examples of personal statements

Applying for financial aid can be difficult if you are Asian, because federal loans are normally not extended to non-US citizens. Still, there are numerous organizations that offer financial aid for Asians and other ethnic groups. Here are some of the organizations that offer financial aid to Asian students:

School-specific financial aid for Asian students

Northwestern University offers a number of financial aid solutions for Asians and other international students. Plans offered here include plans for permanent residents and other eligible non-citizens. There are other universities and schools that provide financial aid for Asian students. You may want to apply at this school and other similar institutions of higher learning if they offer a good curriculum and the courses that interest you.

International financial aid organizations

Many organizations offer financial aid to people from all over the world, including Asians. One such organization is The Gates Millennium Scholars program, established by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This organization offers financial aid for high school seniors, college students of all levels, and graduate students entering into fields such as computer science, science, and mathematics.

Other forms of financial aid for Asian students

Aside from the financial aid programs mentioned above, there are other ways to get financial aid if you are an Asian student. Use the Internet to search for other organizations that offer financial aid to Asian students, like the Xerox Technical Minority Scholarship Program. You can also seek for financial aid from your country of origin. Many countries have organizations that offer financial aid for those who want to study in the US. Get to know the organization you are dealing with and how they can help you. Before signing up, be sure to go over all of the details of your financial aid plan. Once you are approved, you can focus a little more on your studies rather than thinking of how to pay tuition.

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Whether you are thinking of going into law school or medical school, much preparation is needed to help you do well in your graduate studies in medical or law school. While there are schools that offer pre-med and pre-law tracks, others do not. Here are some ideas on which majors to take up to prepare you for medical school or law school:

Majors for medical school

Earning a degree in medicine will entail a lot of science classes. Some of the best majors for having a smooth transition to medical school are those related to Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. This is because the education, training and experience gained in these science majors will be used in medical school as well. Other courses that students commonly go into before entering medical school include the Social Sciences and the Humanities majors.

Majors for law school

Law school students come from a wide variety of majors. Still, there are some majors that can better prepare you for dealing with law school. One of the most popular majors for law school preparation is Political Science. Psychology, Criminology, and Philosophy are also common courses for those planning on going to law school. Many of these courses focus on human behavior, research, and analysis, as well as logical thought.

Make it about you

Although some majors may include classes that are medicine or law related, the choice is still yours to make. Remember that the most important part of your college education is that you make something of it. You may be better off taking a course that fits your interests, skills, and experience. That way, you will be able to expand your knowledge, talents, and training in that field. Even though your course may not be ideal for medical or law school applicants, most graduate schools accept people from many different academic backgrounds. Set up a meeting with your guidance counselor or career planner so they can help you find the right academic path to suit your personality, aspirations, and inspirations.

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Sexual harassment in the college setting is a serious issue that many educational institutions are trying to eradicate. Studies carried out by the American Association for University Women (AAUW) show that over 60% of both male and female students have been sexually harassed at their college or university. You don’t want to be a statistic, do you? Here are some tips on how to avoid sexual harassment.

Awareness

Awareness is a key factor in avoiding sexual harassment. First, you should be aware of what sexual harassment is. Basically, sexual harassment is any form of unwelcome sexual behavior (physical, verbal, or nonverbal). In the college setting, assailants may be other students, friends, strangers, or even school employees. Use the Internet to research about sexual harassment. This can help you understand the causes, effects, policies, and laws that are related to sexual harassment. You should also know where to go and who to talk to should you become a victim yourself.

Tips for avoiding sexual harassment

* Be aware of your environment. Knowing the places and people around you is important. Try not to go to places that are unfamiliar to you and always try to bring your friends with you when you go to unfamiliar places in the university.
* Try to evaluate the way that you dress. Certain types of clothing may attract unwanted attention.
* Joking and teasing of a sexual nature is also sexual harassment. Do not put up with such behavior.

* If you feel uncomfortable in any way, let people know. Whether its an unwanted touch, unwelcome advance, or a sexual remark, speak out and let those around you know.

Seek help from your college

Most educational institutions, especially postsecondary ones, have their own policies on sexual harassment. Read your student handbook and know how far your school will go to help you. Joining an organization that seeks to fight against sexual harassment is another alternative. You can even meet new people and friends who are just as concerned about sexual harassment as you are.

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Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis is a business venture and project planning method. Basically, SWOT analysis is conducted to help you determine, analyze, and interpret the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in a project or venture. You can conduct such an analysis on yourself and your schooling to aid you in finding the right academic pursuit. Here’s how to do it.

Understanding the SWOT analysis

Before you can effectively conduct a personal SWOT analysis, you have to know about the procedure, its objectives, and how to interpret your findings. Taking a personal SWOT analysis will require you to answer a number of questions regarding your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. You can find personal SWOT analysis tools online to help you conduct your own test. For academic pursuit purposes, tailor your questions and answers in a way that relates to education, training, experience, and personal qualities. Here are some questions that you’ll be finding in relation to SWOT analysis:

1. Which subjects am I good at? (strength)
2. Which part of writing an essay or a paper do I think is the most difficult? (weakness)
3. Which colleges or universities offer programs that I’m interested in? (opportunity)
4. What stands in the way of my getting a college degree? (threat)

Getting to know you

When answering the questions on the test, try to answer as honestly as you can. One method to help you in answering honestly is to think of how others view you. The more honest you are, the more you can learn about yourself. This is important, so that you can effectively evaluate and interpret your results.

