Financial Aid Calculator for Private Schools

Financial Aid Calculator for Private Schools While many parents experience sticker shock when they see the price of tuition at private schools, it is important to remember that affording a private school education is not like purchasing a house, vehicle or another high-end purchase. Why? Simple: private schools offer financial aid to qualified families. Thats right, about 20% of private school students nationwide receive some form of financial aid to defray the cost of tuition, which averages about $20,000 at day schools (and closer to $40,000 or more in many urban areas on the East and West Coasts) and over $50,000 at many boarding schools. According to NAIS, or the National Association of Independent Schools, nearly 20% of students at private schools nationwide are awarded some financial aid, and the average grant of need-based aid was $9,232 for day schools and $17,295 for boarding schools (in 2005). At schools with large endowments, such as top boarding schools, about 35% of students receive need-based aid. At many boarding schools, families earning under about $75,000 year may actually pay little or nothing in tuition, so be sure to ask about these programs if they apply to your family. Overall, private schools give out more than $2 billion in financial aid to families.   How Schools Determine Financial Aid To determine how much financial aid each family should be granted, most private schools ask families to fill out applications and possibly submit tax forms. Applicants may also have to fill out the School and Student Service’s (SSS) Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) to determine what parents can pay towards their children’s private school tuitions. About 2,100 K-12 schools use the Parents’ Financial Statement, but before parents fill it out, they should be sure the schools they are applying to accept this application. Parents can fill out the PFS online, and the site offers a workbook to guide applicants. Filling out the form online costs $37, while it costs $49 to fill it out on paper. A fee waiver is available. The PFS asks parents to provide information about the family’s income, the family’s assets (homes, vehicles, bank and mutual fund accounts, etc.), the debts the family owes, how much the family pays for educational expenses for all their children, and other expenses the family may have (such as dental and medical expenses, camps, lessons and tutors, and vacations). You may be asked to upload certain documents related to your finances onto the website, and these documents are stored securely. Based on the information you submit on the PFS, the SSS determines how much discretionary income you have and makes a recommendation about your â€Å"Estimated Family Contribution† to the schools to which you are applying. However, schools make their own decisions about the amount each family can pay for tuition, and they may adjust this estimate. For example, some schools may decide that they can not afford this amount and may ask the family to pay more, while other schools may adjust the cost of living for your city or town based on local factors. In addition, schools vary in how much aid they offer based on their endowment and the school’s commitment to providing financial aid to broaden their student body. In general, older, more established schools tend to have larger endowments and can offer to provide more generous financial aid packages. Where to Find a Financial Aid Calculator The truth is, there really isnt a fool-proof financial aid calculator for private school applicants. But, private schools do try to work closely with families to meet their needs. If you want a general idea of your estimated FA award, you might consider a financial aid calculator used by students applying for financial aid at college. You can also ask the admission office for statistics on average financial aid awards offered by the school, percent of family-need met and the percent of students who receive aid. Also, look at the schools endowment and ask what the full financial aid budget is, these factors can help you get an idea of how aid is allocated to families. Because each school makes its own decision about financial aid and how much your family should pay toward tuition, you may wind up with very different offers from different schools. In fact, the amount of aid you are offered can be one of the factors you consider when choosing the right private school.

Examples of a Personal Statement for Your Success!

