How to Compare High Schools Using SAT Scores

How to Compare High Schools Using SAT Scores SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re reading this article, I assume you’re in search of a good high school. When you compare high schools, average SAT score is a useful tool. What does an average SAT score represent? Why should you care about a school’s average SAT score? How do you even find a school’s average SAT score? I’ll answer that and more in this guide. What Does a High School’s Average SAT Score Represent? When considering what a high school’s average SAT score represents, you need to know what the SAT measures. While the College Board may argue that an SAT score simply measures a student’s academic ability, the SAT measures not only academic ability but also other things such as perseverance. What I mean by perseverance is a student’s determination to do well. While a genius might be able to get a 2400 on the SAT with no practice, a student with just slightly above-average intelligence can also get a 2400 with enough practice. For this reason, an SAT score reveals both a student’s academic ability and their willingness to work hard. A high school’s average SAT score represents these same qualities: academic ability and perseverance. However, in terms of an entire high school, its â€Å"academic ability† is dependent upon the quality of education it provides, and its â€Å"perseverance† is dependent upon the caliber of students. A high school's average SAT score helps answer questions such as: Do the students at that school care about their education? Do they study? Do they practice for the SAT? Do they care about pursuing a four-year degree? Why Should You Care About a High School’s Average SAT Score? You should care about a high school’s average SAT score because higher SAT scores can indicate a better quality of education and a better quality of student at that school. Since the SAT measures academic ability and your education is responsible for your knowledge, the better the quality of education you receive, the better you’ll perform on the SAT. Though, as I said before, your SAT score is also affected by how much you prepare for the test. If a high school’s average SAT score is high, the students at that high school are probably more invested in their high school education and more committed to getting into a 4-year college than students at other high schools. These students probably study more and spend more time preparing to take the SAT. You should want to send your child to a high school with a higher average SAT score, where they’ll likely be surrounded by like-minded, hard-working students and receive a higher quality of education. Devil’s Advocate: Why Shouldn’t You Rely Too Heavily On Average SAT Score? A school’s average SAT score can indicate the quality of education and students, but it may not give you the full picture. As an example, some public high schools have magnet (or gifted) programs that are separated from the â€Å"regular† track at that high school. These programs usually have a superior quality of students and teachers compared to the rest of the school. My public high school had an International Baccalaureate magnet program. The admissions requirements for this program were high, but there were no requirements for students on the â€Å"regular† high school track. This program had superior teachers who only taught IB classes. I’d bet the average SAT score for IB students was higher than the average SAT score for students on the â€Å"regular† track. However, the average SAT score for my high school does not separate IB and non-IB students. The number includes the scores of all students at the school. For this reason, you can’t distinguish what the caliber of education and student will be within a specific magnet program versus the â€Å"regular† track. As I said before, your SAT score is also affected by how much effort you put into studying for the test. If you attend a high school with a low average SAT score, that does not mean you’re going to have a low SAT score. If you attend a high school with a high average SAT score, that does not guarantee you'll get a high SAT score. No matter which high school you attend, you can still study, learn the test format and strategies, and achieve a high score on the SAT. However, you should try to attend the high school with the best quality of students and teachers so that you’ll receive the best education you can, be challenged in school, and be well prepared for the SAT. How to Find a School’s Average SAT Score There are four methods for tracking down a public school’s average SAT score: Through the Department of Education website (Note: This only works for PUBLIC high schools. Also, this is the ONLY way to find average SAT scores by school district.) Through the school’s website (however, not all schools publish this information on their websites) By emailing a school administrator Simply Google Searching â€Å"[High School Name] Average SAT Score† (though this can be unreliable) The best method to find average SAT score by high school is to use the Department of Education’s website for your state. NOTE: this will only work for some states. For a full explanation of how to find a district’s or specific public high school’s average SAT score using this method (and for a list of states that don't provide this data), read our article on SAT Scores