The Definition Of A Terminal Masters Degree

A terminal master's degree is the most advanced degree necessary in a field. For some, this degree will be a launch for a successful career. For others, this degree remains a point between undergraduate work and a doctoral degree.

What It Is

When a master's degree is terminal, you do not have to move on to a doctoral program in order to have a career within the field. Terminal degrees are usually found in professional fields, or academic areas where research is not the priority. Those hiring for research positions will generally prefer job seekers with doctorates.

Why Choose a Terminal Degree?

Choose a terminal master's degree if you are going into a field where a doctorate is not required for most positions, or if you have a bachelor's degree and want to qualify for a more competitive administrative position. If you want to teach at a smaller college and research is not a priority, or, for example, are a social worker who is seeking a higher level of pay and more responsibility, a terminal master's degree is suitable. If you are aiming for a tenure-track position at a large research university, a doctoral program will be more desirable for you.

Examples of Terminal Master's Degrees

Some examples of degrees normally considered terminal are:

Master of Fine Arts

Master of Library Science

Master of Social Work

Examples of Non-Terminal Master's Degrees

Degrees that are most often followed by doctoral work include:

Master of Arts in English

Master of Arts in History

Master of Science in Biology

Master of Science (or Arts) in Psychology

Beyond a Master's Degree

Some people who have completed a terminal master's degree choose to go on to a doctorate program in their field or another. Reasons for this choice will include a change in careers or competing for a position with higher pay, more responsibility or more prestige.

Keep in mind that if you complete any master's degree program, whether terminal or not, you may be limiting yourself in regards to doctoral programs later. Some doctoral programs prefer to admit students directly out of undergraduate school and will award them master's degrees at a certain point in their studies.

Tags: master degree, terminal master degree, terminal master, doctoral program, doctoral programs

Distance Education Mba Programs

An MBA is a useful career tool in a variety of industries.

A Master's of Business Administration (MBA) can open doors to jobs in finance, marketing or accounting; qualify you for promotions; and qualify you for higher salaries. There are at least 19 universities that offer online MBA programs, either as an extension of a campus-based institution or in a "no walls" framework. These programs offer specialties in a variety of business-related fields including management, marketing, finance, healthcare and technology.

Northeastern University

You don't have to live in Boston to take advantage of the educational opportunities at Northeastern.

Although it has an extensive campus in Boston, MA, Northeastern University offers an entirely-online MBA program. Eight areas of specialization are available: finance, healthcare management, high technology management, innovation entrepreneurship, operations and supply chain, general management, international management and marketing.

Northeastern University

360 Huntington Ave.

Boston, MA 02115

647-723-6681

onlinemba.neu.edu

DeVry University

DeVry has 90 campus locations around North America, but allows you to earn an MBA entirely online, if you wish, through its Keller Graduate School of Management. The MBA program offers the following specialties: accounting, e-commerce management, finance, general management, health services, hospitality management, human resources, information security, information systems management, international business, marketing, network and communications management, project management, public administration and security management. DeVry also allows you to earn your MBA in conjunction with a CPA or CFA degree.

Keller Graduate School of Management

Administrative Offices

Highland Landmark V

3005 Highland Pkwy.

Downers Grove, IL 60515

602-216-7700

keller.edu

Regis University

Based in Denver, Regis makes its MBA available to students around the world through "distance learning."

A Jesuit institution with eight campuses in Colorado and Nevada, Regis offers an online MBA program of 10 eight-week courses. You can earn a general MBA or concentrate in marketing, management, finance and accounting, health care management, international business, operations management or strategic management.

Regis University

3333 Regis Blvd.

Denver, CO 80221

800-944-7667

mbaregis.com

Tags: management international, Northeastern University, allows earn, finance healthcare, general management, Graduate School

Write A Fellowship Application Letter

Many graduate students apply for several fellowships each year.

Fellowships are scholarships that are awarded to graduate students based on merit, need or the student's program of study. These scholarships are an important part of a graduate student's funding because the student does not have to work for the money or pay it back like a student loan. Fellowships can be awarded by the institution or by an organization or corporation that is separate from the university. No matter which organization awards them, all fellowships have an application process, and the application usually involves writing a letter that explains how the fellowship will benefit your studies.

Instructions

1. Begin the letter by typing your address. Skip a line space, and type the date. Skip another line space and type the organization's name and address on separate lines. Skip an additional line space.

2. Create the salutation by typing "Dear Sir or Madam" followed by a colon. Fellowships often do not list a contact person, but if you want to get the edge over your competition, contact the fellowship committee to ask the name of the head of the committee and address the letter to that person. Taking the time to research this information shows the committee that you have initiative.

3. Begin the letter by introducing yourself and identifying the fellowship you are applying for. Always state the fellowship name because the company or institution may offer more than one fellowship. Give a brief statement that overviews your letter, such as "I would like to take this opportunity to explain why I am a good candidate for the XYZ Corporation's rhetorical studies fellowship, as well as explain how the fellowship will help me achieve my goals as a rhetoric and technical communication graduate student at Big City University."

4. Read the criteria for the fellowship carefully. If the fellowship is merit based, begin the second paragraph by explaining your achievements as an undergraduate student, such as your awards, academic qualifications and extracurricular activities. If the fellowship is need based, begin by discussing your financial situation and explain how the fellowship will help you pay for your education.

5. Cover each element in the criteria listed on the fellowship information sheet or web page, and explain how you meet that criteria. If the fellowship is need-based, you should discuss your academic qualifications and achievements as well because these elements could serve as a tiebreaker if two finalists for the fellowship have equal need. Similarly, if the fellowship is merit based, mention your need for the fellowship or how the money provided will help you meet your goals.

6. Thank the fellowship committee for their time. Give them your telephone number and email address in case they have additional questions. Tell them if there is any supporting information, such as a resume, enclosed in the envelope for their reference.

7. Proofread the letter very carefully. An error on an application letter for a fellowship can eliminate you from the committee's consideration.

8. Create the closing by typing "Respectfully," and skipping three line spaces. Type your name. Print the letter, and sign your name above your typed name.

Tags: fellowship will, line space, will help, academic qualifications, based begin, Begin letter

What College Courses Are There Related To Art Design

In art design classes, students prepare for careers such as graphic designers or studio artists.

The US Department of Labor expects that job growth for art design careers will continue to increase at the same rate as most other jobs through 2018. Art design pertains to many different kinds of careers such as graphic designer, photographer, interior designer and studio artist. Generally, people who want to pursue careers in art design complete formalized training in art at the college level. If art design interests you, spend some time at local art colleges and academies to see what program best fits your talents and career goals.

Graphic Design

In a graphic design program, coursework focuses on creating artwork using software and digital media. A course may spend an entire semester working through the functionality of Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and many other kinds of desktop publishing software. Additional coursework includes web design and development, typography, logo design, advertising and animation. Additionally, students may enroll in general drawing and art history classes as part of a college's core class requirement.

Studio Design

Studio programs heavily revolve around creating with the hands. Coursework includes classes such as drawing, photography, sculpture, painting, printmaking, metalworking and jewelry making. Programs may also couple studio work with classes in art software like Adobe Photoshop. Students may also take various classes in art history, theory and criticism. At some point in their program, students will probably display their work in a college-sponsored art exhibit for other students, faculty and the public to enjoy.

