How its made Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

How its made - Essay Example 23-29, 2005). Sandpaper first came out in the 13th century, invented by the Chinese when strong and tough materials of that age, such as shell pieces, seeds, and sand adhered to parchment rolls through natural gum obtained from the trees. In those days, people also made use of natural rough surfaces such as fish skin with scales to achieve results similar to that of sandpaper. However, the first invention, which looked much more like today’s sandpaper came out as glass paper, formed through pieces of glass and sand combined together on paper. By 1716, coated paper came forward in Paris, but the original invention of sandpaper goes back into 1834 in United States by Isaac Fischer, Jr., of  Springfield, Vermont. Its grade further improved when it took over another property of also being waterproof in 1916, changing from sandpaper to Wetrodry, which helped improve the grade quality without acting as a seal upon automotive paint refinishing. The most peculiar use of sandpaper is its application as a musical instrument by Leroy Anderson in his famous  Sandpaper Ballet (Capotosto, pp. 73, 1991). Sandpaper, no matter with its name specifically refers to surface of paper and sand, in reality denies the presence of both the materials, but is completely made of other organic or synthetic minerals and adhesives. There are many materials other than the simple usage of sand and paper, in the development of this multi functioning piece of paper, which give it its unique qualities. Most significantly, the abrading materials, which give it the aggressive wiping ability comes through the combination of many materials. These include flint, garnet (for wood work), emery (substance used for cleaning metal surfaces), aluminum oxide (giving the paper its metal oxide property), silicon carbide (only used in very fine grits),

Introduction to Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Introduction to Critical Thinking - Essay Example e of cancer is highly reported on men as compared to women since men are likely to be affected 3 times as compared to women (AGNEW, GILCHREST & BUNKER, 2005). Age bracket highly affected are those between 45 and 54 of age. Many cancers are caused by the ultra-violet radiation as this tends to suppress the immune functionality and the aging. Basing on the above fact about cancer there is an issue that tomatoes protect the skin against skin that would later prevent it against cancer infection (DELMAS, JANNIN & LATRUFFE, 2005). In this regard, this is the issue that I have chosen to discuss on in my paper. It is worthwhile noting that ultra-violet radiation from the sun exerts aging and carcinogenic effects on the skin through the oxidative stress, inflammation and damage of DNA. Due to these facts, there has been a lot of desire to find out more on skin cancer by the scientist community in using antioxidants from plant foods to protect against these damages. Through use of animal study, photo-protection has been demonstrated. This was achieved by use of variety of antioxidant supplements that involved green tea catechins, proanthocyanadins, resveratrol, and silymarin (SUN-WATERHOUSE, 2011). These substances are antioxidant. In addition, they are also able to absorb ultra-violet rays from the sun when applied typically, more so enable repair of damaged DNA and also reduce inflammations. Pink and red fruits such as tomato, grapefruit and papaya are thought to have lycopene a carotenoid antioxidant which is well known for its prostate cancer protective effects. This is usually of high content in well cocked tomato products such as tomato pastes. Lycopene is well known to be a very powerful antioxidant that is vitro which is a known to prevent or repair the damaged DNA that could lead to cancer development. Moreover, lycopene stimulates the production of antioxidant enzymes and hinders signals that could lead to development of tumours. Through recent research, it

Emotion as Mediators Analytical Tool and Hurdle Essay Example for Free

Emotion as Mediators Analytical Tool and Hurdle Essay Emotion is often associated with feeling expressed in any situation at any given time an individual may encounter. â€Å"In psychology it signifies a reaction involving certain physiological changes, such as an accelerated or retarded pulse rate, the diminished or increased activities of certain glands, or a change in body temperature, which stimulate the individual, or some component part of his or her body, to further activity† (Microsoft ® Encarta ®, 2007). It is very peculiar for a person not to show any reaction to circumstances especially when provoked by another person he is in conflict with. In this light, the role of a mediator is very important in bridging the gap between parties in conflict to find a common ground that possibly move toward a resolution. This paper will discuss the vital role of emotion in conflicts. Considering that emotion is the center of creation and nature of conflict, the probability of managing conflicts may be influenced by emotion as well. The book Meditating Dangerously tells that â€Å"The ostensible purpose of mediation is to ameliorate danger, pacify hurt feelings, and create safe spaces within which dialogue can replace debate, where interest-based negotiation can substitute for