by High School and District. This approach is the only way to guarantee you’re getting up-to-date, correct, unbiased information. For private high schools (or as another search option for public high schools), you could try the Google search method, looking on the high school’s website, or sending an email to an administrator at that high school. However, websites and Google search can often have outdated information (i.e. SAT score averages from three years ago). Outdated information is still somewhat useful as it can give you a sense of how the school is performing; however, there can be big score differences in just a few years if there are changes in the school administration and teaching staff. There's also the possibility that the school doesn't post this data on its website. If you email administrators, you may also be given outdated information (if they haven’t seen the most recent statistics). Also, it may take them a while to respond to your request with their busy schedule or if they’re on summer vacation. Be a curious cat! What Should You Look for in SAT Data? In the SAT data, you should be looking at the average composite SAT score. NOTE: Typically, states publish average SAT scores by section. You’ll need to add the average section scores together to approximate the average composite SAT score if they don't include composite score as a separate category. The average composite SAT score is the main number you should be concerned with. The higher the number, the better. Read more about that in our other guide: SAT Scores by High School and District. You can also look at the individual section scores. The Math section score may give you a sense of how strong or weak the Math program is. The closer to 800 (the highest possible section score), the better. A high score most likely means a higher quality math program. The Critical Reading and Writing sections (or Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section - for data from 2016 or later) will give you a sense of the quality of English education at that school. Again, same as Math, the closer to 800 (the highest possible section score), the better. A high score most likely means a higher quality of English classes. From the data, you can also find the fraction of students who took the SAT at a particular high school. NOTE: some states will only list the number of students who took the SAT and will not include overall school enrollment. You will not be able to figure out the fraction of students who took the SAT unless you have both pieces of data. However, if your state does provide you with the total enrollment number and the number of test-takers, such as California does, you can determine the fraction of students who took the SAT. As an example here is a screenshot of the SAT data from the California Department of Education’s website: To determine the fraction of students who took the SAT at a specific high school, take the number of test takers (listed under the NumTstTakr column) and divide it by the number of enrolled students (under Enroll912). If I were looking at Alameda Science and Technology Institute (the highlighted school), the fraction of students who took the SAT would be: 61 / 169 or about 36% Don't read too much into this number because it doesn't tell the whole story. The enrollment includes the TOTAL number of students, and you wouldn’t expect Freshmen or Sophomores to be taking the SAT. While 36% seems small, you need to take into account: The fact that Alameda Science and Technology Institute has about 50 students per grade level. Typically, only Juniors and Seniors will take the SAT in a given year, and there are about 100 Juniors and Seniors at Alameda. Some students may opt to take the ACT instead. When accounting for all of that, it seems that close to 100% of Alameda Science and Technology Institute students will end up taking the SAT or ACT before they graduate, which is impressive. While you can look at the fraction of students who took the SAT at a specific high school, the more important number is the average SAT score for that high school. Summary A high school's average SAT score can reveal the quality of education and quality of students at that school. However, when you compare high schools, their average SAT scores will not always tell you the whole story. For example, at schools with magnet programs, magnet students' SAT scores are mixed with the "regular" students' SAT scores to provide the school's average SAT score. Students in the magnet track may have a higher average SAT score (as they may be receiving a higher quality education and be harder working students), but you wouldn't be able to tell from the overall average SAT score of that school. There are several options for finding out a high school's average SAT score. Not all methods will work in all states or for all schools. Check out our other guide on SAT Scores by High School and District to find out the best method for you. When you find the average SAT score data, you should look for the composite SAT score. The higher this score is, the better. What’s Next? If you're taking the SAT, you should learn about the format of the new SAT, and also, check out some general tips on how to prepare for the SAT. Before you start studying for the SAT, figure out what’s a good score for your target college. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

