Contemporary Developments in Business and Management Case Study

Contemporary Developments in Business and Management - Case Study Example For that reason, since its origin in Nov. 1999, the corporation has gathered above VND 10 billion in its premium, out of which 7 billion has been invested again into the nationwide financial system. The hard work of this corporation in developing its company acts, improving the excellence of its clients care programs, and causative to the nationwide social and economic growths have been acknowledged by administrative organizations, clients and the people of Vietnam. This paper will discuss the internal and external analysis of Prudential Vietnam and some factors involved in the decision-making process of the said company (online). Prudential in Vietnam is a global retail pecuniary services group that intends to facilitate people protected and augment their own and their dependents' monetary comfort by providing investments, security and other products and services that are appropriate for their requirements. The only strategy of Prudential Vietnam is to construct flourishing and more and more beneficial businesses in each of these markets and in that way make the most of profits to their shareholders eventually. This report assesses the impact of external and internal factors on Prudential Vietnam and evaluates the industry's responses to such factors. Established in the UK in 1848, Prudential plc is one of the principal life and annuity giver in the UK and a top worldwide monetary services corporation with more than US$430 billion (June 2006) in finances under supervision, more than 21m clients and approximately 23,000 staff members globally. For the sake of meeting its mounting requirements of its clients, this corporation has passed to marketplace incorporated variety of monetary services productions that now consists of life the assurance, retirement funds, mutual funds, banking, asset board and all-purpose insurance (online). In 1995, the Prudential plc has established its first and foremost representative agency in Vietnam. From that time Prudential Vietnam has turned out to be a most dependable organization for myriads of clients through Vietnam - providing them appropriate support to meet their investments, security and their investment wants. Prudential plc has established its markets in Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, and following value-creation openings and predictions in the district's countless highly-potential and competitive marketplaces (online).

Confederation and Constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Confederation and Constitution - Essay Example The benefits of the Articles of Confederation including the signing of an alliance between the United States and France in 1778. The American Revolution succeed due to the unity that existed between the States. The government successfully negotiated to end the American Revolution. The Articles of Confederation facilitated the formation of an organized government that allowed inhabitants to roam freely in all the states. It played a crucial role given that it was formulated at a time when the States had no agreement. Most people were skeptical about the formation of a central government because the unfair treatment by the British was still fresh in their memories. The Articles of Confederation had a unicameral system of government in which Congress was the only branch of government. On the contrary, the U.S. Constitution has three branches of government, which include the legislative, executive, and the judiciary. Every branch of government is independent. The Executive is mandated to carry out the law; the legislative makes the law, and the judiciary interprets the law. Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government had powers to declare war, negotiate peace, handle foreign affairs, borrow money, manage the monetary system, settle disputes between states, create a navy and build an army by asking for troops from the different states. The U.S. Constitution gave the National Government more powers. In the U.S. Constitution, the central government has is mandated to collect taxes, handle foreign affairs, raise and maintain an army.

Information Of Wijaya Group Of Companies Information Technology Essay

Information Of Wijaya Group Of Companies Information Technology Essay The Wijaya Group Of Companies was established in 1977 with a limited number of employees to conduct the business. It has a history of over 3 decades today, and has created employment opportunities for nearly 1200 employees. The Chairman of Wijaya Group of Companies, Mr. K.R.G. Wijesundara came out with the initial idea of establishing this company with regard to apparel industry 30 yrs ago. As the owner of the company Mr. Wijesundara has faced a lot of challenges in directing the company to achieve its prime targets due to the continues changes in the external environmental factors which aroused from the newly introduced open economic trading policies to Sri Lanka at that time. The demand factors in the apparel industry changed completely and created many niche markets during this era, forcing Mr. Wijesundara to introduce many strategies and tactics in order to face these challenges and direct his employees continuously. Due to the correct controlling measures adopted, he was able to motivate his employees and carry out a friendly environment within the organization leaving a space for the employees to complete their individual tasks effectively and efficiently. The Wijaya Group of Companies was able to expand its core business to many new areas in the industry within a very shorter period of time due to the collective efforts by the employees of all categories starting from the top management to bottom level. Among its customers The Wijaya Group of Company, is well known as C.I.B Shopping Center today, and it provides many products under single roof, starting from imported as well as locally manufactured garments to other important house hold items. The prime target of this company is to invest in new business ventures and expand it locally as well as internationally, and as a result of this the management soon came up with the idea of specializing in some sectors and opened up special outlets for Sarees which was named as Wijaya Saree Mandhir. By the end of this year the Wijaya Group Of Companies, holds 22 branches in Sri Lanaka, and conducts its business based on a Divisional Structure headed by five separate Regional Managers from region s such as Western Province, Sabaragamuwa Province, North Western Province, North Central Province, and Central Province. This company has currently employed 21 branch managers, to direct the activities all around its branches. THE VISSION AND MISSION OF WIJAYA GROUP OF COMPANIES THE HIERARCHIAL STRUCTURE OF WIJAYA GROUP OF COMPANIES THE PROBMLEM IDENTIFIED THE ABSENCE OF ONLINE SELLING The Wijaya Group Of Companies currently holds the ownership of 22 outlets which includes Shopping Centers as well as special outlets for Sarees and Tailoring. As the management always tends to expand its operations in different sectors, today they are in brink of introducing its products to the global market. The C.I.B shopping centers have a wider variety of products ranging from garments to household items and today it holds a strong portion of loyal customers that shop in these centers regularly. At present the management of Wijaya Group of Company, is working hard on increasing the customer base they are holding currently, and the most common methods in use are the various marketing tactics which varies from Price differences to different Bonus Offers, through such measures the management has been able to attract customers