The science of fluxions was Sir Isaac Newton's terminology for the new field of science known today as calculus. Newton and German mathematician Leibnitz appear to have discovered the principles of calculus in about the same time; but Leibnitz published his work first. For years, there was friction between the two countries, England and Germany regarding which country was to take credit for the discovery of calculus. In the final analysis, it appears that both men arrived at their findings at about the same time and independently of each other. Both men appear to have learned from Egyptian, Indian and ancient Greece sources.
The name calculus is derived from the Latin or Roman term meaning pebbles which were a type of counting stone. The term fluxion was Sir Isaac Newton's term for the science of calculus. His book "Method of Fluxions was published in posthumously in 1736, although it was completed much earlier in 1671. Whether Leibnitz's or Newton's authorship of the science is accepted as being primary, the fact remains that the subject of calculus is the most powerful mathematical invention of modern times.
There are two major types of calculus, known as Infinitesimal Calculus and that part of the total which is called Differential Calculus. Both types are built on a foundation on analytic geometry and are related by the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In simple terms, the theorem states that the sum of infinitesimal changes over time or some other quantity will add up to the net change.
To use a living plant as an example, as it grows, you can see the difference in size, or the increase over a period of several days and you could measure the growth, using conventional means. However, if you were to measure the difference in size after only ten seconds, it would be much more difficult to determine. If you then were to attempt to determine not the amount of growth over the time period, but the rate of growth over those seconds, you would not be able to do that using algebraic terms.
The science of calculus allows you to determine the rate of change for infinitesimally small amounts. There are a number of functions which impact the rate of change for the above example of a growing plant; things such as amount of sunlight, water, the temperature and others. However, if all other things remain equal, the variable for the rate of growth is time. By using calculus these variables can be determined. Most of the work in calculus is done by graphing formulas in order to determine the slope of the rate of change.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/calculus-the-science-of-fluxions.html
Saturday, August 25, 2007
How To Find The Best Party Colleges
What is a party college and which of the many schools in our country are considered as the best party colleges? Lets take the first question first.
A Party college is seen as a virtual center focused on teaching their students social and party attending skills in addition to help you enrich your ordinary courses.
When it comes to the second question, no list for party schools has actually been made or published by renowned surveyors. However, this year the Princeton Review released its ratings on best American colleges and this includes a "Top 20 Party school list".
Some of the organizations called for the Princeton Review to remove the list of such colleges in their list. American Medical Association considered that including party colleges in US might mislead the students to prefer those colleges for partying on campus rather than the study activities. For illustration purposes we can mention that among 20 colleges, Indiana University - Bloomington is considered as a Top most party school but Best colleges in Virginia- Virginia tech is in the 19th position.
The Playboy magazine conducted a contest among the different colleges and universities to find out which party's is the hardest. The magazine accredited Univ. of Wisconsin (Madison) as Top party college for partying in the weekends.
The students of University of Wisconsin inferred that Madison's Halloween parties are really legendary and attracts scores of unexpected guests from out-of-town. Every freaking night these students have parties all over the campus and even off campus.
The top party college list also includes Florida state, Clemson, Arizona, Texas, L.S.U, and Miami that are meant for party hard and are famous nationwide.
The criteria to be listed among the best party colleges are;
the women outnumber the men
there must be several live music concerts seven nights a week.
the participants have drive thru beer barns that sell keg to go.
It seems to be an honor to be included in this list and several online forums screaming like anything to include their school in the top 20 lists. By visiting the forums of these colleges, you may come to conclusion what's really going on at their campus.
Don't get surprised to see most of the colleges support the students for wild weekend parties, bowling, playing miniature golf, or even go to the movies with real girls to get good accreditation from Playboy in the ensuing years. It's an honor to be among the 20 best party colleges.
Terje Brooks Ellingsen helps this readers to find the best colleges in USA and likes to provide them with college education resources.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles//how-to-find-the-best-party-colleges.html
A Party college is seen as a virtual center focused on teaching their students social and party attending skills in addition to help you enrich your ordinary courses.
When it comes to the second question, no list for party schools has actually been made or published by renowned surveyors. However, this year the Princeton Review released its ratings on best American colleges and this includes a "Top 20 Party school list".
Some of the organizations called for the Princeton Review to remove the list of such colleges in their list. American Medical Association considered that including party colleges in US might mislead the students to prefer those colleges for partying on campus rather than the study activities. For illustration purposes we can mention that among 20 colleges, Indiana University - Bloomington is considered as a Top most party school but Best colleges in Virginia- Virginia tech is in the 19th position.
The Playboy magazine conducted a contest among the different colleges and universities to find out which party's is the hardest. The magazine accredited Univ. of Wisconsin (Madison) as Top party college for partying in the weekends.
The students of University of Wisconsin inferred that Madison's Halloween parties are really legendary and attracts scores of unexpected guests from out-of-town. Every freaking night these students have parties all over the campus and even off campus.
The top party college list also includes Florida state, Clemson, Arizona, Texas, L.S.U, and Miami that are meant for party hard and are famous nationwide.
The criteria to be listed among the best party colleges are;
the women outnumber the men
there must be several live music concerts seven nights a week.
the participants have drive thru beer barns that sell keg to go.
It seems to be an honor to be included in this list and several online forums screaming like anything to include their school in the top 20 lists. By visiting the forums of these colleges, you may come to conclusion what's really going on at their campus.
Don't get surprised to see most of the colleges support the students for wild weekend parties, bowling, playing miniature golf, or even go to the movies with real girls to get good accreditation from Playboy in the ensuing years. It's an honor to be among the 20 best party colleges.
Terje Brooks Ellingsen helps this readers to find the best colleges in USA and likes to provide them with college education resources.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles//how-to-find-the-best-party-colleges.html
Law of Success: Part I
I’ve spent the last couple months immersing myself in the teachings of Napoleon Hill and would like to share with you a summary of the main principles learned from his landmark work, "Law of Success: The 21st-Century Edition."
Most of you know who Napoleon Hill is. But for the benefit of those who don’t, Mr. Hill is quite arguably the author of the world’s first practical philosophy of human achievement. Commissioned back in 1908 by the great steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie, Hill spent over 25 years researching the lives of over 500 of the most successful people on the planet.
The amazing thing is that most of Hill’s work was not from second-hand research but first-hand knowledge from personal contact with some of the greatest powerbrokers of the day including Henry Ford, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, John D. Rockefeller, Charles M. Schwab, Elbert Hubbard, George Eastman, and US Presidents Woodrow Wilson, William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt.
While "Think and Grow Rich" is certainly Hill’s most popular book based on the results of his exhaustive research, "Law of Success" (which was first published in a set of eight volumes) is Hill’s most comprehensive work of achievement; a veritable tome of success literature, I’d call it the world’s first and foremost "success encyclopedia."
The only modern day equivalents that readily come to mind is Anthony Robbin’s "Unlimited Power" in the field of applied psychology, Stephen Covey’s "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" on principle-centered leadership, and the success strategies employed in Jack Canfield’s "The Success Principles."
Nevertheless, I would rank Napoleon Hill’s "Law of Success: The 21st-Century Edition" as the foundational book for developing a practical success philosophy that anyone can readily apply. The fully revised and updated 21st-Century Edition comes in at 1035 pages containing Hill’s deep analysis of the 17 proven principles of success, many personal examples and stories from his own life experiences, and new commentary from the editors providing modern parallels with contemporary events and the latest management theories.
In this special three part series, you’ll be provided with a brief summary of each of Napoleon Hill’s 17 Principles from his classic bestseller, "Law of Success: The 21st-Century Edition." Master these principles and you will master your destiny!
Principle # 1: The Master Mind
The Master Mind is simply a friendly alliance of two or more minds harmoniously working together in full cooperation towards the achievement of a singular purpose. It’s more than just a brain-trust of accumulated knowledge used for creative problem solving; the Master Mind is a field of accumulated energy created from the combined group’s spirit which can accomplish far more than any individual member could possibly hope to achieve independently.
Hill recommends forming a round table of ideally six to twelve like-minded individuals who will support your chief aim, who are in complete harmony with each other, and who are willing to meet with you regularly to help you accomplish that aim. You must offer each group member something in return that will reward their participation in your Master Mind.
Whether you choose to develop a formal alliance or not, the Master Mind principle will still have a powerful influence over your life – for better or worse. It is said you are the average sum total of the people you spend the most time with which will either help or hinder you. Choose your friends and associates carefully.
Principle # 2: A Definite Chief Aim
Without a definite purpose backed by a definite plan one is as lost and hopeless as a rudderless ship in the middle of the Atlantic. Good intentions and hard work are not enough. You need a Purpose, a Plan, and Perseverance backed with a burning desire to achieve your definite chief aim in life.
To realize your Chief Aim, Hill suggests writing out your WWWH and reviewing it daily: "know what you want, when you want it, why you want it, and how you intend to get it." Also include what you plan to give in return for reaching your dream.
By reviewing your manifesto daily, with intense feeling, you will begin attracting the people and circumstances in your life to make your wildest dreams come true.
Principle # 3: Self-Confidence
To be self-confidant you must know. Know yourself and know your business. Know your strengths and weaknesses, your greatest fears and deepest desires. Those who do not know live in constant fear and anxiety. A leader must know.
Keep a log of all your accomplishments and all the praise you receive and review it frequently. Use autosuggestion or self-talk to tell yourself daily about how you are growing as a leader in your field.
Fill your mind with positive, inspiring thoughts. Surround yourself with people who will empower you. Have faith in others and see the good in people because how you view others is a reflection of yourself.
Principle # 4: The Habit of Saving
Pay yourself first by developing the habit of consistently saving a portion of your income. Hill and many others suggest saving at least 10% of your earnings. (Tip: if you’ve accumulated high-interest debts such as credit card debt, it’s a good policy to allocate 80% of your savings to paying down the debt in order to avoid that debt from growing faster than the rate of return you’re getting on your savings).
Those who have will be given more. Having even a modest savings account will increase your self-confidence and will attract many opportunities that would normally not come your way without that extra cushion.
