No, this is not the “Hang the DJ” episode of “Black Mirror.” This is not the supercomputer from the matchmaking service “Love Solutions” in “How I Met Your Mother,” either. Today is just a weird Monday.
Results of the first-ever UST Application Rating (USTAR) were finally released this morning. But instead of clarity and direction, some aspiring Thomasians found themselves more confused as their portals showed other applicants’ results.
Several students shared their shock and concern on social media—though not without some humor—to report the glitch that seemed to have made the USTAR portal a matchmaker.
Physical therapy applicant Nicole Nuguid from St. Paul College Pasig received the good news that she qualified for the USTAR, thanks to a “stranger” who had her application results.
“Actually, I was not able to access my results—a stranger messaged me to tell me that I am qualified for the said program,” Nuguid told the Varsitarian.
Angel Isoc, a biology applicant, had the same experience—her USTAR portal showed results for another person. She obtained her own USTAR results from a stranger on the internet.
The USTAR glitch prompted Twitter user @bbyjowjow to start a thread where applicants could look for the result owners and their own scores, like romantics finding their lives’ missing puzzle pieces.
https://twitter.com/bbyjowjow/status/1381434575776190465
Netizens joked about the USTAR glitch and said that this might be UST’s “academic” take on online dating.
tinder but make it academic #USTAR2021 #USTAR #USTARies
— ً (@marieneIIe) April 12, 2021
BEST MATCHMAKING — 211204 11:11 PHT
#1 USTAR Results Page [NEW]
#2 Tinder [-1]
#3 Bumble [-1]— jai (@blanketsandboba) April 12, 2021
Isoc was worried, however, over privacy concerns.
Advertising arts applicant Alexandra Alcazar shared the same sentiment.
“I am personally surprised and concerned about how this data was easily accessible by others. Information like your admission test results are types of information that should be handled with utmost confidentiality, and the idea of others finding my personal results is concerning,” Alcazar told the Varsitarian.
“[I]f this information was given to the wrong hands, it may cause problems that we cannot control. I personally think it was very irresponsible and I feel like more should have been done to ensure the safety of the information,” Alcazar added.
UST Central Student Council President Robert Gonzales reminded the applicants not to post screenshots of USTAR results especially if these were not their own.
https://twitter.com/robertkaaatz/status/1381439839799705602?s=21
At 1:08 p.m. today, UST announced on social media that officials had already been made aware of the glitch. with reports from Laurd Menhard B. Salen
