Safety Plan for Borderline Personality Disorder

Safety Plan for Borderline Personality Disorder BPD Living With BPD Print Safety Plan for Borderline Personality Disorder By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University. Learn about our editorial policy Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Updated on December 05, 2019 SummitView/E/Getty Images More in BPD Living With BPD Diagnosis Treatment Related Conditions A safety plan is a critical part of treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD). People with BPD are among the most at risk of attempting suicide  or engaging in other high-risk activities. Without a safety plan, you may be in danger of harming yourself or someone else. A safety plan can reduce your risk and make it less likely that you will make a decision in the heat of the moment that will have serious consequences. This article covers the steps in preparing a clear and comprehensive safety plan. This is not something that can be done when you are already in the midst of a mental health emergency but should be done ahead of time so you are ready. If you or a loved one are currently at immediate risk of harming yourself or someone else, call 911 or go to an emergency room right away. Talk to Your Therapist About a Safety Plan If you have BPD and have been going to therapy, talk to your therapist about developing a safety plan or emergency plan. Depending on your unique situation, she may recommend including specific things or skipping other areas so that it is tailored to you and your needs. If you do not have someone to work with on a safety plan, find a therapist. If the stigma of seeing a therapist is keeping you from this important step, keep in mind that its likely every person could benefit from seeing a therapist at times. Just as we see physicians (medical doctors) routinely to take care of our physical health, seeing a therapist can be an excellent investment in maintaining and maximizing your emotional health. Find a Therapist With the 9 Best Online Therapy Programs Evaluate Your Behaviors Once you have enlisted your therapist, you can have her help you to evaluate your risk and potential dangers, including: Thoughts of suicide, even if infrequent and fleetingUrges to harm yourselfThoughts of harming othersIssues with violence These will be the targets of your safety plan, so it is important that you think carefully about what behaviors you may need to plan for. Along with evaluating your risk, you should evaluate whether there are factors that may be increasing your risk of completing suicide or harming others, such as owning a weapon or access to potentially dangerous medications. Depending on your situation, your healthcare provider may help you minimize your risk of harming yourself or others by handing your weapons over to police or prescribing medications in only small quantities. Identify Triggers   Once you have a list of the behaviors or symptoms that put you at risk of harm, identify the events, situations, people, thoughts or feelings that trigger those behaviors or symptoms (BPD triggers). For example, many people with BPD have abandonment sensitivity, which makes experiences of real or perceived abandonment very painful. For those individuals who suffer from this symptom, abandonment experiences may trigger suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming others. Think about the events or thoughts that tend to trigger urges to engage in harmful behaviors for you and create a list of triggers. Make a Safety Plan for Coping Resources Now, identify how you can respond to your triggers in ways that will keep you safe. These will be coping resources that you will use before your symptoms become so intense that you are having a mental health crisis. Make a list of  healthy coping skills for BPD that you are familiar with and that work for you, as well as  sources of social support and people or places that can help you if you need it. These can include: Coping techniques like mindfulness meditationYour therapists emergency numberList of emergency mental health clinics and emergency roomsThe National Suicide Hotline (1-800-273-8255) Document Your Safety Plan Now it is time to put it all together. You have a list of your risk behaviors, your triggers, ways you can cope before symptoms become too intense and ways you will respond in the case of an emergency. Put these all together to give yourself a step-by-step plan of action. For each risk behavior, write out the triggers for that behavior, the coping responses you could engage in if you experience a trigger and what you will do if the coping responses do not work and you begin to experience an emergency situation. Continue until you have a safety plan for all of the risk behaviors you identified. Make a Safety Plan Commitment The last step is to make a commitment to your safety plan. This means committing to yourself that you will follow this plan when the need arises and then committing out loud to someone else that you will follow this plan. This is also called “contracting for safety.” In fact, sometimes your therapist will have you actually sign a statement saying you will follow the plan.

Battle of Stirling Bridge in the Wars of Scottish Independence

The Battle of Stirling Bridge was part of the First War of Scottish Independence. William Wallaces forces were victorious at Stirling Bridge on September 11, 1297. Armies Commanders Scotland William WallaceAndrew de Moray300 cavalry, 10,000 infantry England John de Warenne, 7th Earl of SurreyHugh de Cressingham1,000 to 3,000 cavalry, 15,000-50,000 infantry Background In 1291, with Scotland embroiled in a succession crisis following the death King Alexander III, the Scottish nobility approached King Edward of England and asked him to oversee the dispute and administer the outcome. Seeing an opportunity to expand his power, Edward agreed to settle the matter but only if he were made feudal overlord of Scotland. The Scots attempted to sidestep this demand by replying that as there was no king, there was no one to make such a concession. Without further addressing this issue, they were willing to allow Edward to oversee the realm until a new king was determined. Assessing the candidates, the English monarch selected the claim of John Balliol who was crowned in November 1292. Though the matter, known as the Great Cause, had been resolved, Edward continued to exert power and influence over Scotland. Over the next five years, he effectively treated Scotland as a vassal state. As John Balliol was effectively compromised as king, control of most state affairs passed to 12-man council in July 1295. That same year, Edward demanded that Scottish nobles provide military service and support for his war against France. Refusing, the council instead concluded the Treaty of Paris which aligned Scotland with France and commenced the Auld Alliance. Responding to this and a failed Scottish attack on Carlisle, Edward marched north and sacked Berwick-upon-Tweed in March 1296. Continuing on, English forces routed Balliol and the Scottish army at the Battle of Dunbar the following month. By July, Balliol had been captured and forced to abdicate and the majority of Scotland had been subjugated. In the wake of the English victory, a resistance to Edwards rule began which saw small bands of Scots led by individuals such as William Wallace and Andrew de Moray commence raiding the enemys supply lines. Having success, they soon gained support from Scottish nobility and with growing forces liberated much of the country north of the Firth of Forth. Concerned about the growing rebellion in Scotland, the Earl of Surrey and Hugh de Cressingham moved north to put down the revolt. Given the success