Cheap Out-of-State Colleges Top 25 Most Affordable

Cheap Out-of-State Colleges Top 25 Most Affordable SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re hoping to be far from home for college but are worried about the cost of an out-of-state school, you might run into some issues in the application process. How do you find out-of-state schools that still offer relatively cheap tuition? In this article, I’ve compiled a list of schools that offer the lowest tuition rates and highest rates of institutional aid to out-of-state students who choose to attend. Keep reading to learn what these schools are! What Are Cheap Out-of-State Colleges? First off,it's important to keep in mind that public collegesare the only schools where the moniker "out-of-state" will have any meaning for you tuition-wise.Public colleges usually offer far higher tuition rates for out-of-state students than they do for in-state students, whereasprivate colleges aren't concerned with students' residential statuses. Therefore, you’ll only see public colleges on this list (in other words, schools whose tuition price would be affected based on whether or not you live in the state). I decided that the cutoff for "cheap" colleges would be schools with tuition and fees lower than $15,000. Currently,the average public school tuition and fees for out-of-state residents is $26,290, andI wanted to pick schools that cost significantly less than average for students hoping to attend from out of state. I’ve included the cost for room and board at each of these schools because tuition and fees are often less than the price of room and board.I’m hoping this will give you a better idea of the real cost of attending these colleges. I’ll also provide statistics onhow much aid is typically offered to students at each college so you can see how generous these schools are in helping out students who can’t afford to pay full tuition. Finally, I’ve included stats for admissions rates and enrollment to help you get a better idea of the size and competitiveness of these schools.I did not include schools with open enrollment,so these colleges all have some degree of competitiveness (even if their acceptance rates are in the 90s). The 25 Cheapest Out-of-State Colleges These schools are listed in order of net cost from lowest to highest(based on tuition and fees +room and board −average annual institutional aid). Though some schools might have higher tuition prices, they make up for it by offering generous financial aid to students. Note that some schools did not provide info on average financial aid packages for students; this does not necessarily mean these schools they don't offer any aid to students. All data below comes from the College Board, and all costs are for fall 2018. School Tuition Fees Room Board Avg. Aid Package Acceptance Rate Undergrad Enrollment 1.Minot State University $7,064 $6,610 $9,946 69% 2,956 2.Southwest Minnesota State University $8,632 $7,985 $9,766 62% 6,526 3.Southern Arkansas University $12,786 $6,240 $12,154 69% 3,475 4.Mayville State University $9,399 $7,840 $10,027 48% 1,097 5.Central State University $8,346 $10,232 $,352 48% 1,784 6.West Texas AM University $10,476 $7,196 $9,767 61% 7,394 7.Harris-Stowe State University $9,973 $9,250 $,146 40% 1,442 8.South Dakota School of Mines and Technology $14,021 $8,440 $14,379 - 2,421 9.Henderson State University $10,086 $7,504 $9,279 80% 2,832 10.Louisiana State University Alexandria $14,230 - $5,836 - 3,372 .Northern State University $,471 $8,029 $10,752 88% 3,162 12.Midwestern State University $10,969 $8,877 $10,955 81% 5,330 13.Bemidji State University $8,696 $8,408 $8,025 66% 4,833 14.Alcorn State University $7,144 $9,608 $7,581 40% 3,172 15.Southeastern Oklahoma State University $15,390 $6,970 $13,097 72% 3,070 16.Truman State University $14,581 $8,780 $13,306 67% 5,898 17.University of Minnesota Morris $15,342 $8,342 $12,851 64% 1,627 18.Dakota State University $12,249 $6,873 $7,789 84% 2,962 19.University of South Dakota $12,425 $8,216 $8,620 87% 7,648 20.University of Nebraska at Kearney $14,503 $9,878 $12,008 82% 4,843 21.Missouri Southern State University $13,934 $6,865 $8,367 95% 6,021 22.Oklahoma Panhandle State University $9,133 $4,695 - - 1,138 23.Southwestern Oklahoma State University $13,935 $5,830 $5,769 - 4,623 24. Rogers State University $15,210 $8,616 $9,422 83% 3,696 25. Arkansas Tech University $15,848 $7,870 $9,235 95% 10,781 Fort Hays State University campus- though I'm not sure why this picture makes it look like a miniature model ... Why Are These Colleges So Cheap for Out-of-State Students? Why are the tuition prices on this list so low? For a significant number of these schools, there is no difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition. With the increasing level of competitiveness in higher education, less well-known schools are using low prices to entice students to attend. The affordability of a college education has become a huge concern as tuition prices continue to rise at most schools. The best way for more obscure schools to increase their viability in the higher education market is to lower their price tags. This gets them on lists of "best value" schools (like this one!) and leads to a strong reputation for caring about the financial struggles of students. Some of these schools are simplydedicated to reducing the impact of financial concerns on those who choose to attend their college,whether they're in state or out of state. For example, Delta State University charges the same tuition rate for all students regardless of their residential status, stating that, "These rates are established to increase financial equity, reduce the impact of financial considerations on educational policy, and increase uniformity across the university." A Final Word: Remember, It’s Not All About Cost After seeing the low price tags on all these schools, you might be tempted to forego your other priorities in favor of a loan-free future.However, there are many factors to consider besides cost in the college search process. Even if you know it will be difficult for you to pay for college, many schools offer generous financial aid packages