Successful people will be more willing to back your idea or promote you within their enterprise if they see that you yourself have developed the self-discipline of saving.
Hill recounts several instances in his book where people who had built up a little savings account were able to invest in new business opportunities, attract financing for their ideas, or enter into partnerships that would later result into untold millions.
Principle # 5: Initiative and Leadership
"Do the thing and you shall have the power." – Emerson
According to Hill, leadership is "doing the right thing without being told." Leadership is ultimately about taking initiative and getting things done. Bottom line: leaders get paid for results.
By always providing additional service without any expectation for pay, you will build your initiative muscles.
Leadership requires self-sacrifice. Leaders are givers. Inspire and help others and you will be rewarded in direct proportion to your efforts. As American self-help icon, Zig Ziglar, likes to say, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want."
I hope you enjoyed Part I of this "Law of Success" series. For Law of Success Part II, you can visit: http://tinyurl.com/yqxca9
In the meantime, share these principles with your peers, discuss the concepts and teach other people what you’ve learned. There’s no better way to learn than by teaching others.
To get your copy of Napoleon Hill’s "Law of Success: The 21st Century Edition" visit: http://tinyurl.com/2a2cuk
Sharif Khan (http://www.sharifkhan.blogspot.com) is a freelance writer, inspirational keynote speaker, and author of the leadership bestseller, "Psychology of the Hero Soul." (http://www.herosoul.com). He also publishes his monthly HERO SOUL ezine offering valuable tips and advice on success, leadership development, and personal growth. To contact Sharif, call 416-417-1259.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/law-of-success-part-i.html
Most of you know who Napoleon Hill is. But for the benefit of those who don’t, Mr. Hill is quite arguably the author of the world’s first practical philosophy of human achievement. Commissioned back in 1908 by the great steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie, Hill spent over 25 years researching the lives of over 500 of the most successful people on the planet.
The amazing thing is that most of Hill’s work was not from second-hand research but first-hand knowledge from personal contact with some of the greatest powerbrokers of the day including Henry Ford, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, John D. Rockefeller, Charles M. Schwab, Elbert Hubbard, George Eastman, and US Presidents Woodrow Wilson, William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt.
While "Think and Grow Rich" is certainly Hill’s most popular book based on the results of his exhaustive research, "Law of Success" (which was first published in a set of eight volumes) is Hill’s most comprehensive work of achievement; a veritable tome of success literature, I’d call it the world’s first and foremost "success encyclopedia."
The only modern day equivalents that readily come to mind is Anthony Robbin’s "Unlimited Power" in the field of applied psychology, Stephen Covey’s "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" on principle-centered leadership, and the success strategies employed in Jack Canfield’s "The Success Principles."
Nevertheless, I would rank Napoleon Hill’s "Law of Success: The 21st-Century Edition" as the foundational book for developing a practical success philosophy that anyone can readily apply. The fully revised and updated 21st-Century Edition comes in at 1035 pages containing Hill’s deep analysis of the 17 proven principles of success, many personal examples and stories from his own life experiences, and new commentary from the editors providing modern parallels with contemporary events and the latest management theories.
In this special three part series, you’ll be provided with a brief summary of each of Napoleon Hill’s 17 Principles from his classic bestseller, "Law of Success: The 21st-Century Edition." Master these principles and you will master your destiny!
Principle # 1: The Master Mind
The Master Mind is simply a friendly alliance of two or more minds harmoniously working together in full cooperation towards the achievement of a singular purpose. It’s more than just a brain-trust of accumulated knowledge used for creative problem solving; the Master Mind is a field of accumulated energy created from the combined group’s spirit which can accomplish far more than any individual member could possibly hope to achieve independently.
Hill recommends forming a round table of ideally six to twelve like-minded individuals who will support your chief aim, who are in complete harmony with each other, and who are willing to meet with you regularly to help you accomplish that aim. You must offer each group member something in return that will reward their participation in your Master Mind.
Whether you choose to develop a formal alliance or not, the Master Mind principle will still have a powerful influence over your life – for better or worse. It is said you are the average sum total of the people you spend the most time with which will either help or hinder you. Choose your friends and associates carefully.
Principle # 2: A Definite Chief Aim
Without a definite purpose backed by a definite plan one is as lost and hopeless as a rudderless ship in the middle of the Atlantic. Good intentions and hard work are not enough. You need a Purpose, a Plan, and Perseverance backed with a burning desire to achieve your definite chief aim in life.
To realize your Chief Aim, Hill suggests writing out your WWWH and reviewing it daily: "know what you want, when you want it, why you want it, and how you intend to get it." Also include what you plan to give in return for reaching your dream.
By reviewing your manifesto daily, with intense feeling, you will begin attracting the people and circumstances in your life to make your wildest dreams come true.
Principle # 3: Self-Confidence
To be self-confidant you must know. Know yourself and know your business. Know your strengths and weaknesses, your greatest fears and deepest desires. Those who do not know live in constant fear and anxiety. A leader must know.
Keep a log of all your accomplishments and all the praise you receive and review it frequently. Use autosuggestion or self-talk to tell yourself daily about how you are growing as a leader in your field.
Fill your mind with positive, inspiring thoughts. Surround yourself with people who will empower you. Have faith in others and see the good in people because how you view others is a reflection of yourself.
Principle # 4: The Habit of Saving
Pay yourself first by developing the habit of consistently saving a portion of your income. Hill and many others suggest saving at least 10% of your earnings. (Tip: if you’ve accumulated high-interest debts such as credit card debt, it’s a good policy to allocate 80% of your savings to paying down the debt in order to avoid that debt from growing faster than the rate of return you’re getting on your savings).
Those who have will be given more. Having even a modest savings account will increase your self-confidence and will attract many opportunities that would normally not come your way without that extra cushion.
Successful people will be more willing to back your idea or promote you within their enterprise if they see that you yourself have developed the self-discipline of saving.
Hill recounts several instances in his book where people who had built up a little savings account were able to invest in new business opportunities, attract financing for their ideas, or enter into partnerships that would later result into untold millions.
Principle # 5: Initiative and Leadership
"Do the thing and you shall have the power." – Emerson
According to Hill, leadership is "doing the right thing without being told." Leadership is ultimately about taking initiative and getting things done. Bottom line: leaders get paid for results.
By always providing additional service without any expectation for pay, you will build your initiative muscles.
Leadership requires self-sacrifice. Leaders are givers. Inspire and help others and you will be rewarded in direct proportion to your efforts. As American self-help icon, Zig Ziglar, likes to say, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want."
I hope you enjoyed Part I of this "Law of Success" series. For Law of Success Part II, you can visit: http://tinyurl.com/yqxca9
In the meantime, share these principles with your peers, discuss the concepts and teach other people what you’ve learned. There’s no better way to learn than by teaching others.
To get your copy of Napoleon Hill’s "Law of Success: The 21st Century Edition" visit: http://tinyurl.com/2a2cuk
Sharif Khan (http://www.sharifkhan.blogspot.com) is a freelance writer, inspirational keynote speaker, and author of the leadership bestseller, "Psychology of the Hero Soul." (http://www.herosoul.com). He also publishes his monthly HERO SOUL ezine offering valuable tips and advice on success, leadership development, and personal growth. To contact Sharif, call 416-417-1259.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/law-of-success-part-i.html
Law of Success: Part III
Welcome to the conclusion of this special three part series commemorating the 21st Century Edition of Napoleon Hill's landmark work, "Law of Success," which reveals 17 Principles of Success that can help take your career and life to the next level. These are proven principles based on Hill’s 25 years of research personally studying the lives of over 500 of the world’s greatest achievers.
Law of Success Part I and Part II covered the first 11 of these principles. (To read Part I and Part II, visit: http://tinyurl.com/3d3loq). Law of Success Part III will now conclude with the remaining 6 of these valuable, time-tested principles which can help you succeed in all areas of your life. Enjoy:
Principle # 12: Concentration
"Concentration is the act of focusing the mind on a given desire until ways and means for its realization have been worked out and successfully put into operation." – Napoleon Hill
In this age of mass communications, we are beginning to face a global epidemic of mass distraction that is becoming dangerous – and in some cases lethal. (The rising pedestrian and motor vehicle driver deaths due to the host of electronic distractions is just one sad example).
The Weapons of Mass Distraction available to us are just overwhelming: email, cell phones, pagers, text messaging, video games, GPS navigational systems, video games, DVD players, TV, web cams, blackberries, faxes, ipods, and the explosion of social networking sites, just to name a few. (When used intelligently these tools can be powerful, but when used ineffectively, they become what I call, "Weapons of Mass Distraction!"
For concentration to be effective, Hill maintains that it is vitally important to keep your mind focused on ONE subject until you’ve mastered it; to focus on ONE given problem until you’ve solved that problem.
What I find helps is starting a task with a burst of energy and enthusiasm which will provide the momentum to complete the task successfully. Just watch Olympic sprinters at the start of a race and you’ll know what I mean.
Finally, in this age of sensory overload, some sensory deprivation might be in order. Hill recommends that you set some time everyday where you can enter a quiet place, close your eyes, and put your fingers in your ears, blocking all light and sound, and just repeat your chief aim and see yourself in full possession of the object of your aim.
Just practicing this simple technique everyday will help you concentrate on doing the important tasks that will eventually lead to a quantum breakthrough in your life.
Principle # 13: Cooperation
"Cooperation is the foundation of all successful leadership." – Napoleon Hill
According to Hill, there are two forms of cooperation: 1). The cooperation between a group alliance Master Mind (which was covered in my Law of Success Part I overview) to achieve a desired end, and 2). The cooperation between the conscious and subconscious minds to draw upon creative intelligence (a theme that continues throughout this overview).
Power is developed through organized effort. And for any organized effort to be successful, the harmonious cooperation of people focused on a singular purpose is required.
Harmony is the key. And it would serve you well to study the main personality types of people before forming a team so you can bring together people who compliment each other rather than compete with each other. ("What Type Am I" by Renee Baron is a good first book to understanding personality types).
