Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Read Emma Watsons 2016 UN Speech on Gender Equality

Read Emma Watson's 2016 UN Speech on Gender Equality Emma Watson, actor and UN Goodwill Ambassador, is using her fame and position with the United Nations to shine a spotlight on the problem of gender inequality and sexual assault at universities and colleges around the world. Watson made headlines in September 2014 when she launched a gender equality initiative called HeForShe with a rousing speech at the UN headquarters in New York. The speech focused on gender inequality around the world and the important role that men and boys must play in fighting for equality for girls and women. Speaking Out for Women In a more recent speech given at the UN headquarters in September 2016, Ms. Watson turned her attention to the gender double standards that many women encounter when they study and work at universities. Importantly, she connects this issue to the widespread problem of sexual violence that many women experience in the course of pursuing higher education. Ms. Watson, a proud feminist, also used the occasion to announce the publication of the first  HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 University Parity Report, which details the challenges of gender inequality and the commitments  to fighting them made by ten university presidents from around the world. The full transcript of her speech follows. Thank you all for being here for this important moment.  These men from all over the world have decided to make gender equality a priority in their lives and in  their universities. Thank you for making this commitment. I graduated from university four years ago. I had always dreamed of going and I know how fortunate I am to have had the opportunity to do so. Brown [University] became my home, my community, and I took the ideas and the experiences I had there into all of my social interactions, into my workplace, into my politics, into all aspects of my life. I know that my university experience shaped who I am, and of course, it does for many people. But what if our experience at university shows us that women dont belong in leadership? What if it shows us that, yes, women can study, but they shouldnt lead a seminar? What if, as still in many places around the world, it tells us that women dont belong there at all? What if, as is the case in far too many universities, we are given the message that sexual violence isnt actually a form of violence? But we know that if you change students experiences so they have different expectations of the world around them, expectations of equality, society will change. As we leave home for the first time to study at the places that we have worked so hard to get, we must not see or experience double standards. We need to see equal respect, leadership, and pay. The university experience must tell women that their brain power is valued, and not just that, but that they belong among the leadership of the university itself. And so importantly, right now, the experience must make it clear that the safety of women, minorities, and anyone who may be vulnerable is a right and not a privilege. A right that will be respected by a community that believes and supports survivors. And that recognizes that when one persons safety is violated, everyone feels that their own safety is violated. A university should be a place of refuge that takes action against all forms of violence. Thats why we believe that students should leave university believing in, striving for, and expecting societies of true equality. Societies of true equality in every sense, and that universities have the power to be a vital catalyst for that change. Our ten impact champions have made this commitment and with their work we know they will inspire students and other universities and schools across the world to do better. Im delighted to introduce this report and our progress, and Im eager to hear whats next. Thank you so much.

