A Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator is a measure of a person's weight and height to determine whether that person is at a healthy weight.  The bmi calculator can give you an idea whether you are overweight or underweight compared to the accepted normal weight for your height and gender. 

BMI calculators are designed to provide a general idea of healthy weight.  It is not designed to provide a complete view of a person's health as a result of their weight.  Instead, it is used mainly by physicians and doctors as a way to help patients with weight problems to understand generally what their healthy weight should be.  

The following steps should be used to determine your body mass index:

1.First, you must collect some basic household items that will be used to obtain the numbers needed to use the body mass index (BMI) calculator. You will need:

– A scale to measure your weight (any standard bathroom scale will work)

– A measuring tool to determine your height such as a measuring tape or yardstick (While a bmi calculator is most accurate with an exact height, you can use an estimate as long as it is within an inch of accuracy)

– Paper and a pencil or pen to record your height and weight

2.  Next you will need to weigh yourself in order to get your current weight.  Place your scale on a smooth hard floor.  In order to get the most accurate bmi calculator results, wear a limited amount of clothes to get your true weight.  Use the scale two or three times to ensure you are getting an accurate reading. 

3. Measure your height, using either the measuring tape or yard stick. Some tips for measuring your height include:

– Find a wall and with your back straight, mark the top of your head on the wall.  Step away from the wall and measure the distance from the floor to your mark. 

– If you are able to, another person can be very helpful in measuring your height.  Have the second person use a measuring tape to accurately measure the bottom of your feet to the top of your head. 

–  If you are unable to get an accurate recording of your height, you may use your best estimate from a previous doctors visit or physical.  Keep in mind that bmi calculators are most accurate when your exact height is provided.  

4. Using the paper and pen or pencil, record your weight and height.  While an online bmi calculator can bes used to calculate your bmi, you can also manually determine your bmi by performing this calculation:

– BMI = Weight (in pounds) / Height (in inches) X Height (in inches).

– Take the above amount and multiply it by 703.  This is your body mass index.  

5. One you have used one of the many bmi calculators, you must next compare your body mass index with the chart that determines whether you are at a healthy weight.  Many bmi calculators not only provide you with your body mass index, but will also tell you whether you are at a health weight, underweight, or overweight, and by how much.  

– Find a body mass index chart.  A healthy body mass index depends greatly on your age, body frame type, and gender, however the following are the general ranges of the body mass index.

– A body mass index of less than 18 is underweight

– A body mass index of between 18 to 18.5 means you are thin for your height

– Body mass index of between 18.6 – 24.9 is the range of a generally healthy weight

– A body mass index of between 25 – 29.9 means you are overweight

– A body mass index of over 30 means you are obese.  If your bmi calculator determines you are obese, it is advised that you consult a doctor immediately in order to help reach a healthy weight. 

Notes

1. Keeping your weight within a healthy range is one of the best ways to keep your body in optimal health, which will limit health problems and prolong your life expectancy.  Using a bmi calculator regularly provides you with a good indication of your current weight and overall progress if you are attempting to control your weight.  

2. If you are attempting to use the manual bmi calculator using the above mathematical equation, note that the true multiplier is not just 703, but rather 703 + (4489/64516).  However, the difference is so minimal that it should not affect your results more than one hundredth of a decimal.  Online bmi calculators will use the true multiplier, so keep this in mind if your are comparing your math to the online bmi calculator.  

3. One of the biggest issues with a bmi calculator is the fact that it does not take in to account muscle mass.  Large muscle mass, which is usually healthy, may skew the results of the bmi calculator.  However, bmi calculators are designed to only provide a healthy weight guideline for the average person, it does not provide an exact custom tailored evaluation of your personal healthy weight. 

General Tips While Using the BMI Calculator

1. While body mass index is designed to be used by average people aged 25 to 65, it has many limitation.  The bmi calculator cannot take into account your muscle mass, body type, or frame size.  People with larger frames, larger body types, or above average muscle mass may find that they are a healthy weight despite having a body mass index in the overweight or obese range.  

2. Other forms of body measurement should be used in conjunction with a bmi calculator.  Measuring your waist to hip ratio, body fat calculations, and other measurements should all be used when determining what your personal healthy weight should be.  Consult a physician, nutritionist, or weight loss specialist to get a full picture of your target weight.  

