Marketing and College Admissions - 1982 Words

For centuries, studying at a university has been a common notion that many young people aspired to. With time, this idea grew to become an expected step in the lives of young adults. Regardless of how regular and expected this life decision may seem, the decision to attend a particular institution to pursue one’s postsecondary education is quite possibly the most important decision one will make in their early adulthood. However, these choices and decisions are only as good as the information on which they are based. So what can schools do to make sure that they remain on the radar for prospective students? More importantly, what can small private liberal arts colleges, like Salem College, do to compete with big name public†¦show more content†¦Each step in the system should involve some form of contact that has a â€Å"specific action-oriented, measurable task† (College Recruitment Practices, n.d.). The goals in these systems can range from simply encoura ging a campus visit early in the funnel process, to eventually attempting to get the applicant to send in their confirmation. These thoughts can be communicated in a variety of ways, but studies show that there are certain methods of communication that are much more effective. The most successful methods of contact are mail, telephone, electronic media, and personal contact. However, an important note is that these methods of communication are only effective if they are made on the personal level and the prospective student can feel the one-on-one connection building between them and the people at the institution. It is important for the process to individualized; throughout the college search process students are likely to become cultured consumers as they filter through the massive amounts of information that they are bombarded with—this can be very overwhelming and numerous studies and surveys have found that students are likely to ignore all forms of communication tha t are not explicitly directed towards them, personally. The absolute most effective recruitment technique is for an admissions counselor to visitShow MoreRelatedTrends Of College Admissions : Katherine O Malley. Arizona State University1510 Words   |  7 Pages Trends in College Admissions Katherine O’Malley Arizona State University One of the key components in higher education enrollment management in a public, four-year university is the admissions process. With encouragement from many sources such as friends, family, and college marketing materials, high school juniors and seniors apply and enroll in college by the thousands each year (McDonough, 1994). College choice is greater now than twenty years ago, but finding the right fitRead MoreThe Standard Training Model Is Significant For The Workshop1261 Words   |  6 PagesMany of AI forum sessions were productive. Priest, Kaufman, Brunton Seibel (2013) found that AI forum can be used as a model to lead change in a variety of organizational situations. AI forum has evolved into a regulatory approach to change. Admissions recruiters shared dialogue consisting of opinions on social media usages with ideas they felt would allow them to witness a new level of early interest from students admitted from their territories. The recruiters wanted their messaging con tentRead MoreEssay On College Career944 Words   |  4 PagesCollege and Career Research Paper When I graduate highschool, I will be attend Georgia Southern University on a full ride with soccer and academic scholarships. I plan to receive my degree in business and marketing, and with that degree and marketing experience, I will become a marketing manager. I am excited to start this new chapter of my life and can’t wait! To start the next chapter in my life, I need to first apply and get accepted into Georgia Southern University. According to the GeorgiaRead MoreThe Responsibilities And Responsibilities Of A Senior President Of Enrollment Management852 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction For the past four years I have been working as an Admissions Counselor and Recruiter. I have found my passion in working with students and guiding students throughout their transition into college. I would like to further my career in higher education as a Vice President of Enrollment Management. This paper will discuss the organizational division in which the position resides, identify the responsibilities and requirements for the position. I will also discuss the environment for theRead MoreGraduation Speech : College And Transferring901 Words   |  4 Pages For a long time, I have been unsure about college and transferring, specifically. However, after this class I am 100% certain of what I plan to do and how I plan to do it. It has given me clarity through extensive direction and preparation. Originally, I had three of my top choices up in the air, them being Appalachian State, Gardner-Webb, and ETSU. However through careful deliberation and discussion with family, I have c hosen my top choice. My first choice is Appalachian State, followed byRead MoreCollege Of The Ozarks : College992 Words   |  4 PagesCollege of the Ozarks In 1907, a small college called the School of the Ozarks opened and later during the 1950s, it acquired over 1,400 acres to expand the facility. The Wall Street Journal labeled the School of the Ozarks as Hard Work U during the 1970’s because there was no tuition, just a work job program. Since 1990, when it was renamed the College of the Ozarks, this school has gone on to offer one of the most innovative tuition programs for local college bound students. The College of theRead MoreAdmissions Office Communications Start From Prospective Student Application1348 Words   |  6 PagesAdmissions office communications start from prospective student application entered in Jenzabar EX through various stages of the admissions process until the students are officially admitted. The admissions counselors will have two communication flows. In a study, Whitehead, Raffan, and Deaney (2006) shared significant information from their research that addresses factors that influence the student admissions process. The researchers found four dimensions associated with the student decision toRead MoreUniversity of West Alabama927 Words   |  4 Pagesin Accounting involves: 39 semester hours from the Business Professionals component including: Accounting principles, business law and communications, statistics, finance, business management practices, operations and strategic management, marketing and management information systems. 30 semesters hours from the Accounting Professionals component involving: Cost accounting, computer based accounting systems, understanding Federal income tax, auditing, advanced accounting and advanced businessRead MoreHuntingdon College. Huntingdon College Has A Tiny Campus1017 Words   |  5 PagesHuntingdon College Huntingdon College has a tiny campus of only three acres in a pleasant neighborhood of Montgomery, Alabama. The campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Around 1,100 students attend the traditional day and adult evening degree completion programs. Students from almost every county in the state attend Huntingdon College. Huntingdon College is consistently listed among the top best colleges in the region. They are a member of the Tree Campus USA program. TheRead MoreThe, Division, And Place Mr. Crouse1391 Words   |  6 PagesOrganizational Chart Mr. Crouse Jr is the vice president for enrollment management/dean of admissions of Mount Aloysius College. He reports directly to the college president, Dr. Foley. Mr. Crouse is at the top of his organizational structure, which he provided me at the conclusion of the interview. The Structures, Model, and Culture of Mount Aloysius College Mount Aloysius is a small liberal arts college that was founded by the catholic Sisters of Mercy. Mount Aloysius follows a traditional bureaucratic

