23/04/2026
Here's to the ones who dare to dream!
๐๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐ | Topping the MCAT
By Jedd Bryant Boado
Every year, Mariano Marcos State University produces topnotchers across various fields, proof of the kind of education many aspiring students hope to receive. Drawn by this standard of excellence, thousands set their sights on joining the university. But before they can follow the same path, they must first overcome a single hurdle: the MCAT.
What does it take to earn a place at MMSU? Ask any student or graduate, and the answer is the same: pass the MCAT. The MMSU College Admission Test is an annual aptitude exam that measures an aspiring studentโs proficiency in English, Mathematics, Science, and Analytical Ability.
According to the Office of the University Registrar, 10,617 applicants took the two-and-a-half-hour exam within and outside Ilocos Norte in 2025. Of these hopefuls, only 7,320 passed, placing above the 30th percentile.
But for Pearl Jhomarayne Ruiz, Christine Hernandez, and John Lynyrd Ganitano, they not only passed the high-stakes exam; they also topped it, ranking among its 11 highest scorers.
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Unlike many MCAT applicants, Pearlโs journey to become an MMSU Stallion began long before she sat for the admissions test. It started when she was still a junior high school student at the Laboratory High School (LHS) in Batac.
By the time she reached senior high school under the Accountancy, Business, and Management strand, she had already spent years burning the midnight oil for examinations, investigating specimens in the laboratory, and presenting research she believed worthy of exploration. While difficult, she considered those experiences preparation for what lay ahead: applying for college entrance examinations to enter her university of choice.
On December 9, 2024, the 2025 MCAT applications opened. While some of her classmates already knew their next steps, Pearl was still uncertain of her fate. Yet she returned to the values her alma mater had instilled in her: respect, responsibility, discipline, and excellence.
It was then that her choice became clear. She would take the MCAT.
โI took the MCAT because I have personally experienced the quality education that MMSU offers, along with its strong and dedicated faculty and staff who truly support their students. This gave me confidence that continuing my studies here would help me grow both academically and personally,โ Pearl said.
For two months, Pearl reviewed her lessons from prior years by taking as many mock exams as possible. For her, studying for an exam did not mean reading books and memorizing concepts. It was more of applying what she had already learned from her time at the LHS.
โI focused more on practice tests, and I only went back to reviewing lessons in detail when I encountered unfamiliar questions. Since I already had a background in most topics, while answering different mock exams, my knowledge slowly built up like a pile. Each idea added to another, helping me see how topics are connected, making them easier to understand, remember, and become more familiar with,โ she said.
While she was one of the last examinees to leave the testing hall at the College of Industrial Technology (CIT) in Laoag, Pearl was at ease knowing she did everything she could to finish the exam.
โThere were only three of us left in the room when I submitted my answers. I used the remaining time to recheck, making sure I did not leave any item unanswered and that I had given each question my best possible answer. When I finally passed my answer sheet, I felt somehow secure, knowing I did my best until the very end,โ Pearl said.
Though living in Batac made studying at MMSU the practical choice, Pearlโs decision was not simply a matter of convenience. As an aspiring Accountancy student at that time, she knew she would need more than academic preparation. She needed the support of her family.
โAside from having no tuition fee, it is the most convenient option because we live here in Batac. Given the demand for my chosen course, I know I will need constant support and understanding. Staying at home with my family gives me that kind of environment,โ Pearl said.
For Pearl, studying at MMSU meant being with the people who love and believe in her. It meant being home, where her heart is.
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Growing up, Christine saw how MMSU shaped the lives of the people she looked up to, especially those she considered her role models. From her mother and teachers to topnotchers and professionals, Christine saw in the university a place that nurtures exceptional graduates who go on to thrive in all aspects of life.
It was through these examples that she made a promise to herself as a young student: she, too, would one day become part of the MMSU community.
And so, when the applications for the 2025 MCAT opened, Christine submitted her application and filled out Accountancy as her priority course. For some, it was merely ticking boxes and answering questions to become an MCAT applicant. However, for Christine, it was the first step toward fulfilling a dream she had carried since childhood.
โAs someone from Ilocos Norte, taking the MCAT has always been a part of my plans. Being the premier university in the region, MMSU stood as the very end goal for secondary schools in the province,โ Christine said.
But more than the honor and pride that came with belonging to one of the countryโs leading universities, Christine knew that admission to MMSU would also mean easing a burden her family carried.
โBeing from a family without a silver spoon, becoming a student of MMSU meant I would be able to help reduce the expenses my parents would incur throughout my college life. So I made it a point to give my best in preparing for the MCAT,โ she said.
During her summer break before becoming a Grade 12 student, Christine went over the major topics discussed from Grades 9 to 11. Even with the piling up of responsibilities when the school year started, she still made time to review by answering mock tests, making flashcards, and studying using the Feynman technique.
But for her, the excellent instruction she received from her alma mater was the main reason she felt prepared to take the MCAT.
โLooking back, I think what really helped me prepare well for the MCAT was the foundation I had, having been under Bangui National High Schoolโs Special Science Program in junior high school and STEM in senior high school. The lessons I learned from my stay at my alma mater helped me bravely take the exam,โ she said.
On March 9, 2025, Christine finally set her dream of becoming an MMSU student in motion. At BNHS, her alma mater, she answered every question with confidence, drawing from the concepts and formulas she had learned from her stay in the institution.
Even though there were questions she felt certain about, and others she did not, she pressed on.