to those with demonstrated need.Avoid sacrificing your preferences for location, academic programs, and campus life just so you can spend less money on college. Before you make a decision based on how expensive a school is,think about the following: How big the school isand whether you think you’ll prefer a large or small environment Where the school is located in the country and whether it lines up with how far away from home you want to be The school'sprogram strengths and whether they align with your own interests- what opportunities do you want to have available to you in college? The social scene- do you want to be at a party school or one that caters toward smaller gatherings? Are you interested in Greek life at all? Overall quality of academics based on its admissions rate and student feedback The environment beyond the campus- do you prefer a large city or a small town? Once you’ve made up your mind about these key factors, you can move on to comparing schools based on financial criteria.It’s OK to compromise on some things, but be sure you know what’s most important to you so you end up with the best possible college experience. If you’re not sure where to start and need more specific advice, readour step-by-step guide to the college search process.You can also look at some highly reviewed college search websites to learn more information about schools that interest you. What's Next? Still not sure what you're looking for in a college? Read our articles on whether you should go to a school close to home and whether you should attend a large or small college. Application fees are the first hurdle you'll have to overcome when paying for college. Take a look at this list of colleges that don't charge any application fees to see whether you might be able to save some money in the application process. Many of the schools on this list have fairly small student bodies. Read this article to learn what you should expect from a small college environment and to figure out whether it's really the best choice 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:

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 36

Management - Essay Example use it maximises the â€Å"must† and â€Å"want† criteria, as well as having lowered uncertainty and risks through the lowest negative impact on the environment and employees, while Brand B is the second choice because it is satisficing in relation to the minimal criteria of â€Å"must† and â€Å"want.† Brand A is chosen because it has the most points when it comes to the â€Å"must† and â€Å"want† features and has the lowest risks involved. Brand A has the highest points for meeting the â€Å"must† features of maximum cost, being compatible with related equipment, availability of support services, and having no need for renovation. Aside from meeting the planned budget for the equipment, Brand A has the least negative effects on people and workplace because it is already compatible with resources and space, so it reduces costs for renovation and other physical changes at work that can disrupt everyday routine. In other words, it has the fewest risks of changing the status quo and creating conflicts that might be causes of resistance to changes. Brand A also meets the â€Å"want† features of safety, availability upon delivery date and not needing special training for its use. By being available, a plan for its future use can be set up. By not requiring special training, it has the least consumption of training resources and do not need to change work flows and other work habits. The next most important factors are pricing and flexibility, which Brand A meets. Brand A has a good price, unlike Brand C. Though there is more uncertainty with Brand A because the minimum years of service are not assured compared to other brands, it has the fewest negative effects on employees and the workplace. Brand A has safety features and it is compatible with existing equipment and space that Brand C does not have, for instance. Brand A requires no renovation for existing space and additional special training, which again means less uncertainty for workers. In addition, Brand A has

Budgeting Procedures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Budgeting Procedures - Essay Example The FY 07-08 Budget also reflects the culmination of a substantial effort by City staff to include performance measures for all City programs (Adopted Annual Budget, 2007-08). While this effort is still in its developmental stage, the performance measures will provide a better connection between budget resources and desired outcomes. Usually, annual budgets are adopted on a basis consistent with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and the City uses a cash basis for budgeting governmental funds (Adopted Annual Budget, 2007-08).Yearly appropriated budgets are accepted for the General, Special Revenue, Debt Service and Enterprise Funds. All operating and capital expenditures and revenues are recognized in the budgeting process because of the want for appropriation authority. This paper will therefore focus on analyzing and evaluating the budget. According to the Adopted Annual Budget (2007-08), the process for preparing and adopting the city's annual budget and levying a property tax rate is conducted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 200 of the Florida statutes and the city's code of ordinance. Chapter 200, Florida statues outlines the budget process beginning with the certification of taxable value on or before July 1 by the country property appraiser. The setting of the millage rate and budget involves a formal process also known as Truth in Millage Act. TRIM serves to formalize the tax levying and budget adoption process by requiring a specific method of calculating the tax rate and any increase, the form of notice to property owners, and public hearing and advertisement requirements prior to the adoption of the annual budget and tax rate. Development of the Annual Budget is comprised of three major initiatives: strategic planning and financial trends outlook, 5 year capital improvements programs development and operating budget preparation. The budget is