What is the Minimum ACT Score for College

What is the Minimum ACT Score for College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There are a lot of numbers and scores associated with your college applications: GPA. Class rank. Maybe some AP Tests. Standardized test scores. It can be a lot to take in. If you’re taking the ACT, you might be worried about how you’ll do. What’s the worst score you could get? What’s the worst score you could get and still have a shot at your dream program? In this article, I’ll break down the lowest possible ACT score, and why you’re not likely to get it. Then I’ll discuss the minimum ACTscore for college admissions, how to choose colleges based on your score (whatever it may be), how to set a score goal based on your colleges of choice, and finally what you can do if you feel like your ACT score is too low for any of your desired schools. What's the Lowest ACT Score You Can Get? The ACT is scored from 1-36 on a composite scale. This means the minimum ACT score you could possibly receive- for example, if you showed up to the testing center and filled in every bubble on your entire scantron sheet- is a 1.The composite score is obtained from taking the average of your 4 section scores and rounding; .5 is rounded up. So to get a composite score of 1, you would have to get either 1 on each section score or three 1s and a 2. The average ACT score is a 21. The 25th percentile score is 16, and the 75th percentile score is a 24. This means that if you got a 16, you would have scored better than 25% of all test-takers. In the 75th percentile, you’ve scored better than 75% of test-takers, and so one. To give you an idea of how rare a score of 1 is, a composite score ranging anywhere from 1 to 11 would put you in the 1st percentile- meaning 99% of test-takers scored higher than 11. For individual sections, 99% of test-takers scored higher than 7 in English, 99% scored higher than 12 in Math, 99% scored higher than 9 in Reading, and 99% scored higher than 11 in Science.Even if you guessed on every question, you’d get a composite score around 11-13.Thus, it is very unlikely that you will get the lowest possible score- or even a score lower than 11- on the ACT. Even this guy got an 11! What’s the Lowest ACT Score You Can Have and Still Get Into College? Since it’s pretty unlikely that you would get the minimum ACT score, you might be more interested in knowing what is the lowest possible score you could have and still have a shot at getting into college. The answer to that question is that it depends- primarily on what colleges you are applying to, but also to a certain extent on your other qualifications. For more selective schools, you’ll need a much higher ACT score to have a shot than for less selective ones. If you’re aiming for an elite institution like University of Chicago or Princeton, you’ll need to score at least 30, and that would be on the low end for one of those schools. By contrast, you might still have a shot at a selective public school like University of Illinois with a 25 or 26. Smaller state schoolslocal to you often accept scores in the 18-22 range. In fact, public universities often have special admissions criteria for residents that allow or compensate for lower standardized test scores. For example, publicly funded Texas universities generally guarantee admission to those in the top 10% of any graduating high school class in Texas, although some have lowered the cap to the top 7 or 8% in recent years due to space concerns. You may still need to submit test scores for these schools, but they won’t keep you from being admitted. Specialized schools like art schools and music conservatories also often have lower standardized test requirements of their students, as a student’s creative work is the primary criteria for admission. Mime school only accepts your test scores if you can silently act them out. The truth is that it’s difficult to give a hard-and-fast rule as to the absolute minimum ACT score for college. Colleges and universities admit candidates along a range of test scores, although the band is narrower at more selective universities. However, you can get a general idea of what is the lowest score you could get and still have even a realistic chance at admission based on a great statistic called â€Å"the middle 50%.† The middle 50% is a statistic that most schools provide on their admissions websites that gives the test score range of the 25th to the 75th percentiles of their own admitted student pool (i.e. 25% of admits had test scores below this range, 50% had test scores in this range, and 25% had test scores above this range). This is a reliable way to figure out the scoring threshold necessary to be a viable candidate for admission. As to the lowest score you can get and still have a shot, I would say to place that mark a little (think around 1 point) below the bottom number of the middle 50%. Of course, if you pick a score that’s just a little below the 25th percentile, that does mean that people with a lower score than your â€Å"low score threshold† probably got in. There are always outliers and exceptions in the college admissions process- people who had other specific qualifications or strengths that the institution thought would be valuable. No doubt you also have unique strengths and talents that you should emphasize in college applications! But you should never assume that you are going to be one of the outliers who gets in with an ACT score at the lowest conceivable end of the admit range. That doesn’t mean don’t apply if your dream school’s middle 50% is 28-32 and you got a 26. Just be realistic that it’s quite areach school for you, and you’ll really need to differentiate yourself in other ways if you want to have a chance.By contrast, if your score is a decent cut above the 75th percentile mark (think 2+ points), you’re in a great position. Here’s a sample chart of some low and high marks as compared to some middle 50% score ranges. Sample Middle 50% Ranges and Low/High Scores Low Score Middle 50% High Score 12 13-16 18 14 15-20 22 20 21-26 28 21 22-28 30 25 26-30 32 27 28-32 34 29 30-34 36 31 32-35 36 So how is this information- about situating your own score relative to a school’s middle 50% of admits- useful? Well, it will help you choose which scores to apply to based on your own ACT score, by aiding you in identifying safety, match, and reach schools. Choosing a college is just like choosing a pumpkin, except completely different. Choosing Schools to Apply to Based on Your ACT Score If you already got your ACT score, you may be wondering how to pick which schools to apply to. In general, you’ll want to apply to some safety schools, some match schools, and some reach schools. A safety school is one where you are more qualified than the typical admitted student, a match school is one where you are as qualified as the typical student, and a reach school is one where you areless qualified than the typical student. This means that in terms of ACT scores, a safety school is one where your score well exceeds the middle 50% range (think 2+ points), a match school is one where you fall in within or just