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basket, basketball, bath, bathroom, battery, battle, be, beach, bear, beat, beautiful, beauty, because, become, bed, bedroom, bee, beef, beer, before, begin, beginning, behavior, behind, being, belief, believe, bell, belong, below, belt, bench, bend, beneath, benefit, beside, besides, best, bet, better, between, beyond, bicycle, big, bike, bill, billion, bind, biological, bird, birth, birthday, bit, bite, black, blade, blame, blanket, blind, block, blood, blow, blue, board, boat, body, bomb, bombing, bond, bone, book, boom, boot, border, boring, born, borrow, boss, both, bother, bottle, bottom, boundary, bowl, box, boy, boyfriend, brain, branch, brand, brave, bread, break, breakfast, breast, breath, breathe, brick, bridge, brief, briefly, bright, brilliant, bring, broad, broken, brother, brown, brush, buck, budget, build, building, bullet, bunch, burden, burn, bury, bus, business, busy, but, butter, button, buy, buyer, by, cabin, cabinet, cable, cake, calculate, call, camera, camp, 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division, divorce, DNA, do, doctor, document, dog, domestic, dominant, dominate, door, double, doubt, down, downtown, dozen, draft, drag, drama, dramatic, dramatically, draw, drawer, drawing, dream, dress, drink, drive, driver, drop, drug, dry, due, during, dust, duty, dwell, dying, dynamic, each, eager, ear, earlier, early, earn, earnings, earth, earthquake, ease, easily, east, eastern, easy, eat, economic, economy, edge, edit, edition, editor, educate, education, educational, educator, effect, effective, effectively, efficiency, efficient, effort, egg, eight, either, elderly, elect, election, electric, electrical, electricity, electronic, element, elementary, eliminate, elite, else, elsewhere, e-mail, embrace, emerge, emergency, emission, emotion, emotional, emphasis, emphasize, employ, employee, employer, employment, empty, enable, encounter, encourage, end, enemy, energy, enforcement, engage, engine, engineer, engineering, English, enhance, enjoy, enormous, enough, ensure, enter, enterprise, entertain, entertainment, entire, entirely, entrance, entry, environment, environmental, episode, equal, equally, equipment, equivalent, era, error, escape, especially, essay, essential, essentially, establish, establishment, estate, estimate, etc, ethics, ethnic, European, evaluate, evaluation, evening, event, eventually, ever, every, everybody, everyday, everyone, everything, everywhere, evidence, evolution, evolve, exact, exactly, exam, examination, examine, example, exceed, excellent, except, exception, exchange, exciting, executive, exercise, exhibit, exhibition, exist, existence, existing, expand, expansion, expect, expectation, expense, expensive, experience, experiment, expert, explain, explanation, explode, explore, explosion, expose, exposure, express, expression, extend, extension, extensive, extent, external, extra, extraordinary, extreme, extremely, eye, fabric, face, facility, fact, factor, factory, faculty, fade, fail, failure, fair, fairly, faith, fall, false, familiar, family, famous, fan, fantasy, far, farm, farmer, fashion, fast, fat, fate, father, fault, favor, favorite, fear, feature, federal, fee, feed, feel, feeling, fellow, female, fence, festival, few, fewer, fiber, fiction, field, fifteen, fifth, fifty, fight, fighter, fighting, figure, file, fill, film, final, finally, finance, financial, find, finding, fine, finger, finish, fire, firm, first, fish, fishing, fit, fitness, five, fix, flag, flame, flat, flavor, flee, flesh, flight, float, floor, flow, flower, fly, focus, folk, follow, following, food, foot, football, for, force, foreign, forest, forever, forget, form, formal, formation, former, formula, forth, fortune, forward, found, foundation, founder, four, fourth, frame, framework, free, freedom, freeze, French, frequency, frequent, frequently, fresh, friend, friendly, friendship, from, front, fruit, frustration, fuel, fulfill, full, fully, fun, function, fund, fundamental, funding, funeral, funny, furniture, 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inspire, install, instance, instead, institute, institution, institutional, instruction, instructor, instrument, insurance, intellectual, intelligence, intend, intense, intensity, intention, interaction, interest, interested, interesting, internal, international, Internet, interpret, interpretation, intervention, interview, introduce, introduction, invasion, invest, investigation, investigator, investment, investor, invite, involve, involved, involvement, Iraqi, Irish, iron, Islamic, island, Israeli, issue, it, Italian, item, its, itself, jacket, jail, Japanese, jet, Jew, Jewish, job, join, joint, joke, journal, journalist, journey, joy, judge, judgment, juice, jump, junior, jury, just, justice, justify, keep, key, kick, kid, kill, killer, killing, kind, king, kiss, kitchen, knee, knife, knock, know, knowledge, lab, label, labor, laboratory, lack, lady, lake, land, landscape, language, lap, large, largely, last, late, later, Latin, latter, laugh, launch, law, lawsuit, lawyer, lay, 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palm, pan, panel, panic, pant, paper, paragraph, parent, park, parking, part, participant, participate, participation, particle, particular, particularly, partly, partner, partnership, party, pass, passage, passenger, passion, past, patch, path, patient, pattern, pause, pay, payment, PC, peace, peak, peer, pen, penalty, people, pepper, per, perceive, percentage, perception, perfect, perfectly, perform, performance, perhaps, period, permanent, permission, permit, person, personal, personality, personally, personnel, perspective, persuade, pet, phase, phenomenon, philosophy, phone, photo, photographer, phrase, physical, physically, physician, piano, pick, picture, pie, piece, pile, pilot, pine, pink, pipe, pitch, place, plan, plane, planet, planning, plant, plastic, plate, platform, play, player, please, pleasure, plenty, plot, plus, PM, pocket, poem, poet, poetry, point, police, policy, political, politically, politician, politics, poll, pollution, pool, poor, pop, popular, population, porch, port, portion, portrait, portray, pose, position, positive, possess, possession, possibility, possible, possibly, post, pot, potato, potential, potentially, pound, pour, poverty, powder, power, powerful, practical, practice, prayer, preach, precisely, predict, prediction, prefer, preference, pregnancy, pregnant, preparation, prepare, prescription, presence, present, presentation, preserve, president, presidential, press, pressure, pretend, pretty, prevent, previous, previously, price, pride, priest, primarily, primary, prime, principal, principle, print, prior, priority, prison, prisoner, privacy, private, probably, problem, procedure, proceed, process, processing, processor, proclaim, produce, producer, product, production, profession, professional, professor, profile, profit, program, progress, progressive, project, prominent, promise, promote, prompt, proof, proper, properly, property, proportion, proposal, propose, prosecutor, prospect, protect, protection, protein, protest, proud, prove, provide, provider, province, provision, psychological, psychology, public, publication, publicity, publish, publisher, pull, punishment, purchase, pure, purpose, pursue, push, put, qualify, quality, quarter, quarterback, quarterly, queen, quest, question, quick, quickly, quiet, quietly, quit, quite, quote, race, racial, radiation, radical, radio, rail, rain, raise, range, rank, rapid, rapidly, rare, rarely, rate, rather, rating, ratio, raw, reach, react, reaction, reader, reading, ready, real, reality, realize, really, reason, reasonable, recall, receive, recent, recently, reception, recipe, recipient, recognition, recognize, recommend, recommendation, record, recording, recover, recovery, recruit, red, reduce, reduction, refer, reference, reflect, reflection, reform, refugee, refuse, regard, regarding, regardless, regime, region, regional, register, regular, regularly, regulate, regulation, regulator, reinforce, reject, relate, relation, relationship, relative, relatively, relax, release, relevant, relief, religion, religious, rely, remain, remaining, remarkable, remember, remind, remote, remove, repeat, repeatedly, replace, replacement, reply, report, reporter, represent, representation, representative, Republican, reputation, request, require, requirement, research, researcher, resemble, reservation, resident, residential, resign, resist, resistance, resolution, resolve, resort, resource, respect, respond, response, responsibility, responsible, rest, restaurant, restore, restriction, result, retain, retire, retirement, return, reveal, revenue, review, revolution, rhythm, rice, rich, rid, ride, rifle, right, ring, rise, risk, river, road, rock, role, roll, romantic, roof, room, root, rope, rose, rough, roughly, round, route, routine, row, rub, rubber, rude, ruin, rule, run, running, rural, rush, Russian, sacred, sad, safe, safety, sake, salad, salary, sale, sales, salt, same, sample, sanction, sand, satellite, satisfaction, satisfied, satisfy, sauce, save, saving, say, scale, scandal, scare, scatter, scenario, scene, schedule, scheme, scholar, scholarship, school, science, scientific, scientist, scope, score, scream, screen, script, sea, search, season, seat, second, secondary, secret, secretary, section, sector, secure, security, see, seed, seek, seem, segment, seize, select, selection, self, sell, Senate, senator, send, senior, sense, sensitive, sentence, separate, sequence, series, serious, seriously, servant, serve, service, session, set, setting, settle, settlement, seven, several, severe, sex, sexual, shade, shadow, shake, shall, shallow, shape, share, sharp, she, sheet, shelf, shell, shelter, shift, shine, ship, shirt, shock, shoe, shoot, shooting, shop, shopping, short, shortly, shot, should, shoulder, shout, show, shower, shrug, shut, shy, sibling, sick, side, sigh, sight, sign, signal, significant, significantly, silence, silent, silver, similar, similarly, simple, simply, sin, since, sing, singer, single, 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storm, story, straight, strange, stranger, strategic, strategy, stream, street, strength, strengthen, stress, stretch, strike, string, strip, stroke, strong, strongly, structural, structure, struggle, student, studio, study, stuff, stupid, style, subject, submit, subsequent, substance, substantial, substitute, succeed, success, successful, successfully, such, sudden, suddenly, sue, suffer, sufficient, sugar, suggest, suggestion, suicide, suit, summer, summit, sun, super, supply, support, supporter, suppose, supposed, Supreme, sure, surely, surface, surgery, surprise, surprised, surprising, surprisingly, surround, survey, survival, survive, survivor, suspect, sustain, swear, sweep, sweet, swim, swing, switch, symbol, symptom, system, table, tactic, tail, take, tale, talent, talk, tall, tank, tap, tape, target, task, taste, tax, taxi, tea, teach, teacher, teaching, team, tear, technical, technique, technology, teen, teenager, telephone, telescope, television, tell, temperature, temporary, ten, tend, tendency, tennis, tension, tent, term, terms, terrible, territory, terror, terrorist, test, testimony, testing, text, than, thank, thanks, that, the, theater, their, them, theme, themselves, then, theory, therapy, there, therefore, these, they, thick, thin, thing, think, thinking, third, thirty, this, those, though, thought, thousand, threat, threaten, three, throat, through, throughout, throw, thus, ticket, tie, tight, time, tiny, tip, tire, tissue, title, to, tobacco, today, toe, together, toilet, token, tolerate, tomato, tomorrow, tone, tongue, tonight, too, tool, tooth, top, topic, toss, total, totally, touch, tough, tour, tourist, tournament, toward, towards, tower, town, toy, trace, track, trade, tradition, traditional, traffic, tragedy, trail, train, training, transfer, transform, transformation, transition, translate, translation, transmission, transmit, transport, transportation, travel, treat, treatment, treaty, tree, tremendous, trend, trial, tribe, 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weather, web, website, wedding, week, weekend, weekly, weigh, weight, welcome, welfare, well, west, western, wet, what, whatever, wheel, when, whenever, where, whereas, whether, which, while, whisper, white, who, whole, whom, whose, why, wide, widely, widespread, wife, wild, wildlife, will, willing, win, wind, window, wine, wing, winner, winter, wipe, wire, wisdom, wise, wish, with, withdraw, within, without, witness, woman, wonder, wonderful, wood, wooden, word, work, worker, working, workout, workplace, works, workshop, world, worried, worry, worth, would, wound, wrap, write, writer, writing, wrong, yard, yeah, year, yell, yellow, yes, yesterday, yet, yield, you, young, your, yours, yourself, youth, zone.

