19 Colleges With the Lowest Acceptance Rates

19 Colleges With the Lowest Acceptance Rates SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Acceptance rates are an important factor to consider when deciding where to apply to college. A school’s acceptance rate is often considered a measurement of its quality. While this is accurate in many cases, some schools have low acceptance rates for reasons unrelated to the academic excellence of admitted students. In this article, I’ll tell you what the lowest college acceptance rate is, explain why some colleges have such low acceptance rates, and list the colleges with the lowest acceptance rates. Why Do Some Colleges Have Such Low Acceptance Rates? A college can have a low acceptance rate for a variety of reasons. The most common reason for a low acceptance rate is a combination of high academic standards and popularity among prospective students. This happens at Ivy League schools and schools such as Stanford and MIT, which have strong name recognition both in the US and internationally. As a result of their reputations, these schools get huge numbers of applicants every year. They end up with low acceptance rates because they need to turn away the vast majority of applicants in order to maintain their reputations for academic excellence. Only the most qualified students are admitted, and even those who technically meet academic standards might be rejected depending on their other credentials. In 2017, an impressive 47,450 students applied to Stanford- and only 2,040 were accepted! That's an acceptance rate of just 4.3%, giving Stanford one of the lowest college acceptance rates. Low acceptance rates also happen at schools that have very specific criteria for admission and are popular for other reasons. Military schools such as West Point and the US Naval Academy have low acceptance rates because they require applicants to meet other strict criteria besides academic qualifications. Meanwhile, music schools such as Juilliard might have especially low acceptance rates because they’re only willing to accept extremely talented students in a very specific area of study. There are also schools where students are offered free tuition or must meet financial need qualifications in order to be accepted. This means that these schools are popular (everyone wants to avoid paying for college!), but only a small subset of applicants make the cut. In the next two sections, I’ll go through a list of the schools with the lowest acceptance rates in the country; these fall into both the "non-specialized popular and academically rigorous" category and the "popular and specialized" category. How I imagine auditions for Juilliard. Non-Specialized Colleges With Low Acceptance Rates This is a list of schools that do not cater to a specific subset of students and have acceptance rates of less than 10%. These schools include Ivy League institutions and other colleges that have extremely high academic standards and widespread popularity. Keep in mind that you can’t necessarily expect to be accepted just because you meet the average academic requirements. These schools receive many applicants who are academically competitive, but acceptance isn’t a sure thing unless you’ve done something incredible in high school. Any college that has an acceptance rate of less than 15% is a reach school for all students. School Name # of Applicants* Acceptance Rate Average SAT Average ACT Stanford 47,452 4.8% 1465 33 Harvard 42,749 5.2% 1520 34 Columbia 40,203 6.1% 1515 34 Yale 35,307 6.3% 1505 34 Princeton 35,370 6.4% 1500 33 MIT 21,706 7.2% 1528 34 Caltech 8,208 7.7% 1560 35 Pomona 10,245 8.4% 1450 32 UChicago 32,283 8.7% 1530 34 Claremont McKenna 6,272 9.0% 1490 32 Northwestern 40,425 9.2% 1490 33 Brown 35,437 9.3% 1488 32 Penn 44,491 9.3% 1490 33 *Based on fall 2017 admissions data as reported in the College Board's BigFuture database To me, the most intimidating aspect of this building is that the engraved "Us" looks like "Vs." That's how you know something is prestigious. Specialized Colleges With Low Acceptance Rates This is a list of schools that are geared toward specific types of students and have acceptance rates of 15% or less. This includes music schools, military schools, and schools with special financial stipulations that lead to selectivity and popularity. Curtis Institute of Music Undergraduate Enrollment: ~175 Number of Applicants: Not reported Acceptance Rate: 4% Average GPA: Not reported Average SAT/ACT: Not reported Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? Admission at the Curtis Institute of Music is, as the website emphasizes, "based on artistic promise alone." Only the most talented student musicians are accepted, and spots are highly limited (only 40 students were accepted for 2017-18). The school also provides a full-tuition scholarship to each of its students. The Juilliard School Undergraduate Enrollment: 566 Number of Applicants: 4,045 Acceptance Rate: 5.9% Average GPA: Not reported Average SAT/ACT: Not reported Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? Like the Curtis Institute of Music, Juilliard is looking for a very specific, very talented subset of students. Applicants must audition for faculty members as a part of the application process, and performance standards are extraordinarily high. US Naval Academy Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,495 Number of Applicants: 16,086 Acceptance Rate: 8.5% Average GPA: 3.94 Average SAT/ACT: 1410 / 31 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? In order to attend the US Naval Academy, students must apply for and receive a nomination from a representative, a senator, or the vice president. Applicants must also pass a physical fitness assessment and medical examination to be eligible for admission. Academic standards are high as well. All these factors combined make for a very low acceptance rate. US Military Academy (West Point) Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,491 Number of Applicants: 12,294 Acceptance Rate: 9.6% Average GPA: 3.73 Average SAT/ACT: 1300 / 25 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? West Point has such a low acceptance rate because it requires students to excel in other ways besides earning high test scores and grades. Like applicants to the US Naval Academy, students must complete a physical fitness assessment and apply for a nomination from a congressperson, a senator, or the vice president. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Undergraduate Enrollment: 867 Number of Applicants: 2,574 Acceptance Rate: 13.1% Average GPA: 3.50 Average SAT/ACT: 1393 / 31 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? At the all-honors college Cooper Union, every student not only gets a half-tuition scholarship but is also automatically considered for extra merit scholarships. In addition, the school is home to some highly specialized programs in architecture, fine arts, and engineering. Students applying to the Cooper Union must take "home tests" designed by the school as a way to determine students' individual skill levels. Admission is based significantly on creative abilities as well as academic achievement. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering Undergraduate Enrollment: 380 Number of Applicants: 878 Acceptance Rate: 13.4% Average GPA: 3.90 Average SAT/ACT: 1497 / 34 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? Olin is an extremely small engineering school that gives a half-tuition scholarship to every student. With Olin also pledging to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need, competition is fierce for the approximately 90 spots each year. Students must not only demonstrate overall academic achievement but also excel in fields such as calculus and physics. At Olin, students have the opportunity to take classes at neighboring schools such as Babson, Brandeis, and Wellesley. You get to wear a cool hat if you graduate from West Point. How to Get Into Colleges With Low Acceptance Rates If you’re hoping to attend one of these colleges, you’ll have to do quite a bit of legwork in high school. For the first group of selective schools, you'll be expected to maintain a very high GPA and earn elite standardized test scores to meet admissions standards. On top of that, you should think about what your true academic and extracurricular passions are and try to translate those into concrete accomplishments. To stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to show these schools that you’re capable of more than just high grades and test scores. Their goal is to admit students who will make a strong, positive impact on the world. We give you more tips in our expert guide on how to get into the most selective schools. For the colleges with low acceptance rates on the second list, the key to acceptance (for the most part) is effective planning and an understanding of exactly what it takes to get in. If you’re looking at a high-caliber music school, for example, you’ll need to be extremely dedicated to practicing music every day and preparing for your audition. For the military schools, you’ll need to apply for your nomination from a government official well before the application deadline. All these schools are challenging to get into, but not impossible if you plan ahead and play your cards right. Just remember that such lofty goals will require lots of dedication and effort! I'm sure you'll ace the college application process. If not, you can always become a professional poker player. From what I've seen, the qualifications are just owning a pair of sunglasses and being severely emotionally stunted. What's Next? If you're interested in schools with low acceptance rates, you'll almost certainly have to have a high GPA. Read this article on how to get good grades in high school for some tips and strategies! Are you a little intimidated by the college application process for competitive schools? Check out our complete guide on how to apply to college. Extracurricular activities can go a long way toward strengthening your application beyond grades and test scores. Learn more about your extracurricular options and why they matter. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Racism

Racism Racial prejudice has started since a very long time ago and unfortunately it still exists in today's society. People shouldn't be judge because of their skin colour but instead for what they did. In this article, it says that African Canadian drivers are being stopped at much higher rates than other races. If black people get arrested for something they did and white people do the same thing but get away with I think that it's extremely unfair and it is an injustice to these people who are getting arrested.Even though our skin colour may be different, our feelings are still the same. Black people and white people should receive the same treatment and decisions towards these people should not be based on their ethnic background. All these differences about colour are only skin deep and people should try and see what's on the inside of those people. I don't think that anyone likes be victim of racial prejudice and I don't understand why some people keep doing it to others.'RACISM/THERE IS MORE TO LEARN' Dominic JacquesHowever, in some cases aggravation is only created by the mental thought. Change is a particular device that people cannot handle at all times. People are more comfortable around the recognizable and they find it hard to adapt to a culture that they are not familiar being with. Since 1987, Chinese have been settling in Vancouver, as the suburb of Richmond went from one in twenty to one in three of its residents being Chinese, in two decades. This rapid change was not acceptable for many people who moved out for that very reason so they can live in a "white town" again (Rupet 1996,13-15). On the other hand, one does not have to be a racist to increase the racism around them. For example, silence does not necessarily mean it can prevent... Racism Racism Racism Racism could be a persons belief that one race is better than the rest. Racism comes from ancient times but todays people arent as open about it. Some people are racist against the color of someones skin or even their religious beliefs. American History X is a movie that can make racist people take a look at themselves and how they view other people and other ethnic groups. The movie starts off with an apparent message that is racism against African American people. Derrik becomes a young so called Nazi skinhead when his father is killed by an African American drug dealer while putting out a fire. Derrik encourages his little brother to follow the same beliefs that he does. Thus, this essay seeks to explore racial identity threat and how it has affected integration in the American society from historic times to date. In the film, American History X,Derrik gets arrested for killing two African American boys for trying to take his truck. While in prison Derrik joins the white crew for protection, he then sees that they still do business with other races so he gets offended. The main leader of the