Essay about Black Americans - 2559 Words

Black Americans Black Americans are those persons in the United States who trace their ancestry to members of the Negroid race in Africa. They have at various times in United States history been referred to as African, coloured, Negro, Afro-American, and African-American, as well as black. The black population of the United States has grown from three-quarters of a million in 1790 to nearly 30 million in 1990. As a percentage of the total population, blacks declined from 19.3 in 1790 to 9.7 in 1930. A modest percentage increase has occurred since that time. Over the past 300 and more years in the United States, considerable racial mixture has taken place between persons of African descent and those with other racial backgrounds, mainly†¦show more content†¦Others landed as slaves in the West Indies and were later resold and shipped to the mainland. Slavery in America The earliest African arrivals were viewed in the same way as indentured servants from Europe. This similarity did not long co ntinue. By the latter half of the 17th century, clear differences existed in the treatment of black and white servants. A 1662 Virginia law assumed Africans would remain servants for life, and a 1667 act declared that Baptism do not alter the condition of the person as to his bondage or freedom. By 1740 the SLAVERY system in colonial America was fully developed. A Virginia law in that year declared slaves to be chattel personal in the hands of their owners and possessors . . . for all intents, construction, and purpose whatsoever. In spite of numerous ideological conflicts, however, the slavery system was maintained in the United States until 1865, and widespread antiblack attitudes nurtured by slavery continued thereafter. Prior to the American Revolution, slavery existed in all the colonies. The ideals of the Revolution and the limited profitability of slavery in the North resulted in its abandonment in northern states during the last quarter of the 18th century. At the same time the strength of slavery increased in the South, with the continuing demand for cheap labour by the tobacco growers and cotton farmers of the Southern states. By 1850, 92 percent of allShow MoreRelatedBlack Of Black And Black Americans870 Words   |  4 Pageslife for black people in the United States of America that has always remained consistent is white racial hostility. A history of slavery, segregation, unequal protection of the law, and second class citizenship inflicted by a white power structure that dominates on a national level has created a harmful reality for black people. Every aspect of black public life must either be under the control of or in opposition to white supremacy. Every state-sanctioned institution works to use black bodies asRead MoreThe Violence Of Black Americans Essay1532 Words   |  7 Pagesis evident that Black Americans are un-proportionally living in poverty and without easy access to achievement. This harsh reality is not helped by our media-driv en society. In a world so heavily integrated with mass media hysteria, we scroll past posts that can have the countering effects of degradation or empowerment through our identities. While movements of Black Power can be painted through media, it also not hard to see the difference between the ways in which Black Americans are manipulatedRead MoreBlack Americans And Indian Americans2476 Words   |  10 Pages Black Americans and Indian Americans Institute of affiliation Name Date â€Æ' Abstract This paper explores the cultures of the dominant Indian-American culture and the Black American ethnic communities. Their way of life including their historical pasts, languages, religious ways and social relations will be deeply enumerated. A comparison will be included and similarities and differences drawn between the two groups. The groups will be compared on how they can interact in a professional settingRead MoreThe Black Of African Americans879 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout history African Americans have always suffered hatred and have always been rejected by Americans. As of today they are still [being treated like slaves as always ranked lower then rest of the people]*How then do you account for an African-American being the CEO of one of the top global companies?*. â€Å"Going to meet the man† a story by James Baldwin is a great example of how African Americans were treated in late 1900s; how they were used as entertainment for white people and how they wereRead M oreThe Death Of Black Americans1273 Words   |  6 Pagesused following the tragedy of death. Within the past few years, black Americans have been specifically targeted as victims of racial hate crimes. In 2016, more than 250 black Americans were killed by police (Huffington Post). The deaths of black Americans have become an epidemic, one that will have lasting effects on society. One effect is that of the â€Å"Black Lives Matter† movement which was birthed after the murder of an unarmed black teen in Sanford, FL. On February 26, 2012, Trayvon Martin wasRead MoreThe Dignity Of Black Americans1701 Words   |  7 Pagesdignity of Black Americans is being taken away by the same people who are getting paid by American tax dollars, to protect and serve. Because of this rash of recent deaths, Black Americas have started an initiative to ban