The Contemporary Practice Of Political Spin Essay

The Contemporary Practice Of Political Spin - Essay Example The United States of America is the world’s most prominent democracy, and though never openly calling itself secular, it has been overt in proving its colorblindness in the matter of religion. But without doubt, Americans are probably more devoutly religious then any other people of the West. This devoutness has been the target of the Republican party of the United States ever since George W. Bush won the election in the year 2000. The stance taken by the present government in the issue of gay marriages and the status of immigrants in the United States provides ample proof of the importance of ambiguity and ‘spin’ in U.S political rhetoric. The Republican Party cannot openly show its opposition to the proposition of same-sex marriages, considering the position that gay people have managed to win in society. Neither can the US government openly state that it considers closing the borders of the country a viable option for ensuring home security, considering that a giant portion of the American workforce comprises of immigrants living and working illegally. Thus in both cases the government has cultivated the backing of the Christian right by using religious terminology and hyperbole.

Definition Of Culture By Hofstede Cultural Studies Essay

Definition Of Culture By Hofstede Cultural Studies Essay -Introduction Globalization of a companys hiring process becomes quite critical when it has to deal with external barriers; especially the ones relating to culture. It becomes equally challenging for an employee coming from a different cultural background to adjust in the new country and simultaneously adapt to their culture. However, in this world of instantaneous communication and global interactions, an international perspective can make ones business as well as an individuals career significantly more competitive. In order to have a good experience in the new environment and keeping away from depression one has to learn about the ways of interacting with the culture. This can be done by understanding a few aspects of the culture in the country one is going to. Each culture comes with its own personality, own way of doing things, ways of acting, ways of communicating with the world. Coming from one culture and moving to another, one can often pick out intriguing similarities and disheartening d ifferences. Hence, every culture is unique and depending on it, various behavioural patterns can be observed. In order to facilitate our understanding about the extent of how dynamic a culture is, Hofstedes cultural theory can be used. In the following research, a link will be established between Hofstedes cultural dimensions and how I will use these observations in order to adjust myself culturally to the new environment so that I do not have cross-cultural problems living in Japan for the next five years. Additionally a comparison between my culture (Indian) and Japanese culture will also be discussed. Definition of Culture by Hofstede Culture is the collective programming of the human mind that distinguishes the members of one human group from those of another. Culture in this sense is a system of collectively held values.- Geert Hofstede (Hofstede, 1991) Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions Power Distance: it is the degree of inequality that is expected and accepted in a given society by subordinates. It relates to power, status, authority that you command from individuals in a given context. For the most part, often the less powerful members are dominated by more powerful members and that dimension is accepted by the less powerful and expected by the most powerful. The societies with high power distance deal with autocratic style of management while the democratic style of management is observed within societies with less power distance. Uncertainty Avoidance: is the degree of risk that is accepted by people in any given society. It is the level to which the members of a society feel uncertain or ambiguous about a particular situation. The societies that avoid uncertainties are often the underdeveloped and the developing ones; whereas the developed societies are more tolerant towards uncertainties. Individualism/Collectivism: a society where everyone is expected to take care of themselves is an individualistic one. Here, me, I is more important as against we, us in collectivist societies. The attachment between people in individualistic societies is very insecurely defined. Society may have a tendency to be materialistic. Individual work is greatly appreciated rather than team work in collectivist societies. Extended families influenced by religion are a peculiar feature of collectivism. Masculinity/Feminism: the degree of difference that is observed between men and women describes this dimension. Societies driven by power, status, competitive depict masculinity, whereas, feminism illustrates values of modesty and concern. The former tends to be less emotional and expressive than latter. Long term orientation/Short term orientation: Long term relates to rewarding responsibility with an intention in mind. However, short term relates to respect for tradition and values. The former is more perseverant and the latter imparts sense security and protects ones reputation. (Hofstede, 1991) Differences between Japanese and Indian Culture according to Hofstede (Hofstede, 2003) Both these cultures instil collectivistic traits. In such cultures the actions of the individual are influenced by various concepts such as the opinion of ones family, extended family, neighbours, work group and other such wider social networks that one has some affiliation toward. The Power Distance Index of India in comparison with Japan is comparatively higher. India is a diverse country with a combination of various cultures and wealth in this country is unequally distributed and hence, there are different types of classes with uneven disposable income. This depicts why the power distance is quite high. On the other hand, Japan is a mildly hierarchical society. Japanese are always conscious of their hierarchical position in any social setting and act accordingly. However, Japan is quite developed and the fact that equality prevails makes the power distance lower than India and uncertainty avoidance higher. Moreover, the absence of corruption, low level of inflation and other econ omic factors make its uncertainty avoidance higher. Comparatively, India is quite corrupt and people are only concerned with making more and more money regardless of the overall growth. People in India generally do not feel driven and compelled to take action-initiatives and comfortably settle into established rolls and routines without questioning whereas the Japanese do not settle for anything less and are very competitive in nature making them more masculine. India is masculine too, but mostly in terms of visual display of success and power. On the contrary, Japanese are very modest and show the strength of power only when necessary. Japan is also a very fast growing economy and the people a very determined to create a living for them expressing why it is long term oriented. The idea behind it is that the companies are not here to make money every quarter for the shareholders, but to serve the stake holders and society at large for many generations to come. India is also long ter m oriented but comparatively lesser than Japan as Indian society has great tolerance for religious views and this culture typically forgives lack of punctuality where nothing is planned from start. (Hofstede, 2003) Dealing with Cultural Shock Living abroad and experiencing all the newness of the society combined with absence of people who can support might cause a degree of anxiety. This type of anxiety is called cultural shock and everyone deals with some degree of it during this stage. Basically it can be divided into four phases. Once familiar with these stages one will be better able to combat it and the willingness to adapt will increase. However, not everybody goes through all these stages or sometimes it is possible to experience these in different order. These stages are: The Honeymoon Stage   This occurs in the first few days of you arriving in your host country.   In this stage everything seems exciting and new. The focus is on the sense of success in being in the new culture; curiosity and interest in the novelty of the new surroundings; and an appreciation and anticipation of the opportunities to be found in the new culture. Most people feel energetic and enthusiastic during this stage. The Cultural Shock Stage In this stage, the primary focus is on the differences between ones home culture and the new culture and the conflicts that arise due to these differences,  including having to use a foreign language, not being sure how to interact with people in authority, not having a clear idea of how to make friends with people from different cultures, finding that food and eating customs are different, religious practices are different, and experiencing either the country is laid back or very fast paced. The Recovery Stage After having spent some time in the new culture, people begin to resolve some of the conflicts they may have experienced and also begin to regain a sense of appreciation that they might have experienced in the first stage. They have learned more about the new culture and are able to have a better understanding of external and internal resources that help in managing demands and conflicts that might arise. Feelings typical of this stage are a mixture of the first two stages. The Adaptation Stage This stage consists of people developing a realistic understanding of the similarities and differences between their home cultures and the new culture, so that they have clearer ideas about what they like and dislike in each. Many people move in the direction of becoming bicultural i.e. being able to value and appreciate the aspects of both cultures that they wish retain or include in their lives. This stage may be characterized by a sense of confidence, maturity, flexibility and tolerance. The Reverse Culture Shock- This is an often unexpected part of the cultural adaptation process. Based on the above stages, people eventually become relatively comfortable with the new culture, and are able to learn and incorporate new attitudes and behaviour that allows them to function better in the new culture. However, when this person returns to their home culture (especially if they have not been back for a while), they may sometimes find that the changes in themselves as well as in the home culture while they were away may create the need for an entirely new adjustment process which can be similar to the process described above. This can be especially confusing if the person is expecting to fit in effortlessly into their home culture and neither the person nor members of the home culture are sensitive to the possibility of reverse culture shock. (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2007)   Adapting to the Japanese Culture Having being transferred to a new country can be very challenging yet fun filled task since one has to start to adjust to a new environment that has never been experienced before. All the more, experiencing a new culture has its own set of problems like cultural shock, communication issues, etc. According to me, the only way to overcome a situation like this is to adapt to the place as soon as possible, as they say When in Rome, do as the Romans do.  I will further mention a few aspects of the local culture that I would wish to observe and understand in order to avoid problems of cross-cultural communication. Adjusting in the new environment culturally will make one familiar to the people, the language and will be lot easier to feel the essence of the place. In this situation, I will rid my mind of the stereotypes I ever perceived about Japan or Japanese people, since this is the first step to willingly accept and respect any culture. I will also try to befriend my colleagues at work and stay with them for a while instead of staying at hotels. Reason being, one gets to understand the true culture of the place only when they live with a family rather living alone. This will provide me emotional support while staying away from my family. Joining gym or any other ways of socially connecting to people would be a good idea here. Moreover, since I belong to a collectivistic society myself, it would be easier for me to trust and exchange ideas with groups of people. With this dimension being quite common in both our cultures, I might feel comfortable understanding the Japanese culture. Also in t his era of the world it is quite easy to stay in touch with family and friends back home through internet facilities providing video calling at cheap rates. Communication is the key here so I emphasize on being an active listener and participating in discussions both at work and leisure time that will let them know about the background of my culture as well. I would definitely involve communicating in Japanese in my routine; that will help me communicate with the locals there. English is not the official language of Japan so it will be wrong on my part to assume that they have clearly understood what I am trying to communicate. Hence, it will be better to listen and understand them. This will build their trust and confidence in me, and avoid misunderstandings at the same time. In situations where I am not able to express myself to a local, I would talk by actions or slow down my speed of language so that my words are clearly understood. I would watch TV and read newspapers to obtain information about the locals and their culture. Working in the IT Company will provide me with an opportunity of making friends where I believe I will be accepted keeping in mind the sense of equality that people in Japan have, according to Hofstede. I would be able to create a good rapport with my seniors too. I may not be as competitive as other Japanese employees in my peer group with regards to my background but I will try to come up to their level and be as competitive as them. However, I may have issues when trying to work since most of them rely on try and tested methods of doing work and no one really wants to bring any change in their environment. As for me, I can adjust to their style but I am more used to prioritizing my tasks according to the situation that comes up rather than planning everything right from start till the end and foresee any circumstances that may interfere with the planning like the Japanese do. In addition, leaving Hofstedes theory aside, there are other grounds on which both these cultures are dissimilar and interaction will be an issue in the beginning. If considering rituals, etiquettes, food, sense of humour, routine, etc., both these cultures are different. In India rituals are given a lot of importance but only to the extent of religion, we do not tend to go as far as having opening and closing ceremonies for each year of schooling as the Japanese do. For Japanese, competition is very important as that shows how one would lead his life later on, however, in India, there is competition but it isnt healthy considering our high level of ignorance at other levels for example caste, creed, sex, etc. As far as etiquettes are concerned, Indians these days might forget to greet others in the traditional style of saying Namaste while pressing palms together and fingers pointing upwards. They might say Hello and greet others since we have been influenced a lot by western cultur e for about two decades or so, whereas Japanese would bow down in order to greet. Another aspect of the local culture that is different but I would absolutely love to observe is the food that they have to offer. I cannot expect the spicy kind of food that I am brought up eating; instead I will have to develop a taste that is less spicy than Indian food. Consequently, spending more time with the locals will make me accustomed to their culture and lifestyle. After working through the day I might as well tour the local places so that I can roam without the help of maps. Furthermore, the environment plays a role in the adaptation of a culture. The level to which a community is ready to accept strangers into their environment is quite important. If a community is not open to new comers, that could hinder a persons ability to adapt in such host culture. Some environments are more accepting of some individual and less accepting of others. However, as per the facts presented about Japan above, it seems that I being an Indian would not go through much of a struggle to adapt as long as I respect them, their culture and stay at par and polite with them.