a struggle for power† (p. 3). A challenge is laid on my table, to be able to answer how much emotion can only surface to make any progress in the case? How does a mediator controls his emotion over the case? Background of the study It was on 11th of April, 2008 when I first went solo as a mediator. Prior to my case was my friend Diego working on his case between a tenant demanding from her landlord. It was a messy case, but the point to me was how hard it was to manage the raucous lady. She kept screaming and interrupting the landlord and the mediator with her suffered pain with her grievance. It was to the point where we had a security coming in from other room to tell us to calm things down because there was a trial going in our adjacent room. Still she did not cooperate. Having to observe Diego went through a very hard time over his case with the uncontrollable lady and her landlord, the sense of trepidation that I felt had challenged me. I needed to manage my own case without having to go through the same traumatic experience. When my turn came, I had to face five ladies – three plaintiffs and two defendants. I laid out the general rule of explaining mediation as a voluntary process and the bound to confidentiality, etc. I wanted to make sure that my case will not go mishandled. Also, I wanted to assure myself and the parties involved that we are there to solve not a screaming spar like the previous case. During the debriefing with Professor Joshua Jack, he asked why did I say ‘respect’ and ‘no yelling’? By laying the ground rules in the beginning, did I hinder the parties’ true feelings to come out? Professor Jack gave further comments on my case: â€Å"Parties in conflict very often come into the mediation with strong senses of victimization, self righteousness, mistrust, and other negative judgments of one another. If a person thinks that the other is a liar and cheater both in this situation and generally, can they express this honest perspective and still be within the bounds of our rule? It is my view that, if we have any hope of facilitating any real transformation, we have to allow parties to express their true, even if ugly, perspectives. † If we tell people to be nice, they will sometimes accommodate us, but by squelching the expression of the true depth and magnitude of their experience and perception, we also squelch the potential for real transformation and resolution. † According to Bowling and Hoffman (2003), â€Å"The most direct and obvious impact that the mediator has on the mediation process comes from the techniques he or she uses to influence the course of negotiations. These interventions, based on the mediator’s assessment of the obstacles to settlement, might involve giving the parties an opportunity to vent emotional reactions to the dispute, encouraging the parties to focus on interests rather than positions, or helping the parties generate options for settlement† (p. 19). With all due respect to Professor Jack, I know he is a great and experienced mediator. However, as a new mediator, the first thing I want to do is to make sure I have the case in control with confidence. By saying respect, I gave the parties the notion that we are to discuss the dispute, and find a solution as educated people. With the said experience, Professor Jeanne Cleary gave her comments as well: â€Å"Tricky issue, how much control to start out with, based on past experience and with the understanding that the folks in front of you are new and not the past case. You will find your balanced style with this – between too much control that may stifle what’s really going on for them (which will most always include feelings) and too little control (which will be unproductive for folks to hear each other). Keep at developing your sense of that balance as you continue. † Emotional Intelligence as a Tool for Mediators It is not as strange as it may sound to mindfully express emotion with dignity still intact. Emotional intelligence, defined by Salovey and Mayer (1990) in their Ability Model as â€Å"the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions† is very helpful for a mediator in handling mediation between two clashing parties to surface the emotion and be adept at bringing out the feelings from the parties while remaining impartial. Caruso and Salovey (2004) expounded this model as four key emotional skills in Table 1. In this manner, Goleman’s (1998) (as cited in Johnson, Levine, and Richard, 2003) definition of emotional intelligence (EQ) â€Å"as the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships† (p. 317) was able to strengthen the argument of emotional intelligence as a tool for mediators. According to Johnson et al. (2003), â€Å"Allowing emotion to emerge in a mediation, however requires a mediator with a high degree of emotional intelligence †¦ improving one’s emotional intelligence is an essential development path for mediators. As EQ improves, a mediator becomes more comfortable with his or her ability to manage an emotional process successfully† (p. 155). Johnson et al. (2003) were also sharp by saying the essence of developing emotional intelligence because â€Å"Absent the ability to deal with emotions, the true power of mediation is lost. Absent the ability to create space for parties to express difficult emotions, it is unlikely that any resolution reached will last† (p. 164).

