Sample Responses to a College Deferral Letter

Sample Responses to a College Deferral Letter If you applied to college through an Early Action or Early Decision option, you may find that youve been neither accepted nor rejected, but deferred. Many applicants despair when their application for early admission ends up in this frustrating limbo for it feels much like a rejection. It is not, and you can take steps to improve your chances of getting admitted with the regular admission pool. One easy step is to write the college a response to your deferral letter. Key Takeaways: Responding to a College Deferral If you have new information that could strengthen your application, share it with the admissions folks. This can include improved test scores, a new award, or a new leadership position.Be positive: reaffirm your interest in the school, and dont let your anger and frustration at being deferred darken your letter. Be careful not to suggest the admissions folks made a mistake.As with all written parts of your applications, pay careful attention to grammar, punctuation, and style. Colleges want to admit students who write well. Always remember that if the college did not think you had the qualifications necessary to be admitted, you would have been rejected, not deferred. Essentially, the school is telling you that you have what it takes to get in, but they want to compare you to the full applicant pool. You simply didnt stand out quite enough to be admitted with the early applicant pool. By writing to a college after being deferred, you have the opportunity to both reaffirm your interest in the school and present any new information that might strengthen your application. So, dont panic if you received a letter of deferral after applying to college through  early decision  or  early action. Youre still in the game.  First, read through these  7 tips on what to do if deferred. Then, if you think you have meaningful new information to share with the college that has deferred your admission, write them a letter. Sometimes you can write a simple  letter of continued interest  even if you dont have new information to share, although some schools explicitly state that such letters are not necessary, and in some cases, not welcome (admissions offices are extremely busy in the winter). Sample Letter from a Deferred Student Below is a sample letter that would be appropriate if deferred. Caitlin has a significant new honor to report to her first choice college, so she certainly should make the school aware of the update to her application. Note that her letter is polite and concise. She doesnt express her frustration or anger; she doesnt try to convince the school that theyve made a mistake; instead, she reaffirms her interest in the school, presents the new information, and thanks the admissions officer. Dear Mr. Carlos, I am writing to inform you of an addition to my  University of Georgia  application. Although my admission for Early Action has been deferred, I am still very interested in UGA and would very much like to be admitted, and therefore I wish to keep you up to date on my activities and achievements. Earlier this month I participated in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology in New York City. My high school team was awarded a $10,000 scholarship for our research on graph theory. The judges consisted of a panel of scientists and mathematicians led by former astronaut Dr. Thomas Jones; the awards were presented at a ceremony on Dec. 7. Over two thousand students entered this competition, and I was extremely honored to be recognized alongside the other winners. More information on this competition can be found through the Siemens Foundation web site: siemens-foundation.org/en/. Thank you for your continued consideration of my application. Sincerely, Caitlin Anystudent Discussion of Caitlin's Letter Caitlins letter is simple and to the point. Given how busy the admissions office will be between December and March, short is important. It would reflect poor judgment if she were to write a lengthy letter to present a single piece of information. That said, Caitlin could strengthen her letter slightly with a few tweaks to her opening paragraph. Currently she states that she is still very interested in UGA and would very much like to be admitted. Since she applied Early Action, we can assume that UGA was among Caitlins top choice schools. If so, she should state this. Also, it doesnt hurt to briefly state why UGA is a top choice school. As an example, her opening paragraph could state something like this: Although my admission for Early Action has been deferred, UGA remains my top-choice university. I love the energy and spirit of the campus, and I was truly impressed by my visit to a sociology class last spring. I am writing to keep you up to date on my activities and achievements. A Second Sample Letter Dear Mr. Birney, Last week I learned that my application for early decision at Johns Hopkins was deferred. As you can imagine, this news was disappointing to me- Johns Hopkins remains the university Im most excited about attending. I visited a lot of schools during my college search, and  Johns Hopkinss program in International Studies appeared to be a perfect match for my interests and aspirations, and I loved the energy of the Homewood Campus. I want to thank you and your colleagues for the time you put into considering my application. After I applied for early decision, I received a couple more pieces of information that I hope will strengthen my application. First, I retook the SAT in November and my combined score went from 1330 to 1470. The College Board will be sending you an official score report soon. Also, I was recently elected to be the Captain of our school Ski Team, a group of 28 students who compete in regional competitions. As Captain, I will have a central role in the teams scheduling, publicity and fund raising. I have asked the teams coach to send you a supplemental letter of recommendation that will address my role within the Ski Team. Many thanks for your consideration, Laura Anystudent Discussion of Laura's Letter Laura has good reason to write to Johns Hopkins University. The 110 point improvement on her SAT scores is significant. If you look at this  graph of GPA-SAT-ACT data for admission to Hopkins, youll see that Lauras original 1330 was on the lower end of the accepted student range. Her new score of 1470 is nicely in the middle of the range. Lauras election as Captain of Ski Team may not be a game-changer on the admissions front, but it does show more evidence of her leadership skills. Especially if her application was originally light on leadership experiences, this new position will be