I am going to research how supermarkets use ICT to have an impact on :: ICT Essays

I am going to research how supermarkets use ICT to have an impact on society. Unit 12: Impact on Society My chosen area is a supermarket. I am going to research how supermarkets use ICT to have an impact on society. Since the introduction of ICT in supermarkets, everything has become much more efficient. Supermarkets have improved tremendously by using the following things in stores:  · Online Shopping  · EPOS  · EFTPOS  · Credit Cards  · Loyalty Cards  · Cash Back Question 1: Ways in which ICT is used in a supermarket are: Ø Online Shopping Online shopping is a way in which ICT is used in supermarkets. It enables the shopper to be able to buy things online. This is a quick and easy method of purchasing goods and therefore has an impact on society. [IMAGE]This affects me because is somebody in my family is unable to go to the supermarket for some reason, we just order the products online. We do this because we find it easy and also we find it helpful as products can be delivered to our home. This affects the community because more and more people will shop online because it is very simple therefore the supermarket will have more customers and therefore they will have bigger profits. If somebody is poorly, they can buy their shopping online. People can compare prices of products online and you can shop at any time you want. All the main supermarkets use online shopping. For example, Tesco and Asda. These websites allow customers to browse through all the products and they also allow the customer to compare prices of products with other supermarket prices so that you can buy the cheapest one without having to go onto other websites. Ø EPOS (Electronic point of sales) EPOS is an electronic system, which enables the supermarket to automatically deduct stock from the stock level. This also enables people to buy things quickly. People working on the checkout do not have to check for any price labels. They just scan the barcode, which gives them the price and automatically deducts the product off the stock. EPOS has an affect on me because it makes it easier and faster to scan products therefore I can be served a lot quicker. This affects the community as well because if they are happy with the service then they will keep coming back for more products. Also, supermarkets are putting local shops out of business because most people are going to supermarkets to buy their shopping. This is because the corner shops are not able to compete with supermarkets. Also, nobody is ordering milk from milkmen anymore because they just go and buy milk from a supermarket once a week. I am going to research how supermarkets use ICT to have an impact on :: ICT Essays I am going to research how supermarkets use ICT to have an impact on society. Unit 12: Impact on Society My chosen area is a supermarket. I am going to research how supermarkets use ICT to have an impact on society. Since the introduction of ICT in supermarkets, everything has become much more efficient. Supermarkets have improved tremendously by using the following things in stores:  · Online Shopping  · EPOS  · EFTPOS  · Credit Cards  · Loyalty Cards  · Cash Back Question 1: Ways in which ICT is used in a supermarket are: Ø Online Shopping Online shopping is a way in which ICT is used in supermarkets. It enables the shopper to be able to buy things online. This is a quick and easy method of purchasing goods and therefore has an impact on society. [IMAGE]This affects me because is somebody in my family is unable to go to the supermarket for some reason, we just order the products online. We do this because we find it easy and also we find it helpful as products can be delivered to our home. This affects the community because more and more people will shop online because it is very simple therefore the supermarket will have more customers and therefore they will have bigger profits. If somebody is poorly, they can buy their shopping online. People can compare prices of products online and you can shop at any time you want. All the main supermarkets use online shopping. For example, Tesco and Asda. These websites allow customers to browse through all the products and they also allow the customer to compare prices of products with other supermarket prices so that you can buy the cheapest one without having to go onto other websites. Ø EPOS (Electronic point of sales) EPOS is an electronic system, which enables the supermarket to automatically deduct stock from the stock level. This also enables people to buy things quickly. People working on the checkout do not have to check for any price labels. They just scan the barcode, which gives them the price and automatically deducts the product off the stock. EPOS has an affect on me because it makes it easier and faster to scan products therefore I can be served a lot quicker. This affects the community as well because if they are happy with the service then they will keep coming back for more products. Also, supermarkets are putting local shops out of business because most people are going to supermarkets to buy their shopping. This is because the corner shops are not able to compete with supermarkets. Also, nobody is ordering milk from milkmen anymore because they just go and buy milk from a supermarket once a week.

Mne Challenges in Emerging Markets Essay

International business and global innovation Individual report 1. Please discuss MNEs challenges in emerging markets? How can MNEs solve these? First of all, I would like to mention that It would be hard to describe challenges in emerging markets of the whole world, because question either can be roughly generalized or otherwise requires deep and wide research which is not the case right now. That’s why in my discussion I would like to stop on one country – Russia. The Russian economy is growing by 7. 7 per cent per year, supported by the soaring price of oil. But with stories about government corruption and mobsters, how attractive is the country for the more entrepreneurial-sized business? I would like to discuss some of the challenges most companies face while entering this emerging market. I would like not to talk in details about common problems and stereotypes which are often mentioned about Russia, amongst those I already noticed are high level of corruption, gangsters and seemed political instability. And one thing I would like to mention first is a labor problem. Management in Russia is faced presently with two major issues in the labor force: the battle for highly qualified specialists and the cost-to-productivity ratio. The battle for top specialists has become extremely rough in the recent time. Recruiting companies are very busy these days with headhunting. Professionals already receiving top salaries at multinational corporations are being stolen away, often by Russian majors, attracted by dramatic salary increases. It used to be that the professional would look at these offers with skepticism, questioning the reputation or stability of most Russian companies. Nowadays, these people do not worry as much and instead look at the cost-of-living, which is also rising dramatically, especially in major cities among which are Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and many others. The situation has gotten so bad that many companies are afraid to let their specialists be quoted in articles or to send them to conferences or other events where headhunters or competitors may be looking around in search for their next pray. It would be impossible for me not to notice the other side of this process which is the fact that labor market has become â€Å"spoiled.Salaries are steadily increasing but productivity levels are not. At the current salary levels, business owners and management are becoming increasingly sensitive to productivity levels and attempting to demand more work ethic and more productivity from their highly paid employees. At the same time, there is very little choice in the current market. More and more foreign-owned companies in partic ular seem to be looking more closely at hiring and importing foreigners, now that Russian salaries are roughly on par with those of foreigners in many sectors. Foreigners coming from countries known for higher productivity levels and initiative are especially attractive – minimally in the hopes that they can set an example. Young foreigners eager to gain experience in Russia’s developing market, are finding work – particularly in sales, client relations, business development, and marketing. So, generally it can be summed up that finding qualified local partners and employees is a difficult process. The pool of managers who understand Western accounting and business practices remains limited, as well as the pool of qualified, experienced Russians proficient in English. Another big challenge and â€Å"nightmare† for most foreign-owned companies operating in Russia is lease rates for commercial real-estate. It’s avoided by most foreign-operated Class A properties, but the situation is quiet bad in most of it’s sector lower. It is the rare landlord who fulfills most of his side of the contract. Moreover, rental contracts in Russia are usually biased toward the landlord. As a result foreign companies often find themselves looking for a new place. However, finding a better situation can be extremely difficult in Russia’s current real estate market. Centrally located, Class A property can run $USD 2000 and more per square meter per year. Bidding wars are not unusual and most other classes of property are seeing equal pressure. These are two challenges which I would like to point out, apart from that I’d like to briefly mention other challenges: * Government bureaucracy, poorly established rule of law and corruption affect such areas as establishing a business, tax collection, dispute settlement, property rights, product certification and standards, as well as Russian Customs clearance.Adequate financial resources for Russian buyers still remain a problem, but it is not as acute as it was in years past. There are more foreign banks operating in Russia and more cash circulating within the economy due to the Russian oil and gas boom. * The Russian government continues to use its oil and gas resources to increase the states’ ownership in certain strategic industries and companies. So it is not completely clear to forei gn companies which sectors are open to them for investment without Russian majority partners. The Russian Government continues its work on defining what are Russia’s strategic sectors. And after I stated challenges I must answer the second part of the question which is how to overcome these challenges. And in my view, a fundamental consideration must be there as a major phase of preparation if someone is going to go into Russia. This preparation involves surrounding company’s branch with reliable people, having an adequate concept of what is to be done and a well-defined strategy plan. You also need the necessary investment capacity and time arranged to follow this way. 2. You are expatriated to work in an emerging market (e.India or Brazil) What capabilities do you need? What and how can firm provide you for the expatriation in emerging markets? (Maybe take one country as example) I think generally company must have an on-going business processes with the country, otherwise the necessity of having employees overseas is indistinct. There can be several cases when headquarters would need their employee to be expatriated to the subsidiary or partner company, f or example:* Company knowledge and experience diffusion or sharing; * Leader position in one of the overseas branches;Emerging market opportunities opened etc. Brazil is a great example of an emerging market. And if life will propose the opportunity for me to work there, I think I’d take it with great pleasure. Of course, there’re certain capabilities I must possess to take this kind of job opportunity: * Particularity of doing business in Brazil is that a potential Brazilian partner is essentially looking for two things: someone they like and trust as well as someone who is competent in business. The most important of these is to build a strong relationship first which will then naturally lead to trust. Time must be invested in getting to know people on a personal level in order to allow for open and honest discussions in business. So, naturally, the environment will require from me to be a trustworthy, sophisticated person with a clear understanding of benefits and goals. * Another point Brazilians usually comment on is the tendency of European and American business people to â€Å"get straight down to business†. This can be seen as offensive and even aggressive. It is good practice to indulge in small talk whether it is asking about their children or chatting about the latest news or football (soccer) results. This interesting feature of business ethics will require from me a positive, easygoing attitude at all times. * Despite Brazil poses as an emerging, fast-growing market English proficiency still remains low levels especially in the social sector and in the matter of daily life. So in my understanding extradition to Brazil will be more effective with readiness to learn Portuguese at least until the level which will allow me to be independent on the matter of daily life, e. g. survival level of it. * Apart from all of that, I should have a clear view of business ethics and interpersonal relationship customs in Brazil. One of the important things is that I will have to be ready for a total change of values and concepts in any part of business and social life. In fact, that rule can be applied to all of cultures. In Rome act like a Roman.

