Phy107 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Phy107 - Essay Example A blackbody discharges infrared frequencies at room temperature. As the temperature builds, the blackbody begins to produce noticeable light, beginning from red to orange, yellow to white and blue with expanding temperature. At the point when the blackbody turns white, it is as of now discharging bright radiation. Stefan's Law expresses that the all out vitality transmitted by a blackbody for each unit surface territory is legitimately relative to the fourth intensity of its supreme temperature. This implies as temperature expands, the frequency of the radiation produced diminishes. Doppler Effect, or Doppler move, happens when an onlooker is moving comparative with the wave source - there is an adjustment in the recurrence of the wave apparent by the spectator. This implies when we are moving toward the wave source, we see a higher recurrence. At the point when we are retreating from the wave source, we see a lower recurrence. Spectroscopy alludes to the scattering of an item's light into its part hues. By breaking down the light radiated by an item, the physical properties of that article, for example, temperature, mass, iridescence and arrangement can be surmised by a space expert. Persistent range, instead of discrete range, alludes to vitality at all frequencies. It is discharged by warm items. The range of light with missing frequencies is called ingestion range. ... Nonstop range, instead of discrete range, alludes to vitality at all frequencies. It is transmitted by warm articles. The range of light with missing frequencies is called ingestion range. The missing frequencies relate to frequencies of light that were ingested. 3. Clarify how a light emission going through a diffuse cloud may offer ascent to both ingestion and outflow spectra. Assume that a light emission goes through a gas, a portion of the frequencies of the light will be consumed by the gas. The remainder of the frequencies will have the option to go through. At the point when these enduring frequencies are scattered through a crystal, they will show a range with holes on it. The noticeable range will compare to the emanation range while the dim groups will relate to the ingestion range. 4. Rundown three properties of a star that can be resolved from perceptions of its range. a. Absolute vitality that the star transmits b. Iridescence c. Surface temperature Section 5 1. Rundown three points of interest of reflecting telescopes over refractors. a. Refractors will in general be heavier in general than reflecting telescopes in view of their more drawn out strong cylinders and require a bigger lodging and a progressively huge mount. b. Reflectors don't scatter shading as most refractors are to some degree. c. In a refractor the focal point must be upheld along the edge with the goal that the way is clear for light to come through unhampered. 2. How earths' climate influence what is seen through an optical telescope The Earth's air is continually moving, and various layers twist the light from a star in various ways, obscuring our view starting from the earliest stage. 3. What are the benefits of a CCD over a photo The significant points of interest of CCD-based cameras are

Organisational Behaviour Assignment Free Essays

Execution Review Report â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€â€- Cho Phyu Company Limited Group †2 â€Å"We can say that there can be a change circumstance, when the individuals are disappointed with the current status or current circumstance. † Kurt. W. We will compose a custom article test on Authoritative Behavior Assignment or on the other hand any comparative subject just for you Request Now Lewin â€Å"Change can be happened when the individuals in the association are receptive and ready to change. † U Aye Kyaw(MHR) Acknowledgments We might want to communicate our earnest affirmations to every one of the individuals who have helped us in anticipation of this task. At first, we might particularly want to offer my thanks to our educators TakeruOhe, PhosyChanhming, and Yasushi Ishida who give the preparation of COBLAS Myanmar (Consulting Based On Learning Asean Small and Medium Enterprises). We are enormously in the red of appreciation to the entirety of our Myanmar instructors for their consolation, unflagging help and important direction all through our undertaking. We are a lot of thankful to Daw Phyu Seinn, Managing Director of Cho Phyu Co. , Ltd (SPIKE Fashion Collection) who permits us to do the exploration in her organization and gives us significant pieces of information, data and help which is significant for our undertaking. Moreover, our extraordinary thanks are because of the representatives in Cho Phyu Co. , Ltd, for their commitment and help in our change procedure. Last, we might want to offer my gratitude to the creators and distributers referenced in the references for utilizing their materials in setting up this task. Much obliged to each and every individual who gave us help and backing all through our task. Official Summary People are discussing the amazing word called ‘Change’, which is extremely well known in the human culture began from the not more than the previous three decades. Furthermore, truly, this will be happened consistently at inevitably and in each circumstance. This is likewise occurred in our business condition. Numerous written works state that the condition that the organizations work is ‘rapidly and enormously changing’. Along these lines, here are just two inquiries for all the organizations. Those inquiries are â€Å"kill? † or â€Å"be executed? †. For the business to be fruitful within a reasonable time-frame, it must be killed the change before it is past the point of no return. In this way, the organizations more likely than not adjusted its inside course of action to the interest of outside changes. In this task, we center around the part of ‘Starting up the Human Resource Department and presenting about Customer-drove Culture’ at the organization called â€Å"SPIKE Fashion Collection†, which is an effective style brand in Myanmar. Association PROFILE Cho Phyu Company is begun with an unassuming sole broker business structure in 1992, in the Third Capital City of Myanmar, Mandalay. And afterward, the business moves to Yangon in 2006 and framed as a private constrained organization. Additionally in 2006, Cho Phyu organization propelled a style brand called ‘SPIKE’, which offers lady garments to both business and customer markets. Presently, SPIKE is extremely famous brand for its nearby objective markets of both Upper Lower and Lower Middle classes who live in suburb zones. Presently Cho Phyu hasTwoShow Rooms, in some midtown regions and TwoGarment Factories, which are working quite well. Business Canvas CUSTOMER SEGMENTS 1 Upper Lower Classes Lower Middle Classes VALUE PROPOSITION 2 ‘Spike’ is a style brand which is entrenched and has a decent quality and sensible cost to its objective market. the structure is the fundamental recommendation for it, which is for the most part underscore on the solace and certainty for its objectives. Client RELATIONSHIP 4 Individual Assistant, Email, Phone, Letters DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS 3 Indirect Channel Direct Channel Consignment KEY RESOURCES 6 Reasonable Market Experience KEY ACTIVITIES 7 Cutting, Making , Packaging, Selling and Distribution PARTNERS 8 COST STRUCTURE 9 Social/Environmental Costs Financial Risk Capital Investment REVENUE STREAMS 5 Business people group Well settled Brand Seven Color Textile Co. ,Ltd Long Foung Laung Yee ‘Spike’ intends to create little incomes from countless client structured things. This speaks to an important expansion to Spike Fashion Collection. SWOT Analysis Strengths Customer dedication/connections Creation quality High creation effectiveness Skillful workers S W O T Weaknesses Poor Human Resource Management Lack of Plan Lack of clear crucial, objectives Opportunities Changing customer’s needs Technological development Get offer from ASEAN unhindered commerce Fashion pattern changes of various ages Threats Changing the taste and inclinations of the clients. the immediate speculation of the outside organizations. Primary Issues As Cho Phyu Co. , Ltd is simply changing from Sole Trader business structure to Limited Liability Company (LLC), there are numerous issues related with ordinary or conventional administration style. Numerous scholars state that the majority of the entrepreneurs are as yet losing all sense of direction in this change period, as they do reflect and recollect their past practices, which are very well applicable for them before. In this firm, worker are disappointed with their activity as they don't get the advantages and benefits that can get effectively in the outside market or in different organizations. The Bureaucratic dynamic and less designating likewise lead the entire association to feel smother and less significant. Additionally, no Human Resource Department prompts become unstructured