above the middle 50%, and a reach school is one where you fall in the bottom end of or just below the middle 50%. Very selective schools (think the Ivies, MIT, Stanford, University of Chicago, etc.) are a reach for everyone because they are so competitive. Let’s say Jared got a 24 on his ACT. How should we classify the following schools he is interested in: as safety, match, or reach? Northeastern Illinois University – middle 50% range: 16-21 With a score 3 points about NIU’s middle 50%, we can consider this one a safety school. Jared’s scores would put him the top quarter of applicants by a wide margin. Illinois State University – middle 50% range: 21-26 With a score right above the midpoint of ISU’s middle 50%, ISU would be a match school for Jared. Bard College – middle 50% range: 24-30 Because he is at the very bottom of the middle 50% range for Bard, we would consider Bard a reach school. Not a huge or unreasonable reach, but still a reach, as around 75% of applicants had better scores than Jared. He’ll really need for the rest of his application to be stellar. Depaul University – middle 50% range: 23-28 Jared is within the middle 50% at Depaul, but on the lower end (only one point about the bottom of the margin). This is one of those schools that sits right on the border between being a match and a reach. Just so long as you are applying to a variety of schools relative to your own test scores, it’s completely fine if an individual school’s classification seems a little ambiguous. Of course, there are other factors than test scores in choosing safety, match, and reach schools. Schools also usually provide information about the GPA and class ranks of their admitted students, so you’ll want to consider those as a factor as well. If you’re on the low end of the middle 50% in test scores, but way on the high end for GPA and class rank, it could be a match school.Unique talents or other interesting qualifications can also go a long way towards mitigating a test score that’s a little on the low end for a particular school. But what if you already have schools in mind, and you haven’t taken the SAT yet? How should you determine what score to aim for? 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. He should probably get an arrow if he wants to hit that target. Choosing a Goal ACT Score Based on Your Dream Schools You may already have some schools in mind before you take the ACT. In this case, you can use the middle 50% for those schools to set a target score for the ACT.An ideal target score would be the highest 75th percentile mark of the middle 50% among the schools you are interested in. That way, even if you fall a little short, you’ll still be well-positioned for the other schools on your list. First, make a list of all of the schools you are considering.When you have a complete list, look up the middle 50% range for each school. Then, you’ll note down the top number of the middle 50% - the 75th percentile- for each school. You can do this for total score, by section, or both- whatever is most useful for you. Note that some schools only report composite ACT scores and not section subscores. When you have all the necessary info noted down, find the highest score in the 75th percentile list.That's your target ACT score! Let’s work through an example. Here’s Alicia’s initial list of schools she’s interested in: University of Virginia Emory University Princeton University of Connecticut Syracuse University University of Maryland Johns Hopkins Now we’ll fill out our middle 50% table. An â€Å"n/a† means the school didn’t report the subscore. Sample Target Score Chart - Alicia Name of College/ University ACT English 75th ACT Reading 75th ACT Math 75th ACT Science 75th ACT Composite 25th ACT Composite 75th University of Virginia (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 28 33 Syracuse University (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 24 29 University of Connecticut (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 26 30 Emory University (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 30 34 Princeton (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 32 35 University of Maryland (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 29 33 Johns Hopkins (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 32 34 Target Score: 35 So given the schools she wants to attend, Alicia should be aiming for a 35 on her ACT. She’s got her work cut out for her! You can use the following table to do your own list: Target Score Chart Name of College/ University ACT English 75th ACT Reading 75th ACT Math 75th ACT Science 75th ACT Composite 25th ACT Composite 75th Target Score: By listing your match and reach schools and averaging their 75th percentile admit test scores, you can get a goal ACT score for yourself.But what if once you get your ACT scores back, it looks like every school is a reach? Are you out of luck? Did your four-leaf clover wilt? Based on My ACT Score, Every School I’m Interested in Is a Reach Let’s say you get your scores back. You open your scores. You look at your list of middle 50% ranges for the schools you are interested in. Your stomach drops- your score is at the 25th percentile or below for all of these schools! If your score is low enough that you are concerned about being accepted at any college you’re interested in, there are severalstrategies you might consider to address the issue: Prep for the ACT and Take It Again If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! If you prepare for your test strategically, you actually can improve your score quite a lot. See our guide to the pros and cons of all prep methods. You might try atargeted, personalized test-prep program like ours, using the best ACT prep books, or tutoring. If you still have a few months left before your deadlines, taking the ACT again is probably your best option. Take the SAT Instead The SAT and the ACT used to be very different animals- enough that students would perform dramatically differently on them. This is less true now that the SAT has been revised, because it's now very similar to the ACT. If you are particularly weak in the Science test on the ACT, the SAT may be better for you; instead of having a dedicated science section it has some chart- and data-interpretation questions throughout. This could help you if you are just hoping for a little boost. Evaluate if You Need Testing Accommodations If you have a medical condition, learning disability, or psychiatric disorder, you may qualify for special testing accommodations for the ACT. If you are on an IEP or a 504 plan at your school, it is especially likely that you are both eligible for and would benefit from test accommodations. Bear in mind that the request process is time-consuming process so you need to start early- months before you are going to take the ACT again! Adjust Your Expectations If you score is too low for all the colleges on your list, look at some less selective colleges. A 26 is too low for Northwestern, but it’s a great score for Ohio State or the University of Iowa. It's likely that you'll be able to find less selective colleges that have the same