How to Boost Your Brain Power
Imagine getting an edge in academics by loading your brain up with more synapses, the gaps between brain cells that carry information. More connections means more processing power (just like in your computer). That means faster thinking and learning. Enhancing your brain is possible through new, repetitive, high-intensity input. The brain responds by allocating new connections. And, the more synapses you have the better. “Learning entails strengthening connections between neurons—by creating more connections between neurons as well as by enhancing their ability to communicate….”1
High school and college students have insane class loads, work schedules, extracurricular activities, and homework. High school kids think about college and their future—a lot. They study, memorize, theorize, and compose to achieve and maintain good grades. But, they are also spending time applying to universities and preparing for a huge transition to college and life outside of high school. “Unlike many teens a generation ago, students…are more involved in their own education, recognizing that what happens in high school could determine how they live the rest of their lives.” 2
Time is of the essence for college-bound students. The demands of college, scholarships, and acceptance make fast, efficient thinking and learning a priority. It is no longer enough just to get perfect grades. “Ivy League schools reject hundreds of valedictorians every year in search of students who have not only good grades but packed resumes to boot.”2 Improving skills that underlie brain function can give students the extra time and efficiency they need to gain an edge over their competition. Research also shows they will be able to retain information longer, process ideas and concepts faster, and handle new challenges with speed and ease.
Notes:
1 Holloway, Marguerite. The Mutable Brain. Scientific American. September 2003.
2 Bland, Karina. Overachiever Challenges Self to Succeed. The Arizona Republic. 8 August 2005.