Impact of Aristotle on Education

Impact of Aristotle on Education Aristotle Education and Plato Through the life of Aristotle, one would wonder how a mere thought of philosophy could impact the way education is practiced today as we know it. Aristotles way of life reflected the way he thought and what he wrote for people to view and educate upon today. He has many philosophies that are brought right into the classroom today without anyone knowing they are. His philosophies are truly remarkable. When a person creates something or teaches something, the philosophies brought in the classroom become so innate that people who use it dont even know it exists. Realism is an educational philosophy, which stresses knowledge that develops from ones own senses. Under this philosophy the idea exists that there is a real world not constructed by human minds, that can be known by ones own mind. It is through experiencing the world around everyone in which one learns the guiding principles and social conduct of life. Reality is what one experiences in the physical world. Therefore, everything one can learn and know comes from experiencing the world around us. Aristotle is considered by most to be one of the greatest pagan philosophers. He was born in a Grecian colony at Stagira, 384 B.C.E. At birth he was born into a set life. His father, Nicomachus, had a position under the King Amyntas of Macedonia as court physician. Therefore, this could relate to how his education started off. It was thought that his ancestors held the same position under the King because this way the area of court physician could become hereditary. As physician, Aristotle was taught in the area of medicines and was also trained for the position of court physician. It was here that he was clearly educated with a developing mind to entertain the many questions that arose in his head and the direction he would take to answer them. It is also clear that with each time Aristotle traveled from one place to another, it had some sort of impact on him: his thinking, his writings, and the way that philosophy is viewed today. With each place he traveled to, he was able to gain, share, teach, and experience the knowledge of philosophy. It was from when he was eighteen till he was about thirty-seven that he studied under the guidance of Plato as his pupil in Athens. He was held as a distinguished student among the group that studied with him in the Grove of Academus. The only problem that seemed to arise in his years of study was his relation with his teacher. Now these instances are not clear but it is known that both Aristotle and Plato had each their own ideas about certain views and philosophies. Therefore, it is only nature for them to bump heads a little in arguments over whether either side was justifiable with their ideas, beliefs, and/or views. There was still no reason to believe that the two did not have any form a friendship, since they both had such high views toward life. Legend reflected poorly and unfavorably upon Aristotle but legend has not been viewed that way as it is today. But it was shown even after Platos death in 347 B.C.E. that Aristotle still held Plato in high respects. He never gave any lack of cordial appreciation to him, when all people expected him to do once he died. The death of someone important in his life probably also affected the way he thought about certain ideas. After his teachers death, Aristotle went to Atarneus in Asia Minor where he met with the ruler, Hermias. There he would be married to Hermias adopted daughter Pythias. This may not seem relevant to how it influenced realism in education, but if one were to think about it, how can marriage not change the way someone thinks in some sort of way? A few years passed, Hermias was murdered due to rebellion and King Philip II of Macedon called upon Aristotle to return to Stagira. It was here that he would become the tutor of Alexander the Great, who was only thirteen years old. This had a great impact on history, as people know it. Aristotle taught him the knowledge of ethics and politics, as well as many secrets of philosophy in which many people probably would have trouble comprehending. Alexander the Great profited from the knowledge passed on from Aristotle along with Aristotle influencing the mind of the young prince to his benefit, and that is how history was affected by this contact between these two people. Once Alexander took the throne, Aristotle returned to Athens and there opened a school of philosophy. Later he followed in the footsteps of his teacher, Plato. He formed a school, Lyceum, in a gymnasium, where he gave regular instruction in philosophy. It was here that for thirteen years (335-322B.C.E.) as a teacher at the Lyceum, he came up with the greater number of his writings. He came up with dialogues, which were writings that Aristotle frequently wrote that are still read today and were then by his pupils. When teaching at the Lyceum, Aristotle had a habit of walking about as he taught. It was in connection with this that his followers became known in later years as the peripatetics, meaning, to walk about. Besides, he composed the several treatises on physics, metaphysics, and so forth, in which the exposition is a language more technical than in the dialogues. These writings show how much of a great influence they have, such as the way they impacted Alexander whom later became known as Alexander the Great. They show in particular how he succeeded in bringing together the works of his predecessors in Greek philosophy, and how he spared neither pains nor expense in pursuing, either personally or through others, his