Hello all!
I am an incoming international student. I was admitted into the Statistics-ML&DS specialist stream and I received the International Scholar Award. A recent post about minimum GPA requirements reminded me that one of the conditions for maintaining this scholarship was meeting a certain academic standing. Now the scholarship page mentions in its terms and conditions section that

While renewal is not tied to a specific minimum grade point average, we expect that your high academic achievement will continue and that you remain “in good standing” as defined by U of T Scarborough.

and

This award may be withdrawn due to unsatisfactory academic performance.

Now, I really enjoy mathematics and statistics and I'm very sure (hopefully) that I will perform well but there remains the question: what is unsatisfactory academic performance? I did visit the hyperlink and it states that a good standing is achieving cumulative GPA of 1.60 or higher. Now I'm quite skeptical of the 1.60 GPA mark as I think that this is below the average GPA for the UTSC. There is also the unsatisfactory academic performance point that seems quite vague. Can anyone clarify what I should achieve for a minimum to keep my scholarship?
Minor question: I was predicted to achieve an A* in Physics, Chemistry and Arabic; I have already achieved an A* in A level mathematics and Further mathematics. If I achieve and A in one or two of the subjects above, will I lose my admission and/or scholarship? The UTSC website is unfortunately not very helpful :(
Thanks!!

Hey! I am currently in my senior year of college in early education k-3 and double majoring special needs K-12. I start student teaching next year (winter of 2025) and then I have another year of student teaching for special needs I am predicted to graduate in the next 2 years or less. I work as an assistant preschool teacher in a daycare and have been in many school placements at schools for my degree.
In classes we've made lists of books, need, and ideas for our classrooms. A few months ago my lead teacher at my daycare left suddenly and took lots of classroom materials with. I filled in with a few cheap pieces like some kids books I really wanted, quick and easy matching games, puzzles, and a few other things for me (my own laminator, etc). Which I plan to take when I leave.
With my student teaching coming up next winter I really don't want graduation to sneak up on me and not have anything for applying at schools or items for my first classroom wherever that may be! I have already started saving some worksheets i've laminated from classes as well as lesson plan prompts I have done (I know everyone says they never use them but just encase). I don't want to be preparing stuff that won't be used. College tends to tell education majors to basically store junk tbh...
My question is for recent graduates or current teachers what you felt was an immediate need for your first year classroom, or applying to schools? I am fortunate enough to live at home and not pay excessive amounts in tuition so I have the occasional money to spend aside with having plenty of savings and the room to store things. I work a lot next to school so I wanted to take the time this summer while I have no classes to prepare as much as I can!
Thanks!

The War Scroll, also known as the "War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness," is a unique text within the Dead Sea Scrolls that portrays an apocalyptic battle between the forces of good (Sons of Light) and evil (Sons of Darkness). This scroll provides insight into both historical and symbolic elements.
Historical Accuracy:
The War Scroll, while containing detailed military tactics and an epic narrative of the ultimate confrontation, doesn't explicitly reference any specific historical event or timeframe. Some scholars believe it could be a product of the community's anticipation of a future messianic conflict or a reflection of their own community's struggles against opposing forces during their time. Interpreting the historical accuracy of the scroll often involves exploring the context of the Qumran community and the turbulent times in which they lived.
Symbolism and Esoteric Wisdom:
The War Scroll goes beyond a mere description of a physical battle. It portrays a cosmic conflict between the forces of light and darkness, reflecting not just a literal warfare but also a symbolic and spiritual struggle. The text emphasizes righteousness, divine intervention, and the victory of good over evil.
Within the study guide, activities and exercises could involve dissecting the symbolic elements present in the War Scroll, exploring the deeper meanings behind the battle tactics and the metaphysical implications of the conflict. Understanding the symbolism could involve group discussions, comparative analysis with other ancient texts with similar themes, and exploring the impact of this symbolic representation on the community's beliefs and practices.
Here are a few activities and exercises to explore the symbolism and historical context of the War Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls:

1. Symbolism Analysis:

Provide excerpts from the War Scroll and encourage participants to identify and discuss the symbolic meanings behind elements like the "Sons of Light" and the "Sons of Darkness," various weapons, and the strategies outlined for battle. Group discussions or written reflections can help participants explore the deeper layers of meaning.

1. Comparative Analysis:

Compare the War Scroll's themes with similar apocalyptic or eschatological texts from different cultures or religions, such as apocalyptic passages in the Book of Revelation in the Christian Bible or apocalyptic texts from other ancient traditions. Create worksheets or discussion prompts to highlight similarities and differences in themes, symbols, and beliefs about cosmic battles.

1. Historical Context Exploration:

Present historical information about the era when the Dead Sea Scrolls were written. Discuss the political, social, and religious climate of that time, including the turmoil in the region, to understand how these factors might have influenced the composition of the War Scroll. Encourage participants to consider the possible motivations behind the text's creation.

1. Creative Interpretation:

Encourage creative expression by asking participants to create artwork, poems, or short stories inspired by the themes and imagery found in the War Scroll. This exercise allows individuals to engage more deeply with the symbolic elements and interpret them in their own unique ways.

1. Role-playing or Debates:
   Organize a role-playing activity where participants take on the roles of "Sons of Light" and "Sons of Darkness," debating their ideologies, motivations, and strategies for the ultimate battle. This exercise helps in understanding differing perspectives and interpreting the conflicts presented in the scroll.
   

Interpretative variations regarding the river's crossing in different ancient texts reflect the unique religious, philosophical, and cultural perspectives embedded within these narratives. These differences in interpretation offer insights into diverse worldviews and varying theological frameworks present in ancient texts:

1. Mesopotamian Context:

• In Mesopotamian mythology and literature, the Euphrates River often held symbolic significance as a boundary between the known civilized world and the wild, unknown realms. The crossing of the Euphrates could symbolize journeys into unexplored territories or transitions between order and chaos. This perspective reflects a worldview rooted in the physical and geographical division of lands.

1. Biblical Context:

• In biblical texts, such as those in the Book of Revelation or Old Testament prophecies, the crossing of the Euphrates carries eschatological significance. It may represent a divine intervention or a decisive moment in God's plan, marking the commencement of apocalyptic events. This interpretation aligns with the biblical narrative of divine judgment and the unfolding of God's ultimate purpose in history.

1. Gnostic or Apocryphal Context:

• Gnostic or apocryphal texts often interpret the river's crossing as a symbolic liberation or awakening. It might signify the release of spiritual forces or the ascent to higher consciousness, reflecting a philosophical perspective emphasizing spiritual enlightenment and liberation from material constraints.

1. Greco-Roman Interpretation:

• In Greco-Roman literature, crossings of rivers were often associated with mythological journeys or transitions between realms. The crossing of the Euphrates might symbolize a transition from mundane existence to a realm of mystery or spiritual significance, reflecting a cultural perspective rooted in mythology and cosmology.

These varied interpretations highlight the richness and diversity of religious, philosophical, and cultural frameworks present in ancient texts. The river's crossing serves as a flexible symbol that adapts to different narratives, conveying themes of transition, judgment, liberation, or cosmic transformation based on the unique perspectives of each tradition.
Exploring these interpretative variations allows participants to appreciate the complexity of symbolism within ancient texts and provides insights into how different cultures and belief systems interpreted common motifs like the river Euphrates. It showcases the intricate interplay between religious, philosophical, and cultural elements shaping the symbolism and theological implications embedded in these narratives.
The river Euphrates, a prominent geographic feature in ancient texts, embodies universal themes that transcend specific cultural contexts. Identifying these universal themes helps reveal shared human concepts of transition, boundaries, and transformative events across diverse ancient traditions:

1. Threshold and Transition:

• The Euphrates often symbolizes a boundary between known and unknown territories. Its crossing represents a transition from one state to another, signifying a pivotal moment of change or passage. This theme of crossing a threshold echoes the human experience of transitions in life, moving from familiar to unfamiliar realms.