together to fight the racial injustice in this country. Black Lives Matter is an organization of American activist who created a grass roots movement to abolish the degradation and demonization of Blacks Americans. This movement formed after the shooting death, of Florida Black AmericanRead MoreThe Inequality Of Black Americans923 Words   |  4 PagesFace Inequality Realism â€Å"Black people can not be racist, prejudice yes but not racist. Racism describes a system of disadvantage based on race. Black people can not be racist, since we can not stand to benefit from such a system,† (Dear White People). In the United States’ society, the oppression of black Americans is ingrained and rooted in history (â€Å"The Oppression†). With our country of immigrants, blacks were bought here by force and were kept as slaves for one-hundred fifty years (â€Å"The Oppression†)Read MoreBlack Americans And The Black Freedom Struggle1372 Words   |  6 PagesMany have thought that the end of the civil war was also the end of the suppression against Black Americans. However, real freedom hasn’t been present to them. Discriminations against Black Americans were transformed and still exist in other aspects. The life of a Black American was planned before he or she was born, not much freedom in their hands. Black American experience dis advantage and discrimination in many different institutions that all prove the existence of Neocolonialism. From housingRead MoreThe Diversity Of Black Americans1402 Words   |  6 PagesDiversity is now, more than ever before, at the forefront of the American conversation. Black people have been slowly but surely making gains in today’s society and in ways that were not possible before. African Americans are more educated and more affluent, and more important as consumers than ever before. By 2017, they are expected to have a spending power of 1.3 trillion dollars (Resilient, 2013). Young, influential, and brand loyal, this group should be the target of many companies. InterestinglyRead MoreThe American Dream And The Black American Reality908 Words   |  4 Pagesthe ideals of the American Dream through her characters: Walter, who embodies the quest for an opportunity for prosperity, Beneatha who wants the freedom to be herself and embrace her African heritage, and Lena (M ama) who buys a home in a white neighborhood pushing the boundaries of social mobility during that time. The Youngers are in a state of poverty, because of this as suggested by Lloyd Brown â€Å"their deprivations expose the gap between the American Dream and the Black American reality† (241).

The Response to the Spread of Buddhism in China Differed...

The response to the spread of Buddhism in China differed according to one’s social position. Confucian scholars and the emperor attacked Buddhism as an outlandish, barbaric belief. â€Å"The Memorial of Buddhism† written by Han Yu, a Confucian scholar, opposes Buddhism when the emperor decides to bring â€Å"the finger bone of Buddha† into the Chinese palace. He shows the unjust actions of the emperor by referring back to Confucian teachings such as keeping â€Å"[ghosts and spirits] at a distance†. The scholar also describes how Buddhism is barbaric because it does not conform to any Chinese laws or Confucian teachings (Doc. 4). As a Confucian scholar, he favored the relationship between â€Å"sovereign and subject† and traditional dress. He did not want†¦show more content†¦As a Chinese scholar, he was probably looking for an end to suffering when China was invaded by nomads. His point of view is significant because he implies that Buddhi sm gives a chance for everyone to reach nirvana. In a state of political chaos, this greatly comforted and hugely appealed to the Chinese. An additional document by a Chinese Buddhist follower during the nomadic invasions would be helpful because it would show how Buddhism provided a distraction and relief in political disunity. Buddhist and Chinese scholars defended Buddhism by attempting to prove that Buddhism was as good as other Chinese philosophies. In document 3, an anonymous Chinese scholar utilizes a question and answer organization to drive off the common attacks on the Buddhist belief. The scholar thinks it would be unrealistic to compare Confucianism and Buddhism because the Confucian Classics do not contain everything. He also defended the monks’ celibacy by saying that they had given up their family for â€Å"accumulating goodness and wisdom†. As an anonymous scholar, he probably hid his name to escape punishment because most people were Confucians at the time. Likewise, Zong Mi, a Buddhist scholar, was also trying to defend Buddha as an equal to Laozi and Confucius. He said that all three sages lead to an orderly society, and like doc 3, all three philosophies could existShow MoreRelatedIndian Caste System5772 Words   |  24 PagesThe Indian caste system describes the system of social stratification and social restrictions in India in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups, often termed jÄ tis or castes. Within a jÄ ti, there exist exogamous groups known as gotras, the lineage or clan of an individual. In a handful of sub-castes such as Shakadvipi, endogamy within a gotra is permitted and alternative mechanisms of restricting endogamy are used (e.g. banning endogamy within a surname). TheRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesperspectives on the past) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-4399-0269-1 (cloth : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0270-7 (paper : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0271-4 (electronic) 1. History, Modern—20th century. 2. Twentieth century. 3. Social history—20th century. 4. World politics—20th century. I. Adas, Michael, 1943– II. American Historical Association. D421.E77 2010 909.82—dc22 2009052961 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard

Leadership in Management

Question: Discuss about the Leadership in Management. Answer: Introduction Leadership can be defined as the process of influencing the social environment that aims at maximizing the efforts of other people towards achieving a set goal. On the other hand, leadership analysis can be defined as the act of breaking down the traits that are related to leadership into basic components that aim at assisting during a study and can be used by the practitioners. Leadership, therefore, has nothing to do with one's seniority in a different capacity or a given hierarchy. This means that the leadership analysis is a complex process that aims at exploring both negative and positive traits. In this article, I have therefore explored the process of leadership analysis and the theory that are related to leadership analysis. It has further expounded on the traits of leadership and the change of behaviors (Chen 2008). The application of leadership behavior has also been explicitly defined, and a detailed analysis was done to highlight the changes in the management of leadershi p analysis. Leadership Analysis Leadership analysis can well be defined as the act of breaking down the traits related to leadership into basic components that aim at assisting in a study by practitioners. Therefore, good leadership analysis should take into consideration the qualities of the leader in the context of all times and factors. The analysis is based on the positive impacts and negative impacts. The analysis of leadership, however, is done with considerations of the current environment. According to the theories that are set to explore on the leadership analysis, it is important to note that leadership analysis is seen in different ways (Daft 2014). Some of these theories are categorically slated to define the current impacts and some of the resultant impacts made in the current environment. In most of these theories, leadership analysis is deemed as a channel of exploring the relationship between the current social environment and the people involved. Traits of Leadership There are traits that are used for assessing leadership styles. Some of these traits involve the ability to distinguish the environment and the people associated with the environment. Leadership is seen as a set of behaviors that aims at evaluating the traits of successful leaders and identifying the broad leadership styles (Hayes 2014). The traits are seen as some of the core values in defining what leadership entails. These traits may categorize into two categories. There are moral traits and immoral traits. In leadership analysis, it is important to note that the moral traits are recommended as the better for establishing a suitable working environment. These traits are seen as successful traits that are evaluated by the leadership analysis theories. However, the immoral traits usually affect negatively on the working environment. Leadership Behaviors It is easy to understand leadership behaviors, but this may need some effort to perform what it entails consistently. A change in behavior will give one a way forward to increasing the effectiveness in performing the duties (Herman 2011). These behaviors can be learned however some seem to be inborn. Leadership may involve different practices such as: To inspire the vision Modeling the way Challenging the Status Quo Encouraging the heart Enabling others to work These practices may line up well with the leadership behaviors. Leadership behavior, therefore, needs determination in ensuring that directing, delegating, coaching and supporting other activities through different theories is effectively managed (Srivastav 2006). Change Management Analysis: Everyone needs changes and development in any organization or even in any working environment. Even in the modern world of today, people have no choice but to adapt to the ever-changing environment. Leadership plays a significant role in shaping and bringing changes to many organizations. There is a need for people or even organizations to cope up with the changing world. This will require greater personalities that may as well be termed as good leadership. Good leadership has seen many firms or even working environments grow rapidly. We need leaders with bigger minds such that they can keep up with the pace of the rapidly changing environments. Organizations have also benefited from leadership development since they require changes. These changes are only made available through better leadership. Changes in any working environment require new mindsets and not just new skills. These mindsets are made at our disposal through the good leadership (Walumbwa 2010). The strategies and plans that are introduced by the leaders play a significant role in defining the changes that are brought to any working