So many things run through your mind.  Is there a problem, Are they going to decline it?  What can be the reason but no one can tell us anything and we are still within the new processing times so we just keep getting fobbed of with the same excuse.  Since we have been working in Canada now for over 2 years we can now apply for residency through the experience class so either way we should qualify.  There’s no points on the experience class.  Just experience, that’s it!  (Well pretty much)  We have a job and have been employed for 3 years,  We have now submitted an extra application for the experience class just to cover ourselves in case further delays are added.  Experience class processing times are currently showing 15 months compared to the present 27 months for the skilled worker applications.  Both files could still hit delays but what else can you do when further delays are added.  I would have hoped that Canada would look after their foreign workers.  They advertise that they want skilled workers and then don’t help them to settle and stay.  It is wrong and I hope to see changes where they do more to help people moving their entire families to make a new start and work for THEIR country!

After being a worker in Canada for 24 months however you can apply for experience class which the processing times are currently showing as 15 months so we are putting an additional application in to run along side the other one (Which is costing $1100 just to submit it) just in case the original application hits further delays.  There’s nothing we can do and if the work permits are not extended then leaving the country is the only option other than to request visitors status which costs extra money and does not allow you to work or have any health coverage.  The system is just rubbish.  Once you are hear and working they should make it easier for you to stay especially if you have a residency application in that has come across significant delays.  I can not see this being rectified before we run out of time and our whole family are going to suffer.  The grandchildren will not see their grandparents and vice versa and they are the only grandchildren.  Our family is going to be split and torn apart until something happens.

As with candidates, all universities are different, and each have their own individual preferences in prospective candidates. Some look for a student who is 100% committed to their studies, so these universities would like to see a personal statement with a strong focus on academics. This could include talking about books or articles you’ve read, any lectures you’ve attended or even any private tutoring you may have done relating to the subject. On the other hand there are universities that prefer to see evidence of a more balanced lifestyle. So if you’re applying to one of these uni’s then tell them if you play sports or have completed the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Elaborate on your points

4000 characters may not seem like a lot (and it isn’t) but don’t make any points without elaborating on what you have gained from it. Universities like to see an active involvement in your studies, so if you have read a book you found particularly interesting and mention it in your personal statement, discuss how it made you feel, rather than just saying that you read it and thought it was good. The same goes for anything else you talk about really. If you have been on a relevant trip (to a museum for instance), then what did you gain from it? If you have done some work experience, then what did you learn from it?

Steer clear of careers

From my experience, universities want students who really love their subject, and aren’t just going to grin and bear it for the three or four years they’re at uni so that they can pick up a nice salary when they graduate. So I would advise to steer clear of saying you want to study economics so you can go and work in an investment bank, for example. Obviously, if it is a course where the career is directly linked to it, medicine being a prime example, then ignore this advice completely and show that you have made an educated decision and put a lot of thought into the path that your life will be on if you study that course.

Read about the course

A major downfall many applicants have is that they are applying for something that they have a brief understanding of and pick their uni’s superficially without actually reading the course outline in either a prospectus or on the website. Some uni’s even outline the specific modules that you would be taking if that is where you ended up so why not make use of the information that is so easily available to you. Look at areas of the course that your selected universities have in common and base a few paragraphs around them. For example, if there is a foreign exchange programme on offer by your universities then clearly state that that may be something you are interested in. After all, if you discuss at depth an aspect of the subject that your university doesn’t offer modules in then they may see you not being a good fit for their course as an easy reason to reject you.

Don’t discuss your A Levels/other examination system subjects

Your teachers, referees, whoever, may disagree with me on this point but personally I feel that it is a waste of time discussing the subjects you study at college and how they relate to the course you are applying for. It is often recommended that applicants loosely link their subjects to their chosen course, but admissions tutors already know that English Literature has enabled you to read between the lines of a text, and that Mathematics lets you look at problems objectively, so the idea that you would tell them things they already know seems incredibly wasteful. Whilst 4000 characters may seem a lot to start with, believe me you will be looking for things to cut down by the time it comes to submitting your application. Make the most of the limited space you have.

More than enough times, I have seen students–my own classmates, friends–do things to “look good” for college. They traveled to Haiti so they would be recognized as benevolent; they fundraised for food banks so that colleges would know that they were conscientious individuals. No, I will not argue against the fact that they had certainly gained valuable experiences from their efforts, nor that those who received their services were grateful, nor certainly, that their resumes were granted some nice decorations. And no, I’m not being cynical–I have participated in such honorable activities with less than honorable intentions myself–and my classmates have openly admitted–and laughed–at their own pretensions. I remember an upperclassman, now a freshman at UPenn, smirk when I asked him about volunteering and reply that when it came to colleges, it was just the surface work that mattered.

Perhaps I have been extremely childish to even imagine the possibility that all the good work in this world could have been accomplished without any ulterior motives. Yet, this does not assuage my disappointment. I am at risk of sounding like a disillusioned naivete, yes, but I do wish that students like myself could be doing at least part of their “good deeds” for the sake of the intrinsic value of the deeds themselves, and not just because collegeboard prescribed so.