gang gets mad and decides to teach Derrik a lesson and orders the other white brothers to rape him in the shower. Derrik is then paired up to work detail with an African American guy who begins to let Derrik see another perspective on different races because Derrik is no longer protected from the white gang. He can only become a target for all other gangs in prison but his new found friend secretly protects him until he is released. The Neo Nazis in the movie represent a gang of white skin heads who scorn and hold rage against African Americans and other minority groups; something that has threatened harmonious co-existence of races in the American society for long. Derrik tells Danny what happened to him in prison and this seems to change the way Danny thinks and he agrees to change. Danny says, I hate anyone that isn't white Protestant They're a burden to the advancement of the white race. Some of them are all right, I guess... Danny is very selective and has a very negative reaction towards the blacks as influenced by Derek. He thinks that the white race should be recognized as the race that matters. For Danny, racism and anger becomes poison to him. It eats him from the inside. He thinks that hating an individual is a weapon that harms the person who hinders their progress. However, hatred through racism is like a curved blade. The racial harm that they both do, takes a very huge turn on his life. Racism has caused detrimental effects on characters like Danny when he goes to school on one occasion. This takes place after he visits the washroom where an African American student shoots him several times in the chest instantly killing him. This hate has reached great levels of murder. The African American kills Danny because of his race. At some point, Bob Sweeney tells Derrik, There was a moment, when I used to blame everything and everyone for all the pain and suffering and vile things that happened to me, that I saw happen to my people. Used to blame everybody. Blamed white people, blamed society, blamed God. I didn't get no answers 'cause I was asking the wrong questions. You have to ask the right questions. This shows how people regard themselves better than others. They always think that their race is superior and that other races are merely a source of trouble. Well, Amy Tan, on the other hand, describes what is seen as an American child staying with foreign parents which is highly comparable to an American child staying with English speaking parents. This is well described in Mother Tongue. Amy has all along lived the rest of her life with her mother who speaks English that is influenced by Chinese language. Racism still remains to be their challenge. People can easily look down upon them because they cannot speak good English. She explores the neglect she faced from the English teachers, but finally succeeded and ended up being a writer. This is an indication of how racism has affected her because she cannot speak English well at first. Amy is not at ease with her mother speaking English in the public. Amy shows how people can be despised if they are found limited in speaking English. They feel that their race is inferior. She refers to her mothers English as broken language. Failure to understand English well within the American society for immigrants can lock many doors of success and deny them many things owing to their race. The English speaking races are presented as superior than those struggling to make a sentence in English. Creating a good image is very important in getting what a person wants. Speaking good English was one of the ways for an immigrant to succeed in the American society (Mukherjee 126-129). Amys mother chose to let her speak over the phone on her behalf, especially when it involved serious matters. This is more in particular at a time when her mother wanted to speak to a stockbroker from the New York City. Amy says, When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she (78). Amy Tan is a daughter of one of the immigrants into California from China in the end of 1940s. Though she knew Chinese, it was not enough to propel her to success in the United States. She ponders on the subject of learning English, as it takes a center stage and connects well with her success. She uses her book, Mother Tongue, to explore on this issue that has troubled many immigrants in the United States. Many arrive without having a good mastery of the language, but it has proven to be difficult living in America with such a condition (Mukherjee 126-129). Amy did not only want her mother to be despised in the public, but she helped her a lot in getting what she wanted from people across the American society. Although Amy stresses on the language that a family speaks and how it relates to shaping the childs language, the importance of speaking good English in the American society is very much evident. They are making every effort to move away from their race as it is hampering thei r endeavors in the American society. Conclusion American History X is a great example of a racist person seeing the different view of races after being turned away from his own kind. There is always going to be racism around the world. It would be nice if people could see the error of their ways just like Derrik. People are also racist because all nationalities are stereotyped an example is being Jewish people. Jewish people are believed to be cheap, African American and Hispanics are believed to be criminals and living off welfare whereas Italians are all believed to have mob connections, so if we cant get people to stop stereotyping they wont stop being racist. People have a formed opinion concerning a particular race and they treat people based on these stereotypes as seen in the American History X film. Amy Tan shows the same characteristics. As implied in her book, Mother Tongue, the failure to learn English would amount to despise and limited opportunities for the immigrants. This is a subject that has been debated upon concerning American being a place where cultures melt away occasioned by the fear of racism and its ravages. Amy shies away from her Chinese origin and language so that she can comfortably live within the American society with her mother. Apparently, it is true of America today. It appears as though it is a requirement for immigrants to learn English and somehow adopt American culture if they are to experience success in their new homeland, in the United States. Otherwise, the immigrants are bound to racism and will consequently hamper their efforts in the American society.