Photography

Photography combines art and design with the creative capabilities of a camera and its user. In photography programs, students take classes specific to rendering scenes, taking pictures and developing photographs. Coursework includes color photography, lighting techniques, photography in journalism, digital imaging and photography positioning. Students may also take basic core classes in drawing or art history, and display their work in the art department's gallery.

Interior Design

Interior design is another type of art design program that prepares students for careers in room design, whether the rooms are in houses or commercial buildings. Classes include general drawing, drafting techniques, space planning, furniture design, lighting techniques, residential and commercial design, project management and conceptual detailing. Depending on the particular college, students may also enroll in general art history classes to study particular art movements that provide inspiration for their projects.

Tags: also take, careers such, careers such graphic, Coursework includes, design program

Major In Public Relations

Majoring in public relations can help you gain entry into a public relations career with an agency, private company or non-profit organization. The Public Relations Society of America is the world's largest organized network of public relations, or PR, professionals, and defines PR as helping "an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other." Your college degree in PR is an important first step in gaining the necessary skills to helping organizations achieve their PR goals.

Instructions

1. Research colleges offering a public relations degree. You will find that many universities have their public relations degree programs under communications. The website, Education-Portal.com, lists several colleges and universities ranked by major publications as providing high-quality public relations degree programs.

2. Speak to a high school or other academic counselor. If you are in high school, your college adviser or counselor can help you determine if public relations is a good choice for you. If you are changing majors, ask to speak to an adviser in the public relations department. Other adults considering the major should visit the college and ask to speak to an academic adviser.

3. Take a public relations course. If you are a college freshman, take one public relations class, along with general studies courses that will apply to any degree. This will help you determine if public relations is a good fit before you declare public relations as your major, or change from your current major.

4. Go the public relations department and tell the adviser you want to declare public relations as your major. An adviser will help you choose your class schedule for the semester so that you fulfill your requirements.

5

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List Of Ivy League Universities

The Harvard University Bell Tower steeple on a clear day.

There are eight Ivy League universities: Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, Brown and Dartmouth. The first four on the list constituted the original "Four League," marked by the Roman Numeral "IV." "IV" spoken, soon became mistaken for a reference to the ivy that grows on many New England schools. Ivy league schools are known for their academic and athletic excellence.

Harvard

Harvard was founded in 1638 as the first institution of higher learning in what would become the United States. Since 2010, Harvard can name 44 Nobel laureates as past and present faculty members. The university is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Princeton

Chartered in 1746, Princeton is located in Princeton, New Jersey and is the fourth-oldest university in the United States. In the 2009-2010 academic year, the undergraduate and graduate student body equalled about 7,000 students, enjoying roughly a 7-1 student to teacher ratio. Princeton is one of the most prestigious research universities in the country and has 34 academic departments.

Columbia

Columbia has the largest student body of the Ivy League Schools, as the 2009-2010 academic year ushered in 27,606 students. Columbia University was the first university in New York State, and is the fifth oldest university in the country, after Princeton. Columbia posits itself at the center of global and academic concerns, aptly located in Upper Manhattan.

Yale

Yale University was founded in 1701 in Saybrook, Connecticut and would later become the first planned campus, located in New Haven, Connecticut, the country's first planned city. Yale College, the university's undergraduate sector, teaches over 2,000 courses from 65 departments and programs. Yale is renowned for having the first graduate school in North America: the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania, often referred to as "Penn," was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1750 as the first institution of higher learning, whose main aim was not to educate clergy, but to prepare new generations for business and public service. This Philadelphia university has an undergraduate college and 12 graduate schools.

Cornell

Cornell University was founded in 1865, but has been called "the first American university," because of its commitment to diversity in both its student body and academics. Boasting a "heritage of egalitarian excellence," Cornell has 70 undergraduate departments and 93 fields of graduate study. Cornell is situated in Ithaca, New York.

Brown

Brown University is located in Providence, Rhode Island, and is home to an undergraduate college, graduate schools and medical and engineering schools. Its student body numbers just over 8,000 people. It was founded in 1764 as the seventh institution of higher learning in the United States. Students come from all 50 states and over 100 countries.

Dartmouth

Dartmouth was founded in 1769 by a Congregational minister and is located in Hanover, New Hampshire. In the 2009-2010 academic year, Dartmouth enrolled just over 4,000 undergraduate students and 1,700 graduate students. It has the United States' first engineering school, as well as its fourth medical school.

Tags: student body, United States, 2009-2010 academic, 2009-2010 academic year, academic year, higher learning, institution higher

The Best Interior Design Schools In Europe

Students may study interior design at the Florence Design Academy in Italy.

Interior design allows professionals to not only create spaces in which people live and work, but also to explore the relations between a building's architecture and the ways in which people might use it. Europe boasts a number of interior-design programs for which English is the primary language of instruction --- a plus for students whose design sensibility is more European than American.

Florence Design Academy

Located in a center of the Italian Renaissance, the Florence Design Academy offers graduate-level courses in interior design. All classes are in English, though the school also offers Italian. From the beginning, students are taught to approach design using high-tech software, such as 3D Studio Max, Flash, Rhino 3D, AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, GoLive, Acrobat and InDesign. Classes begin each year in September and January.

Florence Design Academy

Via Martelli n. 4

50129 Firenze

Italy

011-39-055-287-000

florencedesignacademy.com

Kingston University

Kingston University, located just outside London, offers a three-year undergraduate program in interior design. Students take courses in communication skills, interior-design principles, the history of architecture, creative careers management, technical studies, and contemporary issues in research, with optional modules in a foreign language, art and design history, and communicating art and design history. Students are also expected to complete a dissertation project.

Kingston University

River House

53--57 High St.

Kingston upon Thames

Surrey KT1 1LQ

England

United Kingdom

011-44-20-8417-4646

kingston.ac.uk

Marbella Design Academy

Marbella Design Academy offers a three-year diploma course in interior design, as well as a three-year diploma course in interior design with an emphasis on furniture and product design; all courses are taught in English. The school boasts that 100% of its graduates are able to find work in interior design.

Marbella Design Academy

Camino Hoyanca

29110 Monda, Spain

011-34-952-45-96-77

designschool.com

Tags: Design Academy, Florence Design, Florence Design Academy, interior design, Kingston University

Write A Personal Statement Of Interest

Personal statements should be reflections of who you are as an individual.

When writing a personal statement for college admissions, you want to include the reasons why you're applying to the school, what your goals are, and what life experiences influenced you to choose the career you're interested in. Also include any significant accomplishments that would make you stand out as an applicant. Have a teacher, friend or relative proofread your statement before you send it with your application.

Instructions

1. Discuss why you're choosing a certain career. For instance, If you plan to major in public health, talk about how you lost a few relatives to breast cancer. Include how their deaths inspired you to help others be knowledgeable about early detection and treatment of preventive illnesses. This includes personal involvement in counseling patients and community activism.

2. Show how the school will contribute to your long-term goals. You can do this by researching the school you're interested in. If you want to attend Howard University, for instance, talk about its longtime commitment to assisting minorities in receiving a quality education. Its goal is to help them prepare to serve their communities with the skills they would learn. You could also discuss how you're pleased with the school's emphasis on community service as evidenced by their many outreach initiatives.