investigations in the realm of natural Phenomena. When Alexanders death became known at Athens, and the outbreak occurred which led to the Lamian war; Aristotle was obliged to share in the general unpopularity of the Macedonians. The charge of impiety, which had been brought against Anaxagoras and Socrates, was now, with even less reason, brought against him. He left the city, saying (according to many ancient authorities) that he would not give the Athenians a chance to sin a third time against Philosophy. He took up his residence at his country house, at Chalcis, in Euboea, and there he died the following year, 322B.C.E. His death was due to a disease from which he had long suffered. The story that his death was due to hemlock poisoning, as well as the legend, saying they he threw himself into the sea are absolutely without historical foundation. There are numerous ways that the theories, philosophies, ethics, writings, and styles of teaching of Aristotle have influenced education today and most likely will continue to in the future. Aristotle believed strongly in the importance of an education that studies the real world and then draws conclusions and gains knowledge through analytical exercises. With practically everything that is done today and taught today, there is some relevant relation to that of Aristotle and his beliefs. Through some of Aristotles books of Politics, one is able to see how education could be influenced and affected by what Aristotle says in his writings. Aristotles ethical theory is expressed through many aspects. Aristotle tends to express his feeling towards virtue in a way where it can go two ways. He talks of how virtue is divided into moral and intellectual virtue. Excellence of character deals with the good life and happiness. People are concerned with their character and getting the golden mean, which is true happiness, in life. One whom educates would be affected by this golden mean because they must learn to stray away from this aspect. They have to learn to educate for the sole purpose of those who are being taught to thrive as to what they are being taught. In a way, all these are interrelated with each other. Aristotle also explains the relation between ethics and politics, which leads to the implication for nature of morality and well living. Virtue, to Aristotle, is interpreted as the excellence of an object and that the object will perform its function effectively. This goes for people as well. For example a virtuous educator will successfully teach their students information they need to comprehend in order to go forward with their education. Aristotle divides human virtue into two types. One is moral virtue and the other is intellectual virtue. Although, it is hard to give an exact definition of each type, one would hope that an educator of today would lean toward the more moral virtuous side. Virtue is also a state of character that is concerned with choice with the golden mean. This leads to discussing the mean according to Aristotle. People who are morally virtuous are always making their decisions according to the golden mean. Of course not everyone is the same, different people have different means. This brings about the point that the good life is a life of happiness. Aristotle says such a life can be achieved by excellence in the two areas of virtue, but people are all aiming at some type of good in life. Some just may have higher expectations in their goal. People with virtual excellence want to have the good life that, according to them, is the excellence of character. The good life is referred to as being happy with life. Happiness must have two concepts included to fit Aristotles definition. Someone must exercise his or her thought of reason. He calls this activity of soul. Happiness also must have quality in the performance of the virtue, and it is the chief goal that everyone wishes to accomplish. Aristotle argued that the goal of human beings is happiness, and that we achieve happiness when we fulfill our function, or purpose of life. Therefore, it is necessary to determine what our function is. The function of a thing is what it can alone do, or what it can do best. This here is a key point in which an educator must understand. This key point of understanding is one of the most influential things Aristotle elaborates upon in my opinion. When he implies that the function is what one can do best, he implies that if someone is best at teaching, than they are to teach as their purpose in life. As a result of this function, they would than achieve happiness, but only if they were to do it in a virtuous way would they achieve happiness. Happiness is something that must be aligned with perfect virtue. This also goes along with the excellence of character. If someone is to have excellence of character he or she want or try to be happy and have the good life. If they achieve this then they will have the excellence of character. Some of these aspects are interrelated with each other. For instance, happiness is an activity of the soul that is along side of perfect virtue. Aristotle al so says that virtue must be a state of character because of a persons desire to act in a way that would ensure that golden mean. Virtue, excellence, the mean, the good life, happiness, and character are all interrelated within each other to be happy with life and achieve the golden mean. With all of this intertwined, the influence placed upon education, as a whole, is how an educator actually teaches. One may not realize it, but just think about what Aristotle shows through his views. Dont people go to school to learn morals, virtues, build