at Dunbar the previous year, English confidence was high and Surrey expected a short campaign. Opposing the English was a new Scottish army led by Wallace and Moray. More disciplined than their predecessors, this force had been operating in two wings and united to meet the new threat. Arriving in the Ochil Hills overlooking the River Forth near Stirling, the two commanders awaited the English army. The English Plan As the English approached from the south, Sir Richard Lundie, a former Scottish knight, informed Surrey about a local ford that would allow sixty horsemen to cross the river at once. After conveying this information, Lundie asked permission to take a force across the ford to flank the Scottish position. Though this request was considered by Surrey, Cressingham managed to convince him to attack directly across the bridge. As Edward Is treasurer in Scotland, Cressingham wished to avoid the expense of prolonging the campaign and sought avoid any actions that would cause a delay. The Scots Victorious On September 11, 1297, Surreys English and Welsh archers crossed the narrow bridge but were recalled as the earl had overslept. Later in the day, Surreys infantry and cavalry began crossing the bridge. Watching this, Wallace and Moray restrained their troops until a sizable, but beatable, English force had reached the north shore. When approximately 5,400 had crossed the bridge, the Scots attacked and swiftly encircled the English, gaining control of the north end of the bridge. Among those who were trapped on the north shore was Cressingham who was killed and butchered by the Scottish troops. Unable to send sizable reinforcements across the narrow bridge, Surrey was forced to watch his entire vanguard be destroyed by Wallace and Morays men. One English knight, Sir Marmaduke Tweng, managed to fight his way back across the bridge to the English lines. Others discarded their armor and attempted to swim back across the River Forth. Despite still having a strong force, Surreys confidence was destroyed and he ordered the bridge destroyed before retreating south to Berwick. Seeing Wallaces victory, the Earl of Lennox and James Stewart, the High Steward of Scotland, who been supporting the English, withdrew with their men and joined the Scottish ranks. As Surrey pulled back, Stewart successfully attacked the English supply train, hastening their retreat. By departing the area, Surrey abandoned the English garrison at Stirling Castle, which eventually surrendered to the Scots. Aftermath Impact Scottish casualties at the Battle of Stirling Bridge were not recorded, however they are believed to have been relatively light. The only known casualty of the battle was Andrew de Moray who was injured and subsequently died of his wounds. The English lost approximately 6,000 killed and wounded. The victory at Stirling Bridge led to the ascent of William Wallace and he was named Guardian of Scotland the following March. His power was short-lived, as he was defeated by a King Edward I and a larger English army in 1298, at the Battle of Falkirk.

Apple Inc. Elasticity of Demand Cross Elasticity

Introduction: Apple, Inc. is an electronics and software company based in California, USA. Originally known as Apple Computer, the company is familiar to most people as innovators of the personal computer as it is known today. Apple Computer had introduced many of the now-commonplace features of personal computers, including the GUI, the mouse, the floppy disk drive, and color graphics. Apple Computer s Macintosh line of PC s had brought numerous software and hardware components within reach of the average home consumer, often in a stylish case and with an emphasis on usability. The restructured company, now called simply Apple, designs, markets, and sells not only personal computers but also consumer electronics in the form of†¦show more content†¦These three multinationals form the core of Samsung Group and reflect its name. Taking the Samsung Galaxy Note as a substitute product as it is classified as the world 2nd best cell phone . Samsung says it has sold over 2 million Galaxy Note superphones globally. Now, it’s only fair to remember that this number includes international sales, so even though the Note only became available on February 19 here in the States, it’s been on Asian shelves since October and U.K. shelves since November. Let’s put this in perspective. Apple sold twice that many (4 million) units of the iPhone 4S in its first weekend on the market. Samsung sold 3 million units of the Galaxy S II after 55 days on the market. So, when measured against these flagship smash hits, it’s hard to call the Note a mega-success. The galaxy note lowest price was $249.99 amp; the average price was $274.99 , While the highest price it reached was $529.99 . Elasticity of Demand amp; Cross Elasticity Elasticity of demand: Qd1 = 2,500,000 Qd2 = 7,000,000 P1 = #599 P2 = #299 % Qd = Q2 – Q1 / Q2 + Q1 /2 = 7,000,000 – 2,500,000 / 9,500,000 / 2 = 0.947 % P = P2 – P1 / P2 = P1 / 2 = 299 – 599 / 898 / 2 = 0.668 Ed = % Qd / % P = 0.947 / 0.668 = 1.417 * Product is elastic as the Ed is greater than 1 . Cross ElasticityShow MoreRelatedApple Inc. : The Smart Phone Market1415 Words   |  6 PagesApple Inc. entered the smart phone market in 2007 with the launch of a basic 4GB and 8GB iPhone. Since that time, the iPhone has revolutionized the smart phone market and redefined the idea of meeting consumer demands. Apple has been introduced a new model of its successful iPhone each year and consistently achieves higher market share than its competition. This essay examines the Apple iPhone from an economic perspective. It will explore the supply and demand of the iPhone and examine the rationaleRead MoreMba 640 Managerial Economics1427 Words   |  6 Pagesyou’ve defined managerial economics and it’s relationship to its economic theory. Managerial economics will interact with each of these business’s disciplines at some point or another; demand, marketing, finance, accounting, management science and strategy. An example of one of the disciplines (demand or price elasticity): Ford and Honda cater to the subcompact segment (marketing segmentation) of the automobile market with their Focus and Civic models, respectively. Are Ford Focus buyers more or lessRead MoreApple Case Study 15375 Words   |  22 PagesApple Table of Contents: I. Introduction II. Opening Case III. Competitor Analysis IV. Sales Analysis V. Profitability Analysis VI. Cross Elasticity of Demand: Competitors v/s iPhone VII. Demand, Cost and Pricing VIII. Pure competition, Monopolistic Competition amp; Oligopoly IX. Conclusion X. References I. Introduction Apple Inc. (Apple) designs, manufactures and markets a range of personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, andRead MoreEconomics for Managerial Decision Making: Market Structure1650 Words   |  7 PagesEconomics for Managerial Decision Making: Market Structure Introduction As legend and reality have it, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer in a garage in Cupertino, Calif., in 1976. From those humble beginnings, and through extreme market swings, Apple Inc. has become the most valuable company in the world. â€Å"Given the company’s unbelievable innovation over the last few years, and the subsequent mountains of cash that it has earned as a result, the likely catalyst for the stockRead MoreEvolution of Monopolistic Competitive Market1962 Words   |  8 PagesI will reflect the evolution of the monopolistically competitive market and by doing so guiding the concept with an insight of the Mp3 player market and its actors. One of the actors on the Mp3 market is the IPod created by the innovating company Apple. The IPod was realised in March 2004 and was immediately a success. Easy to manoeuvre and with its attractive and appealing look it took the profits from other existing firms and became the current market leader. Looking at t he concept and the dynamicsRead MoreSupply and Demand and Dell Laptops2626 Words   |  11 Pagescourse instructor and have been asked to submit an elaborate report on the topic. 