continuously. But despite all this, our team was able to identify a problem which was a major drawback in this company, and that is the Absence of Online Selling Today we live in a highly globalized world, where each in every individual and a country is interconnected via Internet and as a result of this, selling tactics used by most of the organizations are moving towards a more web based structure. The marketing strategies used by most of these organizations are diverted to meet this new trend in order to achieve the competitive advantage over their competitors. Profit maximization is considered as a prime target in most of the organizations today, and in order to achieve this it is vital to approach a customer before the competitor, and provide updated information to them. A company can easily achieve this through online selling, where a complex procedure like selling can be done by a single click on the screen, rather than meeting different retailers, distributors etc.. providing many advantages to the customer as well as the company itself. Literature Review Internet Electronic Commerce The Internet The Internet is a vast public web of computer networks, which connects users of all types all around the world to each other and to an amazingly large information repository. It is been hailed as the new technology behind the New Economy. It allows anytime, anywhere connections to information, entertainment and communication. At present many companies use the Internet to build close relationships with customers, and marketing partners. Beyond competing in traditional market places, they now have access to exciting new market spaces. The Internet may help a business in the following methods. 1. Virtual storefront Sells physical products directly to consumers or to individual businesses. Example: Amazon.com 2. Information broker Provides product, pricing, and availability information to individuals and businesses and generates revenue from advertising or from directing buyers to sellers. Example: Edmunds.com, Kbb.com 3. Transaction broker Saves users money and time by processing online sales transactions, generating a fee each time a transaction occurs. Also provides information on rates and terms. Example: Expedia.com 4. Online marketplace Provides a digital environment where buyers and sellers can meet, search for products, display products, and establish prices for those products. It could provide online auctions or reverse auctions where buyers submit bids to multiple sellers to purchase at a buyer specified price as well as negotiate to fix pricing. Example: eBay.com, Priceline.com 5. Content Provider Creates revenue by providing digital content such as digital news, music, photos, or video, over the Web. The customer may to access the content. or revenue may be generated by selling advertising space. Example: CNN.com, TheStreet.com 6. Online service provider Provide online service for individuals and businesses and generates revenue from subscription or transaction fees, from advertising, or from collecting marketing information from users. Example: salesforce.com 7. Virtual community Provides online meeting place where people with similar interests can communicate and find useful information. Example: Fortunecity.com 8. Portal Provides initial point of entry to the Web along with specialized content and other services. Example: Yahoo.com, MSN.com Electronic Commerce Electronic commerce which is also known as e-commerce is a form of doing business via internet. It can be also known as the buying and selling processes supported by electronic means, primarily the internet. E-commerce includes e-marketing and e-purchasing. Ecommerce benefits both buyers and sellers in many ways such as ; it could be convenient, buying can be easy and private, it could provide greater product access to buyers, online buying and selling could be more interactive and immediate, it could be used as a tool for building good customer relationships, from the sellers point it could reduce costs, increase speed and efficiency, and also it could be more flexible way of conducting business. IT Based Solution Starting an online selling operation Implementation Issues Starting an Online Selling Operation The Wijaya Group Of Companies is a medium sized chain, which conducts its business as shopping centers and saree centers in five different provinces in Sri Lanka, and concentrates mainly in the apparel sector today, by providing imported as well as in house garments to varies levels of categories. Currently it uses traditional methods in selling operations and has not adopted itself to the latest method of selling, which is done through internet. Starting an online selling operation system and getting involved in e-commerce would benefit the company in many ways with the present days rapidly changing business world. Since Wijaya Group of Companies holds 22 outlets, they could build up an intranet which is an internal network based on Internet and World Wide Web technology standards. All the shopping centers therefore could be linked to one another. This system will help the chain to communicate and keep track of their stocks. Wijaya Group Of Companies could also develop an extranet, which is a private intranet that is accessible to authorized outsiders such as suppliers of the company. Suppliers could communicate with the company via extranet and supply products when needed and each shopping center may place orders when they reach a re-order level. This company could have their own lease line to keep connected to their most important suppliers. This company may start off their online selling procedure by launching their own Web site. This web site may include information about the chain, their products, and their branches, how to purchase a product online, payments, making orders, checking on new products, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. They could use banner ads which are graphic displays on web pages used for advertising and the banner should be linked on to the company web site so that the person clicking on the banner will be transported to the company web site immediately. They could develop a portal which is a web site or other service that provides an initial point of entry to the web pr to internal company data. This portal could provide its viewers with a directory of information on the internet along with news, telephone directories, maps, shopping and other services. They could also develop their own internal portals to provide employees with streamlined access to corporate information resources. CostWijaya Group Of companies will be able to sell their products directly to retail customers via internet, by passing intermediaries such as distributors or retail outlets. The purchase transaction costs could be reduced in great numbers by eliminating intermediaries in the distribution channel (disintermediation). The company could also reinforce re intermediation by shifting the intermediary role in a value chain to a new source. The benefits of disintermediation to the consumer are illustrated below. Rs.128 Rs.120 Rs.100 As this processes show, the selling operation of the company could be changed into a much simpler process if the company adopts the online selling method, by reducing the extra responsibilities of retail outlets and distributors which will help to cut down the costs. The company can use interactive features of web pages to hold consumers attention or to capture detailed information about their tastes and interests. The company web site can be a bountiful source of detailed information about customer behavior, preferences, needs, and buying patterns and the company can use this information to tailor promotions, products, services and pricing. The