Examples of a Personal Statement for Your Success! Personal Statement as a Step towards Your Future Probably you have already met the term ‘personal statement’, when reading college requirements for an application form. Together with a statement of purpose, it is a compulsory part of your application, which makes it very important and should be taken seriously. We understand how tempted students are to complete the form as soon as possible, but it is important to focus on every stage, avoiding the most common mistakes, which students do day after day. Once you understand what to write about, it will be much easier to write your personal statement. Definition of a personal statement Personal statement greatly differs from other papers you need to submit when entering a college. That is why it may greatly puzzle you at first, even if you are an experienced student. Personal statement is a paper, where you need to explain why you can become a valuable member of the college’s community and to tell about your personality. Personal statement also has other names, which include a personal essay, admission essay, reflective essay and sometimes even a narrative essay. Despite the chosen term, your main goal is to describe your potential, goals, hopes and dreams, which make you the best candidate for the chosen college. When you work on a personal statement, you need to prove that your values, academic background and non-educational aspects impact your academic success. There are no common rules for a personal statement, so you can show your creativity and ideas when working on the paper. However, you should always stick to the rules and requirements, provided by the college or university. College statement types When it comes to writing, you won’t find a single form for all types of assignments. Personal statement is not an exception and has two main types to offer: Comprehensive/ general personal statement. It gives the applicant maximum freedom concerning the things you are willing to discuss. It is also called an open-topic essay and doesn’t have any requirements other than formatting peculiarities, indicated by the college. Basically, through this type of a personal statement you need to represent yourself in the best way; Answer on a certain question. When you are asked to deliver such type of a personal statement, you will also be given a question to answer. It will reflect your skills, knowledge, experience, future plans, etc. In addition, personal statements can be divided into college, undergraduate and programs ones. Personal statement for college Such personal statements are usually delivered through an essay. This admission essay type is more complicated and advanced. In most of the cases, you will have to answer a certain question, because a graduate should already possess independent thinking and have an opinion on the most complicated issues. By the time you graduate, you are expected to think critically and have life experience. This means that you possess a clear understanding of what you are willing to study and how a particular program can help you in achieving your goals. Don’t forget that most programs provide financial assistance if a student returns to the institution for researching or teaching. This explains why most personal statements of graduates contain interests of the applicant in a professional and academic field, rather in a personal one. Undergraduate personal statement When undergraduate students are asked to write application essays they usually need to deliver general statements. This means that you can write about anything and pick a topic, which will reflect your personality and motivation in the best light. So why undergraduate students usually write open-topic essays and not an answer to a specific question? The reason is simple: high school graduates still lack experience and don’t have a clear picture of what they want to do after college. They are open to new skills and knowledge, so giving a response on a particular topic may not be the most suitable option. For an undergraduate personal statement, the best option will be to show how the student is exploring own personality and the world around. Students need to describe what makes them passionate, how they interact with others and whether they are willing to contribute to society. Personal statement writing Every day thousands of thoughts run through our minds, but when it comes to writing we can feel a lack of ideas and inspiration. Everything becomes even more complicated when you know that your future college admission depends on the quality of your writing. However, you shouldn’t feel desperate, because there are tips and advice, which will make it much easier to write a personal statement even if you are out of ideas! Personal statement is not a regular high school or college assignment, which you complete just to get a grade and move on. It requires lots of devotion, analysis and critical thinking. You need to understand your own dreams, hopes, passions and background in order to deliver a great essay. To simplify the process just follow our guidelines: Take enough time to understand what information you want to render or how to give an answer to the required question; Start working on the first draft without thinking about possible mistakes and length of the essay. Just write down everything that comes to your mind; Don’t be in a hurry. Make sure you have enough time to complete every stage step-by-step without a necessity to write your personal statement in a day; Make sure you have a dictionary nearby. It will help you to choose the most proper words and show how good your vocabulary skills are; Always concentrate