3. Mention significant achievements. For example, you could say that as a junior in high school you lobbied with several local community groups to renovate the city's local park. As a result, the park has better playground equipment. Or you could talk about how you started your high school's first culinary arts club and that it now has 50 members since it was started two years ago.

Tags: talk about, high school

Difference Between Dentists & Oral Surgeons

Most of us depend on dentists and oral surgeons for the health of our teeth and our mouth. On average, we visit the dentist twice a year for routine cleanings. However, some people may never have to see an oral surgeon.

Dentists

Dentists work in private practices and group offices. They treat the teeth, gums and mouth for various conditions. Dentists have the ability to fill cavities, replace missing teeth and treat tooth decay, among other tasks.

Types

Aside from general dentistry, there are other areas of dentistry that dentists can specialize in, including orthodontics and prosthodontics. Orthodontists specialize in fixing the alignment of the teeth by using braces and other appliances. Prosthodontists replace missing teeth with more permanent options than dentures.

Dentist Training

Typically eight years of college and post-graduate schooling are required to become a dentist. Undergraduate studies in the natural sciences will prepare an aspiring dentist for dental school. After undergraduate studies are completed, the student moves on to a dental school. This training is accomplished in four years. Additional years are required if the dentist wishes to specialize in another field of dentistry.

Oral Suregons

Surgeries on the mouth, jaw and surrounding areas are conducted by trained oral surgeons. Removal of the wisdom teeth is a common procedure performed by oral surgeons. Other surgeries are intended to correct problems with the jaw and bones of the face.

Oral Surgeon Training

Potential oral surgeons take the same starting path as dentists. After completion of dental school, the student is required to take a residency in surgery. This typically takes another four years to master. Oral surgeons typically spend 10 to 14 years past high school to obtain their degree.

Considerations

Although dentists can remove teeth and preform surgeries on a small scale, they are not trained as intensely as oral surgeons. Oral surgeons are trained rigorously and are capable of conducting very intricate procedures on the mouth and face.

Tags: oral surgeons, dental school, four years, missing teeth, replace missing, replace missing teeth

Pick A Culinary Trade School

When pursuing a career in the culinary arts, you want to look for the right culinary trade school for you. You want a good school that provides the proper training and allows you to find a good position within the food and restaurant industry.

Instructions

1. Compile a listing of culinary trade schools in your area. You can use the directory on Trade-Schools.net to find local culinary programs. Select your state and compile a list of culinary trade schools.

2. Look at the different culinary programs offered by the culinary trade school. If you're looking for a certain type of program, this may affect your decision. Popular programs include baking and pastry, hospitality, culinary management and bar tending.

3. Find out the accreditation that the school carries. If you want to obtain a good position following graduation, find out your potential school's accreditation. Look for accreditations from the U.S. Department of Education, such as the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, and the American Culinary Federation Accrediting Commission.

4. Learn about the externships provided by the culinary trade school. You'll want to learn about placement in restaurants and hotels as part of your learning process.

5. Research the length of schooling required for a degree. Before you pick a culinary trade school, find out how long you'll need to attend classes before receiving a culinary arts degree. On average, you'll need to attend one to two years.

Tags: culinary trade, culinary trade school, trade school, Accrediting Commission, culinary arts

Life Experience Master'S Degrees

Not all diplomas are legitimate.

Many professionals have personal experience that feels like the equivalent of having a master's degree in a particular subject. Various programs will give professionals these master's degrees even if they have not attended any courses. These programs are scams that create illegitimate degrees, or legitimate degrees from unaccredited degree mills that have no value on a resume. The only legitimate life experience programs are ones that offer only college credit, not an entire degree.

Relevant Experience

Life experience can come from half a decade of on-the-job experience, workshops and seminars that the professional had to attend as a work requirement, military training, participation in various organizations, lifestyle and hobbies, volunteer activities, national testing programs, community service and independent study.

Verification

Programs that offer life experience master's degrees claim to examine the applicant's experiences and verify these experiences to determine if the applicant is eligible for the master's degree. In reality, in many cases, students simply need to pay a fee. These programs promise to verify the master's degree when an employer wants to make sure that the master's degree on the resume is legitimate.

Degree Mills

Some universities are considered degree mills, which means that the universities that offer the degrees give out the degree to almost anyone who is willing to pay a large enough fee. However, employers often do not want to hire individuals who received degrees from these universities. Therefore, professionals should check the legitimacy of the university before paying for the life experience master's degree.

Tests

Some life experience master's degrees require that the applicants pass a test so that they can acquire the degree, to ensure that the applicant has not forged any of his credentials. The score they receive on the exam determines the student's GPA (grade point average). Most of these exams are frauds, designed to give the program the illusion of legitimacy.

Scams

While there are some legitimate live experience degree programs, many of these programs create fake degrees. These programs let applicants choose their own GPA's, dubious accreditation programs and forged documents that try to mimic the weight, signature and degree seal. These documents are illegal, and can also ruin the applicant's reputation. Almost all online life experience programs are frauds. Organizations that promise 24-hour approval, have applications that do not ask about previous schools, promise degrees in under two months and offer discounted prices are usually illegitimate programs. To make sure that a program is legitimate, students can see if a program is listed on the United States Department of Education list of regional and national accrediting services.

Tags: master degree, life experience, that offer, These programs, degrees from, experience master, experience master degrees

Balance A Sorority & School

Sorority life can be demanding, but organization is key.

When you get to college, you'll likely find yourself having to juggle a number of commitments. Foremost will be your academic studies, but you'll also need to apply yourself to a social life, sport and hobbies, and possibly a sorority. The latter can perhaps be most difficult to juggle with your studies, since in many cases, it involves moving in with your sorority sisters. Effective planning and self-restraint can help you achieve a balanced college life.

Establish Study Area

If you're living in a sorority house or near your sorority friends, it can be difficult to avoid sorority life. You may find yourself constantly getting involved in events because you're never far away from them. Try establishing a quiet place where you can concentrate on your studies and get away from the temptation to put sorority business first. This place could be a library or college study room or maybe even a friend's place, if she's fine with it.

Establish Schedule

There are times when sorority business and connecting with sorority sisters will be important, so make time for this. You'll need to establish just how much time your academic studies will take, too, so set aside a period per week in which you can complete these. Create rules for yourself to stick to the schedule. You might only go out with your sorority sisters on the weekends and work on school assignments on weekdays.

Support Infrastructure

Many sororities are aware of the troubles that can arise when students try to balance sorority life with school studies. They typically care for their members, though, and also pride themselves on how well their sisters do academically. They are likely to have some support structure in place to help you out if you're struggling. Some chapters run study hours, in which sisters can get together to work. Other chapters require academic progress reports, which will ensure you stay up-to-date with your studies.

Talk to Members

Sorority members will know what you're going through, since they'll have the same commitments themselves. Ask other members about how they cope and get some tips. Let chapter coordinators know if you're struggling. They may be able to help you or excuse you from sorority business temporarily. Older chapter members know more about campus resources and may be able to recommend facilities and advisory services that can help you.

Tags: with your, sorority business, sorority sisters, your sorority, your studies, academic studies, away from

Download Math Problems

You can download math problems from the Internet and print them out on paper.

