Architecture grad places 9th in Board Exam

TSAI

By JESANNY I. YAP

The Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) issued its roll of successful examinees for the June 2011 Architecture Licensure Examination last June 16, 2011 with College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) 2009 graduate, John Christian U. Tsai obtaining a rate of 84.8 percent, as ninth placer nationwide.

Tsai referred to his two-year apprenticeship in construction site areas in Iloilo as his key advantage since it required him actual application of his skills and less in the paper.

“The board exam is pure situational analysis which demands for your ability at decision- making in between situations. Hence, you need to be confident with everything you’ve learned and apply it,” he said.

When asked about what inspiration he could give to aspiring architects, Tsai had this to say: “Embrace fear. It’s human nature. If you fail, at least you’ve done something out of the best you have. I’m not a genius. I’m not even an active student in extra- curricular activities or a dean’s lister back in college, so to say. It’s just that, I’m not the typical type of person who tends to be lax whenever given an obligation to finish within a specified time. I see to it that all my duties in school are sufficiently accomplished.”

“I am truly thankful for my parents for all the support they’ve provided, the time they invested, and for catering all my needs throughout the process.” He added.

On the other hand, CEA Dean Reynaldo Asuncion proudly affirms his entire department team for the two succeeding years that the University has produced topnotchers in the board exam during his term as dean.

“I believe topping the board exam is not merely luck. Rather, it only speaks that the kind of education that is being given to the students is of high quality and that being a dean’s lister in college is not a determining factor, because even an average student has an equal chance to top the [board] exam,” said Asuncion.

 Furthermore, Asuncion laid emphasis on the importance of the passing percentage among the examinees of the University, especially the first takers: “There is still room for improvement. And it is now the challenge to both the faculty and the student body to take part in the progress of the curriculum, particularly in the mode of instruction.  We are aiming to be one of the top Architecture schools in the country; thus, improvement in the overall rating percentage is our primary goal and [our graduates] topping the board exam would just be the bonus that comes with it.”

Together with forty- five other Augustinian examinees, Tsai underwent the two-day examination last June 10 & 12, 2011, earning for the school a passing percentage of 78.57 for first takers.