Brazil Geography and Culture Free Essays

Brazil: Geography and Culture Geography Brazil with a background of Portuguese colonialism back in 1500 is the largest nation in Latin America, nearly half (47%) of the South American continent, comprises slightly under half of the land mass in South America continent and share border with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador. Brazil size is almost the size of United States excluding Alaska. Brazil has 13 cities with over one million residents. We will write a custom essay sample on Brazil Geography and Culture or any similar topic only for you Order Now The main capital is Brasilia, Brazil has 13 cities with over one million residents. Three important cities in Brazil including Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Salvador. Brazil is a diverse country with ethnic groups including: 54% European, 39% mixed European-African, 6% Africa, 1% other. The physical environment in each region determined the types of crops grown or the resources extracted and this, in turn, influenced the populations that settled there and the social and economic systems that developed. Brazil’s economic history, in fact, has been marked by a succession of cycles, each one based on the exploitation of a single export commodity: timber (brazilwood) in the first years of colonization; sugarcane in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; precious metals (gold) and gems (diamonds) in the eighteenth century; and finally, coffee in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Northeast Region has about 53. 6 million people, which represents 28% of the total number in the whole country. Most of the population lives in the urban area, althourgh, about 15 million people lives in the sertao. Its famous in Brazil by its hot wheather, beautiful beaches, rich culture, the sertao and to be the birthplace of the country. The biggest cities are Salvador, Fortaleza and Recife, which are the regional metropolitan areas of the Nordeste, all with a population above a million inhabitants. The Central-West Region is composed of the states of Goias, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul; along with Distrito Federal (Federal District), where Brazil’s national capital, Brasilia, is situated. This Region is right in the heart of Brazil, representing 18. 86% of the national territory. The Southeast Region of Brazil is composed by the states of Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. It is the richest region of the country, responsible for approximately 60% of the Brazilian GDP. The Southern Region of Brazil is one of the five administrative regions of Brazil. It includes the states of Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul and covers 576,300. km ? , being the smallest portion of the country. It is a great tourist, economic and cultural pole. It borders Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay as well as the Center-West Region, the Southeast Region and the Atlantic Ocean. The region received large numbers of people European immigrants during the 19th century, who have had a large influence on its demography and culture. The main ethnic groups of Southern Brazil are Brazilians of Italian, Portuguese a nd German descent. Today Brazil is justifiably famous for the Amazon River; Carnival in Rio; the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema; its many champion soccer teams, and of course, for the amazing collection of organized diversity that makes it one of the most significant and important countries on the face of the planet. Brazil Culture The population of Brazil was about 194 million, the sixth largest in the world after China, India, the United States, Indonesia, and the Russian Federation. Despite its large population, Brazil’s demographic density is relatively low. Although there has been significant population movement into the interior in recent decades, about 80 percent of all Brazilians still live within two hundred miles of the Atlantic coast. Unlike many other Latin American countries where there is a distinct Indian population, Brazilians have intermarried to the point that it sometimes seems that almost everyone has a combination of o European, African and indigenous ancestry. Many original Portuguese settlers married native women, which created a new race, called ‘mestizos’. Mulattoes’ are descendants of the Portuguese and African slaves. Despite the mixing of ethnicities, there is a class system in Brazil. Class is determined by economic status and skin colour. Few Brazilians could be described as racist, although social discrimination based on skin colour is a daily occurrence. People with darker brown skin are economically and socially disadvantaged. Many senior and middle ranking Brazilian business executives speak excellent English and in fact, many of them may have studied abroad in the USA or Europe. However, English is not spoken when dealing with people outside the major commercial centres, an ability to speak Brazilian Portuguese is extremely useful. The official language of Brazil is Portuguese; however, there are more than 180 native languages spoken in the country. It is also important to note that Brazil is the only country in South America whose dominant language and culture comes from Portugal. Aside from a small number of recently contacted indigenous peoples, all Brazilians speak Portuguese. Brazilian Portuguese differs somewhat in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation from the language of Portugal. Brazilian Portuguese contains a large number of indigenous terms, particularly words for native plants, animals, and place-names are not found in continental Portuguese. While regional accents exist in Brazil, they are not very pronounced and native Portuguese speakers from one region have no difficulty understanding those from other regions. The vast majority of Brazilians are monolingual in Portuguese, although many middle-class and elite Brazilians study English and to a lesser extent Spanish, French, and German. Brazilians are very proud of their linguistic heritage and resent that many foreigners, particularly North Americans, think Brazilians speak Spanish. However, anybody wishing to do business with Brazil and the Brazilians should be aware of the various cultural and structural barriers, which might confront them. Probably the most pervasive barrier encountered by the unwary traveller would be the ‘Custo Basil’ or the ‘Brazil Cost’. This term refers to the very real extra costs of doing business in Brazil — corruption, governmental inefficiency, legal and bureaucratic complications, excessive taxation, poor infrastructure, inflation etc. Although this ‘costa’ is difficult to define and has lessened in recent years, it  remains real and the cause of great frustration for international business people. Due to this ‘Custo Brasil’, it is important to work closely with local lawyers and accountants. Many people have found the services of local intermediaries (despachante) extremely useful in overcoming many of the unfathomable local complexities. The official religion in Brazil is Roman Catholic; there are more Catholics in Brazil than in any other country in the world. As with any other country in the world, Brazil is a melting pot of different religions. In fact, due to the diversity of its cultures and its heritage, this country boasts an array of religious ideals and affiliations. Interestingly, recent censuses have revealed that around 90% of the Brazilian population subscribe to some religious ideal, making it more religiously inclined than any other South American country. Only around 1% of its population do not believe in a God, or a supreme being in some form or another. Catholicism was introduced to Brazil when the European settlers arrived with the aim of ‘civilising’ the local native people. They built churches and brought religious leaders into the country to teach young and old alike the doctrines of Catholicism. During the 19th century, Catholicism was made the official religion of Brazil. This meant that Catholic priests were paid a salary by the government, including them in the political affairs of the country. As such, Catholicism became an integral part of the management and administration of Brazil and its people. Many of the Brazilian festivals are based on the Catholic religion. Other religions (non-Christian origin) includes Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Jehovah’s Witnessm Shinto, Rastafarian, Candomble, Umbanda and 1% of its population do not believe in God or supreme being in some form or another. Why Brazil? With a population of 194 million, Brazil represents the fifth largest market opportunity in the world after China, India, Indonesia and United States of America. It is also the fifth largest country in the world by geographic size. Not only that, Brazil is a land of rich in natural resources such as iron ore, bauxite, manganese, nickel, uranium, gold, gemstones, oil and timber. Combine these facts with the stabilising economic and political landscape, this is why Brazil attracts a higher percentage of total global foreign direct investment every year. So, as with many countries, the opportunities are there and they are real but, it is essential to understand the local business landscape if want to do business in Brazil. Regardless in what sector banking, computing or pharmaceuticals, local knowledge is important. Today, Brazil has one of the largest economies in the Americas and is the largest in South America. References: 1. http://geography. bout. com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/geographyofbraz. htm 2. http://www. justbrazil. com/site/index. php? option=com_contentview=articleid=94Itemid=119 3. http://geography. about. com/od/brazilmaps/a/brazilfacts. htm 4. http://www. brazil. org. za/brazil-culture. html 5. http://www. everyculture. com/Bo-Co/Brazil. html#b 6. http://www. mapsofworld. com/south-america/culture/brazil. html 7. http://www. worldbusiness culture. com/Brazilian-Business-Communication-Style. html 8. http://www. brazil. org. za/religion. html How to cite Brazil Geography and Culture, Essay examples

Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Answer: Introduction Most of the structures have turned out to be more effective and differently balanced through enhancements of plan of building them and the application each hold. The parts and effect of the materials used to develop some of the building turns out to be more vital, especially like those which have finished their life span. In this essay, it does take a gander at the part of some of the materials choice and the present strategies for evaluating their natural effects. It looks at the CH2-Council house 2 which is situated at 240 little Collins street I Melbourne. These materials choice and evaluation for the City of Melbourne's CH2 working all through its outline stage are inspected to feature problems and difficulties, and the way they could be settled. Concrete is utilized for instance to exhibit the impacts and results of the basic leadership forms utilized as a part of the CH2 venture. The amalgamation for economic partnership and development deliberated in 2004 and 2005 that structures devour for each currency of accessible crude materials and for each currency of vitality, create for every currency of our emanations to air, and for each money of waste to landfill. In Australia, the constructed condition likewise represents around 15 for each currency of our utilization of drinking water[1]. Additional, the resources in a structure could altogether influence social wellbeing. The interior look of numerous contaminations, the CH2 revealed, maybe 4 and 50 intervals advanced more than outdoor intensities. The interior appearance contaminati ons are essentially emanations from appropriate resources and certain structure resources. Resources ought to be picked utilizing the customary plan progression of lessen - reuse - reuse, going for solid indoor air, asset preservation and minimization of waste and emanations[2]. The 60L building is a main case of an economically suitable building that has effectively consolidated ecologically supportable building rehearses with business substances over its lime rent. The 50L site features important rule, which directed the advancement and activities on resources: Unique expanding on the places were not leveled but rather were mostly disassembled with the goal that current resources would be utilized. Wooden surface spars and floorboards were utilized, as they were blocks, coated allotments and the greater part of the ancient structure structure, and additionally the legacy recorded exterior. Materials poured at 70L were utilizing a 50-liter for each penny-reused total (for this situation, pounded concrete recovered from different structures); Wooden openings and entrance jambs stayed manufactured after reused tools, as remained different things, for example, strengthening steel and covers (reused synthetics). Most pastes, cements, sealants and fillers regularly utilized as a part of structures produce exceedingly lethal gasses. Utilization of these was limited wherever practicable[3]. 70 litters utilizes around 60 litters for each penny less PVC than an average business working of a similar magnitude and utilize. Pipes were wiped out after liquid channels, electrical conductors and nimble fixtures. Where new materials should have been utilized, inclination was given to reused and recyclable items, for example, blocks, timber, steel and copper. Inside the Town Assembly's transitory for CH2 incorporated the accompanying restrictions. The structure was to remain a beacon for forthcoming urban improvements. This was to give an agreeable, versatile and fortifying workplace the clients, the workers at the Town Assembly. It is to be seen and comprehended to react to its common and in addition its social condition and to make utilization of assets remembering the proficient utilization of encapsulated vitality both in the selection of materials and during the time spent their utilization[4]. It ought to boost the utilization of sustainable power source inside the limits of present innovation by reaping daylight, water together with these difficulties at the citys atmosphere, through after these standards the structure ought to decrease carbon emanations to very nearly zero. It ought to likewise give at any rate an indistinguishable region of green cover from its impression, remembering that this region can be measured vertically a nd in addition on a level plane. Finally, as a masterpiece, the building ought to move another connection amid the Town and its landscape. Among the results of the first instructions procedures were the advancement of an 'exhaustive materials appraisal procedures that intended to reflect the important natural parts of the substantial yet with four all-encompassing needs[5]. Usage and devotion to the guideline of most minimal lifespan charge for the expected 50 life time(that is augmenting toughness, limiting substitution, expanding practicality). Minimizing exemplified vitality and use of privately developed, sourced or fabricated items and materials. A 'complete materials appraisal process' was first expressly tended to next four months plan Charente toward the beginning of the venture. The structural outline procedure normally began from preparatory or schematic plan, truly the pattern or harsh position of places and forms, via to plan improvement that structures are regularly attracted to gauge and settle in certain part, to deal with certification that includes the certification of the undertaking in altogether regards to permit its development. There is no uncertainty the comprehensive particular process for CH2 has lessened the ecological weight related with its development. [6]The case of cement alone demonstrates critical ozone depleting substance sparing. Additional important cases of likely advantages comprise. Negligible utilization of forest and great protection esteem timberlands for a great part of the wooden development, via utilizing reused timbers. Abridged exemplified vitality after the utilization of 90 for each penny post-purchaser reused content steel for support. Design for lessened materials utilize, adaptability and demount ability in the fit-out. Notwithstanding funds in capital development, this is probably going to bring about compound reserve funds through maintained a strategic distance from utilization and waste amid beat[7]. Investments of venture accentuation on determination for 90-year lifespan price ideal, with its accentuation on strength. Exact measurement of natural reserve funds are maintained in a strategic distance from effects which might be conceivable when a review was attempted. That probably going to be topic for the forthcoming investigation. Upto day, it largely apprehended the working vitality necessities remained by a wide margin best natural effect via lifespan of a working, through working vitality surpassing vitality it receipts to develop a normal business working in as meager as ten to twenty years. They call attention to that as structures turn out to be all the more operationally proficient, the relative natural effect of building materials utilized as a part of their development is more noteworthy once more[8]. Furthermore, materials have different effects and vitality. It comprise of: Environment debasement emerging after classification, excavating, conveyance, squander abandoning and contamination from different phases of removal, creation and transfer[9]. Corrosion of regular wealth via utilization of generally resources. Greenhouse gas emanations from transportation, creation, establishment and obliteration/transfer. Lack of development influences in different territories of the budget motivated by the rehearses utilized as a part of the development business (for example squander). As the development business constitutes a vast level of aggregate financial action in many nations, its effect extends into other numerous different ventures. Materials choice, even in lime ventures, is regularly well-thought-out at the plan improvement organize, or diminish certification stage. A mix of stylish/practical/price motorists and the fashioners' nature with comprehensively accessible items pushes certain and unequivocal choices: In any case, the normal procedure could convey a great budget since it limits the biological effects of people constructing resources. For instance, it is basic manufacturing rehearsal to utilize plasterboard or fiber-bond cover to line the dividers of most present day structures. The training permits links, pipes and administrations to be steered over the constructing building yet covered up by the divider and roof wraps up[10]. Nevertheless, this can wipe out chances to utilize the viable warm form of a solid construction. Unique outline of administrations and development is necessary for a solid building as the wrap up. This is not rather promptly done after diagram plan. It likewise neglects to deliberate the lifespan series effects of these coating substrates and a heap of rehearses understood in their utilization, for example, supplanting and repainting surfaces that are effectively stamped and scraped. The procedure utilized by the CH2 configuration group went for turning around the way materials and ESD were managed in development. Noteworthy accentuation on ESD issues was put on each development undertaking, now and again to the detriment the spending plan and program. Thus, the development procedure and connection between the customer and the building temporary worker was more unpredictable. One conceivable motivation behind why the development of CH2 was more ordinary is because of the recently created Green Star rating framework, which furnishes manufacturers with a deliberate reason for basic leadership on ESD issues. On account, of the Green Star structure it was a bit much for each choice to be contended inside a natural system giving the Green Star appraisals were not traded off. The ESD of the building includes solar power, which has helped to save on energy. The green energy is good for the environment. The water system has been constructed in a way there is no wastage so as to conserve water. The sort of technology contract chose for the conveyance of a venture significantly affects the accomplishment of creating and executing a green plan. Due to much use of technology, there is less use of green energy. Additional time is required at the outline stage to completely coordinate ESD configuration highlights, and this must be reflected in the kind of venture contract chose. Imaginative green innovations utilizing less normal materials and strategies are harder to record ahead of time of offering for a customary contract. Best practice relies upon where items are sourced from, transport expenses and assembling techniques. In the underlying Charente phase of CH2 the plan group exhibited a proposition for dialog and useful feedback that utilized a solid structure as a broad warm mass and sought after collaboration, genuineness and straightforwardness in materials utilized[11]. Synergy: get numerous advantages from a substantial. For instance, by utilizing the construction as a warm physique and solid completed superficial. Morality: utilize resources for their tasteful and other inherent possessions, look for not dressed, coat or conceal them. Ease: straightforward is superior to multifaceted. Solid resources are less demanding to look after, reparation, and reuse than covered, stuck, compound items. This approach, as per designing, emphatically influenced from the beginning the outline group's theory and tasteful for CH2 to be profoundly not quite the same as numerous contemporary 'Review A' business structures. It would be the beginning of imaginative believing that brought about a striking choice of materials and completes all through the venture[12]. Conclusion Emerald structure is at a fact wherever around a considerable measure of knowledge for all included. All new venture adds to this information and conveys advantages to the earth and group. The CH2 venture shows the significance of proceeded with instruction of planners, the development business and the item manufacturing. This essay has shown the difficulties and chances of incorporating naturally mindful resources into a structure venture[13]. Openings be in choosing resources that have low effects in their fabricate and use, and in addition life span in their feel and intrinsic qualities, for example, quality and recyclability.[14] References ABS (2010), Water Account for Australia. Cat. No. 4610.0., Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Anderson Shiers (2012) The green guide to housing specification 3rd ed Oxford: Blackwell Science. BedZED (2011) BedZED Eco-village development facts and statistics, Bioregional Development Group, viewed 29/01/2005 Cole, RJ Kernan, PC (2016), 'Life-cycle energy use in office buildings', Building and Environment, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 307-17. Curwell Steve (2012) Hazardous Building Materials: A Guide to the Selection of Environmentally Responsible, London: EFN Spon Press. Froeschle Lawrence (2009), 'Environmental Assessment and Specification of Green Building Materials', The Construction Specifier, p. 53. Roodman, DM Lenssen, N (2015), A Building Revolution: How Ecology and Health Concerns are Transforming Construction, Worldwatch Institute, Washington, DC: Worldwatch Institute. Scheuer, C, Keoleian, GA Reppe, P (2013), 'Life cycle energy and environmental performance of a new university building: modelling challenges and design implications', Energy and Buildings, vol. 35, no. 10, pp. 1049-64. Suzuki oka, (2008), 'Estimation of life cycle energy consumption and CO2 emission of office buildings in Japan', Energy and Buildings, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 33-41. Berge Beryl (2010), Ecology of Building Materials, Oxford: Architectural Press. Buchanan AH Levine SB (2009) Wood based building materials and atmospheric carbon emissions, Environmental Science and Policy, vol. 2, pp. 427-437. Cole, RJ (1998), Energy and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the construction of alternative structural systems', Building and Environment, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 335-48. Cole Robert Kernan Patrict (2016), 'Life-cycle energy use in office buildings', Building and Environment, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 307-17. Treloar Gertrude (2009)Embodied energy analysis of fixtures, fittings and furniture in office buildings, Facilities vol. 17, no. 11, pp. 403-409. Treloar, G.J. (2016) Indirect embodied energy pathways of the Australian residential building sector, Proceedings CIB TG16, TG8, W99 and W82 Research Symposium, RMIT, Melbourne, February, 8. US Environmental Protection Agency, (2014) Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Terms, US Environmental Protection Agency, viewed 31/01/2005