entirely prepared to accept the accounting system at the start of the fiscal year. A number of GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) adjustments are made to reflect balance sheet requirements and their effect on the budget. These include changes in designations and recognition of accrued liabilities. Amounts needed for such long term liabilities as future payoff of accumulated employee vacation and sick leave (i.e. compensated absences) are generally not budgeted but are adjusted or reported for the actual amounts incurred as a result of an employee resignation or retirement. Usually, a four step process is followed to come up with the budget. This involves preliminary planning and preparation, review, adoption and monitoring. During the preliminary planning stage, the city council meets in January/ February to review the city's strategic priorities. Later on (March/April), the council is provided with a financial trends outlook for the city's three operating funds. In a workshop setting, the city council reviews and discusses major budget trends and then provides policy direction for preparation of the upcoming fiscal year budget. The budget preparation stage follows up in January whereby a 5 year CIP process is initiated with various departments. The CIP for the upcoming fiscal year is the only year in which actual funding is appropriated. The five year CIP serves as the basis for

Sample Quality Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sample Quality - Article Example It lowers the cost of carrying out a research, enables faster collection of data, improves the quality of the data, and ensures homogeneity and accuracy of results. This paper will analyze sample quality in the listed articles. In doing this, paper will seek to define the population in each case and quote the sampling method used. It will also explain the choice of the sample and state who participated in the study. It will equally seek to qualify the research to other populations. In deducing, the sampling method used, it will be necessary to define the various sampling methods that we have. Random sampling involves the random selection of sample from the population. In cluster sampling, selection of samples is in clusters close to each other like households in the same estate. Quota sampling involves selection of samples nonrandom according to a fixed quota. Snowball sampling involves the identifying of samples that meet the criteria for inclusion in a study. Purposive sampling involves sampling with a  purpose  in mind.  Availability sampling involves using just the available samples (Trochim Web). In the article by Scott et.al, the population was all Canadian elderly patients with anxiety disorders and clinically significant anxiety symptoms. Quota sampling method selected a sample of 36,984 adults aged 55 years and above who participated in the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2008. The selection of the people in the sample was because they suitably represented the target population.  The actual participants in the study were 12,792 individuals, living in Canada (Scott et.al 792). The researchers cannot generalize it to other populations because the analysis focused on adults aged 55 years and above which are usually the minority in any society. In the Yang et.al study, population was all adolescents 6 months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. Quota sampling selected a sample of 2,463 middle schools and grade 10 students. Their selection was

Hydropower plants Essay Example for Free

Hydropower plants Essay Introduction In this paper I’m going to investigate the characteristics features of the hydropower as one of the potential alternative key energy source. I will discuss advantages and disadvantages of hydropower plans and compare them with the traditional means of energy production. I will also discuss the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of the hydropower plants and investigate their application on the example of the hydropower plants in China and Argentina. I will also touch the topic of legal regulation of the hydropower plants construction and operation. Notion of Hydropower 1. 1. Definition of hydroelectricity The main focus of this paper is hydroelectricity, which can be briefly defined as electricity produced by hydropower. This is a quite potential source of electricity in the contemporary world, which now provides round 715,000 MWe, which constitute about 19% of world electricity . I’m mainly concerned with the advantages and disadvantages of the hydroelectricity, which are the main factors determining the future development of this source of energy. First, let us determine the main advantages of hydroelectricity. 1. 2. Historic facts about the oldest hydropower stations Hydropower can be considered as one of the oldest and one of the most powerful and perspective means of electric power generation. Among the most famous oldest hydro-electric power stations the following can be listed: Cragside, located in Rothbury, England, which was constructed in 1870, Appleton, situated in Wisconsin, USA built in 1882, Niagara Falls in New York completed in 1895, Duck Reach, located in Launceston, Tasmania, operating since 1895, Decew Falls 1, situated in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, which began its work in 1898 . 1. 