1.2 Objectives and scopes * Analyzing the demand and supply of Dell laptops. * Analyzing the current market situation of Dell laptops. * Analyzing the factors affecting the demand and supply of Dell laptops in Dhaka city. * Analyzing the price elasticity of demand and supply of Dell laptops. 1.3 Methodology The data needed to prepare this report was basically learned from the courseRead MoreSupply and Demand and United States6544 Words   |  27 Pagesï » ¿CHAPTER 2 THE BASICS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND 1. Consider a competitive market for which the quantities demanded and supplied (per year) at various prices are given as follows: Price ($ ) Demand Supply (millions) (millions) 60 22 14 80 Read MoreThe Impact of New Companies Entering the Market1764 Words   |  8 PagesEco365/Fathelrahman April 29, 2008 Market Trends Impact   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This paper will analyze the impact of market trends on the computer industry and the organization Dell, Inc.   The market trends will be identified within the following areas; market structure, prices, technology, production, cost structure, competitors, regulatory, supply and demand.   The paper will also discuss the impact of new companies entering the market. Market Structure and Pricing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This part of the paper will cover marketRead MoreCompetition in the Microprocessor Market: Intel, Amd and Beyond11958 Words   |  48 Pagesstructure by looking at sequence of events leading up to today s market. While Intel was founded in 1967, AMD was founded only shortly after in 1968. In 1976 AMD and Intel sign a cross-license agreement which eventually leads to the elimination of other competitors due to a widening technological gap. In 1987 the cross-licensing agreement between AMD and Intel is terminated. This marks the beginning of strong competition between the two companies. Computer prices are driven below $1,000 in 1997 Read MoreSmuckers6894 Words   |  28 Pages Kennedy University Managerial Economics BUS5052 Edward Torres March 09, 2012 SMUCKER S - THE J.M. SMUCKER COMPANY SMUCKER S The J.M. Smucker Company History Smuckers was founded in 1897 by Jerome Monroe Smuckers who sold his first product, apple butter, from the back of a horse-drawn wagon. J.M. Smucker Company was incorporated in 1921 and has been a successful family run business for four generations. J.M. Smucker Company s headquarters is located in Orrville, Ohio and has been there since

Absurdity in Beckett’s Endgame Free Essays

Bucket’s â€Å"Endgame† explores an existence in an era when the importance of being Is Incessantly challenged by man’s newfound recognition of the universes absurdity and lack of observable meaning, Written In 1957, the context of the world at the time of this works creation sheds much insight on its themes. In a time of continuous social and technological change scientific observations began yielding a more accurate picture of causality for the world and its phenomena; and the concept of god became ever less relevant. The recent world wars had left ruins in not only cities, but in the concepts driving the nature of man. We will write a custom essay sample on Absurdity in Beckett’s Endgame or any similar topic only for you Order Now With the Implicit destruction of deities and sets of traditional rules to govern man’s behavior, humanity found Itself at a need to define a different purpose to Its existence. Enter existentialism: A belief in existence despite any discernible meaning, existence for its own sake; heralding with it an implied freedom of choice in both perception and action. As with the then contemporary world view, the characters in Bucket’s â€Å"Endgame† are left to survive in the wake of a crumbled world. Free to devise their own world view, the characters respond by developing life affirming routines – mistreating that creation persists even In destruction. Destruction, It would seem does not eliminate an object or Idea, but only redefines its form, beginning its existence anew. Rather ironically, the play begins with Cool repeating the world â€Å"finished†. Consequently, this theme of beginnings and endings as interrelated, cyclical, mutually necessary, and conclusively futile comes to prevail over the course of the play. As with the classic case of the chicken and the egg, the cyclical pattern of creation and destruction is eternal In Its supposed nature. However, to the AOL of Inciting drama or motivation, a story must begin with destruction; a motif with which â€Å"Endgame† is rife. The very setting of the play Immediately evokes a sense of catastrophe and destruction. The lifeless â€Å"bare interior (Endgame, 50) is coupled with the â€Å"nothing† or â€Å"zero† (Endgame, 51) reported outside by Cool to Imply at the decay of a once lively outside world; while the imagery of the stage as a skull (with the two windows acting as eyes and the characters as the thoughts) denote the destruction within. During this unmentioned catastrophe, the characters saw the end f their entire world and way of life; thus being forced to redefine their views and behaviors. The destruction of their past worlds leads the characters to abandon their old ideals and ways of life. The bastardly He doesn’t exist. † exclaimed Ham when his prayer went unanswered; showing that even god had died in the wake of Ham’s personal disaster. However, these new circumstances work to effectively create a new world for the characters to inhabit – a world as senseless as the last. Whether It Is the story about the tailor, which coupled the end of a period of walling he beginning of the world, Ham and Clove’s killing the flea from which they believe humanity may have been reborn (Endgame, 591 or the numerous references to Christ, whose death (and subsequent rebirth) – destructive and creative motifs in Bucket’s â€Å"Endgame† are presented in tandem. Interestingly, the cyclical nature of life and death renders itself generally nonsensical and pointless. Surely, if all is to end to be reborn anew then a personally crafted purpose will ultimately remain as to exemplify this notion of a circular existence, with many motifs of rebirth such as Cool always returning. In their awareness of death (their own destruction), Bucket’s characters foster eternally static routines that they hope will distract them from their imminent demise. They go through the â€Å"†¦ This farce, day after day† (Endgame, 54), as Nell puts it, because there is nothing else to do but delay the inevitable while they wait. To that end, Becket makes use of repetitive language to denote the futility and repetitiveness of the cyclical nature of life. The play systematically notes upon and enunciates the characters minutest movements, and repeats their most casual interests: from Ham’s insistence on remaining at the center of the room (Endgame, 57); to how many pauses Ham takes in his speech; to how Nell repeats herself to Nag, as in the case of â€Å"April afternoon† (Endgame, 56) . â€Å"Let’s my dream. A world where all would be silent and still, and each thing in its last place, under the last dust. † (Endgame, 66) says Cool, expressing a desire for order. Yet Cloves constant tidying seems to have no end in sight; especially if he were to direct his efforts to the destruction outside. This tidy end of which Cool dreams would only yield disappointment