Thursday, October 24, 2019

Sexual identity and gender stereotyping

Culture is a body of common beliefs, traditions, values and principles which are shared by members of a particular group. A culture helps to determine the behaviors, attitudes and expectations of its people. Every society or community has some traditions, beliefs and customs regarding either gender. Most of this expectations are based on the sexual identity of one being either male or female which emanate from their different roles in human reproduction and variations in their physical characteristics. Cultural views on sexual identity comprises of beliefs, expectations and constraints of what men or women are supposed to do or not to do. Sexual identity refers to the level or degree to which we identify ourselves as male or female depending on various social, cultural and biological aspects . Our culture has various ways of distinguishing between the two major sexual identities. As a result, the expectations and constraints imposed on a woman are different from those imposed on the males. The fact that women give birth and lactate exposes them to certain constraints in their motherly roles in the society. For instance, our culture tends to view females as receptive and the males as intrusive in their respective sexual behaviors. Though such constraints are presumed to be less pervasive in the society today due to the fact that our culture is evolving into a modern social structure away from the hunter-gatherer kind of socio-economic life it used to be, the distinction between the two sexes still remains quite pervasive in terms of behavior, roles and interests . Many sociologists have traced the origin of such differences to the different cultural norms put forward by our culture to the society. Since birth, boys and girls become accustomed to different cultural standards either consciously or unconsciously which reflect their respective roles later in life. For instance, girls tend to take up the role of mothers and caretakers in the family while boys are taught to be the heads of the family as the bread-winners and protectors. The differentiation between male and female behaviors is a matter which is deeper than the concept of contextual relativism in the culture. Apart from behaviors, roles and expectations based on sexual identity, our culture has led to the evolution of some gender stereotypes which are associated with a particular sex whether male or female . The spread of such classical stereotypes in the media particularly dominates the society today. Both print and electronic media clearly indicate the different cultural standards of men and women in the society together with their varying capabilities based on their sexual identities. Until recently, the media has depicted the female gender as a weaker sex in terms of the roles, professions and the society expectations as compared to the male gender. However, the continued calls for gender equality has led to certain media portraits which show that women are as capable as their male counterparts thus removing the long held constraints and stereotypes imposed by our culture on women which tend to undermine their professional capabilities. Houston stresses on four major gender stereotypes. She puts them across as; men are afraid of commitments, men are bound to say or do anything in order to prevent their partners from discovering that they are cheating on them, women concentrate too much on what men say or do and finally, a woman can use any available strategy to keep a man. Such gender stereotypes she adds, are the source of certain phrases like ‘just like women', ‘men are dogs' and so forth which tend to associate men and women with certain behaviors and not others. As a young woman, all these cultural views have shaped my behavior and my self-understanding as such in various ways. For a young person to understand his or her sexual identity, it is vital to solve the tension caused by numerous cultural values between ‘who i am' and ‘what how the society views or expects of me'. As a woman, the culture expects me to be submissive and to behave as so especially when dealing with the male gender. Moreover, our culture expects women not to show their interest towards men as they are said to be the ‘hunters' and women the ‘hunted ‘. Such cultural values expect women to suppress their feelings and behave in a particular manner in matters concerning their sexual orientation and identity in the society. All these cultural views have shaped my personal behavior as a woman and my view on the whole concept of sexual identity. Due to the numerous gender stereotypes, behaviors, expectations and constraints imposed on the different sexes, there arises some tension between religious and societal values. Our culture which views women as second to men has consequently put some cultural restrictions which burr women from top positions in the religious matters and other societal issues. However, some cultural values tend to be in consistency with religious value in that in both cases, women especially those who are married are expected to act in a submissive way when dealing with their husbands. It can thus be said that, the environment and the cultural background in which one is brought up largely influences his or her future relationships with the opposite sex and other people in the society. Many gender stereotypes have adverse effects on future relationships especially for the young people who wish to establish stable and strong foundations for their future family lives. For instance, the stereotype that all men promoted by our culture are polygamous or unfaithful can have detrimental the women's ability to trust men hence the increased number of divorces in the modern society . From a theological point of view, marriage is seen as a vocation, covenant, sacrament, communion and a lasting partnership . However, this views are exposed to various interpretations especially in the cultural context of the modern society.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Kingshaw’s Misery in I’m the King of the Castle Essay