3. Advantages of hydroelectricity This first aspect to be discussed in this section is the connection between hydroelectricity and economics. Among the main advantages of hydroelectricity is that it eliminates of the cost of fuel. Thus, the cost of the operation of hydroelectric plants is quite low if compared with other means of electricity production. This is particularly important now when the price of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas or coal constantly grows. Hydropower plants do not require the use of fuel . The other economic value of the hydroelectric plants is that they tend to operate much longer than fuel-fired plants. Thus, the usual operation time of the hydroelectric plants is 50 or even up to 100 years ago. Besides, hydroelectric power plants involve fewer personnel due to the fact that they are highly automated. This leads to the reduction of the expenses associated with the high labor cost . Construction of the hydropower plant is particularly justified in the places where a dam has multiple purposes. For example, it was estimated that the construction costs of the Three Gorges Dam will be covered by the electricity sold in just 5 7 years of full generation . The other possible economic benefit of hydroelectric plants is that they can create other activities. For example, well-considered hydroelectric schemes can create picturesque water sports, which draw attention of tourists and become the additional source of revenue. Quite many countries resort to the use of reservoirs for fish farming . Besides, some dams can be used for many purposes. Thus, dams used primarily for irrigation may also serve the source of the constant water supply, which is beneficial for fish farming. The other positive moment of large hydro dams is their ability to control floods. Thus, they are beneficial for the people living downstream of the project. In some cases dams are proved to improve transportation through creation of large reservoirs and elimination of rapids . Further, I would like to discuss the connection between the operation of the hydropower plants and greenhouse gas emissions. On the one hand there is no obvious emission of the carbon dioxide from the hydropower station due to the fact that is doesn’t use fossil fuel, which eliminates this gas in the process of burning. To be fair enough it should be mentioned that still some amount of carbon dioxide, which is eliminated in the process of construction of the hydropower plant, but this is quite unessential amount if compared with the fossil-fuel electricity generation . Still hydropower plants cannot be counted completely safe to the environment and further I will discuss the possible sources of emissions and threats. 1. 4. Disadvantages of hydroelectricity First possible threat of the hydropower plant is that it can have a disruptive effect on the aquatic ecosystems. There are several examples of such harmful influence. Thus, dams at the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America are proven to be the main cause of the reduction of the population of salmon due to the fact that these dams serve a barrier on the salmon way to the spawning grounds upstream. Even construction of fish ladders in salmon habitat seems not to improve the situation . Dams also prevent salmon to migrate to the sea as the fish has to pass through numerous turbines on its way. One of the possible ways out of this situation is the transportation of smolt downstream with the help of by barges. There are still many researches, which focus on the elimination of the harmful effect of the hydropower plants on the aquatic life . The other negative influence of the hydropower plants is their ability to change the downstream river environment. Hydropower plants can have a disruptive effect on the river beds and even lead to the loss of riverbanks due to fact that water exiting a turbine for the most part has a very little suspended sediment. As an example we can view the influence of Glen Canyon Dam, which is proven to contribute to the erosion of sand bars of the Grand Canyon through constant cyclic flow variation . Hydropower plant can also affect the surrounding aquatic live through changing the usual amount of dissolved oxygen in the river. Other possible threats may be attributed to the lower temperature of water exiting from turbines. This can be fatal to some aquatic faunal species. One of the most disruptive effects can be produced by the hydropower projects, which make use of the canals in order to divert a river at a shallower level to increase the head of the scheme. Sometimes this may lead to the complete change of the flow of the river and drying of the old riverbed, like in case of the Tekapo and Pukaki Rivers . However, it should be mentioned that dams of the hydropower plants can affect not only aquatic life. They can also produce a harmful effect on birds. As the possible example of this I can name the influence of dams of the Platte River in Nebraska on the Piping Plover and Sandhill Crane, which are now seriously endangered . As it was discussed above hydropower plants do not typically serve a main contributor of the greenhouse effect. However, it should be mentioned that sometimes reservoirs of hydropower plants particularly in tropical regions may be a source of methane and carbon dioxide emission. This happens because of the decay of the plant material, which involves the creation of methane, one of the main producers of the greenhouse effect. A research conducted by the World Commission on Dams, showed that in cases when the reservoir is large in comparison with the generating capacity of the plant and when there was no prior clearing of the forests, methane emission may be even higher than that of the oil-fired thermal generation plant . However, it should be mentioned that this is true only for the tropical climate. In moderate climate conditions of Canada and Northern Europe the emission of greenhouse gas is not essential and typically constitutes not more than 2 to 8 % of emissions of conventional thermal generation. Numerous contemporary researches focus on the mitigation of the forest decay effect through underwater logging operation . One more disadvantage of hydropower plants operating on large dams is associated with the relocation of the population living on the areas, where the reservoirs are constructed. Although for the most part people get compensation for this forceful relocation, no one can actually estimate spiritual and moral damage caused to the people, who have to leave the places, where their ancestors lived. In extreme cases unwise planning may lead to the loss of the valuable cultural and historic sites as this happened during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China, the Clyde Dam in New Zealand and the Il? su Dam in Southeastern Turkey . Finally, I’d like to discuss one of the most serious potential threats of the hydropower plants operating on large dams. Although