I posted on this subreddit a few months ago about an issue I was having with this keyboard, but as those 'fixes' seem to have been primarily provisional, I want to give ppl the reality. I might just be the only one experiencing all these issues, in which case, its a 'me' issue. (But I'm sure it’s not just me!)
First off, I have been in contact with multiple Razer support staff about some issues I’ve been having, and they have been great. It’s not them I'm faulting, it’s the product.
So, for context, I got this keyboard for Christmas (about 3 months ago), brand new. The first issue I had was its interference with Xbox One controllers when trying to play a game. The game, be that Rocket League, Elden Ring or any game requiring a controller, detects the controller as "Player 2" in a way. So actually, playing the game isn’t possible with a controller, unless certain windows settings in Synapse are disabled. Having made those changes, I still every so often launch a game and the controller is unresponsive due to the keyboard.
The most disruptive issue I've ran into is the keyboard being totally unresponsive out of nowhere. This, as you can imagine, can be very problematic especially in a competitive game where alt+tab isnt working, let alone WASD. As ctrl+alt+del wasn’t an option, the fix I found for this was to force shut down the pc on the tower. I rarely do this as I believe it to be bad practice for the hardware, but I was left with no choice. This has happened multiple times, and some when I first launch the PC. When possible, force closing Synapse through task manager fixed this issue on occasion, and sometimes had no effect. Another fix was to re-install / update the keyboards firmware which can be found with a quick google. Sometimes, being in 'demo mode' was the issue, but even that is a pain to solve.
More recently, I've ran into an issue when playing Rainbow Six Siege. (I highly doubt it's the games’ fault) This issue starts, once again, out of nowhere and is only 'fixable' by restarting the PC. The issue is keys being repeated and held down, when they are clicked just once. Say I was moving in a game, holding A to strafe left. Once the A key is let go, the input is repeated, causing me to continue the movement. To solve this, I have to tap D quickly to counteract the movement, which once again, is super unhelpful in a competitive shooter scene. - Note: Closing synapse when this issue is happening causes the board to become completely unresponsive, similarly to the previous issue.
I have tried all methods of fixing these issues, bar buying a new one. Reinstalling Synapse, drivers, windows updates, firmware, and the issues persist. As I work from home, having these issues are really inconvenient as they can happen from out of nowhere.
I've had razer products ever since my first PC back in 2016 and would call myself a Razer fanboy, from Razer mice to keyboards and even that RGB mouse mat :) These last 3 months, is the only time I have had a Razer issue over the 7 years of owning such products. It is a shame as I do think I will have to find a new keyboard as these issues are unacceptable for a near £200 piece of tech. The repeating keys, unresponsiveness and controller issues are problems I'd expect to see on a cheap, low-end keyboard - Not on something like this.
If anyone has had a similar experience to me, please let me know as I will feel a lot better about it ahah. Furthermore, if anyone found any permanent fixes to these issues, (that aren’t: "Close Synapse" or to reinstall a bunch of stuff) please let me know as the actual keyboard, its comfort, lighting and typing is great.
& if anyone from Razer support manages to stumble across this, feel free to get in touch, as resolving this would be ideal!

im 21 right now, living at home, and im a couple months away from switching colleges to the one i want to graduate from. thing is, i know that i dont want to ever come back home to my parents, and i know that while they can pay for my tuition, dorm costs are probably going to be up to me. This means that now until i switch colleges is the only time in my ife where having a job is "optional". When i was in high school and parts of college, jobs were just a way to get pocket money, like i could quit at any time that i wanted, but now? if i quit, i have to go back home, which is not an option. How do you guys deal with the reality of basically always having to work, all the time?

As part of my dissertation, I am needing parents of high school seniors to take a 2-minute survey to understand experiences and perspectives on high school apprenticeships across the United States.
I currently need One (1) more person to take the survey.
** As part of this study, apprenticeship does not mean traditional craft trades but organization-led engagements that provide high school students with on-the-job training to prepare them for the workforce (also known as Internships in the US).
https://www.surveymonkey.com/XP6M77G

It asks me to set up Servers and workstation and other resources as required in BareMetal or Virtual Environment.
I have used Office 365, Azure, Windows Server 2016 and 2019 but it’s the bare minimum. I have little experience with using them in a more advanced setting, nor with administration either. I also don’t know how to use VMware either
What do I do?! What are some questions I should expect be asked? I had a nice first interview with the HR specialist who said that the IT manager (who I will be interviewing with) liked my resume.
JD Below:
RESPONSIBILITIES
Respond to support tickets in a timely manner; escalate issues when necessary
Install and maintain hardware and computer peripherals
To create technical documentation (tech instructions, step-by-step guides, etc.)
Troubleshoot and diagnose hardware and software issues
Set up and maintain network, telecommunication, and AV equipment
Re-image computers, perform data migrations and restorations
Troubleshoot network and Connectivity issues
Troubleshoot network related issues including routers, switches, WLAN, VLAN Conduct end user training
Assist on various projects
Maintain inventory of IT resources Other duties and projects as assigned Assist with Internal/External Audits
SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field; equivalent work experience in the IT field, and/or industry certification.
3-5 years IT support experience Intimate knowledge of desktop operating environments and common networking issues; basic experience on AD/O365 administration as well as AV Setup. Ability to set up Servers and workstation and other resources as required in BareMetal or Virtual Environment.
Excellent written & verbal communication, prioritization, and organization skills; ability to interface with end users courteously and effectively.
Ability to work under tight deadlines and effectively manage multiple projects. Strong analytical, logical thinking and problem-solving skills
Excellent follow-up with strong attention to detail
Knowledge of Office 365 suite is a must.
Knowledge of Windows Server 2016 and 2019 administration.
Knowledge of basic VMware, Sophos troubleshooting and administration.
Proven experience with Azure Administration or any other cloud provider is a plus.

Foreword:

We tend to get the same sorts of questions for the same budgets and same scenarios. This is my attempt to codify the good advice I've seen and my own experiences with my own rifles as a long range, non-competitive shooter. These opinions should be largely uncontroversial to the folks who shoot long range.
Prices and ballistics are current as of Mar 12, 2023.