3. Should your weight be a serious concern, it is important that you use much more technical methods of body measurement, which can be accessed through medical facilities or at many gyms and health spas. 

– A skin-fold test used mechanical calipers to measure total body weight from fat.  

– A bio-electrical impedance analysis, which sends a small electrical current through your body, measures your total fat content and amount of weight from fat.

– Both of these methods provide a much more accurate measure of your body fat, muscle content, and should be used to set goals and targets if you have significant health issues stemming from weight problems.  

International Variations

While all bmi calculators use the same formula in all regions of the world, many countries use a different range to determine a healthy weight for their population.  This is mainly due to the differences in body frames and types found in different regions of the world.  Below are some examples of places that use a different scale to determine healthy weights using a bmi calculator.

– In Japan, a normal body mass index is considered between 18.5 to 22.9.  Overweight ranges from 23 – 24.9, and obesity is anything over 25.

– In Singapore, the health body mass index range is the same as Japans, however obesity starts at 27.6 and morbid obesity is considered a body mass index of over 40.  

Age and BMI Calculators

While most bmi calculators do not take into account your age, you should consult a chart that shows you what your body mass index should be compared to others in your age range.  Children's bmi ranges are completely different than those of an adult.  

– Between the ages of 2 and 20, a healthy male child's body mass index should range from a little over 16 at age 2 all the way up to a healthy bmi of 23 at age 20.  These charts take into account normal body growth and the weight associated with maturity and puberty during teenage years.  

– The health body mass index for girls aged 2 to 20 range from a health bmi of 16 at age 2 to a health bmi of 22 at age 20. 

Similarly, people over the age of 65 are not advised to use a bmi calculator, as at this age a health body mass index cannot easily be determined, as many other factors should be considered.  Instead, consult your physician to determine what your own healthy weight should be at this age.  

Gender and BMI Calculators

The most basic bmi calculators and graphs do not take into account the gender of the person, however it is widely accepted that men and women have healthy weight ranges that are different.  

– Generally, due to differences in body type and hormone differences, a woman's healthy body mass index range is slightly higher than a males.  

It is very important that you keep in mind that bmi calculators should only be used as a general indications of your weight and health.  Do not be concerned if your body mass index falls slightly into the underweight or overweight categories unless you believe you are suffering health issues as a result of your weight.  

If you fall within one of the danger zones of body mass index (a bmi of under 18.5 is considered the point of malnutrition, while a bmi of over 30 is considered obese) you should consult a doctor immediately.  Almost all people who fall in these ranges are in danger of imminent health problems which can greatly affect your quality of life and life expectancy.  

 

According to the Department of Education, the projects mainly help young, low-income military members.  The veterans can use the grants to adjust between military life and civilian life while increasing their education to forward their career.  

 

The Department of Education states that while the grants provide education in all core subject education, the grants also provide refresher courses, tutoring, help with entrance exams, help with financial aid, personal counseling, networking, and more.  

 

U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, stated, “No group deserves our support for opportunities to learn and advance their knowledge and skills more than our veterans.  These Upward Bound Veterans grants will help prepare our returning veterans for college by providing the academic instruction, mentoring and guidance they need to succeed in college and in life.” 

 

The Veterans Upward Bound is part of the Upward Bound program that was started in 1972.  The program is one of three similar programs under the Upward Bound program, and four other programs provide student services.  The programs are listed below: 

 

• Education Opportunity Centers

• Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement

• Student Support Services

• Talent Search

• Training Program for Federal TRI programs

• Upward Bound Math and Science

 

The Department of Education reports that the Veterans Upward Bound program has help a total of 5,780 veterans since 2007.  The new wave of grants will ensure that veterans receive the education they deserve for serving the country.  

 

Source: Department of Education

On October 10, 2012, the Census Bureau released data from the 2011 American Community Survey (ACS) that saw significant differences in annual earnings between different college majors.  Two different ACS reports compared results between majors.  

 

The Field of Degree and Earnings by Selected Employment Characteristics: 2011 explains the relationship between bachelor’s degrees, annual earnings, and the chance of full-time employments.  The report stated bachelor’s degrees in engineering saw the highest median earnings—about $92,000 in 2011.  Degrees in performing arts, communications, education and psychology saw median annual earnings of $55,000 and below.

