MY 82 DAYS OF JOURNEY TO BOARD EXAM (PROCRASTINATION AND REVIEW): An Update

by Mary Anne Portuguez

May e-mail kasi akong nareceived after ng oath-taking,"Ano ba ginawa sa board exam?" 

Ayun. Buti nakapagdocument ako. Hehe. Hindi ko na kailangan pa ipaliwanag mga ginawa ko dahil sa mga larawang nakunan ko.

Hindi ako nakapagreview center kasi mahal. Bale, review lang talaga sa sarili gamit lumang books, ebooks, notes, tulong din ng online blogs tulad ng Philippine Psychometrician Reviewer (psychometricpinas.blogspot.com) at mabubuti kong kaibigan.

Naisipan kong magdocument ng pagrereview ko sa loob ng 82 days bago ako magtake ng exam sa dahilang naniniwala ako nang mga panahon na iyon na papasa ako (fighting spirit talaga lakas) at gusto kong maibahagi yung mga bagay na nangyari sa aking paglalakbay bago ako magtake ng board exam.

Maraming beses din naman akong nabigo magreview kaya puro pagkain ang highlight ng araw ko. Kung minsan nga cheesy days, status lang sa facebook, movie marathon or series marathon, lalabas kasama yung mga importanteng tao sa buhay ko, at paggawa ng requirements sa graduate school. Grabe, mapapansin mo nga sa mga unang araw pa lang ng nakatakdang documentation ko may pagkain na talaga na highlight. Kaya nga naging bilugan ang katawan ko. hahahaha. Wala na akong exercise rin niyan.

Kung susuriin ang mga larawan, makikita mong hindi lang ako naka-focus sa pag-aaral, makikita mong may mga ilang bagay rin akong pinagkakaabalahan. Minsan kasi okay lang naman aminin na hindi naman tayo super sipag, na mayroon ring mga araw na gusto natin maging masaya lang sa isang araw, na hindi lahat ng oras dapat na igugol natin ang sarili natin sa pag-aaral dahil kailangan din natin ang ibang bagay para mas umunlad tayo. Kung hindi ako nag give in sa kagustuhan kong subukan ang iba ng mga panahon na iyan baka masyado akong na-stress. Kailangan lang talaga na minsan mag-enjoy at minsan dapat na seryosohin ang mga bagay.Ibabalanse.

Gusto ko lang sabihin na huwag natin masyadong biglain ang sarili natin sa mga bagay na gusto nating makuha, kung minsan kahit paunti-unti okay lang naman. Hindi kailangan na magmadali. Saka wala naman magpepressure sa atin kundi sarili lang din natin kung hahayaan natin makinig sa sasabihin ng iba. Kung marami na silang narereview, hayaan niyo sila. May sarili kang oras, ang dapat mong gawin, gumawa ka ng sarili mong plan. Ikaw magdidisenyo. Pwede kang maglagay ng allowance na mag-enjoy ka at schedule na stringent. Basta dapat sa isang araw, kahit paano may nagawa ka, kung wala man siguraduhin na kinabukasan mababawi mo iyon.

Ito ang summary ng shinare ko sa SPARK Review Center noong 2015 nang ma-invite ako:

1. Set Goals

2. Document your review/ Monitor your progress

3. Eat a lot of healthy food 

4. Procrastinate in judicious doses.

Good luck sa susunod na magboboard exam! 

(Riyan is a lone passer of from PUP-Graduate School, Master in Psychology-Industrial Psychology Program with other passers of the same university but in a different program of the 2104 BLE for Psychometrician. She is one of the indefatigable admins of the Facebook Page Philippine Psychometrician Reviewer. She contributed this post - http://psychometricpinas.blogspot.com/2014/07/maraming-salamat-kay-riyan-for-sharing.html )

Below is creative photo journal on what Riyan calls her 

82-day review-procrastination.

