How informal education encouraged me to learn by Mark

How informal education encouraged me to learn by Mark - June 2024 Scholarship Essay

I graduated summa cum laude from the math and science academy at Ocean Lakes High School with an advanced diploma. This was a very challenging endeavor and well worth the effort. At times I struggled and I needed help outside of school.
For example, I had issues learning how physics concepts translated to real life. I met up with the teacher after hours and tried reading the textbook multiple times but I just wasn’t getting it. As a last resort, I decided to get a tutor to help me in the areas I was struggling with. With their help, I was able to understand rotation and torque, as well as how to approach word problems more effectively. The tutoring experience helped grow my love for physics by promoting a unique and novel look at concepts in real world settings that weren't taught in the classroom. It also helped me grow as a learner because I decided to take AP Physics C my senior year. Without the tutor I would not have gotten a 5 on the AP Physics exam.
I also received a lot of help from my parents. My 1st generation immigrant parents caused me to grow up with a different worldview than most and instilled the sense of dedication and responsibility I have now. They also encouraged me to volunteer in church which taught me how to adapt and problem-solve as a group leader. But that's not all, my mom helped me create a spreadsheet to keep track of my allowance back when I was in elementary school. This log was accessible on my phone and was shared with my mother, who had called it the BOM “Bank of Mark”. I was thrilled to have a resource that would help me keep track of my money and understand how formulas worked, but most importantly, I learned very valuable lessons in finance and self-control.
Moving into middle school, I applied my spreadsheet knowledge by creating a log that organized and categorized my school assignments. I classified them by the type of assignment, difficulty level, required time to complete, and their due dates. I added filtering, color coding, and once done, I would add the date each assignment was complete. This log gave me tremendous insight into how I should best allocate my time, where my priorities should lie, and what my most auspicious studying habits were.
Without these opportunities and their connection to me outside of school, I was able to be more intimate with the way I learned and how I wanted to apply it to school. I am thankful for everyone who played a part in how I grew as a person and taught me how to succeed in school.