on your strong sides but provide clear examples instead of simply talking about how good you are; Never compare your statement to those of others. Every student has own perception of the world, experience and skills; Read the statement aloud to detect its weak points. Personal statement structure It is not a secret that at least half of your statement’s success lays in proper formatting. That is why you need to follow the common outline really carefully. Brief introduction You should always start your admission essay with an introduction, which gives brief information about your motivations and interests. Introduction is a paragraph, which aims to catch the attention of readers, motivate them to learn more about your personality. In a personal statement, introduction acts as a hook. Achievements and academic interests It doesn’t matter whether you are an undergraduate or a graduate: you already have an academic experience to share. Always focus on facts without exaggerating anything. Write about your achievements, interests and plans for your future education and career. If you are a graduate student, you can briefly describe interesting classes you have taken and professors you have had. Background experience If you are asked to write an essay on a free topic, you should devote a paragraph to your background experience, which had a solid impact on your education and life. However, it shouldn’t be related to your school or college life. Out-of-class activities You may think that this section is about your hobbies, but actually it must focus on activities, which are still associated with the chosen field. You can include information about your volunteering projects, activities outside of school and other fields, which contributed to choosing a particular program or college. Publications and other accomplishments In case you have any publications, here is a section to mention them. However, this paragraph is mostly created for graduates, who already have researched to discuss. Why you have chosen a particular program or college It is always a good idea to tell the board why you decided to stop your search on the particular program and college if you didn’t add such information to the introductory section. Conclusion Finish your statement with a paragraph, which summarizes your strong sides and explains why you are a perfect fit for the chosen college or program. Your conclusion should be strong and make a great impression on the committee! What makes a great personal statement Now, when you know the key requirements to the format and content of your personal statement, it is the right time to get familiar with general tips: Remain natural and enthusiastic, remembering about your personal style; Make sure your humor is appropriate. The board may not have a similar sense of humor, so you may only harm yourself; Decide what message you are willing to render and work on it; Always include examples; Try not to be general; If possible, avoid controversial subjects and comments, because you don’t know who will be reading your statement; Once your first draft is ready, you need to proofread and edit it to make sure it meets all of the requirements and the necessary word count. Elements of a personal statement If you want your statement to grab the attention of the committee, it should contain the following elements: Explanation of why you are willing to take the chosen course; Evidence, which demonstrates that you meet all of the necessary criteria and have researched the profession and course; Details on how you have grown your interest in a subject outside the class; Explanation why you have chosen their college to continue education; Tell about your experience, explaining what you have learned and how it helped to grow your interest in the chosen field; Demonstration of transferable skills; Acknowledgment of your critical thinking; Brief enumeration of your goals. Apart from knowing what to include to your personal statement, don’t forget about the things you shouldn’t do: Never copy-paste parts of your older personal statements; Don’t include irrelevant data or too personal details; Avoid clichà ©s; Meaningless lists; Complicated expressions; Negative excuses and comments; Claims without any proofs. Examples of a personal statement Success of your personal statement always depends on a careful topic selection and in lots of practice. The more time you devote to writing such an essay, the simpler it will be for you to write your personal statement in future. Below you will find examples of statements for graduate and undergraduate levels. Examples of college personal statements topics Why are you willing to enter a graduate program? How it interlinks with your career aspirations? What are your admission qualifications? Picture your career in a five years time; What events or experiences grew your interest in the chosen program? The biggest professional challenges you are facing at the moment and how the chosen program can help in overcoming them? Sample #1 When we see a teenager, carrying a journal we usually think that he or she has things to hide. For me, a journal means much more and helps to put all of the emotions into words. I remember one day at school when I experienced hundreds of emotions at once. In a moment I was bored and then angry, filled with hopes and despair at the same time. That is when I decided to start a journal. For less than an hour, I wrote five poems. I read them carefully over and over again and felt proud that I was able to turn negative emotions into creativity. Starting from that day I carried my journal with me anywhere I went. It gave me a feeling of security and peace, and I