What Is the ACT Kaplan ACT Low Cost Test Prep Program

What Is the ACT Kaplan ACT Low Cost Test Prep Program SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT has just announced its first official partnership with a test prep company: Kaplan. This may be big news for students who are planning to take the ACT - in cooperation with Kaplan, ACT, Inc. will be providing a low-cost (or even free) test prep program calledACT ® Kaplan Online Prep Live. There isn’t a ton of information just yet about the quality of the new test prep platform - students won’t be able to access it for a while - but we do know what the program should include and what it should cost. Free streaming courses are airing live in advance of the program launch - you can read more about what these courses are like towards the end of the post. Read more to find out what this new test prep partnership will mean for you! The ACT/Kaplan Partnership The ACT and the SAT are in perpetual competition for student test-takers. Last year, the College Boardannounced a partnership with Khan Academy to provide free test prep - it’s no surprise that ACT, Inc.has followed suit with a similar move:formally partnering up with Kaplan to offeran online prep programat no cost to low-income students and a â€Å"significantly lower cost† than other prep programs for all other students. Although the partnership was just announced, the test prep program won’t be available until Fall 2016 (so it won’t be of much help to students who are taking the ACT this summer). The program is offering a few free classes before the official launch date, however - check out the ACT streaming events page, and keep reading for more info. Program Costs This test prep program will be free of charge for low-income students. To qualify, students need to register for the ACT with a fee waiver (read our complete guide to ACT fee waivers for more information). Access to the platform should come to less than $200 for students who don’t qualify for the fee waiver. What Will the Program Include? The price for this test prep program seems pretty reasonable, but more important than the price is what you’ll get for your money. First, the program includes access to live classes taught by Kaplan instructors. Students should be able to interact with these instructors through the course platform, although it’s unclear how much individual feedback each student will receive (it’s likely that many students will be watching each live class - there’s no way one instructor could respond, in real time, to questions from hundreds of students). Students will also have access to recorded classes if they’re unable to watch live - this affords some flexibility. These courses will be available on computers, tablets, and phones, so you can watch them on the go. The ACT/Kaplan haven’t publicized a list of class topics, but they currently have a few free courses on the calendar - I imagine that the new prep program’s courses will be similar in scope. Here’s the free course schedule: Understanding Your ACT Scores and What to Do Next (April 30, 2016 @2pm EDT) Introduction to Stem Concepts (May 11, 2016 @7pm EDT) Introduction to ELA Concepts (May 22, 2016 @2pm EDT) The program will also include access to a social platform including teachers and peers. This social media platform is supposed to facilitate a community for discussion, encouragement, and support. Whatthe Program Will Not Include Based on the program’s press release, there are a few key things not provided by this test prep program. First, as an online version of an ACT prep course, this prep program does not provide personalized or customized instruction to students (aside from any feedback provided via live course instruction). Instead, I predict that it will serve as an introduction to core concept areas, test strategies, and logistical concerns. Second, although instructors will use official ACT questions as examples when they teach thelive courses, it doesn’t seem that students will have access to any additional official practice materials. The ACT does release some official practice materials for free - these are available to everyone -but other official prep materials must be purchased. The Bottom Line What’s included with this program is definitely subject to change, but for now (at least based on the official press release), here’s what students seem to get for their money: Access to live (or on-demand, if you can’t watch live) courses on ACT content and logistics topics. Opportunities for interactions with teachers during live classes. Access to a social media platform with peers and instructors. No extra practice materials or personalized instruction. However, keep in mind that we have only very preliminary informationright now. A lot of details could change before the program's official release this fall. Online Prep Live: Free Streaming Events To get a taste for what the paid Online Prep program will be like, I watched the program's firstfree streaming class: Understanding Your ACT Scores and What to Do Next. It aired on Saturday, April 30. Course Overview This live, online course(presumably similar to what the actual Online Prep Live classes will be like) was easily accessible via this announcement page. This course addressed: What the info on your ACT score report means and how you can use it ACT College and Career Readiness Standards (both what they are and why they matter) ACT next steps, including deciding whether or not to retake the test and improving your scores Exploring future college and career options Pros I was impressed with howeasy it was to access this course, as well as how clearly the information was communicated. The instructor (Boris) was engaging and knowledgeable, which is a big plus. Although students weren't able to chat directly with the instructor, he noted at the beginning of the course that a "team of ACT experts" were online to answer student questions throughout the live session. Borisnoted particular student comments or questions throughout the live event, so he seemed generally plugged in to student concerns. In addressing student questions, the instructor referredto real-life data which helped back up his claims.He wanted to answer, for example, whether retaking the ACT would make students look bad to admissions officers. In responding, he pointed out that many students retake the test, and the majority of them (57%) end up with a higher score the second time around. Finally, I appreciated that anyone who's interested caneither watch the recorded event on-demand and access a full transcript of the course at any time. Cons First, this hour-long prep course was nowhere near an hour long. If you reference the event recording, you'll notice that the first and last sections are ads for the paid ACT Online Prep Live program, NOT course instruction footage. This meant that Boris was actually teaching for about 36 minutes in total. Second, the coursedidn't always providehelpful, concrete instructions or resources when addressing student concerns. In discussing some free tools that are available to help students raise scores, for example, Boris notes that you should take a list of your weak test skills to a guidance counselor for more help. Although it's greatto know where you should work to improve, students may have benefitedfrom references to helpful test prep materials. Next, the instructor spent some time encouraging viewers to participate in the chat platformwith prompts like "tell me if you empathize with these struggles!" Some viewers may really appreciate how this approach fosters a sense of community among viewers, but I felt it wasted time that could have been spent reviewing other material. These free streaming courses won't be helpful for everyone (especially students who already know the ins and outs of the test), but I encourage you to check out the transcript or recordingbefore deciding whether they're right for you. How the ACT/Kaplan Partnership Will Affect Student Test Prep Since this is the first time the ACT has officially partnered with any test prep company, the new online prepprogram is bound to make waves. It hasn’t officially launched, so no one can be completely sure of the program’s strengths and weaknesses. Based on what the program