Labor Economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Labor Economics - Assignment Example Becker’s concept of taste based discrimination states that firms that do not employ minorities do bear the cost of discrimination together with the minorities themselves. Discriminating firms usually have a higher cost of operation since they bear the cost of discrimination. Becker’s concept shows that minorities in such an environment usually work harder and are more productive hence would accept a lower wage. This means that the cost of production is lower hence the firms become more profitable. The discriminating firms however are at a higher cost as majority employees tend to demand relatively higher wages and their productivity is average. As a result more employees would be required to achieve acceptable productivity. Entry of a non discriminating firm under a constant return to scale means increase in number of employee is directly proportional to productivity. A non discriminating firm that has a high specialization of minorities would ideally have higher productivity per employees and therefore an increase in number of more productive employees would mean a subsequence increase in productivity and thus more profitability. This is because the wage bill is also lower than that of a discriminating firm. Entry of non discriminating firm under decreasing return of scale DRTS would lead to constant production and decreased overhead cost. Also since increase in work force does not adequately increase the production. The cost of having more employees is drastically reduced and since the minority workers produce maximally the cost of the wage bill remains relatively low and hence the firm becomes more profitable. In such a firm it would lead to more efficiency as the production process require less man power for efficiency and use of minority who are efficient and extremely productive would lead to the most desired state of profitability. 3. Suppose that men earn on average

Hills Like White Elephant Essay Example for Free

Hills Like White Elephant Essay Ernest Hemingway makes use of the image of a white elephant in Hills Like White Elephant. Legend has it that the emperor of Thailand used to give white elephants as gifts for those people he was displeased with and wanted to punish. The white elephant is useless for normal uses and is extremely expensive to feed and care for. However, once someone has been given a white elephant he or she cannot get rid of it because it was a gift from the emperor. Therefore the emperor punishes the person with his gift.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this story, there is virtually no narrative; there are a few descriptions, but for the most part these descriptions are neutral, almost to the point of being bland or lifeless. The story is advanced by the dialogue between the unnamed American man and the young woman Jig who are discussing whether or not she should have an abortion of the child she is expecting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jig notices the hills in the distance and says they look like white elephants. Clearly the man views the unborn child as a white elephant that if allowed to be born will become expensive and unmanageable. He feels threatened by the possibility of having a child to rest. He tries to convince Jig, that all the abortion entails is letting in the air and then its all perfectly natural. It is clear that the man is feeling crowded by the possibility of having to raise a child. He need fresh air.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At first blush, one might thing the white elephant in the story is the unwanted child as the man does. However, on further reflection however, it appears that the white elephant is the unnamed man. He has become too expensive for Jig to maintain the relationship. The relationship is not worth the price of aborting the unborn child. Although Hemingway doesnt explicitly say so, it appears that Jig will refuse to have the abortion and if the unnamed man cannot deal with raising a child he is welcome to seek his own life away from her and the baby.

Memory as a Constructive and Active Process

Memory as a Constructive and Active Process Memory is a constructive and active process. Evaluate this claim. Simon Andrew Agnew To evaluate the notion that memory is a constructive process an assessment of some of the research[p1] on the exploration of memory is required. Brace and Roth (2007) argue that memory is a constructive and active process rather than a â€Å"passive mechanism for recording external information† (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.130). However, it can be argued that memory is not exclusively constructive and active but also includes passive elements. This can be seen through the constructive reconstruction techniques and a study conducted by Godden and Braddeley (1975), which demonstrated that active learning alongside passive environment interaction that create extra retrieval cues for context reinstatement. These techniques show that linking passive processing of an environment can aid in the active process of memory retention and recollection. Memories are formed from information perceived through all the senses, after which information is coded and stored. Memory can be broken down into three components, Encoding, Storage, and Retrieval. Encoding is the process (in) by which information is stored in a person’s memory. Sensory information, information from the outside world, is transferred and coded into memory systems. There are at least two ways that sensory information can be coded. Visual codding, where shapes, words and/or objects, are received through visual receptors which in turn form the bases for the meaning of said objects and acoustic coding, which codes particular sounds, like a word or the sound an object makes, similarly linking this information to the meaning of specific sounds, either of words and/or objects. This process of encoding suggests that there is an active process in learning the association between specific sounds or objects and their specific meanings and interpretations, which are subse quently stored in a person’s memory[p2]. Memories are crucial for