knew that even if I didn’t have the inspiration to write, I could reread my stories and poems. In some way my journal helped me to overcome emotions and curb them. However, any time I took it out, my classmates were trying to see what was inside. At first, I was hiding the journal in my bag, but as I grew more confident, I started offering them to read my poems or write their own if they wanted to. I changed my thoughts about owning such a journal, when I saw how much happier people became, when I was giving them my journal. Very soon my book became a common possession and contained emotions of different people. My classmates trusted me and expressed themselves through poems, songs, drawings and stories. Many of them were so inspired that decided to start their own journals. That is when I realized that owning a journal could have a therapeutic effect. Having that book gave me a feeling that I was capable of everything, I could achieve anything I wanted to and that made me feel great! Journalism  had a great influence on my life, so I want to major Media and Communication to make my own thoughts and thoughts of people to be heard worldwide. I am ready to be the person, who transmits others’ emotions, shares them with the society and helps to transform negativism into something bright and positive. That is why I love journalism  so much! Any time I feel like there are too many emotions and thoughts in my head, I put them on paper and express myself in any way I want. I never thought that such a simple experience may change my whole life. For some people, journalism  can be a clichà ©, but for me, it is a whole new world, which helps me to remain focused, sane and open to the world. Examples of undergraduate personal statements topics Tell about the event or achievement that lead to your personal growth and understanding of your personality; Discuss the time, when you had to face a certain challenge. What impact it had on you and what lessons you have learned from it? Tell about a problem you are solving or would want to solve; Who inspires you the most? What things do you want to achieve in life? Example #2 We are living in the times when media and internet have occupied firm positions in every person’s life. It will be fair to say that the media has the most solid impact on society. Education is very important because it helps us to share personal views on various things and helps us get ready for the future carrier. I want to combine both education and media because I dream of becoming a journalist. While media is powerful and has a positive impact on millions of people, there are also many dishonest journalists, who only care about how many clicks their reports and posts will gain. That is why I want to contribute to society and use Internet platforms to give people information on important problems and issues. Even though I don’t have many years of experience working as a journalist, I still have a solid education with knowledge on how to build my future career. During my high school years I have been working as an editor of the website and school paper. I reported on the latest events and covered problems of students, stirring debates and discussions. Due to my work ethics and aspirations, I always meet deadlines and move myself forward to learn more about every topic. I want to become part of the program for many reasons. A thorough research made me realize that your program is perfect for achieving all of my aspirations in the chosen field. With its help I will greatly improve my writing skills, sharpen my knowledge and grow on both professional and a personal level. Professional assistance Once you have written a personal statement you may think that it is time to breathe out. However, if you want to be accepted, you can’t deliver your paper without editing it. Unfortunately, we are not objective when it comes to evaluating our own works. We see the paper as we imagine it, not as it really is. That is when our editors and proofreaders can be of great help! Our professional specialists have many years of experience and can improve your paper with ease. They will polish your personal statement and give valuable tips on how to achieve the best results. In case you don’t have enough time to write your personal statement or want to entrust it to professionals, you can contact us or leave a request through the order form. Writing a personal statement will improve the following aspects: Your writing skills; Chances of being accepted; Spelling; Grammar; Formatting; Your tranquility.

Discussion 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Discussion 7 - Essay Example A number of experimental research designs are available for use in general social research (Srinagesh). A quasi-experimental study is a type of experiment that examines outcomes. However, they do not involve randomly assigning participants to treatment and control groups. A quasi experiment study might compare outcomes for individuals receiving program activities with outcomes for a similar group of individuals not receiving program activities. This type of study might compare outcomes for one group of individuals before and after the group’s involvement in a program. Quasi experimental designs are very useful because of their ability to inform the discussions of cause and effect; however, unlike other experimental approaches such as true experimental studies, they cannot definitively establish this link (Creswell). In this discussion two articles are used one using the experimental approach and the other using the quasi experimental approach. In the first article titled Learning social studies through mastery approach. The study involved two groups the experiment group and the control group. There were two independent variables in this case and they include: mastery learning strategy and conventional strategy. The dependent variable was only one and this was performance in social studies (Adeyemi). In the second article titled an analysis of the interactive behaviors of self-learning management in a web-based Moodle e-learning platform. The independent variables in this case were the Moodle learning platform and the traditional instruction. The dependent variables included obtaining the basic energy concept, submission of homework through the homework section and submission of project reports through homework section (Liao and Lin). In the first article, treatment involved the researcher obtaining course contents in social studies. These were then formed into one

