Free Essays on Murder In The First

Murder in the First â€Å"A society that respects life does not deliberately kill human beings. An execution is a violent public spectacle of official homicide, and one that endorses killing to solve social problems - the worst possible example to set for the citizenry. The benefits of capital punishment are illusory, but the bloodshed and the resulting destruction of community decency are real.† Hugo Bedau, in The Case Against the Death Penalty In American society, the threat of capital punishment stands as the ultimate sentence for a criminal. The moral ramifications of the taking of another life, whether it be by murder or as legally accepted punishment, remains an unresolved conflict between Americans. Despite the fact that capital punishment, otherwise known as the "death penalty", is legal in only a handful of countries in the world, the majority of Americans regard it as acceptable retribution. In the 1981 Gallup Poll, two-thirds of Americans voiced general approval of capital punishment. By 1994, the same poll concluded that a tremendous 80% of Americans approved of capital punishment (Moore, 1994:5). It is no wonder that many of our countries leaders endorse the death penalty. The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, believes that mass executions of "27 or 30 or 35 people at a time" would be effective in the reduction of the importation of illegal drugs in to America (Taylor, 1995). In 1972, capital punishment was eradicated in the United States when the Supreme Court declared that under then existing laws "imposition and carrying out of the death penalty... constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the 8th and 14th amendments." (Fruman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238). This decision, however, was repealed in 1976 by the Supreme Court. Advocates of capital punishment claim that it is an effective deterrent against cr... Free Essays on Murder In The First Free Essays on Murder In The First Murder in the First â€Å"A society that respects life does not deliberately kill human beings. An execution is a violent public spectacle of official homicide, and one that endorses killing to solve social problems - the worst possible example to set for the citizenry. The benefits of capital punishment are illusory, but the bloodshed and the resulting destruction of community decency are real.† Hugo Bedau, in The Case Against the Death Penalty In American society, the threat of capital punishment stands as the ultimate sentence for a criminal. The moral ramifications of the taking of another life, whether it be by murder or as legally accepted punishment, remains an unresolved conflict between Americans. Despite the fact that capital punishment, otherwise known as the "death penalty", is legal in only a handful of countries in the world, the majority of Americans regard it as acceptable retribution. In the 1981 Gallup Poll, two-thirds of Americans voiced general approval of capital punishment. By 1994, the same poll concluded that a tremendous 80% of Americans approved of capital punishment (Moore, 1994:5). It is no wonder that many of our countries leaders endorse the death penalty. The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, believes that mass executions of "27 or 30 or 35 people at a time" would be effective in the reduction of the importation of illegal drugs in to America (Taylor, 1995). In 1972, capital punishment was eradicated in the United States when the Supreme Court declared that under then existing laws "imposition and carrying out of the death penalty... constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the 8th and 14th amendments." (Fruman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238). This decision, however, was repealed in 1976 by the Supreme Court. Advocates of capital punishment claim that it is an effective deterrent against cr...