quite rare, dam failures can be considered very dangerous and can be compared with the natural disasters. Let us only take a look at the case of the Banqiao Dam failure in China, with caused the death of 171,000 people. Millions of people became homeless. Large dams can be viewed as a weak point in war times as they quite often become a target of enemy bombardment, sabotage and terrorist actions . Besides it should be mentioned that construction of the dam should be carefully considered from the geological point of view. Otherwise it can possibly lead to such disasters as the one happened in case of the Vajont Dam in Italy in 1963, which lead to deaths of 2000 people . Hydroelectric power is one of the oldest and one of the most popular sources of energy, which is considered to have a great future. This is partially due to the fact that it is viewed as a source of renewable energy and it is very valuable in the places with an adequate water source. The main advantage of the hydropower plants is that they give relatively cheap electricity without any visible threat to environment such as waste byproducts and air emissions. Furthermore, hydropower plants are considered as an alternative to other electric plans due to the fact that its product – water – is not consumed in the process of electricity production and is subjected to reuse, which is not possible in many other electricity production processes such as ones using for example fossil fuels . On the other side hydropower has not only positive sides. Among its disadvantages many researchers list negative impact of the hydropower plants on the surrounding area. Hydropower plants operate on the reservoir, which are quite often artificially-made by flooding valleys. Quite often this process involves flooding of places, which used to have towns, farmland or places of interests. Besides, new reservoirs tend to destroy the natural habitats of aquatic life and fish places . But on the other side the same reservoirs create the new conditions, which can be a new habitat for a new aquatic life. Other possible threat is that hydropower operations using run-of-the-river dams are sure to impede the natural process if fish mitigation. This is particularly dangerous to salmon. One of the possible examples of this is problems of Pacific salmon mitigation created by the numerous large dams in the Columbia River Basin . Because of all this concerns the United States do not make emphasis on the hydropower as its main source of electricity production even due to the fact that its natural resources are quite favorable for its development. Thus, we can see that only some 2,400 of the 80,000 dams in the country are used for production of hydroelectric power. Authorities claim that construction of a new hydroelectric power plant is quit costly, but the main fact is that such construction needs much water and land, which could be used for other purposes . Besides, development of the hydropower plants in the USA is impeded by the raising environmental concerns of the public. However, this doesn’t mean that the USA will completely refuse to use hydropower as the possible source of energy. Among the possible future trends, named by the U. S. Geological Survey is the development of the small-scale hydropower plants, which can be used by single communities to generate electricity . 1. 5. Hydropower in comparison with other methods of power generation In order to realize the strengths and weaknesses of the hydropower it is very valuable to compare it with other methods of power generation. As compared with fossil-fuel generated power plants, hydroelectricity eliminates the flue gas emissions. These emissions include such environmental dangerous components as dust, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide and mercury . In comparison with the nuclear power plants, hydroelectric plants are not that powerful. However, they do not present such danger to people and do not serve the source of the nuclear waste. Besides, hydroelectric plants produce electric power with the help of water, which is a renewable energy source, in contrast with uranium . Hydroelectric power plans are also seem an advantage if compared with wind farms. This is mainly due to the fact that they are more reliable and predictable. Wind is a natural factor, which can be subjected to changes, while hydropower plants with a storage reservoir are completely reliable and able to generate power when needed even in case of low water level and rainfalls. Besides, unlike wind farms hydroelectric plants are more easily operated and regulated corresponding to changes in power demand . On the other hand hydropower plants have also some disadvantages if compared with other ways of power production. Thus, we can see that construction of fossil-fueled combustion turbines does not require any specific preliminary studies, while in order to construct an environmentally-friendly hydroelectric plant researchers should carefully conduct site, hydrological studies, and environmental and social impact assessment. In the majority of cases these studies require deep analysis of data up to 50 years old . One more disadvantage of the hydropower plants is their dependence on the level of water. Thus, in case of low rainfall or snowmelt generation of hydroelectricity can be significantly lower. However, as it was mentioned before there exist numerous ways to ensure sufficient power production even in low water years . 1. 6. Hydroelectric power production in the world In order to realize the capacity and the potential of hydroelectric power plants, let’s compare the data of the following table, representing the characteristics of hydroelectric power production in the countries with the most hydro-electric capacity. Country Annual Hydroelectric Energy Production(TWh) Installed Capacity (GW) Load Factor Peoples Republic of China [8] 416. 7 128. 57 0. 37 Canada 350. 3 68. 974 0. 59 Brazil 349. 9 69. 080 0. 56 USA 291. 2 79. 511 0. 42 Russia 157. 1 45. 000 0. 42 Norway 119. 8 27. 528 0. 49 India 112. 4 33. 600 0. 43 Japan 95. 0 27. 229 0. 37 Sweden 61. 8 France 61. 5 25. 335 0. 25 Sources: BP Annual Report, 2006.

