NCLEX-RN article review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

NCLEX-RN article review - Essay Example NCLEX-RN ® pass rates are of interest to the faculty in professional nursing programs, institutions, and the profession, as they represent a measure of faculty and program effectiveness; accreditation agencies and state boards of nursing expect graduate success; and the profession of nursing needs prepared practitioners as it faces a shortage of licensed professional nurses in the workplace. NCLEX-RN ® pass rates are of special interest to potential students who may choose a program due to reported rates, and graduates who are not successful may face anxiety and financial loss. Keywords: NCLEX-RN ®, nursing, logistic regression December 2010 NCLEX-RN ® Success: Are There Predictors The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN ®, hereafter NCLEX-RN) was instituted in 1984, moved to computerized testing (CAT) in 1994, increased in difficulty in 1998, 2004,[ 7] and again in 2010. Since the beginning of licensure examinations for nurses, there has been variable interest in studying factors related to pass rates with interest heightened during periods of declining pass rates. Success on this examination has widespread ramifications for students, nursing schools, and employers. The stakes are high related to first-time pass rates. The identification of factors affecting NCLEX-RN success is useful for nursing schools in making decisions about admission requirements and curriculum issues. Variables associated with performance on the NCLEX-RN may be categorized as academic and nonacademic. Academic variables include scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT), performance in pre-nursing courses and selected nursing courses, and scores on standardized nursing assessment tests. Nonacademic variables associated with NCLEX-RN ® performance include the taker's age, gender, ethnicity, English as the primary language, and critical thinking skills.[ 4] The purpose of this study was to examine student academic variables from a baccalaureate nursing program to determine which factors may be predictive of student success on the NCLEX-RN examination. This nursing program, like many others, saw a decline in NCLEX pass rates after the difficulty of the examination was increased in 2004. Rather than attempting to make changes to the curriculum haphazardly, the faculty decided to do a systematic assessment of variables that could be influencing the pass rates. Systematic assessment provides evidence so that students who are at risk for failure can be identified early and remediation and/or curriculum changes may be instituted. Review of Literature Beeman and Waterhouse used a convenience sample of 289 baccalaureate nursing students who graduated between 1995 and 1998 to examine predictors of success or failure on the NCLEX-RN examination.[ 1] The most significant predictor of NCLEX-RN failure was the number of C+ or lower grades received in nursing theory courses (r = -.394, P†¦000 1). Higher grades in other core nursing courses and pathophysiology were also correlated with NCLEX-RN success. Discriminant analysis was used to predict 94 percent of the students who passed and 92 percent of the students who failed NCLEX-RN. The authors noted that "all this data is available by the end of the first semester of our students' senior

Server-side scripting of web pages part 2 Essay Example for Free

Server-side scripting of web pages part 2 Essay

Pathophysiology Of Emphysema

Pathophysiology Of Emphysema This essay will describe the pathophysiology of emphysema and the effect it had on a specific patient that I have chosen for this assignment. It will accomplish this by referring to the patients presenting symptoms and diagnosis and then by examining the changes that occur in the airways of an individual suffering from this chronic disease. The essay will continue by exploring the aims of treatment and how they may control the symptoms relating to the specific patient chosen. It will consider the relevant guidelines to treatment options in order to demonstrate evidence based practice. Emphysema is chest condition that falls under the umbrella term of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This term also includes chronic bronchitis and asthma. Shahab, Jarvis, Britton and West (2006) suggest that COPD is a major contributor to global mortality and morbidity and its worldwide prevalence is likely to increase further. They continue by suggesting that it is well established that smoking is the single most important cause of COPD, increasing the risk of developing and dying from this condition by a factor of thirteen. COPD is characterised by airflow obstruction and is usually progressive, not fully reversible, and does not change markedly over several months. Sharafkaneh, Hanania and Kim (2008) suggest that an imbalance between protease and antiprotease activity in the lung is proposed as the major mechanism resulting in emphysema. Patients with emphysema complain of breathlessness, particularly on exertion, cough, chest tightness and often a reduction in their quality of life. This essay will explore the changes that occur in the lungs of a patient with emphysema and how these changes transpire. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE 2010) state that an estimated three million people in the UK have COPD. They also suggest that out of this figure only nine hundred thousand of these cases are confirmed, the remainder are people that have not yet presented with symptoms to their doctor. Exacerbation of COPD requiring hospital admission places a great burden on NHS resources. Davies (2009) suggests that costs directly related to caring for patients with COPD are over  £500 million annually. Background of patient.http://faculty.washington.edu/alexbert/MEDEX/Spring/Spirometry.jpghttp://www.ispub.com/ispub/ijtm/volume_1_number_1_66/strongyloides_induced_respiratory_failure_6/strongy1a.jpg To maintain patient confidentiality and for the purpose of this essay, the patient will be referred to as Janet. Janet is a 57 year old married woman. She has a history of smoking since the age of 15 and this equates to 42 pack years. She has worked in an office for her whole working life and enjoys walking. She attended the surgery as she was finding walking her dogs increasingly more difficult and was experiencing breathlessness on exertion. Janets weight was stable and she had not experienced any haemoptysis. Her baseline blood pressure and pulse where within normal limits and her body mass index (BMI) was in a healthy range. A full blood count (FBC) identified that Janet was not anaemic nor did she have polycythaemia which represents an abnormally high red blood cell count with a haematocrit greater than fifty percent. Janets peripheral oxygen saturation using a pulse oximeter was shown to be ninety four percent on air. Chest x-ray showing hyperinflation mdguy available at medpreponline.com Pulmonary Function Tests Medex Objectives 2003On examining Janets computerised records it was noted that she did not expectorate much sputum and she had only been prescribed one course of antibiotics for a chest infection in the past three years. Janet had been sent for a chest x-ray on her second visit to the surgery which had revealed hyperinflation of the lungs. Janet was subsequently referred for lung function tests at the local hospital where an obstructive pattern was identified. Spirometry is the test performed to demonstrate airflow obstruction however NICE (2010) state that airflow obstruction alone cannot be used as a diagnosis of COPD; it should only be used in conjunction with the patient demonstrating symptoms such as breathlessness or cough. A comprehensive history taking is very important as this can often identify COPD unaided. Janet was symptomatic and therefore was diagnosed with moderate COPD. Her spirometry showed she had a forced expiratory volume in the first s econd (FEV1) of 55% of her predicted value and a FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio of less than 0.7. Predicted values for patients are predicted according to their height, gender, age and ethnic origin. The severity of airflow obstruction is graded according to the FEV1 reading. The updated NICE 2010 guidelines for COPD have reviewed the severity scales which mean that Janets spirometry readings fall into the moderate category. Janets degree of breathlessness was discussed and she graded herself as a level 3 on the Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnoea score (Fletcher 1960). Emphysema often results in the patient having an increased residual lung volume which in due to air trapping; an inability to expel all the air from the lungs. Aetiology and pathophysiology Human lungs are the functional structure of the respiratory system. To understand Janets condition it is useful to look at how the normal respiratory system works. Its function is to supply the body with oxygen and to remove carbon dioxide (Marieb, 2004). Breathing is the movement of gases between the atmosphere and the lungs. For this to occur, there needs to be a system of open airways and pressure changes resulting from the action of the respiratory muscles in changing the volume of the chest cage. The diaphragm is the principal muscle of inspiration, assisted by the external intercostal muscles. The sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles elevate the ribs and act as accessory muscles for inspiration. Expiration is aided by the elastic recoil of the respiratory muscles that were stretched during inspiration. Pulmonary gas exchange is conventionally divided into three processes: (1) ventilation or the flow of gases into and out of the alveoli of the lungs, (2) perfusion or flow of blood in the adjacent pulmonary capillaries, and (3) diffusion or transfer of gases between the alveoli and the pulmonary capillaries (Porth 2010). In addition to their gaseous exchange function, the lungs deactivate vasoactive substances such as bradykinin, convert Angiotensin 1 to Angiotensin 2 and serve as a reservoir for blood storage. COPD is characterised by an intense inflammatory process in the airways, parenchyma and pulmonary vasculature (Sinden and Stockley 2010). The lung inflammatory response is characterised by