Dynamic Strategy Formulation And Dynamic Strategic Change - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2654 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Introduction Dynamic strategy is generally accepted as being the ability of a firm to rapidly switch between strategic configurations, thus dynamically responding to any changes in the environment (Day et al, 2004). Such a strategy formulation is becoming increasingly vital in the contemporary business environment, but also increasingly hard to achieve due to the vast amounts of information available to businesses. As such, this piece will examine the role that information systems, IS, and information technology, IT, can play in supporting dynamic strategy formulation and dynamic strategic change. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Dynamic Strategy Formulation And Dynamic Strategic Change" essay for you Create order This will be achieved through two methods. The first will be a review of the literature to understand the theory and existing studies around the role of IS and IT in driving strategic change, and the second will consist of two case studies of organisations that used IS and IT in their strategic processes. Literature review: The relationship between IT / IS and dynamic strategy The relationship between IT and dynamic strategy is rooted in the relationship between the various patterns of information systems development and the organisational configurations that a business can adopt. This relationship is supported by Burn (1993) who demonstrated that different stages of information systems development tended to require companies to take different approaches to their strategy, based on the available organisational configurations. Indeed, this relationship revealed a pattern of strategic alignment in the organisations, based on the relationship between the organisational configuration and the stage of information systems development. This implies that the main role of information technology in supporting dynamic strategy is as an enabler of different strategic approaches, thus a high level of IT development is needed in order to support the use of dynamic strategies (Burn, 1993). Another important factor in the creation and maintenance of a dynamic strateg y is the fact that information is increasingly being created â€Å"faster than individuals and organizations cart make sense of it† (Lerch and Harter, 2001, p. 63). This not only means that organisations are now able to collect ever more detailed data and information, but also means that understanding and processing this data is more important than ever. The vast amount of available data means that it has become even harder to obtain any degree of situational awareness, with businesses struggling to understand the status and dynamics of an environment that is continually changing in so many ways. In this environment, a dynamic strategy can only be effectively created if the business is able to keep pace with the rapid rate at which information is produced, and can analyse the information rapidly enough to keep pace with the environment. IT and IS play a vital role in achieving this, by enabling managers to better categorise, analyse and act on the data produced (Lerch and Har ter, 2001). In addition to the importance of information technology in supporting an overall level of dynamic strategy formulation, specialist information systems also play a vital role in supporting the development of dynamic strategy in specific areas of the business. One particular example of this is in the use of customer relationship management strategies to support higher levels of customer commitment and retention. The main theory around customer retention is that customers can only be retained when their requirements and expectations are satisfied, and also when the customer is able to obtain fair value from their transactions with the business. Whilst satisfaction is relatively easy to obtain, the notion of fair value can change rapidly, most often when rivals launch offerings which are cheaper or subjectively superior (Park and Kim, 2003). As such, in order to effectively pursue a customer relationship management strategy, businesses need to ensure that they are aware o f what represents fair value from the point of view of their customers. This can only be achieved if the organisation is able to maintain a high degree of customer awareness, through the effective collection and analysis of customer information. Information technology and IT strategy both play a key role in enabling this for businesses, and helping them better retain their customers (Park and Kim, 2003). In addition to enabling specific aspects of dynamic strategy, high end information technology also plays a vital role in enabling businesses to expand and succeed in areas where the requirement for dynamic strategy is even more pronounced. One example of this comes from the attempt by many businesses to become electronically enabled. In order to achieve this on an effective level, businesses need to employ dynamic capabilities to leverage their expertise in the electronic environment. Whilst the key factor in succeeding in this market is a strong degree of visionary managerial le adership, companies also need to show the ability to develop innovative and dynamic IT capabilities in order to support their business aspirations. As such, a sound IT innovation strategy will prove the key to developing a dynamic electronic business strategy to succeed in the new environment (Hackbarth and Kettinger, 2004). One final example of a dynamic business strategy which can be supported by IS and IT is a mass customization strategy, which focuses on succeeding in diversified markets using the cost benefits of mass production and the marketing appeal of individualisation. In this case, information systems play a much more holistic role: not only do they support the process of strategy formulation, but they also enable the entire value chain, particularly in the management of product and process complexity levels. Indeed, Dietrich et al (2007) argue that a mass customisation strategy, and other advanced production approaches, can only truly be achieved if information syste ms are integrated into the operations process, and hence the strategy, at a fundamental level. The role of IT / IS in promoting dynamic strategic change As discussed above, the literature strongly supports the argument that the alignment of IT and IS with business strategy plays a vital role in creating dynamic strategies. However, given the importance of change in the dynamic strategy process, it can also be argued that IT and IS need to play a key role in supporting dynamic strategic change in order for businesses to maintain their dynamic strategies. This argument is supported by Sabherwal et al (2001) who claim that dynamic strategic alignment can only be achieved over a long period of time if the companys IS management profile is set up to support evolutionary changes in strategy. This argument is supported by Hsiao and Ormerod (1998) who argue that information technology enabled strategic change is a vital aspect of any dynamic strategy formulation. Indeed, their study implies that strategic change is pursued is a series of unique ways, each of which rely on the effective management of information and information systems i n order to achieve. This research also shows that IT plays an equally vital role in both planned and emergent modes of change, regardless of the change elements that drive these modes. One specific example of the role that information technology can play in supporting dynamic strategic change is in the field of dynamic process modelling. Dynamic process modelling