Throughout the novel I’m the King of the Castle by Susan Hill, we are constantly aware of the misery felt by twelve-year-old Charles Kingshaw. This, and the way it is shown, is very important in really understanding his character, and what eventually leads him to his own death. Charles Kingshaw has a series of irrational fears. Although this is normal for most children, his fears are so crippling that they go far beyond the typical childish nightmare. An example of one of these fears is swimming pools. Early on in the book, Kingshaw recalls being taken to an open-air swimming pool by his father as a much younger child. He remembers how he had feared the water, not only because he couldn’t swim, but also because of its â€Å"glassy, artificial blueness† and how â€Å"people’s limbs looked huge and pale and swollen underneath.† He also fears the â€Å"terrible† moths in the Red Room at Warings, and is afraid of touching their â€Å"furry bodies†. Another fear he has is of crows. Even before he is attacked by the crow in the cornfield outside Warings, Kingshaw notes that it has â€Å"ragged black wings† and â€Å"small, glinting eyes†. He has to tell himself that it is â€Å"stupid to be scared of a rotten bird†. Later on, when Hooper puts the stuffed crow on his bed, he is â€Å"faint with fear† and wishes for his own death – even though he knows immediately that it is not real. This is just one example of the way Hooper exploits Kingshaw’s fears during the novel. When he brings Kingshaw to the Red Room to show him the moths, it seems he just wants to show off. But he immediately recognises that Kingshaw is afraid when, upon seeing the moths, when he â€Å"sharply† draws his breath. Hooper mocks him and orders him to touch one, and Kingshaw’s instinct is to fight as hard as he can – anything to avoid having to feel them. Hooper watches him and sees this, and runs out of the room, locking the door behind him. Later on, Hooper locks Kingshaw in the dark shed, leaving him to fantasize about murderers lurking in the shadows. Kingshaw thinks of Hooper as â€Å"clever† and â€Å"cunning† and thinks he will never be able to escape his endless persecution. He is â€Å"unbalanced† by the open hostility Hooper treats him with, and doesn’t know how to beat him. However, it would be possible for Kingshaw to beat Hooper. Physically, he is taller and is strong enough to give Hooper a bruise when they have their only fistfight, on their very first meeting, and bites him hard enough to make him withdraw when Hooper tries to intimidate Kingshaw on the stairs. Kingshaw would also have the capacity to beat Hooper in his mind games, if he only knew it; Hooper finds Kingshaw â€Å"frustrating†, and is â€Å"at a loss† to get past his â€Å"dull, steady stare†. His insults are very childish (â€Å"stupid head†; â€Å"scaredy-baby†), and Kingshaw even recognises that Hooper is â€Å"not very used to being a bully†. Yet Kingshaw is too and fatalistic, to see his own potential. Kingshaw’s fatalism is important in understanding his misery. His description of himself is very telling of his outlook on life: â€Å"He had no good opinion of his own chances, against Hooper. Or against anyone. He was not cowardly. Just realistic, hopeless. He did not give into people, just went, from the beginning, with the assurance that he would be beaten. It meant that there was no surprise, and no disappointment, about anything†. At many points in the novel, Kingshaw has moments of genuine happiness, in which he feels untouchable and in control. This is reflected in the title of the book itself, and in a later chapter in the book in which he actually climbs to the top of an ancient ruin of a castle. However, this euphoria never lasts, and he falls from his â€Å"castle† every time- all because of his own refusal to fight against what he feels is inevitability; Hooper will always beat him, he will never win. We see these moments of happiness and his sudden snap back to reality multiple times: when he discovers his secret room in Warings and Hooper finds it, so he decided to just let him in; when he ventures on his own into the woods and Hooper follows him; when he climbs up onto the tractor in the cornfield, feeling on top of the world, and gets stuck when dismounting it so he fears it will roll back an crush him. In the chapter in which he fearlessly climbs the castle whilst Hooper begs for help on a wall below him, Kingshaw feels that surge of power again: â€Å"I am the King†¦I could kill him.