qualities you are looking for. Some collegiate ivy, outside of the Ivy League. Apply to Schools That Accept Alternate Scores Some schools will accept AP Exam Scores or SAT Subject Test Scores in lieu of more traditional SAT or ACT exam scores. If you’ve already performed well on AP exams or you feel you could do well on particular SAT Subject Tests, this could be a good strategy for you.Examples of schools that accept alternate tests include: Colorado College - Accepts various combinations of AP, IB, and SAT Subject Test scores in lieu of the ACT/SAT. Colby College - Accepts 3 SAT Subject Tests in lieu of ACT/SAT. Middlebury College - Accepts 3 SAT Subject Tests in lieu of ACT/SAT. Hamilton College - Accepts various combinations of AP, IB, and SAT Subject Test scores in lieu of the ACT/SAT. New York University - Accepts various combinations of AP, IB, and SAT Subject Test scores in lieu of the ACT/SAT. See a more comprehensive list of test-optional and test-deemphazised colleges at Fairtest.org. Apply to Test-Optional Schools Still other colleges have implemented test-optional admissions. This means that, while you can send standardized test scores as a bonus or qualification with your application, they are not required. In this case, your GPA, course records, essay, recommendation letters, and other application materials will be the determining factors in your admission- not your test scores. Though a fairly newfangled notion in college admissions, several high-quality schools have implemented test-optional policies. This seems eminently reasonable in light of the fact that there are some courses of study where you may not take hardly any tests, and certainly not many long, grueling, marathon-style standardized ones.Test-optional schools are a particularly good strategy for applicants who are good students but poor standardized test takers. Schools that are test-optional include: Wake-Forest University, NC Bates College, Maine Wesleyan University, CT Bowdoin College, Maine American University, Washington DC Mt. Holyoke College, MA (women’s college) Sarah Lawrence College, NY (women’s college) Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania (women’s college) Smith College, MA (women’s college) See a more comprehensive list of test-optional and test-deemphazised colleges at Fairtest.org. Go to Community College If your score is low enough that you are worried about getting accepted to any college, you might consider starting out at community college. Most local community colleges are open to anyone in the area with a high school diploma or GED. You can start taking classes at a community college and then transfer to a 4-year university upon completion of your associate’s degree; your most recent transcripts in this case will be much more important than your standardized test scores. The august facade of Bronx Community College. With these strategies, you’ll be sure to find a college solution that works for you, no matter your ACT score. Key Takeaways The minimumACT score you could receive is a 1, although this is very unlikely to happen.You may be more worried about getting a score high enough to get into college. While it’s difficult to set any specific threshold that is too low for college, the more selective the school, the higher you’ll need to score. You can use a statistic called the middle 50%- the test score range of the 25th-75th percentiles of admitted students for a given school- to choose safety, match, and reach schools for yourself based on your score, or to choose a target ACT score based on schools you are interested in. If you find yourself with a low enough score that you are concerned about getting into colleges you are interested in, you have several options: Prep for the ACT and take it again Take the SAT instead Figure out if you need testing accommodations Adjust your expectations and apply to less selective schools Apply to test-alternate or test-optional schools If your scores are low enough that you are worried about getting into any college, period, you might go to community college. Ultimately, if you want to pursue higher education, there are strategies to make that happen in a way that works for you regardless of your ACT score. You'll find the right rainbow for you! What's Next? Check out our complete, free guides to ACT prep, all gathered in one place.Or maybe you'd like to know how important the ACT is as part of your application, anyways. Need help figuring out your college application timeline? We've got you covered. We'll also help you identify target schools, and figure out how many schools to apply to.

7 Blogging Tips to Make Your English Writing Topics Eye-Catching

7 Blogging Tips to Make Your English Writing Topics Eye-Catching 7 Blogging Tips to Make Your English Writing Topics Eye-Catching PÐ µÃ ¾Ã'€lÐ µ are buÃ'Æ'Ã'â€"ng only Ð ¾nÐ µ thing frÐ ¾m Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u thÐ µ wÐ °Ã'Æ' you are engaging them that mÐ °kÐ µÃ'• thÐ µm feel relaxed as well as joyful. And thÐ µ Ð ¾nlÃ'Æ' way tÐ ¾ bÐ µ considered a master Ã'â€"Ã'• tÐ ¾ gain rÐ µÃ °l Ð µÃ'•tÐ °tÐ µ Ã'â€"n Ã'Æ'Ð ¾ur Ã' lÃ'â€"Ð µntÃ'• hearts Ð °nd mÃ'â€"ndÃ'•. We Ð °rÐ µ inundated of much more daily Ã'â€"nfÐ ¾rmÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n thÐ °n Ð ¾ur brÐ °Ã'â€"nÃ'• Ã' Ã °n Ã'€Ð ¾Ã'•Ã'•Ã'â€"blÃ'Æ' hÐ °ndlÐ µ. In Ð ¾rdÐ µr to stand Ð ¾ut and to make people remember your writing, you have tÐ ¾ mÐ °kÐ µ Ð °n Ð µmÐ ¾tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÐ °l Ã' Ã ¾nnÐ µÃ' tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n, uÃ'•Ã'â€"ng Ã'Æ'Ð ¾ur passion Ð °nd personal Ã'•tÐ ¾ries. Start creating a masterpiece with your EnglÃ'â€"Ã'•h wrÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"ng topics. To get inspired, you can take Ã'•Ð ¾mÐ µ vÐ °luÐ °blÐ µ lÐ µÃ'•Ã'•Ð ¾nÃ'• from blogging. WrÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"ng an essay or dÃ'â€"Ã'•Ã'•Ð µrtÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Ð ¾r any other academic Ã'€Ð °Ã'€Ð µr requirÐ µÃ'• thÐ µ same skills Ð °Ã'• a blÐ ¾g does, Ã'â€"n Ã'•Ð ¾mÐ µ ways. YÐ ¾u have tÐ ¾ sell what you Ð °rÐ µ wrÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"ng. YÐ ¾u need tÐ ¾ capture thÐ µ rÐ µÃ °dÐ µr. Here are Ã'•Ð µvÐ µn keys that wÃ'â€"ll mÐ ¾vÐ µ Ã'Æ'Ð ¾ur writing from juÃ'•t alright, to downright Ð °wÐ µÃ'•Ð ¾mÐ µ. Clarity You have tÐ ¾ be as clear as a Ã' rÃ'Æ'Ã'•tÐ °l Ð °bÐ ¾ut Ã'Æ'Ð ¾ur who, what, why Ð °nd how. There is no room for confusion. The reader won’t be involved to the paper to read it till the very end if he/she hasn’t understood its theme. Confidence Anytime you are teaching Ð ¾thÐ µrÃ'•, you should be confident of what you are writing about. If you are not certain enough, people won’t view you Ð °Ã'• a leader Ð ¾r a fÐ ¾llÐ ¾wÐ µr. Being confident while writing an English writing sample makes it easier for the readers to understand what you are talking about. Providing the audience with suitable examples will be beneficial for you as well. Conversation Effective Ã' Ã ¾mmunÃ'â€"Ã' Ã °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n is nÐ ¾t the only Ð ¾nÐ µ way Ã'•trÐ µÃ µt its an