Evaluating the effectiveness of training on local employees in Asian Research Paper

Evaluating the effectiveness of training on local employees in Asian hospitality industries as a European human resources manager - Research Paper Example The Asian hospitality industry is in a constant state of evolution in a variety of ways.Primarily,changing social,economic and cultural values as a product of globalization and industrial development have improved accessibility of tourism-related locations to foreign customers and have also changed the methodology by which local employees interact with a broad demographic base of customers. As Asian countries become more developed and sustain competitive hospitality industries, the need to understand the diverse and complex lifestyles and attitudes of foreign (and sometimes domestic) visitors becomes a paramount need in order to satisfy clients and create a positive brand reputation for the specific hospitality business. Visitors maintain unique preferences and demands when it comes to their tourism experience and since front line employees are the first point of contact for these customers, it is imperative that the staff understands these needs and are offered appropriate training to make customer experiences rewarding and ensure long-term loyalty to the hospitality brand. In Asian hospitality industries that are led by expatriate European human resources managers, it becomes more difficult to streamline training and understand what drives local employee values, cultures and general beliefs related to lifestyle and the workplace environment. There are significant cultural differences between European leadership and Asian culture, thus making the job of providing adequate training even more difficult. This proposed research study evaluates the effectiveness of training on local employees in the Asian hospitality industry when considering the influence of European human resource management principles and ideals. 2. Literature review This section undertakes a review and analysis of existing literature on the Asian hospitality industry, cultural principles, and European values when or if they are extended into Asian businesses. 2.1 Cultural frameworks One primary understanding that needs to be explored in this proposed research study is the difference between European leadership and Asian employees at the cultural level. European human resources managers generally hail from cultures that are globalized and have a long-standing industrialized and commercial history. Much of this influence has come from Western countries, such as the United States, that acted as the framework for much of the modern human resources principles being used in a variety of industries today. European leaders are from individualistic societies, under Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Framework, whereby managers and employees value self-expression and independence in the workplace and tend to value personal goal attainment over that of group goal-setting and group-oriented rewards (Blodgett, Bakir & Rose, 2008). In this type of organisation or culture, individualists seek more decision-making authority and job role autonomy in order to remain loyal and satisfied so that they can become performance-oriented and seek to meet strategic goals. This individualistic attitude drives the majority of their human resources policies as it relates to employee training and learning. In Asian cultures, however, there is a strong, historical trend toward collectivism. This type of culture values group norms and group affiliation over individualized expression where â€Å"they view themselves as a member of an extended family, place group interests ahead of individual needs, and value reciprocation of favours and respect for tradition† (Blodgett et al, p.339). Employees that have strong collectivist values often seek opinion and networking from peers and operate well in very structured, centralized management hierarchies. Collectivists

Etude House Essay Example for Free