and unsystematic strategy in managing representative viewpoints. As a result, there are numerous unrivaled activity obligations and position. Workers don't know ‘what are their privileges? ’ and â€Å"what are carefully illegal/†. Beginning Stage (introduction) We met with the Managing Director of Cho Phyu Co. , Ltd and talked about the issues that are right now emerging inside the Company. In the wake of examining about the issues, we settled on a concurrence with MD of Cho Phyu Co. , Ltd and we sent TOR (Term of Reference) Letter to settle on the understanding. After due thought all things considered, our gathering began to work the accompanying exercises. Examination techniques Examination Design Exploratory: After getting the authorization from company’s leading group of executive, we began to talk about what elements of Cho Phyu Co. ,Ltd add to worker fulfillment. Due to time and spending limitations, we couldn't lead center gatherings or inside and out meetings. By doing meeting, we built up the exploration structure. Unmistakable: To increase a superior un derstanding of the issue, and to explain the exploration questions, we led auxiliary examination to find what specialists state aboutemployee pay scales. This exploration permitted us to increase a strong comprehension of the business. We unmistakably depict about the procedure of our examination and information process through clear explanation in our ‘Employee Job Satisfaction Report’. Power Field Analysis For each change the board, the most essential interesting point is that whether this change is required or not. To know the arrangement, we made examinations by utilizing meeting, poll and filtering the earth. In the wake of being examined the entire condition, we can propose that the Cho Phyu is expected to set the Human Resource Department. As the idea of association contains with people, there can be unpredictability of human feelings and mental ramifications. Individuals consistently feel compromise on account of progress. So in this circumstance, there is no uncertainty that this will be happened as well. At that point when we see Lewis Force Field, there are two powers †the positive powers for change and hindrances of progress. there will be change of the positive powers are more prominent than impediments. Main thrusts * Demographic Changes In earlier days, there are scarcely any spots for all clients to purchase items or anything they desire. After 1998, the segment changes cause and clients presently have propensities to purchase things at retail locations. Presently, clients are selective, realize they reserve a privilege to sue and learned. Also, every client thinks they are fundamental for each business. * Various Stakeholders Interests Stakeholders are the individuals who are keen on the business exercises and can be influenced by the business activities. There is declined in organization’s benefit level at those days. Poor client the executives abilities and disregarding the customers’ needs and desires made the Cho Phyu terrible picture. For Cho Phyu, representatives are the best significant resources which can't be replicated or mimic. Additionally, there is a solid connection between the Employee Job Satisfaction and Customer fulfillment. * Political Changes In the wake of changing government and political approaches in 1989, the financial state of Myanmar is step by step expanding. Changing from communist economy to advertise economy gave the Myanmar economy to turn out to be more turns of events and helpful returns. In 2015, there will be an AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Agreement) issues. Along these lines, numerous SMEs and enormous scope organizations are beginning to get ready for the inconspicuous capable future changes. * Competitors’ Reactions In Myanmar, there are same organizations like SPIKE Fashion Collection. The fundamental contentions for the SPIKE are D2, ,who are forcefully meaning to fulfill the client prerequisites. * Economic Issues In Myanmar economy, there are an excessive number of vulnerabilities for each business. Likewise the ramifications of globalization of business sectors, association must figure out how to break the restricted attitude of national markets to contend on an overall premise (Ghoshal and Butler, 1992). Controlling Forces * Habits For each intricacy, everyone depend on propensities or modified reactions. Individuals are hard to change on the off chance that they are normally habited. * Security Even individuals

Critical Approaches to Literature Should Not be Required of English Majors :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Basic Approaches to Literature Should Not be Required of English Majors In the discussion that encompasses the issue of requiring English majors to adopt Critical Strategies to Writing, it isn't significant whether the course is scholastically legitimate, however in the case of requiring English majors to take it is legitimate. By pondering this issue along these lines, I have reasoned that Critical Approaches to Literature ought not be expected of English majors. The primary explanation behind including Critical Approaches to Literature as a necessary course for English majors is to fuse a feeling of multi-culturalism and women's liberation into the English major. I would be the first to concur that scholars, for example, Toni Morrison, Langston Hughes, Beth Bryant, and Sherman Alexie ought to be required perusing for every English major sooner or later in their instruction in light of the fact that these creators and their works do bring a component of multi-social thankfulness and women's activist comprehension to the understudy's artistic foundation. Be that as it may, the Critical Approaches to Literature class that I went to didn't instruct me to welcome the writing of different societies; rather, it showed me how to dissect Western Writing as though I were a humanist or therapist. In this class, I started to feel that there was a concealed motivation imbedded inside the course's targets. This motivation was to devastate the writing, which I know about, of the way of life I have developed up in, and to constrain me to value the writing of other societies en route. It didn't work. By saying, It didn't work, I don't imply that I have no thankfulness for the writing of societies other than my own. What I do mean is that in the event that I had not effectively had a thankfulness for Multi-social and Women's Literature, Critical Approaches to Writing would not have passed on this thankfulness to me. I immovably accept that the verse of Maurice Kenny is the absolute generally ground-breaking verse that I have ever perused, and Duan Niatum's affection sonnet Round Dance is practically identical to the best verse that Western Literature brings to the table. These are creators I know and love not on the grounds that I have taken Critical Ways to deal with Literature, but since I have perused these creators' works in a Native American Literature course. This is one motivation behind why Critical Approaches to Literature ought not be

Glaser Health Products Essay

Glaser Health Products of Ranier Falls, Georgia needs help with assessing and arranging costs so as to actualize an action based costing framework. As expressed for the situation, these costs will be utilized for arranging and control choices as opposed to stock valuation. The movement based costing framework will give better allotment of Glaser’s overhead expenses instead of a framework to take a gander at the cost drivers or the exercises that their overhead expenses contain. Glaser’s general structure of an action based costing model should comprise of cost objects, exercises, utilization of assets, and cost. Movement based costing changes â€Å"the rules of the game† since it changes a portion of the key estimates that manager’s use for their dynamic and for assessing individuals’ execution (Accounting4management.com). With the end goal for Glaser to execute a fruitful action based costing framework the executives must investigate their overhead expenses and legitimize whether they have enough overhead to be agonizing over. While we don't know Glaser’s financial estimation of their overhead costs, it appears that they have a few divisions with a lot of cost classes the board must consider. The three fundamental divisions of Glaser Health Products are Operations, Sales, and Administrative. Under every division are costs classes that have been split to enable administration to figure out where they have a place. (Informative supplement A recognizes every one of the expenses with the suitable division). Next, the board must recognize the huge overhead expense so as to decide if they need to distribute a few or a lot of overhead utilizing the action based costing framework. I recommend that Glaser makes an action based costing framework that designates, with a negligible measure of exertion, an enormous part of their overhead. For example, the executives is right in recognizing every one of the costs utilizing