College Students and Their Self-Worth in Denial

Many college students believe that once they have all the right knowledge from school that they will have invested in their future and be ready to go out and conquer the world. Is this so, can a mere degree or knowledge allow for this to occur with a high-probability of success?

For their sake I hope so considering the cost of college tuition these days and the student loan debt these kids are taking out as of late. Not long ago, someone explained to me that they had a huge amount of potential and just needed a chance to succeed, even though they hadn't succeeded at much in their other endeavors including school. Okay so let's talk about all this shall we?

You see, I explained to the college kid that I understood his point and argument on his future potential, but also stated; "one thing a wise man once told me, he said to me that I must not expect others to judge me by what I know or believe I will do in the future. He was right, I had always "expected" people to just observe and know that I'd make good, but that's not how we are judged in society, humans don't do it that way, so, you have to achieve or prove yourself first. That's fine, it's the way they do it, so, once you know, then you know what is needed, and can get started right away."

Further, why should a company or employer invest in someone who has potential, when they can get someone who has already proven themselves in other endeavors? You see, it's all about Risk/Reward, investment, lending, trust, etc. Therefore, past success and achievement counts for something. Most college students aren't nearly as brilliant as they believe. In the US I'd say it's really bad, as the young folks are told they are great, we have grade inflation, certificates for basically breathing the air, but these kids are dangerously naive.

So, does that mean that every time you see a college student without former achievement that they are naïve, over confident, or in self-worth denial in their minds? Well from a probability standpoint it would make sense for me to leave that possibility open right? Of course, nothing personal to any college kids out there reading this, I was a college kid too once.

When it comes to college kids it often seems they are straddling two worlds, putting feelers out there. The two worlds; one of mediocrity and go with the flow, and the other something great in their future, something worthy of their time and efforts to make difference, question is; what? Please consider all this and think on it.

All About The CNA Practice Exam

CNA practice exams are mockups of the Certified Nursing Assistant examination (offered by the National Nursing Aide Assessment Program), and are meant to prepare you as a student for the actual examination. Since the CNA exam is divided into two: a written test and a practical test, you will need sufficient practice in both these components if you are to pass the exam.

The internet has numerous resources offering practice material for the written and practical aspects of the exam. Taking timed mock tests are a good practice for the written exam, and watching instructional videos will help you with the practical aspect of the exam.

Does Tackling CNA Practice Exams Help Me Prepare for the Real Exam?

Yes, tackling CNA practice exams does help with sitting the actual exam. They not only get you psychologically prepared for your exam, but they also help you review and revise course content you have tackled in the course of your CNA training.

It is strongly recommended that you do a good number of these practice exams as part of your preparation for the main exam. However, do not substitute real studying with doing practice exams.

Are Questions in CAN Practice Exams The Same Ones I Will Tackle in the Actual Exam?

While the questions you tackle in your CNA practice exams will not be word-for-word duplicates of the content in your actual exams, they will be similarly structured and cover the same content. CNA written practice tests aim to prepare you with mock-ups that are as alike as possible to the real thing, thus they will have the same 60 multiple-choice layout and tackle syllabi content like anatomy, nutrition and hygiene.

Where Can I Find Free CNA Practice Exams?

Practice material that will help you get ready for your CNA exam are available on the internet. Some it are just mock tests, others are demonstrative videos on any of the 25 skills, 5 of which will be tested in your exam. Others are guides and books that will help you study for your CNA.

While some of these resources are available free of charge, there are others that require subscription to a site or purchase of practice material. The prices range from as little as $20 to $50. If you are not satisfied with the free practice material you can get your hands on, then it is advisable to pay for reputable practice tests or guides. It is a good investment to make so you may want to choose proper preparation over economy.

From Crab Cakes to Commercial Roof Design

"I couldn't stand the thought of slinging one more crab cake or spending one more day smelling of fish," Peter lamented as he thought back to a 6-year span of his life during his mid- to late-twenties when he worked as a waiter at a seafood restaurant.

"One day while working a double-shift, I went out to the parking lot to grab a quick nap in my car before my second shift of the day. As I sat in my car staring at the windshield, I knew right then and there that I needed to do something to make a change in my life. I knew going back to school was the right thing to do, I just didn't know for what or where."

Many people can certainly identify with Peter's story: working in a dead-end job, unhappy about the direction of your life, and feeling hopeless and confused about how to go about making any sort of change.

What was it that changed for Peter that one day, sitting in his car between shifts, after 6 years of working a job he loathed that caused him to actually take action? How many times over that 6-year span did the thought of doing something else cross Peter's mind? "Pretty much everyday," said Peter. When asked what was different about this one day that made him do something as opposed to the all the rest, Peter didn't have a good answer. It wasn't a particularly bad day. He worked double-shifts almost every weekend. So what was it that caused Peter to go home that night and look up colleges?

In order for action to occur, the fear of staying the same must be greater than the fear of change.

