Top 500 World’s Best Universities
Michael Tan’s Opinion column on the “World’s Best Universities” which he based on the Times Higher Education Supplement-Quacquarelli Symonds (THES-QS) World University Rankings provided so many insights on the state of Philippine Education . I’m glad to see that the universities of my two girls made it to the top 500 , including two other universities. We can’t compare the Philippines to America, Australia or the UK. Harvard is the number 1 school followed by Cambridge. But take look at Indonesia, a country less developed than the Philippines. It had three universities, all state-run, beating us in rankings
Let’s look at how the Philippines did. The University of the Philippines (UP) came in 299th globally and 47th among Asian universities. I have to say that’s not too bad, considering how UP has had to plod along with shrinking budgets and with the flight of so many good professors. Trailing behind UP were three private universities: De La Salle (392nd), Ateneo de Manila (484th) and, talk about a photo finish, the University of Santo Tomas at 500th.
With slashed budget from our government, it’s surprising that the state university is still alive and kicking. When I brought M around the UP campus as an incoming freshman, I was appalled at Palma Hall’s old chairs, broken windows, and dirty walls. It was as if they had not done any cosmetic renovation since I graduated over 30 years ago. I was confident that UP had dedicated professors inspite of the decrepit state of some classrooms. In the beginning, M’s heart was really not into the state university. She wanted to join her eldest sister at Ateneo. I insisted that UP is the better school and for economic reasons, it was the better option than Ateneo. I convinced her that her maternal grandmother was one of the pioneer students of the UP Diliman Campus. It was my mother’s legacy to pass on the values and great education that UP had to offer. After much tears and several arguments, she relented. Today , M is full of gratitude that she chose UP.
Now what about Ateneo? L is not too happy with Ateneo not because of the education but on the student mix. I’d rather not discuss that here because that is her personal opinion. As a parent, I’m not completely satisfied if the tuition fee investment is worth it. This is just one example. Ateneo does not have computerized or online registration. Maybe they had years ago but today, it does not exist. I know UP and La Salle has, and even the university where my husband is connected. Ateneans have to queue based on their random number on their scheduled day. Not only that , they have to go to the Ateneo campus to retrieve their grades. I know I am comparing UP and Ateneo but still, compare the semestral UP tuition of 7,000 pesos ($140) versus Ateneo’s 55,000 pesos ($1,100). As to the quality of education, I believe M gets a better deal compared to L. Education is not all about academics and campus activities. (*edit November 7-The latter sentence was misunderstood by an Atenean loyalist I think. What I meant in the last sentence was that the heterogenous campus mix in UP gives M a distinct advantage over L’s Ateneo’s student population. See first sentence of this paragraph. )
UP is still among the world’s best, but if we worked harder on the entire educational system, we should have more reason to be proud. Ultimately, we should be able to look at these university rankings as indicators of our current development strategies, as well as predictors of the country’s future.
Edit (November 21,2007) Based on the current Times Higher Education Supplement and QS Top Universities survey, only 2 universities in the Philippines make it to the top 500
1. UP drops from rank 299 to 398.
2. Ateneo now outranks La Salle taking the 451th rank
3. La Salle is not in the top 500 (now at 519)
4. UST drops out of the top 500 and is now at 535
Also read Low rankings for RP universities
UP, meanwhile, has not been giving data to THES-QS survey for two years, said Jose Wendell P. Capili, associate dean for academic affairs of the College of Arts and Letters, and yet it continues to rank. While something to crow about, there is a sense in UP that it’s still better than a number of universities on the THES-QS list. Many UP officials also feel the ranking is skewed toward schools with money, and that it does not have emphasis for fields such as arts and the humanities, Mr. Capili said.
But UP economist Solita C. Monsod said Philippine universities should treat the rankings as a “wake-up call.”
“[We should not have this] false sense of righteousness … everybody is being compared to everybody,” she told BusinessWorld.
Local universities should also not take offense that others in the region have a higher rank, because “it is what it is.” At least, the global rankings are a “consistent benchmark,” Ms. Monsod said.
thank God, among Philippine universities, UP is still the number one. well, i give my gratitude to the professors who, despite the offer of a greener pasture, did not join the exodus of state university professors to private academic institutions.
i did not know that ateneo does not have an on-line registration. fortunately, UP Manila has an on-line registration process with guaranteed slots.
i was also considering of going to the ateneo but who would not reconsider the cornucopia of money we would save.
well, at least, the unreasonable school requirements espoused by the chronic cramming of UP students paid off. (maybe not all students) harhar
Hi,
My husband and his brothers being green-blooded, the default choice for my daughter’s university was DLSU, and she didn’t offer resistance to that. I did though because I thought Q.C. is such a far distance from Taft. Three years down the line, my daughter is happily working her Lit course, and has no regrets at all in being green.