Reality in Fenimore Coopers The Pioneers :: Cooper Pioneers Essays

Reality in Fenimore Cooper's The Pioneers Looking back on the mountain-view that was described as the main character's of Fenimore Cooper's The Pioneers caught sight of Templeton, their hometown, in the distance, Elizabeth, the primary female character, "felt as if all the loveliness of the mountain-view had vanished like the fancies of a dream" (59). While it may be true that during the moments that Elizabeth looked down on the scene, the scene was her reality, this reality was not an accurate portrayal of the town itself†¹the point of Elizabeth's comment. For both Elizabeth and the reader (through Cooper) in the mountain-view the reality of objects was forgotten because no detail was available from the distance at which the party stood. Once the reality was forgotten each of the objects took on qualities not implicit in the object itself. That is, the objects and the scene were idealized. Both Cooper and Elizabeth, then, seemed to take part in the "action of inventing imaginary states of things," the Oxford English D ictionary's definition for fiction. The most significant precursor to this fictive account is the change in scale of that occurs. Before the description of the mountain-view commenced Cooper tells of the horses pulling the parties sleigh: "The horses soon reached a point, where they seemed to know by instinct that the journey was nearly ended, and, bearing in the bits, as they nodded their heads, they rapidly drew the sleigh over the level land." The details of the horses movements explain the senses of the riders and the reality of the situation. Sleighs viewed during the description of the mountain-view, however, are no more than "a few dark and moving spots." This change in scale obscures all details in the objects being observed. A moment later the "habitations of man" are also called "spots of white . . . amidst the forest." Even when closer scrutiny is given to less distant "habitations," only the color is mentioned. In this scene few details of the objects that comprise the scene are given, instead the objects t hemselves are the details. There is nothing in this lack of details that is fictional, or inventive in itself. But once the details are gone Cooper is not tied down by actual elements of the objects when giving them further meaning. Cooper's primary method of ascribing further meaning to the objects is through anthropomorphism. A tree

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Five

The sun was way too bright. Bonnie shielded her eyes with one hand and glanced anxiously around as she walked across the quad toward the bookstore. It had taken her a long time to fal asleep after getting back to their room the night before. What if some crazy person was stalking the campus? It's broad daylight, she told herself. There are people everywhere. I have nothing to be afraid of. But bad things could happen during the day, too. Girls got lured into cars by horrible men, or hit over the head and taken to dark places. Monsters didn't just lurk in the night. After al , she knew several vampires who strol ed around during the day al the time. Damon and Stefan didn't scare her, not anymore, but there were other daytime monsters. I just want to feel safe for once, she thought wistful y. She was coming up on the area the police had been searching the night before, stil blocked off with yel ow tape. Students were standing nearby in groups of two or three, talking in low voices. Bonnie spied a reddish-brown stain across the path that she thought might be blood, and she walked faster as she passed it. There was a rustling in the bushes. Bonnie sped up even more, picturing a wild-eyed attacker hiding in the undergrowth, and glanced around nervously. No one was looking in her direction. Would they help her if she screamed? She risked another look back at the bush – should she just take off running? – and stopped, embarrassed by the furious thumping of her heart. A cute little squirrel hopped hesitantly from under the branches. It sniffed the air, then dashed across the path and up a tree behind the police tape. â€Å"Honestly, Bonnie McCul ough, you're a moron,† Bonnie muttered to herself. A guy passing her in the other direction overheard her and snickered, making Bonnie blush furiously. By the time she got to the bookstore, she'd gotten her blushing under control. Having the typical redhead's complexion was a pain – everything she felt was broadcast by the flush or paleness of her skin. With any luck, though, she'd be able to handle a simple trip to buy books without humiliating herself. Bonnie had started getting acquainted with the bookstore when she'd had her shopping spree yesterday, but she hadn't real y investigated the book side of the store. Today, though, she had the book list for the classes she'd registered for, and she needed to stock up for some serious studying. She'd never been a huge fan of school, but maybe col ege would be different. With a resolute squaring of her shoulders, she turned determinedly away from the shiny stuff and toward the textbooks. The