The result:

The odds in my favor

The odds in my favor

by Ruby Ann M. Agulto, RPm

Professional Teacher & Registered Psychometrician

I finished my AB Psychology from De La Salle Araneta University in 2007. Imagine kung gaano na ko katagal na graduate? Nagsimula ako bilang HR Staff sa isang private company for 4 years and I decided to change my career path and studied Education units for one semester. Sinabi ko kasi noon gusto kong magwork sa school, and I was influenced by my mother, who is connected with the Deped school for a long time. Nagsawa ako sa office work at pakiramdam ko hindi ako na-challenge noon.  After finishing my educ units, I applied for the Licensure Examination for Teachers in 2012, luckily, with God’s help I passed the said exam.  I am now a public teacher in Secondary level, became a Guidance Teacher this school year since I have units in MAED major in Guidance & Counseling in Bulacan State University.

Nalaman ko lang na natuloy na rin sa wakas ang Board Exam for Psychometrician, medyo late na dahil June ko na nalaman mula sa isa kong kakilala, I grabbed the opportunity dahil ito naman talaga ang gusto ko ang magka-license to practice my profession.  Nagdalawang isip ako na magreview center kasi nagwowork ako, pero napilit ako ng boyfriend at mom ko dahil nga sobrang tagal ko nang graduate. Wala na ako halos alam sa criteria ng disorders, hindi ko na kasi naaral at nagamit.  Nalate na rin ako ng 2 weeks sa review center na inenrollan ko pero buti natanggap pa rin ako. Isa ako sa pinakamatanda doon, halos lahat sila fresh grads pero nakipagsabayan ako.  Mula noon, nagsulat na ako sa papel, ganito rin ang ginawa ko nung nagrereview ako para sa LET, nakasulat sa papel: “I can pass the board exam, tiwala lang”  At pagkagising ko, bago rin matulog lagi ko syang binabasa, everyday na rin ang prayers ko noon kasi totoo naman na pag lagi mo pinagdadasal, at malakas ang faith mo, makukuha mo ang gusto mo. At isa pa ayaw ko talagang bumagsak, ayoko masayang ang binayad ko sa review at ang tiwala sa akin ng mga mahal ko sa buhay. Pero sa totoo lang nahirapan ako pagsabayin yung work ko saka pag-aaral kasi bilang teacher, nag-aaral ka ulit, laging ganon, at nag-uuwi ka pa rin ng work sa bahay pag hindi na kaya sa school. Imagine that?

One week before the exam, hindi na ako masyadong nagrereview, basta tiwala na lang talaga sa mantra ko, may reflection din ako sa gabi.  Naglalaro na lang ako ng tablet, I don’t want to be pressured, whenever I hear someone saying that we need to review more, or may lalabas na ganito ganyan sa exam, ayaw ko na maniwala, para sa akin relax na dapat ako, nagtiwala na lang ako sa lectures ng review center at inaral ko ulit kung paano mag-analyze ng tamang sagot.  Nagpapicture din ako sa SM North Edsa sa Hunger Games “May the odds be ever in your favor” at ginawa kong fb profile pic.

Nung mismong araw na ng exam, Oct 28&29, kampante ako sa tatlong subjects, sabi ko mukhang papasa naman, sa totoo lang mas nahirapan ako sa Licensure Exam for Teachers kaya sinabi ko sa sarili ko hindi ako pwedeng bumagsak dito, either hindi nabasa ng machine or mali ang pagkaka-analyze ko ng choices. Tiwala lang talaga, pero sa Psych Assesment feeling ko tagilid ako, kinabahan na ako, nagdasal na lang talaga ako at sa kabila ng pagkakaroon ko ng ubo at sipon that day (dala siguro ng anxiety), binalewala ko na lang, concentration saka prayers lang talaga lalo na meron akong mga hindi sure na sagot.

Days passed and on the third day, I began to browse different sites where I could find the result, once released.  When there was this rumor that the release of the exam will be on Nov. 4, sobra na akong kinabahan, kahit na para sa akin intermediate lang ang exam, nawalan ako ng kumpyansa sa Psych Assessment subject kaya naisip ko baka mahatak yun at baka sumablay ako pero, dumating na yung araw na pinakahihintay ng lahat at unang lumabas sa gmanetwork website, hindi pa ako makapaniwala. Mixed emotions. Euphoric. Hinintay ko pa talaga kinabukasan na makita mismo sa prc site yung name ko kasi baka mamaya hindi totoo. Pero ang galing talaga. Pagkatapos non nagdasal ako, nagpasalamat ako kasi tinulungan ako ni Lord, alam nya ito tlaga ang pinakahihintay ko, ang gusto ko.  With my new license, I’m looking forward na sa school magamit ko yung profession ko, sa totoo lang gamit na gamit ang pagiging Psychology grad dahil sa mga students.  Hindi ko rin sinasarado ang puso ko kung muli akong babalik sa Human Resource pero sa ngayon masarap pa rin magtrabaho sa isang eskwelahan, dahil sa bukod sa natuturuan mo ang mga bata, natututo ka rin sa kanila.

(Note: Ruby is an AB Psychology graduate from De La Salle Araneta University Batch 2007. She completed 21 units of Education at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela in March 2012. Ruby became a Registered Teacher on the same year with Values Education as a major and now working in Public High School in Valenzuela since June 2013.  She already have 36 units of Master of Arts in Education Major in Guidance and Counseling from Bulacan State Univerity.  Her hobbies include reading self-help books and dancing. Sigmund Freud is her favorite Psychologist and applying Psychoanalytic Approach in dealing with maladjusted students.  Also in her classroom, most of the time she applies Behaviorism theory of BF Skinner and observes its connection with Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory which posits that people learn from one another through imitation, observation and modeling.  She plans to finish her master’s degree in 2-3 years time.)

Being branded as smart

Me with my mother taken right after the
graduation rites

Being branded as smart

by Alvin V. Baltazar

I recently graduated this April 2014 from Universidad De Manila during that commencement exercise I am one of the few to receive a Latin honor and I'm very thankful for that, yet I know it comes with a lot of expectations from me.

As early as January 2014 I have decided to take the board exam because I wasn't been confident enough in the skills I have plus the fact that most of the jobs I see requires at least 21 years old and by that time I have just turned 19 years old that month ago. Even though I know that I have good credentials, as an honest admission I want to be more qualified. In preparation, I enrolled in a review center and use my free time to settle all the requirements I needed, and in that event I need to go back and forth in our school. Most of the people I knew there from my professors, registrar clerk and even my friends that still studying knew I will take the board exam and expect that I will pass the board exam because I am "smart". Being branded as smart wasn't easy as many people thought, it has advantages and disadvantages. Advantage because generally they recognize you and your capabilities yet disadvantage as they expect more from you. I am that easy-going student who wants the company of my friend and never have been fond of reading. I am just like every normal students, it wasn't a different story for me. As the review program starts I realize I have many things that I don't know, I'm overwhelmed by the fact that I need to study not just review with limited span of time every books, review materials and other resources I have. There were times that I tried to read as many pages as I can but it seems that I do not even understand a bit. I definitely having hard time to get my pace for review and also there were times I never tried to open a book because of so much pressure. I tried every strategy that I know, listing down important details, listening from youtube links, discussion with my friends, answering test banks and other online resources.

Then our mock board exam came, at first I am confident that I will pass the said exam but when the results come out, I passed the set of questions in theories of personality but I failed in the remaining three subjects. I've been discouraged for a while, I even do back up plans in case of failure for the licensure exam. Then the licensure exam came, it has been difficult for me to answer it especially the psychological assessment. I've been a little bit emotional because I almost not finished the exam and I just hurriedly shaded all the items to make it on time. (I finished the Psychological Assessment Exam exactly at 4:00) Right after that someone said to me "Ang OA mo naman, e sigurado naman na papasa ka" even though I know it was meant to cheer me up, it was a little bit off for me. I've waited for a week for the result and every single night I can't sleep normally, I am contemplating how will I say it to my family in case I failed. Finally, the board result came and I passed the board but I'm not completely happy because I am the only who passed the exam among my classmates.

Bottomline, even those who are branded as smart have their doubts, weaknesses, difficult times and been discouraged, it is not always as good as it seems.

Tickets for the Oath Taking now available at DLSU-Manila, UST and PAP Office

Photo courtesy of Aaron del Rosario

(Updated as of 11:42 PM, 20 November 2014)

UST Department of Psychology

33 mins · 

PRC TICKET UPDATES

Please take note of the following schedule of ticket selling for the joint Oath Taking of Psychologists and Psychometricians.
* Friday, November 21, 2014 (from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM)
* Tuesday, November 25, 2014 (from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM)

For Saturday (November 22, 2014) and Monday (November 24, 2014) we advise you to call first because we are already on vacation and we cannot guarantee that there will be a faculty member to assist you on those days. Our contact information is 4061611 loc. 8325. The last day of ticket selling will be on Tuesday, November 25, 2014.

Should the above schedule does not jive with your schedule, please contact PRC for other ticket options.

==========================================

(Updated as of 4:42 PM, 14 November 2014)
The following schools are now selling tickets for the  Dec 9, 2014 oath taking of Psychometricians and Psychologists. Please check early bird promo and note also the days and time those schools are open.  Tickets at PAP are now available and they cannot accept payment through the bank since tickets are sold by the PRC Board of Psychology and not by PAP. The said schools and PAP are serving as distributors of these tickets. For those who will not be able to avail of the early bird promo can purchase ticket on the day itself or at the entrance of PICC.

Both inductee (board passer) and guest tickets can be purchased from the said distributors. Some individuals are said to be buying tickets for their friends from the provinces to avail of the early bird discount.

DLSU - Manila
College of Liberal Arts
Psychology Department
Faculty Center, 4th Floor
2401 Taft Avenue
1004 Manila, Philippines
Tel. Nos.: (632) 524-4611 loc 560

Look for Ms. Sarah
Time - 8:00 AM - 12:00 noon (Monday - Friday)
           1:30 PM -  5:00 PM

( Update from the FB page of the DLSU Psych Department as 1:27PM,  14 November 2014 - check link here - https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=992858714062651&id=110548085627056 )


UST 
Department of Psychology

ATTENTION TO ALL PSYCHOLOGIST AND PSYCHOMETRIAN BOARD PASSERS. Please take note of the following:

* The tickets for the joint oath taking is now available. You may come to the department from Monday to Friday ONLY from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Our office is closed on Saturdays. Tickets will be in UST starting today, November 14, 2014 until November 25, 2014 ONLY.

* According to the PRC attire for Inductees is Filipiniana and for Guests is Formal.

* Ticket prices are the same for both Inductees and Guests.

Early bird 
until November 26, 2014 for Php 1,000 per head;
From November 27, 2014 to December 4, 2014 for Php 1,200 per head;
From December 5, 2014 to December 9, 2014 for Php 1,500 per head.

* Each ticket entitles the ticket holder admission to PICC and food.
Oath taking will be on December 9, 2014 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

* Our contact number is 4061611 loc 8325.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1007974835886481&id=229436397073666&fref=nf



Psychological Association of the Philppines
PAP Office
Visit during office hours (Monday-Friday) - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Room 210, Second Floor, Philippine Social Science Center
Diliman, Quezon City
Mobile: 0915-8477-PAP (727)
Tel./Fax: 453-8257

OF GEORGE KELLY AND FAITH

OF GEORGE KELLY AND FAITH
by Regin Raymund Dais, RPM

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

I was graduated way back in the 1990s, with a wife and three kids, working at two jobs, and in night school studying law. Except for a year as an HR Assistant and my personal circumstances and advocacy, I have never actually practised psychology. So my decision to go for the first-ever Board Examinations for Psychologists and Psychometricians or the BLEPP last October was a leap of faith.

More than being a part of history, I was banking on the chance that the exams might be easy as the Board of Psychology would go soft on the maiden batch. As it was, almost 61% failed. It has been almost two weeks since the 2014 BLEPP and distance in time makes contemplation saner and more sober. With greatest joy, I celebrate with those who passed. With deepest sadness, I commiserate with those who did not.

When I finally got through my application at PRC, I sat down to craft my review schedule. I knew I had only one full month to review. I divided the days among the four subject areas starting with what I thought was the easiest -- Theories of Personality -- then IO Psychology and Abnormal Psychology and finally, Psychological Assessment, which was the heaviest as per the Table of Specifications (40%).

Problem was October was also the end of the semester which meant final exams in law school would be simultaneous with BLEPP. On the first day of BLEPP, I had a final exam in a major subject. I asked my professor if I can take the exams in her Thursday class; fortunately she agreed. On the second day of BLEPP, our office had an event to which I was assigned. I focused on finishing the Abnormal Psych part as fast as I could and having did was surprised at my watch reading a few minutes after 9, I ran late to the office. Fortunately again, the event finished just before 1 and I was just in the nick of time when the Psych. Assessment part was about to start.

In all these, I cannot ignore a mighty, all-knowing, all-powerful hand. Waiting for the results, I felt that seeing my name among the passers would just be confirmation. Sure, there were doubts that nagged like what if the Scantron machine fails at exactly the time when my answer sheet was on the feed or what if I forgot to shade something like the Test Set (which I actually did on the Abnormal Psych. part when I was in haste but to which the proctor called my attention as I was leaving the room). But I dispelled such thoughts believing "that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose."

In short, I passed. As I have passed with flying colors two other board exams although at roughly lesser odds. Friends ask me what is my secret. And I always answer two words. Faith AND hard work. What if I failed? is a tougher question. But I do know the answer. You see, I was almost kicked out due to really bad grades back in college and had my own string of disappointments joining the ranks of the unemployed for some time. These later successes I have proved just one thing: Failure is never final. 

Or if you do not believe in God and go by psychology instead, hear George Kelly saying: "the interpretation of the event is more important than the event itself." Indeed, we can either rise and try again, or just roll over and die.

Source - http://regindais2.blogspot.com/

(Note: Aside from now being a Registered Psychometrician, Regin is also a Licensed Secondary Teacher and a Licensed Real Estate Broker. He placed Top 9 in the September 2012 Licensure Examination for Teachers and Top 10 in the March 2013 Real Estate Brokers Examination. Currently, he is studying Law on a scholarship at the San Sebastian College – Recoletos, College of Law while working full-time in government and teaching university on the side. He is married to a loving former nurse and with three school-aged daughters. Most importantly, Regin is a Christian and dreams of serving God more through his various skills.) 

OVERJOYED 

OVERJOYED

by AIREEN TAMAYO PARDILLO, RPm

Everyone I know who aspired to become a registered Psychometrician has been preparing for the board exam since June. Review Centers here in Davao City were already welcoming reviewees. I wanted to enroll because customarily, that is what board exam takers primarily do. Too bad the situation I am in did not permit me to. I experienced financial constraint which hampered me from enrolling in a review center. Not just some financial constraint where I cannot pay for the enrollment, but it is more of a survival game. I cannot even pay for my tuition in school! On top of that, my salary is like “Coke” (as what they say). If it’s not sakto, it’s zero. Why is that? I got 3 loans to pay for to assist my father in financing the building of our new tiny house.  It was even difficult to buy a sumptuous meal for lunch so I struggled with noodles and luncheon meat alternately.

So there, my friends started reviewing while I was busy preparing for my upcoming wedding on October 20. My fiancé was still in KSA while I was attending to all the details for our big day. I did not get me a wedding planner/organizer because we are really trying to save, again due to financial constraint. So I did all the planning (credits to my fiancé for his little efforts and for financing the wedding though :P)

It was one week before the exam, and I was not even finished reading the whole book of Theories of Personality! That’s one subject there. I ordered a reviewer from SPARK but was not able to read it because I was too busy. I work from 8am-5pm from Mondays to Fridays and attended school every Saturdays from 8am-9pm. All the details for the wedding were to be attended before I sleep. My only review time is every morning while taking a doze of early morning coffee.

For the whole month of September, I was busy doing school works. Doing reports, preparing TNA, practicing counseling skills, writing modules for every topic we had discussed in one subject.

The following month came. October 20, big day for me! From being Ms. Pardillo to Mrs. de Lara. Next day, I felt relieved (credits to all who helped us prepare the program, to MSYS team who beautifully and perfectly decorated the place for the wedding). Thank God for the successful day. So there, done with all that décor thingy, photoshoots, dress ups. Next in line, the upcoming board exam. From the bottom of my soul I wanted to be a registered Psychometrician. I was hopeful. Well, I got no other choice because if I fail the exam, I might lose my work.

Me, and my ex-boyfie (my husband) left Davao on October 26 at 7:45pm. Due to traffic, we arrived at NAIA at around 10PM. Since we are both unfamiliar with the place, and because our budget is only good for a 2-night stay in a hotel (plus food allowance), we decided to stay in the airport until October 27 early morning. We slept on the floor of NAIA, with all other passengers passing by. While having our goodnight sleep, a security guard from the airport woke us up telling us to transfer because their utility will be cleaning the vicinity. We transferred to another area, still within the lobby, and continued to doze off on the floor. We left the airport at 4am and traveled to Recto where UE is located.

I spent the whole afternoon of October 27 reviewing DSM-IV TR on my laptop while hubby was enjoying the NATGEO channel. After scanning through my e-book, I forced myself to read and answer the reviewer I got from SPARK. It was too painful for me since I know I only got so little time. It was the only time I seriously studied the board subjects. Tired, I stopped reading and said to myself “bahala na, gikapoy na ko ug basa”.

The following day. This is it! I felt jitters all over my body. I experienced stomach ache and been into the bathroom twice before I left the hotel for the first subject of the first ever board exam in the Philippines! PT was given first. I’ve studied this well. After reading question number 1, I was like, OMG! I scanned all the other questions and felt even jitterier. It was difficult. Well at least for me. The questions were tricky as well as the stems. Plus, I am not too familiar with those theories. I felt hopeless after completing the first test. After the second day, I was hopeful that I would pass the exam but I could not gather enough courage and belief for myself. Only God can do what I cannot do. What we cannot do. I continuously prayed even after the exam. We went back to Davao on November 3.

A friend told me that the results will be released on November 4, at 8pm. I painstakingly waited. I refreshed a lot of pages for a hundred times, eager to see the results until I gave up and slept. The following morning, my husband woke me up and told me that a friend in fb posted a screenshot of his name being on the list of roll of successful examinees. He then opened my account and checked first my inbox after seeing 6 notifications of messages. There it is! After opening one of the messages, we read a CONGRATULATIONS! I was in disbelief! All the pain and the tears I’d been through paid off! But hey, I was still in disbelief! Yet together we thanked God for this success! If I try to look back, I got all the reasons not to pass the board exam due to the challenges I’d been through. I cannot even describe it well here. But God has made a way and made me victorious. For the nth time, He showed me His grace and His faithfulness to His promises. In just a month, I got two things in a row now connected to my name: Aireen Pardillo – “DE LARA”, “RPm”. 

To my friends who were not able to pass the exam, may you hold on to your hopes and continue to strive hard. God bless us all! 

(Aireen is 26 years old, with a degree in BS in Psychology from Holy Cross of Davao College, batch 2009. She is currently working as a Psychometrician in a private testing center in Davao City.  Among the great psychologists, she both like Carl Rogers and Maslow. Aireen enjoys reading detective stories, sometimes playing DOTA as a stress-busting hobby. Her plan for the future is to finish masters degree by 2015 and take up the board exam for psychologists.)