SLU graduate juggled full-time job and review to top architect board exam

Juggling a full-time job and reviewing for the board exam didn’t stop Ian John Lolong from acing the January 2024 Architect Licensure Examination (ALE), concluding the month of January with success.

Having garnered a general average of 83.50%, Lolong, who graduated Cum Laude from Saint Louis University in 2020, was named the top 8 in the recently-concluded ALE.

When asked by Guru Press Cordillera if he expected to top the board exam, Lolong revealed he didn’t, as he only had the night to go over his notes and books, and he only had a month to focus on his review.

“I did not expect to top the boards since I only got a month to focus. But God is really in control and He can do more than what we can imagine,” he said.

While preparing for the licensure exam, Lolong recounted that the most challenging part was balancing his full-time work at a project site with his review. He added that his job only allowed him to read at night.

Despite the struggles, he was able to overcome them all and emerged as one of the top-performing examinees in the January 2024 ALE.

He mentioned that behind the feat were his father, who passed away three years ago, his mom, siblings, friends, mentors, and his fiancé.

As for his advice to the next ALE takers, the topnotcher encourages them to focus on easy, general, and known knowledge.

“Do not waste your time arguing over a debatable topic. Also, in a very encompassing course like architecture, you cannot know everything, so it will be wise to seek help from our Lord,” he stressed.