Different cinderella stories Essay

Numerous countries for countless of years have told Cinderella stories in different languages and in many different ways. These worldwide Cinderella stories may have different characters or even have different ways to interpret them. Also these Cinderella stories may have completely different magical interventions that help Cinderella throughout the story. For example the stories â€Å"Aschenputtel† and â€Å"The Twelve Months† are both a Cinderella story but have a lot of differences. Although these two Cinderella stories are not a lot alike they still have much in common. In the Cinderella story â€Å"Aschenputtel†, the girl is approached with the magical intervention of birds helping her. As for â€Å"The Twelve Months†, the girl is approached with magical intervention by the months that change the seasons for her. This magical intervention is very different from one another for these two stories even though they both involve nature. The nature plays a different type of role for each story. In â€Å"Ascheputtel† the nature is animals around her helping her, while in â€Å"The Twelve Months† the nature is Mother Nature herself helping the girl. Also one of the differences is the attitude of the stepmother and her daughters in each of the stories. In â€Å"Aschenputtel† the stepsister’s attitude is all about trying to outdo Aschenputtel band trying to force their feet into â€Å"the golden shoe† (Aschenputtel 186), so that they might marry the prince. In â€Å"The Twelve Months† the step sisters are not trying to outdo her. They simply want to be mean and cruel to her. Although these stories are very different from on another they are also alike. They both follow the five factors of being considered a Cinderella story. The five factors to be considered a Cinderella story are to have a girl that is put down, an evil influence, magical intervention, an item that identifies the girl, and the girl has to marry a prince. These factors must be met but can have various different ways to illustrate them. The first two factors are the same for both the stories because each story has a girl who is put down by the evil influence of her stepmother and stepsisters. The magical intervention is in both stories and is represented by nature. An item that identifies each girl from the stories is a little different though. In Aschenputtel the item is her shoe in which she has lost. In The Twelve Months the item is the apples. Finally the last factor is shown in both stories by marriage. Overall, Cinderella stories including â€Å"Aschenputtel† and â€Å"The Twelve Months†, have differences but in the end they all come down to the five factors. All Cinderella stories are not as different as you may think. Works Cited The Brother Grimm â€Å"Aschenputtel.†: Page 186.

US Government Study Guide to the Legislative Branch

US Government Study Guide to the Legislative Branch Before any bill is even debated by the full membership of the House or Senate, it must first successfully make its way the  congressional committee system. Depending on its subject and content, each proposed bill is sent to one or more related committees. For example, a bill introduced in the House allocating federal funds for agricultural research might be sent to the Agriculture, Appropriations, Ways and Means and Budget Committees, plus others as deemed appropriate by the Speaker of the House. In addition, both the House and Senate may also appoint special select committees to consider bills relating to specific issues.Representatives and Senators often try to be assigned to committees they feel best to serve the interests of their constituents. For example, a representative from a farming state like Iowa might seek assignment to the House Agriculture Committee. All representatives and senators are assigned to one or more committees and may serve on a variety of committees durin g their terms in office. The  congressional committee system  is the burial ground for many bills. The US House of Representatives Known as the lower house of the legislative branch, the House of Representatives currently has 435 members. Each member gets one vote on all bills, amendments and other measures brought before the House. The number of representatives elected from each state is determined by the states population through the process of apportionment. Each state must have at least one representative. Apportionment is recalculated every ten years according to the results of the decennial U.S. census. Members of the House represent the citizens of their local congressional districts. Representatives serve two-year terms, with elections held every two years. Qualifications As specified in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, representatives: Must be least 25 years of ageMust have been a U.S. citizen for at least 7 yearsMust be a legal resident of the state he or she is elected to represent Powers Reserved to the House To vote on charges of impeachmentTo initiate bills involving the raising of revenue, such as tax bills and the annual appropriations (spending) bills of the annual federal budget House Leadership Speaker of the HouseMajority LeaderLeads the majority party (the party with the majority of votes in the House)Assists the Speaker of the House in making committee appointmentsSchedules floor debate on billsCreates and maintains the House agendaMinority LeaderLeads the opposition party (the party with the minority of votes in the House)Confers with the Majority LeaderFormulates minority party response to the majority party policy and agenda The US Senate Known as the upper house of the legislative branch, the Senate is currently comprised of 100 senators. Each state is allowed to elect two senators. Senators represent all citizens of their states. Senators serve 6-year terms, with one-third of the senators elected every two years. Qualifications As specified in Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, senators: Must be at least 30 years of ageMust have been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years at the time of their election to the SenateMust be a legal resident of the state they are elected to represent Powers Reserved to the Senate To try officials impeached by the HouseTo confirm presidential nominations, including Supreme Court justices, federal judges, ambassadors and cabinet secretariesTo ratify treaties Senate Leadership The Vice President of the United States: Serves as president (presiding chairman) of the SenatePresident Pro tempore: Presides over the Senate in the absence of the vice president; Is selected by the majority partyMajority and Minority Leaders: Lead their respective party delegations; maintain the Senate agendaMajority and Minority Whips: Attempt to make sure party members vote for bills supported by their party.

