New admission rules for the University of the Philippines College of Law
The interviews are back. The results for the annual University of the Philippines College of Law Law Aptitude Exam came out last week. Everyone was surprised to see that there was only one list.
Prior to this year, the College would let in a number of students that ranked high in the exam without need for interview. With this, we would see two lists. One for admission and one for interview. This was the policy for only a few years though. I was part of the first batch that allowed some students in without interview. Now, I'm a senior student, hopefully, God-willing to be graduating this year.
Another surprising thing was that there were students exclaiming: "60% is the undergraduate grade" outside the college secretaries office. I'm assuming that the policy now is to give majority of the weight of the admission score to the undergraduate grades.
I cannot find myself to agree with this fully. It appears that this formula ensures that students admitted will have a good work ethic. But at the same time, the students with the greatest natural aptitude will not necessarily gain admission. So my first point of disagreement is that a good law school can change a student's work ethic but no school can improve aptitude so drastically. My second point of disagreement is that not all undergraduate courses are the same. For some courses, high grades are easily attainable, for others they are almost impossible. Considering that there are many Universities in the Philippines, there will also be so many different standards. It just isn't a level playing field. Finally, my last point of disagreement is that Undergraduate performance, in theory, doesn't necessarily affect performance post-grad. Some students just like to lie low in College, or simply aren't as mature as they get when they reach law school.
I hope this policy doesn't last long.
Prior to this year, the College would let in a number of students that ranked high in the exam without need for interview. With this, we would see two lists. One for admission and one for interview. This was the policy for only a few years though. I was part of the first batch that allowed some students in without interview. Now, I'm a senior student, hopefully, God-willing to be graduating this year.
Another surprising thing was that there were students exclaiming: "60% is the undergraduate grade" outside the college secretaries office. I'm assuming that the policy now is to give majority of the weight of the admission score to the undergraduate grades.
I cannot find myself to agree with this fully. It appears that this formula ensures that students admitted will have a good work ethic. But at the same time, the students with the greatest natural aptitude will not necessarily gain admission. So my first point of disagreement is that a good law school can change a student's work ethic but no school can improve aptitude so drastically. My second point of disagreement is that not all undergraduate courses are the same. For some courses, high grades are easily attainable, for others they are almost impossible. Considering that there are many Universities in the Philippines, there will also be so many different standards. It just isn't a level playing field. Finally, my last point of disagreement is that Undergraduate performance, in theory, doesn't necessarily affect performance post-grad. Some students just like to lie low in College, or simply aren't as mature as they get when they reach law school.
I hope this policy doesn't last long.
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