Influence of the Physical Landscape on the Historical and Recent Term Paper

Influence of the Physical Landscape on the Historical and Recent Settlement Patterns of the Maltese Islands - Term Paper Example Malta’s spectacular landscape and Mediterranean climate have made it a tourist haven. All these factors have affected a shift from the rural to the urban and have led to Malta’s population is heavily concentrated on the east coast. Malta, derived from the Latin name ‘Melita,’ meaning ‘Honey Island,’ is formally called the Republic of Malta. It is an archipelago comprising of six islands and islets in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, ninety-three kilometers South of Sicily and 288 kilometers north from the African coast. The six islands are Malta, Gozo, Comino, Cominotto, Filfla, and St. Paul’s Island. While the first three are inhabited, the others are very small, barren, uninhabited islets. It has a total area of 316 square kilometers, of which Malta comprises 246 square kilometers. The geographical coordinates of the archipelago are latitudes 36 degrees N and 35 degrees S and longitudes14 degrees E and 14 degrees W. Malta enjoys th e typical central Mediterranean climate of long, hot, dry summers with cooling sea breezes, warm and sporadically wet autumns and mild winters with warm westerly winds. An annual average of eight hours of sunshine a day makes it a holidaymakers’ paradise. The mean temperature is 19 degrees C. and the average annual rainfall measures about 560 mm. (The Malta Story, 1998). With a population of about 394,000, which works out to about 1,247 inhabitants per square kilometer, Malta’s population density ranks among the highest in the world (Commonwealth Secretariat, n. d.). A study of the settlement patterns of the Maltese islands over time shows that the distribution of the human population has been strongly influenced by Malta’s unique physical landscape and geographical location as well as its’ historical circumstances through the ages. Malta’s physical landscape derives from its’ being mainly a gradually undulating globigerina (formed by marine protozoa) limestone plateau.     

War And Civilization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

War And Civilization - Assignment Example Wars have been the violent catalyst for changes throughout history. Wars are, however, part of the agencies that help bring changes and progress in human life and the world. It might sound absurd, but wars are part of the human life activities. Wars simulate national growth, advancement in information technology, medical research, and solve some of the most complex political differences. They evoke bravery and heroism among communities and nations. In medical and health care systems, war has been the subject of appreciation as it has promoted human civilization. It is indeed a catalyst that has brought advances in medical science. Most of the chemical medicines and surgical techniques used in clinics and hospitals were not discovered when people were at peace in their homes. They were discovered and advanced when the need arose particularly when casualties of wars were in dire need of medication. Diseases such as Pestilent that evolved out of the war needed the rapid response with th e appropriate medical treatment (Smith, 2006). There are indeed several contributions of war to human civilization. The US, for example, had economic gains for its people from both World War I and II. If one looks the wars as agents of world peace, they did succeed in promoting peace and keeping the world safe. World War II eliminated Hitler who was a threat to the peace and unity of many people. In the 1973 war, Israel won a battle that enabled it to expand boundaries and acquire land that was previously a forbidden territory.

