New product development

New item advancement Need in the Market The requirement for an eBook in the market was apparent. In the data age, where volumes of information and data should be traded, made, analyzed and sorted out, there was an enormous void to be filled by a helpful gadget fit for being hefted around, having an interface large enough like a book, yet not the constrained limit of a paper book. The books were ubiquitous, despite the fact that draining in number with the web coming up. In any case, for broadened perusing, the PC screen was excessively badly arranged. It required some investment to stack up. It was cumbersome to heft around. Not all things be accessible in a configuration youd need it in. To investigate what precisely the need was, lets us look further into some particular focuses. To fill the current void, the market required an item that: Was not overwhelming on nature, similar to books. There was an excess of paper and ink being utilized for moderately miniscule measures of data. Recreated the book as far as intelligibility. The PC screen was difficult to investigate for a really long time. Further, the PC screen couldn't be found in daylight. It likewise was exceptionally difficult to peruse at points. Encouraged trade of data without essentially the narrowing of holding a gadget and focusing the clients eye on it. For instance, in the ultra portable culture that is developing, numerous clients are either driving a vehicle for a major part of the day. They might be clients who are working around the house as well. Books, on account of the full focus they required, were gradually being floated away from. Didn't require extra room. Books occupied a ton of room. Theres just so much data that can be kept in the library as books. Was not overwhelming. Books are overwhelming in the event that you understand that just to move from your family room to the recreation center outside with a couple of huge books isn't welcoming. On the off chance that youre voyaging, its practically outlandish. Was refreshed progressively. Books cannot be, and PCs are, as we saw, clumsy. We currently perceive how the Kindle satisfied these requirements. The Amazon Kindle and how it filled the hole The appropriate response was an eBook peruser. One such item is the Amazon Kindle. A snappy look at its highlights, advantages and how it fits with the market request recognized above is introduced. Amazon Kindle: a product/equipment stage by Amazon.com for showing digital books and now and again, other computerized media. The 3 forms are: Kindle, Kindle 2, and Kindle DX. The Kindle First Generation, which was Amazons first gadget, was discharged in the US in 2007 (on November 19). The Kindle utilizes an E Ink brand electronic paper show. It downloads content utilizing Amazons Whispernet (appropriateness online store) utilizing versatile systems. The Kindle 2 gadgets utilize the American ATTs administration and some meandering accomplices that give remote access globally. Ignite doesn't need to be associated with a PC, and Amazon Whispernet doesn't require a membership. All Kindles accompany free access to the Internet over versatile systems in the US. Here is a glance at the highlights and advantages you can discover with Amazon Kindle. The screen looks like genuine printed paper. Fuel likewise became alluring due to its 3G association administration in excess of 100 nations. Clients can get the principal sections of books before buying them. The real download takes 60 seconds. The Kindle DX highlights a bigger screen and more memory to hold more digital books. The screen size is 9.7 inches which is truly huge for open to perusing. Indeed, even the accessible memory of 3.3 GB is sufficient to keep to the tune of 3500 books. The screen brags not having any glare or brightening. This bends over as a significant force saver. Moreover, the expressions of the book, once showed on the encourage, remain that route without devouring any force. In this way, in the space of use of intensity, it is effective. Around 500,000 book titles are accessible at its Kindle Store for worldwide clients. Serious investigation Watchmen examination for the eBook business Passage Passage hindrances to the digital book industry are scarcely any. The assembling procedure is generally basic; with the exception of the screen, the innovation is all around created. The Kindle utilizes an electronic paper show fabricated by E-Ink Corporation and this equivalent showcase can be found in the Sony Reader, the iLiad, the Cybook Gen3, and the Readius. Notwithstanding, there is a test of consenting to arrangements with distributers so the material can be discharged as a digital book. Maybe the greatest obstruction that all the organizations are confronting right currently is the absence of development in the business. Jinke has been in the business since 2000 yet has sold just 150,000 perusers, the above all else the organizations. Competition The digital book advertise is still in a beginning period and along these lines, showcase value levels are as yet unsure. There are noteworthy varieties in cost between various makers of digital book perusers. Amazon entered the market at a fundamentally more significant expense than Sony and numerous different contenders, however there are additionally different perusers selling at $700 or more. Since the shopper base is so little, all makers would prefer to see it grow than take clients from different producers. Thusly, there is progressively motivating force for makers to improve their item and increment enthusiasm for digital books than to contend on cost. Provider Bargaining Power Provider bartering power is gotten from the quantity of providers, accessibility of substitutes, and expenses related with changing to elective