed to learning. This is why it’s important to spend a lot of time crafting animpactful personal statementfor your application. In general,a good personal statementwill accomplish the following: Introduce who you are as a person (not just as a student!) and why you’re applying Provide context for your academic accomplishments, passions, and future goals Focus on your spike and what makes you unique Answer the prompt clearly and fully (if given one) Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation Be thecorrect lengthandfile format(e.g., PDF, .docx, etc.) Make the collegewantto admit you! The statement is a great opportunity to explain what your spike is, how you got interested in it, and what kind of role you see it playing in your future. For a detailed look at what makes for a powerful personal statement, check outour analysis of more than 100 college essays. In addition, the personal statement lets youexplain the context of your academic situation. For example, does your high schoolnotoffer any AP or honors courses? Or are you the first person in your family to attend college? It's important to answer questions like these in your essay so that the school can take into account your personal circumstancesas well as how these might have influenced the quality of your application.This way, you won’t get rejected simply because you didn’t take any AP courses (even though none might have been available to you!). Many schools stress the importance of considering each applicant's circumstances. For example, here's what Stanford says on its website: â€Å"We take into account family background, educational differences, employment and life experiences. By focusing on your achievements within context, we evaluate how you have excelled within your unique school environment and how you have taken advantage of what was available to you in your school and community.† Andhere's how Duke considers contextin applications for admission: â€Å"We think about what a student has accomplished within the context of the opportunities and challenges he or she has faced.† Evidently, the personal statement isn’t just an opportunity to showcase your spike and strengths- it's also a chance toexplain your personal situation. Do all of this, and you’ll be far less likely to get rejected for something like a slightly lower SAT score. #5: Apply Early Action/Early Decision, If Possible If your top-choice school offers an early action or early decisionplan, definitely do it (but only do the latter if you’re 100% sure this is the school you want to attend). Most early action/early decision deadlines are November 1 or November 15.These deadlines are about a month or two earlier than most regular decision deadlines. So how does applying early action/early decision affect your admission chances? Data shows that those who apply early action or early decisiontypically have higher acceptance rates than those who apply regular decision. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get accepted.I applied early action to Stanford and still got rejected. Nevertheless, an early applicationmight give you a slight edge over other applicants, as it shows the school you’re committed to it and really want to continue your education there. The only drawback to applying early action/early decision is that the early deadline gives you less time to put together a strong application. Ifyou’re struggling to prepare an effective application for an early action plan, consider applying regular decision instead to give yourself more time. This leads me to my next point ... #6: Take Your Time- Don’t Rush the Application Process! Whether you’re applying early action/early decision or regular decision, it can be tempting to rush through the application process, especially since most students are extremely busy at the start of senior year. Even though this is a stressful time, try your bestnot to rush through your application to your top-choice school.Simply put, don’t write your personal statement the day before the deadline, and don’t ask for letters of recommendation from teachers at the last minute. Why is this so important? If you spend too little time working on your application, you run a much higher risk of doing the following: Misreading application instructions Forgetting to submit a required (or very important) document/application component Turning in subpar materials, such as a poorly written essay I advise spending at least a few months on your college applications. And while all applications are equally important, it's OK tospend a little extra time on the application for your top choice, if only because it's the school you’re most interested in. Also, don'tbe afraid to ask questions by emailing or calling the school.For example, confused about application instructions? Send an email. Not sure what a "supplementary document" is? Call the admissions department. Better to make sure you’re following the rules than to risk getting your application disqualified because you made a huge (but entirely preventable) mistake. When I applied to Stanford, I thought I’d taken my time to do the application, but I really hadn’t. It was only after I submitted it that I realized I’d made some dire mistakes. Here’s my most memorable: at the time, Stanford allowed applicants to attach supplementary files. So I attached a sample chapter from a novel