character, find what they wish to do with their life, what they find to be enjoyable in life, etc. Every single thing an educator does to a student, as a whole, is based upon Aristotle ethics and politics with happiness. Another aspect in which Aristotle influenced education today is his views on realism. According to a realists point of view, the purpose of education would be to learn behavior in our society and guidelines to live our lives by. Throughout its long varied history, realism has had a common theme, which is called the principle or thesis of independence. This theme holds that reality, knowledge, and value exists independently of the human mind. This means that realism rejects the idealist view that only ideas are real. Matter exists even though there is no mind to perceive them, such as the classic question about the tree falling in the woods. To the realist, matter is certainly an independent reality, however, the realist also considers ideas to be part of the thesis. The role of the educator would be more of a guide or advisor to the students rather than an actual teacher. The whole idea of a realist is to learn by experience, so the students need a guide than a teacher so they can encounter it for themselves. Doing this, the students can determine what kind of knowledge they are inquiring, and how they can apply it to their lives. Therefore, an educators responsibility would be to teach students to learn from the world around them, not just out of books and from history. While performing this role, the educator needs to present the subject in a exceedingly organized and precise manner. While the educators are explaining how to learn from the real world, they might use many different kinds of methods from outside the classroom, such as field trips. This would let the students practice this knowledge themselves without have an adult stand up in front of a class and lecture about it. A realist would also present their material in a systematic and organized way and would also teach that these are clearly defined criteria for making judgments in art, economics, politics, etc. The children need to learn through trial and error, and experiencing joy and pain from naturally occurring experiences in their lives. Realists also like to examine physical characteristics of an object. They like to know the base of the subject and debate over its physical characteristics, rather than debate whether it exists or not. Many realists do like structure in their view of education. A realist educator needs to use lectures, demonstrations, sensory experiences, and teaching machines during their class. They usually approve of competencies, performance based teaching, and accountability. With this idea of using field experience instead of classroom lectures brings many controversial issues. A weakness in realism is that the curriculum for the class must be one that is rich in ideas for the conceptions to be tested. An educator must also be able to classify and categorize characteristics with similarities and differences. Others also say that the curriculum has to be organized in separate subjects in order to create an efficient and effective way of learning about our real world. Realism also fails to deal with social change quite frequently, being that no one knows what will be tomorrow, so therefore it is more of a teaching based upon the present and past. Being more in the outside world than in the classroom would make a student more universally aware, and maybe have more common sense, but not as truer book smarts. This question raises another idea of which student would be more effective, one who spends all their time in the classroom, or one who is working out in the work field? Should we even be going to school, or should we all just study all that is around us to be more educated. This is a question, which may never be answered, but according to a realist, the answer lies in the real world. For in the real world you can learn anything, more than you ever could in a classroom. In discussing Aristotles ethical theory, I found that he saw virtue as the excellence of an object and that the object will perform its function effectively. He also talked of the two types that people are classified into. Morally virtuous people base their life on finding the golden mean. Aristotle argues how the good life is a life of happiness and that everyone is aiming for that. Happiness, explained by Aristotle, is the chief good desirable to everyone. Excellence of character is achieved when someone has taken part in the good life and is truly happy. It was shown how all of these aspects are interrelated with each other in the sense that they all need each other to discuss a theory. Also, his realist point of view ties in to what the real world experience has to offer. Yes, ethics should be taught in class, but the outside world can not be ignored. Realism is a fundamental aspect to teaching and to a students life whether able to be noticed or not. Aristotle talked of many thi ngs that people have and will continue to discuss for years to come. Work Cited Aristotle (384-322 BCE): General Introduction. 2006. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. May 1st 2007 . Aristotle 384 BC 322 BC. February 1999. JOC/EFR. May 1st 2007 Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E.). 1994-2007. Regents of the University of California. May 1st 2007 Ross, David. Aristotle. New York: Routledge, 1996. Lear, Johnathan. Aristotle: the desire to understand. The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambrige, United Kingdom: The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1999.

Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity

Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Grand Canyon University: HLT-310V March 16, 2013 Abstract Health care is a very diverse field. Two patients with the same diagnosis would have very different plans of care due to the underlying conditions and faith or religious practices involved with each patients healing process. This paper will discuss the healing aspect of three religions: Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism and compare them to the healing aspect of Christianity. Also information important to health care worker when caring for patients of these religions will be discussed.Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Christianity if the largest religion in the world and is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christianity has over two billion followers and there are thirty four thousand different denominations that followers classify themselves under. These include Jehovah Witnesses who believe in one God, Jehovah. They believe illness comes from the mind and body. Illness was pass ed on from Adam because he lost perfection. Jehovah Witnesses seek health care when they are sick but they refuse blood products since it’s prohibited by biblical passages. Winslow, n. d, pg 10-11) Protestants use prayer for communication to God and believe that â€Å"God forgives freely and will save all who accept the gift of Jesus’ death for salvation†. (Winslow, n. d pg 14) Health practices should include improvements on the mind, body and spirit. Protestants do not have specific restrictions when it comes to receiving medical treatments. (Winslow, n. d pg 14-15) Judaism teaches there is a single God and focuses more on actions than on beliefs. Jews use the Torah, a gift from God, as a guide to how one should live their life.Health care workers are seen as instruments of God and are important when caring for the sick. (Winslow, n. d, pg26) Christians believe in one God, but this God contains three elements: God the Father, God the Son and The Holy Spirit. Ch ristians believe that all healing comes from God through the work of Jesus Christ and promise of the Holy Spirit. Prayer is the component used to obtain healing, since all healing is Gods choice, it’s not guaranteed that one will be healed. The Holy Bible is the doctrine that outlines the core beliefs of Christianity. Islam Islam is the second largest religion in the world and is practiced by Muslims.Similar to Christianity, where the belief is in one All-knowing God, â€Å"Islam teaches the one can only find peace by submitting in heart, soul and deed to the Almighty God Allah. † (Winslow, n. d, pg 29). Prayer is a critical component of healing for both religions. Muslims use The Quran as book of guidance for good health and healing, and Christians follow the Holy Bible. Muslims and Christians also share the belief that God has power in everything and is responsible for healing, â€Å"belief in and submission to the will of God is the most essential part of good heal th care. (Stacey, 2008). Muslims believe that their bodies are a trust given to them by God and should be used for the attainment of salvation. Muslims view health care workers as agents of God in healing. Some things for health care worker to consider when caring for a Muslim patient are their strong religious concerns regarding modesty. Most Muslims will not accept health care from provider from the opposite sex. They pray five times a day and may desire to pray bending or kneeling on the floor. (Ehman, 2007).So accommodating them with space and privacy to do so is important and beneficial to their healing process. Muslims may understand their pain to be spiritually enriching and may hesitant to accept pain medication. (Ehman, 2007). Also since most Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset during the 30-day month of Ramadan, it’s important for the provider to be aware of this and explore with the patient if this is medically appropriate during hospita lization. Hinduism Hinduism is possibly the world’s oldest religion.Hindus have beliefs in many meanings or purposes in life. â€Å"Loving nature and the importance of living simply and in balance with God and nature is the foundation of Hindu healing. † (Hindu beliefs, n. d) unlike Christians whose foundation for healing is a belief and commitment to God. The four elements earth, air, fire and water represent the elements of mankind which is physical, spiritual, emotional and mental. There is a state of health when these elements are in balance and when even one of them is off balance then illness occurs.Christians use prayer to achieve health and healing while Muslims use meditation as a way of health, and yoga as a way to balance the elements to avoid illness. Christians believe that all healing is the work of God. Hindus believe in Karma, which states that each person reaps what they sow so therefore a person will be healed if they deserve to be healed. Hindus also have respect for healthcare workers. It’s important for provider to be aware that Hindus have religious concerns about modesty and will refuse treatment from the opposite sex. Ehman, 2007). Since they follow vegetarian diet, they will not accept medications that contain animal products. A cultural norm is to use the right hand for â€Å"clean† tasks like eating and the left hand for â€Å"dirty† tasks like using the bathroom. (Ehman, 2007). Providers should be mindful of this when moving a patient in any way. Buddhism Buddhism is the fourth largest religion but is more of a spiritual practice than a religion. A concept central to Buddhism is the Four Nobel Truths that defines the cause and existence of suffering.It is believed that one can eliminate suffering by following the Eightfold Path which consist of â€Å"1) accept the Four Noble Truths, 2) renounce the pleasures of the senses and harbor no ill will toward anyone, 3) do not lie, slander, or abuse anyon e, 4) do not destroy any living creature and take only what is given to you, 5) earn your livelihood in a way that