Etude House Essay Introduction Etude House is a Korean cosmetic brand with a particular focus on fun makeup products offers creative and unique products characterized by sensational colours and the up-to-date trends. The brand was founded in 1966 and incorporated by Amore Pacific in 1990. Etude’s name was inspired by Polish Composer Frederic Chopin’s Studies for the piano. Their mission is to beautify young women through lovely products and friendly counseling, therefore, their products are more targeted towards the youth market. Etude House Singapore, had its grand opening in Singapore in June 2009. In recent years, the Korean wave, namely Hallyu, has entered and became rather popular here in Singapore, and Etude house itself being a Korean brand, uses Korean pop stars to market their products, attracting the masses of Hallyu fans. The company utilises on the few factors of Microenvironmental forces and Macroenvironmental forces and uses them to market their products to the market in Singapore. I will be looking into the few forces they are using to do so. Macroenvironmental Forces The macroenvironment consists of larger societal forces that affect the microenvironment. Two of the potential forces that affects the marketing of Etude House would be the market’s Cultural and Demographic forces. Cultural http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9781405131995_yr2012_chunk_g978140513199516_ss5-1 Korean pop culture does not have any religion or race attached to it, therefore, it appeals to most of the Singapore market’s secondary beliefs. Korean Pop culture, or Hallyu, has made its way into Singapore and became rather popular over the past 3 years. Young adults are influenced by Korean culture through Korean dramas and music. With reference to the above source, it cites that the strong Korean culture has made its way through the world, including Singapore, with its blockbuster movies, television programmes, its fashion as well as its music. Therefore, with these influence, Singapore becomes a potential location to market Etude house’s products, using the influence of Korean pop stars like the boy band Shinee, and Sandara Park from the popular girl band 2ne1, attracting the masses of young female adults mainly, to purchase their cosmetics. http://blog.korea.net/?p=10610 The above source describes how the Korean stars look so natural and beautiful onscreen and links it to the usage of products from Etude House, this way, they are able to influence their target market on trying out their products so they can look beautiful and natural too. Demographic As Etude House’s main target audience are female young adults, Singapore would deem to be a good location to market themselves. As the demographics of Singapore suggests, from http://www.indexmundi.com/singapore/demographics_profile.html, there is a large percentage of population aged 15 – 64, and out of these, more than half of them are females. This statistic greatly suits the target market of Etude House, therefore they are able to more effectively market their products to the needs of our population demographics. Microenvironmental Forces The Microenvironment consists of the actors and forces outside the marketing that affect marketing management’s ability to build and maintain successful relationships with target customers. One of the forces that affects Etude House greatly is the customers. Customers Since Etude house originates from Korea and it has branched out into many parts of the world, including Singapore, it greatly relies on the consumer

Transcending Herbert Marcuse on Alienation, Art and the Humanities Essa

Transcending Herbert Marcuse on Alienation, Art and the Humanities (1) ABSTRACT: This paper discusses how higher education can help us in accomplishing our humanization. It looks at the critical educational theory of Herbert Marcuse, and examines his notion of the dis-alienating power of the aesthetic imagination. In his view, aesthetic education can become the foundation of a re-humanizing critical theory. I question the epistemological underpinnings of Marcuse's educational philosophy and suggest an alternative intellectual framework for interpreting and releasing the emancipatory power of education. "Truth is ugly. We possess art lest we perish of the truth." Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power #822 What is the relationship of truth to beauty, learning to art, political education to human flourishing? Philosophers from Confucius and Aristotle to John Dewey and Paulo Freire have investigated, as the axial human problem, how education is to help us in accomplishing our own humanization. The contemporary search for a genuinely critical theory and an authentically democratic society continues that project. But what can make theory critical, education liberating, society democratic? It is necessary to theorize our society critically if we are to have a vehicle for correctly informed transformative practice. The problem is that much of what is called critical theory today is rooted in ideas developed by Herbert Marcuse, Max Horkheimer, Theodor W. Adorno, and Georg Lukacs. What I want to argue here is that their work has tended to formulate a particular approach to aesthetic educationand a unique version of a philosophical humanismwhich is then presented as critical theoryagainst the debilitating fragmentation ... ...88); Jurgen Habermas, "Von Lukacs zu Adorno: Rationalisierung als Verdinglichung," in Theorie des kommunikativen HandelnsBand I (Fft: Suhrkamp, 1981). (4) Karl Marx, Das Kapital(Stuttgart: Alfred Kroener Verlag, 1965) p. 52. (5) Aeron Haynie, Imperialism and the Construction of Femininity in Mid-Victorian Fiction(Gainesville: University of Florida, Ph.D. dissertation, 1994). (6) Martin Heidegger in Marcuse's notes to seminar, "Heidegger, Einfuhrung in das akademische Studium. Sommer 1929" Herbert Marcuse Archiv of the Stadt- und Universit. tsbibliothek, Frankfurt, Catalog # 0013.01, p. 6. Works Cited 1941 RR Reason and Revolution, Hegel and the Rise of Social Theory (Boston:Beacon, 1960). 1972 CR Counterrevolution and Revolt (Boston: Beacon, 1972). 1978 AD The Aesthetic Dimension, Toward a Critique of Marxist Aesthetics (Boston: Beacon, 1978).

Hannah’s Prayer

DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY OT NARRATIVE LITERATURE: 1 Samuel 1:1-28 BIBLE STUDY SUBMITTED TO DR. BLACKABY IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE APPLIED HERMENUTICS THEO 5313 01 GRADUATE SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP BY Glenda Juarez DALLAS, TEXAS February 19, 2013 Outline for the bible study * Introduction * Context of the Bible Study * Literary Context * Historical Context * Characters * Content of the Bible Study * Exegetical Notes * Theological Principles Application of the Bible Study * Bibliography INTRODUCTION 1 Samuel is one the two books that have his name, the firsts chapters describes event as his birth, his childhood, his calling and develops his important place in history as a prophet to introduce people like Saul and David that will mark the history of Israel in such a great way. We are focusing on the first chapter of 1 Samuel, which shows us the background of Samuel’s birth through his father Elkanah and his mother Hannah.Scholars agree that is not reve aled with precision the author of 1 and 2 Samuel, but according to the Scriptures is believed that the prophets Samuel, Nathan and Gad were authors of these wonderful events in the history of the Bible. Samuel became a man of God used for his glory, but before this happened, he was consecrated by his mother Hannah, a woman of God and faith. This first chapter will help us to learn from each character in this passage and to apply principles and to give steps of faith in our own lives. CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE STUDY Literary Context: The first chapter of 1 Samuel opens the introduction of a family, of a woman who is added to the list of many other women in the Bible that could not have children. The main character in this chapter is Hannah, a woman deeply broken for not having children. * The first chapter of 1 Samuel follows Judges. â€Å"The last chapters of the book of Judges, with their refrain, there was no king in Israel, (Jdg. 21:25) prepares the way for new developments in Israel ’s leadership†. * The time at Israel was crucial in history because it was transitioning from the rule of the judges, for they did whatever the want to do. Israel felt the need of who would unite tribes, have an effective standing army, and be a match for those who led their enemies to victory† * Israel was struggling with the different opinions of the people they were asking and desiring for a king to reign over them, and here comes in the story the leadership of Samuel who years after with God’s authority was going to set a man as the King. * Samuel’s birth opened the new era of monarchy. Historical Context * It is though that the story takes place in the â€Å"era of the Judges†, but introducing new characters that will be develop in the two books of Samuel. Based on David Toshio, he mentions: â€Å"It was not until ca. 1200 B. C. that iron technology influences every phase of life. With this as the historical background, the First Book of Samuel begins. † * Toshio agrees with Baldwin that the first book of Samuel is placed in the â€Å"period of the judges†, probably in the mid-eleventh century. Characters: * Elkanah: Man from Ramathaim, who had two wives. A man that yearly offered sacrifice to worship the Lord. (v. 3) * Hannah: Wife of Elkanah who loved her and which had no children. (v. 5) * Peninnah: one of Elkanah’s wife. A jellous woman who provoked Hannah to irritate her. v. 6) * Eli: Priest that talked to Hannah, who thought she was drunk, but who believes that God answer prayers. (v. 18) * Hophi and Phineas: Two sons of Eli that were priests in Shilo. (v. 3) * Samuel: Meaning: â€Å"Because I asked the Lord for Him†. (v. 20) The son of Hannah and Elkanah, a gift from God dedicated to him, a man who years later established kingship in Israel. Places * Ramathaim-Zophim (Ramah): means â€Å"high† * Shiloh: city that was twelve milles far away from Ramah, place where Elkanahâ₠¬â„¢s family offered sacrifices to God every year. CONTENT OF THE BIBLE STUDY Exegetical Notes * v. A man from Ramathaim; Elkanah the ephramite. â€Å"The phrase ‘the Ephrathities’: can refer either to ‘those hailing from Ephrath’ or ‘Ephraimites,’ members of the northern tribe of Ephraim† (Jdg 12:5). Toshio relates Elkanah as an ephramite but that he might have been of bethelehemite stock rather than being ephramite even he lived in the hill country of Ephraim. * v. 2, 5 Elkanah had two wives. In Israel was acceptable under certain circumstances, when his first wife failed to have children. This was the case of Elkanah, he married Hannah for love, and this love persisted even she did not have children. * v. -4 There was a yearly action that Elkanah and his family did. â€Å"Elkanah’s inclination and ability to take his family on an annual pilgrimage to Shiloh suggest that he was pious and also a man of some substance†. Elk anah seemed to be fair with his family. * v. 6-8 Peninnah was her tormentor, she was jealous and provoked Hannah in despite Elkanah love her. For women in the ancient Israel the honor and reputation was measured by the amount of children they had. It was hard for Hannah to deal with her situation plus the rivalry of Peninnah, she probably felt ashamed of before Peninnah’s attitude, she felt unuseful as Elkanah’s ife, and she wept for her sorrow and for the desire of any woman in the world. * v. 9-11 â€Å"I will give him to the Lord† suggests that Hannah that God has all the power to open the womb. â€Å"Hannah took the opportunity to pray† she had no hesitation, she did not realize Eli was there, her desperation, her cried, her sorrow moved her to pray and express to God what she was going through. She dedicated her son, the thing she was asking a son, and she made a vow to God. â€Å"Vow accounts are always prayers and they follow a typical order.By ma king the vow the worshipper enters into a binding relationship with