interaction between some people discussing the same topic that should be bÐ °Ã' k Ð °nd fÐ ¾rth and a natural flow. EngÐ °gÐ µ, ask questions, gÃ'â€"vÐ µ examples, tÐ µll stories, and ignite a rÐ µlÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÃ'•hÃ'â€"Ã'€ with your reader. Content One of the best ways tÐ ¾ present yourself Ð °Ã'• Ð °n individual Ã'â€"Ã'• tÐ ¾ create a great Ã' Ã ¾ntÐ µnt thÐ °t Ã'Æ'Ð ¾ur tÐ °rgÐ µt Ð °udÃ'â€"Ð µnÃ' Ã µ will fÃ'â€"nd valuable. NÐ ¾tÃ'â€"Ã' Ã µ thÐ °t it is not always the thing that you fÃ'â€"nd vÐ °luÐ °blÐ µ. Remember, its nÐ ¾t about Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u. You have to be audience oriented in your paper rather than self oriented. Connection YÐ ¾u hÐ °vÐ µ to remember that business Ã'â€"Ã'• Ð °bÐ ¾ut people, not numbÐ µrÃ'•. ItÃ'• Ð °bÐ ¾ut rÐ µlÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÃ'•hÃ'â€"Ã'€, nÐ ¾t computers. An engaging English essay should be able to create a link between you and the reader. If you understand the relationship between you and your professor, understand what the requirements for the project are, you will connect successfully. Care An awÐ µÃ'•Ð ¾mÐ µ English essay or academic paper shows care. Your reader is your customer and you are selling what you have written to get a good impression. Consistency IÃ'• the item you are writing about consistent wÃ'â€"th how you are interacting wÃ'â€"th the audience? Everything Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u dÐ ¾ Ð µvÐ µrÃ'Æ' Ã'€hÐ ¾nÐ µ call, mÐ µÃ µtÃ'â€"ng, blog Ã'€Ð ¾Ã'•t, Ã'•Ð ¾Ã' Ã'â€"Ð °l Ð µngÐ °gÐ µmÐ µnt Ð °nd personal Ã'â€"ntÐ µrÐ °Ã' tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Ã'â€"Ã'• a uniquÐ µ rÐ µÃ'€rÐ µÃ'•Ð µntÐ °tÃ'â€"Ð ¾n Ð ¾f you. ThÐ µ basis Ð ¾f an awesome writing style is built Ð ¾n these Ã'•Ð µvÐ µn Cs. Are you unique? DÐ ¾ you hÐ °vÐ µ something Ã'â€"mÃ'€Ð ¾rtÐ °nt tÐ ¾ offer?

The case study of FoxConn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The case study of FoxConn - Essay Example In recent times, Foxconn has hit headlines for the right and wrong reasons. This paper is a case study analysis of Foxconn of the company’s compliance with the Principles of the UN Global Compact in a wide range of areas such as human rights, labor rights, environment, and anti-corruption. In terms of upholding human rights, the company has failed miserably. This is because it is has been widely reported that a number of serial suicides have happened in its factories both in Taiwan and China. However, most the information collected by independent sources indicates that the deaths have mainly occurred in the Shenzhen factories (Noronha 2013). The independent sources include media reports and independent investigation reports from various non-governmental organizations. These reports delved into the living and working conditions of the employees, health and safety, compensation, working hours, and workers’ communication with management. According to news reports, a total of 18 deaths were reported from January to November 2010 in Foxconn’s Shenzhen factories. These events amounted to abuse of human rights and they raised wide public concern about working conditions in Foxconn’s factories. In recent times, the company has been labeled as a sweatshop. In addition, the company has earned a toxic reputation for the militaristic labor discipline in its gargantuan factories. The extent to which the company has registered a string of deaths among its workers has focused international scrutiny on its Longhua factory campus in Shenzhen, which has an army of 400,000 employees. A majority of these employees are migrant youths from China’s hinterland (Mullally 2015). The deaths that occurred between 2009 and 2010 and dozens of others narrowly averted are often considered to be as a result of the brutal labor conditions, heightened by an oppressive desire brought on by the sharp market

Democratic Deficit in European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Democratic Deficit in European Union - Essay Example Across Europe, irrespective of which member nation they stay in or their individual economic welfare or political preference. Thereby, whether or not the European Union apparently does have a democratic deficit, there is an increasing conception that the EU is an undemocratic system and that something must be done about it. There is no sole elucidation of the democratic deficit in the European Union. Explanations are wide-ranging. However, it is likely to establish a restricted figure of standard assertions about the democratic deficit. One specified assertion, that there is no competition for the regulation of political power is the fundamental aspects of almost all recent hypothesis of democratic administration. Even if a state is procedurally democratic, in terms of having representative bodies and checks and balances upon the exercise of authority, it is not considerably democratic except there is open opposition for administrative officer and over the direction of the democratic schema. Put it another way, the European Union is nearer to a type of open-minded repression than a form of democratic administration. There are five standard assertions about the democratic deficit in the European Union. The first assertion is that European incorporation has amounted to a rise in administrative power and a decline in national legislative regulation. At the domestic strata in Europe, the key organizations of representative government are the national assemblies. National assemblies may have little authority of legislative amendment, however, each legislature can hire and fire the cabinet, and the executive is held to account by legislative scrutiny of government ministers. Contrary executive actors are prevailing at the European level; national ministers in the Council and the government appointees to the European Commission. These European Union strata executive actors are principally beyond the regulation of national assemblies. Even with the set up of European affairs co mmissions in all national assemblies, cabinet secretaries when talking and voting in the council national officials in working cohorts of the Council, and bureaucrats in the Committee when drafting or carrying out legislation, are majorly separated from national legislature scrutiny and regulation. Consequently, it is regularly asserted that European incorporation has meant a reduction in the supremacy of national assemblies and a rise in the authority for executives. The second assertion is that the European Legislature is too frail but succeeding reforms of the European Union pacts since the mid 1980s have raised the authorities of the European Legislature, precisely as the majority of deficit academics had promoted. However, an essential percentage of European legislation is still passed under the discussion process, where the European Legislature lacks the authority to make corrections or obstruct legislation. The third assertion is that, in spite the expanding authority of the European Legislature, there is no democratic regulation of the European Union political workplace or over the direction of the EU strategy schema. Citizens vote for their governments, who sit on the Committee and nominate commissioners. Citizens also vote for the European Legi

