Book Review – Servant Leader

As I began perusing this book I couldn’t help however feel a feeling of history repeating itself. For what reason were the musings and thoughts being shared so natural? At that point I understood something, much like the author’s memory of what his grandma said. A significant number of these thoughts were things that I had gotten notification from my folks when I was growing up. I can't tally the occasions my dad has urged me to act naturally and consistent with myself and follow the correct way paying little mind to the misfortunes that may come my way.Or the occasions my mom has requested that I consider others to be I would need them to recognize the truth about me and acknowledge others. After all there is a motivation behind why everybody isn’t the same, it would be genuine exhausting if you somehow managed to pivot and all you’d see were impressions of yourself. For what reason is it then that I (we) required a book to remind me (us) of things that c ould be simply essential regular sense?Unfortunately a long time of school and school caught up with long stretches of working in a no nonsense condition has molded to not consider these fundamental things. We are prepared to run as quick as possible for in the event that we hinder another person may have our spot, we focus such a great amount on running that we neglect to stop and delayed down sometimes to see the significant things. This book serves to help us to remember the nuts and bolts, to show that it isn't generally about win-lose, it encourages us take what is sound judgment and causes us make it basic practice.There were numerous things I gained from this book, yet there are a couple of ideas that stick out. I quote the creator â€Å"Leadership starts within with mindfulness and confidence and the procedure of initiative includes customary and extreme reflection and introspection†. The request for duty regarding a hireling chief ought to be; 1. the representative i n question, 2. the influenced representatives lastly 3. the association. I accept the â€Å"regenerative hover of prosperity† is an incredible thought.This is the place the client, the business partner, the merchants/providers and the investors are all in a circle and commonly associated. The client gets a quality item at a decent value, the business partner has the individual and monetary profits of making a deal, the merchants get a decent cost for these provisions from the organization and the investors get great returns. The profits can be reinvested to investigate better items for the clients and the circle continues.Finally the idea of reliability is additionally taken care of and rewarded very well in the book. The author’s understanding of the word that bodes well in today’s condition. I quote the creator once more; â€Å"Loyalty, for a worker is essentially carrying out the responsibility that is settled upon and doing it to the best of one’s ca pacity with genuinely and honesty. It is being touchy to, and acting in, the wellbeing of the association, partners and peers†. I will convey the bits of knowledge from this book all through my profession.

Birth Rate Control Proposal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Birth Rate Control Proposal - Research Paper Example Uncontrolled heading of kids has various implications to the general public with the administration bearing the heaviest weight. For example, however the administration has burned through billions of dollars in neediness height and decrease programs, destitution is to be sure compounding as opposed to diminishing (Roy, 2013). The Welfare program that the legislature has been utilizing in supporting poor people and the less blessed in the general public has been mishandled in that a few people have been depending on the program to raise their families. For example, in 1992 Clinton’s crusade depended on annulling government assistance in the US government and in making the program a subsequent choice and not a lifestyle for some (Roy, 2013). This was trailed by the marking of the Welfare Reform bill of 1996 that required those in government assistance program to look for positions or lose their advantages (Roy, 2013). From that point forward, government assistance has expanded h ugely in the nation with the 2013 investigation uncovering that government assistance dispatched more than $10 every hour in 33 states, while in different states, government assistance transmitted under $8 every hour. Truth be told, today, government assistance pays obviously superior to the lowest pay permitted by law in excess of 35 states, in America. This proposes a few people qualified for government assistance benefits have a superior life than those working in the field. Another disservice of government assistance is that the advantages are tax exempt not at all like pay rates that are burdened. Consequently, government assistance is an immense weight to the citizen in the US. On a similar note, taking into account that destitution is on the expansion as opposed to on the lessening; this recommends even needy individuals relying upon government assistance are bearing more youngsters to be upheld by the administration, a circumstance that should be controlled. Teenagers are ad ditionally bearing kids because of companion weight and inspiration from the media. For example, research has uncovered that the program Teen Mum broadcast on MTN has contributed in numerous adolescents bearing kids with the quantity of birth rates among teenagers in US being the most elevated among created countries, and double the birth pace of youngsters in Canada (Chang and Hopper, 2011 and Karen et al (316). There is a need to demulsify the legends held by adolescents and which are adding to the high birth rate in  discouraging teenagers from having kids at an early age, and before they have balanced out monetarily. Another factor that prompts social issues is direction of youngsters among individuals who are not intellectually fit to shoulder and raise kids; kids from such moms need legitimate consideration as they grow up (Kauffman, 315). Then again, embracing kids in the US is a very dull and costly procedure that disheartens numerous imminent guardians from receiving youn gsters (Gilman and Fleivalds, standard 5). The outcome is that there are numerous kids who are enduring mentally because of absence of aâ decent family, a circumstance that must be settled by controlling birth rates. This will help inâ ensuringâ fewer kids are conceived in families with the correct ability to care for them with the correct consideration and concern. This proposition targets suggesting a program that may confine birth rates in the general public

The Bataan Death March Essays - World War II, Philippines, Military

The Bataan Death March The Bataan Death March, which was begun on December 7, 1941, happened soon after the besieging of Pearl Habor. The Bataan Death March was critical from various perspectives. The Bataan Death March began when almost 70,000 Americans and Filipinos were caught and made POW's (Prisoners Of War) by the Japanese. The detainees had to walk 55 miles, in transit there they were beaten with sticks, kicked, and seriously manhandled. Each time somebody would tumble down, he would be shot. Just 54,000 made it to camp. On December 7, 1941, Japan assaulted Pearl Habor. The Amereican Pacific Navel Fleet endured overwhelming misfortunes in lives and ships. On December 8, 1941, Japan propelled an airborne assault on the Philippines. Inexperianced troops neglected to stop the Japanese at Northern Luzon and Southern Mindanao Islands (the Japanese arrival focuses). The Filipino-American powers strategic to set out a hit. They were to slow down the Japanese progression by compelling them to utilize their soldiers and assets in the catching of the Philippines, for whatever length of time that conceivable. This would purchase the required opportunity to revamp the American Pacific Fleet. The Filipino-American Defense of Bataan was dirupted by numerous elements, for example, a lack of food, ammo, medication, and specialist materials. The vast majority of the ammo as old and eroded. Tanks, trucks, and different vehicles were in short suply, alongside fuel expected to control them. Infection, hunger, exhaustion , and absence of essential supplies caused significant damage. On March 11, 1942 General MacArthur was requested to Australia, General Wainwright had his spot in Corregidor, as authority of Philippine powers. General King assumed Wainwrights position as leader of Filipino-American powers in Bataan. Later in March, General King and his staff decided the Filipino-American powers in Bataan could just battle 30 percent of their proficiency because of ailing health, ailment, absence of ammo and fundamental supplies, and weakness. On April 9, 1942, General King gave up his powers on Bataan, after the Japanese got through the last primary line of opposition. The Filipino-American troopers were gathered in different parts in Bataan by the Japanese, however for the most part collected in Mariveles, the southern most tip of the Peninsula. American trucks were accessible to move the detainees however the Japanese chose to walk the Defenders of Bataan to their goals. This walk was to be known as the Death March. The Death March was really a progression of walks, which had kept going five to nine days. The separation a hostage needed to walk was controlled by where on the path the hostage had started the walk. The essential path of the Demise March a 55-mile walk from Mariveles, Bataan, to San Fernando, Pangpanga. At San Fernando, the detainees were set into train-vehicles, made for payload, and railed to Capas, Tarlac, a separation of around 24 miles. Handfuls passed on standing up in the railroad vehicles, as the vehicles were confined to such an extent that there was no space for the dead to fall. They were, at that point, walked another si x miles to their last goal, Camp O'Donnell. A few thousand men kicked the bucket on the Passing March. Numerous passed on, in light of the fact that they were in no state of being to attempt such a walk. Once on the walk, they were not given any food or water. Japanese warriors murdered a large number of them through different methods. Likewise, POWs were over and again beaten and rewarded uncaringly, as they walked. Roughly, 1,600 Americans kicked the bucket in the initial forty days in Camp O'Donnell. Very nearly 20,000 Filipinos kicked the bucket in their initial four months of bondage in a similar camp. The more beneficial detainees alternated covering their confidants into mass graves, where soon enough, they would be covered, days or weeks after the fact. Camp O'Donnell didn't have the sanitation sub-structure or water gracefully important to hold such a lot of men. Numerous passed on from ailments they had since Bataan. Many came down with new sicknesses while at the Camp. Th ere was little medication accessible to the detainees. Their lacking weight control plans likewise added to the high demise rate. Ailments, for example, loose bowels, from an absence of safe drinking water, and Beri-Beri, from lack of healthy sustenance were regular to the POWs. The Japanese officers kept on killing and miss-treat their hostages. Because of the high passing rate in Camp O'Donnell,

Different Types of Documents Produced in a Business Environment free essay sample

The various configurations where content might be introduced are textual style typefaces, headings, text dimension, impacts (strong, italics, underlined), hues and content boxes. We can organize message in sections, tables and segments. We can include visual cues, headers and footers. We can likewise include tables, charts, outlines and flowcharts as an unmistakable method to speak to information and procedures. 1. 3 Explain the reason and advantages of delivering high caliber and appealing records The archives you produce for your association are a picture of portrayal of your association. So it makes an impact on the peruser about the guidelines of the association. A decent quality record that looks great to the crowd can acquire clients and increment the company’s notoriety. The nature of your records is a reflection on you. 2. 3 Describe various sorts of innovation accessible for contributing, arranging, and altering content and their principle includes A console and mouse would be the primary innovation to embed content into a PC. When utilizing a console you press the particular key for each character that necessities contributing, and this is moved on to the PC screen, in a word preparing program. A mouse encourages you explore on the PC screen to choose the projects to choose the projects to open and view and type the content. Another type of contributing could be reordering data from the web or another report. You could even utilize a scanner to include content and move reports into the PC. Inside the Microsoft Word bundle, you have the accompanying instruments to arrange the content to make it look high caliber: - WordArt: this incorporates impacts, for example, shadows, plots, hues, angles, and 3D impacts that can be added to a word or expression. WordArt can likewise twist, stretch, pivot, or adjust the state of the content. - Page design: the game plan of content, pictures and different items on a page. - Columns: this is a vertical division of content on a page, normally found in the format of booklets, papers, magazines and pamphlets. - Paragraphs: generally an unmistakable, short segment on a record/bit of composing, normally with a solitary subject. - Headers and footers: A header or footer is content or illustrations that is normally printed at the top or base of each page in an archive. A header is imprinted in the top edge; a footer is imprinted in the base edge. The kinds of innovation that are accessible to alter content are: - Spell check: a PC program that recognizes potential incorrect spellings in a square of content by contrasting the content and a database of the right spellings. - Grammar check: this is an apparatus on Microsoft programs that gives you accommodating insights to improve your sentence structure. - Find and supplant: this is a capacity that permits you to look for a specific word in a record and supplant it in the event that you have to rename more than single word. 3. Clarify the advantages of concurring the reason, substance, style and cutoff times for delivering records. The crowd of a report is the gathering of individuals for what it's identity is composed for. Along these lines, reports ought to be intended to address the issues of the normal crowd. You have to know the motivation behind the archive so you comprehend what and how to create it, for instance, on the off chance that it is publicizing for youngsters you would need it to be attractive and in a style that will speak to them. It is essential to concur the substance so you can get the data, design and sort out the format. Cutoff times are significant so you can design other work around it and complete the report on schedule. 3. 2 Outline various methods of arranging content for archives. To compose the substance you require for a report, you first need to discover how the record is to be introduced and the data that will be incorporated. Be that as it may, ways you could sort out substance could be: - Bullet focuses - Alphabetical requesting - Chronological request - Headings - Text - Graphs - Text boxes You should then store all the data required securely and with clear document names. 3. Blueprint methods of coordinating and spreading out content and non-content. Content and non content can be incorporated effectively with Microsoft Word or Publisher. There are numerous methods of spreading out a record, utilizing sections, illustrations, and squares of content, headings, foundation hues, pictures and void area and fold message over; which causes you to work around with its various highlights to get a reliable arrangement. Additionally there are other office applications that help with incorporating and spreading out content and non-content, for instance, Excel and PowerPoint, help with coordinating content and non-message in spread sheets and slides. Numerous associations utilize a logo on all their written words and their archives frequently have a quite certain style. This will be accomplished by continually utilizing similar textual styles, text dimensions, content and page hues and page design. 