George Washingtons First Inauguration

George Washington's First Inauguration The inauguration of George Washington as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, was a public event witnessed by a cheering crowd. The celebration in the streets of New York City was also a very serious event, however, as it marked the  beginning of a new era. After struggling with the Articles of Confederation in the years following the Revolutionary War, there had been a need for a more effective federal government and a convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1781 created the Constitution, which established the office of president. George Washington had been selected as president of the Constitutional Convention and, given his great stature as a national hero, it seemed obvious he would be elected as the first President of the United States. Washington  easily won the first presidential election in late 1788 and when he took the oath of office on the balcony of Federal Hall in lower Manhattan months later, it must have seemed to the citizens of the young nation that a stable government was finally coming together. As Washington stepped out onto the balcony of the building, many precedents would be created. The basic format of that first inauguration more than 225 years ago is essentially repeated every four years. Preparations for the Inauguration After delays in counting votes and certifying the election, Washington was officially informed that he had been elected on April 14, 1789. The secretary of the Congress traveled to Mount Vernon to deliver the news. In an oddly formal meeting, Charles Thomson, the official messenger, and Washington read prepared statements to each other. Washington agreed to serve. He left for New York City two days later. The trip was long, and even with Washingtons carriage (a luxury vehicle of the time) it was arduous. Washington was met by crowds at every stop. On many nights he felt obligated to attend dinners hosted by local dignitaries, during which he was toasted effusively. After a large crowd welcomed him in Philadelphia, Washington was hoping to arrive in New York City (the location of the inauguration as D.C. had not yet become the nations capital) quietly. He didnt get his wish. On April 23, 1789, Washington was ferried to Manhattan from Elizabeth, New Jersey, aboard an elaborately decorated barge.  His arrival in New York was a massive public event. A letter describing the festivities that appeared in newspapers mentioned a cannon salute was fired as Washingtons barge passed the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan. A parade formed consisting of a cavalry troop formed when he landed and also included an artillery unit, military officers, and the Presidents Guard composed of Grenadiers of the First Regiment. Washington, along with city and state officials and followed by hundreds of citizens, marched to the mansion rented as the Presidents House. The letter from New York published in the Boston Independent Chronicle on April 30, 1789, mentioned that flags and banners were displayed from buildings, and bells were rung. Women waved from windows. During the following week, Washington was kept busy holding meetings and organizing his new household on Cherry Street. His wife, Martha Washington, arrived in New York a few days later accompanied by servants which included enslaved people brought from Washingtons Virginia estate at Mount Vernon. The Inauguration The date for the inauguration was set for April 30, 1789, a Thursday morning. At noon a procession began from the Presidents House at Cherry Street. Led by military units, Washington and other dignitaries walked through several streets to Federal Hall. Keenly aware that everything he did that day would be seen as significant, Washington chose his wardrobe carefully. Though he was mostly known as a soldier, Washington wanted to emphasize that the presidency was a civilian position, and he did not wear a uniform. He also knew his clothes for the big event had to be American, not European. He wore a suit made of American fabric, a brown broadcloth made in Connecticut that was described as resembling velvet. In a small nod to his military background, he wore a dress sword. After reaching the building on the corner of Wall and Nassau Streets, Washington passed through a formation of soldiers and entered the building. According to an account in a newspaper called The Gazette of the United States and published on May 2, 1789, he was then introduced to both houses of Congress. That was, of course, a formality, as Washington would have already known many of the members of the House and Senate. Stepping out onto the gallery, a large open porch on the front of the building, Washington was administered the  oath of office by the Chancellor of the State of New York, Robert Livingston. The tradition of presidents being sworn in by the Chief Justice of the United States was still years in the future for a very good reason: the Supreme Court would not exist until September 1789, when John Jay became the first Chief Justice. A report published in a newspaper (The New York Weekly Museum) on May 2, 1789, described the scene which followed the administration of the oath of office: The Chancellor then proclaimed him THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, which was followed by the instant discharge of 13 cannon, and loud repeated shouts; THE PRESIDENT bowing to the people, the air again rang with their acclamations. He then retired with the two Houses [of Congress] to the Senate Chamber... In the Senate chamber, Washington delivered the first inaugural address. He had originally written a very long speech which his friend and adviser, future president James Madison, suggested he replace. Madison drafted a much shorter speech in which Washington expressed typical modesty. Following his speech, Washington along with new vice president John Adams and members of Congress walked to St. Pauls Chapel on Broadway. After a church service, Washington returned to his residence. The citizens of New York, however, continued celebrating. Newspapers reported that illuminations, which would have been elaborate slide shows, were projected on buildings that night. A report in the Gazette of the United States  noted that illuminations at the homes of the French and Spanish ambassadors were particularly elaborate. The report in The Gazette of the United States described the end of the great day: The evening was fine- the company innumerable- every one appeared to enjoy the scene, and no accident cast the smallest cloud upon the retrospect.

Small business managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Small business managment - Essay Example These problems are all caused by having unmotivated employees who will jump, at any chance, to leave the company. In addition, the major fact that supports this is the high employee turnover rate (Robertson 316). Solutions include the downsizing of staff to reduce company expenses, closing down irrelevant divisions that are not performing well, consolidating positions and restructuring the staff (Robertson 316). All the above stated solutions are all solutions that can save a company at the edge of closure, but the best solution is that which includes increasing the motivation of the workers since they are the simple factors that can make or break a company. (Robertson 317) The C.E.O of Intermatic Inc. Miller proved beyond a reasonable doubt that a company may employ many tactics to save itself from failure, but the only best solution is to make the employees happy and comfortable and that will lead to success, and profitability of the