One thing in the "Law of Success" that really struck me as very powerful was an important observation that Napoleon Hill made: "A great leader is one who understands how to create a "motivating objective" that will be accepted with enthusiasm by every member of [the] group...Most people will work harder for the attainment of an ideal than they will for money."
What is your company’s or team’s "motivating objective" or ideal? Figure that one out and the wings of cooperation will carry you and your team members to new heights!
Principle # 14: Profiting by Failure
"If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate." -Thomas Watson, Sr. Founder of IBM
Profiting from failure is an overdone topic in the field of personal development so I won’t spend too much time on this principle. It’s overdone for the very reason that there’s much truth in the idea of people reaching higher levels of success by persevering and learning from failure instead of quitting. It’s no accident that John D. Rockefeller felt that perseverance is the single most important quality to achieving success.
I’ve observed over the years that success comes to leaders in almost direct proportion to the amount of adversity and failures they’ve overcome and learned from in life.
That old cliché, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’ applies here. Of course, I’m not saying you necessarily keep on doing the same thing expecting the same results (another definition for insanity).
Seek counselors and mentors that you can trust to help evaluate the effectiveness of your plans. Explore the reasons that are limiting your success by asking them how they see you limiting yourself.
If your first plan to achieving your chief aim in life does not succeed, than change it! And keep on changing it until you’ve reached your target, just as an airplane makes thousands of adjustments and flight corrections before reaching its destination.
Principle # 15: Tolerance
"Minds are like parachutes; they work best when open."
– Lord Thomas Dewar
If we adopt a closed mind we stop acquiring knowledge. And natural law states that we are either growing or dying.
I don’t like the word ‘tolerance.’ I much rather prefer mbracing new ideas and having an insatiable curiosity for learning other people’s customs, belief systems, and unique perspectives. I look at it as an adventure!
Finding ways to harness cultural differences within teams and organizations will be the new currency in an increasingly globalized economy.
Principle # 16: The Golden Rule
Napoleon Hill recognized that the frivolous use of power from the knowledge that is being shared with you will only backfire and be destructive to self and others. Selfish pursuit of your chief aim without regard for others will eventually come back to haunt you.
We reap what we sow. What goes around comes around. Therefore, the Golden Rule is: do unto others as you’d have done unto you. Before doing anything, ask yourself if it will benefit or hurt the person involved.
It’s easy to be self-centered. To transcend self, think more of what the other person wants and feels before acting.
See the good in others. Catch people doing things right instead of always looking for the wrong. Kindness and justice toward others goes a long way in establishing successful business and personal relationships. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: "Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great."
Hill takes us deeper with the Golden Rule philosophy when he said, "think of others as you’d wish them to think of you." Live this philosophy and your life will be enriched in many unforeseen ways.
Principle # 17: The Universal Law of Cosmic Habitforce
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle
The Universal Law of Cosmic Habitforce is that intangible, unseen force which is made tangible and visible in nature.
Just observe nature and you will experience Cosmic Habitforce in action.
When you fix in your mind a purpose consciousness focused on your chief aim in life through repetition of thoughts and deeds, Cosmic Habitforce will take over and carry it to its logical conclusion, just as an acorn seed will always produce an oak tree through proper care and nurturing.
It takes constant vigilance, determination, and willpower to maintain that purpose consciousness, but eventually Cosmic Habitforce will always bear fruit and your life will be richly rewarded.
In closing, I’d like to point out that at the beginning of every chapter in Napoleon Hill’s "Law of Success" are the words: "You can do it if you believe you can!"
It’s that simple. I’m not saying it’s easy, but it really is that simple. Mahatma Gandhi once said, "If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have it in the beginning."
Believe in yourself! Believe you can do it and move forward this day with faith and confidence. Many blessings to you along your journey.
I hope that you’ve benefited from reading this series and I’d like to encourage you to share these important principles with your friends, family, and associates. I’d also like to highly recommend getting a copy of Napoleon Hill’s "Law of Success: 21st Century Edition" to add to your personal library.
It’s a life-changing book, and I mean that as no exaggeration. To get your copy, visit: http://tinyurl.com/2a2cuk
Sharif Khan (http://www.sharifkhan.blogspot.com) is a copywriter, inspirational keynote speaker, and author of the leadership bestseller, "Psychology of the Hero Soul" (http:/www.HeroSoul.com). He also publishes his free monthly HERO SOUL ezine offering valuable tips, lessons, and advice on success, leadership development, and personal growth. To contact Sharif about his professional business writing services, call 416-417-1259.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/law-of-success-part-iii.html
Law of Success Part I and Part II covered the first 11 of these principles. (To read Part I and Part II, visit: http://tinyurl.com/3d3loq). Law of Success Part III will now conclude with the remaining 6 of these valuable, time-tested principles which can help you succeed in all areas of your life. Enjoy:
Principle # 12: Concentration
"Concentration is the act of focusing the mind on a given desire until ways and means for its realization have been worked out and successfully put into operation." – Napoleon Hill
In this age of mass communications, we are beginning to face a global epidemic of mass distraction that is becoming dangerous – and in some cases lethal. (The rising pedestrian and motor vehicle driver deaths due to the host of electronic distractions is just one sad example).
The Weapons of Mass Distraction available to us are just overwhelming: email, cell phones, pagers, text messaging, video games, GPS navigational systems, video games, DVD players, TV, web cams, blackberries, faxes, ipods, and the explosion of social networking sites, just to name a few. (When used intelligently these tools can be powerful, but when used ineffectively, they become what I call, "Weapons of Mass Distraction!"
For concentration to be effective, Hill maintains that it is vitally important to keep your mind focused on ONE subject until you’ve mastered it; to focus on ONE given problem until you’ve solved that problem.
What I find helps is starting a task with a burst of energy and enthusiasm which will provide the momentum to complete the task successfully. Just watch Olympic sprinters at the start of a race and you’ll know what I mean.
Finally, in this age of sensory overload, some sensory deprivation might be in order. Hill recommends that you set some time everyday where you can enter a quiet place, close your eyes, and put your fingers in your ears, blocking all light and sound, and just repeat your chief aim and see yourself in full possession of the object of your aim.
Just practicing this simple technique everyday will help you concentrate on doing the important tasks that will eventually lead to a quantum breakthrough in your life.
Principle # 13: Cooperation
"Cooperation is the foundation of all successful leadership." – Napoleon Hill
According to Hill, there are two forms of cooperation: 1). The cooperation between a group alliance Master Mind (which was covered in my Law of Success Part I overview) to achieve a desired end, and 2). The cooperation between the conscious and subconscious minds to draw upon creative intelligence (a theme that continues throughout this overview).
Power is developed through organized effort. And for any organized effort to be successful, the harmonious cooperation of people focused on a singular purpose is required.
Harmony is the key. And it would serve you well to study the main personality types of people before forming a team so you can bring together people who compliment each other rather than compete with each other. ("What Type Am I" by Renee Baron is a good first book to understanding personality types).
One thing in the "Law of Success" that really struck me as very powerful was an important observation that Napoleon Hill made: "A great leader is one who understands how to create a "motivating objective" that will be accepted with enthusiasm by every member of [the] group...Most people will work harder for the attainment of an ideal than they will for money."
What is your company’s or team’s "motivating objective" or ideal? Figure that one out and the wings of cooperation will carry you and your team members to new heights!
Principle # 14: Profiting by Failure
"If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate." -Thomas Watson, Sr. Founder of IBM
Profiting from failure is an overdone topic in the field of personal development so I won’t spend too much time on this principle. It’s overdone for the very reason that there’s much truth in the idea of people reaching higher levels of success by persevering and learning from failure instead of quitting. It’s no accident that John D. Rockefeller felt that perseverance is the single most important quality to achieving success.
I’ve observed over the years that success comes to leaders in almost direct proportion to the amount of adversity and failures they’ve overcome and learned from in life.
That old cliché, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’ applies here. Of course, I’m not saying you necessarily keep on doing the same thing expecting the same results (another definition for insanity).
Seek counselors and mentors that you can trust to help evaluate the effectiveness of your plans. Explore the reasons that are limiting your success by asking them how they see you limiting yourself.
If your first plan to achieving your chief aim in life does not succeed, than change it! And keep on changing it until you’ve reached your target, just as an airplane makes thousands of adjustments and flight corrections before reaching its destination.
Principle # 15: Tolerance
"Minds are like parachutes; they work best when open."
– Lord Thomas Dewar
If we adopt a closed mind we stop acquiring knowledge. And natural law states that we are either growing or dying.
I don’t like the word ‘tolerance.’ I much rather prefer mbracing new ideas and having an insatiable curiosity for learning other people’s customs, belief systems, and unique perspectives. I look at it as an adventure!
Finding ways to harness cultural differences within teams and organizations will be the new currency in an increasingly globalized economy.
Principle # 16: The Golden Rule
Napoleon Hill recognized that the frivolous use of power from the knowledge that is being shared with you will only backfire and be destructive to self and others. Selfish pursuit of your chief aim without regard for others will eventually come back to haunt you.
We reap what we sow. What goes around comes around. Therefore, the Golden Rule is: do unto others as you’d have done unto you. Before doing anything, ask yourself if it will benefit or hurt the person involved.
It’s easy to be self-centered. To transcend self, think more of what the other person wants and feels before acting.
See the good in others. Catch people doing things right instead of always looking for the wrong. Kindness and justice toward others goes a long way in establishing successful business and personal relationships. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: "Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great."
Hill takes us deeper with the Golden Rule philosophy when he said, "think of others as you’d wish them to think of you." Live this philosophy and your life will be enriched in many unforeseen ways.
Principle # 17: The Universal Law of Cosmic Habitforce
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle
The Universal Law of Cosmic Habitforce is that intangible, unseen force which is made tangible and visible in nature.
Just observe nature and you will experience Cosmic Habitforce in action.
When you fix in your mind a purpose consciousness focused on your chief aim in life through repetition of thoughts and deeds, Cosmic Habitforce will take over and carry it to its logical conclusion, just as an acorn seed will always produce an oak tree through proper care and nurturing.
