AP Psychology Course Review Example
My initial curiosity toward the subject stemmed from a desire to understand brain structure and emotion; learning how professionals approach psychology through empirical methods reinforced my enthusiasm for pursuing this field.
In AP Psychology thus far, what I’ve loved most is being able to see the real-world applications of topics covered in class. For instance, our recent unit about learning connects to my experiences teaching English to elementary school kids. I have worked with many students from ages four to eight; the ability of such young minds to join phonemes and morphemes into complete sentences is astonishing. In contrast to my performance in recent Korean learning pursuits, they can pronounce new sound patterns quite accurately, which demonstrates the significance of critical periods in second language acquisition. The psychology of learning, particularly the way our neurons change with age, is one area of focus that fuels my intrigue.
Considering this, for my QUEST graduation project, I have chosen to investigate the current shortcomings in developmental education, with a focus on child illiteracy. This issue is most severe in low-income areas, due to a lack of reading materials at home in the crucial stages of early learning. In addition to researching past studies that looked into the biological and environmental factors that affect literacy skills, I am leading a book drive for kids in Silicon Valley with the goal to donate 300 books to supplement their reading practice. Reading about such studies motivates me to gain more insight and contribute to research efforts in the future.
Survey and experiment methods are fascinating as well— the influence of phrasing in questions and the process of developing quantitative methods to evaluate variables, for instance. To build my understanding, I have done readings and watched videos in my free time about statistical analysis. In these self-study sessions, I was especially intrigued by a geometrical model explaining how conditional probability is used in computing posterior odds. Furthermore, the use of misleading statistics to influence decision-making interests me greatly, such as in advertisements. Initially, some concepts were challenging to grasp, but looking for information presented in several ways has improved my comprehension and driven me to learn more. I believe my foundational knowledge and curiosity toward data assessment will be of value when interpreting findings from psychological studies in higher education.
Apart from academics, I am a counselor in my school’s peer resource club, in which we are prepared to speak with students to provide support and consolation. By contributing in meetings and helping to publicize our group, I have strengthened my interpersonal skills, such as listening and collaboration. After school, I have committed to practice for marching band and drumline since freshman year. Shaping my percussion skills while moving in clean formation with my peers and writing choreography has challenged me physically and creatively, emphasizing the need for teamwork. My passion for tutoring has led me to volunteer locally and at an overseas program in Taiwan, where we taught fourth-graders in daily lessons and organized fun events. Furthermore, my job as a barista at my local boba shop has taught me about effective communication and time management; it also allows me to unwind as I get into the rhythm of taking orders and serving customers. As I continue to learn and grow from these activities, I will apply these skills to my studies in higher education and beyond.