@aaron- it’s my number one too because it’s the alma mater of my mother, and my siblings except for one brother who went to Ateneo. That’s where I met my ex-boyfriend, now my husband
My daughter is a third generation UP student.
@poppycock- It’s opposite for me. We live closer to La Salle but L chose Ateneo.
Hi!
Sorry if I’m aggravating anyone by posting this comment. But I must disagree.
Though there is an extremely wide gap between the tuition fees of the two schools, UP and Ateneo, the per student-per unit spending is of a comparable amount. The only reason why tuition in UP is cheaper is because it is subsidized by the government. In short, money from the nation’s pocket.
The big difference is that Ateneo students shoulder the whole of their education, unlike UP students.
And just something on the side: wouldn’t it be shameful is a private university outranked the more prestigious state university? Just food for thought.
And about this: “Education is not all about academics and campus activities.” If not, then what is it about. Computerized registration?
And the Ateneo has computerized registration, for your information. We just don’t get to do it at home for very logical reasons.
That’s all. Good luck with this blog of yours.
!@martin- what about La Salle? it has comparable tuition with Ateneo, right? It is shameful that Ateneo’s facilties are below par compared to La Salle. No wonder Ateneo ranked lower than La Salle.
and about ” “Education is not all about academics and campus activities.”
I was not talking about computerized registration. What I meant in the last sentence was that the heterogenous campus mix in UP gives M a distinct advantage over L’s Ateneo’s student population. See first sentence of this paragraph. Majority of the Atenean students belong to middle or upper middle class. L’s exposure is limited inspite of their sc-called “immersion program”
tita noemi:
Yes, they do. Actually, my brother goes to La Salle.
But there is controversy over the use of those facilities. And oh, I’m sure you’ve heard of their new ‘building.’ I guess it depends on the spending priorities of each university. In UP’s case, chairs and windows don’t seem to be too important. And for us in Ateneo, a majority of classrooms don’t even have air-conditioning.
Anyway, to leave all the this-school-is-better-than-that-school-even-though-this-school-has-lower-tuition argument, I think it is important to ask where the problem lies really?
Is it the government at fault? And if it is, what should be done.
Something more:
Yes, you could say that I am a loyal Atenean. I friggin’ love the school. It is the most prestigious. I’m not sure if it is the best, but I believe it is the most prestigious in the country.
And I don’t know with that student population thing. Some say that the extremes of the student population in UP is a disadvantage. But personally, it is an experience I’d like to have.
And last, I chanced upon your blog when I searched for the UP Tuition Raise Issue in the internet. That thing with the 300% tuition fee increase.
That’s all.
Magandang araw. Hindi ako galit at pabor sa mga nabanggit na
paaralan ng ating mga bloggers, pero sumasangayon ako sa mga
ilang nabanggit ni martin. Ang UP pinopondohan ng gobyerno kaya nga mura ang tuition nila. Hindi katulad ng DLSU at ADMU na pera ng mga estudyante o ng pamilya nila ang pang tuition. Sagot rin po ng gobyerno ang kuryente, tubig, at telepono ng UP.
Nais ko rin pong malaman kung nalibot na ninyo ang buong Ateneo at La Salle upang sabihin ninyo na mas maganda ang La Salle sa mga imprastraktura kaysa sa Ateneo? Maganda po ang La Salle dahil nakita ko na ito, mayroon silang mga pasilidad na wala sa Ateneo, ngunit ganoon din po ang Ateneo. Mayroon sila na wala sa La Salle. Hindi ninyo naman po puwedeng ikumpara ang hindi pa ninyo GANAP na nalilibot na lugar sa isa pa. Gusto ko rin pong sabihin na iba ibang bildings ang ginagamit ng mga estudyante para sa kurso nila. Katulad ng Liberal Arts ng La Salle sa Yuchengco Hall at Management ng Ateneo sa JGSOM bldg. Baka po kasi iba ang kurso at bilding ni L. at iyun lang po ang naging basehan ninyo.
