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
Saturday, August 25, 2007
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
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