four unique exercises. These incorporate unit-level exercises, bunch level exercises, item level exercises, and office level exercises. This is an extraordinary framework in light of the fact that the less exercises Glaser can use to do this, the simpler the bookkeep ing will be for the executives. These four exercises will allow Glaser to reasonably and precisely distribute overhead to product offerings. (Reference section B delineates every one of the expenses under one of the four exercises and furthermore orders the four exercises under one of the three divisions). After Glaser the executives has distinguished the bunch of the exercises that associate overhead costs to items, they should utilize the fitting measure (the cost driver) to attach the overhead costs to the product offerings or administration lines. To accomplish this administration must indicate a suitable cost driver for following expenses related with the different degrees of exercises to the following cost goal or items. The cost drivers can incorporate various things, for example, direct work hours, number of groups, or number of representatives. (Reference section C shows the proper cost driver with the different degrees of exercises). Under the Activity-based costing framework, Glaser will utilize primer stage cost drivers to interface expenses of assets devoured in one action community to other action habitats. A few costs, for example, group level movement community costs are at first allocated to an essential stage action focus and just need a solitary task process, and are discernible to explicit items yet regularly utilize a cost driver. Item level movement place expenses might be identified with a particular item or assembled by exercises before being doled out to items at the essential stage. Office level action community expenses may experience numerous primer stages before being appointed to items (Schneider, 2012). It is important to utilize a primer stage cost driver since this framework relegates costs from exercises to different exercises. Then again, essential stage cost drivers is utilized to dole out expenses from exercises to the cost goals. This procedure wipes out contortions in cost allotments to items that outcome from creation multifaceted nature (Schneider, 2012). As a matter of fact plunking down and spreading out an action based costing framework for a genuine organization is considerably more troublesome than an ordinary course reading ABC issue. Figuring out what makes an expense happen is significantly more troublesome than it initially may appear (Krupnicki and Tyson, 1997). Generally, I believe that management’s choice to actualize a movement based costing framework is going to work in support of them. The choice to actualize ABC is frequently determined by the need to improve client benefit examination, to acquire exact cost data for evaluating or to get ready pertinent spending plans (Cohen, Venieris, and Kaimenaki, 2005). For this situation, Glaser needs to recognize costs utilized for arranging and controlâ decisions as opposed to for stock valuation. Glaser is probably going to see numerous advantages from actualizing a movement based costing framework, for example, better productivity measures, better dynamic, process improvement, cost estimation, and cost of unused limit. The movement based costing framework will give better designation of Glaser’s overhead expenses as opposed to a framework to take a gander at the cost drivers or the exercises that their overhead expenses contain. References http://www.accounting4management.com/implementing_activity_based_costing.htm Schneider, A. (Ed.). (2012). Administrative Accounting: Decision Making for the Service And Manufacturing Sectors. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education. Krupnicki, M., and Tyson, T. (1997). Utilizing ABC to Determine the Cost of Servicing Customers. The board Accounting, 79(6), 40-46. Recovered from http://search.proquest.com/docview/229739140?accountid=32521 Cohen, S., Venieris, G., and Kaimenaki, E. (2005). ABC: Adopters, Supporters, and Deniers And Unawares. Administrative Auditing Journal, 20(8), 981-1000. Recovered from http://search.proquest.com/docview/27453714?accountid=32521

Synovate Survey Shows Ascending Singaporean Spending Power Essay Example for Free

Synovate Survey Shows Ascending Singaporean Spending Power Essay Synovate overview shows climbing Singaporean spending power. Synovate, a main worldwide market knowledge organization, today discharged data from the 2005 Synovate PAX media review that indicated ascends in riches, item and administration possession and enhancements in way of life across Singapores princely occupants. The Synovate PAX study tracks media, flourishing and impact in eleven markets over the Asia Pacific locale †Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, India, Australia and Japan. Wanda Gill, Media Director for Synovate in Singapore said that the well-off of Singapore were getting a charge out of high certainty and spending power. In simply the most recent couple of months, our continually refreshed following has empowered us to watch Singapores everâ€increasing certainty convert into higher item possession, expanding buy goals and improving way of life. The Synovate PAX results for 2005 show that the normal month to month family unit pay of the Lion Citys prosperous inhabitants has ascended from US$4,826 to US$5,456 †a 13% relative change. With more noteworthy family riches, these Singaporeans are remunerating themselves with acquisition of top level extravagance and shopper things and consistent increments in property proprietorship and venture, Ms Gill said. The Synovate PAX overview permits advertisers to get a full image of Singapores rich buyers †what they watch, read, purchase and how they feel about publicizing and marking †empowering them to focus on their showcasing endeavors. Ms Gill said that the 2005 outcomes portrayed Singapore as the calm powerhouse comparable to different markets in the locale. While Hong Kongs well off are obvious shoppers and purchase things for their design status, Singaporeans will in general be progressively considered in dispersing the their rewards for so much hard work. Singapores elites despite everything spend †and spend a great deal †yet our information shows they wont get their wallets out spontaneously. Advertisers must speak to this absence of claim and acknowledge Singaporeans are not as status-cognizant as individuals from Hong Kong or as avaricious as the affluent of other South East Asian economies which are less adult. Singaporeans are agreeable in their skins and are bound to purchase to make their lives simpler, Ms Gill said. The Synovate PAX study dives into people groups mentalities to brands and promoting by means of a progression of psychographic explanations. A portion of the discoveries for Singapore were: * 11. 5% of Singapores elites concurred with the explanation that they are among the first to purchase another item or contraption. This is underneath the provincial normal, demonstrating that Singaporeans are less in a surge than different markets, holding on to check whether the thing fits into their way of life. Multiple thirds of Singaporeans concur that paying for quality is advantageous. * 46. 9% rich Singaporeans want to purchase notable brands, well over the territorial normal of 41. 1%. * Singaporeans show an emphasis on way of life with 41. 5% concurring that a home with present day apparatuses is imperative to them †this thinks about to the provincial normal of 38. 7% and 28. 9% in Hong Kong. Theres a liberal streak across prosperous Singaporeans, with perhaps the most elevated level of consent to the announcement I some of the time like to get myself something unique. 8. 2% of PAX respondents concurred in Singapore, with just Sydney-siders progressively liberal (62%). The territorial normal is 48. 5%. Synovate PAX additionally covers item and administration proprietorship, buy expectation over the a year to June 2006 and way of life. * As a significant territorial business center point of Asia, it would be normal that a lot of business travel starts here. In any case, from June 2004 to June 2005, we have seen a 22% expansion in Singapores well-to-do taking off on at least one work excursions. Around 28% of these PAX respondents travel for business. Be that as it may, Singapores first class despite everything discover time to unwind †over half have taken at least one relaxation trips in the year to June 2005 as well. * An untouched high number of 38. 6% of well-to-do Singaporeans presently possess workstations or journals, up from 31. 9% in June 2004. * Likewise, responsibility for cell phone with Internet get to hits an unsurpassed high †it remains at 37. 