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Tag Archives: science high school

Phisci, MaSci and QueSci Admission Procedure Basics

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Have you ever felt as if life was just one big test?  Whether you’re a student or a member of the workforce (or both) any vocation comes with certain requirements that need to be met in order to get to the so-called “next level”

Being admitted to a Science High School is no different.  One of these major requirements involves the taking and passing of admission exams.  Fortunately, you don’t have to remain in the dark about them.  This article will help shed a little light on the entrance tests for some of the science high schools available in the country.

The Admission Exams:  Then and Now

The exam to pass for Philippine Science (PSHS) is known as the National Competitive Examination (NCE).  It’s aptly named—you’ll be competing with around seventeen thousand other students for a highly-coveted slot in the school.

Prior to 2008, the NCE consisted of a two-step process.  The first phase involved a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) while the second phase involved a Science Math Aptitude Test (SMAT).

PSHS has recently streamlined the testing process, though.  As of 2008, the NCE now consists of one and only one exam:  the SAT.  This exam measures four different areas of academic competency:  Verbal Aptitude, Quantitative Ability, Abstract Reasoning and Scientific Ability.  To learn about the application schedule of Philippine Science Highschool, click here.

On the other hand, Manila Science (MaSci) and Quezon City Science (QueSci) both feature exams designed along the same lines.  Their aptitude or achievement tests contain sections in English, Mathematics and Science.  To know the application schedule for Manila Science Highschool and Quezon City Science Highschool, click on the links provided.

The passing grade for the latter stands at seventy-five percent, and that’s only for the first screening.  Student hopefuls must be among the top two hundred fifty examinees in the second screening, and must also pass the interview portion in order to quality.

Beating the Odds

The Science High School entrance exams may seem intimidating at first glance, but just like any entrance exam, there are ways of evening the odds in your favor.  Allow me to share some tips with you based on my own experience with them.

If you’ve been paying attention to your grade school classes in Science, Math and English up to this point, then you have a really good chance of doing well.  It’s even better if your grade school has let you take an SAT at some point, as the science high school exams are similar in construction.

If you think you need to sign up for review classes or courses, then by all means, do so.  There’s no harm in asking for help if you really need it.  Having “mock exams” can be a big confidence booster.  Just make sure not study on the day before the exam—cramming won’t help you at all.

The other preparations mostly involve common sense.  If you believe in God, make it a point to pray and ask for His help.  Sleep early the night before the big day.  Eat a good breakfast on the morning of the exam.  You’ll be given a break in the middle of the testing session, so pack some healthy snacks and water to feed your mind.

Be sure to bring some sharpened pencils, a sharpener and an eraser.  The examiners will likely provide you with writing instruments, but it helps to have some of your own.  More importantly, keep your exam permit where you can easily find it.  Not having it on hand will get you into trouble.

Plan your travel time so that to arrive at the test venue some thirty minutes before the exam.  That will help you relax and psyche yourself up for it.  During my time, the volume of traffic was terrible.  Learn from my mistake and leave your house early enough.

Proper Perspective

In closing, I leave you with a bit of perspective:  this will be good training for your college entrance exams and for your college days as well.  Graduates of these science high schools all agree that their time in Pisay, MaSci or QueSci served them well when they got to the universities.  It may be difficult now, but it will all pay off someday.

Now go out there and knock those exams dead!

Suggested Reading:

1.  Science High School Entrance Exam: Abstract Reasoning Portion Tips and Coverage
2.  Science High School Entrance Exam: English Portion Tips and Coverage
3.  Science High School Entrance Exam: Science Portion Tips and Coverage
4.  Science High School Entrance Exam: Math Portion Tips and Coverage
5.  Increasing Your Chances of Passing the Philippine Science High School Entrance Test
6.  The Science of Applying for a Spot in a Science High School
7.  Philippine Science High Schools’ Culture and Campus Life
8.  What to Expect When Studying in a Science High School
9.  Financing Your Studies in Philippine Science High Schools
10. The Advantages of Studying in a Science High School

The Science of Applying for a Spot in a Science High School

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Eyeing a particular science high school for your secondary education?  Good for you.  As with any academic institution, though, science high schools have certain yardsticks with which to measure enrollees.  These can be fairly demanding as well.

All things considered, the application requirements in Philippine Science High School (PS), Manila Science High School (MaSci’s) and Quezon City Science High School (QueSci’s) are somewhat similar, albeit with some minor variations thrown in.  To help you prepare, here’s a summary of what they will, generally speaking, ask of you.