data sources. There are two principle contributions to the Kindle: screen and system innovation. The innovation used to make the specific presentation on the Kindle is made by the E-Ink Corporation. E-Ink is the main firm in the electronic paper showcase and is a provider to an assortment of organizations, including Sony and other digital book producers. Since the electronic paper showcase is moderately new and doesn't comprise of numerous organizations, substitutes are constrained. Given the condition of the electronic paper advertise and the way that electronic paper is an as of late created innovation, E-Ink needs clients and subsequently E-Ink doesn't have a lot of provider haggling control over Kindle. This could change later on, contingent upon the fame of the Kindle and the advancement of the electronic paper showcase. Amazon utilizes EVDO organize innovation, provided by the Sprint arrange. Arouse clients don't have to pay to associate with the system, as Amazon takes care of the expense. Huge EVDO arrange suppliers additionally incorporate Verizon and Alltel, with other contending systems utilizing a standard other than EVDO. This implies Amazons selection of systems for Whispernet is genuinely constrained. While not an issue now, if Kindle turns out to be considerably more far reaching later on, the organization could confront a burglary issue with Sprint if Sprint needs a greater amount of Amazons benefits. In this manner Kindles show and system providers as of now don't have a lot of bartering power, however all things considered, if Kindle succeeds, provider haggling force will increment and may turn into an issue for Amazon. Distributer bartering power is additionally essential to consider since the Kindle is genuinely futile without digital books. To expand the size of Amazons digital book library, it needs to get distributer consent for each book it changes over. Distributers have a lot of haggling power in this regard; while there are numerous distributers, for each title one distributer has an imposing business model. Subsequently, if Amazon needs a particular book for its Kindle, it should address syndication costs to the distributer. This impact would already be able to be found in the market for printed books, where a significant part of the benefit on a book is held by the distributer. For a huge distributing organization like Random House, its benefits are on the request for 10% of its income. Then again, a book retailer like Barnes and Noble has definitely lower gainfulness, with benefits under 1% of income. Along these lines distributers have a lot of provider bartering power since they basica lly choose which books become digital books and whether those books will be accessible for the Kindle. Distributers can likewise necessitate that Amazon sell just forms of their books that incorporate Digital Rights Management (DRM), an endeavor to forestall unlawful replicating of the substance. Thus, all books sold through Amazon on the Kindle are accessible just in the exclusive AZW design. Most contending perusers additionally have some expertise in their own DRM design. Purchaser Bargaining Power Ignite purchasers have small dealing power. Haggling power is gotten primarily from the simplicity of changing to a contending item and the estimation of the item to the purchaser. Since both the Kindle and contending perusers use DRM plans, books bought for the Kindle can't be moved to different makers gadgets and the other way around. This isn't the essential purpose behind DRM, however it is beneficial from Amazons perspective since it builds changing expenses and assists with making purchaser lock-in. The market for digital book perusers is as yet youthful and little, so most of digital book peruser purchasers don't have a huge existing electronic library. Existing libraries are not yet a significant factor in molding customers buying choices. Be that as it may, when the market develops a critical bit of deals will be to existing proprietors of digital book perusers. In this way purchaser bartering force will diminish after some time and be exceptionally frail in the develop show case. Substitutes The principle substitutes for Amazon Kindle are libraries, both blocks and concrete and online book shops, and Google Books. Be that as it may, not at all like the online book shops and Google books, Kindle doesn't require a PC. Fuels free remote availability which utilizes a similar system as cutting edge phones empowers purchasers to shop from the Kindle Store straightforwardly from the Kindle gadget. Rather than venturing out to the neighborhood library or trusting that books will show up from online book shops, this remote system can download a book in 60 seconds giving clients a progressively effective and direct access to books. Despite the fact that Kindle

Scrum Product Owner Relationship Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: How does a Scrum Product Owner job fit you and your wants and experience? Why? Who do you realize that would make an incredible Product Owner? Answer: The scrum item proprietor relationship helps in dealing with the wants with the item proprietor obligations with recognizing, conglomerating and afterward organizing the partners for the business destinations. The assuming of the position of authority is to decide the item technique and headings that will assist the person with determining the key system with the key choice focuses and the achievements (Ardito et al, 2017). The structures are for the most part to keep up the vision of the item and recognize the business connections which are characterized through the item against the vital dangers, making the faultless types of the upper hands. The improvement of the imaginative item proposals helps in keeping up the business