What study strategy or learning method has has the greatest impact on you academic success and why? by Natalia

What study strategy or learning method has has the greatest impact on you academic success and why? by Natalia - September 2026 Scholarship Essay

Being diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at the age of 12 meant that a normal school and study day for me might be different from my peers. For example, with flare ups and sometimes unplanned hospital visits, I knew I didn't have as much time as my peers to study. I knew I had to develop my own learning road map, which I did.

The first thing I do is make sure I'm sitting in the front of the class and I'm actively listening and asking questions to gain clarity of the assignment and or lecture.

Secondly, I take detailed notes and when I study, I use a method called, "Active Recall", taught to me by my older sibling. I use self-made flash cards, and I also create practice questions. This method is very useful when I'm studying for a math test.

When I'm studying for a history or english exam I like to re-write my notes. This helps me retain the information, so I'm prepared for any type of way the test is presented. For example, the test can be in question format i.e , a sentence with a missing word or I may be required to write a paragraph about a specific topic.

In closing, these study methods have helped me obtain an overall 3.97 GPA. I am also a member of our National Honor Society. I am also an officer in the Theatre department and I also work parttime as a hostess for a local restaurant.

I thank you for your time and I appreciate being considered for this scholarship and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely

Natalia Castillo