environments. Leaders play a big role in opening the closed doors such that there is a positive competition that aims at bringing necessary changes in our working environments Applying the Leadership Theory: Leadership theory takes the challenge to which it is molded in various form. The leaders need to apply multiple practices to achieve their desired goal. This may involve the moral and ethical dilemma. The leader needs to ensure that his/her main state goal for applying leadership theory is to lead the followers and to ensure that he/she develops a sense of empowerment that aims at sharing a vision or his/her desired future. This application will, however, depend on the type of leadership that has been used. For instance, transformational leadership may require the leader to inspire her followers by her morals. This leadership aims at addressing the deeper intangible needs of the followers. Secondly, servant leadership provides a guide through a difficult time on who to follow. For such scenario, servant leader may face the wrath of accomplishing trust and even earning respect. There are many theories that explain how leadership theory can be applied especially during time of dilemma and hardship Conclusion: We have realized that it the ability of leaders to assess the situation in any given area and to have a full comprehension the respective followers. This article has provided a detailed analysis of what leadership is and what leadership analysis entails. It is for this matter that we have realized that there are different theories that explicitly directs the leaders to understand each scenario and on which theory he/she should adopt, to realize the maximum results (Wang, Waldman and Zhang 2014). We have also realized that leadership has nothing to do with personalities or where someone is and what hierarchy one is accorded. The traits further explain what is entailed in leadership analysis and some of the related changes that are brought about by leadership analysis. Bibliography Chen, C.C. and Lee, Y.T., 2008.Leadership and management in China. Cambridge Univ. Press. Daft, R.L., 2014.The leadership experience. Cengage Learning. Hayes, J., 2014.The theory and practice of change management. Palgrave Macmillan. Herman, R.D., 2011.The Jossey-Bass handbook of nonprofit leadership and management. John Wiley Sons. Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. and Schilling, M.A., 2014.Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Srivastava, A., Bartol, K.M. and Locke, E.A., 2006. Empowering leadership in management teams: Effects on knowledge sharing, efficacy, and performance.Academy of management journal,49(6), pp.1239-1251. Walumbwa, F.O., Wang, P., Wang, H., Schaubroeck, J. and Avolio, B.J., 2010. Retracted: Psychological processes linking authentic leadership to follower behaviors.The Leadership Quarterly,21(5), pp.901-914. Wang, D., Waldman, D.A. and Zhang, Z., 2014. A meta-analysis of shared leadership and team effectiveness.Journal of Applied Psychology,99(2), p.181.

Management Concepts Success and Efficient Growth

Question: Discuss about theManagement Concepts for Success and Efficient Growth. Answer: Introduction: The management concepts are considered to be very crucial for the success and efficient growth of a particular organization. This research paper will help in highlighting the different aspects and the use of the management concepts within a hospitality industry. Identification of the visionary leader with a particular firm or an industry helps in recognizing his or her skills related to the execution of the business process of the firm. On the other hand, the motivational theories are supposed to be of immense importance as they help in evaluating the significant growth of the firm to a large extent (Becoming the Evidence-Based Manager: Making the Science of Management Work for You by Gary Latham, 2011). There are certain barriers in the hospitality industry which needs to be identified as the acts vital challenge for the execution of the work concerned. The visionary leaders play the major part in revaluing the desired success for the organization concerned. There are different visionary leaders throughout the hospitality industries. The manager is the visionary leader in the hospitality industry. The manager within the hospitality industry executes the most vital role as to maintain the effectiveness throughout the firm related to the services offered to the customers (Cornelissen, 2013). The manger maintains the effectiveness of the business process and increases the profitability of the organization. The vision of the managers related to the carrying out of the work is considered to be of immense importance as it helps in bringing out the desired spark in the employees associated with the concerned firm. It helps in understanding the exact requirements of the employees as well as the customers. It is the primary responsibility of a visionary manager to increase the efficiency of the workplace by managing the relationship with the customers as well as the customers (Fabozzi and Markowitz, 2011). The leaders become more effective by the use of effective communicational skills. It is very crucial for the hospitality industry to maintain effective leadership by motivating others, managing the desired change, fostering the teamwork and delivering on the