SAT Subject Tests Which Exams You Should Take and When to Take Them

A majority of colleges require or recommend taking at least two SAT Subject Tests, but they do not usually advise applicants  as to which tests they should take. Students are  then left to decide when to take their Subject Tests and how to interpret varying institution-specific guidelines about which subjects to choose and how scores will be used. For students who dont have a firm idea of where they want to apply, the best course of action is to take two Subject Tests that highlight their academic strengths. Most students will choose subjects that have some relation to their intended majors, but as there are so many more majors than there are Subject Tests so these matches do not need to be exact. For example, an applicant planning on pursuing an environmental science major might like to take Subject Tests in Math II and Biology. Another student applying to the same program might choose instead to take subject tests in  Chemistry and American History. Either would be perfectly reasonable choices. If a college has a more specific requirement, it will be clearly stated on their website, but for the majority of students, two tests in areas of strength will make for the best possible application for the widest range of colleges. That being said, here are some points to consider about particular cases where it could pay to think more carefully about which SAT Subject Tests  to choose: Pay Attention to Specific Program Requirements Some colleges  and programs that take freshman applications will impose their own SAT Subject Test requirements. This practice is most widespread in STEM programs. For example, MIT requires applicants to take one Subject Test in math (Level 1 or Level 2) and one in science (Biology, Chemistry, or Physics). UCLAs School of Engineering and Applied Sciences requires test scores from the Math Level 2 exam and one science subject exam. The engineering programs at Berkeley and San Diego have the same requirement that UCLA does, even though there are no Subject Test requirements at all for students in other majors. With this in mind, if you know you will be applying to a specific school, pay attention to their unique SAT Subject Test requirements (if they have any) and adhere to them. Consider Foreign Language Proficiency and Placement The College Board offers SAT Subject Tests in nine different languages. For some languages, you have a choice between a written test and a test with a listening component. Other language tests are only available in one format or the other.  Many colleges accept SAT language exams for placement or  credit in language courses,  but dont rush out to take one of these tests for that reason alone especially if youre not as well prepared as you could be. If youre concerned about missing out on credit, wait until you make your college decision and then take the exam during the  spring of your Senior year (only if you know it will benefit you). Reasons to Take More Than 2 SAT Subject Tests One good reason to add a 3rd SAT Subject Test is  if you want to take one in a language of which you are a heritage speaker. In that case, you  may want to make the Subject Test for that language  your third exam. This way, you can show how proficient you are in a second language while  still taking two other exams in subjects that you have studied in an academic setting. Another reason to take an additional Subject Test is to fulfill less common school-specific requirements. For example, Georgetown is one of few schools to still recommend three SAT Subject Tests. At NYU, which has a test-flexibly policy, the admissions office will actually accept three Subject Tests in lieu of the regular SAT.  If you plan to apply to schools like Georgetown or NYU, consider taking three SAT Subject Tests before submitting your applications. Reasons to Skip the SAT Subject Tests Some colleges have made SAT Subject Tests optional, or have even stopped considering them all together. For instance, At Columbia, subject tests are accepted but not required, and at the University of Chicago, they state,SAT II’s are truly optional, and not sending us Subject Tests will not hurt your application. If you are sure that your college application list  does not include schools where Subject Tests are required, its safe to trust that optional really means optional, and skip the tests. When to Take SAT Subject Tests If you are applying to one or more schools where SAT Subject Tests are strongly recommended or required, the next decision  that you must make is when to take them. Dont be afraid to take SAT Subject Tests early on in your high school career. If your school offers AP World History in the 10th grade and you know that youll be interested in taking the test for that subject, go ahead and start fulfilling your Subject Test requirements early. On the other hand, if you know that your school offers two years of a single subject (for example, 9th grade Chemistry and 11th grade AP Chemistry), wait to take your Subject Test for that subject at the end of the second year. Since history and science Subject Tests correspond closely with year-long high school courses, it is best to take them immediately after youve completed the relevant course. The math and literature exams, however, draw on skills that are developed over a period of years, and so these do not necessarily need to be taken in conjunction with specific classes. If youre taking literature or math, find a time around your Junior year when your schedule will allow you the time to study and work with practice tests. Finally, if youre taking a language exam, it is advisable to wait until the end of Junior year or the beginning of Senior year to take the test. This way, youll allow yourself the maximum amount of time to practice the language before the exam. SAT Subject Tests are necessary for many students, but each individual has a lot of flexibility in deciding which ones to take and when to take them. And if youre still uncertain about what tests to choose or how to prepare, consider getting in touch with an experienced tutor or admissions consultant here at Veritas Prep. Do you need help navigating the college application process and determining which tests to take for the schools you are applying to?  Visit our  College Admissions  website and fill out our  FREE Profile Evaluation for personalized feedback on your unique situation!  And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and  Twitter! Anne Mathews is a Veritas Prep SAT instructor based in Los Angeles.