cases to a higher and better level. The recognizable proof is fundamentally through driving the corporate topics which incorporates the item go. The item proprietorship depends on conveying and coordinating towards the product advancement which helps in addressing the requirements and the desires for the partners. It is essential to set the needs with the asset ability and the attainability designs (Omen et al, 2017). The item proprietors need to grab hold of the diverse item goes with the methodology set on the objective model with direct creation to meet the necessities and the desires for the client. The item proprietor additionally can impart the vision to the group, personality and afterward total dependent on the related advantages of the item that gulp help in convey the best items to the client. References Ardito, C., Baldassarre, M. T., Caivano, D., Lanzilotti, R. (2017, May). Incorporating a SCRUM-based procedure with human focused plan: an encounter from an activity research study. InProceedings of the fifth International Workshop on Conducting Empirical Studies in Industry(pp. 2-8). IEEE Press. Oomen, S., De Waal, B., Albertin, A., Ravesteyn, P. (2017). In what manner CAN SCRUM BE SUCCESFUL? Abilities OF THE SCRUM PRODUCT OWNER.

Final global business plan paper for company in Brazil Essay

Last worldwide field-tested strategy paper for organization in Brazil - Essay Example At whatever point an organization connects with new markets where there are consistently numerous components that decide how well the company’s item will perform once it has been propelled. To the extent the caffeinated drink Jackie O is concerned, factors look truly good and reasonable for an item dispatch in Brazil where political, prudent, social and monetary alternatives are exceptionally solid and developing. As of now showed by the contextual investigation, the political situation is very steady and good for a remote speculation, Brazilian government and not many different nations are attempting to frame a union among Latin American nations which would essentially make a positive effect on the political dependability in the district. Besides, financial states of Brazil are probably going to support any remote venture where economy of Brazil goes under top ten economies of the world with most (GDP) which is a marker of their monetary security. Their legislature and arrangements have functioned admirably with the macroeconomic markers to keep the economy becoming even in the hours of downturn when the whole world was folding. (Baer, 2007). Likewise, one of the most pivotal elements that impact the dispatch of an item in another market is the accessibility of funds and money related establishments. Organization A doesn't just have the alternative of taking assets from US accounts however th ey can likewise back their undertakings from the assets accessible at completely created money related establishments like Banks in Brazil. For an item like caffeinated drink, social components will assume a significant job in deciding the business volume of the item (Grewal and Levy, 2009). There are a few territories where issues may emerge which remember high disparity for the locale, appetite and destitution with a high pace of plagues including perilous HIV, alongside natural issues like contamination and deforestation achieved by the ongoing advancement in the district especially in urban zones. Brazil has a culture which incorporates individuals from a wide range of ethnicities which would make a broadened advertise interest for the Company A, here is one significant factor that Company A needs to choose once they execute the arrangement for the dispatch of their item that whether to go with a conventional item centering all the layers of society or would they separating rega rding distinctive taste as indicated by the inclination of various classes of individuals (Baer, 2007). Also, an or more factor for Company An is the utilization of eco inviting crude materials in the creation procedure since a significant number of the vitality or carbonated beverages are not beneficial or suggested by wellbeing specialists as they give an impermanent elevate in the vitality level and when the effect begins to diminish, the vitality level falls path underneath the level it would have fallen had there been no admission of caffeinated drink. The utilization of natural crude materials by Company A would make a sound caffeinated drink for the purchasers and consequently will give more vitality without the smashing inclination (Brainard and Diaz, 2009). Aside from the socio and large scale financial markers, there are numerous different things that Company a necessities to consider which incorporates contender investigation, conversion standard devaluation, tax collecti on and administrative laws. Organization An unquestionable requirement examine the market to discover what number of contenders are working with their particular costs, they need to assess the normal variance in the conversion scale which can either increment or decline their benefits. Likewise, an exhaustive and top to bottom examination of tax assessment and administrative laws are basic since they fluctuate from nation to nation and high rely upon the

Gentleman of the Jungle