God† â€Å"The sentence I will give him to the Lord has a performative force; it shows not only that Hannah promises it but also that she has already given him by faith† * v. 12-18 It begins a dialogue with Eli, her agony captures the attention of Eli that he thought she was drunk. Can you imagine that picture? Have you prayed in that way? â€Å"The expression pouring out my soul denotes not simply an inward state of one’s heart or mind but an involvement of the whole being† Hannah responds to Eli in a positive way, after we see in v. she did not want to eat because of her pain and sadness she left and she ate v. 18 She was deeply encouraged because of the words Eli told her which she took them as God’s promise. * v. 19 The next morning they arose and worshipped before the Lord. â€Å"Though the family made an early start, they worshipped before the setting off for home. The Lord r emembered Hannah, as he had remembered Noah (Gen 8:1), and his suggest covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Ex. 2:24), not to suggest that his memory was faulty but to indicate that He was about to work out his unfolding purpose† * v. 0 Hannah named her son: SAMUEL â€Å"Because I asked the Lord for him†. These were the words Hannah said when she named her son. However scholars agree that this meaning will go better with the name of Saul, and that the meaning of Samuel comes from â€Å"the Name of God† * v. 21-25 â€Å"Samuel was probably about three years old before he was taken to the house of the Lord at Shiloh† Elkanah and Hannah returned Samuel to God, and the boy ministered to the Lord before Eli (1 Sam 2:11) * v. 26-28 Here the dedication of Hannah is completed and irrevocable.Hannah worshipped God and recognized the gift He gave her, recognized His power to answer her prayer and dedicated his son to the Lord. Theology Principles * â€Å"The con sistent worship offered by Elkanah and his family year by year set a positive example of faithful and godly living† * Hannah’s pain took her to pray and seek God’s answer of love. * God turns our sorrows to joy and peace. * A vow to God, talked about Hannah’s faith and trust in the Lord. * Fulfilling a vow reflects Obedience. * Hannah’s prayer could be a selfish prayer, but when things come from God, He answers to take all the Glory and Honor.APPLICATION OF THE BIBLE STUDY It is amazing how the study of the Scriptures takes you to know things that maybe sometimes we do not think about them. Hannah’s is the main character in this passage, her faith in the Lord, her honest prayer the way she pours out her broken heart before God, and how God works for us to give him the glory. I will mention some applications I found through this Bible Study: * As humans we will have to deal with people that will provoke, and through Hannah’s attitude we need to be controlled and not respond them in the same way and be humbled because God exalts the humble and listen to him. Psalms 10:17) * The Lord closed Hannah’s womb (1 Sam 1:5); there are things that God has set already in our lives in which He has the control over them, but Hannah fought against her situation, self-esteem, and the mockery and thoughts the people had about her, we will face hard sad and desperate moments in life, but we need to be ready to fight and to know the value we have in God, no matter our situation. * Cry out to our God in perseverance. (v. 11) God will respond. (Jer 33:3) * Give a step in faith and make a vow to God.He will receive you. (Heb 11:6) * Worship, worship, worship! In bad in good, in trouble in peace. Worship Him, Hannah worshipped him in her agony but also worshipped God when He provides and satisfied the desires of her heart. * Value the people is on your side, Elkanah was a good man that loved Hannah in every situation, open your e yes and love the people that has been with you in the happy and hard moments of your life. * Hannah was a great model of person, recognize always the sovereing and the power that only God has. BIBLIOGRAPHY . Baldwin, Joyce G. , 1 and 2 Samuel An Introduction And Commentary (England: Inter Varsity Press, 1988) 2. Toshio Tsumura, David The First Book of SAMUEL (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, 2007) 3. Buttrick, George Arthur et al. , The Interpreter’s Bible The Holy Scriptures (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1953) 4. Cartledge, Tony W. Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary 1 & 2 Samuel (Georgia: Smyth & Helwys, 2001) 5. Allen, Clifton J. The Broadman Bible Commentary Volume 3 1 Samuel-Nehemiah (Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1970) ——————————————- [ 1 ]. Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel An Introduction And Commentary (England: Inter Varsity Press, 1988), 49 [ 2 ]. Ibid. , 49 [ 3 ]. Ibid. , 50 [ 4 ]. David Toshio Tsumura The First Book of SAMUEL (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, 2007), 34 [ 5 ]. Ibid. , 103 [ 6 ]. George Arthur Buttrick et al. , The Interpreter’s Bible The Holy Scriptures (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1953), 876 [ 7 ]. Toshio Tsumura, 107 [ 8 ]. Tony W.Cartledge Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary 1 & 2 Samuel (Georgia: Smyth & Helwys, 2001), 27 [ 9 ]. Clifton J. Allen The Broadman Bible Commentary Volume 3 1 Samuel-Nehemiah (Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1970), 13 [ 10 ]. Toshio Tsumura, 114 [ 11 ]. Cartledge, 27 [ 12 ]. Buttrick et, all. , 880 [ 13 ]. Baldwin, 52 [ 14 ]. Cartledge, 32 [ 15 ]. Toshio Tsumura, 118 [ 16 ]. Ibid. , 121 [ 17 ]. Ibid. , 122 [ 18 ]. Baldwin 53 [ 19 ]. Buttrick et al. , 881 [ 20 ]. Allen, 15 [ 21 ]. Buttrick et al. , 882 [ 22 ]. Baldwin, 52