significant. Finally, Lauras decision to have a supplemental  letter of recommendation  sent to Hopkins is a good choice, particularly if her coach can speak to abilities that Lauras other recommenders did not. Don't Make the Mistakes in This Letter The letter below illustrates what you should not do. Brian asks to have his application reconsidered, but he does not present any significant new information for reconsidering the decision. The increase in his GPA from a 3.3 to a 3.35 is fairly trivial. His newspaper has been nominated for an award, but it has not won the award. Moreover, Brian writes as if he has been rejected, not deferred. The university will look at his application again with the regular pool of applicants. The biggest problem  with the letter below, however, is that Brian comes across as a whiner, an egotist, and an ungenerous person. He clearly thinks very highly of himself, placing himself above his friend and making much ado about a modest 3.3 GPA. Does Brian really sound like the type of person the admissions officers will want to invite to join their campus community? To make matters worse, the third paragraph in Brians letter essentially accuses the admissions officers of making a mistake in admitting his friend and deferring him. The goal of Brians letter is to strengthen his chances of getting into college, but questioning the competence of the admissions folks works counter to that goal. To Whom It May Concern: I am writing in regards to my deferral for admission to Syracuse University for the fall semester. I received a letter earlier this week informing me that my admission had been deferred. I would like to urge you to reconsider me for admission. As you know from my previously submitted admissions materials, I am a very strong student with an outstanding academic record. Since I submitted my high school transcript in November, I have received another set of mid-year grades, and my GPA has gone up from a 3.3 to 3.35. In addition, the school newspaper, of which I am assistant editor, has been nominated for a regional award. Frankly, I am somewhat concerned about the status of my admission. I have a friend at a nearby high school who has been admitted to Syracuse through early admissions, yet I know that he has a somewhat lower GPA than mine and has not been involved in as many  extracurricular activities. Although he is a good student, and I certainly do not hold anything against him, I am confused about why he would be admitted while I have not been. Frankly, I think that I am a far stronger applicant. I would very much appreciate it if you could take another look at my application, and reconsider my admissions status. I believe I am an excellent student  and would have much to contribute to your university. Sincerely, Brian Anystudent A Final Word on Responding to a Deferral As with any communication with a college, youll want to pay careful attention tone, grammar, punctuation, and style. A sloppily-written letter is going to work against you, not strengthen your application. Finally, keep in mind that writing a letter when deferred is optional, and at many schools it wont improve your chances of being admitted. You should definitely write if you have compelling new information to present (dont write if your SAT score went up just 10 points- you dont want to look like youre grasping). And if the college doesnt say not to write a letter of continued interest, it can be worthwhile to do so.

Discussion Question 2 Week 1 Supply and Demand Assignment

Discussion Question 2 Week 1 Supply and Demand - Assignment Example Discuss two ways or reasons in which business organizations may utilize the information on determinants of demand and supply in their economic decision making. The factor that influenced supply and demand for iPhone 6 included the determinants of demand: price of substitute goods, the price of complementary goods, income, preferences or tastes, and the number of buyers (ECO550 Week 1 Scenario Script: Models of Supply and Demand, and Non-Price Determinants of Each, 2014). Likewise, the determinants of supply include the price of the iPhone 6 as well as the quantities of units produced (initially pegged at 10 million). The reasons in which business organizations, like Apple, utilize information on determinants of demand and supply in their economic decision making are: to achieve the targeted profits and to plan for future growth (McGuigan, Moyer, & Harris, 2014). With targeted profits being achieved, the organization could plan on venturing into other profitable endeavors which would be consistent with their mission and vision, as well as the overall goals of the firm. Etherington, D. (2014, September 22). Apple Sells 10 Million iPhone 6 And 6 Plus Devices During Launch Weekend. Retrieved October 8, 2014, from Tech Crunch:

Investigating Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Investigating Disease - Essay Example This global resurgence of TB, according to Volmink and Murphy (2005) can be attributed to, " neglect of tuberculosis control programmes, HIV infection and immigration from high-prevalence countries" (p. 321). In 1993, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared TB a global emergency. It was the scientist Robert Koch who isolated Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a species of bacteria as the causal factor. The disease may be latent or active. In the former stage individuals are infected with the bacterium, but the immune system fights off the bacteria, preventing the manifestation of symptoms. Here the individual is usually not contagious. In the active stage, individuals show symptoms and are contagious. A deficient immune system exacerbates the condition; therefore organs besides the lungs are susceptible to infection. According to Heinsohn (2004), "Extrapulmonary TB may affect any organ or tissue but is much less common than pulmonary TB" (p. 7). Pulmonary tuberculosis is contagious with increased risk of infection. With the discovery of streptomycin by Selman Waksman, antibiotics have repeatedly proved their efficacy in the treatment of TB. However the US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment warns that "When a patient takes TB medication erratically or when an inadequate combination of drugs is prescribed, active, infectious TB can recur in a form resistant to one or more of the drugs used in the original treatment" (The Continuing Challenge of Tuberculosis, 1993,p. 6). Thus Multidrug- Resistant tuberculosis poses a threat in controlling and preventing the spread of the disease. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary, genetic disorder that results in the secretion of abnormally thick mucous that damages organs, leading to respiratory and digestive problems that ultimately cause death. While primarily associated with the lungs, this disease also attacks the pancreas, small intestine, and all glands where cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) plays a vital role in efficient functioning. Thus Kolbe (2005), calls it " a multisystem disease affecting children and increasingly so, adults" (p. 361). It is an incurable and fatal disorder. Branscomb (1994) found that, "In spite of treatment, most patients die during infancy or childhood. Rarely, patients survive past the age of 20" (p. 318). However with improved diagnosis and treatment measures, more patients are surviving to reach adulthood. Tuberculosis and cystic fibrosis are usually seen as diseases of the lungs or pulmonary disorders, as it is here that they do the most damage. But both have debilitating effects on other organs as well. TB is a contagious disease as inhaling infectious particles can transmit it. Contact with infectious droplets may occur via coughing, sneezing or laughing. Preventive strategies play an important role in curbing the disease. Meanwhile CF is a genetic disorder that is brought about by defective genes. Therefore treatment is difficult as these disorders are very complex and scientists and researchers have a long way to go in cracking the genetic code, pertaining to these disorders. Both diseases call for early diagnosis and treatment to stem the damage that is sure to result otherwise. Counselling for the individual and family is imperative in both cases, as it helps people come to terms with the devastating impact of the disease while promoting social

The Legalization of Prostitution Essay Example for Free

The Legalization of Prostitution Essay Prostitution may undoubtedly be one of the oldest professions in history. From the time of the Romans, to the Aztecs hitherto, ancient civilizations from both the east and the west had the act of prostitution as part of their society. Some of these civilizations have even taken concrete measures to either abolish or accept prostitution within their system. The ancient Greeks, for example, had a form of regulation policy or law for prostitutes. They treated prostitution as a credible profession, they were subject to the paying of taxes and were even requested to wear distinct clothings so as to be easily distinguished and classified as such. The Roman Catholic Church, during the Middle Ages, even allowed (tolerated) prostitution despite its moral nature and moral laws. They argued that by allowing prostitution, greater crimes against the Church – such as sodomy, rape and masturbation – can be prevented. A man of the Church during that time even went as far as declaring that the expulsion of prostitution will only give rise to the lustful nature of human beings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Looking back through history, it is interesting to note that present societies have changed drastically with regards to their view of prostitution. And this shift in logical thinking can either be considered a major advancement in human moral society or a considerable denial to historical and natural norms and/or an open resistance to societal acceptance. As such, where should one stand on this issue? I, for one, greatly supports the latter. Indeed, I believe that prostitution should be accepted and be made legal in every open society. True, that societies at present have achieved a tremendous amount of success pertaining to moral law and human rights. However, societies must also put into consideration the fact that prostitution, as history may suggest, is a part of human nature. In other words, no matter how regarded as a scourge the act of prostitution is and no matter how much condemnation every government or institution may impose upon it, it – the act of prostitution – will always be there. Societies can never prevent the act of prostitution from occurring in the same way that human beings can never prevent the occurrence of bad weather – its just there.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As such, I believe that instead of combating such a natural force – of which, almost always proved to be a negatively implausible act – why not offer acceptance to the norm – of which, is more a positively frugal act    and then provide the necessary safety nets for its entrance?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Indeed, the acceptance (or legalization) of prostitution denotes that proper measures will be taken in addressing the issue, not as a problem, but as a legitimate business. Governments must always understand that disobedience to the law is the result of strict impositions of the law. In other words, in order for governments to obtain the cooperation of these elements (of prostitution), they should should provide these elements with compensation and/or compromise instead of vying for their utter destruction – which is, to some extent, ultimately impossible. Government cooperation on the matter (in other words, legalization) could result into proper regulation of laws and services that will stand as a form protection for both legitimate prostitutes and their respective clients (I am using the word legitimate in order to refer to actual prostitutes that were not either forced or trafficked into the profession and the word respective in order to refer to the actual clients that do pay for the services they received and do not, under any circumstances, commit acts of violence against prostitutes). With the full legalization of prostitution comes a new set of laws that will determine the proper guidelines for the conduct of the profession. By doing so, proper health care, disease regulation, protection laws for mistreated parties (prostitute and the client) and other such programs and policies (as will be protected and advanced by the Rule of Law) will be established in order to administer the ever-growing business. Furthermore, other protections such as anti-trafficking laws, underage/minor laws prohibiting the acts, violence against women and others will be improved or amended so as to accommodate the introduction of the former laws established for the concept of legalized prostitution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Seeing these benefits to possibly come to life, one may still question, whether or not, moral law and human rights will be compromised in the process. The answer, of course, is a resounding yes. However, one must also understand that moral laws and human rights are only a product of the rational of human intellect. This means that moral laws and human rights are not natural or inherent and are only applicable to those