offers (and what it doesn’t), however, I can speculate as to the program’s benefits and drawbacks. The important stuff:what does this program have to do with how you study for the ACT? Here’s how I think students may benefit (or not) from this new partnership: Potential Advantages The ACT Kaplan Online Prep Live program is a step in the right direction when it comes to providing reasonably-priced and flexible prep to busy students. Here are the program's biggest perks: Official ACT Material Whenever you're studying for any sort of standardized test, it's best to get your hands on official test prep material. ACT questions are written in a very specific style and format (something that's difficult for unofficial test prep sources to emulate).In order to do well on the test, it's important to familiarize yourself with itsunique style. Test-makers are usually pretty careful with how much official material they release for practice. Since this Live Prep Program is endorsed by the ACT, you can be sure that instructors will only refer to official sample questions as they teach. Ease of Access Whenyou sign up for your standard ACT course, it means committing to attending classes at certain times and dates.If you're dealing with a packed schedule and/or limited transportation options, an in-person ACT course may not work for you. The ACT Live Prep program makes it easy to watch classes at times that are convenient for you - all you need is internet access. You can choose to watch classes live or on-demand, which is helpful if you're working around other commitments. Even the best ACT course won't help you if you can't find the time to attend - an online program should make things a lot easier for the average student. Price Point One of the major barriers to accessing quality ACT prep is the cost. Kaplan is one of the biggest names in test prep - before this partnership announcement, the company's least expensive ACT course was priced at $299, whereas its more intensive courses start at $749. This is simply out of reach for many students and their families. This Live Prep program is reasonably priced when compared to many other test prep programs (especially if students qualify for ACT fee waivers, in which case they can sign up for free). A lower price point means greater access to ACT prep, which is always a good thing. Social Media Support When they sign up for the Live Prep course, students also gain accessto a social media platform with other peers and instructors. Some students may study just fine independently, but others may find it helpful to interact with peers in an effort to maintain good study practices. Potential Drawbacks Like I mentioned earlier, it's difficult to say for certain what we can expect from theACT Kaplan Online Prep Live program. Based on the itsdescription, however, there are some important weaknesses in the prep program's approach. No Extra Practice Material Like I noted earlier, there's no mention of extra material provided to students for independent study. If you want to practice any content or strategy that was discussed in a particular class, you'll likely have to find your own practice questions or tests. No Customization This is a weakness that you'll find with any test prep course. Instructors are there to teach an entire class, not individual students - as such, you may find certain lessons less helpful than others (for example, a lesson that goes over content you're already very familiar with).Conversely, there won't be opportunities for you to get extra help with concepts youstruggle with. To study most effectively and most efficiently, you'll want to spend the most time on things that are difficult for you. Because every student is different, every student's ideal study plan will be different. This is something that the ACT Kaplan Online Prep Live program can't accommodate. Most group classes take a "one size fits all" approach out of necessity. Limited Interaction With Instructors The program description states that students will be able to ask questions of instructors during live classes. Although this is an interesting idea, I don't see how it would work in practice -each live course will likely have hundreds of students (or even more) watching at one time. There's no way that an instructor could personally respond to questions from so many students. I expect that select questions (e.g. questions that would apply to the greatest number of students) will be answered during live questions. Hearing teachers respond to others' inquiries may be helpful, but I wouldn't go into a class expecting to have my own personal questions answered. Reliance on Social Media Support You may be wondering why I have this in the "potential drawbacks" section. A big problem that I have with the social media support platform is that the prep program is preemptivelydirecting students therefor answers to test-related questions. This is problematic because most of the people on this platform aren't going to be ACT instructors - they're going to be other students. Although it's possible to get reliable help from savvy students, it's also possible to get very misguided (and simply incorrect) advice. The social media platform is likely to be an awesome resources for thosewho are looking for a test prep community,but students who turn to it for test prep help should take advice with a grain of salt. Overview Versus In-Depth Course Material The Live Prep course has yet to release the full rangeof topics that they'll cover with their classes. They may very well introduce classes that address higher-level content and strategy concerns, but based on their list of free streaming classes, I doubt that will be the case.Students who are already familiar with ACT logistics, strategy, and content won't benefit from classes that primarily address the basics. Should You Use the New Prep Plan? Now that you have all the available information on theACT Kaplan Online Prep Live program, you might be wondering if you should sign up. I can't tell you whether you should definitely buy the program, but I think some students would benefit from it more than others. Consider Signing Up If ... You qualify for an ACT fee waiver.If you qualify for a waiver, the program is free. There's no harm in signing up, even if you don't end up finding it that helpful. You don't know much about the ACT and you would benefit from an overview course.Based on the free streaming events the program is offering in advance of its actual launch, it looks like the courses will address important introductory concepts (e.g. "Understanding Your ACT Scores and What to Do Next"). If the ACT basics are new to you, this program may be a good fit. It's difficult for you to committo any in-person ACT prep programs. This ACT/Kaplan program makes it easy for students to watch courses anywhere, anytime. If you require more flexibility from an ACT prep program, you might want to check this one out. Consider Passing on the Course If ... You're a relatively high-scorer and need in-depth ACT review. If this is the case, I doubt the course will teach you anything you don't already know. Spend your time more effectively by perfecting your scores. You're planning on taking the ACT this summer, fall, or early winter. The program doesn't launch until Fall 2016, so if you're taking the ACT before then (or soon thereafter), you won't have enough time to benefit from the online courses. You have the resources (and motivation) to participate in a program that provides customized feedback. You'll be able to prep more effectively if you can get real feedback on your strengths and weaknesses. Courses like this one are a good place to start, but if you want more guidance and support, I'd encourage you to look into other options. What's Next? Want more information on other ACT prep options? Read about whether online prep (and online tutoring) is right for you, and learn more about the differences between in-person and online ACT courses. Maybe you've considered getting an ACT tutor, but you also want the flexibility of online prep. Learn more about the difference between online and in-person tutoring. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Paragraph Length 5 Essential Tips - Writing Tips with Proofed