In Kenyatta’s The Gentlemen of the Jungle, man renders space in his hovel to elephant who looks for cover from man. Man resorts to savagery after elephant and the remainder of the creatures exploit his thoughtfulness. â€Å" my deer great man, if you don't mind, kindly let me put my trunk inside your cabin to keep it out of this heavy downpour? ’’ asked the elephant, knowing very well that he required more space than exactly what his trunk would involve. Man welcomed elephant to place his trunk in, once welcomed, the elephant drove his entire body into keeps an eye on cottage pushing man out of his hovel â€Å"as there isn't sufficient space for the two of us, you can bear to stay in the downpour while I am shielding my sensitive skin from the hailstorm† said the elephant. Against the one tone brute man was defenseless so he looks for the assistance of the King of the wilderness, who regards the elephant to be simply. With nobody to go to for equity, man resorts to viciousness. Under the misrepresentation of edifying Africa, frontier powers went into Africa and brought tobacco whisky and religion, once in, they took gold silver and zest to support their property as did the elephant to secure its sensitive skin. Pilgrim occupants like the Elephant were large and incredible. Against their explosive and black powder guns, the most honed African lance is gruff; they were further developed in weaponry and bigger in number since Africa was then separated into numerous little clans. There are a few reasons why colonizers investigated the world. In spite of the fact that their thought process in Africa is made known after the huge harm they caused in Africa, their veneer was the reason of improving the world a spot for all to live. The colonizers of Africa required assets to fabricate the life of extravagance they needed, however they had an issue; they needed more assets in their property to carry on with the way of life they needed; consequently the investigation. The Colonizers took more than they were offered by the Africans. Elephants are known to seem quiet and resigned, however can be exceptionally vicious. An elephant is capricious and can turn on any one whenever, with a high likelihood of making goliath harm their environmental factors. As indicated by www. revelation. com, an elephant is â€Å"the mammoth which passes all others in mind and brain. † With this information on elephant’s ability to outfox man, one can contend that elephant purposefully requested man’s help with the ulterior thought process of taking what is legitimately man’s property. The cover up of an elephant is extremely hard and can withstand any weight; thus why the elephant is alluded to as a large animal weight. The logical name for an elephant is pachyderms, which implies tough creatures. Elephant’s articulation that his â€Å"skin is too delicate† is annoying, and deigning to man, considering the way that an elephant’s stow away is exceptionally unpleasant and rough; a trademark that is very inverse of the fragile skin of man. One can contend this is an exertion by the writer to give the peruser a brief look at the mentality of colonizers towards Africans; the demeanor of the African being substandard compared to the colonizers. Once in Africa, for this situation, man’s cottage, with the size and may of an elephant, the regular occupants of Africa were pushed out of their property. How at that point does one protect himself from a brute that gauges a ton, to whom do you request help if your sob for equity is smothered with what is an uncalled for law? The African permitted the colonizers on to their property and the colonizers set up their own law on the place where there is Africa to pass judgment and break down debates how they see fit. Another point that starts my consideration as a peruser is Kenyatta’s decision of the individuals from the collective of animals. Why the decision of the lion, wild ox, panther, and hyena as the gatecrashers of man’s hovel, and the individuals from the decision panel of this case. Why not a feline, a mouse, or some other residential creatures? To additionally examine the idea of these creatures, an inside and out research was done on the characters of such creatures. The leader of the Judging board of trustees, the Lion, is infamous for its eager nature. Lions take what isn't legitimately theirs. It is in their tendency to exploit more vulnerable species at whatever point the open door introduces itself. The hyena is commonly a forager. The spotted African hyena â€Å"features conspicuously in African folklore and old stories, where its depiction differs from being a carrier of light, to an image of shamelessness and degeneracy. †(www. wikipedia. com) African old stories connects the hyena with shamelessness and degeneracy; this says a ton regarding the hyena in this story considering the way that it was an individual from the out of line leaders of the collective of animals, and furthermore a gatecrasher to man’s hovel which he worked for himself. Hyenas are artful and reliably battle with lions in the wild in light of the fact that they’d preferably take the lion’s food over chase for themselves. The rhino is a domineering jerk. The vast majority see the rhino as a moderate stumbling creature; be that as it may, they can turn 180 degrees at the flicker of an eye and when essential can run strikingly quick. The panther works with covertness, and is known to be the most cryptic, shrewdest and slippery of the huge carnivores. It is the most grounded climber of the huge felines and equipped for murdering prey bigger than itself. The entirety of the above named creatures have inclinations to seem easygoing, yet have incredible abilities of doing harm. It isn't care for the idea of these creatures to even exist together. Be that as it may, in this story, they, similar to frontier powers join together and structure a coalition against man, the African. Like the common subject of colonizers taking Africa’s riches, the set of all animals keeps taking from man. The pioneer powers, similar to the elephant had ulterior thought processes of taking what’s legitimately the property of man, the African. This steady force battle and pattern of shamefulness and dismissal for the African made the African look for viciousness as a definitive issue solver.