persons that testify or practice them. Prostitutes (legitimate) are aware of the fact that what they are doing are a clear violation of moral laws and human rights. Still, they refuse to stop. Why? Because they choose not to uphold these laws and principles. Their rationalization comes from concept of free-will and freedom to exercise ones own body at his or her own discretion. As such, a rational force such as that of morality and humanism can never affect them – simply because they choose not be affected. Truly, awareness, acceptance and professing the laws of morality and humanism are one of the few steps for the credibility and plausibility of the latter principles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like it or not, prostitution is already a part of our society and our lives. We cannot abolish it; we can only either openly accept it or blindly deny it. And ultimate denial of the norm, as history may suggest, can only lead to anarchy. Works Cited: Bovard, James. â€Å"The Legalization of Prostitution.† September 1998 Freedom Daily 20    November 2007 http://www.fff.org/freedom/0998d.asp Poulin, Richard. â€Å"The Legalization of Prostitution and its impact on trafficking in  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   women and children.† February 2005 Sociologue 20 November 2007   Ã‚   http://sisyphe.org/article.php3?id_article=1596 Raymond, Janice. â€Å"10 Reasons for Not Legalizing Prostitution.† March 2003   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vancouver Rape Relief Womens Shelter 20 November 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/issues/prostitution_legalizing.html

Fiction vs. Non-fiction Boundaries Essay -- Books Literature fiction T

Fiction vs. Non-fiction Boundaries Blurring the boundaries between Fiction and Non-Fiction has always been a great way for authors to make their points, yield their arguments, and to keep interest. Some may even be inclined to believe that there is not a definite boundary between the areas of fiction and non-fiction. Fiction is often used throughout non-fiction writings as more of a point of view than a character in itself. This voice is not exactly a character in the text, but it still exercises an attitude toward the material to help control the writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Lola,† by Truman Capote is a great instance where these boundaries are so well mixed, that it becomes hard to tell the difference where one starts and another begins. This story is about a bird named Lola, and the main character. At first, Capote doesn’t like the bird and in fact despises it. However, towards the middle and towards the end of the story, he beings to care for the bird and treat it as a pet. This story does not state very many facts like one would expect throughout a non-fiction account, but rather tells a story like in fiction writing. By doing this, the reader would actually never suspect that the story was in fact non-fiction without being told so. It is a first person account of the events that unfold throughout the story. Capote does a fantastic job of revealing these events and holding the readers attention instead of boring the reader with the strict description, times, and dates such as one would find some non-fiction wri tings. He incorporates humor into the story to help with the excitement of these events. â€Å"The Kerry decided Lola was the latter. He tapped her with his paw. He chased her into a corner. She fought back, pecked his snout; her cawing were coarse and violent as the harshest cures words. It frightened the bulldog;†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This sentence revels some of the intermingling of fiction and non-fiction that Capote utilizes within the account. He is actually giving human characteristics to these animals where the dog â€Å"decides† and the bird begins to â€Å"swear†. Capote does not actually know what these animals are thinking so this is a perfect example of fiction controlling the tempo throughout a non-fiction writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The structure of â€Å"Lola† relates strongly to the structure of a fiction story. It includes an introduction, middle, climax, and ending. Similar to ficti... ...ases. The reader does not know if Danny Deever is a real person or just some made up fictional character. The poem actually describes Danny and his death to the reader. â€Å"For they’re done with Danny Deever, you can hear the quickstep play. The regiment’s in column, and they’re marching us away.† These Sentences show how the poem rhymes and yet confuses the reader in the fiction or non-fiction account of the poem. The reader does never really discover what the poem is and this is the exact reason why the author made it this way. To keep the reader guessing and to hold the attention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Blurring these boundaries between Fiction and Non-Fiction has always been a great way for authors to make their points, yield their arguments, and to keep interest. If authors did not utilize this particular technique, most non-fiction accounts would become boring and uninteresting to a reader who did not want to learn about the particular. It is completely acceptable as long as the readers are told of the fictional aspect of the work. This is not one of the easiest techniques to use but if written correctly, creating a fictional account cannot be considered anything but excellent writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Homi Jehangir Essay

Homi Jehangir Bhabha, FRS (30 October 1909 – 24 January 1966) was an Indian nuclear physicist who played a major role in the development of the Indian atomic energy program and is considered to be the father of India’s nuclear program. Bhabha was born into a prominent family, through which he was related to Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Homi K Bhabha and Dorab Tata. After receiving his early education at Bombay schools and at the Royal Institute of Science, he attended Caius College ofCambridge University to pursue studies in mechanical engineering. After taking mechanical engineering, he pursued studies underPaul Dirac to complete the Mathematics Tripos. Meanwhile, he worked at the Cavendish Laboratory while working towards his doctorate in theoretical physics under R. H. Fowler. During this time, he embarked on groundbreaking research into the absorption of cosmic rays and electron shower production. Afterward, he published a string of widely-accepted papers on his theories regarding cosmic ray showers. World War II broke out in September 1939 while Bhabha was vacationing in India. He chose to remain in India until the war ended. In the