increased number of neutrophils, macrophages and T lymphocytes. The accumulation of inflammatory components contributes to the lung injury in these patients. The mobilization of inflammatory cells to the lungs leads to the release of potentially destructive mediators including proteases and cytokines, which directly contribute to the remodelling and destruction of tissues. Truder, McGrath and Neptune (2003) believe that a delicate balance between protease and antiprotease activity is required for proper lung maintenance. Sharafkaneh, Hanania and Kim (2008) suggest that derangements of this balance results in destruction and inappropriate repair of lungs. They also suggest that macrophages are activated by tobacco smoke and recruit neutrophils and lymphocytes leading to elastolysis and emphysema. Si milarly tobacco smoke activates airway epithelium to trigger airway remodelling. Both of these processes result in airflow obstruction. http://www.scielo.br/img/revistas/mioc/v100s1/a27fig02.jpg In addition to inflammation, oxidative stress caused by tobacco smoke inhalation plays a significant role in generating emphysema. Therefore Janets long history of smoking will have ultimately resulted in loss of elasticity to her lungs, retention of air in the lungs due to hyperinflation, expansion of the rib cage and flattening of the diaphragm. When the diaphragm is flattened, the muscles of the rib cage and abdomen take over the bulk of the work which is a less efficient and more tiring way of breathing. The alveoli are the terminal air spaces of the respiratory tract and the sites of gaseous exchange between the air and the blood. Each alveolus is a cup-shaped sac with thin walls and each structure is separated by alveolar septa. A single network of capillaries occupies most of the septa, so blood is exposed to air on both sides. There are approximately three hundred million alveoli in the human lungs. Emphysema jpg available at www.moondragon.orgEmphysema is characterized by a loss of lung elasticity and enlargement of the distal air spaces to the terminal bronchioles, with destruction of the alveolar walls and capillary beds. Several adjacent alveoli may rupture forming one large air sac that has a reduced ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. There is progressive destruction of the alveoli and the surrounding lung tissues as air is trapped in the damaged alveoli. This causes them to stretch which leads to hyperinflation and a reduced inability to exhale.http://www.moondragon.org/images/emphysema.jpg Smoking tobacco is a well established cause of COPD (Shahab et al 2006). The Department of Health (2010) indicate that tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death and of health inequalities. They also state that in 2008, more than 80,000 premature deaths in England were caused by smoking. Callum (2008) suggests that the current level of tobacco use is estimated to cost the NHS around  £2.7 billion every year. Cigarette smoke contains a range of toxic products and these have to be dealt with by the body. When cigarette smoke is inhaled into the lungs the cilia that normally sweep irritants out of the airways become paralyzed. The irritants therefore remain in the lungs infiltrating the alveoli where the damage process begins. Other causes of emphysema can be an inherited condition called alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency, an antiprotease enzyme that protects the lungs from injury. This accounts for approximately one percent of all cases of COPD. Occupation risks such as coal minin g can also be a cause of COPD as the irritants inhaled act as the instigators of the disease process. Interventions and treatments Smoking cessation advice would be the most important intervention for Janet. Smoking cessation has been shown to be the most significant intervention to slow the rate of decline of lung function (Fletcher and Peto 1977). http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/figures/1471-2458-7-332-2-l.jpg The use of the Fletcher and Peto graph that demonstrates decline in lung function and the benefit of stopping smoking could be utilised in the process of addressing Janets smoking habit. The use of a smoking addiction calculator such as the Fagerstrom (1978) test was used to determine the extent Janet was addicted to nicotine. Parkes, Greenhalgh, Griffin and Dent (2008) found that informing a patient of their lung age appears to encourage higher levels of successful smoking cessation and Janet was surprised by her lung age of seventy seven. The damage to Janets lungs could not be repaired however the rate of disease progression could be reduced by her stopping smoking. Janet was referred to a specia list stopping smoking service in order to achieve a higher success rate. Encouraging patients with COPD to stop smoking is one of the most important components of their management. All COPD patients still smoking, regardless of age, should be encouraged to stop, and offered help to do so, at every opportunity (NICE 2010). Gruffydd-Jones (2006) recommends that all patients with any chronic lung condition should have an annual influenza vaccination and a one-off