What does it take to become a topnotcher?
Some would say planning your best study technique is important, while others believe that it is all about knowing when to rest to avoid burnout.
For this newly licensed Certified Public Accountant, it is all about consistency in action.
Clark Peter Castillo, CPA, managed to achieve this feat by placing 9th in the recently released results of the May 2024 Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination (CPALE).
He is one of only two graduates from Cebu-based universities to enter the top 10 list. With only 3,155 passers out of 10,421 CPALE test takers, Castillo surely is among the cream of the crop.
No matter how much his friends and acquaintances expected him to become a topnotcher, it was not as simple as studying hard, which led him to land the 9th spot in the exam results.
READ ALSO: 3 Cebu graduates land in top 10 of CPALE
Meet Clark, the textbook achiever
In an interview with CDN Digital, Clark Peter Castillo disclosed that he hails from a lower middle-class family of four who lives in the uphill section of Busay. They are relatively close with each other, more so with their family pets, mostly composed of his cats.
Clark Peter Castillo, CPA, with his parents, who are both teachers, and his younger sister. | Photo courtesy of Clark Peter Castillo
He had to commute uphill and downhill along Barangay Lahug just to go to school, but the stress of traveling did not hinder his ability to excel and perform well in school.
In fact, for most of his educational life, he finished each academic year after another, topping his classes and earning most of the significant special awards.
With his dedication to excel, he graduated as valedictorian of his elementary school–a feat he continued as he finished junior high school at Cebu Normal University-Integrated Laboratory School and senior high school at the University of San Jose-Recoletos.
He gave one well-written valedictory speech after another while gaining recognition for other extracurricular tasks, such as leading the student government in high school and participating in inter-school debate competitions.
Some may describe him as a textbook achiever, seeing that he is naturally born to excel. Nonetheless, Castillo interestingly believes that he was not born smart.
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A topnotcher’s dedication to success
Castillo believes that his principle to become the person and achiever he is today is to be hard-headed and dedicated enough to use his inherent ability to excel.
I think I’m the hardheaded type of student. I was never the smartest person in the room, but I was hardheaded enough to insist that I could be. What I lacked in inherent intellect, I made up for through hard work.
This dedication even became prevalent when he decided to become a certified public accountant. Even as early as senior high school, he chose a school that relatively produces skilled professional accountants, which benefited him, especially when the school noticed his talent.
Interestingly, when asked why he wanted to pursue a career as an accountant, he said that it was mainly about money for him: “I was told there’s money here. I don’t think it’s true, but I’m already here na man.”
After graduating with flying colors in January 2024, Castillo realized he had to work harder, considering he was slated to take his board exams by May of the same year. Fortunately, having the review center at his school helped with quick adjustments, even with the limited preparation time.
Unpaved pathway to becoming a topnotcher
Even with everyone supporting him and believing he would become a CPALE topnotcher, Castillo said that he was still overwhelmed with insecurity as he felt uncertain about his fate for the examination.
He felt that there were still topics he could not confidently answer. Unfortunately, all the support from his friends and his school translated into added pressure, which further fueled his insecurity before taking the board exam.
He was supposedly ready to receive a conditioned rating because he was not confident in his knowledge of taxation.
Nonetheless, it all worked out in the end when his review director called him at 1 a.m. on the first day of June, informing him that he was, fortunately, one of the topnotchers of the May 2024 CPALE.
“That was a magical moment for me. That was also her (review director) birthday, so I’d like to think of it as her sharing her birthday present with us,” he fondly recalled.
What’s next for Clark after CPALE?
Castillo dedicates his feat to his family, friends, God, and himself, who worked hard to become a topnotcher
When asked what tip he could give to future test takers, he believed that it is all about trusting one’s preparation and overcoming one’s fear that will make a person fully ready to take the exam
There will never be a time when you’re 100% sure that you’d ace the exam since the items are beyond your control. Believe in yourself and the preparation you’ve done because that’s what’ll help you overcome whatever fear you have. And even if you’re scared, do it scared!
As a newly licensed certified public accountant, Castillo is thinking of joining an accounting firm in the Philippines to expand his horizons and gain the necessary experience to eventually give back to the greater Josenian community.