meantime, he accepted a position at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, headed by Nobel laureate C. V. Raman. He established the Cosmic Ray Research Unit at the institute, and began to work on the theory of the movement of point particles. In 1945, he established the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Bombay, and the Atomic Energy Commission of India three Electron-positron scattering was later named Bhabha scattering, in honor of his contributions in the field.In 1936, Bhabha collaborated with Walter Heitler to formulate a theory on cosmic ray showers. They conjectured that the showers were formed by the cascade production of gamma rays and positive and negative electron pairs. The calculations agreed with the experimental observations of cosmic ray showers made by Bruno Rossi and Pierre Victor Auger a few years before. Bhabha later concluded that observations of the properties of such particles would lead to the straightforward experimental verification of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. In 1937, Bhabha was awarded the Senior Studentship of the 1851 Exhibition, which helped him continue his work at Cambridge until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. In 1939, Bhabha went back to India for a brief holiday. In September, World War II broke out, and Bhabha decided not to return to England for the time being. He accepted an offer to serve as the Reader in the Physics Department of the Indian Institute of Science, then headed by renowned physicist C. V. Raman. He received a special research grant from the Sir Dorab Tata Trust, which he used to establish the Cosmic Ray Research Unit at the institute He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 20 March 1941. With the help of J. R. D. Tata, he established the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Bombay. With the end of the World War II and Indian Independence, he received a commendation from Jawaharlal Nehru for his efforts towards peaceful development of atomic energy. He established the Atomic Energy Commission of India in 1948. Homi J. Bhabha was also a close friend of Jawaharlal Nehru and he, along with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had played a significant role for developing the Indian nuclear program as well as education reforms in India. Bhaba founded and directed two major scientific institutions – the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)of India[1]. He represented India in International Atomic Energy Forums, and as President of the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, in Geneva, Switzerland in 1955. Death and legacy He died when Air India Flight 101 crashed near Mont Blanc in January 24, 1966. Many possible theories have been advanced for the aircrash, including a conspiracy theory in which CIA is involved in order to paralyze Indian nuclear weapon programme. The atomic energy centre in Trombay was renamed as Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in his honour. In addition to being a famous scientist, Bhabha was also a painter and a classical music and opera enthusiast, besides being an amateur botanist. After his death, the Atomic Energy Establishment was renamed as the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in his honour. Bhabha also encouraged research in electronics, space science,radio astronomy and microbiology. The famed radio telescope at Ooty, India was his initiative, and it became a reality in 1970. Bhabha has since become known as the â€Å"Father of India’s Atomic Energy Programme†. The Homi Bhabha Fellowship Council has been giving the Homi Bhabha Fellowships since 1967 Other noted institutions in his name are the Homi Bhabha National Institute, an Indian deemed university and the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Mumbai, India. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an Indian nationalist leader who established his country’s freedom through a nonviolent revolution. His beliefs are shown in today’s society as an excellent means of resistance to unjust rule. The life of the Mahatma was a long struggle filled with brutality and hardships. In order to understand passive resistance, we will take a look at his hate-filled upbringing. Gandhi was born in Porbandar in the present state of Gujarat on October 2, 1869, and educated in law at University College, London. In 1891, after having been admitted to the British bar, Gandhi returned to India and attempted to establish a law practice in Bombay, with little success. Two years later an Indian firm with interests in South Africaretained him as legal adviser in its office in Durban. Arriving in Durban, Gandhi found himself treated as a member of an inferior race. He was appalled at the widespread denial of civil liberties and political rights to Indian immigrants to South Africa. He threw himself into the struggle for elementary rights for Indians (Gandhi, Arun). Gandhi was disgusted with the way his people were treated. This paper will discuss his religious and spiritual point of view and the environment which c When Mohandas Gandhi returned to India from South Africa, he saw the British ruling India. The British brought some benefits to India but many costs to the Indian people, such as economic. When the British persuaded farmers to switch from growing crops to growing cotton, there was not enough food for the country and millions of people died from lack of food. The increasing taxes and lack of food made many Indians suffer on account of the B ritish. The Eleven Vows of Mahatma Gandhi-Their Observance and Relevance Kurangi Desai Any of us who has attended a prayer meeting at a Gandhian institute is likely to remember a chant beginning:-â€Å"Ahimsa Satya Asteya –.