everyday human functions. Without memory all interactions and experiences would not be stored in memory systems inhibiting the development as individuals and a society. Erik Erikson’s research claimed that identity and memory were directly related to the development of individuality and society (Phoenix, 2007, pg.53). Erikson[p3] stated that â€Å"a conscious sense of individual uniqueness†¦ an unconscious striving for continuity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Phoenix, 2007, pg.53). This suggests that memory is an active process in which helps in the development toward the idea of ‘who we are’. Storage processes are the means through which information is (coded and) then stored within a person’s memory. Memory is a function that psychologists are long trying to understandThe first psychologist to conceptualise memory as involving different systems was William James (1890). James proposed that the primary memory system involved conscious use of mental activity while the secondary system was for storing knowledge and experiences. James’ theory of different memory sub-systems is still being used, however other research has since been conducted that shows that memory can be broken down into three main processes, Sensory Memory, holds sensory information from the outside world for a brief moment. Short-Term Memory holds coded information for a few seconds or minutes, and Long Term Memory holds coded information in a robust form for many years. (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.115). There are different ways to study memory function, from methods such as laboratory experiments, quasi-experiments and field experiments (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.117). . Brace and Roth state that â€Å"memory is an active, selective, and constructive process rather than a passive mechanism for recording external information.† (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.130). However, this can be challenged through techniques like ‘Retrieval-Enhancing Techniques’. (These‘ are the techniques) used by police officers when interviewing witnesses to aid in memory retrieval of a particular event. The different retrieval-enhancing techniques that are adopted are context reinstatement, where a person is as to recall the physical surroundings, including light, temperature and smells. Recalling everything where a witness is asked to recall everything from a particular incident, whether they think it is relevant or not. This is because retrieving one piece of information, impo rtant or not, can assist in the retrieval of other pieces of information that may not be as easily remembered. . Recalling in different temporal orders where trying to recall an event either from start to finish, or in reverse, starting with the last memory, using salient aspects of the event and working either forward or backward from that specific point (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.125). There is sufficient evidence that supports memory retrieval through cognitive interviews. It demonstrates the ability to recall information that would not otherwise be actively processed, but could be perceived, in at least one way or another, through particular senses, such as smell, sounds or tastes. Godden and Braddeley (1975) researched Context Reinstatement (Godden and Braddeley) They designed a study that required participants to learn a list of 40 words while underwater or on land. The results showed that the word (were) recall was 40% higher when the recall situation was the same as the learning environment, compared to (that) when the environments were different (switched) (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.127). It can be argued that these results show that memory is in fact active in some respects and passive others in that it demonstrates links between the passive interpretation of an environment to the active process of storing and recalling words[p4]. Subsequently participants that were asked to recall the word list in (the opposite) a different environment remember less as the opposite environment provided no cues. (such). Endel Tulving (1983) explained the relationship between storing and recalling as stronger when â€Å"retrieval overlap or match with cues that were registered at encoding† (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.126). However, memory is pliable and recollection can be influenced by post event information as well as previous mental images and thought processes. Bartlett (1932) described these changes in recognition and recall as being â€Å"unwitting[p5].† Research by Bartlett illustrated that when actively recalling new information, in order to make sense of it, a person relies on past knowledge and experiences. . Bartlett designed an experiment which highlighted influences of social factors on memory. . The experiment included participants reading an extract and then asked to recall as much of the extract as possible. . It was found that when new information was recalled the recognition was different to the original information. . He noted that unusual descriptions were changed into standard descriptions, for example, â€Å"something black came out of his mouth† became â€Å"foamed at the mouth†. . Other changes occurred through rationalisations and omission of materials (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.132). . Bartlett explains this as ‘effect after meaning’ in that past experiences, unconsciously and/or passively, intertwine with new information to help interpret and make sense of the new information. . These particular observations supported the idea that memory adopts both active and passive processing when processing new information making memory pliable and influential (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.133). Another example that demonstrates that memory is able to passive process information is through the works of Craik and Lckhart (1972). . Craik and Lockhart proposed two different levels of processing, shallow and deep. . They suggest that ‘shallow’ level processing is simple coded information in terms of physical characteristics, shapes and sounds. . ‘Deep’ level coding is information that is processed is assigned a meaning (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.119). This theory led Craik and Tulving (1975) to further investigate these different levels. . A study conducted by Craik and Tulving demonstrates the abilities of incidental learning against intentional learning. . This required participants with in the study to try not actively remember the words in the stimuli, as to ‘only’ demonstrate the capabilities of incidental learning. The results found that people were more likely to incidentally learn words that they came across during the semantic task (word that fit into sentences), and less likely to incidentally learn the words in the structural task (words in block capitals), and an intermediate amount of acoustic learn words (words based on rhyme) (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.120). This notion of incidental learning would suggest that the memory processes are also being passively stored to memory systems, as one of the main requirements was that participants were asked to try not actively learn anything during testing and yet their memory still subconsciously encodes and stores the information. In evaluating the notion that memory is a constructive process the assessment on some of the research in exploration of memory systems suggests that memory is not only constructive and active process, but a passive one as well. . It cannot be stated that memory is not an active process, as this is evident in the active process of visual and acoustic encoding, and that encoded information is key everyday human function, development and interactions. However it can be argued that memory is also a passive processes, in which sensory information is taken in and linked with active memory processes through environmental interactions or already established schemas. . This can be seen and argued through multiple studies. The results of Godden and Braddeley (1975) demonstrate that memory is active and passive in that it highlights links between the passive interpretation of an environment to the active process of storing and recalling words. Which is explained by Turlving that when â€Å" retrieval overlap or match with cues that were registered at encoding† (Brace and Roth, 2007, pg.126). . However Bartletts discussion of the pliability of memory, due to the notion that memories are processed and understood using already established schemas, and that Incidental and intentional learning, further supports the argument that memory adopts both an active and passive process when processing and/or applying meaning to new information. Words: 1637 References Brace. N, Roth I., (2007) ‘Memory: Structures, Processes and Skills’ in D. Miell, A. Phoenix, K. Thomas (Eds.), Mapping Psychology (2nd ed., pp. 113-160). Milton Keynes, The Open University. Phoenix. A. (2007) ‘Identity and Diversity’ in D. Miell, A. Phoenix, K. Thomas (Eds.), Mapping Psychology (2nd ed., pp. 45-92). Milton Keynes, The Open University. [p1]Though you have explain the issue to some extent– this cannot be said to be an introduction, as you are referring to terms and studies that have not yet been explained, You also need to inform the reader you mean to answer the question, and how it is to be organised. [p2]Though things can be stored in memory passively, without us attending to them. [p3]This quote is not really relevant to the question, and as above, there are elements of memory storage that occur without consciousness. [p4]I didn’t understand this point in the introduction, but it makes sense this time! [p5]Note that recognition is matching something to what is already in memory, whereas recall is retrieving something stored in memory.

Chemical Control Agents Used Against the Gypsy Moth Essay -- Gypsy Mot

Chemical Control Agents Used Against the Gypsy Moth The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is a highly disruptive species that can, and has played a distinctive role in the lives of many organisms. Included in these organisms are various deciduous trees and shrubs, wildlife species that share the same environment, and even humans. The gypsy moth destroys the beauty of woodlands via defoliation, alters ecosystems and wildlife habitats, and disrupts our own lives. It should therefore come as no surprise that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and many other agencies have taken huge steps to help diminish populations of this small, yet persistent species. In an effort to control these overwhelming populations, five chemical control agents have been used to suppress and/or eradicate the gypsy moth. Following, is a discussion of each chemical and their potentially hazardous effects on humans. The first chemical control agent is Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (B.t.k.); a bacteria isolated from diseased silk worms and flour moths. The potency of B.t.k. varies among insects and readily destroys lepidopteran larvae within approximately one hour of ingestion. More than 1 million pounds of B.t.k. is applied annually in the U.S., primarily via aerial spraying, but also by ground spraying. It does not persist long in the environment (losing its activity by 50% within 1-3 days), has not been seen to replicate in gypsy moth predators, and does not accumulate in the soil. There seems to be a low level of concern regarding human B.t.k. exposure, although B.t.k. formulations have caused eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritations, especially in ground workers. Some claims reveal that a majority of these workers were not equipped with ... ... 8) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, Summary: Final Environmental Impact Statement, Radnor, PA, 1995. 9) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Gypsy Moth Suppression and Eradication Projects, 1985. 10) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Gypsy Moth Managment in the U.S.: a cooperative approach. Environmental Impact Statement; Appendix F Human Health Risk Assessment, 1995. 11) Wargo, Phillip M., Defoliation by the Gypsy Moth: How it Hurts Your Tree, U.S. Department of Agriculture, No. 223, 1974. 12) White, William B., Hubbard, Schneeberger, and Raimo, Technological Developments in Aerial Spraying, U.S. Department of Agriculture, No. 535, 1974.

