No Pressure, Just Persistence: How ‘Irregular Student’ Engr. Gerald D. Nicolas Secured a Spot in the CELE Top 10 for April 2025
For Engr. Gerald D. Nicolas, graduating in civil engineering was already a battle - becoming a Top 10 placer in the April 2025 CELE was beyond what he imagined. A Tarlac State University (TSU) graduate, DOST Scholar, and now Instructor at CPRC, Gerald also runs his own Engr. Potsopao Review Services while working at the Municipal Planning and Development Office.
ENGR. GERALD D. NICOLAS
10th Place, April 2025 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination
Tarlac State University (TSU)
DOST Scholar
Instructor, CPRC
Engr Potsopao (Own Review Services)
Staff, Municipal Planning and Development Office
For Engr. Gerald D. Nicolas, graduating in civil engineering was already a battle - becoming a Top 10 placer in the April 2025 CELE was beyond what he imagined. A Tarlac State University (TSU) graduate, DOST Scholar, and now Instructor at CPRC, Gerald also runs his own Engr. Potsopao Review Services while working at the Municipal Planning and Development Office.
He admits civil engineering was not his first choice, and throughout college he struggled as an irregular student, often just “dragging” himself to the finish line. Known for being quiet, forgetful, and not the most motivated, Gerald’s strength came not from discipline alone but from persistence - pushing forward even when self-doubt and external struggles weighed him down.
Unlike others with strict schedules, his review followed a flexible, intuition-based style, studying at night with his partner and focusing on concepts before formulas. For him, quality mattered more than quantity, and mastery more than memorization.
His journey was full of challenges - health issues, financial struggles, and lack of confidence - but he leaned on resilience and humor. “Na-eenergize ako sa thought na matatapos din ito. Halos lahat ng dinaanan ko, natapos ko nang walang kasiguraduhan. Yung board exam pa kaya?” he shared.
To future board takers, his advice is clear: focus on learning, not just passing; value quality over quantity; and never fear mistakes, because the review journey is built on them.
As he puts it best: “Magiging engineer ka rin. At please, maging mabuti kang civil engineer.”
Personal Journey
1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and where you studied?
Hello guys. I am Gerald D. Nicolas. Nagpupursige para may pambili ng cat food. Mahilig manood ng anime sa free time. Namamasyal kapag may naitatabing ipon. Medyo slow at makakalimutin most of the time. Hindi rin ako mahilig makisalamuha, kaya hindi ako masyadong kilala sa Tarlac State University, kung saan ako nagtapos.
2. When did you start preparing for the board exams?
Nag-start talaga kami noong August 2024 nang umattend sa review center. Pero dahil hinahabol pa namin ang thesis at napunta ang atensyon namin sa mga maliliit na bagay, hindi na kami nakapag-review nang maayos at hindi rin umabot ang requirements para sa November 2024 exam. Kaya nag-self-review na lang kami para sa April 2025 (kasi wala ring pera), tapos lumuwas ng Maynila para mag-refresher at mag-take ng exam.
3. What motivated you to pursue civil engineering and to aim for the top?
Hindi ko naman talaga first choice ang Civil Engineering. Irregular student ako since first year pa lang, bumagsak na agad ako. All throughout college, parang kinaladkad at binuhat ko na lang sarili ko para makapagtapos. Wala rin akong close circle of friends or mentors sa university, at hindi rin kami mayaman. Siguro nasanay na lang ako sa pagiging kaladkarin, nasobrahan ata, nakarating pa sa Top 10. Nag-aim man akong mag-top, pero pabiro lang para “sure pass” lang ba.
Study Habits and Strategies
1. How did you structure your review (daily routine, schedule, or approach)?
Una, to be honest, wala talaga akong fixed review structure. Kung ano lang ang maisip kong i-review, yun na lang. Hindi stiff yung style ko, parang sundin-ang-bugso-ng-damdamin method. Kapag feeling ko mahina ako sa isang topic, doon ako nagfo-focus. Kapag alam ko na, nire-refresh ko pa rin.
Mas mahilig kami ng partner ko mag-review tuwing gabi kasi maingay sa paligid kapag umaga. Kami na nag-adjust. Wala rin kaming exact pattern ng oras dahil minsan kailangan pang magluto, mag-grocery, atbp.
Kung approach naman ang pag-uusapan, kailangan ko talagang i-re-explain sa sarili ko sa pinaka-simpleng paraan yung topic, kasi mabagal akong matuto at medyo ulyanin pa. Importante sa akin na bawat concept naiintindihan at bawat step tama ang execution. Malas kasi ako sa chamba, kaya hindi puwedeng umasa sa i~rand at power of C.
2. What review materials or techniques worked best for you?
Sa review materials, ang importante lang ay kung ano yung need at want mong i-review. Doesn’t matter kung digital or physical yung resources—minsan nga, naiipon lang tapos hindi rin nabubuklat sa huli. Ang number one rule: siguraduhin mong ginagamit mo talaga yung materials. Hindi yan nasusukat sa dami ng librong nabili o tutorial na na-avail, kundi kung alin ang sakto sa oras, napapanahon, at komportable kang gamitin.
3. How did you handle subjects or topics you found difficult?
Kung tutuusin, wala namang subject na talagang mahirap. Usually madali lang sila, kaso sobrang dami lang talagang kailangang tandaan kaya nagiging challenging. Ang approach ko: unahin muna ang concept talaga. Maghanap ng intuitive explanation para ma-feel mo talaga yung topic. Next, i-familiarize ang tunog ng formulas at questions para hindi ka ma-shock. Then sa huli, mastery ng topic para mas mabilis mong masolve.
Mindset and Challenges
1. What were the biggest challenges you faced during your review journey?
Mga bagay na wala akong kontrol ang pinaka-bumagabag sa akin noon. May mga sakit na once (skin asthma) at minsan lang nagparamdam sakin, during review period pa, eh wala naman akong pampacheck-up noon. Hirap nako mag-review kasi may infection na braso ko noon.
May mga problema rin financially at pati yung puspin ko nagkakasakit din. Ito yung mga bagay na external sa intellectual capacity ko.
Sa intellectual side naman, alam kong mahina ako doon. Hindi naman ako academic achiever, quizzer, dean’s lister o laude noong college. Covid baby pa ako. Duda na nga ako kung papasa ako, let alone kung mag-top pa.
Kaya pag pinagsama lahat, parang hopeless na talagang sumakses.
2. How did you stay motivated and focused despite burnout, pressure, or self-doubt?
Kung tatanungin mo yung partner ko, ako na siguro ang isa sa top demotivational speakers ng makabagong panahon. Ni hindi ako marunong mag-motivate kasi, to be honest, hindi rin naman ako motivated.
Siguro yung absurdist mentality ko na rin ang nagtulak sa akin para tapusin yung review. Na-eenergize ako sa thought na malapit na itong matapos. Kasi halos lahat naman ng bagay na dinaanan ko, natapos ko nang walang kasiguraduhan. Yung board exam pa kaya?
3. Did you ever experience setbacks or low points? How did you bounce back?
Bounce back talaga, kasi mas ayokong maranasan yung consequence kapag hindi ko nagawang makapag-bounce back.
Advice to Future Takers
1. What are your top 3 review tips for future board exam takers?
1) Topic-oriented > Subject Oriented
2) Quality Review > Quantity Review
3) Kung kaya mong imemorize yung formula, imemorize mo na. Pero dapat naaalala mo parin yung concept.
2. If you could talk to your “reviewing self” a year ago, what would you say?
Todo aral, todo puyat, todo review. Bumangon ka na diyan. Tama na ang Facebook. Hindi ka pa magaling, kaya galingan mo pa. Tumatakbo ang oras. Pwede ka pa sanang maghanap ng side hustle habang nagre-review, sayang. At please, ayusin mo rin yung notes mo para hindi makalat.
3. What mindset should future engineers have as they prepare for the board exam?
Ang primary goal niyo pa rin dapat ay matuto — learning-oriented. Kapag naka-focus ka sa learning, hindi mo masyadong didibdibin ang failures. Kasi ang review journey ay series of failures. Magkakamali ka muna nang maraming beses bago ka tumama sa board exam.
4. Any final message to inspire future civil engineers?
Marami na kayong pinagdaanang mas mahihirap na bagay bago pa kayo makarating sa kung nasaan kayo ngayon (nasa sala, nagsasagot ng past board habang kumakain ng Beng Beng). Mentally strong na kayo. Kailangan niyo na lang gamitin yung strength na ’yan para ayusin yung mga dapat pang ayusin. Magiging engineer ka rin. At please, maging mabuti kang civil engineer.
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