† The two verses beginning with these words enumerate the eleven vows that Gandhiji considered almost mandatory for the inmates of his Ashram, in Sabarmati as well as in Sevagram. The eleven vows are: (1) Satya-Truth, (2) Ahimsa-Nonviolence, (3) Brahmacharya-Celibacy (4) Asteya-Non-stealing, (5) Aparigraha or Asangraha-Non-possession (6) Sharira-Shrama; Physicallabour or Bread Labour. (7) Asvada-Control of Palate, (8) Abhaya-Fearlessness, (9) Sarva-Dharma-Samanatva- Equal respect for all Religions, (10) Swadeshi-Duty towards Neighbour and (11) Asprishyatanivarana – Removal of Untouchability. Of these eleven, the first five are found in most of the religions of the world and are called ‘Pancha Mahavratas’ – the Five great Vows. The remaining six are somewhat new ideas that have been given the importance of vows to fulfill the need of the time. The image of Gandhiji in the minds of his contemporary Indians was that of a political leader – of one who brought Swarajya. Essentially, however, Gandhi was a Sadhaka, one who was in search of God. His ultimate goal was Moksha or the realization of God. Since he believed that service of man was the best way to realize God, he lived and died in the service of India, which in a mircrocosm, was the service of Mankind. That was his pilgrimage towards realization. In this context, the eleven were very important to him. They were a part of ‘Tapa’ Austerity and Self – denial for Purification. Tapa is considered necessary in all religions for elevating oneself spiritually, for control over desires, as a check upon an unruly mind and for paving the way to sacrifice for others – all these leading to Moksha. But Gandhiji was a ‘Sadhaka’ with a difference; his ‘Sadhana’ did not end with himself. He wanted to include society in his spiritual efforts and so he gave a new dimension to the Five Great Vows and extended them into the remaining six. Let us have a closer look at these vows and their observance: 1. Satya -Truth Truth is the most important vow, being the very basis of all the others. The word ‘Satya’ is from ‘Sat’, which means ‘Being’. On ‘Sat’ depends true knowledge, known in Sanskrit as ‘Chit’ and Bliss that is ‘Ananda’. The three together form the word ‘Sachhidananda’ which is one of the epithets of the Supreme Being. According to Gandhiji, Truth is God. Satya, therefore, was the pivot of the life of an Ashramite. Observance of Truth was expected not only in speech but also in thought and in action. One may wonder what one should do if what appears to be truth to one person does not appear to be truth to another. Gandhiji suggests that after due deliberation and humble consideration of the opinion of the other person, if one still feels his own truth to be truth for himself, he should follow it according to his own light. In order to be convinced about one’s ability to understand truth, one s hould use as the measuring rod those who have suffered for Truth and should himself be ready to suffer similarly. 2. Ahimsa – Non-Violence Truth and Non-Violence are like the two sides of a coin – one cannot exist without the other. Using another imagery, Ahimsa is the path along which one reaches truth. Violence leads to more violence and hampers the clear vision which is essential for the pursuit of Truth. At a personal level; Ahimsa consists in not only forbearing from physical violence; in order to achieve non-violence it is necessary to remove from the mind all hatred, all jealousy and all desire to harm even those who harm us. The next step would be to extend our love to all living beings, including living beings like snakes, tigers, etc. At a social level, the goal of Ahimsa is to create a society where there would be no need to act in an anti-social manner and hence no need for any punishment. This can happen only when the economic differences between the classes get considerably narrowed down and when the erring members of society are considered as their own brothers by the righteous. Top 3. Brahmacharya- Celibacy or Chastity Brahmacharya normally connotes a rigid control over sexual urge. An unmarried man who shuns sex is called a Brahmachari. According to Gandhiji, however, this is a very narrow meaning of the word. ‘Brahmacharya’ really means ‘Moving towards, Brahma’ that is, towards truth. For such a person, a control over all senses is necessary. So also, it is necessary to keep himself away from attachment to social connections. In achieving this end, control of sex is perhaps most helpful, because sex is one of the strongest temptations to cause one to stray from the narrow path of truth. Again marital relations are the cause of the strongest social bond, that of the family. Hence the importance attached to the control of sex, which became synonymous with Brahmacharya. Control of sex, can also help the Sadhaka to gain control over his other senses. Gandhiji believed that a celibate life was most congenial for the pilgrim to truth. However, married couples could also tread that path by subtracting sex from their marital life. Such a step would free them from undue attachment for each other and free them for service of mankind. It is obvious that Brahmacharya, like truth and Non-violence, should be adhered to not only at the physical level, but also at the level of thought. To harbour a passion in the mind, while practicing physical control of the senses is not really Brahmacharya. On one point, however, Gandhiji differed radically from the orthodox believers in Brahmacharya – he did not believe that a Brahmachari should shun the company of women. He wanted the Brahmachari of his Ashram to live a life of service to society; so it was inevitable that he would come into contact with women social workers. In Gandhiji’s opinion a Brahmachari should keep his public contact with women workers and learn to look upon them as sisters and mothers. If someone could adhere to Brahmacharya only when there were no women around, according to Gandhiji, he was not a real Brahmachari. While laying all this stress on Brahmacharya, Gandhiji was not unmindful of the difficulty experienced by the Ashramites in its day to day observance.. We are told by persons near to Gandhiji that he was completely aware that a number of the Ashramites were only partially successful in their attempts at Brahmacharya. Since Gandhiji himself never claimed complete success, he was satisfied that the Ashramites sincerely tried their best. 4. Asteya – Non Stealing In an ordinary sense, very few people actually steal anything from others, partly because of the social stigma attached to stealing. Gandhiji, however, gave a far wider connotation to stealing. According to him those members of the family who help them-selves to better facilities depriving the other members, are thieves. Even those who enjoy luxuries not available to the lower strata of society are also thieves. So, a person who wishes to apply Asteya in his life ought to lead such a simple life that he takes for himself from society only his minimum requirements. In the Ashram, one aspect of Asteya, namely avoiding waste, was strictly observed. Nothing was to be wasted-food, water, clothes or even paper. As a matter of fact, Gandhiji would reply to a letter in the blank half; he used to open addressed envelopes on all sides, gum them up inside out and use them again; the idea was something more than mere frugality – he wanted to use as little of the people’s money as p ossible for his own purpose and thus be as little indebted to society as possible. It was on this principle that he did not allow Kasturba the personal use of the gifts she received in South Africa for his public service. 