The Preventing Of Teenage Pregnancy

The Preventing Of Teenage Pregnancy Teenage pregnancy is a term used to address girls between the ages of 13-19 years who become pregnant (UNICEF, 2008).Teenage pregnancy and its resultant health issues are of concern worldwide. In Ghana, for example, according Keller, Hilton Tsumasi-Ankrah (1999), nearly 1/3 of the childbirths recorded in public hospitals occurred to women less than 19 years of age. Meanwhile, Guttmacher (2012) reported that in The United States of America, 750,000 teen pregnancies occur yearly. Health messages are crucial in effecting behavioural change of preventable factors on health (Mokdad et al; 2004). This message is created in an attempt to influence change in behaviour and can as well be used not only for changing adolescents sexual health behaviours, but also for informing and educating a larger population. This essay will address the following: chosen medium, the rational for the message addressing political issues supporting its use, the underpinning health belief model, ways of evaluating the success of the health message, its impact on a wider population and, the influence of nurses, other health professionals and lay persons on health promotion regarding teenage pregnancy. According to Guttmacher (2012), 3,312 girls become pregnant every 24 hours. Also, in every 26 seconds a teenage girl becomes pregnant and a child is born to a teen mother every 56 seconds. It is therefore sensible to explore the extent of teenage pregnancy and its impact. De Vienne, Creveuil Dreyfus (2009), believes that 70,000 teenagers die yearly from obstetrical complications, and 1 million infants born to adolescent mothers die before their first year of life. Although the majority of teenage pregnancies occur in developing countries, one million babies are born annually to teenage mothers in the developed world. According to (Adeyinka, Oladimeji, Adekanbi, 2010), in 2003 42/1000 births in the US were to adolescents. Furthermore, it has been reported that adolescents are at a higher risk for adverse outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, pre-eclampsia, congenital anomalies, uterine rupture and infant death than their older counterparts (Phipps, Blume DeMonner, 2002) . In view of the health problems the world is confronted with as a result of teenage pregnancy, this message is aimed at creating awareness of the various causes and outcomes of teenage pregnancy. It also aims at promoting healthy sexual behaviours, to give the youth the skill and knowledge they need to refuse sex, delaying the onset of sex and to practice safer sex and to reduce the number of conceptions among adolescents (Kirby, 2007).The message will also help debunk certain ideologies and myths about sex education such as those with regards to certain words or body part being unmentionable and the taboos of sex education that influence the human sexuality negatively (Adepoju, 2005). Consequently, advances in communication strategies have changed how individuals access, assess, communicate and use information. Egger et al (1999), stated that health promotions are motivational and informative messages directed to one or more people. The idea of attaining improved health and a better quality of life needs tailoring our educational messages to the particular group of people it is intended for, taken into account the cultural practices of the community as such programmes involve community members who participate to define and solve the problems (Denison et al, 2009) Cultural, religious and traditional issues influence sexual behaviours. Personally, in my area of practice culturally acceptable sex education is given using, local dialects in folk songs, radio drama and role plays avoiding sexually explicit words. This way community values are respected as well as responded to. In recent years there has been a much stronger religious and political focus on the teaching of sex abstinence in schools than in the past years (Butts Rich, 2008). This is to add to the existing knowledge that most religious group preach abstinence before marriage e.g. Islam and Catholics even preach against contraception hence telling the youth to abstain from sex (Citizens Budget Commission, 2012). Contrarily, some social customs induce girls to stay out of school and enter into early sexual relationship were girls are given away in marriage at puberty (Keller et al; 1999). These observations considered a health promotion message using role play will inform the adolescen ts on causes, complications and prevention, of teen pregnancy and motherhood in a non-judgmental approach. Role play therefore, is considered the appropriate medium as it focuses not on acting but on the actions of the characters. It helps in the process of decision making and clarifies judgments and behaviours and lastly it encourages looking beyond the self and into another person in a close and more intimate manner than reading or lectures allows (Rowles and Russo, 2009). Role play is unscripted and a dramatic technique of message delivery that encourages people to improve behaviours that illustrate expected actions of persons in a defined situation (Lowenstein, 2007). In the delivery of such messages ethical issues could arise. Everyone needs to have equal access to care, thus the principle of justice must be considered and the nurse is to do good by providing the information and education they need but she has to seek consent from parents before she could go