Gun Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Gun Control - Essay Example There are several points and reasoning about the article that needs to be straightened out. The most disturbing is the justification that calling for gun control is not about the Second Amendment. They are already contradiction in terms and yet it was still used as a justification. The second fallacious argument that was used that also needs to be refuted is the argument that of U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan during the assembly of marchers that "This is about gun responsibility; this is about gun safety; this is about fewer dead Americans, fewer dead children" (Martinez and Scmidt) while it is being hinged on the premise that "More guns? More violence" and "Hey La Pierre. How about this? Keep the Bad guy from even getting a gun!" (in respose to NRA CEO Wayne Lapierre statement as "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun") (Martinez and Scmidt). Gun control was being called upon in the demonstration as the solution to end violence because it is t hought of as tool of violence, it being a weapon that can indeed harm, mutilate and even kill an individual. The advocates and marchers of this solution posit that if the tools or weapons that were used in those crimes and incidence of violence did not become available, then violence will be reduced. While this may seem to be a plausible solution to reducing violence, gun control may pose a problem of infringing on our basic rights as Americans to bear arms as stated in the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution of the United States of America which was negated during the march for gun control by saying that it was not about the Second Amendment. It is because the moment that gun control is cited, it already an attempt to abridge a right that is guaranteed in the Second Amendment is disturbing. If one will subscribe to the reasoning of the advocates of gun control, it was as if gun ownership is equated to evil and that it does not do anything good excep t perpetuate violence. Under this unreasonable onslaught, it would be important to cite how guns played in the creation of America to refute the argument that it evil and that the people we esteemed in history were in fact gun owners. Those who crafted our Constitution and laid the foundation of this country were even said to be gun aficionados. The venerable George Washington, the first President of this Republic was even a general who had guns and men under his command. And he was never accused of violence neither was there a slightest instance that those guns were used to inflict violence and unnecessary force. Those guns that he had were instead and in fact used to liberate and unite this country from the invading forces until our country became what it is today. Without guns, our country would still have been under British rule because we had no weapons to fight and repeal them. And George Washington is not an exception to those who owned a gun that never had the slightest semb lance of violence. Most founding fathers of this country were bearer of arms and almost every major historical event in this country that led to what it is today also involved guns. Imagine the Alamo when its defenders are without guns or Abraham Lincoln struggle to end slavery when his army did not have the firearms to assert his political will to end slavery against the

Gandhis character and leadership style

Gandhis character and leadership style Below analysis of case study from movie Gandhi is based on life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. M.K. Gandhi after a successful fight against indiscrimination in South Africa devoted rest of his life to lead India to freedom. In the forthcoming sections detailed leader profile of M.K. Gandhi based on observations will be generated. Different leadership aspects, principles, effectiveness, and styles used by Gandhiji in his fight for the independence of India will be demonstrated. Also, part of focus will be the reaction of followers and peers on a very different perspective of leadership and its impact on British Empire. Entire analysis is supported by existing theories, research evidences and empirically grounded data about leadership. Leadership concepts According to Yukl (2010) Leadership can be defined as the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives. Movie Gandhi based on M.K Gandhis life over the length has very well depicted the various dimensions and aspects of leadership. It portrays the birth of great leader under adverse circumstances, who later on transforms into exceptional leader to lead India to its long awaited independence from British Empire. Movie very well captures number of instances in the life of M.K.Gandhi which have an influential impact on the masses as well as on the viewers. How a leader can effectively and efficiently lead people with an unconventional style and what differentiates a good leader from an extraordinary leader are the highlights of the movie. Over the time different flavours of leadership style under different circumstances can be observed. The legacy of Gandhijis leadership remains one of the most powerful forces for peace in the world, and this film is a superb tribute to it. Charismatic, transformational, ethical leadership aspects are among the few that are quite significantly depicted in the movie. Use of Power and Influence tactics Power is useful for understanding how people are able to influence each other in organization (Mintzberg,1983). Power involves the capacity of one party (the agent) to influence another party (the target). French and Raven (1959) developed taxonomy to classify different types of power according to their source. The taxonomy includes five different types of power as below Reward Power The target person complies in order to obtain reward controlled by the agent. Coercive Power The target person complies in order to avoid punishment controlled by the agent. Legitimate Power The target person complies because he/she believes the agent has the right to make request and the target person has the obligation to comply Expert Power The target person complies because he/she believes that the agent has special knowledge about the best what to do something. Referent Power The target person complies because he/she admires or identifies with the agent and wants to gain the agents approval. Gandhis possession of power was more of a referent kind. As observed in the movie Gandhi always identified himself among the masses. He fought the battle in South Africa with a tie and a suit but when he came to India he changed his attire to that of an Indian peasant. Before he started his mission in Indian Gandhi went across all over India to meet people and know them. For this very reason in one of the scene Gandhi while addressing people says that, the battle for Indian Independence can be fought by being one among