pneumococcal vaccination unless contraindicated. This is beneficial in reducing the risk of severe lung infections precipitating potentially fatal exacerbations of COPD. Bronchodilators such as Salbutamol are frequently used as first line treatment for COPD. Treatment objectives include relieving symptoms such as dyspnoea and cough, slowing the accelerated decline in lung function, decreasing exacerbations, and improving quality of life. The NICE (2010) guideline for COPD recommends beginning treatment with bronchodilators. NICE are the guidelines used predominantly in primary care and will be used as guidance for treatment options in this assignment. In theory, bronchodilators, which act directly on the airways, should have limited benefit in emphysema. However, Diaz, Bruns, Ezzie, Marchetti and Thomashow (2008) claim that in clinical practice many patients with emphysema, benefit from bronchodilator therapy. Pellegrino, Antonelli and Mondino (2010) agree that it is clinically justified to use short acting bronchodilators (SABA) in patients with emphysema. The pharmacology of beta-2 receptorsSalbutamol is a beta-2 agonist. These bind to the beta-2 receptors on the smooth muscle of the trachea to the level of the terminal bronchioles. Binding of the beta-2 agonists to the beta-2 receptors activates a receptor associated G protein that in turn activates adenyl cyclase. This then converts adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to cyclic 35-adenosine monophosphate (c-AMP), which then activates protein kinase A. The activated protein A prevents phosphorylation of the myosin light chain as well as activation of the Na+/Ca2+ exchange pump. This results in a fall in intracellular calcium and leads to smooth muscle relaxation, as less calcium is available for the calcium-dependent myosin-actin interaction required for smooth muscle contraction (Barnes 1995). Black, Oliver and Roth (2009) suggest that short acting beta-2 agonists can mediate further physiological responses to include the stimulation of beta-2 receptors on mast cells, leading to the suppre ssion of inflammatory mediator release and the inhibition of extracellular matrix (ECM) protein release from airway fibroblasts.http://www.uky.edu/~mtp/adrenergic_pics/Beta2Effect.jpg Janet was commenced on Salbutamol one hundred micrograms, two puffs as required and was reviewed after a four week period where it was identified that Janet remained breathless particularly on exertion and therefore her symptoms had not been improved upon. Following the NICE (2010) guidelines for COPD it was agreed with Janet to add in a long acting bronchodilator (LABA). She was commenced on Salmeterol twenty five micrograms two puffs twice a day. Diaz, Bruns, Ezzie, Marchetti and Thomashow (2008) claim that long acting bronchodilators such as Salmeterol have an affinity for the beta-2 receptor that is approximately one hundred times higher than that of short acting bronchodilators such as Salbutamol. The duration of action of Salmeterol is around twelve hours and hence only needs to be taken twice daily often helping with concordance. The benefits of LABAs are to improve respiratory symptoms, airflow, quality of life, rate of exacerbations and exercise tolerance. Patients with emph ysema typically have a greater degree of hyperinflation than others with COPD and bronchodilators have been shown to improve hyperinflation at rest and during exercise. As Janet rated herself as level three on the MRC dyspnoea scale, NICE (2010) recommend that the patient be referred for pulmonary rehabilitation. Pulmonary rehabilitation is defined as a multidisciplinary programme of care for patients with chronic respiratory impairment that is individually tailored and designed to optimise each patients physical and social performance and autonomy (NICE 2010). The rehabilitation process should incorporate a programme of physical training, disease education, and nutritional, psychological and behavioural intervention. The aims of pulmonary rehabilitation are to increase a persons exercise tolerance and give support and advice which may include smoking cessation. It incorporates people with COPD who have undergone additional training to act as buddies to fellow sufferers. Many patients look upon pulmonary rehabilitation as a social occasion and this aspect helps to improve their quality of life. Discussion. This essay has examined the case of Janet who presented at primary care with dyspnoea on exertion. Janet has a history of smoking and following a chest x-ray and lung function tests, she was diagnosed with having COPD. Due to the nature of her symptoms and hyperinflation demonstrated on x-ray, it was concluded that Janet had emphysema which falls under the umbrella term of COPD along with chronic bronchitis and asthma. The rest of Janets history was unremarkable and her observations and blood tests were found to be normal. COPD is characterised by airflow obstruction and is usually progressive, not fully reversible, and does not change markedly over several months. Patients with COPD often present in primary care with symptoms such as shortness of breath on exertion, cough or excessive sputum production. Usually the patient will already have damage to their lungs when they present with symptoms. The symptoms of COPD are extremely subjective and do not correspond to the FEV1 reading. For instance, two people could be seen with exactly the same reading of FEV1, but one patient would have very few symptoms and perhaps only need occasional use of a short acting bronchodilator whereas the other patient could be using two or more inhalers. Airway obstruction is diagnosed using spirometry and an FEV1 of