Is It Right for Vegans to Eat Honey

Animal rights activists and vegans are faced with a kind of dilemma when it comes to honey. Since vegans don’t include anything other than plant-based foods to meet their nutritional needs, honey is (at least in theory) off the menu. But its not that simple: many vegans argue that there are excellent reasons for eating honey. While it’s true that bees are not killed for their honey, hard-core vegans argue that because honey comes from bees and bees are animals,  honey is an animal product  and therefore not vegan. It’s the product of exploitation of an animal, which makes it an animal-rights issue. On the other hand, many argue that other forms of sweetener and virtually all forms of agriculture involve the killing of insects; in fact, keeping bees and eating honey may cause less pain and fewer bee deaths than avoiding honey. What Is Honey? Honey is made out of flower nectar by honey bees, in a  two-step process  involving two types of bees: older worker bees and young hive bees. Thousands of bees work together to produce hundreds of pounds of honey over the course of a year. The older worker bees gather nectar from flowers and swallow it. The bees then regurgitate the nectar when they return to the hive and the younger bees swallow it. The younger bees then regurgitate it into a cell of the honeycomb and fan the honey with their wings to dry it before capping it with beeswax. The  purpose  of turning nectar into honey is to store the sugars to be consumed in the future. The bees convert the nectar to honey because nectar would ferment if it were stored. Why Dont Some Vegans Eat Honey? Keeping bees  for commercial or hobby purposes violates the bees rights to be free of human exploitation. As with  companion animals  or  other farmed animals, breeding, buying, and selling animals violates the animals rights to live  free of human use and exploitation,  and bees are commercially bred, bought and sold. In addition to  keeping bees, taking their honey is also exploitative. While beekeepers will say that they leave plenty of honey for the bees, the honey belongs to the bees. And, when more honey is needed for the beekeeper to make a profit, they may not leave plenty of honey behind for the bees. They may, instead, leave behind a substitute, basically, sugar water, which is not nearly as rich in nutrients as the honey. Furthermore, some bees are killed every time the beekeeper smokes the bees out of their hive and takes their honey. These deaths are an additional reason to boycott honey; even if no bees were killed during honey collection, the exploitation of the bees would, for some vegans, be reason enough. Bees and Animal Rights While  experts disagree  as to whether insects feel pain, studies have shown that some insects  avoid negative stimuli  and have a  more complex social life  than previously believed. Because insects may be sentient and it costs us practically nothing to respect their rights and avoid insect products like honey,  silk,  or  carmine, vegans abstain from insect products. There are, however, some self-described vegans who do eat honey and argue that  insects are killed in other types of agriculture, so they are reluctant to draw the line at honey. Pure vegans point out the line between intentional exploitation and incidental killings, and beekeeping falls into the former category.   The Other Side of the Argument But do vegans necessarily have to avoid honey? Surprisingly Michael Greger, M.D, one of the leaders of the animal rights movement and a well-respected author, physician and vegan nutrition specialist writes in his blog for  Satya, â€Å"A certain number of bees are undeniably killed by honey production, but far more insects are killed, for example, in sugar production. And if we really cared about bugs we would never again eat anything either at home or in a restaurant that wasn’t strictly organically grown—after all, killing bugs is what pesticides do best. And organic production uses pesticides too (albeit â€Å"natural†). Researchers measure up to approximately 10,000 bugs per square foot of soil — that’s over 400 million per acre, 250 trillion per square mile. Even â€Å"veganically† grown produce involves the deaths of countless bugs in lost habitat, tilling, harvesting and transportation. We probably kill more bugs driving to the gro cery store to get some honey-sweetened product than are killed in the product’s production.† Hes also concerned that over-zealous vegans will turn off a lot of potential new vegans because it makes our movement look radical if even bees (bugs) are considered sacred. He makes the point that most non-vegan, self-titled animal lovers may be persuaded to adopt a vegan diet if we appeal to their love of animals. But forcing new vegans to give up honey may be going a little too far. Dr. Greger makes a good point when he says that for every potential vegan we lose because of our rigidity, millions of food animals continue to suffer because that would-be vegan has decided its just too weird or complicated to try a vegan diet and, after all, inertia is so much easier.   Colony Collapse  Disorder Scientists are still trying to sort out the mysterious problem of Colony Collapse Disorder. Bees are dying at an alarming rate, and entomologists are finding dead bees and mostly unpopulated hives in all parts of the country. From an animal rights standpoint, it’s imperative that this catastrophic state of affairs be sorted out before more animals die. From the standpoint of a human being who depends upon agriculture to put food on the table, it’s essential this problem be solved since bee pollination is what makes plants grow. Ethical Beekeepers But what if we could solve the problem of CCD and create a vegan honey that’s ethical enough for even  hard-core vegans to approve at the same time? If you are a vegan who likes a little honey with your hot tea, you may be in luck. Ethical, organic and enlightened beekeepers are starting to challenge the status quo and in the process, may be helping to put a stop to CCD by starting up new colonies and keeping a close eye on them. In an article published in Elephant Journal, a website about enlightened living; writer and beekeeper Will Curley argues that keeping bees can be non-exploitative whether you are profiting from their honey or not. He writes: â€Å"As with all things, there are shades of gray in the morality of producing and eating honey. Not all honey is cruelly produced, nor is all honey ethically produced. The important thing is that  some  beekeepers consistently put their bees and the health of the environment first.† If you want to help the effort to restore the population of honeybees to pre-CCD numbers but don’t want an actual hive of your own, the USDA recommends the following solutions the general public can implement. Plant lots of bee-friendly plants that make bees happy. A quick Google search for plants that thrive in your area will help you make a list. Also, avoid using pesticides as much as possible, opting for organic gardening and using â€Å"friendly bugs† to devour the harmful bugs.