1. Boundary and Separation:

• As a geographical boundary, the Euphrates signifies separation between distinct territories or civilizations. This concept of demarcation resonates with universal human experiences of setting boundaries, delineating spaces, or marking divisions between different aspects of life.

1. Transformative Events:

• Crossing the Euphrates is often associated with cosmic or transformative events in ancient texts. This universal theme reflects the human fascination with the concept of epochal change, cosmic upheavals, or moments of divine intervention that reshape the course of history.

1. Symbol of Power and Control:

• The river might represent a symbol of power, control, or geopolitical significance. Crossing it could signify shifts in dominance, challenges to established authority, or the assertion of influence. This theme resonates with human narratives of power struggles and shifts in societal dynamics.

1. Metaphor for Spiritual Journeys:

• Across cultures, rivers are often used metaphorically to represent spiritual journeys or quests. The crossing of the Euphrates might symbolize the pursuit of enlightenment, the passage to higher realms of understanding, or the quest for spiritual transformation.

These universal themes associated with the river Euphrates highlight fundamental aspects of the human experience—transitions, boundaries, transformative events, power dynamics, and spiritual journeys. The river's symbolism in ancient texts speaks to shared human aspirations, struggles, and beliefs that transcend cultural boundaries and resonate across different epochs and civilizations.
By identifying and discussing these universal themes, participants gain a deeper appreciation for the profound symbolism embedded in ancient texts and recognize the timeless relevance of concepts such as transition, boundaries, and transformative events in shaping human narratives and aspirations.

1. Historical Context:

• What historical events or societal conditions might have influenced the composition of the War Scroll?
  
• How does the historical context of the Dead Sea Scrolls' discovery contribute to our understanding of this text's significance?
  

1. Symbolism and Esoteric Wisdom:

• How does the War Scroll use symbolism to convey spiritual or cosmic themes?
  
• What esoteric wisdom or deeper spiritual insights can be derived from the portrayal of cosmic conflict and divine intervention within the text?
  

1. Comparative Analysis:

• Compare the themes and symbolism of the War Scroll with other apocalyptic texts from different cultures (e.g., Book of Revelation, The Book of Daniel). What common motifs or differences in interpretation do you observe?

1. Parallelism in Biblical Texts:

• Explore connections between the War Scroll and other biblical texts. How does the language, imagery, or themes in the War Scroll intersect with passages from the Hebrew Bible or New Testament?

1. Community Beliefs and Practices:

• How might the apocalyptic expectations depicted in the War Scroll have influenced the beliefs and practices of the community that produced it?
  
• Discuss the impact of such intense anticipation of cosmic conflict on communal life and religious rituals within the community.
  

1. Cultural Significance of Cosmic Battles:

• Across various ancient cultures, why do you think depictions of cosmic battles and eschatological events were significant? What might these narratives represent in a broader cultural context?

1. Interpretive Variations and Unique Perspectives:

• Explore the diverse interpretations of specific passages or symbols within the War Scroll. How do different scholars or traditions interpret these elements, and what underlying factors might influence their interpretations?

1. Personal Reflection and Modern Relevance:

• Reflect on how the themes of cosmic conflict, righteousness, and spiritual warfare in the War Scroll might resonate in contemporary society or personal belief systems.

1. Theological and Philosophical Implications:

• Discuss the theological and philosophical implications of a cosmic battle between forces of light and darkness. How does this theme intersect with broader philosophical inquiries or theological doctrines?

1. Literary and Symbolic Analysis:

- Analyze the narrative structure and symbolic elements present in specific passages of the War Scroll. How do these elements contribute to the text's overarching themes and meanings? 

These study questions aim to provoke critical thinking, promote in-depth exploration of themes, encourage comparative analysis, and stimulate discussions on the multifaceted nature of the War Scroll's content and its significance within ancient and contemporary contexts.

1. Archaeological and Linguistic Analysis:

- How does the physical condition of the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the War Scroll, impact our understanding of their preservation and historical context? - Discuss the linguistic peculiarities or unique textual features found within the War Scroll and their implications for translation and interpretation. 

1. Apocalyptic Expectations and Messianic Concepts:

- Explore the portrayal of messianic figures or anticipated saviors within the War Scroll. How do these concepts align with or diverge from contemporary expectations of a messianic figure in other ancient texts or religious traditions? 

1. Impact of Apocalyptic Literature:

- Analyze the enduring influence of apocalyptic literature, such as the War Scroll, on subsequent religious, literary, or cultural traditions. How have these texts shaped later beliefs or inspired artistic and literary works? 

1. Ethical and Moral Frameworks:

- Discuss the ethical or moral implications of the cosmic conflict depicted in the War Scroll. How do the themes of righteousness and wickedness contribute to the text's underlying moral framework? 

1. Role of Prophecy and Revelation:

- Explore the role of prophecy and revelation within the War Scroll. How do the prophetic elements contribute to the text's portrayal of future events and cosmic justice? 

1. Experiential and Ritualistic Elements:

- Investigate potential ritualistic or experiential dimensions associated with the teachings or beliefs conveyed in the War Scroll. How might the community have engaged with these teachings in their religious practices or communal activities? 

1. Literary Genre and Interpretation:

- Discuss the classification of the War Scroll within the broader genre of apocalyptic literature. How does its classification influence our understanding and interpretation of its themes and symbolic elements? 

1. Relevance in Modern Scholarship:

- Reflect on the ongoing scholarly debates or discoveries related to the War Scroll. How have modern interpretations evolved, and what implications do these new perspectives have on our understanding of the text? 

1. Intersection of Faith and Scholarship:

- Consider the interplay between faith-based interpretations and scholarly analyses of the War Scroll. How might religious convictions or theological frameworks influence academic research and vice versa? 

1. Future Research and Interpretative Avenues:

- Propose potential avenues for future research or areas of exploration concerning the War Scroll. What unanswered questions or unexplored aspects merit further investigation? 

The composition of the War Scroll, along with other Dead Sea Scrolls, was likely influenced by several historical events and societal conditions prevalent during the time of its writing, which is estimated to be between the 2nd century BCE and the 1st century CE:

1. Hellenistic Rule and Cultural Influence:

• The region where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found was under Hellenistic influence due to the conquests of Alexander the Great and the subsequent control by the Seleucid Empire. This era saw a clash between Hellenistic culture and Jewish traditions, leading to cultural tensions and a desire to preserve religious and cultural heritage.

1. Political Turmoil and Resistance Movements:

• The Jewish people experienced political unrest, particularly during the Maccabean Revolt against Seleucid rule. This period was characterized by resistance movements, attempts to preserve Jewish identity, and fervent anticipation of a messianic figure to deliver them from foreign oppression.

1. Religious Sects and Spiritual Expectations:

• Various religious sects existed within Judaism, each with its own interpretations and expectations of messianic redemption, purity laws, and theological doctrines. The community associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls, often believed to be the Essenes, likely had distinctive theological beliefs and a strong apocalyptic worldview.

1. Anticipation of Cosmic Redemption:

• There was a widespread belief in the imminent arrival of a messianic figure or a divine intervention that would bring about cosmic redemption, ushering in an era of righteousness and divine rule. This anticipation of apocalyptic events and a cosmic battle between forces of light and darkness is reflected in the War Scroll's themes.

Regarding the historical context of the Dead Sea Scrolls' discovery, its significance lies in multiple facets:

1. Preservation of Ancient Texts:

• The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the War Scroll, provided an invaluable collection of ancient manuscripts that significantly expanded our understanding of ancient Jewish texts, religious beliefs, and the diversity of Jewish thought during the Second Temple period.

1. Insights into Jewish Sectarianism:

• The scrolls shed light on the diversity of beliefs and practices among Jewish sects during that time. Understanding the beliefs and expectations of the community associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls helps contextualize the theological and apocalyptic themes present in the War Scroll.

1. Confirmation of Scriptural Accuracy:

• The Dead Sea Scrolls' discovery contributed to confirming the accuracy and preservation of certain biblical texts, highlighting the continuity of textual transmission across centuries and supporting the authenticity of biblical manuscripts.

1. Impact on Biblical Studies and Scholarship:

• The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls revolutionized biblical studies, providing scholars with invaluable primary sources for studying ancient Judaism, the development of biblical texts, and the context in which these texts were composed.

The historical context of political upheaval, religious expectations, and the preservation of texts within the Dead Sea Scrolls contributes significantly to understanding the milieu in which the War Scroll was written. It provides a backdrop against which the themes of cosmic conflict, eschatological anticipation, and religious fervor within the War Scroll can be comprehended.