web site of the company could also obtain customer information by asking visitors to register online and provide information about them. These information along with the consumers previous purchases could be recorded in the company web site and the next time the same consumer logs in, the web page could greet him/her by his/her name (ex: Welcome Peter) and provide the consumer with products similar to the previous purchases. This system will motivate the consumer to purchase products more often from C.I.B shopping centers and will help build strong customer relationships. Communications and product offerings can be tailored precisely to individual customers. Wijaya Group of Companies can create a unique personalized web page which is also known as web personalization that displays content or ads for products of special interest to each user. Apart from these, they can develop their electronic payment systems and receive payments online, and could create blogs to gather customer suggestions, they could even use their web site and e-mail to customer questions and provide customers with helpful information. The web site may also have link such as push to talk for instance where visitors could click on and request for a phone call in case of any inquiry and the company should have a call center connected with this link to provide this service. STEPS TO CRATE AN ONLINE STOREFRONT SHOPPING CART PROGRAMME MERCHANT ACCOUNT (BANK) PAYEMENT GATEWAY E-COMMERCE WEB SITE SHOPPER The above picture shows the process of online selling. The procedure of online selling statrs with the creation of a website of the company and ends with a transaction which is done via credit cards. Get Signed Up with the Best Wholesale Distributors If a company plans to expand its operations to online, it is important to search for the best wholesale distributors, drop-shippers and sign up with them. In this case it is vital for Wijaya Group Of Companies, to complete this task first inorder to run the online selling process smoothly. These wholesale distributors offer the lowest wholesale prices around and drop-ship the products directly to the customers location with the name of the business on the box, so that it will appear to your customer as if the package came from the oraganization itself. This will be a brilliant concept for Wijaya Group of Companies as it will help to increase the loyality of customers towards their products. Build Up the Online Storefront Creating a website is the next major step in this,the company will have to create and register their own unique domain name. (eg : www.cib-shop.com). The company has to choose a reliable web hosting provider as well. After selecting the unique domain name,it is important to create and design a professional and profitable Internet Storefront that will entice visitors to buy the products on their first visit. Select a suitable E-Commerce Software It is important to select software that suits the needs of the company. Through this Wijaya Group Of Companies will be able to take and process orders. Recommended Software : Product Cart Software Select a suitable way to collect Payments A sophisticated payment method is a must in online selling. Most of the organizations accept the credit card system today as it simplifies the transaction to the customer as well as the company. Wijaya Group of Companies can select the system as it fits, and some of the methods used by other organizations are: Real time Credit Card Processing through a number of supported payment gateways, Offline Credit Card Processing (eg : A company can use their POS if they have retail stores), Checks, Purchase order, PayPal, Google Checkout etc.. Key Facts in Online Selling Choosing the Right Niche This is a vital factor in online selling. The products a company plans to sell through online has a greater impact on the final value of sales, and this could be only achieved by selecting the exact niche market. Even after selecting the correct niche market if a company fails to deliver the updated information through working hard and introducing new features to their site in a daily basis still a company will fail to meet the targets set by the management. The Wijaya Group Of Companies will have to consider this matter seriously, if they want to achieve competitive advantage over their competitors. They must be in a position to update information of the new products immediately to the site and present it to the customers creatively. In the physical world, niches are based on geography, but Geography is almost irrelevant on the Internet. So it is important for Wijaya Group to choose a niche small enough that they can dominate and maintain it through constant updates. High Production Value In a print catalog, production values refers to the quality of the paper and printing processes used, the number and quality of images, and the care taken with graphic design. High production values are critically important in catalogs, which have to convince consumers to buy based on a few sheets of paper. Production values are even more important on the Web. Consumers will not buy from an amateurish Web site. Most of the people who visit a site will still find the idea of ordering online unusual as it requires a number of special facilities. The management of this company will have to concentrate on this matter, because the site created by them needs to inspire visitors with confidence. It should say that it is a kind of company that does things right, and that if a customer order something from there, it will be a good experience for them. Promoting the Site Having a great Web site is not enough. The success of it, relies on how far the site is capable of bringing in people to it. But promoting an online store is different from promoting an ordinary Web site, because through an online store a company targets to sell its products. Earlier the only answer available for promoting a site was through a Search Engine that provides space for all kinds of products. But recently Internet Hubs like Yahoo! And MSN have created areas just for shopping, giving more prominence to frequently requested products. If a company plans to advertise its products and sell those before its competitors, it is important to make sure that the site created by the company appears in the first place as soon as the customer request for similar sites. A company can achieve this by using the key words which relates to the products frequently, as it creates a greater chance for the search engines to filter it out. So it is important for the management of the Wijaya Group of Companies to look in to this fact and create a site which can be easily filtered by the search engines. It is important to use these key words (eg : the word clothes) in a natural manner and give out the relevant information to the customer, without irritating them by using it repeatedly in each and every sentence and phrase. Emphasize the Services Online selling is becoming popular in a slow pace in Sri Lanka, and the number of uses who make use of this facility keeps on increasing in a daily basis today. As it is in the verge of growth most of the people who visit a store will still find the idea of buying online a little strange, so it is important to reassure these customers. The most powerful confidence builder is a top-quality site: high production values go to work directly on the visitors subconscious. But its also important to reassure visitors explicitly. It is important for a company to ensure the security level of their site and the transactions done, as it will have a great impact on the buying patterns of a customer, and if a company is capable of providing the required level of security, they have to highlight it and mention it to the