Study of a Child with Autism free essay sample

She was born on January 10, 2001 and the eldest of two siblings. In 2008, because of continued concerns with her being Mikhail, she was brought to DRP. Pangolin, a child neurologist. She was diagnosed with mild Florentine seizures and was prescribed Keeper MGM/day. In June 2011, she was brought to another child neurologist, DRP. Lucian for follow up. She was advised to continue medications and take a follow up EGG. She was further referred by her pediatrician to DRP. Mark Resin Cruz for developmental assessment. The initial impression was Intellectual Disability and he recommended SPED schooling for her. Likewise, because she is of school age, she was also referred to Psyched, Inc. For Psycho educational Evaluation to determine her current level of cognitive and academic functioning. Ajax, (as she is fondly called) was able to crawl at 4 months, gave her first smile at 5 months, was able to sit by 7 months, talked by 8 months, walked by 11 months and ran at 1 year and 9 months old. We will write a custom essay sample on Study of a Child with Autism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She spoke phrases by 2 years of age and was able to speak in complete sentences at 4 years of age. Jail is a fair complexioned 11 year old girl, of light build with black eyes and long hair. According to her mother, her immunization are complete and hearing and visual screening results are normal. She has a pleasant personality and seems to be in a happy mood at all times. According to Finland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VASS) test, she was rated as mildly deficient in the colonization domain (age equivalent of 5 years and 7 months). With her interpersonal relationships, she is able to identify others, responds to social communication and make her own friends. She has a best friend of the same gender. She also initiates social small talk when meeting acquaintances. She remembers birthdays of friends and family, but does not yet make or buy small gifts for them. She still has difficulty maintaining cooperative relationships with friends and tends to insist on getting her own way. For play and leisure, Jail watches television, listens to the radio for entertainment and is able to follow simple game rules without being reminded. She participates in non-school sports such as badminton. For coping skills, she is able to keep secrets or confidences and uses appropriate table manners. However, she still has difficulty controlling anger and hurt feelings as well as apologizing for hurting other peoples feelings. Furthermore, according to the Teacher Report Form completed by two of her teachers, the consistently identified problem areas were on the social relationships, thought problems, attention problems and rule breaking behavior. Items rated often true by all three respondents were: Doesnt get along with other kids, Cant get her mind off certain thoughts; obsessions, Fails to finish things she starts Cant concentrate, pay attention for long, Poor school work, Inattentive or early distracted, Lying or cheating. The ADAPT (Draw-a- Person) test showed her to be Test) which provides information about attitudes and socio emotional well being, her responses indicated generally positive attitudes towards the self, family and friends and also some concern about school performance. However, her mother reported that her strengths include being affectionate, kind and loving. On the VIM tests, her visual motor integration skills were within the 4th percentile for her age range. Her score was within the low performance range and she performed at the level of 6 years and 2 months. Her performance indicated much difficulty on this task. She had problems with reproducing angled and AD shapes. She was right handed and held the pencil in a tripod grasp with closed web space. Based on the Finland Adaptive Behavior Scale(VASS) test given to her, she was rated as mildly deficient in the communication domain (age equivalent of 7 years and 5 months). She is able to point to body parts, follow instructions requiring two actions, and can listen to the teacher for at least 5 minutes. She is able to attend to entertaining materials for at least 60 minutes and attends to school or public lecture for more than 15 minutes. She is able o speak in full sentences and use plural nouns and verb tense. She is able to give information about herself such as age and birthday. However, she has some difficulty with expressing complex ideas. She is able to write in cursive most of the time and writes short notes or messages. She also reads books of at least fourth grade level when asked to do so. However, she does not use reading materials such as dictionary, and does not read on her own initiative. Based on the Kauffman Test of Educational Achievement Second Edition (STEAK-II), her letter and word recognition skills were thin Below Average to Average range and performance was comparable to mid grade 2 level. Reading comprehension skills were within Lower Extreme to Below Average range and performance was comparable to mid -Grade 1 level. She was able to read single words and point to pictures depicting the word but has difficulty with understanding one-sentence instructions despite being able to read the sentence. She also has difficulty answering both literal and inferential questions. It indicates that she has difficulty with understanding the details of what she has read and analyzing/making conclusions about the passage. Spelling skills were within Below Average to Average range. Her performance was comparable to mid-Grade 3 level. She was able to spell words in the skill areas of single/double consonant, consonant digraph, long vowel and r-controlled vowel. She committed errors of insertion and omission of syllables which performance indicates difficulty with grade level spelling tasks. Written expression skills were within Lower Extreme to Below Average range and performance was comparable to early Grade 1 level. She was able to write name but had difficulty writing sentences in English. She performed below expected range n for sentence structure, grammar, capitalization and punctuation. She also exhibited weakness in producing comprehensible and functionally effective writing that adhered to task. Her writing suggests gaps in wore usage or semantics, proper sentence construction and overall verbal sophistication in English. Upon administration of the Stanford Bines Intelligence Scale Fifth Edition (SUB-5), Jail obtained a full Scale IQ range of 49-57 which placed her level of cognitive functioning within the Mild to Moderate range of Mental Retardation. Fluid Reasoning (FRR) abilities were within the Mild to Moderate range. She had difficulty in solving problems using words and language concepts and problems using pictorial or figural patterns. The Knowledge Abilities (AKA) tests were within the Mild to Moderate MR. . She had difficulty defining words and responded mostly in single words. Likewise, she had more difficulty with demonstrating procedural knowledge when presented with pictures of objects and asked to show what she should do with the objects. Her Quantitative Reasoning (CRY) abilities were in the Mild MR. to Low Average range; she had difficulty with numbers and number concepts. She was able to answer a single-digit addition problem. She was inconsistent in solving simple addition and subtraction word problems. She was able to demonstrate an understanding of single-digit number quantities and increasing quantity and with recognizing number patterns. Her Visual-spatial Processing (VSP) abilities were within the Mild MR. to Borderline range. She had difficulty seeing patterns, relationships, spatial orientations or the gestalt whole among the diverse pieces of a visual display. She was able to show understanding of simple positions such as front and behind. However she had more difficulty with directions and positions in relation to a reference point. She was able to fit simple geometric shapes into their correct slot in the form board. She was also able to complete simple patterns by moving plastic pieces into place; however, she had more difficulty with completing complex patterns. Her Working Memory (WHOM) ability was within the Mild to Moderate MR. range. Immediate auditory memory for rote material was below average and likewise immediate visual memory. She had difficulty storing and immediate recalling both verbal and non verbal information. In the visual associative memory test, Jail performed within below average and she was unable to recognize paired familiar objects. On the delayed visual memory, her scores were within average range. She was able to recognize paired familiar objects and unrelated objects. She was diagnosed with mild epileptic seizures in 2008 and was prescribed medications to prevent convulsions; however, shes not taking any medication as of the present. She does not manifest any maladaptive behaviors. Jail was adopted at 3 days of age. Her biological mother reportedly chain smoked throughout her pregnancy. Her nutritional status was questionable. Jail was born via normal spontaneous vaginal delivery and was born full term but an unknown birth eight. Jail live with her parents who are both college graduates. They work with the Philippine National Police and run their own franchise business. She has a 4 year old brother whom she loved dearly. She resides in a lower income class community in Tagging, approximately 5 kilometers away from Boniface Global City. The area is densely populated and most of the residents are in the military service (active or retired). However, 80% of the populace were migrants families who have transferred to the place due to demolition and relocation by the government. Crimes of all sorts are very rampant in heir community and most perpetrators are either ex military men, ex policemen or unemployed youth. Her school is a Just a few kilometers away from her home and is within walking distance. Jail lives with a cousin, way and other house helpers. Jags parents have the same reaction with others who learned that their child has a disability shock, remorse, denial and finally acceptance. The feeling that they had had to overcome these feelings to help their child. Ajax, because of hardheadedness most of the times, received spanking as discipline. At times, they would Just ignore her wrongdoings because of her disability. She loves her brother very much and acts like the big sister to him. She easily makes friends but loses them as easily because of her moody attitude. She would pick up a fight when she does not get her way or does not know how to cope in a situation. She would also do the same with a cousin and their house helps. When at home she would watch TV or listen to music in her cell phone. She would also visit friends who live nearby or would go to the mall with them. Her daily routine starts as she wake up at 6:00 in the morning, takes a bath, change into her school clothes and eat breakfast as she rush to her 7:maam class which would be until 12:pm. After school and having lunch, she would laze around and watch TV and after a while listen to music. According to her mother, she never opens her textbooks nor do her assignments even with constant reprimanding. During Saturdays and Sundays, she would stay at home or would invite friends over to her house. At times, she would visit friends who live nearby and go to the mall. She has a dog and a rabbit but she spends most of her time listening to music in her cell phone. Ajax, fit the general profile of a child with mental retardation. A lot of factors indexed her growth and development as an individual. Firstly, she was born by a mother who obviously posed a health risk to her unborn child during her pregnancy because of chain smoking. Majority of children who are born by chain smoking mothers even in their pregnancy developmental disorders. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also called ADD, occurs more frequently in children of mothers who smoked. Studies have identified a range of other behavioral and cognitive problems associated with maternal smoking, including a 50 percent increase in rates of mental retardation (D Thompson, Jar. ND L Marcella, MD, MPH 2011). Secondly, she was diagnosed with the disability at a later age. Thirdly, because she was diagnosed at a later age, it was obvious that no intervention was done to address her disability. Her educational program did not provide her the intervention she needed in preschool and sadly no intervention was still done during her elementary. She was simply dismissed as being Mikhail, hyperactive and a slow learner. Her school FAILED MISERABLY in identifying her behavioral problems and learning difficulties. Fourthly, the fact that her parents both worked full time and jack the time to personally supervise her as she is growing up and have dismissed her behaviors and academic performance to her immaturity may have contribute further to her disability. These factors further widened the gap in her cognitive deficits and hindered her to somehow reach her optimal development as she is growing up. B. EDUCATIONAL PROFILE Jail began schooling at the age of 3 h at the MAC Interiors School. The following year, she was transferred to the La Immaculate Conception School, where she was enrolled in preschool. She has stayed at the same school ever since. During preschool, Jail was observed to be restless and did not listen to her teachers. During skills because she did not know how to read and write yet. By Grade 1, she was able to write her name and read 3-letterheads. However, her mother reported that Jail only learned to spell words during Grade 2. During the early grades she also had difficulty learning math and science. During Grade 3, Jail was enrolled in a Summon math class, and her mother reported that this was the only time that she started learning basic math operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication). At school, she ad difficulty remembering lessons and continued to struggle with reading. According to her mother, Jags grades were generally in the mid-ass range during Grades 1 to 3. During Grade 4, Jail received failing grades in her major subjects such as Math, English and Science. Her performance worsened during Grade 5. She had recently been failing all her subjects. Examination of her academic records for Grade 1 to Grade 4 revealed marks in the high ass to low ass. Before the school year 2011-2012 closes, her mother was advised by the Guidance Counselor that Jail could not be promoted to Grade 6 because of her consistent failures. If she would re enroll for the next school year, she would be readmitted to Grade 5 not Grade 6. Upon hearing this, Ajax s parents decided to transfer her to another school who would accommodate her in the Grade 6 level despite her academic performance. Jail was admitted the following school year in the Grade 6 level at SST. Bernard Academy less than a kilometer away from their house. However, after the first quarter and upon discovering that her books still remain unanswered and there seem to be no progress, her mother decided to transfer her again to another school nearby which can accommodate her disability. Ajax, was placed in the Grade 5 class of 8 students since the school does not have a Grade 6 class yet. It is a small school with a population of only 106 students. It is the only school within their area that accepts students with disabilities into the regular class. Most of her classmates are a year younger than her. She easily made friends especially with the girls. For reading activities, Jail was given a different reading material than her classmates. Considering that her reading only falls on the Grade 2 level, her teachers would give her reading material on the Grade 2 and Grade 3 level. She is also encouraged to participate in recitation especially in Filipino subjects. Jail is given journal writing activities to develop her writing and composition skills, however, she writes her Journal in Filipino. Some of her lessons would be given in the computer to differ the lesson presentation. To address her social deficits, she is involved in group classroom activities and from time to time assigned a peer to assist and encourage her. She also Joins school activities for further exposure. She exhibits no maladaptive behaviors except for occasions when she would be caught with a blank stare. To further develop self help skills, she is assigned household and personal chores to do at home as part of their PEP (Educations Panamanian at Panhandling) subject. To address her gross motor skills, she takes part in games and other physical activities as part of their Physical Education subject every Wednesday. Jail was placed into the mainstream program as recommend by the Developmental Pediatrician and the Developmental Psychologist who conducted her Psycho educational Assessment. Her parents also decided to transfer her to an inclusive school that cater to children with intellectual disability. Her current school being inclusive is sensitive to the needs of students with disabilities. In fact, it has several students with Autism, Developmental Delay and Learning Disabilities which are accommodated from preschool to Grade 5. The class size is relatively small to ensure a more personalize instruction and readily address other concerns. The staff has training on detecting learning disabilities and behavioral problems among children, teaching strategies and behavioral management. The students have been oriented about the characteristics of this rope of students and have been advice to accommodate and assist them. Aside from the regular class placement, she attends a SPED center three times a week for two hours for her Pull Out sessions in order to address more extensively her deficits in the different domains of learning. Unfortunately, many factors contribute to Jags mental retardation first was her prenatal condition which posed a great risk on her development. Her uncaring biological mother chain smoked throughout her pregnancy which might be the primary reason why Jail has mental retardation. Children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy are more likely to show: decreased mental performance scoring at age one year, decreased academic performance scores in the school-age child, reduced I. Q. Increased learning difficulties (children were 25 percent more likely to have learning disabilities if their mother smoked greater than 20 cigarettes a day), increased hyperactivity and increased behavioral problems. There are many potential long term consequences for babies born to smoking mothers, although once an infant is born, its difficult to tell whether complications are caused by mooing during pregnancy or exposure to second hand smoke. An increase in cognitive and behavior defects, along with a 50 percent increase in mental retardation without known cause, are noted by DRP. Van Emmer. Second, her educational program particularly her early childhood teachers fail to recognize her disability at a young age thus the necessary intervention was not given to her. Early childhood teachers nowadays are trained to detect developmental delay in children and should be responsible enough to inform the parents of their childs behavioral and academic concerns. Ajax, being in the Mild to Moderate range in her cognitive functioning could probably be place in the secondary level for age appropriate placement and only for colonization purposes. The school must have an inclusive program for students with special needs and the focus of instruction would be more on the functional and vocational skills she would later need in early adulthood. A functional curriculum, sometimes referred to as a life skills curriculum, is designed to teach functional life skills, or in other words, the skills necessary to live, work, and have fun in an inclusive immunity (Buck; Brown et al. ,1979).

