Somalia essays

Somalia essays It was God-awful hot and the dust was everywhere. We were just coming back to the airfield in Moghedishu from an 18 hour patrol in southern Somalia. Jeff was concentrating on driving while Brad was manning the .50 caliber machinegun mounted on the top of the armored humvee. This left me plenty of time to take in the sights, sounds and smells, very rich ones, of the countryside and city. Dust from the afternoon winds found every cranny and nook you could imagine. It was brutal on our weapons, which had to be constantly wiped free. Even when I would take a drink of water from my canteen the taste of dirt was prevalent. When I started this paper, I found out that much has changed in this ancient land. I also found out that much has remained the same. Somalia is a land with a rich history and one full of sorrows. When I set out to start my research, I turned mostly to Government and Non-government web sites for information. Many of these sites were full of valuable information relating to Somalia, its past and how Somalia stands in the world today. I used one book, Delong, Kent, and Steven Tuckey. Mogadishu! Heroism and Tragedy. Westport: Praeger, 1994, for part of my research. Several other news sites were helpful in setting the scene for Somalias current place in the world, to include the War on Terrorism. Also the State department web site was a great help. I had some difficulties in finding books written about Somalia. There were many books written about the Battle of Mogadishu but few about the country itself. The State Department and CIA web sites were most helpful in this area. Both sites had a complete and comprehensive database of the history of Somalia. I also went to several African web sites for information and for their own perspective on events affecting Somalia, both past and present. I was able to use some of the databases from the ECPI library. For the most part this database was very good on the curr...

What to Do If You Get Rejected From Your Dream College

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

Mobile Telecommunications Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mobile Telecommunications - Assignment Example As of March 1999, the Group had subsidiary mobile network operating companies in six countries - the UK, the Netherlands, Greece, Malta, Australia and New Zealand. Between 1999 and 2003, the Group furthered its transaction activities thereby transforming the company into the world's leading international mobile telecommunications company (Vodafone Annual Report, 2006). Vodafone Group provides a wide range of voice and data mobile telecommunications services, including text messages (SMS), picture messages (MMS), and other data services. The Group is continually expanding its product line and enhancing its service offerings, particularly through third generation (3G) mobile technology. In the wake of fierce competition and narrowing margins, Vodafone is continuously innovating to keep pace with the changing environment. Besides competition, the list of drivers changing the environment also comprises challenging regulatory environment, and continuous development in technology which means there is far more choice for customers. Historically, growth in Vodafone's portfolio has come from developed markets, particularly Europe. Due to high penetration rates (100%) in such markets, Vodafone is now concentrating on emerging markets which poses greater potential for growth due to low penetration rates (average 30%). 2. Strategic Analysis Vodafone has a strategy of expanding business through acquisitions, partnerships and joint ventures in the telecommunication industry. The Group cleanses its portfolio by disposing off underperforming assets that have an impact on its resources. Vodafone has invested only in those geographical regions where it has seen chances of superior returns for its shareholders. Key developments in the history of the Group are as follows: Timeline of Vodafone Group 1999 - Vodafone merged with Air Touch Communications which changed its name to Vodafone Air Touch. The Group had mobile operating subsidiaries in 10 countries and equity interests in an additional 12 countries. 2000 - Vodafone set its footprint in Germany and Italy through acquiring Mannesmann AG. Vodafone also increased its indirect holding in SFR, a French mobile telecommunications operator. Moreover, the Group's US mobile operations combined with Bell Atlantic and GTE Corporation to form Verizon Wireless. 2001 - Vodafone acquired Eircell Limited, a mobile operator in Ireland and set its footprint there. Moreover, the Group acquired 66.7% stake in a fixed line operator in Japan, Japan Telecom Co. Ltd. Since March 2003, Vodafone has undertaken multiple subsidiary acquisitions in Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Malta, Portugal, Sweden, Netherlands, and UK. Vodafone has had joint ventures in India, Fiji, Kenya, Poland and South Africa. Vodafone Group faces a high degree of competition in each of its geographic markets. It is subject to both indirect competition, from providers of other telecommunications services in the domestic markets and, direct competition from existing mobile telecommunications network operators. Many of Vodafone's key markets are highly penetrated due to a large number of customers having more than one subscriber identity module (SIM), the basis of customer identity for a mobile telecommun

Thomas More Utopia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Thomas More Utopia - Essay Example It appears that everyone has a common desire for the best life attainable. "Utopia" is the word used to denote the best life attainable. Since each person has their own unique vision of Utopia, the only universally agreeable description of Utopia is, "the ability for each person to live in their own vision of paradise." Humanity should strive to obtain that ability. Thomas Moore's Utopia was a description of such an ideal land where social structures had been molded to afford evry individual this very ability to have the fullest from life.In following paragraphs we examine the description of a compelling aspect of humn life viz.religion as dealt in Thomas Moore's UTOPIA. Moore began his description of religious practices in his utopian society with the statement that there were no fetters on religious practices. There was multiplicity of religions. For instance, people worshipped awe inspiring natural object such as the sun and some worshipped even local heroes and distinguished personalities-past and present. Such worshippers were divided in their treatment of such objects of worship. While many treated such objects of worship as ordinary deities others equated them to Supreme God. Moore distinguishes between such believers and a layer of wiser and deeper persons who did not have such identifiable objects of worship but who ," adored one eternal, invisible, infinite, and incomprehensible Deity; as a being that is far above all our apprehensions, that is spread over the whole universe, not by His bulk, but by His power and virtue; Him they call the Father of All, and acknowledge that the beginnings, the increase, the progress, the vicissitudes, and the end of all thin but to Him alone. And indeed, though they differ concerning other things, yet all agree in this, that they think there is one Supreme Being that made and governs the world, whom they call in the language of their country Mithras"(Moore, Book II).In Moore's world, idol worship was clearly distinguished from the concept of the essence of Supreme Being and it was common to find both idol worshippers and believers in essence of the Supreme Being .However it was clearly understood that even idol worshippers acknowledged the limitations of their idols and had an overall belief in the existence of a Supreme Being. In Utopus several religious superstitions had been rationalized and the people were not only willing to hear the merits of various religions but also to adopt and follow them. The role of priest in the society was acknowledged and all the functions and duties they could attend to were identified. Religious intolerance in violent and seditious manner was not al lowed as utopians had a bitter experience in the past of the divisive qualities of religion and their land had suffered under subjugation due to that. Moore writes," he made a law that every man might be of what religion he pleased, and might endeavor to draw others to it by force of argument, and by amicable and modest ways, but without bitterness against those of other opinions; but that he ought to use no other force but that of persuasion, and was neither to mix with it reproaches nor violence; and such as did otherwise were to be condemned to banishment or slavery"(Moore, Book II). Such a law was made not only to preserve societal peace but to prevent daily bitterness amongst

Lobster: A Poor Man’s Food Evolves into a Wealthy Man’s Food :: Essays Papers

Lobster: A Poor Man’s Food Evolves into a Wealthy Man’s Food When do natural products become a delicacy? They become a delicacy when they become harder to find in their natural setting. This is what happened to the lobster and how the demands of the consumers changed. During Colonial times, the status of lobster was much different than today. It was once considered a poor man’s food. Now, it is considered a delicacy and found in many fancy dishes and at most higher priced restaurants. Today, lobster prices are high. If you want to eat a good lobster, you have to pay a decent price for it. The change in status of lobster occurred when the supply of lobster started to become depleted. As the sources of lobster were being depleted the demand increased in wealthier markets. This occurred because wealthier people could afford the higher prices created by a shrinking supply. The supply of the lobster population is what influenced the changing demands of the consumers. When settlers first came to America, lobster was considered a poor man’s food. The lobsters were so abundant at that time that many people felt that they were competing with them for space on the shore. The settlers felt that the lobster had no nutritional value. At that time both Native Americans and settlers used the lobster as fertilizer for their fields and as bait to catch other fish. Lobster was so disdained that it was given to prisoners, indentured servants, and children. This was such a common practice that in Massachusetts many servants and prisoners had it put into their contract that they could not be fed lobster more than two times a week. In the end, new technological innovations caused the disappearance of cheap lobster. Traps and smack boats were two technologies that greatly influenced the depleting lobster population. Lobstering changed from a hunting and gathering activity for local subsistence into a prosperous business enterprise. It became a business because fishermen were now trying to fill the demands of the consumers. The New Englanders were suddenly using lobster as a way to earn an income. New technologies helped them catch more lobsters to sell to more people. One of the new technologies invented was the use of traps to get the lobsters.

Difference between internationalization and globalization Essay

What is the difference between the phases of internationalization and of globalization? Internationalization and Globalization are two terms that are often assimilated and sometimes used as synonyms. This is a mistake because these terms have many differences, starting with the time they began to occur. Internationalization started as part if the Industrial Revolution between 1870 and 1914, whereas globalization is a post 1960’s phenomenon. Other differences between these two terms include their impact on firms, on global trade, and on society and culture. First of all, while globalization is often used to describe the change in the world economy to a more liberal and interdependent system, internationalization refers more narrowly to the activity of firms on an international scale and the resulting impact of their decisions. Internationalization is, for example, a European firm trying to export its product overseas, and the causes and the consequences of this act. A firm trying to standardize its products on an international scale is also considered as internationalization. Secondly, many recent advances in technological fields such as communication and transportation have helped globalization increase worldwide trade and investment. The beginning of this ‘free-trade’ era started when the Soviet Union was defeated by the United States, and the end of the Cold War. This helped many organizations such as the WTO (World Trade Organization) or the IMF (International Monetary Fund) support free markets, making the economy less state dependent. These organizations have helped to create a more globalized economy by the creations of TNCs (Transnational Corporations). This resulted in the rapid and successful industrialization of some nations (NICs) and on a different way of dividing production worldwide (NIDL). On another hand, internationalization did not really globalize the economy but rather promoted the activity of a nation and its companies internationally. A typical example would be signing a trade or investment contract with another country (or countries) to install good economic relations between them.

Looking Back at the Middle Ages - 1485 Words

The Middle Ages where a significant time period with important political, social, religious and economic events, which have shaped history since that time, and the world today. One such event that has affected the politics of the Middle Ages and now was the signing of the Magna Carta. Secondly, was the Black Death (also known as the Bubonic Plague that affected the religious, social, and economic aspects. An event that affected the religious and economic aspects were the Crusades. There was also the rise of the Ottoman Empire which affected the social, political, and economic aspects.Finnally, there was the Hundred Years war that affected the political aspects. The Magna Carta was one of the most significant events of the Middle Ages. The Magna Carta was a list of rights written by England nobility that was signed by King John in A.D. 1215.() The Magna Carta was written in because many barons and nobles grew tired of King John fighting and losing many wars, which weakened England financially.(World History: Medieval and Early modern times, Page 342)They listed what they wanted in The Magna Carta. Although King John did not want to sign the Magna Carta, the barons and nobles forced him to. Why was the Magna Carta important? The Magna Carta was important because it was the first constitutional text. () The Magna Carta was also an example of the U.S constitution. Infact, some ideas that were in the Magna Carta can be seen in the U.S. constitution. The Magna CartaShow MoreRelatedMiddle Childhood. Middle Childhood Is Where My Passion1009 Words   |  5 PagesMiddle Childhood Middle childhood is where my passion for students is. Middle childhood ranges from 6-11 years old kids. 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