customer clearly, and this can be considered as an emphasizing of a service provided by the company. Advantages and Disadvantages in Online selling Advantages Online shopping malls give an immediate online presence. Sector-specific malls can provide an effective route to your target market. Theyre easy to set up for people with moderate IT skills. You dont need to go through the process of setting up an  Internet  merchant account. You often get help and support in getting your store operational. Updating your subscribers can be done almost instantly through email. Visitors to your website can get up to the minute information on each visit. If you are having a sale, your customers can start shopping at the discounted prices literally as soon as they open their email. The cost of spreading your message is next to nothing. Emailing your subscription base is more often cheaper than sending a letter through the mail. Disadvantages The online selling operation would definitely benefit the company in many ways when comparing with the traditional method which is followed at present. But introducing the new technology to the company may be very costly from the companys point of view in terms of equipment, staff, buildings, maintenance cost, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. It may be very risky and the results would be unpredictable. Going online and selling online will require more professional and technical staff and since the system will eliminate paper work, a great number of employees will have to be terminated from their jobs. Incase the system fails the company will have to face the probability of losing its existing customers. Online selling operations require a special online payment scheme. These Payment Schemes have a greater risk of getting hacked, so the customers will be reluctant to give their credit card information and avoid this method of online selling. There is a lot of competition for the products introduced by an organization. By the time your customer finds you, they have tried out other links. Unless they can find what they are looking for quickly, they are gone. Recommendations The Wijaya Group of Companies should not directly stop conducting its business in the traditional method instead they should practice a parallel strategy where both the systems should be conducted. The company should adopt its web site according to the changing environment and not just stick to the basics of a web site ( ex: add more links) The company could develop a corporate intranet for the key departments in the business. ( ex: Finance and accounting, Human resources, Manufacturing and production, Sales and marketing) In order to attract the customers it is important to update the information available frequently.

Jesus, Paul, And Mohammed: Com :: essays research papers

Michael Hart is an amateur historian and also the author of The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History. In this book Hart lists in order the people he believes to be the top 100 most influential people. In this essay I am going to look at three specific people, and compare Hart’s ranking of their impact on society against my own. The three people are Jesus of Nazareth, the founder of Christianity; Paul of Tarsus, Christianity’s most important missionary; and Muhammad, the founder of Islam. Since religion did play a considerable role in the shaping of civilizations, it is no coincidence that these three people are respectively the three most important people in the founding of the top two religions in the world. Also Hart’s ranking of these three men will be analyzed, and compared to my own rankings of these three influential men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Hart’s book, The 100, he regards all three of these men as being very important in contributing to the rise of two great religions. In his ranking of the top 100 Muhammad, Jesus, and St. Paul rank one, three, and six respectively. Now right from this statement most people would believe that Hart is already wrong, and that Jesus should be one. In some sense those who believe that Jesus are right because the amount of Christians in the world almost doubles that of the Moslems. Yet if we carefully look at Hart’s reasons for ranking them the way he does, you would see that his ranking seems more understandable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First we should start by analyzing Hart’s reasons for ranking Muhammad one. His main point for ranking him one, above Jesus, is because “ Muhammad played a more important role in the development of Islam then Jesus did on the development of Christianity';(9). He believes this statement to be true because St. Paul complemented Jesus in helping to spread the belief of Christianity. Though Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts it was St. Paul who was the main developer of its theology, its proselytizer, and for writing a large portion of the New Testament. While on the other hand Muhammad was the only one responsible for the teachings of Islam, and also to the moral and main ethical principles. This is shown in the idea that the Koran, the sacred book of Islam, contains the teachings of Muhammad, and that his teachings are said to be the words of God. Jesus, Paul, And Mohammed: Com :: essays research papers Michael Hart is an amateur historian and also the author of The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History. In this book Hart lists in order the people he believes to be the top 100 most influential people. In this essay I am going to look at three specific people, and compare Hart’s ranking of their impact on society against my own. The three people are Jesus of Nazareth, the founder of Christianity; Paul of Tarsus, Christianity’s most important missionary; and Muhammad, the founder of Islam. Since religion did play a considerable role in the shaping of civilizations, it is no coincidence that these three people are respectively the three most important people in the founding of the top two religions in the world. Also Hart’s ranking of these three men will be analyzed, and compared to my own rankings of these three influential men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Hart’s book, The 100, he regards all three of these men as being very important in contributing to the rise of two great religions. In his ranking of the top 100 Muhammad, Jesus, and St. Paul rank one, three, and six respectively. Now right from this statement most people would believe that Hart is already wrong, and that Jesus should be one. In some sense those who believe that Jesus are right because the amount of Christians in the world almost doubles that of the Moslems. Yet if we carefully look at Hart’s reasons for ranking them the way he does, you would see that his ranking seems more understandable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First we should start by analyzing Hart’s reasons for ranking Muhammad one. His main point for ranking him one, above Jesus, is because “ Muhammad played a more important role in the development of Islam then Jesus did on the development of Christianity';(9). He believes this statement to be true because St. Paul complemented Jesus in helping to spread the belief of Christianity. Though Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts it was St. Paul who was the main developer of its theology, its proselytizer, and for writing a large portion of the New Testament. While on the other hand Muhammad was the only one responsible for the teachings of Islam, and also to the moral and main ethical principles. This is shown in the idea that the Koran, the sacred book of Islam, contains the teachings of Muhammad, and that his teachings are said to be the words of God.