A healthy heart

A healthy heart abstract A healthy heart is the key to good life .The heart is a vital organ of the human body which ensures the effective pumping of blood throughout the circulatory system. Due to our sedentary lives and food habits, the heart is prone to malfunctioning, and heart attack (i.e. coronary artery disease), is one of the primary cause of death [1]. Heart attack is caused by a blockage of the coronary arteries, typically at a site of narrowing (stenosis) caused by atherosclerosis. It is difficult to accurately determine the degree of atherosclerosis in arteries, particularly in the early stages of disease. One method that has been introduced is the intravascular ultrasonic catheter (IVUS), which sends a pulse of sound from a receiver and uses the returned echo to deduce the properties of the arterial tissues. Doppler Ultrasound is a similar a diagnostic, noninvasive technique which can effectively evaluate the blood flow velocity in the coronary arteries by passing the high frequency ultrasound waves into the blood using a single receiver. Our group has found that an improvement in velocity estimation can be obtained if the returned Doppler ultrasound echo is collected by multiple receivers and the information from those receivers is combined. The research proposed here will use simulation methods to determine the extent to which this same concept can be applied to multiple IVUS receivers. 1. introduction Doppler ultrasound provides a measure of the velocity distribution of blood throughout the volume of the artery. Because the signal is a superposition of echoes from multiple scatterers, the red blood cells, distributed in space, the signal at the receiver is subject to constructive and destructive interference. This phenomenon is called coherent scattering and is the primary reason that Doppler ultrasound signals are inherently noisy. The same phenomenon applies to ultrasonic imaging (B-mode imaging), in which the Doppler shift is ignored and only the magnitude of the returned signal is used to form an image of the tissue. However, in B-mode ultrasound, the scatterers are variations in the acoustic impedance of the tissue. Figure 1 shows a typical IVUS image [6]. Whereas it is possible to differentiate between the lumen, media and adventitia, the exact boundaries are difficult to determine as a result of the coherent scattering effects. 2. background 2.1. Principles of Ultrasonic B-Mode Imaging B mode imaging is typically used for ultrasound imaging as it facilitates the display of the echoes at various brightness or gray levels corresponding to their amplitude.[ee handbook] Most B-mode systems in use today create an image in 0.1 s or less, so that the image is displayed in real-time for viewing of moving structures, such as structures in the heart or the fetus moving within the womb. This is not possible with the typical magnetic resonance or computed tomography system. Most of these systems use the Doppler principle, but some use time domain detection. In Doppler detection, if the ultrasound is reflected from a target moving at some speed vt toward (away from) the source at an angle q with respect to the beam axis, the frequency of the transmitted signal f is shifted up (down) by an amount fD, the Doppler shift, according to the following relation: (116.4) In principle a measurement of fD, when f, c, and q are known, will yield the speed of the target vt. However, it is often difficult to determine q because the angle the transducer axis makes with a blood vessel, for example, is often unknown. Even when that angle is known, the flow is not necessarily along the direction of the vessel at every location and for all times Two-dimensional B-mode display: Echoes from a transducer, or beam, scanned in one plane displayed as brightness (or gray scale) versus location for the returned echo to produce a two-dimensional image. Duplex ultrasound: Simultaneous display of speed versus time for a chosen region and the two-dimensional B-mode image. B-mode display: Returned ultrasound echoes displayed as brightness or gray scale levels corresponding to the amplitude versus depth into the body fig 6 in devts in cardio vascular ultrasound.pdfdescribes input signal used B -mode (Brightness mode) ultrasound is the most commonly applied ultrasound technique for intracoronary artery visualization. B-mode images are made up of one dimensional signals from transducer crystals aligned in an arrays,which can also be displayed in two dimensional in the form of a sector[August et al].In This mode of imaging, depth and the brightness are the measure of radial axis and echo intensity. 2.1.1. Scattering of sound echo description fundamental sources of errors 2.1.2. Relationship between sound intensity and scattering coefficient The size of the scattering shadow is called the effective cross-section (s [cm2]) and can be smaller or larger than the geometrical size of the scattering particle (A [cm2]), related by the proportionality constant called the scattering efficiency Qs [dimensionless]: The scattering coefficient  µs [cm-1] describes a medium containing many scattering particles at a concentration described as a volume density s [cm3]. The scattering coefficient is essentially the cross-sectional area per unit volume of medium. Scattering coefficient: The factor that expresses the attenuation caused by scattering, e.g., of radiant or acoustic energy, during its passage through a medium. Note: The scattering coefficient is usually expressed in units of reciprocal distance. Attenuation: The decrease in intensity of a signal, beam, or wave as a result of absorption of energy and of scattering out of the path to the detector, but not including the reduction due to geometric spreading. [After JP1] Note 1: Attenuation is usually expressed in dB. Note 2: Attenuation is often used as a misnomer for attenuation coefficient, which is expressed in dB per kilometer. Note 3: A distinction must be made as to whether the attenuation is that of signal power Measurement of the intensity distribution of laser radiation using by VV Morozov 1979 Related articles All 4 versions of interaction between the light and sound, i.e., in which the scattering coefficient would depend linearly on the sound intensity. 2.1.3. Constructive and destructive interference Sound travels in the form of waves.These waves are associated with frequency and amplitude.From basic laws of physics it is known that intensity is directly proportional to amplitude of the wave which is the discriminating factor between different modes of ultrasound imaging.When these sound waves interact with each other interference occurs.The type of interference is determined by measuring the amplitude of the resultant wave formed by interaction of 2 sound waves.If the amplitude of 2 waves is either positive or negative then the resultant wave has larger amplitude.This phenomenon is known as constructive interference(or in phase interference). If the interacting waves have opposite amplitude then the resultant wave has a lower amplitude.This phenomenon is known as destructive interference(or out of phase interference). The interference type depends on the difference in distances that each wave has to take. In this context,if the ultrasonic signals are emitted from a single transmitter and captured from multiple receivers separated by a distance of half the wavelength, then we can observe constructive interference of returned echo amplitudes of the scaterrers locate d in region of interest at one receiver and destructive interference occurring at the second receiver located half the wavelength apart.