To what extent did Thatcher achieve her aims in foreign policy?

When Margaret Thatcher first came to power in 1979 she had little interest in foreign policy but focussing mainly on economic and domestic policy. However, it was an area where she left a huge impact on. One of Thatcher’s aims was to increase the defence for Britain as she believed the USSR was a massive threat militarily. This meant improving relations with the USA. Her views on Communism helped with this as her and Ronald Reagan both shared the same ideas. She also believed NATO was vital to British and European defence and so to strengthen this relationship was important. She supported NATO’s decision to deploy US nuclear cruise and Pershing missiles in Western Europe and permitted the US to station more than 160 cruise missiles at RAF Greenham Common, even though she knew it would trigger mass protests by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Relations improved with the US when Thatcher permitted US F-111s to use Royal Air Force bases for the bombing of Libya in retaliation for their apparent bombing of a Berlin nightclub; this decision wasn’t very popular with the British citizens. Another one of Margaret Thatcher’s aims was to reassert Britain’s position as a major power. Many people will say she achieved this because of the Falklands War. In April 1982, Argentina ordered the invasion of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia which were under British control at the time. She successfully retook the islands back by setting up a War Cabinet and dispatching a naval task force against them which in June they surrendered. Even though 255 British soldiers died and the attack on an Argentinian cruiser which sunk and killed everyone on board, people were far more distracted by the victory which took place. This helped her win the 1983 elections. However, she was strongly criticised as to why she didn’t pay attention to the Falklands’ defence that led to the war, in which she could have stopped happening. This in turn would have saved the lives of the British soldiers and the people on the Argentinian cruiser. Some people may disagree that Thatcher achieved the aim to raise Britain’s status entirely because of the Grenada incident. On October 1983, the USA attacked Grenada; a member of the Commonwealth, without consulting Britain to take-over a Marxist organisation. This was an embarrassment for Thatcher because it showed her weakness to defend countries which were once members of the Commonwealth who felt they still needed to be defended. Thatcher also wanted to see the defeat of Communism, which some people argue was achieved and that her role played an important part. She was able to build a working relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev who came to power in the Soviet Union in 1985. This placed Britain in a good position to be the peace-maker between the US and the Soviet Union. They ended up meeting a couple of times which led to the agreement to scrap all intermediate-range missiles from Europe, the elimination of tactical and battlefield nuclear weapons and conventional forces. After that many countries in Eastern Europe experienced their own revolution which led to domestic changes and an end to the Soviet domination over them. This was a victory for Britain and all the other NATO countries. Although this aim was achieved, Thatcher feared that because many changes were happening across Eastern Europe, Germany would start to reunify and become strong again which would affect the European balance of power and Thatcher didn’t like this. After discussing the aims of Margaret Thatcher in Foreign Policy, I believe on the whole she achieved them. She managed to reassert Britain’s position as a superpower because of the Falklands war. It was a massive turning point for Thatcher and a defining moment in her premiership which helped her stay in power by winning the 1983 election. Even though many people died during the Falkland’s War, she was considered a highly talented and committed war leader by many people. She also helped defeat Communism by building a relationship with the Soviet leader and making discussions between the US and the Soviet Union easier. This led to nuclear disarmament which helped with Britain’s fear of Russia attacking them.