Share ko lang feelings ko sa biglaang turn of events ng buhay ko na akala ko planado ko na. Ika nga, a lot can happen in a year.
Achiever ako, pero ung usual goals ko ay quite predictable. After HS, nagsumikap ako makapasok sa dream university ko, sumali sa org ng interests ko and sana makakuha ng trabaho sa pinili kong kurso. Nasa creatives ang aking course, pero may iba din akong hobbies na sinisideline ko. Anyway, yung isa ko kasing hobby d ako masyado magaling, medjo mabagal matuto pero love ko pa rin.
One day nagka opportunity na makasali ako sa isang grupo abt a sport. Nung una wala ako balak, friend ko meron. Introvert moments sorry haha. Pero sabi ng friend ko if pwede ako pumunta sa sign-ups for her kasi d siya makapunta sa first day. Sabi ko ok. Ito palang desisyon ang magbabago ng future ko. To some curiosity, ako lang ang nakapunta friend ko d na tumuloy. Nameet ko yung mga tao dun na mababait and made a good learning environment for me sa bagong member na to.
Let's just say hindi ako magaling from the start, legit. Palagi ako ang weakest. Lagging behind. Pero ineffortan ko umattend palagi. Soon, nahanap ko ang love ko for the sport and ...first love ko din pero lets not talk about that hindi nagwork sa first love ko haha.
Anyway, dahil nagustuhan ko yung sport sabi ko try ko maghanap ng actual classes for it kahit magbayad ako. Surprisingly enough, nahanap ko ay class ng world champions. Best of the best. Pero kakastart pa lang nila magturo sa lugar na yun. Onti pa lang sila. Legit hindi pa hasa ang galaw ko and gawa ko pero...linapitan ako ng coaches and told me nakikitaan nila ako ng potential. Inofferan ako ng scholarship basically. Sobrang gulat ko, kasi d ko akalain sa age ko na to (bata pa naman pero early 20s) kaya pa humabol sa pagiging national athlete (akala ko kasi u havw to start younger) and sa group ko very slow ako, how come dito may potential ako?
Anyway, tinuloy ko pero at some point may nangyari, naheart broken ako gusto ko na magquit pero sabi ko isa pang chance. Kung malungkot ako sa personal life ko, sana man wag ko iwanan tong sport na to. Bumalik ako, and nagdasal. Nakakita ako ng isang person na bago sa pinagtrtrainingan ko at nagdasal. Asa lowest ako nun, sabi ko sana, siya ang makasama ko.
Hello dumating coach namin at pinagsama kami?? 5 minutes after ?!! Mabait si Lord. Siya nagmentor saakin din. Ang galing. Tapos, naging seryoso na talaga pagka atleta ko. Mas strikto na schedule ko, kailangan ko.mag effort dahil madami pa ako hindi alam. Madami tumutulong saakin.
Madami din ako sinakripisyo.
Kung dati akala ko.magiging academic achiever ako kasi mahal ko course ko well, ayun nga. May days na hindi ako nakakapasok dahil may laban, may training, may performance at may bayad ako. Kumikita din ako sa sport ko. Binibigyan akong parangal sa achievemenrs ko sa sport pero medjo lowkey na ako sa course ko.
Pati rin ang mga gala ko.with friends. Super naging matipid na ako, need ko maginvest sa equipment. Yung free days ko nagiging for training.
Shuta what I thought my life would be...hindi ito. Don't get me wrong, sobrang blessed and thankful ako nagkapath ako na ganito na hindi ko inexpect. Natakot lang ako, dahil kailangan ko din balansihin yung life na binuild up ko before. Gusto ko parin magawa pareho. Pero grabe, the way the world works.
As of now lumakas lang will ko to keep going. Oo nangangapa pa and andaming risks and mistakes pero part yun ng progress eh. I only pray kakayanin ko to.

I thought I read that Grayson is a talented Baseball player and was eligible for a Baseball Scholarship. Does anyone know?
I, of course, hope this is true so that he can pursue both the sport that he loves and a college education.
In contrast, I predict that Grayson will suffer the hardest long-term effects of his parents crimes and incarceration, than any of the Chrisley children. I think that Graysons life took the hardest hit from this.
Sadly, the timing of this humiliation was during the most awkward of his teenage years, puberty, and made worse by the publicity of their crimes as well as Todd and Julie's arrogance in not taking responsibility or showing any remorse.
As if it weren't bad enough for Grayson, he found himself under the dictatorship of Savannah (Todd junior) who is well meaning, but completely disastrous in her parenting skills.
IMO, the only way that Grayson will survive this is to leave. Go to college. Move away. Save himself.
His whole family is toxic and if he doesn't break free, they will hold him back. I think we see proof of that in Chase and Savannah.

Demographics:

• Black and Hispanic
  
• Male
  
• local Community college
  
• First generation, Special needs twin who is my main motivation, Idepenent since senior year of HS, Military ( National Guard)
  

Intended Major(s):
Between CompSci and Neuroscience
ACT/SAT/SAT II:
ACT - 28 (I'm cooked)
SAT - plan to take over the summer / fall
UW/W GPA and Rank:
HS - 3.6 UW 3.9 W
College - 3.9
Coursework:
All IGSCE classes through highschool 8 AICE classes and AICE diploma w merit, 2 APs ( Comp Sci and Calc no credit)
Awards:
Deans list since I've been in
National Cybersecurity competition in HS placed in the top 5% and got a 2.5k scholarship
Extracurriculars:
Student Ambassador in HS, spoke at board of education for my state, local chamber of commerce, and a few other business conferences on bringing internships to local highschool.
Founded a coding club while I was in AIT for the Army with 15-30 weekly members
Contributed to part of the python course in AIT since I was already working as a developer
AI4ALL @ carnigie mellon during the summer ( Junior year HS)
Captain of varsity wrestling team in HS
Alot of passion projects using embedded chips ( arduinos) one being a device to predict seizures.
Interned with a T2 consulting firm in HS and got offered a full time spot which I have been working ever since. 40 hours a week as a SWE
Currently confounding a startup and doing research in wearable drone jammers
Essays/LORs/Other:
Really good essay on how I was introduced and have been interested in Comp Sci since middle school and how my brother constantly breaking my toys led me into engineering ( rebuilding and taking apart toys).
Also talk about how I am the youngest in my family and grew up in a broken household where my siblings were constantly in and out of jail
Have been featured in my city business journal but idk if that's worth including
I have a certification in Cybersecurity and one for Java SE 8, looking to get more over the summer as well as more community service hours
Schools: Denied from Gatech my freshman year but looking to transfer in the spring.

This is third version of an FAQ first posted several years ago by u/watts52 . The second version, posted by u/brassage is here. The primary changes have been to update links that have changed or are no longer active, and to add a few more resources and recent threads on the existing topics. Primary credit goes to u/watts52, the original poster.
This FAQ covers many common topics discussed on foreignservice . All answers have been pulled from public sources and without any information covered by NDA. Error reports, additions, and clarifications welcome in the comments. (Last update 11 May 2024)

Foreign Service Super FAQ

1. How do I become a diplomat? How do I work in the foreign service? The best place to learn about this is in the Careers Section of the State Department website. Start here.
2. What are the differences among FSO, FSS, LNA, CF, CS, and EFM?

• Here is an excellent general overview. {HT: zzonkmiles}
• FSO - Foreign service officers are generalists who serve, usually abroad, in one of five different "cones" (career tracks). Learn more.
• FSS - Foreign service specialists "provide important technical, management, healthcare, or administrative services" at overseas posts Learn more.
• LNA - Limited Non-Career Appointments are opportunities ranging from 15 to 60 months in a handful of specialized areas. Learn more.
• CF - Consular fellows (a subset of LNAs) work alongside FSOs and primarily "adjudicate visas for foreign nationals." Learn more.
• CS - The civil service is a part of the State Department, but is not considered part of the foreign service. Most civil service jobs are based in DC, and this sub typically does not deal with issues related to the civil service. Learn more.
• EFM - Eligible Family members - these are family members (typically spouses) of FSOs or FSSs who work for the State Department at the same post as the FSO or FSS. EFM jobs are not always available and sometimes subject to hiring freezes.

1. Is the Foreign Service the same thing as the State Department? No, the State Department consists of the foreign service (employees who are typically overseas) and the civil service (all other employees who are typically serving in DC). In addition, the term "foreign service" may also include:

• the US Foreign Commercial Service in the Commerce department.
• the US Foreign Agricultural Service
• the US Agency for Global Media (formerly the Broadcasting Board of Governors)
• the US Agency for International Development (USAID)

1. Where can I find answers to nearly any question I might have about getting in to the foreign service?

• This foreignservice sub (search archives)
• The FSOT Yahoo Group (search archives)
• The FSOA Yahoo Group (search archives) No longer in service. If anyone has an updated option, please comment, and I'll edit the post.
• Read the selection process brochure.
• The official State Department FAQ
• For FSS Applicants, the Foreign Service Specialist Careers Yahoo Group {HT: kaiserjoeicem}

1. Why should I consider the foreign service? Why not?

• Various reasons for joining.
• Here is a thread mostly involving reasons against joining.
• An FSO's reasons for leaving the foreign service. A more recent thread on why some former FS personnel resigned.
• Pros and Cons of the Foreign Service lifestyle.
• Pleasant surprises and biggest disappointments about life in the Foreign Service.
• Misconceptions about life in the Foreign Service.

FSO Career Tracks / Cones

1. Which cone is the best fit for me? Take the Career Track Quiz to find out. It's really important for you to pick a track that you have a passion for.
2. What are the differences among the cones? How do I choose a cone?