It takes constant vigilance, determination, and willpower to maintain that purpose consciousness, but eventually Cosmic Habitforce will always bear fruit and your life will be richly rewarded.
In closing, I’d like to point out that at the beginning of every chapter in Napoleon Hill’s "Law of Success" are the words: "You can do it if you believe you can!"
It’s that simple. I’m not saying it’s easy, but it really is that simple. Mahatma Gandhi once said, "If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have it in the beginning."
Believe in yourself! Believe you can do it and move forward this day with faith and confidence. Many blessings to you along your journey.
I hope that you’ve benefited from reading this series and I’d like to encourage you to share these important principles with your friends, family, and associates. I’d also like to highly recommend getting a copy of Napoleon Hill’s "Law of Success: 21st Century Edition" to add to your personal library.
It’s a life-changing book, and I mean that as no exaggeration. To get your copy, visit: http://tinyurl.com/2a2cuk
Sharif Khan (http://www.sharifkhan.blogspot.com) is a copywriter, inspirational keynote speaker, and author of the leadership bestseller, "Psychology of the Hero Soul" (http:/www.HeroSoul.com). He also publishes his free monthly HERO SOUL ezine offering valuable tips, lessons, and advice on success, leadership development, and personal growth. To contact Sharif about his professional business writing services, call 416-417-1259.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/law-of-success-part-iii.html
Distance Learning: Things You Must Know
Many people have a need and would benefit greatly from advancing their education. Since life prevents many people from becoming fulltime students, many turn to distance learning to further themselves.
There are many institutions that currently offer distance learning courses, and while quality will vary, advancing your education can never hurt. There are several different types of distance learning courses that both traditional and non-traditional students use to fit education into their hectic lifestyle. The purpose of distance learning is to connect instructors and students across a large distance, but the format and scheduling used can have a large impact on the learning experience.
One of the most popular types of distance learning courses is e learning courses. E learning courses are essentially internet classes that have no meeting time or physical meeting place. All assignments are given and turned in online. Typically there is some kind of forum that students log into to receive assignments and information about the class. Many students enjoy e learning classes because they can complete work whenever they have time.
Some distance learning courses require students to commute to a classroom on a nearby campus where they will receive instruction and lectures indirectly. The most common format is a classroom with a TV that is either connected to a live feed where the teacher resides, or a recorded lesson is played. Many towns and cities with mid to large colleges, will broadcast certain classes over public access channels so that students can receive lectures and class information from the comfort of their home. One advantage of broadcasting lessons over public access television is that with a VCR or Tivo, you can record the lesson and watch or rewatch the lesson when you have time or if you do not understand a particular point. Having lessons recorded can be a valuable tool when studying for a test since you can watch the actual lecture again or review certain points.
Although distance learning has caught on and is heavily used by non-traditional students who have day jobs and a busy lifestyle, many high schools are taking advantage of distance learning as well. The reason behind this is because the school does not have to hire another teacher, therefore high schools can gain access to extremely skilled and knowledgeable teachers through distance learning courses. It can also allow high schools to offer specialized classes and develop high caliber programs that can delve deeply into a particular field. This is particularly useful for rural school districts that may have difficulty attracting and paying for the best teachers, but with distance learning classes, they can provide their students with instruction from the best available instructors.
Distance learning courses continue to increase in popularity and variety. E learning courses are especially becoming more popular since nearly everyone has internet access and e learning courses allow students to complete assignments at their own pace in the comfort of their own home.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/distance-learning-things-you-must-know.html
There are many institutions that currently offer distance learning courses, and while quality will vary, advancing your education can never hurt. There are several different types of distance learning courses that both traditional and non-traditional students use to fit education into their hectic lifestyle. The purpose of distance learning is to connect instructors and students across a large distance, but the format and scheduling used can have a large impact on the learning experience.
One of the most popular types of distance learning courses is e learning courses. E learning courses are essentially internet classes that have no meeting time or physical meeting place. All assignments are given and turned in online. Typically there is some kind of forum that students log into to receive assignments and information about the class. Many students enjoy e learning classes because they can complete work whenever they have time.
Some distance learning courses require students to commute to a classroom on a nearby campus where they will receive instruction and lectures indirectly. The most common format is a classroom with a TV that is either connected to a live feed where the teacher resides, or a recorded lesson is played. Many towns and cities with mid to large colleges, will broadcast certain classes over public access channels so that students can receive lectures and class information from the comfort of their home. One advantage of broadcasting lessons over public access television is that with a VCR or Tivo, you can record the lesson and watch or rewatch the lesson when you have time or if you do not understand a particular point. Having lessons recorded can be a valuable tool when studying for a test since you can watch the actual lecture again or review certain points.
Although distance learning has caught on and is heavily used by non-traditional students who have day jobs and a busy lifestyle, many high schools are taking advantage of distance learning as well. The reason behind this is because the school does not have to hire another teacher, therefore high schools can gain access to extremely skilled and knowledgeable teachers through distance learning courses. It can also allow high schools to offer specialized classes and develop high caliber programs that can delve deeply into a particular field. This is particularly useful for rural school districts that may have difficulty attracting and paying for the best teachers, but with distance learning classes, they can provide their students with instruction from the best available instructors.
Distance learning courses continue to increase in popularity and variety. E learning courses are especially becoming more popular since nearly everyone has internet access and e learning courses allow students to complete assignments at their own pace in the comfort of their own home.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/distance-learning-things-you-must-know.html
Why Very Smart People Sometimes Have Poor Social Skills
Do you ever have trouble making conversation with others even though you consider yourself to be an intelligent person? If so, this may puzzle you. You may wonder why you are so poor at making conversation with others. After all, you are very smart, and you know a lot of interesting things.
The truth is that many average people with average intelligence and average interests are much better at making small talk and have better social skills than people who are very intelligent. And many people who are very intelligent are extremely poor at making small talk conversation and may have poor social skills.
Why should this be? Here are some of the reasons why very intelligent, very creative people often have difficulty in making small talk conversation successfully:
1.) People who are very intelligent often have very high expectations for themselves in everything they do. They may be perfectionists who set very high standards for themselves at everything they do.
When they have to make conversation with other people they are so busy judging their own performance that they cannot simply relax and enjoy the conversation. Instead of enjoying the process of getting to know another human being through conversation, they become more and more nervous and tongue tied.
2.) Many people who are very smart have spent a lot of time trying to acquire intellectual knowledge and developing their brain power. But they have neglected other aspects of themselves.
For example, people who spend a lot of time thinking and learning may neglect to develop their social and emotional side. Perhaps they believe that developing their social and emotional side is not very important. Or they may feel that it is too late to try learn these new difficult skills. While they may be very comfortable discussing intellectual matters, they may not know how to become emotionally close to others.
3. ) Many very intelligent people may believe that they should only spend their time thinking about serious matters and talking about serious matters. They may think that talking about unimportant things is a frivolous waste of time.
Because most small talk is about frivolous and unimportant matters, people who tend to be very serious often feel that they should not waste their time on small talk. They may not realize that small talk is something that two people use to find out what they have in common.
Small talk helps to get the conversational engines going, and eventually some of your small talk will lead to deeper conversations and relationships. You often have to spend time on small talk with others before they let you in to other aspects of what they are really interested in. If you can’t use small talk effectively, you will have far fewer relationships.
4. ) Some people who are much smarter than average don’t want to indulge in small talk because they consider themselves to be superior to others. These people don’t think they should have to waste their time with anyone they consider to be merely average. These people are simply snobs.
5. ) Some very intelligent people who don’t want to talk to others are simply desperately shy. They may also be suffering from poor self esteem. Because of their extreme shyness or poor self esteem, they may feel that they have nothing interesting or worthwhile to contribute to a conversation. Having a lot of intellectual intelligence does not make you immune to poor self esteem.
6. ) In some cases, very intelligent people, particularly those who are strong in scientific and mathematical skills may have a condition called Asperger’s syndrome. Asperger’s syndrome may be related to autism.
A person who has some degree of Asperger’s may be extremely good at focusing on a scientific topic, but will be unable to understand the kinds of social interactions that most other people take for granted. People with Asperger’s may talk in a rigid, mechanical way, and be uninterested in other people’s emotional lives.
No matter how much intelligence a person is, if they lack social skills, it can hold them back in their social life and their career. If you are one of those people who is quite smart, but has problems with social skills and with making small talk, what should you do? Ask yourself whether you really want to improve your social skills. If the answer is no, then you don’t need to try to develop skills in this particular area.
However, if the answer is yes, the good news is that you really can improve your conversational skills and your ability to enjoy small talk, and have enjoyable social relationships with others. You will have to commit yourself to practicing new skills and new attitudes towards yourself and others. But with practice and commitment, you will be able to be much more successful in these areas of your life.
This article was written by self help author and conversation expert Royane Real. Want to learn how to improve your conversation skills? Download her special report "Your Guide to Making Friendly Conversation" at http://www.royanereal.com
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/why-very-smart-people-sometimes-have-poor-social-skills.html
The truth is that many average people with average intelligence and average interests are much better at making small talk and have better social skills than people who are very intelligent. And many people who are very intelligent are extremely poor at making small talk conversation and may have poor social skills.
Why should this be? Here are some of the reasons why very intelligent, very creative people often have difficulty in making small talk conversation successfully:
1.) People who are very intelligent often have very high expectations for themselves in everything they do. They may be perfectionists who set very high standards for themselves at everything they do.
When they have to make conversation with other people they are so busy judging their own performance that they cannot simply relax and enjoy the conversation. Instead of enjoying the process of getting to know another human being through conversation, they become more and more nervous and tongue tied.
2.) Many people who are very smart have spent a lot of time trying to acquire intellectual knowledge and developing their brain power. But they have neglected other aspects of themselves.
For example, people who spend a lot of time thinking and learning may neglect to develop their social and emotional side. Perhaps they believe that developing their social and emotional side is not very important. Or they may feel that it is too late to try learn these new difficult skills. While they may be very comfortable discussing intellectual matters, they may not know how to become emotionally close to others.
3. ) Many very intelligent people may believe that they should only spend their time thinking about serious matters and talking about serious matters. They may think that talking about unimportant things is a frivolous waste of time.
Because most small talk is about frivolous and unimportant matters, people who tend to be very serious often feel that they should not waste their time on small talk. They may not realize that small talk is something that two people use to find out what they have in common.
Small talk helps to get the conversational engines going, and eventually some of your small talk will lead to deeper conversations and relationships. You often have to spend time on small talk with others before they let you in to other aspects of what they are really interested in. If you can’t use small talk effectively, you will have far fewer relationships.
4. ) Some people who are much smarter than average don’t want to indulge in small talk because they consider themselves to be superior to others. These people don’t think they should have to waste their time with anyone they consider to be merely average. These people are simply snobs.
5. ) Some very intelligent people who don’t want to talk to others are simply desperately shy. They may also be suffering from poor self esteem. Because of their extreme shyness or poor self esteem, they may feel that they have nothing interesting or worthwhile to contribute to a conversation. Having a lot of intellectual intelligence does not make you immune to poor self esteem.
6. ) In some cases, very intelligent people, particularly those who are strong in scientific and mathematical skills may have a condition called Asperger’s syndrome. Asperger’s syndrome may be related to autism.
A person who has some degree of Asperger’s may be extremely good at focusing on a scientific topic, but will be unable to understand the kinds of social interactions that most other people take for granted. People with Asperger’s may talk in a rigid, mechanical way, and be uninterested in other people’s emotional lives.
No matter how much intelligence a person is, if they lack social skills, it can hold them back in their social life and their career. If you are one of those people who is quite smart, but has problems with social skills and with making small talk, what should you do? Ask yourself whether you really want to improve your social skills. If the answer is no, then you don’t need to try to develop skills in this particular area.
However, if the answer is yes, the good news is that you really can improve your conversational skills and your ability to enjoy small talk, and have enjoyable social relationships with others. You will have to commit yourself to practicing new skills and new attitudes towards yourself and others. But with practice and commitment, you will be able to be much more successful in these areas of your life.
This article was written by self help author and conversation expert Royane Real. Want to learn how to improve your conversation skills? Download her special report "Your Guide to Making Friendly Conversation" at http://www.royanereal.com
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/why-very-smart-people-sometimes-have-poor-social-skills.html
Are you ready to work from home?
We’ve all had jobs. Some we’ve loved and some we’ve hated. And we’ve all dreamed of making money from our basement offices or our living rooms. Walking around in a bathrobe and slippers while making tons of cash.
As nice as it sounds, it’s never really that easy. It takes work. Lots of it. The great thing is that it’s very possible thanks to the internet.
Since the mid ’90s it seems that everyone is doing some sort of business online. How many people do you know that sell stuff on Ebay? Probably a few. I know at least 4-5 people that quit their jobs simply to sell stuff online. I know a guy that goes around to all of the local flea markets, buys up items he feels has value, and lists it on Ebay for a healthy profit.
And you don’t have to sell products only. How about your services?
Are you a freelance professional? The internet is full of people developing software, building websites, ads, marketing material, etc. One popular way to make money freelancing is joining a freelance community site that allows you to bid on posted projects. Much like Ebay, these sites sell services instead of products. You can make a nice living working directly from your computer this way.
If you have the room for inventory, starting a business selling products online is another option. Many people run businesses straight from their garage. I myself sold children’s party supplies directly online and built it into a profitable business. It really helped pay the bills and gave me a sense of accomplishment I had never realized before. And our customers loved us!
There are so many ways to get started. Just think of an idea, see if you have a niche by doing some research, then get going. It’s so cliche but true. If you do nothing, nothing will happen. I hope this article gives you some motivation to make a difference for yourself and the internet community. We can probably use what you’re selling!
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/are-you-ready-to-work-from-home.html
As nice as it sounds, it’s never really that easy. It takes work. Lots of it. The great thing is that it’s very possible thanks to the internet.
Since the mid ’90s it seems that everyone is doing some sort of business online. How many people do you know that sell stuff on Ebay? Probably a few. I know at least 4-5 people that quit their jobs simply to sell stuff online. I know a guy that goes around to all of the local flea markets, buys up items he feels has value, and lists it on Ebay for a healthy profit.
And you don’t have to sell products only. How about your services?
Are you a freelance professional? The internet is full of people developing software, building websites, ads, marketing material, etc. One popular way to make money freelancing is joining a freelance community site that allows you to bid on posted projects. Much like Ebay, these sites sell services instead of products. You can make a nice living working directly from your computer this way.
If you have the room for inventory, starting a business selling products online is another option. Many people run businesses straight from their garage. I myself sold children’s party supplies directly online and built it into a profitable business. It really helped pay the bills and gave me a sense of accomplishment I had never realized before. And our customers loved us!
There are so many ways to get started. Just think of an idea, see if you have a niche by doing some research, then get going. It’s so cliche but true. If you do nothing, nothing will happen. I hope this article gives you some motivation to make a difference for yourself and the internet community. We can probably use what you’re selling!
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/are-you-ready-to-work-from-home.html
Five Strategies to Better Learning
There has never been so much information to absorb and so much to learn in the history of humanity! The more technology we create, the greater the need for learning, so anything that can aid us in learning better is very welcome. Here are five simple strategies that can increase learning and retention of information.
The first learning strategy is a simple one, and one that might not appeal to young people in particular. This strategy is simple: Turn off the TV, turn off your radio and find a quiet place to work with no distractions. If you must have music, opt for classical music, and not rock music or hip-hop. It is amazing how many students like to have background music playing when they are learning, unaware of how counter-productive it can be. If you need to have background music, then choose Baroque, and then preferably strings, rather than brass. Baroque music played on strings has actually been shown to be beneficial to learners.
The second strategy follows on from the first. Don't slob out on the bed, especially on your front, when you are trying to study. Sit at a desk, if possible, with a comfortable, but straight-backed chair and make sure your materials are within easy reach. You don't want to have to break your leaning state over and over again, by having to retrieve items you need from elsewhere.
Strategy three: Breathe deeply and relax. Close your eyes breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth a few times, slowly and evenly. This helps prepare you for your study session and the next strategy.
Strategy four: You will be amazed how many students, adults and children, approach a study or learning task without first asking themselves why they are learning and what they want to achieve. After you have implemented strategy three, and relaxed somewhat, ask yourself what you want to achieve in this study session you are about to undertake. Having a concrete reason to do anything makes your brain focus more on the task. With studying this step is vital, because studying is essentially a brain-oriented task.
Strategy five: Study for short periods or 20 to 30 minutes each, and take breaks of about 10 minutes in between. Experts have found that our peaks of learning information tend to come at the beginning and the end of a session. In other words, we remember material more easily that we learned in the first few minutes of a session, and the last few minutes. Therefore, creating many beginnings and endings in one learning session should increase the amount we are able to take in and, more importantly, recall.
If you want to Learn More then visit http://learn-more.info
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/five-strategies-to-better-learning.html
The first learning strategy is a simple one, and one that might not appeal to young people in particular. This strategy is simple: Turn off the TV, turn off your radio and find a quiet place to work with no distractions. If you must have music, opt for classical music, and not rock music or hip-hop. It is amazing how many students like to have background music playing when they are learning, unaware of how counter-productive it can be. If you need to have background music, then choose Baroque, and then preferably strings, rather than brass. Baroque music played on strings has actually been shown to be beneficial to learners.
The second strategy follows on from the first. Don't slob out on the bed, especially on your front, when you are trying to study. Sit at a desk, if possible, with a comfortable, but straight-backed chair and make sure your materials are within easy reach. You don't want to have to break your leaning state over and over again, by having to retrieve items you need from elsewhere.
Strategy three: Breathe deeply and relax. Close your eyes breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth a few times, slowly and evenly. This helps prepare you for your study session and the next strategy.
Strategy four: You will be amazed how many students, adults and children, approach a study or learning task without first asking themselves why they are learning and what they want to achieve. After you have implemented strategy three, and relaxed somewhat, ask yourself what you want to achieve in this study session you are about to undertake. Having a concrete reason to do anything makes your brain focus more on the task. With studying this step is vital, because studying is essentially a brain-oriented task.
Strategy five: Study for short periods or 20 to 30 minutes each, and take breaks of about 10 minutes in between. Experts have found that our peaks of learning information tend to come at the beginning and the end of a session. In other words, we remember material more easily that we learned in the first few minutes of a session, and the last few minutes. Therefore, creating many beginnings and endings in one learning session should increase the amount we are able to take in and, more importantly, recall.
If you want to Learn More then visit http://learn-more.info
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/five-strategies-to-better-learning.html
Accredited Online Bachelor Degree: Things You Must Know…
Here are some suggested places to find an accredited online bachelor degree
For several years the traditional institutions of higher learning each had a unique size and a unique approach to teaching. That same diversity can now be found among the schools or institutes offering the bachelor degree online. Those providers of virtual classrooms give themselves a number of diverse descriptions.
Sometimes an education institution that offers an accredited online Bachelor degree calls itself a university. Liberty University and Kaplan University are examples of institutions offering such degrees online. Sometimes the institution that offers an accredited online Bachelor degree indicates in its name an emphasis on more technical oriented material. The ITT Technical Institute is one example.
Technical Institutions and the accredited online Bachelor degree
ITT Technical Institute is not the sole provider of online courses that focus on technical material. DeVry also offers courses of a technical nature, and this institution also has an accredited online Bachelor degree. A look at the internet shows that DeVry actually has two websites. One is for international students, while the other is for students with a permanent residence in the United States.
Let's take a closer look at one accredited online Bachelor degree
Still the ITT Technical Institute has a long history of offering technical courses to students who do not want to spend four years taking a list of prescribed or selected courses. ITT manages its accredited online Bachelor degree from its administrative offices in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Even though ITT has an accredited online Bachelor degree, it also has students located in physical classrooms. You will find those classrooms at the various ITT campuses. Each campus appears to provide a unique set of classes.
Let's take the ITT campus in Torrance, CA as an example; a student who previously has studied electronics might want to take a course on electronics and communications engineering technology. A student interested in computers could take a course on for example computer drafting and design. If that student wanted more information on computers, then he or she would need to sign-up for a certain course on information technology-multimedia options.
Because ITT has these different campuses all over the country, any student in an accredited online Bachelor degree has a chance to take part in the comings and goings of campus life. That student would get the opportunity to participate in an ITT club, such as the Computer Club or the Radio Club.
No matter which type of online degree you decide to pursue, the most crucial thing is to make sure you are protected from scams and programs that offer you nothing of substance in return for your money. A simple search on the web will help you a lot.
Terje Brooks Ellingsen likes to publish articles showing how the acceptance of online degrees have changed the higher education business. Check out accredited online university for more
http://www.buzzle.com/articles//accredited-online-bachelor-degree-things-you-must-know.html
For several years the traditional institutions of higher learning each had a unique size and a unique approach to teaching. That same diversity can now be found among the schools or institutes offering the bachelor degree online. Those providers of virtual classrooms give themselves a number of diverse descriptions.
Sometimes an education institution that offers an accredited online Bachelor degree calls itself a university. Liberty University and Kaplan University are examples of institutions offering such degrees online. Sometimes the institution that offers an accredited online Bachelor degree indicates in its name an emphasis on more technical oriented material. The ITT Technical Institute is one example.
Technical Institutions and the accredited online Bachelor degree
ITT Technical Institute is not the sole provider of online courses that focus on technical material. DeVry also offers courses of a technical nature, and this institution also has an accredited online Bachelor degree. A look at the internet shows that DeVry actually has two websites. One is for international students, while the other is for students with a permanent residence in the United States.
Let's take a closer look at one accredited online Bachelor degree
Still the ITT Technical Institute has a long history of offering technical courses to students who do not want to spend four years taking a list of prescribed or selected courses. ITT manages its accredited online Bachelor degree from its administrative offices in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Even though ITT has an accredited online Bachelor degree, it also has students located in physical classrooms. You will find those classrooms at the various ITT campuses. Each campus appears to provide a unique set of classes.
Let's take the ITT campus in Torrance, CA as an example; a student who previously has studied electronics might want to take a course on electronics and communications engineering technology. A student interested in computers could take a course on for example computer drafting and design. If that student wanted more information on computers, then he or she would need to sign-up for a certain course on information technology-multimedia options.
Because ITT has these different campuses all over the country, any student in an accredited online Bachelor degree has a chance to take part in the comings and goings of campus life. That student would get the opportunity to participate in an ITT club, such as the Computer Club or the Radio Club.
No matter which type of online degree you decide to pursue, the most crucial thing is to make sure you are protected from scams and programs that offer you nothing of substance in return for your money. A simple search on the web will help you a lot.
Terje Brooks Ellingsen likes to publish articles showing how the acceptance of online degrees have changed the higher education business. Check out accredited online university for more
http://www.buzzle.com/articles//accredited-online-bachelor-degree-things-you-must-know.html
Florida School Grades Confusing Issue for New Residents
The Florida Department of Education released the 2006-2007 school report cards and we’re not talking about student report cards here, but on school grades – a single letter grade for each school in the state. Unfortunately, this year many Florida schools took a step backwards as result of new grading criteria, which now includes science scores. Understanding how the Florida school grading system works can sometimes be a very confusing issue.
School quality is always a concern for relocating parents. In a world where a good education is increasingly important, many parents even base their final decision about home choice on the reported quality of the schools in various neighborhoods.
Here in Florida, the state’s A+ school reporting plan is supposed to give parents an easy way to compare schools with one another at a glance, but many question whether the system really reflects the situation accurately. When the Florida Department of Education released the school grades for 2007 a couple of weeks ago, there seemed to be more confusion and controversy than information in the published reports.
If you were a parent trying to decide where to relocate, you’d be understandably confused by the newspaper reports announcing the gains and losses over the preceding year. In Orlando, the papers announced that school grades had taken a nose dive. In Palm Beach, they reported that there were dramatic improvements – and crushing drops. In Tampa, the papers admitted to confusion over exactly what the school grades were measuring, but reported a general dissatisfaction with the entire system. When the professionals are confused about what school grades mean, how can parents be expected to make an informed choice?
How School Grades are Determined
Under the Florida education system, school grades are based on three major areas:
* the performance of the school as a whole on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test in Reading, Math and Science at specific grade levels
* the improvement in grades of students in the school in Reading, Math and Science on the FCAT over the previous year
* the improvement of the lowest performing 25% of students in Reading, Math and Science in the FCAT over the previous year
In addition, in order to receive any grade above an F, 90% of the school’s students must take the FCAT. In order to receive an A, 95% of the students must take the FCAT. Schools receive points on a scale of 0-800 based on those factors, and are assigned a letter grade based on those points.
The system was originally instituted in 1999. In that year, 78 schools received a failing grade and another 600 received a D. Only 13% of the schools received an A rating. The state’s school grades overall have trended upward each year, with a couple of exceptions.
In the intervening years, the standards for receiving a passing grade have been changed three times, each time tightening the requirements to "raise the bar". Each time that the standards have been tightened, the results were predictable – more schools failed than in the previous year and a percentage of schools found that their school grade had dropped from the year before. In nearly every case, those grades were recovered over the next year as teachers and students adjusted to the new material they were required to know.
The most recent adjustment to the grading system took place this year. For the first time in the 2006-2007 school year, the performance of students on the Science portion of the FCAT was taken into account in grading schools. Predictably, as has happened both other times that students had to meet higher standards, there are more schools than last year with F ratings, and a number of schools received lower grades than they did last year. If you take the comparative numbers against last year’s figures without adjusting for changes to the grading system, it certainly appears that the schools are losing ground in the fight to educate our children.
If you take a longer view, though, the picture is far different. In 1999, only 13% of all Florida schools received an A rating. In 2007, that figure increased to 52% - despite the fact that the standards are much higher than they were just eight years ago. In 1999, nearly 50% of all Florida schools received a C rating. This year, that figure is 17%. The percentage of D rated schools went from 24.5% to 8%. The only figure that has remained unchanged is the F rating – with approximately 3% of Florida schools receiving an F rating.
Even so, both parents and educators – and in many cases students – have serious concerns about the way that schools are graded, especially in light of the consequences of lower grades for schools. Many parents who have children in the lower graded schools are bewildered – they see that their children are being taught by teachers who care enough to work with them after school and push them to learn more. Teachers express concerns that they are forced to "teach the test instead of the children" – and in many cases to do so without the equipment and supplies necessary to teach effectively. These concerns aren’t unique to Florida. They mirror controversies and conversations that are being held in nearly every state across the nation.
Through all of this, though, two facts stand out. The first is that accountability is a vital part of the public education process. There must be some method of measuring whether the schools are doing their jobs of educating children. The system that we’re using now may be flawed, but it does provide an overview of a school’s progress toward improvement, and it allows for adjustment and improvement of the system itself to measure more accurately. It allows the state to pinpoint schools and regions that need assistance in meeting standards so that resources can be focused there.
The second fact is also undeniable. Since 1999, Florida schools have shown marked overall progress toward meeting the standards of education set forth by the state. In New Tampa, every one of the elementary schools received an A rating this year, despite the higher standards, and not a single school was rated an F.
While the current system may be flawed, it does provide a starting point for parents looking for school information. Parents who want a deeper look can access the school’s full report card at the FDOE’s web site, and use the time-honored methods that parents have always used to decide on a school for their children. Schedule an interview with the school principal. Talk with neighbors in the neighborhoods you’re considering. Learn about the schools on a personal level. The more involved you are in the process, the easier it becomes to make an informed choice about your children’s education.
Calum MacKenzie is Broker/Owner of Real Living Southern Homes, a leading residential real estate brokerage serving the New Tampa real estate and Land O’ Lakes real estate markets.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/florida-school-grades-confusing-issue-for-new-residents.html
School quality is always a concern for relocating parents. In a world where a good education is increasingly important, many parents even base their final decision about home choice on the reported quality of the schools in various neighborhoods.
Here in Florida, the state’s A+ school reporting plan is supposed to give parents an easy way to compare schools with one another at a glance, but many question whether the system really reflects the situation accurately. When the Florida Department of Education released the school grades for 2007 a couple of weeks ago, there seemed to be more confusion and controversy than information in the published reports.
If you were a parent trying to decide where to relocate, you’d be understandably confused by the newspaper reports announcing the gains and losses over the preceding year. In Orlando, the papers announced that school grades had taken a nose dive. In Palm Beach, they reported that there were dramatic improvements – and crushing drops. In Tampa, the papers admitted to confusion over exactly what the school grades were measuring, but reported a general dissatisfaction with the entire system. When the professionals are confused about what school grades mean, how can parents be expected to make an informed choice?
How School Grades are Determined
Under the Florida education system, school grades are based on three major areas:
* the performance of the school as a whole on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test in Reading, Math and Science at specific grade levels
* the improvement in grades of students in the school in Reading, Math and Science on the FCAT over the previous year
* the improvement of the lowest performing 25% of students in Reading, Math and Science in the FCAT over the previous year
In addition, in order to receive any grade above an F, 90% of the school’s students must take the FCAT. In order to receive an A, 95% of the students must take the FCAT. Schools receive points on a scale of 0-800 based on those factors, and are assigned a letter grade based on those points.
The system was originally instituted in 1999. In that year, 78 schools received a failing grade and another 600 received a D. Only 13% of the schools received an A rating. The state’s school grades overall have trended upward each year, with a couple of exceptions.
In the intervening years, the standards for receiving a passing grade have been changed three times, each time tightening the requirements to "raise the bar". Each time that the standards have been tightened, the results were predictable – more schools failed than in the previous year and a percentage of schools found that their school grade had dropped from the year before. In nearly every case, those grades were recovered over the next year as teachers and students adjusted to the new material they were required to know.