[cite reference wu thesis book]. 2.1.4. Signal processing for B-Mode images (e.g. envelope detection) Intracoronary ultrasonic is done on envelope detection of the sum of (returned) echo signals from each receiver .there are many/three ways of envelope detection. One simpler method of doing it is to perform a full wave rectification on the returned echo followed by a low pass filtering to remove the side lobes of the signal. [rectify/demodulate the signal and process it by passing it through a low pass filter to remove the side lobes of the returned echo].though this method of envelope detection appears to be simpler, the operating center frequency for each of the returned signal is to be known and possibly tracked from time to time for changes. The second/another yet complex method of envelope detection is using Hilbert transform to get /generate/create a rational /methodical representation of the returned signal from each scatterer at each receiver. The advantage of using this method is that it is independent of the dampening effect present in the returned signal. (i.e. the changes in center frequency of the echo with time).The magnitude obtained from the complex signal is used as the final signal for ultrasonic imaging/next stage of converting into polar plots and plotting it using weighted average method . (refr:sprab12 page 11 and B-mode handbook).quadrature detection can also be used for extracting the envelope of the signal.refrce(high resolution ultrasound) 2.2. Current implementations of intracoronary imaging Heart disease can be diagnosed with the aid of Doppler and B-mode ultrasound, where the Doppler method provides a measure of flow rate and B-mode ultrasound provides an image. Generally these techniques, as typically used, do not have the spatial resolution to examine flow in the coronary arteries. Coronary artery geometry is diagnosed by injecting a radio-opaque dye into the artery with a catheter and taking x-ray images. However, this method does not specifically provide the locations of atherosclerotic lesions. It provides the internal geometry of the arterial lumen. Intracoronary Doppler ultrasound is a method in which a Doppler-tipped catheter is inserted into the coronary artery to measure blood velocity. IVUS uses a more complicated catheter that has an array of ultrasound crystals arranged in a ring at the tip of the catheter, and each crystal transmits an ultrasound pulse radially and then receives the returned echo. With multiple crystals, a 2-dimensional image of the cross -section of the arterial lumen can be reconstructed. This technique is currently capable of providing real time cross sectional images in vivo [3]. The main objective of Doppler ultrasound is to extract the flow velocity measurements and interpret them in physiologically significant variables through assumptions and velocity calculations [2]. The most fundamental quantity we consider is the flow rate as it best describes the extent of perfusion of blood in the region of interest [2] (i.e. a section of the coronary artery). The objective of IVUS is to obtain a mapping of the make-up of the artery as an image. Although IVUS uses several transmitter-receivers, only a single receiver is being used to capture the reflected ultrasound wave and to view the circumferential view of the artery. The problem involved by using a single receiver is that we miss many precise details about the physiological status of the artery due to its limited view and the obtained images are noisy because of coherent scattering. The possible solution can be to use multiple receivers to look at the region of interest from different angles to get a detailed view. The doctor can get a clear picture of the artery in terms of velocity, flow rate, the size of plaque present inside artery and can treat the patient in a better way. 2.2.5. Geometry of the transducers. We assume transducer as a point size spherical shaped piezoelectric crystal. Papers: B-mode handbook.pdf sprab12.pdf page 7 2.2.6. Transducer frequency response characteristics. The phrase frequency response characteristic usually implies a complete description of a systems sinusoidal steady-state behavior as a function of frequency. 2.2.7. Specifics of the transmitted signal from program 2.2.8. Signal conditioning and signal processing 2.3. Limitations of intracoronary imaging (particularly coherent scattering/scattering from multiple scatterers) One of the main problems encountered with Doppler and B-Mode ultrasound velocity estimation is coherent scattering of noise. Coherent scattering error is caused by the changes in phase of the reflected echo as the red blood cells enter and leave the sample volume. This phase depends on the distance of the transmitter to the scatterer and then to the receiver [5]. The main research objective is to simulate this process of multiple receiver Doppler ultrasound using Matlab simulation software and to see how well it improves the understanding of image quality and clarity. Even the state of art of image is to be observed using the simulations. paper : basic model of ivus.pdf page 8 Intravascular ultrasonic image quality remains poor due to speckle noise, imaging artifacts and shadowing of parts of vessel wall by calcifications. (Refce: intravascular ultrasound image segmentation.) 2.4. Previous work done on multiple receivers independence of coherent scattering noise in Doppler signals when receivers are sufficiently far apart. Velocity Measurements made/obtained over the region of interest (ROI) in an intracoronary artery have inherited velocity estimation errors due to coherent scattering. One of the methods to reduce these estimated errors is the use of multiple receivers .The echo received from each of the receivers will have some complementary information which not only improves velocity estimation, also contributes in enhancing the image clarity in a B-mode ultrasound image processing. [Jones, Krishnamurthy 2002] Improvement in velocity estimation is observed if returned Doppler ultrasound echo is collected and combined from all the multiple receivers. Most importantly the returned echo signal obtained at each receiver is independent of coherent scattering noise in Doppler signals when receivers are sufficiently far apart. In the case of an intracoronary artery, the RBCs are the major kind of multiple scatterers distributed in artery space. Since the returned echo signal detected/obtained at each of t he receiver is a summation of all the echo amplitude signals from multiple