harms no one, 6) prevent evil from arising in you and strive to acquire good qualities, 7) be observant, alert, contemplative, and free of desire and sorrow, and 8) meditate. † (Winslow, n. , pg 21) while Christians believe that surrendering to God will eliminate suffering if He sees fit. Buddhist believe that sickness is a result of laziness in their lifestyle or faith which differs from Christianity which view sickness as punishment from God. Buddhist and Christians use prayer to achieve health but in addition Buddhist also use† meditation, good hygiene, healthy eating, stretching and exercise along with deep breathing† (The Medicine Buddha, n. d) as a path to a health. When caring for a Buddhist patient, healthcare worker should be aware that they value peace and quiet and may request a quiet space in order to meditate. Ehman, 2007). They are vegeta rian and may refuse medications that contain animal products. They value mindful awareness of all experiences of life and may not want to take pain medications that would cloud their awareness. The provider would need to be specific in the discussion about side effects of medications, and also clarify to the patient and family that if a patient is suffering a great deal, a little pain medication may actually help them gain more awareness. In conclusion, this research has given me a lot of insight into how to better care for these types of patients.It also reinforces the importance of being a culturally competent health care worker. Being ill and in the hospital away from what makes one comfortable and secure is very stressful. Gaining a patients trust and confidence that they can be cared for by competent providers ensures a positive experience for the patient and the staff. It would be beneficial for staff to approach either the patient or family and find preferences or specific ne eds the patient requires to have the best experience and receive the highest quality of care possible. References Ehman, J. (2007, April 20). Religious Diversity: Practical Points for Health Care Providers.In Penn Medicine. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from http://www. uphs. upenn. edu/pastoral/resed/diversity_points. html Stacey, A. (2008). Health in Islam (part 2of 4): Quran is a Healing. In The Religion of Islam. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from http://www. islamreligion. com/articles/1891/ The Medicine Buddha and the Philosophy of Healing. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 15, 2013, from http://www. heaven-and-earth-home-remedies. com/medicine-buddha. html Winslow, G. R. (n. d. ). Health care and Religious Beliefs (pp. 4-35). N. p. : Loma Linda University Health Systems. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from lomalindahealth. org

Computer Information Systems Brief Essay

The currently technology standing of Kudler Fine Foods is lacking greatly. The current limited abilities cause a set-back to the potential that the Kudler Company is capable of reaching. Minimal shoppers are reachable, report preparation is time-consuming, and inventory control is not at its best. After identifying some of the downfalls of the current information system maintained by the company, suggestions will be offered that will help increase productivity as well as customer satisfaction. Current System Kudler Fine Foods appears currently to be a partially manual company. Many tasks that are performed as a manual transaction or entry could be handled through system automation with the right computer hardware and software. Various possible set backs exist because of the lack of an automated system. Manual record keeping can be costly due to the time it takes to manually document and reproduce company data. The need to constantly reproduce data records for different reporting purposes takes time and manpower. Another down-fall of the current manual system in place is the risk of human error. Common errors include calculation mistakes and the transposing of figures. Upgrade Options A few options exist for converting from a manual to a computer based. The lower end of computer automation would be the use of a general purpose software application package. One example would be Microsoft Office which is similar to the current package in place. This package includes word processing, spreadsheet, database management presentation graphics, and personal information management. The high end would be application specific programming. These programs are designed for the specific purposes such as business accounting, transaction processing, customer relationship management and resource planning (O’Brien and Marakas, 2008). Still even more specific would be custom software, prepared for the specific needs and desires of Kudler Foods. Benefits of System Conversion Currently all major business transactions outside of customer sales and training classes are handled by one individual. The fact that this one individual is responsible currently for three locations, with more to come soon, is an even greater reason to look toward full system automation. Using the right software program will allow the activities of all three current locations as well as any future locations to filter into one main database. Information gathered into the one database can then be used for analysis, comparison, and reporting purposes without the need to physically travel to the various locations. There are also financial and accounting benefits of moving forward with system automation. Accounting packages available offer automated reporting of receivables, payable, expenses, and revenue. There is even a useful tool of check printing, recording, and reconciliation. Through computer interfacing with the financial institutions that Kudler maintains its financial accounts reconciling information can be transmitted electronically via secure internet connections. The use of account and product codes would be an asset to the inventory capabilities of an automated system. Sales and other transactions of each individual store location would have a unique identifier code. Merchandise