Sleep Deprivation And Business :: essays research papers

In this period of expanded innovation and globalization gigantic pressure is being put upon the business explorer. So as to remain serious, business administrators must focus on severe timetables and successive voyages. Progressively, business explorers are depending upon air travel as their essential type of transportation. This steady development through various time regions is depleting and can prompt stream slack. 'In fact called circadian dysrythmia, fly slack is an interruption of the body's multifaceted organic inward rest cycle brought about by intersection various time regions rapidly.'; The psychological and physical consequences of stream slack can be negative and conceivably hazardous to the person's wellbeing. As indicated by the National Transportation Safety Board, 'Weakness is the No.1 factor that adversely impacts the capacity of pilots.'; Footy ' According to a PBS TV narrative 'Rest Alert,'; a Boeing 747 commander noted:'; It isn't surprising for me to nod off in t he cockpit, get up twenty minutes after the fact and locate the other two team individuals absolutely asleep.';footy In another report, 'A Boeing 757 skipper told how his temple hit the control section on his way to deal with New York's Kennedy Airport as the requirement for rest became overwhelming.';footy obviously, the results of lack of sleep much of the time won't be as extreme as the in past models, yet it outlines the significance rest plays in work execution. The housing office of the explorer is in the best situation to decrease and mitigate the negative effects of fly slack. So as to offer the most ideal support to the visitor, inns will be compelled to perceive this issue and make answers for it. As it stands at the present time, the best answer for this issue is instruction. Perceiving the side effects of stream slack is the initial phase in the instruction procedure. In his book, Power Sleep, Dr. James Maas of Cornell University depicts the side effects of fly slack as follows. Daytime Sleepiness. 90% of voyagers report encountering daytime weariness and lethargy. On the off chance that you yield to the inclination to rest during the day at your goal, you may not be worn out enough to rest at sleep time. Sleep deprivation. The following most normal side effect of stream slack is sleep deprivation. You experience trouble nodding off around evening time. When you do get the opportunity to rest you'll have less profound rest and less REM rest. The evenings rest is regularly divided by visit enlightenments. Poor Concentration. Multiple thirds of air explorers report having poor fixation, or in extreme instances of stream slack, brief amnesia.

Philosophy of Filmanalysis of filmTouch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958) Movie Review

Theory of Filmanalysis of filmTouch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958) - Movie Review Example For instance, there are clear film noir attributes, most remarkably in the representation of shots. Long shadows, calculated lighting on characters, grimy settings, the proposals of mystery through mise-en-scene all vouch for the film noir soul. Also, the significant plot component of a homicide (through bomb explosion) is reliable with the class. While the cinematography is novel in this style, the center subjects of the story are old and widespread. A few pundits have even recognized Shakespearean topics in the film. â€Å"European cinephiles, who rushed to revere Welles in a pantheon of auteurs, effortlessly fused the Shakespeare films into the Wellesian film, perceiving in them subjects and sensational accentuations present too the damaging outcome of intensity, in any event, when utilized in a worthy motivation; the certainty of selling out; the loss of paradiseâ€all of these movies are, in their own specific manner, Shakespearean writings, if in no other sense than in the manner in which they force a huge, lovely power on inquiries of family and home life and therefore marry the social with the personal.† (Anderegg, 1999, p. 70) According to Shakespearean writings, one can see shades of Othello and Hamlet in the personages of Quinlan and Vargas. While envy was the fixing of Othello, lost pride and selfishness were the base of Quinlan’s languishing. It's anything but a misrepresentation to guarantee that the primary focal point of the film is close to home anguish, which, obviously, is represented through the system of a wrongdoing spine chiller. In spite of the overwhelming drinking and smoking, a cloudy past and question marks over expert respectability, Captain Quinlan can in any case be deciphered as a legend, for he definitely got the offenders sentenced. His techniques and methods for accomplishing them are questionable, however the outcomes were reasonable and simply, even by his own assessment. The well known ‘intuitions’ of Quinlan may not emerge from deliberate or logical investigation, however they about consistently happen to be correct. Indeed, even the surrounding of Sanchez

Abridged Literature Review

Numerous foundations look for bona fide and moral administration characters, as an extending collection of writing tends to the styles of authority and their apparent result in institutional execution. Worker administration, authored by Robert Greenleaf (1970), has traversed a generous measure of strict intrigue (SanFacon and Spears, 2010) however there needs enough exact proof in regards to the real exhibition and usage of hireling initiative in foundations (Crippen, 2005).Worth noticing is that rehearses in a large portion of the present associations today are outfitted towards singular interests, and imbedding these benefit objectives with hireling authority appears to be legendary. Different administration models are applied in training and business foundations. These incorporate worker administration, transformational initiative and business authority models (Hawkins, 2009). Worker administration is the most wanted model for instructive initiative since training bestows the live s of individuals in all perspectives in both individual and cultural life (Crippen, 2005; Normore, 2010).While crusading for board participation at schools, most hopeful pioneers guarantee to offer back to the general public, a splendid nature of a hireling head. Be that as it may, as Cassel and Holt (2008) set up, hireling authority exists just from a strict perspective in schools, and there is still a great deal to be done most definitely. As of now, schools are out to look for methods of improving the nature of training and much confidence depends on hireling authority for this goal (Crippen, 2005b; Silva, 2010).Proprietorship in advanced education is in presence today, bargaining