The Power of Setting Using Vivid Description to Enthrall Your Readers - Freewrite Store

The Power of Setting Using Vivid Description to Enthrall Your Readers - Freewrite Store Starting out as a fiction writer, you’ll be told to focus on plot, dialogue, and characterization - but there’s something else that should be on that list - that often gets relegated to the ‘not-so-important’ pile. The power of evocative description of the setting of your story is frequently overlooked - but it shouldn’t be. I did a bachelor's degree in Creative Writing in my mid-twenties, aftermy first novel was published. (Yeah, I know that’s backward way on, but it seemed a good idea at the time!) It surprised me that vivid description of the story setting didn’t really come up until a module on ‘world-building’ for fantasy fiction. The story setting isn’t just important in fantasy fiction. It’s important in all fiction, offering the opportunity to enthrall your readers and bring your story to life. Great fiction, I believe, is the kind that has you dreaming about the setting and the characters long after the book is finished - and if you don’t offer a vivid description of the setting to your readers, they can’t dream about it. So, now you know why creating vivid and evocative descriptions of your setting is so important, let’s look at what goes into crafting the kind of descriptions that stick in your readers’ minds. The Essential Ingredients of Vivid Settings If you’re cooking a complex meal, you know that you have to measure out the exact ingredients in the recipe if you want it to turn out as expected. With vivid descriptions of settings, you also need to include a range of ingredients - although you have a little more freedom with the quantities. The ingredients of an evocative setting are the same whether you’re writing fantasy or romance, historical fiction or a crime thriller. Let’s take a look at what you need. Sensory Details The best descriptions of settings use a lot of sensory details. As humans, we explore our world using our five senses, so it’s only natural to use the senses to craft realistic and vivid details that your readers can easily imagine. Sensory details - which evoke smells, colors, textures, sounds, and sensations - can instantly add power to any description of a setting. Of course, different settings will evoke different senses - and you don’t have to evoke all five senses in each description. Let’s look at the difference that sensory details can add to your writing in the contrast between these two descriptions: Alex forged ahead. There was a path leading through the trees and into some bushes A path of crushed pine needles wound among the trees and into a shadowy clump of bracken and snow-laden rhododendron bushes. A sharp, icy wind carried the sharp tang of pine and the damp decay of leaves on the forest floor. Sunlight spilled through the canopy of trees and reflected off droplets of water clinging to the sleeve of Alex’s jacket. A twig snapped beneath his boot, and he froze, holding his breath as the deer’s head turned sharply towards him. It sniffed the air, and then, as if it could smell the danger, bolted away through the undergrowth, its hoof-beats seeming to echo the frustrated beating of Alex’s heart. If you struggle with bringing sensory details into your writing, you could try keeping a ‘sensory diary’. By this, I mean carrying a notebook with you and spending a few minutes every day describing your setting. Focus on: What you can hear What you can see What you can smell What the surface you’re sitting on feels like What you can taste (this applies even if you’re not eating or drinking anything!) Metaphors and Similes Metaphor: A word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing in order to show or suggest that they are similar; An object, activity, or idea that is used as a symbol of something else For example: â€Å"Love is a battlefield† Simile: a type of figurative language that describes something by comparing it to something else with the words like or as. For example, â€Å"Life is like a box of chocolates.† As literary devices, metaphors and similes are tools that every writer should have in their toolbox. Although metaphors and similes can become tired with overuse, their familiarity can help instantly connect your reader with the setting you’re describing - evoking powerful sensory details without having to articulate those details. Both metaphors and similes have extensively been used throughout the centuries - and to great effect. Take a look at these examples:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The sun in the west was a drop of burning gold that slid near and nearer the sill of the world.† - Lord of the Flies, William Golding â€Å"Small flames stirred at the trunk of a tree and crawled away through leaves and brushwood, dividing and increasing. One patch touched a tree trunk and scrambled up like a bright squirrel. The smoke increased, sifted, rolled outwards. The squirrel leapt on the wings of the wind and clung to another standing tree, eating downwards. Beneath the dark canopy of leaves and smoke, the fire laid hold on the forest and began to gnaw.† - Lord of the Flies,William Golding â€Å"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!† - Romeo Juliet,William Shakespeare â€Å"In the eastern sky there was a yellow patch like a rug laid for the feet of the coming sun . . .† - The Red Badge of Courage,Stephen Crane â€Å"The water made a sound like kittens lapping.† - The Yearling,Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Similes and metaphors can be overused, however, so it’s important that you don’t rely on them too much when you’re working on writing vivid descriptions of your story setting. Instead, you should aim to balance your writing with a variety of figurative techniques. If you struggle with coming up with metaphors and similes for your writing, it may help to go through some of your favorite books and see how the authors you admire use these literary devices. Atmospheric Details Creating an atmosphere in your setting can truly take your scenes to the next level. Describing an atmosphere can add tension, a sense of urgency, apprehension, excitement, and so on. In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens used atmospheric imagery in his descriptions of Miss Havisham’s house to create a vivid sense of despair and decay. The narrator, Pip, describes it as being made ‘of old brick and dismal... [with] a great many iron bars to it.’ Dickens writes: Some of the windows had been walled up; of those that remained, all the lower were rustily barred [†¦] While we waited at the gate, I peeped [†¦] and saw that at the side of the house there was a large brewery. No brewing was going on in it, and none seemed to have gone on for a long long time. ‘The first thing I noticed was, that the passages were all dark and that she had left a candle burning there. She took it up, and we went through more passages and up a staircase, and still, it was all dark, and only the candle lighted us.’ The atmosphere Dickens creates is gothic - perfect for Miss Havisham - but you can use details like these to create any kind of atmosphere. There are particular kinds of words that create an atmosphere. For example: Rattling Creaking Thumping Whistling Shuddering Echoing Try looking at how your favorite authors create an atmosphere in their novels. Why is it so effective? Do you think some types of atmosphere are more commonly evoked in settings than others? A Note on Authenticity When you’re writing vivid descriptions, it’s easy to get carried away. However, unless you’re writing fantasy fiction (where you literally have a license to let your imagination run wild) or creating your own fictional towns, it’s important that the settings that you describe are authentic. Even if you’re creating a fictional town or city, you have to make it realistic. This especially applies if you’re writing historical fiction - but it’s important for all kinds of fiction, really. Creating an authentic setting avoids jarring the reader out of the story with a detail that is out of place in the time period or location of the setting. For example, imagine you’re reading a book set in Victorian London - in 1855. The author has been using authentic dialogue and using really evocative language in describing the setting. You’re engrossed in the story, immersed in all the details that make you feel like you can actually smell the streets of London. Then, the author has a character catching a train on the London Underground. Except you happen to know that the London Underground didn’t open until 1863. This jarring detail immediately ruins the sense of authenticity. Always fact-check when you’re writing about settings that your readers may be familiar with. All the descriptive skills in the world can’t save a novel that is inaccurate! It can be helpful to keep a file with all the necessary details about any real-life settings to ensure you’re keeping to the facts. Practice Writing Vivid Descriptions If you want to master the art of vivid description, you need to hone your skills before you start working on your novel. We’ve covered all the essential ingredients for an evocative description of a setting, so now it’s your turn to put them into practice!   Here’s some prompts and exercises to get you started: Go and sit in your local coffee shop and spend ten minutes describing the atmosphere, the sounds, the smells, the sights, and so on. If you want to make this more challenging, try emailing your description to a friend to see if they can guess the location. If they can’t, keep practicing. Find a book about the history of your town or city and pick a street or location that has changed significantly during the past 100 years. Write a scene set in the location - but describe the scene 100 years ago, then 75 years ago, 50 years ago, and 25 years ago. If you know older people who may remember the location in the past, you could share your description with them to see if they would add any different details - or take some out. Create a fictional setting for your story, and spend 30 minutes writing a scene full of vivid description. Make sure you evoke sensory details, create an atmosphere, and use metaphors and/or similes to bring your description to life. Learn from one of the greatest masters of descriptive writing: J.R.R. Tolkein. In Book One of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, he wrote: "The trees do not like strangers. They watch you. They are usually content merely to watch you, as long as daylight lasts." Get hold of a copy of The Lord of the Rings and find a passage the describes a setting. Study the language that Tolkein uses and the way that he brings the locations to life. What types of words does he use? Why are they so powerful? What similes and/or metaphors does he use? Can you identify any other techniques in his writing? Now, describe a setting using the same techniques. Go through one of your past stories/novels and find a couple of scenes that you haven’t used a lot of description in. Rewrite them, putting into practice the things you’ve learned about creating vivid descriptions.