ahead. In developed nations parents can decide they dont want their wards to sit in for such programs according discussions by fellow students from the UK whereas from experience in Ghana one needs to just tell the head teacher when the nurse is coming. It is important to recognise that in carrying out the principles of beneficence and non maleficence, the question will be how much information is too much? Knowledge of when information given becomes unethical is important. Appropriate information must be presented in an age appropriate manner as there will be potential harm if a wrong and inappropriate message is chosen. An ethical dilemma will arise when a choice has to be made between stand ardised and acceptable programs that are available (Miller et al; 2011) e.g. teaching abstinence as opposed to safer sex practice. Inappropriate programs for a particular age group could easily be misinterpreted and result in the adolescent being misled as she perceives the information differently from the way the educator intended for the message to be received (Miller et al; 2011). Promoting the health and wellbeing of adolescents is a vital part of every society including health workers. Teenagers have been recognised to be at high risk of health-damaging behaviours such as teenage pregnancy (Jacobson Pill, 1997).Similarly, Reeve (2002) in his study revealed that healthcare providers have the potential to strengthen young peoples awareness of appropriate sources of help and information, comprehensive sex education programs and advice on sexual health. He also reported that, the introduction of contraceptive services delivered by nurses, as well as trained teenage advisors or lay persons will be associated with an increase in the number of people attending for advice and contraceptives. Contrary to these assertions Thomson Scott (1991), criticised that sexual health education at school has little or no relationship to the real choices and pressures around sexual health that affects the young women. Furthermore, Denison et al (2009), proposed that every agent of health care including lay persons/peers can partake in communicating the causes and effects of teen pregnancy by mobilising community members to participate in role plays which will illustrate causes, complications and where to get help whether in the community or the hospital setup. According to MARIE STOPES INTERNATIONAL (2012), in 1998 in England, the pregnancy of girls under 18years conception rate fell by 13.3% over 5 years. There has also been a shift in societys views about how best to tackle problems like high teenage pregnancy rates and poor sexual health amongst young people. Increasingly, from a personal perspective parents and professionals will recognise the need to offer teenagers with opportunities to talk about how they feel openly, skills and self-confidence they need to deal with the situations they face regarding sexuality. Also it will raise awareness in the community and at national levels which will in turn help them to strategise and tailor programs to help the youth to understand the way in which sex is, to help them know that relationships portrayed in the media are not always accurate and the appreciation of the challenges and responsibilities of parenthood. This includes supporting them delay early sex, equipping them to stay safe and healthy when they do become sexually active. Parents will play a more positive role in supporting their children on sex and relationship issues (Primarolo Merron, 2010). According to Sexual Offences Act (2003), in UK the age of consent for female and their male counterparts is 16 years. This means men who ha ve sexual intercourse with girls below 16years of age will be prosecuted. Meanwhile there are such clear cut age ranges and laws in Ghana expect for rape cases. Also support from national and international agencies may include development of national training standards on relationships and sexual health to provide a constant framework for local workforce development (Primarolo Merron, 2010). The evaluation of sexual health promotion programs has to be SMART-Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reliable and Time bound (Haughey, 2012). Assessments of sex education programmes can vary from changes in knowledge, attitudes and values to those of behavioural change including initiation of sexual activity and pregnancy rates (Fullerton, 2004). Arguably, initiation of sexual activity cannot easily be evaluated if the adolescent does not openly discuss it. Also clear statements given by students about the outcomes of unprotected sex and how those outcomes could be avoided at the end of the session (Vincent, Geiger, Willis, 1994). The aims of sex education are often motivational, relating to lifelong quality of relationships, as well as pregnancy and STI prevention (Fullerton, 2004). Moreover, studies have demonstrated that health decision making is a process in which the individual moves through a series of stages or phases. Interactions with persons or events at each of these stages influence the individuals decisions and subsequent behaviour (Rosenstock, 2005). As a matter of fact, behavioural change is a difficult process which starts with enabling change in personal behaviours of individuals by giving them the knowledge to do so through education (Bellamy, 2004). The health belief model posits that people who perceive themselves as susceptible to negative outcomes are more likely to reduce risky behaviours