What Should I Go to College For

What Should I Go to College For SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Applying to colleges is a rough enough process on its own. If you're interested in a lot of different subjects that don't necessarily mesh nicely together into one major, then figuring out what you should go to school for can seem like an impassable obstacle on the road to figuring out where to apply to. In this article, I'll take you through the same steps I, a student with multiple disparate interests, took back when I was looking at colleges to figure out what I should go to college for. I'll also go through how, as a well-rounded student, you can narrow down what kinds of schools you should apply to. The Dilemma of the Curious and Well-Rounded Student In his article on how to get into Harvard and the Ivy League, PrepScholar co-founder Allen Cheng talks about developing a "spike" to make you attractive to highly selective national universities. The idea of developing a spike makes sense for students who are both dedicated to being the best at one thing in particular and who are interested in applying to the Ivy League and similarly selective universities. If attending somewhere like Stanford or Columbia is your goal, you want to have one area that you really stand out in, rather than being well-rounded. For students who have grown up being told that being a well-rounded student is important, the fact that you probably won't get into a top national university by being good at everything can feel like the deepest betrayal. Now, I didn't know any of this information about not being well-rounded or having a "spike" when I was applying to schools. But even if I had known about this strategy, I doubt I would have opted for it, because it just didn't match who I was as a student. Rather than that picture of one ball with a spike rising out of it, I was more like a morningstar- lots of spikes going off into all different directions for all my different interests. A morningstar, or my different interests? Impossible to tell apart! If you're a well-rounded student not just because that's what you've been told you should strive for, but because you're genuinely interested in (and good at) multiple different subject areas, then figuring out where to apply for college can be tricky. It's hard to choose a school that's strong in the areas you're interested in if the most you can limit it down to is "probably not history?" I know all of this because I was once a high school student who had so many interests that choosing a school that fit those interests (and figuring out what major to select on applications) seemed unlikely, if not impossible. Despite this, I was eventually able to narrow down my list to the eight schools I ended up applying to and ultimately ended up choosing a school at which I thrived. In the next section, I'll go into more detail about my academic background and interests as a high school student and how that pulled me in different directions when it came to choosing where to apply to. The different directions of my interests, but with Ludwigsburg tourist attractions instead of academic subjects. My Academic Background and High School Interests For high school, I attended a good public school in the New York suburbs. Most of the students from my school, then and now, go on to attend 4-year colleges immediately after high school. Because I went to a high school where most students went to college and because my parents had both gone to college and expected their children to as well, I was encouraged to start thinking about where I'd want to attend college during eleventh grade. Growing up where I did also meant I was familiar with at least the names of a lot of Northeastern U.S. colleges (if only because I'd driven by them), but I did not really have a sense of what schools were strong in which areas. As a high school junior, I would likely have described myself as being extremely interested in the following college majors: creative writing, Chinese, music, neuroscience (or psychology), math, or something else I hadn't studied yet but might discover a passion for in college. For me, a perennially curious student, the question was less "what should I go to college for" than "what should I choose what colleges I apply to based on." Figuring out the answer to the question "what should I go to school for?" was particularly difficult for me since none of my interests seemed to mesh together well, at least not on a surface level. Being unsure of what you should go to college for is not an uncommon dilemma for well-rounded students. Based on my own experience, I think this is particularly true at public schools where if you qualify for an advanced class, even if it's not a subject you're particularly interested in, you take it because otherwise you'll be bored in the non-advanced version of that class. Case in point for me: going into junior year, I wasn't super into U.S. History (to put it mildly), but since we had to take it in 11th grade either way, I knew that it would be better if I took AP U.S. History than regular U.S. History. The far-off look of a man consumed by U.S. history. FDR Memorial by David/Flickr. Over the course of my junior year, I thought more about what I was specifically drawn to within each of the subjects I was interested in. This deeper analysis, which I'll go into next, is ultimately what ended up helping me narrow down what schools I applied to needed to be strong in (and what intended major I should put on my applications). How to Choose a College Major (While Still in High School) During the summer between junior and senior year, in between avoiding thinking about colleges and trying to get my summer homework done, I took some time to think about how much I'd explored each of the subjects I was interested in so far and how much it should affect my college search. Below, I've written out roughly what my thought process was for each subject. As you read through, you'll start to notice that even though I am interested in all five of the subjects, the degree to which I'm interested in each area (and want to make sure I can study each subject in college) varies quite a bit. Creative Writing How much have I already explored this? I have been writing creatively almost as long as I have been able to read, in one form or another. I spent the majority of five summers at a creative and performing arts camp working on and writing for camp publications (literary magazine, newspaper, yearbook, playwriting festival, etc); the last two summers (including the summer before senior year), I was a counselor-in-training and helped other campers with their writing. How do I want to pursue this in college? I would like to be able to take creative writing classes in college. I don't necessarily plan to major in it, but it would be good if there was a minor (or a concentration within the English major) Chinese How much have I already explored this? I started taking Chinese (Mandarin) in 7th grade, have continued through now (and plan to next year). I went to China sophomore year for two weeks with my Chinese class (which was an amazing experience). How do I want to pursue this in college? I definitely want to continue taking Chinese in college, which means any college I apply to has to have more than just introductory Chinese classes (since I'll likely place out of those). Ideally, I'll be able to major in Chinese and study abroad in China for at least some of my time in college, if I so choose. Music How much have I already explored this? Since elementary school, I have taken lessons in and performed in ensembles for voice, violin, and viola, both in and out of school. I also began composing and exploring some aspects of computer music in late middle school and have continued to do that through now (the summer before senior year). How do I want to pursue this in college? I want to learn more music theory, particularly for medieval and non-Western systems of music. I probably will play in ensembles of some kind, maybe will pick up a new instrument, so it would be good if I could do that I don't want music to be the only thing I study (so I don't want to apply to a conservatory), but the idea of attending a school that also has a conservatory where I can take classes (even if I don't major in it) is very attractive. Well hello there yourself, Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Wallyford/Flickr. Neuroscience/Psychology How much have I already explored this? I have been doing an independent research project for the past couple of years which has ultimately ended up focusing on the different ways brains of high school musicians and non-musicians interpret sound. I enjoyed the process of reading all the research on music and the brain and neural processing in general; I've also quite enjoyed the research aspect so far. How do I want to pursue this in college? Any college I apply to definitely needs to have a neuroscience major or minor (preferably major). I would like the opportunity to do original research as an undergraduate (rather than just running someone else's studies), but it's not a deal-breaker. Math How much have I already explored this? Since 7th grade, I've been in a two-years-advanced math class and have relished most of it; I will likely run out of math classes to take senior year because I already took BC Calc junior year. I became interested in chaos theory and fractals after reading Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton in elementary school. I also read Chaos by James Gleick as part of figuring out what I'd study for my independent science research project (even though I didn't ultimately end up going with it). How do I want to pursue this in college? I want to be able to take math and find what advanced mathematical areas appeal to me. I definitely don't want to go to any kind of engineering or math-centric school, just want the option to take more math. If it wasn't for how legible the handwriting is, this is definitely something I could have written about math when I was in high school. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. What Should I Go to College For? The Verdict After sitting down and going through my main interests, I no longer felt quite so hopelessly well-rounded. It was clear that while I was interested in studying lots of different kinds of things in college (probably a good sign for someone who wants to go to college), there were certain requirements that mattered more than others in figuring out what I should go to college for (and, as a consequence, what schools I should apply to). Here are the distilled criteria I ended up using in my college search: #1: The school must have creative writing classes (at least a creative writing minor or concentration). #2: The school must have advanced Chinese (Mandarin) language classes. #3: The school must have music theory classes and some way for non-music majors to take music classes and participate in ensembles. #4: The school must have a neuroscience major or minor. These four criteria were specific enough to help me figure out if schools were not a good fit for me, yet not so numerous that there were no schools that would match all four. I ultimately ended up applying to eight schools: Yale, Brown, Swarthmore, Wellesley, Vassar, Oberlin, NYU, and Brandeis. And what about when it came time to choose a college major on applications? If a school allowed you to select multiple possible majors, I did that (usually selecting English/creative writing, neuroscience, Chinese, and music, in that order). If a school only allowed you to select one potential major, I went with "undecided." Even though we have warned against choosing "undecided" as your major in other articles on the PrepScholar blog, being interested in many things is one case where choosing "undecided" makes sense, particularly if your many interests are demonstrated throughout the rest of your application. As long as it's clear that "Undecided" means "too many interests" and not "no interests," it's fine to choose it, even when applying to highly selective schools. Since I mostly ended up applying to smaller liberal arts schools, the question of which program within the