Paragraph Length 5 Essential Tips - Writing Tips with Proofed Paragraph Length: 5 Essential Tips Paragraph length is important. Too many long paragraphs in a document may make it difficult to read. Too many short paragraphs and it could seem disjointed. But how long should a good paragraph be? 1. Paragraph Length Depends on Document Type If you look online, you’ll find advice saying that paragraphs should be between 100 and 200 words long. And as a guideline on paragraph length, this is fine for most documents. However, paragraph length also depends on the type of writing. Some paragraphs may be a single sentence. Some may spread across more than one page. In this blog post, for example, most of the paragraphs are under 100 words because shorter paragraphs are easy to read on screen. But the paragraphs in an academic textbook would be longer to offer more depth. As such, you should tailor your paragraphs to suit the document and the subject matter. But to do this, you need to consider why we use paragraphs in the first place†¦ 2. The Purpose of a Paragraph Paragraphs help us organize the information in a document. Consequently, each paragraph should cover one main idea. Try thinking about a paragraph like a tiny essay: Start with a topic sentence to set out what the paragraph is about Use the main body of the paragraph to expand upon this idea End with a concluding sentence that leads on to the next paragraph If you find yourself covering multiple ideas in a single paragraph, especially if there’s no direct connection between them, consider separating them into distinct passages instead. 3. Consistency vs. Mixing It Up Most of the paragraphs in a document should be a roughly similar length. If you find that they vary a lot, it may be sign that some ideas in your document are underdeveloped and need expanding. However, in longer documents it is a good idea to mix things up a bit, especially if you have a lot of long paragraphs. One way to do this is to bookend each section with short introductory and concluding paragraphs, setting out and then summarizing what you’ve discussed. 4. Editing Long Paragraphs While editing your work, you may want to break longer paragraphs down into shorter ones. Look for a point where the focus changes, even if only slightly (e.g., shifting from introducing an idea to giving an in-depth example). You can then add a line break and, if necessary, a linking sentence. 5. Editing Short Paragraphs If your document contains too many short paragraphs, particularly in succession, you can look for passages that cover similar topics and combine them into a single longer paragraph. This may simply involve deleting a line break, but you might also have to consider the overall structure of your document. If you have several short paragraphs touching on the same topic in different places, think about whether they should all be part of one section instead.