them. As illustrated by Dubrin the end results of a leaders influence outcomes are a function of the influence tactics he or she uses. The influence tactics are in turn moderated, or affected by, the leaders traits and behaviours and the situation. He further adds that the three possible outcomes are commitment, compliance, and resistance ( as shown in the figure on next page). Commitment represents the highest degree of success; the target of the influence attempt is enthusiastic about carrying out the request and makes it a full effort. Pretty much like an outcome of the non co-operation movement. Compliance means that the influence attempt is partially successful. The target person is apathetic (not overjoyed) and makes only a modest effort to carry out the request. This type was illustrated when in some parts the violence broke out in Hindu-Muslim. There were no signs of complete resistance where in an absolutely unsuccessful attempt was made. The model shown in figure on next page illustrates the possible end results of a leaders influence. Gandhi power and Influence tactics_1.png 3.1) DESCRIPTION AND EXPLANATION OF INFLUENCE TACTICS Influence tactics are classified as those that are essentially ethical and honest versus those that are essentially manipulative and devious. Gandhiji has always used his ideals and principle in which he had beliefs to influence people. Non-violence was one of the biggest influencing tools that Gandhiji used throughout. Gandhi always practiced as well as preached the importance of honesty, self dependency and courage. He had a completely ethical and honest approach to his ideologies. Considering that his influence tactics falls in to the category of Essentially Ethical and Honest Tactics. Essentially Ethical and Honest Tactics Used with tact, diplomacy, and good intent, the tactics described in this section can facilitate getting others to join you in accomplishing a worthwhile objective. These tactics vary in complexity and the time required to develop them. 1. Leading by Example and Respect. A simple but effective way of influencing group members is leading by example, or leading by acting as a positive role model. Being respected facilitates leading by example. Gandhi use to weave his clothes by himself. He appealed people to stop using western clothes and use the clothes made in India. He got a terrific response from the people wherein thousands of them burnt their clothes. 2. Using Rational Persuasion. To implement this tactic, the leader uses logical arguments and factual evidence to convince another person that a proposal or request is workable and likely to result in goal attainment. Rational persuasion is likely to be the most effective with people who are intelligent and rational. A major intervening variable in rational persuasion is the credibility of the influence agent. A subtle factor is that credible people are perceived as having higher power. Gandhi was an astute individual he always used simple facts and witty humour to convince another person. He had knowledge of law and during many incidences particularly a court scene in champaner where he refuses to pay for bail, refrain from leaving the village as well and agrees to stay in jail knowing it would be difficult for court to keep him. Also many such logical arguments can be cited in the movie during his negotiations with the British, his comrade, press people and general public. He backe d up his belief in non-violence by providing the evidence of his struggle for civil rights movement in South Africa. Gandhis character and leadership style South African president recently quoted pertaining to Gandhiji You produced a lawyer and we produced a leader out of him. Indeed, the first colours of this great leaders charisma were evident in South Africa when he was thrown out of first class compartment on racial basis. Gandhijis self respect and an absolutely intolerant attitude to injustice made him to take a stand to proclaim the rights to be treated as equal citizen of Empire by peaceful means. He had a completely impartial view and courage to an extent that he was willing to take a blow but not accept injustice. His strong belief on the cause he was working on helped him to gain faith of the people and he gave them a way. This eventually led to reconsideration and abolition of act pertaining to racial discrimination of Indians in South Africa. According to Weber (1947) charisma occurs during a social crisis, when a leader emerges with a radical vision that offers a solution to the crisis, and attracts followers who believes in the vision Particular situation in South Africa was emergent where in Gandhiji came out to be a strong and a highly charismatic leader. He had a vision to fight against the indiscriminate rules and eradicate them which he did successfully. Self- confidence, strong conviction in his beliefs, and high expectations and confidence on the abilities of the followers are clear evidences of a strong charismatic leader which Gandhi showed. Evidence is very well supported by current theories of charismatic leadership.. On his return to India, Gandhiji was looked upon with lots of hopes and expectation especially after the triumph in South Africa and his writing skills. In India he faced with a broader vision of a Home Rule Movement. Gandhijis participation in peasants problems against landlord in champaner signifies to large extend his stubborn nature and belief to fight against indiscrimination and injustice. It started when an individual approached Gandhiji with the problems the peasants in champaner were facing. Gandhijis presence there to fight the problem clearly demonstrated the importance, respect, individual attention and consideration to an individual. His rational approach towards the problem was very different and intellectually stimulating than what was expected, but it yield results. Victory in champaner had a message that speeded all across India, it was a new way to fight and win. Above observations guides towards the Transformation Leadership characteristics that Gandhiji demonstrated. According to Bass, transformational leadership can be defined based on the impact that it has on followers. Transformational leaders, Bass suggested, garner trust, respect and admiration from their followers. Various components that are part of transformational leadership are presented on the next page. 4.1) Transformational Leadership:- Bass suggested that there were four different components of transformational leadership. Idealized Influence The transformational leaders serves as a role model for followers. Because followers trust and respect the leader, they emulate the leader and internalize his or her ideals. Before Gandhi came to India he was already known for his writing and non-violent movement in South Africa. After he successfully fought to waver of the taxes for the peasants people of the entire nation looked up to him. Individualized