the nature of administration, yet exemplified genuine circumstances of worker initiative can be shown through instructive initiative of exceptional, profoundly respected pioneers like Dr. Jim Otten. Ideas of administration are instructed and simultaneously rehearsed in training, and consequently it is e ssential to dissect how worker authority explains with initiative in the instruction segment. The hireling initiative characteristics authored by Spears (Crippen, 2005a.) incorporate; tuning in, compassion, recuperating, mindfulness, influence, conceptualization, foreknowledge, stewardship, responsibility to the development of others and building network, and have been distinguished in different writings. Cassel and Holt (2008) amusingly call attention to that being an unpaid individual from the educational committee doesn't promise one to be a worker head, just like the circumstance in schools, yet the capacity to practice the ten inborn characteristics of authority. These characteristics have been characterized by Crippen (2005b. ) through joining the depiction of other a few authors.Listening includes paying an elevated level of mindfulness and duty in tuning in. Boyum (2008) and Crippen (2005) draws the portrayal of worker initiative from the chronicled and philosophical works o f Greenleaf whereby a hireling chief is depicted as one who has the inborn worth and want to serve others. This shows a worker head would organize the requirements of others before the individual self, with the craving to see the adherents exceed expectations in body, psyche and soul, because of their leadership.The hireling pioneer in this way has one of the characteristics portrayed by Spear (1998) and that is promise to the development of others. Moreover, Boyum (2008) features two distinctive highlights of successful initiative, as being based on social and relational points of view. Serving others imply that one needs to relate with the supporters at individual level, distinguish and address their issues through the initiative procedure. Transformational, value-based and worker initiative all meet the parts of relational and interrelation administration (Boyum, 2008).However, while transformational and value-based authority energize interrelationships for accomplishing the obje ctives of the pioneer, hireling authority centers around the objectives of the adherents (Buyom, 2008; Hawkins, 2009; Whale, 2004). How at that point can the model of worker administration be appropriate in instructive organizations thinking about that the control-sort of customary initiative technique is established in our frameworks, and that benefit making has gotten the primary focal point of center in the foundations? As indicated by Crippen (2005b.) the appropriate response lies in Greenleaf’s reasoning where instructors are refered to have adequate scope to support the model in youngsters. Advanced education organizations have been confronted with administration emergencies regarding the years. As indicated by Normore (2010), ecological weight changes realized by globalization, rivalry and innovation among different angles warrants the adjustment in initiative strategies at the advanced education organizations. Nonetheless, advanced education organizations have been at the front line in instructing and suggesting administration rehearses, yet hesitant in grasping ideal initiative models for their own practice.Normore (2010) surveys crafted by Michael Fullan and Geoff Scott (2009) who declare that social change in the establishments and limit of authority must mirror one another. It is just through proactive initiative that the advanced education organizations can successfully deal with the developing difficulties confronting the foundations. A proactive pioneer is one who participates in the initiative procedure through subjectivity in the exercises of the supporters. Then again, value-based sort of authority includes control and makes a sharp qualification between the pioneers and the subordinates.Transactional initiative in this manner, doesn't include being proactive on the grounds that all the pioneer needs to do is order or provide requests of which the subordinates must follow without addressing or uncertainty, notwithstanding whether the r esult is gainful or grievous. This sort of pioneer as refered to by Normore (2010) through crafted by Fullan and Scott isn't prepared to deal with the present difficulties confronting the advanced education learning establishments. Dissimilar to the conventional control sort of authority that gets supporters to work through dread and acquiescence, hireling administration accomplishes a similar result through trust and respect.The leader’s capacity to relate with devotees and understand their circumstance empowers an obligation of trust to shape between the two gatherings. Individuals who trust their pioneers can share transparently on data and thoughts that will empower advancement of the general public (Shugart, 1999). Strikingly, transformational initiative likewise makes an obligation of trust where the pioneers can appoint obligations to the workers while they investigate different open doors for progress (Hawkins, 2009). The representatives take a shot at the premise of trust and dedication independent of the gain.Trust as refered to by Cassel and Holt (2008) can be accomplished where the pioneers keep away from smaller scale dealing with all angles in the associations and let the adherents create through decentralization of authority. Thomas and Wohlstetter (2010) think about the improvement progress of different locale schools corresponding to the network, and their discoveries uncover that initiative decided the achievement of the ventures a great deal. Achievement was seen where the pioneers took part on a hands-on premise as opposed to control and micromanaging.The society needs individuals who are engaged to engage in fruitful endeavors and is just through being driven by a hireling chief. The instructive foundations need pioneers who can tune in, lead and connection (Normore 2010). This is likewise in understanding to the initiative attribute plot by Spear (1998). Tuning in to subordinates requires a pioneer with lowliness, and the attribute of modesty is related with hirelings, not at all like in the much maintained value-based initiative where ordering authority is wanted to humbleness.Shugart (1999) features the grievous circumstance where value-based administration has borne egocentric pioneers who lead, not on a visionary premise however by their capacity to compel their own contemplations on adherents; a fascism sort of rule. Basing in this century where move of information and development are the request for the day, it will be hard for an amazing definitive