I was writing to prove my passion for writing.But after submitting my application, I reread the application instructions and realized that chapters of fiction was something Stanford specifically requested applicants to not send in.Oops! Got rejected? It's OK to get a little dramatic. How to Deal With College Rejection: 5 Essential Tips Unfortunately, even if you heed all the tips above, you could still wind up with a college rejection letter.I’ll be honest: getting rejected sucks.But it certainly doesn't mean your academic career (or life, if you're dramatic like me) is over. Here are some ways to cope with a college rejection, as well as options on what to do after you get rejected from college: #1: Give Yourself Time to Process the Rejection This is really, really important. Once you get the dreaded college rejection letter from your top-choice school, it can feel as though the whole world is crashing down around you. I'm here to tell you that this feeling is totally normal.After all, you’re essentially grieving- sounds cheesy, I know. But it's the truth. And when something bad happens, it’s important to take time to let yourself feel sad about it. In this case, even though you likely worked really hard in school, you lost the opportunity to attend the college of your dreams. All of your future plans must change, which sucks.It's OK (and even expected) to be upset about this. Here are some healthy options for coping with a college rejection: Cry (hey, it worked for me!) Spend some time alone to help you get used to the fact that you got rejected Talk it out with close friends and/or family members Distract yourself in positive ways with activities such as video games, homework, hanging out with friends, etc. Commiserate with other rejectees, either in person or on college forums such as College Confidential and Reddit Rip up, shred, or burn your rejection letter (let's be honest: dramatic expressions can make us feel great) Although grieving is important, don’t let yourself get wrapped up in your sorrows for too long. Once you've given yourself ample time to cope, get off the ground and focus on the other options you've got in your life. Also,try not tolet the rejection negatively impact your grades, extracurriculars, and other college applications (if you haven't finished all of them yet). #2: Get Excited About Other Schools While your top-choice school might've rejected you, remember that this is just one school, and you (hopefully) have several others you're applying to or already applied to. These are the schools it’s time to get excited about, regardless of whether you’ve heard back from them. There is a reason you applied to each school you applied to. As you go through the schools you've been accepted to, concentrate on the specific features and opportunities you liked about each school.For example, what inspired you to apply there? Can you envision yourself feeling at home on-campus? What kinds of classes and majors does it offer? Do you like its emphasis on Greek life? What about its awesome football team? If possible, talk to current students at the schoolsso you can start to imagine yourself attending them. Doing this will not only make you excited about your other options but will also prevent you from daydreaming about what might've happened had you been accepted to your top choice. Finally, remember that you will likely be able to study what you want to at these other schools as well. Just because your top-choice school rejected you, that doesn’t mean you still can’t get a BA in Psychology or a BS in Computer Science. Apparently, you can even make your own Disney degree at UC Berkeley! #3: Take a Gap Year and Reapply Later If you didn’t get accepted to your top-choice school, a gap year can help you figure out what kind of education you want in life while also providing you with some interesting experiences (which could potentially strengthen future college applications!). After your gap year, you can thenreapply to your top-choice school, with a fresh perspective and a slightly better understanding of where your application might’ve gone wrong before. While there's nothing wrong with taking a year off before college, be sure you’re actually making your gap year worthwhile.Neither colleges nor your parents will be impressed if all you do is sit at home and play video games all day.Make your gap year an adventure: work a new job, travel abroad, intern at a company, join a community club, learn a foreign language, etc. Hopefully, you’llget experiences out of your gap year that'll help you in the field you want to major in.For example, if you’re thinking about majoring in English, taking a year off to write a novel and submit stories you've written to literary magazines would be an excellent use of your time (assuming your parents are OK with it, of course!). Later, when you begin the process of reapplying to your top-choice school, you can explain in your application what you did during your gap year and why you chose to take a year off before starting college. If you decide to reapply, it's a good idea to use your old application as a reference. Think about where you might’ve gone wrong and how you can improve on it this time (ideally, by incorporating some of your gap-year experiences into it). A word of caution, though: don’t put all your eggs in one basket. In other words, don’t