Civil Service Examination Review 2010

We are now accepting applicants for the 2010 Civil Service Examination Review for both Professional and Sub-Professional Levels which will be held on 7 February 2010, Sunday, 9am to 6pm. Venue to be announced soon.

This 8-hour review includes:
- 2 sample examinations complete with questionnaires, answer sheets and answer keys
- comprehensive lecture notes in English (Reading and Language), Mathematics (Common Word Problems), Logic, Clerical Rules and General Information (Constitution, R.A. 6713, Human Rights, Environment)
- lecture on the examination details
- lecture on the types of questions which appear in the examination and the strategies and techniques in answering them
- FREE lunch and merienda

Civil Service Examination Reviewer Delivered Straight To Your Doorstep
For those who prefer to study on their own, our reviewer is a perfect study guide for the civil service examination. The kit includes 2 sample exams complete with questionnaires, answer sheets and answer keys, and comprehensive lecture notes for all subjects.

To make a reservation or order a copy of the review materials, contact us at 02-2121053 or 0919-8136037.

LAE REVIEW: FIRST BATCH

We successfully conducted our first LAE Review for this year last October 25 at Cravings Katipunan. It was a combined class since we had to postpone the September 27 session due to typhoon Ondoy. Here are some comments from our participants...

Atty. Kat is intellectual, lively and gives honest feedback. She is accommodating, friendly and highly skilled in logic. I'll surely refer her to my friends.

Never a dull moment. It truly showed that she had mastery on the subjects being discussed.

Atty. Kat gave great tips and strategies for the LAE. She was able to keep the discussion interesting and lively.

Out of 10, I give her a 9. Great!

Atty. Kat is really a good lecturer. No wonder why teaching is her passion. There's no dead air with Atty. Kat. She has a good sense of humor. She explains everything well. You will not be ashamed to raise your questions. She gives tips for the exams as well as for life in law school.

Not boring. Has lots of stories that serve as icebreaker. Makes it a point to inspire and impart passion, not just knowledge on review materials.

Very thorough and teaches in a way that would be easy for the students to understand.

Able to discuss well while keeping me interested (personally, I have a low attention span). The tips are realistic and helpful.

Very reliable resource person. The lecture was very interactive and very understandable.

She has the patience and enthusiasm to entertain questions and has the passion for teaching.

Good lecturer. Very inspirational speaker. Good in explaining in layman's term.

Lecture was kept interesting. Lecture was delivered in organized and clear manner.

Excellent.

Well-prepared. Lively. Stresses important points. 9 out of 10.

Comprehensive and interesting.

Knowledgeable. I like the lecture in logic. I took up Philo 1 but unfortunately, the professor didn't discuss those. Thanks.

Interactive. I didn't feel sleepy. Easy to understand. Audible voice.

Atty. Kat is very funny, knowledgeable, gave lots of helpful insights. She gave a very interesting lecture. =)

Very funny. Made a one-day review interesting.

More comments to follow...

Hodgepodge (Slide Sampler)

To make our lectures more interesting, we use colorful and playful power point presentations. Here is a collection of slides created by Atty. Kat for various presentations used in our review programs.

Cravings: New Venue for October 25 UP LAE Review

In our effort to improve our services, we will be holding the UP LAE Review on October 25, 2009 at Cravings Restaurant located along Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City. (View the map by clicking here.) Breakfast and free-flowing coffee will be served, in addition to lunch and merienda which are already included in the package, without additional cost on the part of our participants.

Thank you for your continued patronage.

Civil Service Examination 2009

We successfully held our Civil Service Examination Review last 18 October 2009. Due to an unexpected but scheduled power interruption at our original venue, we made arrangements instead at Cravings, Katipunan.

All of our participants were preparing for the Professional Examination. Review materials were distributed. Lectures were complemented with power point presentations. The main lecture, which included a discussion on the civil service examination, and important strategies and techniques in English, Logic and General Information, was handled by Atty. Kat. The math portion was again handled by John, our licensed educator with 9 solid years of teaching experience.


Here are some of the comments we received from our participants...

On the food and venue:

Cravings is very ideal for a review.

Food is excellent.

The venue was great; formal but still relaxing. Food was good especially because of the unexpected morning and afternoon snacks.

Nice venue. Okay ang ambiance.

The venue is very conducive for learning.