pioneer to empower the followers’ thinking into generosity, and this implies other than the hypothetical viewpoint, the understudies in colleges are not furnished with self-creative abilities where worker initiative is lacking.Leading involves that the pioneer is a steward. A steward, as indicated by Shugart (1999) is one who drives the school keenly through testing times, with the future in center. A steward guarantees that the vision of the school w akes up and is felt at both institutional and cultural level. So also to Normore (2010), Shugart (1999) concurs that change and congruity ought to be in conjunction. A steward subsequently is mindful in connecting the college to the bigger society through cognizance as far as correspondence, discretion, influence and pubic support (p. 1).According Boyum (2008), values are joined in stewardship. A worker head is grounded in values, oversees by values and has vision or premonition similarly as involved in Spear’s characteristics of hireling administration. The issue of qualities is huge with regards to instructive authority. Naturally, there have been worries about acts of transforming foundations into undertakings. Winning from a speculation can't be viewed as malicious all things considered, yet it is the practices behind the endeavor that causes a commotion; and this involves wandering in both moral and non moral practices as long as cash is forthcoming.This is one issue tha t calls for quality administration of instructive organizations, and it is time that scholarly establishments face a turnaround in initiative. Normore (2010) features that advanced education foundations hold more prominent effects on the lives of understudies later on, comparable to the college institute and the general public on the loose. Subsequently, initiative practices viewed as moral and of worth ought to be educated and executed at this s

Eurognosi in European Crisis Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Eurognosi in European Crisis - Literature survey Example From the report it is clear thatâ education is a sort of realizing where the aptitudes, propensities, and information on individuals or a general public are moved to prompt age through research, preparing, and instructing. Experts ordinarily lead instruction. Most countries partitioned their instruction into preschool, grade school, auxiliary school, and University, apprenticeship, or school. Preschools offer instruction to kids matured between three to seven years. Preschool instruction is basic to a kid as it gives him/her a serious age in training atmosphere and the world. Kids who didn't experience a preschool are for the most part behind when contrasted with who went through the system.According to the paper discoveries essential or basic instruction takes around six to eight years of organized and formal training. Most kids start the essential instruction while matured 5 or 6 years. In any case, contrasts exist between nations. Most nations have conceded to accomplish general enlistment in rudimentary instruction, by 2015 because of the Education for All Program supported by UNESCO. The division of rudimentary and auxiliary instruction generally occurs at around 11 or 12 years of age. Higher training otherwise called the third stage, post-optional training or tertiary, is a non-necessary training stage, which follows the fruition of an auxiliary school. Tertiary instruction incorporates undergrad, postgraduate, and professional and preparing training. Colleges and universities offer tertiary training.

Short Story

Short Story The Amazing, Impressive Drag Show Essay â€Å"Cancel your Sunday night plans since I am not taking no as an answer, my unpalatable Aunt said as she indicated my mother and I a colorful banner of six charming drag diva sovereigns in lavish, hot and shameful dresses. â€Å"Expect shimmer, plumes, unfathomable ensembles, satire, pantomimes, attractive reinforcement artists and lashes for a considerable length of time, she said with energy. This fascinated me. I simply needed to go to this vivacious occasion; and the name â€Å"Lipstick and Lashes† was sufficient to astonish me for quite a long time! It was a moderate Sunday night and I was readied and psyched for an animating presentation. I anticipated that the occasion should happen at a vast joint, with a powerful stage and a satisfying vaporous setting with dissipated round tables. In any case, incredibly, the Velvet Lounge in Santa Ana was only meager. The shocking climate occupied the Smokey tight room as I strolled into the Lounge. The main thing that was going on in obscurity mauve room was the bustling bar, which was excessively compacted from the parched alcoholic shoppers. We will compose a custom paper on Short Story The Amazing, Impressive Drag Show explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now As my family, companions and I stood by calmly for some help; an amicable server invited us to the â€Å"spectacular† occasion with his high pitch ladylike tone and drove us to the following room behind a red window ornament. The room itself was little particularly for the measure of individuals who went to the occasion that night. Despite the fact that the room had a small stage and was loaded up with jumbled tables that made it hard for the individuals, not to mention servers, to cruise by, the laborers made a staggering showing on making the entire room look alive from the red dividers, brilliant lighting, and the perky music that was blast out from the DJ who was nearby from the stage. The server sat us at a square table that was secured by a delicate dark fabric that you regularly would see all things considered eateries with a stunning focal point of a dark model of a weak tree with jewels and phony red blooming blossoms on it. When we plunked down in our seats, we were promptly welcomed by one of the purported â€Å"sexy† drag sovereigns. He was about 5’8 with his brilliant yellow 5-inch heels on, and appeared as though he could be more than 200 pounds. His extra close, splendid and sparkly orange dress and headband on his huge however short yellow-light hair wig helped me to remember John Travolta in the film, Hairspray. Indeed, even with his massive figure, striking feeling of style and strolling unbendingly from his stifling dress, he was as yet ready to work the glance through his zapping and happiness character. â€Å"How are ya’ll cutie patooties doing this fab night?! Are ya’ll prepared for an attractive execution from the stunning, including myself, drag diva sovereigns?! † he asked the group energetically with his Texas complement. The group lush back in excitement, including the older 75-year-old couple sitting close to my table, and I could feel the adrenaline level in the room boosting not yet decided. 