• Read summaries & detailed job descriptions of all the cones.
• Watch employee video interviews covering all different parts of the State Department, including all different FSO cones.
• Read these threads about job duties in each of the cones: Consular, Economic, Management, Political, Public Diplomacy
• A Day in the Life Series - Some of these are pretty tongue-in-cheek, but still insightful in their own ways.
  • Political Officer
  • Consular Officer
  • CONS - American Citizen Services
  • Economic Officer
  • ECON - Environment, Science, Technology, and Health Officer
  • Management Officer
  • Management - General Services Officer
  • Public Diplomacy - Press Officer
  • Diplomatic Security Special Agent
  • Diplomatic Security - Security Engineering Officer
  • Office Management Specialist

1. Which cone gives me the best chance of getting in? Which cones are hiring the most people right now? It depends on your background and your own desires and motivations, and it depends on the needs of the service. Even if we could tell you which cones are hiring the most people now, the hiring process can take one to three years and things may be different by the time you are eligible to receive a job offer. Do not make the mistake of choosing a cone based on what you think your "chances" are. Too many people make this mistake. If you choose a cone this way, you will probably find yourself in a job you dislike, and you'll have wasted a lot of time and energy "getting in" and you'll be looking for a way to be "getting out." Further discussion here...
2. Can I change cones? Would it be a good idea to come in as a Consular Officer and later switch to a Political Officer? In theory it's possible to change cones. In practice, it's difficult to do so, and you shouldn't plan on it. Some discussion here.
3. Can I choose one cone and then simply do out-of-cone work? Maybe, but that's a silly game to play and it's likely counterproductive to your other career and non-career goals. If you are really interested in one cone, choose that one when you apply. Too many applicants attempt to game the system by choosing an "easy" cone with some scheme to actually end up switching to or working in a different cone, but experienced FSOs on this sub have stated repeatedly that such schemes never really work out. That said, there is a lot of variety in foreign service work. Pick a cone that is of interest to you, and you will have plenty of opportunities to serve in different roles. More thoughts here and here.
4. I have a terrific idea for how to game the cone system that is not listed here. No, you don't. Somebody has already tried it and ended up being sad. Please don't try to game the system - it won't work the way you're hoping it will. Instead, just choose a cone based on your interests, talents, abilities, and passions, and work from there. You'll be happier and more successful in the long run.

Posts, Assignments, and Worldwide Availability

1. How do post assignments work?

• A great overview of 1st and 2nd tour bidding, post assignments, and language training
• First tour assignment thoughts
• First & Second tour bidding and More information, and more here.
• Second tour bidding
• Entry Level Office Management Specialist Bidding
• Bidding for third tour and beyond
• More mid-level bidding

1. I have an interest in working in country X or at least in a certain region of the world. How can I do that in the foreign service? During your first two tours, you're "directed" meaning you have a restricted list of places you might end up. Beyond that, you'll be responsible for finding your own assignments. It would not be uncommon for someone to develop regional expertise over time, but regional expertise doesn't mean you'd be bouncing between Paris and Geneva for the rest of your career. It's also easier to specialize in bigger countries or regions like the PRC or former Soviet Union than it is to specialize in smaller countries or niche sub-regions like Austria or the Gulf. Further discussion
2. I have a terrific idea for how to game the assignment system that is not listed here. No, you don't. Somebody has already tried it and ended up being sad. Please don't try to game the system - it won't work the way you're hoping it will. Instead, just be prepared to be "worldwide available" and understand that might mean Paris or Bangui, Caracas or Tashkent, Wellington or Bamako, Tijuana or Toronto. If you are not comfortable with that type of availability, this is not the career for you.
3. What are the popular or unpopular posts? It depends on the person, on the people you work with at a given post, and on environmental factors, among other things. A lot of people come in imagining they'd love working in a western European capital city only to find the cost of living, culture of the post, personality of their direct supervisor, commute to the office, or some other factor makes life less fun than it would've been if they'd simply visited that same city on vacation. Posts in other parts of the world such as sub-Saharan Africa or central Asia may have tighter-knit expat communities or post culture or better housing options or other benefits that make them more desirable for some people. One person's best post might be another person's worst. Many people on this sub have indicated that they've hated posts they expected to love and loved posts they expected to hate. One frequently mentioned bit of advice on this sub is not to think of Foreign Service posts as you would think of vacation destinations. Here is a good discussion of this topic. And here is a longer discussion of various posts that current or aspiring FSOs either like or don't like for various reasons.
4. Where can I learn about what life is like at different posts? Try reading these real post reports.

Hiring process

1. Why does the hiring process seem so opaque/confusing/mysterious/complicated? It's not really opaque, as State tells you exactly what they're looking for in candidates and provides study materials and resources for preparing for each stage. That said, a lot of candidates seem to feel frustrated or confused by the process for a variety of reasons. These may include:

• The process is long and does not offer immediate gratification. You should plan to move forward with life as usual and work through the foreign service hiring process in the background. There is simply a lot of waiting involved.
• Many candidates, surprisingly, seem not to follow directions and are then confused when they don't pass a certain stage of the process. By way of example, the instructions from the QEP about how to write personal narratives include the instruction, "Simple lists of accomplishments, recaps of candidates' resumes...are not effective." But one person did exactly this in the Leadership Skills essay and did not pass. This is not to say there are no other problems with this candidate's PNs, but if you make sure to follow each stage's instructions exactly, the process (and your results) won't seem so confusing.
• Many candidates, young and old, mistakenly assume that their work/life/school experience makes them more than qualified for an entry-level FSO role. In actuality, successful candidates translate that experience into the six precepts and thirteen dimensions during the QEP and FSOA stages, respectively.

1. How can I improve my chances of passing?

• FSOT - Be well-read on a diverse set of subjects, take the State Department reading list seriously, practice good test taking skills, know your English grammar perfectly, and be able to write in a clear and concise manner.
• QEP - Follow the directions exactly. Answer the questions exactly as written. Do not list your resume in bullet points. Do tell relevant (and verifiably true) stories. Have diverse life and work experiences that map easily to the job description of the cone you've selected and to the precept described in the essay prompt.
• FSOA - Practice, practice, practice ahead of time. Use the former Yahoo Group Files. Be relaxed and composed. Make every action and every word you use roll up into one or more of the 11 dimensions. Come across as someone that other people would want to work with. Smile. Oh, and practice.
• Security clearance - Before you get to the security clearance stage, make sure you've buttoned up everything you can think of, from past stupid behavior to credit reports to tax filings. Consider running a cheap background check on yourself. When filling out your SF-86, disclose everything. Don't make anything a surprise. When you meet with your investigator, disclose everything relevant to the questions and the time frames included. Make sure you understand what they're looking for and be proactive about bringing troublesome/questionable points to the investigator's attention.
• For all stages - read the instructions and do exactly what they are asking you to do, no more and no less. Do not try to guess what the examiners want to hear. They are telling you exactly what they want each time - whether it's demonstration of general knowledge and English expertise, clear and concise writing, demonstration of the six precepts, or demonstration of the thirteen dimensions. Whichever stage you're working through, assume that you're being graded according to a rubric that matches exactly to the instructions you're given.

1. Approximately what percentage of people pass each of the stages? No one outside State really knows exactly, and numbers can vary from year to year, depending on hiring projections, but based on various reports (example) and conjecture here are some approximate guesses. Feel free to disagree.

• Total number of people who take the FSOT in a given year: 17000, give or take. (Although in 2017, State reportedthe number had dropped to just 9519. This lower number, though, does not mean one's "chances" are any better or any worse this year.) Note that while these numbers are expressed as numerical percentages, they should not be interpreted as probabilities.
• FSOT - No longer pass/fail
• QEP - This can vary greatly based on the needs of the service by cone, the total number of applicants, and various other factors.
• FSOA - Approximately 40-50% pass
• Clearances, suitability & receiving an offer before timing off the register: 60-80%. Very few people are denied a security clearance (though getting the clearance may take a long time). More commonly, the people that pass the FSOA but do not become FSOs are those with low FSOA scores who time off the register after 18 months or those who choose to cancel their candidacy for one reason or another. Historically, about 2-3% of FSOT takers ended up as FSOs eventually.

1. How long will it take me to get through the process? Assuming everything goes perfectly, at least a year but possibly much longer. For example: if you take the FSOT today, it will be a couple of months before you get your results. You'll have three weeks to submit your essays to the QEP and then another couple months of waiting. You'll then have to schedule your oral assessment (another 2-4 month wait) and if you pass that, you'll enter the medical and security clearance stage which will take at least 6 months in most cases, but possibly much longer. (Yes, there are anectodal exceptions to all of the above.) You'll then go through final suitability review, which will take anywhere from a week to several months and only at that point will you be on the register. You will then have to wait for hiring to be authorized and to receive an offer. You'll be on the register for 18 months, and if you don't get an offer during that window of time, your candidacy will end. If an offer doesn't come through (or if you fail any of the steps of the process), you'll have to start over by taking the FSOT again the next time you're eligible. So if you take the FSOT today, the best case scenario would be for you to be joining the foreign service a little over a year from now, but a more likely scenario is that you'll be working through this process and doing a lot of waiting for a couple of years or more. Use the time productively - there's no benefit to sitting around and stressing over the what-ifs of State Department hiring.
2. How can I use my time productively?

• Learn a language to improve your register position
• Engage in meaningful work to improve your demonstration of the 11 dimensions.
• Start another candidacy in parallel. In most cases, you are allowed to take the FSOT once per year, so take it every time you have the opportunity.
• Take this advice.

1. What if I fail one of the stages? Then you are human and you've had an experience not unlike ~98% of applicants each year. If you're interested in the foreign service, try again. Some people have taken the test more than ten times and many of today's FSO's were hired on subsequent tries because they persisted and improved themselves each time.
2. Is there a hiring freeze? Should I wait to apply until after things return to normal? Whether there is a hiring freeze in effect or not doesn't matter. As one person said, "It'll take a long time from test to diplomat, so I don't think the temporal minutia will really matter by the time we're on the register." If you're interested in the Foreign Service, go take the test and get the process started. It's free. Worst case, you fail and you'll take the test another time (which is what you would've done if you had tried to wait out the hiring freeze). But it might be that you succeed and find yourself well-positioned on the register in time for the next big round of hiring.
3. Is there going to be an A-100 soon? Will [cone] spots be available? How should I interpret the remarks of [important person]? Are they really only going to hire [number] of people this year? I can't deal with the stress! Why are they making me put my life on hold? Why won't they extend my time on the register? How many people will retire/resign/take an early buyout this year? How many Rangel/Pickering fellows are there and what percentage of the jobs will they take? What is the status of [funding legislation in congress]? Does [random thing I read in the news] mean we should expect to see a new A-100 now? Why does FSI have training classes on their schedule if no invites have gone out yet? etc. As an exasperated someone humorously posted on another forum, "Seriously chill. Even if you were provided this information, which isn’t likely, it has no effect on whether there are spots left for you. Enough with trying to predict what happens this year. Wait it out like any job interview."