Analyse geopolitical risk of refugees fleeing from Libya to Europe Essay - 1

Analyse geopolitical risk of refugees fleeing from Libya to Europe - Essay Example Instead, now the greatest threat to Europe’s geopolitical stability is external. Europe has been final destination of majority of immigrants from Africa, Middle East, and Asia. However, after the eruption of democratic revolution, ‘Arab Spring’, in 2011 in Tunisia, which swiftly spread to Syria, Egypt, and Libya, the enormous number of refugees and asylum seekers from these countries and other parts of Africa have been risking own lives in overcrowded, decaying boats to enter Europe. According to the reports of Frontex, the European Union’s border control agency, over millions of migrants from Northern Africa, especially from Libya, have attempted to enter Europe via Mediterranean Sea route in the last 2 years. Libya, which is currently suffering from the clashes between two rival governments and their militia, possesses a serious threat to stability and peace in Europe as major terrorists organizations are regularly threatening to infiltrate Europe with a great number of terrorists through massive migrant flow from Libya to Europe’s s outhern coast. Furthermore, the economic burden and the ineffectiveness of EU to tackle the issue of Libyan refuges is intensifying political and social unrest in affecting states, like Italy, Malta, and France. The present paper highlights the growing issue of North African refugees in Europe, which is significantly affecting the geopolitical stability and peace in the region. The root causes of rapidly increasing number of African refugees fleeing to Europe lies in the 2011 Arab spring and ineffective policies of the EU towards it. In 2011, widespread demonstrations against housing shortages and political corruption in Libya quickly turned into violent clashes between government forces and anti-government rebels. In April 2011, when the Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was about to succeed in crushing growing opposition of rebels, the US and major European

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business law - Essay Example There are three main approaches to statutory interpretation, also known as canons. The first is the textual canon which gives rules for interpreting legislation as written. For example, one of the textual canons suggests that anything not mentioned on a list given in a statute is not included in the law. The second is the substantive category, which includes canons that promote the judge to favour specific results or judgements. For example, this includes the Charming Betsy canon, stating that decisions made should not conflict with international law, based upon Murray v. The Charming Betsy (Steele, 2007). Finally, there are a group of deference canons, which allow the court to defer to another authority when using interpretation (Steele, 2007), such as the UK Supreme Court. Question 3 Prior to the Human Rights Act 1998, European Convention was not a source of rights (Steele, 2007), and was not allowed to be used for statutory interpretation in many cases (Steele, 2007). The Human Ri ghts Act 1998 has now made it obligatory for courts to interpret the UK legislation in a way that fits in with European Convention rights (as in the substantive category of canons). This effect can be seen in cases such as Venables and Thompson v. News Group Newspapers [2001] 1 All ER 908 (Clarkson et al, 2008). ... This is also applicable in areas where case law is the source of law because there are no legislative pieces that adequately allow the judge to come to a decision (Gruner, 2004). The strength of binding judicial precedent is that it allows decisions to be made based on previous cases without excessive need for interpretation. However, it does take the focus away from the facts of the case in hand which may cause a wrong decision to be made. Task Two Question 1 The exception to the general rule that a corporation is criminally liable occurs in cases where either the crime or the punishment cannot be committed by or served by a company. For example, in the case of R v ICR Haulage Co Ltd [1944] KB 551 (Gruner, 2004), the company was convicted of a common law conspiracy to defraud. However, it was decided that the company as an entity cannot ‘conspire’ as it does not possess mens rea (Gruner, 2004). Additionally, as the punishment for murder is life imprisonment, a company c annot be convicted as it would not be applicable to an organization. Question 2 Using the principle of identification is difficult in some cases when dealing with business law. For example, a company cannot be convicted of manslaughter without some proof that a directing or leading mind behind the company is the reason for this gross negligence, then the prosecution will fail. The main issue with this is that the directing mind has proven to be extremely difficult to identify in many companies (Laufer, 2008), and only 7 of the 34 work-related manslaughter cases brought since 1997 have succeeded (Select Committee on Home Affairs and Work and Pensions First Report, 2004). To illustrate this, in the case