7% and shows consistent increments for each quarter estimated. This proceeding with pattern is uplifting news for portable producers and 3G systems and administration offering organizers. For sure, over 92% of rich Singaporeans own a versatile with or without Internet get to †they are digging in for the long haul and every one of these individuals will redesign as portable substance turns out to be increasingly convincing. * Digital strength appears to be an ever increasing number of unavoidable as we watch tireless increments in Singaporean responsibility for like MP3 players (up to 23. 1%, an ascent of a quarter throughout the prior year), advanced camcorders (43. 7% now own these, up from 35. 9%) computerized still cameras (the greater part of rich Singaporeans own these an expansion from 41% in 2004). To be sure, the adoration ffair with computerized is really blooming. * Its reasonable for state that the advertisers of LCD or plasma TVs have delighted in a decent year. They near multiplied their market size, with the quantity of well off Singaporeans previously possessing one of these TVs ascending from 7. 6% to 12. 7%. Theres still a lot of upside, with 10% communicating the goal to buy this top level thing in the following a year. * Car proprietorship stunningly bounced for the second back to back year. Toward the finish of June 2005, 60% of got the money for up Singaporeans claimed one, up from 56. 6% simultaneously a year ago. This is a particularly decent indication of trust in this over the top expensive spot to claim one †the decrease in COEs would assume a huge job in this also. Also, showing that the pattern is set to proceed, 11. 7% of respondents plan to buy a private vehicle throughout the following a year. * Singapores relationship with football/soccer proceeds †33% of PAX respondents read about it, heads up or go to games. This is up from 29. 5% a year ago. Truth be told, Singapore is truly getting lively tennis, badminton, b-ball and golf all demonstrated more elevated levels of intrigue as well. With progressively extra cash, Singaporeans have likewise been getting social. More individuals have gone to a show, drama, artful dance, live theater, workmanship display and exhibition halls. * The enthusiasm for quality wine keeps on picking up force. Spending on quality wine has significantly expanded from US$144 in 2004 to US$223 in 2005. This is a gigantic 55% relative increment. * The quantity of elites of the island state who own a subsequent property is up to 10. 6%. Increments in individuals living in a possessed property have been enlisted also †22. 9% of PAX respondents own their homes.

45 Free Online Classes to Improve Your Career

45 Free Online Classes to Improve Your Career We live in a highly competitive world. Jobs and promotions seem to favor those with more education or some special skills. You feel limited by your qualifications and probably threatened by the possibility of being rendered redundant at work.What do you do?You don’t have enough money to sustain your lifestyle as well as further education. Still, your work and family schedules don’t allow you to enroll for any courses.Not to worry.We have compiled a list of 45 free online courses to help you improve your chances of improving your career from the comfort of your home. Moreover, some of the courses here are self-paced. You can start anytime and finish anytime.These courses are categorized into career fields. Check them out and see which one interests you. You don’t have to take the courses which are in line with your career only. Consider expanding your skills by taking a course which will build your capacity in other ways too.ENTREPRENEURSHIPEntrepreneurship is easily the one mos t needed career lines in the world. With unemployment plaguing the world, entrepreneurs who succeed in expanding their businesses provide some relief. As such, it is critical that they get the necessary help to do this.Whether you are an entrepreneur or aspiring to become one, there are lots of free online courses you can take to better the chances of your startup’s success. Here are some great ones to start you off.Lean startups, UdemyStarting a business is not as easy as many think. If you have started one, then you know this well. If not yet, then now you know.Rarely will you be able to start big. You will often start small because of financial constraints. As such, you cannot afford to employ many employees, spend as much as you would like or even go into full production. This is why going the lean way is important.In lean operations, you basically cut off anything that is secondary in nature to remain only with the most necessary operations. This may mean cutting off on possi ble number of employees at the beginning. If selling goods or services, then it could mean starting with only a small product line.Take this course from Udemy here.How to build a startup, UdacityIt is one thing to start a business and another to grow it. If starting a business is challenging in itself, how much more is growing it?The reason you started your business in the first place was to satisfy the goal of providing a solution. As you do this, you eventually have to grow. But how exactly do you get to the point of growth?This course from Udacity will not only answer this question but also help you gain industry-relevant knowledge. You will learn the customer development process and how to test your ideas early.21 Critical lessons for entrepreneurs, UdemyOne of the most important aspects of growing your business is having a mentor. Mentors are important because they have the experience which you lack. Unlike those who give theoretic advice, mentors give you practical advice. The y share the insights they have learned through their own journey.A good way of seeing this in action is looking at the difference between learning in class about how to run a business and actually running a business. With the changing trends in the business world, you need someone who has been there and learned through practice.And that is where this course comes in. Jason Nazar, CEO of Docstoc will share with you what he has learned from working with small businesses as well as working in his own business.How to build an online business, UdemyThere are many options available for online business. You can decide to sell merchandise, offer online consultancy services, be a freelancer working with clients from abroad etc.All the same, running an online business is a bit different from the traditional business run from physical buildings. This has many advantages which make it a very good choice. Key among the advantages is the low cost of starting.With an online business, you do not ne ed to rent huge spaces for employees and machines. All you have to do in most cases, is have a computer and an internet connection. However, there are challenges too.But since you have to succeed, this course teaches you how to build your own website and build an online business which can make $5,000 per month.Foundations of business strategy, UdemyFrom Coca-cola, Google, Microsoft and even Lego, you can be sure there is serious thinking going on behind the scenes of a successful company.No business succeeds without strategizing on how to beat the competition and maintain quality products or services even with little funds without strategy. This is the starting point for business success and without it, action will not lead you to success.As something that really separates the small from the big, average from the successful, business strategy is not something you just pick up as you go along. You either spend a lot of time thinking, go through a process of trial and error or hire an experienced executive. Keep in mind that the experienced executive will not be cheap. Take this course and learn the fundamentals which you cannot grow without.WEB DEVELOPMENTWe are in the digital age and everything is happening online. This might be in the form of a normal website, e-commerce site, blog, Facebook page, Twitter account or any other social media platform.Every business has to connect with its customers. And an effective way of doing that is by going online. With customers searching for businesses online, it becomes necessary for your businesses to be on the internet.Html and css, Khan AcademyHTML is the backbone of every website. Whether you are using a template or building the site by writing the code, HTML is key. Although there are free templates and content management systems which can simplify your work, learning HTML goes a long way in making you a pro web developer.CSS on the other hand is what enables styling of web pages. It takes care of all the formatting of the web page. HTML itself can do some formatting but CSS is better as it was designed primarily for that. So, register for this course from Khan Academy and be on your way to becoming a pro web developer.Sql, Khan AcademyIn web development, rarely will you have a project which doesn’t include a database. Every modern website has some data which it either stores, manipulates, retrieves or all of these. That means the data has to be stored somewhere, and that is a database.There are many types of databases but the good thing is that the majority of the common ones are accessed using one languageâ€"SQL. Despite there being some minor differences between some