Additional Reading

/longrange
/SmallGroups
Trollygag's Stats on Barrel Length
Trollygag's Opinion on Picking a Barrel Length
On-Paper Cartridge Comparison
Trollygag's Youtube Channel with some parts review and shooting
Trollygag's Noob Guide to the 1000 Yard AR-15
Trollygag's Noob Guide To The Entry-Level Custom, Part 1
Trollygag's Noob Guide to the Entry Level Custom, Part 2
Trollygag's Noob Guide to the 6.5 Creedmoor
Trollygag's Noob Guide to the 6.5 Grendel
Trollygag's Noob Guide to the 308 Winchester pt.1
Comparison between the Athlon Ares ETR, Vortex PST II, and Sightron SIII
Comparison between the Match Pro ED, S-TAC, PST II, Forge
Phildesbois's Ruger Precision Rifle vs Tikka TAC A1 vs Bergara BMP, comparison

Glamour Shots

Super Grendel
Gator Grendel - RIP
One Punch in F/TR dress and in BR dress
Buddy and updated

What you need to know up front

What your budget is.

The budget for the rifle is a start, but a budget for the rifle, optic, and accessories is more ideal. Accessories include:

• Rifle bag or case
• Bipod and/or bag set
• Rails/mounts
• Additional equipment you may need like chronographs or reloading setups

How far you can shoot

This is probably the biggest hurdle to most Americans. Not everyone lives near some place that has enough space and is set up for long range shooting. Pretty frequently we get help questions from people who live in the Northeast where long ranges just aren't that common. It doesn't make sense to spend a bunch of money on a long range shooting rig if your local ranges only go out to 50 yards.
Even at only 100 yards, it is the length of a football field, and you often can't hide one of those easily. Plus there is the NIMBY factor and the danger that most rifle rounds will travel miles before hitting the ground again if they are fired at the wrong angle.
Because of that, long ranges are relatively rare.
What you do have access to can dictate your rifle and cartridge selection.

How much you care about the logistics

What I mean is, how involved do you want to get in the process?
Things like:

• How important is good box match ammo to you? Many long range cartridges are chosen because of the availability of ammo. There are lots of wildcats and special snowflake cartridges (6.5x47L, for example) that lose out to others because of this availability.
• Do you plan to handload? Some cartridges have more, reliable, better load information out there for them than others. Some cartridges have a wider powder selection than others. For example, 6.5 Grendel, 223 Rem, and 308 Win can all use 8208 XBR, a relatively common, premium powder. 6.5 CM really can't. Because of the pressures developed at relatively low volume charges, XBR isn't considered a 'safe' powder in the CM. Varget and some others can be used across all of the cartridges relatively safely.
• Do you plan to stockpile? 6.5CM, for example, really needs a particular powder (H4350) to match the most load data, but this powder is frequently out of stock. It really makes sense to stockpile components, whether it be powder, brass, primers, or bullets, and that can add many hundreds of dollars up front.
• Do you expect Walmart to carry ammo for your rifle? What about Cabelas?

About long range shooting

You don't necessarily need to be familiar with range estimation or how to make a cold bore unknown distance shot factoring in humidity, Coriolis, spin drift, and all sorts of other things...(I sure as hell can't) but you should at least be able to:

1. Shoot a rifle accurately/precisely in the position you will be shooting long range from
2. Know how to arrive at a ballistic solution given your velocity and bullet choice
3. Know how to dial in for elevation and hold off for wind
4. Understand your 'zero', how to arrive at it, how to adjust to it, and have it recorded.
5. Understand the other functions of your optic like parallax adjustment, focus, units of your reticle, units of your turrets, how to convert between them if you need to, and how much elevation you have to work with.
6. Understand the terminology. Understand what a Mil is, what a MOA is, what mirage is, what windage/elevation are, etc.

What makes a good starter long range platform?

There are things that are important for a long range rifle:

1. Comfortable ergos. It can make shooting prone or off a bench for long periods much easier. Part of this is rifle weight. It can be helpful to have a heavy rifle to reduce fatigue over time.
2. The ability to shoot off bracing. This usually means a rigid stock, free floated barrel, so that a bipod or front bags can be used. Ideally, it would have a butt that is shaped either to ride bags or hook into the hand or shoulder. When you are fighting the conditions and the environment, stability and accurate shooting are key.
3. Precision. Not everyone feels strongly about this. Some folks think a 1-1.5 MOA rifle is okay. Personally, I think you should go as precise as you can at close range so that you aren't guessing at what you screwed up at long range. Long range shooting is very difficult to get right consistently. It takes a lot of practice, a lot of learning. Not knowing if you shot a flier or mistaking fliers for bad calls can, IMO, hamper the learning process. I would always prefer to have faith in what I'm shooting on.
4. The ability to zero, make adjustments. There are optics out there that rely more on the reticle than the adjustments, and some people learn on those, but IMO, they are inferior to having a good set of turrets. Good turrets aren't cheap, and it isn't often that a cheap scope has the type of adjustments or the adjustment range for long range shooting. That being said, there are some good options out there for what I would not consider to be outrageous money, and that can get you to any distance you would want to shoot.
5. Capable ballistics. Some folks come from the perspective that you should start with bad ballistics (like 223 Rem) and work your way to something with great ballistics. To me, that is counter-intuitive. It seems like learning to drive on a stick shift, no traction control, no ABS Dodge Viper. IMO, you should give yourself as big of an advantage as you can right out of the gate, and once you've learned the skills, then dabble in something that requires more skill to get shooting well.
6. Ability to handle heat. Rifles can be adversely affected by heat and heat can wear out barrels faster. Heavier profiled barrels can help absorb that heat and dissipate it faster. More heat dissipation means more shooting before you have to break for cooling. It also adds weight, which, as I mentioned before, can be very beneficial. All of the rifles you see me recommend will be heavy barreled.

Expanding on 5, these are the cartridges that I would green light for a beginner to learn on:

• 308 Winchester - High availability of good match quality, tactical type ammo that can reach out to 1000 yards. Federal Gold Medal Match can be had in a 175 gr SMK variant for $1/round or less from Palmetto State Armory. For close range, PMC Bronze at about $0.50/round is great for practicing. For handloading, the 185 Juggernaut, 175 TMK, 155 Palma, and 178 ELD-M are all popular options in this cartridge. Varget, IMR 4064, XBR, H4895, CFE223, BL-C2, Win 748 are all popular powders. Recoil is most stout out of these.
• 6.5 Grendel/6ARC - This is really an option limited to Howa 1500s, CZ 527s, Ruger American Predators, and AR-15s. In the past couple years, availability has gone up. It isn't uncommon to see Hornady Black in gunshop shelves and sometimes even more exotic ammo, like Federal GMB, can be found too. Bulk purchase for $1.50/round for long range shooting, Federal American Eagle or Hornady Gunner for accurate mid-long range, or shoot out to 500+ yards with $0.25/round Wolf steel case. Not anymore. Mild recoil, neat looking, neat shooting cartridge. They are pets of mine. Handloading for this cartridge can be tougher due to availability of load data, die options, and some finickyness with the cartridge, but this is improving all the time and may no longer be true. Typically, 6mm/6.5mm bullets cost as much as 30 cal bullets. Barrel life is longer than any other option on this list.
• 6CM/6.5 Creedmoor - These are the big hot thing for long range. Moderate to high availability of very high quality match ammo, outrageous ballistics compared to the other options in this list. With Hornady American Gunner, you can get high precision 1000 yard ballistics for $0.70/round. S&B also plans to release 6.5CM ammo later this year. For 6.5CM Hornady offers several 147gr, 140gr and 120gr ELD-M options at the $1.40-1.75 price point that are excellent. 6CM, that is a $1.50-1.65/rd 108 ELD-M ammo. There is no super cheap ammo option in this cartridge with entry ammo prices in the $0.85-1 range. Barrel life is also shortest of all of these.
• 223 Rem - This is another option for mid-range shooting, but I would discourage it at very long range if you are shooting box ammo. It goes subsonic at 700-850 yards depending on barrel length and bullet selection, and gets pushed around by the wind a lot. The bullets that are common for ARs are also quite pricey, with match ammo costing as much as 308 Win, 6.5G, or 6.5CM and bullets themselves costing more than the 30 cal Hornady offerings. But in a bolt gun, there are a lot more options for bullets that cost less than the 77gr SMK commonly shot in ARs. Cheap ammo availability is high and there is a wide selection. It, like 6.5G, are great for smaller folks as the recoil is almost negligible. Handloaders can fit very long ogive bullets in the 80-90gr range and extract much better performance from it.

Ammo price comparison - prices are out of date, expect 25% higher prices.
Now, before you get upset that I didn't pick your pet cartridge for the list, realize, there are many cartridges out there that are common or that people love that just aren't good for beginners. 30-06, for example, is a great cartridge with a long history, but is severely lacking in long range match type ammo and therefore does not make the list. For handloaders, it can be great like a 300 Win Mini Mag compared to 308 Win. Same goes for many other cartridges on paper like 7mm-08 or 243 Win. They all have faults on the cost or logistics side that makes them less than ideal options.
For a little further shooting, look into the 6.5PRC, 7PRC, and 300PRC.

Optics

There are too many optic choices to go through so I am going to focus on a few at a few price points and use them for the templated build. You may feel that there are better optic choices out there at a price point, but I haven't been able to handle or shoot on all of them and therefore, I do not include them.
I am going to list fixed, SFP, and FFP models. I do not feel I have gained anything from paying more for FFP scopes vs the SFP versions or the fixed scopes. With the type of shooting I am doing, I typically shoot at measurement magnification.

• $300 ($210 on sale) - SWFA SS 12x42 MRAD/Mil-Quad. Excellent optic. Rugged, accurate adjustments, no-nonsense, great reticle, good glass. There are lower and higher magnifications available. I suggest you stick to the 12x. It is at the sweet spot for magnification and glass quality. There is a MOA-Quad option as well. If you want that instead, then get it. Back in my day there was only a Mil-Quad and Dot, so I haven't played with the MOA model. There is an HD model that costs a lot more. Stick to the one I gave you. There are vari-powered models. Stick to the one I gave you. Its competitors are the Athalon Argos, Sightron S-TAC, Primary Arms 4-14x, and others.
• $450-500 - Bushnell Match Pro - Solid design entry level optic. Good, robust turrets, readable markings, tactile feel, solid internals, great reticle. Illumination costs $50 more.
• $600 - Vortex PST II 3-15x - Good option for illumination and a hunting/crossover form factor.
• $700 - Bushnell Match Pro ED 5-30x - This is the new current meta for scope under $1500. Better glass and features than the PST II at similar money. It's primary competitor is going to be something like the Ares ETR, with the ETR having a little better CA performance but the Bushnell having better resolution (IMO).
• $2200 - Vortex Razor HD III 6-36x - This optic came out as the 'ZCO Killer' with near alpha tier glass and every feature you could want from a high end tactical optic. It isn't quite that, but at half the price if you know where to buy, it is so close that a higher end $3000+ optic can be really hard to justify.
• $4000 - ZCO 420/527/840 - This is about the entry to the alpha glass. As close to perfect as you can get in optics, and a price to match.

Mounts - I don't believe in over-spending on mounts.

• Base for your rifle - If you get the SWFA option, you won't need a canted rail, but if you get some of the other options, you may want a 20 MOA cant. You might as well get it canted because it costs the same. I buy Warne, EGW, and Weaver and have never had a problem with any of them. $35-50
• Rings - I am a big ol' fanboy of the Burris Signature Zee rings for really cheap rings. They don't mar your scope, lock up well, won't bend your scope tube, and either come with or have the option for inserts that let you put a cant on your scope from the rings to add or in replacement for the canted base. - $50-60. For most of the scopes in the list above and most contours, you want the High rings. For the 40-45mm, on lighter profile barrels, you want the Medium rings. If you pick a scope with a 34mm+ tube, you may need to spend closer to $150 to get a set of rings that will work for you. Seekins Precision, Vortex PM, and Hawkins rings are all popular options.

Plan for that combo to be +$100

But my budget is only a few hundred dollars and I can't shoot at 1000 yards anyways...

If you are only going to be shooting a few hundred yards, get a Savage Axis II combo and shoot it to death. You won't have most of the points I make above, but it will shoot and out to 500-600 yards, you won't need a ton of fancy features. Strelok (Not with the state department ban, need to figure out what works here, but you can use shooterscalc in the meantime) can tell you where to hold off based on information you get from the ammo box and ammo selection is wide and relatively cheap. Go shoot.

I saw the title and that sounded like what I wanted!

Template build 1:

• Ruger American Predator for $450. Another great choice. Comes in 308 Win, 6.5CM, 223 Rem, and 6.5G. Get the model that has AICS or AR magazine compatibility, not the rotary magazine model. Throw a Bushnell Match Pro on it.
• Howa Mini Action/1500 - Comes in 308 Win, 6.5 Grendel, 6.5 CM, and many other cartridges for around $490, more with fancy paint jobs. Throw an SWFA SS on it.

My budget is a little higher... I was looking at the Ruger Precision Rifle and...