Consideration Transformational leadership also involves offering support and encouragement to individual followers. In order to foster supportive relationships, transformational leaders keep lines of communication open so that followers feel free to share ideas and so that leaders can offer direct recognition of each followers unique contributions. Gandhiji believed that to effectively lead people he need to know and understand them at the grass root level. His expeditions to discover India illustrate the same. He believed that effective communication was a must to convey the message to the masses. And true representative of people should stand with the people and only than they will be able to face any challenges together. Inspirational Motivation Transformational leaders have a clear vision that they are able to articulate to followers. These leaders are also able to help followers experience the same passion and motivation to fulfil these goals. Gandhi always made his vision very clear and also the means by which he wanted to achieve it. He had a principle based approach which suited the people of India and people started looking up to him as the saw the feasibility of the goal achievement. Intellectual Stimulation Transformational leaders not only challenge the status quo; they also encourage creativity among followers. The leader encourages followers to explore new ways of doing things and new opportunities to learn. Gandhi used his writings and speeches to stimulate the masses. His writings were so impressive that people who were non aggressive in nature actually started believing that they could be a part of movement and contribute. Below figure illustrates the transformational characteristics transformational Leadership.jpg 4.2 Ethical Leadership As can be observed throughout the movie Gandhijis battle was totally based on moral values, ethics, spirituality, family values and religious insights. He based his leadership on these grounds and people called him a Mahatma meaning a great soul. He always encouraged ethical practises like self discipline and dependency (weaving his own clothes), abolition of untouchability, truth and love. Gandhi had a high impact on the people because of his ethical characteristics of his leadership resulting into people giving up the foreign clothes and started weaving their own khadi clothes. Below figure shows the various aspects of ethical leadership. Ethical leadership theories fall into two categories Leaders conduct and Leaders character Leaders conduct Consequences (Theological theories) Focus on what is right and what is wrong. Below table illustrates the different type of theological theories. Ethical egoism An individual should act to create the greatest good for themselves. A leaders should take a career that they would selfishly enjoy (Avolio Locke, 2002). This is closely related to transactional leadership theories. Utilitarianism We should act to create the greatest good for the greatest number. Maximize the social benefits while minimizing the social costs (Shumann, 2001). Altruism This is the opposite of Ethical Egoism and is concerned with showing the best interest for others even when it runs contrary to self-interest. Authentic transformational leadership is based on altruistic behaviour (Bass, Steidlmeier, 1999). Gandhi particularly demonstrated altruism in his acts. He fasted for several days to drive people towards his purpose of stopping violence. He never cared what impact it had on his own health, he persistently strived till he could see a desired outcome. Duty (Deontological Theories) This is telling the truth, keeping promises, being fair, independent of the consequences. Gandhi always preached honest and was completely unbiased in his approach. This was very much evident when he asks his wife to leave the house when she disagrees to clean the toilets. Actions should not infringe on others rights and should not further the moral rights of others. Gandhis struggle for a civil rights movement in South Africa was a part of his belief that such unjust laws cant be forced on people and they should be treated equally on moral and humanitarian basis. Leaders Character:- Virtue-based theories These are not innate, but can be acquired. They are rooted in heart of the individual and in their disposition. It focuses on telling people what to be as opposed of what to do Examples include courage, temperance, generosity, self-control, honesty, sociability, modesty, fairness, and justice. This theory is about being and becoming a worthy human being. Above attributes of virtue based theories can be perfectly related to Gandhis behaviour, belief and preaching on numerous occasions throughout the movie. Analysis of followers Initially in South Africa the followers were sceptical about Gandhi resulting into a rather low turnout in one of the meeting he called for. His adamant attitude to burn the passes even after getting repeated blows from the police had a message in it. The rule was barred and people opened up to Gandhis courage. They started believing and trusting him for fighting against the civil rights movement in South Africa. Gandhi was successful and emerged as a popular leader. Even before he came to India he was a hero for his triumph in South Africa. Gandhi wanted people in India to identify him as one among them, so he went to the people, heard their grievances and fought with them. Such type of attributes has a high impact on people as they start identifying the leader among themselves, started perceiving Gandhi to be trustworthy thereby giving up autonomy. Gandhis leadership style was more of a followers-centric type. Followers who perceive the leader as responsible for making decisions (U hl-Bien Pillai, 2007) are less likely to take an active role in the decision-making process, thereby giving up autonomy. Robert E. Kelley described five styles of followership categorized according to two dimensions. The first dimension: Independent, critical thinking, versus dependent, uncritical thinking. Independent thinking recalls the discussion of mindfulness; independent thinkers are mindful of the effects of peoples behaviour on achieving organizational goals. A dependent, uncritical thinker does not consider possibilities, does not contribute to the cultivation of the organization, and accepts the leaders ideas without thinking characterized by a need for constant supervision and prodding. The second dimension: Active versus passive behaviour. An active individual participates fully in the organization, and a passive individual is characterized by a need for constant supervision and prodding. The extent to which one is active or passive and is critical, independent thinker versus a dependent, uncritical thinker determines a type of followership style. Below figure depicts the dimensions and the types of followers. Followers.png Below table illustrates a brief description of type of followers. Alienated