College Of University

As a former college sports coach i was often amazed at how little research some student-athletes did when it came to selecting their school. College can be some of the best years of your life and if you get it wrong they can also provide you with some bad experiences.

I know that most athletes are controlled by the “money factor” when it comes to choosing schools but you should still understand the various types of schools on offer and which one is best for you.

If you are thinking about playing a sport in college then you will need to complete some thorough research into the various types of colleges available to you. Below you will find some of your options.

The normal term for obtaining a bachelor’s degree at a U.S. college or university is four years in length. Some students can finish in less than four years and some may take longer. Some students want to fast track their degrees by taking summer school classes.

When you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree you will first participate in the schools’ required classes during your freshmen year and then will likely be required to declare a major by the end of your sophomore year. In order to graduate you will be required to study a certain number of hours and complete several other school criteria such as obtaining cultural credits. Check your school as these will vary.

When you graduate you will likely be awarded one of the following two most common degrees in a Bachelor of Science Degree or a Bachelor of Arts Degree. At a community college you will receive an Associates Degree.

You will attend one of the following types of schools when trying to obtain a Bachelors Degree. All vary in their structure, cost and requirements. Therefore it is important to understand their differences when selecting your school.

It often comes down to a personal preference when choosing your school. Various factors such as location, costs, size of the school, its sports programs, facilities, reputation, friends will all play a role in your decision making process.

The first thing to know about private schools is that they are likely to be more expensive than other schools. Costs can often go past the $25,000 mark which is just out of reach for many students and parents. The private schools are not controlled by government agencies as are public schools. As a result they receive less financial support in the form of government funding. Private universities are structured differently in the way that they are run by private groups and also supported through private funds.

Public Schools are governed and subsidized by the state they are located in and often have the word “state” in their name. For example, North Carolina State University or Florida State University. These public schools are often more popular with in-state residents as they provide a lot of financial assistance and are a lot cheaper than their private school alternative.

If you are an out-of-state student then you will pay higher fees as your taxes have not contributed to that particular states funding. However, it may still be a cheaper alternative than attending a private school in your state. Many of the state schools have great academic reputations and sporting programs so follow your list when selecting a school.

Religious Affiliated Schools – in the U.S. system of equal rights and your right to choose; you can still decide attend one of these religious affiliated schools and still maintain your right to be of a different religion. Although some schools will require you to attend some of their religious programs for cultural credits. These schools are often privately funded so that they do not have to be governed by the state and can still make their own independent choices about how the school exists.

Liberal Arts Schools strive to provide students with a broad education that aims to develop all aspects of a person and expose them to a wide variety of topics, life experiences and social experiences. They are trying to develop a “well-rounded” student by having them participate is a wide range of classes. Along with the specific classes in your major you are also likely to take classes that can range from history, religion, music, arts and geography to name a few.

Most liberal arts colleges will be smaller private schools where the majority of students (often over 75 %) live on campus. One major benefit is that you will find yourself in a class of less than 40 students which has obvious benefits. The teacher is more likely to know your name and be there to assist you on a more personal level.

Community Colleges award a student an associates degree or technical degree. These institutions are often two years and are sometimes referred to as Junior Colleges. You will hear about many athletes attending a junior college prior to attending a four year school. This is also a good way to prepare yourself and then transfer to for a four year program. Community colleges have increased in popularity due to their ability to work with students busy schedules and needs.

Ivy Leagues Schools are well known for their high academic standards and are very difficult to get into. Only a small percentage of applicants will be accepted into an Ivy League school and you will find that each college and university will set their own admissions criteria so look into each school individually and you will see which ones you have more of a chance of getting into. Go for the schools that put more emphasis on the areas that you are strong in.

Some of the Ivy League schools include: Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, Columbia, Brown, Penn and Dartmouth.

Diversity in College – Many colleges will strive to be schools that value diversity amongst its student population. Colleges aim for a balance between males and females as well as students from a variety of different backgrounds including ethnic, religious, sexual, racial and international identities.

A college campus will be comprised of many diverse groups and most schools strive to achieve a balance when selecting students.

You will find that many of the athletes are from different countries. Most of these athletes are only able to pay for the costs of college because they receive aid in the form of an athletic scholarship.