as he would have no cleaning duty to occupy him and upon achieving it, his life would again become meaningless. In such a way, Cloves vision provides meaning to his trudge, which would otherwise dissipate upon achieving his goal. This focus on repetitive actions that delay the inevitable prohibits the discernment of meaning from these same actions, since there is never a final culmination to assess. Still, even the one example of a final product, is by no means fulfilling. â€Å"Look at the world and look – at my TROUSERS. † (Endgame, 56) Says the tailor in Knell’s story, as if to belittle the bounty of the world (tongue in cheek, of ours) in the face the quality of his pants. In this case, as in the case of the characters death delaying routine, no amount of postponement will have made the end result worthy. As such, the play essentially stresses a â€Å"damned if you do, and damned if you don’t† scenario by showing how any action will eventually be absolved in futility. The theme of futility ties into the very initial metaphor for ends in beginnings: As Cool mutters â€Å"Finished, it’s finished, nearly finished, it must be nearly finished. Grain upon grain, one by one, and one day, suddenly, there’s a heap, a little heap, the impossible heap. (Endgame, 50), he effectively questions when individual grains live up to the concept of a â€Å"heap. † From this perspective, the heap is an â€Å"impossible† notion, as any single grain is not in itself a heap, and a â€Å"heap† is Just an accumulation of single grains. This view resurfaces yet again, when Ham considers how individual moments make up a life (Endgame, 70). In this instance the analogy maintains that it is an â€Å"impossible† life, consisting not of a life that can be scrutinized as a goal achieved (or not), but of discrete moments that define it (before death terminates it indefinitely). Thus, any creation of meaning incurred during one’s life, is presented as ultimately pointless – and only leading to its own destruction with the passing of its believers. While Ham and Cool are in the â€Å"endgame† of their ancient lives, with death lurking around the corner, they are also stuck in a perpetual loop that never allows the to achieve closure. Ham claims he wants to be â€Å"finished,† but admits that he â€Å"hesitate[s]† to do so (Endgame, 51). â€Å"We’re not beginning to†¦ To†¦ Mean something? â€Å", Ham wonders, only to be ridiculed by Cool in response him deeply aware of its lack of purpose. Since any ending is also a beginning, there is never any finality, and conclusive meaning is impossible. Besides, any meaning derived would be as shallow as the meaning left behind; while only persisting as long as its belabored. The very expression of Ham’s question exemplifies this very struggle; where he delays and repeats words as he attempts to finish the sentence – only to have it become a meaningless gesture in the eyes of Cool. Cool, though aware of the world’s absurdity must still subscribe to routine. He adheres to the daily procedures of tending to Ham and thus makes it the purpose of his life. Just as death wont arrive to conclude their lives, neither Ham nor Cool can escape existence in catheters presence. Such is the case with Clove’s frequent failed attempts to leave the room and Ham’s insistence on squashing the flea that might herald with it the human race; the characters appear to fear the destruction of their current realm of existence in favor of another for fear of the new world being worse still. It is consequently implied that the characters loathe the thought of reincarnation into this world; particularly being personally resurrected after death only to face life again. Thus they make an effort to kill all potential propagators of meaningless life such as the â€Å"procreators† that they seek to kill (Endgame, 73), or the incident with the flea the flea: â€Å"But humanity might start from there all over again! Catch him, for the love of God! † (Endgame, 59) screams Ham, in chase of the flea. In exploring the cyclical nature of destruction and creation, â€Å"Endgame† notes on the futility inherent to the process. The cyclical nature of destruction and creation is rendered meaningless by the very definition of its continuity. Seeing the meaning seep from their previous existence, the characters come to realism that any new purpose will be as unfailing and mortal as the last. In the process of finding purpose in an existence doomed to meaningless, the characters come to occupy their time with senseless repetition that they both despise, and require. In true existentialist fashion, they deem all actions pointless, but are unwilling to stop making them while they still can. This play goes to show that meaning is what you make of it, and that there are no winners at the end of this absurd game called life. How to cite Absurdity in Beckett’s Endgame, Papers

Zerif Changes Name to Zelle, Get Pro With Extra Features at 20% Off

Our popular Zerif theme changes its name to Zelle!Together with the change, were improving the theme under the hood and adding a handful of new features that you might want to see. Were no longer maintaininig the Lite edition of the theme, effective Nov 1st.Heres everything you need to know: Zerif Pro Zelle ProEverything that you love about Zerif will stay intact in Zelle  after the name change. This means:great one-page designfull compatibility with WooCommercegreat-looking homepage blocksadvanced integration with WordPress Customizerfull compatibility with page builders, and moreApart from that, were also adding:an additional menu bar at the top aptly named the Very Top Barnew layout options for your Blog listing pagenew layout options for the Shop page, including a new sidebarenabling videos and galleries in the Big Title sectionnew flexible customization options for the Big Title sections layoutfull compatibility with WPFormsWhat does it mean if youre an existing user of Zerif Pro? Just update the theme to its latest version and enjoy the new features! Thats all.Using Zerif Lite? Upgrade to Pro and get 20% offZerif Lite will no longer be maintained after Nov 1st, 2018. The theme will continue to receive security updates for another year.For that reason, we recommend all users to upgrade to the new Zelle Pro and get all of the aforementioned extra features.Were offering an exclusive 20% discount for those who are ready to upgrade.👉 Click here to upgrade to Zelle Pro with a 20% discount.If upgrading to Pro isnt possible for you right now, consider migrating your site to Neve   our flagship free WordPress theme.Whats next for ZelleOnly great things, we hope! 😄 As you can see, were already introducing new features and making the theme better, and were not planning to stop.Zerif has been with us for more than four years now. The theme had its WordPress.org debut on Oct 20th, 2014. We hope that Zelle will add another four years to that, or pe rhaps even more. Essentially, Zelle/Zerif remains the same theme, just better.Find out more about Zelle here. Zerif #WordPress #theme changes name to Zelle

2018-19 Common Application Essay Sample for Option #3