different promises. The leaders need to understand the business requirements as well as they aim to provide complete satisfaction to the clients as per their needs. Effective leaders provide some sort of spark to the others associated with the firm in order to increase their work effort and this finally brings out the positive results for the firm on a large scale. Use of the innovative tools by the leaders helps the other employees to achieve their set targets and goals of the concerned business within the hospitality industry (Desbordes, 2013). It is considered to be great important that the managers or the other leaders should maintain the effectualness and effectiveness throughout the industry concerned. The different theories of motivation are considered to be of great importance as they help in encouraging the employees associated with the concerned firm (Havewala, 2012). The motivational theories are supposed to be of large importance as they help in improving the desired skills of the managers in managing the workforce of the firm concerned. Employee motivation plays the most crucial role in evaluating the desired will power of the employees to carry out their work in more effective and efficient manner. Some of the motivational theories for managers in the hospitality industries are Theory x and theory y, Hierarchy of needs, equity theory, Hawthorne effect and many others. A manager needs to use the Maslow Hierarchy of needs for motivating of all of the employees in their organization. This consists of various other factors such as the food security, self-actualization needs, social needs and various others. There are some other means such as providing incentives programs, awards programs, referral bonus and many others for motivating t he employees towards their work (Quinn, 2011). There needs to frequent arrangement of the cultural programs other than the working time as this will help in reducing the work pressure of the employees and more the promotions after a certain period of time will also help in retaining the employees the firm concerned. There are certain challenges within the hospitality industry which need to be identified n order to maintain efficient workflow. Some of the crucial challenges are technology, innovation, Human Resources and Global Challenges (Rachui, 2012). These are the certain challenges which need to be overcome in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the entire hospitality industry. The barriers to the creative thinking are considered to be very crucial for the growth of the organization concerned. The individual perceptions are of great importance and they play a most vital role in evaluating the significant growth of an organization throughout the travel industry. There is a certain commonality of barriers such as time, money, management problems and various other problems. It becomes very important for the respective managers to recognize their personal benefits. Highlighting the real along with the perceived barriers affects the planning system in a different way. It is crucial for the man agers to understand the desired requirements of the employees associated with the firm as this will help in managing the barriers coming within creative thinking in the hospitality industry. On the other hand, there are some of the demographic factors which generate crucial impact on the thinking of the individuals related to the hospitality industry (Safir, 2013). The needs of the employees along with the business should be properly understood by the managers or the leaders. The managers need to formulate effective strategies as to bring out the positive results for the company. Some other barriers while creative thinking is making assumptions, being open minded, following rules and being over-reliance on the logic. Conclusion The research paper critically highlighted the different facts related to a visionary leader in hospitality industries. Moreover, the use of the motivational theories helps in enhancing the desired effectiveness of the workplace. Use of the effective communicational skills is other vital aspects in order to become the effective leaders throughout the hospitality industries. Trust and belief on the employees are other crucial points which need to be understood by the effective leaders as this increases the satisfaction of the employees regarding their work. References Becoming the Evidence-Based Manager: Making the Science of Management Work for You by Gary Latham. (2011).Personnel Psychology, 64(1), pp.266-269. Cornelissen, B. (2013).Mastering System Center 2012 Operations Manager. Indianapolis, Ind.: Wiley. Desbordes, M. (2013). Latest sponsorship strategies and the need for research.International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 14(3), pp.1-1. Fabozzi, F., and Markowitz, H. (2011). The theory and practice of investment management. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Havewala, P. (2012).Oracle Enterprise manager cloud control 12c. Birmingham, UK: Packt Pub. Quinn, R. (2011).Becoming a master manager. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Rachui, S. (2012).Mastering System Center Configuration Manager 2012. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley. Safir, R. (2013).Marketing and merchandising for musicians. Boston, MA: Course Technology, Cengage Learning.