Market Report: 2005 VW Jetta :: essays research papers

Environmental Scan Nature of Demand: Some of the key target markets for the new 2005 Volkswagen Jetta, include a younger demographic that are looking for a high quality brand name with a tradition of reliability. The new Jetta is breaking ties from its old image of the family car that highlighted safety features and family values, and in turn is being marketed as the new generation Jetta. This Jetta is more high-tech, with a sleek and stylish design, and is being portrayed as an exciting car, as to grasp a younger and trendier target market. Aside from the special features, the most noticeable change in the Jetta is the look. Volkswagen has even gone with a more â€Å"Japanese look†, comparable to the Acura’s and the Honda’s in the market. This is also a reflection of Volkwagen’s attempt to aim at a younger target market, as cars such as the Acura Integra, and the Honda Civic are very popular among younger people. Extra accessories have also been added to this Jetta to give it a more youthful appearance. Some of these accessories include a sporty rear spoiler, 18† VisionV wheels, silver tail lamps and a rear valance. Another key feature to this Jetta is the steering wheel. The steering wheel alone allows you to accomplish up to eight different things, including scrolling through CD tracks and answering your cell phone. This is a great feature to target towards a younger market, as younger people demand a lot out of their cars and are often trying to do many things at once. This makes multitasking that much easier. As far as the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta meeting a consumer need/demand, it satisfies a unique niche that has yet to be filled. This Jetta should satisfy consumers who demand the longstanding history, tradition and performance of a classic European car but who also desire a new generation style of car that meets the criteria of features needed for today’s driver. As mentioned earlier, Volkswagen’s new design is a first of its kind. This is the first serious European threat against the many of the new favourable Japanese cars. As already mentioned, the key target market for the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta is a younger group of drivers.

Early Childhood Growth and Development Essay

This assignment we were asked to review chapter 2 of our text Developmental Profiles: Pre-Birth through Twelve. We were asked to write a three to four page paper which includes the following: * A description of how the concept of development differs from the concept of growth. * A summary of the domains of development identified in chapter 2 course text * An analysis of the developmental milestone examples in the text i. e. sitting, walking, talking and the purpose they serve. * Lastly, identify and explain three factors that may contribute to atypical development. Now that we have all of this discussed and what this paper entails let us get to it. Before we can even get into the meat of this paper we first must know and understand the definition and the difference between development and growth. Our text gives us a definition of both growth and development. Development according to our text refers to an increase in complexity, from simple to more complicated and detailed. Growth is defined in our text as physical changes leading to an increase in size. (Allen & Marotz, 2010) The terms growth and development refers to a dynamic process. Often used interchangeably, these terms have different meanings. Growth and development are interdependent, interrelated process. Growth generally takes place during the first 20 years of life; Development continues after that. (www. scribd. com). After reading the above lines and sitting and contemplating on them. The Human Growth and Development website stated that â€Å"Growth takes place during the first 20 years of life and development continues after that. † (www. scribd. com). I am not a board certified doctor but I do disagree with that statement because of that fact that yes growth and development are interdependent of one another but we all develop as we grow. Yes there is a difference in the concept of growth and development but one must look at the definition of each. Growth is the physical aspect of the two, example after a baby is born the birth weight, height, and head circumference is charted. The pediatrician then requests the parent(s) to bring the child back in two months. The two month check-up everything again is charted and this is done in intervals through out the life of the child. The chart shows the growth of the child from birth to present. As