The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar Rules

The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar Rules SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Even though the English language is complex, the SAT tests a specific set of grammar rules. Furthermore, it tests these rules the same way, over and over again. In this complete guide, we've compiled acomprehensive list of SAT grammar rules you need to know to ace the SAT Writing and Language section. If you master all these rules and practice them with realistic questions, you'll have a huge advantage on SAT Writing and Language. Unlike other guides, oursfocuses on providing you with lots of examples to help you understand how the grammar rule will show up on the SAT. After all, you need to master the SAT format to do well on the SAT! Concision and Redundancy There are times when saying something twice is needed: for emphasis, to review a difficult topic, or to explain something more clearly.The SAT, however, is all about being as succinct and to the point as possible. Your ability to edit the fat out of sentences is tested in three ways:fixing overly wordy phrases, finding redundancies, and combining two simple sentences into a more complex one. Overly WordyPhrases The SAT deeply believes in Shakespeare's maxim that â€Å"brevity is the soul of wit†: if you can say the same thing with fewer words,do it. It’s tempting to think that when a sentence uses a multi-word phrase where a single word will do, the sentence sounds formal or more academic. But this is not the case.Often, one word is better than many words(examples 1 and2). Sometimes, a sentence might use words that don’t serve any purpose and don’t even need to be replaced but rather deleted altogether (examples 3 and4). Examples Error:Thinking in a manner more general, we can say that good schools enable people to learn more. Fix:Generally, we can say that good schools enable people to learn more. Error: The company might not be awarded the contract because it lacks production facilities, making ita worse choicefrom a theoretical way of speaking. Fix: The company might not be awarded the contract because it lacks production facilities, making ita worse choicetheoretically. Error: Although hesitant to challenge herself at first, the student decided to enroll in threeAP courses, twohonors courses,and an intensive art course on top of that. Fix: Although hesitant to challenge herself at first, the student decided to enroll in threeAP courses, twohonors courses,and an intensive art course. Error: When the audience stood to applaud the speaker, it was clear that her words had hada marvelous, even stupendous, effecton the crowd. Fix: When the audience stood to applaud the speaker, it was clear that her words had hada marvelous effecton the crowd. Redundancy If a sentence expresses the same bit of information two or more times,it’s considered redundant.Pick the best way of stating the necessary fact and delete the repetition. Examples Words or phrases that mean the same thing as each other are underlined. Error: The stock market mightrepeatits drop and rise patternagain, warns the financial forecast. Fix: The stock market mightrepeatits drop and rise pattern, warns the financial forecast. Error:Soona relative calm period followedquicklyafter the brunt of the cyclone had passed. Fix:A relative calm period followed quicklyafter the brunt of the cyclone had passed. Error: Management was surprised to seeabiannualuptick in salestwice each year. Fix: Management was surprised to see a biannual uptick in sales. Combining Simple Sentences Sometimes, in order to write with concision, you have tocombine simple or related sentences into one.Don’t worry about keeping word order, as this kind of revision often requires you to shift things around. To combine sentences correctly, ask yourself the following questions: Is there a person, place, thing, or concept that both sentences are talking about?If so, you can make one sentence into a dependent clause of the other through the repeated noun (example 1). Is there a chronological sequence that the two sentences are describing?Then you can make one into a dependent clause of the other using prepositions such asbefore, after,andfollowing(example 2). Does one sentence define the other?Combine them by inserting whatever is being defined into the defining sentence (example 3). Examples The nouns, chronology, or definitions used to combined the sentences are underlined. Error: The voting rate has not decreased amonguneducated citizens.Uneducated voterscontinue to vote for better schools. Fix: The voting rate has not decreased amonguneducated citizens, whocontinue to vote for better schools. Error: Young musicians are encouraged to perfect their techniques and skills through their conservatory training.After this, they can start their careers in small, local orchestras. Fix:After perfecting their techniques and skills through their conservatory training, young musicians can start their careers in small, local orchestras. Error: The conclusion scientistscame to is the idea that instead of being made up of particles, matter is actually made out of one-dimensional objects called strings.This is string theory. Fix:The conclusion scientistscame to is string theory, the idea thatinstead of being made up of particles, matter is actually made out of one-dimensional objects called strings. Redundancy: good for mountain climbing, bad for writing. Idioms and Conventional Expressions The SAT tests your knowledge of common English usage, includingtwo types of idioms. First, there areexpressions that mean something different from the actual words being used(such asraining cats and dogsorkick the bucket). Secondly, there areshort phrases or groups of words thatalwaysgo together(such asstumble onorkeep at bay). You'll also be asked to distinguish amongfrequently confused homonyms- that is, words that sound like each other but are used in different circumstances as they mean different things. One common example isbearvsbare. Verbal Phrases The SAT particularly loves one type of idiom called verbal phrases, which areverb + preposition pairs,andwants to check that you know for sure which preposition is correct. Examples Error: The show wasfollowed onan encore. Fix: The show wasfollowed byan encore. Error: She isresponsible ofreturning her library books. Fix: She isresponsible forreturning her library books. Error: One shouldrefrain fortexting while driving. Fix: One shouldrefrain fromtexting while driving. PrepositionalIdioms These are just like verbal phrases except they don’t involve verbs; rather, they're groups of words thatalwaysend on a specific preposition. Examples Error: The translucent sculptureused light as ameans throughconnecting viewers standing across from each other. Fix: The translucent sculptureused light as ameans ofconnecting viewers standing across from each other. Error:In accordance tothese findings, future research will focus on analyzing the effect of facial expressions on mirror neurons. Fix:In accordance withthese findings, future research will focus on analyzing the effect of facial expressions on mirror neurons. Commonly Confused Words English hasa lot of words that sound similar to each other but mean very different things.Here is averyincomplete list of examples of these words (you can find more by searching for â€Å"commonly confused words† on Google): Accept:to receive(verb)Except:with the exclusion of(preposition) Affect:to influence(verb);emotional response(noun)Effect:result(noun);to cause(verb) Beside:close to; next toBesides:except for; in addition to Complement:something that completes(noun);to pair well with(verb)Compliment:praise, flattery(noun) Eminent:prominentImminent:about to happen Precede:to come beforeProceed:to continue, to keep going Sight:scene, view, picture, being able to seeSite:place, location; a web pageCite:to quote, to point to evidence Then:an adverb denoting timeThan:a conjunction used in comparisons Examples Error: After losing his hearing, Beethoven had to rely on his imagination to hear his music, ratherthenlistening to musicians perform it. Fix: After losing his hearing, Beethoven had to rely on his imagination to hear his music, ratherthanlistening to musicians perform it. Error: Despite hours of work, the web administration team was unable to restore thesightafter the denial of service attack. Fix: Despite hours of work, the web administration team was unable to restore thesiteafter the denial of service attack. Error: The presidential candidate used rhetorical flourishes to greataffectin his speech and received a standing ovation. Fix: The presidential candidate used rhetorical flourishes to greateffectin his speech and received a standing ovation. Language Formality When writing for school, work, or publication in a news or scientific journal, you have to use formal English.This means you need toavoid slang and words and phrases that sound too casual.It’s important to keep each sentence at the same language elevation. Examples Error:A bunchof guys doing experimentswas able to synthesize a lithium-ion battery smaller than a grain of sand. Fix:A team of researcherswas able to synthesize a lithium-ion battery smaller than a grain of sand. Error: In 1559, at London’s Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth Tudor, the 25-year-old daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn,got to becomeQueen Elizabeth I. Fix: In 1559, at London’s Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth Tudor, the 25-year-old daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn,was crownedQueen Elizabeth I. Inappropriate informality won't get you into the duke's exclusive club either. Conjunctions and Conjunctive Adverbs Conjunctions and conjunctive adverbsare words that explain how two clauses in a sentence, or how to two or more successive sentences, relate to one another. The SAT checks your ability to use conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs toclarify cause and effect or logicwithin sentences. Explanation Some conjunctions link events in a cause-and-effect relationship to point outwhat happened as a result of something else.Here are some examples of these words, along with their meanings: Because:what has just been said is true as a consequence of what is about to be said Thereforeandhence:it follows from what has just been said that For exampleandfor instance: here is evidence that backs up the previous argument Whereby:by which; using theidea/principle/concept just mentioned; by means of Consequently:directly following the thing that has just been described Examples The incorrect conjunctions are in bold, while the correct ones are underlined. Error: Recent advances in medicine include a new MRI technique for detecting heart damage in chemotherapy patients.However,doctors will be able to see heart defects earlier and more effectively. Fix: Recent advances in medicine include a new MRI technique for detecting heart damage in chemotherapy patients.Consequently, doctors will be able to see heart defects earlier and more effectively. (Doctors can see better as a result of the new MRI test.) Error:Not onlyhave archaeologists in Britain unearthed several well-preserved Bronze Age dwellings, we are getting new insight into domestic life 3,000 years ago. Fix:Becausearchaeologists in Britain have unearthed several well-preserved Bronze Age dwellings, we are getting new insight into domestic life 3,000 years ago. (We are getting insight as a result of dwellings being unearthed.) Error: Foreshadowing, a literary techniquewhenan author hints at what will happen later in the text, is a useful tool for setting the right atmosphere. Fix: Foreshadowing, a literary techniquewherebyan author hints at what will happen later in the text, is a useful tool for setting the right atmosphere. (An author hints by means of foreshadowing.) Contradiction or Digression Other conjunctions can be useful for describing anegative or opposing relationship between events.These words can explain that something happened despite something else, or even though common sense would have not predicted it. They can also indicate that the argument is shifting to a different point. However:introduces a statement/idea that contradicts what has just been said On the one hand, on the other hand:presents two ideas that oppose each other (thesealwaysgo together) But:despite what has just been said, here is information to the contrary Nevertheless:in spite of what