Parents Guide to Writing Private High School Application Essays

Your teenager's entrance into private high school cannot be taken for granted. With public schools beset with a variety of problems - discipline, poor test results, safety - private high schools offer your child a quality education in a safe environment.

When you request an information package from a private high school, you will discover that essays and short answer essays are required from both you and your teenager. Your teen, who should be comfortable with answering essay style questions will be asked about his academic strengths and weaknesses, his desire to attend the private school and about his hobbies and extra-curricular activities. Questions directed to parents, however, often have a different focus and are designed with different purposes in mind.

Usually, the essay questions directed to parents are analytical in nature. Instead of asking for facts, these questions ask you to speak about your teens character, to discuss family dynamics and to gauge your role as a supporter of the private school. Private high school admittance directors recognize that teenagers who are brought up in a stable, education focused home, are much more likely to succeed than their peers who have less support at home.

Parents Guide to Writing Private High School Application Essays

Similarly, private school administrators look at your essay answers to determine whether you can be counted on to support the high school financially or through volunteer work. As you might imagine, administrators cannot legally or ethically ask some of these questions but they can draw inferences based on your answers to application questions.

Analytical Questions

For example, an entrance application question may ask what you believe your child can contribute to the XYZ school. This type of question is really asking you to speak to your child's academic, social, athletic and out-of-school interests. If you have visited the school, reference your visit to show that you have made an effort to learn more about the school. Your answer should address each of your child's areas of interest and strength. Here is a sample answer to this question:

During our recent visit to the XYZ School, Tommy pointed out to me the well equipped science lab and asked a number of questions about the science curriculum available to students at the school. Tommy has a long standing interest in studying science and he has performed well in elementary school and we believe that he will bring that interest and aptitude to his high school studies. His current teachers note that Tommy regularly asks thoughtful and insightful questions in class. In addition to working hard to perform well academically, Tommy will be an willing participant in the school's baseball team and/or its marching band. Tommy keeps a busy schedule during the school year and as a well rounded and serious young man, he will represent the ideals and message of the XYZ School now and in the future.

Family Stability and Religious Questions

Other questions will more directly ask you about your future participation in school fund raising and other activities. These questions are designed to evaluate the stability of your home life and your future financial support potential. For example a religious school application might ask about the role your religion plays in your life. A non-religious school might ask why you are considering the XYZ School. Here is a sample answer to this type of question:

Our family is an active member of XYZ church. We are active members of the social action committee and every Thanksgiving, our entire family, including Tommy and his two sisters, volunteer at the XYZ Church gently used clothing center where we help distribute gently used clothes to homeless people. Tommy and his sisters have been greatly impacted by this activity as well as other church related functions. With a hands-on opportunity to minister to the less fortunate, Tommy has a personal understanding of the message of XYZ religion. We try to reinforce that message at home by attending services regularly and making daily prayer a part of our routine. At the XYZ Private Elementary School, both my husband and I have served on the Board of Directors and we are active participants in the school's Feed the Hungry annual campaign.

Answers like the ones set out above are designed to send a message to school administrators that both you and your teen are serious, dedicated and stable people who will fit in well with the community that develops within a particular private school. If you make an effort to study the type of community that exists within a particular school and you model your entrance questionnaire essay to that community, you greatly enhance your child's chances at gaining admission.

Parents Guide to Writing Private High School Application Essays
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Jonathan Ginsberg is a practicing Social Security disability lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to his law practice, Jonathan is the editor and publisher of several national Social Security disability related web sites, including the Social Security disability information, the Social Security disability blog at http://www.ssdAnswers.com and Social Security disability radio.

How to Start Writing a Book - Checklist of Top 5 Ways to Write Your Novel Like a Pro

Just about anyone can write a book if they set their mind to it, but that does not guarantee that you will write something people will want to read. There is also no guarantee that you will be able to sell your book. So it is best to start out learning how to start writing a book just like the professionals do.

1. Start out with a very catchy title. If the title doesn't grab the reader's attention they may not even pick up the book and see what it's about. If you have an interesting and eye-catching title, you are at least guaranteed most people will take a look at your book.

2. Hook the reader right away. Your first paragraph should grab the reader in with a "hook." You've probably read about this many times. You need this hook to catch the attention of anyone looking at your novel. You really don't have very much time to entice the reader, so you need to choose your opening paragraph wisely. You can try using dialogue as the opening sentences or show that the character is in a problematic situation which will cause the reader to want to continue reading to see what happens. If they don't care what happens, they will close the book.

How to Start Writing a Book - Checklist of Top 5 Ways to Write Your Novel Like a Pro

3. Avoid too many flashbacks as this tends to slow the story down and your readers may get bored. Refer to past situations in the dialogue rather than including flashbacks.