I enjoyed the food that was served. The manner how it was served was also good.

Good food but add some candies or coffee if possible.

Venue is cute, clean and accessible.

Very delicious food, especially the lunch!!! =)

On Atty. Kat's lecture:

Atty. Kat has mastery of the subjects and I think she can extract the essence of all the review subjects.

Good lecturer, malinaw magturo, bukod sa maganda.

Nice, approachable, beautiful and very effective speaker. We just hope you'll always give us a helping hand even after the review.

Fun and down to earth. She used easy to understand words and examples that made the topics or lessons less complicated.

One of the best lecturers. Very interesting.

Easy to understand, intelligent and beautiful.

I've learned a lot from Atty. Kat's lecture. I hope that she will continue to help people who want to improve their skills especially in English.

Excellent.

Atty. Kat's rating is 8 out of 10. (10 being the highest)

The lecture was done nicely. Atty. Kat is very jolly which made us appreciate the lecture more. I just hope that not all questions and lectures presented were read by all people in the room.

On Mr. John's lecture:

Medyo mabilis magsalita pero magaling magturo.

Nice and love the tips.

Thank you, sir. I've learned a lot in math.

Mr. John was a bit under time constraint but was still able to explain things clearly.

Mr. John is an effective lecturer.

Parehas din magaling. Sana lang mas madaming time para mas madaming examples.

Mr. John is good in delivering his lecture but it just happened that we lacked time.

He's very good in teaching math. I just hoped that there were more examples.

Excellent but lacked time.

On the review materials:

Very helpful to us.

Highly recommended.

It is pretty complete and comprehensive. Really useful.

Very comprehensive. Outstanding!

Very impressive.

The reviewer is complete and based on the format of the civil service exam. It is very helpful to us.

Sana may table of contents para madaling hanapin.

100% okay.

Sufficient enough to the user.

On value for money:

Bang for the buck. I've learned new techniques in English. =)

This one day event is worth it.

The amount that I paid was reasonable. With food and drinks plus a compilation of materials, it is worth it.

SULIT.

Worth it.

The price is reasonable.

Very fair. Sulit na sulit!

It is pretty affordable and reasonable.

Sulit na sulit talaga. No regrets.

To our participants, thank you for making the review possible. We will take note of your suggestions and constantly find ways to further improve our services.

New Landline & Email Address

Due to the difficulties we have been experiencing with our current telecommunication service provider, please be advised that we will be using another landline number 02-5687724, in addition to our existing one. We will also be using w.elephant@yahoo.com as our primary email address. Meanwhile, we will be retaining the use of our mobile number, 0919-8136037. Thank you for bearing with us.

Powerpoint Presentations For All Lectures

In keeping with our commitment to serve you better, we recently purchased our own LCD projector (BenQ MP515) so that all of our lectures will be accompanied by power point presentations. Each presentation is meticulously prepared by our founder with colorful fonts and images to complement the class discussions and review materials. Thank you for your continued patronage!

Image from http://www.aboutprojectors.com/BenQ-MP515-projector.html

UPCAT, ACET & DLSUCET Review 2010

We are now accepting applicants for the 2010 College Admission Test Review for UP, Ateneo, La Salle and all major colleges and universities in the country. There are 2 programs to choose from:

College Admission Test Review: In a Nutshell
This refresher course is an 8-hour review which includes:
- 2 sample examinations complete with questionnaires, answer sheets and answer keys
- comprehensive lecture notes for all subjects
- lecture on the types of questions which commonly appear in the examinations and the strategies and techniques in answering them*
- FREE lunch and merienda

The available date is 30 May 2010, Sunday, 9am to 6pm. The venue is at Chicks 'n Treats, Katipunan, Quezon City. For inquiries and reservations, contact us now at 0919-8136037 or 02-2121053. Only 30 slots available.

College Admission Test Review: Unlimited
This full review program includes:
- 8 sessions or a total of 64 hours
- 2 sample examinations complete with questionnaires, answer sheets and answer keys (one administered on the first day, the other administered on the last day)
- comprehensive lecture notes and exercises for all subjects
- lecture on the types of questions which commonly appear in the examinations and the strategies and techniques in answering them*
- intensive lectures on all major subjects: English (Reading and Language), Mathematics (Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, Trigonometry, Statistics, Problem-Solving), Sciences (Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics) and Abstract Reasoning
- FREE lunch and merienda

For the first batch, classes will be held on the Sundays of April (11, 18 and 25) and May (2, 9, 16 and 23) 2010, from 9am to 6pm.

