By Michelle Rose G. Solano
As the school year draws to a close, one will notice students (and parents) walking the stretch of Katipunan Avenue, holding brochures and flyers, trying to find the best review center that will help them qualify for the best college education.
Many years ago, review centers were not so commonplace, and students had to study by themselves or just winged it. Today, review centers are mushrooming everywhere in the metro. And parents must ask themselves: “How do I know which one is the right review center for my child?” To answer this question, parents and students should remember the 3 E’s in choosing the right review center.
Effective Review Style
Each review center has a different selling point. The bottom line is how effective their review style is in helping students pass the college entrance tests (CETs). Most review centers offer curriculum-based reviews, where students study and attend lectures based on lessons and subjects learned in high school. This type of program is time-consuming and impractical.
On the other hand, AHEAD Tutorial and Review Center’s test-based reviews teach students which subjects and lessons are most likely to be included in the UPCAT (UP College Admission Test), ACET (Ateneo College Entrance Test) and DLSUCET (De La Salle University Entrance Test). The review lessons are not stretched to cover every single topic in high school but only those that will appear in the actual tests. This method allows students to focus on and master subject matters that they will encounter in the entrance exams, thereby eliminating wasted time and energy in studying topics not included in the questionnaires.
Another important aspect in AHEAD’s review program is the mock test. AHEAD has two sets of exams: three diagnostic and three simulated tests. The diagnostic tests allow the students to know where they stand at the beginning of the program. They show students and their parents the child’s strength and weakness thus giving him a chance to improve his skills. The simulated tests are the closest the students will get to the actual UPCAT, ACET and DLSUCET.
Because each of the three abovementioned exams is unique, each diagnostic and simulated test contains different topics, question types, levels of difficulty and time limits. Simulating the actual test-taking with a time limit is a big factor in passing CETs. Students often run out of time in answering particular questions, which results in having a lot of unanswered items, due to poor time management. This is why AHEAD’s diagnostic and simulated tests have time limits patterned after the real thing. Hence, students are more prepared because they know what to expect when taking the actual college exams.
Excellent Teachers and Staff
Teaching is not an easy task. Teaching students to succeed is even harder. This is why AHEAD lecturers must meet very high standards. Not only do they have to come from the top 3 universities in the country, they also have to belong to the top 1% of their batch. Who better to teach your children to succeed than those who actually made it to the top?
But AHEAD does not only get lecturers based on their grades and their alma mater. Teaching, after all, is a talent and only those talented few who have passed AHEAD’s teaching exams and demos are allowed into the lecture hall. Another prerequisite is that AHEAD lecturers must be young and dynamic, making them more approachable to the students.
One thing that other review centers do not have is Review Assistants. These are former AHEAD students who act as elder brothers (kuya) and sisters (ate) to your children. As former AHEAD students, they can relate to what your children are going through and can give them support and motivation. Review Assistants also act as class advisers who report the students’ status and improvement to their parents.
Going the Extra Mile
The last-but not the least-of the 3 E’s is the extra mile. When looking for the best review center, parents shouldn’t be convinced only by promos and very low prices. An extremely popular term in my alma mater (ADMU) is Magis, which translates to not just succeed but excel, to move beyond what is expected, and go the extra mile. Although the education sector has become more and more competitive over the passing years, let us not forget what education is all about. It is shaping the future of our country through the students of today.
Most review centers, however, are nothing more than business establishments, without care and concern for the welfare of the parents and students. AHEAD Tutorial and Review Center is different. It has proven its commitment to education through 14 years of helping students realize their goal to gain acceptance to the best universities in the country.
Aside from this, AHEAD continues to go the extra mile by continually updating its test programs and materials. No other review center has a team of researchers, writers, editors and experts who only have one goal-to give the best, well-researched materials for its students.
Moreover, AHEAD’s success seminar for parents and students serves as an orientation to provide greater understanding of each university, the different college entrance exams and tips on how to prepare before, during and after the review.
AHEAD Tutorial & Review Center, now celebrating its 14th year, has consistently registered the highest passing percentage in the admission tests of the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and the University of the Philippines. It publishes a list of its passers every year.
AHEAD offers tutorial and review services for all ages in Katipunan, Greenhills, Robinsons Galleria, Makati, Alabang, and Dagupan. For more information, please visit www.aheadph.com, or call 426-0034 to 36.