AT&T †An Overview Of The Existing Organization Essay

AT&T is one of the top leaders of the telecommunications industry. It is one of the largest fixed telephony providers in the US and the company also provides broadband and television services to its customers. AT&T is also the second largest mobile telephony service in US, with somewhere around 85.2 million wireless customers and 210 million overall total customers. The headquarters of the company are situated in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, USA. Randall L. Stephenson is the CEO, President and the Chairman of the company. History of AT&T The history of AT&T goes a long way in the past; it goes back to the times when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876. The invention of the first telephone was considered to be the foundation of the company which would later be known as AT&T Inc.   AT&T had been the only company providing the telecommunication services in the US, it can be said that it had the monopoly over the industry. (AT&T, 2010) In the year 1984 there was an agreement held between former AT&T and the US Department of Justice that the company (i.e. AT&T) would divest its local telephone operations but they will remain in control of their long distance services, R&D and manufacturing arms. The result of the agreement was the creation of SBC Communications Inc. (formerly also known as Southwestern Bell Corp). The Telecommunications Act of 1996 created drastic changes in the competitive telecommunication industry. After operating for 12 years, SBC Communications Inc. decided to go global. And it did it by acquiring Pacific Telesis Group in 1997, Southern New England Telecommunication in 1998 and then in 1999 it acquired Ameritech Corp. And finally in the 2005 SBC Communications Inc. purchased AT&T Corp. and thus the new AT&T was formed. (AT&T, 2010) In 2006 a merger was conducted between AT&T and Bellsouth. The acquisition of Bellsouth also bought in Cingular Wireless and Yellowpages.com which were actually the joint venture between these two companies. Now all these services (including the wireless ones) come under the name of AT&T. Now it has become the leaders in the telecommunication industry. The Values of AT&T AT&T values it employees, customers and suppliers a great deal, because they understand the significance of the relationship between them. The company strongly believes in working together as a team so that they are able to achieve excellence. AT&T believes that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is very important; therefore CSR is integrated within the culture of the company. In 2009 the company contributed somewhere around $155 million to the community. The company strongly believes in honesty, integrity, openness and respect, due to these values the company works hard to deliver on its promise and it always does the right thing. (AT&T, 2010)

Going to College Essay

Going to college really does open a new chapter in everyone life, the beginning of new friendships, opportunities and growth. As a college student, a new student will be introduced to new areas of interest, broaden his vision of possibilities, establish and accomplish goals, develop lifelong friendships and define him or her in ways that he can imagine. Anyone on Earth already asked, or will ask himself where he would be in 10, 20 or even 30 years down the road. It is hard enough imagining what his life is going to be like in a year or two. Questions like â€Å"Where do you want to be today, tomorrow and in the future?† might be hard ones for young teenagers, who just graduated from high school. Attending college will help anyone answer those questions, develop a realistic plan for accomplishing his goals, and equip him with the knowledge and skills he will needs to see his goals through to the end. We usually assume that a college degree is necessary when it is not actually. We can also noticed that, because we place so much emphasis on degrees, people who have not attended college think of themselves badly, and this lack of self-confidence can really impede their success. There are some people for whom the college is actually not the best way to learn. However, a college education is an opportunity for everyone to learn what he loves. A new student can actually take the time to enjoy learning what he is truly passionate about. If he is interested in a variety of things and he is not sure where to focus, he can take his time to try them all. Nobody should look at college as a long-term contract that he is not going to be able to get out of once he starts. Anyone should feel like he needs to decide on a major area of study before starting college. College is a time for everyone to test himself, explore his interests, see what the possibilities are, and to see what he can achieve. Most other students attending college are going to be in the exact same boat . There are also a variety of resources, provided by most universities, to help anyone through college, including academic advisors, professors accessible on campus, tutoring academic support, full-time counseling staff and more. While the prospect of attending college may seem a bit daunting and even suffocating, a graduated high school teenager should not forget that he will still get to live his life. He will be able to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, social groups, maintain a job, or even pursue a career while completing his studies. He may even find that college ends up being much more enjoyable and fulfilling than he ever expected. There are additional reasons as to why it is important to go to college. When students experience a post-secondary education, they have the opportunity to read books and listen to the lectures of top experts in their fields. This stimulation encourages students to think, ask questions, and explore new ideas. So, â€Å"why should you go to college?† The reasoning does not begin and end with the job aspect. A good education is beneficial from many different viewpoints. If any teenager is still asking himself why he should go to college, it is important to remember the significant amount of opportunity available for college graduates. The global economy is becoming increasingly more competitive, and in order to give him the best chance for a well-paying job, he must first understand the importance of college education. Attending college provides students with the knowledge and experience they are unable to receive from a secondary education, and finding a way to fund a higher education now can pay off in a huge way in the years to come.