For the second batch, classes will be held on all Sundays of June (6, 13, 20 and 27) and July (4, 11, 18 and 25) 2010, from 9am to 6pm.

The venue is at Chicks 'n Treats, Katipunan, Quezon City. For your inquiries and reservations, contact us now at 0919-8136037 or 02-2121053. Only 30 slots available per batch.

College Admission Test Reviewer: Delivered Straight To Your Doorstep
For those who prefer to study on their own, our reviewer is a perfect study guide for all college admission tests. The kit includes 2 sample exams complete with questionnaires, answer sheets and answer keys, and comprehensive lecture notes for English (Reading and Language), Mathematics (Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, Trigonometry, Statistics, Problem- Solving), Sciences (Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics) and Abstract Reasoning.

The reviewer will be delivered by courier. To order, contact us now at 0919-8136037 or 02-2121053.

*power point presentations used for the lectures

UP LAE REVIEW 2009

We are now accepting applicants for the 2009 University of the Philippines Law Aptitude Examination (UP LAE) Review which will be held from September to November at Chicks 'n Treats, Katipunan, Quezon City.

This 8-hour review program includes:
- 2 sample examinations complete with questionnaires, answer sheets and answer keys
- comprehensive lecture notes for English (Reading and Language), Essay-Writing, Mathematics (Common Word Problems), Logic and Abstract Reasoning
- lecture on the admission process
- lecture on the types of questions which appear in the examination and the strategies and techniques in answering them
- FREE lunch and merienda

For the list of available review dates, contact us at 0919-8136037 or 02-2121053.

UP LAE Reviewer Delivered Straight To Your Doorstep
For those who prefer to study on their own, our reviewer is a perfect study guide for the UP LAE. The kit includes 2 sample exams complete with questionnaires, answer sheets and answer keys, and comprehensive lecture notes for English (Reading and Language), Essay-Writing, Mathematics (Common Word Problems), Logic and Abstract Reasoning.

The reviewer may be delivered by courier. To order, contact us now at 0919-8136037 or 02-2121053.

UP LAE: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who may take the exam?

Anyone who has finished or is finishing at least a bachelor's degree in the arts or sciences from a recognized college or university is qualified to take the examination. For more details on the admission requirements, visit the website of the UP College of Law.

2. What is the coverage of the exam?

By the very name itself, the Law Aptitude Examination (LAE) is just another aptitude test. It is not exactly a measure of your intelligence although it aims to determine if you have the basic skills to handle the demands and pressures of law school. The exam covers the following subjects:

a. Communication skills
b. Reading comprehension
c. Vocabulary
d. Critical Thinking
e. Verbal Reasoning
f. Quantitative Reasoning

3. When is the schedule of the exam?

The exam is usually scheduled on the 3rd or 4th Sunday of November.

4. How do I get an application form?

You can read about the requirements and download a copy of the application form here.

5. What do I need to do to pass the UP LAE?

You need to have the right tools to aid you in your review. By review, we mean, refreshing your memory and re-studying the lessons that you have already learned in the past.

6. Why should I join this review?

We specialize in one day LAE review which will be personally handled by our founder. We will teach you not only what to study but more importantly, how to study for the LAE. We will also help you make an honest and straightforward assessment whether or not law school is for you.

7. Who designed your review program?
Our review program was designed by our founder who has "been there" and "done that." Her stories and tips are based on her personal experiences in the UP College of Law. She has been conducting LAE tutorials and review classes for several years as she started as early as 2001 when she was just a 2nd year UP Law student.

8. Why is the review only one day?
A lot of students have been requesting us to organize a longer review program. While this would mean more profit for us, we believe that a day is more than enough to cover everything you need for the LAE. A one-day review would also save you precious time, money and effort.

As mentioned, the LAE is just an aptitude test which measures your skills in basic subjects such as math, english and logic. There are no difficult scientific concepts to remember, no complicated formula in mathematics either.

So instead of administering a diagnostic test on the first session and tackling the subjects piece-meal for several meetings to extend the review, we will go straight to the point and teach you the important strategies you need in answering the different question types that you will encounter in the exam.

