Why did I choose this school:
It's got a good reputation when it comes to the "hard" sciences. With lots of centers of excellence and reputable research institutions within and nearby, it's hard for a science-lover to ignore the Science and Nature City. Also, my parents work in the University, so I get the following benefits:
Tuition was 100% free (except for the P45.50 student fund)
No expenses for food, accommodation, transportation (our house is in the campus)
Plus no need to buy uniforms. You can wear what you want, do what you want, live how you want to [and suffer the consequences... Just kidding].
So, summing all that up - it was the most economical, most practical choice for the stakeholders involved. I get a really good education without my parents having to spend as much as they would have elsewhere. Plus I get to breathe fresh air daily.
About UP Los Banos:
It's at the foot of a mountain in a fairly rural area, so, as I implied already, the air is much fresher than in the city. If you're dealing with natural sciences, agriculture, veterinary medicine, and other similar fields, the place is simply perfect for hands-on learning. Major research institutions of the country are also located on-campus, or at the very least nearby, so it fits well with other "hard" sciences. If you're into research, I think this is also a good training ground.
The campus culture is what I would describe as "laid-back" - people love having fun and chilling. It seems to be paradoxical, though, that despite this attitude, most people seem to be bent on doing tons of extracurricular activities while juggling their academic workload. Be prepared to meet and interact with a wide spectrum of students - both with pleasing and pungent personalities. It's all part of the fun.
Most of the professors and instructors are good enough, effort-wise. While a few are sub-par, there were more than a handful of brilliant ones. It's nice to see that they're dedicated to their jobs despite being overworked and kind of underpaid.
The facilities are adequate if the allotted budget is taken into consideration: air-conditioned rooms, functioning (not all, haha) equipment, usable chairs, etc. They are definitely far from world-class and have a lot of room for improvement, but this isn't really felt as long as one hasn't any experience elsewhere to serve as comparison. There really is pressure for both students and instructors to improvise and make do with what is on-hand; thankfully, in my experience, creativity always saved the day.
My current job:
I'm a process engineer - I design "stuff" that you'll find in processing plants. There are many kinds of "stuff" involved, and typically, I have to at least find out how big these "stuff" should be. Sounds simple, but to make a piece needs consideration of what you're gonna put in that "stuff, " how much you'll put in, how you want to put it in, how you'll connect various "stuff" to one another etc. - all the while making sure not a single part will explode. Haha.
There's a lot of other possibilities, though. Academe, research, manufacturing, environmental compliance, quality assurance, production, project management. It's a really wide field - a double edged sword, if you ask me.
How long did it take to find a job:
I took over half a year off to study for and take the board exam. After the board exam, I let a month pass before searching for jobs, just to have rest + more fun. I began actively searching for jobs thereafter, and it took me four months before I got hired.
So, 7 months (board exam review + board exam) + 1 month (own time) + 4 months (job hunt)...
12 months = 1 year. I like to focus on the 4 month active job hunt, though.
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