Science In The Industrial Revolution Essays - Industrial Revolution

Science in the Industrial Revolution Science in the Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution of the 19th century probably did more to shape life in the modern industrialized world than any event in history. There were many events that led to the industrial revolution in Europe. For starters, people in general were becoming more and more disenchanted with corruption in the Church. Due to advances in printing more people were learning to read. This allowed them to read the Bible for themselves and begin to question the Church. Protestant religions began to develop in which it was permissible to make money rather than donate it all to charity. This change in thought gave people the opportunity to question nature and retain their spirituality and place with God. The focus of this discussion is not the role of the decline in the Church in the Industrial Revolution but the importance of science. However it is important to realize that this change in belief systems played a role in allowing people to study science. Science provided a way for intellectual people to study nature and the interactions of the different forces, such as magnetism and gravity, that affect the world in which we live. Discoveries made through science can later be used to help man in his everyday life. Even today scientists study natural phenomena in the hope of discovering something new that will prove useful to man. In the early days of science many of the studies were done to prove or disprove the teachings of the Church which included having the Earth as the center of the universe and the idea of creationism. An excellent example of how science helped lead to the Industrial Revolution can be seen in development of the steam engine. For our purposes here we will assume the development of the steam engine started with Galileo in the 17th century. Galileo introduced a theory of atoms. Although he never actually said the word "atom" he described it in great detail. The Church did not support the atom theory, as they believed it went against the teaching of the Bible. The Church preferred the idea that "empty" space was just that, empty, not filled with tiny particles called atoms. The reason Galileo never uttered the word "atom" was to avoid the wrath of the Church. He ended up being placed on house arrest during the Inquisition, but that is another story. Galileo's theory created a lot of excitement and led to many experiments. The excitement was not so much because of Galileo's theory, but because of the implications of this theory. If Galileo was proved correct, the teachings of the Church were wrong. In today's world this may not seem like a big deal, but remember that in Galileo's time the Church ran society in many ways. The first major development influenced by Galileo's theory was the barometer developed by Torricelli. Torricelli was a pupil of Galileo before he was home jailed. The barometer was not developed to measure atmospheric pressure as it is used for today. It was merely an attempt to prove Galileo's atomic theory. The barometer worked by demonstrating a partial vacuum caused by a pressure differential between a closed end and on open end of a tube containing mercury. The details will not be discussed here. The end result was that the barometer worked, thus proving Galileo right and the Church wrong. The success of the barometer led to the development of primitive air pumps. A type of "reverse bellows" was the first air pump. Inspired by these developments Denis Papin, a Protestant physician, developed the first practical steam engine. His steam engine was developed in 1690. This primitive engine heated water in a cylinder, which turned to steam. The pressure from this steam forced the piston upward once it was high enough to counteract the weight and atmospheric pressure on the cylinder. The engine was then removed from the heat source and atmospheric pressure forced the piston back down as the steam condensed and the pressure within dropped. In 1698 Thomas Savery improved on the same basic idea. He used the steam engine to pump water out of mines. This was one of the first applications of technology to industry. Thomas's engine did not contain a piston but used the partial vacuum created by the engine to suck the water up and out of the mine. Newcomen took the steam engine a step further in 1712. His engine did include a piston but he used a counterweight to extract it. The cylinder was then injected with steam. This was followed by injecting water into the

How to Write a Sample Essay

How to Write a Sample EssayIs it possible to write a sample essay that is based on an old but valuable fact or information? Do you know that the sample essay is one of the best essay samples that you can use?Now, as I said before, if you think that you are not capable of writing an interesting sample essay, then you should rethink your attitude and mind. Writing a good essay is all about your passion.You don't need to possess a special skill to write an essay, all you need is the aptitude. And this is actually an experience. And with that experience, you can develop your skill and knowledge.When it comes to the writing process, you only need a good skill when it comes to essay writing. So, if you are always planning to write an essay, you should not worry because you should already be an expert in writing.And if you have a good skill, then you will be capable of writing a sample essay. The most important thing is to develop your skills. Once you become experienced in writing, you can write different types of essays.So, if you want to improve your skills, then you should start thinking about how you are going to write a sample essay. Once you start doing this, you will know that there is something that you are not capable of doing.You should consider what kind of topic would be appropriate for your essay, because this is going to be the next part of your journey of gaining knowledge. And once you are done with the research on your topic, you will be in the position to come up with a proper topic. All this can be done by using a sample essay.