Atomic Radius Definition and Trend

Atomic Radius Definition and Trend Atomic radius is a term used to describe the size of an atom, however, there is no standard definition for this value. An atomic radius may refer to the ionic radius, covalent radius, metallic radius, or van der Waals radius. Atomic Radius Periodic Table Trends No matter what criteria you use to describe the atomic radius, the size of an atom is dependent on how far out its electrons extend. The atomic radius of an element tends to increase the further down you go in an element group. Thats because the  electrons become more tightly packed as you move across the periodic table, so while there are more electrons for elements of increasing atomic number, the atomic radius may decrease. The atomic radius moving down an element period  or column tends to increase because an additional electron shell is added for each new row. In general, the largest atoms are at the bottom lefthand side of the periodic table. Atomic Radius Versus Ionic Radius The atomic and ionic radius is the same for atoms of neutral elements, such as argon, krypton, and neon. However, many atoms of elements are more stable as atomic ions. If the atom loses its outermost electron, it becomes a cation or positively charged ion. Examples include K and Na. Some atoms might lose multiple outer electrons, such as Ca2. When electrons are removed from an atom, it might lose its outermost electron shell, making the ionic radius smaller than the atomic radius. In contrast, some atoms are more stable if they gain one or more electrons, forming an anion or negatively charged atomic ion. Examples include Cl- and F-. Because another electron shell isnt added, the size difference between the atomic radius and ionic radius of an anion isnt as much as for a cation. The anion ionic radius is the same as or slightly larger than the atomic radius. Overall, the trend for the ionic radius is the same as for the atomic radius: increasing in size moving across and decreasing moving down the periodic table. However, its tricky to measure the ionic radius, not least because charged atomic ions repel each other. Measuring Atomic Radius You cant put atoms under a normal microscope and measure their size- although you can kind of do it using an atomic force microscope. Also, atoms dont sit still for examination; they are constantly in motion. Thus, any measure of atomic (or ionic) radius is an estimate that contains a large margin of error. The atomic radius is measured based on the distance between the nuclei of two atoms that are barely touching each other, which means the electron shells of the two atoms are just touching each other. This diameter between the atoms is divided by two to give the radius. Its important, however, that the two atoms dont share a chemical bond (e.g., O2, H2) because the bond implies an overlap of the electron shells or a shared outer shell. The atomic radii of atoms cited in the literature are usually empirical data taken from crystals. For newer elements, the atomic radii are theoretical or calculated values, based on the probable size of the electron shells. How Big Are Atoms? A picometer is 1-trillionth of a meter. The atomic radius of the hydrogen atom is about 53 picometers.The atomic radius of an iron atom is about 156 picometers.The largest measured atom is cesium, which has a radius of about 298 picometers.

Financial ratios Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial ratios - Essay Example There are different ways in which financial ratios can be improved by the firm and hence its performance. However, it is critical to note that financial ratios can also be improved with the help of creative accounting techniques such as use of different depreciation methods, inventory value methods etc. Financial ratios are typically chracterised into five groups and each group consists of different ratios that outline the performance of the firm in that category. For example, liquidity ratios comprises of current ratio as well as acid test ratio. In order to improve upon the liquidity ratios of a firm, a firm can discipline its use of working capital. Since liquidity ratios mostly indicate the firm’s ability to pay off its short term liabilities with its short term assets therefore it is really important that both the current assets as well as current liabilities are managed in optimum manner. In order to improve this ratio, a firm can decrease its reliance on the short term finance and shall encourage the use of internally generated funds to finance its short term working capital requirement. Since current assets are considered as non-productive assets it is therefore important that a balance must be achieved between the current assets and current liabilities to bring the ratios in most favorable condition. Similarly, efficiency ratios indicate the efficiency with which the assets of the firm are managed by the managers. To improve the efficiency ratios, a firm can further tighten its credit extension policy to improve its receivable turnover. This can also be achieved by making the sales activity more robust so that inventories are rotated more frequently rather than piling them up after their production. A higher inventories turnover therefore indicates the ability of the firm to convert its inventories into cash or receivables through sales generation. Profitability ratios can be

MTA-analysis method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MTA-analysis method - Essay Example Therefore, the method involves two distinct stages. The first stage involves identifying different data sets and summarizing the data into a uniform set. The second stage involves making conclusions from the summarized data set. Meta-analysis requires that the data is accurate and devoid of any complications. It will not be efficient if it uses inaccurate data. In addition, the method requires the analyst to identify and collect data sets from past studies, which have some aspects of resemblance in terms of the research question they address. The method is particularly effective because it draws conclusions from data characteristics rather than making generalized conclusions about data. However, the method requires planning and some level of expertise among analysts. Advantages of meta-analysis The approach defines subjective ways of checking variability of data and enables testing of all statistical parameters. Combination of different studies summarizes data and ensures the ease of drawing conclusions from the data. Other parties can also use the data to support their studies. Review of past studies eliminates unnecessary details that are insignificant to the study. Meta-analysis makes possible the prediction of the impact of significant elements of data within a specified period (Cavanaugh, 2010). Review of past studies eliminates the threat of bias sampling. ... Researchers have found this method convenient in analyzing educational research. A single research on education can yield a range of different results due to a number of factors. Different research methods, the setting of the research and research instruments influence the nature of results (Allen, Bourhis, Burrell & Mabry, 2010). Therefore, there is a need to combine the different results and synthesize them into a single pool, from which it is easy to make viable conclusions. Meta-analysis is the best method that will help in meeting this data requirement. Furthermore, it summarizes data, which makes it possible for other researchers to extract useful information that may be relevant for their studies (Bernard, Abrami & Wozney, 2010). To understand this method, there is a need to look at the steps, methods and theories that govern its use. Steps followed in a meta-analysis The first step involves identifying the research problem. This includes identifying the variables and attribut es that are common in different data sets. The search for relevant literature sources succeeds the first stage. This stage involves identifying sources of information from available literature reviews and other relevant studies. Meta-analysis depends on other research studies and a researcher must ensure that the results of previous studies are accurate before using them in meta-analysis. The next stage involves selecting previous studies that meet the requirements of quality and that have some resemblance in addressing the same research question. Summarization of data using appropriate methods follows this stage. Summarization standardizes data