has just been said Aside from:the example that follows is an exception to what is being discussed Whileandwhereas:in contrast or comparison with the fact that Examples The incorrect conjunctions are in bold, while the correctones are underlined. Error: The pianist had not had nearly enough time to study and practice the sonata,andshe played it flawlessly. Fix: The pianist had not had nearly enough time to study and practice the sonata,butshe played it flawlessly. (The flawlessness happened despite the lack of practice time.) Error:Just ascrayons are a medium generally reserved for young children, professional artists have used them to great effect. Fix:Thoughcrayons are a medium generally reserved for young children, professional artists have used them to great effect. (That professional artists have used crayons contrasts withthe fact that crayons are usually for children.) Similarity and Emphasis The final category of conjunctive adverbs connects things that areequal or similar,or adds examples that emphasize the direction of the argument. Moreover:as an additional- potentially more convincing or important- matter Just as:in comparison to; similar to Likewise:in the same way; also Not only, but also:presents two ideas that support and emphasize each other (thesealwaysgo together) Examples The incorrect conjunctions are in bold, while the right ones are underlined. Error: Investing money is one way to plan for the future.Hence,another good long-term planning option is to take advantage of a retirement savings account. Fix: Investing money is one way to plan for your future.Likewise, another good long-term planning option is to take advantage of a retirement savings account. (The word â€Å"another† means that two similar things are being discussed.) Error: Dressing to attract attention can affect the way people perceive you.Nevertheless,it can be inappropriate depending on the context. Fix: Dressing to attract attention can affect the way people perceive you.Moreover, it can be inappropriate depending on the context. (The inappropriateness is an additional, more significant effect of attention-getting clothing.) Honestly, this is in no way connected to conjunctive adverbs. However, look- cute! Punctuation There are manypunctuationrules in English, but, fortunately, the SAT doesn’t test all of them. Instead, the test focuses on several specific types. Punctuating Modifiers Phrases that modify or describe a part of a sentence arepunctuated differently depending on whether they are an essential or nonessential part of the sentence. If the sentence needs the modifier in order to make sense, the modifier isrestrictiveanddoesn’tget surrounded by commas.If you can easily take out the modifier without losing the sentence’s meaning, the modifier isnonrestrictiveand should be surrounded by commas like this: Put one comma rightafteramodifier that starts a sentence. Put one comma rightbeforea modifier that ends a sentence. If the modifierappears in the middle of the sentence,surround itwith commas on both sides. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error:US President, Barack Obama,will meet with his counterparts from the European countries for the multinational summit. Fix:US President Barack Obamawill meet with his counterparts from the European countries for the multinational summit. (Since â€Å"Barack Obama† is key to the sentence's meaning,no commas are needed.) Error:The daisy, a perennial plant, sometimes known as bruisewort,grows low to the ground. Fix:The daisy, a perennial plant sometimes known as bruisewort,grows low to the ground. (The modifier just needs to be surrounded by commas and doesn’t need any commas inside it.) Error:Started on a whim by an eccentric resident;the project to clean up the abandoned lot soon became a popular neighborhood pastime. Fix:Started on a whim by an eccentric resident,the project to clean up the abandoned lot soon became a popular neighborhood pastime. (The modifier should be set off by a comma, not a semicolon.) Error: This last part of the minuet should be playedwith steadily increasing volume, or crescendo;until the final chord. Fix: This last part of the minuet should be playedwith steadily increasing volume, or crescendo,until the final chord. (â€Å"Crescendo† is beingdefined, so it needs to be set off by commas, not semicolons.) Using Dashes Think of dashes as being kind of like parentheses.Dashes separate out a sentence piece that is explanatory but not crucial,like an aside or something muttered under your breath. Sometimes this piece is a digressive thought; sometimes it's a list of examples. Typically, the phraseinside the dashes has commas in it, so dashes are the best way to set it off from the rest of the sentence.If the phraseis in the middle of the sentence, it must be surrounded by dashes onbothsides. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error: The hairstylist picked up thescissors- the kind that usually sit in the jar of blue liquid,and started to snip bits of hair off his client’s head. Fix: The hairstylist picked up thescissors- the kind that usually sit in the jar of blue liquid- and started to snip bits of hair off his client’s head. Error: The best hotel concierges havemany skills: knowledge of foreign customs, the ability to speak several languages, and a charming manner,that put even the most diffident guests at ease. Fix: The best hotel concierges havemany skills- knowledge of foreign customs, the ability to speak several languages, and a charming manner- that put even the most diffident guests at ease. Error: After readers foundthe errors, all 243 of them- the publishing company was forced to issue a reprint of the book. Fix: After readers foundthe errors- all 243 of them- the publishing company was forced to issue a reprint of the book. Punctuating â€Å"Such As† The phrasesuch asintroduces a series of examplesto back up a point that’s just been made. The correct way to punctuate it is to put a comma beforesuch as,and then no comma before the first list item or example. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error: Teachers give out a variety ofhomework assignments, such as, worksheets,hands-on projects, and online quizzes. Fix: Teachers give out a variety ofhomework assignments, such as worksheets,hands-on projects, and online quizzes. Error: The antique book shop also sold otherpaper ephemera such as, mapsand newspapers. Fix: The antique book shop also sold otherpaper ephemera, such as mapsand newspapers. Formatting Lists A list is a series of people, ideas, objects, actions, or conditions that follow one another, play the same role in the sentence, and aretypically separated by commas.In fact, that last sentence has two lists: â€Å"people, ideas, objects, actions, or conditions† and â€Å"follow one another, play the same role in the sentence, and are separated by commas.† See what I did there? Punctuation rules for lists are as follows: They should beseparated by commas,with a comma coming before the â€Å"and† or â€Å"or† that precedes the last list item:dogs, cats, gerbils, and fish. If one of the list items has a comma within it, then all the list items should beseparated by semicolons instead:shaggy, purebred dogs; white cats; soft, cuddly gerbils; and fish. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error: The market stall sold ripeapples, cherries; andsometimes even apricots. Fix: The market stall sold ripeapples, cherries, andsometimes even apricots. Error: The class focused on programminglanguages, such as Python; algorithms; anddocumentation. Fix: The class focused on programminglanguages, such as Python, algorithms, anddocumentation. Using Colons Colons are used in two different ways. First, they can indicate thata list is coming up,and that after the list the sentence will end: Here is my list of acceptable pets: dogs, cats, gerbils, and fish. Second, they are used to indicate that anexplanation, a definition, or an example of what has just been saidis coming: My search for the perfect pet came down to man's best friend: a dog. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error: It’s easy to explain why many 12th graders start taking school less seriouslytoward the end of the year; senioritis. Fix: It’s easy to explain why many 12th graders start taking school less seriouslytoward the end of the year: senioritis. ("Senioritis" is the defined term.) Error: The more I cook at home, the more kitchen techniquesI learn, knife skills,mise en place, and cooking several dishes simultaneously. Fix: The more I cook at home, the more kitchen techniquesI learn: knife skills,mise en place, and cooking several dishes simultaneously. (â€Å"Learn† introducesa list.) Error: Consider lobsters,for example, with age,they only get stronger and more fertile. Fix: Consider lobsters,for example: with age,they only get stronger and more fertile. ("Example" introducesan explanation.) Using Semicolons Semicolons have two basic functions. First, in lists theyseparate items that have commas: We atemushrooms, which had been picked in a nearby forest; herbs, nuts, and berries foraged from a public park; and homegrown apples. Second, theyfix run-on sentencesby separating two independent clauses without a conjunction: Jim rode his bike; Mary walked. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error: The State Department completed threeassignments: diplomatic talks, led by an expert in armscontrol, a bilateralmeeting, chaired by an assistantdirector, anda state visit. Fix:The State Department completedthreeassignments: diplomatic talks, led by an expert in armscontrol; a bilateralmeeting, chaired by an assistantdirector; anda state visit. (Two of the three list items have commas in them, so they are separated by semicolons.) Error:The architect worked on the model allnight, he wasbleary-eyed during the presentation. Fix:Thearchitect worked on the model allnight; he wasbleary-eyed during the presentation. (These are independent clauses, so they should be connected bya semicolon.) Semicolon, meet semi-cake. Sentences Sentences are made up of groups of words that are called clauses.There are two types of clauses: independentand dependent. An independent clausecan function as a complete sentence because it has a subject-verb pair and does not start with a word or phrase that makes the clause dependent, such aswhenorbecause. Meanwhile,a dependent clausemustbe attached to an independent clause to be part of a complete sentence. The SAT tests three different types of clause-related situations:fixing sentence fragments, splitting up run-on sentences, and using a dependent clause as the subject of a sentence. Sentence Fragments A sentence fragment isa sentence made of anything less than an independent clause.To fix it, we either connect the fragment to an independent clause (examples 1 and 2), or add the missing subject or verb (example 3). Examples In these sentences,subjects are underlined and verbs are inbold. Error: To boost the number of women in STEM fields, including electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering. Fix: To boost the number of women in STEM fields, including electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering,senior female executivesalsoactas mentors to young women. Error: From diving hard for every attempted shot to deftly throwing the ball to the most open defender. Fix: From diving hard for every attempted shot to deftly throwing the ball to the most open defender, thegoaliewas savingher team at a time when they needed her. Error: For the sake of a better experience at school, asking his adviser for a new room assignment. Fix: For the sake of a better experience at school, thefreshmanaskedhis adviser for a new room assignment. Run-on Sentences A run-on sentence is made ofmultiple independent clauses joined by only a comma or no punctuationat all. To find the correct answer on the SAT, look for an answer choice that uses one of these three fixes: If one independent clause is an explanation or definition of the other, adda word such asbecauseorwhichto the beginning of the explanation (examples 1 and2). If neither independent clause defines or explains the other, combine them with either a comma + conjunction (such asandorbut),orwith a semicolon (examples 3 and4). Alternately, split them up into two separate sentences (example 5). Examples The separation between the two independent clauses is marked with|, while the correction is underlined. Error: The dog Mary wants to put in the dog show is a beagle,|it is a