Sunday, March 1, 2020

ACT Scores, GPA

Texas A&M Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA Texas AMs main campus in College Station is a large, selective public university with a 67 percent acceptance rate. Dont let that relatively high number create a sense of false security: as the data below reveals, nearly all admitted students have grades and standardized test scores that are above average. Why Texas A&M? Location: College station, TexasCampus Features: Texas AMs massive 5,200-acre campus includes an 18-hole golf course, polo fields, and Kyle Field, the football stadium that seats over 102,000 fans.Student/Faculty Ratio: 21:1Athletics: The Texas AM Aggies compete in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference (SEC).Highlights: Undergraduates can choose from 128 degree programs spread across the universitys 19 schools and colleges. Programs in business, agriculture, and the biological and health sciences are particularly popular. Acceptance Rate For students entering Texas AM in the 2018-19 academic year, the university had a 67% acceptance rate. This means that for every 100 applicants, 67 were admitted and 33 received rejection letters. The admissions process is selective, and below average students will have a difficult time being admitted. Admissions Statistics (2018-19) Number of Applicants 36,423 Percent Admitted 67.2% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled 45.4% SAT Scores and Requirements Texas AMs main campus in College Station requires all students to submit either SAT scores or ACT scores, although students with very high grades and class rank may be able to get the test requirement waived. The SAT is more popular than the ACT- for students entering in the 2018-19 academic year, 61% of applicants submitted SAT scores. Texas A&M SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile ERW 580 680 Math 590 700 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing When we compare these scores to national SAT data from the College Board, we can see that the great majority of students who attend Texas AM rank among the top third of all test-takers. For the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing exam, 50% of students scored between 580 and 680. The bottom 25% of students scored a 580 or lower, while the top 25% scored a 680 or higher. Scores on the Math exam are slightly higher. The middle 50% of students scored between a 590 and 700. This means that 25% of admitted students scored a 590 or lower, while the top quartile scored a 700 or higher. Students with a combined SAT score of 1380 or higher will be particularly competitive at Texas AM. That said, if you compare SAT scores for top Texas colleges and universities, youll see that there are many schools that are more selective than Texas AM. Requirements Texas AM does not require SAT Subject Tests, but the test are sometimes used for course placement. The university does require students to take the SAT with Essay although the essay score does not play much of a role in the admissions process other than as a validity check for the application essay. SAT scores must be no more than five years old, and the university does not super-score the SAT. The school will use your highest score from a single test date. ACT Scores and Requirements All student applying to Texas AM must submit either SAT or ACT scores, and the ACT is less popular than the SAT. 39% of students entering in the 2018-19 academic year submitted ACT scores. Texas A&M ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile English 24 32 Math 24 30 Composite 25 31 An average ACT score is a 21, so you can see that nearly all Texas AM students have above-average scores. As national ACT data reveals, the great majority of Texas AM students placed in the top 25% of all ACT test-takers. The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 25 and 31. This means 25% of admitted students had an ACT score of 25 or lower, and at the top end, 25% had scores of 31 or higher. Requirements Texas AM requires the ACT with Writing. The writing section of the exam is used primarily as a check on the validity of the main application essay. The university will not super-score the exam, so they will use your highest total score from a single test date for admission purposes. Students who take the ACT are not required to take any SAT Subject Tests. GPA Texas AM does not publish GPA data of accepted students, but the self-reported data in the graph below shows us that the great majority of admitted students have high school averages in the B range or higher. 63% of Texas AM students rank in the top 10% of their high school class, and 92% are in the top 25% of their class. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph Texas AM Applicants Self-Reported GPA, SAT Score, and ACT Score Data. Data courtesy of Cappex   The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Texas AMs main campus in College Station. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account. ​Admissions Chances Texas AM is one of the top Texas colleges and universities, and applicants will need decent grades and test scores to be admitted. In the graph above, green and blue represent accepted students. Its important to realize that theres a lot of red (rejected students) hidden beneath the blue and green in the middle of the graph. Some students with scores and grades that are on target for Texas AM still get rejected. Note also that a number of students were accepted with test scores and grades a bit below the norm. These seeming discrepancies exist because Texas AM has holistic admissions. The admissions officers are considering qualitative as well as quantitative information. Students with exceptional talent (in, for example, athletics or music) will typically receive a closer look even if their numerical measures are a bit below the norm. Like all selective universities, Texas AM is trying to enroll students who will contribute to the campus culture in meaningful ways. Strong application essays, positive letters of recommendation, and interesting extracurricular activities are all important pieces of a successful application. Engineering applicants have an additional essay requirement. Keep in mind that high grades and standardized test scores are not a guarantee of admission. Some students with A averages and SAT/ACT scores that are well above average did not get in. This may seem strange since Texas AM has guaranteed admission for students who graduate in the top 10% of their class. This state policy, however, does have a couple restrictions. For one, students must be in the top 10% of a Texas school, so out-of-state applicants have no admissions guarantees. Also, Top 10% admits must have completed enough college preparatory classes to qualify. Finally, Texas AM recommends (but does not require) that prospective students visit campus, attend a prospective student session, and/or participate in an academic program for visiting students. All of these opportunities allow you to get to know the university, and they help demonstrate your interest in Texas AM. The university also recommends that applicants submit their applications as early as possible (you might want to consider the Early Action option). Sources: Graph from Cappex.com; other data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and the Texas AM Office of Admissions. admissionfrom the National Center for Educational Statistics