• Bergara HMR - $950. They come in 6.5CM and 308 Win, and some others I think. They are very accurate out of the box, almost to the level of the entry level customs that you can read about in the guide above. They come threaded, with good adjustable stocks, DBM systems, and aren't super heavy.
• Tikka T3x CTR - $900-950. They come in 6.5CM, 308 Win, blued, and stainless. The actions are really good, the triggers are pretty good too and come with a really high end set trigger option. The barrels are pretty decent. This is a traditional-form-factor competitor to the Bergara HMR and some other rifles and is a great hybrid hiking and target rifle. They come with muzzle threading and DBM, but use proprietary magazines.
• Howa Bravo - $1100 in 6.5 Creedmoor. Pick the optic you want, but takes AI mags, good barrels, threaded, and a decent stock with lots of add-ons available.

But my budget is $2000+!

This category, you should be looking at guns that qualify for PRS Production class. This used to be a $2000 limit, then was changed to $2500, and most recently, to $3000.

• MPA BA PMR
• Seekins Havak Bravo
• Badrock South Fork - $2000-2200
• GAP makes one that you really want but can't buy
• Bergara Premier Competition - $2750
• ARC Rifle - $2500

Rifles in this price point I do not recommend:

• Christensen MPR
• Savage Precision
• DD Delta 5
• Ruger Hawkeye LR

You could also:

1. Dive into the entry-level customs guide at the top
2. Pick a rifle from the previous section and spend more on glass
3. Ask this again in /longrange, check my post history for information about my own builds.

Okay got it... now what?

Go shoot, ya doofus. Don't put long range on a pedestal. Getting good shooting is something that needs to be done with practice, so stop worrying so much about gear and go shoot.

1/ The OpenAI team was ridiculed in the early days for pursuing AGI
2/ A conversation about AI's power and potential for good or evil is critical in this moment of AI maturity
3/ GPT is an early AI system that will be considered a pivotal moment in the history of AI
4/ The pre-training data set for GPT is enormous and sourced from various partnerships and open-source databases.
5/ Creating GPT-4 required a lot of problem-solving and integrating various pieces, including data selection and human supervision.
6/ GPT4 compresses the web into one organized black box, but its usefulness to people is what really matters.
7/ Chat GPT possesses wisdom and reasoning capabilities, which is remarkable and exciting, despite differing opinions on its definition and limitations.
8/ GPT models struggle with accurately counting characters and words and have difficulty understanding multi-layered reasoning.
9/ Iterative process of improving technology with public feedback is essential 📷📷.
10/ Improving GPT's bias is critical 📷📷
11/ OpenAI is working on evaluating and addressing bias in its AI system, but acknowledges the challenge of finding a balance between unrestricted models and responsible involvement. 📷📷
12/ Open AI strives to improve and welcomes criticism 📷.
13/ Size is just one factor in the performance of neural networks, with hundreds of complicated things like data organization and training contributing to success.
14/ People got caught up in the parameter count race, but the complexity of reconstructing the entirety of human civilization is quite something. 📷
15/ Open AI prioritizes performance over elegance, even if it causes other problems. 📷
16/ AGI needs components beyond a body. 📷
17/ GPT is not taking programmer jobs, it's a useful tool. 📷
18/ Good programming requires creativity and minimal boilerplate. 📷📷
19/ AI lacks human flaws and imperfections that make life interesting. 📷📷📷
20/ AI can vastly improve quality of life 📷.
21/ AI may kill humans 📷📷
22/ AI alignment is a hard problem 📷.
23/ GPT-4 may be impressive, but it is not an AGI yet.
24/ The pressure to prioritize safety in the face of upcoming open-source language models is a real danger
25/ Stick to mission despite external pressures. 📷
26/ OpenAI is working on AGI despite being misunderstood and mocked 📷.
27/ Distributing power in AI is important for democracy 📷.
28/ Censorship is increasing 📷.
29/ Open AI is working on powerful technology and is being transparent about safety concerns, but some people are nervous about the risks and there is PR risk involved.
30/ OpenAI's Sam Altman admires Elon Musk's work but wishes he would acknowledge the hard work they are doing, and seeks feedback to improve their efforts. 📷📷
31/ Technological advancements will enhance jobs, create new ones, and potentially replace some, but overall improve productivity and efficiency. 📷📷
32/ OpenAI has a responsibility for the tools they put out into the world. 📷📷
33/ Jailbreaking may become unnecessary as more control is given to users. 📷📷
34/ Deploy AGI early to prevent instability. 📷
35/ It's important to educate people that AI is a tool, not a creature 📷.
36/ It is dangerous to project creatureliness onto a tool, but there may be a future for romantic relationships with AI 📷📷.
37/ Machines may eventually take control. 📷
​
Watch the Podcast
Check out my AI Newsletter