Judith Sargent Murray, Early Feminist and Writer

Judith Sargent Murray, Early Feminist and Writer Judith Sargent Murray (May 1, 1751–July 6, 1820) was an early American feminist who wrote essays on  political, social, and religious themes. She was also a gifted poet and dramatist, and her letters, some recently discovered, give insight into her life during and after the American Revolution.  She is especially known for her essays about the American Revolution under the pseudonym The Gleaner and for her feminist essay, On the Equality of the Sexes.   Fast Facts: Judith Sargent Murray Known For: Early feminist essayist, poet, novelist, and dramatistBorn: May 1, 1751 in Gloucester, MassachusettsParents: Winthrop Sargent and Judith SaundersDied: July 6, 1820 in Natchez, MississippiEducation: Tutored at homePublished Works: On the Equality of the Sexes, Sketch of the Present Situation in America, Story of Margaretta, Virtue Triumphant, and The Traveller ReturnedSpouse(s): Captain John Stevens (m. 1769–1786); Rev. John Murray (m. 1788–1809).Children: With John Murray: George (1789) who died as an infant, and a daughter, Julia Maria Murray (1791–1822) Early Life Judith Sargent Murray was born Judith Sargent on May 1, 1751, in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to shipowner and merchant Captain Winthrop Sargent (1727–1793) and his wife Judith Saunders (1731–1793). She was the oldest of the eight Sargent children. At first, Judith was educated at home and learned basic reading and writing. Her brother Winthrop, who was intended to go to Harvard, received a more advanced education at home, but when their parents recognized Judiths exceptional abilities she was allowed to share Winthrops training in classical Greek and Latin. Winthrop went did go on to Harvard, and Judith later noted that she, being female, had no such possibilities. Her first marriage, on October 3, 1769, was to Captain John Stevens, a well-to-do sea captain and trader. They had no children but adopted two of her husbands nieces and one of her own, Polly Odell. Universalism In the 1770s, Judith Stevens turned away from the Calvinism of the Congregational church she was raised in and became involved in Universalism. Calvinists said that only believers could be saved, and nonbelievers were doomed. In contrast, Universalists believed that all human beings could be saved and all people were equal. The movement was brought to Massachusetts by Rev. John Murray, who arrived in Gloucester in 1774, and Judith and her families the Sargents and the Stevens converted to Universalism. Judith Sargent Stevens and John Murray began a long correspondence and respectful friendship: in this she defied custom, which suggested it was suspect for a married woman to correspond with a man who was unrelated to her. By 1775, the Stevens family had fallen into serious  financial difficulties when the American Revolution interfered with shipping and trade, difficulties that may have been heightened by Stevens mismanagement of finances. To help out, Judith began writing; her first poems were written in 1775. Judiths first essay was Desultory Thoughts upon the Utility of Encouraging a Degree of Self-Complacency, Especially in Female Bosoms, which was published in 1784 under the pseudonym Constancia in the Boston periodical, Gentleman and Ladys Town and Country Magazine.  In 1786, Captain Stevens, to avoid debtors prison and in hopes of turning his finances around, sailed to the West Indies, but he died there in 1786. After the death of Captain Stevens, the friendship between John Murray and Judith Stevens blossomed into courtship, and on October 6, 1788, they married.   Travel and a Widening Sphere Judith Sargent Murray accompanied her new husband on many of his preaching tours, and they counted among acquaintances and friends many early leaders of the United States, including John and Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklins family, and Martha Custis Washington, with whom they sometimes stayed. Her letters describing these visits and her correspondence with friends and relatives are invaluable in understanding the daily life in the federal period of American history. Throughout this period, Judith Sargent Murray wrote poetry, essays, and drama: some biographers suggest the loss of her son in 1790 and her own survival of what would be called postpartum depression today spurred a burst of creativity. Her essay, On the Equality of the Sexes, written in 1779, was finally published in 1790. The essay challenges the prevailing theory that men and women are not intellectually equal, and among all of her writings, that essay established her as an early feminist theorist. She added a letter including her interpretation of the biblical Adam and Eve story, insisting that Eve was equal, if not superior, to Adam. Her daughter, Julia Maria Murray, was born in 1791. Essays and Drama In February, 1792, Murray began a series of essays for the Massachusetts Magazine titled The Gleaner (also her pseudonym), which focused on the politics of the new nation of America as well as religious and moral themes, including womens equality.  One of her common early topics was the importance of educating female children- Julia Maria was 6 months old when her mother began her column. Her novel, The Story of Margaretta, was written in a series among The Gleaner essays. It is the tale of a young woman who falls prey to a sinister lover and rejects him, and she is portrayed not as a fallen woman but rather as an intelligent heroine who is capable of forging an independent life for herself. The Murrays moved from Gloucester to Boston in 1793, where together they founded a Universalist congregation. Several of her writings reveal her role in shaping the tenets of Universalism, which was the first American religion to ordain women. Murray wrote drama first in response to a call for original work by American writers (also directed to her husband, John Murray), and though her plays did not find critical acclaim, they did achieve some popular success. Her first play was The Medium: or Virtue Triumphant, and it opened and quickly closed on the Boston stage. It was, however, the first play dramatized there by an American author. In 1798, Murray published a collection of her writings in three volumes as The Gleaner. She thereby became the first American woman to self-publish a book.  The books were sold on subscription, to help support the family.  John Adams and George Washington were among the subscribers.  In 1802 she helped to found a school for girls in Dorchester. Later Life and Death John Murray, whose health had been frail for some time, had a stroke in 1809 that paralyzed him for the rest of his life.  