Whether you are an International athlete or a local athlete in the USA; there are many factors that you will need to take into account before selecting your college. Most often this will be dictated by where you are able to get enough scholarship money to help pay for the high costs of college. Some of the key factors you need to look at include location of the school, the costs, availability of financial aid, weather, size of school, do they have your field of study, quality of facilities, do they have a dedicated tennis coach or just a part-time coach.

You will also want to check out the standard of players currently on the team, budget given to the tennis team, housing facilities, the campus, graduation rates and reputation of both the athletic department and the college.

As an athlete you would love to get a lot of “Free” money from the school in the form of grants and scholarships to help pay for the costs of going to college. However, you can fill the gap by applying for one of the many federal loans or even looking into private loans.

There are many options when it comes to paying for college so don’t let money get in the way of playing a sport in college. This is just one key points to ask the financial aid office at your potential college of choice.

Effective management

 

Dr.N.C.Martin, Ph.D

Lecturer – HOD

Department of Social Work

Shree Chandra Prabhu Jain College, Minjur, Chennai.

Planner

A Manager has to take a long-term view; while a team member will be working towards known and established goals, the manager must look further ahead so that these goals are selected wisely. By thinking about the eventual consequences of different plans, the manager selects the optimal plan for the team and implements it. The manager ensures that work is not repeated nor problems tackled too late, and that the necessary resources are allocated and arranged.

Provider

The Manager has access to information, which the team needs. The role of a manager is important because authority, which the manager holds uniquely within the team and the manager, must exercise the power for the benefit of the team for the effective productivity.

Protector

In any company, there are problems, which can deflect the work force. The manager should be there to guard against these and to protect the team. If a new project emerges which not given an impossible deadline. If someone in your team brings forward a good plan, you must ensure that it receives a fair hearing and that your team knows and understands the outcome. If someone is in your team has a problem at work, you have to deal with it.

Inspires a Shared Vision

An effective manager is often described as having a vision of where to go and the ability to articulate it.

Qualities of a Manager

Good Communicator

The ability to communicate with people is the most important skill by managers and team members. The Manager is also the team’s link to the larger organisation. He must have the ability to effectively negotiate and use persuasion when necessary to ensure the success of the team and project. Through effective communication, manager support individual and team achievements by creating guidelines for accomplishing tasks and for the career advancement of team members.

Enthusiasm

If Managers are negative – they bring staffs down. Manager with enthusiasm, with a bounce in their step, with a can-do attitude. Many people tend to follow people with a can-do attitude. Enthusiastic Managers are committed to their goals and express this commitment through optimism.

Competence

Managers will be chosen based on their ability to successfully lead others rather than on technical expertise, as in the past. Having a winning track record is the surest way to be considered competent. Expertise in management skills is another dimension in competence. The ability to challenge, inspire, enable, model and encourage must be demonstrated if managers are to be seen as capable and competent.

Ability to Delegate Tasks

Trust is an essential element in the relationship of manager and his or her team. You demonstrate your trust in others through your actions – how much you check and control their work, how much you delegate and how much you allow people to participate.

Cool Under Pressure

In a perfect world, projects would be delivered on time, under budget and with no major problems or obstacles to overcome. A leader with a hardy attitude will take these problems in stride. When leaders encounter a stressful event, they consider it interesting, they feel they can influence the outcome and they see it as an opportunity.

Team-Building Skills

A team builder can best be defined as a strong person who provides the substance that holds the team together in common purpose toward the right objective. In order for a team to progress from a group of strangers to a single cohesive unit, the leader must understand the process and dynamics required for this transformation. He or she must also know the appropriate leadership style to use during each stage of team development. The leader must also have an understanding of the different team players styles and how to capitalise on each at the proper time, for the problem at hand.

Communicate the big picture

If you want your employees to work hard and be committed to your business, you have to keep them in the loop. Open communication helps foster loyalty and gives employees a sense of pride. It helps them understand how their work contributes to the company’s success.

Delegate work and responsibilities

Some employees, share their workload with them and assign the work according to people’s strengths and weaknesses, and let employees develop their own good work habits and abilities.