† But Kingshaw knows that he will not, knowing that â€Å"any power he acquired would only be temporary†. So he tries to help Hooper, and we, as readers, feel frustrated with his helplessness. Kingshaw’s mother does nothing to save her son from Hooper, or from his own fear. In fact, she contributes to his misery by determinedly trying to satisfy her own needs for money and companionship, and ignoring Kingshaw’s declarations of his hate for Hooper along the way. She asks him to â€Å"tell Mummy† if he is upset about anything, but when he tells her how much he dislikes Hooper she tells him it is â€Å"wicked† to say such things. Kingshaw is deeply ashamed of his mother, of her airs and pretences and the fact that she behaves â€Å"altogether without pride†. He knows he â€Å"ought to care about†¦his mother† but doesn’t. This is quite disturbing for a child to say, but it is understandable, as â€Å"she had never known anything about him†. This is proved by her remark to Mr Hooper about how â€Å"Charles is settling down so happily† at Warings. Charles is disgusted but is in no way surprised at her complete l ack of understanding. Susan Hill is very particular in the way she uses language to show Charles Kingshaw’s misery. The book is in third person narrative, mostly told from Kingshaw’s point of view, and often uses slightly naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve, childish language: â€Å"He felt absolutely alone, there might be no other person in the whole world.† There is also some informal language which pulls the reader into this child’s world, and endears us to him. An example of this is his thought that, â€Å"It always took longer than you expected, walking.† This makes us feel Kingshaw’s misery more during his moments of extreme terror. During these times the sentences get longer, punctuated by a series of commas, indicating a panicked, frantic train of thought: â€Å"He sweated a little, twisting this way and that, and reaching his left arm round behind him, to try and unhitch the string.† This clearly shows us his raw, desperate fear. Rather than using lots of emotive, descriptive narration, which could detract focus from Kingshaw’s character, the writer has us experience I’m the King of the Castle through Charles Kingshaw’s feelings, experiences and memories. This is very effective as it lets us become more and more involved in Kingshaw’s character; our attachment to him builds up into a climax throughout the novel until he ultimately commits suicide. When this happens our hopes fall as Kingshaw did so many times before and does now, one final time.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Narodnaya Volya (The Peoples Will, Russia)

Narodnaya Volya (The People's Will, Russia) Narodnaya Volya or The Peoples Will was a radical organization that sought to overturn the autocratic regime of the Tsars in Russia. Founded in:  1878 Home Base:  St. Petersburg, Russia (formerly Leningrad) Historical Context Narodnaya Volyas roots can be found in the revolutionary impulse that swept Europe in the late 18th and 19th century. Some Russians were deeply impressed by the American and French  revolutions and began seeking ways to encourage  ideals  of the French Enlightenment in Russia as well. The ideals of political liberation were intermixed with socialism- the idea that there should be some equitable distribution of property among societys members. By the time that Narodnaya Volya was created, there had been revolutionary stirrings in Russia for nearly a century. These crystallized in the late 19th century into a plan of action among the Land and Liberty group, who began to take concrete steps toward encouraging a popular revolution. This was also the goal of Narodnaya Volya. At that time, Russia was a feudal society in which peasants called serfs worked the land of wealthy notables. Serfs were semi-slaves with no resources nor rights of their  own and were subject to the despotic rule of their rulers for their livelihood. Origins Narodnaya Volya grew out of an earlier organization called Zemlya Volya (Land and Liberty). Land and Liberty was a secret revolutionary group organized to encourage revolutionary impulses among Russian peasants. This position stood in contrast to the other view of the time, in Russia, that the urban working class would be the primary force behind a revolution. Land and Liberty also used terrorist tactics to achieve its goals, from time to time. Objectives They sought democratic and socialistic reforms of Russian political structure, including the creation of a constitution, the introduction of universal suffrage, freedom of expression and the transfer of land and factories to the peasants and laborers who worked in them. They saw terrorism as an important tactic in achieving their political  objectives and identified themselves as terrorists. Leadership and Organization The Peoples Will was run by a Central Committee that was tasked with planting revolutionary seeds among peasants, students, and workers through propaganda and to bring that revolution into effect through targeted violence against government family members. Notable Attacks 1881: Tsar Alexander II is assassinated by a Narodnaya Volya bomb in St. Petersburg, following several earlier attempts to kill him.1880: A bomb is set off below the dining room of the Tsars Winter Palace, in one of the efforts to kill Alexander. He was unharmed, reportedly because he was late for dinner, but nearly 70 others were injured.Other government officials in Russia, selected for their symbolic significance.