In 1812, her daughter Julia Maria married a wealthy Mississippian named Adam Louis Bingaman, whose family had contributed somewhat to his education while he lived with Judith and John Murray. By 1812, the Murrays were experiencing painful financial issues. Judith Murray edited and published John Murrays letters and sermons that same year, as Letters and Sketches of Sermons. John Murray died in 1815, and in 1816, Judith Sargent Murray published his autobiography, Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray. In her last years, Judith Sargent Murray continued her correspondence with her family and friends; her daughter and husband supported her financially in her later life, and she moved to their home in Natchez, Mississippi in 1816. Judith Sargent Murray died on July 6, 1820, in Natchez at the age of 69. Legacy Judith Sargent Murray was largely forgotten as a writer until late in the 20th century. Alice Rossi resurrected On the Equality of the Sexes for a collection called The Feminist Papers  in 1974, bringing it to wider attention. In 1984, Unitarian Universalist minister, Gordon Gibson, found Judith Sargent Murrays letter books in Natchez, Mississippi- books into which she kept copies of her letters. (They are now in the Mississippi Archives.) She is the only woman from that period of time for whom we have such letter books, and these copies have allowed scholars to discover much about not only Judith Sargent Murrays life and ideas, but also about daily life in the time of the American Revolution and early Republic. In 1996, Bonnie Hurd Smith founded the Judith Sargent Murray Society to promote Judiths life and work. Smith provided useful suggestions for details in this profile, which also drew on other resources about Judith Sargent Murray. Sources Field, Vena Bernadette. Constantia: A Study of the Life and Works of Judith Sargent Murray, 1751-1920. Orono: University of Maine Studies, 2012.Harris, Sharon M., ed. Selected Writings of Judith Sargent Murray. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.Murray, Judith Sargent [as Constancia]. The Gleaner: A Miscellaneous Production, Volumes 1–3. Boston: J. Thomas and E.T. Andrews, 1798.Rossi, Alice S., ed. The Feminist Papers: From Adams to de Beauvoir. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1973.Smith, Bonnie Hurd. Judith Sargent Murray and the Emergence of an American Womens Literary Traditions. Farmington Hills, Michigan: Gale Researcher Guide, 2018.Kritzer, Amelia Howe. â€Å"Playing with Republican Motherhood: Self-Representation in Plays by Susanna Haswell Rowson and Judith Sargent Murray.† Early American Literature 31.2, 1996. 150–166.  Ã‚  Skemp, Sheila L. First Lady of Letters: Judith Sargent Murray and the Struggle for Female Independence. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009.

Xerxes The Great, 'Ahasuerus' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Xerxes The Great, 'Ahasuerus' - Essay Example It is often presented as a truism that the winners write the history books. But when the subject is a figure of controversy, with both dark and light sides, it is often difficult to really see what happened in a way that highlights veracity. Looking at Xerxes I of Persia, one faces such a situation. On the one hand, Xerxes’ invasion of Greece was massive in scale, represented ingenious engineering, and resulted in the fruition of the goal of its general: a victory at Thermopylae, and the capture of Athens. On the other hand, taking Athens was essentially Xerxes’ last successful move: he faced nothing but a series of embarrassing defeats afterwards, and after the withdrawal of forces from Greece, was treated very harshly by Greek historians. The basic assumption of the current research investigation is that Xerxes, leading the Persian army after Thermopylae, represents a different and more unstable sort of commander than Xerxes before this seminal battle: after burning A thens, Xerxes seems to make nothing but poor strategic decisions. Up until his eventual murder in a court intrigue, when he was essentially disgraced as a general, and was focusing mainly on building projects, Xerxes showed a slippage of rationality and good judgment, along with an increasing inability to take counsel from his advisors and military planners.

The identification of Harry's rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The identification of Harry's rights - Essay Example At this point, it should be noted that there is no problem as of the capacity of Harry to proceed to the purchase since he is not minor nor he suffers from a mental illness (s.3 Sales of Goods Act of 1979, MacLeod 2002). When ordering the table, Harry mentions to the sales assistant that he wants a table similar to that of the poster in the shop’s window; it is implied that the bed ordered should be of the same size, technical characteristics and colour as the bed illustrated in the specific poster (s.13(1) SOGA, Curtis v Ghemical Cleaning and Dyeing Co Ltd [1951], Andrews v Hopkinson [1957]); otherwise an issue of misrepresentation about quality would exist (Cranston 2000, p.148) In accordance with the case study, that bed was grey; therefore, Harry expected to receive a similar bed when making the order (s.13 (1) SOGA). At the same time, Harry picked a chair from the shop’s catalogue and made the relevant order. Again, the item ordered, the chair is defined through a photo of the item presented to the customer. This means that Harry did not have the chance to examine, closely, the size or the other qualities of the items ordered (Law Commission, 2009, p.9). He was only able to define their required characteristics through photographs. It should be noted that Harry did not explain to the seller the purpose of the goods, so the court could decide that the seller is not liable for the fact that the products are not fit for purpose (Reddy & Johnson 2011, p.22, Jewson Ltd v Leanne Teresa Boyhan [2004], BSS Group Plc v Makers (UK) Ltd (t/a Allied Services) [2011]). At this point, the following issues should be discussed: a) whether the items were accepted (s32 SOGA), and b) whether the items met the requirements of the law in regard to not fit for purpose products. The time framework available to Harry in order to make his claims should be also examined. In accordance with the Sales of goods Act 1979, the time framework for the buyer to develop claims against the seller in regard to the items sold is 28 days from the date of the sale (as such term is commonly added in contracts in order to define the ‘reasonable’ time during which the right of the buyer to reject the goods sold is retained, s35(4) SOGA). Harry’s rights, as derived from the specific sale, are active. Harry can approach the seller with a claim for faulty products within the period of 28 days from the date of the sale, meaning the date when the sale was completed, i.e. when the buyer accepted the goods (Chen-Wishart 2007, p.595). The period of 28 days had not passed; it begins from the day that Harry checked the goods, in the context that the seller has to give to the buyer a reasonable time for checking the goods and Harry was absent which means he could not check the goods (s.35 SOGA, Law Commission, 2009, p.10). Also, the English courts have held that the silence of the buyer cannot be considered as acceptance of the goods sold (Felthouse v B indley [1862], Hannah Blumenthal [1983]). However, in order for the above claims to be valid, it needs to be proved that the products sold are not fit for purpose. The law, the Sales of goods Act 1979 (SOGA), sets the criteria under which a product is considered as not fit for purpose: ‘a) it does not match the description (s.13, SOGA), b) is not of satisfactory quality (s14.2 SOGA) and c)