When the exam ended, there was no more room to dwell on what she might have missed. Instead, she focused on God, surrendering everything to Him.
โEven though I was nervous and uncertain about the result of my exam, I knew I did my best and left everything to God,โ she said.
For Christine, whatever the outcome of her exam, she felt happy knowing she had set out to fulfill what she had promised herself years before.
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For Lynyrd, the road to becoming an MMSU Stallion began long before the MCAT.
For six years, Lynyrd studied at the MMSU Laboratory High School in Batac. There, he experienced its approach to quality education and participated in and won various academic competitions, both here and abroad. His valuable experiences and the lessons he learned from the halls of the university pointed him toward where he believed his next chapter would begin.
โI am eager to go through the honing and shaping process of MMSU again in college to become the best possible version of myself in the following four years. I also believe that the university will push me to my limits and instill in me not just intellectual capacity but also an attitude that will help me thrive in life,โ Lynyrd said.
Aside from being a high school student at the university, Lynyrd recounted vivid memories of being a curious child roaming around the Batac campus with his parents. These moments were not only priceless for young Lynyrd, but also the time he knew he was called to be a student of MMSU.
โI grew up entering MMSUโs gates whenever my family would jog around its vicinity or visit during the annual trade fair. That child in me has always looked forward to, and envisioned one day studying at the university I once deemed as my playground,โ Lynyrd said.
When the MCAT application period started, Lynyrd submitted his application with the dream of becoming a nurse wrapped in prayers and hope. To prepare, he went over his notes from high school and relied on reviewing strategies that put quality over quantity.
โA notable strategy I have always used when taking exams is active recall. Specifically, I try to explain concepts in ways I understand them, as if I were teaching someone. I also took as many practice tests or mock exams as I could in a day, even just to pass the time, focusing primarily on both junior and senior high school lessons,โ he said.
As exam day arrived, Lynyrd rushed to enter the gates of MMSU-CIT, nearly late because of the traffic he and his mother encountered going to the testing center. When the exam started, he noticed how difficult it was to shade the boxes for the items and how tired he was, having just come from a national competition.
When it was time to leave the testing center, a surge of doubt came rushing to him as his answers seemed different from those of his classmates. Yet even in doubt, what steadied him was his supportive mother, who never stopped believing in him.
โAfter the examination, I left the gates of MMSU-CIT and saw my mom across the street, sitting in the corner of the waiting shed, hoping that the next student who would come out was me. I immediately ran to her, and she asked how I did on the exam. I responded, โIt went well. Maybe you will still see me studying at MMSU,โ he said.
For Lynyrd, the MCAT tested how firmly he could hold on to faith in himself and in the people who believed in him.
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On May 15, 2025, the page of the University Registrar was flooded with engagements and shares as 2025 MCAT applicants would finally know their fate: the results were out.
Pearl, Christine, and Lynyrd opened their portals at different times, in different circumstances, and in different places. Yet they whispered the same prayer as other MMSU hopefuls: to reach their cut-off scores and pass the MCAT.
For Pearl, results day coincided with her teamโs research defence. While preparing their scripts and slides for their presentation, the news had already spread that the MCAT results were out. Initially, she wanted to open her portal after their presentation. But because she wanted to finally end her nervousness, she decided to open it beforehand, revealing the answer to her prayers.
โWhen I saw the results, I was surprisingly calm. I did not think I could reach that percentile rank, but I felt secure knowing that I would still be staying in MMSU, my second home, even in college,โ she said.
Meanwhile, Christine was at home in Pagudpud, patiently refreshing the page until midnight to no avail, as it had already crashed due to the thousands of applicants opening the MCAT portal. To ease her nerves, she decided to sleep, hoping she could finally access the website the next day.
And truly, she woke up to find herself becoming the person she had promised herself to be: an MMSU Stallion.
โWhen I woke up the next morning, I finally saw my result. I was overjoyed and immediately showed my mother my score. Relief washed over me, and the heaviness in my shoulders was lifted as I checked the result,โ she said.
Meanwhile, although hesitant and anxious at first, Lynyrd opened his MCAT portal as his peers were already prodding him to share his results. As soon as he opened his portal, he felt a sigh of relief, for months of sleepless nights, self-doubt, and waiting had finally come to an end.
โI initially couldnโt bear to open my MCAT portal. It wasnโt until they started asking me about the results at school that I opened the portal and saw a score of 111. At that moment, I was just grateful to have passed my priority program. It was, in many ways, a sigh of relief after months of self-doubt and pressure,โ he said.
Passing the MCAT was already a triumph.
But on August 15, 2025, another blessing came: they learned they had ranked among the 11 highest scorers of the exam.
With awards and cash incentives granted under BOR Resolution No. 7, series of 2025, the three brought pride to their families and, most importantly, found confidence that they can succeed as MMSU Stallions.
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Today, April 23, MMSU released the much-awaited results of the MCAT 2026.
Thousands of students across the region and beyond checked their MCAT portals, discovering whether they had earned their place as the new batch of MMSU Stallions.
While some shed tears of joy and others faced doubt and disappointment, each carried the courage and faith that define every aspiring Stallion.
As for Pearl, Christine, and Lynyrd, who topped the exam a year ago, they are now on a different mission.
They are no longer preparing to pass the MCAT, but to face the challenges of their chosen paths, graduate, make their parents proud, and become the professionals they have long prayed and worked for.
Now, they are MMSU students. In the years to come, they may be the next board exam topnotchers.
