Clarissa Caringal So, a 23-year-old from Quezon City, has an incredibly inspiring story of academic success. Not only did she graduate with flying colors from her two college degrees, but she also ranked Top 3 in the August 2024 Sanitary Engineering Licensure Examination.
So is a magna cum laude graduate of both BS Civil Engineering and BS Environmental and Sanitary Engineering from Mapua University in Manila.
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| Photo courtesy: Clarisse Caringal So |
In an exclusive interview with The Summit Express, So shared that she initially planned to take only BS Civil Engineering. However, Mapua offered her the double degree program as part of its offerings to students. At first, she was hesitant to accept because she felt it would be too difficult, but she said she was eventually challenged to take on the opportunity.
“Growing up, I didn’t have a specific dream in mind. I believe I chose my course because I liked taking on challenges and because I thought being good at math would mean I would be fine in engineering. It had some merits pero iba pa talaga yung hirap ng engineering!” she said.
“Kidding aside, one of the main reasons why CE and EnSE were my top choices at Mapúa is because of how I was nurtured by my family and the schools I attended. I grew up wanting to be strong, independent, and with the drive to create without harming the environment. I wanted to help create a sustainable future for everyone.”
During her college days, So’s main struggle was finding her identity as a person. The university was filled with people, students and staff, who had diverse backgrounds, especially during pandemic times.
She also faced financial challenges, particularly with paying tuition fees. Fortunately, she was able to secure full scholarships, which helped her overcome these difficulties.
How did she prepare for her board exam review? Did she have any tips or practices that helped pass the board exam and become a topnotcher?
“For the SELE, I didn’t have a fixed style of preparing for the board exam, unlike when I reviewed for the CELE. Because I started reviewing a little later than most of my peers, I had a lot to catch up on. I initially started with the first lectures they uploaded online, skipped the ones I had a good background on, and took down notes. After catching up, I attended the face-to-face lectures at my review center.”
“After class, I reread the handouts that were discussed to us and, if I have the extra time, I try to summarize it in a document for easy access anywhere I go. I also utilize applications like Quizlet to test myself and to aid in my memorization. Although, in my opinion, you don’t need to memorize everything for the board examination, you just have to be familiar with various concepts and practices.”
“My daily routine during the review period was to get a good amount of sleep, have my first cup of coffee, and start to wake up my brain by taking a short quiz to see if I can recall what I learned the previous day. After recalling, I continue to add more into my document concepts such as definitions and other relevant information.”
“The most important thing when reviewing for board examinations is to always ‘try’ to be consistent. I know for myself that I had a lot of days where I tried to study, but just couldn’t get into serious mode.”
“Often, I just took a step back and watched an episode of my favorite series or played a game or two to reset. Reviewing is a crucial part of getting good marks, but being in a good state of mind is also a driving factor to being successful. It’s important to study, but never forget to enjoy the process!”
What are her plans now that she has passed the board exam?
“Since this is the first period of free time after consecutive board exams, I am taking a short break, while actively looking for work at the same time. Aside from that, I plan to continue improving my skills and to apply for post-graduate studies,” she said.
Her advice to other aspiring board takers, “The best advice I can give is that, if you’re scared of taking your board examination, then ‘do it scared’ and just show up.”
“No amount of preparation can truly prepare you for the board exam because only the examiners know what will be on the exam. The only thing you can do is pray and just do your best, for yourself and for everyone who has been cheering for you along the way.”
“I have a belief na lahat ng kumukuha ng board exam ay may potensyal maging topnotcher. Hindi naman nakataga sa bato kung sino ang top 10. Lahat ng mag-eexam ay may patas na labas kaya laban lang!”
Congratulations, Engr. Clarisse!
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express