than those who do not see themselves at risk (Janz Becker, 1984). The model postulates four conditions that predict a health related behaviour; perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, perceived benefits and barriers (Janz Becker, 1984). Perceive susceptibility refers to ones perception of the likelihood of contracting a health disease or condition (Witte et al; 1996) or becoming pregnant in this case. It helps individuals to adapt to healthier lifestyles. The more the teenager perceives the outcomes of teenage pregnancy, the more they will try to avoid it. Witte et al (1996) again stated that perceived severity will be the teenagers belief about the implications of a health risk. The perception of severity is often based on the health information given or knowledge about the severity of a condition and difficulties it will create on general wellbeing. If she thinks of it as a serious issue she will try to avoid getting pregnant. Also, the concept of perceived benefits is the teens judgments of the value of the action that will lessen the risk of getting pregnant. Usually, teenagers will practice healthier lifestyles when they believe a new behaviour will lessen their chances of getting pregnant and suffering the consequences (Janz Becker, 1984). This assertion of Janz Becker is not always the case as some will wait to be in that particular situation before they take action. On the other hand, as most teenagers dont change their lifestyles easily, perceived barriers are their own assessment of the difficulties in embracing a new behaviour. Amongst all the perceptions, perceived barriers are most important in defining behavioural change (Janz Becker, 1984) because if they are able to overcome these barriers their behaviours will change. Cues to action are pieces of information which are given out with the intention of triggering decision-making actions. They could be internal or external e.g. informational flyers, advertisements on television or internal symptoms of an illness (Witte, 1996). Lastly self efficacy, measures the degree of the reaction taken to prevent pregnancy and that they are able to perform the recommended reaction to avert the risk. Teen pregnancy and motherhood is a serious problem affecting adolescents which can causes health and social problems. With empowering the youth through education, teen pregnancies and its related problems can be prevented. From a personal view point, it will be acceptable to say that proven programmatic answers to this dilemma are likely to be dissatisfactory. The point is not that sexuality education and contraception education cannot be helpful, but that without more help from the society at large, their impact may be small. On the contrary, an intervention that starts by affecting behaviour in a self-effacing way may ultimately generate changes in behaviours. Behaviour is contagious and teens, in particular, are extremely influenced by what their friends do or say. This suggests that programs are not to be judged on the basis of their immediate effects only but also on their peer culture reorientation potential.

Dreams :: essays research papers

Dreams "I don't use drugs, my dreams are frightening enough." (Escher) Why do we dream? Are they instructions from the spiritual world or just deep, hidden wishes that can be used to unlock the secrets of the unconscious mind? Nobody knows for sure. One theory that is prevalent today is that dreams result from the physiological "exercise" of the synapses of the brain. There is no proven fact on why we dream, which is why there are so many theories on the topic. There is Freud's theory that dreams carry our hidden desires and Jung’s theory that dreams carry meaning, although not always of desire, and that the dreamer can interpret these dreams. After these theories, others continued such as the Cayce theory in that dreams are our bodies means of building up of the mental, spiritual and physical well being. Finally came the argument between Evans' theory and the Crick and Mitchinson theory. Evans states that dreaming is our bodies way of storing the vast array of in formation gained during the day, whereas Crick and Mitchinson say that this information is being dumped rather than stored. Whichever theory is true, we may never know, but from these following theories we can decide for ourselves what we believe to be true and further help us into understanding our dreams. My own personal theory on why we dream is that the subconscious mind is always working. This results in dreams. The subconscious mind in an attempt to file away all of the information from the previous day results in dreams. A dream in my opinion is nothing more than a chemical reaction in the brain. In laboratory tests, when people were awaked during the RAPID EYE MOVEMENT (REM) stage of sleep and asked to report what was on their mind just before awaking, about 90% reported an experience termed TRUE DREAM. When a true dream is experienced is seems as if it were an actual event rather than one thought or imagined. True dreams often involve a series of such experiences woven together in a somewhat bizarre story. Even those people who claimed to rarely dream or only remember fragments of dreams in the mornings were able to give detailed accounts of a true dream experience when awakened during REM sleep. Those who were awakened during SLOW-WAVE sleep (the deeper, less mentally active s tages of sleep) reported mental activity in only about 60% of cases.