is used across the entire set of operating and support functions of a business, including the information systems, and plays a vital role in ensuring the continued alignment of all these aspects during a strategic change process (Giaglis et al, 2005). This is a vital component of a dynamic strategic change, as alignment must be maintained in order to ensure coherence throughout the business. If different aspects of the business fall out of alignment during the strategic change, the delays associated with realigning them can disrupt the dynamic process and prevent the company from maintaining its dynamic capabilities and responsiveness to market changes. Information systems can assist in avoiding this through the creation of dynamic simulation models that demonstrate the effects of a proposed strategic change on existing business processes, helping managers be proactive and addressing any changes before they cause misalignment between organisational functions. Indeed, true continued strategic business alignment can only be maintained throughout a dynamic strategic change process if the information technology and information systems of the company are specifically configured to support the dynamic process. This argument is put forward by Chen et al (2008) who argue that dynamic strategic changes require dynamic capabilities in order to ensure strategic alignment process, and also to overcome any difficulties encountered in both achieving and sustaining alignment. This is particularly important in the IT context, given that the path dependencies created in previous changes can act as barriers to fu ture alignment. As a result, the information systems of the business need to be managed and directed, with a clear business vision, to ensure future strategic alignment, and hence business success. Case study 1: Hewlett Packard The first case study in this piece will be an examination of Hewlett Packard, HP, specifically the actions taken by HP when it was engaged to develop a new information system for a large multinational car manufacturer. This new system was a critical aspect in supporting a dynamic strategic change in the organisation, moving it away from a hierarchy and towards a worldwide network of factories and distribution facilities (Feurer et al, 2000). Analysis for the case study 1 This implementation focused on the creation of a new information system for a new area of the business. As a result, it was not dependent on the companys existing IT and IS. This meant that it provides a good example of how a system can be designed to fulfil a specific role in the creation of a dynamic strategy, with the only constraints being the network of suppliers and customers, and the requirements of the parent company. The implementation thus used a balanced approach between people and technology, helping to support a dynamic strategy that could react more rapidly to market requirements, whilst also incorporating internal goals and constraints. The resulting system supported a high level of strategic alignment, as well as a high degree of dynamic strategic control (Feurer et al, 2000). Critical reflection on the case study 1 The main success factor underlying this case study was the use of the information system to support the deployment of flexible resources as late as possible in the production process. This not only saved costs, but also helped support a mass customisation process, as described by Dietrich et al (2007). The use of the information system to provide this degree of flexibility also helped the company use a series of innovative processes to drive production in the network of factories, which encouraged further dynamic strategic development. This use was supported by a breakthrough in the technology enablers, which were driven by the cross functional teams working across HP and the car manufacturer. These breakthroughs made it possible for the system to be used to identify the critical processes which tend to have the strongest impact on the ability of a company to achieve its strategic objective (Besanko et al, 2007). The systems were then able to analyse these key processes and transla te them into high level models of how the new organisational structure would interact with its environment, in terms of the core, support and innovative processes and how these could be proactively adapted to the environment to maximise overall performance. This is a critical aspect of any strategic planning involving information systems (Ward and Peppard, 2002), and played a further key role in the success of the overall implementation, and the relevance of this case study to the development of best practice in the information systems field (Eisenhardt, 1989). Case study 2: Queensland Heath The second case study in this piece is a study of Queensland Health, QH, which is one of the largest Australian government agencies. This agency implemented a centralised IT service management model as part of a dynamic strategic change away from a function based strategic focus, and towards a service based focus (Tan et al, 2010). Analysis for the case study 2 The implementation of the system was widely seen as a success, with the system experiencing a large number of breakthroughs, both organisational and technological. The main organisational factor that supported the success of the case study was that the commitment of senior management was obtained, hence directing all the organisations resources towards the successful implementation of the system, and the resulting organisational change. This was supported by the high level of commitment and skill shown by the project champion, who recognised the need to integrate a change management strategy into the information system implementation, to ensure that the systems implementation acted to support an aligned dynamic change, rather than hinder it. In the technological area of the study, the organisation made sure to maintain close relationships with the vendors that installed the system, in order to facilitate a high level of technology transfer to the in house staff, as well as using a benefits realisation plan to track the project benefits and ensure they were realised (Tan et al, 2010). Critical reflection on the case study 2 The main learning point from this study is the importance of integrating any information systems implementation with a valid and rigorous change management strategy in order to drive successful change. This is in line with the arguments of Keen (1981) who notes that information systems will only act to support an organisational change, and maintain strategic alignment in that change, if the information systems themselves are implemented using organisational change principles. This success factor was also supported and underlined by the role played by the change champion in achieving organisational support for the change, as well as the process of obtaining commitment from senior management. This combination of factors implies that the most important factor in ensuring that IT and IS support dynamic strategic change efforts is the need to use effective change management methodologies to drive the entire process. In addition to this, the results and learning from the technological aspects of the case study indicates that the organisation needs to ensure that it has the required level of technical and technological expertise in order to run and maintain the system and ensure it is achieving its goals. The main factor in ensuring that this is achieved is the need to ensure a high level of involvement in the implementation process and, if external vendors are used, to ensure a high level of knowledge and technology transfer from said vendors. The use of a benefits realisation