expect to get admitted simply because you applied before and now deserve to get in. Admissions is often a brutal process, and nobody (except those on the admissions committee) knows what a college is looking for in terms of applicants. So as you reapply to your top-choice school, make sure you’re applying to other schools as well- ideally, a combination of reach schools and safety schools. #4: Remember That Transferring Is an Option If you decide to attend a different school you got into (which most people do, including myself!), know thatit might be possible to transfer to your top-choice school in a couple of years. While I wouldn’t attend a different college with this exact plan in mind, knowing that transferring is an option in case you still really want to attend your top-choice school should make you feel a little more at ease with your decision to (temporarily) attend a different school. Note that to transfer to a school, you’ll usually need to submit an entirely new transfer application (meaning that it can't be the same one you submitted before when applying as a freshman). Moreover, transferring is not guaranteed.Many schools, particularly the Ivies, accept very few transfers each year. In 2012,Harvard admitted just 1% (15 out of 1,448) of transfer applicants. As you can see, here you actually have a lower chance of getting accepted as a transfer student than you do as a freshman applicant (the currentacceptance rate for which is 5%). If you’re curious about the transfer acceptance rate at your top-choice school, contact your school directly or check out CollegeTransfer.net, which contains tons of data on schools and their transfer rates. In the end, though, who knows what’ll happen? You might end up loving the school you attend and wouldn’t even consider transferring out of it. #5: Consider Challenging the Rejection There is one final option you have when it comes to college rejection, though it’s one I honestly don’t recommend doing:appealing, or challenging, your rejection. Challenging a college rejection is pretty much what it sounds like. When you get rejected, you have the option to tell the college you think they’re wrong and ask them to reconsider your application. So what's the problem? You can’t appeal your rejection simply because you’re upset that you didn’t get accepted. This is not a good enough reason to ask a college to look at your application again. Even if a schooldid agree to reevaluate your application, it's unlikely a second look-through would change their minds (particularly if your main complaint is that they failed to recognize how absolutely incredible you are). Instead, you can only appeal a college rejection if you have any new, significant information to add to your application, or if there was a major error or problem with your application. For example, did you win a big award or somehow dramatically improve your GPA? Then see whether you can appeal the rejection. (Not all schools will let you do this, though!) In terms of technical problems, did your SAT/ACT score get reported incorrectly to your college? Or did your transcript get messed up and show you got Ds when you actually got As? Then appeal the rejection; most likely the college will allow it in this case since the problem is not actually your fault. In some cases, colleges will not allow you to appeal your rejection at all(even if you won the Nobel Peace Prize).In fact, most top-ranked schools don’t allow appeals of admission decisions. If you disagree with their decision, you simply have to wait and reapply the following year. If you’re not sure whether your top-choice school allows appeals or not, look at the school’s official website or contact the school directly. While rare, it is possible to get into a college through an appeal (though it’s admittedly far less likely to get in this way). Here's an example ofa student who got accepted to UC Berkeley through an appeal. Seriously, first a Disney major and now a successful appeal? Starting to think I should've attended Berkeley ... Conclusion: How to Deal With College Rejection After getting my Stanford rejection letter, I cried a lot and talked to my parents. Eventually, I moved on and started to get excited about my other options. I ended up attending USC, where I had a fun, stimulating, and all-around memorable experience- something I wouldn’t trade for the world! Still, getting rejected isn’t fun. Unfortunately, it can be a likely consequence if you’re applying to highly selective universities and don’t have the grades or test scores your school expects. The easiest way to avoid getting rejected from college is to produce the best application you can. For top schools, this means you should typically have the following: A high GPA and a challenging course load Strong SAT/ACT test scores A pronounced spike in your extracurriculars and hobbies A well-written and impactful personal statement If possible,apply early action/early decision to your top-choice school. Applying early raises your chance of admission justslightly,as it highlights your commitment to the school. Finally, make sure to take your time with your application- don’t rush any part of it! Let’s say you do all of this, though, and still get rejected from your top-choice school. Bummer. At this point, you've essentially got five options (which you can mix and match, as