Essay --

The great potato famine was a period of great starvation, disease and emigration in Ireland between 1845 and 1852 which made the Irish population dropped my 25 percent. The potato famine started in September 1845. It was so bad it killed over millions of men children and women... The leaves on potato plants turned black and curled and then rotted and there was a fog over the fields a crossed Ireland. This fungus named â€Å"phytophthora infestans† caused the potato leaves to turn black and curl up. In this paper I will be talking about the history of the potato, the migration of the potato blight, land consolidation, agriculture laws in Ireland, and food exports in Ireland during the time of the famine, potato dependency, and the Irish/England relationship at the time, Ireland History, and then I will be wrapping it up with my conclusion. First I’m going be talking about the history of the potato. In this paragraph I will be talking about the history of the potato. The potato comes from the Andes, where they can grow in one single field they can grow 40 potato. The potato was introduced to England in 1565. Sir Walter Raleigh planted potatoes the first time in Ireland around the 1580s. Potatoes are the main nutrient source and support of life, and without it, hundreds of people will die. And the cause of the diseases a lot of people died. At first Ireland used the Potato as a back-up grain. Observers reported seeing children crying with pain and looking like they haven’t eaten in forever that made them look like skeletons. A lot of bodies were buried without coffins, and were buried with a few inches below the soil. Over the next ten years a lot of people died about 750,000. More than a million Irish people died about 1 every nine d... ...nd London during 1847. Now I will be talking about Irelands History. I will start beginning talking about Irelands History. Ireland's population growth in the first half of the Nineteenth Century had been great. Until The Great Potato Famine. The Great Potato Famine was most disaster in Ireland History. In the spring of 1847 the British helped out Irish and had soup kitchens for the people that didn’t have any food. Conclusion! During the great potato famine over two million people died. One million died because of starve starvation. And the others died from diseases associated with the famine. After the famine the people hunger suffered for years after. Now that I told you everything in the paper I will talk a little bit about them to finish my essay. The History of the Potato, The potato is the most important thing In Ireland and without it people will die.

College Costs Essay

Introduction It’s no secret that financing a college education is getting tougher. College costs have skyrocketed over the past decade or so, and there’s no relief in sight. Average tuition at four-year colleges will increase 7 percent this school year, double the rate of inflation. Student aid is not increasing fast enough to plug the growing gap between tuition and family finances. In addition, there is a growing number of older students entering college today. These students have families that they need to support. I know, because I am a family man who has returned to school. I wish to finish my degree at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The only problems I face are financial in nature. It is with this in mind that I set about this research. The not so simple question: Is financial aid available to older students, and if so, how do they go about obtaining it? The Cost Of Education The cost of higher education varies by type of institution. Tuition is highest at private 4-year institutions, and lowest at public 2-year institutions. The private 4-year colleges nearly quadrupled their average tuition rates between 1975 and 1996. For private 4-year colleges, tuition and fees for the 1995-96 academic year averaged about $15,400, compared with about $5006 at public 4-year colleges. The cost of attending an institution of higher education includes not only tuition and fees, however, but also books and supplies, transportation, personal expenses and, sometimes, room and board. Although tuition and fees generally are substantially lower at public institutions than at private ones, the other student costs are about the same. According to MS-Encarta94,†the average cost for tuition, fees, and room and board for the 1995-96 academic year at private 4-year colleges was about $20,165. At public 4-year colleges the average combined cost was about $9290†³ (Encarta94). The cost of attending RIT is approximately $15700 per year. This does not include room and board, or books, and supplies . This cost falls in line with the national average. However , according to Rachel Shuman of the RIT Financial Aid Department,†the increase in cost at RIT was 4. 8 percent for the 1996-97 academic year over the 1995-96 academic year. † This falls 2. 