I wonder now, once we pass our still relatively sheltered stage of high school life, will we become yet more entrenched in this rule of surface scratching? Will the modest deeds done out of pure goodwill continue to be outshone by the better marketed acts of that ostensible sort?

I do not wish to make accusations here, nor be hypocritical. Simply, I wonder, is there anyone who still truly gives without expecting anything in return?

            Since the summer after my freshman year I have been working at a local Trap and Skeet Gun Club.  Working there has helped gain respect for social and cultural differences in many ways.  The people that shoot at the club are all different from one another, and have different stories to tell.  A majority of the shooters are older men, who have a lot of worldly experience.  I have got to know many of these people and their different backgrounds.  Working with and serving all of these different types of people has helped expose me to their many differences.

            After working at the club for around two years I was promoted to club manager.  This position put a lot of pressure on me and gave me a lot of new responsibilities.  As the club manager I was responsible for hiring, firing, supervising, and scheduling employees.  Doing all of this helped me to get to know a wide variety of people and how to handle them.

            I am a native Montanan, born and raised here.  The culture around here is different than other places in many ways.  Life here is very rural and agricultural, unlike most cities.  People from other states have a very stereotypical view of Montana as being nothing but farms and ranches.  This stereotype is untrue.  Allowing me to attend your university would allow me to show the people there what I am all about and share my personal experiences with them.

            I am a native Montanan, born and raised here.  I have always wanted to leave here and go to a bigger, more urban place.  College will be my first major opportunity to do so.  I have visited cities along the west coast and have always wanted to live in an urban environment.  Madison seems like an ideal town for me because it is more urban than any city in Montana, and more rural than a city like New York City.  The idea that there is still wilderness outside of the city limits, and lakes close to the city is perfect for me.

            Being from Montana symbolizes a lot in my mind.  People from here seem to have a special work ethic not seen in many other places around the country.  Many of the Montanans still live on farms and make their living off the land, but not all of them.  Living here I have noticed that it is very easy for someone to move from out of town or out of state and fit in.  Generally the people here are very nice and respectful to one another, and saying hello or waving to a person you have never met before is not out of the ordinary.  Being born and raised here has given me some of these attributes.  I can bring these attributes, being from a place where there are more horses than people, to Madison if I am given opportunity.  Typically people from out of state view Montanans stereotypically, and think we are all farmers or ranchers.  Going to Wisconsin would allow me to show people there that not all Montanans fit this stereotype, and that we are just like them.

            Not many people from here take interest in fields like chemical engineering and nuclear engineering, but I am unique.  One of the reasons I am interested in the University of Wisconsin so much, is because it is one of the only schools I have looked at that offers both of these majors.  Both of these programs at the University of Wisconsin are top of the line programs.  Being undecided on what I want to study, this is a big plus because it gives me time to decide and leaves my options open.  Most of the other schools I am looking at offer one of these two majors but not both.

            Going to school in Madison would be a great opportunity for me to grow and develop, and for me to bring everything I have to offer there.  Giving me the chance to study there would be a positive experience for the University of Wisconsin and myself.  I truly believe it would be a win-win situation for both me and the University.  Giving me the chance to prove myself, and accomplish what I want to accomplish would be greatly appreciated.

      Being the manager at a local gun club I have faced many setbacks.  From things as small as having a worker make a simple mistake, to things as big as having multiple workers not show up.  While working at the club I have had to fire multiple employees for different reasons, and it is never an easy thing to do.  Every time an employee is fired for a reason, I am then responsible for replacing that employee.  Most of the conflicts and setbacks are dealt with pretty easily, but occasionally more difficult problems come along.

            At one point in time the club had to fire five employees after their actions.  The five employees decided to vandalize a car for fun while working.  The car had been left parked at the club for around a week by a regular shooter.  It started with just searching through the car and kicking it, but ended up with the car being almost completely destroyed.  When the owner of the car realized what happened, they informed me and the club’s board of trustees about the situation and we had to decide what to do.  The answer seemed very simple, fire all five kids and be done with it.  The issue was that two of the kids had not taken part in destroying the car, and claimed to have just been watching while the others did the damage.  The decision was left up to me to decide if the two kids watching should be fired for not stopping the others or reporting the incident to anyone.  In the end I ended up I ended up firing the two kids because they let it go on and were covering for the other employees a majority of the time.

            On another occasion I walked down into a trap house, where the laborers do a majority of their work, and a few of the workers were smoking marijuana.  This situation would have been easy to deal with if I knew for sure all the kids present were smoking, but there was one girl that claimed not to be.  Every employee that was taking part got fired that day for their activities, but dealing with the one girl was more of a challenge.  She ended up getting to keep her job because all of the employees that got fired justified her story.