Peter looked up career-based colleges in his area. He had tried the community college route years ago and had no desire to take all of the "fluff" classes that had contributed to him wasting time and dropping out last time. Also, since Peter was approaching his 30th birthday, time was of the essence. But he didn't know the first thing about what to study or which type of career to pursue. After searching for some ideas online, Peter's feeling of hopelessness returned momentarily. "I didn't know what to do at first... I thought I was destined to work meaningless jobs my whole life."

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Many people get to the point where they know they need to do something, they just don't know what that something is. And instead of taking that first, sometimes difficult step, they give up before truly getting started and return to their old routine. Peter, on the other hand, chose to take that first step. Although he know nothing about what career path to choose, he knew he had to do something. "I actually stumbled onto my decision by accident", Peter remembers. Initially Peter decided to look into a broadcasting school, but accidentally dialed the phone number for a different school on his list. After looking into the programs at this other school and talking with an admissions counselor, he realized there may be a different path for him that he never considered or knew existed.

"Again, I had a fairly clear idea of what I didn't want to do or what I wasn't good at, but I never really considered what I was good at, and didn't know all of the options that were available",explained Peter. After visiting a career-based college and learning about their offerings Peter began to feel better about his options. Never really considering himself a tech-savvy person Peter had dismissed many careers that he assumed were computer-based. Then Peter learned about a computer-aided drafting course and the potential career opportunities in that field. "I was actually never 100% sure about the decision to do drafting, but I was 100% sure about needing to make a change. So I went with something that I thought I could see myself doing, had some career options, and never looked back."

Less than two years after that double-shift at the seafood restaurant Peter was nearly finished with his associates degree, working his first mechanical drafting job. Peter wasn't satisfied, however, and continued school for another two years to complete his bachelors degree in project management. Now, Peter is a project manager at a large commercial roofing design firm.

"The decision to go back to school and earn my degree was something that I had my doubts about, but now, looking at where I am compared to just a few years ago... there is no doubt that it was the right choice." When asked about his salary and whether the investment and tuition was worth it Peter responded, "I'm not gonna lie, it's something I'm worried about... having student loans to repay. But my salary now is almost double what I was making before, and most importantly I'm proud to tell my family and friends about what I do and I'm happy to go to work everyday."

The goal of Educationsuccessstories.com is to provide real, inspirational stories of people who overcame their fear of change and found a new direction through college education. Educationsuccessstories.com also serves as a reference for anyone unsure of what school to attend or what career path may be best.

Commercial Pilot - Why The Fat And Generous Pay?

It is almost irresistibly attractive - you get to wear a gorgeous white-clad uniform, you are regarded highly in the eyes of the public, you only need to make a few flights per day, and you get to enjoy a fat and generous salary on your payday. Yes, these are just some of the advantages of being a commercial pilot.

As such, a lot of people aspire to be one. The American Airlines for example pay rookie pilots a salary of 31,000 USD. The pay can go up to as much as 123,000 USD for experienced pilots (10th year in service). Delta and UPS reportedly pay their experienced pilots a salary of more than 200,000 USD.

It is definitely not easy to ignore those numbers. And getting to fly something like an Airbus Jumbo Commercial Plane is like a childhood dream come true. But why exactly are pilots paid premium? Here are some of the reasons:

Education Cost

Needless to say, the education attainment requirement for pilots is high. Especially for pilots that fly commercial planes, they are usually required to have at least taken advanced mathematics subjects. Aeronautical engineers normally have an advantage.

And while it is true that those with only an associate's degree or GED equivalent may be qualified as a pilot, most top brass airlines nowadays prefer those that have a 4-year bachelor's degree. If you have a 4-year bachelor's degree with a strong background in mathematics (engineering, physics, etc.), you can say that you have an advantage.

Flight Training Cost

This is what really turns down most aspiring pilots - flight training courses cost a lot! You have to rent the plane, pay the instructor, and provide other peripherals required. Most families cannot afford to send their children to flight training schools.

Another problem is the number of training hours required - aspiring pilots are required to have at least taken 250 hours of flight time. And this is surely going to cost a lot. With such a costly training, it is only natural commercial pilots are paid well.

Life Risk

A 2011 statistics shows a fatality rate of about 1 for every 1.6 million flights. This is relatively low compared to the previous decades. And most people only have to face that risk once in a while. But for a pilot, he/she has to face that risk almost every day.

And the risk is relatively higher when the plane takes off during a weather depression. It is also partly because of this risk that commercial pilots are paid better than most other white collar jobs.

Additional Skills Required

In some instances, a pilot is not only required to possess advanced mathematical knowledge and skillful piloting skills. Many airlines nowadays require their pilots to learn additional skills which may include among others the following: communication skills, fluency in several languages, proper etiquette, and such.

This is in order to improve customer relations. Passengers typically feel more at ease with a pilot who can communicate himself more efficiently and with more confidence.