Naniniwala po ako na mas mayaman ang UP sa admu at dlsu dahil nga galing sa bulsa ng mga taong nagbabayadng taxes ang panggastos nila. At ang mga salaping ito ang ginagamit ng DepEd para tustusan ang UP. Nakakabagbag-damdaming isipin na hindi balanse ang pag pondo ng DepEd sa mga public schools.
“Education is not all about academics…” Gusto ko pong malaman kung ano ang edukasyon para sa inyo? Iyon lang po.
@Miguel- for the sake of my global readers, I will reply in English. I have toured both Ateneo and La Salle. La Salle and Ateneo has its own niche or specialty. . La Salle seems to be excellent in IT and finance while Ateneo is strong in the Arts, and management. UP is strong in most courses. My opinion is based on my personal experience n or my daughter’s experience. After all this is my blog. I cannot speak for others. I am not the expert on college education. I talk based on my experience and perception . I am not an authority of college education. My entry is not the gospel truth. Other parents have their own opinion. I hope you can discern the difference of this blog entry and a research on top universities. REPEAT: my blog is just a commentary on the article, TOP 500 universities in the world. Get it?
Education is not limited in the classrooms . We learn from our classmates and our teachers outside the classroom experience. With the heterogenous mix of UP students, one has more exposure to the real world compared to Ateneo students. It is a known fact that 90% of Ateneans are in the middle to upper middle class income.
I’m proud I chose the University of the Philippines over other universities.
I graduated from the UP College of Business Administration some four years back and now I’m residing in Chicago. I’ve always wanted to finish an MBA course in the states and because my family is here in Illinois, I just chose the nearest most prestigious university instead of going to pennsylvania for wharton or to massachusetts for harvard…
The University of Chicago had been a consistent TOP 10 university in the world. When I applied last year for my MBA, I was really surprised that the university only credits/considers undergraduate degrees from only one university from the philippines; the University of the Philippines Diliman.
I could never claim that UP is the best just because of this instance. I’m just happy I made the right choice back then.
Now, just one more year to go, and I would finish my MBA here. I plan to go back to my beloved home, Pilipinas and expand my business that my wife and I started here in the states. Also, I want to teach in UP part time. I would never forget what my business policy professor told me (Dr. Manuel Alba - former budget minister of the philippines), “So, you are proud because you are a UP student? Just imagine what UP professors feel about themselves.”
Hi Noemi. I have been reading your very interesting blog…
Yes its really disappointing that the Philippines top universities are ranked lower than Indonesia which was very behind the Philippines 35 years ago…however the truth is the Philippines is so much behind Indonesia now in terms of progress and economic prosperity; and that is proven by the many highly educated Filipino professionals who are now living and working in Jakarta. Most of these highly paid professionals are employed by the biggest oil companies in the world and multinational companies, and many are also teachers in local schools or international schools based in Jakarta…even the teachers are highly paid and in U.S. dollars so they are all able to enjoy a quality of life which they won’t be able to in Manila. my brother who is a MBA graduate of AIM in Manila has been working for the second biggest conglomerate (an oil company) in Jakarta for 10 years now, and during his yearly visits to Manila with his family, he has seen the differences and how much progress Indonesia has really gone through the years… it’s really sad but that’s reality which I believe not many Filipinos are aware of… the Philippines cannot even compete with Indonesia which is an oil producing country and which has really surpassed our country for the past 2 decades. that is the reason why so many of the highly educated professionals end up working there enjoying a better quality of life with all the amenities of expat living.
I personally think that the THES-QS TOP University list is about biases and popularity. They also arbitrarily put Australian and British universities far more than it deserves. And, who are the people voting and rating the surveys? Those who are from the Western Universities. Biases will always be there. If I were from University of Oxford, of course, I would prefer to give a better rating that Kyoto University.
There are also indicators in the list that should no longer be considered - like the proportion of international faculty and international students. Is this necessary in the list? I don’t think so. I don’t believe that having a great number of faculty members or students from oversease would make a university a good one. There are schools in the Philippines that do not accept international students… they should also take into account other universities in the Philippines…
And, what about the graduate employability? Do they have the statistics that actually reflects the number of graduates in relation to their marketability? Again, if I were a businessman from Harvard, I would think that more Harvard graduates would get the job than the graduates of University of California…
The indicators and the way the methods are done primarily reflect the opinion of the respondents - who are actually Americans, Australians and Britons - who would vote in favor of their universities.