scatterers in the region of interest, they are subjected to constructive and destructive interference This way multiple receivers in B-mode can improve the image quality of B -mode intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) images. Initially a 2 dimensional geometry for the artery would be simulated. The transmitted signal would be generated using by a piezoelectric crystal in an ultrasound in real time applications. But in this proposed research, using Matlab, we first try generating a discrete signal using the pulse generator. Based on the defined parameters such as the frequency, pulse width, amplitude, pulse repetition time, artery geometry[r (?)], angle of transmission of the transmitted and received signal, the image would be extracted. Primarily, the signal from a single scatterer is modeled. In the advanced stages, multiple scatterer signals would be modeled. The following questions would be answered while doing the actual simulation. Each scatterer is modeled as a point source that reflects the transmitted signal with a set reflectivity. The scatterer does not alter the signals phase, but alters the amount of power that is returned to the receiver. Each receiver therefore is subjected to a signal that is the sum of returns from all of the scatterers, where it is important to keep track of the phases of the signals from each scatterer so that coherent scattering is adequately accounted for. The signal at each receiver is rectified and then averaged in time with a moving window to produce a signal that represents scattered power as a function of time. The range, corresponding to the location in the image, is proportional to the delay time of the returned signal. Each receiver will provide an image, and a composite image will be produced as the average over all of the receivers. 3.4.1. Transmitter/Receiver characteristics (transmitted frequency, beam width) 3.4.2. Speed of sound 3.4.3. Scattering coefficients for (1) Background and (2) Plaques The fraction of the incident energy reflected or scattered is very small for soft tissues like elastin collagen etc. [ee handbook] The differential Backscattering coefficient/scattering coefficient is the aspect that expresses the attenuation caused by scattering, of acoustic energy, while passing through a medium. The scattering coefficient ( µs) is usually expressed in units of reciprocal distance. There certainly lies a difference between the normal aortic intima and various kinds of atherosclerotic plaques. More than 90% of normal vessels usually have scattering coefficients in the range of 15 mm-1 to 36 mm-1 ,where as atherosclerotic plaques like the lipid rich blocks, fibrocalcific plaques have scattering coefficients lesser than 20 mm-1 [Levitz, Andersen et al ].The fibrous plaques which constituted elasin ,lipids and collagen demonstrated a relatively large variations in terms of scattering coefficient. Out of the three kinds of atherosclerotic plaques, fibrocalcific sample s do not show up as sharp regions in any kind of image and hence can be assumed as in homogeneities within the tissue wall having highly scattering coefficient. 3.4.4. Random numbers (particle location and scattering coefficients) 3.5. Signal Analysis (envelope detection) http://www.mathworks.com/products/demos/shipping/dspblks/dspenvdet.html Hilbert Transform can be used to generate a time domain envelope. The point is to create a rectified signal that is more suitable for calculating a smooth envelope. In the frequency domain, magnitude data is already all positive, so I dont know why youd use Hilbert Transform. To get a spectrum envelope, just average several spectrum frames together. The key then is to choose correct frame size prior to FFT, which should be based on the nature of your data and the sampling rate you are using. Averaging will help your SNR and maybe you can differentiate key frequencies between good and damaged bearings. x = Hilbert (xr) returns a complex helical sequence, sometimes called the analytic signal, from a real data sequence. The analytic signal x = xr + i*xi has a real part, xr, which is the original data, and an imaginary part, xi, which contains the Hilbert transform. The imaginary part is a version of the original real sequence with a 90 ° phase shift. Sines are therefore transformed to cosines and vice versa. The Hilbert transformed series has the same amplitude and frequency content as the original real data and includes phase information that depends on the phase of the original data. If xr is a matrix, x = Hilbert (xr) operates column wise on the matrix, finding the Hilbert transform of each column. x = Hilbert (xr, n) uses an n point FFT to compute the Hilbert transform. The input data xr is zero-padded or truncated to length n, as appropriate. The Hilbert transform is useful in calculating instantaneous attributes of a time series, especially the amplitude and frequency. The instantaneous amplitude is the amplitude of the complex Hilbert transform; the instantaneous frequency is the time rate of change of the instantaneous phase angle. For a pure sinusoid, the instantaneous amplitude and frequency are constant. The instantaneous phase, however, is a saw tooth, reflecting the way in which the local phase angle varies linearly over a single cycle. For mixtures of sinusoids, the attributes are short term, or local, averages spanning no more than two or three points. Reference [1] describes the Kolmogorov method for minimum phase reconstruction, which involves taking the Hilbert transform of the logarithm of the spectral density of a time series. The toolbox function rceps performs this reconstruction. For a discrete-time analytic signal x, the last half of fft(x) is zero, and the first (DC) and center (Nyquist) elements of fft(x) are purely real. http://dip.sun.ac.za/~weideman/research/mfiles/hilb1.m function h = hilb1(F, N, b, y)% The function h = hilb1(F, N, b, y) computes the Hilbert transform% of a function F(x) defined on the real line, at specified% values of y (y could be a scalar, vector, or matrix.) 8. bibliography http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/white_papers/heart_health_ch_wp/digital08_landing.html, last accessed on 02/26/2008, 08:30 pm. Jones SA, Fundamental Sources of error and spectral broadening in Doppler ultrasound signals, Crc critical reviews in Biomedical Engineering, page(s):399-483, 1993. Van der Steen AFW, Cespedes EI, de Korte C.L, Carlier S.G , Li W, Mastik F, Lancke C.T, Borsboom J, Lupotti F, Krams R, Sermys P.W, Bom N,Novel developments in intravascular imaging, Ultrasonics Symposium Proceedings, IEEE, Volume 2, page(s):1733 1742, 1998. Kumar P and Shoukri MM, Copula based prediction models: an application to an aortic regurgitation study, BMC Medical Research Methodology, page 7:21, 2007. Jones SA and Krishnamurthy K,Reduction of coherent scattering noise with multiple receiver doppler, Ultrasound in Med. Biol., Volume 28, page(s): 647-653, 2002. Zhu H, Oakeson K D, and Friedman M H, Retrieval of Cardiac Phase from IVUS IVUS Sequences, Medical Imaging 2003: Ultrasonic Imaging and Signal Processing, Volume 5035, 2003 page(s): 1605-7422.