Many high schools and colleges now offer online math and science classes. The way students submit answers to math questions is generally simple. If there is only one possible numerical answer, then a multiple-choice assignment easily serves the purpose. Students might also want to work problems in the traditional way--paper, pencil and calculator--then submit their answers online. If you are more comfortable with doing math on paper, you can use a few techniques to capture and download math problem from the Internet.

Instructions

1. Use the "Save" feature in your Internet browser to download webpages displaying math problems. To take Mozilla's Firefox browser as an example: Click on "File" then "Save Page As" to download and store the webpage to your hard drive. Experiment with the various save options to see which best displays your math problem. In Firefox, "Web Page, Complete" saves most of the images and pictures on a webpage, which is helpful when your math subject matter includes geometric problems.

2. Press the "Print Screen" key on your keyboard in Windows to capture the math problem. Click "Start." Type "WordPad" in the search box at the bottom of the "Start" menu, then press "Enter." Press "Ctrl" and "V" to paste an image of the math in the WordPad document. Save the document to your hard drive. If the math problem is long, where you must use the scroll bar to see the rest of the problem, then you will need to repeat these steps to capture all parts of the problem.

3. Install and use an Internet browser add-on that captures the math problem from the webpage. As an example, the "Scrapbook" add-on for the Firefox browser uses a simple drag and drop function to save webpages. Webpage files can be stored on your hard drive, but you can open Scrapbook in a side pane in the Firefox browser. You can then organize your downloaded math problems, similar to how you would organize your math homework in a notebook. You can create your own organization structure by creating folders for such things as chapters and days.

4. Record the math problem(s) on the webpage(s) as still images, similar to the "Print Screen" function. As an example, Microsoft offers the "Problem Steps Recorder" in Windows that takes snapshots as users move about the PC. Although this is primarily intended for the documentation of system problems, it will work for this purpose as well. The Problem Steps Recorder saves all of the snapshots of math problems as you view and interact with them on webpages. It is saved as one file on the hard drive.

Tags: math problem, hard drive, Firefox browser, math problems, your hard, your hard drive, your math

What Is An Undergraduate Student Scholarship

The term "undergraduate education" refers to postsecondary schooling received prior to any type of graduate degree like a master's or doctorate. Associate and bachelor's degrees are the most common type of undergraduate degree programs. An undergraduate scholarship is a type of financial aid used to help students afford the cost of pursuing an undergraduate degree.

Features

To receive an undergraduate scholarship, students complete applications that ask for information such as where they live and their previous education, work, extracurricular activity and volunteer experiences. A scholarship committee reviews all of the applications received for an award and then selects one or more winners. Undergraduate scholarship recipients receive a lump of money that is paid directly to colleges and universities to cover the cost of tuition and fees. Unlike a loan, scholarship money does not require repayment after an undergraduate receives her degree and graduates.

Types of Scholarships

Different types of scholarships exist for undergraduate students. Merit-based scholarships use students' previous academic performance, such as grade point averages or college admission test scores, as a basis for selecting scholarship recipients. Need-based scholarships go to students who have a demonstrated financial need based upon their or their parents' income and expenses. Performance or ability scholarships are given on the basis of how well undergraduates do an activity, such as playing a sport or participating in the performing arts. Scholarships are also given based upon students' academic majors and their involvement with certain religions or groups or nonprofit organizations.

Sources of Scholarships

Undergraduate students can receive scholarships from many sources. The federal government sponsors the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program, which provides funding for high school seniors to enter undergraduate programs. State governments usually offer additional scholarships. Colleges and universities receive donations from alumni and other donors to establish scholarships for students. Other sources of undergraduate scholarships include local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, the U.S. military and private corporations.

Application Materials

In addition to completing basic applications, scholarships often require undergraduate students to submit additional materials. Need-based scholarships often involve completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, which the federal government uses to determine students' financial need. The form is available online at the U.S. Department of Education website. Scholarship applications often request that students submit letters of recommendation from former teachers or other individuals who can attest to students' worthiness to receive awards. High school and college transcripts may also be requested. Some scholarships also request students' resumes or a written essay on a specific topic.

Tags: scholarships students, based upon, federal government, financial need, Need-based scholarships, nonprofit organizations

Good Samaritan Bible Crafts For Kids

Good neighbors look after one another's welfare.

The biblical parable of the Good Samaritan follows quickly on the heels of Jesus' reminder of the greatest commandments: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. As an illustration of mercy, kindness and helping others, Good Samaritan Bible crafts for kids answer the lawyer's question, "Who is my neighbor?" and help kids understand what they can do to follow God's law of love to be a good neighbor.

Jesus' Neighbors

Precut some triangle roofs, square houses with cutout windows and rectangle chimneys and doors. Ask the kids to arrange the pieces into the shape of a house and glue them to another sheet of paper. Add grass, flowers, trees and bushes as desired with additional cutouts or coloring. Draw or paste a picture of Jesus in one window and a picture of someone who needs His help in the other. Write the caption, "Jesus showed mercy. Go and do the same." (Luke 10:37).

Love Your Neighbor Magnet

Cut a 4-inch heart out of heavy poster board. Write in permanent marker, "The greatest commandments: Love God and love your neighbor." Let the kids decorate the front with paint, markers, crayons, glitter, lace, buttons or any other craft odds and ends you have on hand. Let it dry, if necessary, and attach a magnet to the back to serve as a daily reminder to look out for the needs of others as an expression of your devotion to God.

Good Samaritan Puppets

Draw an injured man, two important or wealthy men such as the priest and the Levite, the innkeeper and the band of robbers. Alternately, you can use the templates at Bible Kids Fun Zone. Cut out the paper people shapes and tape them on straws or craft sticks to make stick puppets. Use the puppets to act out the story of the Good Samaritan.

Compassion Rolls

Tell the kids that just like we should always be prepared with supplies for any emergency when we go hiking or camping, we need to be ready at a moment's notice to show compassion to anyone and everyone we meet. A compassion roll helps you carry along some basic kindness supplies. Cover one end of a cardboard tube or mailing tube with paper or a plastic cap. Decorate the roll with colored tissue or wrapping paper, or color it with crayons and markers. Fill the tube with chocolate hugs and kisses, band aids or other small first aid items, a small Bible or Bible verse slips, a copy of the Lord's Prayer or other biblical prayers, small snacks, a few dollars and a list of phone numbers where people can get help for different problems. Brainstorm with the kids for other small items that can fit in the tube to help show compassion no matter what situation comes up. Make a small cap for the other end and attach a piece of ribbon or string as a carry handle.

Helping Hands Book

Trace the child's hands on a piece of construction paper and several pieces of white paper. Cut them out and fit them together as a book using the colored paper as the front and back cover. Staple the pages along the left edge and write "(child's name)'s Helping Hands" on the front. Have the child write or draw an example of how he can help others on each page.

Tags: Good Samaritan, Good Samaritan Bible, greatest commandments, Helping Hands, other small, Samaritan Bible

Calculate A Wage Garnishment

Federal law limits the amount that can be withheld for a creditor garnishment to the lesser of 25 percent of "disposable pay," or the amount by which disposable pay exceeds 30 times minimum wage. Disposable pay is defined as the employee's pay after taking all legally required deductions. Since creditor wage garnishments have a lower priority than other garnishments, a wage garnishment can only be withheld if there is enough money left in the employee's disposable pay after taking child support and tax levies.