2018-19 Common Application Essay Sample for Option #3 Jennifer wrote the essay below in response to the 2018-19  Common Application essay option #3. The prompt reads,  Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? Gym Class Hero I’m not really an athlete. I’m all for a rousing game of badminton or tennis, and I enjoy cross-country skiing and hiking, but I enjoy these activities as recreation. I don’t find enjoyment in testing my physical limits to the point of pain. I’m not competitive by nature; I rarely challenge others, or find myself face-to-face with an opponent. Except, to my surprise, if that competitor, that challenger, is simply myself. â€Å"Ok, I need some folks to run a mile,† Mr. Fox, the PE Teacher, bellowed over the 40-odd preteens loitering around the playing fields behind Lafayette Middle School. We were working through a unit on track and field events. Up to this point, I had managed to avoid participation. â€Å"It’s four times around the track. Any takers?† A couple people raised their hands and began assembling at the make-shift starting line. â€Å"Well, let’s get a few more out there,† he continued. Looking over the rest of us, he made a quick assessment and called out, â€Å"Johnson. Patterson. VanHouten. And, uh, Baxter.† I froze. Were there any other Baxters in my class? No. Only me. And, to my dismay, I heard myself saying â€Å"Ok!† as I made my way to the track, my heart already pounding, my stomach in knots, with zero confidence in myself. I couldn’t do this. Where did my doubt come from? No one ever said to me, â€Å"Oh, you can’t run a mile.† I don’t even remember any askance looks, any raised eyebrows implying I was out of my depth. Middle-schoolers can be a cruel bunch, but not that day. There was just that voice in my head, as clear as a bell: â€Å"You’ll never be able to run a mile. You can’t even climb stairs without getting winded. It’s going to hurt. You’ll probably pass out. You could never run a mile.† A whole mile? That voice was right. It was, in my mind, impossibly long. What was I going to do? I ran a mile. There was nothing else to do; I didn’t have time to question it, or come up with an excuse. Sometimes challenging a belief is as easy as just doing something. It wasn’t a conscious â€Å"I’m going to challenge this doubt and insecurity I have.† I just started running. Four laps around the track- it took me thirteen minutes. Which, as I research it now, is not particularly impressive. But at the time, I was pretty proud. For someone who never ran, I was just happy I finished. I didn’t feel great; my legs were shaky and there was something rattling around in my chest, but I had proven myself wrong. I could run a mile. Of course, I ended up throwing up about five minutes later. Even if I had new-found confidence and a sense of accomplishment, my body wasn’t quite ready for it yet. I’m sure there’s some lesson to be learned there- something about not pushing ourselves too far, too fast. About knowing and assessing our limitations. But that’s not the important moral of the story. I discovered I wasn’t always right. I learned that I was too critical of myself, too cruel, too unforgiving. Yes, I’m not going to the Olympics anytime soon. Yes, I’m not going to set any records for track. But- once I stopped telling myself no, and just got on with the task at hand, I surprised myself. And that’s something I’m carrying with me into my future: the ability to shut off those doubting voices, and sometimes just going for it. I may surprise myself by discovering I can do much more than I thought possible. Critique of "Gym Class Hero" In general, Jennifer has written a strong Common Application essay. Is there room for improvement? Of course- even the best essays can be made stronger with effort. Below youll find a discussion of some of elements of Jennifers essay that make it strong as well as some comments on areas that could use some revision.   Jennifer's Topic As the tips and strategies for option #3  state, the vagueness of the terms belief or idea allow an applicant to steer his or her essay in a wide range of directions. When asked about beliefs or ideas, most of us will immediately think in terms of politics, religion, philosophy, and ethics. Jennifers essay is refreshing in that she explores none of those things. Instead, she zeros in on something both commonplace yet remarkably important- that nagging internal voice of self-doubt that nearly everyone has experienced at one time or another.   Far too many college applicants feel that they must write about something profound, some amazing accomplishment, or some experience that is truly unique. In fact, many applicants get overly stressed because they feel they have had unremarkable lives and have nothing worth narrating in their essays. Jennifers essay is a beautiful example of the fallacy of these concerns. She writes about something millions of teens have experienced- that awkward feeling of inadequacy in gym class. But she succeeds in taking that common experience and turning it into an essay that lets us see her as a unique person.   In the end, her essay really isnt about running a 13-minute mile. Her essay is about looking inward, recognizing her sometimes paralyzing self-doubt, examining what it is that often holds her back, and ultimately growing in confidence and maturity. Those four laps around the track arent the point. What stands out is that Jennifer has learned an important lesson: to succeed, one needs to first step up and try. The lesson she learned- to stop telling herself no and just get on with the task at hand- is one that the admissions committee will admire, for it is a key to college success. Jennifer's Title, "Gym Class Hero" When the admissions staff first read Jennifers title, they are likely to have concerns. If you read the list of 10 bad essay topics, the hero essay is one of the topics applicants would be wise to avoid. As meaningful as that amazing touchdown or game-winning home run may have been to the applicant, the admissions folks are tired of reading essays about these moments of athletic heroism. The essays tend to all sound the same, too many applicants write that essay, and the essays are all too often more about gloating than self-analysis and introspection. Thus, the title Gym Class Hero could immediately have the reader in the admissions office thinking,  This tired essay. Here we go again.  But the reality of the essay turned out to be something quite different. We quickly learn that Jennifer is no athlete, and her essay is not about heroism in any typical sense of the word. On one level, the title is ironic. A 13-minute mile is certainly not athletic heroism. Or is it? The beauty of Jennifers title is that she takes the overused word hero and recasts it so that it is something internal, a sense of personal accomplishment that few people outside of herself would see as heroic. In short, there is a slight danger in Jennifers title. Its quite possible shell evoke an initial reaction from the admissions officers, and it may not be a wise strategy to have a title that is going to shut down her readers before they even begin the essay. On the flip side, the beauty of Jennifers essay is the way that it redefines the concept of the hero. There are plenty of strategies for writing a good title, and Jennifer could certainly take a safer approach. At the same time, the play on that word hero is so central to the essay something important would be lost with a different title. The Length Common Application essays need to be between 250 and 650 words. Youll hear different opinions on length from different counselors, but theres no denying that much more can be accomplished in an engaging 600-word essay than a well written 300-word essay. The ideal college application length depends on the writer and the topic, but going too short is often a lost opportunity to highlight who you are beyond your grades and test scores. Always keep in mind why the college wants an essay in the first place: the school has holistic admissions and wants to get to know you as an individual. The school will know you better if you say more. Jennifers essay comes in at 606 words, and they are 606 good words. Theres little deadwood, repetition, or other problems of style. She tells an engaging story without digression or unnecessary detail. A Final Word Jennifer is not going to win an