Ben Clark Makes Perfect Score

BenClark

Benjamin Clark, left, receives a gift certificate from Dr. David Dyer, Department Chair, for his accomplishment.

This semester, Benjamin Clark, a senior in mechanical engineering from Athens, Ala., achieved what no Auburn mechanical engineering student has before -- a perfect score on the MECH2000 exam. This exam is required of every mechanical engineering student finishing their fourth semester and covers basic pre-engineering topics such as math, physics, chemistry, statics/dynamics, and thermodynamics. A student must pass the exam before entering their upper level classes. The average student takes the test about three times before passing. Clark holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Freed-Hardeman University and plans to pursue a graduate degree in mechanical engineering.

What exactly does it take to get a perfect score? Lots of studying. Clark says that in preparation for the exam he completed the previous exams provided on WebCT, noted the areas he needed refreshing in, looked through the reference book for the test and found even more things he needed to study, and then went through old textbooks and studied those topics. When asked what advice he had for students gearing up to take the test, he replied "don't try to memorize answers or steps, try to understand concepts. Also, relax. There is no way to focus on something you are stressed out about."

Dr. Dyer, the department chair, personally presented Clark with a $25 gift certificate to Hamilton's Restaurant as a reward for his accomplishment. Ben said that Dr. Dyer's gift surprised him and he never knew that taking a test could be that rewarding! He also says that although there will be others to make a score of 100, he was glad to be the first.

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 Media Contact: Cheryl Cobb, cobbche@auburn.edu, 334.844.2220

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