versions of Sql, most commands are the same.As a must in web development, Khan Academy offers to start you off.Php, CodecourseThere are many programming languages but some stand out from the rest. Php is one of those which stand out. It is widely used in web development and is necessary if you are to claim any expertise.Php†™s importance is for the back-end. When web users interact with your website and provide or request data, it is Php that works behind the scene. This language is very dynamic and powerful enough that it is used on major websites like Wikipedia, Facebook and WordPress.Codecourse has a free course to help you learn the language and become grounded enough.SYSTEM DEVELOPMENTWe are living in a world where technology is the solution provider. Unless it is technological innovation, few solutions count. This is fueled by the rise of Internet of Things (IoT) where the world is moving towards full inter-connectivity.This means that there are systems which will be required to access the data being provided by these interconnected devices. The simultaneous communication will have to be handled. Automation is also needed in industries and business to cut down on costs as well as increase productivity.All these mean that systems have to be built. Below are a few courses which can help you on this field.Introduction to Java, MITJava is a popular programming language. Mainly because it borrows from the popular C and C++ languages though with some modifications. Intended to be easier to learn compared to these, it has been embraced by many professionals, becoming a great choice among programmers.Java has been credited with some big projects like Minecraft, Gmail, PDF Studio and others. You can be sure that it capable of doing the job.To start you off, MIT provides this online course to help you form a foundation on which you can build more advanced skills. Practical skills for java developers, edX (TU Delft)Since the process of systems development is rarely a short one, there are some practical skills worth learning early enough before you land that big project.These will enable you to have a hands on approach in solving programming problems or when designing a solution. Instead of being green as you work on a solution, take this course from TU Delft, and have some work experi ence passed on to you.Android programming, UdacityModern systems have a mobile side to them. People are often accessing systems through mobile apps and any system that does not offer this convenience risks being rejected. As a result, now more than ever, there is a need for mobile apps programmers as this is where the attention is.With the course from Udacity, you will learn the basics as you begin with the user interface. You will then have the opportunity to proceed into more advanced topics like storage and multi-screen apps.Iphone programming, UdemyDespite the IOS platform not having a big market share like Android, it has a very solid following. Iphone’s customers are very loyal to the brand and there is always a need for apps to be developed for them.Those users who move to IOS from Android usually complain that there are fewer apps in the app store compared to the google play store. With the app store being under stricter control than the play store, this is an opportunity for growth.Take this course offered by Udemy and learn the process of building an Iphone app. You can never go wrong with that.Python machine learning, edX (MIT)Python is another programming language that has gained massive popularity. It is a general purpose language and that makes it useful in many situations. Python has been used in projects like Youtube, Dropbox and Instagram. Python is also being used in embedded systems, though lagging behind in rank after C/C++.Machine learning is becoming more popular as science strives to create systems and robots which can interact with humans just like humans. These systems are however intended to do more. Since this is the future, why not learn from MIT how to implement this technology using python?STATISTICSInformation is all over. It is generated daily and analyzed for the purposes of understanding situations and their causes. Statistics are also important for planning and both governments and organizations use the data to come up with policies and make decisions.If your career is in statistics, here are some free courses for you.Measuring health outcomes in field surveys, edX (MIT)When collecting information in the field, you have to know how to put the outcome of your survey into measurable data.This course has been designed specifically for those in the medical field. Some of the lessons you will learn include how to develop a questionnaire, designing the research studies and ethical issues related to health research.Learn more from MIT.Lean research skills for conducting interviews, edX (MIT)Are you planning to interview people as part of your research? Then you will do well to learn some research skills especially useful when in unfamiliar settings.This course does not assume you have any prior knowledge on interviews and so it’s a great start if getting into the surveys field. You will learn the lean research principles of rigor, relevance, respect, and right-size.After taking this course, you will be abl e to do your surveys even in unfamiliar settings.Survey research methodology, Polimi Open KnowledgeIn a statistics career, research is almost at the center of everything. Although there is analysis to be done, research is the source of the data to be analyzed. As such, you need to understand the methods of collecting structured data and also how the analysis is done.This course teaches you the whole process from definitions to data analysis. No prerequisite knowledge is needed.Comparative research designs and methods, edX (FedericaX)Before you set out to do a survey, it is crucial to know how the various research designs and methods compare to one another. Without an in-depth understanding of this, you might start off the research only to later realize the need to have used a different approach.This course teaches you about systematic comparative analysis and also introduces you to modern software developed to handle complex cases.FINANCIAL SERVICESApart from those who work on the t hings they are passionate about, many people are working for money. But those who are passionate about their jobs also consider money as important. With needs such as savings and investments, there will never be a shortage in the need for financial advisers.Below are some courses to help you improve your career prospects in this technology age.Fintech ethics and risks, edX (Hong Kong University)Fintech is a combination of financial services and technology. It is basically the new technology that is aimed at improving financial service delivery. Fintech can also be said to be disruptive technology i.e. technology that is set to bring about a big change in the way things are done.Being fairly new, it is still in its early stages of adoption and there are no set policies and procedures implemented to govern the innovation. This is why some of the technology is yet to be approved of by large corporations and government.Taking this course from HKU  will help you be in front of your colle agues as you get information on the best practices as well as the risks involved.Blockchain and fintech, edX (Hong Kong University)Fintech is the general technology while blockchain is one of the technologies defining fintech. Blockchain brings a totally new perspective to financial operations. The technology eliminates the traditional way of recording transactions and uses cryptography for a more secure and open system.If you are working in the financial sector, it is important to know how this technology works. And to help you out, here is a free course from Hong Kong University.Money and debt markets, edX (IIMB)We cannot talk about financial services without mentioning money markets. Millions of people invest in different types of investment vehicles on a daily basis and watch their money grow.If you are to be one of the sought-after financial advisers, then the money markets are important for you to understand. People need advice on which markets are the best, how to invest, whe n to do it etc. To be a valuable adviser, learn about these from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.POLITICAL SCIENCEAre you an aspiring political scientist? Do you listen to political analysts and marvel at their knowledge and ability to predict events and outcomes? Then turn your desires into tangible success. Check out the below courses to help you gain the understanding you need for a solid career in political science. US political institutions, edX (Havard University)There is no way you will become a political scientist by just studying history and not understanding the political institutions. You have to know how the courts work, how the democrats and republicans think and operate, the powers of the president etc.This is a fundamental lesson before you even start going deep into