 

Science, engineering, and business degrees had the most full-time employment as well.  About 64 percent of business majors work full time, while only half of literature and language majors were employed full time.  

 

The Work-Life Earnings by Field of Degree and Occupation for People With a Bachelor’s Degree: 2011 examined the relationship between the amount of schooling and how much money a person would make over their lifetime.  The general consensus: get a college degree.  

 

People with less than high school education only make an average of $936,000 during their lifetime while those will professional degrees will make about $4.2 million.  Engineering majors with a bachelor’s degree who are in a management position will earning about $4.1 million, while service workers with an art of education major will make about $1.3 million over their lifetime.  

 

The following results were also reported in the reports: 

• engineering, computer, math, science, business, physical science, and social science majors have the highest average work-life earnings

• liberal arts majors now working in computer or mathematical occupations have median work-life earnings around $2.9 million, and liberal arts majors in office support occupations have average life-work earnings around $1.6 million

• education majors are most likely to work for government entities in 2011, while engineers are the most likely to work in the private sector

 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or the FERPA is a Federal law expressed in Title 20, section 1232 of the United States Code that protects the privacy of student education records. The act applies to all schools that receive any funds under an applicable federal program of the United States Department of Education.

FERPA give parents certain defined rights in respect to the education records of their children. These rights then transfer from the parent to the student when the student reaches 18 years or goes a school above the high school level, such as university. These students that have received the rights that were transferred from the parents are considered eligible students.

Any eligible student or parent has the right to review and inspect the student’s education records that are administered and maintained by the school under FERPA. However, schools are not legally required to provide any copies of records unless it is somehow impossible for either a student’s parent or an eligible student to review the education records, for example due to a great distance. Schools are also within their rights to charge a fee for copies made.

Under FERPA, a parent or an eligible student also has the legal right to request that a school makes a correction to an education records if they believe that the record is misleading or inaccurate. If the school chooses not to amend the education record, the eligible student or parent has the legal right to a formal hearing.

After the legal hearing, if the school still feels that it should not amend the record, the eligible student or parent then has the legal right as given by FERPA to add a statement with the education record with his or her view about the information that was contested.

Often, schools must obtain written permission from the eligible student or parent in order to release a student’s education record. However, under FERPA, schools are allowed to disclose those education records, without the student’s or parent’s consent, to the follow individuals or parties 

• A school official with a legitimate educational interest 

• A specified official for evaluation reasons or an audit

• A school that the student is transferring to

• An organization in connection with a student’s financial aid

• Accrediting organizations

• Organizations holding certain studies on behalf of the school or for the school

• In accordance to a lawfully issued subpoena or judicial order 

• Local and state authorities for a juvenile justice system, following state law

• Safety or health emergencies

Schools may also disclose, without consent, a student’s information for the sake of a school directory, such as student’s name, phone number, address, awards and honors, birthdate, and attendance dates. However, the parents and eligible students must be informed about directory information by the school. A school must also give time for parents or eligible students to decline being put in the directory. Parents and eligible students must be notified of their rights as given by FERPA annually. This can be done through PTA bulletins, student handbooks, newspaper articles, or any other way a school feels is best.

The Fulbright Scholarship is an international educational exchange program that was established in 1946 under the legislation introduced by former Senator J. William Fulbright. Today the Fulbright scholarship is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational & Cultural affairs under the United States Department of State.

Every year, Fulbright scholarships are awarded to about 7,500 students, adding up to approximately 294,000 total receivers of the grant in the last 60 years, with 183,000 of these individuals being from other countries.

The Fulbright scholarship receives its funding from the U.S. Congress, as well as participating governments and institutions in participating foreign countries. The United States also contributes through indirect support and cost-sharing, such as tuition wavers, university housing, and salary supplements. In 2008, the Congressional appropriation for the Fulbright scholarship was $215.4 million. Meanwhile other foreign government donated about $60 million to the program.

There are many different categories of Fulbright Scholarships, including both institutional and individual grants, as well as other exchange programs:

• Roughly 1,100 American professionals and scholars are sent to approximately 125 countries, where they can conduct research or lecture in different academic and professional fields.