Follower Alienated followers are often effective followers who have experienced setbacks and obstacles, perhaps broken promises by superiors. They focus exclusively on the shortcomings of the organization and other people. Conformist Followers A conformist carries out any and all orders regardless of the nature of the tasks, participating willingly but without considering the consequences. The only concern is to avoid conflict. Pragmatic Followers This type of follower uses whatever style best benefits a personal position and minimizes risk. Pragmatic survivors emerge when the organization faces desperate times, and followers do whatever is needed to get themselves through the difficulty. Passive Follower Being passive and uncritical, this type of follower displays neither initiative nor a sense of responsibility. Passive followers are often the result of leaders who are over controlling and punish mistakes. Effective Follower Effective followers behave the same toward everyone, regardless of their position. They do not try to avoid risk or conflict. They initiate change and put themselves at risk to serve the best interest of the organization; they are characterized by both mindfulness and a willingness to act. Gandhis followers were more of a conformist kind as they complied to his orders irrespective of whatever he asked them to do. Evidence of this was found after the salt satyagrah when they went ahead and took the beatings irrespective of the consequences without any retaliation. When Gandhi called for a salt satyagrah because of unlawful enforcement of taxes on salt millions of people marched behind him. Also the appeal made by Gandhiji to give up the western clothes and use those made in India was exemplary of how followers were ignorant of the consequences. It was the kind of influence Gandhi had on them and the trust they showed on Gandhis decisions. Development as a Leader To be optimally effective, leadership development must be consistent with an organizations competitive strategy as well as with other human resources activities (Day2000; McCall, 1998). In the context of above description we can say that Gandhis leadership skills developed from those in South Africa to those in India. Even though what was common at both places were his belief on his principles. From being a leader of a community he turned to become a leader of masses. In South Africa Gandhi fought in suite and tie he wore same clothes as people there. He was not an eloquent speaker at that time as he was suggested to improve on those skills of his. His strong beliefs, courage and adamant attitude led a success in civil right movements in Africa. But when he came to India he knew it was a different battle all together, there were expectation of millions of people riding on his shoulder. He took his time to know the people of India went across the country lived with them and heard there problems personally. He adapted to the situations in India realising that Indian battle for independence cant be fought in same way as that in Africa. He led in an exemplary way in India, wore clothes of a peasant, lived in a small house, weaved his own clothes his approach was more on ethical bases. In the later part it can also be observed that he came out as a better and a confident speaker . Because of his understanding of the people he had a clear vision of how he wanted to lead the battle for independence. He was always in control of the situations that were going on in the country. His effective negotiations skills while dealing with the British authorities were the evidence of his maturity as a leader. Conclusion Movie Gandhi depicts a clear picture of Gandhi as a successful leader. Gandhi gave a nation to the people of India and satyagrah to the world one of the most revolutionary approach to struggle. Gandhi was a leader who inspired and still continues to inspire, people of all nation with his ethical and ideological legacy. Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and many other leaders follow his example. Frail, bespectacled figure with simple clothes and the ready smile led India to march on the path of glory on the basis of sheer principles and ethics which he preached and practiced. As he always said Be the change you want to see in the world.

Human Evolution Essay -- Biology Papers

Human Evolution Human evolution is the biological and cultural development of humans. A human is any member of the species Homo sapiens, meaning "wise man." Since at least the Upper Paleolithic era, some 40,000 years ago, every human society has devised a creation myth to explain how humans came to be. Creation myths are based on cultural beliefs that have been adopted as a legitimate explanation by a society as to where we came from. The science of paleoanthropology, which also tries to create a narrative about how humans came to be, is deeply technical. Paleoantropology is the science of the evolution of humans, and it is the base of all research in that field. Humans have undergone many different changes during the last hundred million years, and it is the paleoanthropologist's job to identify and explain these changes. In this research paper I will examine: human physical traits that define their species, human origins from pre-humans to modern humans, major discoveries and the history of human evolution, and what the future may hold as far as evolution for the human species. Homo sapiens are the only living representative of the family Hominidae. The Hominidae, or hominids are a group of upright walking primates with relatively large brains. So all humans are hominids, but not all hominids could be called human. Next all humans are primates. The mammalian order of primates includes about 180 species of prosimians (lemur like animals), monkeys, apes, and ourselves. Primates are unusual mammals for they have evolved such distinctive traits as highly developed binocular vision, mobile fingers and toes with flat nails instead of claws, a shortened snout with a reduced sense of smell, and large brains relative to body siz... ...hat the species is "going somewhere" under natural selection and then describe how most successful species are stable through their geological lifetimes. Furthermore, given the relative pace of cultural change and lack of isolation of human populations, there is little chance for a new different human species. Modern understanding of human evolution rests on known fossils, but the picture is far from complete. Only future fossil discoveries will enable scientists to fill many of the blanks in the present picture of human evolution. Employing sophisticated technological devices as well as the accumulated knowledge of the patterns of geological deposition, anthropologists are now able to pinpoint the most promising locations for fossil hunting more accurately. In the years ahead this will result in an enormous increase in the understanding of human biological history.