Accounting and Bookkeeping Services Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free

Accounting and Bookkeeping Services Marketing Plan Essay Marketing Vision Sorcerers Accountant will fit the needs of transitional small businesses, dealing with the growing pains of leaving an owner-operator model to hiring employees and expanding. These clients will see that Sorcerers Accountant is competitively priced, both compared with the market and with the substitute option of hiring their own bookkeepers. Clients will see that Sorcerers Accountant is extremely flexible and scalable in a way that in-house bookkeepers cannot be. To move forward with this new business line, Sorcerers Accountant will make the bookkeeping services the core of its business and a source of leads for its additional accounting services, rather than the other way around. Over time, as this transition happens, the marketing plan will be revisited to see how these clients can be better used as a source for referrals and more business. See more: The Issues Concerning Identity Theft Essay Goals Sorcerers Accountants goals include Personal, Marketing, Business, and Client Satisfaction goals. They are: 1. Personal To reduce the time spent on the business by Max Greenwood to a more sustainable level over a few years and to achieve professional recognition 2. Marketing Generation of large numbers of leads and press mentions 3. Business Expand sales significantly over the next three years 4. Client Satisfaction To achieve a high level of very satisfied clients Purpose Sorcerers Accountant seeks to provide a full suite of tax and management accounting services for small businesses in Chicago, Illinois, allowing business owners to not only save money over in-house accounting and ensure their compliance with tax laws, but to make valuable management decisions from their numbers. Picture When clients come to Sorcerers Accountant, the frustration of dealing with in-house bookkeepers and low-quality providers will recede. Clients will be given the time to have all of their questions answered and valuable accounting and systems advice will be given even in the initial meetings. The client will quickly understand that Sorcerers Accountant will scale their services to meet the clients needs and can add to those services as the clients needs change. They will understand that they are not entering into an onerous contract and that the cost of getting started is low. The client will be delighted the first time they receive a thank you card and small gift when theyve made their budgeted numbers for the quarter. At this point it will truly sink in that Sorcerers Accountant has their bookkeeping and accounting needs covered and that they can put away any worry that this area will be a weak link in their business. Gap Dashboard Weekly measurements of key metrics will be averaged for each month and entered in the Gap Dashboard. Personal goals will be tracked by Max Greenwood directly to make sure he is moving towards both professional recognition and a sustainable work/life balance. Marketing goals will be tracked by the CRM system and business goals will be tracked by QuickBooks. Client satisfaction numbers will be derived from the survey providers database. Whether numbers are met or not, the news will be shared on a monthly basis with the entire staff, with congratulations and discussion as to what is going right as well as a look at what is going wrong and how it can be rectified. These reports will be shared in full with the bookkeeping program manager and partially with the bookkeepers. Ideal Customer The ideal customer for Sorcerers Accountant is an owner of a very small business. Having launched within the last few years, the customer has just hired his first employee. The bookkeeping work (accounts payable and receivable, payroll, bank reconciliations, tax preparation) that the owner did for the first few years is taking more and more time and is holding him back from working on sales, marketing, and strategy for the business. The new employee has been hired to handle more of the technical work of the business, not to do bookkeeping. However, when considering the type of bookkeeping help he can afford, the customer realizes that a ten-hour-a-week employee would most likely be a student or low-skills worker who would require a great deal of training. The customer is put off by the idea of spending a great deal of time training such an individual, who may leave within a year (or even less) due to school schedule changes or finding a full-time job. He realizes that keeping the books correctly is important work, but because he understands his own value to the business, his knows his time is better spent elsewhere. He might then begin to search for professional bookkeeping options that can offer just a low-level of support by doing his own research and asking other business owners he knows. Market Description The small business accounting market consists of virtually every small business in the United States. As businesses grow larger than one person sole proprietorships, they generally require expert help with at least their tax preparation, and often with additional bookkeeping and accounting services. Even many non-employer sole proprietorships will use accounting help at some point. While some small businesses hire bookkeepers or CFOs directly, many successfully outsource these types of services. The market for Sorcerers Accountant is small businesses in the city limits of Chicago. This will represent approximately 85,000 businesses in 2010. This market can be subdivided into three groups: Non-employer firms: Without employees, these firms do not have many of the concerns of larger businesses. However, the owners must be vigilant to protect their own tax liability and sort out how their personal and business tax returns intersect. These firms are generally buyers of QuickBooks services and tax preparation services. As they grow, this group becomes ripe for outsourced bookkeeping services before they can hire a full-time in-house bookkeeper. Very small businesses: Defined for our purposes as businesses with 2-10 employees. Made up of businesses that are designed to stay small and those which are growing through a phase, these businesses require payroll services, bookkeeping, and tax preparation. They are concerned about losing control, but can generally be convinced of using outsourced accounting and bookkeeping with cost analysis. With the stakes higher, these businesses can make greater use of management accounting services, especially as most cannot afford a dedicated CFO. Many do not need a full-time bookkeeper, but can made due with part-time help, which limits their hiring options. Other small businesses: Defined for our purposes as businesses with 11 to 99 employees. Many of these businesses will have some in-house financial management and bookkeeping help. However, they may be able to save money by outsourcing these services as they are not generally core to what the business seeks to do. These businesses may be comfortable with their situation as a cash producer for their owners or intent on g rowing or positioning themselves for sale. Remarkable Difference Sorcerers Accountant offers the flexibility and low rates of an in-house bookkeeping employee, while providing all of the training, oversight, and deep knowledge of a Certified Public Accountant. Differentiators Sorcerers Accountant will achieve a competitive edge among Chicago bookkeeping services due to its combination of CPA oversight with lower-level, inexpensive labor to solve the specific problems of small business owners. Clients will receive the advantage of having a CPA review their books and propose additional advice when appropriate, while not paying much more than they would to hire their own part-time bookkeeper. This is not an inimitable competitive edge, but the market in Chicago is significantly large enough to allow for the success of Sorcerers Accountant with this strategy. Large firms ignore the small business market because they are better positioned to serve larger businesses. They are unlikely to imitate this strategy as they will find it difficult to convince small businesses that they can offer services which are affordable to them.