fmily health - 1787 Words

Diversity among individuals, as well as cultures, provides a challenge for nurses when it comes to delivering meaningful health promotion and illness prevention-based education. How do teaching principles, varied learning styles (for both nurses and patients), and teaching methodologies impact the approach to education? How do health care providers overcome differing points of view regarding health promotion and disease prevention? Provide an example. 1) We live in a very diverse nation and overcoming challenges related to cultural beliefs and preferences is a very common obstacle for health care workers today. In an article in The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing cultural diversity is defined as being more than just race, Health†¦show more content†¦What is equally true is that there is also diversity within the cultural group; therefore nurses must develop health promotion and illness prevention-based education that is focused on the individual while taking into considering teaching and learning styles that are culturally relevant. Teaching and learning methodologies, principals, styles or approaches are perhaps the most challenging for nurses. Not only are nurses diverse in culture, sex, age, socioeconomic and religion, we are also part of a discipline that is diverse in practice. It is necessary to acknowledge our own beliefs, biases as it relates to other culture groups so that we don’t unintentionally create barriers to learning. Health care providers can overcome differing points of view regarding health promotion and disease prevention by creating a learning environment built on mutual trust, respect and acceptance. The goal is to provide education that is built upon the individual or group strengths that empower and engage the group/individual to be an active participant. It should encourage decision-making that positively affects lifestyle and health behavior changes. Through experience and education I have had the opportunity to see the diversity within the Hispanic culture. There are major differences with this group in terms of immigrantsShow MoreRelatedAlcoholism And Its Effects On Society1655 Words   |  7 Pagesother problems in life are blamed. There are many examples of this tragedy in our lives. Alcoholism doesn t just affect the abusser s life, but can affect the lives of his loved ones. Alcoholism affects his health and privlages that he uses in everyday life. According to the National Health interview survey, more than 50% of the population aged 18 or older uses alcohol as a stimulant/ depressent. (alcoholismstatistics.net) People drink for different reasons, some being depression and others bingeRead MoreDiagnosis. According To The Diagnostic And Statistical1282 Words   |  6 Pagestherapy, but the process can offer essential guidance with understanding, motivation, encouragement and long-term possibilities of refraining from reverting back into old habits of addiction (Van Wormer Davis, 2013). Additional treatment for Katrina’s health and well-being will include suggestions for participating in physical exercise, gainful hobbies, creating a life map to identify future goals and/or desires and other activities geared to direct her attention to positive pathways. It is importantRead MoreMarketing Communications Imc Plan5971 Words   |  24 PagesKiffer, James Tammesild, Ventsislav Stoev Huggies IMC Campaign IMC Campaign Huggies biodegradable â€Å"Enviros† Nappy Pants Internal analysis: Kimberley Clark Kimberly Clark is a multi-national corporation that provides basic essentials in health care and personal supplies for those of all ages. Kimberly Clark generates over 1 billion dollars annually within the Australian and New Zealand economy. They are one of top 300 companies in Australia, and employ 1871 employees. Huggies is one of

