One psychometrician’s journey, Psychology’s rise to the top
Before placing fourth in the September Psychometrician Licensure Examination, Kyla N. Palla had already imagined telling her parents that she failed.
Despite months of studying, attending review sessions, and answering practice questions, she struggled to meet the passing marks in her pre-board examinations. The experience left her questioning whether or not she was prepared for the actual test.
“I had already imagined the conversation with my parents, how I would tell them that I failed,” Palla recalled during Far Eastern University (FEU)’s thanksgiving celebration for its newly licensed psychologists and psychometricians.
But the results told a different story.
Palla became one of FEU Manila's 27 national topnotchers, placing fourth in the examination. The university also emerged as the country's top-performing school among institutions with 300 or more examinees, producing 484 newly licensed psychometricians.
The university likewise recorded a 100 percent passing rate in the Psychologist Licensure Examination, with all six examinees passing.
In an earlier interview, Palla admitted that preparing for the board examination was more difficult than she expected, even though she had performed well academically.
“The review was very difficult for me. Even though I knew I did well academically and paid attention in class, I still found the review process challenging,” she said.
She recalled struggling with confidence until the final days of preparation. Failing to reach the passing average in her review center's pre-board examination made her question whether or not her efforts would be enough.
Still, she continued studying. She relied on free online resources, support from fellow examinees, and regular practice drills.
“I made sure to answer at least one practice drill every day, even when I had very little energy or didn't feel like studying,” she said in the interview.
Palla also credited advice from her FEU professors, who emphasized the importance of practice questions in applying psychological concepts rather than simply memorizing information.
During her inspirational speech at the thanksgiving celebration, she recalled searching online for stories of examinees who had failed their pre-boards but eventually passed the actual examination.
“I remember desperately looking for a story that sounded exactly like mine,” she said.
Her experience became a reminder that struggling during preparation does not necessarily determine the outcome.
“If the review season taught us anything, it's that you can feel completely unprepared and still move forward,” she told her fellow graduates.
Palla's story of perseverance reflected the progress of FEU's Psychology Department, which continued improving its board examination performance over the years.
During the celebration, Institute of Arts and Sciences Dean Dr. Myra Landagan recalled the department's journey from ninth place in 2024 to second place in 2025 and eventually first place in 2026.
“When I reviewed our department's passing rates over the years, I realized that our climb was never a straight line. It was crooked and uneven,” she said.
Landagan also acknowledged the faculty members who helped prepare the graduates.
“Behind every name on that list is a teacher who believed, guided, and refused to give up.”
The gathering recognized the newly licensed professionals and the families, mentors, and faculty members who supported them.
Dr. Lulette Matammu, chairperson of the Psychology Undergraduate Program, reminded the graduates that the achievement belonged to the entire batch, not only to those who earned national rankings.
“Because this is a recognition of a collective success and achievement. Every one of you counts,” Matammu said.
Dr. Celmer Santos, director of the Alumni Relations Office, also encouraged the graduates to carry the university's core values of fortitude, excellence, and uprightness as they enter the profession.
While the celebration recognized FEU's examination results, Palla used her inspirational message to remind her fellow graduates of the responsibilities that come with their professional license.
“There is a person on the other side of every score, every assessment, every decision we make,” she said.
She encouraged future psychometricians to practice responsibly, recognize the limits of their knowledge, and remember the people affected by their professional decisions.
Her message echoed the university's emphasis on ethical responsibility and compassionate service.
For Palla, the experience of preparing for the examination offered lessons she hopes future Tamaraw examinees will remember.
“My biggest advice is to trust yourself. I struggled to do that, but other people believed in me,” she said in her earlier interview.
She also reminded her fellow graduates that uncertainty does not necessarily end after passing the board examination. New responsibilities may bring the same doubts they experienced during their review.
“And to the version of us who will someday be terrified of what comes next, keep going,” she said during the celebration.
For FEU’s Psychology Department, the results mark another milestone in its continuing development. For its newly licensed graduates, they represent the beginning of their professional journeys.
And for Palla, who once searched for stories of people who struggled but still succeeded, her own experience may now offer that encouragement to another student.
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