2 percent below the national average for 4 year private institutions. Still, $15700 is a lot of dollars for an unemployed family man or woman with little or no income. The Cost Of Living Factor Though the Cost Of Living is not directly related to tuition it is still a major player in the decision making process. Is it possible to maintain a family financial structure while paying for an education? The cost of a mortgage, or rent, and other bills that are associated with living adds up to many thousands of dollars per year. These costs in addition to what the tuition, books, and supplies total are expected, and have to be dealt with. The financial burden alone can seem over-whelming to some. But let us consider what the total cost of living and attending a four year private institution are. The Bureau of Census statistics for the County of Monroe indicate â€Å"that the approximate average income for a family of four is $50964. The poverty level for a family of four is approximately $15455†. These are statistics calculated for the 1995 calendar year. No newer statistics were available. With these statistics in mind we can then determine the financial model we must follow. This model will determine what the total yearly outlay a family of four must shoulder in order to send a person to RIT. The Financial Burden First and foremost a family has to live. The Census data indicates that the minimum a family must earn is â€Å"a poverty level income. † So, let’s assume a family needs $16000 per year for living expenses. The cost of attending RIT is $15651 per year. Books and supplies are approximately $1200 per year. Finally, travel expenses will be approximately $500 per year. I am assuming that one spouse will be working to cover the living expenses. So, I am excluding medical and dental costs. These costs are partially or fully covered by an employer. In the event they are not let us include them in the poverty scenario, which basically means the family must pay the costs. The total amount of funds needed are $17700 the first year. If you increase that number by 4. 8% each year thereafter you can come up with the projected amount for each school year. The $17700 figure remains the obstacle to overcome. This cost has to be covered by Financial Aid. If this cost cannot be covered by the available system, the student will not be able to pursue a standard four year degree at RIT. Family’s Will Strain It’s going to be tougher to pay for college in 1996, and that’s going to widen the gap in enrollment between rich and poor students that the nation has struggled three decades to close. Average tuition at four-year colleges will increase 6 percent this school year, double the rate of inflation. But family income isn’t keeping pace; â€Å"after adjusting for inflation, the average family has gained hardly any ground in the 1990s,† says the Department of Labor. As a result, says the Department of Education,†sending a student to a private college in 1996 without any grants or loans will require more than a third of a typical family’s income and nearly two thirds of the income of a working-poor family. † The Government Student aid is not increasing fast enough to plug the growing gap between tuition and family finances. The federal government supplies 75 percent of student aid. But the value of federal grants has eroded sharply, covering only 10 percent of tuition today, compared with 20 percent a decade ago. The Financial Aid Page explains that: Congress’s budget-cutting Republicans want to spend $450 million less in 1996 on student grants, a move that education officials say would take nearly 200,000 student off the grant rolls. Also at risk: a new federal program that helps less affluent students by permitting them to repay federal loans over a longer period if their incomes’ after graduation are modest (Kantrowitz). Not surprisingly, the American Council on Education an  organization of colleges and universities, recently reported that fewer colleges than in the early 1990’s report enrollment increases among black and Hispanic students, who are generally less able to pay for college. Once in school, more and more students must work to pay their tuition bills. At least 40 percent of full-time undergraduate students are earning while they learn, says the ACE. The prognosis isn’t encouraging. â€Å"The tuition spiral is not likely to end, nor is student aid likely to catch up anytime soon,† write college cost experts Lawrence Gladieux and Arthur Hauptman in a new report, â€Å"The College Aid Quandary. † To a nation that likes to think of itself as a meritocracy, not merely a bastion of privilege, that’s a disturbing message (Kantrowitz). Well, that’s a lot of important statistical information. Enough I think that most people would like to throw this paper out and forget the whole idea of returning to school. But not so fast, there is a light at the end of this tunnel! Where Should I Begin My Search? The financial aid office at the school you plan to attend is the best place to begin your search for free information. The financial aid administrator can tell you about student aid available from the federal government, your state government, the school itself, and other sources. You can also find free information about student aid in the reference section of your local library (usually listed under â€Å"student aid† or â€Å"financial aid†). These materials usually include information about federal, state, institutional, and private aid. The major source of student financial aid is the U. S. Department of Education. Nearly 70 percent of the student aid that is awarded each year comes from the U. S. Department of Education programs (approximately $23. 