The Catalyst of Logic by John

The Catalyst of Logic by John - July 2026 Scholarship Essay

In my senior year of high school, I decided to take AP Chemistry because I had become intrigued by general chemistry and I enjoyed the teacher. What I had not come to realize yet, was that it was going to be a lot more challenging than it had been. For starters, it was the teacher's first year teaching the class, which made it a learning experience for him too. Plus, the curriculum for any advanced placement course is already difficult enough, with chemistry being no exception.

In the beginning, it was familiar since most of it was just review. However, we soon did a lab that tested a lot of our patience. We were tasked with designing an airbag for a car. We had a ziploc bag, and access to the chemicals required to make the bag inflate. Our mission was to find a way to determine the right ratio of chemicals for the reaction, as well as the best method for making them react on impact. We found that one method was to pour the liquid chemical in, twist the bag, and then pour the powder chemical in before sealing the bag. My group ended up being the most successful in both measuring amounts and determining methods. The project offered me an early, vital lesson in understanding what thinking outside of the box looks like in a real world scenario.

As the class progressed, we began to take our first practice exams. This is where my friends and I struggled the most. In most classes, I am able to comfortably study and feel confident for a test because I understand the subject material. Unfortunately in AP Chemistry, one has to consider everything no matter how small it may seem, which makes studying for exams later on in the year more and more difficult. This called for a new approach to studying, since my old methods were futile.

This started with abandoning trying to study alone and adapting more teamwork-focused learning. Rather than trying to remember everything, my peers and I were able to form a study group to leverage our individual strengths. This pivot not only improved my grades, but also enabled me to do well enough on the AP exam so that I earned a high enough score for college credit.

Ultimately, my experience demonstrated that acquiring meaningful knowledge requires pushing past academic comfort zones. As the year progressed and more material began to accumulate, the challenges I faced gave way to new solutions. However, the struggles this class provided gave way for experiences and solutions that strengthened my critical thinking in ways that I know will benefit me forever.