Monday, October 21, 2019

SAT Scores for Athletes

How Do Ivy League Schools Recruit ACT/SAT Scores for Athletes SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you a student-athlete hoping to play for an Ivy League school? Then you’re probably curious about the recruiting process. How do Ivy League schools recruit student-athletes? And how can you increase your odds of getting into an Ivy League school as a student-athlete? Read on to learn what the general college recruiting process looks like and how it differs from Ivy League recruiting. After, we'll go over the basic academic requisites you must have to get into the Ivy League, and show you what the typical Ivy League recruiting timeline looks like. Feature Image: Andrew Turner/Flickr How Does College Recruiting Work? First off, what exactly is college recruiting and how does it work?College recruiting refers to the recruiting of student-athletes. Basically, it’s the process of colleges reaching out to current high school athletes (mainly those who have a lot of potential to do well in college-level sports) with the hopes of getting them to apply to and attend their school. Many college sports teams are part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), a nonprofit organization that oversees more than 1,000 colleges and half a million student-athletes. Here’s how the NCAA describes its recruiting process: "Recruiting happens when a college employee or representative invites a high school student-athlete to play sports for their college. Recruiting can occur in many ways, such as face-to-face contact, phone calls or text messaging, through mailed or emailed material or through social media." While colleges that are members of the NCAA may reach out to student-athletes directly, you, too, may initiate contact with colleges and/or coaches you’re interested in playing for. You can read our other guide to learn more about how college athletics recruiting works, but for now, here’s a brief overview of the general recruiting process: Step 1: College coaches make contact with high school student-athletes (or vice versa) Step 2: Student-athletes visit college campuses to learn more about the schools' athletic programs Step 3: Coaches visit high schools to evaluate student-athletes’ performances in their sports Step 4: Colleges offer scholarships to the student-athletes they want to play for them Step 5: The student-athlete makes a (non-binding) verbal commitment to play sports for a certain school Step 6: The student signs a Letter of Intent,a document stating that the student plans to attend and play sports for a certain college in exchange for a one-year athletic scholarship Next up, we’ll look at how Ivy League schools specifically recruit high school students for their college sports teams. How Does Ivy League Recruiting Work? 4 Key Differences We’ve gone over the general college recruiting process, but what about the Ivy League? For the most part, the Ivy League recruiting process is very similar to the process described above. Like other schools,Ivy League schools take time to reach out to skilled high school athletes and evaluate their abilities in their respective sports.After, students offer a verbal commitment to attend the school before submitting their actual application for review. In spite of these similarities, there are four key ways in which Ivy League recruiting differs from general college athletics recruiting. We’ll go over these here. #1: Higher Academic and Athletic Expectations As you likely know, the Ivy League is famous for its academic achievements, low acceptance rates, and top rankings on college lists. On theUS News Best National Universities list, all Ivies are ranked among the top 15 colleges. In addition,acceptance rates for the Ivies range from just 15% (for Cornell) to as low as 6% (for Harvard).These high stakes are evidently part of the reason that academic expectations are so high for prospective student-athletes. While you might assume that strong athletic skills are all you need to play for an Ivy League school, in reality you’ll need to also have top SAT/ACT scores, evidence of a challenging course load, strong transcripts, and an all-around impressive college application. (We’ll go into more detail later about what you need to have in order to get accepted to the Ivies as a student-athlete.) But it’s vital not to forget the importance of athletics in the Ivy League, too. After all, the Ivy League was originally founded as a group of higher institutions that stressed both academics and athletics. Here’s how the official Ivy League website describes the significance of athletics and student-athletes (all bold emphasis mine): "Ivy League schools share a tradition of academic excellence and broad-based, successful NCAA Division I athletics. The Ivy League annually finishes among the top Division I athletics conferences in national competitive rankings, and Ivy League student-athletes earn the country’s best records in the NCAA Academic Performance Ratings, operating under the Ivy League model of athletics as a significant educational component of the student's undergraduate experience." As this quotation emphasizes, the Ivy League isn’t just known for its academia but also for its NCAA Division I sports teams. (There are three divisions in the NCAA- Division I is the highest.) Therefore, what’s ultimately at stake for Ivy League schools when recruiting student-athletes are both their academic and athletic reputations. Women's basketball, Yale vs Columbia (kkimphotography/Flickr) #2: No Athletic Scholarships- Only Need-Based Unlike other NCAA colleges, the Ivy League schools do not give out any athletic scholarships to prospective student-athletes. Rather, they offer only need-based financial aid, and this goes for