3. 4 Describe methods of checking completed records for precision †including spelling, language and accentuation †and accuracy, and the reason for doing as such. At the point when you have wrapped up an archive, you should audit and check it completely before sending or printing the record. Word reports have a spell check work, anyway in any event, utilizing spell check probably won't be totally precise, consequently utilizing a punctuation keep an eye on the record also, will be increasingly valuable. In the wake of doing the spell and punctuation checks, you could request that another partner edit your work †having an editor can help feature issues as they are a new arrangement of eyes that have not perused the archive. Re-perusing the archives a few days in the wake of finishing, may revive your psyche to see any revisions and changes. It is gainful to contrast the last form and unique notes and works in progress. These checks are to guarantee that your report that you need to make is fit for reason and right before appearing to a senior individual from staff or creation of the record. 3. 5 Explain the motivation behind putting away records securely and safely, and methods of doing as such. Any archive with any touchy data ought to consistently be put away securely; electronically or genuinely. For instance, - A file organizer which can be bolted, as it might be required for sometime later/reference. Putting away classified reports electronically ought to consistently be put away with secret phrase assurance, on a protected and secure working framework. - Locking your PC if you’re leaving your work area, regardless of whether it is for only a couple of moments. - Being mindful who is around you or your work area when managing records with private data on. 3. 6 Explain the motivation behind classification and information security when planning records. Any type of individual data held about an individual inside an organization is ensured under the Data Protection Act; this implies all information ought to be kept classified. This is critical to guarantee no one will have the option to get the information and pass the data on. Privacy is significant when getting ready records, in light of the fact that Oxfordshire County Council is associated with a great deal of individual information: †¢Full names †¢Contact subtleties (locations and telephone numbers) †¢Records When planning archives we should know about what we are remembering for the report, for instance in the event that you are including a photo, do you have the correct consent to utilize it? As an organization, so as to secure the clients and the proprietor, classification must be watched. 3. Clarify the reason and advantages of complying with time constraints. On the off chance that cutoff times are esteemed and complying with those time constraints is implemented, desires are steady. It is significant that you produce your work to the most ideal standard so as to meet the prerequisites of the individual setting the undertaking. This will show you are mindful and dependable and you can be depended upon to get things finished. You may not know who else may be hanging tight for your work; it could need to be given to another person. This may cause issues and deferrals in the work environment and could influence group connections.

Recruiting Local Nationals in Expatriate Security Companies

Selecting Local Nationals in Expatriate Security Companies Title Continued episodes of viciousness in various territories of the world have opened up broad open doors for specific security organizations. Perhaps the best test confronting exile security organizations in antagonistic areas concerns the enlistment of nearby individuals for security tasks. With the exposition concentrating on this specific region, it is proposed to title the task as follows: Difficulties and Complexities of Recruitment of Local Nationals in Expatriate Security Companies in Hostile Regions: A concentrate concerning the situation in Iraq Points and Objectives Any desires for a serene resolution to the savagery ridden circumstance in Iraq dissipated inside long stretches of the US sorted out attack of the nation in March 2003. Over five years after the intrusion, (which was trailed by the establishment of a chosen government), demonstrations of savagery keep on being customary and broad. Introductory expectations among eyewitnesses, just as of corporate administrations keen on partaking in the modifying of the crushed nation, of the military alliance assuming up the liability for keeping up harmony and guaranteeing a domain helpful for development and advancement have been gave a false representation of by the enormous scope viciousness that has kept on happening in the district and the powerlessness of the overstretched involving powers in controlling it. The insufficiency of the military in controlling dangers and limiting peril to regular citizen life and property in Iraq have opened up a fateful opening for various western security organizations who have entered the region and are presently effectively associated with giving a scope of security administrations to neighborhood and universal just as private and government associations. â€Å"The private military and security organizations that have ventured into this security vacuum extend from enormous, moderately notable concerns, for example, DynCorp and Vinnell of the US, which are preparing the new Iraqi police and armed force separately to littler activities, for example, Olive Security of the UK. ‘There is a lot of business out there,’ says Harry Legge-Bourke, for Olive. ‘From our perspective, it just shows signs of improvement all the time.’