Transfer Student Requirements What Do Universities Look For

Transfer Student Requirements What Do Universities Look For SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Being a transfer student has benefits, but it can be even harder to navigate than applyingas a freshman straight out of high school. Transfer student requirements can be tricky to figure out, as many college application guides are written with freshmen in mind. Despite the difficulty, being a transfer student is worth it. Whether you want to transfer because you’re ready to move from community college to a four-year university or because your school isn’t the right fit, this guide will help you learn what colleges look for in transfer students and how to make your application more appealing to colleges. Knowing the unique obstacles transfer students may face gives you a better chance to avoid them. What Do College Expect From Transfer Students? There are many reasons to transfer from one college to another. Regardless of what reason you're transferring,it’s important to understand that being a transfer student, though beneficial and helpful for many people, isn’t necessarily easy. The acceptance rate for transfer students is generally lower than it is for freshman. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be a transfer student or that it’s a bad choice- it means you need to plan ahead and follow through, just as you would if you were a high school student applying to a four-year school. You can transfer schools for all kinds of reasons, but be sure you have a good reason when you’re applying. You’ll be writing essays and potentially conducting interviews and visits, and being prepared to answer the question of why you’re transferring will make you a stronger candidate. Setting aside people who have no option but to transfer, such as those reaching the end of community college transfer programs or people in the military, there are lots of reasons you might want to transfer. But when you’re applying to schools,you should be aware that there are some reasons schools will see as â€Å"good†- as in, reasons that will make you an appealing student- and some they’ll see as â€Å"bad.† What Are Good Reasons to Transfer? Good reasons to transfer are pretty much the same as good reasons to apply to a college from high school: You like an academic program a school offers You can see attending helping your ultimate career goals You like their mission as a college Your current school doesn't offer the program you want Your current school isn't a good "fit" What Are Bad Reasons to Transfer? Even if one of the reasons you want to transfer is something a college might see as bad, that doesn't mean that transferring isn't the right option for you. Keep in mind that colleges are looking for stronger reasoning- think more in terms of your long-term academic growth and potential than any immediate problems.Reasons for transferring that colleges might frown on include: You're not getting along with your roommate You're struggling to keep up with classes You're homesick If any of these are the reason that you're thinking about transferring, that's okay.But instead of framing your essay around how bad your roommate is, see if you can find another way to look at that problem. Is it really about your roommate, or is it because your school culture isn't a good fit? If it’s the latter, how will your new college fix the issue? Have you done more research to ensure the same problem doesn’t happen again? These are the kinds of questions you should be able to answer to assure your school that they’re the right fit for you and that you won’t want to transfer again later. How To Transfer Without Losing Credits Most transfer problems occur when trying to transfer credits.Some 40 percent of transfer students receiveno creditswhen transferring schools, equating to hundreds of lost hours and dollars with nothing to show for them. That’s why it’s important to make transferring part of your plan from the beginning if you’re starting at a community college- you need to be sure that your time and money are well-spent. Too few credits isn’t the only problem. Students can also end up with too many credits, which can be a hindrance, especially if you’re seeking financial aid or trying to get into a new degree program. Again, this means that planning is vital. The sooner you can be sure that you want to transfer, the better- a plan will help prevent wasting your time and money. To be sure you’re on track to transfer successfully, consult with an adviser and start researching your next school’s transfer department as soon as possible. If you can, contact your school’s transfer admissions office and see if they offer advising sessions or planning assistance. Don't feel like you're chained to your college if it's not a good fit! Basic Transfer Student Requireents To be a successful transfer student, the most important thing you need to do is be a successfulcollege student. The criteria colleges look for from transfer students is much the same as it is for graduating high school students, just scaled up. Good grades are one of the most important things admissions offices look for in transfer applications. If struggling in school is one of the reasons you want to transfer, be prepared to explain what steps you're taking to improve them in your college essay. The main focus of your essay should not be that you're struggling to keep up, but rather that you're addressing the reason for the struggle, such as a program that isn't a good fit.Even better, demonstrate that you're working to improve by continuing to work hard and improve your grades as you're going through the transfer process. Test scores are less important as a college transfer. Though schools may request them if you're transferring after just one or two semesters, the further you are into your college education, the less test scores matter.If it's been more than five years since you were in school and since you took a standardized test, you may consider taking the SAT or ACT again so that your transfer school has a good idea of where you're at academically, but if it hasn't been long and your college transcripts are solid, it shouldn't be necessary. If you’re an international student, you may have some additional considerations. It’s important to work with your designated school official and be sure all your paperwork, including work and student visas, is up to date and accurate. As an international student, you’ll be contending with all the same obstacles as domestic students, with a few additional hurdles like language barriers, transferring papers properly, and visas. Plan as early as possible to avoid hiccups in the process. Finding the right transfer school is its own form of homework. How To Find the Right Transfer School No matter what your reason for transferring is, you want to know for certain that your next school will be a good fit. Transferring is a lengthy process that can result in wasted money if it’s not done properly, and the more you try to do it, the more likely you are to run into trouble. To minimize your need to transfer, research extensively. Make sure your new school: Has the degree program you’re looking for Offers extracurriculars that appeal to you Has a campus culture that you can see yourself participating in Has a mission statement that aligns with your values Those are just some of the things you should know before transferring. Imagine that you only get one shot, and whatever school you end up at will be