History of Burial in the Catholic Church free essay sample

A conversation on the Catholic Churchs entombment rehearsed ceremonies. This paper follows the historical backdrop of memorial services and entombments in the Catholic Church. There has not been numerous adjustments in the standard practices yet the Church permitted incineration of the body in 1963 which was one practice carefully taboo in early occasions. The act of covering the body among Catholics is as old as the confidence itself. Catholic church didn't allow incineration and internment of the body was the main rehearsed custom in memorial services, it was accepted that incineration of the body was against the catholic convictions. Since Catholics immovably have faith in the Resurrection of the body, they didn't permit the body to be scorched and afterward its remains later covered or scattered noticeable all around. The Church carefully denied this training and considerably after the boycott was lifted in 1963, most Catholics don't have confidence in incineration.

How Much Parents Spend on Their Kids State by State

How Much Parents Spend on Their Kids State by State How Much Parents Spend on Their Kids State by State How Much Parents Spend on Their Kids State by StatePlus: how age, relationship status, and education level affect parental spending habits.As Mother’s Day approaches (it’s on Sunday, May 13th, in case you’ve forgotten), kids around the country are scrambling to find an acceptable gift for mom. After all, shes spent thousands of dollars on her little rugrats over the years, is it too much to ask for them to drop some cash for some nice flowers or brunch, or at the VERY least, put together an inspired macaroni portrait as a token of their undying appreciation?To honor the financial burden of motherhoodâ€"and fatherhoodâ€"we wanted to know just how much money parents were actually spending on their little bundles of joy. So we surveyed more than 1,000 moms and dads from all 50 states and asked them to tell us how much cash they drop on their kids every year. Guys, it turns out that having children is, like, really expensive?? Who knew!Just how expensive?  Across all 50 states, our data found that the average parent spends $9,470 every year on each of their kids, but those numbers can change pretty dramatically depending on where you live. For example, parents in Washington DC spend the most, dropping a hefty $17,920.50 (!!) on each kid annually, while parents in Montana spend the least, at only $2,000 per year.Thats only scratching the surface of what we found! To learn more, check out our awesome infographic below (click to expand) and then keep scrolling for even more tasty tidbits.(click image to expand)But what about the epic battle of mom versus dad? Well, um, here’s where things get a little awkward. See, we initially put this whole thing together to celebrate Mother’s Day, but our research found that it’s actually dads who spend more on their kids per year. According to our survey results, the typical American dad spends about $9,486 annually per kid, while the typical American mom spends just $8,789.  Its not much of a difference, and it can pr obably be explained by the fact that men, on average, make more money than women. (Or that moms are better are better at budgeting! Take that, DAD!) But still,  here’s a fun idea: Bring up this statistic to your mom during Mother’s Day brunch. Just make sure that you remember to duck when she chucks a waffle at your head.Meanwhile, we also looked at married versus single parents, with single dads out spending single moms by over $3,200 per year: $11,998 to $8,781. On the whole, married parents only spend $8,838 annually per kid, less than single, separated, and divorced parents. Younger parents, between the ages of 18 and 34 spend more on their kids than older parents (which makes sense, cuz babies are pricey).Parental spending in all 50 states (and Washington DC) ranked.We broke our survey results down state by state. Below you can see all 50 states and Washington DC ranked from the highest parental spender to the lowest.StateAverage SpendWashington DC$17,921North Carolina$17,6 66Iowa$17,200New Jersey$16,649New Hampshire$14,150New York$13,399Michigan$13,303North Dakota$13,000Illinois$12,404Nevada$12,333Pennsylvania$11,847Arizona$11,518Vermont$10,595Nebraska$10,371California$10,197Delaware$9,746Massachusetts$9,688Maryland$9,627Connecticut$9,608Florida$8,361South Carolina$8,250Ohio$7,615Texas$7,159Kentucky$7,092Georgia$6,921Rhode Island$6,800Maine$6,577Mississippi$6,571Tennessee$6,413Oregon$6,300Virginia$6,226Missouri$5,707New Mexico$5,240Alaska$5,000Kansas$4,800Minnesota$4,754Washington$4,618Indiana$4,543Colorado$4,340Wyoming$4,333Wisconsin$4,246Alabama$4,021Utah$4,014South