medium-sized member of the hound family. Fix: The dog Mary wants to put in the dog show is a beagle,whichis a medium-sized member of the hound family. Error: The deli had no milk left after a rush of morning customers,|the owner rushed to order more. Fix:Becausethe deli had no milk left after a rush of morning customers, the owner rushed to order more. Error: My favorite Mediterraneanspreadishummusitisvery garlicky. Fix: My favorite Mediterraneanspreadishummus, asitisvery garlicky. Error: Air plants like the Tillandsia species are tolerant of a wide range of climates,|they thrive in room temperatures. Fix: Air plants like the Tillandsia species are tolerant of a wide range ofclimates; theythrive in room temperatures. Error: Deciding which play to put on is only the first step,|even a great script won’t succeed without a well-selected cast and a set design that works with the director’s vision. Fix: Deciding which play to put on is only the firststep. Evena great script won’t succeed without a well-selected cast and a set design that works with the director’s vision. DependentClauses as Sentence Subjects Sometimes, instead of having a simple noun for a subject, a sentence canuse a whole dependent clause as a subject. When this happens,treat the dependent clause as a singular noun. For instance, in the first example, the clausewhoever came up with the idea to put solar panels on rooftopsis the subject of the sentence. Youcan tell by using this trick:replace the clause with a singular noun, such asAlbert Einstein,to see whether the sentence still works. When we do this here, we can see thatAlbert Einstein are geniusesdoesn't work; therefore, the verb needs to be singular to match the subject. Examples The subordinate clause that is the subject is underlined, whilethe verb it's doing is bold. Error: Whoever came up with the idea to put solar panels on rooftops are geniuses. Fix:Whoever came up with the idea to put solar panels on rooftopsisa genius. Error: That cleaning a kitchen is a repetitive chore which makes it especially thankless. Fix:That cleaning a kitchen is a repetitive choremakesit especially thankless. Does his over-reliance on your milk and cookies make hima dependent Claus? Faulty Modifiers A modifier is a word or phrase that describes (i.e., modifies) something. There are two kinds of modifier problems tested on the SAT: dangling modifiers and misplaced modifiers. Dangling Modifiers A dangling modifier is a descriptive phrasethat begins a sentence, has a comma after it, and has the noun it describes not placed right after the comma. In the first example below, the modifier coating the sidewalk is supposed to describe the snow. However, since we is the first word after the comma, the sentence makes it sound like we are the ones coating the sidewalk. Examples Modifiers are underlined, while the nouns being correctly and incorrectly modified are in bold. Error: Coating the sidewalk, we trudged through the heavy snow. Fix: We trudged through the heavy snow coating the sidewalk. Error: Long and tangled, it was difficult to comb the child's hair. Fix: Long and tangled, the child's hair was difficult to comb. Error: Exhausted and weak, the soldiers' uniforms were covered in frost. Fix: Exhausted and weak, the soldiers were covered in frost. Misplaced Modifiers A misplaced modifier is a descriptive phrasethat's not close enough to the thing it's supposed to bedescribing, making it sound like it'sreferring tothe wrong thing. In the first example below, the modifier on the sale rack is supposed to show where the jacket is hanging. However, since it's been placed next to too small, the sentence seems to say that it's the way the jacket was hanging that is too small (instead of the jacket itself). To correct it, we move the modifier closer to the noun it describes. Examples Modifiers are underlined, while the thingsbeing correctly and incorrectly modified are in bold. Error: The jacket was too small on the sale rack. Fix: The jacket on the sale rack was too small. Error: Ray wore his one-collared shirt to the job interview, which was stained with mustard. Fix: Ray wore his one-collared shirt, which was stained with mustard, to the job interview. Error: She handed out brownies to children wrapped in foil. Fix: She handed out brownies wrapped in foil to children. There I was, just dangling in the breeze like a modifier ... Parallel Construction To use parallel construction is to writea list in which all the items have the same grammatical format.For example, if two things in a list are verbs ending in -ing, the third item should also be a verb ending in -ing. If oneitem in a list is aprepositional phrase,then the second item should also be a prepositional phrase. Examples Words or phrases that are already parallel are in bold, whereas those that need to be corrected to parallel are underlined. Error: The couple bought the concert tickets, arrived at the theater, and they sat down in their seats. Fix: The couple bought the concert tickets, arrived at the theater, and sat down in their seats. Error: Painting your bedroom requires picking a color, measuring the walls, get the right tools, and buying paint. Fix: Painting your bedroom requires picking a color, measuring the walls, getting the right tools, and buying paint. Error: The workshop had a whiteboard on one wall,a set of shelves against another wall, and a third wall had many drawers for tools. Fix: The workshop had a whiteboard on one wall,a set of shelves against another wall, and many drawers for tools along a third wall. Error: Her essay focused on characters' reactionsto bad news and showing how these characters handled success. Fix: Her essay focused on characters' reactions to bad news and showed how these characters handled success. Set up parallel tracks so your sentence train can roll safely on its way. Plurals and Possessives The SAT will test your understanding of how to make nouns plural (when there is two or more of something) and how to make them possessive (when you have to explain that something belongs to something or someone else). To make a plural nounthat doesn't own anything, add s to the end of asingular noun: one student, but three students To make a possessive singular noun, add apostrophe + s to the end of a singular noun: the pencil that belongs to one student= the student’s pencil To make a possessive plural noun, add an apostrophe to the end of a plural noun: the classroom that belongs to three students = the students’ classroom Examples Error: Every morning, many hawk’s circled the field, looking for prey. Fix: Every morning, many hawks circled the field, looking for prey. Error: The more I read the novel, the closer I felt to the authors’ point of view. Fix: The more I read the novel, the closer I felt to the author’s point of view. Error: Art Deco furniture is marked by the artists use of geometric shapes, curves, strong colors, and new materials, such as plastics. Fix: Art Deco furniture is marked by the artist’s use of geometric shapes, curves, strong colors, and new materials, such as plastics. That man and that jacket belong to that dog- they are that dog's belongings. Pronouns A pronoun is a part of speech stands in for anoun. For example, the pronoun she can stand in for the woman or Queen Elizabeth. But unlike nouns, pronouns change their form if they're used in different ways.These are the ways that pronouns are tested on the SAT. Subject vs Object Pronouns Nouns and pronouns can be either the subjects or the objects of verbs. Subjects do verbs and objects have verbs done to them. For instance, in the sentence, "A dog chases its tail,"dogis the subject noun, chasesis the verb that it's doing, and tail is the object noun. Unlike nouns such asdog or tail, pronounschange form depending on whether they're subjects or objects. For example, in the phrase she likes him, the woman is the subject, so the pronoun is she. On the other hand,in the phrase he likes her, the woman is the object, so the pronoun changes toher. Subject Pronouns Object Pronouns I me you you he him she her it it we us they them If you’re trying to figure out whether to use a subject or object pronoun when dealing with a compound noun, one trick is to take out the other noun and try the sentence with just the pronoun- you’ll quickly know which is right. In the first example below, me ate dinner is clearly wrong. In the third example as well,sold cookies to I is obviously incorrect. Examples Error: Me and my parents ate dinner. Fix: My parents and I ate dinner. Error: The tourists asked my friends and I for directions. Fix: The tourists asked my friends and me for directions. Error: The Girl Scouts sold cookies to my sister and I. Fix: The Girl Scouts sold cookies to my sister and me. Who vs Whom Whois a relative pronoun which can start either a dependent or independent clause within a sentence.Whois used when the pronoun is the subject doing the action, whereaswhom isused when the pronoun is the object of the action. What's tricky about whois that figuring out whether to use its subject or object form doesn't depend on its antecedent. Instead, you have to see what rolewho is playing inside its own clause. For instance, in example 1, even though people is an object of the verb benefits, inside the clause who understand the tax code,who is the subject of the verb understand.On the other hand, in example 2, even though skydivers is the subject of the sentence, in the clause whom many people greatly admire, whom is the object of the verb admire. One trick is to replace the who or whom with I or me to see whether you need the subject or object form.In this case, me understand the tax codedoesn’t work, and neither does many people greatly admire I. Examples Subjects are bold, verbs are in italics, and objects are underlined. Error:The essay points out that the reduction in taxes only benefits those people whom understand the tax code. Fix:The essay points out that the reduction in taxes only benefits those people who understand the tax code. Error: Skydivers, who many people greatly admire, tend to be comfortable with risk-taking and in excellent physical shape. Fix: Skydivers, whom many people greatly admire, tend to be comfortable with risk-taking and in excellent physical shape. Pronouns and Antecedents Ifthere is a pronoun, it should be obvious what noun the pronoun is referring back to.If it's unclear which noun a pronoun is referring to, or if a pronoun has no antecedent, the sentence needs to be rewritten in one of two ways: either the pronoun can be replaced with a noun, or the phrase can be simplified. For instance, in example 1, this could refer either to Industrial Revolution, resistance group, mechanization, or labor force, so a noun is added. Meanwhile, in example 3, there is no antecedent for them, so the sentence has to be rewritten. Examples The unclear pronouns are in bold, while corrected pronouns and antecedents are underlined. Error: During the Industrial Revolution in England, a resistance groupsprang up to protest the mechanization of the labor force. Workers associated with this began to break and burn factory machinery to protest what they saw as unfair treatment. Fix: During the Industrial Revolution in England, a resistance groupsprang up to protest the mechanization of the labor force. Workers associated with this factionbegan to break and burn factory machinery to protest what they saw as unfair treatment. Error: The files arranged by the temporary workers were out of order, so management sent them back to the main office. Fix:The files arranged by the temporary workers were out of order, so management sent the filesback to the main office. Error: The amount of entertainment available is increasing steadily; soon there will be more than 5,000 shows for them to distribute to subscribers. Fix: The amount of entertainment available is increasing steadily; soon there will be more than 5,000 shows for distribution to subscribers. Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement Pronouns have to match their antecedents in various ways. This means that when we use pronouns more than once in a sentence, we have to use the same personthroughout.