history.Contemporary issues in world politics, edX (FedericaX)There are many changes that have taken place in the world which you will do well to know about. With history behind us but threa tening to repeat itself, how do the modern times shape our societies and world in general?This course from FedericaX will help you understand the driving forces of international politics.Global politics, edX (FedericaX)Politics determines a lot of things, from social freedom to economic stability. Since countries govern themselves yet are subject to international organizations, what does the future political scene look like?Looking at life, societies and governments from the lenses of history, anthropology, sociology, economics and psychology, this course seeks to understand how times have changed. You can register here and join the team that looks into the future of humanity.DESIGNINGIf you do any kind of drawing, then we got you covered. Since you play a big role in the look of magazines, websites, buildings and everything that has a face, here are some free courses to help you advance.3D modeling from architectural drawings, edX (IITB)Gone are the days of drawing in 2D. Putting i mages on a flat surface doesn’t sell anymore. Your customers want to see it as it would appear in real life. For this reason, you should learn 3D modeling. Whether you are designing a house or a bridge, this will help you showcase your ideas better.This course from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay will guide you through architectural visualizations and use the Blender 3D creation tool to demonstrate the concepts taught.Introduction to graphic design, UdemyGraphic design is growing more popular by the day. The skill of generating images and drawings for any purpose is a great one to have. Yet not everyone has it. Fortunately, you can learn in case you desire to.This course offers you what possibly no other course provides. It does not teach you any Photoshop tricks or How-Tos, but the very fundamentals needed to be a graphic designer. After taking it, you will be able to think like a designer and not just think of how to edit images.Thinking like a designer is the way to b ecome a real designer. Apply here for free.Logo design in Adobe Illustrator, UdemyYou obviously know that Adobe is the reigning king of design software. At least you have heard of Photoshop and its image manipulation abilities. But that is for photos, just as the name puts it. Although you can do some original work on it, Illustrator is what you need to use to create new material.And what better way to start than with logo design? As simple as the project might seem, it is really the best place to start. Drawing the lines and shapes which form a company’s logo will get your skills growing fast.Take this course and learn how to design with simple shapes, using negative space, choosing the right typeface etc. These and other lessons will help you understand the techniques used in logo creation.PROJECT MANAGEMENTBig tasks are often handled as projects. However, projects can also be small. A project can be simply defined as any task which has multiple processes or sub-tasks. This mean s that several people will be working together and therefore, proper management will be needed.You may have been tasked with managing a project at work. Or you want to learn so as to be able to do it when called upon. Even if for any other reason, the below courses offer a good place to start.Applied scrum, edX (University of Maryland)Scrum is a project management technique which has been popularized by software developers. It is based on the agile methodology and is widely used in large projects.This is a necessary project management technique to learn if you are a project manager or aspire to handle projects. This course teaches you the processes, roles, mechanics and philosophies behind scrum.From the course, you will also learn how scrum differs from other agile implementations as well as the pitfalls of the agile methodology.Driving speed through agile planning, edX (University of Maryland)Agile is the methodology on which project management frameworks have been built. One of i ts biggest advantages is the ability to deliver a working product quickly. This brings about another advantage: lower costs.As such, in your project management role, utilizing this methodology will guarantee you these advantages. All the same, you need to be aware of the principles of task management under the agile method. Taking this course will help you understand that.Agile leadership principles, edX (University of Maryland)As a project management technique, the agile methodology has been applied to leadership. This has brought a significant shift in how leadership is conducted. Unlike the old days of having a leader who has all the control, teamwork becomes the new way under an agile methodology.Through this course, you will learn how leading under an agile system redefines leadership and distributes roles.LEADERSHIP / MANAGEMENTSome of the things that clearly distinguish a leader from a follower are vision, focus and a desire to develop others. In all these things, you have to lead without falling under the weight of any pressure. The below courses will help you add to your bag of skills.Creative thinking: techniques and tools for success, edX (Imperial College London)There are very fewâ€"if anyâ€"successes that can be achieved without a touch of creativity. And if you thought that creativity is only for those in the art careers, you are wrong. There is a place for creativity everywhere. Including in your business and personal life.This course teaches you the importance of creativity in tackling challenges as well as how to use brainstorming techniques for the best results.Influencing stakeholders, edX (TU Delft)This is a must course for you if you are working in an organization where you have to convince the stakeholders. As a leader, you will have to engage with different personalities whom you cannot ignore. As such, you need to learn how to communicate with them and win their support.This course will teach you how to understand the interests of indiv idual stakeholders and their perspectives. You will then know how to handle your team (employees) and get cooperation from those with power over you.Leadership and influence, edX (University of Maryland)Influence does not end in the boardroom with stakeholders. It flows down to the employees under you. Although you may not be directly interacting with employees at all levels, your influence reaches them. Your style of leadership is evident and everything you do easily gets noticed.When you learn how influence works, you will realize the need to probably change some aspects of your leadership so as to motivate and more smoothly direct your staff in the right direction. Take this course and learn.Effective decision making, edX (TU Delft)Thinking is great but it is decisions which matter most. As a leader, you are responsible for what happens in your organization. And that responsibility means you will be making decisions. It is therefore crucial that you learn how to make effective de cisions.This course helps you learn this and also teaches you why you should take into account the uncertainty of future developments.TEACHINGNot many people have dreams and goals of becoming teachers. They want careers in medicine, IT or even business fields. However, teachers are of great importance and if not for any other reason, at least because they teach those in other careers.If you are in this field, be proud of yourself. Below are some of the courses you can take to further your skill level.Scratch: programming for kids, edX (TU Delft)Computer programming skills are a must have for today’s kids. Whether they will be professional coders, doctors or even attorneys. Programming is a skill worth learning early. The beautiful thing about programming is that it enables you to utilize your time especially when faced with repetitive tasks.Won’t you like to see your students or your own children writing small computer scripts to automate tasks that have to be done often? Learni ng how to write computer programs also develops thinking as kids learn how to solve problems using logic. This course will help you teach this skill to kids.Scratch: programming for teachers, edX (TU Delft)Scratch is a beautiful way to teach programming using fun videos which make it easy for children to learn. As a teacher, you need to have a deeper knowledge and understanding so as to teach effectively.With a course designed for teachers, you will learn all the basics as well as have the opportunity to broaden your scope by learning the basics of the python language. This has been included in the course so you won’t have to look for other resources.Introduction to educational psychology, Modern States and University of Nevada, RenoPsychology is not just for psychiatrists and counselors. Being a science about the mind and helping understand human behavior, psychology can be a game changer in your teaching career.With this 4-week