4. Avoid adverbs like the plague. Too many writers rely on these words which normally end in "ly."

5. Show, don't tell. The reader does not want to read a long paragraph about things that happen to the characters. They would rather read dialogue or actions that show what is happening. Otherwise it is like a summary and they will feel like they are on the outside looking in rather than a part of the story.

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If you really want to learn how to start writing a book, all you have to do is click here!

Learn how you can get your first novel started and finished easily with this step by step guide.

What Is Writing Style?

This is something that concerns most new writers, especially those who are new to writing, and aspiring to success. Is a writing style something you work to develop, or something you have already because it's part of you? How do you even know what your style is, or should be? And what about following editorial style - where does that fit in?

I used to get concerned about these questions, especially when I read things like 'Keep to the style of the publication', or 'How to develop your writing style'. I wondered how I could even figure out my own style, let alone anyone else's.

Much of the confusion is because there are two main styles to be concerned about, and they mean different things, though they are related. These are the editorial style, and the writer's style.

What Is Writing Style?

EDITORIAL STYLE

Let's look at editorial style first of all, most notably of magazines. This is what makes the work of a particular publication unique; and the editors of each publication are understandably fussy to see both writers and advertisers adhere to their chosen style.

The editors want to reach a particular reading audience, and their editorial style is what is intended to appeal to that audience. This may be seen in things like level of reading ability, layout, length, sophistication and specialty of language used. For example, a publication intended toward doctors is going to use a different set of words to those intended toward a non-medical audience, even if written about the same topics.

PERSONAL STYLE: The second style to look at is your own personal writing style.

I've read a lot about writing style, and the best way I can explain it is: your writing style is a reflection of your personality, shown by the words you choose, and the way in which you use them.

At first, like a toddler learning how to stand and walk, you will be unsure of your style. However, also like a toddler, I suggest you don't worry about finding your style; just get on with the business of getting mobile.

I'm sure you've noticed how un-self-conscious a baby is when just starting out. While attention-lovers will perform better for doting parents or admiring onlookers, babies are usually more interested in figuring out how to get places easier or faster. Walking is what humans are made to do, so it's a natural process. Even in that first age, of course, walking styles can be observed; but nobody expects that child to still be toddling uncertainly in another year or two.

As a young writer, work on developing your writing skills, and practice, practice, practice. As you do so, your style will develop. When you write for publications, you will gradually learn how to discern an editorial style, and how to write with your style for their style.

Your style is you. It doesn't actually matter so much if you can discern your own style or not, I believe; so just be true to yourself, and your style will be evident to your readers.

What Is Writing Style?
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Do you need help to write better? Do you want some inspiration to put your thoughts into words? Could you do with some encouragement to develop your writing skills?
Click here to visit http://www.wordsandscenes.co.nz by Janice Gillgren
The blog on this site offers inspiration, encouragement and useful tips to writers at all levels.

Report Writing - How to Format a Business Report

Introduction

Report writing is a time consuming business so it is a great shame if, having devoted all that time to writing your report, the quality is such that hardly anyone can be bothered to read it. Quite frankly, most report readers do not actually read all the report; they are too short of time. You might as well know it and accept it -- that is normal. They only read the parts that interest them. Frequently these are the summary, the conclusions and recommendations.

Of course, some readers do need all the details you so carefully included, they are specialists, but most do not. Most readers just need two things: that the information they want is where they expect it to be so they can find it, and that it is written clearly so that they can understand it.

Report Writing - How to Format a Business Report

It is similar to reading a newspaper. You expect the news headlines to be on the front page; the sports coverage to be at the back; the TV listings on page whatever and the editorial comment in the middle. If what you want is not in its usual place then you have to hunt for it and you may get irritated. So it is with a report.

There is a convention as to what goes where. Stick with the convention and please your readers. Break the convention and people may get slightly irritated - and bin your report.

So what is that convention, the standard format?

Standard Sections

Title Section. In a short report this may simply be the front cover. In a long one it could also include Terms of Reference, Table of Contents and so on.

Summary. Give a clear and very concise account of the main points, main conclusions and main recommendations. Keep it very short, a few percent of the total length. Some people, especially senior managers, may not read anything else so write as if it were a stand-alone document. It isn't but for some people it might as well be. Keep it brief and free from jargon so that anyone can understand it and get the main points. Write it last, but do not copy and paste from the report itself; that rarely works well.

Introduction. This is the first part of the report proper. Use it to paint the background to 'the problem' and to show the reader why the report is important to them. Give your terms of reference (if not in the Title Section) and explain how the details that follow are arranged. Write it in plain English.

Main Body. This is the heart of your report, the facts. It will probably have several sections or sub-sections each with its own subtitle. It is unique to your report and will describe what you discovered about 'the problem'.

These sections are most likely to be read by experts so you can use some appropriate jargon but explain it as you introduce it. Arrange the information logically, normally putting things in order of priority -- most important first. In fact, follow that advice in every section of your report.