(To clarify: 1st person means I or we, 2nd person means you, and 3rd person means he, she, it, or they.) This also means that plural nouns are matched withplural pronouns, and singular pronouns refer back to singular nouns. Examples Mismatched pronouns and antecedents are in bold, while matching pronouns and antecedents are underlined. Error: If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, you have to know the rules of the game. Fix: If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, she has to know the rules of the game. Error: Like its distant oceanic relatives whales, hippopotamuses can alter their density to sink or float in water. Fix:Like their distant oceanic relatives whales, hippopotamuses can alter their density to sink or float in water. Error: After acquiring several new companies, the multinational corporation moved their headquarters to a state with more favorable tax loop holes. Fix:After acquiring several new companies, the multinational corporation moved its headquarters to a state with more favorable tax loop holes. That vs Who The basic concept behind these relative pronouns is simple: who is the pronoun for a person or people, and that is the pronoun for everything else. Examples Mismatched relative pronouns are in bold, while matching pronouns and antecedents are underlined. Error: Coaching can be difficult for peoplethat have a hard time planning strategy on the field. Fix: Coaching can be difficult for people who have a hard time planning strategy on the field. Error: The scientific establishment who rejected Giordano Bruno’s theory that the earth revolves around the sun later had to acknowledge its mistake. Fix: The scientific establishment that rejected Giordano Bruno’s theory that the earth revolves around the sun later had to acknowledge its mistake. Error: The decision was made bythe director, wantingto organize the group in a more efficient way. Fix:The decision was made bythe director, who wanted to organize the group in a more efficient way. Indefinite Pronouns Indefinite pronouns refer to a person, place, or thing that is unknown or unspecified.Many indefinite pronounsthat seem like they're referring to multiple things or people are actually singular. This means that they use singular forms of verbs: everyone is instead of everyone are (examples 1 and 2).This also means that any nouns that refer to them alsohave to be singular and not plural: no one wants to be a dropout instead of no one wants to be dropouts (examples 3 and 4). Person Place Thing everyone everybody everywhere everything someone somebody somewhere something anyone anybody anywhere anything no one nobody nowhere nothing each (of these) either (of these) neither (of these) Examples Pronouns and matching verbs or nouns are underlined, while mismatched verbs or nouns are in bold. Error: On big-budget movies, each of the actors have large, well-decorated trailers. Fix: On big-budget movies, each of the actors has a large, well-decorated trailer. Error: Every one of the experts invited to speak at the conference were unable to make it. Fix: Every one of the experts invited to speak at the conference was unable to make it. Error: Anyone thinking about becoming writers must be excellent readers. Fix: Anyone thinking about becoming a writer must be an excellent reader. Error: Either of these desks would be great surfaces to work on. Fix: Either of these desks would be a great surface to work on. Its/It’s,Their/They’re/There, Your/You’re, Whose/Who’s The different forms and abbreviations of these pronouns are frequently mixed up, but they're something you simply have to memorize.Here are some tricks to use if you're stuck: Take the abbreviation apart: does it is, you are, they are, or who is work in the sentence? Then use it’s, you’re, they’re, or who’s. If the sentence is trying to say that something belongs to something else, use its, your, their, or whose. If the sentence is trying to point to a specific or vague place, use there. Pronoun Definition Examples its belonging to it the puppy’s toy =its toy the leg of the table =its leg it’s it is the sky is cloudy =it is cloudy = it’s cloudy the book is long = it is long =it’s long their belonging to them the sisters’ bedroom =their bedroom the color of walls =their color they’re they are flowers are blooming = they are blooming = they’re blooming friends are great = they are great = they’re great there in/on that place existing somewhere in the world exist many trees= there are manytrees the pants are on the shelf = the pants are there your belonging to you this is my dinner, and this is your dinner you’re you are you are delighted = you’re delighted you are a student = you’re a student whose belonging to whom? I don’t know who owns this house = whose is this house? who’s who is who from the team is coming? = who’s coming? Examples Incorrect forms of these words are underlined, while the correct ones are bold. Error: Who could have known that Da Vinci’s most mysterious painting would become his most famous, with it’s unique half-smile forever expressing some unknowable emotion. Fix: Who could have known that Da Vinci’s most mysterious painting would become his most famous, with its unique half-smile forever expressing some unknowable emotion. Error: Your just like all the other Americans visiting England who think that cricket is closely related to baseball. Fix: You’re just like all the other Americans visiting England who think that cricket is closely related to baseball. Error: Having several books to return to the library, Maria checks they’re due dates to make sure she won’t have to pay any fines. Fix: Having several books to return to the library, Maria checks their due dates to make sure she won’t have to pay any fines. Error: Dismayed that no one agreed with his argument, the city councilman asked, â€Å"Whose with me on this?† Fix: Dismayed that no one agreed with his argument, the city councilman asked, â€Å"Who’s with me on this?† Error: Every study we have come across suggests that bicycles are an excellent way to get around: there economical, good for public health, and environmentally friendly. Fix: Every study we have come across suggests that bicycles are an excellent way to get around: they’re economical, good for public health, and environmentally friendly. Feeling overwhelmed by grammar is apparently part of the human condition. Here's a grammar book from 1526. Just imagine all those monks having to study pronouns in Latin ... Verbs There are twomain issues with verbs tested on the SAT: verb tenses and subject-verb agreement. Verb Tense There are ninebasic verb tenses, threefor each time period (present, past, future). Below are the basic tenses formed from the verbto sing.As you can see, some of the verb tensesare created by adding forms of the verbs have, be,and do. Time Period Verb Forms Present Simple Present: They sing.Present Continuous: They are singing.Present Perfect: They have sung. Past Simple Past: They sang.Past Continuous: They were singing.Past Perfect: They had sung. Future Future: They will sing.Future Continuous: They will be singing.Future Perfect: They will have sung. Generally, the idea is to keep verbs in a single sentence in the same time period, especiallyif a sentence is describing things that happen during the same time period (example 1). If a sentence contains a shift in chronological time, verb tenses should shift to account for the change in time (example 3). Examples Verbs in the same tense are underlined, while verbs in the wrong tense are in bold. Error: According to the cardiologist, since the patient’s arteries are (present)dangerously clogged with cholesterol deposits, the medical team had (past)to check for elevated blood pressure and other heart attack risks. Fix: According to the cardiologist, since the patient’s arteries are (present)dangerously clogged with cholesterol deposits, the medical team has (present)to check for elevated blood pressure and other heart attack risks. Error: Even though office hours had been(past) over for some time, the professor and her student are continuing (present)their productive work on the research project. Fix: Even though office hours have been(present) over for some time, the professor and her student are continuing (present)their productive work on the research project. Error: If the pace of technological advancements continues (present), in the future we ride(present) self-driving cars. Fix: If the pace of technological advancements continues (present), in the future we will ride(future) self-driving cars. Subject/Verb Agreement Nouns and verbs are both parts of speech with numbers and are written differently if they refer to just one thing or multiple things. One dog runs fast, for example, but two dogs run fast. Subject/verb agreement just means that the noun and verb have the same number (singular or plural).One point to remember is thatcollective nouns are singular (a â€Å"crowd of people laughs† instead of â€Å"crowd of people laugh†). A collective noun is a noun that stands for a group of things but is grammatically treated as a single unit (i.e., a singular noun). Examples Matching subjects and verbs are underlined, while verbs that don't match subjects are in bold. Error: A recent survey found that the furniture in most people's homes are mostly made of wood. Fix: A recent survey found that the furniture (singular) in most people's homes is (singular) mostly made of wood. Error: There isa beaker and three pipettes on the top shelf of the cupboard. Corrected: There are (plural) a beaker and three pipettes (plural) on the top shelf of the cupboard. Error: I am trying to read the name of the store across the street, but a crowd of people keep getting in the way. Fix: I am trying to read the name of the store across the street, but a crowd (singular) of people keeps (singular) getting in the way. After a poorly verbed pitch, the batter verbed the ball to midfield. The shortstop verbed to the left, verbing the ball just in time to verb the runner out. Illogical Comparisons There are two different kinds of comparisons that break the rules of logic. The first relies on the idea that you can only compare things that are alike in some way.One trick to spotting illogical comparisons is that they tend to happen when a sentence is comparing something that belongs to someone or something else by using the comparison word than. You have to make sure that the two things on either side of thethan are in the same category (examples 1 and 2). For instance, you can compare apples and oranges because both are fruits. But if both Stanley and Cora have apples, you can't say the following: I like Stanley's apples better than Cora. You'd have to say this: I like Stanley's apples better than Cora's apples. Or, more simply, this: I like Stanley's apples better than Cora's. The second kind of illogical comparison that the SAT likes to test is the notion that you can't compare something toallthings of that type.Instead, you can onlycompare that thing toall other things of that type (example 3). Examples The two things that each sentence is comparing are underlined. Error:Some regulators believe that new drugs should have to go through an even more rigorous testing process than patients who prefer the one currently in place. Fix:Some regulators believe that new drugs should have to go through an even more rigorous testing process than the one currently in place, which patients prefer. Error:Charles Dickens's epic novels, which are almost universally admired by readers and critics alike, are more sweeping than Jane Austen, who writes novels of manners. Fix:Charles Dickens's epic novels, which are almost universally admired by readers and critics alike, are more sweeping than Jane Austen'snovels of manners. Error: For astronauts, the moon is easier to get to than any space object. Fix:For astronauts, the moon is easier to get to than any other space object. You can compare the polar bear to the girls, but you can't compare the polar bear's favorite toy to the girls. Unless that is one extremely dangerous zoo. The Bottom Line: All SAT Grammar Rules You Should Know Here is a quick summary of all the SAT grammar rules we talked about in this article: Concision andRedundancy- the SAT is all about being as succinct as possible Overly WordyPhrases - often, one word is better than many;sometimes, extra wordsshould just be deleted Redundancy- if a sentenceexpresses the same bit of information two or more times,delete the repetition Combining Simple Sentences- make one sentence into a dependent clause of the other through arepeated noun,using prepositions such asbefore, after,orfollowing,orby inserting whatever is being defined into the defining sentence Idioms and Conventional Expressions Verbal Phrases- verb + preposition pairs thatalwaysgo together PrepositionalIdioms- groups