Critical Thinking by Chloe

Critical Thinking by Chloe - July 2026 Scholarship Essay

I've always preferred subjects with clear answers. Give me a math problem, and if I followed the right steps, I knew I'd reach the correct solution. That mindset worked for years, so when I enrolled in AP Physics, I expected more of the same. I assumed I would memorize formulas, substitute numbers, and solve problems. I quickly learned that physics demanded something entirely different.

Unit One came out with a bang: Kinematics. There were three basic equations, and I knew them by heart. I figured it would be easy. All I’d have to do is plug in the numbers from the word problem. But when I looked at a problem, I couldn't tell which one to use. I kept looking for the formula that would magically give me the answer, only to realize that I was asking the wrong question. Before I could solve anything, I had to understand what was actually happening. I had to visualize the situation, identify the reason for the objects how they worked together and decide which information mattered before choosing an equation.

This challenged me more than any subject. Instead of memorizing my way through the class, I had to break each problem into smaller pieces. I had to literally draw diagrams and ask myself why an object was positioned a certain way instead of just calculating its acceleration. At first, the process was slow and hard, but over time I realized I was learning how to think through complex situations. It took me a long time to understand how to tackle physics before the year ended, but I think I can carry the mindset further.

The experience changed the way I approach challenges beyond the classroom. When something doesn't make sense immediately, I don't think that it could be a simple solution if I followed a few instructions. I think during my years of high school, I got used to such a fixed mindset. As I step into college or any problem in my life, whenever I’m approaching any problem, I take the PAW method: Pause, Analyze the information, and Work through it. This has changed how I look at User Experience Design, where debugging and figuring out a different way to solve issues often requires the same kind of patience and logical reasoning. Every "mistake" is just redirection to the solution.

AP Physics taught me far more than the laws of motion. It taught me that critical thinking is about asking better questions, examining evidence, and being willing to rethink my process. Using my memory or thinking that I can just plug numbers into one equation is something that hasn’t gotten me very far. So, now I'll try all different methods after examining which equation my problem needs. That lesson has made me a stronger person and will continue to shape the way I solve problems as I pursue a degree in User Experience Design.