plan, or other method of tracking and driving project benefits, is also important in ensuring that IS and IT implementations are successful in achieving their goals. Conclusion In the modern business environment, organisations can only create and maintain relevant and successful strategic direction if they follow a process of dynamic strategic formulation. Failure to follow this process will leave the company unable to keep up with market and environmental trends, and hence will be surpassed by superior competitors. Information systems and information technology can support the process of dynamic strategy formulation by making information more available to businesses, and supporting the efforts of said businesses to analyse and formulate their strategy by providing tools to support their strategy formulation efforts. This is supported by the literature, which demonstrates how information systems can support both the development of dynamic strategies and dynamic strategic change at both the general and specific level. The importance of information systems to the process of strategy formulation and strategic change is also supported by the case studies. As the HP case study shows, information systems can play a critical role in developing a strategy and deploying it, by supporting the process of strategic discovery and relating the processes of the organisation to the strategic environment. Similarly, the case study of QH demonstrates the importance of using rigorous methods when driving strategic change. Not only must these methods be used to support the change itself, but also in the deployment of the information systems, to ensure that said systems will support the overall and not act to hinder it in any way. An understanding of the importance of information systems in providing the information needed for strategy formulation was vital in the success of both of the cases examined in this piece.

Are United States Business Laws Effective at Promoting...

The United States ranks as the highest gross domestic product nation in the world (Wickipedia, Retrieved March 22, 2014). This ranking indicates that millions of people buy, sell, trade and perform business transactions daily within a multitude of industries and professions. In order to preserve the trust and integrity of our financial systems, it is imperative that the United States implement, regulate, and enforce business practices to remain relevant and effective within the constantly changing global economic marketplace. The United States has a long history of ensuring fair and balanced business practices through legislation. The Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, began a shift in the economy from state commerce regulation to a†¦show more content†¦The main agencies which currently promote United States business laws and practices are the Federal Trade Commission and the Small Business Administration. The Federal Trade Commission, established September 26, 1914, has two key functions which include protecting consumers and promoting competition. (ftc.gov, Retrieved March 22, 2014). Consumer protections include opposing illegal, and unjust business practices within the American economy. The agency investigates, litigates and legislates to promote fair and sound business standards. Promotion of competition is accomplished by the enforcement of anti-trust laws, which results in lower prices, higher quality and free movement of goods. (ftc.gov, Retrieved March 22, 2014) Per the 2014-2015 Federal Trade Commission Performance Plan, â€Å"The agency administers a wide variety of laws and regulations such as the Federal Trade Commission Act, Telemarketing Sales Rule, Identity Theft Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, and Clayton Act. In total, the Commission has enforcement or administrative responsibilities under more than 70 laws (see http://www.ftc.gov/ogc/stats.shtm for a listing). 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Gatsby Party Scene Paragraph free essay sample

Gatsbys infamous parties are known for their extravagance and whimsicalness, yet all the happiness and laughter is not enough to block out the empty and over-indulgent lives of the rich. There is a lot of mingling among the rich at Gatsbys parties, giving heed to enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each others names(40). While these encounters appear to be very friendly and casual, they are very superficial, as there is no real connection between these people and they are all just conversing for show. Moreover, the party atmosphere can be described as full of happy, vacuous bursts of laughter. Similar to the meetings of the women, on the surface the guests faces appear to be happy, whereas underneath the empty and airy tone of laughter suggests that their happiness is meaningless. Also, the party seems to be an illusion itself, with colored lights (40) and float[ing] (40) cocktail trays. We will write a custom essay sample on Gatsby Party Scene Paragraph or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The movement of the cocktails is much like the movement of the party-ethereal and carefree. Everyone is enjoying themselves and having a good time, yet their actions seem lost and suspended in the air, hinting that the guests actually lead lives with no direction amid the flash and glamour. Furthermore, as the party dies down most of the remaining women were now having fights with men said to be their husbands (51). In contrast with the earlier chatter and laughter, the closing of the show reveals that things are not as carefree and joyful as they seem, and that people pretend to be happy and they party in an effort to forget about the dismal reality of their lives. Fitzgerald reveals that despite all the glamour and class, the rich actually lead meaningless and excessive lives. Gatsby Party Scene Paragraph free essay sample Party Scene Paragraph Gatsby infamous parties are known for their extravagance and whimsicalness, yet all the happiness and laughter is not enough to block out the empty and over- indulgent lives of the rich. There is a lot of mingling among the rich at Gatsby parties, giving heed to enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each others names(40). While these encounters appear to be very friendly and casual, they are very superficial, as there is no real connection between these people and they are all Just conversing for show. Moreover, the party atmosphere can be scribed as full of happy, vacuous bursts of laughter(46).Similar to the meetings of the women, on the surface the guests faces appear to be happy, whereas underneath the empty and airy tone of laughter suggests that their happiness is meaningless. Also, the party seems to be an illusion itself, with colored lights (40) and float[inning] (40) cocktail trays. We will write a custom essay sample on Gatsby Party Scene Paragraph or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The movement of the cocktails is much like the movement of the party-ethereal and carefree. Everyone Is enjoying themselves and having a good time, yet their actions seem lost and suspended in the air, hinting that he guests actually lead lives with no direction amid the flash and glamour.Furthermore, as the party dies down most of the remaining women were now having fights with men said to be their husbands (51). In contrast with the earlier chatter and laughter, the closing of the show reveals that things are not as carefree and joyful as they seem, and that people pretend to be happy and they party In an effort to forget about the dismal reality of their lives. Fitzgerald reveals that despite all the glamour and class, the rich actually lead meaningless and excessive lives.