• The Fulbright Specialist Program sends U.S. professionals and faculty to act as consultants on faculty development, curriculum, institutional planning and other related subjects at various overseas academic institutions for anywhere between 2 to 6 weeks.

• The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program gives grants to around 850 foreign scholars to conduct postdoctoral research or lecture at various U.S. institutions for an academic semester or an academic year.

• The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program allows U.S. universities and colleges to host foreign academics who can lecture on different subjects for either an academic semester or year. Preference for the grant is given to any institutions that are developing and serving a minority audience and/or have an international agenda. About 50 grants are awarded each year.

• The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides fellowships for U.S. graduating college seniors, young professionals, graduate students, and artists to study overseas for an academic year. In 2008-2009, over 1,500 Americans studied abroad with either partial or full support.

• The Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships Program puts U.S. students as English teaching assistants in universities or schools overseas, helping foreign students’ English abilities and U.S. knowledge while the student improves their own knowledge and language skills of the host country.

• The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables foreign young professionals, graduate students, and artists to study and research in the United States for one year or more. Approximately 1,700 newly established awards are given for support at U.S. universities, and about 1,350 awards are renewed annually.

• The International Fulbright Science and Technology Award is for doctoral study at a prestigious institution in the United States in technology, science, engineering or other related fields for roughly 40 extraordinary foreign students annually.

• The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program is a one-to-one exchange of roughly 120 teachers from both primary along with secondary schools in the United States and ten foreign countries.

The Fulbright program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational & Cultural affairs under the United States Department of State. The program provides funding not only for students, but also teachers, scholars, and professionals who plan to take advance research, graduate study, and teaching on an elementary, secondary and university level.

The mission of the Fulbright Program includes:

• Stimulating closer educational relationships between United States and other countries.

• Reinforcement and connecting institutions of higher learning internationally.

• Saving threatened scholars and promoting academic freedom.

• Constructing leadership skills and improving the capacity of both organizations and individuals to address global and local challenges.

The Fulbright program was established in 1946 under the legislation introduced by former Senator J. William Fulbright. Every year, Fulbright scholarships are awarded to about 7,500 students, adding up to approximately 294,000 total receivers of the grant in the last 60 years, with 183,000 of these individuals being from other countries.

The Fulbright scholarship receives its funding from the U.S. Congress, as well as participating governments and institutions in participating foreign countries. The United States also contributes through indirect support and cost-sharing, such as tuition wavers, university housing, and salary supplements. In 2008, the Congressional appropriation for the Fulbright scholarship was $215.4 million. Meanwhile other foreign government donated about $60 million to the program.

There are many different categories of Fulbright Scholarships, including both institutional and individual grants, as well as other exchange programs:

• Roughly 1,100 American professionals and scholars are sent to approximately 125 countries, where they can conduct research or lecture in different academic and professional fields.

• The Fulbright Specialist Program sends U.S. professionals and faculty to act as consultants on faculty development, curriculum, institutional planning and other related subjects at various overseas academic institutions for anywhere between 2 to 6 weeks.

• The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program gives grants to around 850 foreign scholars to conduct postdoctoral research or lecture at various U.S. institutions for an academic semester or an academic year.

• The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program allows U.S. universities and colleges to host foreign academics who can lecture on different subjects for either an academic semester or year. Preference for the grant is given to any institutions that are developing and serving a minority audience and/or have an international agenda. About 50 grants are awarded each year.

• The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides fellowships for U.S. graduating college seniors, young professionals, graduate students, and artists to study overseas for an academic year. In 2008-2009, over 1,500 Americans studied abroad with either partial or full support.

• The Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships Program puts U.S. students as English teaching assistants in universities or schools overseas, helping foreign students’ English abilities and U.S. knowledge while the student improves their own knowledge and language skills of the host country.

• The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables foreign young professionals, graduate students, and artists to study and research in the United States for at least 1 year or more. Approximately 1,700 newly established awards are given for support at U.S. universities, and about 1,350 awards are renewed annually.

• The International Fulbright Science and Technology Award is for doctoral study at a prestigious institution in the United States in technology, science, engineering or other related fields for roughly 40 extraordinary foreign students annually.