desired): Take your time to process the rejection:Find a shoulder to cry on. Talk to family members and friends for support. Scream, "Rejection sucks!" while punching a pillow. Do whatever you need to do (in a healthy way) to make yourself feel better as you grieve. Get excited about your other schools: One rejection shouldn't the be-all and end-all of your academic dreams. Remember that you applied to other schools for a reason, so start to think about what those can offer you instead. Take a gap year and reapply later: For some people, taking a break from school is exactly what they need to feel better and figure out what they want to do with their lives. It can also help you put together a stronger, more versatile application the next time you apply. Just don't expect an automatic acceptance from your top-choice school- more than likely, it'll still be just as hard to get into as it was the first year you applied! Remember that you can transfer later: Though not guaranteed, transferring is an option you might have a couple of years down the road if you still want the chance to attend your top-choice school. Consider challenging your rejection: I don’t recommend this option, but it’s there if your school allows it. Though it’s rare to get in based on an appeal, it’s certainly not impossible! No matter what you choose to do, take care to remind yourself that getting rejected doesn't mean you're a bad student or that your application was horrendous. It just means that the school could only admit so many people, and you happened to not be one of them. Even though the college admissions process can feel like an uphill battle, just know that you're definitely not alone.As we say at my alma mater, "Fight on!" What’s Next? Want more tips for raising your chances of getting accepted to college?Check out our handy admissions calculatortolearn how to estimate your chances of acceptance based on your current GPA and test scores. Need help applying toHarvard and other top schools?This guide coverseverythingyou need to know about getting into the nation's best colleges and universities. Struggling with the application process?We're here to help! Our expert guides teach you how to build a versatile college application,and go over the application timelineto help you pace yourself. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Functional Status Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Functional Status - Assignment Example Patient’s history is needed when assessing and interviewing patients, because they could be characteristics that might interfere with the assessment. When interviewing, the clinician should be aware of the patient’s daily concerns and ask specific questions. This rapport helps the clinician and patient communicate effectively. Medical history is another area clinicians should ask elderly patients questions regarding their physical nature. For example, eyes, mouth, ears, throat, chest, neck, musculoskeletal back pains, and neurologic. Regarding drug use history, the history has to be recorded, and the elderly counseled in order to stop the habit. For example, tobacco and alcohol abuse (Besdine, 2013). Physical examination is something clinicians have to observe critically because it tells a lot about elderly patients, for example vital signs such as heart rate, skin color, and abnormalities within the body (Bickley, 2013). The process of reasoning is what all clinicians go through, and they differ broadly in terms of personal style, training, communication skills, and experience (Bickley, 2013). Clinical reasoning involves developing, testing hypotheses and establishing working diagnosis. Besdine, R. W. ( 2013). Evaluation of the elderly patient. Retrieved Dec 30, 2014 from

Global Convergence and Divergence Research Paper

Global Convergence and Divergence - Research Paper Example The phenomenon of globalization is the inter-connectedness among the various nations of the world on the basis of economic ties, and this has produced convergence or unity and integration of different world systems. According to Thomas Friedman, globalization is the â€Å"inexorable integration of markets, nation-states, and technologies†¦..the spread of free-market capitalism to virtually every country in the world.† McMichael sees the process of global integration taking place on the basis of â€Å"market rule on a global scale†. This process of integration may be producing a global convergence of different organizational systems. Ugeux defines convergence as the manner in which a series of actions are driven towards a central point of reference – a process resulting in a move towards a common set of principles and objectives. Uguex notes that there appears to be a conceptual convergence in the following aspects: (a) the use of a non-ruling approach, wherein recommendations have been made for Companies to follow, which have been mandatorily imposed, yet are in practice being followed by many countries (b) the majority of the Board of public companies must be independent and executives of the Company are not deemed to be independent (c) Members of the audit committee must be independent directors and must not receive fees or compensation from the Companies (d) the audit committee makes the decision on the hiring of external auditors and this is subject to the approval of the directors and shareholders.