Learning by Doing: How Active Problem-Solving Reshaped My Study Habits by Jonathan

Learning by Doing: How Active Problem-Solving Reshaped My Study Habits by Jonathan - September 2026 Scholarship Essay

In terms of study habits, the one that has most greatly helped me academically is making an effort to actively solve problems rather than passively study them. When I first began taking classes, I would find myself thinking that reviewing notes and textbooks was enough to make me think I understood the material without having to prove that to myself in any way. However, after switching to trying practice problems right away, specifically in classes such as Applied Math and Statistics, and Computer Science, this problem has been avoided.

The reason why this is effective is that it requires me to retrieve information rather than recognize it. The process of actually sitting down and trying to figure out a proof, algorithm, or statistics problem makes me think about the concept behind it, rather than recognizing something that I read. If I am struggling somewhere along the way, then I know exactly where to go back and look at my notes to help myself understand.

Working on solving questions within a certain time frame is another way that differs from untimed review of questions because it prepares me for the actual examination process, as I will have to be able to solve any question within a limited time frame. In technical subjects, such training is essential since a partial knowledge of something may lead you nowhere.

This methodology has proved to be very effective even outside of classes. When conducting research or working on technical projects, whether analyzing the outputs of an AI model or developing a tool for people with disabilities, I apply the same principle: I learn best through hands-on experimentation, testing my hypotheses and adapting to my failures instead of just receiving the information and hoping that it will transfer when the time comes to use it.

One such example is from a particularly tough course on data structures and algorithms, where ideas built upon one another rapidly and being only slightly off could make following anything afterward difficult. Rather than try to re-read the lecture slides to understand the concept when I didn’t initially get it, I’d dive right into doing problems related to the concept, even before I felt “prepared.” In the vast majority of cases, the problem uncovered exactly what aspect of the concept that I wasn’t understanding, be it a particular edge case, a proof, or an assumption that I made without thinking about it. This pinpointed feedback helped me fill the gap rather than re-read information that I already knew for the most part, saving time and improving my comprehension of the material for tests.

Eventually, this changed the way that I would approach studying. Instead of using practice problems as a way of proving to myself whether or not I understood the material, I started viewing them as a means to an end, with reviewing being supplementary instead of primary. This alone has been one of the most significant changes to my performance in academics.