Dakota$3,867West Virginia$3,320Arkansas$3,290Hawaii$3,000Louisiana$2,868Idaho$2,383Oklahoma$2,019Montana$2,000North vs. South. No, we’re not talking about the whole United States. We’re talking about North Carolina and North Dakota versus South Carolina and South Dakota.North Carolina parents are the second highest spenders ($17,666) and North Dakotans are the eighth highest ($13,000 ). And both spend over $9,000 more than their southern counterparts. South Carolina parents spend $8,250 and South Dakota parents spending only $3,867, ranking 44th.Basically, if you’re a kid living in South Dakota or South Carolina, do everything in your power to get your parents to move north. Before you know it, theyll be showering you with cash.We also broke the results down by region. To see exactly which states we counted in each region, check out the infographic above!RegionAverage SpendMidwest$9,337Northeast$11,723South$8,106West$8,192Why does the Northeast spend so much more? We’re not entirely sure, but that has never stopped us from speculating wildly. The Northeast is a fairly expensive region of the country, so maybe that $11,723 is really the same as $8,000 once you adjust for incomes and cost of living.Or maybe it’s because New Englanders are legally required to send their children to ornate, expensive boarding schools covered in parapets and ivy and gargoyles w here they play lacrosse and stand on their desks in poetry class and (checks book of “New England Stereotypes”) eat a lot of Dunkin Donuts?Parental spending by age group, education level, and relationship status.We did more than ask people about where they live; we also asked them their age, how much education theyve received, and whether they are married, divorced, etc. These questions all unearthed interesting trends.Age GroupAverage Spend18-24$10,05625-34$10,33735-44$8,82445-54$8,31254+$5,669Parental spending by age is the most straightforward. Younger parents who responded to the survey, ages 18-35, spend more than middle-aged parents, ages 35-54, who spend quite a bit more than parents aged 54 or up.This makes a lot of sense. Younger parents are pretty much guaranteed to have younger children, who cost more to keep alive and happy than older kids. Meanwhile, parents aged 54 and up are much more likely to have children who are grown adults. At that point, their kids should b e spending money on them!Relationship StatusAverage SpendDivorced$9,232Living with partner$9,830Married$8,368Separated$12,417Single$10,173Widowed$2,088The financial hardship of single parenting. Respondents who are married spend less per kid ($8,368) than pretty much any other groupâ€"with the notable exception of widowed respondents, who spend way less.Parents who are divorced spend almost $1,000 per year more per kid ($9,232) than married parents, while parents who are single ($10,173) or are unmarried but living with their partner ($9,830) spend $1,500-$2,000 more than their married counterparts.Meanwhile, parents who are separated but not divorced spend almost $4,000 than married parents, at $12,417 per year.All in all, this data points to two-parent households spending less on their kids per partner than split or single parent homes. A two-person parenting unit means that the financial burden doesn’t all fall on one person.Education LevelAverage SpendHigh school$9,065Bachelor s$11,604Postgraduate$9,332Is that graduate degree really worth it? It probably doesn’t surprise you to see that respondents with bachelor’s degrees had a higher rate of parental spending than respondents with only high school degrees. But what’s going on with parents rocking postgraduate degrees?  Their per-child spending is only a few hundred dollars more than parents with just a high school diploma. We can’t be sure, but the high cost of student debt and the dodgy job prospects for some post-grads point to fewer available funds.Maybe that graduate degree you’ve been considering isn’t worth the high costs? It’s worth thinking about. So is having kids, for that matter. If you’re considering starting a family in the near future, really sit down and figure out the costs of raising a child. In other words, get ready to kiss all your disposable income goodbye.Oh, and if this post hasn’t convinced you already, make sure you buy your mom something nice for Mother’s day . Look at how much moms are spending on their kids. You owe her. If you’re a parent, we’d love to know how much you spend on your kids! You can  email us  or you can find us on  Facebook  and  Twitter.Visit OppLoans on  YouTube  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  LinkedIN

Panic Like You Mean It