Supreme Court Essays - Conservatism In The United States

Supreme Court The justices determine which cases to take. They never explain the reason for their choices. Whether or not a case is accepted "strikes me as a rather subjective decision, made up in part of intuition and in part of legal judgment," Rehnquist wrote in "The Supreme Court: How It Was, How It Is," his 1987 book about the court. Important factors, he said, are whether the legal question has been decided differently by two lower courts and needs resolution by the high court, whether a lower-court decision conflicts with an existing Supreme Court ruling and whether the issue could have significance beyond the two parties in the case. For example, the justices likely accepted the sexual-harassment case brought by Paula Jones, a former Arkansas state employee, against President Clinton because it will test the important question of whether a president should have to defend himself against a lawsuit while in office. They also agreed for the term that began Monday to review a case challenging the constitutionality of a federal handgun-registration law, no doubt in part because lower courts are divided about whether the law, which requires sheriffs to check a purchaser's background, unconstitutionally burdens local officials. But the justices do not automatically take on all cases posing significant societal dilemmas. Last June, for example, they refused to hear one on the legality of college affirmative action programs. The case did not garner the four votes needed to accept a petition for review and to schedule oral arguments on it. Before those votes are cast in the closed-door session, however, a case must pass muster with several of the youngest, least experienced lawyers in America -- the 36 law clerks who serve the nine individual justices and who, in effect, are their staff for a term. These clerks, most often four to a justice, usually are recent law school graduates and typically the cream of their Ivy League schools. It is the clerks who first winnow the 7,000 or so annual petitions, settling on the select few that they believe the justices themselves should consider. There is no set number or quota for each week's conference. With the clerks' memos in hand and in the closed conference room, the justices summarily reject most of the appeals. They discuss petitions flagged by one or more of the justices. Then, according to justices' public accounts over the years, they vote aloud, one at a time by seniority but starting with the chief justice. While the chief justice leads the meeting, the most junior justice, now Stephen G. Breyer makes handwritten notes that will be passed to a clerk for public announcement of disposition of petitions. Rehnquist is known for running a brisk session. "Bam! Bam! Bam!" one associate justice said in describing the group's swift disposition of cases. Among the richest sources of inside information about the court are the papers of the late Justice Thurgood Marshall (1967-1991). They describe negotiations as cases moved through the process. They show, for example, that only by the bare minimum of four votes did the justices accept a case that eventually yielded an important 1990 ruling on religious freedom. As is his responsibility by tradition, Chief Justice Rehnquist laid out the facts of the case and lower court rulings on it: Two Native Americans had been fired from their jobs at a private drug rehabilitation center after ingesting peyote, a cactus that contains the hallucinogen mescaline, as part of an ancient Indian religious ceremony. The men were denied unemployment compensation by the state of Oregon because officials said they were fired for illegal conduct. State drug law prohibited use of peyote. The men were never charged with a crime, and they sued the state, contending that denial of unemployment compensation violated their right to religious freedom. The Oregon Supreme Court sided with them, ruling that the anti-drug statute should not outlaw religious use of peyote. The state appealed to the Supreme Court. When the case first arrived here in 1987, Rehnquist voted to hear it. Next in seniority and entitled to the second vote was William J. Brennan Jr., who apparently was concerned that the high court might overturn the Oregon Supreme Court ruling and voted "no." Next came Byron R. White, who voted "yes," the second of four votes needed to accept. Marshall voted "no." Harry A. Blackmun said he would vote "yes" if three other solid votes were committed to hearing it. This vote to "join-3," as it is called, means that a justice is ambivalent but willing to vote "yes" if three

Best College Acceptance Calculator Learn Your Admission Chances

Best College Acceptance Calculator Learn Your Admission Chances SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Anyone who’s applied to college remembers the fear of getting that dreaded rejection letter. (For the record, I got two- and they both stung. A lot.) But what if you could calculate your chances of college acceptance before you applied? The good news is that you can! Ourcollege acceptance calculator uses your GPA and SAT/ACT score to estimate your likelihood of getting accepted to a particular school.But aside from GPA and test scores, what other critical factors affect your chance of admission?Read on to learn what schools look for during the admission process as well as how you can raise your chance of acceptance by submitting a strong application. What Factors Affect Your Chance of Acceptance? College applications have several components, with each part playing a crucial role in determining whether or not you'll be admitted. But just how important a role one part plays ultimately depends on where you're applying. Below, we go over the major factors that can influence your chance of admission to college, starting with the most important ones. #1: GPA and Rigor of Coursework Many experts agree that your GPA and the rigor of your course load are the most important factors in the college admission process. According to theNational Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC)2017 State of College Admission report, 77% of the schools surveyed rated grades in college prep courses, as well as