u/sasa_malaya328

Problem/goal:

Hindi ako umiinom ng kape. I don't really like how it tastes, and other than that, ayoko ring maging reliant sa kape.

Kaso may mga araw talagang need ko talaga gumising at manatiling gising. Like kapag may pasok sa school at mga need gawin sa gabi. Tina-try kong matulog pero hindi kasi palagi naa-achieve sya.

Either way, need ko rin ng totoong pampagising sa umaga. Preferably yung affordable at healthy rin.

Any suggestions?

Literally just drop any advice you wanna give incoming college students (I'm in grade 11). Whether it'd be about CETs, scholarships, courses, schools, orgs, profs—or anything under the sun!

I'm willing to read anything—your stories or suggestions—anything! So feel free to yap.

What is it that you wish to tell future college students?

The Big 4 is my initial choice for college. Other than that, I added MAPUA to the list. However, engineering isn't really my priority. To be honest, mas prio ko ang humanities or communications. What's a good alternative instead?

Also, hoping for a school na generous sana sa scholarships.

Hi, I'm applying for the Big 4 kasi. I added MAPUA na rin as one another choice. Question lang, ano mga pros and cons ng MAPUA?

Also, mahirap ba pumasa sa CET at makakuha ng scholarship?

Hello, can I have an estimate on the number of your UPCAT mocks? Just trying to get an idea of how many mock exams is suggested to take.

Also, kung when, how often, and kung gaano karami every mock-test sessions?

Kung ano na rin ang dapat gawin after taking the mocks, to rest ba muna or whatever.

When do you suggest taking mocks the last time?

When should I start doing simulations?

Planning to study summer '27!

Hello, can I have an estimate on the number of your UPCAT mocks? Just trying to get an idea of how many mock exams is suggested to take.

Also, kung when, how often, and kung gaano karami every mock-test sessions?

Kung ano na rin ang dapat gawin after taking the mocks, to rest ba muna or whatever.

When do you suggest taking mocks the last time?

When should I start doing simulations?

Planning to study summer '27!

Hello, former UPCAT takers! Can you share what you did the day before the exam? Kasi sabi nga nila, wag na daw mag-review. What should you do instead to still do well sa exam?

If possible, share your whole day please if may naaalala pa kayo. Gumala ba? Nag-exercise? Or nanood ng movies? Anything!

Hello, former UPCAT takers! Can you share what you did the night before the exam? Kasi sabi nga nila, wag na daw mag-review. What should you do instead to still do well sa exam?

If possible, share your whole day please if may naaalala pa kayo. Gumala ba? Nag-exercise? Or nanood ng movies? Anything!

May CETs (or tests in general) na advice na bang nanatili sayo?

Yung tipong naalala mo pa rin kahit matagal na yung lumipas?

What was it? Please do share

I'm planning to leave Cebu to study in Manila, can you me the pros and cons—and how to deal with the cons I might encounter? Like finances, homesickness, etc?

Like ano yung coverage nila

For example sa UPCAT ganito, sa USTET ganern, ACET ito naman, at DCAT iyun

Mas focus ba yung test sa math, sci, reading comp? Tsaka aside from the test, ano ba dapat focusan? The time ba, yung lamig ng room, test center, proctors?

Hello, I'm in grade 11 planning to take the big 4. Not only that, my goal is to top it rin sana for better scholarship opportunities. Especially for UP and La Salle's Archer Achiever program.

Any advice on how I should study? I'm planning to buy the Maroon Blue Book (MBB) then Colegio Advance. I can't afford review centers pero if may free programs siguro I'll join?

Also, I read somewhere kasi na uunahin niya yung Colegio Advance them MBB, which is better ba? Alin dapat unahin? Or ipagsabay? Though I think I can only buy 1 book at a time

Tsaka what to study first siguro? I'm planning to do UPCAT kasi first kasi yan una nag-e-exam usually. Pero how can I balance studying other tests while doing it ba?

Ano yung magandang flow? Bale UPCAT first, then pang-ilan yung ACET, USTET, DCAT?

Please do give advices, studying tips, what to do before, during, and after the exam, scholarship tips—how can you continue studying even kapag mahirap na?

And how to keep your mental health intact in the process? Can you also look for a community online and offline who are taking the test with you?