Fall of senior year can only mean one thing: college applications. Whether they’re considering MIT, UConn, or Kalamazoo, college-bound seniors are feeling the burn of the workout this process has become. SATs are either over or looming on that murky horizon, weighing down our minds like bad burritos in our stomachs. Warning: Only ask about our scores if you’re prepared to face hysterical screaming.We’ve all slapped those wide-eyed, puppy-dog expressions onto our faces to ask favorite teachers for letters of recommendation: Please, please will you tell my 17 schools how amazing, talented, dedicated, and – eh-hem – hard-working I am? Please? I promise I’ll buy you a Bucky Badger mascot if I get into U Wisconsin.And don’t even get me started on the nightmare that is the admissions essay. Five hundred words? Are they for real? How can 500 words adequately tell Princeton about my ability to eat marshmallow sandwiches while jumping rope back ward or describe my life-changing experience as a summer counselor at Camp Mikkiwooki? I mean Makkywookai. Shoot. What was it again?Five hundred words †¦ 500 words †¦ 500 words †¦ If you’re panicked, ill-prepared, worthless, exhausted and you know it, clap your hands!I think I really have found the perfect essay topic: My science teacher’s hair loss as a metaphoric social commentary on the effects of global warming. It’s going to be awesome. Just you wait.Before this year, I hadn’t realized how strong a grip this whole process would actually have on my life. During my volleyball game yesterday, the scoreboard read: Hyde 22, Valley 9. All I could think was â€Å"Georgetown, Harvard. Georgetown, Harvard.† Freaking acceptance rates – 22 percent? Maybe 9 percent? You’d have to be an Olympic medalist with a 2390 SAT and an exceptional ability to play the bassoon. Is it pathetic that I’ve begun to see acceptance rates everywhere? I even failed Monday’s calculus quiz because I wrote Swarthmore’s acceptance rate instead of the derivative of x2 – 7.Shoot. Columbia definitely won’t accept me now.On a similar note, I’m giving up my Columbus Day weekend to visit three colleges in three states in four days. I don’t even want to go anymore, but if I back out now, I think my mom will eat me.â€Å"Mi stress-ah es su stress-ah.†I do feel bad for dragging my parents into this whole application mess, but it’s their fault for being so darn supportive. They never should have bought me that Baby Einstein video. It only got my hopes up.This morning as I sat strangling my stuffed giraffe (Gilbert hates it when I go into Anxiety Freak-Out Mode), I realized that this college stuff might have been easier to swallow if I had been given some realistic advice before the process began. With that in mind, I will diverge from my ranting and raving to impart two tips u pon those who have not yet experienced a Collegeboard.com-induced mental breakdown.First of all, it’s a good idea to start looking for colleges early. Way early. Like, you should have started when you were three. (Everyone’s first words are â€Å"I wanna go to Ursinus,† aren’t they?)Start preparing early too: Take the PSATs twice, it helps. Study constantly, it helps. Play sports and be a school leader, those things help.In reality, though, you’d probably have the best chance of being accepted if you dropped out of school entirely and turned your dad’s old DeLorean into a time machine. Stanford would have to take you then.My second piece of advice: Panic! I went about this process all wrong – I tried to remain calm. I’m sure you can see how well that worked out. I hypothesize that if you panic now – yes, even you teeny, tiny freshmen who have yet to discover the wonders of U.S. News World Report – you will be co mpletely panicked-out by senior year, leaving nothing to feel but calm. Either that, or you’ll be so used to that I-can’t-breathe/I’m-gonna-hurl feeling that when it’s 1 a.m. and you still have three applications left, it will only take you five minutes (rather than 30) to pull yourself together, wake up your brother, and pay him to check the appropriate boxes for you.As for my fellow seniors, all I can say is this: Get your homework done, your essays outlined, and your SATs taken. Stay on your guidance counselor’s and teachers’ good sides. (Definitely don’t make jokes about their balding in public.)Enjoy your last year in high school while you can. Don’t be too easy on yourself. Don’t be too hard on yourself either. (Anyone know how many days are left until graduation?) Panic Like You Mean It It’s the fall of our senior year, and that can only mean one thing: college applications. Whether we’re considering MIT, UConn, or Kalamazoo, all of us college-bound seniors are feeling the burn of the workout that this process has become. SATs are either over and done with or looming on that murky horizon, weighing down our minds like bad burritos in our stomachs. Warning: Only ask about our scores if you’re prepared to face hysterical screaming. We’ve all slapped those wide-eyed, puppy-dog expressions on our faces to ask favorite teachers for letters of recommendation: Please, please will you tell my seventeen schools how amazing, talented, dedicated, and – eh-hem – hard working I am? Please? I promise I’ll buy you a Happy Meal and a Bucky Badger mascot if I get into U Wisconsin. And don’t even get me started on the nightmare that is the admissions essay. Five hundred words? Are they for real? How can five hundred words adequately tell Princeton about my ability to eat marshmallow sandwiches while jumping rope backwards and describe my life-changing experience as a summer counselor at Camp Mikkiwooki? I mean Makkywookai. Shoot. What was it again? 500 words†¦500 words†¦500 words†¦ If you’re panicked, ill-prepared, worthless, exhausted, screwed and you know it, clap your hands. I think I really have found the perfect essay topic though: Mr. Lefevre’s* hair loss as a metaphoric social commentary on the effects of global warming. It’s going to be awesome. Just you wait. Before this year, I hadn’t realized how strong a grip this whole process would actually have on my life. During my volleyball game yesterday, the scoreboard read: Hyde 22, Valley 9. All I could think was â€Å"Georgetown, Harvard. Georgetown, Harvard.† Freaking acceptance rates. 22%? Maybe. 9%†¦ You’d have to be an Olympic medalist with a 2390 and an exceptional ab ility to play the bassoon. Or Ricky**. Take your pick. Is it pathetic that I’ve begun to see acceptance rates everywhere? I even failed Monday’s calculus quiz because I wrote Swarthmore’s acceptance rate instead of the derivative of x ³ – 7. Shoot. Columbia definitely won’t accept me now. On a similar note, I’m giving up my Columbus Day weekend to visit three colleges in three states in only four days. I don’t even want to go anymore, but if I back out now, I think my mom will eat me. Mi stress-ah es su stress-ah. I do feel bad for dragging my parents into this whole application mess, but it’s their own faults for being so darn supportive. They never should have bought me that Baby Einstein video. It only got my hopes up. This morning as I sat strangling my stuffed giraffe (Gilbert hates it when I go into Anxiety Freak-Out Mode), I realized that this college stuff might have been easier to swallow if I had been given some realistic advice before the whole process began. With that in mind, I will diverge from my ranting and raving to impart two ideas upon the 70% of the school that has not yet experienced a collegeboard.com-induced mental breakdown. First of all, it’s a good idea to start looking for colleges early. Way early. Like, you should have started when you were three. (Everyone’s first words are â€Å"I wanna go to Ursinus,† aren’t they?) Start preparing early, too: Take the PSATs twice, they help; Study constantly, it helps; Play sports and be a school leader, those things help. In reality though, you’d probably have the best chance of being accepted if you dropped out of Valley entirely and turned your dad’s old Delorean into a time machine. Stanford would have to take you then. My second piece of advice: PANIC! I went about this process entirely incorrectly – I tried to remain calm. I’m sure you can see how well that worked out. I hypothesize that if you panic now – yes, even you teeny, tiny freshmen who have yet to discover the wonders of U.S. News World Report – you will be completely panicked-out by your senior year, leaving nothing to feel but calm. Either that, or you’ll be so used to that I-can’t-breath/I’m-gonna-hurl feeling that when it’s 1:00 a.m. and you still have three applications left, it will only take you five minutes (rather than thirty) to pull yourself together long enough to wake up your brother and pay him to check the appropriate boxes for you. As for my fellow seniors, all I can say is this: Get your homework done, your essays outlined, and your SATs taken. Stay on Mr. Noiset’s good side. And Mrs. D’s***. And Mr. L’s; (definitely don’t make jokes about his hair in public). Don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t be too easy on yourself either. Enjoy your last year at Valley while you can. (Anyone know how many days are left until graduation?) Stay focused. Stay as calm and cheerful as humanly possible. And keep the senior courtyard clean! Remember, every single Ivy (except maybe Brown) values proper hygiene. Good luck! * Mr. L is a favorite (balding) science teacher at Valley Regional. ** Ricky was the valedictorian of the class of 2006 who now attends Harvard University. *** Mr. N and Mrs. D are two of Valley’s guidance counselors.