we grow we also develop. This means that we develop our senses, our thoughts, personality etc. According to the Human Growth and Development site development is the behavioral aspect of the two. (www. scribd. com). I tend to believe this because as we get older we tend to grow or develop into ourselves. We are not born with our personality, this has to develop. We were not born walking we had to develop the strength of our legs in order to walk. The next phase of our assignment is to summarize the developmental domains mentioned in our text. Before I do this summary I just want to point out that â€Å"the early childhood years are filled with staggering growth and development. There are four main areas of development that occur all at the same time. (www. teachpreschool. org). The domains listed in the text are as follows: * Physical Development – governs the major tasks of infancy; this domain also governs both gross motor skills (crawling, walking, running) and fine motor skills (hand-eye coordination, cutting, writing, weaving) (Allen & Marotz, 2010; www. teachpreschool. org). * Cognitive Development – addresses the expansion of a child’s intellect or mental abilities. (Allen & Marotz, 2010) * Perceptual Development – this domain addresses the complex way a child uses information received through the senses- sight, hearing, touch, smell taste and body position. This domain also enables the child to focus on what is relevant or irrelevant at any given moment. (Allen & Marotz, 2010) * Language Development – is the domain that enables the child to communicate with his/her peers. Most children tend to understand a variety of words, concepts, and relationships before they have words to describe or communicate. This ability is called receptive language. There is another term used called expressive language which is words used to verbalize thoughts and feelings. (Allen & Marotz, 2010) * Social Development- the understanding on how to communicate, share and make friends. This also covers how we feel about ourselves. (www. teachpreschool. org; Allen & Marotz, 2010) * Emotional Development- The building blocks for positive self esteem and self confidence. Most theorists place Social development and Emotional development in one because these two are interrelated as well. (www. teachpreschool. org). We are almost through walking through Early Childhood Growth and Development; now let us talk about developmental milestones. Developmental milestones are a set of functional skills or age specific tasks that most children can do at a certain age range. (www. med. umich. edu). In our text it talked about sitting, walking, and talking milestones, but before I get into the analysis of each one we must remember that â€Å"Babies develop at their own pace, so it is impossible to tell exactly when you child will learn a given skill. † (www. mychildwithoutlimits. org) The milestones that are talked about in our text can vary from child to child. Some babies may learn to sit up on their own as early as six months of age while others according to the Developmental Milestones Chart printed by My Child without Limits. org states that a child getting to a sitting position happens at 1 year. This is not uncommon some children develop faster than others. The purpose of the developmental milestones is to let the parents know that their child is growing up normally. As a parent you should not typically be alarmed if your child is a couple of months behind other children their age, but lets say your child is 24 months old and has not yet walked then yes there should be some concern there. Atypical growth and development is not an uncommon situation. This type of development stems from poor health and nutrition, injury, genetic errors, and many other factors. (Allen & Marotz, 2010). I have listed several factors that may contribute to atypical development and I will talk about each as follows: * Injury- A woman has to protect themselves at all costs when pregnant. If for whatever reason she falls and hurts herself it is a possibility that there can be damage to the child. A car accident can cause damage to the child * Genetic factors- these factors could come from either parent or both. Genes play a major part in development because we all get 26 chromosomes from each parent for a total of 52. If either parent’s chromosomes are genetically defective then the child could be affected. * Poor Health and Nutrition- the child feeds off of the mother in vitro and if the mother is using drugs and not eating right  or taking her pre natal pills then the child could come out deformed, with some sort of brain deficiency or some sort of health problem. Now that this is all said and done. I do hope that this paper can help you as it did me in the growth and development of the early child. REFERENCES: Developmental Profiles: Pre-birth through Twelve Allen, Eileen K and Martoz, Lynn R. 2010 Wadsworth Publishing Developmental Milestones www. med. umich. edu Developmental Milestones Chart www. mychildwithoutlimits. org Brief Look at Developmental Domains in Early Childhood Education www. teachpreschool. org Human Growth and Development www. scribd. com.