7:30pm struck, bright lights gradually turned diminished, and the peppy music changed to an emotional moderate melody. The banner I saw only a couple of days preceding this occasion was going to wake up. I can feel the surge of energy in the energetic room as the provocative host, Shannel, gradually and enticingly strolled onto the open stage. Shannel went ahead stage abusing his hot self-wearing an exceptionally close dark Onesie with a precious stone chain around his hips and neck under his toughness. On that was a dark cardigan with gold plans at the edge of the sweater and sleeve. As though that was insufficient, he wore a dark plume cap on his short red hair wig and walked in front of an audience with a dark stick. He completed an exceptionally strong and hot gothic look. When the music halted, he glance all around the stay with his substantial bruised eye cosmetics and shouted as loud as possible â€Å"How would you say you are mothere**ers doing this evening?! .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 , .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 .postImageUrl , .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 .focused content region { min-stature: 80px; position: relative; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 , .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776:hover , .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776:visited , .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776:active { border:0!important; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 .clearfix:after { content: ; show: table; clear: both; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 { show: square; progress: foundation shading 250ms; webkit-change: foundation shading 250ms; width: 100%; haziness: 1; progress: obscurity 250ms; webkit-change: murkiness 250ms; foundation shading: #95A5A6; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776:active , .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776:hover { mistiness: 1; progress: darkness 250ms; webkit-progress: obscurity 250ms; foundation shading: #2C3E50; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 .focused content region { width: 100%; position: relat ive; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 .ctaText { outskirt base: 0 strong #fff; shading: #2980B9; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: striking; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; content embellishment: underline; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 .postTitle { shading: #FFFFFF; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: 600; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; width: 100%; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 .ctaButton { foundation shading: #7F8C8D!important; shading: #2980B9; fringe: none; fringe sweep: 3px; box-shadow: none; text dimension: 14px; text style weight: intense; line-tallness: 26px; moz-outskirt range: 3px; content adjust: focus; content improvement: none; content shadow: none; width: 80px; min-tallness: 80px; foundation: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/modules/intelly-related-posts/resources/pictures/basic arrow.png)no-rehash; position: outright; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776:hover .ctaButton { foundation shading: #34495E!important; } .u9a3fc8 9b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776 .focused content { show: table; tallness: 80px; cushioning left: 18px; top: 0; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776-content { show: table-cell; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; cushioning right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-adjust: center; width: 100%; } .u9a3fc89b73096d8e6c4dd3e609aec776:after { content: ; show: square; clear: both; } READ: Feature 1 (Not distributed) EssayNow in the event that you need to have a ton of fun night, all of you better beverage up. Drink as much as you can† really awful I am just 18. I would already be able to tell by his enthusiastic and up beating character that it would have been an interesting night. In the wake of presenting himself, Shannel circumvented the room and welcomed everybody table to table with his snarky disposition. At the point when he got around to our table, he went to the group and tongue in cheek presented us as the vacationers from Vietnam. On the off chance that anybody needs to complete their nai ls, which I have to coincidentally, go along thusly and they will do it for you. Cautious however, they may scam you. Theyre generally excellent at that. There was not one thing he said that made everybody cry from chuckling from his lithe and wry comments. The initial demonstration was actually what I anticipated that it should be. Prior to the individual singing pantomimes, three out of the six charming drag sovereigns including the not all that striking back up artists played out an enticing exhibition to Don’t Ya by the Pussycat Dolls. The setting included a little stage and platform upon where the captivating artists lip sync and spun their caring hips, which enchant the crowd to their feet to cheer, stepped, and charmed all through the entire execution. The energized room was brimming with vitality and it possibly increment when the crowd tossed wads of bills towards the stage, attempting to focus on certain wrong body parts. Every entertainer wore lovely outfits and I am as yet dumbfounded by the manner in which the drag sovereigns strolled in their 5 to 6 inches impact points as though they were strolling barefooted. Between exhibitions, the silver tongue and clever Shannel would by and large host and connect with the group, present other spellbinding entertainers, and make jokes about other drag sovereigns and the crowd. The exhibition was stunning toward the beginning of the show, however as the show went on, the presentation turned out to be dreary. Despite the fact that the drag sovereigns did an exceed expectations occupation of their exhibition thinking about the conditions, the group became less energetic and was not as energized as they were first and foremost. It was additionally difficult for the group to remain jolted in light of the fact that we were all anticipating something very similar; we expected the drag sovereign divas to have an attractive and tone figure, not a thick and stout body. As the pantomimes got somewhat more exhausting after the other, Channel had the option to wake the crowd up with her edify disposition and truly adjusted the entire show. In any case, through everything, it was without a doubt worth heading to Santa Ana to see the extravagant show that the drag sovereigns put on. A night brimming with beguilement recollections I will always be unable to overlook.

