Battle of the Universities UST with Achi Jeriah Kwong and Ahia Daniel Lim

What is the best and worst thing about your university?

Achi Jeriah: Right now, I don' think I can point out the best and worst things about the university because I haven't had the whole Thomasian experience yet. But I think one thing that surprised me so far is the consideration and understanding of my professors. This may not apply to all professors in the other programs of the university but my professors in LEAPMed are very considerate and patient when it comes to extending deadlines, answering questions, and explaining concepts. It's been very easy to communicate with most of them and adjust our deadlines, exam schedules, and other requirements.

Ahia Daniel: UST is a college that is well known for their architecture and medically related courses, these include Pharmacy, Medical Technology, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Sports Science. One of the best things about UST in these courses is that they ensure to go above and beyond what you expect to receive. When I took Physical Therapy I thought I was just going to receive normal PT related topics like the machines or stretches, but I was also taught subjects that apparently were also being taught in 1st year Medicine (Med School). I believe that this is what makes UST unique – the curriculum guarantees that you will be a competent professional in whatever course you will take.

Achi Jeriah: On the other hand, the worst thing about my university is the fact that I haven't gotten to go inside the campus as a Thomasian yet HAHAHA. Jokes aside, the only thing notable to say about the university is that its culture is definitely different from MGCNLCA, though that is not necessarily a good or bad thing. Honestly, I don't think I've experienced any really bad things that can be taken against the university. I think most of the negative aspects, for me, are specific to my course and can't really be generalized for the entire university.

Ahia Daniel Lim: The worst thing about UST, aside from the floods caused by heavy rain, is the overwhelming amount of work they give. Granted that this is college, and we expect to receive this amount of work, there is barely enough time for you to consider your own mental health. Although this may be the worst thing, in my opinion, I believe that it is also a challenge for you as an individual to grow and be able to properly manage your time as well, so it all balances out in the end.

How would you describe your university’s culture?

Achi Jeriah: Of course, I haven't experienced a lot of the culture in UST because of the online setup but overall, UST is a Catholic university and has a predominantly Filipino culture. Language-wise, Filipino is normally used, which is a big change from MGCNLCA (so practice speaking in Filipino as early as now lol xD), but don't worry because my classmates are pretty chill about my "conyo-ness" anyway (hahahaha). When it comes to the Catholic culture, I think UST has more theology classes compared to other universities and there will also be times when we're required to attend masses and recollections hosted by the university.

Ahia Daniel: UST is a college centered around the spiritual belief of Catholicism. Most of the courses you will take will require you to undergo Theology courses mainly focusing on Catholicism and how it applies to the world today. Going to UST will also, VERY MUCH, require you to exercise your Tagalog skills as the predomination of the students and classmates you will have, are Filipino. The culture of UST is very traditional when it comes to teaching, very much like MGC, where there’s a teacher in front, you sit in class and listen for about 45-90 minutes. UST also houses several events like the famous Paskuhan which is a Christmas-themed celebration where there are food stalls spread around UST for 1 night and bands will play in the football field like a mini-concert. *I never went to Paskuhan because it’s too hot and I wanted to go home, but I heard it’s really fun to go to with friends*

Achi Jeriah: For me personally, this culture hasn't been that hard to adjust to since Catholic belief is actually very similar to Christianity. But, the online setup has also lessened my exposure to the Catholic practices that would be observed if there were physical classes. So, adjusting to the Filipino and Catholic culture of the university may be more challenging when physical classes resume.

Ahia Daniel: The university also encourages you to practice your extracurricular skills, giving you opportunities to join inter-college sports such as basketball, volleyball, and etc. Organizations that are either college-centered or university-wide like ballroom dancing, central student council, chorale, Scarlet (Fil-chi org), and etc. are also offered for you.

What is the most important thing a student in your university must possess?

Achi Jeriah: For college students in general, I think perseverance is something that we should always have. Compared to senior high school, college is a different environment not just culturally but academically as well. Teachers will not wait for your submissions or delay the deadlines, groupmates will not always work, and it's also more difficult for you to approach the professor when you don't understand a particular lesson. All college programs are academically demanding and pressuring to some extent so learning to work under that pressure is important, too. There will be many times when your grades are not what you want them to be and when your workload seems to take up all of your time, but you need the perseverance to get through those moments and keep going so you can reach your goal at the end.

Ahia Daniel: I believe that a student studying in UST must possess, one, invulnerability against floods. You can’t let rain stop you from learning unless formally postponed by the University or the Mayor. Jokes aside, I believe that a student should possess the passion to learn. This is something that is usually looked over because you think that if you are able to get the course you want, everything will work out swimmingly. This is not always the case. I entered Physical Therapy as it was the only course I saw myself fit in, so technically, in SHS, I “Wanted” to be a PT for the sake of Pre-med. When the time came that I took my major subjects, I realized that I didn’t “want” this as much as I thought I did. Though, as time progressed, I grew to love the course and love what I was learning and this was when learning and studying became so fun and relatively easier for me as a pre-med student. All the courses and the lessons made sense and I suddenly found myself researching outside my academic hours on several subjects. Passion is something that you may already have OR that you will eventually grow and I feel that a student, especially in UST, needs that kind of passion to enjoy the University and the course they will choose.

What are some of the expectations your university has for applying students?

Achi Jeriah: Now that there's no USTET, I think high school grades will matter more in the application process compared to before. UST uses the USTAR to evaluate whether to accept or reject applications so it really focuses more on academic performance. In the case that there will be an entrance exam, passing the USTET will definitely be an expectation of the university. The USTET is catered more for STEM students so they expect exam takers to be ready for heavier science and math questions, too. For me, I personally struggled with the math of the USTET because of the long problems and the time pressure. But regardless of whether there is an exam or not, high school grades will still impact your application to a certain degree.

Ahia Daniel: My university always looks forward to receiving new students. There is the well-known welcome walk for freshmen where you circle around the university and walk through the Arch of the Centuries to mark your entering UST, and you can only exit when you graduate to mark your leaving UST. UST believes that the new generation of students, K12 students, are well equipped and are able to handle the newer curriculum developed to properly address the new K-12 HS program. This is why there are some courses that have already adjusted the curriculum – some colleges deducting 1 year from the whole course timeline.

What are some words of advice you would give to MGCNL students planning to apply to your university?

Achi Jeriah: For the USTET itself, assuming there will be one, taking mock tests helps a lot, and getting used to the time pressure for each section of the exam will also improve your test-taking abilities. Other than that, just do your best to study for the exam. Always remember that entrance exams don't only test your academic knowledge, they also assess your testmanship. In the USTET, there will be several sections (Mental Ability, Math, Science, English) of the exam that you have to pass, and compared to other CETs, the USTET is more STEM heavy so you can focus more on the science and math sections.

Ahia Daniel: Some advice that I would give to students in MGC is to step outside your comfort zone, manage your time well, and to be strong in your faith. Stepping outside your comfort zone is something that is difficult for most people especially since you are around strangers. But, something that I learned in college is that if you do not even try to step outside your comfort zone, you will never be able to truly know your capabilities. People are born with so many attributes that even they don’t know they have, and you can only really experience this once you try something new. For me, it was joining an acapella organization and performing on stage in front of my college. Managing your time is something that I really give stress on. 100% You will not have the same luxury of time you have now in SHS once you enter UST, I will not sugarcoat it, you will not have the same luxury of time. As I mentioned about UST’s workload, you will be beside yourself doing homeworks, projects, group works, and meetings. You HAVE to know where to prioritize your time. Spending all your hours in front of books will drive you crazy, spending your hours for your own mental health will make you lag behind school work. You have to be able to compartmentalize the time that you have in a day to different areas in your life, be it personal time, academics, leisure, family time, bonding with friends, and etc.

Achi Jeriah: For college life in general, just enjoy it. No doubt, college life is hard and no matter how good you were in high school, I don't think anyone will ever be fully ready for it. But before you enter any university, make sure you know what your goal is because that will really drive you and motivate you to keep going despite the challenges. We always have to fulfill our responsibilities as a student but also remember to take time to rest because burnout is real and it's really hard to recover from that. And lastly, don't forget to rely on God in everything because that is the biggest advantage you'll have against whatever college life throws at you.

Ahia Daniel Lim: Being strong in your faith is something that you exercise in MGC. You might think that studying in UST will be like those Christian Films where they test your faith and you have to defend it in class, but no that’s not what I mean. Being strong in your faith means being able to make decisions based on what you believe. In college, peer pressure is a real thing because you want to avoid being excluded as you don’t have your MGC friends beside you anymore. I tell you this, being able to make the right decisions in college will help you grow in your own mental state, and you may even find the right group of friends who will make your college life so much more fun. Lastly, enjoy university, be it UST, DLSU, ADMU, UP, or any other University aside from the 4, enjoy. Aside from the fact that these are the foundations for you to mold your career on, it will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable and fun years of your life.