4 billion in 1992-93). Student aid is also available from other federal agencies, such as the U. S. Public Health Service and the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The free student financial aid materials available in the financial aid office at your school include The Student Guide, a free booklet about financial aid from the U. S. Department of Education, and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). (Education) Financial Aid for Older Students Many scholarship and fellowship programs do not have age restrictions. If there are restrictions, they are expressed in terms of the student’s year in school (e.g. , high school senior) and not as an age limit. Thus there are many awards for which older students are eligible, simply because the awards do not disqualify students based on age. Older students should conduct a search for aid just like younger students. There are no,†age restrictions on eligibility for federal student financial aid. Although many schools restrict eligibility for the school’s own financial aid programs to the first Bachelor’s degree, some schools will waive the restrictions when the student is an adult returning to school to earn a second degree in preparation for a career change† (Kantrowitz). The Financial Aid Office Following the advice of the sources I have used for compiling this research paper I contacted the Financial Aid Office at RIT and set up an interview. While waiting for the date of my appointment I compiled a list of questions I would ask the Financial Aid Officer(FAO). When the day of the interview was at hand I was prepared. The FAO’s at RIT are assigned to students alphabetically. My FAO is Rachel Schuman and she was genuinely surprised that I had a prepared list of questions. Here is a synopsis of that interview. I asked her what the total cost of attending RIT would be for the coming school year? What expenses are incurred? What are the chances of being turned down? She was fairly straightforward about answering most of the questions that I posed. However on some sticky issues she was reserved. At one point she had to check with her boss for an answer. I wondered if she was merely asking her boss if it was against policy to answer certain questions. There were a number times that she simply pointed across the hall to admissions. Indicating that they could answer my questions better. The basic answers were that Yes RIT gives Merit Scholarships, and that probably some type of loans and/or work study program would be required. Mrs. Schuman then told me that if you are eligible for aid you will receive it. I was not particularly encouraged by her explanations and as I found out later I as right. The first thing you have to do is get accepted by the College Admissions Department. This in itself is another bureaucratic nightmare. I talked to Al Biles the Assistant Dean of Computer Information Technology and said, â€Å"Just go over to admissions and sign up. † Well when I got to admissions I paid my fee and waited for three weeks for a letter that never came. Instead I got a postcard telling me I need to get my GED. I went back to see Mrs. Schuman. Rachel then explained to me that there is a process for obtaining financial aid. You must first fill out all necessary forms and applications. Then according to the information you supply you will be assigned a Student Aid Report(SAR). The SAR will show your Expected Family Contribution(EFC). Then your EFC is subtracted from the schools Cost of  Attendance which gives your FAO the students Financial need. Based on my interview with Rachel Schuman it became apparent that I needed to arrange an interview with admissions. In order to clear up the two unanswered questions. But, before I left, Mrs. Schuman gave me three applications to fill out. The FAFSA, the New York State Tuition Assistance(TAP) application, and the RIT Application For 1997-98 Financial Aid For Continuing Undergraduate Students. At this point it was becoming very clear to me that there is money available, but the process is slow and filled with bureaucratic red tape. I guess if you want to play though, you might as well play with the big kids. Admissions Shortly after my talk with Rachel Schuman I telephoned Renee Minnich. Renee Minnich is the Assistant Director of the Office of Admissions for RIT. I asked her,†What portion of the most recently admitted class is paying full tuition? † Her reply, â€Å"Practically nil. Most of our students receive aid. Those that do are working full time and attend class at night. But they are usually subsidized by their employers. † â€Å"Do you package preferentially? † â€Å"Yes we have merit based scholarships for outstanding students. But we attempt to meet the needs of each student individually. † Conclusion Well there we have it. The system at RIT is set up as a meritocracy for the most part. Those students which have proven themselves in High School or are transfer students have a far better chance of receiving grants and scholarships. The rest of the students will receive some sort of loan relief. Still others will receive aid based on their financial situation. The system is complicated and you the student are at its mercy. Remember also, you must get admitted first before you need apply for financial aid.