Instructions

1. Subtract taxes from the employee's gross wages. Do not subtract any voluntary deductions. The amount you are left with is called "disposable pay."

2. Multiply disposable pay by 25 percent.

3. Multiply 30 times the federal minimum wage. This gives you a weekly figure. If your pay period is weekly, continue to the next step. If your pay period is not weekly, you will need to adjust this figure by multiplying it by 52 weeks and then dividing the result by the number of pay periods you have each year. For example, if you pay semi-monthly, you have 24 pay periods per year. If the current minimum wage is $7.25, your calculation would be: 30 x $7.25 = $217.50. To adjust for your semi-monthly pay period, your calculation would be $217.50 x 52/24 = $471.25.

4. Subtract your result for Step 3 from disposable pay.

5. Compare your results from Steps 2 and 4. Subtract from the lesser of these two amounts all existing deductions for child support and federal, state or local tax levies. The remainder is the amount available for all creditor garnishments. If your result is zero or less, then there are no monies available for creditor garnishments.

Tags: minimum wage, after taking, available creditor, available creditor garnishments, calculation would

Address A Letter Of Intent

A letter of intent is most commonly written by a student with the intent of persuading the receiver to acknowledge his positive traits and abilities. It is very much like a sales pitch in its purpose. A letter of intent is most commonly addressed to an educational institution, including undergraduate and graduate schools, or an athletic department at a specific college or university. It can also be addressed to a business that provides a job or internship of interest.

Instructions

1. Determine the name and address of the appropriate recipient. Do not use generalizations when addressing a letter of intent, such as the phrase "To Whom It May Concern." Also, avoid using only the title of the recipient,such as "Dean of Admissions," when composing the letter.

2. Research the name of the specific recipient, which shows true interest and further supports the information contained within your letter. Locate that information by searching through a specific web page or by making a phone call to the institution and obtaining the specific name and title of the recipient. Ensure you have the proper spelling of the recipient's name prior to composing the letter.

3. Insert the date at the top right side of the page, just below the letterhead (if applicable). After inserting the date, skip down approximately two to four lines before adding the next set of text.

4. Insert the inside address, which is the address of the recipient, on the left side of the page. The address should be formatted as shown:

Mr./Ms./Mrs. First Name Last Name

Title

Company or Institution

Address

City, State Zip Code

5. Add a salutation such as "Dear Mr. Last Name." It is important to remain formal within the business letter. Avoid using salutations such as "Hi Bill," which do not convey a sense of professionalism.

6. Write the body text of your letter of intent. Ensure that you maintain proper tone to ensure a professional message is conveyed.

Tags: letter intent, composing letter, intent most, intent most commonly, Last Name

Law Training Courses

Law training courses cover a range of topics.

Laws are the set of rules that govern our daily lives, shaping how our society and government work. There are training courses that cover a variety of aspects of the legal system to give students a broad range of knowledge. Plus, there are courses specific to the type of law you may practice, such as family and criminal law.

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement training programs not only prepare police officers to serve and protect their communities, but on border protection, land management and immigration laws as well. Depending on the program, coursework might include firearms training, boat operations and advanced law enforcement training. While these courses are mainly for federal law enforcement officers, private sector students also may take the courses at schools such as the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

Paralegals

Paralegals take a variety of courses on the law, such as contract law training. This course teaches students draft legal contracts and work with third-party contracts as well as deal with breach of contract issues. The University of California Extension offers a paralegal contract law program, where you will review numerous contracts. You'll be able to create your own by the end of the program.

Immigration

Immigration law training courses are for immigration legal service providers that work in the nonprofit arena. You'll receive an overview of immigration law and learn respond to law enforcement professionals. Coursework often includes family immigration law, immigration law and crime, refugee issues and religious immigration training. The Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. provides a training program that covers immigration law.

Boating and Waterways

Boating and waterways law enforcement training courses are for marine patrol officers, including lifeguards, law enforcement officers and harbor patrol officers. The goal of these courses is to provide uniform training to state officials. Coursework includes basic boat handling, accident investigation and boating safety. Certain schools offer advanced coursework on subjects such as laws on personal watercrafts, marine fires and navigation and piloting. The California Department of Boating and Waterways offers training to industry professionals.

Tags: enforcement training, training courses, Boating Waterways, enforcement officers, patrol officers

What Is The Income Limit For Deducting A Student Loan

The Internal Revenue Service makes the effective interest rate on a student loan much lower than the advertised price because the agency allows you to deduct interest payments. However, if you make too much money you cannot take this deduction, which means you may need to start tax planning early to reduce your adjusted income.

Income Limit

In 2010, the IRS limited the student loan interest deduction to taxpayers that earn less $75,000 in modified adjusted gross income or $150,000 for joint payers. Modified adjusted gross income refers to income before factoring above-the-line deductions. The student loan interest deduction is an above-the-line tax break, which means you deduct it from income before choosing to itemize or take the standard deduction. Thus, you cannot use the student loan interest deduction to qualify for the deduction itself.

Phaseout

The IRS phases out the student loan interest deduction for certain income ranges. In 2010 this was $60,000 to $75,000 for single payers and $120,000 to $150,000 for joint returns. To calculate your phaseout, multiply the interest you paid by your modified adjusted gross income minus the upper tier of the deduction's income limit and divide by the range of phaseout. For example, if you paid $600 in interest and had a MADGI of $70,000 as a single payer, the deduction is ($600) x ($70,000 - $60,000/$15,000) or $400. Then subtract that value from the interest paid or ($600 - $400) for a deduction of $200.

About Modified Adjusted Gross Income

If you take the student loan interest deduction, you may need the help of a tax professional to compute your MADGI. While you can subtract certain expenses, such as self-employment tax and losses on investments, you must add back some deductions and expenses, such as the foreign housing deduction and foreign earned income, as well as any earned income if you are a resident of Puerto Rico or America Samoa.

Tip

If you have a high income, you should start preparing next year's taxes now. For example, you can lower your MADGI by making contributions to an individual retirement account. Also, even if you meet the income limits of the deduction you may not qualify to take it. For instance, you cannot take the student interest deduction unless you have a legal responsibility to pay the loan, which means you took out the loan or cosigned on it.

Tags: interest deduction, student loan, loan interest, loan interest deduction, student loan interest, adjusted gross, which means

Tour University Of Toronto

The University of Toronto is Canada's leading research and teaching university. It has a remarkable history. On March 15, 1827, King's College, the precursor to U of T, was given its royal charter by King George IV. In the nearly two centuries since, University of Toronto has been home to over 9,000 faculty and staff. More than 60,000 graduate and non-graduate students attend the university.

Instructions

1. Know that prospective students can participate in a St. George Campus Visit on Thursdays and Fridays in October and November. They start at 9:30 a.m. You'll get an extensive tour of the campus, a tour of the residence halls and a meeting with an admissions counselor. All tours are free of charge. If you have less than 10 people going, there's no need to book it in advance. Call (416) 978-5000 to book a group tour of the St. George. There are no group bookings in December.