course, you will learn the principles of learning a nd cognition, teaching methods and classroom management, child growth and development, and evaluation and assessment of learning.You will be better placed to handle a class and help your students achieve their learning goals. ONLINE MARKETINGIf businesses are developing an online presence, then marketing is also happening online. There can never be any business without marketing. Being a non-traditional platform for business, you will not go wrong when you take some lessons to help you sell to the online market.Social media strategies, buffer.comThe main reason businesses are going online is to connect with customers. Since you are targeting the same customers your competition is after, you have to employ some strategies.. And this is where this course comes in.Some of the lessons you will learn are how to use video marketing while on a budget, the must-have image creation tools for marketers and the social media algorithms you need to understand and how to use them in your favor.Th e course comes in email form, one email a day for 25 days.Getting started with google analytics, UdemyGoogle, the biggest search engine, has provided an easy-to-use and comprehensive marketing tool for any marketer to use. Using this tool, you can see how effective your online campaigns have been and how much traffic they have gathered.Instead of spending a lot of time learning on your own, take this course and easily master this tool. You will learn how to implement Google Analytics, interpret the data it provides, how to translate that data into actionable insights, and other lessons.Email marketing crash course, hubspotGone are the days where you used to send an email just to announce that your new shipment has been received. You can use email to do more effective marketing. And to get you started and running fast, is this free crash course from hubspot.It teaches you how to grow an organic email list, avoid spam filters when sending bulk emails, nurture your leads and improve yo ur conversion rates. After taking this course, you can expect better business online.Internet marketing, copybloggerQuite different from email marketing, this is intended for those marketing through their websites. With Google searches being the number one way to search for businesses online, how do you rank higher than your competition?Learn all about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how content marketing works. Wondering about lead generation? Such topics are covered in this course that comes in the form of ebooks delivered via email.You may not be aware of it but there is a lot of lead generation that comes from these techniques. Register for this course and change your website if you have to. The results will be there to prove you right.WRITINGWriting is a career that satisfies mostly those with an artistic mind. Most writers love some form of art. Since art is a means of expressing yourself, it flows naturally out of you. But that doesn’t mean you’re going to be automat ically successful in communicating.If you are a professional writer, you will greatly benefit from the guidance you get from those who have been in this career for a while. And some of them offer help for free. Check out the courses below.Speech writing, globalspeechwriter.comDo you write speeches for your clients or boss? If so, you need to take this course. Writing a speech is not as easy as people think and if you are already writing, then you know this to be true.This course will teach you how to plan the speech, what to focus on and how to deliver the message. It comes through weekly emails for a total of 10 weeks.Fiction writing, The Open UniversityBeing a work of imagination, it is easy to think that you don’t need any lessons on this. But the lessons are important. They will help you add so much value to your writings. From building your characters to plot development, there is certainly a lot that learning can help you with.This course teaches you how to create fictional characters, how to present them in stories, read as a writer etc. You will also learn the importance of peer reviewing and feedback.Novel writing, reedsy learningWriting a long story can be a daunting task. You may first feel as though you have enough content only to get stuck once you begin. Or at the middle. You may feel like the new ideas your mind is generating are no longer aligning with your original story idea. What do you do?Through this course, you will learn how to create characters, build the world of your novel, manage the pace of your writing and even perfect your voice as an author. You can either receive the course through email or take it from this website.Non-fiction writing, reedsy learningWhen writing non-fiction material, you have to be careful to only give factual information. Non-fiction writing often includes research since accuracy is necessary. Whether writing about a past event or about a topic of your expertise, there are rules, or best practices which wil l guide you to success.Here is a free course which will teach you writing hacks to get started, how to learn from the reviews of similar books, how to hook your readers and how to stay productive throughout the writing process.Business writing, reedsy learningWriting for the business world is very different from other kinds of writing. This is where your expertise really comes out. In the business world, books are referred to as “the new business card”. This is because they position you as a thought leader in your industry.If that is true, and it is, then you can’t just write simply because you have the content. There is the structure of the book to think about. There is also the intended goal of the book as well as your target market. This course will teach you these and also help you set appropriate writing goals.CONCLUSIONAs you can see, you don’t have to get stuck with little knowledge because you cannot afford more education. Take as many of these courses as possible an d increase your capacity. You will soon need that knowledge.

Who Should Choose the SAT Over the ACT What if Practice Test Scores Are Inconclusive

As predicted, the ACT proved more popular than the SAT for several years after SATs design overhaul, both nationwide and among Compass students. Now that the new SAT transition aftershocks have subsided, the SAT has once again become the more popular exam. We at Compass have seen a return to equilibrium among our students, with the two exams being chosen in nearly equal numbers. At this juncture, what factors should current 11th gradersthe class of 2020be considering as they choose between the SAT and the ACT? In simplest terms, the students in the class of 2020 should weigh both tests evenly and rely heavily on the results of practice tests administered carefully and taken seriously. Compass offers professionally administered and evaluated practice tests as a complimentary service to all our prospective students. We are also skilled and thoughtful in helping students interpret any PSAT or PreACT scores they may have. If the practice tests alone are sufficient to reveal a clear winner (or, as some students might say, a least-worst option), then we will advise students to accept this outcome, spend no more time sweating the decision, and get started on their preparation. However, for roughly half of students who attempt both tests, the scores are essentially equivalent. (We use concordance tools found here to make this assessment.) In these cases, we  dig especially deep into what practice tests can reveal, and we engage the student in a nuanced evaluation of which test will ultimately be more comfortable and, therefore, more successful. Following are essential criteria to consider when comparing ACT and SAT practice test results: Pacing, Time Management, and Feeling Rushed After practice test scores, pacing and time management are  the most important factors. The clock is not a friend to most SAT and ACT test-takers, who find they must keep a close eye on it and make sure every minute is spent as productively as possible. Proper pacing is not as simple as allocating equal time to each question because some questions are much harder than others. Complicating matters further, the organization of questions by difficulty varies not only between the SAT and ACT but also on the different components within each test. (For a deep-dive into how complex this can be, check out this post on Mapping the ACT.) In very simple terms, the SAT allows more seconds per question than the ACT. For some students, this difference is palpable and meaningful, and it helps cement their decision in favor of the SAT. Other students find that while the ACT may have a speedier QPM (questions per minute) ratio, the ACT feels less taxing in terms of the amount or sophistication of information in questions that must be ingested, considered, and calculated before answering. Reading Sections are Tests of Speed and Endurance The ACT and SAT Reading sections are instructive cases in point. ACT Reading allows students only 35 minutes to answer 40 questions, covering material from four lengthy reading passages. For many students, especially those who read slowly and/or anxiously, this format is intimidating and feels rushed. SAT Reading is stretched out to 65 minutes and 52 questions across five passages. This is no walk in the park  either. Clearly the QPM is lower, but students have to keep up their energy and focus for 30 minutes longer without a break. Further, some students feel that the sophistication and nuance of the SAT Reading is tougher, and this negates any advantage over the ACT. It is perhaps the quintessential â€Å"pick a lesser evil† scenario. Science?! No Thanks! ACT has a discrete component explicitly labeled â€Å"Science.