book lists were awful y long, though. She found the fat Intro to Psychology textbook with a sense of satisfaction: this would definitely give her the terminology to diagnose her friends. The freshman English seminar she was assigned to covered a slew of novels, so she wandered through the fiction section, pul ing The Red and the Black, Oliver Twist, and The Age of Innocence off the shelves as she passed. She rounded a corner in search of the rest of the Ws, intent on adding To the Lighthouse to her growing stack of books, and froze. Zander. Beautiful, beautiful Zander was draped graceful y next to a bookshelf, his white-blond head bent over a book. He hadn't seen her yet, so Bonnie immediately ducked back into the previous aisle. She leaned against the wal , breathing hard. She could feel her cheeks heating up again, that awful tel tale blush. Careful y, she peeked back around the corner. He hadn't noticed her; he was stil reading intently. He was wearing a gray T-shirt today, and his soft-looking hair curled a bit at the nape of his neck. His face looked sort of sad with those gorgeous blue eyes hidden beneath his long lashes and no sign of that fabulous smile. There were dark shadows under his eyes. Bonnie's first instinct was to sneak away. She could wait and find the Virginia Woolf book tomorrow; it wasn't like she was going to read it today. She real y didn't want Zander to think she was stalking him. It would be better if he saw her somewhere, when she wasn't paying attention. If he approached her, she'd know he was interested. After al , maybe he wasn't interested in Bonnie. He'd been kind of flirtatious when he'd run into her, but he'd nearly knocked her down. What if he was just being friendly? What if he didn't even remember Bonnie? Nope, better to take off this time and wait til she was better prepared. She wasn't even wearing eyeliner, for heaven's sake. Making up her mind, Bonnie turned firmly away. But, on the other hand†¦ Bonnie hesitated. There'd been a connection between them, hadn't there? She'd felt something when her eyes met his. And he'd smiled at her like he was real y seeing her, past the fluff and fluster. And what about the resolution she'd made the day before, walking to her dorm from this very same bookstore? If she was going to become a terrific, confident, stepping-out-of-the-shadows kind of person, she couldn't run away every time she saw a boy she liked. Bonnie had always admired the way that Elena managed to get what she wanted. Elena just went after it and nothing got in her way. When Stefan had first come to Fel ‘s Church, he hadn't wanted anything to do with Elena, certainly not to fal into her arms and start some kind of amazing eternal romance. But Elena hadn't cared. She was going to have Stefan, even if it kil ed her. And, Well, it had kil ed her, hadn't it? Bonnie shivered. Bonnie shook her head a little. The point was, if you wanted to find love, you couldn't be afraid of trying, could you? She stuck her chin determinedly into the air. At least she wasn't blushing anymore. Her cheeks were so cold, she was probably as white as a snowwoman, but she definitely wasn't blushing. So that was something. Before she could change her mind again, she walked quickly around the corner back into the aisle where Zander stood reading. â€Å"Hi!† she said, her voice squeaking a tiny bit. â€Å"Zander!† He looked up, and that amazing, beautiful smile spread across his face. â€Å"Bonnie!† he said enthusiastical y. â€Å"Hey, I'm real y glad to see you. I was thinking about you earlier.† â€Å"You were?† Bonnie asked, and immediately wanted to kick herself at how overly enthusiastic she sounded. â€Å"Yeah,† he said softly. â€Å"I was.† His sky-blue eyes held hers. â€Å"I was wishing I'd gotten your phone number.† â€Å"You were?† Bonnie asked again, and this time didn't even worry about how she sounded. â€Å"Sure,† he said. He scuffed his feet against the carpet, like he was a little nervous, and a warmth blossomed inside Bonnie. He was nervous talking to her! â€Å"I was thinking,† Zander went on, â€Å"maybe we could do something sometime. I mean, if you wanted to.† â€Å"Oh,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I mean, yes! I would want to. If you did.† Zander smiled again, and it was as if their little corner of the fiction section was lit up with a glowing light. Bonnie had to keep herself from staggering backward, he was so gorgeous. â€Å"How about this weekend?