How to Take an Independent Study Class in High School

How to Take an Independent Study Class in High School SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Is there a particular subject you’d like to study, but your high school doesn’t offer it? You may be able to take an independent study! Independent studies can be a great way to take a class your school doesn’t offer but you’d still like to take, whether to strengthen your college applications, prepare for future jobs, or just out of personal interest. Read on to learn about independent studies, what their benefits are, and how you can take one yourself. What Is an Independent Study? An independent study is a class taken by a student that has much less supervision and direction than a typical class: you are learning independently.Students often take independent studies to learn about a specific subject not taught in their high school.Generally, you choose what you want your independent study to focus on and request for it to be approved by your school. You often have to have a detailed plan of what you will learn and the work you will do. Independent studies can be pre-designed, where the materials and coursework have already been created, or self-designed, where you are responsible for developing the curricula for the course. If approved by your high school, you will receive credit for your independent study, just like any other class you take, though the number of credits you receive may vary. Learning independently doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. You will usually be assigned an adviser (often a teacher or guidance counselor) who will oversee your course and make sure you are putting in enough work to justify getting credit for your independent study.Depending on the class and your school, you may take your independent study during the school day or outside of school. Why Would You Want to Take an Independent Study? Why are some students interested in taking an independent study? There are multiple reasons, the most common of which are listed below. To Take a Class Your School Doesn't Offer This is the most common reason students pursue an independent study. You may want to study a particular subject, such as a less-common foreign language, particular branch of science, or a specific time period in history, but it isn’t taught at your school. You may be interested in studying this subject for your own personal enjoyment or to help prepare you for college classes or future jobs. Pursuing an independent study gives you an opportunity to learn about this topic while still receiving high school credit. If your school doesn’t offer certain AP classes, you may also be able to take an independent study that allows you to prepare for a particular AP exam. Your independent study will most likely not be counted as an AP class, but you can still take the AP exam and possibly receive college credit if you earn a high enough score. To Work In-Depth on a Project You may have a project that you started for another class or on your own and want to be able to devote a significant amount of time to working on it. Potential projects can range from works of art to a research paper and more. Taking an independent study can give you more time to devote to a project you care about than you likely would be able to in a traditional class. To Learn at Your Own Pace Independent studies can also be a good option for students who want to learn at a faster or slower pace. Perhaps you are a strong math student and want to be able to move quickly through lessons, or maybe you want to study a specific subject very in-depth and move at a slower pace to make sure you take in all the information. Because you are learning on your own, independent studies let you set the pace. If You Can't Fit a Class Into Your Schedule In some circumstances, your school may offer a class you are interested in but can’t take during the time it’s offered. If your schedule prevents you from taking a certain class, your school may allow you to take an independent study and learn the subject on your own while having the same homework and exams as the students in the regular class. Special Circumstances, Such as Injury or Illness Sometimes students are unable to come to school regularly or at all due to injury, illness, or for another reason. Some high schools allow students to take independent studies from their home to continue learning until they are able to return to school. If you're ill for a long period of time, you may be able to take an independent study to keep up with your school work. Just what you need to feel better!(WindRanch/Flickr) How to Set up an Independent Study For most high schools, setting up an independent study is fairly straightforward. Follow these steps to organize your own. 1. Decide What You Want to Study The first step to setting up an independent study is to decide what subject you want your course to focus on. This can be anything from Swahili to Asian history to AP psychology and more. In order to choose what to study, make a list of topics that interest you as well as a list of any skills or information you're interested in learning. To help make these lists, think about your favorite classes, what you'd like to study in college, and topics you enjoy learning about in your spare time. Choose your favorites from these lists and research them online or at the library. Are the topics still interesting now that you've looked into them more? Do you think you'd be able to design or find a course that covers one of them in-depth enough to last a semester? Once you have decided on a topic that fits the above requirements and you think will be interesting and informative, double-check your school's course catalog to make sure they don't offer a similar course. 2.Learn Your School’s Policy for Independent Studies After you have decided what you want to study, talk to your guidance counselor to find out what your school’s policy is for independent studies. Questions to ask include if your school allows them, who advises them, and what materials are required in order to receive approval. 3. Develop Your Course Plan The next step is to design the course. The work you do for this step will depend on if your independent study is pre-designed or self-designed. If pre-designed: choose where you want to order your materials from. Many colleges and companies offer independent study courses. Search online to find courses that cover your specific topic. Brigham Young Universityis one of the most popular schools to order course materials from, and their website includes a course catalog so you can see a complete list of the classes they offer. Before ordering, make sure the course covers the information you want it to cover (there should be a syllabus you can view), and that it has enough material to last you asemester. Your school may also provide you with a textbook if they have one that covers the topic you want to study. Also, be aware that the material typically costs at least $100 per course. After you receive your materials, make sure the lesson plans and timeline will fit with your schedule. If not, make some adjustments before submitting the course for approval. If you are designing your own class, then you will have more work to do. You will often need to develop a course description, syllabus, list of reading materials, and list of assignments. If you need help developing these materials, ask your teachers or guidance counselor for advice. You may also be able to find syllabi or reading lists online for similar courses that you can use as a basis to develop your own class. 