FSOT - The Foreign Service officer Test

1. What is the difference between the FSWE and the FSOT? The FSOT is the Foreign Service Officer Test. Its predecessor was the FSWE, the Foreign Service Written Exam, and is no longer administered. You can sign up to take the FSOT here.
2. What are my chances of passing? There is no way to know without trying. If you're interested, take the test and see how you do. People on this sub won't be able to tell you how you're likely to do, and if you try and fail and then try again, you may find that you perform better and pass the second (or third or fourth) time around. Remember: taking the test is free. (You only have to pay if you sign up and then fail to take the test.) So you have nothing to lose - get out there and give it a go.
3. How can I prepare?

• Take the practice test.
• Read the Suggested Reading List.
• Set your expectations that this process will take a long time. If you are just now getting ready to take the FSOT, chances are you will not be a new FSO next year at this time. Most people will not successfully become FSO's on their first try. But that doesn't mean you should give up! You will try, you will try again. You will need to maintain a positive attitude. You will need to be patient. Don't make Foreign Service your Plan A. Move on with life while you are working your way through the foreign service hiring process.

1. Where can I find more information about the FSOT? Try the FSOT Frequently Asked Questions on the Pearson site. (Pearson is currently the company that administers the FSOT and some of the subsequent steps of the hiring process.)

QEP - The Qualifications Evaluation Panel

1. What is the difference between the QEP and the PN's or the PNQ's? People use these acronyms to talk about the same part of the process, even though they mean different things. The QEP is the Qualifications Evaluation Panel, and its job is to evaluate, based on a set of short essays, the likelihood that someone who passed the FSOT will also pass the FSOA. FSOT passers write one essay (a "personal narrative" or "PN") for each of six prompts (each a "personal narrative question" or "PNQ").
2. When will I know if I made it to the QEP? You will get an email from Pearson a few weeks after the close of the FSOT testing window. Your results will also appear in your online account with Pearson. When you are notified that you made it to the QEP, you will have approximately three weeks to write your essays and submit them through the Pearson interface.

FSOA - The Foreign Service Oral Assessment

1. Where is the FSOA held? As of May 2024, it is now held virtually, over the course of two days.
2. When will I know if I made it to the FSOA? You will get an email from Pearson a few weeks after you submit your personal narratives to the QEP. Your results will also appear in your online account with Pearson. When you are notified that you made it to the FSOA, you will have the opportunity to schedule your FSOA date through the Pearson interface.
3. How can I prepare?

• The FSOA evaluates your demonstration of the 11 dimensions. Know them inside and out.
• Take advantage of the old Yahoo Group FSOA files.
• Contact your Diplomat in Residence, as many of them hold FSOA info sessions.

Clearances

1. What is the process for getting my security clearance?
   1. After you pass the FSOA, you will receive a packet of information describing how this process works. Basically, within 30 days you will fill out a lengthy questionnaire electronically on the e-QIP system. (Read e-QIP FAQs here.)
   2. The e-QIP is the electronic version of the "SF-86," a standard PDF/printable form with essentially the same questions. Although not necessary, some have recommended using a printed SF-86 form to collect all of your responses to the e-QIP and then transcribe them into the electronic system when you are ready. (The e-QIP system does allow you to save and return to work again later.) Start early: many have reported that tracking down all their foreign contacts or previous addresses has taken a long time.
   3. You will wait for a period of time (say between a few days and a few months) and then you will be contacted by an investigator from Diplomatic Security. You will set up an interview with him or her. The investigator will let you know if additional information is required; you can speed up the process by disclosing everything up front. Don't try to hide the negatives; be up front and transparent.
2. Will X affect my ability to get a clearance? It depends. Here are the guidelines.
3. What percentage of applicants are denied a security clearance? Only about 0.1% of initial cases, per the 2015 ODNI report. However the report notes State may discontinue security processing due to automatic disqualifiers found during a suitability review before the case reaches the security clearance adjudication phase. These cases are cancelled by Human Resources before security clearance determinations are rendered and are not, therefore, categorized as security clearance denials. {HT: Christabel34}

Register

1. Where can I find the shadow registers? How can I be added? What is my position on the register? Contact the volunteer maintaining the shadow register for your career track or specialty

Languages

1. Do I have to know a foreign language to be in the foreign service? No, but if you do know a language well, you will receive bonus points and may be hired before a similarly-qualified candidate without language ability. Also, every new FSO must learn a language within the first few years of service. You are on so-called "language probation" until you have passed the appropriate language exam. FSI will provide the language training for any language-designated position in which you are to serve.
2. How do language bonus points work? When you pass the FSOA, you will have a score, usually between about 5.3 and 6, though scores can be as high as 7. You will be ranked by score against other people in your cone, and the higher scores will be hired first. So if you have the highest score for your cone. The only way to improve your score (unless you are a veteran) is to pass a language test. Most languages will get you an additional .17 points if you can demonstrate a "general professional proficiency" on the Interagency Language Roundtable Scale. For examples of the level of proficiency you would need, watch these videos. Harder languages that are in higher demand by the State Department can get you either .25 or .38 points. A list of languages for which State offers bonus points is here. And this thread has some excellent advice on languages.
3. If I speak language X, will I get sent to a post where that language is needed? Not necessarily, unless you received language bonus points for a super critical needs language. In that latter case, you can expect to serve in a position designated for that language at least twice in your career. The super critical needs languages are listed in the bottom table on this page. But if you come in with a fluency in, say, Spanish (which is not a super critical needs language), there is no guarantee that you'll be sent to a Spanish-speaking post.

Life & Work in the Foreign Service

1. What is it like to find out what your next post will be? Read many flag day stories here.
2. How does pay work? How is my salary calculated? What allowances do I get? Read this excellent Foreign Service Officer Salary Guide. You can also look up information about various posts, but be advised that the data on this site is not necessarily official and may be out of date.
3. Will I be required to serve in an unaccompanied post? You are "worldwide available," so in theory it can happen. In practice, there are a lot of people who volunteer to serve in unaccompanied posts for various reasons, and it would be unlikely that you would be forced to serve in one if you didn't want to.
4. What is it like to be LGBT in the foreign service? Review GLIFAA's website and resources, read read real post reports, which have a specific section for LGBT info, by post and these threads - LGBT, Foreign Commercial Service LGBT, same sex marriage, Robyn McCutcheon's book about her career Foreign Service, including as the first trans FSO.

Will it help/hurt my chances if...

1. ...I have a graduate degree from a really good school with a high GPA or I have no degree at all? No, it really doesn't matter.
2. ...I did drugs or committed a crime or did something stupid a long time ago? It could hurt you, but it really depends on what you did, how you dealt with the problem, and what you've been doing since then. Go ahead and apply.
3. ...I did drugs or committed a crime or did something stupid recently? It could hurt you, and if you're continuing to show poor judgment in life, it's going to be next to impossible for you to join the foreign service. However, no one on this sub will be able to tell you definitively what your outcome is likely to be. Fix whatever it is and try again. You won't know if or how this will affect your candidacy unless you try.
4. ...I have dual citizenship? Your clearances will take longer, but it's not a deal breaker. Read details here.
5. **...I have a foreign-born spouse or I have many contacts overseas or I have lived overseas for a long time?**Same answer: your clearances will take longer, but it's not a deal breaker. Read details here and here.

Miscellaneous

1. What happens after I receive my Orientation offer? Orientation 101 is the initial training class you take when you officially start work in the foreign service. Congratulations! It is a time of a lot of changes. Here is a description of what happens.
2. How can I become an Ambassador? You probably won't become an ambassador, and it's not worth the brain cycles to try to plan for it. But even if you have the right set of skills, knowledge, and luck through a career spanning many decades and you end up as an ambassador, you will still have spent far more time as a rank-and-file career employee than as an ambassador. So make sure you are interested, first and foremost, in the job and lifestyle of a foreign service officer, which is where you will spend the entirety of your career.
3. I am outraged over what the President / Secretary / someone else in power just said / did! Nothing wrong with feeling outrage, but what you do with that feeling may matter. And while you may dissent through the appropriate (private) channel, no matter who is in power and no matter who you voted for, your duty as a foreign service officer is to publicly advance the interests of the U.S. As a simplistic example, take a look at who came in first or second in the presidential elections going back ~20 years. Any of them could've been your boss (with small differences in electoral returns for the runners-up, of course): B. Clinton, Dole, Bush, Gore, Kerry, McCain, Obama, Romney, H. Clinton, Trump. Those individuals hold a pretty diverse set of policy views, and the next twenty years of presidential elections will probably result in a similarly diverse list. So if you want to be in the foreign service, think of your job as representing the U.S. regardless of who is in power. If you can see yourself representing the U.S. when person A is in power but not when person B is in power, this may not be the best career for you in the long run.