that is supplied by each location would have product codes. Each determined area of the locations would have and identifying department code, for example meat, produce, bakery, etc. Data collection using the various options of coding allow the system to collectively report any pertinent information, or individually report according to location, department, item, and so forth as defined by Kudler Fine Foods. An added benefit of computer hardware and software is mass communication capabilities both internally and externally. The use of groupware allows communicating to one or several individuals without the use of paper, pens, postage or other office supplies. Memorandums, spreadsheets, and other documentation can be distributed through email, thus cutting office supply costs and information delivery time. One example of groupware is Microsoft Outlook. Through the use of the internet information is electronically transmitted to various specified locations and users. Using the internet for some business transactions would allow for product orders and advertising. Internet marketing and advertising allows Kudler to reach a far greater population than local advertising such as school ads. In addition to above mentioned incentives, internet usage for business would open the door for e-commerce. E-commerce gives potential customers outside of the normal driving radius access to products of Kudler Fine Foods. Customers would have the ability to shop via the web, select items of choice, and pay for the merchandise prior to Kudler shipping the product to a customer specified location. Possible Threats of Conversion The use of the internet is a great tool. Some benefits were previously mentioned, but there are also some threats. Threats such as viruses, spyware, sniffing, malware and several more exist whenever the internet is used. Each of the threats mentioned is an attack on the security of the company. There are various defenses that can be used to safeguard against these threats. In conjunction with limiting employee access to the internet, other defenses include firewalls, intrusion detection systems, value-added networks and proxy servers (Bagranoff, 2008). These defense mechanisms help to fight off unwanted attacks and unauthorized access to company data. Security Defenses Security threats can be internal as well as external. This being noted, there are also database management system software. This technology can be used for development, access, and maintenance of the database of Kudler (O’Brien and Marakas, 2008). More specifically this type of software can specify what personnel have access to specific locations within the computer system. It can determine if the access granted is read only or if the specified end-user has update capabilities. Conclusion In conclusion there are various options available to Kudler Fine Foods for the advancement of its business and accounting procedures. Evolving to a more technological computer programming system opens the door to more proficient record keeping, more cost effective communications and financial reporting, and business expansion. Potential security threats exist, as with all types of systems, whether it’s manual, semi-automated or completely high tech automation. There are tools available that make securing data just as strong a force as the posed threats. Kudler’s decision to move forward with total automation would increase time management, information accuracy, consumer population, and customer service.

What Is the Coalition Application

The Coalition Application is a college application platform that is currently accepted by over 140 schools. While the application itself does not differ significantly from the better-known Common Application, the Coalition Application offers several extra pre-application features and tools. The Coalition Application launched in 2016 with the goal of making the college application process more manageable for students from under-represented groups. However, students from any background can use the Coalition Application to apply to a participating school. Key Takeaways: Coalition Application The Coalition Application is a college application platform currently accepted by over 140 schools. In addition to allowing students to submit applications, MyCoalition offers a resource library and tools for storing documents and collaborating with others. Any college applicant can use the Coalition Application to apply to a participating school.Choosing to use the Coalition Application as opposed to the Common Application does not impact admissions chances, but Coalition is accepted by far fewer schools. Features of the Coalition Application Students using the Coalition Application are encouraged to make full use of MyCoalition, a set of tools that supports students as they build their college applications. As early as 9th grade, students can begin populating the MyCoalition work space with materials relevant to college admissions, including their grades, essays, projects, artwork, activities, and accomplishments. MyCoalition has four primary features: Locker: This tool is a space to store materials that might be useful in the college admissions process. Students can upload essays, research projects, artwork, videos, and photography to the Locker. During application time, students can choose which materials in the Locker they want to share with colleges.Collaboration Space: The Collaboration Space allows students to invite friends, family members, teachers, and counselors to provide feedback on application materials. This feature can be particularly useful when revising your application essay and tweaking your list of extracurricular activities so that they shine.MyCoalition Counselor: MyCoalition Counselor is an online library of resources to help students with the application process. The feature does not include live communication with a counselor, but students can use the resource library to get expert advice on paying for college, managing the SAT and ACT, and writing application essays.Coalition Application: The Coalition