school to apply to didn't come up much, but when it did, I went broad. For Oberlin, I applied to the College of Arts and Sciences, not the Conservatory of Music (after ascertaining through talking to the college that I could still do music things even if I wasn't at the conservatory). For NYU, I applied to the College of Arts and Sciences as my primary choice and the Gallatin School of Individual Studies as my secondary choice- I knew that those were the two programs at NYU that would allow me to take the greatest variety of classes. So how did this all turn out for me? I ended up attending Wellesley College (a small liberal arts school), where I managed to pursue all of the interests I'd had in mind (along with many more). Specifically, I... Got 80% of the way to an English minor (including two creative writing classes) Took five semesters of Chinese and studied abroad in Shanghai Majored in music and got to play in various ensembles, learn the viola da gamba, and write lots of music Majored in psychology and got to do two different research projects Took two Math classes: one in multivariable calculus (meh) and number theory (so much fun!!) The Number Theory class I took fanned the flames of my enthusiasm for math (see image). How Can You Figure Out What to Go to College For? At this point, you've read through my journey from a well-rounded high school student with no idea how to narrow down her interests to a college applicant with clear criteria. How can my experiences help you, a well-rounded high school student with no idea of where to apply to, narrow down your areas of interest into criteria for schools? One thing you may have noticed I mentioned a couple of times was that I was primarily looking at (private) liberal arts colleges. Good liberal arts schools like Wellesley are strong in many different fields. They may not be as renowned for research in said field as Harvard or MIT, but they will expose you to a variety of different subjects through core requirements at a high level. Liberal arts schools, in fact, are the well-rounded students of colleges (if that makes sense). A definite drawback to liberal arts schools is their size- most liberal arts colleges fall along the small-to-medium end of college size. If you're looking for a larger school, then liberal arts colleges might not be for you. Similarly, most liberal arts colleges are private, so if you want to attend a public school, then this might not be a good option for you (although keep in mind that many top-tier liberal arts schools offer no-loan or low-loan financial aid). If for whatever reason a liberal arts school doesn't sound like the right fit for you for college, don't worry- there are other options out there for well-rounded students. Larger universities may have a wider variance in quality between different majors, but they also have way more majors than most liberal arts schools. The best national universities are not just strong in one area, but also have multiple well-regarded departments. For instance, when I was applying to Yale, the East Asian Languages, English, and Music departments were all well-regarded in comparison to similar programs at other similar schools. Make it your business to find out how a university stacks up in the areas you're interested in, not just overall reputation. And if they don't have a good program in the areas you're interested in, think hard before applying. Finally, well-rounded students who want to attend large universities or schools with more than one undergraduate college should consider applying to schools that allow cross-registration between undergraduate colleges. That way, you'll have options even if you end up in a specialized program. As an example of this, a friend of mine went to UMich for undergrad, intending to be a computer engineer. While he was there, however, he was able to cross-register in the music school and take music classes as well. He ultimately ended up switching over to become a music major and pursuing a career in that field. As a well-rounded student with diverse interests, if you're looking at schools with many different undergraduate programs and don't like the idea of being bound to a narrow academic path, make sure you only look at schools that allow cross-registration across different programs. In Conclusion Being a well-rounded student applying to colleges can be stressful, not only because it makes it harder for you to get into highly selective national universities but because it's hard to answer for yourself, "what should I go to college for?" My journey from a well-rounded high school student, interested in lots of different things, to a well-rounded college student, still interested in lots of different things, involved thinking deeply about what about my potential college majors interested me. I ultimately ended up attending a liberal arts college because that seemed like the best fit for someone with such omnivorous interests. If you're more interested in applying to large universities, make sure you research before applying to find out what schools are strong in your areas of interest. You should also keep an eye out for schools that let you cross-register between specialized undergraduate programs. There may still be some weeping along the way as you figure out what schools to apply to and what major(s) you want to look at schools for, but at least the tears won't be from frustration at not knowing where to start when it comes to narrowing down your options. What's Next? Want to learn more about the process of choosing a college major? We look at it both from the perspective of students choosing what major to put on their college applications and how to choose a college major more generally. Knowing what you want to study is only one piece of the deciding-where-to-apply puzzle. Learn more about how to make a college list in this article. How many schools should you plan on applying to? We help you figure out the right number of colleges for you to apply to in this guide. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. 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