Not just an exam, but a chance at the future I’ve been quietly fighting for.
Cebu Technological University or commonly known as CTU is a state university here in Cebu, and it is also the university that I have been hoping to get into. CTU may not be my dream university, but I truly want to study there because it offers free tuition in Mechanical Engineering, and it’s the only university my family can afford, barely afford to be honestt. For some, CTU may not seem worth it, but for those who dream of going to college without the burden of tuition, it’s a luxury.
Getting into CTU isn’t easy especially when you’re applying for an engineering course. You have to pass two exams on the same day and then wait anywhere from one week to two months (it honestly feel like a waiting game T_T) for the results to see if you qualify for an interview. This blog is about my experience taking those two exams.
I was scheduled to take those 2 exams on December 19, 2025. Yes, this is a late upload.
I arrived at the campus very early, so I had plenty of time to roam around the surrounding areas of the campus.
When I took this picture,
I was literally manifesting and praying at the same time. I kept thinking something like this, “I manifest and pray that this will be my new home for the next four years,” but I was only saying it in my head.
This picture
was taken when my and the other applicants were waiting for the first exam. I met new friends. Yay! But I forgot some of their names though.
1️⃣ The first exam was a 75 item multiple-choice exam and we only had 45 minutes to answer everything. The passing score is 30. Before the timer started, I prayed again and again because I was very very nervous. The test was just General Knowledge about Math, Science, and English. I was not confident with my answers because I was super super pressured by the time limit. After the first test, we were told to wait and come back after lunch to know if we were qualified for the second exam.
2️⃣ Thankfully, I passed the first exam and qualified for the second exam which is a 25 item problem solving exam with no choices and the passing score is 5. The moment that the test questions were handed to me, I wanted to cry, I wanted to go out of the examination room because it was super hard. I didn't have any choice but to answer anything that my remaining braincells can answer. The moment I finished the second exam, I knew that I had little chance to qualify for the next round which is the one-on-one interview. Spoiler alert,🚨 I was qualified for the one-on-one interview. Yay! Wait for my next blog which is the interview part. Thanks for reading!