You will also be provided with review materials (2 sample exams complete with questionnaires, answer sheets and answer keys, and lecture notes for essay-writing, english, mathematics and logic) so you can further study on your own if you desire.

9. How many students do you accommodate per batch?
We only accommodate 30 students per batch to maintain a more personal and casual atmosphere during the review. The students are encouraged to participate in the discussions and ask their questions in class.

10. Where is the venue of the review?
We usually conduct our LAE review at Chicks 'n Treats, Katipunan, Quezon City. View the map here.

10. How do I reserve a slot?
You may contact us at 02-2121053 or 0919-8136037 for the list of available dates and reservation instructions. Hurry! We have limited slots available.

Louis' Testimonial

Believe me: that one day review with White Elephant Review Center is that ONE day that will help build your confidence, it is that ONE day that will help you change the course of your life…

- Louis Marshall Lo, passed the 2009 UP LAE

Raymond's Testimonial

With the materials I received from this review center, along with Atty. Kat's words of advice, I became more prepared in taking the UP LAE. In fact, I was more than just prepared, I passed the dreaded exam thousands desired to take. My dream was fulfilled because of the help and support I got from this review center.

Biggest help of all? Her tips on how to write essays effectively. Before, I write my essays without much concern on how they'd appear. With the tips I received, I became a better essay writer in all aspects. This boosted my probability of being admitted in UP Law.

Tip I can give: if you really want to pass UP LAE. Apply as early as possible! I applied as early as July and I received a discount. Text Atty. Kat now! She is awesome, friendly and likable! Add to that, she's a wonderful creature - a mold of beauty of brains I must say! Too bad, she's already married. :(

- Raymond Andes, passed the 2008 UP LAE

UP LAE REVIEW '08

We successfully held our review classes last year. To further improve our services, we invited a guest lecturer with 8 solid years of teaching experience to handle Mathematics. The main lecture, which included discussions on the admission process, legal essay writing, communication skills, reading comprehension, vocabulary, critical thinking, verbal reasoning, tips for the interview, as well as various stories, trivia and anecdotes on life in UP Law, was handled by our founder, Atty. Kat Reyes.

Here are some of the comments written by the students in their evaluation of the review. (The names are not indicated since the students were allowed to write anonymously):

On Atty. Kat's lecture...Clear explanations. Clear voice and loud enough. Approachable and encourages questions/clarifications. Bottom line: I had a productive whole day. I think the fee was worth it. Food was great too. Good serving. Good taste. Materials provided were great.

Atty. Kat's lecture tackled everything we need to know about the UP Law Admissions. The discussion was simple and concise. The discussion was really patterned after the UP LAE format. I loved the tips. =)

The review was a comprehensive discussion of what is to be expected in the LAE. It provided guidelines and practical tips on what areas will be covered in the exam.

Comprehensive. Excellent handouts. Tips have been very helpful. Suggestion: If it's possible, can you also give out sample curriculum/syllabus. =)

I learned a lot, especially about the essay and logical reasoning. I've always been too wordy before. I also got a lot from the tips she gave us about the admission requirements and the interview.

Very pretty. =) Has very interesting stories. =) Explained the lessons well.

Very friendly and amiable. Very detailed in discussing the tips. Shares thoughts and experiences about law school.

She's a very good lecturer. Broad-minded.

From a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, I would rate the lecture an 8. Atty. Reyes was very confident with her lecture, gave concrete examples and explained things very clearly. The tips on taking the exam will be very helpful.

On John's lecture..Everything basic was tackled. Reviewer's very helpful. Math was definitely simplified. Yehey!

Clear explanations. Thank you.
Great materials. Thank you.

You made Math a lot easier for me, even though you're in a hurry, that's okay because you explained to us the formulas well. Maybe next time just be relaxed. But all in all it's good.

Detailed handouts are very good, it will surely help me. It was a good idea to use the test items as examples.

He makes things (problem solving) seem simpler/easier.

Gives us tips on how to solve the problems easier... like cancellation in fractions, etc.

Very comprehensive handout! Thank you! I think it will be very helpful!

Dohep's Testimonial

1.i passed the UP LAE.

2.i took my review here at the white elephant review center.

3.the review price is most reasonable.