Howdy folks!
Wondering if I could get some advice on buying a used 1X Scull for training/recreational use (21' or 24'). I'm on a tight budget so looking for really basic stuff.
I'm 6', ~200 lb and a total beginner just looking to get away from the city and get a good outdoors workout, where I can go a bit faster than on a paddle board or canoe (and I feel like I'm better suited to the biomechanics of sculling than paddling).
I'll be rowing primarily in calm river waters. I'm planning to sign up for rowing classes for beginners in my local rowing club. Hopefully I get to try different boats and find something that fits.
Anyone knows a good place to find used boats and can anyone advise in good specific models that would work for me?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I see a lot of praise for Sheppard, Sportys, Kings, etc. for written test prep and didn't see a review of PassTheWritten.com yet so figure I'd write about my experience with them in case anyone is curious. These guys seem to be new as I couldn't find much info on them but they have some flyers up at my local airport. One other pilot I know at my airport is using them to study for Instrument right now but he hasn't finished the course yet so he didn't have an opinion on it yet. Other than a coupon code I found on their flyer, I didn't receive any special treatment from them and they didn't ask me to write this, so this is my unfiltered opinion now that I've taken the actual written (and passed!).
​
TL;DR Version: It's legit! I took just under three weeks studying a couple hours each day for CAX with them and passed yesterday with a 100%. Signing up was easy and they gave me an endorsement for free once I passed two practice tests. Price was cheap. Works online only but was not a problem for me.
​
My background:
I have previously used both Sporty's and Sheppard for written test prep. Both got me great scores but I've had small nitpicks with them both.
​
I prepped for PPL with Sporty's years ago with their free Private test prep. It prepared me very well and I missed only one question. I didn't buy the ground school they offered as I was in a 141 program at the time and just needed some written test prep and it served me well for this.
​
When I did my Instrument rating, I followed the near unanimous suggestion to use Sheppard by my flight school's CFIs and some of my friends. This was about a year ago. Truth be told, it let me pass in the 90s with few surprised. To that extent, it worked. However, despite the praise they get, I seriously don't get why it is so hyped. Signing up by phone was a pain. I was told this is so that they can explain their study "method" but I'd really like the option to sign up online, or at least sign up online for future courses after having already signed up by phone once.
​
When my laptop decided it was time to let out the magic smoke half-way through the course, it was like pulling teeth to get them to let me reinstall the application on a new computer. I was grilled as to exactly how my laptop failed and why my name showed up as a student pilot in the airmen registry (I was still a newly-minted PPL with the plastic not yet arrived.) They eventually let me put it on my desktop but I lost all progress. I get it. It's not their fault my computer imploded but the whole process was much more of a pain than it needed to be. The customer service was lacking and they made me feel like I was a burden.
​
Fast forward to this year, I'm now working on Commercial for the heck of it. I'm not an aspiring career pilot but just want to further my skills and open up some opportunties down the road. I'm about to take the checkride but needed to knock out the written still.
​
After the bitter experience I had with Sheppard, I decided I would go a different route for the Commercial written. I know Sheppard would've gotten me a great score, but I also really wanted to be able to study on both my iPhone when I'm on the go and my laptop when I'm at home. I considered Sporty's based on my positive experience with them for PPL but at $279, it is steep to buy for that purpose alone. I get that its a full ground school but I do self-study well and have enough resources that I didn't want to pay that just for the test prep portion.
I figured for 36 bucks ($4 off from a coupon code I found on their flyer at my local airport), I'd have little to lose if it ended up sucking.
After using the platform and taking the test, here are the pros and cons I found:
​
PROS:

• Signing up took nothing more than a name and credit card online. About a minute after paying, I received an e-mail with a username and password.
• The instructions are the first thing presented when you sign in. Definitely read them as they are NOT the same as the Sheppard study method but straightforward enough. There are no memory aid sheets or any other tricks.
• Nothing to download. Everything runs in the web browser. The figures appear alongside the questions for questions with figures.
• There is a link to a electronic E6B so if you don't have one handy you can simulate one.
• They say they do not limit number of devices. I used on my iPhone, iPad, and laptop and switched between them frequently with no issues so this seems accurate.
• There is a button to download a test endorsement that appeared immedietely after I finished the course and passed two practice exams. It was a PDF that I printed out and brought with me to the test center. I misspelled my last name when I signed up (d'oh!) so this endorsement was actually misspelled but I e-mailed support and they fixed it for me by the end of the day.
• Price was cheaper than anything else I've found, even without the coupon code.

​
CONS:

• Requires an internet connection. This could be a dealbreaker if you are dead set on studying somewhere you don't have an internet connection. This was not a problem for me as I either had a cellular connection or studied at home. If you are going to spend most of your time studying somewhere where you have no internet, this isn't going to work for you. This is no different than Sporty's though or some of the other online programs.
• It seems like you get auto signed out after a day or so and have to sign in again. Not a big deal but a "remember me" option would be nice to have. I saved my username and password in the browser so this was not a big problem. The username is randomly generated so you'll probably want to do the same unless you have a good memory! You can change the password though.
• Okay, this isn't really a con but I figure I'd mention it here: The explanations for the questions are pretty minimal. They mostly refer to places like the Airplane Flying Handbook or PHAK. But this is totally what I'd expect from a product that literally has "pass the written" in the name. It's not a ground school so be sure you understand that if you use it. No different than Sheppard in that regard. However, there were some explanations that were absolutely critical and helpful - see below.
• I didn't see a way to search for questions. I asked them about this and they said they are planning to add it in the future but don't have an ETA. However the questions are sorted by topic so you can review them based on a category like "Weather" or "FARs"

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Test Day:
After I got the test endorsement, I booked the test immedietely for later that week. As I went through the questions on the actual exam, they were almost all EXACTLY the same as on Pass the Written. There were two or three that I don't think were exactly the same but were close enough that I could figure out the answers. There was also a question that they warned me was being scored wrong by the FAA. I cautiously selected the "wrong" answer which was clearly scored as right since I missed no questions.
​
I'll be honest... I was not expecting to do this well. I was getting low 90s on the practice exams and thought I'd do similarly on the actual thing. I think this is the first time I've gotten a 100% on anything in my life.
​
I will probably eventually do CFI... when I do I will absolutely be using these guys.

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Hey there, fellow Redditors!
Let's cut to the chase - my current employer is struggling to keep up with the times, and like many other companies out there, it may not survive until the end of the year. Now, I've got it pretty sweet - my compensation is more than decent, and I've got a lot of flexibility in terms of work hours and the like. Plus, my particular set of skills is in high demand, so finding a new gig shouldn't be too much of an issue.
So, here's the dilemma: do I start job hunting now and get a head start on the competition, or do I ride out this cushy gig until the inevitable end? It's a tough call, and that's why I'm turning to the trusty Reddit community for some advice.
What do you think, folks? Is it better to take a proactive approach and start searching for a new job, or should I just kick back and enjoy the ride until the end? Let me know your thoughts!

Hello!
I am 26F working in the UK construction / civil engineering industry (site based) and want to get abroad to somewhere new and ideally English speaking as I'm not fluent in any other languages!
I have just found out that my project I was hoping to work on in Antarctica has been postponed for at least 3 years and the 'international' company that i work for are no longer undertaking any projects abroad. I am really keen to move and work abroad and i'm not sure whether i can stay in the UK for that much longer!
At risk of doxxing myself here, I have a 2.2 in a Bachelor's degree in Architectural Engineering from a Top 100 University for civil engineering, and am about to finish my Master's in International Construction Management and Engineering (from another top international university) and am predicted a distinction in this.
I will be sitting my Institution of Civil Engineers professional review exam in the next year to become an Incorporated Engineer and will extend this to fully chartered status in a further 18 months upon recieving my degree results and some further experience.
I have been working as a civil engineer within the UK railway construction industry for 4 years and am currently working as a sub agent (similar role to a site manager, junior project manager, or project engineer). I have also won a few awards in my field which i will not list here and have really good references from my current company (though I expect they will be disappointed if I leave).
I would love to do seasonal or fly in fly out jobs as my passion is seeing more of the world and my current role doesn't allow me to do this due to minimal annual leave. I am happy working long 12-14 hour days and 2+ weeks with no breaks (this is something I am used to from working in construction), particularly if I can bank up annual leave by doing so.
If anyone knows of any seasonal civil engineering or construction roles abroad where I will be able to work myself to the bone and have extended time off after, please let me know! I understand that NZ and Aus have FIFO roles where you can bank up a few weeks of holiday at a time which would be ideal, but even something where I could work essentially nonstop for 7 months to have 5 months off would be even better.
If anyone has any ideas where to even start with this please let me know!!