Heart Imagery in Great Expectations :: Great Expectations Essays

Heart Imagery in Great Expectations The heart is a symbolic barometer in Great Expectations that carries us from chapter to pulsating chapter. The novel's characters are forever wearing their hearts on their sleeves and in the process end up baring their souls within the text itself, and without, to the reader. What is the significance of hearts and their many states as described when Pip unfolds his own dramatic rags-to-riches-to-grace tale? Several scenes probe Miss Havisham's psyche with words about the condition of her heart. By analyzing them, we may be able to guess to what purpose Charles Dickens employs the heart imagery so frequently and so effectively. Â   For all the allusions which connect Miss Havisham to death-upon seeing her at the dressing table, Pip is immediately reminded of "some ghastly waxwork" and "a skeleton in the ashes of a rich dress," (93) -she is far from dead. Keeping her alive is the promise of youth: Estella and Pip. The promise the children give Miss Havisham, however, is not wholesome or optimistic, and neither is her communication with them. The first thing Miss Havisham reveals to Pip is that she suffers from a broken heart, "[uttering] the word...with strong emphasis, and with a weird smile that had a kind of boast," (94). This seems an odd confession for an adult to heave upon a child. Private miseries are kept quiet in order to spare children from the harsh reality of adult life. Â   But Miss Havisham is not worried about sparing anyone. Because she holds the family fortune, no one will insist that she snap out of her reverie of grief. Her intention is that Estella will learn to break men's hearts as recompense for Miss Havisham's having been broken. She admits to "sick fancies," and her demeanor so troubles Pip that he remarks, "Her contempt for me was so strong, that it became infectious, and I caught it" (95). Yet Pip is ready to forgive Miss Havisham for reducing him to self-hatred, even on that very first day: He tells us that as she watches the card game, Miss Havisham had "the appearance of having dropped... under the weight of a crushing blow" (96). Her posture softens him and he returns to Satis House over and over, even as he knows he is "under" the house's "influence" and it makes him "continue at heart to hate [his] trade" (158).

The Strategic Management Process

In the current business environment, knowledge evolves rapidly and the useful life span of organizational skills is decreasing, which means survival and competitiveness of an organization is linked to its ability to learn and include its findings in their strategic management process. Having cited the criticality of strategic management on the survival of today's business, it is of paramount importance that in this weeks issue I deal on the subject of Strategic Management Process.Key Definitions I would like to start by defining some key words and phrases that are associated with the strategic management process. A Strategy is a company's long-term plan for how it will balance its internal strengths and weaknesses with its external opportunities and threats to maintain a competitive advantage. Strategic management is the process of identifying and executing the organization's mission by matching its capabilities with the demands of its environment.Strategic planning is the process by which the guiding members of an organization envision its future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future (Goodliest, teal, 1992). This definition takes us away from the notion that strategic landing is a staff Job and focuses us more on process that requires senior leaders of an organization to set its strategic direction. Strategic plans are important because strategic planning to a few elite in an organization, it should be noted that there different levels of strategic planning.These are corporate level strategies, business level strategies and functional level strategies. The concept of strategic management builds on the definition of strategic planning, recognizing that although planning is the prelude of strategic management, it is not sufficient if it is not followed by the plowmen and implementation of the plan and the evaluation of the plan in action. Strategic management is therefore a systems approach to identifying and making the neces sary changes and measuring the organization's performance as it moves toward its vision.It is the process where managers establish an organization's long term direction, set specific performance objectives; develop strategies to achieve these objectives in light of all the relevant internal and external circumstances, and undertake to execute the chosen direction. The strategic management process is Hereford a series of steps that formulates the strategic planning, implementation and evaluation. This process is depicted by many model/drawings which basically depict the strategic management steps. Most of these models only differ in to the extent to which they simplify the process but they generally agree on major elements.Strategic Management Process Model Fig. 1 It can be seen from fig 1 above that strategic management process is an iterative process as depicted by the arrows. Strategic planning comprises (see Figure 3-1) the first 5 of 7 strategic management tasks: (1) Defining th e business and developing a session, (2) Evaluating the firm's internal and external strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and Threats, (3) formulating a new business statement, (4) translating the mission into strategic goals, and (5) formulating strategies or courses of action.The entire 7- Step 1: Define the Current Business Every company must choose the terrain on which it will compete?in particular, what products it will sell, where it will sell them, and how its products or services will differ from its competitors'. Therefore, the most basic strategic decisions managers make involve deciding â€Å"what business† their firms should be in: For instance, in terms of the products or services they'll sell the geographic locales in which they'll sell them, and how they'll distinguish their products or services from competitors'.They ask, â€Å"Where are we now in terms of the business we're in, and what business do we want to be in, given our company's opportunities and thr eats, and its strengths and weaknesses? † Managers then choose strategy to drive the company to achieve the vision. This may be better enshrined in a vision statement as a sort of shorthand to married how they see the business down the road. The company's vision is a general statement of its intended direction that shows, in broad terms, â€Å"what they want to become. Two management gurus, Warren Bennie and Bert Mans say, To choose a direction, a leader must first have developed a mental image of a possible and desirable future state for the organization. This image, which we call a vision, may be as vague as a dream or as precise as a goal or mission statement. The critical point is that a vision articulates a view of a realistic, credible, attractive future or the organization, a condition that is better in some important ways than what now exists.Visions are usually in longer terms, broader images; managers also formulate mission statements to communicate the purpose of t heir (company) present existence. Whereas visions usually lay out in very broad terms what the business should be, the mission lays out in broad terms what their main tasks are now. The mission statement of the company that I work for is; ‘To be the preferred supplier of electricity regionally and abroad. ‘ The mission statement is, to bring convenience to our valued customers through provision of electricity and related services. ‘ Step 2: Perform External and Internal Audits (Environmental scanning).Strategic planning starts by methodically analyzing external and internal situations. The strategic plan should provide a direction for the firm that makes sense, in terms of the external opportunities and threats the firm faces and the internal strengths and weaknesses it possesses. To facilitate this strategic external/internal audit or environmental scanning, we use SOOT analysis. This involves using a SOOT chart to impel and organize the process of identifying com pany Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. When doing internal audits or scan companies should check for their strength and weakness.They should capitalist on their strength to create a competitive advantage in their industry, strengths can be in the form of a hardworking organizational culture which they can ride upon in order to have an edge over other like firms. However companies should also not turn a blind eye on their weaknesses. Weakness doesn't mean that one is incapable but being aware of them calls for a decision to avert them. Weakness can be in the form of lake of strategic objectives that are meant to reduce the effects of the weaknesses. External audits scan for Opportunities and Threats.These can be at micro and macro levels. At macro level businesses should look into the Political, Economic, Social, Technical, Environmental and Legal (PESTLE) environment for threats and opportunities. Step 3: Formulate New Business and Mission Statements In light of the situation analysis (environmental scanning), leaders/managers should determine what their new business should be, in terms of what products it will sell, here it will sell them, and how its products or services will differ from its competitors? This may call for establishing or crafting new Mission and Vision statements to stir the company.Step 4: Translate the Mission into Strategic Goals Saying the mission is â€Å"to provide electricity' is one thing; implementing that mission for your managers is another. The firm's managers need strategic goals. What exactly does that mission mean, for each department, in terms of how we'll boost electricity supply? The Government of Zanzibar has recently adopted a new appraisal system or all parallels, government ministries and institution under its new economic blueprint called JIM-ASSET. The system is called Integrated Results Based Management System.Under this system organizational missions are translated into tangible short-term, mid-ter m and long-term goals which are measurable and specific. Strategic goals are the steps to the envisioned future. Not having them is like sitting for a meeting and coming up with no resolutions or action items. Step 5: Formulate Strategies to Achieve the Strategic Goals Again, a strategy is a course of action. It shows how the enterprise will move from the business it is in now to the business it wants to be in (as laid out by its vision, mission, and strategic goals), given the firm's opportunities, threats, strengths, and weaknesses.The strategies bridge where the company is now, with where it wants to be tomorrow. The best strategies are concise enough for the manager to express in an easily communicated phrase that resonates with employees. These are best described as strategic objectives. Keeping the strategy clear and concise helps ensure that employees all hare that strategy and so make decisions that are consistent with it. Specific performance targets are needed in all areas affecting the survival and success of a company, and they are needed at all levels of management.The act of establishing formal objectives not only converts the direction the company is headed into specific performance targets to be achieved but also guards against drift, aimless activity, confusion over what to accomplish and loss of purpose. Step 6: Implement the Strategies â€Å"What we think, know or believe in is, in the end of little consequence. The only consequence is†¦. What we do. (Hands, 1995). Strategy implementation means translating the strategies into actions and results?by actually hiring (or firing) lines.Strategy implementation involves drawing on and applying all the management functions: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (POOL). According to Tom Peters and Robert Waterman, a model termed the Seven â€Å"S† Model provides a framework of implementation of a strategic change. Structure changes may have to be made to cope with strategic cha nges, while systems may need also with the new strategic direction. Skills may need to be upgraded or reshuffled properly. Style or culture of management may need also to be readjusted accordingly.All these have their energy directed to achieve the strategic goals (Vision) as depicted on fig 2 above. Step 7: Evaluate Performance Strategies don't always succeed. For example, TN-Holdings failed when it massively rolled out its Subs across the nation in order to be closer to where its customers are. The strategy failed dismally in the following year because of a huge liquidity crunch that is currently bedeviling our economy?because of evaluation management quickly re-strategists and came up with a new business model. Managing strategy is an ongoing process.