grades in all courses, considerably important, and52%said the same for the overall strength of a student's high school curriculum.As these statistics indicate, most colleges consider grades and rigor of coursework extremely significant factors in admission. Good grades are so important because they emphasize your overall diligence as a student. But it'snot always just about getting straight As; rather, schools want to see that you're consistently challenging yourself to learn complex concepts. Your ability toperform well in upper-level classes indicates your preparedness for college-level coursework. So for some colleges, a B in an AP class might be viewed just as highly as, if not higher than, an A in a regular class. #2: SAT/ACT Test Scores Another critical factor for admission- ranked considerably important by 54% of schools in the NACAC survey- is SAT/ACT test scores. Generally speaking, admission test scores are just as, or nearly as, important as grades and rigor of coursework. But according to a US News interview with college-admission experts, the overall significance of SAT/ACT scores varies depending on the school. Some schools, particularly highly selective ones, largely emphasize test scores during the admission process. As a result, being able to hityour goal score on the SAT/ACT is often necessary for admission to these schools. Nevertheless, not all schools believe SAT/ACT scores are that important. In fact, many liberal arts colleges and national universities (even some highly ranked ones!) are test optional, meaning you are not required tosubmit test scores. #3: Personal Statement/Essay Next up is the admission essay, or personal statement.This essay is a critical component of your application, as it offers a personal glimpse into who you are as a person- something your transcripts and test scores can’t do alone. By allowing you to address and explain specific challenges you’ve overcome and accomplishments you've made, either in your personal life or academic career, the personal statement gives you the opportunity todistinguish yourself from your peers. This is especially helpful as many applicants often look alike on paper, with similar grades and test scores. In the NACAC survey, 55% of schools rated the personal statement either moderately or considerably important for admission. Clearly, you'll need to write a great essay if you hope to raise your chances of admission! Extracurriculars? Well, for one, I was the slowest runner on my cross-country team. #4: Extracurricular Activities/Resume Most schools will require you to submit a resume or evidence of any extracurricular activities (e.g., sports, clubs, etc.), volunteer work, and/or part-time work you’ve completed outside of school. What this resume does is introduce to schoolsyour general interests and non-academic accomplishments. As you create your resume, remember the key motto: depth over breadth.Basically, you’re far more likely to stand out as an applicant if you're deeply focused on honing a certain skill or contributing to a certain cause than if you're simply jumping from one activity to another. More than anything, schools want a resume that highlights your ongoingpassion and commitment. According to NACAC, nearly half of the schools surveyed considered extracurricular activities moderately or considerably important.So hopefully you've got a couple of interesting hobbies or experiences you can add to your resume! #5: Letters of Recommendation Letters of recommendation are often a vital component of college applications. If required, you'll usually need to submit two letters.However, many large state schools, such as the University of Washington and the University of Texas, do not require letters of recommendation, so make sure to check your schools' application requirements to see whether you'll need to submit any. Your letters should come from teachers whose classes you've taken (core classes, such as math and English, are preferable) and/or your school counselor. Althoughyou won't be able to read what your teachers have written about you, a good letter will positively address key aspects of your personality and work ethic in a detailed and thoughtful manner. You should always choose letter writerswho know you well enough to comment on specific accomplishments you've made.Teachers who don’t know you that well are more likely to write lukewarm letters that don’t say anything unique about you and don't mention anything that isn’t already explicit on your transcripts and resume. Letters of recommendation can play an important role in the admission processbut are generally secondary to transcripts, test scores, and resumes. According to the NACAC survey, alittle more than 40% of schools considered both teacher recommendations and counselor recommendations moderately important, while less than 20% considered them considerably important. #6: Additional Test Scores (AP, IB, SAT Subject Test) Subject-specific tests, such as AP tests, IB tests, andSAT Subject Tests, differ from the SAT/ACT in that they showcase your mastery of particular skills and subject areas. The NACAC survey reports that 61% of schools said AP and IB tests were oflimited ormoderate importance. So whileAP and IB test scores aren’t usually requirements for admission, scoring highly on them could give a small boost to your application. Fewer students take SAT Subject Tests, however, which are only required by certain (selective) schools for admission. NACAC states that 70% of schools rated SAT Subject Test scores as having no importance at all, indicating that most schools do not ask for these scores. But for the schools that do require (or strongly recommend) SAT Subject Test scores, you should aim to get high scores on them, particularly if you’re taking any Subject Tests in the field in which you’re planning to major. Our guide offers a complete list of schools that require or recommend SAT Subject Test scores. I wasn't ranked No. 1 at school, but I'm always No. 1 in Mario Kart. #7: Class Rank Class rank is an admission factor that’s actually decreased in importance over time, as fewer high schools are beginning to calculate it. In 2006, 23% of schools surveyed by NACAC regarded class rank as considerably important, but