your last. Are you happy with your choice? What concessions are you willing to make? As if you were applying straight out of high school, make a list of schools that appeal to you and narrow it down to a manageable amount. Be sure these are all schools you can see yourself at until you’ve completed your degree program. The Common Data Set and College Board can give you valuable information about school statistics, including transfer rates. Transfer rates should be factored into your list of colleges you’ll be applying to, as transfer rates can move a school from safety to reach depending on how many transfer students they admit per year. Many high-profile schools accept only a handful of transfer students per year, so your application needs to really stand out. When you’re applying, be sure that you’re following the guidelines specifically for transfer students. Deadlines may be different for freshman admissions, so keep an eye on when things are due specifically for transfer students. Coordinate with your adviserif you can to be sure that you’re on target with everything you need. You don't want your new school to see you as just another interchangeable Lego. What Do Universities Look for in a Transfer Student? One of the most important factors in your transfer application is why you’re transferring. This is also true for students transferring from community colleges- †because I want to finish my degree† is only half an answer, as schools will also want to know why you’ve chosen to transfer to your new school in particular. Even if your school doesn’t require a â€Å"Why this school?† essay as part of the transfer process, it’s good to have an answer in the back of your mind. It’ll help inform your answer to whatever essay prompt they require, which can strengthen your writing. Because transfer acceptance rates are lower, it’s even more important that your essay be polished, interesting, and informative. Follow the typical best practices for writing a college essay, but also be sure that your essay tracks your growth as a college student and why transferring to this specific school is the right move for you. Aside from the question of why you’re transferring, colleges also want to see good grades. In the same way that AP and honors courses in high school demonstrate that you’re ready for college, success in college courses prove that you’re a strong student. Because college is an investment in you as well as for you, good grades are a reliable measure of success at your transfer school. The further you are from high school, the less your high school grades matter. Your transfer school will want to see college courses if you have them, so even if your high school grades are overall stronger, they’re less likely to be a determining factor in your application if you’ve already put in a year or more at your current school. Distance from high school also means that your standardized test scores matter significantly less.If you're in your first or second semester of college, it's wise to include them since you haven't yet had a lot of time to establish a college-level academic record. If you're a full year or more into college, you probably won't need to include them, with rare exceptions. If it’s been five years since you last took a standardized test and your grades aren’t quite up to your new school’s standards, it might be wise to retake it. You can calculate your percentile versus the school average to better evaluate whether or not retaking the test is a good choice for you. Despite the additional criteria and lower rate of admissions, four-year schools are often looking for very similar features in freshman students and transfer students. They want to see a demonstrated effort to do well and commitment to a program, as well as a plan for how your new school will help you achieve your goals. A strong transfer application will look much like a strong freshman application, but with letters of recommendation and grades from college instead of high school. You need to work as hard on your transfer application as you would if you were transferring as a fresh high school graduate. What Information Should You Include on Your Transfer Application? Again, a good transfer application will look very similar to a good freshman application. However, you’ll need to scale everything up- with lower acceptance rates for transfer students, it’s even more important that your application be polished and strong. When it comes to test scores, grades, and letters of recommendation, be sure you’re getting them from recent sources. By college, your high school biology teacher’s assessment of you isn’t as relevant as a college professor’s assessment. If you’re just starting out in college, you might have a hard time getting letters of recommendation from your teachers as they may not have spent as much time with you. Seek letters from instructors who know you best, though be sure you know your new school’s policy on letters from teaching assistants. Some schools will only take letters from professors, so look that up ahead of time. Don’t reuse your high school letters. A positive letter from a college professor carries far more weight, so seek those out by meeting with your professors during office hours and by participating in class. These tips will help you make your application and beautiful and unique as this flower. Key Tips for Making Your Application Stand Out Knowing whatuniversities look for in a transfer studentis only half the battle- you also need to know how to turn that knowledge into action. #1: Know Why You’re Transferring Of course, you should know why you’re transferring to a different school. But you should also demonstrate that knowledge in your application and interviews- schools want to understand the reason behind your decision, and it will almost certainly factor into your application essay. As discussed above, you should have a strong reason why transferring is necessary. Maybe you’ve changed programs or you’re looking to join a new community because your current one isn’t fulfilling. Don’t knock your current school to prop up your application- instead, focus on the positive aspects your new school has to offer. For example, say the community at your school isn’t really your scene. Maybe you were hoping for a thriving arts community, but your school doesn’t really have one. Instead of saying that you expected one thing and got another (suggesting to your new school that you didn’t do enough research, or accusing your current school of misrepresenting itself), frame it as a time of discovery. For example, â€Å"As I’ve developed as a student, I’ve found myself more interested in being part of an artistic community, which [New School] is famed for. When I look at photos from poetry readings on campus or browse the current gallery exhibits, I want to see myself there, too!† is a much stronger way of phrasing disengagement from your school community than, â€Å"Pictures led me to believe that [Current School] had a lot of artistic events on campus, but that hasn’t been the case. I want to attend poetry readings and see artwork produced by students, not just football games.