HRM Problem in Indian Airlines

Introduction The Indian Airline was set up under the Air Corporations Act, 1953 with an initial capital of Rs. 32 million and started operations on 1 August 1953. And it dominated the Indian aviation sector during the 80's and 90's. However the rules of monoploy were deregulated in 1994. Following which many carriers entered the market. However, only two strong competitors emerged during the 1990s which were the Jet Airways and Air Sahara.This competition from the new private carriers required the airline to adapt to the new order, a process which was difficult due to the fact that management did not have complete commercial freedom, and the government was unwilling to invest in the airline. Another big reason was the Human Resource Management problems including the inefficient manpower planning, unproductive deployment manpower (results of ad-hoc job analysis), and unwarranted increase in salaries and wages caused a number of strikes by the staffs and the ultimate result is losing c ustomers and the losses in revenue.Between 1999 and 2003, the carrier’s fleet did not increase by a single aircraft – during the same period the private carriers’ fleet almost doubled to 53. Inevitably, Indian Airlines’ market share declined, from 100% in 1994 to 40% by 2004 and just 20% by 2007.Background of IA Indian Airlines is one of the prime airlines in India. It is based in Mumbai and focuses primarily on domestic routes, alone with a few international services to neighboring Asian countries. The airline is state-owned and also administered by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Along with Air India, it is the flag carrier of India. The airline came into existence by the enactment of the Air corporations act in 1953.It has been renamed as ‘Indian' on December 7th 2005. It started with about 99 aircrafts and was the outcome of a merger of sorts among several former independent airlines. In 1964, Indian Airlines moved into the jet era with the intr oduction of Caravelle aircraft and also inducted a Boeing 737-200 in early 1970. In a fresh wave of deregulation, nine new independent airlines were launched in India in the early 1990s. Vayudoot, the state-owned feeder airline, itself collapsed in 1993. On 1st March 1997 Indian Airlines became a Public Limited Company.Presently, it has about 70 aircrafts including Airbus A300, Airbus A319,  Airbus A320and an ATR-4. Some of the foreign destinations that are included in its directory are Kuwait, Singapore, UAE, Qatar, Thailand and many more South East Asian countries. This airline was the first to introduce wide-bodied A300 aircraft in the domestic circuit. There are a total of 75 exclusive destinations covered by this airline, 59 within India and 16 abroad.HR IssuesWhen the government open up the sky by privatize the industry, one of the start-ups, East-West Airlines, offered such attractive wages that they prompted a pilots' strike at Indian Airlines in December 1992 during the w inter tourist season. Indian Airlines had 570 pilots at the time, making an average of Rs 30,000 ($962.00) a month. The airline lost Rs2.11 billion ($64.34 million) for the year. Chairman and managing director L. Vasudev had been hired in July 1992, filling a position vacant since the previous chairman had resigned due to the handling of yet another strike.Mr. Vasudev also resigned in May 1993 blaming the aviation ministry for undermining his authority. Russy Mody was named chairman of both Indian Airlines and Air-India in late 1994. He resigned two years later, also citing a lack of authority. During 1998 both Indian Airlines and Air-India were losing money and needed to restore their aging fleets by the end of the year, the Civil Aviation Ministry had dismissed a joint board of directors from the two airlines.All of the chaos happened because of: †¢The recruitment process †¢Job analysis in IA was not done by scientifically †¢Performance appraisal and reward systems were not scientifically doneFindings †¢Lack of proper manpower planning †¢Underutilization of exiting manpower †¢Without proper scientific analysis †¢Increased staff cost during 1994-98 †¢Unnecessary interference by the Ministry of Civil Aviation †¢Unscrupulous methods use †¢Strikes, go-slow agitation and wage negotiations †¢In 1993- 46 days strike by pilots †¢Unethical (false) medical claims †¢Pilots didn’t work overtime even though they got more money †¢Maximum number of employees per aircraft †¢Lack of government decision policy †¢Unethical practice of service on productivity liked incentives †¢30 full time directors and their retinue of private secretaries, drivers and orderlinessSWOT ANALYSISSTRENGTHS†¢Large fleet. †¢Experienced staff. †¢Adequate infrastructure and large network. †¢People are loyal towards the national carrier. †¢Government Backing.WEAKNESSES†¢High overhea ds and huge workforce resulting in lower output. †¢Attitude of the staff (The Unions) †¢Political/Bureaucratic unnecessary interference. †¢Indian Airlines has its socio-economic responsibility of catering to the inaccessibility areas at subsidized rate affecting operational expenses. †¢Job security too high.OPPORTUNITIES†¢Tourism industry is gaining momentum. †¢Induction of new aircrafts on lease. †¢Response to some of the promotional fares (schemes) is encouraging. †¢Shelving of the privatization plans of Indian Airlines by the Government of India. †¢Weakening of the dollar rate in comparison to the rupee.THREATS†¢Perception of the better product in comparison to that of the competitor †¢Recent world events hitting the tourism industry badly †¢Increase in the capacity of various airlines †¢Falling market share of Indian Airlines to that of Jet AirwaysRecommendation From 1997, to till now IA had only emphasized on dist ribution, with marketing as a non-issue. Since the company was faced with increasing competition, lack of resources and mounting losses, it had to formulate and implement scientifically proved HR strategies. The best way to prevent union strike is to work with the union and develop policies that avoid a clash between companies and its employees. Unions in projects is different, unions in large corporate is different. We can contain and curtail the strikes in corporate offices but containing it plants need some analysis.1.Check was there any change in the Head of HR department2.The earlier head was removed or retired or left on his own3.Union leaders are locals or outsiders4.Were there any simmering issues which were pending for a long time?5.The earlier agreement is due for re negation?1 and 2 are most important to find the reason and reactions. 3 are to know how the outsiders involved in the local union and so we can divide the union. 4 and 5 – it is always better to keep th e process of the negotiations on the go, and try throwing the ball in their court as far as possible instead of keeping the issue pending with company. And have discussions, deliberations and best method is to divide the employees into department wise – by telling them that it is for close contacts with the all employees.Implementations To implement the decisions taken during the mid 2001, IA followed steps stated below.1.As the first step free and frank discussions with a cross section of the employees were held. Top management undertook extensive tours of all stations to communicate the details and vision behind all major policy initiatives and to get their response to them.2.Focus on training of personnel was enhanced to increase effectiveness.3.A greater transparency was built into recruitment and transfer policies with a view to boosting their trust and confidence.4.In interactions with unions and Associations a firm but fair attitude was taken.5.Productivity Lined Agree ments, where the inflows exceed the outflows despite the fact that market wages were being given, were entered into.Conclusion Airports are the primary infrastructure facility that a country has to offer to the international travel. The case ‘Indian Airlines' HR problems', examines the causes of the HR problems faced by Indian Airlines. The case reveals how poor management and stubborn work force can drive a monopoly into losses. The case also throws light on other lapses such as poor canteen management and payment of excessive allowances.The case is so structured as to enable students to understand why and how Indian Airlines was constantly plagued by HR problems. The students should be able to see how the pilots and other workers used arm-twisting tactics to get IA to agree to all their demands. The case also provides insights into how IA's lackadaisical handling of its HR problems contributed to the overall mess that the airline found itself in.