all applicants- not just student-athletes. Here’s what the Ivy League itself says about this policy: "Ivy League schools provide financial aid to students, including athletes, only on the basis of financial need as determined by each institution’s Financial Aid Office. There are no academic or athletic scholarships in the Ivy League. A coach may assist a prospective student-athlete to obtain an estimated financial aid award, however only the Financial Aid Office has the authority to determine financial aid awards and to notify students officially of their actual or estimated awards." Ivy League schools often give estimates for need-based aid to prospective students and student-athletes.You may compare these offers with any other offers you receive from different schools (including other Ivies). #3: The Academic Index (AI) In order to determine which student-athletes are strong contenders for Ivy sports and academics, the Ivy League established a system called theAcademic Index (AI). This point-based system is used to rank prospective student-athletes on the basis of academic factors, namely GPA and standardized test scores (SAT/ACT and SAT Subject Tests).(It used to include class rank as well, but since fewer high schools calculate this, it’s no longer part of the AI.) According to an article in TheNew York Times, the Ivies created this system in the 1980s as a way to ensure that "no vastly underqualified recruit has been admitted at a rival institution [another Ivy]." While many are aware of the AI, how this number is ultimately calculated is largely a secret. It’s typically said to have a score range of 170 to 240, though other sources claim it usessmaller scales of 1-9 or 1-6, on which either the lowest or highest number is considered best.Due to the confidential nature of the AI, it can be difficult to determine whether you’re likely to qualify for admission as a student-athlete to an Ivy League school. The New York Times article mentioned above states that student-athletes typically need at least a 3.0 GPA and an 1140 on the SAT (this is for the very old SAT from before 2004, however, so its relevance is debatable). Additionally, the minimum AI required for Ivy League schools can vary widely depending on the institution.In other words, the AI needed for admission to Princeton is likely higher than the AI needed for admission to Penn, as Princeton is a higher-ranked Ivy with a lower acceptance rate. You can look for Academic Index calculators online, but know that most are pretty inaccurate and won’t really help you figure out whether you’re on track to getting into the Ivy League as a student-athlete or not. #4: The Likely Letter The final big difference between the Ivy League recruiting process and the general college athletic recruiting process is what’s called the likely letter. This letter is sometimes issued before an official admission decision is given out and basically just says that a student is very likely to be admitted,provided there are no sudden issues with the student’s college application, academic performance, etc. Here’s what the Ivy League website states about likely letters: "This letter means that as long as the applicant sustains the academic and personal record reflected in the completed application, the institution will send a formal admission offer on the appropriate notification date. Only the Admissions Office can issue a likely letter, and only after receiving a completed application and all required materials. Likely letters may not be issued prior to October 1 of the prospect’s senior year in high school." Likely letters are often issued by Ivy League schools in place of Letters of Intent. Since Ivies don't offer any athletics-based financial aid, they cannot offer Letters of Intent(which specifically agree to give student-athletes admission and a year of athletics-based funding). That said, note that likely letters are not always issued to prospective Ivy League student-athletes, and not getting one doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be admitted. In addition to Ivy League schools, other tier-one colleges in the NCAA might offer likely letters to student-athletes they want to attend their schools. However, the majority of schools follow the general recruiting process and use Letters of Intent. Women's swimming, Dartmouth (D Allen/Flickr) What Do Recruits Need to Get Accepted to the Ivy League? Just being a great athlete doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get accepted to an Ivy League school; you also need to have a strong academic record, complete with a good GPA and high SAT/ACT scores (including SAT Subject Test scores, if required). And you don’t want to flub your application by submitting a subpar college essay or lukewarm letters of recommendation. Below, we explain exactly what you should have to increase your chances of getting accepted to an Ivy League school as a student-athlete: #1: A Rigorous Course Load All applicants to the Ivies, whether you’re a student-athlete or not, should definitely havea record of succeeding in challenging courses.Here’s what the Ivy League states on its website in regard to admissions criteria for student recruits: "Ivy League schools base admissions decisions on each candidate’s academic achievements as well as personal strengths and accomplishments, such as athletic achievement, other extracurricular activities and community service. Remember: To best prepare for admission to an Ivy League school, and as a strong basis for a rigorous college education, you should take the most challenging high school classes available to you throughout secondary school. The following courses are recommended: four years of English; four years of a single foreign language; three years of history/social science; four