Admission Criteria
Attributes of an ACM Student
The ideal ACM student is one who is intelligent, who is able to learn quickly and think fast. This is generally reflected in a student’s academic record. It should be noted that students with a below satisfactory cumulative grade point average (CGPA) are not necessarily excluded from applying into the program. Neither does high academic standing guarantee a slot. Besides the CGPA, the Management and Organization Department (MOD) relies on a test administered by the Institutional Testing and Evaluation Office (ITEO). The test determines whether a student is a critical thinker or not and likewise measures an individual’s planning and judgments skills, which are necessary for the workplace.
The ideal ACM student exhibits strong leadership ability. This is reflected in the active involvement of a student in extra-curricular activities whether at school or in a community. Membership in a long list of organizations by itself is not an evidence of leadership ability. The MOD looks for students who have a strong desire to achieve and deliver beyond expectations and who can motivate others to perform their best.
The ideal ACM student is a good communicator. The student is expected to have a good command of the English language and can express ones thought clearly and to the point, whether this be in oral or written form. The ITEO administers a test to verify the written ability and the Department of English and Applied Linguistics (DEAL) assesses the quality of the written output.
The oral communication skill is judged during the interview process.
The ideal ACM student is mature and is able to adjust well to different circumstances. The student should have foresight and good self-control. This person must exercise good judgment and must have the ability to take responsibility for mistakes. The MOD looks for students who work well with others and who are willing to be flexible. This quality is reflected in the psychological tests taken as well as in the interview process.
The ideal ACM student is internally motivated. This means that a student is driven, and can rise above the challenges normally experienced by university students. The student must be able to work under extreme pressure and get good results. These are again evident in the written test and personal interview.
To wrap up the entire profile, an ideal ACM student shows positive attitudes. The student is neither over-bearing nor overly shy. Instead, the student is enthusiastic, believes in oneself and believes in the worth of others. Moreover, the student must be conscientious and must show initiative. These traits are reflected in the ITEO test and should be evident during the interview.
Qualifications For Application
All students, who are interested to graduate with a degree of BS Applied Corporate Management, singly or as part of a second degree, must apply for acceptance into the Applied Corporate Management program, administered by the MOD.
All applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Has had at least two trimesters of enrollment in the current program
- Has successfully passed ACCTBA1 and ACCTBA2 (or its equivalent course)
- Has a clean record with the Discipline’s office
- Has not been previously disqualified from the ACM program
In addition, the precondition for acceptance into the program requires a grade of 2.0 in Management of Organizations (MANAORG).
A student who has received a grade below 2.0 must re-take the subject to meet the grade requirement prior to being accepted into the program.
A student currently enrolled in MANAORG may still apply. Similarly, acceptance into the program is dependent on garnering the 2.0 grade requirement.
Further, students who do not belong to the MOD during the freshman year, must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0, as the basic requirement to shift.
For students applying in the second trimester, they must have passed, or are currently enrolled, in and subsequently pass, Human Behavior (HUMANBE). A student who does not pass HUMANBE will be unable to enroll in the ACM major and will be deferred a whole year.
Screening Period
The application period for the ACM Program is open only during the first and second trimesters of every academic year. Usually, students who are on stream in their respective programs apply during the first trimester where the number of applications is numerous. The second trimester normally accommodates irregular students. Thus during this time, there are a fewer number of applicants. Applying in the second trimester does not necessarily increase or decrease the chances for acceptance.
Students enrolled in a double-degree program can apply for major either in their sophomore or junior years.
The application period officially opens on the first day of class. It remains open for a period of 2-3 weeks, depending on the academic calendar. The deadline for submission, as well as all other announcements, is posted in the MOD faculty room (LS 322) and in the MOD bulletin board located in the hallway of the 3rd Floor, LS Building. It is also circulated by the department’s professional organization, the Business Management Society (BMS).
All documents submitted shall be reviewed by the Vice Chair. Students who pass the initial screen of the Vice Chair of the MOD are allowed to take the ITEO test. The written test is scheduled one week after the deadline of document submission. The results of the test are known after 2-3 weeks.
