
Scholarship Submissions
Write an essay where you tell us what test preparation practices work best for you and why.
Studying has always been something I’ve struggled to find motivation for because I feel as if I can’t retain information. I’ve tired everything, highlighting, flashcards, writing vocabulary out over and over. Nothing seemed to fit my style, but I kept pushing forward to find the best way for me to prepare for exams, then one day it clicked! In the study rooms at my university they have whiteboards. I sat down one evening and told myself not to leave until I knew the material. I pulled out my colored markers and wrote on the board. Being able to write on the white board was the study style I needed. If I got something wrong it was one quick swipe and I could correct it, I had so much space to write terms out in different ways, so I knew it from every perspective. I have enough room to solve my math equations, with out the feeling of regret if I messed up. I sat in front of the white board until I could write everything out with out looking at my notes. I had it colored coded by chapter, so I could see where everything laid out and organized. For me when I studied on paper, I felt forced to get everything right, but one the white board, I didn’t feel forced, I knew I could correct my mistakes. That’s a huge part of studying, getting things wrong so you can learn from it. I could go back after I completed the problem and then correct myself, instead of looking at my notes as I go. I felt more challenged by putting my notes down, it forced me to understand more. By being able to understand, I began to remember.
Michaela from New York
College Sophomore
University at Albany