† (Catan and Fidler, 2003) While most of these ostracize security organizations rely widely upon westerners, generally individuals with involvement with military, para-military and police capacities, to man their key positions, neighborhood Iraqi nationals are progressively being drafted into these associations. Iraqis are far less expensive than ostracizes to enlist and utilize, have important information about nearby traditions, conventions and societies, communicate in the neighborhood language, and are frequently unquestionably more worthy to the nearby populace than outsiders. A large number of them are likewise very reasonable for the obligations required for occupations in security offices. Enlistment of neighborhood nationals is anyway additionally connected with various issues, in particular the chance of penetration of security organizations by individuals with troublesome expectations, the absence of sufficient preparing of planned representatives, the chance of such workers being scared by radicals, and the probability of their being viewed as associates by individuals from their locale. Obviously enrollment of neighborhood Iraqis by exile security organizations in Iraq, however fundamental for their prosperity and adequacy, is a very mind boggling and multifaceted errand. This task means to examine the subject of enlistment of nearby nationals by ostracize security organizations in Iraq in detail, digging into the reasons for their issues, the presumable effect of such issues on the activities of security organizations, customer needs and requests, the choices accessible to security organizations in the enrollment of neighborhood representatives, and the moves being made by them to defeat different difficulties. A thesis of this nature, alongside its discoveries and suggestions, could be educational and instructive for all individuals related with the running or usage of security organizations, particularly so in unfriendly or savagery inclined locales. Administrations of organizations planning to set up activities in such zones could likewise think that its accommodating in forming their viewpoints and in taking shape their arrangements. Strategy A great part of the data required for this exposition should be acquired from accessible material regarding the matter; books, diary articles, investigate assignments, and magazine and paper articles. With the post war stage in Iraq having entered its fifth year, generous material has just been created, both on the web and by method of printed copy distributions. It is proposed to put together this thesis essentially with respect to a point by point investigation of accessible writing on the running of huge and little security organizations, their difficulties and openings, the development of the post war circumstance in Iraq, the security circumstance in the district, the complexities of nearby societies, conventions and customs, the difficulties related with the running and staffing of security organizations in the area, the issues engaged with enrolling and using neighborhood staff, and the real activities of security organizations in the locale. While considerable data is accessible on the subject and it is proposed to access and utilize the equivalent with the end goal of the paper, the task will be helped enormously if essential data can be acquired from directors of security organizations working in Iraq and other such upset regions. Try will in like manner be made to protect meetings with directors in such organizations for acquiring applicable information. Various books and articles, recorded in the references area toward the finish of the task, have just been gotten to on the point. Articles by Flores and Earl (2004), Cole (2004), and Catan and Fidler (2003) have been lighting up. The book â€Å"Private Military and Security Companies, Chances, Problems, Pitfalls and Prospects† by Jager and Kummel (2007), being anthological in nature and containing a full section gave to Iraq, has been especially useful in expanding my comprehension of the subject. Generous extra data, at present under mining, is likewise proposed to be utilized with the end goal of the thesis. Time Plan While a specific measure of data has just been gotten to, I propose to give a huge extent of the time available to me to getting extra data and ordering it reasonably for the exposition. I will likewise put forth attempts to get at any rate two or three meetings with chiefs of security organizations with activities in troublesome and unfriendly outside territory. The remainder of the time available to me will be given to reviewing the thesis, which will comprise of settling the exploration theory, composing an intelligible and all around organized Literature Review and the assembling (if conceivable) of the meeting transcripts; this will be trailed by itemizing the technique, showing up at the discoveries, examining the equivalent, testing the speculation, and arriving at resolutions and suggestions. I