Technology and Social Skills Essay Example for Free

Technology and Social Skills Essay Not long ago people took the time to get to know a person whom he or she had just met. In years past, for a person to claim he or she had a relationship they would invest time in building that relationship. Years ago when people spent time together they paid attention to those they were with, they socialized and interacted with other human beings in a real life environment. The technology today has provided many ways to interact with others via cell phones; computers and PDA’s, just to name a few. With all this technology, it seems as though the true social interaction between people has started to disappear. This technology allows people to interact more but has it made us less sociable? The interaction is taking place in separate rooms, states and even countries, but not together. Is this true interaction? Social interaction is vital to our physical and mental health and it has been proven that maintaining healthy relationships help us to live longer. It is becoming more common for people to socialize via simulated means, internet, texting, and chat rooms to name a few, and ultimately replacing a part of human behavior that is vital for society to function. A second grade teacher of 20 years is shocked when her students do not know what to do when the time comes for recess. AIM, a feature from AOL, encourages the butchering of the English language with abbreviations such as LOL, (lots of laughs), and IDK, (I don’t know). The incentive for going out to make friends has disappeared because of the idea of hundreds of friends on Facebook and MySpace (Knapp, 2008). The dating world has also been completely turned upside-down. Just a couple decades ago chivalrous romance was the way to go about finding a date. Today one would send a friend request on facebook and the prospective date would look at the online profile to see if he or she would be interested. I must admit that I have fallen victim to these new ways of dating and technology but not to the end of chivalry and romance. In due time these ancient ways will be gone as well. Cell phone texting and social networking Web sites such as Facebook help keep today’s teens connected to their peers at all times. A recent national survey of 800 teens and nine focus groups in four United States cities revealed that half of the teens surveyed send 50 or more text messages a day, or 1,500 texts a month. One in three sends more than 100 texts a day, or more than 3,000 texts a month (Gore, 2011). The book â€Å"Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community,† by Robert D. Putnam states that over the past 30 years, nationally, community involvement has declined. In his book Putnam debates that the baby boomers and their children have contributed to this decline. Reasons blamed for this decline has been the growing availability of the Internet and electronic entertainment and gadgets such as IPods, portable computers, and smart phones (Putnam, 2000). Dr. Philip Aspden and Dr. James E. Katz conducted a study that covered several aspects of the internet; the influence on societal infrastructures, and the role the internet had in creating new modes of interaction and communication. Aspden and Katz were unable to find any support to prove that internet activity contributed to any decline in community involvement. In fact, some of the internet users that were interviewed stated they were more involved in social activities than the non-users surveyed. Also found was that 70 percent of internet users had four or more online friendships with 60 percent of this group having met at least one internet friend in person (Blair, 2001). A three year study by sociologist Barry Wellman and Keith Hampton of a social interaction in â€Å"Netville,† a community in Toronto Canada that was one of the first neighborhoods in the world to have broadband internet technology. According to Hampton and Wellman (1999) â€Å"Relationships are rarely maintained through computer-mediated communication alone, but are sustained through a combination of on-and off-line interactions. Despite the ability of the Internet to serve as a global communication technology, much online activity is between people, who live (or work) near each other, In Netville, the local network brought neighbors together to socialize, helped them to arrange in-person gatherings-both as couples and as larger groups (barbecues, etc. facilitated the provision of aid, and enabled the easy exchange of information. The high rate of online activity led to increased local awareness, and high rates of in-person activity. † People today can live in Florida, work in Texas, go to school in Arizona and never leave their house. They can buy a car in their pajamas, attend a meeting halfway around the world and do all their shopping on the Internet. Basically one can do just about anything necessary over the Internet and never see or touch a human being. At times this will be an ideal situation but society is becoming isolated and self absorbed even lonely. Indeed, the fact that people in the United States today claim to be lonelier than prior generations, suggests that although technology has increased interactions it has not created true connections between people. For children raised on the illusion of connection through technology, the danger is that of never understanding how to develop true relationships and to grow up not understanding that without social connections societies easily fall victim to self-interest and fade away. Reference http://www.strosechronicle.com/2.13878/new-technology-replaces-social-interaction-1

Pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Finance :: Graduate Admissions Essays

Pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Finance    I have an excellent job with tremendous advancement opportunities. At my well-paid job at a prestigious investment bank on Wall Street, my computer science and analytical skills are recognized and lauded. Moreover, I enjoy intellectual interactions with my Ph.D. colleagues, have many friends, and am appreciated by my managers. Still, I feel a void in my life. While my friends and colleagues do not understand my decision to leave my rewarding career, I know that I have no choice if I am to pursue my long-term goal and my childhood dream: to teach and publish research. While my friends think I am sacrificing certain career advancement for unnecessary training, I do not act impulsively, and I am certain that I have made the correct decision. What they do not understand is that I will derive even greater satisfaction by pursuing a doctoral degree than by earning a higher salary and advancing in my present career. By pursuing a doctorate, I will have the priceless opportunity to realize m y dream.    Learning gives me a world of satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. The more I learn, the more fulfilled I feel. I do not learn solely to apply my knowledge in a practical setting; instead, it is the quest for knowledge and the challenge of learning that motivates me. Originally, I took my current job since I saw it as an invaluable opportunity to further my learning experience. Over the past two years, I have accumulated a good knowledge of Finance. I was introduced to Bayesian Statistics, GARCH processes, and other topics of time series analysis. I also learned how to price volatility swaps and categorize different optimization tasks.    While I never intended to focus solely on the practical side of finance, nearly all of my work revolves around it. For example, I have done research that forecasted assets' expected returns as well as research on a better way to execute a trade. These research opportunities were all results-oriented. I rarely have had the opportunity to look at the theoretical aspect of finance, like deriving closed-form solutions to evaluate financial instruments, which I sometimes find interesting. Although I try hard to broaden my knowledge of theoretical finance by reading finance and econometrics books on my leisure time, I am not able to test those theories empirically.

Content Analysis of a Recent Film Compared

The film, Perfume, which directed by Tom Tykwer and released in 2006, was rated R because of its restricted scenes. Back to the 1930 to 1968 the United States, such a film like Perfume may have difficult in being released based on the Production Code. Production Code was an industry censorship guideline that governed most of United States motion picture. It has 3 General Principles which stated the films could not lower the audiences’ moral standards, should contain the correct standards of life and not be ridiculed.According to the Production Code, Perfume will have 3 main problems, Crimes against the Law, Sex and Costume. Perfume has a subtitle called the Story of A Murderer. Obviously, it describes a story of crime. However, in the film, there are so many directly bloody, crucial scenes about murder, which are violation of the first rule in Production Code, Crime against the Law. For example, at the beginning of the film, when the main character, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille wa s a baby, he was sent to the orphanage.While other orphans wanted to suffocate him with a pillow in order to keep their own possession. In this scene, the director showed the whole process of killing, which is against the rule that indicates brutal killings are not to be presented in detail. As the same, there are also brutal scenes about the old woman being cut the throat as well as Jean’s mother and the scapegoat of the murder being hung to death. All these scenes are clearly projected without any editing. Besides the violation of the Production Code of Crime against the Law, there are also restricted scenes about Sex.For instance, one of these scenes is the birth of Jean. The director shot the whole process of the mother giving birth to Jean, even included her cutting umbilical. It must be against the rule of Sex that stated scenes of actual child birth, in fact or in silhouette, are never to be presented. What is more, in the end of the film, when Jean was about to be kil led in the square, he used his perfume to make onlookers excited and have sex with each other, even includes homosexual kiss.In order to make shaking visual effect, the director didn’t do any editing on this scene, which strongly offense the Production Code of Sex. Apart from Crime against the Law and Sex, what the film violated the Production Code most must be Costume. Perfume told a story about odor. The murderer, Jean, found the most beautiful scent came from the natural smell of virgin. So he killed 13 virgins and took off their clothes to purity their scent. After each murder, the girl’s corpus would be found naked.As a consequence, the violation of Costume can not be avoided. In the Production Code of Costume, it claimed that complete nudity is never permitted and undressing scenes should be avoided. Nevertheless, these scenes were all projected in Perfume. Moreover, the scene mentioned before about the group sex also conflict the Production Code of Costume. As a n R rated film, Perfume exactly contains various restricted scenes. Except the violations mentioned before, there are also scenes counter the Production Code.For example, Jean used a cat for experiment and put it into the distillation furnace, which can be considered as apparent cruelty to animal; as well as the violence and expletives. A movie like this apparently can not get PCA approval to be released. Nevertheless, the film can be played in theaters today without any cut and edit, even though it was rated R and could just be watched by portion of people. It witnessed that social standards of motion picture has changed a lot over time.

Revolutionizing Filipino Mindsets Essay

National consciousness among Filipinos is faced with a lot of challenges today. There is a need to revolutionize mindsets and one big factor that has a big impact in the process of revolutionary mindsets is the Media. It is unfortunate that a lot of what the media shows to the public represses transformation. A lot of soap operas that are being shown are remakes of western ones which are usually Korean or Mexican. Products like food and gadgets that are being endorsed are often western brands. In the news, a lot of political issues are centered on corruption making the Political world of the Philippines very controversial. With all these that represses transformation, there is also a rising movement in the process of revolutionizing mindsets. A lot of local commercials or advertisements are using concepts that depict Filipino culture. Examples would be the â€Å"Lucky Soda† crackers that shows the Filipino value of hating-kapatid; Nestle: 100 years na pag-ibig; â€Å"Alaska† with the concept of fiesta sa baryo; Blend 45: Gising Pinoy; Modess: Makabagong Pilipina. A rising number of TV series are contributing to the transformation such as â€Å"MagTV na:atin to!† featuring the different landmarks and cultures around the Philippines; â€Å"Jessica Soho† and â€Å"Rated K† featuring not only interesting stories and topics related to the Filipino culture or heritage but also the modern Filipinos of today; The channel IBC 13 has a lot of shows relating to Filipino consciousness: â€Å"Cooltura† which feature various landmarks around the Philippines including the rich culture of the Philippines; â€Å"Tipong Pinoy† , â€Å"Landmarks† and â€Å"Balay, Tirahan, Kanlungan† featuring landmarks around the Philippines together with the rich history that is attached to the place . In the news, Filipino achievements around the world, big or small are being given emphasis. The Filipino people should be made aware that cultural identity is an unrealized asset for national development. Movements that help transformation should be supported and be given much importance to preserve our culture and to awaken the national consciousness of Filipinos.