4. Get Your Class Approved After you have created or found a solid course plan, you will submit it to your school for approval. The people who approve your course varies by school, but it may include teachers, guidance counselors, and deans. They may ask you questions about your course to get more information and make changes to your course plan before approving it. You will likely be assigned an adviser, usually a teacher or counselor, to oversee your independent study. Once you get your independent study approved, you're ready to start learning! 5. Start Learning! After your independent study has been approved, it will be added to your transcript either immediately or at the start of the next semester. If you have not already done so, decide when you will work on your independent study, either during the school day or after. Meet with your adviserand discuss how often you will check in with each other. Things to Consider Before Taking an Independent Study Independent studies can be a great learning opportunity for students, but they aren't for everyone. Ask yourself the following questions before enrolling in an independent study to make sure it's the right choice for you. How Self-Motivated Are You? Taking an independent study can be more difficult than a traditional course because you have to keep yourself on track. While you will have an adviser to supervise the course, you will be the one in charge of making sure you are completing enough work; there will be no teacher to give you assignments every day. Some people find this easier than others, so think honestly about how self-motivated you are before you embark on an independent study. Do You Know What Your Curricula Will Be? Are you prepared to design your own course or search for a course package? For traditional classes, the teacher does this work, and as any of them will tell you, designing a class takes a lot of time and effort. Make sure you have the time and desire to do this. If you are ordering a course package, make sure it is from a reputable school or organization. There are some companies that sell very poor-quality or bare-bones course packages just to make a profit. Ordering from an accredited school is often more reliablethan a for-profit company, but always search for online reviews to see what other customers are saying no matter where you order from. Do You Have Space in Your Schedule? Your independent study may not count towards your graduation requirements, and if it doesn’t, make sure you have enough room in your schedule to complete your required classes as well as your independent study. Not doing so could delay your graduation or cause you to have to take an extra class in the future. Are You OKWith Learning Alone? Not only will you not have a regular teacher in an independent study, you will also not have fellow students in your class. Some people enjoy learning on their own, but others prefer working in groups, hearing other people’s opinions during class, and having classmates to call for homework help. Consider how you will feel not having those things before deciding to take an independent study. Think about whether you'd enjoy learning without any classmates before you enroll in an independent study. What If You Can’t Take an Independent Study? You may not always be able to take an independent study, for a variety of reasons. Your school may not have approved it, you may not have space in your schedule, or you may have had difficulty finding material to fill an entire course. If that’s the case, you still have other options for studying a topic you are interested in. Learn on Your Own While you won’t get school credit for it, if there is a subject you are really interested in, you can always choose to study it outside of school for your own personal benefit. You will still gain knowledge that can be used for future classes and jobs, even if it isn’t included on your transcript, and you may enjoy learning about the subject even more knowing you won’t be tested on it. If you do decide to go this route, it may be possible for you to include your work as an extracurricular on your college applications or write about it as part of your college admissions essay. Take a Community College Class If you can’t take an independent study, taking a class at a community college may be an option if they offer a course on the subject. Your high school may not give you high school credit it for it, but you can always include it on your college applications, and you may get college credit for taking it. Wait Until College Colleges often have a much wider variety of course offerings than high schools. If there is a subject that you’d like to learn about, but you can’t take an independent study or prefer to learn in a traditional classroom environment, you may want to consider waiting until college to take a class on it. Do a Project on the Topic for Another Class While you likely won’t be able to study the topic as in-depth as you would in an independent study, you may be able to learn about your topic of choice in a related class. For example, if you want to study Asian history, you may be able to write a report or do a project on it as part of your regular history class. This allows you keep a normal schedule while also learning about topics that interest you. Summary Taking an independent study can be a great way to study a subject not offered by your high school. You can create your own course or purchase a pre-designed course package. Before taking an independent study, make sure you will be motivated enough to learn on your own and will enjoy taking a class by yourself. To get more information, talk to your guidance counselor to learn your school’s policy on independent studies. If you can’t take an independent study, there are other options, such as taking a community college class or learning on your own. What's Next? Wondering what all the possible classes you can take in high school are? We have a complete list of all high school classes offered to help you give you ideas for potential independent studies. Do you know what classes you should take in high school? Check out our guide to the standard high school curriculum and learn how to plan your class schedule. Electives are some of the most interesting classes you can take in high school. Do you know which ones you should take? Read our guide to help choose which electives are best for you. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: