UST, Ateneo Junk Entrance Exams, Will Rely on Past Grades for Admissions
The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) will not hold entrance exams for incoming freshmen for the academic year 2021 to 2022. The move is in consideration of the ongoing pandemic.
On its Twitter account, the Ateneo announced there will be no Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET).
“No drama. No stress. No ACET this year,” reads the tweet.
There is a lot going on and we don’t want to create more unneeded drama and stress. There will be no #ACET for SY 2021-22.
— Ateneo de Manila (@ateneodemanilau) September 1, 2020
Times are evolving but our commitment to academic excellence and formation has not changed.
Get #readyfortomorrow, the Ateneo way. pic.twitter.com/3IndWZXJVY
But just exactly how will these special screening processes work?
According to ADMU’s website, admissions will be based on applicants’ academic and non-academic records from grades 9 to 12.
This means the school will select prospective freshmen based on their past grades, awards, accomplishments, and teachers’ recommendations.
“The Committee on Admission and Aid is responsible for selecting the new members of the student body. It bases its decisions principally on the applicant’s past academic performance, on the recommendations of teachers, essay, and on information written down on the application form,” the website read.
The deadline for submitting applications to ADMU is on December 1.
ADMU will charge application fees of P600 for students who graduated from schools in the Philippines and P2,500 for students who graduated outside the Philippines.
Here is a list of schools from which ADMU will select its prospective freshmen. If your school appears on this list, you can easily apply for admissions through ADMU’s edukasyon.ph portal.
UST will also use a similar process of admission.
UST is also foregoing the traditional UST Entrance Exams or USTET, and will use a special screening process for admissions called USTAR, short for the University of Santo Tomas Admission Rating.
“For the Academic Year 2021-2022, the University of Santo Tomas Entrance Test (USTET) will not be administered in consideration of the quarantine restrictions that are currently in effect in the country,” reads the statement on UST’s admissions site.
“Admission to UST for the AY 2021-2022 shall be through the University of Santo Tomas Admission Rating (USTAR). The USTAR is a score that will be computed from a number of parameters derived largely from the academic performance and record of the applicant.”
UST will charge an application fee of P500 for Filipinos and P1,000 for foreigners. The deadline for submitting applications for USTAR is on December 18. The results of admissions will be announced in 2021, but no specific date has been set as of this writing.
Requirements for USTAR
Below are the documents you need to submit to be considered in UST’s new admissions process.
- Signed Application and Conforme
- PSA/NSO Birth Certificate or Passport
- Certified True Copy of Form 137 or Form 138
- Student Ranking Certification
- Proof of Payment (or certification for Top 10 applicants from public schools)
If applicable:
- Honors Class Certification/s
- Leadership Certification/s
- Awards Certification/s
- International Credential Certification (College applicants only)
- Baptismal Certificate (SHS/JHS applicants only)