U.S. News Rankings Everything You Ever Wanted to Know

document.createElement('audio'); https://media.blubrry.com/admissions_straight_talk/p/www.accepted.com/hubfs/Podcast_audio_files/Podcast/Linda_interview_with_usnews_2018.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download | EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | Spotify U.S. News Answers All Your Rankings Questions [Summary] Normally, when U.S.-based applicants talk about â€Å"the top programs,† especially when they refer to the top X, as in the top 10 or the top 20, they are referring to U.S. News Rankings, the granddaddy of educational rankings. Today we’ll hear from U.S. News Executive Editor, Anne McGrath, and Chief Data Strategist, Robert Morse. Interview with Anne McGrath and Bob Morse of U.S. News World Report [Transcript] *Transcript is not literal and includes paraphrasing. Linda: I’m so pleased to have on the show Anne McGrath, Executive Editor of U.S. News World Report, and Robert AKA Bob Morse, Chief Data Strategist at U.S. News World Report. Anne has been with U.S. News since 1985 and Bob has been with U.S. News since 1976. Both are pioneers in the realm of rankings. Now for all the questions I’ve ever had about rankings but was afraid to ask, and hopefully these are some of yours. I can actually get answers. Anne and Bob, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. Anne: Thank you, good to be here. Bob: Thank you. We’re looking forward to doing our best effort to answer all your ranking questions. Here’s your chance to get U.S. News to answer them. Linda:  I was just thinking that this is very unusual. Usually representatives of U.S. News are asking the questions, not answering them! And I’m usually the one reading about it. It’s a pleasure to have you here. I’m really looking forward to this and I appreciate your taking the time to join me. You’ve both been at U.S. News since the beginning of the college rankings, I think it was the 1980s, right? Around 1987 – correct me if I’m wrong. Bob: Yes. It actually started in ’83 and ’85. They were very short versions in the weekly magazine. 1987 was the first guide book. That’s when we started doing them annually. Linda: Can you give a little of the backstory – how did this get started? What criteria were there and how did you choose the criteria that you focused on? Has there been an evolution of the criteria over this period in the rankings? Bob: There has definitely been an evolution of the criteria. At first the rankings were based on reputation alone. College presidents picked their top 10 schools, and the schools that had the most mentions were the ones that were rated. ’87 was the last reputation-only ranking. Then we realized that for the rankings to become relatively more acceptable in higher education, we needed to bring in statistical data. We met with a lot of higher educators and came up with criteria to measure academic quality which is the basis for the rankings today. We knew that there was a big gap in needing consumer information on how to compare schools to each other, and we thought we could fill this gap by bringing in statistical and reputational data. And we have evolved the methodology over time from at the beginning we had put more emphasis on inputs and recently we’ve been evolving towards putting more emphasis on outputs, graduation and retention and predicted graduation rate, what’s now account for thirty percent of the methodology and we’ve deemphasized – to at least to some degree – inputs. Linda: Like test scores, grades, etc? Bob: Well we never had grades – Linda: Right. Bob: Like at one point we had yield, and we dropped yield. And we have reduced the weight of high school class standing because it’s become less prevalent at least on the east and west coast on high school transcripts I’m sure you’re aware of that. And we made other– we added the predicted graduation rate. That was something that wasn’t part of the initial methodology. So those are some of the changes that we made. Linda: Is that specifically for the college rankings or are you also talking here about the grad rankings? What are some of the differences between the two? Bob: The grad and college rankings are different for 2 reasons: The college rankings are at the institutional level only, meaning that we’re focusing on data that’s at the undergrad level. The graduate rankings are at the program level – the MBA degree, the medical school, etc. Each one has its own methodology that picks up characteristics of the program. Some of them are reputation only. For the college rankings, there are approximately 1400 schools using basically the same methodology, ranking factors, which are compared to schools that have similar characteristics. Anne: The undergraduate best colleges ranking isn’t just one ranking. It’s really 10 different rankings. National universities are ranked against themselves, national liberal arts colleges are ranked against themselves, etc. It gives people more options to compare schools to their own peer group, in a way you often can’t do just by doing your own research. Linda: It also gives people ideas as to what are peer schools. If school A appeals to you, but is too expensive or too far, you can find other similar schools that are less expensive or closer. Anne: One of the real values to readers is that you can see schools that you might never have known about and might be of interest. Bob: That was actually one of the bigger successes of the rankings. It has made people more aware of the variety of U.S. higher education. There’s still a lot of focus on top schools, but we made people more aware of the diversity of U.S. higher education because of using the categories. Anne: One of my favorite rankings is the A+ Schools for B students that correlates quality and academic excellence with the scores and grades in such a way that you can see what schools you can get into if you don’t apply with a GPA of over 4.0. Linda: That sounds very valuable. Is that available only online, or online and offline versions? Anne: Both places. Bob: Everything that’s in print is online, but the online version has far more data. The paid version has the fullest rankings and data. Linda: Just to clarify for myself, as well as for listeners. Bob, it seems to me that you’re the statistical guru behind the rankings. You make sure that everything is correct and meaningful and provides something of value. Anne, will you go a little bit into what your role is? Anne: Sure. I’m the editor overseeing the publication of our print guidebooks. An advantage of seeing the rankings in print is that you can scan a lot of information on one page, without a lot of scrolling and clicking. It’s a much more compact visual version of what’s available online. Linda: What is the purpose or primary benefits of the rankings material offered by U.S. News through the rankings? Anne: It’s a great tool for families at the undergraduate level, or for potential grad students to be able to have a place to start with a lot of information. We never say it should be the basis for a decision. Bob: It’s an incorrect use of the ranking to make it the sole determination in a decision. Anne: The type of data that you see allows you to get and idea and sense of where you might be a real good fit and begin to narrow your choices. Also, to make schools visible to you that you may never have considered before. Linda: Bob, do you have anything to add to that? Bob: People are using the website more broadly than just focusing on the top schools. Ninety percent of the people who are visiting USNews.com are looking at schools outside of the top 10. There’s also a growing need gap to inform people of the difference between different schools, so they can make comparative choices. That’s the core reason that we’re still doing the rankings – the consumer purpose. Linda: I’m going to be very frank about it. What I frequently tell people is that the U.S. News rankings are a treasure-trove of data. The rankings themselves, the fact that a school is ranked 1, or 3, or 5, or 15, with a comparison between 6, 7, and 8 or 16, 17, and 18 is less valuable than the actual data that the rankings contain. To me, just this rich collection of data is the biggest benefit of the U.S. News rankings. So, in my work, I frequently suggest to applicants to use the data in the rankings to do research. I frequently say it’s a great place to start your research, it’s a terrible place to end it. Bob: We would agree. There’s not a meaningful difference in the ranking range you cited, but there is one between the 10th ranked school and the 80th. Anne: What you said about the data is so key. With college costs so high, people make the decision of where to go without considering things like how long it will take to graduate and freshman retention. Bob: We definitely agree with you that students and their parents should visit a school, consider the environment, what it costs, what the activities are, what kind of majors are offered, etc. These are all things that are vitally important to consider, and you have to go way beyond the ranking. Linda: I told my staff that I was going to be talking to you folks, and someone asked why some programs are included in the rankings and some of them aren’t. For example, Tufts’ PA program isn’t in the rankings of Physician Assistant programs. Bob: For the graduate rankings, you have to have an accredited program at the time we create the ranking universe. Linda: So for graduate schools it’s a matter of accreditation, and there’s a minimum size of the class, isn’t there? The survey responses have to have a minimum size? Bob: To be included in the full-time MBA rankings you have to have a minimum number of graduates, and a percentage of graduates that are job-seeking. So there’s a minimum size for the graduating class. For the other grad rankings there isn’t an enrollment threshold to be included in the rankings. It’s whether you meet the accreditation standard. For some others it’s whether you offer a PhD. Linda: It varies on what’s actually being ranked. That frankly makes a lot of sense. Do you ever audit the information from the schools, or are you concerned about the veracity of the information you’re using, given that admissions directors can lose their jobs if they fall in the rankings and this kind of thing? There’s tremendous incentive to falsify the information you’re basing the rankings on. Bob: There may have been some cases where schools have misreported, and we’ve taken them out of the rankings. We believe that, since we’ve written about it, there have been rare cases of this happening. We don’t audit the data but do cross-check it with public sources as a way of verifying the data. Linda: I mentioned that I do use that data that you provide, but I also use AMCAS’s MSAR for medical schools, and sometimes I see differences in the data. So for example, U.S. News shows that a total of 8068 applicants applied to Mayo Clinic, 606 were interviewed, 168 were accepted, and 97 enrolled. MSAR showed 4991 verified applications, 437 as opposed to 606 interviewed and 52 matriculated. Those are fairly significant differences. And the funny thing is that the school supplied the data to both MSAR and to U.S. News. Do you have any idea what’s causing the difference? Bob: I’m not sure the school actually supplied the data to MSAR. Doesn’t the medical school have an application system? They may be tallying the data themselves. [NOTE: Subsequent correspondence confirmed that the discrepancy has nothing to do with unverified applications, which are not counted, and has everything to do with MSAR not including the Arizona apps. That correspondence also confirmed that MSAR and U.S. News take data integrity seriously.] Linda: One possible thought that I had, since you showed 8068, that your number may be the total number of applicants who actually clicked the box, I want to apply to Mayo Clinic in this case. The MSAR number may be the actual number who submitted secondary applications. There would be a certain weeding-out there. That’s one possibility that I thought of. If you know, you do, and if not, that’s fine. One of the things that you alluded to Bob and Anne, is the increasing importance of test scores for admissions. Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not? Anne: It’s probably true that the rankings make test scores visible, and schools may be trying to raise their test scores. They may just be trying to improve the quality of students that they’re bringing in. At the same time, a growing number of schools are going â€Å"test-optional,† and making tests not a necessary part of the admission process any more. Bob: There are many trends with test scores. Of the 1400 schools that we rank, nearly 30% of them are now test-optional. At least among that 30%, they’re less important than when they were required for all students. Among schools where testing is still required by all, their test scores are still emphasized and important for those schools. Anne: Although there are many factors that are looked at when considering admitting a student, academics are still foundational. The test scores are one measure that help them compare students across the very diverse school systems they’re accepting students from. AP classes are also important because that shows a certain ability to handle the rigors of college courses. Admissions departments are very concerned that they bring in students that are going to succeed. Bob: Test scores count 8.125% in our ranking. They’re not the most important factor but are considered. Linda: I don’t have any problem whatsoever in including the test score in the rankings. I’ve seen articles over the last 20 years where deans were very, very critical of U.S. News in particular for including test scores in the ranking. It seems to me, especially on the graduate school level, that if I look at business school, or to a lesser extent, medical school, and at law school prior to 2008, test score numbers were going up. I don’t know that people are really getting smarter or that they’re that much more prepared, but I think the way they are prepared is obviously that more and more are taking test prep. Test prep is getting better and better. The other factor, I think, that has very much unintended consequences, and has heightened competition enormously at the elite undergraduate universities is the common app. The fact that it’s very easy to send off multiple applications to many top universities has caused people to do so. In terms of the time, it’s lowered the cost of doing so. And I think that has contributed to a certain frenzy to undergraduate higher-ranked school admissions market. In the graduate market, what I’ve seen is an unending rise in average GMAT scores. So if you look at a U.S. News’ top 10 business schools, I think the average GMAT score is 724, and only one with an average score of under 720. When I first started doing this work, a score of 700 was considered excellent. So are schools looking more at the GMAT score? Is test prep improving? I think those are all legitimate questions. I also think the average GMAT score and the ranking is being used to impress alumni, potential donors, and potential students. In that sense, it may be used in ways that you folks never intended, and the test-makers never intended. Bob: Generally speaking, the GMAT or GRE is required at the full-time MBA level. There are some part-time MBA programs where they’re not required. There are several theories: there is a bigger applicant pool, there are more international students, there’s test prep so the students are getting higher scores. Anne: At the elite level, at least at the undergraduate level, full classes of qualified students are being turned away. At that level, they have many more people with perfect SAT scores than they can take. This is probably true at the most elite graduate programs too. Linda: You don’t get the perfect scores as much as in the undergraduate level, but you do get very high scores, and these scores are going up. Like I said, if I take the average GMAT scores for the top 10 business schools, they’re going up. AMCAS came out with a new scoring system for the MCAT, which we’re actually going to talk about in a second, and they hope that the average score will be right around 500, and schools would focus less on the highest MCAT scores and look at other things. The MCAT has been going up ever since they came out with the new scoring system for matriculating medical students in the U.S. So I wouldn’t agree with blaming U.S. News for this. I can remember being with a law school dean years ago that got up and was blasting people who focused solely on GPA and LSAT scores as criteria for admissions to law schools. It’s a holistic approach, it’s much more diverse than that. He got off the stage and there was a panel discussion of law school admission people, and all they talked about was GPA and LSAT – that was it. Now obviously some schools are taking the GRE too. I’m not sure it’s fair or right to blame or credit U.S. News for this focus. Bob: In the graduate programs you’re citing, MCAT is required, GMAT is generally required, the LSAT is required by the programs. U.S. News isn’t setting the standard – we’re reflecting the standard set by the accrediting body, or the schools themselves. The highly ranked schools have better scores – it takes higher scores to get into the better schools. Applicants can assess their competitiveness and see whether it makes sense for them to invest the time and money in applying. Linda: Can you give us an overview of how you put together the rankings? What’s the process? Bob, why don’t you start in terms of the actual rankings, and then Anne, you can describe the additional content and production process. Bob: I also have an answer for your Tufts question. We actually ranked the PA program the last time. The rankings were published in 2015. We did the surveys in 2014. Tufts first class started in January, 2013. So at the time we did it, they had provisional accreditation. At the time we did the current PA ranking, you had to be fully accredited to