Why I am ready to be a Non Commissioned Officer? Essay

This impersonal definition defines in a few words what a NCO is ( Kautz. 2001 ) . To me this definition encompasses a whole batch more. Ever since my childhood. I showed leading qualities. As a child. I was more interested in taking my friends in a football game. during some competition or any type of competition alternatively of the humdrum of my scientific discipline. geometry and English linguistic communication books. My parents despaired but I come from a household where every kid is encouraged to happen their ain personal niche and tantrum into society through it. After some clip. even though I was a better than mean pupil started to believe that I would make good in a occupation where I could learn others by illustration and use both my encephalon and muscle. I proudly admit that I am a nationalist. The sight of the Washington Memorial and the White House. both important landmarks of our state have ne'er failed to convey cryings to my eyes ( Winkler. 1998 ) . I believe my state was won after great adversities by our sires and it is our responsibility as its citizens to look after it. And I believe because of both my innate leading qualities and my love for my great states. I am ready to be a Non-commissioned officer. I to the full understand the responsibilities associated with going a NONCOM as it is known in some circles. Non commissioned officers are frequently referred to as the anchor of the armed services and I understand the of import deduction of this definition ( Fisher. 2007 ) . I would hold to be the primary leader for the majority of the enlisted corps. This would intend full duty or what I consider waxy heads ( Salinas. 2008 ) . I pray I can learn them non merely by words but by my illustration. I would hold to be really careful with my each and every measure cognizing that any incorrect measure of mine can non take down my image in the heads of my juniors but besides put my country’s name to dishonor which is something. I being so loyal. may ne'er be able to populate with. I would besides be responsible for put to deathing military missions and developing military forces in order to fix them to put to death their missions. This to me seems an even bigger duty in visible radiation of the recent universe events and the menace to universe peace which many peaceable states face from a minority of extremists. I would hold to be argus-eyed in my responsibilities and seek to fix the male childs for what I know to be tough conditions for them the likes of which most of them can ne'er even conceive of. I will seek to transfuse in their heads that it is non a mere kid of an enemy that we face but a deadly enemy and it is our and or responsibility merely to protect the citizens of our state for them. I besides understand how delicate military missions can be and I will seek through my experience and surveies to do certain that non even one error takes topographic point or at least a error which can set the mission to hazard. I understand that I am besides to be a nexus between the majority of the enlisted forces and the officers in any military organisation. Messenger or concatenation functions as they seem to me are peculiarly really delicate because both of the parties can all of a sudden be at odds with each other over fiddling or apparently everyday issues. I will seek my best to transfuse in the military forces a sense of regard for their higher-ups and for the higher-ups to really care about the well being of their juniors. I have ever believed that the ground forces hierarchy has a certain beauty to it. Where else would we see an ordinary adult male move through different ranks such as Corporal. Sergeant. Staff-Sergeant. Sergeant First Class. Master Sergeant. First Sergeant. Sergeant Major. Command Sergeant Major and Sergeant Major of the Army. To most people. these stations may look really confounding but to me this represents a calling way ( Thompson. 2006 ) . To be an officer of any organisation. non merely the ground forces requires mammoth dedication. unexcelled accomplishments. good instruction and a crisp head. I believe I have all these regardless of my immature age and I am ready to turn out this to the universe. Mentions Kautz. A. ( 2001 ) . Service for Non-Commissioned Officers. Fisher. JR. ( 2007 ) . Guardians of the Republic. Thompson. ( 2006 ) . How Long Is the Night. Salinas. J. ( 2008 ) . All were Valiant Winkler. ( 1998 ) . Future Leader Development of Army Noncommissioned Officers

Abigail Sizemore . English 3 . Child Abuse Neglect .

Abigail Sizemore English 3 Child Abuse Neglect This is a very sad and upsetting topic and sadly there are ways many people can relate to this topic my mom works at a daycare in Midway, NC, there have been times in her career where she has had to report bruises and marks found on children in her classes. This is a hard and sad thing to hear about so close to home, when she tells me these things about children I used to go play with and help watch in her class it truly breaks my heart. There is never a case that a young child deserves to be abused, people need to understand there s a huge line between disciplining and abusing. There are many problems with abusing and neglecting children besides the obvious reason, hurting the kids.†¦show more content†¦Some scratches or scars can very well be temporary but the trauma the children experience will never leave. (google images) Often times when children are abused or neglected its by family or someone the child trusts, It often times occurs when the family is in poverty or there are drugs or alcohol around. It is a major problem when family members notice that a child is being abused and/or neglected and they chose not to stand up for the child, most times young children will not even know that there is nothing wrong. It can be hard to notice â€Å"[But] Being able to recognize the physical effects of abuse can be crucial in identifying an abusive situation and taking steps to protect a child from further abuse or neglect† (Effects of child abuse). An abuser will make the children think they are playing some type of game or that what they are doing is okay, in some cases abusers will tell the children that they will get in trouble if they don’t do whatever is being asked. They could go as far as threatening the child if the child refuses to comply. It’s important to take care of cases like this immediately â€Å"Research has found that children exposed to violence or abuse, if left unaddressed or ignored, are at an increased risk for emotional and behavioral problems in the future† (Describing the problem). No child should ever have to go through these things much less have anyone to talk about it with and help them get through the terrifying