5. Aparigraha – Non-Possession Aparigraha is almost a corollary of Asteya. In order to follow the dictum of non-thieving one must have as few pos-sessions as possible. For Gandhiji, Non-possession was also a proof of one’s faith in God. He used to quote instances of devotees who did not believe in keeping back a little food even for the next meal. Aparigraha also helped one in slowly giving up the attachment towards wordly possessions, an essential condition of a seeker of truth, which every Ashramite was expected to be. And yet Gandhiji realized that giving up possessions was no easy matter. So, for non – Ashramite she propounded the ideal of trusteeship. Possessions, particularly in the form of business assets or land, could not be given up without complications. So he suggested that businessmen and landlords should consider themselves not owners but trustees of their property. A trustee is expected to use the income of the trust solely to the advantage of the beneficiaries. In the case of wealthy people the beneficiaries are all the employees and underlings connected with the wealth. So, all income from the business or the land should be shared-with the employees or tillers of the land. The owner turned trustee should avail himself of the bare minimum, thus narrowing the economic gap between himself and his dependants. The concept of trusteeship can be called a, slightly diluted social extension of both Asteya and Aparigraha. These, then, are the interpretations of Panch Maha Vratas. Let us now turn to the other six vows, which project the social application of these five. Top 6. Sharirashtrama – Physical Labour or Bread Labour Gandhiji got the idea of Bread labour from Tolstoy. The idea is that everyone must put in some physical labour to earn his daily bread. An intellectual or an artist or a person with any other ability should utilize that ability for the service of society, while bread should be earned through physical labour alone. Economic differences in society can be mitigated in this way. Even those professions essential to society-those of a teacher, a doctor, a pleader-the wages of the professional should not be more than those of a physical labourer. Gandhiji modified this idea into the concept of shrama-yagna. He suggested that even those who earned their livelihood through other professions should devote at least one hour every day to some kind of physical labour performed in the spirit of oneness with the poor. At the time when Gandhiji presented this concept to India, cheap foreign cloth was being dumped in the country by the British rulers to the detriment of our indigenous industry. So, Gandhiji revived the art of spinning and decided that spinning the Charkha should be the symbol of Shrama-yagna. The Ashramites were expected to spin for an hour every day without fail. This exercise was called Sutrayagna. Over and above this, he made it a rule that all domestic chores should be performed by the Ashramites themselves, including a reformed method of scavenging – the last out of respect for the ‘Bhangi’, whom he later called ‘Harijan’, the lowest of the low in the Hindu caste system. 7. Asvada – Control of Palate Palate being one of the senses, its control is obviously a part of Sadhana of the pilgrim to Truth. Gandhiji gave it a special place as a separate vow because he believed that control of the palate was inevitable for Brahmacharya that observance of Brahmacharya became easier if taste was conquered. Besides, conquest of taste was helpful in the conquest of other senses too. The most important condition of Asvadawas the conviction that food is meant only to sustain the body for service of others. So, to indulge the taste by a variety of culinary delicacies was against the spirit of Asvada. This vow was adhered to rather rigidly in the Ashram. The food in the common kitchen was as simple as possible, without any condiments, some times even without salt. Individual families who cooked at home did not always develop Asvada to the extent desirable. All the same most of these families had their own rules regarding simple diet more or less in keeping with the concept of Asvada. 8. Abhaya – Fearlessness Psychologists tell us that fear is a natural reflex in all living beings on par with hunger, sleep and the sexual urge. How then can one vow, â€Å"I shall not experience fear† ? And yet fearlessness is the backbone of most other virtues. Gandhiji appreciated the importance of fearlessness partly because he used to be a timid child, full of all kinds of fears. Later on he consciously trained himself into fearlessness. The Gita places Abhaya at the head of divine attributes. Many poet-devotees sing the praises of fearlessness in spiritual life. Fears are innumerable. All of us are afraid of disease, injury, death; of loss of wealth, loss of prestige, loss of loved ones; of displeasing our dear ones, of displeasing the boss, of displeasing society and so on. Some people can get rid of some of these fears, others struggle to conquer other fears. In order to realise truth, it is necessary to remove all fear, which is hardly possible. A Sadhaka should, therefore, endeavour to rid himself or herself of as many kinds of fears as possible. The fear of God, which in other words means the fear of wrong doing, is one fear which no one should give up. This fear keeps us on guard against further growth of unwholesome traits of the mind and perhaps helps us in going beyond ordinary fears. Top 9. Sarva-Dharma-Samanatva- Equal Respect for all Religions This is a very important vow in a multi-religious country like India. One has a natural respect for one’s own religion, and rightly so. But that respect need not lead one into disrespect for other religions. All religions help their adherents to proceed towards an ideal life. All religions have had devotees who realised God in their own way. And yet no religion is perfect. Quest of truth being the moving spirit behind all religions, they are always subject to a process of evolution and re-interpretation. So one should never consider one’s own religion to be the only perfect religion. On this ground, Gandhiji was against conversion unless it was desired by some one through conviction. All should study first one’s own religion and then as many others as possible and appreciate the good points of all of them. In the daily prayers of the Ashram, there were chantings from the Koran, the Buddhist prayer, the Bible and so on. In South Africa a bhajan was being sung which said â€Å"Dear to me is the name of Rama.† A Parsi friend once suggested, â€Å"Why don’t we sing ‘Dear to me is the name of Hormuzd?† The congregation took up the idea. That was the spirit generated by Gandhiji’s ideal of Sarva-Dharma-Samabhava. 