App lication is the place where students compile all the materials theyve gathered on MyCoalition throughout high school and ultimately submit their college applications. The Coalition Application Essay Like the Common Application, the Coalition Application includes an essay component. The essay is required by many member schools; however, some member schools allow students to submit an essay they wrote for class instead of the formal application essay. Students who choose to or are required to complete the Coalition Application essay can select from five essay prompts (the Common Application currently has seven essay prompts). The prompts are broad and cover topics that give applicants plenty of freedom to focus on whatever topic is most meaningful to them. The Coalition Application essay prompts for the 2018-19 application cycle are: Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?Submit an  essay  on a topic of your choice. Note that the final essay prompt here is the same as the Common Applications final essay prompt: submit an essay on a topic of your choice. The inclusion of this option makes clear that the Coalition schools dont favor specific prompts or topics over others; rather, they want your essay to be about something important to you. The Cost of the Coalition Application Access to and use of the Locker, Collaborative Space, MyCoalition Counselor, and Coalition Application is free. No student, regardless of income, needs to pay for the Coalition tools and support. However, this does not mean that applying to colleges will be free. The Coalition Application, like the Common Application, requires students to pay an application fee for each school to which they are applying. That said, students who served in the military or are from low income families can get their application fees waived. Fee waivers are granted immediately for a student who meets one of these four criteria: Receives free or reduced cost lunches at schoolParticipates in one of the federal TRIO programsQualifies for fee waivers from ACT, College Board, or NACACIs a veteran or active member of the U.S. Armed Forces Application fee waivers are available for low-income students even when they dont use the Coalition Application, but Coalition makes the process particularly quick and easy for all member schools. Who Should Use the Coalition Application? Because of the Coalitions emphasis on college access and affordability, many students have the misconception that the application exists primarily for the use of students who are from under-represented groups or face economic hardships. While it is true that the Coalition Application tries to provide more support for these groups than the Common Application, the application is open to all college applicants. A few schools, in fact, accept only the Coalition Application. If youre one of the 100,000 or so students applying to the University of Florida, University of Maryland, or University of Washington, you will be required to use the Coalition Application, as it is the only application these universities accept. In general, use of the Coalition Application is simply a matter of personal preference. If you think the Locker and Collaboration Space will help you put together a winning application, or that the holistic approach to essays writing samples will benefit you, choose the Coalition Application. On the flip side, there are benefits to using the Common Application. For one, it is currently accepted by far more colleges and universities. Also, it has been around for much longer, so it has a user interface and workflow that many applicants prefer over the new Coalition Application. What Colleges and Universities Accept the Coalition Application? For the 2018-19 admissions cycle, over 140 colleges and universities accept the Coalition Application. For a school to be a member of the Coalition, it must meet criteria in three areas: Access: Coalition members must be open to students of all backgrounds, and each school must have a demonstrated history of engaging students from under-served populations.Affordability: Member schools must offer reasonable in-state tuition, meet the full demonstrated financial need of applicants, and/or have a history of graduating students with minimal debt.Success: The Coalition wants its members to have at least a 50 percent graduation rate for students from under-served and low-income populations. These criteria significantly restrict the number and types of schools that can be Coalition members. For one, schools need to have the financial resources to offer significant financial aid without relying on student loans. Schools also need to be relatively selective to achieve the graduation rates required for membership. The result is that most Coalition members are well-off elite private institutions, flagship campuses of public universities, or smaller schools with well-established commitments to under-served populations and social mobility. Public Universities such as Arizona State University, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State University, The Ohio State University, and the University of FloridaPrivate Universities such as American University, Columbia University, Emory University, Stanford University, and the University of ChicagoLiberal Arts Colleges such as Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Kenyon College, Pomona College, and Rollins College The list of members has been growing every year, and you can find the complete list on the Coalition members page. A Final Word About the Coalition Application Applying to a college with the Coalition Application wont give you any kind of admissions advantage, and it wont necessarily save you any time or money either. For some students, the archival, collaborative, and informational tools developed by Coalition will be useful. For others, the Coalition Application may not be of benefit, particularly if only some of the students schools accept the Coalition. Ultimately, each applicant should weigh the pros and cons to decide if the Coalition Application is the right choice.