Not defined,a proposal which combines IT and business together Research

Not defined,a which combines IT and business together - Research Proposal Example In addition, the IT technology remains dynamic and requires that organizational leaders remain focused and flexible to adopt emerging technologies. Research has shown that the main reason why most organizations have failed to realize their business goals is because they have failed to successfully implement IT in their supply operations. This qualitative analysis aims at investigating the impact of the IT in the organization supply chain management. The primary purpose of this project is to investigate the impact of information technology on the supply chain management. In the business environment, it is a priority for the business managers to streamline the supply chain to ensure that they realize optimum profits as per their set goals. The ability of organization to integrate information technology in their supply helps them improve the organizational performance. The specific objective of this paper is to assess the impact of IT in the supply chain management in terms of cost reduction and effectiveness. The findings of this research will help organizations to successfully integrate IT in their business operations and provide an opportunity for organizations to improve their supply chain management strategy. The cumulative impact of this in business is to minimize supply chain expenses, increase efficiency and hence optimize profits. Research shows that the reason why organizations have failed to achieve effectiveness in their supply chain management is because they have undermined the value of information technology in streamlining the supply chain. Schillewaert states that majority of the organization have failed to integrate information technology in their business operations because they fail to understand its value in improving the efficiency of the supply chain. In this view, this research will provide the value of Information technology to the supply chain managers and provide an

Martha McCaskey Harvard Business School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Martha McCaskey Harvard Business School - Essay Example At Seleries, McCaskey was posted to work at the industry analysis division ('Martha McCaskey 4). The first assignment at the division was to conduct a competitive analysis study for the company. The excellence with which McCaskey completed this first project earned her complementation by her seniors at the company. Her report was termed as being the best received since the beginning of the enterprise. She had done an excellent job. McCaskey's second assignment that came two weeks later was to conduct a competitive analysis for another company that made printed circuit boards (Martha McCaskey 4). Due to the sensitivity of the project, McCaskey was assigned two other members of the old guard to work with. The task was quite arduous given the lack of information and cooperation from his assigned members of the project. The report took too long to complete. Over nine months.Despite the many tasks, McCaskey developed her attitude of maintaining integrity in completing the assigned project s. Her efforts were recognized and appreciated. In 1996, McCaskey was given a substantial salary increase and a bonus of $25,000 (Martha McCaskey 5). The Silicon 6 Project came in January 1997. The project involved an old client for Seleries and concerned a new type of computer chip that was being produced by a primary competitor to the customer. There was required a detailed information concerning the costs and manufacturing processes for the new computer chip (Martha McCaskey 6). The project was assigned to McCaskey.