intend to give 10 % of the time accessible to update, self-evaluation, remedies, and smoothening out the exposition. The following area subtleties the structure I propose to follow wit h the end goal of the thesis. Structure I intend to follow a universal paper structure, starting with a short and succinct dynamic, trailed by the list of chapters. The body of the exposition is proposed to be partitioned into the presentation, strategy, writing audit, discoveries and examination, end and suggestions, indeces and tables, and the reference index. The presentation will comprise of a review area followed by the encircling of the exploration theories. In the writing audit I propose to give separate segments to the starting point and development of the security administrations business, associated human asset issues, issues in threatening and savagery inclined outside settings, and staffing including enrollment and use of nearby work force. The following area will concentrate on discoveries and examination. The finishing up part will be given to making inferences, itemizing suggestions and setting out the restrictions of the task. References Boim, I., Smith, K, (1994, February) Detecting Weak Links in Executive Armor. Security Management, 38, 50+ Catan, T Fidler, S, (2003), The military can’t give security, nettime, Retrieved July 16, 2008 from http://www.nettime.org/ Cole, J, (2004), US Mistakes in Iraq, Antiwar.com, Retrieved July 16, 2008 from www.antiwar.com/cole/?articleid Cox, D. (2001), Close Protection: The Politics of Guarding Russias Rulers. Westport, CT: Praeger. Flores, T Earl, J (2004), What are security exercises in Iraq, Security Management, Retrieved July 16, 2008 from www.securitymanagement.com/news/ieds-multiply iraq-afghanistan Jager, C Kummel, G (2007), Private Military and Security Companies, Chances, Problems, Pitfalls and Prospects, A collection of new PMC and PSC grant, VS Verlag Drain, N. S. (1990, February). Official Protection: An Ironclad Defense. Security Management, 34, 84+ Montana, P. J. Roukis, G. S. (Eds.). (1983). Overseeing Terrorism: Strategies for the Corporate Executive. Westport, CT: Quorum Books. Nocella, H. A. (1990, February). Official Protection: Bandaging Bruised Egos. Security Management, 34, 89+ Oatman, R.L., (1999), The craft of official assurance, Baltimore, Noble House Rogers, B, (2007), Iraq’s Northern Kurdish territory offers business opportunity, VOA, Retrieved July 19, 2007 www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article Simovich, C. J. (2004, October). To Serve and Protect: Long before an Executive Plans a Trip, Security Should Have a Plan for Handling the Executive Protection Component. Security Management, 48, 72+

Comments 3999 4000

Comments 3999 4000 Thanks to Kiersten for being my 4000th comment! Also, thanks to Jeff who, in the 3999th comment, provided a link to this interview with MIT professor Henry Jenkins on Star Wars fandom: Henry Jenkins is perhaps the most prominent scholar in the country devoted to examining pastimes often deemed profoundly frivolous. As director of the Comparative Media Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Jenkins has played a leading role over the past two decades in studying manifestations of popular culture such as video games and fan communities. His conclusions have helped put them squarely into a historical context of artistic and creative activities. Much of his latest work, including an upcoming book titled Convergence Culture, deals with the shifting relationship between audiences and big content producers like Hollywood studios. Aided by new digital production technologies and the distribution power of the Web, fan communities are increasingly creating their own sophisticated worksfiction, films and gamesbased on the big content producers original characters. This is uncomfortable for some in the culture industries, which arent accustomed to this two-way street. While the game business is adapting fast, Hollywood is still profoundly conflicted about how to deal with the creative fan armed with a digital video camera, a Web site and his or her own ideas for a new story, Jenkins says. [read the rest of the interview] [read a Jenkins column about Harry Potter fandom]

Class of 2017 Beware More Changes Than Usual in College Admissions and Financial Aid

HomeFinanceClass of 2017 Be Aware: More Changes Than Usual in College Admissions and Financial AidThis page may contain affiliate links.Aug 15, 2016     Keeping up with the college application process and its myriad deadlines isn’t for the faint of heart, but this year includes more changes than usual for the high school class of 2017. Families will want to pay extra attention to avoid missing something. Here’s what’s up for the 2016-17 year.    1) FAFSA Opens  in October: For years, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on January 1 for seniors. This year, the FAFSA application will open on October 1, three months earlier. Instead of waiting to file your taxes, you will use information from your 2015 tax return, and if you’re eligible to use the IRS data retrieval tool, the FAFSA will be much easier to complete. Your family should fill out the FAFSA even if your child is undecided on where to attend because you don’t want to miss out on financial aid. 2) FAFSA prior-prior year tax information: In a monumental shift from the past, the FAFSA will use prior-prior tax information from now on. So this October, your family will use 2015’s tax return for the 2017-18 academic year, and in 2017, you’ll use your 2016 return for the 2018-19 year. The idea is to allow families to receive financial aid award offers earlier in the application process, well before April, to give them time to assess college costs and best financial fit for their family. 