The most recent adjustment to the grading system took place this year. For the first time in the 2006-2007 school year, the performance of students on the Science portion of the FCAT was taken into account in grading schools. Predictably, as has happened both other times that students had to meet higher standards, there are more schools than last year with F ratings, and a number of schools received lower grades than they did last year. If you take the comparative numbers against last year’s figures without adjusting for changes to the grading system, it certainly appears that the schools are losing ground in the fight to educate our children.
If you take a longer view, though, the picture is far different. In 1999, only 13% of all Florida schools received an A rating. In 2007, that figure increased to 52% - despite the fact that the standards are much higher than they were just eight years ago. In 1999, nearly 50% of all Florida schools received a C rating. This year, that figure is 17%. The percentage of D rated schools went from 24.5% to 8%. The only figure that has remained unchanged is the F rating – with approximately 3% of Florida schools receiving an F rating.
Even so, both parents and educators – and in many cases students – have serious concerns about the way that schools are graded, especially in light of the consequences of lower grades for schools. Many parents who have children in the lower graded schools are bewildered – they see that their children are being taught by teachers who care enough to work with them after school and push them to learn more. Teachers express concerns that they are forced to "teach the test instead of the children" – and in many cases to do so without the equipment and supplies necessary to teach effectively. These concerns aren’t unique to Florida. They mirror controversies and conversations that are being held in nearly every state across the nation.
Through all of this, though, two facts stand out. The first is that accountability is a vital part of the public education process. There must be some method of measuring whether the schools are doing their jobs of educating children. The system that we’re using now may be flawed, but it does provide an overview of a school’s progress toward improvement, and it allows for adjustment and improvement of the system itself to measure more accurately. It allows the state to pinpoint schools and regions that need assistance in meeting standards so that resources can be focused there.
The second fact is also undeniable. Since 1999, Florida schools have shown marked overall progress toward meeting the standards of education set forth by the state. In New Tampa, every one of the elementary schools received an A rating this year, despite the higher standards, and not a single school was rated an F.
While the current system may be flawed, it does provide a starting point for parents looking for school information. Parents who want a deeper look can access the school’s full report card at the FDOE’s web site, and use the time-honored methods that parents have always used to decide on a school for their children. Schedule an interview with the school principal. Talk with neighbors in the neighborhoods you’re considering. Learn about the schools on a personal level. The more involved you are in the process, the easier it becomes to make an informed choice about your children’s education.
Calum MacKenzie is Broker/Owner of Real Living Southern Homes, a leading residential real estate brokerage serving the New Tampa real estate and Land O’ Lakes real estate markets.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/florida-school-grades-confusing-issue-for-new-residents.html
The Bridge From Spirit To Matter by Elysha
You are that which is beyond beyondness itself. The supreme reality. The one and only true god of all times. You are this one. This is who you are. It does not give you anything extra in particular though. It does not give you prestige. It does not give you kudos. It does not make you special or a "cut above the rest".
Everyone and everything is also this one.
The one that you are is the one that everything is. There is no "other".
The intelligence, love and bliss that informs your very being informs everything everywhere.
You are this one.
What makes you different to the life forms around you (animal, plant, mineral) is that you have the capacity to consciously know who you are while arising within the very manifestation that is arising in the one that is who you truly are.
Yes indeedy.
You have the capacity to consciously know who or what it actually is that you truly are while driving around within the very manifestation that is arising in the very thing that is already true of you - even while it appears that you are being distracted by the very reflections of that manifestation that is arising in you.
well... well... well...
Does this mean that you can just play out any and every desire your vehicle or mindbody has ever had?
You could try and perhaps you would find yourself suffering what you are not through being distracted by those arisings - forgetting who it is that you actually are and then believing yourself to be something less than that.
Sound familiar?
There have even been those who came to understand something of who they truly are and then began to experiment with the notion of putting their vehicle through all kinds of play (sex, drugs, alcohol) while seeing whether they would lose sight of who they truly are.
Basically, they failed. What did they fail? Nothing in essence. You can never ever not be the one that you are.
However, these ones - while playing in these arenas of the mindbody - did not simply be consciously the one that was already true of them. They failed to see the attraction of simply being this heart and of how it draws one further into oneself. They also handed on to their followers the licence to do the same.
As you begin to see your self you get drawn more into being this one that you are - consciously - if you are not being distracted by the reflections of the arising manifestation.
Not from a 'more' angle. From an attraction angle. From a self angle.
The attraction of the sheer beauty that your self is.
You are the bridge from spirit to matter.
You have the capacity to consciously know who or what it actually is that you truly are while driving around within the very manifestation that is arising in the very thing that is already true of you.
You are so absolutely in love with your self.
Realise this and be free.
If you are interested in being the freedom of your heart try visiting Elysha's website for more free information and self help products. Elysha is also available at The Elysium Ashram daily from 10am - 6pm. http://www.elysha.org
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-bridge-from-spirit-to-matter-by-elysh.html
Everyone and everything is also this one.
The one that you are is the one that everything is. There is no "other".
The intelligence, love and bliss that informs your very being informs everything everywhere.
You are this one.
What makes you different to the life forms around you (animal, plant, mineral) is that you have the capacity to consciously know who you are while arising within the very manifestation that is arising in the one that is who you truly are.
Yes indeedy.
You have the capacity to consciously know who or what it actually is that you truly are while driving around within the very manifestation that is arising in the very thing that is already true of you - even while it appears that you are being distracted by the very reflections of that manifestation that is arising in you.
well... well... well...
Does this mean that you can just play out any and every desire your vehicle or mindbody has ever had?
You could try and perhaps you would find yourself suffering what you are not through being distracted by those arisings - forgetting who it is that you actually are and then believing yourself to be something less than that.
Sound familiar?
There have even been those who came to understand something of who they truly are and then began to experiment with the notion of putting their vehicle through all kinds of play (sex, drugs, alcohol) while seeing whether they would lose sight of who they truly are.
Basically, they failed. What did they fail? Nothing in essence. You can never ever not be the one that you are.
However, these ones - while playing in these arenas of the mindbody - did not simply be consciously the one that was already true of them. They failed to see the attraction of simply being this heart and of how it draws one further into oneself. They also handed on to their followers the licence to do the same.
As you begin to see your self you get drawn more into being this one that you are - consciously - if you are not being distracted by the reflections of the arising manifestation.
Not from a 'more' angle. From an attraction angle. From a self angle.
The attraction of the sheer beauty that your self is.
You are the bridge from spirit to matter.
You have the capacity to consciously know who or what it actually is that you truly are while driving around within the very manifestation that is arising in the very thing that is already true of you.
You are so absolutely in love with your self.
Realise this and be free.
If you are interested in being the freedom of your heart try visiting Elysha's website for more free information and self help products. Elysha is also available at The Elysium Ashram daily from 10am - 6pm. http://www.elysha.org
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-bridge-from-spirit-to-matter-by-elysh.html
Start Your International Teaching Career in the United Kingdom
Currently there is a shortage of experienced teachers to fill key jobs in the United Kingdom. This could be your opportunity to springboard your teaching career into the international school sector.If you are looking at getting yourself a teaching job abroad at an international school but have not yet been able to land a contract, you could sneak your way in through the back door.
In nearly every country in the world you can find an international school that offers the British National Curriculum. All of these schools are looking for teachers with recent experience teaching in the UK.
With recent experience teaching the British examination courses for GCSE (Grade 9) and A-Levels (Grade 12), you will have a resume that recruiters for British schools will be very interested in and they will be lining up to interview you. The same follows for elementary school teachers who are familiar with the key stages set out in the UK National Curriculum.
Search Associates, one of the largest recruitment organisations dealing with international schools even has a separate branch that specialises in placing teachers with UK experience in British International schools.
I recently interviewed an American teacher who launched her career in international schools after a year spent teaching the British National Curriculum at a grammar school just west of London. Since then she has gone on to teach in 3 international schools in 2 countries that offered the UK curriculum. She has now spent more time teaching the British curriculum than the American one she originally trained for!
Teaching in the UK has many benefits, it can be a clever way to ease yourself into living and working overseas. Even though it is a country that may seem quite similar to your own and they may speak the same language as you, you will experience culture shock, and hopefully enjoy learning its eccentricities.
Additionally, while you are in the UK acquiring the experience to launch yourself into international school teaching, you can take advantage of the UK’s proximity to Europe and the plethora of low-cost airlines that have sprung up in recent years.
When you are ready to apply for your first international school teaching position you will be able to attend one or more of the job fairs run by Search Associates and ECIS and held in London each year. Many international schools interested in employing educators with UK experience attend these job fairs in London.
When I attended a job fair in London, after teaching in the UK for three years, I had 13 schools wanting to interview me. I could have got a teaching job in the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Qatar, France, the Netherlands, China, Hong Kong or Thailand. I chose Thailand and I’ve been here for 3 years now.
You can check out what vacancies there are in British schools right now by searching for jobs in your specialism on the TES Jobs website. This is the one stop shop for all vacancies in England. You can also find a definitive list of jobs in international schools in their database as well!
For visa requirements, check out the website for the British Embassy in your country. If you are a young teacher, make sure you look to see if the UK offers working holiday visas to people in your country, you can apply for one of those without having to get a job first. If you already have a visa you are going to be even more attractive to school principals!
Whether you’re looking for a teaching job in the UK or in an international school, The Complete Guide to Securing a Job in an International School is full of insider secrets to ensure your success! Get your FREE copy of Escape the Rat Race – Teach Overseas today, available exclusively from TeachOverseas.info.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/start-your-international-teaching-career-in-the-united-kingdom.html
Applying to Medical School: the AMCAS Application and Personal Statement
Medical student applicants complete their AMCAS applications completely online at http://services.aamc.org. Upon completion of the application, the applicant designates the medical schools to which he or she wishes AMCAS to send his or her application. AMCAS charges the applicants based on the number of schools to which they intend to apply. AMCAS is divided into 5 broad categories:
1. Biographic information
This section allows the applicants to provide basic identifying information about themselves, parents or guardians, ethnicity, primary language, and reasons for which they should be considered for a disadvantaged status.
