試験の合格方を教えてもらっていいですか？

Okay, today I am starting again another blog, probably one of those I can't frequently update or even add to the grave of my other blogs, but somehow I'll post here when I feel like it.

Ok, this is to answer all those who mailed me about passing ECE licensure examination and/or JITSE/PhilNITS. Don't be mad if I say that I honestly think you're just fearing the unknown. Probably, you even have what it takes to top the board or even get top scores, who knows. But, the only thing I'm sure of is that, you'll have to exert effort and sacrifice some time studying. I remember on my pre-board days, I spend almost 16 hours studying, in a self-detained room with all the books and some papers. I'm not a fast learner, so sometimes I think of a way to keep my mind ticking.

There is a book, it could be from Blake, Thomasi , etc. Then I answer all the chapter review questions and as much as possible highlight some important facts. And here is the self-tormenting part. If in anyway I forgot even one of the items, I'll repeat it from the start over again. That is for non-gifted like me. And would you believe, I don't also have that much luck. When I took the Mathematics part of the board exam, I counted all the items that I'm really sure that I've answered well. Those are easy problems like Algebra, Trigonometry, some Differential and Integral calculus. And to be honest, if you took really advance topics, you might feel bad because the questions are basic but BROAD in a sense that one topic deal with this and another one with this. But all of those are very simple problems. If you don't know how to apply some formula to the case of problem, that's is where the trouble begins. Back to my score, I said to a colleague, I answered this much in Mathematics exam and he answered sarcastically, "Wow, di papasa ka nyan. Buti ka pa...." which I really don't mind, until when we receive our scores. To my dismay, I didn't even get a correct guess from those I didn't answered well.


After that, some of my batchmates really felt bad. Some just disappeared and didn't even answered our phone calls since then. Perhaps, this is the aftermath of the exam. If you pass, does it mean you're much better than them? And if you fail, does it mean you just wasted your 5-year unversity study? A big NO.

First of all, that is just a license, it won't even guarantee your future. It will still depends on you. Some of my batchmates are really feeling high after passing it, making an isolation from those who passed and those who didn't. Some land jobs easily, but now some of those who didn't pass enjoy much better lifestyle now. It is not the end of the world if you fail, but still it is a challenge destined for you to fulfill.



And next, PhilNITS/JITSE (情報処理の試験 - jouhou shori no shiken).

If you ask me, I think this is much difficult than board exams. Why? First of all, this is a Japanese Standards exam. The contents of the examination are translated poorly making it hard to understand (on my time, way back October 2006). And you are not allowed to use calculator. And yeah, you have to do it manually even for those exponential decay, etc...


JITSE/PhilNITS consist of two exam. AM and PM. AM part is almost theoretical. This includes computation, some general knowledge about Japanese IT standards, and some general IT info. PM part is technical programming and algorithm. They say that once you passed this exam, you are eligible to apply a working visa in Japan as an IT Engineer, but maybe not true in all case. When I took this, I was hoping that everyone will be JITSE/PhilNITS passers but , no. Still, it is another experience. I also missed these days when I was taking review all day, eating lots of Tuna Sandwich and overdosing myself with coffee on the exam day.


But one piece of advice. Even if you pass these, it will not guarantee you a sure job. That will still depend on yourself. It is an eyesore to see people who think they just got above of others just because they pass the exam and others don't. If you pass, just be grateful... and prepare for more challenges.