athletic scholarship, and no college is going to recruit her for her 13-minute mile. Her essay is not without minor flaws (for example, she uses the word enjoy three times in the first three sentences). But anyone who reads her essay will admire both her writing ability and her ability to look inward, analyze, and grow from an awkward moment in gym class. The big test of an admissions essay is whether or not it answers a couple key questions for the admissions folks: Does the essay help us know the applicant better? Does the applicant seem like someone who we want to invite to share our academic community, and is she likely to contribute to our community in meaningful ways? In Jennifers case, the answer to these questions is yes. Jennifers essay isnt typical of responses to option #3, and the reality is that she could have submitted this same essay under some of the other options. Gym Class Hero would work for option #2 on facing a challenge. It could also work for option #5 on an accomplishment that sparked personal growth. Be sure to look carefully at the tips and strategies for all seven of the Common Application essay options to figure out which would be the best match for your own essay. In the end, however, it wouldnt really matter if Jennifer submitted her essay under #2, #3, or #5. Each is appropriate, and the quality of the essay is what most matters.

Best SAT Math Prep Books (2019) Expert Reviews

Best SAT Math Prep Books (2019) Expert Reviews SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips While there are many differentSAT prep books, they all have one thing in common: they allclaim to be the best. How canyou figure outwhich one will actually helpyou succeed on the SAT? This guide will give you myrecommendations for the best prep books for theMath section of the SAT.Some of these books are best for strategies and thinking through the problems, while others are best for practice problems. A few are geared toward top scorers, while somewill help you improve a low score fast. Before delving into the list, I have to make one disclaimer: Disclaimer Everyone's learning styles and motivation levels are unique. Thus, I don't believe there's a one-size-fits-all book out there that will help everyone equally. While these recommendations should help a lot of students, they can't necessarily account for everyone's individual differences. That's why I'm a huge proponent of PrepScholar's online method of test prep. It diagnoses your strengths and weaknesses and customizes the test prep for you and your schedule. Because of this high level of personalization, it's very effective forhelping students study efficiently and make big leaps in their SAT scores. That being said, prep books can be very helpful in reviewing material and giving you practice with hundreds of sample SAT questions. It's great that you're already starting to break your test prep down by section by focusing specifically on math. Since the best representation of SAT questions come from the test makers themselves, I'll start this list with College Board's The Official SAT Study Guide. There are some pros and cons to this book, but perhaps the biggest con is that you can find these same eight practice tests for free online!Read on to decide whether or not this book would be helpful to you. The College Board's Official SAT Study Guide Price:About $19 Pros When it comes to the SAT, the best sample questions come directly from the test makers themselves.College Board's The Official SAT Study Guideincludes eight real practice tests with official answer explanations. Since College Board makes and administers the SAT, thisbook contains the best representation of the real test. However, and this is an important point, College Board has also released PDFs of every chapter and practice test in the book on its website!As part of its efforts toward greater transparency and equalizing access to test prep, College Board has published its practice tests and offered free resources via Khan Academy. The College Boardbook's main strength is its official SAT questions, since they are the very best practice material. Beyond the practice tests, the book's greatest strengths are its review of the overall test structure and format, its presentation of math concepts, and its description of the new essay. Since the SAT is a written test, it's a good idea to have hard copies of practice tests to gain practice in the most authentic way.Whether this means buying this book or printing out the free tests yourself is up to you. College Board's real questions will get you familiar with how questions are worded, how they're arranged, and other patterns of the SAT. You'll gain practice with the new structure, which gives you a 65-minute Reading section, 35-minute Writing section, and two math sections. The eight full-length practice tests add upto 24 hours of prep or 32 hours if you include the essay section. Cons While College Board's official questions are helpful and effective practice, their answer explanations are not as detailed as they could be. They explain the answer choices but don't give you much information about how to approach and think through the question. Since there are a limited number of officialpractice tests, you might choose to stagger each one throughout your prep as a way to measure your progress and evaluate your approach. The tests could be best used as measuring posts; College Board's official material won't help you as much as some other options in terms of learning and test-taking strategies. Overall, you should familiarize yourself with the material in this book, since it contains the most accurate practice questions compared to any other source. Whether you choose to do so with a hard copy of the book or via College Board's website (for free) is a matter of personal preference. Now that you know where and how to locate official College Board practice problems, let's discuss the best math prep books, starting with the best book for content instruction. Best SAT Math Prep Book for Instruction Steve Warner's SAT MathSeries Price:About $30 Pros Steve Warner offers several SAT math books. The best one for content instruction isNew SAT Math Problems, but you can also find workbooks geared towards students in certain scoring levels. New SAT Math Problems is one of the best books out there for content review and instruction. He discusses the new areas emphasized on the test:Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Heart of Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry, and Passport to Advanced Math. The book arranges concepts and their corresponding practice problems in level of difficulty, from Level 1 up to Level 4. This organizationby level, rather than problem type, is useful, as it allows you to integrate skills and ensure you don't leave out any important concepts. It also lets students focus on the difficulty level that will help them most improve their scores, with students scoring around a 600 advised to focus on Levels 2 through 4 and students aiming for 700+ directed to the Level 4 and 5 problems. The lessons are carefully crafted and paired with practice problems to test your understanding. The questions are realistic and come with detailed explanations, which often go overa few different approaches (unlike College Board's single approach explanations). These explanations allow you to carefullyunderstand your mistakes while learning how to approach a similar question the next time. Cons One major con to this book is simply its restricted length. Compared to Steve Warner's multiple-issue series on the math section of the old SAT, his currentbooks don'trepresent the same scope of material that was so useful to students at all different scoring levels. Not