I know it's a lot of questions but please be patient with me

Problem/Goal:

Parang ang tamlay na ng buhay ko lately. May nagkapagsabi kasi sakin na i-enjoy lang lahat. After all, at least kapag napagod, napagod ka sa bagay na masaya mong ginagawa. Pero how do you even do that? Where can I start?

I transferred schools for shs. 2 years pa ako rito, kaya nga lang, parang ayoko na. Compared to my past school kasi, it's harder to show up now. Dati sa last school ko, kahit na mahirap, guaranteed naman na tatawa ka, nandoon kasi friends ko, masaya.

I can't say the same for this school pero gusto ko sana gano'n din. Ayokong magtiis na lang for 2 years.

How can I not regret this? Pa'no maging masaya at kontento kahit paminsan mahirap na?

Nagtatampo ba kayo? Tsaka, can we please stop with the narrative na kapag nagtatampo ka, oa or sensitive ka lang. Kasi hindi, nangyayari talaga sya. I can't speak for everyone, but I feel like it's also humanistic enough. Like gets niyo ba yung feeling na parang ayaw mo na muna? Hindi ka naman galit. May lungkot and you feel bad about it pero walang grudge. Parang "too bad, sayang naman. Ayoko na" walang galit pero ayaw mo na—minsan nawawala yung feeling, pero minsan din nananatili.

Ayoko lang na palagi syang dini-dismiss as something na para sa mga oa or sensitive na tao lang dahil sa totoo lang, makatao talaga sya.

In many ways, part sya ng humanity natin.

Anyway, nakakatampo talaga!

UP's one of the colleges I'm considering and I'm trying to grasp or have an idea of what it really is. The good or the bad aspects—kahit ano about buhay as an iskolar.

I've read/seen a few stuff online, but I'd like to know more. Like sa yung kulang-kulang daw yung units? I'm not really sure what that means, or what units are. Please do tell me more, magkwento kayo about sa sariling experiences ninyo. Anything! I just want to get as the nearest I can to understanding what it's really like in UP(D).

All I wanna do is learn more for now. For instance, how does UP feel ba about students na na-de-delay? Is it normal or na-o-outcast ba sila? At ano yung common reasons behind it? Kasalanan ba talaga ng students or may parte na rin yung sistema? If that's the case, is it really a good system? What do you think?

In simple terms, yap as much as you want about it. I'll be reading them all. Kwento ka lang ng wins/losses mo, mga highlights mo bilang iskolar, kung bakit worth it or di worth it manatili—anything under the sun.

If want niyo ng idea about what to talk about, I've seen something about these:

•power tripper professors (also, tell me about the profs in general)

•pabigat sa groupings

•gaano ba ka sinusunod yung superstitions dyan?

•no dress code—blessing or not?

•pls tell me about dorms sa up (anything you can)

•rallies and protests—encouraged by profs din ba?

•gaano kalawak ang upd? may jeep daw kasi sa loob

•have you regretted up?

•gaano karami yung mga 'burgis'? And how do they usually interact with less privileged kids?

•if may rason ka to leave up, what would it be?

•wala akong masyadong naririnig, pero may paranomal experiences ba?

•how accurate is the "UPCAT yung huli kong napasa sa UP" sentiment?

•nakakapasok in and out kahit sino—how does up keep it safe? Kasi even if ganiyan, wala ako masyadong naririnig na indicents

+++++anything

I heard that dost scholarship only accept STEM students. Tapos sa SM scholarship naman ay business students. May iba bang scholarship na pwede for humanities or communications students?

My high school grades are:

G8 - 96

G9 - 95

G10 - 96

Currently, nasa grade 11 ako. Tsaka, I transferred to a scihigh na rin sa shs. Hindi ko pa alam kung ano magiging average ko sa grade 11, pero baka maging 90-92 sya if ever? Anyway, I'll try to aim higher. Pero realistic pa rin ba ang UPD as first campus?

How much should I aim for sa UPCAT din?

Also, I'm planning to take UPD (1st) at UPLB (2nd) sa campuses ko. I'm actually from Cebu, but hindi ko muna pipiliin yun. Mag-a-appeal na lang ako pag di pinalad sa diliman o elbi. Pag ayaw pa rin ng upc sakin kapag nag-appeal ako, then I'll go to another school. Hindi naman need na up.