Hi everyone, I'll just to keep this as concise as possible.
I expect to graduate in the summer with my MS in Biology. For context, it's ecology based and my work involves molecular genetic techniques as well as some food web modeling. I've been applying to jobs and have recently accepted a position as a lab coordinator and instructor at a small liberal arts school in Baltimore.
Among this offer were a few offers to work in labs at Johns Hopkins as a research specialist. I chose the lab coordinator position because even though I only work 10 months of the year, it pays substantially more. Johns Hopkins is notorious for "paying in prestige". But, that's just it. A part of me feels like i've made the wrong choice in the sense that i've essentially taken immediate financial relief over future opportunities to work in successful research labs. I think I want to eventually go for a PhD and I think the positions at JH would have helped me be more competitive. Even if I dont go for the PhD, I think the skills gained at research labs would have made me more competitive in the workforce as well. Don't get me wrong, I am excited to start working and this is by no means an insult to the college or its faculty but, I feel like taking the lab coordinator position has basically narrowed my career path.
Am i just catastrophizing? It is possible, the job searching process took its toll on me. Also, in terms of career progression, what benefits of taking this lab coordinator position am i missing? Any advice or insight from people who have worked in a similaadjacent position would be helpful. Thank you in advance.

I have a working dog in my apartment. Her name is Ellie and she is a blue healer, border collie, catahoula mix. She is also a search and rescue k9. My rental agency knows this. They don't allow pets in their apartments, but we were granted an exception due to the nature of her work. We have an inspection coming up with a third party group, which I have been unable to get a hold of (my rental agency told me to reach out with them to directly schedule the inspection) and I fear they are unaware there is an animal on the premise.
The inspection window is open between the end of March and early May, this includes weekends, and weekday evenings. My partner and I both work and are not always home consistently due to the nature of our jobs. The inspection requires no notice due to state laws and we are not required to be present. This means that they can, and will, enter the residence at any time before the beginning of May.
I cannot/will not send her to boarding, kennel her while we are gone, have her stay with family, etc during this time for various reasons. Now she's a wonderful, sweet, friendly dog, but as a professional dog trainer, it is ignorant to assume she wouldn't 'hurt a fly'. I have no idea how she would respond if an unknown person entered the residence without my fiancé or I home. Because, well, it's never happened before. I plan on posting a letter on the door, but I'm not sure what else to do.
If the inspection group were to enter the residence and she reacted extremely negatively causing a bite or attack, what would the legal repercussions be?

I'm a network engineer who has a BS in networking and 3 years job experience. 1st job was a small business' making 20ish an hour, and the last two years was hired on at a larger fortune 500 company making 76k. However, I don't have any certifications, and I was added to the senior engineering team at this company. It felt like ( and still sometimes does ) I'm underqualified for the position. I was told my hiring manager a big reason I was selected for the role was outstanding soft-skills but I feel like for my current role I'm lacking a bit in more technical areas. Most of my coworkers on my team are senior Network Engineers with 15-20+ years on me, and while I'm learning practically every minute, I feel like I want to pursue a certification of some sort to solidify my skills. I also want something to increase salary potential down the road. Right now, being part of the LAN team, I deal mostly with L2 & L3 switching and I enjoy it. I'm considering studying for the CNNA and eventually CCNP. I also work closely with a CCNP and his knowledge and experience troubleshooting at the packet level is something I'm aspiring too. Given all this, do you think my time and effort be better spent studying for something else?

I recently have participated in a screening evaluation for ADHD, and I am waiting for the final written report from the assessor. During our last session over a week ago, she mentioned she felt like I fit more in the category of having an Ego Syntonic personality with OCD tendencies. She stopped short of saying OCPD, but I’m not sure why exactly. At the time of the session, I didn’t even know what OCPD was or what Ego Syntonic meant. After the session was completed, I immediately googled it - obviously…..lol.
Immediately - I felt punched in the stomach. I knew OCD might have been a possibility all along, but when I read what Ego Syntonic meant - it hurt…..a lot.
I read the criterium of OCPD, and definitely recognize a lot of it. However, what I don’t recognize is the Ego Syntonic part. Can you have OCPD and not be Ego Syntonic? From what I have read so far, I don’t see that being a possibility. However, I might be missing something…..
I don’t recognize that aspect of it. When I told my therapist last week, who I have weekly sessions with for nearly 8 months, about it - she seemed perplexed too. She stopped short of dismissing the assessor, and said she was going to do some of her own research on it. She said it wasn’t an area she was too familiar with. She was though familiar with the terminology Ego Syntonic. She agreed that I haven’t really shown her that at all in any areas. I have internalized these things on myself. I actually care a great deal about others, and don’t push my ideal’s on them. I have wanted to stop and be easier on myself for a long time, but couldn’t fight my way out and it cost me the love of my life of 16 years. But it wasn’t because of demands I placed on her directly. She would tell you the same thing. I was constantly forever trying to please everybody and be perfect. This started all the way back in early childhood - like probably 6 or 7 years old. So how could I be Ego Syntonic? It was a huge gut punch that put me in a miserable downward spiral for a couple of days, but I pulled myself out of it fortunately.
I finally called my Mom after a week or so to talk about the outcome because she participated in the ADHD screening on my behalf. She was even more perplexed. She said she has never seen me be like that with anybody, except myself.
Could this assessor be wrong? I still relate with ADHD on a lot of things. The assessor said that I have shown a few symptoms, but mostly executive dysfunction symptoms. Not enough to diagnose me under the DSM - as ADHD. With that being said, she also said I was more of a complex case than she even thought I was at the beginning of the process. I know that executive dysfunction occurs across lots of conditions, not just ADHD.
I also read that early onset OCD has higher rates of incidence with ADHD. My tendencies started at a very early age. They likely could have only gotten reinforced over time. My Dad is likely undiagnosed ADHD too. He has many more of the classic symptoms of ADHD. I was talking to my Mom about this, they have been divorced for over 15 years but still work together in the family business. She too never thought about him having ADHD, but when I explained the criterium to her, she said it definitely sounded like him. I know I can’t diagnose him either, but IF he has it, it increases my odds of having it too. I’m the only child, so I have no other siblings to compare.
Anybody have any thoughts or experiences they can relate with me on? Could the assessor be wrong? Am I complex enough I need to see a more specialized assessor? Anybody feel like their OCD/OCPD could mask or compensate for ADHD in different aspects or areas?
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!!

