I already graduated from college; I am proud of that. Almost six years had passed, I can still remember this very season when results of college admission test were being posted. Then was chaos; like clash of titans, debates all over as to what university would be best for us, senior high students. Of course, as part of the UP-DOST program Special Science Class, we were expected to at least take the University of Philippines College Admission Test or more popularly known as UPCAT. I took it, and actually failed to make it to Diliman campus. I barely made it, though. My University Predicted Grade (UPG) was 2.396. The cut-off then in Diliman was 2.332. My UPG was highly qualified for Los Banos campus, or even in Manila campus where tons of reconsideration are submitted. I was already satisfied with my UPCAT results, having Mathematics percentile at 94; besides, I have no intention of studying in UP if I pass the Ateneo entrance test (ACET).
Weird thing happened with my UST entrance test. After I corrected my first choice of degree program before the test even began, the proctor told me I could leave the room before the spatial test. My second choice was Architecture, and that test was an additional for those who took Architecture as their first choice. So it made sense, I did not need to take it. Results came in: I failed ECE, I passed Architecture. What? Yes, that's right. Even without taking the spatial exam, I passed Architecture in UST.
I actually failed the ACET. I did not know what happened. I was very certain the ACET was much easier than the DLSU entrance test (DLSUCET), but another weird thing happened. I passed the DLSUCET. Then, I was like "Seriously though, right? How did I even pass that hell?" Yes, I am referring to the DLSUCET as hell. It was not more like literally because it was so cold in the classroom where we took the test, but boy difficult was the test. English words I never encountered my whole life, 12th-grade calculus, analytic geometry - come on! Ateneo's math test was much easier, language proficiency as well. And even as of today, I still get envious to people who pass and qualify for a degree in Ateneo.
My thoughts then was I'd pick La Salle as the very last option for college. My high school peers were telling me people studying in DLSU are just plain rich, and stupid. I know I am not rich. And I am very certain that I am not stupid. Unfortunately for me, La Salle was the only school I passed the entrance test on the degree program I really wanted to take. And stepping into the grounds of DLSU changed me, and everything...
 |
| Big Four Universities of the Philippines Image taken from Google |
Well, I guess I'd never know what had happened with those entrance exam. I'd leave that to fate or destiny or luck - whichever.
There have been posts circulating the net about these entrance test results which are kind of obnoxious. It's not because they are bashing La Salle, but it is because these posts just plainly bash. I mean, it is ok to be bitter. You'll let go of that eventually. But bashing other schools or people, or simply the thought of bashing is really destroying of one's self. It will lead you nowhere better. Look at this one:
 |
| "I don't deserve to be in UST." Image taken from Facebook |
Such a pity that one person could actually say this to an institution built even before her descendants were born. 400 years and counting... that is NOT "walang kwenta." Uh-uh, wrong move, girl. But I know she'd learn her lesson - but now, with the sight of her blog, being feisty and all with those who counter-bash her, I don't think she's giving up this opinion of hers. You blog and bash all you want, girl, but that does not change anything, whatever that thing you want to change.
I think this boils down to belief and the suggestion the society is bringing into the table. If the society this girl is living in believes that University of Santo Tomas is a university of ridicule, then power of suggestion dictates to her to loathe the university. Just like a society where gays are not accepted, that dictates a man's belief towards gay people. But who am I kidding? By reading between the lines of this girl's post, you know she's just bitter she failed the exam HOLLA! And besides, she just made herself ridiculous instead, not UST. I wish you all the best, girl; hope you don't commit suicide when you learn how popular you are now (in a negative way). Point taken: The whole world sees why you don't deserve to be a Thomasian.
This matter won't end. Not later, nor sooner. No. It will continue forever and ever as long as the society we're living in dictates which is better and which is not. So long as there's a senior high here in the country having high hopes for his college education, it will continue infinitely. It is a phase every senior high kid would experience because of the anxiety and disbelief that this could make or break their future. I experienced it six years ago, and I know this will be experienced by students six years from now. It's like a cycle. It will come and it will go. And six years from now, I'm sure, there will be a lot more of the bitterness and posts of bash all over the place.
I know, because I've been there. I hated Ateneo for quite some time; I really wanted to study there, though many people said their engineering school suck a little more than the other schools - then I failed. I became bitter, I bashed, I let go, and I moved on.
I know, because I've been there. I hated Ateneo for quite some time; I really wanted to study there, though many people said their engineering school suck a little more than the other schools - then I failed. I became bitter, I bashed, I let go, and I moved on.
Future does not depend on the university a student enroll at; it still depends on the student - how well they could and would carry themselves whether the university is "walang kwenta" or not. Eventually, this senior high schoolers will realize that success is not defined by the university but by themselves as individuals. How long? I don't know. It took me more than half a decade.