Importance of Scholarships

Scholarships are way more than just a payment for college.  By making it possible for someone who may not have been financially able to attend a good college, a scholarship can completely change someone's life for the better.  It can grant them much better careers and opportunities in life and help them have more success overall during their lifetime.  As I stated previously, in our society scholarships are very important because even if you are great at your profession, a job will most likely higher someone with a college degree over you.  Also with the acquired success and money that the recipient earns as a result of their education they will be able to better provide for their children and ensure that they get a great education, and this could carry on from generation to generation within a family.

Reflection Blog

What do I have left to do?:

1. Retake SAT for higher grade
2. Become involved in more extracurricular/volunteer work
3. Meet admission deadlines
4. Write essays
5. Letters of recommendation (if needed)
6. Acquire class credits
7. Housing, tuition, loans, etc.

Timeline:

1. SAT Retake: May 2015
2. Extracurricular/volunteer work: Now until graduation
3. Admission Deadlines: Earliest, March 1st 2016, Latest, December 1st 2016
4. Writes essays: beginning January 2016
5. Get letters of recommendation: beginning January 2016
6. Finish getting required credits: May 2016
7. Housing, tuition, loans, etc.: When accepted

Academically I am doing pretty well as I have straight A's this year and my GPA is improving, however I do need to improve my SAT scores for some colleges.  I also need to continue to improve my GPA to better my overall chances of being admitted to any one of these colleges. Last, I just need to become more involved in volunteer and extracurricular work prior to applying to any colleges.

I believe these colleges are all pretty good options for me, however I must continue to evaluate my best options for the career in which I will choose to pursue.  Currently, I'm leaning towards a career in art and it seems that UNT in Denton has the most to offer, however if I must continue to evaluate all options in case I find something that I feel will be even better for me.

U.S. vs France Education

In my project I analyzed the French education system, and during my research I noticed that France seemed to offer a bit more in terms of educational opportunities than the U.S.  In France, students begin Kindergarten or pre-school at age 2 to age 6 and study reading, writing, mathematics, and sometimes even a foreign language.  Already, the French school system seems to be superior compared to the U.S. where students begin school at about age 5 and learning a foreign language is unheard of.  The grade school to middle school levels are much more similar to that of the U.S., however high schools in france seem to offer more specific and advanced education in areas such as micro technologies or aeronautics.

Is a College Degree Necessary/Worth It?

A college degree is most definitely necessary and worth the cost. In our society a job will hire primarily based on whether or not you have a college degree.  Therefore, you may be the best at your specific trade, however a if you do not have a college degree, or a less significant degree, then your desired job may hire someone with a more superior college education.  This means that at least the most basic college degree is very vital in order to have success in your career primarily because it provides you with more credibility.  A college degree is also very well worth the cost and time, however it is very important to select an education in a career that you love, and that pays abundantly.  Taking this route insures that your time and money will pay off because you will have an enjoyable job that you may use to repay all of your college expenses, and the time you put into college will give you the experience you need to work well in your job setting. Not only will the time spent help you to be a better business man/woman, but it will also help you to become more social and raise your ability to interact with others.  Therefore, when you consider the ideas held by corporations in our society you will realize that a college education is most definitely necessary and if you are wise, the time and money spent will benefit you strongly, because college will help you in your overall preparation for the real world.

Spring Break

This spring break I did not do anything. I stayed home almost the entire time and was as lazy as possible. However, I did manage to do some homework and finish a project I also helped my dad work for a day. Other than that my break consisted of sleep and an games, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Friday Blog

1. My most influential leaders are most definitely my parents. I believe so because they are the the adults that I see, and learn from every day. I learn so much about life and things that will help me in life from my parents.

2. I believe Keating means that, although practices such as medicine, law, business and engineering are all very important in sustaining human life, poetry is one of the main reasons that we have a desire to stay alive due to the fact that the human race is filled with a desire for poetry, beauty, romance and love. Yes, I agree with this quote and I believe that poetry plays a huge role in satisfying our desire for entertainment, and not only is poetry just writing but it is in music and other forms of entertainment.

3. Yes, I strongly agree that things must be viewed in a different light because it can help you learn and understand how others are feeling and why people do certain things. When people have different views than I do, I try to put myself in their shoes and understand them. Sometimes, when I look at things differently I find that they sometimes aren't as they seem.

4. If I could contribute one "verse" to the world it would most likely be through some form of art that inspires people to better themselves so we would ultimately have a happier world.

Thursday Blog

1. No, I do not think Neil would have committed suicide if Mr. Keating was not in his life. I believe so because Mr. Keating is the main person that inspired Neil to pursue his dream against his fathers will, which led Neil's father to send him to Military School and Medical School which ultimately caused Neil to commit suicide. However, I believe that if Keating had not inspired Neil he would have most likely lived a very unhappy life and possibly committed suicide anyway.

2. I believe that Todd is the bravest of the Keating boy's because he overcame his shyness and was not afraid to object in favor of Mr. Keating at the end of the movie. Cameron is the biggest coward because he was very quick to betray his friends and Mr. Keating to save himself.

3. I think the book was placed there by Mr. Keating. Mr. Keating most likely put it there to further encourage the boys to think for themselves and be original by introducing them to more poetry. Therefore it was most likely as a some sort of psychological test for the boys.