Also, sa courses. I'm not sure pa. Siguro socio, econ, polsci, journalism, at siguro history—pero I'm still exploring, nag-re-research pa ako. Nag-scihigh ako pero mas drawn talaga ako sa SocSci, kaya ayun.

What do y'all think? Having to move to Manila is a different topic. Sa ngayon, tell me lang if what you think, pwede kaya upd.

I've been really slacking off lately. Started grade 11 about 2 months ago na rin. Patapos na term 1 namin. I transferred to a scihigh for shs, came from a public high school before that. At first, before yung school year, inakala ko talaga na sobrang makaka-"lock in" ako, dahil baka ma-challenge sa environment kumbaga. I was wrong. Sa totoo lang, lalo na sa opening block, parang na underwhelm ako. Of course, may mga student na sobrang matatalino na palaging nag-co-compete sa contests pero marami talaga sa kanila, for lack of better wordings siguro, underperforming?

Hindi naman ako naging top student sa old school ko, at alam kong hindi rin ngayon. Pero hindi rin nako ako nalulumbay sa bagay na 'yan. Walang pressure kumbaga. Gusto ko lang is to function like a student na talagang natututo, at dinadala mga natututuhan niya sa iba't ibang aspekto ng buhay.

Anyway, ayun. Sobrang naging chill ko sa school, which is something na hindi ko naman gusto. I don't really study, and hindi ako gumagawa ng assignments sa bahay, sa school lang ilang minuto bago i-pass. Nag-jo-joke pa ako na dahil SCHOOL work pa rin naman, dapat sa paaralan ginagawa. Nakakatulog rin ako ng 6 hours daily from 10pm-4am, rule ko na sya na hindi bini-break. Whole day na kasi yung classes kaya ayokong sa school makatulog. Mas mataas pa sa tulog ko noong junior high na 2-4 hours araw-araw, pero halfday lang ako no'n so nakakabawi kapag hapon na. I can't say the same ngayon kasi.

Nakikinig naman ako sa discussions, magagaling teachers ko. Kino-consider ko rin kahit papaano na "life-long learner" ang sarili ko, yung kalidad talaga ng edukasyon yung rason kung bakit ako lumipat eh. Before kasi, sa junior high, maraming teachers na pinapabayaan lang kami. Ni walang learning materials na pino-provide. Ayoko no'n. Ayaw ko na rin na sobrang chill ako sa klase, masaya akong hindi masyadong stressful pero feel ko na rin nawawalan ng essence kumbaga kung bakit ako nandito in the first place. Masaya akong tinuturuan, gusto ko ring mag-aral and to niche down sa iba't ibang topics.

Siguro rin prejudiced ako for seeing my classmates that way, na underperforming daw. Hindi ko rin sya masyadong ma-describe but I do know that I want to get out of this "mindset." May iba't ibang talento naman kami sa klase. Isa pa, they're very kind to me. Ayokong ganiyan ang pagtingin ko sa kanila.

To be fair, mas nag-fo-focus din kasi ako sa gawain ng orgs outside school. Phone lang din meron ako, biglang nagha-hang at nag-sh-shut down na lang minsan—super demotivating din. Planning to buy a tablet pero pinag-iipunan ko pa, ilang months din yun. Ayoko namang hintayin yan para mag-step up sa performance ko. Tsaka, may mga pangarap ako sa future course at school ko, kaya gotta work on my grades rin talaga.

Alam kong hindi na okay yung performance ko. Matagal ko na ring naoobserbahan sarili ko. Pero sana, may magbago. Sana mapagbuti yung trabaho ko sa org ay dapat sa school din.

If may advice kayo, please drop.

I've been really slacking off lately. Started grade 11 about 2 months ago na rin. Patapos na term 1 namin. I transferred to a scihigh for shs, came from a public high school before that. At first, before yung school year, inakala ko talaga na sobrang makaka-"lock in" ako, dahil baka ma-challenge sa environment kumbaga. I was wrong. Sa totoo lang, lalo na sa opening block, parang na underwhelm ako. Of course, may mga student na sobrang matatalino na palaging nag-co-compete sa contests pero marami talaga sa kanila, for lack of better wordings siguro, underperforming?

Anyway, ayun. Sobrang naging chill ko sa school, which is something na hindi ko naman gusto. I don't really study, and hindi ako gumagawa ng assignments sa bahay, sa school lang ilang minuto bago i-pass. Nag-jo-joke pa ako na dahil SCHOOL work pa rin naman, dapat sa paaralan ginagawa. Nakakatulog rin ako ng 6 hours daily from 10pm-4am, rule ko na sya na hindi bini-break. Whole day na kasi yung classes kaya ayokong sa school makatulog. Mas mataas pa sa tulog ko noong junior na 2-4 hours araw-araw, pero halfday lang ako no'n so nakakabawi kapag hapon na.

Nakikinig naman ako sa discussions, magagaling teachers ko. Kino-consider ko rin kahit papaano na "life-long learner" ang sarili ko, yung kalidad talaga ng edukasyon yung rason kung bakit ako lumipat eh. Before kasi, sa junior high, maraming teachers na pinapabayaan lang kami. Ayoko no'n. Ayaw ko na rin na sobrang chill ako sa klase, masaya akong hindi masyadong stressful pero feel ko na rin nawawalan ng essence kumbaga kung bakit ako nandito in the first place. Masaya akong tinuturuan, gusto ko ring mag-aral and to niche down sa iba't ibang topics.

Siguro rin prejudiced ako for seeing my classmates that way, na underperforming daw. Hindi ko rin sya masyadong ma-describe but I do know that I want to get out of this "mindset." May iba't ibang talento naman kami sa klase. Isa pa, they're very kind to me. Ayokong ganiyan ang pagtingin ko sa kanila.

To be fair, mas nag-fo-focus din kasi ako sa gawain ng orgs outside school. Phone lang din meron ako, biglang nagha-hang at nag-sh-shut down na lang minsan—super demotivating din. Planning to buy a tablet pero pinag-iiponan ko pa, ilang months din yun. Ayoko namang hintayin yang para mag-step up sa performance ko. Tsaka, may mga pangarap ako sa future course at school ko, kaya gotta work on my grades rin talaga.

Alam kong hindi na okay yung performance ko. Matagal ko na ring naoobserbahan sarili ko. Pero sana, may magbago.

If may advice kayo, please drop.

I've been considering leaving Cebu for college. That is, if ever na palaring magka-full scholarship sa Maynila. Generous naman daw yung ibang universities for that. Pero for now, sabihin na lang natin na pinalad ako.

Marunong ako ng bisaya, tagalog, at english. Though need ng improvements, mas ma-nu-nurture naman pag nandiyan na talaga ako mismo.

Isang beses lang ako nakapunta ng Maynila, a few months ago (for 5 days). We stayed in Taguig, but halos everyday na nandoon kami ay nilibot naman namin yung buong Maynila. Commuting kami so may idea na rin ako on how it goes. I got the chance na rin na makita yung iba't ibang universities—ust, dlsu, upm, adamson, mapua, at iba pa. Do'n ko sya sinimulang i-consider.

Sa totoo lang, kung ako yung tatanungin, very similar talaga sila ng Cebu (aside from the fact na sobrang taas ng mga gusali sa Maynila). Hindi ako masyadong na culture shock, sa city part din kasi ako ng Cebu nakatira kaya sanay sa init at polusyon.

Plano ko sanang mag-dorm kapag nakapag-aral ako sa Maynila, tapos yung malapit sa school para hindi masyadong mahirapan kapag may morning classes. Planning to apply sa other scholarships na rin (like sm foundation) to make ends meet kapag nasa Maynila ako. Tsaka may work experience na so kung kailanganing mag-working student ay willing naman ako.

Grade 11 ako ngayon, pero mas mabuti nang maagang pagplanohan. Gusto ko rin kasi na mas malapit sa iba't ibang mga lugar. Here kasi sa Cebu, most of the time, need pa mag-ferry o mag-plane para makaluwas. Tsaka, I'm also after personal growth. Gusto kong ma-explore pa yung iba't ibang kultura.

I have a few relatives in Manila, pero hindi kami close. Though I do have friends and connections rin, yung iba na meet ko na irl, yung iba hindi pa. But marami sa kanila, friends ko na for years at kasama ko na ring lumaki.

Tell me what you think lang, if ever need niyo ng iba pang info to come up with a conclusion, ask me.