2. Post-secondary experiences
In this portion, the applicant provides detailed information about all employment, volunteer, clinical, research, teaching, leadership, or other extracurricular, civic, or military activities. They may also list any publications, honors and awards, important conferences they attended, and any artistic endeavors or hobbies. The AMCAS allows them to chronicle the duration of involvement in each activity, hours worked per week, pertinent reference contact information, and allots them 510 characters to discuss each activity or award. For a point of reference, this section contains 600 characters.
3. Essays
This document goes into more detail about these subsequently.
4. Academic performance
In addition to the applicant’s transcripts from each post-secondary institution that they attended, applicants must fill in each course they took and the grade they received in these courses. The AMCAS has some special formula of standardizing grades with which I am not familiar. The applicant’s yearly and cumulative science and overall GPAs are included in this section as well.
5. Schools attended
This section lists all of the academic institutions (high school, undergraduate, and graduate schools) that the applicant attended.
II. THE ESSAY
The Personal Statement
The instructions are as follows: "Use the space provided to add any personal comments to your application. The available space for your response is 5300 characters, or approximately one full page."
Some questions you might want to consider while drafting this essay are:
*Why have you selected the field of medicine?
*What motivates you to learn more about medicine?
* What do you want medical schools to know about you that hasn’t been disclosed in another part of the application?
In addition, you may wish to include information such as:
* Special hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits.
* Commentary on significant fluctuations in your academic record which are not explained elsewhere in your application.
DOs
1. The application reviewer will have access to the client’s transcript, list of extracurricular activities and volunteer experiences, letters of recommendation, and description of any research and clinical endeavors in which he or she may have participated. Thus, their personal statement should focus on something unique about them that is not represented in these other portions of your application.
2. The MSPS should not be a prose form of the client’s CV. Many applicants often feel pressured to describe the clinical and research activities in which they have participated at the expense of introducing something distinctive into the statement. Only significant activities should enter the personal statement. The significance should not lie in the laudability of the activity itself, but rather the impact that the experience had on the applicant.
3. While all schools have a different type of individual who they wish to attract to their institution, clients should avoid coming across as the "typical pre-med." By this, I mean the undergraduate science major who has volunteered at a hospital or clinic, performed a bit of laboratory research (perhaps with a publication or two), and has known they wanted to be a doctor since age 7. Help your clients avoid portraying this all-too-common image and portray a more sophisticated, nuanced theme.
4. Some of the best personal statements mention very little, if anything, about medicine. The overall goal should be to paint multiple pictures of your clients in time such that the application reviewer can clearly see them, principles or experiences that have shaped them, and a clear direction into where their self development will continue to lead them.
III. SUMMARY
The MSPS is not a statement of purpose. Medical school applicants do not need to explain why they are qualified to be doctor in the MSPS at the expense of not showing how they are unique, well-balanced, accomplished individuals who can be distinguished from the "run of the mill" medical school applicant. If after editing their statement, you cannot read the essay and visualize a distinct individual who presents a part or parts of themselves that would make you want to interview them, you should spend more time on your revision or work with the client to construct a more personal essay.
Demetrius L. Dicks is a 4th year Stanford University medical student and active editor with EssayEdge.com which can help you with your Medical Personal Statement and Application essay needs
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/applying-to-medical-school-the-amcas-application-and-personal-statement.html
1. Biographic information
This section allows the applicants to provide basic identifying information about themselves, parents or guardians, ethnicity, primary language, and reasons for which they should be considered for a disadvantaged status.
2. Post-secondary experiences
In this portion, the applicant provides detailed information about all employment, volunteer, clinical, research, teaching, leadership, or other extracurricular, civic, or military activities. They may also list any publications, honors and awards, important conferences they attended, and any artistic endeavors or hobbies. The AMCAS allows them to chronicle the duration of involvement in each activity, hours worked per week, pertinent reference contact information, and allots them 510 characters to discuss each activity or award. For a point of reference, this section contains 600 characters.
3. Essays
This document goes into more detail about these subsequently.
4. Academic performance
In addition to the applicant’s transcripts from each post-secondary institution that they attended, applicants must fill in each course they took and the grade they received in these courses. The AMCAS has some special formula of standardizing grades with which I am not familiar. The applicant’s yearly and cumulative science and overall GPAs are included in this section as well.
5. Schools attended
This section lists all of the academic institutions (high school, undergraduate, and graduate schools) that the applicant attended.
II. THE ESSAY
The Personal Statement
The instructions are as follows: "Use the space provided to add any personal comments to your application. The available space for your response is 5300 characters, or approximately one full page."
Some questions you might want to consider while drafting this essay are:
*Why have you selected the field of medicine?
*What motivates you to learn more about medicine?
* What do you want medical schools to know about you that hasn’t been disclosed in another part of the application?
In addition, you may wish to include information such as:
* Special hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits.
* Commentary on significant fluctuations in your academic record which are not explained elsewhere in your application.
DOs
1. The application reviewer will have access to the client’s transcript, list of extracurricular activities and volunteer experiences, letters of recommendation, and description of any research and clinical endeavors in which he or she may have participated. Thus, their personal statement should focus on something unique about them that is not represented in these other portions of your application.
2. The MSPS should not be a prose form of the client’s CV. Many applicants often feel pressured to describe the clinical and research activities in which they have participated at the expense of introducing something distinctive into the statement. Only significant activities should enter the personal statement. The significance should not lie in the laudability of the activity itself, but rather the impact that the experience had on the applicant.
3. While all schools have a different type of individual who they wish to attract to their institution, clients should avoid coming across as the "typical pre-med." By this, I mean the undergraduate science major who has volunteered at a hospital or clinic, performed a bit of laboratory research (perhaps with a publication or two), and has known they wanted to be a doctor since age 7. Help your clients avoid portraying this all-too-common image and portray a more sophisticated, nuanced theme.
4. Some of the best personal statements mention very little, if anything, about medicine. The overall goal should be to paint multiple pictures of your clients in time such that the application reviewer can clearly see them, principles or experiences that have shaped them, and a clear direction into where their self development will continue to lead them.
III. SUMMARY
The MSPS is not a statement of purpose. Medical school applicants do not need to explain why they are qualified to be doctor in the MSPS at the expense of not showing how they are unique, well-balanced, accomplished individuals who can be distinguished from the "run of the mill" medical school applicant. If after editing their statement, you cannot read the essay and visualize a distinct individual who presents a part or parts of themselves that would make you want to interview them, you should spend more time on your revision or work with the client to construct a more personal essay.
Demetrius L. Dicks is a 4th year Stanford University medical student and active editor with EssayEdge.com which can help you with your Medical Personal Statement and Application essay needs
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/applying-to-medical-school-the-amcas-application-and-personal-statement.html
Choosing the Right College
Choosing the right college can be an overwhelming process, especially if you’re not sure where to start. You can read a hundred books, talk to dozens of people and surf the Net for possibilities, but if you don’t organize your priorities ahead of time, you may find it difficult to make a decision. Deciding what you are looking for in a college before hitting the books could save you frustration in the long run.College is a big investment, both financially and personally. The last thing you want is to sign up for classes at a college you think is right for you, only to find that it wasn’t what you thought it would be. If this happens, you then have to go through the process of searching for the right college all over again, hoping that the credits you have earned thus far are transferable.
It’s true that even if you go through the process of carefully analyzing your priorities you may still find that the college you choose isn’t the right fit. But, at least if you take the time to consider important factors ahead of time you may significantly reduce the odds of this happening. So before you jump into your college search, take a few minutes to consider (at least) the following three important factors of choosing a college:
Cost
Cost is usually a big factor when choosing a college. Set a realistic budget for your college education, considering course fees, room and board, books and meal plans carefully. This will help narrow the list of colleges you consider, leaving you with a more manageable and less overwhelming list of colleges to choose from. If you plan to apply for financial aid, understand the terms of your loan and, if possible, the amount you are approved for before you begin your search.
Programs
If you already know what field you want to major in, the programs that a college offers will likely be a large factor in your decision. Depending on how broad your chosen major is, you will either have several colleges to choose from, or very few. Either way, with a major in mind your list of college choices will likely narrow, giving you a more manageable list to work from.
If you aren’t sure what field you would like to major in, but you do not want to delay your college education while you decide, you may want to consider choosing a college that offers a variety of programs. This way, when you decide on a major you might be able to continue studying at that college and not have to go through the process of changing schools. Another benefit to choosing a college with a variety of programs is that you can gain more exposure and insight into different fields than if you were to choose a college offering fewer programs. In this respect, choosing a college offering several different programs can be beneficial, especially for the undecided student.
Location
Next on the list of important things to consider when choosing a college is location. Are you looking for adventure at a college across the country or internationally? Would you like the freedom of going away to college while still being within driving distance of your hometown, or would you prefer attending a college in your hometown or surrounding area? Depending on your personality, location can make a huge difference in your college experience. It’s not just the distance from home that matters either; the environment of the college is equally important. If you enjoy the fast pace and multicultural uniqueness of a city, for example, then a college tucked away in a rural town may bore you, and vice versa. Since location plays a large role in your college experience as a whole, it is a good idea to take this into consideration when making your decision.
Once you have narrowed your list to a few potential colleges, it is always a good idea to pay them a visit. Get a feel for the atmosphere, speak to an admissions counselor and tour their facilities. It’s one thing to read about a college in a book, or to look at photos online, but it’s another to experience the college first hand. Taking the time to visit potential colleges will likely influence your final decision.
When it comes to choosing a college, cost, location and programs offered tend to be the top three deciding factors. Choosing the right college can be overwhelming and even a little intimidating. After all, your education is a big personal and financial commitment that has the potential to greatly influence your life. By taking the time to determine your priorities, you have the power to make this potentially overwhelming experience an exciting adventure.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/choosing-the-right-college.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)