2. Walk through the St. George campus. Walking tours leave from the Nona Macdonald Visitors Centre Monday through Friday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. or weekends at 11 a.m. That's located at 25 King's College Circle, M5S 1A1.

3. Stroll back in history during a historical tour. Tours are available in June, July and August. The hours are Monday through Friday at 10:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

4. Take a Fall Residence tour. Each college organizes them between October 4th and November 30th. View the residence tour schedule online as a PDF or DOC file.

5. Take a virtual tour (see Resources below) if you can't make it there in person. The Alumni Association created a website that brings you inside the University of Toronto without leaving the comfort of your home. Learn more about the college as you scroll through each page.

Tags: University Toronto, King College, Monday through, Monday through Friday, October November, through Friday

Know The Maximum Wage Garnishment For Failure To Pay A Student Loan

Wage garnishment is a lender's last resort, and should be yours as well. If you simply cannot pay off your loans, the Department of Education will begin taking a small percentage your paycheck to pay off your loan. Here's figure out the maximum percentage allowed for wage garnishment for failure to pay a student loan.

Instructions

1. Figure out your disposable income. This is what's left of your income (including grants from the government or transfers from friends or family) after deducting taxes.

2. Understand the norms of garnishment. Generally, the DoE will require employers to garnish 10% of your wages, but they have the ability to garnish up to 15% of your wages.

3. Know the limits of garnishment. The agency will not deduct the full 15% if your disposable income falls under 30 times the federal minimum wage. So no matter what happens you'll have at least $154.40 (30 times $5.15) of your wages left over after garnishing.

4. Pay attention to deductions on your pay stub. The agency will garnish what is left after Medicare, taxes, social security and pension contributions are deducted.

5. Consider other garnishments. Wage garnishment for child support takes priority over student loans.

6. Understand the max percentage that can be lawfully garnished. The total maximum amount your wages can be garnished is 25% of disposable income. That includes other reasons why your wages might be garnished.

Tags: your wages, disposable income, agency will, garnish your, garnish your wages, what left, your disposable

Write A Character Reference For A Scholarship

A character reference (also called a personal reference) is written to discuss someone's positive qualities and attributes. The letter is written by someone the person knows or has shared a personal experience with, such as a friend, neighbor, teammate, fellow volunteer or clergy member. Many students submit a character reference letter when applying for scholarships. There are a few things that you should do in order to write a character reference for a scholarship.

Instructions

1. Verify the type of scholarship the student is applying for. This information can help you to decide which positive attributes, activities and events to address in the letter. For example, if the student is applying for a football scholarship, you can discuss his accomplishments with football. Such as his good qualities on the football field and how well he works with fellow team members.

2. Decide which qualities or attributes you are going to address. You should highlight at least three of the student's most outstanding qualities and make sure that these things are appropriate for the letter. For example, you can state that the student is organized, efficient, ambitious, hardworking, determined, patient or people-oriented.

3. Identify three activities, accomplishments or events that you can highlight about the student. For example, if the student is applying for a music scholarship, you can reflect upon specific awards that she won or received while participating in her school's band or choir.

4. Prepare the character reference letter and include an introduction, body and closing section. Address the letter to a specific person (if you have the information) or simply write "To Whom it May Concern." Create an introduction about two to three sentences stating who you are and how you know the student. The body of the letter should be several paragraphs about the student's positive attributes and qualifications. Finally, write a closing that contains your actual recommendation statement.

5. Review the letter and proofread it for errors. Be sure to utilize the spell check function and read over the letter at least twice. Make the necessary corrections and save it to a disk.

Tags: student applying, about student, character reference, character reference, character reference letter, example student

Write A Medical Scholarship Application

Medical scholarships can help you pay for med school.

Getting a good education is very important in today's job market. However, not everyone can afford to pay for their education themselves. The government can help through subsidized loans and grants, but these aren't always enough and not everyone will qualify. If you've decided that you want to attend medical school, then the cost of your education will be much higher than the average student. Because of this, you should find help wherever you can. For some aspiring medical students, applying for scholarship applications is the answer.

Instructions

1. Look over the scholarship application carefully to ensure that you meet the qualifications. Don't waste your time filling out applications that don't apply to you. Focus on those you're qualified for, and don't hesitate to go for smaller scholarships. Your odds of being awarded money for school actually increase as the scholarship amount decreases, according to Medicalschools.org.

2. Expect to spend a minimum of 10 to 15 hours filling out your scholarship application. This is how long it will take you to complete the typical tasks, including gathering information and filling out the actual application.

3. Gather all of the supplemental materials you'll need to fill out the application. These include your transcripts, MCAT scores, tax returns, financial aid forms and your resume. You will need to copy information from these documents onto your scholarship application, such as your test scores, past employers or grade point average for your undergraduate degree.

4. Make copies of your medical scholarship application forms, so you can have a practice copy. Although doctors have a reputation for poor handwriting, a sloppy or hard-to-read application can disqualify you from a scholarship.

5. Fill out the scholarship application in its entirety. You may need to provide details about your job history, extracurricular activities, community service and coursework, as well as a short essay explaining why you want to enter the medical field or a similar question. Don't leave any sections of your application blank. If a question doesn't apply to you, explain why in a sentence or two, rather than writing "N/A" or leaving it blank. Medical scholarships are highly competitive. Don't give the scholarship committee any reason to toss your application.

Tags: scholarship application, Medical scholarships, your application, your scholarship, your scholarship application

Law School Essay Ideas

Before making it to the big arena, every lawyer must write many papers.

Writing an essay for law school is a serious matter. Not only do you have to make sure that the resources and citations you use are valid, but you have to make sure that your topic is both interesting and informative. Writing an essay for law school might seem like a difficult task, but for anyone who wants to pursue a law degree, the effort is well worth it.

Why Law?

One of the most basic ideas for law school entrance essays is an essay on why you decided to choose law as your career pursuit. It can never be as simple as "I just like to argue," as this will rarely impress an admissions board. Write about the less obvious reasons that you have chosen to pursue law. Show the board that you are more than just a skin-deep lawyer want-to-be, but someone who truly has a passion for justice and the law.

Why Should I Be a Lawyer?

One step further than why you chose law is why you believe that you should be a lawyer. This goes even further, showing an admissions board that you want to be a lawyer for more than just a paycheck and acclaim. If you desire to pursue politics, explain why. Admissions boards always like to see new, promising and ambitious students pursuing lofty goals. Tell them why you deserve to be in the program based on your merits and character.

Issue-Based Argument

If you want to pursue a subject that is more in-depth than just your personal accolades, writing an essay based on a particular issue can be a great way to approach an admissions essay for law school. Take an issue that you are upset about or an issue that you know a fair amount about. Go in-depth and talk about why you think what you think about that issue and what you would do about that issue were you in a greater position of power, such as a lawyer.

What Sets You Apart

Many people apply for law school. Admissions boards usually want to pick out the best of the best. Make sure that you include in your essay why you would be a good addition to a law school. Include things that you think bring you a step above other applicants. If you have won any awards of distinction, mention them. Also, if you have worked on a law-based project, mention that, too. Point out your previous achievements, activities, jobs, internships, volunteer activities and so forth. Anything notable that you have done or achieved in the recent past that is worth mentioning should be brought to the board's attention.

Tags: essay school, sure that, than just, about that, about that issue

Why Choose A Criminal Justice Career

Criminal justice jobs are essential to a functional society.