Petro hw free essay sample

What is the first priority of a petroleum engineer? (5 points) The first priority of a petroleum engineer is safety. 2. What are the 5 elements of a petroleum system labeled on the illustration above? Green indicates hydrocarbon fill and E refers to the anticlinal structure. (10 points) A. Top Seal Rock (impermeable shale) B. Reservoir Rock (Porous sandstone) C. Source Rock (Organic-Rich shale) D. Potential migration route (Non-sealing fault) E. Anticlinal Trap 3. Name the four major disciplines of Petroleum Engineering. (4 points) Reservoir Engineering, Production Engineering, Petrophysics (Formation Evaluation), and Drilling. 4. What are the three main purposes of drilling fluid (mud)? (6 points) It maintains hydrostatic pressure to control the well, it circulates rock cuttings to the surface for analysis, and it cools the drill bit. 5. Which of the following is NOT a drive mechanismSolution gas drive, Reservoir Compaction, Gravity Segregation, or Natural water drive? (5 points) Gravity segregation is not a drive mechanism. 6. The supercontinent Pangaea started to break up about 200 million years ago. We will write a custom essay sample on Petro hw or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Are most hydrocarbon reservoirs in rocks that are younger than the start of the breakup, or older? (5 points) Most reservoirs were formed in the Jurassic and Cretaceous period. The age of these periods are less the 200 million years old. Therefore, the reservoir rocks are younger than the start of the Pangaea breakup. 7. Explain the main driving force behind Plate Tectonics. (5 points) The main driving force behind plate tectonics is convection. The mantle is liquid so it moves in a circular motion that drives Earth’s crust to move. The mantle behaves like water would if you were boiling water. A mnemonic is a word trick that helps you to remember a sequence of information. Give a mnemonic that can be used to help you remember the 7 Periods of the Paleozoic Era. (5 points) Paleozoic Periods Make Distinctions with Start Of Cambrian. 9. Name the three types of sedimentary rocks, indicate whether each is a reservoir, source, and/or seal, and name an example rock for each. (10 points) There are clastics, nonclastics, and evaporites. Clastics include sandstone, which is a reservoir, and shale, which is a source, trap, and also a reservoir. An example of a nonclastic is carbonate, which is a reservoir. An example of an evaporite is salt, which is a trap. 10. The seismic reflection coefficient R for the interface between two layers of rock is given (approximately) by the following equation for normal incidence (sound raypaths hit the interface between two rock layers at a right angle), where ? 1 is the density of layer 1 (top), ? 2 is the density of layer 2 (bottom), v1 is the velocity of sound in layer 1 (top) and v2 is the velocity of sound in layer 2 (bottom): Calculate the reflection coefficient R if ?1 = 2. 1 gm/cm3, ? 2 = 2. 2 gm/cm3, v1 = 1500 m/s, and v2 = 2000 m/s. (5 points) The reflection coefficient is 0. 17 11. Why do Petroleum Engineers care about Plate Tectonics? (4 points) It tells them about the creation of structures and basins. It also helps them identify places where there are potential reservoirs or source rocks. 12. Flow from a pressured â€Å"zone† (interval of porous rock) encountered while drilling is controlled when the mud weight in the wellbore provides a pressure that equals or exceeds the pressure of the zone. There is a pressured zone at 8000psi penetrated while drilling at 15,000ft in a vertical well. What minimum mud weight is necessary to control flow from this zone? (Hydrostatic pressure in psi = 0. 052 x Mud Weight (ppg) x True Vertical Depth (ft. )). (6 points) 8000 psi/15,000 ft. x 0. 052 = 10. 3 ppg. The mud weight is 10. 3 ppg. 13. List 5 of the top 10 Ways to Reduce Stress, according to Reuben Parrish (5 points) 1. Breathe 2. Use a calendar 3. Evaluate yourself at the end of every week 4. Establish effective environments 5. Utilize a â€Å"To-Do† List