† Zander asked, and Bonnie, feeling suddenly as light and buoyant as though she could float up into the air, smiled back. Meredith stepped her left foot behind her and raised her right heel, moving into a back stance as she brought her hands up sharply, fists together, in a blocking move. Then she slid her foot sideways into a front stance and punched forward with the fist of her left hand. She loved running through a taekwondo form. Each movement was choreographed, and the only thing to do was to practice over and over until the whole form flowed in a model of precision, grace, and control. Taekwondo forms were perfectible, and Meredith enjoyed perfection. The most glorious thing about them was that once she knew her forms so Wellthat they were as natural as breathing, she could be ready for anything. In a fight, she would be able to sense what her opponent's next move would be and counter with a block or a kick or a punch without even thinking. She turned swiftly, blocked high with her right hand and low with her left. It was the preparation, Meredith knew. If she was so prepared that her body could sense what move she needed to make without her brain having to get involved, then she would be able to truly protect herself and everyone else around her. A few weeks ago, when she and her friends had been under attack from the phantom and she'd sprained her ankle, only Stefan had been left with Power enough to defend Fel ‘s Church. Stefan, a vampire. Meredith's lips tightened as she automatical y kicked forward with her right foot, slid into a tiger stance, and blocked with her left hand. She liked Stefan, and she trusted him, she real y did, but stil †¦ She could picture generation upon generation of Sulezes rol ing over in their graves, cursing her, if they knew that she had left herself and her friends so vulnerable, with only a vampire between themselves and danger. Vampires were the enemy. Not Stefan, of course. She knew, despite al her training, that she could put her faith in Stefan. Damon, on the other hand†¦ However useful Damon had been in a couple of battles, however reasonably pleasant and, frankly, out-of-character he had behaved for the last few weeks, Meredith couldn't bring herself to trust him. But if she trained hard, if she perfected herself as a warrior, Meredith wouldn't have to. She moved into a right front stance and, sharp and clean, punched forward with her right hand. â€Å"Nice punch,† said a voice behind her. Meredith turned to see a short-haired African American girl leaning against the door of the practice room, watching her. â€Å"Thanks,† said Meredith, surprised. The girl strol ed into the room. â€Å"What are you,† she asked, â€Å"a black belt?† â€Å"Yes,† Meredith said, and couldn't help adding proudly, â€Å"in taekwondo and karate.† â€Å"Hmm,† the girl said, her eyes sparkling. â€Å"I do taekwondo and aikido myself. My name's Samantha. I've been looking for a sparring partner. Interested?† Despite the casualness of her tone, Samantha was bouncing eagerly on the bal s of her feet, a mischievous smile flickering at the corners of her mouth, and Meredith's eyes narrowed. â€Å"Sure,† she said, her attitude light. â€Å"Show me what you've got.† Samantha's smile broadened. She kicked off her shoes and stepped onto the practice mat next to Meredith. They faced off, assessing each other. She was a head shorter than Meredith, thin, but wiry and sleekly muscled, and she moved as graceful y as a cat. The anticipation in the girl's eyes betrayed Samantha's belief that Meredith would be easy to beat. She was thinking that Meredith was one of those trainees who was al form and technique with no real fighting instinct. Meredith knew that kind of fighter Well, had met them often enough in competitions. If that was what Samantha thought of Meredith, she was in for a surprise. â€Å"Ready?† Samantha asked. At Meredith's nod, she immediately launched a punch while bringing the opposite-side foot around in an attempt to sweep Meredith off her feet. Meredith reacted instinctively, blocking the blow, dodging the foot, then sweeping a kick of her own, which Samantha avoided, grinning with simple pleasure. They exchanged a few more blows and kicks, and, against her wil , Meredith was impressed. This girl was fast, faster than most of the fighters Meredith had faced before, even at the black-belt level, and much stronger than she looked. She was too cocky, though, an aggressive fighter instead of a defensive one; the way she'd hurried to strike the first blow showed that. Meredith could use that cockiness against her. Samantha shifted her weight, and Meredith slid in below her defenses, giving a fast spin heel kick that hit Samantha firmly on the upper thigh. She staggered a bit, and Meredith moved out of range quickly. Samantha's face changed immediately. She was getting angry now, Meredith could tel , and that, too, was a weakness. She was frowning, her lips tight, while Meredith kept her own face purposeful y blank. Samantha's fists and feet were moving quickly, but she lost some accuracy as she sped up. Meredith pretended to fal back under the assault, feinting to keep her opponent off-balance, al owing herself to be backed toward a corner while stil blocking Samantha's blows. When she was almost cornered, she jammed her arm against Samantha's fist, stopping her before she could ful y extend her blow, and swept a foot under hers. Samantha tripped, caught by Meredith's low kick, and fel heavily to the mat. She lay there and just stared up at Meredith for a moment, face stunned, while Meredith hovered over her, suddenly uncertain. Had she hurt Samantha? Was the girl going to be angry and storm off? Then Samantha's face blossomed into a wide, glowing smile. â€Å"That was awesome!† she said. â€Å"Can you show me that move?†