by 2016 this number had dropped to just 9%. Despite this, if your school doescalculate class rank, your rank will likely be fairly important to your colleges. Even with its drop in importance over the past decade,33% of schools still consider class rank moderately or considerably important. #8: Other Factors Several additional factors can influence your chance of getting accepted to college. These factors vary with different schools, but here are some of the most common ones: Supplemental essays:Some schools might ask you to supply a supplemental essay detailing why you want to attend this particular school(we call this a â€Å"Why This College† essay). Portfolio: A portfolio is generally only required if you’re applying to an art-oriented program or school. For example, Champlain College in Vermont requires portfolios for undergraduate applicants in certain BS and BFA programs. Interview: Not many schools require interviews, but those that do want to see that you’re enthusiastic about the school and are as strong a candidate in person as you are on paper. Most Ivy League schools require evaluative interviews, while other selective schools might require or strongly recommend them. Legacy: Many schools, such as Harvard and Brown, will take into consideration whether you are a legacy student. (In most cases, "legacy" means that one or both of your parents attended the school for undergrad.) Legacy can be a tipping factor for schools trying to decide between two equally qualified candidates. Ethnic background: Many schools practice affirmative action and will therefore take into account your racial and/or ethnic status with the intention of increasing student diversity. Geographic location: Schools might also take into account where you come from so as to create a diverse class of students from a variety of states and countries. Athletic skills: Yourathletic skillsmight play a role in admission at certain schools. Some schools even recruit highly successful student-athletes based on their high school athletic careers. First-generation college student:Being afirst-generation college student means that your parents did not attend or complete college (regardless of whether your siblings did). Much like legacy, this can be a tipping factor in your favor during the admissions process. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Feeling lucky? College Acceptance Calculator: What Are Your Chances? While you can’t know for sure whether you’ll get into a school or not, you can use our college acceptance calculator tool, along with what we know about admission factors, to roughly calculate your college acceptance chances. First, go to Google and search for â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar† or â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar admission requirements.† You’ll want to find your school’s admission requirements page in our PrepScholar database. For example, here’s what came up when I searched for â€Å"pomona prepscholar†: Once you've clicked the link to your school’s admission requirements page, scroll down to the section titled â€Å"Admissions Calculator.†You can also use ctrl + F to search for â€Å"calculator† to jump to the section more quickly. On Pomona's admission requirements page, here's what the admissions calculator section looks like: As you can see in this screenshot, our calculator takes your SAT/ACT score and (weighted or unweighted) GPA to give you a percentage estimating your chance of acceptance. Note that this percentage, though helpful, is based only on your GPA and test scores anddoesn't take into account other critical admission factors, so itcan't be considered 100% accurate. The default SAT score and GPA on the calculator will be whatever the averages are for your particular school. (The default SAT score uses the old 2400 SAT scale, but you can change this to the current 1600 SAT scale by clicking "New SAT.") In my example above, the average (old) SAT score for students admitted to Pomona is 2160, and the average GPA of admitted students is 4.05. To calculate your chances of college acceptance, choose your test (old SAT, new SAT, or ACT) and then toggle the calculator so that it shows your test score.You can also type your score directly in the box to the right. Next, repeat these steps for your GPA. Note that the GPA scale here goes up to 5.0 to account for weighted GPAs. Input your GPA exactly as it is, regardless of whether your school uses a weighted or unweighted scale. So if your school uses unweighted GPAs (i.e., out of 4.0) and you have a 3.5, input 3.5 on the calculator. If, on the other hand, your school uses weighted GPAs and you have a 4.2, then you'd input 4.2. Let’s say I took the (current version of the) SAT and got a relatively high score of 1430. In addition, my (weighted) high schoolGPA is 4.5. According to our tool (and based purely on GPA and test scores), my chance of admission to Pomona would equal about 15%: As you can see, it'd be particularly tough for me to get into Pomona based on my current GPA and SAT test score alone. Even though my GPA and SAT score are quite high in this example, Pomona is an extremely selective school with only a 10% admittance rate. Therefore, in orderto increase my chances of admission,I'd need an extremely impressive SAT score and GPA (not to mention quality letters of recommendation, a strong personal statement, and a great resume!). Despite my low chance of admission, there's no guarantee that I couldn't get into Pomona with my current SAT score and GPA. What our college acceptance calculator shows is thatit's simply unlikelyfor me to get accepted with my current stats. As you use our college acceptance calculator, be aware thatyour test scores and GPA are not the only factors schools will consider during the admission process. Unfortunately, no college acceptance calculator can take into account the strength of non-quantifiable application components, such as your personal statement and resume. The best thing to do, then, is towork on ensuring that the rest of your application is equally strong, if not stronger, than your GPA and test scores. What's worse than a low chance of acceptance? A constant low battery. What If Your Chances of College Acceptance