10. Swadeshi – Duty Towards the Neighbour As early as 1909 Gandhiji had found that India was filled with items of every day use imported from England. This was one of the main causes of the impoverishment of the country. Then again, it was necessary to induce Indians to be proud of their country. In order to achieve this, Gandhiji after returning to India in 1915,researchedon Khadi, reestablished the forgotten Charkha and unfolded his theory of Swadeshi, for the rejuvenation of Indian economy and Indian self-respect†¦ But then, Gandhiji was never satisfied with only the economic or political aspect of ideas. He gave Swadeshi a deeper significance based on an ancient ideal which says that one’s first duty was not one’s neighbours. Fulfilled in the spirit of love, that duty was not to at variance with one’s duty to mends further away either. It was in this light that Gandhiji said that the Swadeshi movement was not harmful to the British mill hand, as it saved him from exploitation of his Indian brethren. This spirit of love made the labourer in Manchester his mend when Gandhiji went there even though Gandhiji was instrumental in bringing about unemployment of the British textile labourer. 11. Asprishyata – Navaran- Removal of Untouchability This vow meant that Ashramites would mix as freely with so called untouchables as with all other people. This was, perhaps the vow most difficult to be practiced. Among the Ashramites themselves all were not free from the age-old Hindu belief that a person born in certain castes pollutes others by his touch. For Gandhiji ever since his twelfth year the ideal that any human being was inferior to another was not palatable. He always resisted the very basis of untouchability. He called it a cancer of Hindu Society. He had already started practicing the removal of untouchability while in South Africa. Then, soon after he returned to India he accepted an untouchable family in the Ashram. Several of the inmates, including Kasturba were quite upset at this step; the financial aid that the Ashram was receiving all but stopped. Gandhiji, however did not flinch from his decision. The resentment soon died down and sympathetic friends solved the financial problem as well. Later on Gandhiji gave the name ‘Harijan’ to the untouchables and gave a great deal of his time to their amelioration. So these were how the eleven vows were observed in Gandhiji’s Ashram. They were quite well known in his lifetime. Even non-Ashramites studied them and tried to follow some of them to some extent. People ask us: â€Å"Are Gandhiji’s vows relevant today?† My husband once asked a counter question: ‘Is a lamp relevant in darkness?† The eleven vows cover such a vast canvas of life that one cannot say enough about their relevance today and tomorrow. In ending this resume we hope that these spiritual lamps would shed enough light on the paths of the people of India, nay on the paths of the people of the world to enable them to make this poor troubled Earth a better place to live in.

Differences Between Hills and Mountains

Hills and mountains are both natural land formations that rise out of the landscape. There is no universally accepted standard definition for the height of a mountain or a hill, and this can make it difficult to differentiate between the two. Mountain Versus Hill There are characteristics that we typically associate with mountains; for example, most mountains have steep slopes and a well-defined summit while hills tend to be rounded. This, however, is not always the case. Some mountain ranges, such as the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, are geologically old and are therefore smaller and more rounded than more classic mountains such as the Rocky Mountains in the western United States. Even leaders in geography, like the United States Geological Survey (USGS), do not have an exact definition of a mountain and a hill. Instead, the organizations Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) uses broad categories for most land features, including mountains, hills, lakes, and rivers. Though no one can agree on the heights of mountains and hills, there are a few generally accepted characteristics that define each. Defining the Height of a Mountain According to the USGS, up until the 1920s, the British Ordnance Survey defined a mountain as a geographic feature rising higher than 1,000 feet (304 meters.) The United States followed suit and defined a mountain as having a local relief higher than 1,000 feet. This definition, however, was dropped in the late 1970s. There was even a movie about the battle over mountain and hill. In  The Englishman That Went Up a Hill and Down a Mountain  (1995, starring Hugh Grant), a Welsh village challenged cartographers attempts to classify their mountain as a hill by adding a pile of rocks to the top. What is a Hill? In general, we think of hills as having a lower elevation than a mountain and  a more rounded/mound shape than a distinct peak. Some accepted characteristics of a hill are: A natural mound of earth created either by faulting or erosionA bump in the landscape, rising gradually from its surroundingsLow altitude and elevation, often less than 984-1,968 feet (300-600 meters)A rounded top with no well-defined summitOften unnamedEasy to climb Hills may have once been mountains that were worn down by erosion over many thousands of years. Contrariwise, many mountains—such as the Himalayas in Asia—were created by tectonic faults and would have, at one time, been what we might now consider hills. What is a Mountain? Though  a mountain is typically taller than a hill, there is no official height designation. An abrupt difference in local topography is often described as a mountain, and such features will often have  mount  or mountain in their name; examples include Mount Hood, Mount Ranier, and Mount Washington. Some accepted characteristics of a mountain are: A natural mound of earth created by faultingA very steep rise in the landscape that is often abrupt in comparison to its surroundingsHigh altitude and elevation, often higher than 1,968 feet (600 meters)A steep slope and a defined summit or peakOften has a nameDepending on the slopes and elevation, mountains can be a challenge to climb Of course, there are exceptions to these assumptions and some features that would otherwise be called mountains have the word hills in their name. For instance, the Black Hills in South Dakota can also be thought of as a small, isolated mountain range. The highest peak is Harney Peak at 7,242 feet of elevation and 2,922 feet of prominence from the surrounding landscape. The Black Hills received their name from the Lakota Indians who called the mountains  Paha Sapa, or black hills.