The interview of applicants who passed the ITEO test is usually scheduled on weeks 7 and 8 of the academic calendar.
The screening process for ACM majors ends on week 9. This allows a student to pre-enroll, on the tenth week, in the appropriate subjects for the next trimester.
A student who wishes to question any of the decisions of the MOD must set an appointment with the Vice Chair within one week from the announcement of Accepted ACM Majors.
Document Submissions
The list of documents an applicant submits is summarized in the ACM Applicant’s Checklist (ACM-F001) that is downloadable from the ACM and BMS web pages. Each applicant must download the form and tick-mark on the box beside the document title included in the application.
Each applicant must submit a word-processed letter of application addressed to the MOD Chair. Please indicate your ID number below your signed name.
Each applicant must submit a word-processed resume highlighting his/her academic and leadership accomplishments during high school and university years. The resume must have a 2 x 2 photo and should indicate the complete contact details. It is advised to always indicate a cellular phone number as it would be commonly used for communication.
Each applicant must submit a printout copy of the MyLasalle grades showing GPA and CGPA for each trimester at DLSU as well as secure and submit a CGPA certification from the Office of the University Registrar (OUR). The CGPA should be the latest that includes all terms prior to the term of application. Note that the CGPA comprises 30% of the total score.
Each applicant must secure and submit an unofficial transcript of records that reflects grades in the following subjects:
ACCTBA1 Basic Accounting 1 passed
ACCTBA2 Basic Accounting 2 passed
MANAORG Management of Organizations, at least 2.0 (if already taken)
Each applicant must submit a copy of his/her current Enrollment Assessment Form (EAF). If an applicant qualifies after the first screening, the Vice Chair uses the EAF information to schedule the interviews. This ensures the interview schedule does not conflict with an applicant’s class schedule.
Each applicant must submit a copy of the freshman ACM flowchart/checklist that would apply to him/her should he/she be accepted into the program. On the flowchart, an applicant must apply orange highlights on all subjects already taken and indicate the grade received. Then, the applicant highlights with color green, all subjects currently enrolled.
Each applicant must submit a certification from the Discipline’s Office that he/she has no disciplinary offense.
Each applicant must submit enlarged copies of government-issued photo identification cards (passport preferred) of both parents, where the signatures are clearly distinguishable. In addition, if the applicant is under guardianship, the applicant must submit a letter of guardianship signed by the parents plus a photocopy of a government-issued photo ID of the guardian. Note that the MOD uses these signatures to compare with future documents that parents will sign in relation to the internship component of the program.
Each applicant must insert all documents in a plain short folder (without plastic covers). Secure the documents at the top with plastic fasteners in the order listed in ACM-F001. An applicant must indicate, using black marker, his/her name in the folder tab in the format “FAMILY NAME, FIRST NAME”, written in a manner that the name can be easily read when pulled from a filing cabinet. The applicant should submit the folder with complete requirements to the secretary at the MOD within the allowed period.
Screening Process
The MOD uses the same selection standards regardless of the period of application.
The MOD will officially open the application period in the first week of the first/second trimester. Interested students must submit complete documents during the prescribed period.
The Vice Chair will pre-screen document submissions. If there are any deficiencies, the Vice Chair, through the Department secretary will notify the applicant. The same is true if the Vice Chair wishes to clarify any item on the application. Applicants must report to the Vice Chair immediately upon notification.
Unless an applicant violates the qualifications for application, usually all applicants are invited to take the ITEO test. The written test measures reasoning skills, critical thinking ability, written communication skills, and a personality profile, reflective of an ideal ACM student. This comprises 30% of the total score.
Before an applicant takes the test, the applicant must secure a payment slip from the ITEO office and pay the corresponding examination fee. The fee is currently set at P150 per student but may change per ITEO regulations.
Once an applicant secures an Official Receipt, the applicant must present this to the ITEO who will issue a Test Permit. The applicant must also present the Official Receipt and the Test Permit to the MOD secretary who will take note of the official receipt (OR) number. Applicants should bring the permit during the testing date.