Interpreting your results

Once you have answered the questions, take some time to go over the results. Analyze your results and think of the connections between your answers and your academic situation. Use your results to find the best possible academic pursuit for your personality. Here are some guidelines:

* Choose a course where your strengths will allow you to shine.
* Avoid academic pursuits may highlight your weaknesses. If you would like to improve on your weaknesses, you can take extra-curricular activities, seminars or certain classes that help in those areas.
* Maximize your opportunities by listing down and mapping out possible directions for your to take academically and professionally. Take advantage of as many opportunities as you can.
* Knowing and evaluating your threats will allow you to get a better perspective on obstacles that may get in your way throughout your academic pursuit. With this information, you can carefully prepare for possible pitfalls and problems along your path.

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Science and engineering careers are among the most respected in the world. This is often because of the many contributions that scientists and engineers have made in making our lives more comfortable and in making everyday tasks easier. Listed below are five of the top careers for science and engineering. You may want to check out if you have the skills for these careers.

Science

1. Environmental scientists – People in this profession are focused on researching, analyzing, and finding solutions for environmental hazards that affect people and wildlife. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), environmental science is among the top science jobs in terms of job growth.

2. Hydrologists – These professionals study different aspects of the water cycle to determine quantities of water, how water circulates around the earth, and how it is redistributed into the atmosphere and oceans. This profession is also recognized by the BLS as one of the fastest growing professions in science.

Engineering

1. Electrical engineer – Engineers in this profession are concerned with the manufacturing, designing, and development of electrical equipment. Aside from this, electrical engineers also deal with configuring, installing, and maintaining electrical systems.
2. Civil engineer – Roads, sewage systems, airports, bridges and water supplies are all designed by civil engineers. These individuals are responsible for supervising the construction of such civil systems and infrastructure.
3. Mechanical engineer – As one of the largest and broadest engineering professions, mechanical engineers are found in numerous industries. In this profession, you will be designing, manufacturing, and maintaining mechanical equipment and components.

Whether you decide on going into science or engineering, be sure that you prepare for your career path well. Do this by taking up the courses, attending seminars and workshops, and doing extracurricular activities that are related to the particular field you want to enter. This will help develop your knowledge, experience, skills, and training, preparing you for the professional path that lies ahead.

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The humanities and social sciences are two fields that can prepare students for handling a variety of job types. This is because the education and training for humanities and social sciences cover a broad spectrum of subjects. If you are having trouble finding the right career for you, read on. Here some of the most popular professions in the field of the humanities and social sciences.

1. Teachers – Degree holders in the humanities or social studies often go into teaching in the high school and college levels. Because most courses in these fields are based on continuous learning, communication, and critical thinking, teaching is a profession that can both challenge and fulfill those in the field.

2. Lawyers – Many people take up the humanities or social studies for their pre-law studies. Most of the skills learned in these courses fit well in the law setting. Students in humanities and social studies learn about history, human behavior, and psychology, all of which are important in law.

3. Sociologists – This is another profession that is well suited for those in the humanities or social studies. These professionals study human behavior, social behavior, and the institutions and organizations that help facilitate them. Different social issues, traits, and tendencies are studied to help in fields such as social psychology, education, politics, and business.

4. Political scientists – These professionals have the objective of studying public policies and political systems. There is a wide variety of topics covered in this profession, which makes humanities and social sciences graduates well-suited for the role.

5. Anthropologists – Studying human behavior and cultural development, those in the profession of anthropology have the task of researching, analyzing, and interpreting human behavior. Tackling topics of cultural, social, and physical development in human beings, anthropologists are focused on understanding people in their social contexts.

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Choosing a career path is one of the most difficult decisions to make. Chances are you have already been advised to get into a profession related to your skills and interests. It is true that becoming successful has a lot to do with finding a job that relates to your current inclinations. Here is a guide on how you can prepare for landing a job, and eventually a career, that is in line with your interests and skills.

Set your sights

The first step is to get an idea of the different professions that are related to your skills and interests. You probably already have a few ideas of what type of job you would like. Whether it is a writing job, a stockbroker, job or a game developer job, there are probably a number of positions that are related to your interests and skills. Make a list of these professions and perhaps even do some research on what other jobs might fit within your scope of interests.

Enhance your skills, excite your interests

Once you have an idea of the types of jobs that would interest you, you should begin to experiment and gain experience in that field. For those who are entering into college, consider taking up courses, seminars and workshops, and extracurricular activities related to the career paths you have outlined. Even if you have graduated from college, you can still attend forums and lectures, enroll for lessons, and join organizations. This will help to expand your knowledge, increase your experience, and practice your skills in your chosen field.