On the other hand, in the Academic Rankings of the World 2006 by a Chinese University, NOT EVEN ONE Philippine university made it to the list… How sad!!!
I personally think that the THES-QS TOP University list is about biases and popularity. They also arbitrarily put Australian and British universities far more than it deserves. And, who are the people voting and rating the surveys? Those who are from the Western Universities. Biases will always be there. If I were from University of Oxford, of course, I would prefer to give a better rating to University of Oxford than that of Kyoto University.
There are also indicators in the list that should no longer be considered - like the proportion of international faculty and international students. Is this necessary in the list? I don’t think so. I don’t believe that having a great number of faculty members or students from oversease would make a university a good one. There are schools in the Philippines that do not accept international students… they should also take into account other universities in the Philippines…
And, what about the graduate employability? Do they have the statistics that actually reflects the number of graduates in relation to their marketability? Again, if I were a businessman from Harvard, I would think that more Harvard graduates would get the job than the graduates of University of California…
The indicators and the way the methods are done primarily reflect the opinion of the respondents - who are actually Americans, Australians and Britons - who would vote in favor of their universities.
On the other hand, in the Academic Rankings of the World 2006 by a Chinese University, NOT EVEN ONE Philippine university made it to the list… How sad!!!
In the Philippines, we regard Ateneo as one of the top universities… in what area or field? I only know one or two field they are good at, and that is LAW and PHILOSOPHY… will these two things be good enough to consider them a top university?
DLSU is good at Engineering and some Sciences.
PLM is good at Medicine, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Accountancy, Social Work.
PUP and FEU are both OK.
UST is good at Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, Architecture and Physical Therapy.
Of couse, UP is the best so far… it has the biggest budget of all universities and it performs well in most licensure exams.
Each school has its own strengths and weakness.
And on the issue of other countries getting ahead of Philippines, I found out this morning that our beloved nation is not the largest English-speaking country in Asia anymore. We are now behind India. Thus, making us the 4th largest English-speaking nation in the world.
OMG. What’s been happening to the Philippines?
Kahit san school kapa, importante maka-graduate! Tapos! Overratted ang UP, La salle at Ateneo. Hindi naman lahat ng galing diyan magagaling. Kasi ako galing nang Mcgill University ha! Loko lang!
As a student from DLSU. It is sad to hear that many people think that DLSU is only ranked higher than Ateneo among private universities because of the greater availability of facilities. La salle deserves that spot not just because of its sophisticated learning and campus equipment, it is because of the better availability of courses offered to its students. An example is the engineering departement of La salle which ranks superb against what Ateneo has. Another course offering is Accounting which Ateneo doesn’t offer. There are many more to mention. I sincerely believe that UP is the leading university in the country (Base on what I conclude from SURVEYS and OPINIONS of OTHERS). It could have increased its ranking further if only the government would properly allocate funds for the recreation of the school grounds. But unfortunately knowing the Philippine political system, it is hard to expect.
im so sorry… but hello!!!!! we rank so behind!!! we are supposed to be a great nation… you are stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello to all the bloggers! Actually, i will not comment on anything, knowing that i haven’t experienced what “university life” is yet. I’m a graduating high school student this year and I do need your thoughts because, right now, i’m having second thoughts on which university to pursue. I got accepted at UST(bspsych&acct.) and ADMU(abpsych). And reading the rest of your blogs, its very easy to get confused. you all had some valuable things to say that left me thinking again and again. God bless to all of you and thank you for taking time to read my blog.
P.S. my mom wants me to pursue Ateneo. she said that Ateneo students stand out everywhere because of high standards of education
—> “THE HARVARD OF THE PHILIPPINES”– these are the words rightful for the ATENEO…. for it is the most prestigious and (against all odds) probably the best university here in the Philippines. WHY? because of its characteristics very distinct from other universities like UP and DLSU…. in the first place, Ateneans need not to debate on this matter for ATENEO gives what’s best and what’s right for its students…. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, VALUE FORMATION, EXTERNAL LINKAGES, COMPETENCE AMONG FELLOW UNIVERSITIES.. name it and ATENEO has it… maybe.. UP performs better than ateneo in terms of academic rankings, but in truth, UP does not inculcate in its student the values essential to this society… they tolerate their students’ liberalism which often lead to their what-they-say as “radicalism”.. UP failed on this matter.. so what will happen to our country if all of its intellectual graduates (who sooner or later will be our political leaders)are radical?? try to think… and ONE THING MORE!! Entering UP system is not that difficult at all. Why?? sometimes students just choose NON-QUOTA COURSES and eventually SHIFT to the courses they want… unlike the ATENEO that requires you to beat the BEST OF THE BEST FROM ALL THE OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE COUNRTY, just to enter in their university…. Now DLSU, on the other hand, is nothing compared to ATENEO.. they usuallly boast their STATE-OF-THE-ART Facilities but i’m not convinced on the way they form their students intellectually and behaviorally.. their students, most of the times, get too boastful!! I get so IRRITATED with them… and i know some cases that they actually acquire students that are not as competitive as the Ateneans; for, they tend to easily give-in to “RECONSIDERATIONS” to those students who failed in their exams.. i know i’m not in the “college life” yet but i think i’ve weighted schools quite enough and i’ve research enough to say that i,indeed, have a heart to the ATENEO.. i’nm sorry if i had to express my opinions against la salle and up… but i’m just driven by my emotions to the different comments and the article itself. that’s why i seem not to pursue my pol. sci course in UP for i tend to be radical on my opinions and actions…
… maybe i still have a lot to debate in my mind… i have worries about picking the wrong university for me… 75% of my decision goes with ADMU while the other 25% is brought by the influences of the outside forces telling me to go to UP, DLSU-M, UST, DLSU-D, and UA&P… Damn.. i’m really confused..
arellano university is the best…
@lei- choose UP. If your course is Psych, UP does a lot of pioneering research.
I’m also a graduating high scool student this year. As of now, I’m still confused on what university to go to. I was accepted at ADMU(BS legal management),UP(BS bio),UST(BS nursing),siliman(BS med tech), and Southville foriegn colleges(BS International business, BS International marketing)… After reading this blog, i got more confused!!
Everyone i ask tells me to go to ADMU.. They say it’s the best and that i will have no problem in finding a job when i graduate there…
Anyway, i still have a few more weeks to decide.. I will surely consider everything i have read here…
What course do you really like, RK? If your heart is in BS Bio, then go to UP . Then Legal Management , take it in Ateneo. It’s a matter of the course too.
Bam said:
Each school has its own strengths and weakness.
And on the issue of other countries getting ahead of Philippines, I found out this morning that our beloved nation is not the largest English-speaking country in Asia anymore. We are now behind India. Thus, making us the 4th largest English-speaking nation in the world.
OMG. What’s been happening to the Philippines?
—
Ridiculous. India has more than a billion people. Theyve always had more English speakers (being a British Colony and all) than us. Complaints and rants like this confirm how low we’ve sunk.
STILL UNDECIDED… I NEED HELP….
i am a highschool senior, i am confused with what school i’ll be entering in my tertiary life..
here’s my choices.. pls help me…
i passed..
UP Diliman- b.a political sci.
ADMU- ab-ma poli. sci (honors program)
DLSU-M - bs legal mgt.
UST - poli sci
UA&p - ab-ma political economy
DLSU- ab poli sci….
i’m asking for all your opinions…
okay i’ll explain my situation…
i passed up and la salle, i belong to the top 15% of Ateneo..
i am among the top 100 passers of USt, i am among the top exminees at ua&p… now… my scholarship was denied in Ateneo and i was devastated for i can’t afford to study there eventhough i regarded admu as my dream school.. UP system has increased about 300% of its tuition.. but the University of asia and the pacific granted me the merit scholarship which covers 100% tution and misc. fees and all.. i have nothing to pay.. but the deadline for the scholarship agreement is feb 26 and that’s freakin’ close!!! i don’t want that schlrshp be put into waste but i can’t afford losing ateneo.. i also have financial prob so i can’t just choose any of the schools… please… help me… decide
lei: Go to UP, you won’t regret it. ;p
benj is right. Go to UP, lei!
Go UP. I am sure they have financial aid. Just show your Income Tax Return of your parents. Though UP increased tuition, it’s still way below Ateneo. If I am not mistake, 25,000 pesos per semester. Ateneo is at least 52,000 a semester. You are so blessed to have passed all the best schools. Still UP is the best.
My daughter who is now in second year UP BA Psych cried when I told her I couldn’t afford Ateneo. I told her to study at UP since it is a quality school anyway. She often tells me that she is happy she chose UP.
the UP culture is really different though. I went to a UP-run high school so the transition wasn’t that shocking, but I’ve seen people from public schools whose heads really spin once they see the demographics.
thanks for all the adivices… but would i spend 25 thou for
UP, if i already have a full scholarship in UA&P including the misc. and all???…
As an HR practitioner, I believe that graduates of UP,ADMU,DLSU and UST easily get employed. However, choosing the right course for college really depends on your values and plans in the future. If you feel like migrating to the US or Canada, the best thing to do is take a Nursing course. Between UP and UST, the latter is better. If you feel like migrating in the US or Canada for broad reasons, take any course in UP. You see, it all depends on your values.
“???”
To everyone here: be careful of what you say for you may ruin your own school. My point? My point is by having such comparisons, we are implying that we’ve learned from our schools that the benefit of education solely depends on one’s school. Think about those who don’t have the opportunity to study. All they want is to finish even though it means getting through an unpopular college.
Honestly, I’m quite sick of all these comparisons. Don’t ask me where I had come from. I can just tell you that I’m from one of those schools being compared with each other. People never really see the bigger picture here. We go to college for our future. Isn’t it enough that we are gifted with such benefits? Are we implying that we are greedy for such honor? That we want more and more for ourselves?
i lyk ur point light!
come to think of it, college education in a THIRD WORLD COUNTRY like the Philippines is no longer a right but a Privilege. So why become honour-greedy?!
Ateneo, La Salle, and UST are all Catholic schools. Did Catholicism teach us about giving God thanks to what we have?
to the UP students, haven’t your professors thought you that you have a big responsibility over all of these priviliges the State is giving you?!
even though i aint a student of any of these prestigious schools, i am happy that i am able to go to school. and i am proud that a will be graduating in april 20, as a reciprocated all the sacrifices my parents have done by doing what is expected of me as a student.
i will just stress this out: it is not the school where you took that program, but how you behave while you were still a student! Success considers background , but greatly depends on the ability of the person to adopt!!!!
There are probably more english-speaking indians because of their population but believe me PINOYS are better. I can assure you that if you had a chance to work with them, you’ll know what I mean!!!
—–
I am a proud Engineer from DLSU but even if I graduated from DLSU, I feel bad that the Phil education system is not recognize anywhere else (except nurses bec they can work as nurses). I really hope that the educational system in the Philippines will be improved and will be comparable with other nations. Imagine, our highschool grads cannot even enter universities abroad because we only have 10 years of primary and secondary educ. This is why we were behind other nations. I know some people who studied abroad - they have to enroll in college for two years before they can pursue their studies in other countries or like the rich ones, they study in an international school. I tell you, whether you are graduate of UP, La Salle or Ateneo, the international community does not recognize our graduates especially engineers. I was just lucky to be able to work as an engineer because of my experience but believe me my rates are way below than those who studied in other countries.
HI everyone!
I’m also confused regarding what university to choose…
I passed:
UP Diliman - BS Psych
ADMU - AB Comm
DLSU - AB OCM
UST - BS Psych and AB Behavioral Science
Actually, I’m down between UP and Ateneo.
Passing in UP Diliman is definitely laborious because of the UPCAT but I can’t deny that ADMU is also not permeable when it comes to choosing students.
But here are some scenarios…
The gov’t withdtrawn its state subsidy to UP, thus forcing UP
increase its tuition to 300%.
ADMU gave me a 100% scholarship.
Oh no… I’m having a headache… (sigh)
Please help me to choose the best choice.
Mark: Pick in terms of the course. A good student will be a good student as long as he/she goes to a competent school (Id like to think that all four schools that you mentioned are good). AB COMM and BS PSYCH are two totally different fields. Most Psych grads find themselves going to Medicine after graduation.
had a well-written article regarding UP. Let’s face it, we all know that UP is great, but sometimes, people exaggerate and get carried away.
Thanks for the great advice…
But… will I evade ADMU’s lucrative offer?
Imagine! I’ll be saving almost 150thou per year…
Mark: If I were in your shoes, I’d choose the course that I’d really like to study. The choice of degree will have a lifetime impact. Do you want to regret the course you studied for the rest of life? I know a lot people (including myself) who think we should have taken another course.
If you can pay the fees skip the scholarship. The savings seem a lot because you were calculating based on ADMU’s tuition fee rates. Think about this, if you to go ADMU, you’ll need to maintain your scholarship. Granted that you are smart enough to keep it, still there will always be a chance to lose it, you may not end up saving in the end.
Hope this helps! =)
Thanks a lot for those who helped!!!
You made me one step closer to the best decision…
@mark-just follow your heart… there is no best school… but there is the best school for you…. as for me, i turned down UA&p’s scholarship offer and their stipends and dorm lodging and everything.. just to study in the Ateneo…. we are lucky to have this privilege… enjoy tertiary life… =)
The surevey is a hoax. data are inaccurate. UP, Ateneo and UST could have ranked higher if the information sent was accurate and fair. kudos to up dlsu ateneo and ust
Go on and bicker…UST is still the best for me…It’s a mix of all types of people…Walang inferior/superior factor unlike with DLSU and ADMU…It’s just plain fun…hahaha…:)
Hi, good day
I think the reason why UP is just ranked 299th in the world is because the organization who conducted the survey also considered the facilities of each universities together with the quality of graduates, number of research and thesis produced
and of course the number of professors in that particular University. And we know that even if UP is being subsidized by
the State,still our budget is not even comparable to that of
Ateneo or Lasalle. That explains why Ateneo and LaSalle have better facilities.
So maybe the general ranking of UP went down because of its facilities. But we may concede that the kind and amount of facilities that a University have should not be equated to the quality of education given by the University.
UP could have a higher rank if it just have the same kind of facilities that Ateneo and Lasalle have ( sige na nga UST na
din).
Just my idea..
guys!! wag kaung mgtalo!!! im a proud Thomasian,,but i must have to accept that UP,Ateneo and Lasalle surpass and leading our way… The overall ranking was.. UP,LASALLE,ATENEO,UST… cut behind the rest… but in terms of licensure examinations… UP,UST,LASALLE,ATENEO… UP has the most number of courses(330) while UST has (188) Lasalle (77) and ATENEO (53).. SEE??
GUys!Base on my experiences everything is depedns on the students, what type of students,ya if you got a good teacher and facilities then its a resources to make learning easy but everything on the students, as a students you must invest hardworks if you want to succeed…schools only is a guidance fro your future…If the students really want to become an Engineer for example then he must invest for it…guys today its a information age, you can find information on the web already…anyway I am from La Salle also, BS Coe…:)
i just read all the bickering here. now i’m suffering from a headache.
i think it’s a normal to defend to their own alma maters but not to the point where the other schools get bashed. we shouldn’t compare. after all, each school has their own fortes.
i’m from a UP highschool and i studied in UPD for 2 years—before transferring to the ADMU. please don’t give me the ‘you’re-crazy-why-the-heck-would-you-do-that’ speech because i’ve already received loads of it. i have fellow ADMU transferees from UP as well.
i won’t say the reason why i did such thing, but it just goes to show that people have their own preferences and that we shouldn’t be blinded by the popularity of the schools. we shouldn’t choose a school solely because other people label them as the best. we should also consider our education (the course that we’re going to take) and more importantly, if we’re going to be happy during our four-year stay in that school.
last thing. graduates of these top universities who are lazy and with no knowledge on how to “handle” things, are most likely to be beaten by graduates in “so-so” universities who are hardworking and “may diskarte sa buhay”. but that’s just my opinion.
hey amy, i too have a couple of friends who transferred from u.p. to ateneo.
took the ateneo exam in ‘96 but went to study in the states. then came to the philippines in ‘97 and went to ateneo (didn’t take the entrance exam anymore again since they said i was a merit scholar in the ‘96 exam).
was ateneo all that great? well, i honestly believe that i learned more reading books and magazines and newspapers in the rizal library than in any of my classes. would it be any different if i went to u.p. or la salle or u.s.t. for example? i doubt it.
i’m not saying ateneo sucks or philippine schools sucks. it’s just that the philippine educational culture focuses more on theory and memorization rather that practice and application. it a shame that the system generally rewards people who memorizes what they don’t understand and punishes those that understands what they did not memorize.
another thing, boredom. most of my classes in ateneo were boring as hell, save for p.e. class perhaps. i don’t know why they have to make it so boring and uninteresting. only a few professors are even worth paying attention too, and they are all in the philosphy field. i agree 100% with fritz redl when he said “boredom will always remain the greatest enemy of school disciplines.”
in contrast, i studied a year in the states and i was actually excited going to class everyday. most classes were like watching discovery channel (which by the way is a favorite of mine). my chemistry professor dr. wallace worked part time (sometimes even during our lab class) as like the c.s.i. lab dude for the police. we were also the first batch required to bring our own laptop to computer class so it was cool. government class was i think the only boring class i had there so i always just leave a tape-recorder with my 40-year-old classmate (i was the youngest in that class because i chose a night class to free up my whole friday for gimik time) so he can record the whole class for me.
sorry for all the kwento. just reminiscing. anyways, i am a firm believer in the notion that one makes his own education, not a particular school or college. and i believe you have to be really interested in what you are studying to make college education work for you. i think c. wright mills’s quote sums up what i’m trying to get at: “the aim of the college, for the individual student, is to eliminate the need in his life for the college; the task is to help him become a self-educating man.”
good luck to everyone.
im a UP student.. but i will transfer to NTU.. ano ba yan.. mas maganda pa ang quality ng education ng taiwan sa pilipinas.. im not yet decided naman.. pinagpipilian pa ang national taiwan university, seoul national university o university of wollongong in australia..
feu! daming chicks!
UP talaga eh.
Hello people! I’m a Mombugakesho Scholar in Japan. I am well aware that UP and other big universities in the country didnt rank well and by reading all the related blogs you seem to be knowledgeable of the reasons behind this issue. Since I am in this country, the home of the top university in Asia except for the most recent ranking, I have observed how their schools work. Their universities dont focus upon academics but on RESEARCH. All graduating students in colleges and universties are required to produce research before they can earn their degrees. In the final year of the students, they get very few classes so they can give more time to their research. My classmates for instance have only one subject left and all the rest of their time should be used for their individual research. So we can imagine how many research would they be able to generate per year! This does not include yet the researches done in Graduate and Post-Graduate schools. Of course the number of rsearch decreases as the level goes higher especially in the Phils. With this strategy of Japan’s universities they can really make it to the top. There are of course other significant reasons but this one is something our universities dont simply have.
In the Phils we only make RESEARCH if we want to pursue higher education but in Japan it’s different, all students must do a research before graduating in college. In addition to that, in our country we can only do research or thesis if we pass first the dreadful comprehensive examinations. There r of course some courses which dont follow this rule but majority of the graduate courses would require this which many of the students find impossible and discouraging. In Japan all u have to do is to make sure u know your topic well and ur willing to do and to finish the research before the school year ends no more no less. If we could do the same in the Phils for sure we will conquer Asia.
As with the teaching abilities of the Japanese professors, it has been studied that most of them are have poor teaching abilities. Compared with my Professors in PNU, they wont stand a chance. Students themselves find them boring and traditional. Japanese only excel because they have the means to carry out their research but if we will compare Filipinos and Japanese Professors, the former will emerge as more skillful, knowledgeable and creative. The difference is that majority of Japanese are extremely hardworking. They dont stop until they get what they want. Anyway the bottomline is let us not despair, Filipinos dont rank low. The ratings wont really tell the truth. We know better than them!
i’m so thankful that i was admitted to UP. i love everything here! the community, the culture, and of course, the academe! definitely home for the intellectuals…if you pass the UPCAT exam, think no more…after your stay in UP, u might find yourself again in this blogsite writing: thank God i chose UP.
DAMN!!! University of Toronto rocks!
hello y’all!!! mapua is the greatest school in engineering!!! watch out!!!! it will soon become a university and it will rock them all!!!1
Hello everyone.I am a foreign student who is very much interested in the people and culture of the philippines.
Philippine is a great nation but to my utmost surprise,a lot of you do not appreciate what you have and on the contrary,rant and compare your universities.Is it not obvious to you that the people who compare and rank these so called ”world’s best unversities” are alumni and associates[practically] of the same universities.
Look at the university of Cape town,the best university in Africa,was ranked worldwide at number 397..Get to this university,take a look at the facilities, find out the performance of thier graduates in various fields……..you will be surprised to find that most of them are far much better in productivity than those from Chicago and Yale.
So what criteria do these ”analyst” use to rank universities?……..Is it not obvious that much of the criteria is predefined by location,prejudice,loyalty,popularity and ”neighbourhood”?
Stop blaming your institutions and concentrate on how you can make Philippines a better Philippines for the next generation.Let them rank and rank and rank in thier bureacracies..Forget it and go ahead with transforming your nation………………third world is not the best description for Africa and some Asian countries like the Philippines…………….we de