The Incoming Science High School Students’ Screening Process

The screening process for all three schools typically has three different phases.  The first phase involves meeting or exceeding the seventy-five percent cut-off score for that science high school’s entrance test.  The second phase involves being among the top examinees in that same entrance test.  The third and last phase involves passing the institution’s interview.

Before we proceed, do note that note that Philippine Science people have modified things with regard to the NCE or the National Competitive Examination-the prerequisite test for the said institution.  The NCE has been simplified down to a single Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

When you really think about it, the screening actually begins way before you meet with the science high school administration-that is, the last year of your grade school life.  You need to be part of the crème de la crème in your school in order to catch the eye of your target science high school’s administrators.

For example, Pisay looks for students in the upper ten percent of their class.  This is based on grade 5 rankings, as confirmed by the students’ school principal.  MaSci and QueSci require that you have a grade of at least eighty-five percent in Science and Math (plus English for QueSci), and grades of at least eighty-three percent in all other subjects.

Applying in a Science High School:  When You Don’t Fit the Bill

You may be thinking, “May I still apply even if I am not exactly an intellectual elite in my class?”  The answer is yes.

There’s a catch, however:  you’ll need to pass school recommendation letters from people with clout in your grade school (teachers, guidance counselors or the principal).  Also, your report card must reveal a certain aptitude for the hard sciences.  Still, it’s highly recommended that you go for that upper ten percent if you can, as it makes for a pretty good advantage come science high school application time.

Here’s even more intriguing stuff:  you’ll automatically be eligible for admission if you are among the Top Two or Three students (of if you are the top student) in your school.  The criteria of the science high school will ultimately depend on the size of the school you’ll be coming from.  Nevertheless, top students will still need to take a diagnostic exam.

Science High Schools’ Paperwork Galore

Passing the exam is just one part of the sci-high application phase; filling out the correct forms is another.  Besides completely filling up the forms, set aside a couple of identical mug shots-ID pictures of size 1×1 (complete with name tags) and a true copy of your official report card (must have your grade school’s seal) for the science high school’s authorities.

You’ll also need to shell out one hundred pesos for the processing fee.  Here’s the bummer:  aside from the fact that it’s non-refundable, the fee will only be charged to applicants from private schools-public school students are exempt from this fee.  It’s shrewd, but it’s par for the course.

Once you’ve sent in all the documents, the school will mail your science high school test permit to either you or your school principal.

Cutting It in Science High Schools:  The Non-Quantifiable Stuff

With the science high school exam and the paperwork to keep you occupied, you’d think that’d be enough, right?  Not quite.  The science high schools will also conduct physical examinations and interviews to make sure that you’re of sound mind and body.

For one thing, you must be fit enough to handle the academic training that the science high school will throw at you.  Passing out in the middle of an experiment won’t be of any benefit to you, after all.

It also helps if you can prove your “good moral character” as people like to call it.  There’s a fine line between genius and madness, and the science high schools won’t appreciate it if their students go on to become evil geniuses someday.

Besides these things, there are other factors that science high schools often consider.  One of the most important is that you be a native Filipino citizen with no immediate intention to migrate.  You must also not be older than fifteen by the time the school year you’re applying for rolls around.

Prepare for Your Science High School Application ASAP!

And there you have the gist of the general requirements for entry into a science high school.  It’s a tall order, but what else can you expect from the premiere institutions of secondary learning in the country?  The sooner you can start preparing for these, the better.  The application processes for science high schools can be very competitive, so any advantage you can give yourself, however small, will go a long way.

The Advantages of Studying in a Science High School

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While surfing the Internet a couple of days ago, I came across an interesting question that someone had posted on Yahoo Answers.  It went something like this:  “Should I study at [insert name of a primary science high school here] or [insert name of alternative, non-science high school here]?”

The question garnered different responses from a number of different people.  Those who argued in favor of science high schools mentioned a few good points, some of which I’d like to share with you in this article.

Please note that when I speak of science high schools, I am collectively referring to these three types:  the DOST-run science high school like the Philippine Science High School or (Pisay); the DepEd-run science high schools like the regional science high schools and the city science high schools (e.g. Manila Science High School (MaSci), Quezon City Science High School (QueSci) and Makati Science High School).

What Science High Schools Offer:  Advanced Training in the Sciences and Major Subjects

There’s no doubt about it.  If you’re a person of science, a science high school is definitely “the” place to be.  The interesting thing about science high schools is that you will get training in science and mathematics courses that are usually taught only at the tertiary (i.e. college) level.  You will be taught advanced physics, advanced chemistry, advanced biology, genetics, and all those exciting science subjects.  You will be running while your contemporaries in non-science high schools are still learning to crawl, so to speak.

This is not to suggest for a moment that the hard sciences are the only things you will learn in science high schools.  Science-focused training may be the main thrust of these institutions, but they are by no means the only things offered in science high schools.  Science high schools take pride in both their science and mathematics courses.  In science high schools, you are just as likely to learn advanced statistics and advanced calculus as genetics.

Technology education is also a big deal in science high schools.  Do you want to become proficient users of computer and information technologies?  Do you want to learn coding and programming?  Take a number and head on over to a science high school then.

The social sciences and humanities courses are not left out, of course.  For example, you’ll find that Pisay, MaSci and QueSci offer a substantial amount of humanities courses, particularly in English.  Science high schools are also the place to be if you want excellent English language training.  Science high schools believe in furnishing their students with the smarts (science and math training) and communication skills necessary for imparting their knowledge to others and becoming a success in whatever field they choose later on.  Ironically, one student claimed she had developed and nurtured her musical ability in Philippine Science High School.

Now, you have to ask:  why do you need training in all these things?  Why can’t you just amble along like so many of your contemporaries who are enrolled in non-science high schools?

1. Science high schools provide excellent preparation for college

Well, if you want to perform exemplarily well in your college courses, you have to prepare the groundwork as early as possible; and there’s no better way of preparing for your college years than by learning as much as you can in your high school years.  Someone who has been in college for as little as one year will tell you that great preparation is crucial to college success.

So many people I know crawled through their math series, for instance.  Now, if you have already learned about the things that your math series teachers will teach you, chances are high that you will go through your math series in college just fine.  No, you probably won’t breeze through it but still, you’ll get through it with much more dignity than you will have if you have to crawl through these subjects.

2. Science high schools give you an edge in your college application.

Chances are that you’ve probably got your sights set on studying in one of the top colleges in the land, right?  I’m referring to the University of the Philippines, Ateneo, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, and so on.  If that’s the case, then a science high school background will definitely serve you in good stead.  The emphasis on the hard sciences plus the humanities thrown in for balance will count as a major academic advantage if you’ll be gunning for the Ivy League institutions later on.

This advantage is two-fold.  First, your science high school training will give you a great preparation for these universities’ and colleges’ entrance examinations.  Second, since science high schools’ subjects are so attuned to premiere colleges’ curricula, the admission authorities of these premiere colleges are going to look more kindly at applicants from science high schools.

In fact, in the University of the Philippines, the high school grade point average requirements are lower if you are from a science high school.  The logic behind this is simple:  science high schools are expected to be stricter in their student grading so, more often than not, an honor student from a science high school will have a lower average grade than an honor student from a non science high school student.  Thus, the grades need to be standardized so that the “true excellence’ (how pompous; pardon meJ) of science high school students will shine through.

3. Science high schools provide highly relevant training

The subjects and lessons in a science high school are updated often to reflect present circumstances and current reality.  Not for the students of science highs schools are outdated (and often disproved) tidbits of information that you will learn from old textbooks.  Oh and yeah, science high school teachers usually use supplementary materials to keep their lessons updated.

4. Science high schools provide world class training and provide you with numerous opportunities to gain worldwide acclaim.

I’d like to think that all or most of us, at one time or another, have dreamt of making it big on an international scale.  If you’re a student of any of the premier science high schools in the Philippines, you may just get the chance to turn that dream into reality.

Here’s why:  part of your curriculum includes making proposals for science projects and actually carrying them out.  If they’re really, really good, they may just land you a chance at participating in and even winning an international science fair.

Consider the case of Avril Bries and Henrian Bayona, both students of Quezon City Science High School.  Bries and Bayona discovered how to produce bio-ethanol from pineapple peelings and electrical energy from cow manure, respectively.  For their efforts, both of them received gold medals in the Sixteenth Environmental Project Olympiad held in Istanbul (Pssttt… note to the unaware, Istanbul is in Turkey, he he he.  Just kidding, I know you already know that, duh!).

Who knows?  If you come up with something really cool, maybe you’ll win that highly-coveted Nobel Prize someday.

5. Science high schools prepare you for the in-demand and lucrative careers.

While the bulk of your career preparation and development occurs in college, your high school training also has a lot of bearing in the type of career you’ll end up in.

First of all, the variety of subjects will help you gauge your interests.  Thus, you will be able to choose a relevant course when it’s time to go to college.  Second, your science high school training will give you an edge in in-demand and lucrative careers like engineering, actuary, business management, programming, etc.

There are many other reasons for studying in a science high school, but it will all boil down to what you really want.  If you want great, forward-looking education, get a science high school education.  Even if you’re not “nerd” material, you will still find a lot to learn about science and about life in science high schools.