Medical Billing Changes Create a Whole New World of Jobs

Medical Billing Changes Create a Whole New World of Jobs Physicians’ offices and hospitals are introducing many changes in the ways they bill insurance. The need for individuals skilled in this venue has increased, and is expected to continue growing. Let’s take a look at  why this is happening and what it means for you  if you are interested in pursuing this career. What is ICD-10?Understanding what the latest International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) entails is complex. It replaces the ICD-9 system that has been in use for years. Both systems code for a particular disease, along with modifiers for identification and billing purposes. The ICD-10 system lists more than 140,000 codes used for diagnosis, treatment, and  procedures. Some codes are detailed, and finding the right code might be difficult. Doctors, already burdened by a complicated health care system, may find it difficult to easily find the right code. If the correct code remains unfound, the cost may revert back to the patient. Hiring individuals tr ained in this new system is important to making it run smoothly.The codes are based on an official list originating with the World Health Organization. It is not dependent on a particular health care plan and has no link to the incorporation of the Affordable Care Act in the United States.Readiness for the new ICD-10 implementationPhysician readiness for using the new system is lacking, according to the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange or WEDI. About 25 percent of physicians are not going to be ready, and possibly an additional 25 percent will not be acclimated. This may cause delays in using the new ICD-10 system, and many providers are looking to hire those trained in the new system.Why is ICD-10 so difficult?Part of the problem with the new coding is precision. While this might sound oversimplified or at odds with the delicate balance found in proper billing, it isn’t. For example, there are about  18 codes for a patient who ate a toxic mushroom that  adequate ly describe the patient’s medical  situation. Another example: looking at a fractured leg and properly coding it may mean choosing among  dozens of codes to find the right one.The  ICD-10 coding employs more than 70,000 diagnostic codes, compared with 15,000 in ICD-9. Procedures done in the hospital will rise from 4,000 to 72,000. The transition from the old system and the sheer number of increased codes mean that both office and hospital billing will need people  trained in ICD-10.Increased training for ICD-10Some schools have increased the amount of training for coding based on the new guidelines by providing ICD-10 courses. Those taking refresher courses are poised to take advantage of the need for billing personnel. Hospitals, health insurance plans, and physician and other health care professional offices will have a need for this skill. In addition, the work will become more demanding, and medical professionals who work with coding will be  expected to pass a certification exam.More job opportunities in 2016 for medical billingvia GIPHYJobs in medical coding are expected to increase by 18 percent through 2016, according to the Department of Labor. Due to demand, experts believe many positions will be based on a 40-hour workweek with overtime. Salaries will range between $23,000 and $43,000 based on experience, geographical area, and whether the job is in a hospital or office.Finding the right medical billing job as well as other healthcare jobs depends on having a way to finding positions right for you. TheJobNetwork makes it easy by sorting through jobs meeting your qualifications and needs. After you enter your qualifications and job interests, TheJobNetwork searches around the clock for jobs that match that description and sends you notifications by email. Sign up with TheJobNetwork to get started.

When Do PSAT Scores Come Out The PSAT Results Release Schedule

When Do PSAT Scores Come Out The PSAT Results Release Schedule SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The wait for PSAT results can be nerve-wracking. It's likely your first time taking an SAT-like test, and the PSAT can give you a sense of what range your final SAT score is likely to be. Plus, if you score high enough, there's a lot of potential scholarship money available. So when is the wait over? When are PSAT scores released? In this guide, we explain when you'll get your PSAT results, walk you through the complete PSAT timeline, and offer some suggestions on what to do once you have your scores. Exclusive Free Bonus: Download a free guide containing our top 5 strategies for improving your SAT score by 160 points. After you get your PSAT score back, you'll want to know how to improve it. When Do PSAT Scores Come Out? First off, how long does it take to get PSAT results? You'll usually get your PSAT scores in December, six to eight weeks after taking the exam. Scores for the 2018 PSAT were released online December 10-12, 2018. The exact date on which students received their scores varied depending on where they took the test. The College Board doesn't have the 2019 PSAT score release date finalized yet, but based on past years, we expect 2019 PSAT scores to be available online beginning around December 9, 2019. However, note that your guidance counselor and school will be able to see your scores one week earlier- around December 2. Those who took the PSAT outside the US will get their scores a little later than those in the US will and can expect to see them around December 10, 2019. PSAT Results Timeline Now, let's go into more detail: how long does it take to get PSAT scores? Here's a complete look at the PSAT timeline for 2019-20 so you can see exactly when you'll take the test and when you'll get your scores back. Bonus: Do you know what score you need on the PSAT? Check out our guide on what's a good PSAT score to help you set a goal! Step 1: Take the PSAT in October The PSAT is generally administered in mid-October, though there are a few possible dates. The 2019 PSAT test dates are as follows: Primary Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2019 Alternate Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2019 Saturday Date: October 19, 2019 The exact logistics of taking the PSAT depend on your school. Some schools make each 11th grade student take the test, some offer PSAT sign-up, and others don't administer the PSAT at all (meaning you'll have to arrange to take the test somewhere else). To make sure you're not stuck without a PSAT score, ask your school by September 1 how they plan to prepare for and administer the test. If you don't like your school's method, you'll have plenty of time to consider other options and make plans accordingly. Step 2: Get Your PSAT Scores Online in December PSAT scores will come out in mid-December 2019 (the exact date you get yours depends on what state you took the test in). Once PSAT scores are released, you can access them online by signing into your College Board account: If you haven't made a College Board account, you can do so here. Once you've logged in, click "PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9 Scores" to get to your PSAT scores. You’ll then be taken to a page that has your PSAT results. For more details on how to get your PSAT scores, including what to do if you can’t see your PSAT scores online, read our complete guide to the PSAT score report. Step 3: Schools Distribute PSAT Paper Reports In addition to the online reports, the College Board is still sticking to its tradition of giving paper PSAT score reports to schools and then having schools distribute those to students. Assuming the College Board sticks to its schedule from last year, you can expect to get your paper score report sometime in January 2020, but the exact date hasn't been released yet. PSAT Results: What Now? Here are some options for what you can do once you get your PSAT scores back. Option 1: Plan for the National Merit Scholarship If you scored high enough on the PSAT (and are a junior), you might qualify as a Semifinalist for the National Merit scholarship competition. Each year this program awards Semifinalist status to the top 1% of PSAT scorers, or about 16,000 students. Becoming a Semifinalist for this program is contingent only on your PSAT scores. The exact score needed to qualify varies depending on the state, so if your aim is to win a scholarship, it's a good idea to get a feel for what score you'll need before you take the PSAT. If you become a Semifinalist, note that becoming a Finalist requires a little more effort, including keeping up your GPA. Lay the groundwork for becoming a National Merit Finalist senior year by doing some research into what’s required. Option 2: Retake the PSAT as a Junior (If You Took It Early) If you're an early bird who took the PSAT as a freshman or sophomore, it's a smart idea to retake the PSAT your junior year, especially if you're hoping to qualify for National Merit and want to eventually get a super high SAT (or ACT) score. What's great about taking the PSAT as a freshman or sophomore is that it exposes you early on to the types of questions you'll see on the SAT. What's more, it lets you get a feel for where your weaknesses lie and what skills you need to hone in your prep, ultimately raising your chances of becoming a National Merit Semifinalist and hitting your SAT/ACT goal score on a first or second attempt. Option 3: Prep for the SAT (or ACT) The main purpose of the PSAT is to prepare students to take the SAT, either later on in their junior years or in the fall of their senior years before they apply to colleges. In fact, your PSAT score is intended to be a good estimate of how you’ll do on the actual SAT. This means that if you get 1200 on the PSAT and take the SAT without any prep, you’ll likely get around the same score. What's more, since the structure of the SAT is so similar to that of the ACT, you can use the PSAT to prepare for the ACT as well. (Note, though, that there are a handful of differences between the two tests, the biggest of which is the inclusion of a Science section on the ACT. In addition, it's probably a better idea to take the PreACT instead of the PSAT if you plan to take the ACT.) Don't despair if you get a low PSAT score. Instead, analyze what went wrong and then use that information to improve your knowledge and skills so that you can do better on the SAT or ACT. The process of analyzing your errors will be helpful even if you scored extremely well on the PSAT, since the content on the PSAT and SAT aren't exactly the same. PSAT scores only go up to 1520 instead of 1600 as they do on the SAT. The reason for this is that the SAT has higher-level reading passages, tests trickier grammatical rules, and includes more trigonometry and harder math. So even if you get a perfect score on the PSAT, you're not guaranteed a perfect SAT score! Your PSAT results will include information about whether you’re meeting the benchmarks for Reading, Writing, and Math, as well as a more detailed look at which subskills you excel at and which ones you need to improve. Rather than beating yourself up over what you did wrong, try to focus on figuring out why you did poorly on a given section. Was it because you’d never taken a standardized test before and got nervous? Maybe you felt rushed for time on certain parts, or just flat out didn’t know some of the material covered. Whatever the reasons for your issues, make sure to start your SAT or ACT prep by addressing your weaknesses revealed by the PSAT. For more advice on what to do with your PSAT scores, read this article! What's Next? Want to see how your score stacks up against other students’ scores? Find out with our coverage of the most recent PSAT percentiles and Score Selection Index. Learn all about the National Merit scholarship competition with our in-depth articles on how to become a Semifinalist and how to win the scholarship. Already taken the PSAT as a junior? Start to plan out when you’ll take the SAT with our up-to-date list of test dates. Alternatively, if you took the PSAT as a freshman or sophomore, find out when the next PSAT will be offered. Finally, when you get your scores back, you'll probably want to know how to improve your score for the big test: the SAT. We've researched hundreds of student stories and academic studies and found the 5 principles you need to follow to improve your score. Click the link below and enter your email address to get the best SAT prep advice you can get anywhere. Follow these 5 strategies to improve your SAT score by 160 points or more.