Additional Resources

• Department of State Careers
• Global Community Liaison Office
• American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)
  • Foreign Service Journal
  • AFSA's Foreign Service Statistics page
  • Foreign Service by the Numbers
• Tales from a Small Planet
• Path to Foreign Service
• American Diplomat podcast
• Modern American Diplomacy podcast

Hello everyone, I will be very grateful if you guys can review this,
So Earlier it was just "cores" but now that e cores have been added, it has bought a lot of confusion to everyone.
Yesterday I wanted to find a way to simplify it and searched for a way to somehow convert e cores to p cores in multicore performance. Basically, I wanted to find out how much e core equal 1 p core
Thankfully I found this post: https://www.reddit.com/intel/comments/yv3uan/performance\_pcores\_vs\_ecores/#:\~:text=Just%20an%20interesting%20thought%3A%20although,1%20P%2Dcore%20with%20hyperthreading.
This guy came to the conclusion that
1p=2.5e (with multithreading enabled in p)
1p=1.8e (multithreading disabled)
Its apparent that multithreading increases the performance of p core, and a side note is that e cores don't have multithreading as I'm writing this.
With this info I deduced 4 most common conversion:
4e= 1.6p
8e= 3.2p
12e= 4.8p
16e= 6.4p
Remember, these are for multithreaded performance. (i.e. derived using 1p=2.5e)
So, before you buy a laptop or cpu for work that requires multiprocessing power, go to this website which details all the intel cpus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_processors
then select a cpu and convert e cores to p core, for example,
lets select 14900K, it has 8p and 16e. Using the conversion above 16e=6.4p,
14900K has a "total core" of 14.4p(8p+6.4p)
See how I eliminated e cores. I had doubts at first but but then I tested cpus that had similar "total cores" with different p&e combination and they all gave similar multicore performance result with little difference here and there. For anyone wondering, I compared the cpus in Nano review(here https://nanoreview.net/en/cpu-compare).
One comparison I did was 13420H 5.6p(4p+4e) vs 1365U 5.2p(2p+8e). Notice 13420H has 0.4 more total core so when I did the comparison, sure it was little a better than the 1365U in multi-performance as I predicted. So overall, I think that I can trust the experiment that guy did and you can also trust these conversion values.
I also thought of making a worksheet to show the total cores of all cpus from intel 12th gen up. But then I thought that I should share it here first, in case there's any mistakes.

We’re still adding players via the portal as we have about 12 open scholarship spots at the moment. But otherwise is pretty much full steam ahead to week 1. What are your predictions for the season?
Looking at this schedule here’s how I would view things.
Vs Florida Atlantic: W. This should be a near auto win. Though I expect there to be a lot of rust and developing chemistry at times.
@ Maryland: Lean W. This one is more in question. Lock has turned Maryland around but a lot of that was Taluia’s work. Ultimately I think we upgraded at most positions this offseason will pull away late. That said this will be a key swing game.
Vs Prairie View: W. FCS opponent Again this should be an auto win. I’d expect this to be the last chance at any in game tune ups this season.
@ Boston College: Lean W. Bill O’Brien I don’t think should be taken lightly at BC. The guy pretty much kept Penn State alive during its scandal and was a solid HC for the Texans. He’s not great at position coaching or playcalling though. That said, BC’s last HC bailed late to to be a position coach in Green Bay and they’ve been quiet on the transfer front so far. I think this is another early swing game but one that we should win.
Vs Ohio State: L. This is a near auto loss. Talent wise this Ohio State team should be among the best in the last 15 or so years. If Smith did win this though, no couch would be safe in EL.
@ Oregon: L. They lost Nix but picked up Moore as well as gained some key transfer pieces. Given how fast they turned Nix around, my moneys on them competing for a natty this year. If we’re somehow unbeaten after this game then we’re gonna need to rebuild Cedar Village.
Vs Iowa: Lean W. Look, they usually have a good defense and an elite TE. They got a new OC. But I’m not sure that’s enough. Similar to BC, I don’t think they’ve gained anyone of note through the portal yet. They don’t really have a good QB as of right now either. I think we pull this out in a slug fest.
@ Michigan: Lean L. That defense is still going to be good. Edwards will be good. Their OL will be good. Ultimately this is where I think our DT problems come to haunt us. They probably won’t be passing nearly as well. They won’t be as good. It’s possible to win. But on the road I think they’ll come out on top this year unfortunately. The good news is that the most brutal stretch of the season is over.
Vs Indiana: W. I think Indiana made a good hire actually. But that’s gonna be an absolute job and based on what both teams have added so far, I think that we’ll be just a few paces ahead of them this year.
@ Illinois: Lean W. Fun fact we haven’t had two straight home games yet. Honestly I think this a tight one. It’s a prove it year for Bret Bilemma and he’s consistently gotten defensive pieces to the NFL. But I’m pretty high on the upgrades we’ve made so far. So I’ll give it to us.
Vs Purdue: W. I honestly think that Purdue will be fighting to just stay out of last in the B1G. I’m not expecting us to be in that same boat at this time.
Vs Rutgers: Lean L. Monangai and a lack of DT depth. I think we can win. I think it’s a swing game. Especially late. But I also think that we can take one of the non-Big 4 games and attach an unexpected L to it. This one is the most likely in my mind this year as Schiano seems to be doing a good job with the program.
Record: 8-4.

Anybody still waiting for WL movement at LMU Law? Any predictions, insight, etc. Are people withdrawing due to scholarship running dry or sending in those LOCI’s still?

Ok, I’m aware this sounds completely fake, but I honestly couldn’t make this up. Freshman year of college me (19F) and 2 friends (also 19F) were pregaming. It was a Friday night and St. Pattys weekend. Now like any college, any holiday is an excuse to party. For some reason St. Pattys was THE party weekend at my school. So, we were in my dorm and we were playing some drinking game. Some context before I go forward: my roommate and I had been playing with a OUIJA board ALL throughout the month of October. Naturally, weird things had been happening since. One of my friends didn’t know about any of this since we were newer friends. So during the pregame we were telling her about it. She tells us that she has a spirit box in her dorm (same hall different floor) so we all walk with her to go get it. This is where things get weird. I genuinely still have chills thinking about this. The spirit box comes through after a few minutes of gibberish with 3 words. Alcohol. Underage. Kappa. ( I changed the name of the frat for anonymity reasons. But you get the idea. The spirit box named the frat we were planning on going to) All of us look at each other ther kinda confused and a bit freaked out since it had come through SO clear. We start asking follow up questions. “Should we not go out?” No. “So you’re saying just be careful?” Yes. Then one of us asks something about should we go to “kappa” This time it says 2 words No, cops.
At this point I’m like a little freaked out because there’s no way this is happening. Ultimately we decide to go out to a different frat. We had a great time, and it’s genuinely one of my favorite memories of college. The next day however, everyone is talking about the frat that got raided by the cops. There were apparently undercovers, and people were getting underage drinking charges. Do you wanna take a wild guess what frat it was? When I found this out I was completely shaken. My friends weren’t as impacted. They kinda laughed and just had the idea of “we got lucky” But ever since this happened, it’s been years now, I can’t shake it. There’s NO way that anyone could have manipulated the box. It wasn’t on a phone, it was like a legit one. And 3 sets of ears heard it. We weren’t super drunk either, this happened pretty early into the pregame so we all had still been sipping on our first wine cooler.
Anyways, I consider myself a 100% believer after this experience. I’ve had other things happen, especially since I would use OUIJA boards, but nothing that PREDICTED what was going to happen. I’m mostly posting because I need to get this off my chest. I’m one of 3 people who know about this. I just still get so shaken because I can’t explain it. If we would have gone to that party like we were planning, and I would have gotten caught, I would have lost my scholarship and had to drop out. And the thing is, frats don’t get regularly busted like that, they are all in off campus houses. It’s not something that happens enough where I could be like oh it’s a coincidence. Idk, I’m rambling now. Anyone have any thoughts about this?

Guys, I’m really anxious before the 2025 fall application opens
I’m not a top student but dreaming of being admitted by a good uni :(
I’m planning to apply unis in the UK and the US, and I don’t put any safety in my list
Here is my list:

• UNC Chapel Hill
  
• GaTech
  
• CMU
  
• UCB
  
• UCLA
  
• Imperial
  
• UMich Ann arbor
  

Is it too risky?
Any suggestions? thanks!
My stats:

• International AP Student,no ‘Greencard’ or Citizenship
  
• interested in Astro and Acoustics
  
• Intended Major: Physics or Astronomy
  
• 7 in IELTs (took the test 3 years ago, i’ll do it again soon)
  
• GPA: 3.9+/4.0 unweighted (All A or A+)
  
• 3 APs in 2023: 5 in Physics C Mechanics, 5 in Calculus AB, 5 in Microeconomics
  
• 4 APs in 2024: Calculus BC, Statistics, Chemistry and Physics C Electromagnetism (I’m 95% confident that I’ll get all 5)
  
• 2 APs in 2025(planning): Computer Science A and Macroeconomics
  
• SAT 1490 with 800 in Math (I’ll retake it in August)
  

ECs and Awards (my competition results are cooked):
ECs(related to Major):

• Imperial Global Summer School (wondering if it really helps my Imperial application)
  
• President of the Astronomy & Physics Club at school (We broke our school’s record of the Largest Activity, by holding an observation of Total Lunar Eclipse)
  
• A unpublished research related to Acoustics(Predicting the quality of Watermelon by detecting its vibration after knocking on it, really fun)
  
• Calculus tutoring for 40+ hours
  
• TEDx Youth (the topic of my speech is related to sustainability and Astronomy)
  

ECs(non-related to Major):

• Contributor of a Trans community in China: managing and developing a Website(guidance) for Chinese Transmen
  
• Art Portfolio (topic: Music and Astronomy)
  
• Writing records of stories about Trans people in China
  

Awards:

• Bpho Round 1 SILVER (threw up everywhere during the exam)
  
• China Young Physicists' Tournament BRONZE
  
• Physics Bowl SILVER (Caught a flu, having a terrible fever)
  
• High School Scholarship for 40k dollars
  
• Aerotube Competition BRONZE (also TOP6 in China)
  

TODO:

• High School Physics Website developing (including AP/Alevel preparation and extra Fun Stuffs. We are still constructing now — open in July!)
  