Criminal justice can be an interesting major for those who are interested in society and how it is structured. Get a degree in this field, and you will be qualified for a number of potentially fulfilling careers in the field. Experience and additional education can open the door to even more job opportunities.

You Enjoy the Work

If you are considering a career in criminal justice, chances are you enjoy learning about what motivates criminal behavior and figuring out ways that criminality can be curtailed. The majority of criminal justice careers entail working closely with others -- either to control their behavior, as is the case with prison work, or to provide security to the population at large. Even if you are not a people person, you still may find a niche that's right for you. Statisticians in the field tend to do a lot of solo work, as do many private detectives and paralegals.

Law and Order Is Important to You

If you value living in an orderly, secure society, you might enjoy helping to create that experience for others. Working as a security officer, police officer or correctional officer can help you to feel that you are contributing to the safety of your community. People who are able to follow rules and who understand the reason for their implementation are often good at enforcing the rules as well. A job in the criminal justice field can provide assurance that you are doing meaningful work in society.

Steady Employment

Prisons and other correctional facilities won't be going away anytime soon. As of 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that job growth for prison employees and probation officers will be higher than average until at least 2018. Likewise, job growth is also expected to occur in other areas of the criminal justice field, including police work and the private detective field. Many of these job openings will be in government agencies, which typically provide good benefits and job stability.

You Want to Expand Your Career Options

When you choose a career in criminal justice, you are opening the door to many other career possibilities down the road. Once you gain experience working in corrections or law enforcement, if you want to change careers, you likely will find that opportunities abound for a person with your experience. Companies and public institutions will view you as trustworthy and will value your experience working with difficult people. Some hiring officers believe that if you can handle the stress of a job in the criminal justice field, you can handle anything.

Tags: criminal justice, criminal justice field, justice field, career criminal, career criminal justice, experience working, your experience

Be A Good Medical Student

Being a good medical student is the first step to becoming a doctor.

Being a good medical student can help you keep a high GPA and increase your chances of acquiring a respectable internship. While many medical students excelled during their undergraduate careers, the intensity and workload of medical school can come as a surprise to some of them. By being proactive toward your studying and the reputation that you build, you can prepare for the difficult road to becoming a doctor.

Make a Study Plan

Studying during medical school is typically much more important and time-consuming than it is during your undergraduate career. Plan to study every day for at least a few hours each day. Use a calendar or electronic tool to block out time that is specifically for studying, and do not compromise your plan. Reassess your needs periodically to determine if your plan is working or if you need to adjust it.

Be Organized

Use an online or paper calendar to write down the dates for all of your tests, clinics and medical lectures. Keep all of your notes and handouts in a separate folder for each course so that you don't get confused or leave items behind when you go to class. Write a list of tasks that you need to complete for each class and the timeline in which you must have them completed.

Establish Good Study Habits

Studying is a critical component to succeeding in medical school, and if you don't do it correctly, you can waste valuable time. Study in a quiet area where there are limited distractions. Do not study with your laptop if you will be tempted to email or check your social media accounts. Attend your classes so that you do not get behind, and review all handouts on a regular basis.

Diversify Your Studying

Some studying you probably want to do on your own, such as reviewing your notes from medical lectures or taking practice tests. However, some studying may be better accomplished in a group, such as reviewing flashcards regarding medical terms and remedies for ailments. Mix solitary studying with group studying for the best results.

Review Old Exams

While old exams can help undergraduate students, they are even more helpful for medical students. Because your pre-clinical classes can be taught by several faculty members, reviewing old exams will let you see the type of style and complexity of questions that can be asked on future exams. Read through the exam and practice answering the questions before looking at the correct answer to gauge your understanding. Swapping test answers with a fellow student can also help you look at the questions from another perspective.

Take and Get Notes

After you leave a medical lecture or course, often the only thing that you have to remember the content with is the notes that you wrote. Take notes for every course and lecture. Rewrite notes after your course to clean them up and to phrase terms in a way that you understand. Get notes from a student who had the same courses last year. Make updated outlines to condense the notes into an easier to read format. Don't get behind on your notes, or you may not be able to catch up.

Be Ethical

Medical students come in contact with people with confidential medical issues and must discuss very private topics. Keep this information confidential to avoid making an ethical violation that could negatively impact your status as a student.

Take Care of Yourself

It's difficult to be a good student if you don't pay attention to your health. Eat a healthy diet, regularly exercise and get enough sleep so that you have the physical capability of absorbing everything in medical school. Try to take an occasional break and have a social life to maintain balance in your life.

Tags: medical school, your notes, becoming doctor, Being good, Being good medical

What Is A Gi Bill

The GI Bill, formally known as the Servicemans Readjustment Act of 1944, was enacted by the US Government prior to the end of World War II. The bill was designed to help soldiers returning from the war transition back into the civilian population. Since the bill was signed into law, it has undergone many changes. The basic premise of the bill is still the same, but has increased benefits to keep up with an evolving economy.

History

With the end of World War I, the US Government faced many problems with veterans returning from the war in Europe. These problems led to widespread protests and even military action against returning veterans. Prior to the end of World War II, the government recognized that these same issues would exist with veterans returning from war and did not want to repeat their mistakes. The largest of these problems was the rapid reintroduction of these veterans into the workforce. The original GI Bill was signed into law on June 22, 1944.

The GI Bill was administered by the Veterans Administration and assisted returning veterans by providing educational funding, government backed home loans and unemployment compensation. By the end of 1952, the VA had backed some 2.4 million home loans. Because of the large amount of veterans attending college, only about 20 percent of the funds set aside for unemployment were ever used. At its peak in 1947, veterans accounted for nearly 50 percent of college admissions. The original GI Bill ran from June 1944 to July 1956. By the time it expired, nearly 8 million veterans had participated in some sort of educational training.

Benefits

The GI Bill provides benefits to veterans who have served their country honorably. One of the most important benefits has been educational funding. The current bill provides full tuition, expenses for books and a living expense so the student may attend school full time. An additional feature of the new GI Bill allows a veteran to transfer the benefit to a spouse or other dependent. The bill still provides low-interest, government-backed home loans for those veterans that qualify.

Functions

The GI Bill provides military veterans the funding needed to go to college in exchange for serving their country. The original intent of the bill was to assist war veterans in transitioning back into the civilian world and making up for opportunities that they may have missed out on while serving. Over time, the bill has become an effective tool for military recruiters in an overall incentive package for prospective members.

Effects

The introduction of the GI Bill has had a major impact on both the military services and the economy of the United States. The armed forces have used this bill as a primary recruiting tool since the early 1980's. This GI Bill has provided military veterans with the opportunity to acquire critically needed job skills and to make themselves competitive in a challenging job market.

Significance

The GI Bill has had an economic impact by providing both educational funding and low interest home loans to military veterans. Because of the education and experience that military veterans possess, many employers actively seek out and hire military veterans to become a part of their organizations.

Tags: military veterans, home loans, educational funding, returning from, back into, back into civilian

The Best Ways To Not Get Bored

You should never get bored with life.

