Take It Easy: Just Answer Some Questions! (Tips for College Entrance Exams: part 1)

             This may be a little off compared to the rest of my blog entries, since this isn't a personal post. Still, I hope that everyone, especially the incoming seniors, would find this helpful. :)
This is particularly for those who want to lessen their anxiety as they take a few steps closer to entering college. There there.. I know how you feel.

Before we proceed to the actual tips, take in mind of the following questions. You'll need to answer them one by one.

• What course (major) should I take?  

             Maybe it would be easier to answer this question instead: "What do I want to become?"

Do you want to be a lawyer? A doctor? An architect? An engineer? A writer? An accountant? Well, if you're unsure yet, you better hurry up. Not that I'm pressuring you or anything, but I'm telling you.. you won't have enough time to think of what you want to be in the middle of the school year. Your mind will change every now and then because of peer pressure, or even because of your parents and relatives' opinions. As far as I know, most applications are due mid-year. By the time the applications are submitted, you should have made up your mind on which course to take (hopefully).

I know shifting and transferring are both possible, but sadly, a year or two would have to be sacrificed. Do you want to be stuck in a course you don't like?

The best advice I could give you? You should take into mind your own interests and skills. Become who you want to be. You're a living dream waiting to be fulfilled. (ang taraaaayy!)

• What's a good university for me?

             Having to think of a good university isn't as hard as it seems. It usually depends on:

1. Your financial capabilities: the income of your parents (you may apply for scholarships to help you, though)
2. The distance from your house to the school: Do you need to rent a unit? Can you handle commuting everyday? Can you be responsible enough if you have to move across the country and live on your own for a while?*
3. The university's specializations (or forte): Some universities are more well-known for their expertise on particular areas of study than others in general. When someone mentions a certain course (or major, whatever), the first university that pops up your mind is usually the one that excels on that area.
4. School environment (if its fitting for you or not): Each university has its own ambiance. It depends on  the people, the surroundings and the campus as a whole. Why not visit the place and see for yourself? ;) 

• Am I intelligent enough?

                 By the time you've asked this question to yourself, you're probably starting to regret the years that passed by. 

My dear child (though our age gap might not be higher than 2 years), "nasa huli ang pagsisisi". There's no turning back. Your last year in high school can make or break you. Take a short stroll down memory lane and ask yourself: "How were my grades back then?" "Was I a responsible student?" "Were my studying habits good? Bad?" 

If you were really smart since you were a fetus (a.k.a. kasama sa mga unkabogable honor students na di nawawala sa top 3), you are either a prodigy or just really industrious. Good for you. You are someone who would probably handle college easily (well, it depends.. hihi). If you were a mushroom that would pop up in the top 10 of the class out of oblivion, and would be gone the next few quarters, I'd say that it's time to focus on studies more. If you were average, I'd say you can do better. If you were a delinquent that would cut classes and copy answers during quizzes or even exams, well.. I hope you'd buy a rosary along with your books.

As they say though, grades do not measure intelligence. Unfortunately, reality can slap you hard in the face. These numbers reflect how you were and what you did in the past few years. Your true intelligence really depends on yourself. If you won't act upon the shortcomings of your past self, then your grades in the future won't do the same for you. So better do something before it's too late. Improvement won't hurt.

___

I hope that by the time you've read this post, you've had your mind at ease (even just a little bit..) If there are any questions (that are not math related), I will happily answer them. Just be nice. 

I might site some experiences I've had during some entrance exams, particularly the UPCAT and ACET. (since they're the only ones I took.)

Bye for now. hihi.

Click this for part 2