Applications Are Now Open!

Well, it’s that time of the year once again. A new school year marks a brand-new year of academics, friendships, and life experiences. But for some, it’s the start of a journey towards the next step in life. After the grueling battle of university applications, it’s both fond and fulfilling to look back on that journey. It cements the journey towards something new—something terrifying and exhilarating.

Hey, we’ve all been there. The countless hours scouring the internet for reviewers, applying for review centers, and looking back on lessons from previous years. It becomes so highly anticipated that students as young as 10th grade seek help on internet forums. It raises the question: “What makes these exams so monumental in someone’s life?”

The “College Dream” has always been a fantasy for many teens—the campus life, organizational networks, and that young adulthood freedom. But before actually reaching that “dream,” a hurricane of books, reviews, applications, and research on target universities are the first steps in the adventure.

“Ano ang Pipiliin Ko?”

Right around the start of every school year, Senior High School students start preparing for the next step in their academic career. They begin to look into schools and universities that provide their desired program, favorable vicinity, and adaptable to their financial situation. It evolves from a simple choice to a complex one.

The argument of “Passion vs. Practicality” emerges in this situation: how some students are forced to give up their “dream school” for their “dream program” or vice versa. It becomes their “Red Pill vs. Blue Pill” dilemma—the pressure of knowing that one choice they make can set the course for their entire future. It may seem that a decision is impossible to make, and it will seem like giving up can be your only option. But at the end of the day, your reasons, your dreams, your “whys,” will lead you to the right choice. They will lead you towards the path meant for you and your future.

But then, as we reflect on ourselves during the quiet moments, we’re evoked that this one choice impacts a great deal on the trajectory of our lives. The choices made during this time are the gateway to a future that is meant for you, and it suddenly becomes the “wake-up” call that we’re all growing up.

The First Step’s always the Hardest

The simple act of writing your name on an application is as courageous as those first steps into kindergarten, all those years ago. It cements your commitment to facing the fear of rejection, failure, and defeat. It becomes a stepping stone to the next phase of the process.

The application period is always a tough time. The uncertainty of everything swallows you alive; it becomes a whole ordeal that is overwhelming and sometimes difficult to balance with current academic pressures.

It puts you into overdrive; your mind never stops working. It burns you out before even clicking “submit”.

And as the applications inched little by little towards closing, it became more evident that it’s really happening. It’s inevitable, and avoiding it seems like a feeble effort.

You may have felt like time’s running out on you—but it never was. Being able to face those uncharted waters head-on, makes the whole experience worthwhile.

Applications are now CLOSED

CET season isn’t the easiest time of year. That’s the ugly truth. It becomes easy to feel discouraged, especially when the acceptance rates in most universities aren’t that high; staring blankly at the wall seems easier than any of the exams.

The pit in your stomach gets deeper and deeper with each day, practically crawling towards admission results. “This is it!” you might have thought. The idle scrolling on your phone, refreshing each page, questioning every decision that led you to that very moment. While the inner turmoils of acceptance weigh over your head, it’s easy to forget one thing: You’re one of the few to make it to this part.

While most applications have already ended, and the “Collegiante” chapter of our lives is turning its new pages, our spirits must not be trampled. They must remain ready and determined, as another set of ventures will surely take you.

Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you…

College is a terrifying notion. Each school has a different system, and navigating them will always be a “trial-and-error” situation. It’s a new environment, a daunting task, not something you’ll get used to quickly. It’s a whole new beast to tame, yet a brand-new chapter in your story.

Academia is only part of the way; the moments within your application and acceptance trajectory, construct your character and become your foundation as you helm your steps into the halls of your campus.

So, look back, and be grateful you believed in yourself enough to click "submit”. Always be reminded that the best thing to do is to be afraid. Do it afraid, because you’ll know you did it with all your heart. It takes a dream to make a goal, but courage to achieve it.

CET season doesn’t signify the end of your journey; it’s instead one in a hundred different—more challenging roads that you may walk through. Just remember one thing: it’s a choice, and it’s yours to finally open.