Unless otherwise announced, testing shall be conducted in the ITEO testing room, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The ITEO test administrators expect applicants to be at the testing room no later than 7:45 a.m. Applicants who fail to take the ITEO testing on the designated date and time are deemed no longer interested in pursuing their application.
Once the ITEO releases the test results, the Vice Chair combines the scores with the preliminary scores on record. At this point, the highest possible score is 60. The Vice Chair then invites applicants who have garnered at least 35 points to an interview. Those not invited are no longer eligible for the program. Historical data shows that about 15% of those who take the test are eliminated at this point.
The Vice Chair posts a list of applicants who qualify for interview, presented according to rank, based on tabulated scores. The Vice Chair presents only ID numbers on the list to protect the identity of the applicants. The MOD purposely provides the ranking so that applicants know exactly their current standing. The ranking should provide information for applicants at the bottom of the list who must prepare for the interview. Over the years, the MOD has seen that applicants in the bottom of the list actually rank better after the interviews. Similarly, the MOD has seen applicants at the top of the list who not only slip down the ranking but who end up not being accepted into the program. Consequently, students on the top should not be overconfident as well.
Two MOD faculty members interview qualified applicants. When permissible, one faculty member, usually the program head, will sit in all interviews to ensure consistent standards.
For efficiency purposes, the interview is scheduled so that an applicant needs to report only once. Thus in one sitting, the two interviewers shall be present. However, there are instances where a panel interview cannot be scheduled. In this case, the applicant must report for interview twice.
An interview lasts between 10-15 minutes and is scheduled during the time where an applicant has no classes based on the EAF submission. Thus, it is imperative that the schedule is adhered to as rescheduling for fortuitous events unduly delays the process for everyone. To know the schedule and the venue of the interview, a qualified appicant must approach the MOD secretary.
During the interview, the faculty members assess the personality fit of the applicant as well as the applicants’ communication ability, using behaviorally-defined interview questions. The interviewers use an interview rubric (ACM-F002) that may be downloaded from the ACM website. An applicant may review the rubric to gain familiarity with the standards that the interviewers use in comparing applicants. The interview comprises 40% of the applicant’s score. Previous data shows that exceptional students can garner the complete 40 points at this stage, assuring acceptance into the program.
When schedules are met, the interview process is usually accomplished within two weeks. Immediately after the last interview, the Vice Chair prepares the list of applicants accepted into the ACM program. Do note that the MOD accepts as many students as are qualified based on validated criteria. The cut-off score is 70 points. Historical data shows that about 50% of those interviewed are eliminated.
The Vice Chair shall post the List of Applicants Accepted into the ACM Program before the pre-enrollment period. Note that those currently enrolled in MANAORG shall receive a conditional acceptance. Failure to meet the conditional requirements shall mean the automatic removal of the applicants name in the roster of Accepted ACM Applicants.
Applicants accepted into the ACM Program must secure their Letter of Acceptance from the MOD secretary. The newly accepted ACM majors are advised not to lose this Letter of Acceptance since it may be used as evidence later, should there be confusion about the applicant’s qualification to major.
Applicants who are conditionally accepted into the program must sign the Letter of Acceptance and return the signed copy to the Department secretary.
Applicants who are not part of the ACM freshmen block should apply for shifting into the program during the shifting period immediately after conditional acceptance.
Newly accepted ACM majors are required to attend the General Assembly to be arranged by the Business Management Society (BMS) during the second trimester of the academic year. This serves as the first program orientation. Attendance is important as it is the venue by which students may understand the ACM program better.
Finally, newly accepted ACM majors are required to accept the invitation to the ACM Yahoo! Group and update their profile in the database. The Yahoo! Group is the venue by which all announcements and files shall be posted. Announcements made in the respective batch Yahoo! Group are deemed sufficient notice to ALL ACM majors.
All applicants who are part of the APC block as freshmen and who are not accepted into the ACM program, must officially shift out of the ACM program at the soonest time to ensure sufficient time to meet the requirements of a different program on a timely basis.
Any applicant who wishes to know the reason for his/her rejection may seek an appointment with the Vice Chair, who will explain the applicant’s area of weakness.