only will future additions be helpful, but they will ideally break down the concepts into even smaller components. This book is a good start, but students who want to review concepts would be best served with a detailed and specific breakdown of each and every one. If you're using this book, you may want to consult other resources to ensure that you've filled in every gapin knowledge for the SAT. Finally, the New SAT Math Problemsbook may not contain a sufficient number of practice problems for your prep. Its strength lies in content instruction and review with practice problems interspersed by concept and difficulty level. If you're looking for a large set of practice problems to test your knowledge, then the next book on this list would be a better resource. Best SAT Math Books for Practice Questions Dr. Jang's SAT 800 Math Workbook for the New SAT Price:About $25 Pros If you're looking for math practice problems, you'll find over 1,500 in Dr. Jang's Math Workbook for the New SAT. This book discusses math topics and concepts, but its real strength lies in the sheer number of practice problems. Since timing yourself, answering questions, and analyzing your mistakes is a key part of your preparation, this book could be a very effective study tool. The practice problems throughout the book are arranged by difficulty level, so if you've got a certain question type mastered then you can challenge yourself with harder ones. Additionally, Dr. Jang's Math Workbook has a diagnostic test at the beginning and 10 sample tests that you can take under test-like conditions. Not only are the practice questions abundant, but they are realistic. You'll find the addition of trigonometry, and the questions will be marked as non-calculator and calculator. This book is well customized to the concepts, format, and rules of the SAT. Cons As mentioned above, this book is most useful for its abundance of practice problems. It's less ideal for students looking for thorough content review. It also is not the best source of test-taking strategies, like time management. Furthermore, its answer explanations are not all that varied, so you won't gain a ton of insight into different approaches you could use to solve a problem. Dr. Jang's Math Workbook is useful for students at all levels, but you'd probably want to supplement it with a book that provided more in-depth instruction, strategies, and explanations. While the above books cater to students at various scoring levels, the two books below are best for strong math students aiming for top scores. Barron's Math Workbook Price:About $12 Pros Barron's Math Workbook has hundreds of practice SAT math questions, all with detailed answer explanations. The questions are divided by content area and concept, so you can learn about a specific skill and then drill with relevant problems. In addition to all of the practice questions, there are two full-length practice tests at the end of the book. You'll also get some test-taking tips, but the real strength of the book lies in its abundance of practice questions. Cons Students have noted some typos and spelling errors in Barron's, as if the company rushed to get the book to print without thorough copyediting first. It doesn't seem to have substantial mistakes, but these little typos can be distracting, especially as you're going through the detail-oriented work of SAT prep. As a traditional SAT book, it's written in astraightforward style that can get a bit dry and boring. If you're looking for a more engaging, personable, or funny writing style, you won't find it in Barron's. Of course, since the book is more of a workbook full of practice questions, you should look elsewhere for in-depth lessons and content review. Best SAT Math Books for High Scorers PWN the SAT Math Guide Price:About $29 Pros PWN the SAT is geared towards highly achieving, motivated students aiming for a top score in SAT Math. The book is written in an engaging, irreverent style,which helps students stay engaged with the material. It's divided into five categories: Techniques, Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Additional Topics in Math. The book breaks down each SAT Math category into its component concepts. It has realistic practice problems that are designated as either "Calculator" or "No calculator" to help you get ready for both question types. Each chapter also provides a list of official questions of a certain type to help you drill specific skills. Finally, you can register on the PWN SAT website to get bonus material, as well as watch video answer explanations that walk you through practice problems, step by step. Cons The main con of PWN the SAT Math Guide is that its target audience is limited. It will help top scorers with strong math skills, but it won't be as accessible to students who struggle with math. If you're looking for foundational knowledge, then PWN the SAT isn't the book for you. It won't be the best resource to raise low math scores. Rather, it's better to bring already strong scores into the top percentiles. Dr. John Chung's SAT Math: 60 Perfect Tips and 15 Complete Tests Price:About $39 Pros As compared to College Board's four practice tests, 15 is certainly an improvement! Dr. Chung's SAT Math book is one of the most comprehensive currently out there in terms of content and practice questions in one place. This book is best for strong math students and top scorers. It doesn't go over the fundamentals and assumes its readers have a stable foundation in math concepts. It advertises itself as "designed for students to get a perfect score" and provides useful examples and practice questions to this end. The 60 "perfect tips" are brief descriptions of concepts, like linear function, exponents, transformations, and average speeds, paired with a few examples and practice problems to reinforce your understanding. Cons First, because there aren't a lot of copes available anymore, this book can be quite expensive. Additionally, Dr. Chung does not give you much in the way of review, lessons, or concept reinforcement. The book mostly assumes you have a strong foundation in math.It's a "no-frills" kind of book that essentially looks like a list of practice problems; you won't find much in the way of introduction or narrative. It's not a book you can fully rely on for your test prep, and it's probably not the best one to start out with, either. Some students have also noted some typos in Dr. Chung'svarious editions, as if the books wererushed to publication without proofreading for all the errors. While it's great that this bookhas so many practice questions, it seems like there may besome careless mistakes throughout the material. Finally, this book is not particularly descriptive of the changes to the SAT. It contains relevant practice problems, but it doesn't go into detail about new skills and question types or even the new structure. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the changes, like the addition of trigonometry and non-calculator questions, outside of this book. The 150 Hardest SAT Math Problems Reincarnated for the New SAT Price:About $10 Pros The 150 Hardest SAT Math Problems Reincarnated for the New SATwas designed for the "A+ student who wants to go from 700 to a perfect score" and doesn't want to waste her time on "fodder problems." This book collected the trickiest questions that most students missed over the last ten years of SAT administrations. According to the author, he "reincarnated" these questions in the format of the new SAT. These questions are useful for top scorers who want to make sure they understand fundamental concepts of algebra, geometry, and numbers and how to apply them to the most challenging question types. At the same time, this book has some major weaknesses that you should understand before purchasing a copy. Cons The author maintains that his problems have been "reincarnated" to fit the redesigned test, but he doesn't seem to have changed much beyond reducing the answer choices from five to four. He does include some non-calculator questions, but other than that the author downplays the major changes that were madeto the SAT in early 2016. For instance, he includes numbers, algebra, and geometry, but no trigonometry. He also provides little explanation of the new SAT's focus on real-world word problems and scenarios. Since the math section is the one that changed the least on the SAT, these recycled problems from SATs past will still help you prepare. At the same time, make sure you're aware of the changes that are being made and supplement these questions with ones more specific to the redesigned SAT. Finally, these next two books are useful for the average math student who wants to shore up her foundation in the fundamentals or can only dedicate a limited amount of time to studying. Best SAT Math Books for Low Scorers If you're planning to devote only a few hours to studying for the math SAT, these books should give you a general overview and introduction to the concepts you need to know. However, if you are taking a more active approach to your test prep, then these are the books you should probably avoid. They're not so helpful for trulyin-depth understanding and preparation. Kaplan Price:About $12 Pros Kaplan's SAT Math Prep Bookis a traditional prep book that reviews concepts and provides corresponding practice sets. It includes new concepts, like trigonometry, and has 16 practice sets and over 250 practice problems. Kaplan's book also breaks down the new format and structure of the SAT Math section, while many other books do not. It's a useful tool for learning about the new SAT, reviewing 16 key concepts, and trying out practice problems. Cons Kaplan's practice questions tend not to be the best written. They're not always realistic or phrased in the same way that the SAT is.In the beginning of this guide, I emphasized the importance of taking official College Board tests, since they're the best representation of the questions you'll get on test day. Kaplan's questions usually represent the other end of this spectrum, because they don't always resemble actual SAT questions. Doingwell on the SAT math is not just about understanding the concepts, but also about understanding the SAT and being able to apply those concepts to the SAT's uniquely worded questions. Without this practice, you won't be asprepared as you could be for the SAT's unique phrasing and tricks. Doing well is also about strategy.Kaplan has some strategies, but they're not that helpful for breaking away from a score of around 600. Kaplan gives a basic overview, but it's not the most helpful resources for students looking to make a large score improvements or understand the material in depth. A second book for students who are not planning to do all that muchSAT prep is Bob Miller's SAT Math for the Clueless. Bob Miller's SAT Math for the Clueless: The Easiest and Quickest Way to Prepare for the New SAT Math Section Price:About $6 Pros While I'm not a big fan of the title, Bob Miller's SAT Math for the Cluelessbook delivers what it says it will - an easy and quick way to prepare for the SAT. It provides a mix of material for the current SAT and theredesigned SAT. While Dr. Chung's Math Workbook is spare, Bob Miller's book has funny and accessible introductions. If you find it hard to focus on math without some humor, you might find this book more engaging (a useful characteristic when you're self-studying with books). Cons Bob Miller's SAT Math focuses more on strategies, techniques, and introductory review than on practice questions. It also lacks an in-depth description of changes being made to the SAT, and it doesn't incorporate the more advanced math problems. This book is really just for the self-described "clueless" math students who want a brief, accessible review. Perhaps it will spark your motivation to move onto better study guides with more comprehensive SAT preparation. So there you have it, my recommendations for instruction, practice problems, high scorers, and low scorers. There are pros and cons of each, and hopefully there will be books of ever higher quality published over the next few months. One challenge that all the above booksshare is the self-discipline that required tostudyfrom them.You'll have to set your own schedule, score your own tests, and learn via reading and writing, rather than incorporating visual or auditory approaches. With these considerations in mind, is solely studying for the SAT from books the best option for you as a learner? Is Studying From Books the Best Option for You? While books used to be the main test prep method for the SAT, now there are lots of other approaches. This gives you a lot more choice in finding a method that fits best with your math level, study style, and goals, not to mention how much money you're able and willing to spend on SAT prep. Books can be affordable, but as you can see from the pros and cons mentioned above, you probably want to use more than one book to truly prepare. This can add up to hundreds of dollars. As more and more test prep companies focus their attention online, you might have to go online to find answers, answer explanations, and other supplementary materials. This could divide your attention while still leaving it up to you to spend a long time scoring your own tests. Books can be very comprehensive and informative, but you'll only access all theinformation you need with the self-discipline to take time to study and learn from your mistakes. PrepScholar's method of online test prepfor the new SAT attempts to address and make up for these weaknesses in a number of ways. One, it's an all-in-one program that incorporates the best practices from all these books, while also customizing the test prep based on what you already know and what you need to study further. It addresses the accountability and self-discipline issue by planning our your study schedule for you in the way that's been proven to be most effective. It also takes away the time-waster of self scoring, since it will give you instant feedback on your performance.On a similar note, you can visually see your progress, how far you've gone in the material and how much you have to left to conquer. By incorporating the "pros" of every test prep book - high-quality questions, comprehensive explanations, diagnostic tests, and expert test-taking strategies - and making up for the cons with personalized motivators and progress reports, PrepScholar is an affordable, accessible, and highly effective method of convenient online prep for the new SAT. Just as you should diagnose your strengths and weaknesses to best prepare for the SAT, you'd be smart to reflect on your learning style and what method of test prep, whether through books or online, will best meet your needs and allow you to excel on all sections of the SAT. What's Next? Are you aiming for perfection? This perfect SAT scorer describes all the strategies and techniques he used to achieve a full score on the SAT, and what exactly you need to do to reach that perfect score. Besides studying, planning exactly when you're going to take the SAT is also a key consideration for maximizing your performance. Read all about when you should take the SAT as you design your schedule. Perhaps you've noticed that theSAT is looking a lot like the ACT these days. If you're deciding which test to take, check out our detailed comparison of the SAT and the ACT. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!