4.my choice of meal was taken before the review date. (nice, huh)

5.the reviewer is also the owner, and she's very kind and not at all snooty.

ok, now what else might i say..

admittedly, in all exams, the part i always find to be a tough hurdle is the math. i've never been geeky with the subject, and it was this issue that prompted me to seek out a review center. i was coming from the province, and Atty. Kat was very patient and accommodating. i like that for a review center host.

did the review help? yes.

...with my weakness in math? most definitely.

and then again, preparation isn't always in what you read in a review. it is also that sense of confidence inspired into you by your reviewer. was i inspired, then? i'd best answer that with a very straight and simple yes.

let's acknowledge the reality that review presupposes prior knowledge. chances are, if you've been a bright, good student ever since, you will always do good. (opportunity favors the prepared mind.)

do you need a review? there's everything to gain from a refreshing review. i believed i could do without it, but i never regretted undergoing it.

nope, i haven't tried any other review center, but i don't find any need to, as i am very satisfied with the package White Elephant offers.

should you prefer White Elephant? i don't find any reason why not. for me, it was very much worth it.

parting shots:

6.apply early so you can go through the review materials longer and more thoroughly (trust me on this). what effort you put in is what results you can expect to reap.

7.the venue isn't that big, so getting into a well-scheduled session has its benefits. i decided late and might have been one of the last to enroll, and found myself a bit cramped in with a lot of last minute enrolees, who all assumably wished to be accommodated.

8.arrive early on your review date. you are paying for it, so don't be late, and participate fully.

9.the airconditioning can be a bit too cold so bring a light jacket.

10.having a couple of calling cards with you may prove to be advantageous too, for all the reasons you know.

-Jose Angel Guidote, Jr., passed the 2007 UP LAE

Alma's Testimonial

Before attending the review session, I did not know what kind of questions to expect in the LAE. I was worried that some questions might appear and I would have no idea on how to correctly answer them. The review session helped by giving me the knowledge about what type of questions to expect, how to answer them most efficiently, and by giving helpful tips in tackling the essay portion. After the session, we were given additional materials for practice. By the time I took the LAE, I felt prepared.

-Alma Isabel Dela Cruz, passed the 2007 UP LAE

Fidel's Testimonial

Gearing up for the UP LAE is all about mastering the art and discipline of self-studying. As the name implies, the exam is essentially an assessment of one’s natural aptitude in law. Therefore, the best way to prepare is to personally review the basic skills in comprehension, vocabulary, math, logical and abstract reasoning.

White Elephant, which provides a one-day review, is the most cost-effective and efficient way to prepare for the LAE. As against other centers which unduly require excessive investments in terms of time and money, White Elephant equips its students with a competitive advantage by presenting the bare bones of the exam— precisely what they need to study and how to study. Specifically, the students are extensively provided with reliable review materials and simulated exams which can rigorously prepare them for the test. Furthermore, through the aid of a professional lecturer, the students can develop a certain competitive incisiveness which can help them in acing the exam. But in the end, it is expected that the students can accordingly review on their own terms and thus develop the chief virtue of self-study. Ultimately, this is an invaluable survival skill which I learned from White Elephant as it can certainly go a long way in my struggle through the Socratic method of law school.

-Juan Fidel Felipe Nograles, passed the 2007 UP LAE

Jessa's Testimonial

I’m so thankful I got the opportunity to review at White Elephant. Being a graduating student, I am bombarded with a very hectic schedule and the one-day review session with Atty. Kat was indeed very effective. Atty. Kat was able to cover all the essential topics included in the LAE. She also imparted a number of tips that were very useful in taking the exam. Apart from the other review centers which offer series of review sessions, I firmly believe that the one-day review at White Elephant was equally helpful (even more). It encouraged self-study which is better; it was more motivating in my case. White Elephant gave me the confidence in taking the dreaded LAE… and yes, I made it! Thanks a lot, Atty. Kat!

- Jessa Mary Ann Cedeno, passed the 2007 UP LAE

ST. MARY'S ACADEMY '08

With the support of school directress Sr. Lourdes Cao, the Parents' Organization thru the initiative of President Edwin Magpantay and Vice President Prescy Manliclic, the teachers and the senior students, we successfully held our College Admission Test Review at St. Mary's Academy of Sto. Nino-Bulacan last July-August 2008.