Biology 101 by Madison

Biology 101 by Madison - December 2024 Scholarship Essay

My name is Madison Platt, and I am a junior at John F. Kennedy Memorial High School. One of the toughest academic challenges I have faced happened during my sophomore year in an advanced biology class. I have always been interested in science, especially areas related to health and medicine, so I was excited about the class. But once we got started, I realized it was way tougher than I expected.

The class moved at a fast pace, and the material was complicated. I struggled to keep up with the lectures and found the lab sessions really challenging. My first few test scores were not great, and I started to doubt myself. I knew I had to do something to turn things around.

I decided to change my study habits. I made a study schedule to keep myself organized and on track, setting aside specific times for reviewing notes, doing homework, and preparing for labs. This helped me stay on top of things and not fall behind.

I also reached out for help. I started going to after-school tutoring sessions with my biology teacher. These sessions were super helpful because I could ask questions and get a better understanding of the topics we covered in class. I also joined a study group with some classmates, and we helped each other out by sharing notes and discussing tough concepts.

Online resources became a big part of my learning, too. I watched videos and read articles that explained the material in different ways, which helped a lot. I found some cool interactive websites that made it easier to visualize what we were learning.

As I put these changes into action, I started to see improvements. My grades got better, and I felt more confident in class. The labs became less intimidating and more like fun learning experiences. I learned to tackle problems with a more analytical approach, which helped me not just in biology but in my other classes, too.

This whole experience taught me a lot about sticking with things and being flexible. I learned that challenges can help you grow and that it is important to keep pushing forward. It also fueled my interest in health sciences, and now I am even more excited about possibly studying public health or a related field in college. Schools like Penn State and UPenn are on my radar because they have great programs in these areas.

In the end, facing this challenge in biology was a real turning point for me. It showed me how to use resources around me, keep a positive attitude, and stay resilient. These lessons will definitely help me in the future, both in school and in life. I am now more motivated than ever to keep learning and exploring new things.