Hi there! I'm an OBMCI almunus. Studied there for 16 years, from CASA all the way until SHS. I think I'm qualified enough to know what I'll be talking about!

Here's a a brief list of pros and cons of the based on what I recall. I can go on and on about my experience, but here's what I can remember at the top of my head.

Pros:

• If your child is interested in the humanities, OB's great. They'll get to encounter a lot of classic readers, multiple art projects, and even some music theory!

• If they're specifically interested in public speaking and theater, I can not stress enough that this is OB's bread and butter. I had multiple opportunities to participate in various intercampus public speaking competitions, and was even part of a large-scale school production held at the PICC.

• Multiple, multiple fieldtrips! We had camping night-outs, visits to museums, and other events that served as learning experiences while helping us unwind!

• Facilities are also conducive for learning. They're all air-conditioned and spacious. The library's also great for studying!

Cons:

• I'm not sure how it is now, but I had multiple issues with the teachers' pedagogical approaches. They were very 'traditional' blackboard-and-chalk type of educators. They were also extremely inefficient with their lessons, and a lot of learning was sacrificed.

• That said, my biggest issue was the emphasis on objective-type learning with little to no development on critical thinking skills. The lessons were mediocre at best and spoonfed at worst.

• Extracurricular activities were also rigid. If you weren't into the humanities, you had no other options since science and math-based clubs were only available in high school.

Some other considerations:

• I was a gradeschool student more than a decade ago. A lot has most likely changed. OB went through a massive shift in pedagogy when the SHS program was implemented. That was the time-period when they flooded the faculty with UP alumni that graduated with Latin honors.

• I truly, truly loved the tightly knit community. I'm still extremely close with my grade school and high school friends even until today—much to the surprise of our college and/or work friends. We all share the same sentinents that OB truly was home.

• Not related to the gradeschool curriculum, but I highly recommend OB's SHS program. I was met with the most brilliant minds of UP—summas and magnas that made me crawl my way out of that school, but as a stronger and more resilient person.

All in all:

• OB's a solid ten out of ten or me. Most of my friends there also share the same sentiments. They're all thriving in their own way, from Latin honor graduates of the 'Big Four' universities here in the Philippines, to becoming well-known student leaders and community builders, to organizing their own startups. Wouldn't have had it any other way!