Overview of the Peoples Crusade

Overview of the People's Crusade A popular movement of crusaders, mostly commoners but also including individuals from all levels of society, who did not wait for the official leaders of the expedition but took off for the Holy Land early, unprepared and inexperienced. The Peoples Crusade was also known as: The Peasants Crusade, The Popular Crusade, or The Crusade of the Poor People. The Peoples Crusade has also been termed the first wave of crusaders by noted Crusades scholar Jonathan Riley-Smith, who has pointed out the difficulty of distinguishing separate crusade expeditions among the almost ceaseless stream of pilgrims from Europe to Jerusalem. How the Peoples Crusade got started: In November 1095, Pope Urban II made a speech at the Council of Clermont calling for Christian warriors to go to Jerusalem and free it from the rule of Muslim Turks. Urban no doubt envisioned an organized military campaign led by those whose entire social class had been built around military prowess: the nobility. He set the official date of departure for mid-August of the following year, knowing the time it would take for funds to be raised, supplies to be procured and armies to be organized. Shortly after the speech, a monk known as Peter the Hermit also began to preach Crusade. Charismatic and passionate, Peter (and probably several others like him, whose names are lost to us) appealed not just to a select portion of travel-ready combatants but to all Christians men, women, children, the elderly, nobles, commoners even serfs. His enthralling sermons fired the religious zeal in his listeners, and many people not only resolved to go on Crusade but to go right then and there, some even following Peter himself. The fact that they had little food, less money, and no military experience did not deter them in the least; they believed they were on a holy mission, and that God would provide. Armies of the Peoples Crusade: For some time, the participants in the Peoples Crusade were regarded as nothing more than peasants. While it is true many of them were commoners of one variety or another, there were also noblemen among their ranks, and the individual bands that formed were usually led by trained, experienced knights. For the most part, to call these bands armies would be a gross overstatement; in many cases, the groups were simply a collection of pilgrims traveling together. Most were on foot and armed with crude weapons, and discipline was almost nonexistent. However, some of the leaders were able to exercise more control over their followers, and a crude weapon can still inflict serious damage; so scholars continue to refer to some of these groups as armies. The Peoples Crusade moves through Europe: In March 1096, bands of pilgrims began to journey eastward through France and Germany on their way to the Holy Land. Most of them followed an ancient road of pilgrimage that ran along the Danube and into Hungary, then south into the Byzantine Empire and its capital, Constantinople. There they expected to cross the Bosphorus to territory controlled by the Turks in Asia Minor. The first to leave France was Walter Sans Avoir, who commanded a retinue of eight knights and a large company of infantry. They proceeded with surprisingly little incident along the old pilgrim route, only encountering any real trouble in Belgrade when their foraging got out of hand. Their early arrival at Constantinople in July took the Byzantine leaders by surprise; they had not had time to prepare proper lodging and supplies for their western visitors. More bands of crusaders coalesced around Peter the Hermit, who followed not far behind Walter and his men. Greater in number and less disciplined, Peters followers encountered more trouble in the Balkans. At Zemun, the last town in Hungary before reaching the Byzantine border, a riot broke out and many Hungarians were killed. The crusaders wanted to escape punishment by crossing the Sava River into Byzantium, and when Byzantine forces tried to stop them, violence ensued. When Peters followers got to Belgrade they found it deserted, and they probably sacked it in their ongoing quest for food. At nearby Nish, the governor allowed them to exchange hostages for supplies, and the town almost escaped without damage until some Germans set fire to mills as the company was leaving. The governor sent troops to attack the retreating crusaders, and although Peter ordered them not to, many of his followers turned to face the attackers and were cut down. Eventually, they reached Constantinople without further incident, but the Peoples Crusade had lost many participants and funds, and they had inflicted serious damage on the lands between their homes and Byzantium. Many other bands of pilgrims followed after Peter, but none made it to the Holy Land. Some of them faltered and turned back; others were sidetracked in some of the most horrific pogroms in medieval European history. The Peoples Crusade and the First Holocaust: The speeches of Pope Urban, Peter the Hermit, and others of his ilk had stirred up more than a pious yearning to see the Holy Land. Urbans appeal to the warrior elite had painted Muslims as enemies of Christ, subhuman, loathsome, and in need of vanquishing. Peters speeches were even more incendiary. From this malevolent viewpoint, it was a small step to see Jews in the same light. It was, sadly, an all-too-common belief that Jews had not only killed Jesus but that they continued to pose a threat to good Christians. Added to this was the fact that some Jews were notably prosperous, and they made the perfect target for greedy lords, who used their followers to massacre entire Jewish communities and plunder them for their wealth. The violence that was perpetrated against European Jews in the spring of 1096 is a significant turning point in Christian and Jewish relations. The horrific events, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Jews, have even been called the First Holocaust. From May to July, pogroms occurred at Speyer, Worms, Mainz, and Cologne. In some cases, the bishop of the town or local Christians, or both, sheltered their neighbors. This was successful at Speyer but proved futile in other Rhineland towns. The attackers sometimes demanded that the Jews convert to Christianity on the spot or lose their lives; not only did they refuse to convert, but some even killed their children and themselves rather than die at the hands of their tormentors. The most notorious of the anti-Jewish crusaders was Count Emicho of Leiningen, who was definitely responsible for the attacks on Mainz and Cologne and may have had a hand in the earlier massacres. After the bloodshed along the Rhine was over, Emicho led his forces onward to Hungary. His reputation preceded him, and the Hungarians would not let him pass. After a three-week siege, Emichos forces were crushed, and he went home in disgrace. The pogroms were decried by many Christians of the day. Some even pointed to these crimes as the reason God forsook their fellow crusaders at Nicaea and Civetot. The end of the Peoples Crusade: By the time Peter the Hermit arrived in Constantinople, Walter Sans Avoirs army had been restlessly waiting there for weeks. Emperor Alexius convinced Peter and Walter that they should wait in Constantinople until the main body of Crusaders, who were massing in Europe under powerful noble commanders, arrived. But their followers were not happy with the decision. Theyd undergone a long journey and many trials to get there, and they were eager for action and glory. Furthermore, there still wasnt enough food and supplies for everyone, and foraging and theft were rampant. So, less than a week after Peters arrival, Alexius ferried the Peoples Crusade across the Bosporus and into Asia Minor. Now the crusaders were in a truly hostile territory where there was little food or water to be found anywhere, and they had no plan for how to proceed. They quickly began squabbling amongst themselves. Eventually, Peter returned to Constantinople to elicit help from Alexius, and the Peoples Crusade broke into two groups: one primarily made up of Germans with a few Italians, the other of Frenchmen. Toward the end of September, the French crusaders managed to loot a suburb of Nicaea. The Germans decided to do the same. Unfortunately, Turkish forces expected another attack and surrounded the German crusaders, who managed to take refuge in the fortress at Xerigordon. After eight days, the Crusaders surrendered. Those who did not convert to Islam were killed on the spot; those who did convert were enslaved and sent eastward, never to be heard from again. The Turks then sent a forged message to the French crusaders, telling of great riches the Germans had acquired. In spite of warnings from wiser men, the Frenchmen took the bait. They rushed onward, only to be ambushed at Civetot, where every last crusader was slaughtered. The Peoples Crusade was over. Peter considered returning home but instead remained in Constantinople until the main body of the more organized crusading forces arrived. The text of this document is copyright  ©2011-2015 Melissa Snell. You may download or print this document for personal or school use, as long as the URL below is included. Permission is  not granted to reproduce this document on another website.