Sonnys Blues Baldwin Personal Reflection Essay Example

Sonnys Blues Baldwin Personal Reflection Essay â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is an emotional story written by an amazing author, James Baldwin, who has come to be one of my favorite writers. This particular piece talks about the troubles of African American freeing themselves from the mental bondages of their surroundings, the ghetto. The title is significant, and helped me to understand the underlining meaning of the story. The title can be divided into two main reasons, the first, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues, meaning the music he plays. Second is the reference to his life, his feelings, his style, and most importantly his way of life. This story starts in despair, the main character, Sonny is a drug addict, who is holding on to life, but through music he finds hope. There are many parts of this story, such as Sonny being a recovering heroin addict, or Sonny and his love for music, or the fact that Sonny and his dad are just alike. It was difficult for me to understand the main reasons for this story after reading it once, because I automatically thought this was another one of those sad short stories about someone crying out for help. After reading the story again, and writing my final essay on it, it helped me to understand that Baldwin’s main reason is hope. We will write a custom essay sample on Sonnys Blues Baldwin Personal Reflection specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sonnys Blues Baldwin Personal Reflection specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sonnys Blues Baldwin Personal Reflection specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Although Sonny being a heroin addict was only a secondary point, it still played a very important role in the story. As I was reading â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† I would unintentionally relate parts of the story to things that happened in my life. For example, When Sonny is released from prison, the narrator (Sonny’s brother) says, â€Å"Yet, when he smiled, when we shook hands, the baby brother I’d never known looked out from the depths of his private life, like an animal waiting to be coaxed into the light. †(Baldwin). The narrator is pointing out that his brother he never actually is out of jail. While Sonny was in prison, he was trapped, and now that he is physically free, his brother questions whether he is free from the drug addiction and the feeling of sorrow. This moment in the story reminds me of when I was 14 years old; I went to the prison to meet my mom for her release after being incarcerated for almost 8 years because of drug addiction. There is nothing like questioning the mindset of someone you barely know. I was unsure of how healed my mother was. My mother had been absent from my life for 8 years, and although I wanted to know her, I couldn’t push myself to. In many ways I feel a connection to both Sonny and the Narrator. I believe this story is so intriguing because, Sonny finding his release was through music. Baldwin says, â€Å"I grew up with music you know, much more than with any other language. In a way the music I grew up with saved my life. † (Baldwin) . The music I grew up with saved my life. As an adolescent I joined a community marching band. Being in this marching band meant so much to me, I was able to express my feelings through playing the drums and being devoted to the instrument. Many times I would go to the community center to play the drums on-off day practices. To me, playing the drum was like a drug, it allowed me to feel free. Baldwin gave an amazing example, in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues â€Å" of how powerful music can be. In the story Sonny spotted a women and said â€Å"While I was downstairs before, on my way here, listening to that woman sing, it struck me all of a sudden how much suffering she must have had to go through-to sing like that. Its repulsive to think you have to suffer that much† (Baldwin). I immediately thought to myself, that’s how I felt when I use to go and play in the marching band. After reading that statement in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, I always listen to the words and the music that is being played on the radio. Sometimes I can sense the pain or the stress that an artist may be going through just by listening to how the track was executed. Personally I like to read stories that deal with someone overcoming amazing obstacles. It allows me to view things differently than the average reader. In addition the writer, James Baldwin is amazing. Him being an African American male and writing about something that most African American families could relate to was a phenomenal plus for me. Writing this story about an African American family in the early 1960’s more than likely influenced many other families, going through the same problems to change. I was talking to my Sociology professor yesterday and he told me about a book he read, and how it gave him entirely differently view on life. When he told me that, I thought about Sonny’s Blues, this story made me view my life as African American Male, who grew up with a mom who was addicted to crack cocaine, and father who was non-existent, as a male who had all the potential in the world. The underlining main point in this story is hope. There are many factors that challenge the life of these characters in this story, but for me, in much aspect this story was reality. The turning point of this story is when Sonny invites his brother to the nightclub in downtown Harlem. Although Sonny’s brother was hesitant he knew it was needed, if he ever desired to have a strong relationship with his brother. Sonny’s brother says â€Å"Yet it was clear that, for them, I was only Sonny’s brother. Here I was in Sonny’s world. Or rather: his kingdom. Here, it was not even a question that his veins bore royal blood† (Baldwin). For once the narrator was able to see that his brother was a changed person, and that he did honestly love music. My comparison to this moment would have to be the moment that I took my mom out to eat last Mothers day. During this time, we were able to sit down and get know each other. I approached the situation as a mother who has made mistakes and is now doing better things in life. Like Sonny’s brother, I was always hesitant of hanging out with my mom, for a reason I don’t understand myself. It was one of the best decisions I made in my life. In most cases it’s all about the initial first step that someone makes. In Conclusion, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† shows that there is hope in dark places, but its up to the person to not give up and follow what they believe in. There is no one that knows your self, better than yourself. I don’t believe this story is about a heroin addict or a story based merely on music; these are just secondary parts of the story. The ultimate meaning behind â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is hope. The reason why this story was so successful is because the way Baldwin allows the reader to relate to the story.

