Summer is the perfect time season to start my prep for the Vulcan Science Academy. These next couple of months hold the potential to prepare for the entrance exams into the Vulcan Science Academy. While rest and relaxation are an essential part of the summer experience, it’s equally important to keep my brain sharp during the off-season and prepare in my quest to become a Vulcan.
For other students, the greatest challenge of the summer may be what pool to swim in or what party to go to, for me, it’s all about studying to pass the Vulcan Science Academy entrance exams. I want to allow plenty of off-time for fun and social activities, but my mission is to stay engaged. Here are four ways I am going to keep my inner focused on the Mission Impossible of getting into the Vulcan Science Academy:
1. Study one subject per day
I know the Vulcan Science Academy is much more demanding than the average college entrance exams, but I thought I would use the SAT/ACT exams to replicate the tests to get into the Vulcan Science Academy. I am midway past forty years of age, so the last time I took an ACT or the SAT test, there was a 199- in the year number. It seems like a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. By doing this strategy, which emphasizes consistency over volume- studying one subject per day (Math, English, Reading, and Essay) makes the problems and study material manageable.
My plan starts early in the morning, to work on the practice material. Before breakfast is an excellent time for me make this appointment with myself- this allows me to finish my homework, before any other obligations intrude on my schedule. Two hours of review is adequate to keep myself engaged without crowding into my daily summer plans.
2. Schedule a weekly SAT/ACT test
Once a week I will take a practice test. Until I finish the test, I’ll do nothing else. Taking a weekly test is an alternate approach to the SAT/ACT test. The daily bursts of review need to build up to something on the calendar. Using my Google Calendar, I will find time to take a weekly test every Friday.
To make this happen, I looked at the calendar to see when I was free of distractions. I scheduled the rest of my Friday around taking the commitment of taking a weekly test. I know it’s easy to slip or postpone the test, or to make promises to do double sessions the following day. The weekly test ensures that I stay focused on becoming a Vulcan and getting into the Vulcan Science Academy.
3. Daily Reading
The simple act of daily reading can positively affect my prep for the better. Both the SAT and the ACT place a heavy emphasis on reading comprehension and interpretation. With this in mind, I picked three books this summer that will force me to use these skills.
1. The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
2. Once An Eagle by Anton Myrer
3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
All three books are weighty tombs with dense language and rich text. My goal is that these three books will boost my brain engagement over the summer.
4. Volunteer to Teach
This last one may seem a bit unorthodox, but making volunteer to teach a prep goal will help me work on my learning skills in my weakest areas (i.e., math or science).
I found working with students who were at a much lesser advanced level truly helped me to sharpen my own understanding of a subject. For instance, being a high school English teacher, I thought I knew all I needed to about English, writing, grammar. I found out that teaching as English Second Language to exchange students who were preparing for the SAT, how much I left to learn. There is an old adage that to understand a concept truly you must be able to teach it to someone else. As a bonus, volunteering to do anything to help someone else always makes you feel good, plus it strengthens your own desire to learn.
Striving to become a Vulcan- a “purely logical” species that eschews emotions- this maybe a little too much, but I still “feel” emotions, I am just learning to control them. Summer has arrived in full swing. I will take this time to recharge and rest, but I will remain engaged in my mission to better my mind. I will devote my entire summer to Vulcan Science Academy exam prep. My ultimate goal is to have a much smoother experience come September by keeping my brain active this July and August.
Live long and prosper my beloved readers.
