As a first-generation college student, I never had someone in my family to equip me with the habits I would need to be successful in college; I had to create my own. Hawkes made learning these habits so much easier for me. I remember sitting in my freshman business calculus class thinking, “How in the world am I going to understand this?” The answer? Hawkes. Studying was something I never really learned to do in high school, so it was a huge learning curve for me once I got to college. Hawkes takes the dread out of my study sessions for me. Here are some features I have grown to love because of my hassle-free study sessions:
Practice mode is great because it allows me to skip the questions I already know and practice the ones I am unsure of. In the event I get an answer incorrect, it gives an explanation as to why it was incorrect with the Tutor feature. Because my major in accounting deals with ample amounts of math, I have learned that the only way to truly LEARN math is to practice it. The more repetitive the process, the better. Practice mode is the best place to do that!
As aforementioned, Practice mode offers a Tutor button in the event I answer a question incorrectly. I love this feature because it walks me step-by-step through the problem to pinpoint exactly where I went wrong. Again, lots of math oftentimes means lots of room for error. The Tutor feature is my favorite way to get out of a sticky situation without having to send my professor an email (the response time is also immediate, which is a plus!)!
The Certify mode helps me to know when I have mastered a concept. Although Certify does not offer the Tutor feature, it can be paused and resumed. This is particularly great when I come across a question I might have skipped on the Practice mode that I really shouldn’t have. Certify mode truly concretes my knowledge and makes me feel the most prepared for my next test or quiz!
Although this might sound like a minute detail of the Hawkes platform, I find it to be one feature that I could not leave out of my post. There have been times when I have spent way longer than I intended on a Certify problem just to get it incorrect; however, I reattempt the problem just to get an encouraging, “Way to go, Madelyn!” or “Nice Work!” message next to my continue button. It might not seem like much, but a little encouragement goes a long way on those long nights spent before a calculus test!
Madelyn Harris is a Hawkes Student Ambassador and sophomore at the University of Mississippi. Madelyn is majoring in accounting and minoring in intelligence and security studies. She is a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and boasts a 4.0 GPA. Her favorite classes are those for her minor; she plans to apply for an internship with the National Security Agency to fulfill her dreams of becoming a forensic accountant after graduation. Outside of school, Madelyn is co-owner of a nutrition business with her mom, and she loves to serve the people of her community every chance she gets.
Learn more about the Hawkes Student Ambassador Program here!