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Questions - Assignment Example I expect to learn different methodologies of researching career opportunities. A cover letter expresses your interest in and qualifications for a position to a prospective employer. It expresses your intent, interest, and enthusiasm in position. It complements and emphasizes highlights of your resume and demonstrates your personality and writing ability 2. It must be clear and understandable. Use concrete words, prefer present tense and be specific in communicating your experiences. Being vague in descriptions, using weak words such as endeavored, using sexiest language must completely be avoided. The guy was not suited in appropriate attire. He was wearing a jeans & a t-shirt with a cap. He was totally looking unprofessional. If he even hadn’t wear the appropriate dress during the interview day, one cannot expect from him to wear three piece or dress paint and shirt on duty which is mandatory for the culture of restaurant. On the other hand, the lady was quite well suited with the most appropriate attire. She was looking professional and educated. She was more confident than the guy. She was looking in the eyes of the interviewer whereas the boy was looking here and there while speaking which reveals that he was unconfident or may be, rude. The qualifications and work experience of the lady were related to the post. She has achieved a degree in Business which is the most suitable qualification for a Manager. She worked with Apple Beas for 4 years which shows that she has been consistent in her work and the reason for leaving the job was also reasonable. On the other hand, the boy worked as a clerk for a video shop for just 2 months. It probably means that he would not remain in the restaurant for a consistent period, if hired. The boy was not prepared whereas the girl was totally prepared and that was why she was confident in answering the question. She even knew the names of the location

Case summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Case summary - Essay Example b) There was no distribution of current and/or accumulated earnings and profits. It can be determined that TWC did not redirect actual value to the petitioner by failing to charge its normal profit margin when receiving the reimbursement. a) Even though it is not the court’s mandate to construct and inform arguments for the parties involved, it could clearly determine that the timing of respondent’s constructive dividend adjustment is highly inappropriate and untimely. TWC was reimbursed for its work during 2004 and 2005 while the petitioners relocated into the home in 2005 (Johnson, 502). Therefore, if there was any constructive dividend that had been received then it would have been received, and therefore brought up in 2004 and/or 2005, not 2006. b) According Section 316(a) a dividend is any allocation of property that a firm makes to its stockholders from its earnings for the trading period and profits retained from the past periods (Johnson, 501). TWC did not make any profit or earnings from the transaction with Mr. Welle for the construction of his home. c) Ault and Arnold rightly argue that a constructive dividend usually arise when a corporation awards an economic benefit, specifically earnings and profits, on a stockholder without the expecting any payment or adequate consideration for the same (360). d) Not all business expenditure by an incorporated company that bestows some economic benefit on a stockholder can be termed as constructive dividend (Ault and Arnold, 358). Loftin & Woodward, 577 F.2d at 1215. e) Respondent did not elucidate how a the decision to forego profits, especially when the stockholder reimburses the corporation in full for its services, results in distribution of property which reduces the earnings and or profits as envisaged in section 316(a). The respondent also failed to substantiate the assertions with a credible case that sets precedent. f) Incidental or insignificant use of corporate property does not justify

Gear Smartwatch - Features, challenges, and Vulnerability Research Paper

Gear Smartwatch - Features, challenges, and Vulnerability - Research Paper Example It uses technique of sophisticated processing in order to find solutions of various sophisticated tasks just by using this small watch. Additionally, the feature of voice memos were also build in Gear smart watch, through a built-in speaker, that enables the owner to even answer the calls just by using their wrist and operate the gadget via voice commands. Additionally, it was a full-color work with the platform of Android sized in the fashion of an old calculator watch. Correspondingly, it runs the application, which was developed by Samsung as well as the third-party partners. During the year 2014 company replaced the Gear operating system with Tizen (Brewis, 2014). Gear was not able to withstand the expectation of the user and the security side of Gear with high confidentiality in term of exchanging the data Smartphone due to the issue of vulnerability. The most obvious reason of vulnerability issue in the gadget was due to its feature of typical ‘companion gadget’, which is worthless without the Smartphone as it has to be connected via Bluetooth. The people who turned up for the Gear will be likely to experience the features of Smartphone messaging, Personal Information Manager (PIM) and other apps just in the wrist. Correspondingly, in the current scenario the smart watch only works with the help of Samsungs Note Smartphone, the Note 3. With the help of Gear smart watch wireless communication can only be possible through using the Bluetooth connectivity feature, which led to risk of unauthorized uses. Moreover, the major issue with this device is related to its security and misuse of the various applications. With the growing ad vancement in the technology hacker are able to track the pitfall of the device very easily through finding the various vulnerabilities and utilize them in order to extract the information of the users, along with they can also utilize the