Also posted in cantax I have been purchasing shares through payroll since around 1997. I have never withdrawn any. I am planning on withdrawing some, not all, next spring. These shares have split a few times and were probably around 25$ way back when but are closer to 500$ now. I am still purchasing them and I have upped my dollar amount per pay in the last few years although I am buying way less than I used to just because of the share price. I use a tax software to do my taxes but I am not extremely knowledgeable about taxes. I have 2 questions and any other advice would be appreciated:
1) Do I need to do calculations on my taxes or will the receipt from the investment firm have all the information and I just have to enter that on the appropriate line come tax time? I have been adding the dividends every year to my taxes but nothing else. Basically will I need an accountant to help me figure out the amount of capital gains etc. or will the software and tax receipt be enough? I usually have a very simple tax profile. Work, RRSP and some investments on top of the ESPP.
2) Is this considered income and how will it affect me for the following year? I don’t have small children and I am still in the workforce and make enough money that I don’t get GST or most other low income credits. Should I withdraw part of the shares near the end of 2023 and part in 2024 or it won’t make a difference?

The long and short of it. My life went off the rails at 9y-o and I'm dealing with it all now at 64. My folks put all the pieces in place, great education, wonderful opportunities, should have been an exemplary life. I think it would be nice to have a good life and be happy, but it's been so long since it was good, I'm not sure it's worth it. I want help for depression, thinking about suicide, but am scared that I I ask, I will be put on a psych hold. I don't think I need that because I'm still here. Now, I think I may be splitting my personality. Is it that, or just a Sims world I've built in my head?
My bio-dad left soon after my birth, mom remarried and I was adopted by a great man at 2 y-o, I was SA'd from age 9 - 13. Confused and unsure throughout school, college, and have little confidence to make decisions in my life. I cannot trust my gut and it has cost me plenty. I've made a lot of bad moves, even when i knew the right choice, I went against it. It's like I don't want to succeed.
What sort of therapy might help me? How do I find a person who can work through all of the following and more? What would someone helping me look like? What's going to happen?
I am isolated and feel utterly alone in an unhappy marriage, my third. I'm (64, HLM). My wife (61LLF) can be mean, cruel, and dismissive. I could go through all of the reasons this marriage is unhappy, but be assured it revolves around sex, money, and my health. I have no kids, she has one with children of his own.
She acts like the happiest woman on earth unless it's around me or about me. She uses that high pitched happy voice with a lilt, cuddles and kisses her dog, not me, just the dog. I said when she cried for another dog, that "OK, as long as it doesn't ruin our sex life." It had been getting back on track; but, not any more. It's dead, she doesn't want me and now, after months, I have no desire to be with her; the sex just isn't any good. Why be disappointed when she doesn't want to be there in the first place?
For about 20 years, I was in chronic pain and on opioids. She would yell that I was exaggerating or faking to try and get some sympathy and she wasn't falling for it. 2 years ago my knee started getting real sore, hurt on walks, and made it impossible for me to hike or climb. She accused me of faking it and even said, "What do you need a knee replacement now?" She told me 'I don't deserve sympathy and she doesn't have any empathy for me.' She accused me of faking Her saying, 'Man up and deal with it' was a constant refrain. So, I had one surgery that helped my lower back and another to replace my knee. MRIs show and doctors say that I need two more surgeries, my shoulder is torn and my neck has three bulging disks that need to be removed and the vertebrae fused. These causes a lot of neck, shoulder, and upper back pain. I have an autoimmune disease that complements my arthritis and causes terrible joint pain and weakness. She said I don't need the surgeries and that she won't help me during the recoveries. In general, our interactions usually belittle me and I feel terrible. Last year, when I tried to talk with her about my depression, she said I should just kill myself.
I think, sometimes, that she is gaslighting me. She will tell me I said something or did something that I don't remember and is nit within my personality. Sometimes, it's a fact I know and she'll fight me on it. I gave up arguing those and just let her go on. She recounts old events that don't sound right in the retelling. She's quoted me when I know it didn't happen. She tells me her son and his family know I'm a loser. For the record, until Covid my investments had been doing well. Now, they're drifting towards shit.
I find myself thinking about mistakes I've made and the consequences they have wrought in my life; divorce, investment losses, job losses, emotional distress, loss and lack of friends, and deep depression. I have a space in my head where I made it to high school without being SA'd. In hindsight I can see that really fucked me up. In that space, I am more confident, and am still married for the only time. It's a fairly elaborate space with careers, family, friends, homes, cars, hobbies, and kids, I think it's three boys and a girl, but that's kind of hazy. I am clear on most of the other details. I often retreat there and talk with my (first) wife, and imaginary friends, and colleagues. I include some long-term acquaintances with whom I should have long friendships, but I don’t have any of those.
I think about that life and what happened in it today when I lie in bed trying to go to sleep. I sometimes make plans for what we'd be doing in the life. I missed out on a great life with an incredible woman who was capable of making something for us. It was my idea, her skill-set, and our contacts in that industry that would have gotten us started. We were doing well IRL, but i freaked out and pulled the plug. Too scared to succeed it seems. That's been a recurring theme in my life. It's why I divorced her. I knew she could be successful and leas a big life. She is, but i knew I was headed down a personal and professional dead-end road and would not do well on my own. So, I divorced her to keep from continuing to fail in front of her. She deserved a much better life and she is living it without me. I am proud of her and thankful that she made it, even if I couldn't. I wish we had made it together. I just couldn't contribute.
So, now, I live with my third wife. On the face of it, our life looks pretty good to the neighbors, I guess. But, I have one hobby, one local close acquaintance, one friend who moved 1500 miles away last year, and an extended group who almost all make substantially more money than I do and have far more interesting lives.
I often feel, in the nice suburban home, that I am just waiting to die, not much to do, nobody needs anything from me, I don't contribute anything to society. I just don't matter.
I wonder if therapy could help, and I wonder if I even car to get help. It would be a lot easier for everyone if I died. I'd rather not die, but if I get help, they'll ask me if I think about harming myself. Well, I sit around the house and imagine holding a pistol to my head; I think about it as I'm going to sleep after another shitty day. I imagine the mess and know she'll be pissed if it gets on anything, or spoils part of her life but bloodying the house or yard. I'm afraid to go get help because there is so much to unpack.
Reasons I haven't killed myself: 1) in case heaven is real. My step-dad will be there and I'll damned for killing myself, and I won't get to see him, or eventually, my first wife, whom i miss more than I can describe. 2) I don't want to go out as this big a loser 3) There will be a lot to take care of after my death and I don't want it screwed up. 4) maybe my life might get better