† That’s case-closed in favor of the SAT for some students, as SAT doesn’t devote an entire section to science. SAT does however report a â€Å"Cross-Test Score† on â€Å"Analysis in Science† by compiling the science-themed questions from across the entire test. Frankly, neither of the exams meaningfully assesses a student’s knowledge gained from science classes. The ACT Science is nothing like the Bio, Chem, or Physics tests students take in school. Rather, ACT Science is a unique mix of reading comprehension and quantitative assessment on science-related topics, tested under fast-paced conditions in an unfamiliar format. There isn’t much of a correlation between how much students like science classes in school and how comfortable they feel with the ACT Science. Many students think they should avoid it based on its reputation or based on their first, often bad, experience with it on practice tests. We feel that with a reasonable amount of effort most students can overcome any initial aversion they may have to Science, but for some it remains a heavy knock against the ACT that ultimately tilts them towards the SAT. A sober assessment of actual performance on a practice test is key here (you may be noticing a theme). Don’t choose a test based on other students’ generalizations or your own assumptions. Put Away Your Calculator Math on the ACT is straightforward, albeit rather speedy: 60  minutes and 60 questions, with  a calculator allowed on all questions. ACT Math goes â€Å"broad but shallow† by covering a wide range of topics. SAT Math takes a different approach focused heavily on Algebra and data analysis, and is clearly designed to align closely with College Board President David Coleman’s preferred interpretation of the Common Core principles. Calculator use is not allowed on more than 1/3 of the SAT Math; inexplicably, the no-calculator questions are accorded less time per question than those on the Calculator section. The SAT does not provide students with multiple choice answers on some questions, leaving test takers to come up with their own answers to bubble in on nearly 1/4 of the questions. On the other hand, most of the formulas students might need are provided. The ACT gives students only multiple choice questions but no formulas. Grammar By Different Names, but Game Is the Same ACT English and SAT Writing Language assess similar skills, and meaningful gaps in student performance on these components are fairly rare. The pacing is different, however, with SAT allowing 33% more time per question than ACT. The ACT English has 75 questions in 45 minutes, a pace that tends to punish indecisive over-thinkers. On the other hand, SAT Writing Language includes more questions that require students  to interpret graphs and chartswhich can be a time-suckor to demonstrate a full understanding of the passage rather than assess a grammar rule in isolation. Overall, many students find ACT English and SAT Writing Language to be the most approachable and coachable sections on the tests. SAT Essay Doesnt Care What You Think Both the ACT and SAT completely revamped and expanded their essay tasks, which are optional add-ons at the end of the test. Few students will find that they are much better equipped for one test’s essay over the other (students in AP English Language courses are a notable exception, as they will likely find the SAT essay task to be more familiar). There are significant differences, though. ACT asks you toin 40 minutesread a brief introduction of a contemporary issue along with three differing perspectives and then present an argument in which you evaluate those perspectives and include your own. On the SAT essay, there is no room for your personal point of view. Instead, you read a previously published persuasive essay and then write a rhetorical analysis of the reasoning, evidence, and stylistic devices used. You’re given 50 minutes to accomplish this. ACT has been plagued by unreliable and confusing results related to essay scoring and has responded with a series of changes around how scores are reported and whether scores can be challenged. College Board may very well be equally challenged to produce reliable (consistent) essay scores. In an effort to provide some clarity amidst all this confusion, we have written about what constitutes a good essay score. Additionally, a bit of good news is that only a handful of colleges still require the SAT or ACT essay at all, and a number of those schools discount its importance (e.g. University of California system) relative to the other areas of the tests. National Merit Says Yes to ACT Until now, a student who qualified as a National Merit Semifinalist based on 11th grade PSAT scores ultimately had to post a â€Å"confirming† score on the SAT if she wished to have a shot at becoming a Finalist. However, beginning with the class of 2020, students will be able to post confirming scores by taking either the SAT or the ACT. Thus, there is no reason to gravitate toward the SAT if other important indicators say ACT. Special Accommodations It’s rare, but not unheard of, for a student with learning differences to be approved for accommodations (or specific types of accommodations) by one testing agency but not the other. This would certainly influence a decision between the SAT and ACT. We can help by administering practice tests to see whether particular accommodations are worth pursuing. Tricky Schedules Both tests offer a half-dozen or more test date options scattered throughout the year. You may find that one tests set of options suits you much better than the alternative set. The SAT added a summer (August) test date in 2017 that is proving extremely popular. The ACT added a July test date in 2018, but its worth noting that this test date is not available in California or New York. We don’t recommend that test date availability drive your decision between SAT and ACT, but it can be a tip factor. Inconsistent College Policies and Requirements While colleges generally accept the SAT and ACT equally in their assessment of what the scores mean, quirky differences exist in the administrative policies attached to the tests. Superscoring is the practice of giving students credit for their best scores on sections of the tests across multiple sittings. This practice remains slightly more prevalent for SAT scores than for ACT scores (without good reason). See here for a complete list. On the other hand, there are a handful of colleges that have historically expected Subject Tests from their applicants who submit the SAT but not from those who submit the ACT. Finally, and also without good reason, there are a few colleges who require the essay with one test but not the other. We rarely see any of the above affect student decisions on which test to take in the first place, but these vagaries can come into play when deciding whether and which test to retake. The More Is More Mindset I’m including a few comments on this mentality not  because it’s a good thing but rather because I hear it all too often as a rationale for over-prepping students. The more is more mindset reflects a set of assumptions, often driven by generalized anxiety and characterized by trying to play every possible strategic angle with too little regard for efficiency and return on investment of the student’s precious time and energy. I believe this approach is misguided. A typical example would be when a student is pressed into a protracted engagement with both tests rather than focusing on just one. This is almost always wasted effort, at best. Worst case, the lack of focus and excessive demands on a student’s time can lead to undermining of the entire effort. It’s perfectly fine to switch to the alternative test if the practice tests, feedback from tutors and advisors, and your own intuition are all indicating that is what you should do. But when setting up a testing plan, it is far better to use practice test review and thoughtful analysis up front to try to streamline your efforts around the one test that seems to suit you best. There are no extra â€Å"hero† points for acing both exams. Got Questions? Contact Us! Our talented team of Directors loves to help students and parents piece this puzzle together and make sure your testing plan is rock solid. Contact us anytime to see how we can help. Updated December 10, 2018