Should You Take the PSAT 10 or PSAT NMSQT

Should You Take the PSAT 10 or PSAT NMSQT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The two tests are very similar, but not identical. So which one should you take? Back in my day (when dinosaurs roamed the earth), there was just one version of the PSAT, a.k.a. the Practice SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. But now, the College Board has multiple versions of the PSAT, including the PSAT NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) and the PSAT 10. So what are the differences between the two tests? And which one should you take? Read on for an exclusive guide. What's the Difference Between PSAT 10 and PSAT NMSQT? Before we give you any advice on which version of the PSAT to take, we're going to quickly review the difference between the PSAT 10 and PSAT NMSQT. Seeour in-depth post about the PSAT 10 here. So What’s the PSAT 10? You’ve probably heard of the PSAT NMSQT – it’s the practice SAT that also gives juniors a chance to qualify for the National Merit competition. (Read more about National Merit over here.) So what is the PSAT 10? Like its name implies, the PSAT 10 is another practice SAT. It has SAT question types and the same content: Reading, Writing, and Math. But the PSAT 10 is specifically designed for sophomores, whereas the PSAT NMSQT is written with juniors in mind. We’ll go over some of the similarities and differences between the tests to help you decide which one to take. Similarities Between the Tests There are more similarities than differences between the PSAT 10 and the PSAT NMSQT. Both tests are SAT practice tests. That means both are shorter than the â€Å"real† SAT but contain similar question types to help you prepare for it. The timing of the tests is also the same. Both the PSAT 10 and PSAT NMSQT are two hours and 45 minutes long. The Reading section is 60 minutes and has 47 questions. The Writing section is 35 minutes long and has 44 questions. And finally, the Math section is 70 minutes long and has 48 questions. And while two hours and 45 minutes is a long time, it's a walk in the park compared to the marathon experience that is the SAT. Both tests present each sub-area (Math, Writing, and Reading) as a single section, like the SAT. Additionally, neither test has an essay, unlike the SAT. Both tests are primarily designed to introduce students to SAT content, so the question types and content are very similar to the SAT. However, both tests are easier than the real SAT. The Math section won’t be as difficult (expect less trigonometry, plus easier geometry and algebra questions), the Reading passages will not include college-level texts, and the Writing section will have more straightforward passages. The two tests also have the same scoring scale: you will be scored between 320-1520 for PSAT 10 and PSAT NMSQT, as compared to 400-1600 for the â€Å"real† SAT. This comes out to between 160 and 760 per section. Differences Between the Tests There are two differences between PSAT 10 and PSAT NMSQT: The first is difficulty. The PSAT 10 is designed for sophomores, and PSAT NMSQT is designed for juniors, so the PSAT NMSQT is slightly harder. Unfortunately, while College Board has released some specifications as to what the new SAT and PSAT questions will be like, they haven’t gone into detail about how the difficulty level varies between tests. In general, you can expect the PSAT NMSQT to have harder math including geometry and trigonometry, reading passages designed for 11th graders as opposed to 10th graders, and trickier grammar rules. For a more detailed breakdown of what you can expect on the PSAT 10, see our post. The second difference between the tests is the National Merit Competition. Only taking the PSAT NMSQT during your junior year can qualify you for the National Merit competition. Taking the PSAT 10 will never qualify you for National Merit, even if you take it as a junior. And taking the PSAT NMSQT in any year other than your junior year will also not qualify you, even if you get a high enough score. If you’re hoping to qualify for National Merit, that goal will be a pretty big part of your decision between the two tests. We’ll look at both your options in detail and help you decide which test to take. Should I Take PSAT 10 or PSAT NMSQT? This advice varies by grade level, so find your current grade below to get our advice. The College Board recommends that juniors take the PSAT NMSQT, sophomores take the PSAT 10, and freshmen take the PSAT 8/9 (yep, there is yet another version of the PSAT designed for even younger students!). We’ll go over some reasons why you might want to take a different PSAT level than College Board recommends. Get a step ahead. Decision for Seniors You should not be taking any version of the PSAT at this point! Study for the SAT! Decision for Juniors The vast majority of juniors should take the PSAT NMSQT if they take any version of the PSAT. Even if your school allows students to take the PSAT 10 as a junior, the NMSQT is your best bet. Even if you think you won’t do well, this is your shot at qualifying for National Merit, so you might as well take it. Plus, regardless of how well you do, the PSAT gives you practice for actual SAT questions – and the PSAT NMSQT is the hardest PSAT you can take. That means it’s a great way to either jump-start your SAT studying, or continue it if you’ve already begun. You can use your PSAT score to help create goals and guidelines for your SAT studying. (Read more about how to get the most out of your PSAT score here.) This can help you get the best possible score on the SAT, which opens doors to selective colleges and scholarships. In rare cases a junior might consider the PSAT 10 – since it’s slightly easier, it might be a good option if you’re an English Language Learner and want an easier introduction to the SAT (particularly the reading section), or if you’re seriously behind in one subject. The PSAT 10 will still introduce you to SAT content and question types and help prepare you for the SAT. If you’re a junior but think you might benefit from a slightly easier introduction to the SAT, talk to your guidance counselor to see if your school will let you take the PSAT 10 instead of the SAT NMSQT. Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: Decision for Sophomores Sophomore year is the year you will probably have the hardest time deciding which test to take. You could feasibly take either the PSAT 10 or PSAT NMSQT, depending on your goals. I called College Board and verified that sophomores can take the PSAT NMSQT as long as it’s ok with their high schools. So make sure to double check with your guidance counselor whether or not you can take the PSAT NMSQT as a sophomore before proceeding! Take the PSAT NMSQT If: You’re a high-achieving student aiming to get into Ivy Leagues or similarly competitive schools. You’re aiming for a National Merit Scholarship. You have any previous exposure to high-stakes testing (for example you took the ACT/SAT for a talent competition in middle school, you took AP tests freshman year, or you have already taken the PSAT in some form). Why is the PSAT NMSQT better for high-achieving tenth graders? Because taking the PSAT NMSQT gives you more rigorous SAT practice early on, and increases your chances of doing well enough on the PSAT NMSQT to qualify for National Merit your junior year. I actually took the PSAT NMSQT as a sophomore (this was long before PSAT 10 existed). Although my scores were much lower sophomore year than junior year, having that extra practice run helped me score well enough junior year to qualify for National Merit since I knew what was coming for me junior year. While you can definitely get good practice with the PSAT 10, getting previous exposure to the National Merit qualifying test can be more helpful. Take the PSAT 10 If: You’re not aiming for a top 20 school but you’re still looking to score well enough on the SAT to get into other good colleges and/or get scholarships. You don’t have any previous exposure to high-stakes testing and want an easier introduction to SAT content and question types. In terms of qualifying for National Merit, keep in mind that you can take the PSAT 10 and still study for the PSAT NMSQT for junior year. However, you should study extra hard to be prepared for the slightly harder PSAT NMSQT in junior year. Decision for Freshmen For freshmen, the choice is between the PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 (The PSAT 8/9 is an easier version of the PSAT 10 and PSAT NMSQT, with very similar question types and content). The PSAT NMSQT will likely have content beyond your reach and be frustrating. It will be more productive for freshmen to take a test designed for their grade level, or close to it. You’ll still get excellent practice on the PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 and build up to take the PSAT NMSQT for the first time sophomore year. Take the PSAT 10 If: You’re a high-achieving student aiming for a top college. You took the PSAT 8/9 in eighth grade and want a bigger challenge. You have past exposure to high-stakes testing (for example, you took the SAT or ACT for a talent competition in middle school, or tested into a competitive school or gifted program). Take the PSAT 8/9 If: You haven’t taken the PSAT 8/9 before. You don’t have any exposure to high-stakes tests yet. You want an introduction to the SAT without quite as much stress. Though College Board has yet to invent a stress-free test. Maybe that will be in the next batch of assessments. And remember, if you're just a freshmen, qualifying for National Merit and taking the real SAT aren't immediate concerns. Whichever test you take, remember that it's just practice. And focus on doing well in your core classes, especially math and language arts, so you can build the skills you'll need to do well on the SAT in a few years' time. Bottom Line The PSAT NMSQT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9 are all quite similar - their only difference is the slightly ramped up difficulty for each successive test. That means each test is going to give you excellent practice for the real SAT. You should aim to take the harder test for your grade level (PSAT NMSQT in 10th grade, PSAT 10 in 9th grade) if you are set on getting a National Merit scholarship and/or getting into a top college. Otherwise, taking the test designed for your grade level is a great way to get introduced to the SAT and prepare for the college admissions process. What’s Next? The PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 were created as part of an expanded line of SAT assessments, including the new SAT. Read about the new SAT to get a detailed breakdown of what it tests and how it asks questions – these specifications apply to all the new SAT assessments. Early achievers, are you already thinking about when to take the SAT? Learn the optimal time in your high school career to take the SAT. Also hoping to fit in AP or IB courses to your high school career? Read about how many AP courses you should take and the difference between AP and IB. 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