hey all! i’ve been going through an intrusive compulsion a lot lately, and i wanted to know if anyone else has ever felt similarly to me.
me (25F) and my partner (24M) are in a loving and healthy relationship, and he always expresses how much he loves seeing me. but, he invites me over to his nearly every day (even asking if i’m coming back over when i get off of work). and this is fantastic, but i always think that he’s just being nice and wants to be alone for a little bit and just invites me over because he knows i get really sad when we’re apart.
because of this, i always compulsively tell him that he can have his alone time and that i only want to come over if he wants me to. i add on that i would love to come over because i also don’t want him to think that me saying that doesn’t mean i don’t want to see him.
lately, it’s been getting bad and i can’t help but still tell him that it’s okay if he wants to go home. i can tell that it might be starting to get on his nerves, but he still always reassures me that he loves spending every moment with me. and i feel the same way, but i (for some reason) can’t accept that he wants to see me so much lately. sometimes i’ll ask if i can come over too because i do really want to see him, but even when he says yes i feel like he just feels bad saying no.
have any of you felt this way before? how do you let yourself believe that your partner wants to be around you without worrying that they’re just being nice?
TL;DR
my partner loves seeing me as much as i love seeing him and invites me over every day, but i always compulsively tell him that he can have time to himself and i feel bad seeing him so much (even though he’s the one asking).

I feel like I’ve been “chasing the dragon” for the last few years of my life and coming to the realization that it’s just lost it’s affect. It’s never going to happen I’ve tried switching to oils and concentrates was hooked on vape carts for the last few years then broke that cycle and introduced flower back into my routine. Had a really bad cough for months now thankfully my lungs are in better shape but I’ve still been extremely burnt out feeling like I’m just sabotaging my self by continuing to feed my body a continuous stream of THC.
It doesn’t matter how nice the flower is or how good the oil is it’s not helping me anymore, I’m stuck in this perpetual rut of merely existing. I have a decent job and it’s quite a miracle I’ve managed to find something I can hold but I’m far from a model employee it’s just luck that I’m hanging in. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am and need the motivation to continue climbing that ladder. Today is my last day before I go cold Turkey, my flower jar is empty I have one cartridge that’s about 1/4 full. I’m debating keeping my bong that I just bought a few months ago for $80 but throwing it down the garbage chute is probably what I need to do.
I’m already thinking about if I should get high for a concert I have ticket for exactly 100 days from now and I don’t think I should, I have coconut oil infused with shatter that I was planning to make a gigantic batch of brownies with but I’m not even sure anymore too many things to tempt me, the voices in my head will persuade me to indulge and justify it as being ok because it’s not smoking.
Another realization I’ve had and I’m not proud of, weed has become too big of a piece of my identity. I was living for weed. Thinking about it non stop, when my country legalized I would pull off enormous grows in my parents yard, I’d make home made bubble hash and oils. Home made vape carts etc it was taking up a lot of my time. Even earlier this year I’ve been fighting my self debating if I will grow, these thoughts are interfering with more important things in my life and holding me back. The hardest part about quitting is the thought of how everything needs to be “enhanced”, and breaking that routine and losing the thoughts in my head.
I apologize for the long rambling I’m not sure anyone will make sense of what I said or relate. This is the beginning of my journey to quitting.

My son will be 4 in July. He knows how and when to use the potty but absolutely refuses to do so. At his dad's house, he will go entire days with "no accidents" (this does not include pooping). When we are out in public, or visiting someone, he will use the toilet. But when we are at my house he will not. I'm frustrated. He will go into other rooms of the house to poop in his pants. He will immediately come find me after and tell me he pooped. If I try to intercept he tells me he doesn't have to poop..
This morning he got out of bed and I said okay let's go use the toilet, he said he didn't have to go and I said we need to go anyways, and he stared at me as he peed in his pants.
He's supposed to start 4k in September and I don't think he will be ready.
He's in therapy for other behavioral issues we are experiencing which (I believe) are related to ADHD and lack of sleep and the therapist says not to worry about the potty training or push it since eventually it WILL happen, but 6 months is not a lot of time when we've been working on this for like 2 years.

ok boom honestly the title told the whole story but i'll elaborate. i have a bf and this is my first bf but not my first time dealing with a man, Ive always has the thought I was lesbian but I pushed it down and continued to pursue men because no offense but I really dont wanna deal with being lesbian, its so much to it I don't think i could handle not liking men because that's all i've know my entire life but anyways so these thoughts began surfacing because theres a new girl at my job and shes absolutely beautiful, like I can't comprehend how pretty she is like especially her smile and just everything about her. Yesterday she wiped something off my lip and I can't stop thinking about it or her and I feel horrible because my bf was talking to me and all I could think about was her, I was absentminded because I could not get her out of my head. I never thought of my bf or any man like this and its scaring me because I thought i just wasnt affectionate? but why is it so different with her? anyways I really dont know where to go from here and I want to know if anyone else has or is in this situation and what do i do? (rereading this i might be lesbian lmao)

As the title reads, I'm curious in regards to what the expectations vs reality are when it comes to language proficiency that employers require.
After a fair bit of searching, what I'm getting is a mixed bag of answers, when it comes to the common point of being a fluent or native speaker. Though my native language is not English, I've been learning it for more than 15 years at this point, even majoring in it (will finish soon), and have taken (language proficiency) exams that prove I am pretty fluent.
The problem lies with the mixed information I've been seeing from both employers and those with teaching experience in Japan. Some say having good English is good enough, some say you must be a native speaker to even be considered. My main concern is that many list being a native speaker or being from an English-speaking country as a basic requirement.
What's the reality of it? Though I know the job market can be quite competitive, would employers still prefer a native speaker instead of me if I have been speaking English for nearly my whole life and have majored in it (if it came down to that as the deciding factor)? Would they just decide on people like me based on interviews to see the fluidity of speech and what/how much of an accent I have? Could this be a dealbreaker in many cases or do most places not give it too much weight as long as they are fluent speakers?