BOARD EXAM TIP: Which Review Center?

First of all, I would like to apologize for a long time I haven't posted anything but introduction. The reason for that is I'm busy optimizing the design of this site. I'm hoping that the make over is good. Anyway, I would like to dedicate this article to those who are going to take/retake the board exam this coming October. My sincere wish that you bring out the best among yourselves and may the deserving ones pass the exam.




Going back to the One-Million-Peso worth question: "Which review center should I enroll?", I would like to answer that in the most unbiased way I can. Of course, I'm only human and I had also my preferences but I will try my best to hide it.

To start with I will enumerate some of the prominent review centers that offer board exam reviews for mechanical engineering in the Philippines.

1. Alcorcon (Cebu & Manila)
2. Excel (Cebu & Manila)
3. Linx Engineering (Manila)
4. MERIT (Manila)
5. PRIME (Cebu)
6. RLB's CDTC (Manila)
I'm sorry for those review center's I haven't mentioned. Please post a comment to include you on the list.

What to look for?
My personal answer to this question is summarized in a single word-REPUTATION. Yes reputation is a prime consideration when choosing a review center. Reputation gives you a glimpse to the quality of review you will get. Where can you find this information?
Do not trust promotional schemes like flyers, banners, and passing percentage claims. Who really knows how true their claims are, anyway? Ask information on persons who experienced reviewing on a particular review center. Do not ask the passers alone, of course they'll tell you all the positives, ask also those who failed. Ask them information about the quality of review sessions, review materials, and tests.
I will put my emphasis on review materials, for me that's the most important thing. It's not about the quantity alone, but also quality. Yes, quantity matters for it widens your coverage on what the actual board may ask, but quality also matters. Is it well balanced when it comes to the three main subjects-Math, Power, Machine Design?

 Give 'em 20 max
Board exam, for me, is not about how good your review center is but how prepared YOU are. I'm sorry but its YOU who controls the majority of factors that will determine your fate on the actual exam. Preparation is the key. My personal partition is...

you-75%
review center - 20% Max

The remaining 5% is "luck". This is the element of random events like "the type of questions given are exactly what you have prepared." I'm sorry again but you cannot control this one.

Batch Review
I would like to give personal advise to those who would like their school batch to review in only one review center. For me this is not the optimum choice. The principle you have to remember is "divide and conquer." If you divide your batch to at most 2 or 3 different review centers you can easily access more review materials. The key thing here is a "sharing" attitude. Though some may say that even your own classmate is a competitor in the board exam, isn't it more joyful if all your classmates passed?

I Can't Afford
What if your circumstances cannot afford enrolling in any review center? Don't lose hope. Remember the 75-20-5 ratio? Yes, you still hold the 75% and there are ways you can do to get the remaining 20% without attending in a review center. I know a lot of experiences like this. Success stories that really inspires me. This will be the topic on my next post.