            The affect of these situations on me was that I had to find new employees to replace to fired ones, and in one situation train them in a week.  Dealing with situations of this natural is not fun or easy for anybody.  Most of the kids working under me are high school students like me, and some of them friends.  Firing bad employees is part of the job though and has to be done occasionally.

            In the future if I was faced with a similar setback I would act similar to the way I did previously.  The kids did not do the right thing and were not doing their jobs or handling their responsibilities so I think firing them was the right choice.

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With over 970 multiple choice questions, and you can choose a number of questions for each test, with the test results shown in HTML format, as well as a progress meter, so you can keep track of your performance in each topic, change the timer settings, sounds effects which can be turnt on or off, zoom in on question graphics.

This app is available from the Android Market place for £2.99

            According to Albert Bandura’s social learning theory aggressive behavior is, “learned observationally through modeling,” (Cherry, n.d.). In American History-X, Danny learns through the example that Derek sets. After having lost their father to being shot by an African American while trying to put out a fire Derek becomes Danny’s primary source for influence. Early in the movie a group of whites and blacks are playing basketball when the game gets heated. Derek places a bet, blacks against whites and the winner keeps the basketball court. After a victorious win, the group of whites celebrates and Danny observes as this act of racism and hate gets rewarded through Derek.
            Another scene shows Danny showing off his DOC gang tattoo which represented his official place in the DOC to Derek as if it were something to wear proudly, which before Derek was released from prison he very well would have been proud. Danny also sought Derek’s approval for a paper he wrote on Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf. This depicts Danny trying to get his older brother’s approval which the new Derek did not give. Danny was subjected to countless accounts of Derek’s racism, discrimination and acts of violence. There were countless opportunities in which Danny’s eye witness accounts could have molded his thoughts and beliefs about races other than his own.

            Danny also becomes a subject to conformity through Derek’s recruitment speech to a group of young white kids with Danny at his side listening to every word his older brother says. Derek was influential enough to get these kids to follow his ideals and as he was recruiting them he was spreading his word into the mind of Danny. Derek had successfully persuaded the whole group into his neo-Nazi way of thinking.

            Another scene depicts the obedience of Seth and Danny toward the neo-Nazi gang’s leader, Cameron Alexander. Seth wants Danny to tell what he’s learned in his time with the DOC. He asks Danny who he hates and Danny replies, “Anyone who isn’t white protestant.” He then says, “Some of them are alright, I guess.” Seth then corrects Danny by saying, “None of them are fucking all right,” and asks him if he remembers what Cameron said. This shows the obedience that Danny and also Seth have by following Cameron’s directives.

            The social influence theory would also apply to Danny’s situation. Once Derek started recruiting for the DOC it was no longer just Derek who held influential power over Danny. The group as a whole was in the position to further incorporate Derek’s beliefs into Danny. After Derek was sent to prison he was no longer the primary source for Danny’s corrupt way of thinking. Members of the gang took Danny in and continued the cycle where Derek left off.

            Although the theme of this paper has been to point out Danny’s trail to destruction and corrupt thinking, Bandura’s social learning theory once again comes into play later in the film. After Derek tells Danny of his time in prison and how that experience changed his way of thinking towards blacks, Danny too comes to the realization that his Nazi mentality is also flawed and it is portrayed symbolically when he and Derek remove all the Nazi memorabilia out of his room.

            American History X is an excellent resource for the application of social psychology. Through the many personalities featured in the film there are endless theories that can be applied in relevance to the film. It brings to light the power of negativity and influence and it also depicts a story of racism and hate which is something we still fight to ward off today. In many ways, American History X has brought the old psychology text to life.

Sources

American History X. Prod. Michel De Luca. Dir. Tony Kaye. Perf. Edward Norton, Edward Furlong. DVD. New Line Cinema, 1998.

Cherry, K. (n.d.) Social learning theory: An overview of Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. About.com. New York, NY. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/sociallearning.htm

Of particular interest of the clauses of the Terms of Use entitled “Can Microsoft remove applications or data from my computer?” It states that “we (by Microsoft) to change or discontinue certain applications or content offered on Windows Store at any time for any reason… in cases where your security is threatened or when we are forced to do so by law, you may be unable to use certain applications or content that you have previously purchased from the store. If this is a paid application, refund the money… If you change or discontinue any application or content, data may be deleted. We have no obligation to give back the data”.

To put it very simple, if Microsoft’s angry with an application provider and decide to remove it from the store also reserve the right to delete it from your hard drive without having to ask. Take shelter under the pretext of security of the computer as if it were up to them and not the user. And it is clear that they will apply this clause when it suits them. The Apple store has a similar clause but have not ever applied (for it time). In fact, applications have been removed from the store, but users who installed them on their computers can still use them.

Another case is different from Google that it has removed remotely Android smartphone applications, but has always tried to eliminate justified under the guise that the applications had malicious code. Microsoft’s still not clear how they will ensure that applications that offer in his tent, are completely safe. They will require developers to impose certain security measures to prevent the remote installation of viruses and Trojans, but did not specify how they will ensure compliance with these measures.