• volunteer in local observatory/uni lab (summer holiday)
  
• Art Exhibition
  
• Another TEDx
  
• SAT in August
  
• Admission test preparation
  

I think I’m cooked

Hello, I'm facing a dilemma on what Paleo Masters programme to pursue and I'm hoping to get some advice from people already in academia.
I have an offer from Bristol for Palaeobiology Msc and I have also been accepted to the PANGEA Erasmus Palaeobiology MSc program (Uppsala) for which I also won a full fee waiver (very attractive for that reason). I am waiting on a decision from Edinburgh's Palaeontology and Geobioligy MscR and I think I have decent chance of getting in there too.
My research interests are mainly surrounding vertebrates (dinosaurs and crocodiles). I am interested in learning to use histology and I have some experience in building predictive statistical models from my BSc thesis. Otherwise I'm open to any and all learning of methods and subfields.
I am really torn on which programme to pursue. Bristol is more aligned with my research interests and it seems like networking-wise it will help me with connections to the top researchers in the world from the Anglosphere.
However, I find a 2 year master's more attractive because I am a mature student and worked full time while doing my bachelor's over the course of 5 years so I feel like I can use with some catching up on taught theory, internships, and extra curriculars. This, combined with winning a scholarship which exempts me from paying any fees in Sweden is quite attractive even though Uppsala focuses more on micropaleontology and early life. However, I don't know how well regarded Uppsala is here in the UK and whether doing that programme may make it more difficult to get a PhD here, although I also don't know if I want to stay in the UK long term yet.
A potential offer from Edinburgh would make things even more complicated because I feel like doing a research project with supervision from Steve Brusatte has the potential to open many doors in the future. Plus, the project with which I applied is awesome. Although I may still ask the museum on whether they'd be interested in me doing it if I go elsewhere.
I don't have much experience in academia, but I've already figured out how important networking is, so I've done my best to build connections with UK paleontologists and make them aware of my existence. I definitely want to do a PhD but I don't know yet if I want to do it in the UK or somewhere on continental Europe. I guess whichever I can get in and if I get to choose - whichever will be more valuable.
I've heard advice from many UK academics and more is welcome; I'd also really appreciate an insight from someone in academia in Europe or the States.

I'm just wrapping up my first year at "First State University", studying Computer Science & Applied Mathematics, and I'm working on my resume. I have a lot of work/research experiences, since I tend to bounce around between jobs every few months to try new things. My current draft resume is below. I omitted 3 work experiences and several projects.
Is it acceptable to add a second page? If not, what should I remove from my resume, if anything? I think it looks a bit cramped.
Keep in mind, most of my omitted jobs/experiences are irrelevant to my prospective career in machine learning / software engineering, such as working at a park and a congressional campaign internship. I also have a few very small scholarships from my high school and local community organizations that I left off, opting to keep one that I got from a tech company. Should I include the others? If so, how?
Should I provide more/less detail on certain things? Any other advice?
Thanks in advance!
https://preview.redd.it/245yo869k3zc1.png?width=610&format=png&auto=webp&s=decc6864c472ab8d9183e5359ffe29f6eb211cfc

TLDR; I have been a teacher for the past 2 years and realize I cannot stand teaching, what are some other options?
So I went to school to become a doctor and I was pre med until I was a junior and I realized I did not want to be a doctor (shadowing was miserable and I realized I only want to do it because I was kind of mesmerized by being a woman in stem and I knew doctors were paid well).
So I graduated with a BSc in microbiology and then I went on to get a MEd in general science education (a lot of help that does me now not wanting to be a teacher)
I kind of enjoy working mostly alone or on a really large team (so team of 1 or team of 10+ I like the feeling of anonymity). I really enjoy being creative and creating new products or programs - I enjoy being able to create custom worksheets for my students or designing lab activities (this has led me towards instructional design or educational outreach - but I have not found many good resources on how to get started in these areas).
I really enjoy have checklists and predictable work schedules (so not super spontaneous and unpredictable work flows) but I also like being able to do something different from time to time (meaning like I do not want to be an accountant that does the exact same thing day in and day out, I like some variety - maybe like a broad job scope)
In terms of things I’m good at vs bad at, I’m a bit of a perfectionist and extremely detail oriented, I love creativity or adding a little bit of a creative touch to the things I do and I love staying focused on a single task until I see it through to completion. I’m not great at working through conflict (I’m a pretty anxious person overall) and I am not the best at being micromanaged (like to the point where I have no autonomy - I don’t mind being told what to do but I like some autonomy).
I make about 60k as a teacher but I also do a lot of “extra work” like working sports games, working on a science team contract, co counsel a club, and work pretty closely with special Ed (I do get satisfaction from these things but they are big time commitments and I do them largely for the salary boost)
I have thought about being an event planner because I enjoy being in a role where I create the outcome, and I really like to make people happy/ have a good time. I have also thought about going into med device or pharma sales because I enjoy stem and the technical aspect of sharing things and teaching about medicine or devices.
I feel like I’m a bit of an ambivert (I enjoy being around others but I don’t like working on teams where others aren’t pulling their weight)
I originally became a teacher because I love science and I love sharing my love of science with other people who are also interested in science. I also really wanted a chance to make a positive impact on the youth and be somewhat of an inspiration for my female students who also wanted to be in stem. I really enjoy developing my own lessons and lesson plans and being able to deliver labs or assignments the best way I think will teach the lesson.
Since starting teaching I really do not like how disrespectful and unruly these kids are, I’m also in a school system where I find that there is a lot of pressure/ stress placed on us to be liked by parents and to present as a certain way in public (like I can’t just enjoy what I want to do because I may see someone from school or the community that may say something bad about me or the way I was dressed or what I was doing and call my tenure into question), and to a point I made earlier I really do not like working with other teachers who just do not care or will not put in effort to lessons or labs..
Any advice or guidance is highly appreciated!! I’m not really even sure where to start so even just an accurate career inventory or personality inventory rec would also be appreciated. I just feel a bit lost in where to even start..

Hello everyone! I know it's a bit difficult to estimate without a DAT but WAMC?
Date of submission: June 4 Overall GPA: 3.93 Science GPA: 3.87
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.84 DAT score: Scheduled for June 13th but predict I will get at least a 20 or 21 State of Residence: Idaho Major: Biology Minority? No, mixed white/east Asian woman Reapplicant? No Nontrad? No Shadowing Experience: 100 hrs, 5 general dentists Volunteering Experience: 300 hours total, 175 hours mentoring in a big sister type program, 100 hours directing the mentoring program, 25 hours at red cross events (non donor), 10 hours from odd service projects Employment: 800 hours as RA in college, in high school worked at mcdonalds for 3 years (4000 hours), once I finish applying will start working as a dental assistant.
Research: 62 hours bio/ecological research, however mostly field work, no publications Other Extracurriculars: President of women in dentistry club, member of predental club, did intramural soccer, part of Chinese academic club, do nails as a hobby (not licensed, just for free for myself/friends), play the piano, paint, draw, do ceramics, make bracelets, paint d&d figures Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? No Relevant Honors or Awards: Deans list 1/3 years, full scholarship 2 years, half scholarship 1 year. LOR type and strength: Bio professor: strong, chem professor: moderate, dentist: moderate, college employer: strong. The professors and dentist all like me and agreed to write strong positive letters of rec but probably do not have many things to speak about other than my character, enthusiasm, going to office hours, getting good grades, etc, not really any amazing specific experiences.
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags:
Personal statement: my advisor says it's strong and I've had it looked over by a couple other people too who liked it.
Got my associate’s degree in high school to knock out my generals then transferred credits to a university. One dental prereq I did at a community college in high school so I’m worried Creighton might make me retake it, the rest were done at university. Because of AA only went to college for 3 years, hopefully that does not count against me.
Another red flag is because of the AA credits I could've only gone to college for 2 years, but chose to go for 3 years to mature more and have a college experience. But that means I’ve only taken 12-14 credits each semester because I only had my dental prereqs left to take for my degree and had room to spread them out, which may not demonstrate rigor.
Schools: 15 total

• IDEP through Creighton (8 students accepted, 1 year in Idaho, 3 years at Creighton)
• University of Utah
• Creighton
• University of Washington
• OHSU
• Roseman
• University of Iowa
• UCLA
• USC
• Loma Linda
• University of Colorado
• University of Nevada
• LECOM
• University of Florida
• Texas schools

I have a lot of family in California, including some that live 10 mins away from ucla and some 15 mins away from usc, so I’m wondering if living with them for free would offset the high cost of living/tuition. I would love to live in California but am not sure if I should apply to USC because it's so much debt, if I did get in I would consider applying for the military scholarships after the first year.
Also would like advice on which schools to apply to. I can somewhat afford to apply to a lot but would rather not, was thinking 12-15 schools but am not sure if 15 would be too much. To my knowledge the only ones on my list that don’t allow in state tuition after a year are Utah and OHSU, but those are also programs I’ve heard great things about. I don't have an in state school so any suggestions are welcome!
Thanks in advance!! :)

Here is my application
US: TOP 20 Intended major Science, Technology, and Society Biology East Asian Studies
UK: Cambridge, ICL, UCL, KCL, Edinburgh (Chemical engineering or biotech or natural science)
Demographics South Korea Female Born and spent until 16 in home country Now live in Canada, so apply from Canada No financial aid
Stats SAT (not taken yet because of schedule) but please assume 800math and 500-550english IB predicted 41-43/45 ( HL: 7 math AA, 7 Physics, 6or7 Chemistry) GPA g9 3.8/4 g10 4/4 g11 95/100 neither of my schools rank, but in top 5.
ECs Scholarship Research - first author publication - International Conference Research - international conference Research - will do this summer Internship at a Biotech startup Organization (unique i think) - president Politics- related conference for HS students - organizer Conference organizing club - organizer Student committee - president Student council - vice president Scholarship online course (dream school)
Honors Many research awards Some Math/Science quiz awards Full scholarship for universities International debate/quiz/writing competition which i got gold for science quiz
These are my application information. Please comment about my chances, recommendations for an early round school, and any improvements i can make! Also, I’m looking for UK app suggestions!
Thank you!

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