19 Colleges With the Lowest Acceptance Rates

19 Colleges With the Lowest Acceptance Rates SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Acceptance rates are an important factor to consider when deciding where to apply to college. A school’s acceptance rate is often considered a measurement of its quality. While this is accurate in many cases, some schools have low acceptance rates for reasons unrelated to the academic excellence of admitted students. In this article, I’ll tell you what the lowest college acceptance rate is, explain why some colleges have such low acceptance rates, and list the colleges with the lowest acceptance rates. Why Do Some Colleges Have Such Low Acceptance Rates? A college can have a low acceptance rate for a variety of reasons. The most common reason for a low acceptance rate is a combination of high academic standards and popularity among prospective students. This happens at Ivy League schools and schools such as Stanford and MIT, which have strong name recognition both in the US and internationally. As a result of their reputations, these schools get huge numbers of applicants every year. They end up with low acceptance rates because they need to turn away the vast majority of applicants in order to maintain their reputations for academic excellence. Only the most qualified students are admitted, and even those who technically meet academic standards might be rejected depending on their other credentials. In 2017, an impressive 47,450 students applied to Stanford- and only 2,040 were accepted! That's an acceptance rate of just 4.3%, giving Stanford one of the lowest college acceptance rates. Low acceptance rates also happen at schools that have very specific criteria for admission and are popular for other reasons. Military schools such as West Point and the US Naval Academy have low acceptance rates because they require applicants to meet other strict criteria besides academic qualifications. Meanwhile, music schools such as Juilliard might have especially low acceptance rates because they’re only willing to accept extremely talented students in a very specific area of study. There are also schools where students are offered free tuition or must meet financial need qualifications in order to be accepted. This means that these schools are popular (everyone wants to avoid paying for college!), but only a small subset of applicants make the cut. In the next two sections, I’ll go through a list of the schools with the lowest acceptance rates in the country; these fall into both the "non-specialized popular and academically rigorous" category and the "popular and specialized" category. How I imagine auditions for Juilliard. Non-Specialized Colleges With Low Acceptance Rates This is a list of schools that do not cater to a specific subset of students and have acceptance rates of less than 10%. These schools include Ivy League institutions and other colleges that have extremely high academic standards and widespread popularity. Keep in mind that you can’t necessarily expect to be accepted just because you meet the average academic requirements. These schools receive many applicants who are academically competitive, but acceptance isn’t a sure thing unless you’ve done something incredible in high school. Any college that has an acceptance rate of less than 15% is a reach school for all students. School Name # of Applicants* Acceptance Rate Average SAT Average ACT Stanford 47,452 4.8% 1465 33 Harvard 42,749 5.2% 1520 34 Columbia 40,203 6.1% 1515 34 Yale 35,307 6.3% 1505 34 Princeton 35,370 6.4% 1500 33 MIT 21,706 7.2% 1528 34 Caltech 8,208 7.7% 1560 35 Pomona 10,245 8.4% 1450 32 UChicago 32,283 8.7% 1530 34 Claremont McKenna 6,272 9.0% 1490 32 Northwestern 40,425 9.2% 1490 33 Brown 35,437 9.3% 1488 32 Penn 44,491 9.3% 1490 33 *Based on fall 2017 admissions data as reported in the College Board's BigFuture database To me, the most intimidating aspect of this building is that the engraved "Us" looks like "Vs." That's how you know something is prestigious. Specialized Colleges With Low Acceptance Rates This is a list of schools that are geared toward specific types of students and have acceptance rates of 15% or less. This includes music schools, military schools, and schools with special financial stipulations that lead to selectivity and popularity. Curtis Institute of Music Undergraduate Enrollment: ~175 Number of Applicants: Not reported Acceptance Rate: 4% Average GPA: Not reported Average SAT/ACT: Not reported Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? Admission at the Curtis Institute of Music is, as the website emphasizes, "based on artistic promise alone." Only the most talented student musicians are accepted, and spots are highly limited (only 40 students were accepted for 2017-18). The school also provides a full-tuition scholarship to each of its students. The Juilliard School Undergraduate Enrollment: 566 Number of Applicants: 4,045 Acceptance Rate: 5.9% Average GPA: Not reported Average SAT/ACT: Not reported Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? Like the Curtis Institute of Music, Juilliard is looking for a very specific, very talented subset of students. Applicants must audition for faculty members as a part of the application process, and performance standards are extraordinarily high. US Naval Academy Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,495 Number of Applicants: 16,086 Acceptance Rate: 8.5% Average GPA: 3.94 Average SAT/ACT: 1410 / 31 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? In order to attend the US Naval Academy, students must apply for and receive a nomination from a representative, a senator, or the vice president. Applicants must also pass a physical fitness assessment and medical examination to be eligible for admission. Academic standards are high as well. All these factors combined make for a very low acceptance rate. US Military Academy (West Point) Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,491 Number of Applicants: 12,294 Acceptance Rate: 9.6% Average GPA: 3.73 Average SAT/ACT: 1300 / 25 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? West Point has such a low acceptance rate because it requires students to excel in other ways besides earning high test scores and grades. Like applicants to the US Naval Academy, students must complete a physical fitness assessment and apply for a nomination from a congressperson, a senator, or the vice president. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Undergraduate Enrollment: 867 Number of Applicants: 2,574 Acceptance Rate: 13.1% Average GPA: 3.50 Average SAT/ACT: 1393 / 31 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? At the all-honors college Cooper Union, every student not only gets a half-tuition scholarship but is also automatically considered for extra merit scholarships. In addition, the school is home to some highly specialized programs in architecture, fine arts, and engineering. Students applying to the Cooper Union must take "home tests" designed by the school as a way to determine students' individual skill levels. Admission is based significantly on creative abilities as well as academic achievement. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering Undergraduate Enrollment: 380 Number of Applicants: 878 Acceptance Rate: 13.4% Average GPA: 3.90 Average SAT/ACT: 1497 / 34 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? Olin is an extremely small engineering school that gives a half-tuition scholarship to every student. With Olin also pledging to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need, competition is fierce for the approximately 90 spots each year. Students must not only demonstrate overall academic achievement but also excel in fields such as calculus and physics. At Olin, students have the opportunity to take classes at neighboring schools such as Babson, Brandeis, and Wellesley. You get to wear a cool hat if you graduate from West Point. How to Get Into Colleges With Low Acceptance Rates If you’re hoping to attend one of these colleges, you’ll have to do quite a bit of legwork in high school. For the first group of selective schools, you'll be expected to maintain a very high GPA and earn elite standardized test scores to meet admissions standards. On top of that, you should think about what your true academic and extracurricular passions are and try to translate those into concrete accomplishments. To stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to show these schools that you’re capable of more than just high grades and test scores. Their goal is to admit students who will make a strong, positive impact on the world. We give you more tips in our expert guide on how to get into the most selective schools. For the colleges with low acceptance rates on the second list, the key to acceptance (for the most part) is effective planning and an understanding of exactly what it takes to get in. If you’re looking at a high-caliber music school, for example, you’ll need to be extremely dedicated to practicing music every day and preparing for your audition. For the military schools, you’ll need to apply for your nomination from a government official well before the application deadline. All these schools are challenging to get into, but not impossible if you plan ahead and play your cards right. Just remember that such lofty goals will require lots of dedication and effort! I'm sure you'll ace the college application process. If not, you can always become a professional poker player. From what I've seen, the qualifications are just owning a pair of sunglasses and being severely emotionally stunted. What's Next? If you're interested in schools with low acceptance rates, you'll almost certainly have to have a high GPA. Read this article on how to get good grades in high school for some tips and strategies! Are you a little intimidated by the college application process for competitive schools? Check out our complete guide on how to apply to college. Extracurricular activities can go a long way toward strengthening your application beyond grades and test scores. Learn more about your extracurricular options and why they matter. 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:

Titanic Film Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Titanic Film - Movie Review Example The paper tells that in the movie â€Å"Titanic† each scene, irrespective of the situation, you would be swept off your feet, seeing its beauty. A typical example of mere creation would be the scene which shows the ships logo. The movie opens with a sepia tone scene of the first voyage of the ship. Slowly as the camera covers the entire ship, it shows that Titanic is the most elegant, grandest and beautiful ship to be ever made on the face of the earth. It shows how majestically it floats in the mighty Atlantic Ocean, even the smoke churning out of the tall smoke towers on the top of the ship, and with the most soulful hymns, to add icing on the cake. She simply becomes the metaphor for Eden, sailing in the ocean of blue. Slowly we see the title, ‘TITANIC’, which appears over dark waters, which eventually speaks of her story, in the same way as Eden, as she will also fall into the darkness of the water. ‘I’m flying’. This happens to be the most beautiful and memorable scene in this movie. Who could ever forget the scene when Jack and Rose stand on the frontest tip of the mighty ship and opens their arms wide, and feel like they are flying. Everything was perfect in this scene, the sun setting, the beautiful hymns of ‘Every Night In My Dreams’, Rose’s clothes and hair symbolizing her freedom, which she is beginning to move into, and the words that she says, â€Å"I Trust You†, to Jack. These aspects make it one of the most beautiful romantic scenes in the history of Hollywood.