† #2: Focus on Grades Grades are the biggest factor in transfer applications. Your grades need to be strong, especially with the limited acceptance rates for transfer students. If you’re struggling in your current school, identify the cause and try to remedy it before you apply. Even if you’ve already made up your mind to transfer, that doesn’t mean you should slack off in your current school. Transfer applications often require mid-year reports, which will ask your current professors to evaluate your performance and predict your grade at the end of the term. You want that report to be good, so keep performing well in your current classes. #3: Treat Your Application Like a Freshman’s Despite having some college courses under your belt, you don’t necessarily have an advantage because transfer rates are typically lower than freshman admission rates. Because you’re not guaranteed a spot, put time and effort into polishing your application to its finest. An application is your opportunity to make a good impression, so don’t lean on your college experience to do the work for you. How would you promote yourself if you didn’t have it? College experience, even an associate’s degree, is like frosting rather than a whole cake. Don’t deliver your school a tub of frosting- deliver them a beautifully baked cake with the additional embellishments that come from college experience. The earlier you start planning, the better. When Should You Plan to Transfer? Ideally, you’ve been planning to transfer from the beginning, and you’ve been working with your adviserand transfer school to make the process smoother. But that’s not always the case- sometimes you don’t foresee a program switch, or maybe you’re moving due to military enlistment. The best time to start planning for your transfer is when you start school. The second best time to start planning for your transfer is now, so get started right away! Once you’re certain that you want to transfer, set up an appointment with your adviserand go over your current credits, what credits will transfer, and what additional things you’ll need to successfully move to a new school. Create an academic plan and follow it. If you need to transfer sooner than a plan will allow, work with an adviserto determine your best path forward. Don’t try to do it all on your own- navigating required credits versus transferable credits can be extremely difficult, and having an advocate will make everything easier on you. If you do want to do some individual research, you can use College Transfer, a tool that helps students compare college transfer programs and find out if credits transfer,to get a good sense of how well you’re prepared to transfer. When to Transfer From a Community College Universities and community colleges often have partnerships, called articulation agreements, to make the transfer easier. These are a huge boon in transferring, as it means there’s already a pathway for success. Take advantage of it if you can! If your current school and your desired school don’t have an articulation agreement, that’s okay. It just means that you’ll need to be a little more diligent in your planning and research- again, the help of an adviserwill be invaluable. Generally, community college students transferring to a four-year university will want to do so after completing the requirements for their associate’s degree, meaning you’ll enter your four-year school as a junior. An associate’s degree effectively locks your credits in. If you want to take some time off before transferring, you can do so without worrying that your credits will depreciate. If you transfer before receiving your associate’s degree, your credits may actually lose value, meaning you’ll have to take more classes to transfer successfully, costing you more money and time. There’s no foolproof time in the year to transfer. Stay on top of your academic plan and your required credits, and plan to transfer when you’re finished. When to Transfer From One Four-Year School to Another There are plenty of reasons to transfer from one four-year college to another, but be sure that if that’s your plan, that you’re not transferring for frivolous reasons. Roommate problems and homesickness won’t read particularly well to admissions offices, so try to seek other solutions before deciding to transfer. The most important thing to consider is that many of your credits may not transfer. This might set you back in time and money, as you may end up retaking courses similar to those you already completed. Meet with an adviserto understand how to best select courses that will help you transfer successfully. There’s no best time of year to transfer, though if you don’t have enough credits, you may actually be transferring in as a freshman alongside first-time college students. Again, meeting with an adviseris your best bet to make sure you apply properly. When to Transfer if You’re in the Military If you’re in the military, the decision to transfer schools may not be entirely up to you. Moving is common and often required, which means that the military has measures in place to ensure your education won’t be seriously impacted provided you follow the rules. The GI Bill ensures that you have special allowances to attend multiple schools at the same time, provided that your courses are all part of the same program. These courses and credits can be transferred from one school to another with ease, meaning your transfer won’t be as difficult as some others. However, the restrictions mean you need to be sure all your courses are part of your program, or you may run into trouble. Meet with an adviserregularly to be sure that you’re on track. Because you likely won’t have much say in when you’ll need to move schools, the GI Bill ensures that you don’t have to be concerned about when you transfer. Just stay on target with your academic plan! When to Transfer if You’re an International Student International students may transfer from secondary school in their home country to a four-year school in the United States, or from one four-year school to another. However, because of additional requirements for international students, it’s even more important that you be aware of deadlines, paperwork requirements, and credit transfer. Your visa may actually restrict which colleges you can attend, so be sure that you’re familiar with what schools you can transfer to. Schools may also have additional requirements or specific deadlines for international students, so always check that you’re in contact with the designated school official as well as any advisersyou have. You should always look for international student-specific information if it exists to prevent yourself from missing a deadline due to it not applying for international students. As with transferring schools for other kinds of students, there’s no hard-and-fast â€Å"best† time to do it. All other information applies- if you have an associate’s degree, you may be able to transfer as a junior and lock in your credits. If you don’t have an associate’s degree, you’ll be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. Keep all that in mind as you’re planning your transfer to ensure that the picture you present to your next school is as flattering as possible. What Next? No matter where you're at in your academic career, you may be eligible for financial assistance. Learn how to apply for financial aid to ensure you get the best award! If staying on top of your grades has been an issue so far in your college career, don't panic. There are plenty of great schools with low GPA requirements. The best way to get into your dream school is to treat your application like it's for the most selective colleges around. This guide for how to get into Harvard will walk you through what a great application looks like, and how to spruce up your own application. 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.