Are Low? What's considered a low chance of admission will vary depending on where you're applying. As we saw above, with highly selective schools- even if your SAT/ACT scores and GPA are quite high- your chance of admission could be low due to the low acceptance rate of the school. If you've used our college acceptance calculator but discovered your chances of admission aren't as high as you'd hoped they'd be,you’ll need to put extra effort into your application to increase your chances of getting accepted. Here are five ways you can improve your applicationand give yourself a better shot at admission: #1: Retake the SAT/ACT Though you can't change your GPA all that much, you can make big gains on your SAT/ACT test score with a little- OK, a lot- of elbow grease. Let's look back at myexample with Pomona. You can see that my initial chances of admission- with a 1430 SAT score- are about 15%.But let’s say I retake the SAT and score far higher the second time around. How much would my chances of admission increase as a result? The answer to this depends on how big of a point improvement I'm able to make. If I were to improve my SAT score by 100+ points and get a near-perfect score of 1580, my chance of admission, according to our calculator, would increase by a whopping 32%! Ultimately, what this means is that you might be able to dramatically increase your chances of admission by simply retaking the SAT/ACT and scoring higher on it. This is partly because SAT/ACT test scores are such an important part of college applications. (Remember, as the NACAC survey revealed, test scores are usually one of the most important factors, along with GPA and coursework difficulty.) But getting a higher SAT/ACT score isn’t always easy. To help you out, we offer completely customizable SAT and ACT prep programs. You can also read our guides on how to improve your SAT orACT score, and on how to get a perfect SATorACTscore. #2: Get Feedback on Your Essay Sometimes an excellent personal statement or â€Å"Why This College† essay can sway an admission committee’s decision in your favor, so it’s imperative you write acompelling and technically correct essay. Getting separate pairs of eyes to analyze your writing is key to ensuring your college essay is high quality. Ask yourteachers, parents, and/or counselor to look over your essay and offer detailed feedback on how you could improve it and what you could change to make it more impactful. Make sure you, too, meticulously check your essayfor any glaring errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation before submitting it. For additional help,our guide offers 100+ samples of stellar personal statements. These essays will give you ideas as to what you should discuss in your essay and how you might want to organize your thoughts. #3: Get Letters of Recommendation From Teachers You’re Close With For your recommendations, askteachers who know you well and who are guaranteed to write passionately and enthusiastically about you in their letters. Ideally, you’ll have already pinpointed the teachers with whom you get along best and have forged a solid relationship. You should also have received consistently high marks in their classes. The best letters are those that can speak to positive qualities you possess and achievements you’ve made- in other words, elements about you that aren’t evident in your transcripts and test scores.You should aim to obtain letters from primarily (if not only) core-class teachers, including one whose field you're interested in studying in college. Remember, although letters of recommendation won't necessarily be the most important part of your application, they still play a valuable role in showcasing your accomplishments to colleges. In the end, a glowing letter can really boost your application and might even help get you into some of the toughest schools out there, such as Harvard. The teachers you're close with = those whom you can take cool, hipster, Inception-y photos with. #4: Get High Scores on AP, IB, and/or SAT Subject Tests If your SAT/ACT test scores aren’t as impressive as you would've liked, you can try to make up for them by submitting high AP, IB, and/or SAT Subject Test scores. Most schools do not require AP scores but will view them if submitted. You’ll usually self-report these on your application, whichallows you to select the specific AP scores you want (and don't want) to report to your school. For example, if you scored 5s on AP US History andAP English Literature and Composition but only a 2 on AP Bio, reporting only your highest scores- and omitting your AP Bio score- will let you present yourself in a more flattering light. On a related note, if you scored relatively high on an AP or IB test whose field is related to the major you want to do, definitely report this score on your application.This score will indicate to your school that you have the basic knowledge and skills necessary for success in your chosen field of study. As for SAT Subject Tests, only certain (selective) schools will require these scores. Schools that want SAT Subject Test scores usually require (or strongly recommend) you to take two or three tests. If you’re already taking AP courses, it might be easier to opt for Subject Tests in the same fields as your AP classes. Doing this should give you a higher chance of securing solid SAT Subject Test scores since you’ll already be studying the material full-time in school. #5: Ace Your Interview (If You Have One) As is the case with SAT Subject Tests, most schools do not require evaluative interviews. But if your school is one of the few thatrequires or strongly recommends an interview, doing well on it can strengthen your application and produce a clearer, more well-rounded picture of who you are and what you hope to accomplish in college. Treat the interview as an opportunity to showcase your demonstrated interest in the school. According to NACAC, half of respondents ranked â€Å"Student’s Demonstrated Interest† in a school as moderately or considerably important for admission. So as youanswer questions during the interview, be clear about how the school will help you attain your academic goals and why you’ve chosen this particular school. Most of all, be sincere. Recap: What Are Your Chances of Getting Accepted? There are many factors that affect your chances of getting accepted to college. Generally speaking, the most important factors are your GPA, the rigor of your coursework, and your SAT/ACT test score. Secondary factors include your personal statement, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and class rank. To (roughly) calculate your college acceptance chances, look for your school’s â€Å"Admission Requirements† page in our PrepScholar database and use its â€Å"Admissions Calculator† to see what your chances of getting in are, based on your current GPA and SAT/ACT score. Note, though, that our college acceptance calculator can only give you a rough estimate of your chances of acceptance. Because there's no way to take into account non-quantifiable factors such as your personal statement and letters of recommendation, no college acceptance calculator can ever be100% accurate.That said, you can use our calculator to help determine whether you might need to work on strengthening other areas of your application. If your chances of admission are low, try to improve your application as best you can. Some options to consider are retaking the SAT/ACT and aiming for a higher score, obtaining strong letters of recommendation from teachers who know you well, and getting feedback on your essays. In the end, it's impossible to know for sure whether you’ll get accepted to a certain school or not.But by putting forth your best application possible, you can give yourself a far higher chance of acceptance- not to mention the satisfaction that you gave it your all! As Tim Allen once said, "Never give up, never surrender." What’s Next? Need help applying to college? Start by reading our extensive guide onhow to apply to college. After,get tips onhow to build a versatile college application so that you can apply to a broad range of colleges without getting overwhelmed. What's a good SAT score for college? A good ACT score?A good GPA?Our guides offer tons of information on how high you'll need to aim in order to get into the schools you wish to attend. Aiming for a super selective school?Get expert tips in our guide to getting into Harvard- written by an actual Harvard alum! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Infancide essays

Infancide essays One Mans Trash is a Countrys Burden Infanticide is and was always the illegal practice of killing infants. Many times people choose to kill their infants because they were poverty stricken. Some people chose to kill their infants due to the childs shameful conception. No matter what the cause, infanticide was and still is a sickening problem. At one point in time infanticide was a popular method of population control. It was a method and a practice that many participate in and did not look down upon. Often children were not seen as a joyful occasion. These parental viewpoints lead to the destruction of many children, especially female infants. Thanks to Christianity, however, many people started to regard their newborns as blessings instead of burdens. The Christian faith preached that killing, no matter what the cause was wrong and punishable in the afterlife. Although in the latter part of the fourth century this offense was accompanied by the death sentence for anyone practicing infanticide, it could be due to the severe decrease in the population due to famine and other epidemics that struck the nations. In any case, the problem of infanticide was generally dealt with through the church system and not by any governmental branch. A common means of infanticide was through the unintentional smothering of a child while the child and the parents slept in the same bed. This was almost impossible to prove as an intentional means of slaughter. Many women who were accused of committing this particular crime served their time in jails or even were committed to the death sentence. Women (rarely men) could also plead insanity but this excuse was usually overruled and the women were inevitably sentenced to death. Eventually, in the fifteen hundreds fines were set in place to discourage people from sleeping with their infants. Women and men were facing hard times. But the women of these times, especially ...

Diversity in Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Diversity in Criminal Justice - Essay Example Furthermore, the analysis will consider the classes that are â€Å"at risk† within society; alongside a discussion of why. Additionally, the paper will analyze typical community perceptions of law enforcement; with a discussion of what classes are most likely to engage law enforcement and why. Lastly, the analysis will reference factors of recidivism, poverty, alienation, and collective efficacy (Yamatani & Spjeldnes, 2011). Through such an analysis, it is the hope of this author that the reader can gain a more informed understanding concerning the importance and relevance of considerations of diversity in criminal justice theory and application. Firstly, the concept of an individual being a product of their environment is drawn from the sociological influences that an individual faces within a unique spatial or cultural setting. Within such an understanding, those individuals that are exposed to especially difficult situations, whether this be poverty or high crime rates, will likely gravitate towards these as an understanding of the way in which life is supposed to be defined. By comparison and contrast, an individual that is from a more affluent environment will generally seek to further this experience within their own lives; seeing it as an acceptable status quo; in an almost identical way to the manner through which those that grow up within a poorer or more crime ridden environment will gradually accept this as a reasonable expectation for how life should be defined. Further, an individual that lives within an urban environment is much more likely to be experience extreme levels of poverty. The underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that almost all forms of government housing have been constructed near the urban centers; as a means of encouraging these individuals to find jobs and better themselves through immediate access to the city’s center;