Georgia Northwestern Technical Student Finds Success with Web Site Designed for College Students

Jan. 18, 2011 - PRLog -- Burning the midnight oil and downing ridiculous amounts of caffeine have been the stereotypical method of study for serious college students hoping to make the grade and get a step closer to a degree. Pulling all-nighters is something college students have done for years, but is it really the smartest way to study?  Truth be told, proper rest and good nutrition provide a wiser route in realizing success.  And preparation is key so that “cramming” can be avoided altogether.  

Georgia Northwestern Technical College student, Jenna Carpenter, has discovered a secret that will bring test cramming to an end for many.  The 26-year-old student, majoring in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, uses an online study site called Cram Stoppers.  Designed by Atlanta business woman, wife and mom of two, Julie Wilson, Cram Stoppers provides a logical way for students to prepare for critical tests and exams, without cramming last minute.  

For Jenna and other college students, putting the right tools in place is the first step.  Typically, a student will receive a study guide, and coupled with class notes and handouts, a student has all the tools he or she needs to begin preparing.  That’s where Cram Stoppers comes in.  “Our Cram Stoppers program allows members to design their own tests in the formats they prefer, input study guide information, and then take tests as many times as needed,” comments Julie Wilson, founder of Cram Stoppers.

With classes like Physics, Cross Sectional Anatomy and Normal Sonographic Appearances, Jenna uses Cram Stoppers almost daily to prepare for a minimum of one to two tests per week.  “I have used Cram Stoppers on a regular basis since I started the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Georgia Northwestern Technical, and it has definitely helped.  Only 10 students per year are admitted into this program, so I really want to do well. I made A’s and B’s in all my classes, which according to other students is very difficult,” commented Jenna Carpenter.  “I did consistently better on my tests than most people in the class.”

Cram Stoppers offers a ‘Community Library,’ which provides students with a place to locate quizzes designed by peers -- across the street or across the country -- at various college levels.  Any Cram Stoppers user can contribute a quiz to the library or copy a quiz for personal use.  And by using the “edit” function, any quiz from the Community Library can be accessed and tailored to a student’s satisfaction.   This function can be a crucial time saver for students studying in the same field.

Quizzes can also be shared through a feature aptly named ‘Buddyshare.’  Jenna shared, “I sent a quiz I made to a few fellow students, and they said the quiz sounded like a teacher wrote it.  I assured them that they’d be surprised at what they could come up with themselves!”  

With all of the material in Jenna’s quarterly program building on itself, the quizzes she’s created have proven critical for review purposes.  “At the end of the program, we have to take the Boards, and having quizzes already created helps me focus more time on studying and reviewing,” explained Jenna.  “Last quarter, I used the Ultimate Quiz feature for finals.  We had two tests on a Tuesday and then two finals that Thursday, so our study time was very limited, to say the least.  I don’t know where I would have found the time if I didn’t already have quizzes stored and ready to study from.”

“Cram Stoppers can be used for any subject – even math, art and foreign language -- and a ‘text edit’ option allows students to create tests using features like bold, italics, underline and various font sizes and types,” says Wilson.  

With essay writing, a skill that college students must embrace to be successful in the business world, Cram Stoppers offers a feature called ‘Just Keep Writing,’ providing a unique way to develop and polish writing skills – at a student’s convenience and pace.  “’Just Keep Writing’ demystifies the writing process for students of all writing abilities and can help college students brush up on skills.  Students can log on and literally learn, step-by-step, the proper mechanics of writing, in a non-threatening way.  They can learn at their own pace without the pressure of trying to keep up with a professor in a classroom environment,” explains Wilson.  

“Our goal with Cram Stoppers is to train students in the art of preparation while making studying more enjoyable. We’d like to see the ‘all nighters’ go away so that students can enjoy a more well-rounded college life,” says Wilson.  With Cram Stoppers, an initial time investment can offer a student a huge payoff in the long run. Creating a quiz from text books or class notes provides the chance to “practice quiz” and discover how much one actually knows his or her material.  And since practice quizzes are stored, they can be taken multiple times, provide immediate feedback, and can be combined with other quizzes for cumulative studying.  There’s no need to re-read textbook chapters or review notes again.

For more information on Cram Stoppers, please visit www.cramstoppers.com or contact Julie Wilson at info@cramstoppers.com.  

About Cram Stoppers
Cram Stoppers is a unique online study site designed for high school and college students.  Created to alleviate test taking anxiety and build confidence, Cram Stoppers allows students to craft custom quizzes from current classroom study materials.  Quizzes can be created in five different formats — multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, true/false, open-ended — and are stored for repeated and randomized quiz taking.  Instant scoring gives students immediate feedback, and progress can be watched via a Quiz Results Chart.  Special features include Buddysharing, the Ultimate Quiz, Just Keep Writing, Just Logical and the Community Library.  Cram Stoppers supports all subjects, including foreign language.  www.CramStoppers.com

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