You may choose to include a Discussion in which you explain the significance of your findings.

Conclusions. Present the logical conclusions of your investigation of 'the problem'. Bring it all together and maybe offer options for the way forward. Many people will read this section. Write it in plain English. If you have included a discussion then this section may be quite short.

Recommendations. What do you suggest should be done? Don't be shy; you did the work so state your recommendations in order of priority, and in plain English.

Appendices. Put the heavy details here, the information that only specialists are likely to want to see. As a guide, if some detail is essential to your argument then include it in the main body, if it merely supports the argument then it could go in an appendix.

Conclusions and Recommendations

In conclusion, remember that readers expect certain information to be in certain places. They do not expect to hunt for what they want and the harder you make it for them the more likely they are to toss you report to one side and ignore it. So what should you do?

1. Follow the generally accepted format for a report: Summary, Introduction, Main Body, Conclusions, Recommendations and Appendices.
2. Organise your information in each section in a logical fashion with the reader in mind, usually putting things in order of priority - most important first.

Good luck with your report writing!

Author: Tony Atherton
© Tony Atherton 2005)

Report Writing - How to Format a Business Report
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Tony Atherton is a freelance trainer and writer based in England. He has had four books published and about 90 of his articles have appeared in various magazines and journals. After an earlier career in industry he now runs in-company training courses in business writing, report writing (including technical reports) and taking minutes, as well as negotiation skills and time management. Over 6000 delegates have attended his courses. See http://www.tony-atherton.co.uk/reportwriting.htm for details of report writing courses, or see http://www.tony-atherton.co.uk for general information.

Condolence Letters - Writing a Condolence Letter to an Adult Who Has Lost a Parent

Condolence letters offer comfort and support long after the death of a parent, which can take years to accept. Your condolence letter can be a source of comfort throughout those difficult years. As we grow older, we start to reconcile with the fact that our parents are likely to die before us. Our parents are living longer, which give us more time to come to terms with their death. But when faced with the reality of their death, it is very difficult to overcome emotions of grief and bewilderment. A condolence letter written sincerely can help the bereaved adult child through the difficult times ahead.

Adult Children Dealing with the Death of a Parent
Regardless of your age and experience, your parent is always your parent. Your bond with your parents is a part of your identity that never goes away. Everyone can relate to the death of a parent, biological or not, grandparent or guardian.

Each of us is a son or a daughter, who at some point will lose a parent. You can use this knowledge as a basis for your condolence letter to the bereaved adult child. If you've already lost a parent, think back to what you felt and how you reacted and imagine that's what the bereaved is feeling right now. If you haven't already lost a parent, imagine what that might be like for yourself and the bereaved. Jot down those emotions and notes to use later in your condolence letter.

Condolence Letters - Writing a Condolence Letter to an Adult Who Has Lost a Parent

A friend of mine, whose father had passed, told me how terrified he was of approaching age forty-two because his father passed away at age forty-two. When parents die, you become more aware of your own mortality. Sometimes you might feel your parents have abandoned you and you are now an orphan no matter how old you are. The sense of loss overshadows everything you do.

Understanding this will help you to write an excellent condolence letter that truly comforts and supports the grieving adult child.

Dealing with Grief
For many adult children, grieving in public is unacceptable. People frown on such behavior. Friends and well-wishers focus their attention on the surviving spouse, or the grandchildren. No one recognizes that adult children are also grieving. In addition, when there is one surviving parent, the adult child feels it is his or her duty to "take care" of their parent and stifle their own grief.

Your condolence letter should acknowledge the fact that grieving is not only acceptable, but also necessary to get past the pain of losing a parent. Your condolence letter will likely be read in private when the bereaved can allow their emotions to come out, no matter what they are, sadness, anger, fear, relief, and so on.

Death after an Extended Illness
As an adult watching your parent go through a long period of severe illness is burdensome. The strain of being financially and emotionally responsible for their care is tremendous. You also have to devote a lot of your time in caring for your parent. If you consider the positive side, you will have more than enough time to prepare yourself emotionally to say your goodbyes. On the other hand, death can bring relief mixed with anger, exhaustion and depression.

Your condolence letter to the adult child of a parent who died of an extended illness should also acknowledge the dedication and commitment it took to take care of them, and now the bereaved can take rest and look after him or herself now. They did everything they could for their parent.

Writing a Condolence Letter
The death of a parent can be devastating, a relief or any emotion in between. Knowing that there is a complex relationship between parents and children and understanding that this is a difficult time no matter what the relationship was like, will help you write a touching and effective condolence letter.

The most important thing to remember is it doesn't matter what you write. Just go ahead and write that condolence letter.

Condolence Letters - Writing a Condolence Letter to an Adult Who Has Lost a Parent
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To help you get started, look at these free condolence letter examples online. You'll find excellent samples for many different situations to use as inspiration for your own letter.