of words thatalwaysend on specific prepositions Commonly Confused Words- English has a lot of homonyms (words that sound similar to each other but mean very different things) Language Formality- avoiding slang and words/phrases that sound too casual Conjunctions and Conjunctive Adverbs- words that explain how two clauses in a sentence or successive sentences relate to one another Explanation- conjunctions such asbecause, consequently,andfor examplelink events in a cause-and-effect relationship Contradiction or Digression- conjunctions such ashowever, but,andneverthelessdescribe a negative or opposing relationship between events Similarity and Emphasis- conjunctions such asmoreoverandlikewiseconnect things that are equal or similar, or add examples to an argument Punctuation Punctuating Modifiers- if the sentence needs a modifier in order to make sense, the modifier doesn’t needcommas, but if you cantake out the modifier without losing any meaning, the modifier should be surrounded by commas Using Dashes- separate out a word/phrase/clause that is explanatory but not crucial Punctuating â€Å"Such As†- put a comma beforesuch as(and no comma after it) Formatting Lists- list items aretypically separated by commas,with a comma before theandororthat precedes the last list item Using Colons- indicates a list is coming up and that after the list the sentence will end; also used to introduce an explanation, definition, or example Using Semicolons- separates list items that have commas; fixes run-on sentences by separating two independent clauses without a conjunction Sentences- made up ofindependentand dependent clauses Sentence Fragments- sentences made of anything less than an independent clause Run-on Sentences- multiple independent clauses joined by only a comma or no punctuation at all DependentClauses as Subjects- if a sentence uses a whole dependentclause as a subject, treat the dependent clause as a singular noun Faulty Modifiers- words or phrases that describe something Dangling Modifier- a descriptive phrase that begins a sentence, has a comma after it, and has the noun it describesnotplaced right after the comma Misplaced Modifier- a descriptive phrase that's not close enough to the thing it's describing, making it sound like it'sreferring tothe wrong thing Parallel Construction- a list in which all the items have the same grammatical format Plurals and Possessives- plural iswhen there are two or more of something;possessiveis when something belongs to something else Plural Noun- add s to the end of asingular noun Possessive Singular Noun- add apostrophe + sto the end of a singular noun Possessive Plural Noun- add an apostrophe to the end of a plural noun Pronouns- parts of speech that stand in for anoun (its antecedent) Subject vs Object Pronouns- pronounschange form depending on whether they're subjects or objects in a sentence Who vs Whom- whois the subject form;whom is the object form Pronouns and Antecedents- it should be obvious which noun eachpronoun is referring to Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement- pronouns have to match their antecedents' person and number That vs Who- who is for a person or people; that is for everything else Indefinite Pronouns- pronouns such as everyone that seemplural but are actually singular Its/It’s,Their/They’re/There, Your/You’re, Whose/Who’s- you have to memorize these homonyms Verbs- the SAT tests tense agreement and subject-verb agreement Verb Tense- keep verbs in a single sentence within the same time period: present, past, or future Subject/Verb Agreement- anoun and itsverb must have the same number (singular or plural) Illogical Comparisons- you can only compare things that are alike in some way, and you can't compare something toallthings of that type What's Next? Knowing the grammar rules is just the beginning. Check out our complete guide to SAT Writing for a comprehensive take on all the topics andstrategies you need to know for the SAT. Excelling on SAT Writing also requires a lot of practice,so make sure you use our complete list of official and high-quality unofficial SAT practice testsin your prep. Want an 800 on SAT Reading and Writing? First, getour comprehensive advice on how to study for the SAT. Then,read our detailed guides onhow to get a perfect Writing scoreand how to get a perfect Reading score. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Should I Go to a College Near Me

Should I Go to a College Near Me SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Location is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a college. So how do you decide whether to go to school close to home or far away? It’s not an easy choice, and a lot of it depends on your personality and what you want to do in college. In this article I’ll go through the positives and negatives of attending college close to home and how you can decide whether it’s the right choice for you. Overview There are some positive and negative aspects of going to school close to home that will most likely apply to any student. Here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons. The Positives: You can get supportfrom your family through stressful times and illnesses. You already know the area well, so you’ll feel more comfortable and secure. If you’re going to a state school near home, in-state tuition will run you an average of about $15,000 a year as compared to out of state public school tuition, which is $25,000 a year on average ($35,000 if you’re looking at private schools) You’ll save about $10,000 a year on room and board if you choose to live at home while you go to school, not to mention the money you’ll save on food and laundry. If you live and school and start feeling homesick, you can just go home for the weekend! You'll be able to see your high school friends more frequently. Packing for college won’t be as stressful;if you forget anything, you can go home and get it or have your parents bring it to you without too much hassle. The Negatives: If you’re hoping to get some distance from your parents, it will be difficult to prevent them from coming to see you all the time. You may not have as many new and diverse experiences because you’re already familiar with the area. You mighthave trouble assimilating into the college community because you'll be able to see your old friends so frequently. It's tempting to go home on weekends instead of hanging out with people at college. You might not get as much exposure to what it’s really like to live on your own if you visit home frequently (being able to do laundry is a valuable skill!). You may get stuck in an emotional rut if your living situation doesn’t change between high school and college. Figuring Out Your Needs After weighing these pros and cons, the most important thing to ask yourself is â€Å"what do I want?†Your personality and goals for college may be more or less suited to living close to home depending on a couple factors.You should ask yourself these three questions: 1. Do You Handle Change Well? If you’ve ever switched schools before, think about whether it was easy for you to adjust to a new environment.If you haven’t actually moved, you might consider the transition from elementary to high school and how it affected you.If you relied on support from your family and took a while to make new friends, you might consider going to school closer to home in case you have a similar experience as a college freshman. This is a tough call though. Keep in mind that going to school close to home could impede your ability to integrate yourself fully into the college community and give you less motivation to make new friends.You might look at schools that are within driving distance of your hometown but not so close by that you’ll be tempted to go home every weekend. Have you ever been away from home for a significant period of time before (2 weeks or more)? If so, how did it feel? Were you eager to go home at the end?Maybe you’ve been to an overnight camp or gone on an exchange program in high school.That experience might be a good model for how you can expect to feel at the beginning of college.If you felt significant homesickness, consider going to school somewhere relatively close by so that you can visit home sometimes. Many people need a more gradual transition from living at home to living at college. Change is scary. 2. Is Cost a Concern for You? As mentioned earlier, you can save a lot of money on tuition and housing if you attend a school near you.If you’re worried about paying for college, nearby schools make great options. State schools usually have a ton of resources for motivated students and offer many merit scholarships in addition to a lower tuition price tag. Try not to base your college decision solely on cost though; this should be considered in conjunction with other reasons for attending your state school.If you really don’t want to go there and you’re just choosing it because it's cheaper, the sacrifice won't be worth the money you’ll save. 3. What Do You Want to Accomplish in College? You also should ask yourself about the resources available at nearby schools. Will they fulfill your needs?Certain areas may have more or less opportunities for jobs and internships.Schools nearby may or may not offer the programs or campus setting you’re looking for.Think about what type of environment you'll prefer in college (urban or rural or somewhere in between) and your tentative major plans to inform your decision. I’ll give you some resources in the next section that will help you understand the characteristics of different schools so you can decide whether a college close to home is really the right choice for you. How to Find Nearby Colleges So, you’re thinking about going to college close to home. How do you find schools that fit your criteria?The simplest way to start is to go to College Navigator, which allows you to search for colleges by zip code or state.You can specify how many miles away from your zip code you want to be and what type of program you’re looking for (you can also search for specific schools, but if you're just checking your options, zip code or state is the place to start).If you click on â€Å"more search options† you can also specify the price range you’re looking for as well as student enrollment, campus setting, and more. This search will give you a comprehensive list of schools along with relevant statistics so you can see whether they'll be good fits for you. You can also compare schools side by side when you add them to your â€Å"favorites† to figure out which is the better option.You can compare schools by price, admissions, enrollment, and retention and graduation rates: College Navigator is a good tool for compiling an initial list of nearby schools that interest you.Once you find a few that sound promising, you might consult other college choice sites to find out more about them.Cappex is the site that I usually recommend because it has hard data about schools as well as student reviews. Go there next to learn more about other factors that might impact your decision.You can create a profile and search for schools that you already found on College Navigator, or you canget matched up with schools on Cappex by creating a profile and specifying how far away from home you want to be and which majors interest you. Conclusion College is a huge transition, and many students feel more comfortable attending school close to home to make it a little less stressful.There are positives and negatives to going to college close to home, but what really matters is how you feel about it.Ask yourself if you're ready for such a dramatic change in your life and if you might need more or less support from your family and old friends.You should also think about the cost of college and whether it’s worth it for you to go out of state and spend more on tuition. What are your goals for the next four years? What do you want to accomplish?Do some self-examination and college research to make sure you're choosing a school that will give you all the opportunities you want for youreself. What's Next? If you're still not sure of the best way to go about your college search process, read my guide to choosing the right college! You should also look at this list of the best online resources for conducting your college search. If you're thinking about attending your state school, read this article on how to get merit scholarships and honors at state schools. 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: