THE FACULTY of Civil Law plans to require a higher admission score for law school applicants in a nationwide law school aptitude test set to be implemented this year.
The Legal Education Board announced on Dec. 29 the holding of the first Philippine Law School Admission Test (PhilSAT) on April 16 in Metro Manila, Baguio, Legazpi, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao and Cagayan de Oro city.
Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina said he was looking at requiring a score of 85 percent in the PhilSAT, instead of the prescribed passing score of 55 percent.
“[F]or UST, 55 [percent] is very low, so we will impose our own standard so the student will have to get a grade of let’s say 85, for example, and then he has to pass our own examination,” Divina said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
But Divina said he was still studying whether the Civil Law admission test would still be required on top of the PhilSAT.
“One option [is] if a student gets a grade of 95 [percent] in the PhilSAT then maybe we can decide to waive the other examination,” he said.
PhilSAT is a general aptitude exam “to determine who are really deserving to take up law,” Divina said.
Divina said the exam aims to improve the performance of schools in the bar examinations, and its implementation should “not be seen as an imposition.”
“I think it has its objectives that are very noble, and it should not be seen as an imposition [but] a basis for law schools to determine who are qualified to go to law school,” he said.
Divina said it would still be up to law schools to prescribe their own standards for admission. The PhilSAT will be rolled out in 2017 and 2018.
“I think for this year it’s only a dry run, [but] next year it will be compulsory. If you don’t get 55 [percent] then you won’t get into law school,” he added.
Higher admission score won’t help much. Try changing your teaching approach. More cases or case digests rather than Recitation will be a whole lot better. Teach students more on how to pass the Bar exam rather than on how to practice.
Hello Christian and Maria Crisanta! Good day! I would just like to ask, did dean Divina disclose when is he planning to require the PhilSat score 85%tile? Will it be this year or next year (AY 2018-2019)? Since the first rolled out PhilSat is just a dry-run, will UST accept prospective law students even without reaching the required 55% passing score this acad year?
I hope that you could give us a clear update on this. This information is very much appreciated. Kudos to your team! 🙂
Does this person even checked the Top Notchers list?