More tips

* Use the resources that are available at school. Whether it is your guidance counselor, your professor, your classmate, or the career advice center, your school has a wealth of resources to help you find the right career path. Your guidance counselor at your high school is especially trained to help teenagers with the careers that are best for them.
* Consider the credentials, qualifications, and requirements needed to get accepted into your career path of choice and go out there and get them.
* Allow yourself to change your mind and make adaptations throughout the process. Keep an open mind and a positive outlook, and you will have an easier time finding your niche in the professional world.

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Researching plays a heavy role in the educational models of many colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning. Whether you are writing a simple essay, a thesis paper, or a dissertation, you will probably have to perform some form of research to get through the assignment. Here is how you can improve your research skills.

Understand your assignment

Before you getting yourself immersed in the research process, you will have to fully understand your assignment. The following is a short list of the things you should know about your assignment:
* What is the objective of the assignment?
* What topic are you required to write about?
* How long should the paper be?
* What types of sources are allowed?
* When is the deadline for submission?
* What kind of citation will be used?
Once you know the answer to these basic questions, you will also have clues about how, where, and when to begin your research.

Plan

Now that you know your submission deadline, you can begin scheduling research time and planning your research methods. Be sure that you have ample time for researching, writing, and revising your paper. List down some of the places where you are likely to find research materials. You can begin with the Internet, the library, or your own book collection (if you have the resources). Now that you have a basic outline and schedule for research, you can begin your research. You may be overwhelmed with the vast resources available to you, so it’s always a good idea to be focused on your objective.

Be familiar with effective researching strategies

* Narrow down your topic or scope if needed. Researching for a broad topic can take a lot of time and energy. If possible, come up with a list of research topics and ask for the approval of your teacher on them. Have him or her suggest a topic from the list.
* Begin by gathering background information from general references and similar sources.
* Use what your teacher gives you. If you are using relevant sources in the classroom, ask permission to use those sources for your research. Or, at least, you can reread them to get ideas.
* Ask for advice from teachers, mentors, or other classmates on where you can find research material son your topic.
* Use the Internet to find books and articles relevant to your topic. Just make sure that what you take from the Internet comes from a reliable source.

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Plagiarism is a serious offense that can lead to expulsion from college. This is because plagiarism is a fraudulent act wherein the offender tries to pass off another person’s ideas and words as his or her own. It is important to avoid plagiarism at all costs, to avoid the repercussions of the act and to maintain your academic honesty. Here are some tips on how to avoid plagiarism:

Know your enemy

The first step to avoiding plagiarism is to know what plagiarism is and why people do it. As mentioned above, plagiarism has to do with stealing one’s intellectual property. There are basically two types of plagiarism: intentional and unintentional. Intentional plagiarism is self-explanatory; many academicians see this as type as an unpardonable offense. Unintentional plagiarism occurs when citations are not done properly. Research well on plagiarism and you are already on your way to avoiding it.

Know the rules

Next, you have to understand the rules for citation, your assignment, and writing in general. Avoiding plagiarism, writing effectively, and making citations properly will all require you to know the rules. Begin with your assignment. Understand what your teacher is asking from you by asking questions, asking for guidelines, and taking notes of specific rules the teacher may have (especially those on format and citation). Next, do some research on how to make proper citations throughout your paper. Consider what sections need citations, when citations are needed, where to put them, and how to enter them properly.

Know why you should follow the rules

It is hard to follow the rules if you are not sure why they are there in the first place. Rules against plagiarism are not only meant to protect the author’s whose words and thoughts have aided academic and intellectual progress. The rules are also there to help you arrive at new knowledge, to help you express your own ideas and feelings, and to help you become a more effective writer. Challenge yourself to go beyond the confines of what has already been said and thought. Not only will you avoid plagiarism in doing so, but you may even become a quotable source yourself.

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When you make the transition from high school to college, you will probably have to deal with leaving your home, your family, and your friends. Now, you are left to fend for yourself in this new environment with people from all around the nation and, perhaps, from all around the world. Still, fitting in and getting along with others in college can be a rather fun and fulfilling experience. Here are some tips on getting along, fitting in, and making friends with others in college:

1. Allot time for college activities

Perhaps the most helpful tip for getting along with others in college is to make some time for it. Whether it is for work, study, play, or personal reasons, everyone needs time for themselves. Still, you should try to strike a balance between the time you spend alone and the time you spend with others. Try to schedule some time to have lunch or go out with other people. The idea is to make yourself available in meeting new friends and acquaintances.

2. Do your part

Another important tip for getting along with other students and classmates in college is to make an effort. Spare some time for going to a school sports game, for attending parties, or for joining an organization that you are interested in. Simply making the effort to come to class early and talk to classmates is a good way to meet people and make friends. Just make sure that neither your academic life nor your professional life suffers from neglect.

3. Take a chance

Making friends and getting along with others often requires you to try new things and create new memories. The next time someone invites you to do something you normally would not do on your own, take a chance and say yes. Friendship is filled with excitement and fun, if you will only allow the excitement and fun to come your way.

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