WednesdayBlog

I believe the central theme of Dead Poet's Society was "Carpe Diem," meaning seize the day. It's what Mr. Keating first told his English students when he took them to look at photos of the dead former graduates of the school. He wanted them to make their lives extraordinary, to do some different, and to pursue their dreams. Neil used this and followed his passion for theatre. Knox pursued the girl he loved. And the Todd eventually learned to be bold enough to speak up by breaking out of his shyness. However, Mr. Keating was viewed negatively for telling them to break free and not to conform, especially in the time period and the school that they were in. Being part of the "norm", and being just like everybody else was more expected than being unique individuals at Welton. When Neil killed himself because his parents would not let him be an actor and were dictating everything about his life, including sending him to military school and then medical school, they looked for someone to blame. Therefore, Mr. Keating and his advice to follow your passions and seize the day were considered the reason for Neil's suicide and Keating was fired. Then the boys were forced to testify against him. They were very saddened about their decision to turn against someone they respected and loved, and about following like sheep the orders of the school. Todd, who was initially the most shy of the group was the first to stand upon his desk and speak out as Mr. Keating was packing his belongings and leaving, protesting to him that they don't actually think it was his fault. The headmaster yelled at Todd, and told him to sit down and be quiet pretty much the same lesson they're taught every day except in Mr. Keating's class. But Todd stays on top of his desk, quoting Walt Whitman and saying, "farewell O Captain! My Captain!" which was a poem that they were taught by Mr. Keating prior to his dismissal. Then the other boys who were encouraged and influenced by Mr. Keating's lessons also found the courage to stand up and say goodbye, despite what the headmaster said, or the possible punishments. So I believe the central theme of  Dead Poet's Society was about seizing the day, making the most of your time before you die, and about being unique and following your passions and being unafraid to stand up for what you believe in.

Character Questions

1. Todd, because in the beginning of the story he was very shy and kept to himself, however by the end of the story he was no longer afraid to speak his mind and stand in front of others.

2. I think that the static characters where, Mr. Keating, Cameron, Neil's father and the school leaders. They are all static because they kept the same beliefs and personalities throughout the movie.

3. Mr. Keating is definitely a static character because he never changed the values that he believed even when others where opposing him and his personality was also never changed.

4. As stated Todd was very shy and easily intimidated by crowds and speaking in front of others However, by the end of the movie, Todd has found his voice by proving he could stand up and express himself when it really mattered. Todd was also the first to stand on the desk in respect for Mr. Keating. Neil was very passionate about acting but his father was not accepting of his acting dreams. When Neil overcame his fear of his father and performed in a play his father declared that Neil attend military school which led Neil to commit suicide. Knox was a dynamic, outgoing, and determined character. He did not really have any fears however, he was deeply in love with Chris and he finally convinced her to be with him. Charlie was very power driven and he didn't really any specific fear.

Mona Lisa Smile Questions

1. Discuss the role(s) of women in the 1950s as portrayed in the movie. How are they different from the view of Katherine Watson?

In the 1950's women were primarily expected to be servants and caretakers of the home. It was almost necessary for all women to learn proper housekeeping skills and to know how to do things such as, cooking, cleaning, and caring for children. If a woman did not know how to do these things then she would be viewed negatively. These roles are much different than the ideas that Katherine Watson had in the movie "Mona Lisa Smile". Katherine believed that young women should seek to achieve more for themselves and be more intelligent rather than just being normal housewives or servants. Her views were very contradicting to what was expected by society.

1. Katherine Watson was said to be "subversive". What is your understanding of this term?

I think to be subversive means to cause change or alternate certain ideas within an established system. For example, in the movie "Mona Lisa Smile," Katherine Watson's teaching methods and ideas completely contradicted the ideas already held by Wellesley Leaders. However, she continued to impose her unorthodox methods of teaching her art history class. 

Comparison

I believe that Charles Dickens, the author of the excerpt has a very different style of teaching opposed to Katherine Watson's style in Mona Lisa Smile. Charles Dickens seems to believe that teachers should strictly teach students known facts and nothing else. This most likely means that he believes that teachers should not allow students to have their own freedom of thought regarding school subjects. Katherine, however believes that students should be allowed to have more freedom of thought and the opportunity to think outside-of-the-box and question what they are learning.

Mona Lisa Smile

I think that this was excellent movie. My favorite part of the movie was the ending when Katherine and all of the girls were happy and following their dreams. My favorite theme was the idea of Katherine not being afraid to do what she believed is right even when others where against her. This is also the message that I received from this movie because I agree that people should stand for what they believe in.

Trailer

I think that this movie will be about a young woman who is trying to gain an education and make a life for herself. I think that she will go to college and face many obstacles. However, I believe that she will overcome these obstacles and be successful in life. Finally, she will find someone and fall in love and have a happy family. This looks like a very good movie and I am extremely excited to see this movie.

College Level Exams

I think that high school and college level exams are only different in a few ways. One main difference is that high school tests and exams are taken much more frequently than college level tests and exams. High school tests are taken almost weekly and most college tests are taken about once a semester. Teachers in high school also usually give a talk through where they discuss specific information that you will need for the upcoming test, while in college you are expected to retain and study ALL of the information that you have learned over the semester. I think that high school tests are probably easier than college tests. I believe I should take the same steps to prepare for each. I should spend my time prior to the test studying, resting and staying very focused. I will do the same for both however I will most likely spend more time preparing for college tests because they are usually longer.