years of mathematics; four years of science; frequent practice in writing expository prose. Consult the website of each institution for more specific recommendations" These are the general recommended courses for prospective student-athletes to the Ivy League.As noted, be sure to consult individual schools directly for more information on what specific classes you should take to further increase your odds of getting accepted. #2: A High GPA Besides a rigorous class schedule, you’ll have a stronger chance of getting into the Ivy League if you have a high overall GPA. Ideally, you’ll have at least a 3.0 GPA, or B-average. This is a minimum recommendation, though, so know that it's probably better to aim for something closer to a 3.5 (or even higher).Check out our guidefor tips on how to raise your GPA. #3: Strong Standardized Test Scores Part of your Academic Index number will be based on your SAT/ACT scoresand SAT Subject Test scores(if you took any Subject Tests- most Ivy League schools require or recommend them). But what scores specifically should you aim for? Unfortunately, we can’t give you an exact answer as to what good ACT or SAT scores for Ivy League athletes are. What we can do, though, is show you what kinds of SAT/ACT scores admitted applicants to the Ivy League typically get.The following chart giveseach Ivy League school’s 25th and 75th SAT/ACT percentiles: School 25th %ile SAT 75th %ile SAT 25th %ile ACT 75th %ile ACT Brown 1440 1580 31 34 Columbia 1470 1590 32 35 Cornell 1410 1570 30 34 Dartmouth 1410 1580 30 34 Harvard 1470 1600 32 35 Princeton 1470 1590 32 35 Penn 1450 1570 31 34 Yale 1490 1600 31 35 As a student-athlete, you shouldn’t need to aim as high as the 75th percentile, which, at all Ivies, is extremely close to (if not) a perfect score (though there’s of course nothing wrong with aiming this high!). Rather, it’ll be more helpful to use the 25th percentile score for the Ivies you’re applying to as a general benchmark for what you should aim for. And if you can score higher than that, even better! But what about SAT Subject Test scores? Again, it’s impossible for us to give you exact scores to aim for. Generally speaking, though,most admitted applicants to the Ivy League (including non-athletes) score in at least the 700s (out of 800) on their Subject Tests. While you likely don’t need to aim this high on your SAT Subject Tests, definitely shoot for a score that’s above average- if possible, in at least the 75th percentile. Men's rowing, Princeton (Princeton University Rowing/Flickr) #4: An Overall Impressive Application Finally, you’ll need to make sure that your overall application is impressive. This means you should have the following: A cogent and well-written personal statement/essay A strong extracurricular background (Pro Tip: Don’t worry if most of your extracurriculars are sports-related- in fact, this "spike" is exactly what Ivies are looking for in applicants!) Effective letters of recommendation A good interview (if required) Just like any other Ivy League applicant, you must take care to craft a compelling application that will make the school want to admit you.Don’t just assume that your athletic prowess will automatically get you accepted. Even the most skilled student-athletes can get rejected for things such as sloppy essays or poor interviews! Ivy League Recruiting Timeline Overview Now that we’ve gone over what you need to raise your chances of getting into the Ivy League as a student-athlete, you're probably wondering what the Ivy League recruiting timeline looks like. The exact timeline will likely vary depending on the Ivy League school(s) you’re applying to and on what sport you play. For example, look at the differences between the NCAA’s 2017-18 calendars for Division I Football and Division I Men’s Basketball. For the most part, though, the biggest and most important aspects of recruiting will happen during your junior year of high school. There will also be lots of different periods of recruiting, which are defined as follows: Dead Period: Coaches may not have any face-to-face contact with prospective student-athletes but may communicate by email, mail, and/or phone. Quiet Period: Coaches may only meet in-person with student-athletes on-campus and may not visit students’ high schools. They may communicate by email, mail, and/or phone. Contact Period: Coaches may come to students’ high schools to watch them play and may have in-person contact with them, either on- or off-campus. They may also contact student-athletes by email, mail, and/or phone. Evaluation Period: Coaches may come to students’ high schools to evaluate their athletic performances and skills but may not meet with them in-person off-campus. However, they may continue to reach out to student-athletes by email, mail, and/or phone. Here is a very general overview of what you can expect in the Ivy League recruiting process at each grade level in high school: 10th Grade and/or Earlier Prospective student-athletes can make contact with Ivy League schools and Ivy League coachesto express their interest in applying as a student-athlete. (You may begin this part of the process even earlier, in 9th grade.) Students take unofficial campus visits to Ivy League schools they're considering playing for. Wrestling, Cornell (Jenn Vargas/Flickr) 11th Grade September to November: This is generally a quiet period for college recruiting. This means that while Ivy League coaches may not come to your high school to watch you play, you may visit the campuses directly to speak with coaches and may contact coaches via email, phone, and/or mail. Considertaking your first SAT/ACT at this time. December to February: This is typically a contact period, meaning coaches from Ivy League schools may come and watch you play and may