Reichs Boats essays

Reich's Boats essays In the late 1970's it was customary for families to have the dad as the bread winner. The Leave it to Beaver persona poured from home to home and engrossed the budding families to come. Now in the modern day Gucci society, a one person income is not adequate enough to keep a family above water. Everything is getting to be more and more expensive, but the income of modern families, is not rising to the occasion. Robert Reich in Why the Rich Are Getting Richer and the Poor, Poorer, describes a metaphor of three boats, explaining the fates of the following American workers: the routine producer, the in-person server, and the symbolic analyst. The first group of American workers that Reich discusses is the routine producer, or factory worker. He stresses that in the mid twentieth century, routine producers were to make a decent living: they could buy homes, take annual vacations, and save toward retirement(254). However, Reich states that this is no longer the case. His metaphorical boat containing the routine producers is sinking steadily(254). Because of ease of transportation as well as advances in communication, modern factories can be installed all most any where on the globe(254). Therefore, it is a simple process for factories simply to relocate wherever labor is cheapest. Reich cites the example of AT Louisiana relocated to Singapore where labor cost were cheaper. However, by the late 1980s, ATs strategic brokers found that routine producers in Thailand were eager to assemble telephones for a small fraction of the wagers of routine producers in Singapore(255). Thus, the factory was once again moved in the quest for cheaper labor(255). Reich stresses that routine producers in the united states, then, are in dir...

Opportunities Analysis for Citigroup Project Essay

Opportunities Analysis for Citigroup Project - Essay Example Citigroup is being recognized as the largest company in the world as per Forbes in 2008. It also has a customer base of over 200 million. The business of the company is divided into three in order to enable specialized services for the customers. The three groups are Global consumer, Global wealth management, and Institutional clients group. "Citi is organized into three major business groups - Global Consumer, Institutional Clients Group, and Global Wealth Management." (How Citi is organized, 2007). Here the company plans to implement a project in which they focus on undertaking an up gradation in their computer systems. The new project is aimed at providing improved and speedy services for the customers. The company is very keen on providing services to the customers strictly on the basis of their needs. Inconvenience for their customers is something that the company cannot afford to happen. The company has thus come up with the idea that, for speeding up the process the systems in the company has to be improved and upgraded. This report looks into the various areas regarding the implementation of this project. The relevance of focusing extremely on customer needs is being discussed on the basis of Citigroup. It is explained in the report about the link between the goals and objectives of the company and the new project proposal. As the company is highly focused on the customer needs the new system will enable them to deliver even better quality results. In this section of the report, an analysis of the new project proposal is being done.Environmental scan of Citi group: Like any other business Citigroup too is influenced by the changes in the environment in which it operates. The major environmental factors that affect the company are political, economic and social conditions. Among all these, the economic condition is the factor that has the most influence. Any changes in the economic factors affect the company directly and indirectly. The interest rate dif ference made by the central bank on the basis of the economy makes the company revise its own interest rates. Similarly, political instability will adversely affect the better functioning of the company in the country. The changes in the attitude of the society towards the company also have an impact on the functioning. The strategies of the competitors of the company are one of the major external factors that affect the company. Citigroup faces very high competition from the other leading banks and financial companies. "Citigroup competitors are primarily in the Money Center Banks industry. Citigroup also competes in the Online Banking, Private Banking, and Asset Management sectors."(Citigroup competitors, 2008). The major competitors of Citigroup are Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, and JPMorgan Chase. These are some of the leading banks in the world along with Citigroup.Customer needs and expectations: The customers in this particular sector are very choosy. One of the reasons for this is that there are a number of service providers in this sector. Since there are a number of companies operating in the sector the customers are left with a sufficient number of products to choose from. The company already has a very large customer base in the market. The major expectation and desire of the customers are fast and better services from the banks.