be included in the ranking. In terms of how we put together the ranking: We conduct our own surveys. We collect all of the statistical and reputational data in-house. The surveys are updated and launched to the schools several months before the results are released. The data is collected and QA-ed over the course of a couple of months. The results are published on the website a few months after the process stared. Anne: While he’s doing that, my staff and I are figuring out what are the most compelling trends and what schools do we want to take readers inside. The rankings are the centerpiece of the guidebooks, but there is a lot of other information for potential students. This is published both in the guidebooks and online. Chapters include visits to 12 schools, how a high school student should view their high school career to put themselves in the best light when applying to college, and financial information. The process takes about five months. Linda:  Why did U.S. News develop â€Å"The Best B-Schools† ranking – the paper version, as opposed to the old grad schools ranking – and can you tell us a little about what it is? Anne: We’re still doing the graduate school project and ranking and online content. We realized that we weren’t able to offer depth in all of the different types of programs in one place. Business is one of the most popular undergraduate and graduate programs, and we felt it would benefit the most people to have an in-depth look at business schools. We have best MBA programs, part-time MBA programs, online MBA programs, and executive MBA programs. We also include the best undergraduate business programs. The majority of the book focuses on an overview of what the trends are in business education. MBAs are much more specialized now. One of the most exciting trends is U.S. business schools partnering with international business schools, allowing students to study in the U.S. and abroad, and finishing with more than one degree and/or certificate. Linda:  What are your plans for the rankings and guides in the future? Anne: For the next year, we’re sticking with what we’ve got. If the business schools ranking proves popular, we may expand that into a series. Bob: We’re exploring other ways of doing other rankings. Linda: In terms of how I look at the rankings, one thing I find particularly useful is the more specific you are, the more valuable it is. Bob: One of the things most valuable is undergraduate majors. We’re looking at doing things with more discreet majors. Related Links: †¢ U.S. News Grad Rankings †¢ U.S. News College Rankings †¢ U.S. News Guides on Amazon †¢ Medical School Selectivity Index [Can I Get Into My Dream School?] †¢ Business School Selectivity Index [Can I Get Into My Dream School?] †¢ Fitting In and Stand Out: the Paradox at the Heart of Admissions Related Shows: †¢ Optimize Your Graduate School Application: Grades, Scores, Essays, Resume, Activity History, and More †¢ UVA MS in Global Commerce: 3 Continents, 2 Masters, 1 Amazing Year †¢ Interview with John Byrne †¢ LSAT, Debt, and Bar Passage with Law School Transparency Subscribe: Podcast Feed

Tips For Choosing Your College Essay Topic

Where to start with those college essays—that is the question. If you’re stuck on what exactly to write about, this is the post for you! Your college essay — probably the most daunting, dreaded and time-consuming part of the college application process. You might find yourself asking: What am I supposed to write about? How do I know if the admissions office will like it? These are just a few of the many questions you’re likely asking yourself and could be the reason why you might be procrastinating writing your essay. Unfortunately, your application isn’t complete until the essay is done, and it might be the one thing that sets you apart from every other applicant and gets you into your dream school. Choosing the essay topic is the hardest part, but once you start, it’ll be done before you know it! Here are my five tips for coming up with topics for your college essay. 1. Show them who you are Your college essay is a time to show the admissions counselors who you are. If you have a unique interest or hobby that stands out and that most other applicants won’t have, talk about it. It shows the kind of person you are and tell the admissions office that you’ll add character and diversity to their school. 2. Think about a life-changing event You might still be young, but that doesn’t mean you haven’t learned a valuable lesson in your life. If you’ve had an experience that changed your life or taught you a valuable lesson, explain what that event was and why it made an impact on your character. 3. Discuss future career goals If you already know the career goal you have and it’s something you’ve known for a long time, you’ve got a topic! It shows the college why you’re choosing them and that you’re a driven person with goals you’re trying to achieve. 4. Address a gap in your rà ©sumà © So maybe your activity resumà © is a little on the bare side — that’s okay, but talk about why that is. If you were really dedicated to something outside of school or had a personal issue that held you back from being involved, this is your time to tell them. Colleges want students who are well-rounded and involved, if your activity resumà © doesn’t show that, you want to tell them why. 5. Use humor This one isn’t a topic or situation, but is something you can incorporate in your essay. If you are creative and have a great sense of humor, let it show. If you can make someone laugh in your essay, it’s a way they will remember you when it comes time to send out those acceptance letters. Author bio: Written by Annalise Cosco — a writer for NextStepU.com. Cosco attended St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y. She has a love and passion for writing and is a complete â€Å"news junkie.† She’s the kind of girl who loves shopping, chick flicks and pumpkin flavored everything, but is also a complete sports fanatic! For more college planning advice, visit NextStepU.com!