3) Common Application:  This year, for the first time, student accounts will now roll over to the next year. That means juniors can create an account now and not lose information before their senior year. Plus the Common Application’s 2016-17 essay prompts will be the same as last year’s prompts. This year’s application is also expanding gender identity options to better reflect today’s students and a more fluid view of gender. The Common App is accepted by more than 600 colleges. 4) Coalition Application:  The new Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success application now has more 90 member colleges, with 53 of them accepting Coalition applications from the class of 2017, and 38 joining in the following year (2017-18). Some Coalition schools will accept either the Coalition App or the Common App this year [1], so be sure to double check your colleges for which application they want (the University of Washington, for example, is now a Coalition college and won’t take the Common App because it’s not a Common App school). 5) New SAT scores:  Most students in the class of 2017 will take the new SAT, and it’s important to know the scores don’t compare to the old SAT. In fact, even though the tests are scored with the same scoring system, the new scores run higher. That doesn’t mean students are performing better, it means they took a different test that measures different skills. Colleges will be converting the scores to compare them against old SAT scores. Students can compare their new scores against the old SAT by using the College Board’s score converter. Take a look at these 360 colleges to find out how your scores fit into the new SAT score range. For the class of 2017, colleges will be accepting both old and new SAT scores, but they won’t superscore between the two tests. The writing portion is optional for many colleges, but it may be worth completing it just to keep college options open to you. For the class of 2018, colleges haven’t firmed up their policy yet on new/old test scores. To get around this bumpy transition, consider having your child take the ACT. You might also check with your high school college counselors at school to find out what they think is best. [Read more about which schools have dropped requirements for SAT Subject tests and the ACT writing section.] 6) More test optional schools:  A growing number of institutions have become test optional because they realize the limitations of standardized test scores. Not all students do well even though they may have a strong academic record, and they’ll benefit from the test optional status. The National Center for Fair and Open Testing provides the most complete list of test-optional colleges, current as of summer 2016. But if your student has strong scores, there’s no reason not to submit them, especially if the college requires other tests instead that are equally or more challenging. 7) New loan interest rate:  Good news for families! Federal college loan interest rates will drop by half a percent on loans issued after July 1, 2016. Student loans are dropping to 3.76 percent from 4.29 percent. Parent PLUS loans are dropping to 6.31 percent from 6.84 percent. 8) Colleges with tuition cuts:  More good news! Some colleges are actually lowering tuition. Washington state’s public universities are reducing tuition by 15 percent for the 2016-17 year. (University of Washington and Washington State University tuition are reducing 10 percent). Utica College is slashing tuition a full 42 percent! Here are the 10 colleges cutting costs for students next year. My advice: stay tuned on the details. Check directly with the colleges your student is interested in and chat with your high school college counselor for recommendations or answers to questions. Everyone is navigating together, so the answers may still be a work in progress.    Joanna Nesbit is a staff  writer for Road2College with a special interest in college finance. She’s the mother of a college sophomore and high school junior. Learn more about her at www.joannanesbit.com and follow her on Twitter at @joannanesbit. [1] https://blog.ivywise.com/blog-0/here-s-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-coalition-for-access-affordability-and-success-college-application Join our Facebook group: Paying For College 101. This group is a forum for families to ask questions related to how they can pay for college. Topics can range from best ways to save for college, the financial aid process, filling out FAFSA, finding affordable schools, EFC, strategies to minimize income, CSS Profile, merit vs. need based aid, student loans, and on and on. No Question Is Too Silly!!! Ask other members for help and in return share your knowledge and experience. Matthew Schwartz View all posts CATEGORIES ApplicationsApplyCollege SavingsFinanceFinancial aid TAGS ACT Writing RequirementCoalition for Access Affordability and SuccessCommon ApplicationFAFSAFinancial AidSAT Subject TestNEWER POST9 Tips For Playing The Financial Aid GameOLDER POSTRecent Changes to the ACT/SAT: What Students Need to Know