By AJ Alarcon

On August 7 and 8, Grade 12 students from the Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) attended the Ateneo Education Exploration (EdEx) 2025 held at the Leong Hall Auditorium from 2:15 PM to 4:45 PM, aimed at providing guidance on the application and admission processes of the Ateneo Higher Education system.

Organized by the Office of Guidance and Counseling in collaboration with the Office of Admission and Aid, the event aimed to equip students with essential information about the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET), application preparations, and undergraduate programs offered across five schools.

In his opening remarks, the Office of Guidance and Counseling Coordinator Alexander Manuel stated, “As you begin to chart your path beyond high school, we know the questions can feel overwhelming.”

“Whether you’re drawn to the sciences, or humanities, or business, or education, governance — there’s a place for you here that might just feel like home,” he added.

The Ateneo Higher Education system

Dr. Jose Maria Tirol, Director of the Office of Admission and Aid, opened the segment by presenting the core curriculum of the five undergraduate schools of Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), along with admission requirements, an overview of the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET), and available scholarship opportunities.

This was followed by presentations from the heads of each school, who introduced their respective programs, degree offerings, and related career paths.

Dr. Patricia Lambino, Dean of the School of Humanities (SOH), presented the school’s degree programs and related career opportunities, which range from fine arts to interdisciplinary studies.

Dr. Czarina Saloma-Akpedonu, Dean of the School of Social Sciences (SOSS), emphasized the school’s translocal and transdisciplinary approach to learning.

Dr. Robby Galang, Dean of the John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM), discussed the relaunch of updated curricula for six programs, designed to prepare students for a world that is “becoming bigger and more data-dependent.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Raphael Guerrero, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering (SOSE), and Dr. Geraldine Ching, Program Director of the Ignatian Initiative for Teacher Excellence under the Gokongwei Brothers School of Education and Learning Design (GBSEALD), shared the academic offerings of their respective schools.

Open Forum

After the presentations, the Grade 12 students were encouraged to ask questions during the Open Forum, where they sought advice on ACET preparation and choosing the best-fit programs.

The students were then invited to explore booths set up by the five schools at Leong Hall.

Sections Bobola, Carvalho, Daniel, Denn, Evans, Geronimo, Gonzales, Pro, Solinas, Sullivan, Walpole, and Xavier attended the event on August 7.

Sections Acquaviva, Anchieta, Arnaiz, Beyzym, Grodecky, Holland, Kibe, Miki, Navarro, Ogilvie, Oldcorne, and Pantalia attended on August 8.