CVHS invests in Shmoop for test preparation

CVHS recently invested in Shmoop, an online exam preparation program. Students may be familiar with Shmoop’s analyses of books, such as The Great Gatsby or To Kill a Mockingbird, which resemble the content of Sparknotes, but they are more amusing to read. Given our English teachers’ general dislike of websites like these, you might wonder why CVHS has chosen to put money into Shmoop.

According to librarian Kathy Clarke, Shmoop prepares students not only for their forgotten English quizzes, but also for all AP courses offered, as well as the ACT, SAT, and PSAT. A Shmoop subscription usually costs up to $24.68 per student, per month, and now CVHS students can access the courses and preparation offered.

Shmoop differentiates itself from similar websites because of its fun approach to learning. It’s a bit silly, and it explains well how your answers on, say, a practice test, are wrong instead of making you figure it out yourself, which is why the program is already being used by several AP classes. You can earn “Shmoints” and badges for the work you do that will earn you a spot on the leaderboards of best Shmoopers.

Clarke hopes that more students will discover what a great resource Shmoop is, not only so that the district will continue to fund this program, but also to really help them prepare for upcoming exams. Information on Shmoop is presented in light text, with lots of pictures and witty videos that make you want to know more. College and career guidance are also included in our subscriptions, all of this at no cost for us students. Comments from users have included, like “Where has this been all my life?”

If you are ready to get your Shmoop on, all you have to do is go to shmoop.com/login/castro-valley-high-school, click on “Create Student Account,” and enter our magic word MONARCHY, after which you just enter your account information. You can then log in to your account, where you can access test prep and courses that the school has paid for. If you need any help with Shmoop, you can ask one of our librarians or get a handout of Shmoop information from the library. Happy Shmooping, and good luck on upcoming tests Trojans!