meet with you in-person. Spring: Around this time, student-athletes are typically offered at least one official campus visit.This is also usually an evaluation period during which Ivy League coaches may come to high schools to evaluate prospective student-athletes' skills. There will typically be some dead periods thrown in, too, making this is an ideal time toretake the SAT/ACT. 12th Grade July 1 (before applicant’s senior year of high school): This is when Ivy League coaches may give prospective student-athletes' information, such as their transcripts and test scores, to Ivy League admissions committees for a preliminary evaluation. Fall: Students begin officially applying to colleges/Ivy League schools. Read our guide to learn when the most common college application deadlines are. Consider taking the SAT/ACT one last time before your applications are due. Winter/Spring: If you get a likely letter, you'll get it after October 1 but before the school’s official admission decision (which is usually around March or April). Remember that not all Ivies give out likely letters, so not getting one doesn't necessarily mean you've been rejected. Recap: How Do Ivy League Schools Recruit? The Ivy League has some of the most prestigious colleges and also many successful sports teams. As a result, Ivy League schools often look for applicants who are gifted in both athletics and academics. If you're a student-athlete considering applying to the Ivy League, you’ll need to have a strong GPA, evidence of a rigorous course load, and high scores on the SAT/ACT and SAT Subject Tests. Here are the biggest differences between Ivy League recruiting and general college recruiting: The Ivy League has much higher expectations in terms of academics and test scores The Ivy League offers only need-based scholarships- no athletic scholarships The Ivy League uses something called an Academic Index (AI), a point-based system to rank student-athletes based on their GPAs and test scores The Ivy League (and other NCAA Division I schools) often offer likely letters to prospective student-athletes who are likely to be admitted As for the Ivy League recruiting timeline, expect to have the most important events happen during your junior year of high school. This is when Ivy League coaches may begin contacting student-athletes and visiting high schools to evaluate their skills. What’s Next? Got more questions about the college recruiting process? Take a look at our in-depth guide to college athletic recruiting to learn even more about what the process entails. Curious about the NCAA?Read about the differences between the different NCAA divisions, and get the full lists of NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III schools. Interested in sports but not sure which ones to pursue? Our guide offers tons of helpful tips to help you pick the best high school sport for you. 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:

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Using the Spanish Word Fin

Using the Spanish Word Fin As a cousin of English words such as final and finish, the Spanish fin (pronounced approximately like feen would be), the masculine noun fin is usually used to refer to the end or completion of something. It is also used in some common phrases. Some examples of fin with its usual meaning: Muchos creen que el fin del mundo ser el aà ±o 2019. Many think the year 2019 will be the end of the world. Dice que Twitter es el comienzo del fin de la interaccià ³n humana. He says Twitter is the beginning of the end for human interaction. El fenà ³meno La Nià ±a llega a su fin, segà ºn expertos meteorolà ³gicos. The La Nià ±a phenomenon is coming to an end, according to weather experts. Todo tiene su fin. Everything comes to an end. (Literally, everything has its end.) La agencia estatal de inversiones deberà ­a abrir nuevamente a fines de julio. The state investment agency should reopen at the end of July. Salieron y caminaron hasta el fin de la calle. They left and walked toward the end of the street. La presidenta puso fin al suspenso. The president put an end to the suspense. A buen fin no hay mal principio es una comedia de William Shakespeare. Alls Well That Ends Well is a William Shakespeare comedy. (The Spanish title could be translated literally as There is no bad beginning to a good end.) Es el fin del sueà ±o americano. Its the end of the American dream. El fin can also refer to the purpose or goal of something (as does end in some contexts): El fin de la educacià ³n es la virtud moral. The goal of education is moral virtue. Los fines no justifican los medios. The ends dont justify the means. Phrases Using Fin One of the most common phrases using fin is fin de semana, a calque of the English weekend: Quiero que los fines de semana sean ms largos. I wish weekends were longer. Here are some other phrases using fin; translations other than those given may be possible: a fin de que (so that, in order that): Quiero abrir una escuela a fin de que todos participen. I want to open a school so that all can participate. (Note that the verb following this phrase is in the subjunctive mood. al fin y al cabo (when all is said and done, at the end of the day): Al fin y al cabo, somos arquitectos de nuestro propio destino. When all is said and done, we are the architects of our own destiny. en fin (phrase with a nebulous meaning used to refer to and sometimes downplay what has been expressed earlier): En fin, vamos a ver como realmente funciona. Anyway, lets see if it really works. fin de fiesta (grand finale): Ésta es la cancià ³n perfecta para un fin de fiesta. This is the perfect song for a grand finale. por fin, al fin (finally, at last): El iPhone 4 blanco por fin (al fin) ha llegado y es una belleza. The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived, and its a beauty. Sources: As is the case with most lessons on this site, sample sentences frequently are adapted from online sources written by native speakers. Sources consulted for this lesson include: Legox, blog de Gadhafy, EWTN, Menà ©ame, Clarà ­n, BNAmà ©ricas, MuyInteresante.es, La Coctelera, Cibercorresponsales, Javier Fernndez.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Summary of the Key Points in Buddhism and Christiniaty Assignment