• The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program is a one-to-one exchange of roughly 120 teachers from both primary along with secondary schools in the United States and ten other foreign countries.

FERPA (short for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) is a Federal law that guards the privacy of student education records. FERPA is applied to all schools that receive funds under any applicable programs of the United States Department of Education. 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) delivers certain rights to parents with respect to their child’s education records. These rights are offered to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or enters schooling beyond the high school level. Any student who receives these rights is deemed “eligible students” under FERPA.

Eligible students or parents maintain the right to review the student’s education records that are formally maintained by the school. All academic institutions are not required to provide copies of said records unless it is deemed impossible for the parents and eligible students to review the records—remote location from the school is an acceptable reason.

Eligible students or parents maintain the right to request that an academic institution correct records if they believe said records to be misleading or inaccurate. If the academic institution decides not to edit the record, the eligible student or parent possesses the right to engage in a formal hearing. Upon the conclusion of the hearing, the eligible student or parent—if the school still decides not to alter the record—has the right to place a statement with the record to establish his or her view with regards to the contested information. 

In general, academic institutions must exhibit written permission from the eligible student or parent in order to release any information from a student’s education record. That being said, FERPA permits any academic institution to disclose these records, without consent, to the following institutions or individuals under the following conditions:

• Any school official who exhibits a legitimate educational interest

• Other academic institutions to which the student is transferring

• Any appropriate party in connection with financial aid to the student

• Accrediting organizations

• State and local government bodies, within the juvenile system, pursuant to state law

• Certain officials who implement evaluation or audit purposes

An academic institution may disclose, without any consent, “directory” information such as the student’s name, telephone number, date of birth, address, dates of attendance and any scholastic achievements if applicable. That being said, an academic institution must notify all eligible students and all parents concerning directory information and offer eligible students and parents a reasonable amount of time to request the institution to not disclose directory information about them. Academic institutions must notify eligible students and parents annually of their rights offered by FERPA. The means of notification (PTA bulletins, student handbooks or newspaper articles) is left to the discretion of each institution.  

School Violence Statistics of the United States

School violence is a subcategory of youth violence, which is a much broader public health problem that affects American society.  Youth violence has to do with the intentional use of power or physical force by a young individual between 10 and 24 years old against another person, community, or group. The result of the youth’s violent behavior is usually physical or psychological harm to others.  

In the United States, there is an estimated 50 million students who are enrolled in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. There is also an additional 15 million students who attend universities and colleges across the country. While most schools in the United States are relatively safe and do not experience school violence, any amount of school violence is considered unacceptable.

Teachers, parents, and administrators look at schools as a safe haven of learning. Any acts of school violence can easily disrupt this learning process and have detrimental effects on the school, students, and the community as a whole.

School violence looks at violent behavior that happens: 

• On the grounds school property

• On the way to school (or from school)

• During any school-sponsored event

• On the way to a school-sponsored event (or from the event)

Some examples of school violence 

• Bullying

• Gang violence

• Fighting such as punching, kicking, and slapping

• Use of weapon(s)

• Electronic aggression

Here are some important findings on school violence from the National Center for Education Statistics:

• Among students ages 5–18, 38 school-associated violent deaths occurred between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. 24 of these deaths were homicides, while 14 deaths were suicides.

• There were also 1,701 homicides among the youth ages 5–18. In the 2007 calendar year, there were youth 1,231 suicides.

• Among students ages 12–18 in 2008, there were approximately 1.2 million nonfatal crime victims, which included 619,000 thefts and 629,800 violent crimes such as simple assault.

• The total crime and theft victimization in-school rates of students between the ages 12 to 18 went down between 2007 and 2008 from 57 victimizations per 1,000 students to 47 in 2008.

• 8% of students in 2008 reported being injured or threatened or injured with a weapon, on school property

• In 2009, 10% of male students in grades 9 through 12 reported being injured or threatened with a weapon by another student on school property, compared to 5% of female students.

• In the 2007–08 school year, 10% of teachers in city schools reported being threatened with injury. 7% of teachers in town schools and 6% of suburban and rural schools have experienced threats of injury.

• 5% of teachers in city schools and 4% of suburban schools reported actually being physically attacked, which is more than the 3% of teachers in rural schools.