Help employees set goals

Setting deadlines and goals helps keep employees focused, busy and motivates them to do their work. Talk to each of your employees about the company’s goals, and work with them to set individual goals directly linked to your business’s mission. Make sure employees understand their professional growth path in the company.

Recognize problems

It is impossible to know about personality conflicts, lagging productivity or other problems in the office if you have your head in the sand. If you notice a change in an employee’s work habits or attitude, try to get to the root of the problem before it starts affecting the rest of your staff.

Effective dealing of Problems

The first step in dealing with a problem employee is to identify the trouble. Many times, a simple, honest talk with an employee will dissolve issues such as occasional tardiness or minor attitude problems. Coaching requires a manager to work one-on-one with problem employees or to assign another employee to work with the employee to overcome their shortcomings. The mentor should provide the employee with feedback and solutions for improving their performance. Coaching requires patience and a substantial time investment, but it can help modify an employee’s behavior.

Poor performance

Poor performance is not always due to a lack of skills; the employee may simply be disorganized or sloppy. These habits can usually be corrected with proper guidance. If performance difficulties relate to a lack of skills, consider coaching or additional training.

Job incompatibility

In some cases an employee becomes a problem because their skills aren’t compatible with their assigned tasks or regular duties. In this case, offering the employee additional training or assigning them a different set of tasks is usually the most appropriate course of action.

Sloppy work

When you notice that, an employee has made some errors, point out the mistakes to the employee and monitors their work more closely. If the problem persists, speak with the employee and detail the most serious examples of problems with their work. Remember to remain positive and focus on how important the employee’s contribution is to the company.

Create an effective message

Consider the specific informational needs of executives, middle managers, supervisors and employees, and tailor your message to fit each audience. An effective message should also explain how your employees´ day-to-day duties directly affect the company’s performance and should touch on the values and pride of the employees. A direct, face-to-face interaction can help reinforce positive attitudes inspire employees and help them adapt to the change.

Listen to your employees

Employee feedback is critical in managing change. Holding focus groups with employ
ees is a great way to gauge reaction and monitor the progress of change. You also can encourage employees to provide feedback through email or the company intranet. Communication is the cornerstone to successful change management. Talking to your employees is not a one-time event, and you need to reinforce your message by communicating early and often.

Conclusion

To be an effective manager you must know yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses, and those of the people around you.  You must know your objectives and have a plan of how to achieve them.  You must build a team of people that share your commitment to achieve those objectives, and you must help each team member to achieve their best which will be able to attain a common goal.

 

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Masters in Business Administration or MBAs are in real demand these days. And if someone has done his or her MBA course from a reputed business school, it’s an icing on the cake. Incumbents of top business schools bag very good offers from the corporate world. An alumnus of Harvard Business School or IMD gets a rousing welcome in the enterprises.

 

Almost all the universities conduct the MBAs program today. With the phenomenon of globalization taking the practical shape whole world has emerged in to big market. This has led to the great increase in the business activities all over. Products and services are being sent and received across continents. This situation has posed a huge demand for the skilled professionals in the industries. In an MBA program syllabus is prepared in such a manner that it covers all essential elements of business.

 

MBA Specializations:

There are various streams of MBA course which can be studied as specializations. Some examples are: MBA in Human Resources (HR), MBA in Hospitality & Tourism, MBA in Entrepreneurship, MBA in Communication, MBA in Marketing, MBA in Health Care Management, MBA in Finance, MBA in Operations and many more.

 

Some prestigious Management Institutes in the US and elsewhere are enumerated below:

 

Top Business Schools USA



Harvard Business School

Stanford

University of Pennsylvania

Northwestern (Kellogg)

Columbia

Duke (Fuqua)

Virginia (Darden)

MIT (Sloan)

University of Chicago

University of Michigan



 

 

Top MBA programs outside USA



INSEAD, France

IMD, Switzerland

London Business School, UK

Toronto (Rotman) Canada

Western Ontario (Ivey)

Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus)

IESE

University of Oxford (Said)

Instituto de Empresas ,Spain

SDA Bocconi, Italy



 

 

For more information on MBA Courses and Business Schools, please visit www.indiaedu.com