Summary of the Key Points in Buddhism and Christiniaty - Assignment Example On the other hand, Christianity better understands the ‘Sunyata’, a Buddhism principle. The point of clarity achieved is crucial in resisting Nihilism and scientism forms of religion2. Abe arrives at a point of clarity where the core of religion does not fall in doctrine but in contact with reality. The writer demystifies emptiness and nothingness as understood in traditional Christianity and western culture. According to Abe, Suchness becomes possible only in the realm of emptiness. Nothingness becomes a thing by itself3. Marjorie continues to expound the relationship between Buddhism and Christianity in the fourth chapter of the book. In his understanding, Marjorie expounds Abe’s view of God as everlasting self-emptying phenomena4. Just like Heinrich, in the third chapter, Marjorie demystifies the western approach that takes God as an ultimate self and thus contradicting Sunyata principle. To get our own profound understanding, the writer also emphasizes that th ere is a great need to study other religions5. The writer comes to a point of agreement with Abe on the principle of otherness. The writer affirms Abe’s work on Trinity and Sunyata. Sunyata can only achieve its emptying by embracing true otherness. Marjorie closes his argument by citing that dialogue should not aim at converting. It creates room for enrichment and a fuller understanding of the others, and consequently us. ... This corresponds to Abe's Sunyata of God emptying himself, an expression of divine love. Hans hopes that the discussion between Buddhism and Christianity converges at a point where people of both opinions exercise self-denial and self-surrender for the sake of those who stumble along the way7. The writer feels dissatisfied with Abe's exposition of Sunyata and Kenosis. He feels some questions do not have satisfactory answers and refers to Nishitani. According to Hans, Nishitani's view conflicts the Kenosis by upholding the essence of personal and impersonal. Nishitani brings to life the high esteem held by western thinkers about persona. Kenosis, to Nishitani, is a matter of behavior and attitudes in contrast to conceptualization. Abe's concept of love is vague according to Hans's comparison with Nishitani's work. Nishitani clearly emphasizes on non-differentiating love as being the true nature of God rather than the process of self-emptying advocated by Abe's Kenosis. Hans also revis its the work of Karl Rahner who advocates the issue of God experience. Several conclusions suffice; Rahner's experiential basis of theology is the datum, basic existence of human life has two tensions. One tension relates to experience and communication while the other relates to theory and action. Human beings end up talking about things that can never form an object of knowledge. The attempt to harmonize beliefs of people from different backgrounds calls for mutual understanding, which calls for the sacrificing of single identity8. Christopher Ives explores Sunyata and the Realm of Ethics in the sixth chapter of the book. He affirms that Abes exposition on the forces challenging current day religion to be both insightful and valuable in redeeming the threatened Christian

Proposal argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Proposal argument - Essay Example The benefits of this proposal include maximum and efficient use of available parking space. The university, therefore, need not spend huge amounts constructing new parking spaces but maximize the current parking space. Allocation of parking spaces will be equitable thus promoting fairness and equity in the university. Researches in parking systems reveal that this proposal is feasible and workable. This parking space policy has been a success in other cities, in the world therefore; it is a practical approach to solving parking in this university. It is my sincere wish that this proposal will be worthy of implementation in the university. The parking space available at the University of Arizona is inadequate. The high number of student enrollment in the university has worsened the situation. Parking in the university has become a great challenge. There are different permits currently available in the University for parking. The parking spaces have signs that show the permit required to park there. The permit will also indicate the number of hours valid for the permit (UOA, 2011). However, despite these efforts many still miss a slot to park their vehicles. Parking space privileges are also common in University setting. People who occupy senior positions in the University have their parking spaces reserved. The reserved parking slots are oft the best parking spaces available in the institution. Since parking permits pricing systems lack the basis of demand and supply, shortages of spaces result. Worse still, possession of a permit does not guarantee one that he/she will find a parking space. Failure to secure a parkin g Lot often causes frustrations, which is detrimental to the university credibility. Use of Economics in setting prices of parking permits will eliminate parking shortages that result from unmatched demand and supply. This research proposal will establish an efficient parking system that will minimize parking