Unlicensed Personnel & Nurse Staffing Ratios Essay

Unlicensed Personnel & Nurse Staffing Ratios - Essay Example Meanwhile, safety concerns due to educational qualifications and accountability issues emerged simultaneously with the increasing demand for UAP because of documented incidental errors. Some say that the UAP is accountable because he committed the error while others say that it was the nurse to blame for errors because of the responsibility inclined with the license. In this case, should unlicensed assistive personnel be licensed by the individual state boards of nursing? As mentioned earlier, UAPs lack enough educational qualifications and training compared to those with baccalaureate degree. Giving these UAPs licenses will neither solve the increasing number of errors in the hospital settings nor make them solely accountable for negligence. In fact, this might just deteriorate nursing education in the future because of the lack of clear boundaries. UAPs are given certificate or diploma or training for low level tasks like toileting, bathing, feeding, skin care, and ambulating whereas nurses are given licenses for high level tasks which require critical thinking, reasoning skills, and nursing judgment such as in making nursing assessments. If the individual state boards of nursing would give license to UAPs, nursing students might think that there are no differences at all and might prefer the shorter track; thus, making future nurses less qualified for the job. In addition, giving UAPs licenses will not make them solely free from accountability as proper delegation is one of the key responsibilities of nurses. If UAP committed an error, the nurse is also accountable for negligence because the National Council of State Boards of Nursing provide specific guidance about scope of practice and proper delegation among nurses (Sherman and Eggenberger, 2009, 7). Instead of giving UAPs licenses, why not strengthened the delegation practices of nurses? Most of the documented errors committed by UAPs

Puerto Rico - A commonwealth with U.S.A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Puerto Rico - A commonwealth with U.S.A - Essay Example The enjoining of Puerto Rico, according to analysts and researchers in historical studies, as a commonwealth in USA, is one that requires a detailed understanding of the events that took place prior and after the 1952 event. With the USA developing a relationship with Puerto Rico in the 1898 Spanish-American warfare, by the 20th century Puerto Rico was under the martial support of USA. In regards to the words by Levy & Bahrawi, by the year 1947 Puerto Rico was granted the right to select their own ruler, thanks to the US government (28). With Munoz Marin taking over Puerto Rico, the country arrived at the rank of US commonwealth in October 1950. Levy & Bahrawi indicate that the signing of the Puerto Rico Commonwealth Bill guaranteed the country’s status as a commonwealth of USA (28). On the other hand, the citizens of Puerto Rico consistently supported this status by voting for spiraling of the rapport between Puerto Rico and USA. However, it is vital to note that though the ratio for the commonwealth status was extremely high as opposed to the advocates against the commonwealth status, the nationalist movement was extremely willing to campaign for independence. Levy & Bahrawi are of the view that by January 2005 when Anibal Acevedo-Vila was elected the governor of Puerto Rico, the country was driven towards a struggle for autonomy or statehood of the country (29). It can, therefore, be argued that the commonwealth status of Puerto Rico was attained after granting of American citizenship to the Puerto Ricans. This was to later be a conflict especially after the disasters that faced the country under the American rule. In this case, the Puerto Ricans wanted change to be on their own. Puerto Ricans- USA citizens In the research compiled by Thomas, Puerto Ricans attained what would be referred as an exceptional status of US citizens (136). Though the Puerto Ricans were viewed as burdens to the New Yorkers especi ally in terms of distribution of resources in the city, Thomas is of the opinion that the Puerto Ricans were already US citizens and a long struggle would see to their independence (137). In the year 1917, the then US president, Woodrow Wilson signed the Jones- Shafroth Act which legalized the Puerto Ricans to be U.S. citizens. This is unlike the previous years when the Puerto Rico was a commonwealth of US. Upon signing of the Jones- Shafroth Act the Puerto Ricans became full US citizens. The Puerto Rican government was made similar to that of USA, as well as the Puerto Ricans enjoying civil rights in the country according to Sanchez (41). Of essence, Sanchez indicates that the Puerto Ricans became USA citizens after the signing of Jones-Shafroth Act (42). Though a lot of resentment resulted from this move, a majority of the Puerto Ricans would be forced to participate in US wars against other states, an aspect which did not please the Puerto Ricans. Protests followed soon after to campaign against USA control over Puerto Rico’s constitutional rules and the U.S. Congress. (517 words) Summary From the depictions by the authors of the works of the history of Puerto Rico, I not only like the pieces of compilations, but I am also impressed by the quality and depth of research conducted by the authors. In the work by Levy & Bahrawi on Puerto Rico for example, it is easy to get a glimpse of the history of Puerto Rico and commonwealth from the headings in the work. These headings allow the reader get a quick search of the related chapters and the facts behind the years. Levy & Bahrawi are also keen to give the accurate dates of the chronology of events that took place during that particular time in history, an aspect that makes me believe the facts inscribed in the book. The context of events is also evident from the piece, which gives the author an idea of what happened before, at the particular time and after the event. The reader therefore gets a clear pict ure of the entire theme brought forward by the authors. Having