Obituaries Help is also an excellent resource for other condolence message examples and sympathy resources. If you want to include a sympathy verse or sympathy quote, you'll find many examples online for free. Obituaries Help is the best free resource for letters of sympathy and condolence.

Melanie Walters recommends ObituariesHelp.org for Condolence Letters, sample letters of sympathy and condolence, written examples of eulogies as well as help with all aspects of funeral planning. Also download free genealogy resources and read about building a family tree.

Melanie Walters created http://www.obituarieshelp.org/ to be the complete online resource for sympathy, condolence, obituaries, funeral help and genealogy. Free Sample Condolence Letters are available online to help you write your own. Also find family tree templates, newspaper obituaries listings; plan funerals and write sympathy and condolence messages using free samples and guides.

Writing an Awesome Restaurant Resume

As a restaurant management recruiter I am constantly bombarded with resumes all day, every day, on weekends and holidays. It is amazing how many great managers out there can run a profitable restaurant operation inside and out, but they have no idea what to write when it comes time to shop for their next opportunity.

In the restaurant industry it isn't about where you went to school, what degree you have or what you like to do on your days off. Plain and simple is the best strategy for getting an interview in this field. You have to understand that the hiring managers who review your resume see more resumes than I do any given day. We are talking in the mid hundreds depending on how they have their needs and job hiring goals presented to the public. Many times a resume is passed over because it isn't user friendly or it is out of order chronologically. The worst thing I ever saw was a resume that stopped over 2 years ago with no explanation. Go ahead and file that one in the round outbox on the floor.

Before we get started let me tell you if you are not using Microsoft Word you will probably never get another job. Compatibility is the key here and whether you like it or not Word is the king of word processing software. Please don't try to reinvent the wheel using Word Perfect or something else obscure in the marketplace. When someone gets a file that can't be opened with their existing software they take the path of least resistance and delete it. They don't try and contact you via email and you just lost a potential career opportunity. So step one is always use Word or you will regret it later.

Writing an Awesome Restaurant Resume

The first thing a resume should have is your name centered in 14-point bold Arial font. Arial is easy on the eyes and it doesn't distort like some other fonts. Under that you want to put your address and phone numbers a smaller 10-point Arial. You do not need an email address on there and remember just because you have a cute or clever email address that your friends think is cool doesn't mean anyone else will. And for your sake please change the messages on your phones to something clear and precise and welcome in the job arena. This is not the time to express yourself!

The second thing you need is an objective statement, which looks great in 12-point Arial. I would suggest keeping the text size and font the same for the rest of the résumé. This objective description should be clear and driven. Don't ramble on for three sentences and think anyone will care, because they won't. For example, a nice statement about how you want to contribute to the bottom line profitability of a team using your past experiences often works well. Throw in some upward growth potential and you're on the right track.

Next is the most important part and that is experience. Starting from the present and going back is the only way to go. All you need here is the name of the company, your title and the dates (from past when to present when). Don't worry about exact dates, but do include months and the years obviously.

After that you will need to briefly bullet statements regarding actions while in that position. These should be one-sentence statements that are clear to the reader. Don't tell them you are a great manager because that is vague. Instead tell me why I should hire you. For instance, did you increase sales over a two-year period or did you increase sales by 12% over a two-year period using local store marketing and targeting repeat guest counts? Do you see the difference? One statement keeps you reading and one is clouded in vagueness. Take this and run with it on all other details such as labor, food and controllable costs. Any training and development of team members is also a very good example that you are part of a team and you care about their success. Because of this you will also be successful and it will help you delegate lesser jobs onto key hourly team members.

If you follow these guidelines you will probably have about 6 to 8 bulleted statements that should get you noticed. Repeat these steps for all your previous positions as well until you have described your last 5-8 years depending on the timeframe of your career. No one cares about what you did 15 years ago in this field. They want to see the most recent performance and some career progression.

As far as references go I would consider them a waste of space. No one is going to ever list a reference from a bad experience and hiring managers know this. If you have a great looking resume that flows and is widely acceptable you will be getting far more calls from interested parties than those others who don't invest their time upfront.

Writing an Awesome Restaurant Resume
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GreatMgrs.com is a restaurant management recruiting firm specializing in the placement of managers in all capacities of the restaurant industry. From quick serve to casual and all the way up to senior level area supervisors or district managers, we can find the right candidate for any situation or job order. We also help the right management candidates find great and new opportunities that are not advertised to the public. We eliminate many unnecessary steps in the hiring process and get the candidate in front of the hiring manager more quickly than using the conventional wait and see tactics. The best part is it is FREE for the candidates! Email your resume to raymond@greatmgrs.com or Fax to 866.862.3547. Client companies feel free to email at the same address because we would love to be a part of your team and find you the next great leader!