Monday, August 31, 2009
Summary 1: Some Colleges Use SAT Test Scores Inappropriately!?
Mere 30-point bump on SAT can pay off big in admissions
By Mary Beth Marklein, USA TODAY
(http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-05-20-SAT-prep_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip)
Summary: The non-profit National Association for College Admission Counseling released a study based on a survey of 246 college admission officials nationwide that raised concerns about inappropriate use of SAT test scores. This study was put together to see the effect of studying for college admission exams. Various independent studies have estimated that on average a test-taker can improve their reading and math scores by 30 points with tutoring. The College Board, which owns the test, says that’s only a small bump on the 1600-point SAT. However, if everything in the student's application were the same, the study showed that 20% to 40% of officials at 130 colleges who consider the SAT scores in admissions said that the 30 points would "significantly improve a student's chances of admissions". The association did state that this problem happens in only a small number of cases and there are plans the fix them because the 30 point advantage could be attributed to measurement error. Also the association for admissions professionals cautions against using scores as a sole criterion for such decisions.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Top 3 Most Noteworthy News Experiences
My first most memorable, or noteworthy, news experience is way back when I was in preschool and into first grade. I lived in Pine City and attended the Little Red School as well as the Catholic school in town. I was featured in the paper all the time. I remember being featured in the paper for a school performance we put together. It was all about the alphabet and we carried around giant letters and sang songs to help memorize words and things that had to do with the letters we were holding. I still have all the newspapers articles featuring me because my grandma was kind enough to cut them out and put them into a picture book. Since then I can’t remember a time that I have been featured in a paper (well except for the time when our senior class took a national band tour in Italy, but that was the whole group, not just me as an individual).
My second most memorable news experience would have to be the time when my parents were put on Channel 5, as well as printed in the Pioneer Press and Shoreview Press for their inflatable collection. I should say my stepdads inflatable collection. He has over 150 if I remember correctly. Channel 5 came out to interview both my parents on every holiday for a whole year and put together a collaboration of all the inflatable fun to be seen. Not only did they showcase all the different holidays with the matching inflatable collection, but they also told people where they could see this huge collection in person. All this publicity from the news and papers brought tons of people. Not only were people coming out, but buses and limos were making my parents house a place to stop and talk about. It is crazy heading over there for the holidays because I have to wait inline to park at their house! Even then people were angry that I was parking because it got in their way or something. Its like, “I’m sorry that this is my parent’s house and I want to have a holiday with them.” Nonetheless, it was cool seeing my parents get attention. They still do every year!
(Unfortunately this one is a sad one) My final most memorable news experience would have to be the time when I was sitting at home watching WCCO 4 news and my lifetime friend’s grandfather came on. Apparently he had been in his house when someone with a shotgun fired upon him and killed him. That was all that was said at this point. No suspects or anything to note. Later I find out that he had gotten up out of bed to make a sandwich for a late night snack. While he was in the process an unknown man randomly walking by took his shotgun and shot him in the chest through the back patio window. The reason they found the suspect is because the next night he walked to another random residence and shot the person living there as well. Plus there was no connection between the two individuals killed. It was shocking and really sad. What made it the most memorable is a few weeks later I was listening to KDWB and the host was talking about this incident and making fun of the suspects. Like, “Man if he didn’t have the munchies, he would still be alive today.” It was appalling and I called in and had a few choice words with them because it made me sick to my stomach the rest of the day. How dare them…
My second most memorable news experience would have to be the time when my parents were put on Channel 5, as well as printed in the Pioneer Press and Shoreview Press for their inflatable collection. I should say my stepdads inflatable collection. He has over 150 if I remember correctly. Channel 5 came out to interview both my parents on every holiday for a whole year and put together a collaboration of all the inflatable fun to be seen. Not only did they showcase all the different holidays with the matching inflatable collection, but they also told people where they could see this huge collection in person. All this publicity from the news and papers brought tons of people. Not only were people coming out, but buses and limos were making my parents house a place to stop and talk about. It is crazy heading over there for the holidays because I have to wait inline to park at their house! Even then people were angry that I was parking because it got in their way or something. Its like, “I’m sorry that this is my parent’s house and I want to have a holiday with them.” Nonetheless, it was cool seeing my parents get attention. They still do every year!
(Unfortunately this one is a sad one) My final most memorable news experience would have to be the time when I was sitting at home watching WCCO 4 news and my lifetime friend’s grandfather came on. Apparently he had been in his house when someone with a shotgun fired upon him and killed him. That was all that was said at this point. No suspects or anything to note. Later I find out that he had gotten up out of bed to make a sandwich for a late night snack. While he was in the process an unknown man randomly walking by took his shotgun and shot him in the chest through the back patio window. The reason they found the suspect is because the next night he walked to another random residence and shot the person living there as well. Plus there was no connection between the two individuals killed. It was shocking and really sad. What made it the most memorable is a few weeks later I was listening to KDWB and the host was talking about this incident and making fun of the suspects. Like, “Man if he didn’t have the munchies, he would still be alive today.” It was appalling and I called in and had a few choice words with them because it made me sick to my stomach the rest of the day. How dare them…
Michelle
Monday, August 24, 2009
Introduction
I would like to start out by saying that this will be my last semester before I complete my Associate in Applied Arts Degree at Anoka Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids. Even though my AA Degree will be complete, I will continue to attend ARCC to become an RN. I will eventually transfer to the University of Minnesota. I have been attending ARCC for almost 3 years and I enjoy it a lot. In April of this year I was elected VP of Leadership for the Phi Theta Kappa which is a great honor. I have been a member of the Phi Theta Kappa for almost 3 years now and finally took a board position. I took journalism because I love reading and writing, as well as expressing myself though photojournalism. Overall, I thought taking a journalism class would be an expansion to that passion.
I have written stories and poems for the Rapids Review at ARCC-Coon Rapids and hope to write more. I also hope that being a board member of the Phi Theta Kappa will allow me to write for the ARCC-Coon Rapids newspaper, the Salmagundi. Other than my school activities, I love to be outdoors! My husband and I try to do something every weekend that involves us getting outside. This last weekend we went to the Renaissance Festival and had a blast. Other then that I work as a waitress and we are expecting our first son in November around Thanksgiving (not only our first son, but our first baby!). We are super excited for that :D Thank goodness we picked out a two bedroom apartment from day one.
That's about it.
I have written stories and poems for the Rapids Review at ARCC-Coon Rapids and hope to write more. I also hope that being a board member of the Phi Theta Kappa will allow me to write for the ARCC-Coon Rapids newspaper, the Salmagundi. Other than my school activities, I love to be outdoors! My husband and I try to do something every weekend that involves us getting outside. This last weekend we went to the Renaissance Festival and had a blast. Other then that I work as a waitress and we are expecting our first son in November around Thanksgiving (not only our first son, but our first baby!). We are super excited for that :D Thank goodness we picked out a two bedroom apartment from day one.
That's about it.
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