Nearly everybody gets bored sometimes. Most people attribute their boredom to a tedious environment. In fact, psychologist Steven Vodanovich states that the standard definition for boredom is "having nothing to do." Yet in fact, our tendency to get bored is highly subjective and not as dependent on our circumstances as we think. Research suggests that the best ways of beating boredom are finding a focus in life and learning to live in the moment.

Social Well-being

Research links boredom with emotional factors. Having a meaningful social life can improve your emotional well-being and prevent boredom. Active involvement in your local and global community through volunteering or via the Internet good ways to gain social well-being. For those with the Internet, online social networking allows us to interact and socialize with people all around the globe. Online sites offer a chance for like-minded individuals to interact easily to discuss similar interests. Volunteering at an organization or club in the local community can also prevent boredom and give you social well-being, allowing you to become involved in issues and interact with others, even if you are shy.

Improved Focus

Boredom can be due in part to problems paying attention. Techniques to improve your ability to focus can help prevent boredom. One technique to improve focus is compiling lists. You can write a list about anything, but lists that require you to remember pieces of information will be most interesting and improve your attention. You could try writing a list of books including titles, authors, central characters and locations in the books.

Hobbies

People with hobbies don't usually get bored. A fun hobby, and a great way to express yourself, is to keep a journal. Photography is an easy hobby to pick up. Cameras can be found cheaply and regardless of type or brand, you will be able to capture the world around you in print. Find different object and new concepts to photograph. In such an interesting world, you cannot be bored.

Work

Finding meaningful or entertaining work is an effective way to overcome boredom. Even if some work is not fun, it will still occupy your mind in order to overcome boredom. Spending a day working on tasks that you enjoy or keep you occupied will give you a sense of achievement and you will find yourself less bored during your leisure time. A satisfying career can prevent the kind of existential boredom that people feel when they are discontented with their lives.

Tags: improve your, prevent boredom, overcome boredom

Write A Marketing Case Analysis

A marketing case analysis can help you identify your company's strengths and weaknesses.

A marketing case analysis, also known as a "case study," is a written document that helps you analyze and evaluate strengths and weaknesses for your company. There is not a "one size fits all" approach when writing a marketing case analysis; however, there are certain steps that can help you customize your case study to the unique needs of your business. When done correctly, case analyses can be valuable tools for helping you evaluate and communicate a current or past marketing issue with internal or external stakeholders.

Instructions

1. Analyze and review your company's past growth and financial statements. Looking at past growth numbers can help you determine your marketing goals and objectives. Review the past marketing strategies and tactics, and make a note of which strategies produced the highest return on investment.

2. Identify your company's strengths and weaknesses. Develop a list of key differentiators for your company and areas you would like to improve upon. For example, your company may excel at customer service, but your prices may be perceived as high by your customers.

3. Make a list of opportunities and threats in the market. For example, your business may be expanding into the business-to-business sector in the following year, which represents a significant opportunity for growth for your company. Or, you may have a competitor opening several new offices in the coming year, which represents a threat to your company.

4. Analyze the data you compiled. This step is where you really put "rubber to the road" when writing your marketing case analysis. First, review the strengths and weaknesses of your company, and compare them to the external threats and opportunities. The key here is to determine two or three key differentiating factors you can use in your marketing materials. Identify these factors and use them to write the first part of your marketing case analysis, which are your objectives. For example, "The purpose of this marketing case analysis is to communicate how AB Industries leveraged its low-cost strategy in its marketing materials in 2010."

5. Write your strategy you used to achieve the objectives you identified. For this part of your marketing case analysis, outline several specific steps you took to achieve your goals. For example, "To leverage our low-cost strategy during the year, AB industries used a variety of marketing materials to communicate our position as a low-cost leader, including direct mail, email marketing and several trade publication advertisements."

6. Communicate recommended next steps. The final part of a marketing case study analysis is to conclude the document and provide a plan for moving forward. First, reiterate the objectives of your case analysis and your strategies for achieving those objectives. Then, outline three to five recommendations for what you'd like the reader to do after reading the analysis. For example, "Now that we've presented the strategies we used in the previous year, we suggest several next steps: 1) hold bi-weekly meetings with the marketing and sales teams to communicate progress, 2) develop a company-wide measurement strategy for our marketing efforts and 3) continue to reinforce our low-cost position by implementing the following marketing tactics ... "

Tags: your company, case analysis, marketing case, marketing case analysis, your marketing, strengths weaknesses

Gmat Quantitative Topics

You can master all of the concepts tested on the GMAT.

The quantitative section of the Graduate Management Admission Test can be tricky, especially for people who haven't seen a math textbook in years. The concepts tested on the GMAT are easy--even though their applications may be difficult. Here's a brief summary of what you'll need to know to ace GMAT math.

Quantitative Section Overview

The quantitative section of the GMAT contains 37 questions that must be answered in 75 minutes. There are two question types: problem solving and data sufficiency. All the questions deal with the same basic math concepts: arithmetic, algebra, geometry and word problems. Although the concepts are simple, higher-level GMAT questions apply these ideas in complicated ways that require well-developed understanding and excellent knowledge to solve.

Problem Solving

Most test takers are probably familiar with the type of question used in GMAT problem solving from past math classes or other standardized tests. These questions require the application of mathematical techniques to find a specific answer. Problem-solving questions include a math question and list five answer choices that contain numerical answers, equations or other concrete solutions to the problem.

Data Sufficiency

Data-sufficiency problems are a unique kind of GMAT problem that requires you to assess whether given information is sufficient to solve a certain problem. In data sufficiency, you will be given a short problem followed by two statements (called Statement 1 and Statement 2) containing additional information. You then must assess whether either statement alone is enough information to solve the problem, whether both are needed together or whether neither is enough to solve the problem. The five answer choices are always the same:

A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.

Arithmetic

Arithmetic topics begin with basic mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division), which will play an integral part in most GMAT quantitative questions. Number theory addresses the basic properties of numbers, including prime/non-prime (and prime factorization) and even/odd. Many problems require conversion of percentages, fractions and decimals and test the test taker's knowledge of how these three notations relate to each other. Exponents and square roots appear frequently as well. Probability addresses the likelihood of a specific outcome given a set of circumstances. Combinations and permutations are frequently required in probability problems involving the selection of members from large groups.

Algebra

Algebra problems often apply the concepts of arithmetic to abstract notations using variables (symbolized frequently by the letters x, y, z and others) instead of numbers. Equations involving variables are typically solved to express information in terms of one variable. Techniques to solve algebraic equations include factoring, working with monomials and polynomials and applying basic arithmetic techniques to variables. Many GMAT problems require the test taker to use algebra to set up problems and manipulate abstract information. Algebraic expressions may be used to describe ratios, proportions and inequalities. Coordinate graphs also fall under the heading of algebra.

Geometry

Geometry describes multidimensional shapes using line measurements, angle measurements and formulas. Triangles and circles are the shapes that appear most frequently on the GMAT. Test takers must know formulas to find area, circumference, side length, diameter and more. Many GMAT problems involve multiple kinds of shapes and will require the test taker to find lengths and angle measurements with limited information.

Word Problems

Word problems require you to know a specific formula or information set. Examples of word problem topics include rate, motion, work, interest, percentage change and mixture problems. To solve a word problem, you must understand the concepts involved (such as speed, distance and time in motion problems) and how they relate to one another, typically by memorizing specific equations.

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