495 out of 500 possible points—that was the score Valeria Díaz González saw on the screen when she checked her ICFES results. She couldn’t believe it.
It was early morning, only 4:20 a.m. Everyone in the house was still asleep. As usual, she had gotten up early to prepare for her classes.
In silence, 16-year-old Valeria looked up her exam results. She had waited patiently, and even though the site had crashed the night before, the wait was worth it. A near-perfect score that brought her closer to her dream of studying Biomedical Engineering at UIS.
“I’m beyond happy and proud; the score was a shock to me. I hoped to pass 400, maybe reach 420, even break my school’s record of 440,” she says, beaming.
Still trembling, she ran to her parents’ room, where Carolina and Javier were sleeping. She couldn’t speak—the tears and emotion caught in her throat kept her from saying a word. But little did she know that she was not only the top scorer in her school, but also in Santander and the entire country.
At first, her parents thought something might be wrong; she was shaking with excitement and hugged them so tightly they grew concerned. But when they heard her score—495 out of 500, the highest in the country—the whole family was swept up in joy. In that moment, all the hard work and years of dedication were validated.
Valeria had always been a curious child, tireless in her quest to learn. Her mother recalls how, from a young age, she would read books cover to cover, ask endless questions, and wanted to understand the why behind everything. In her final year of high school, while other teens might have been caught up in the ups and downs of adolescence, Valeria devoted herself to her studies, preparing with unwavering dedication.
“Honestly, she’s always been very diligent, incredibly responsible when it comes to academics. Since she was little, she’s loved researching, learning; for me, it’s been a lifelong preparation. She’s drawn to everything about investigation—she reads, learns, absorbs it all. She did a pre-ICFES course, but she would also study online and tackle any areas she felt were a bit out of date, focusing on her weaker spots. But I feel her preparation started in childhood; she focused on gaining all the knowledge she wanted,” Carolina shared, proud of her daughter.
Achieving a high score had been Valeria’s goal for some time, driven by her dream of studying Biomedical Engineering at the Universidad Industrial de Santander. Her parents have always trusted her choice, knowing the university’s prestige and their daughter’s deep desire to contribute to science and the country.
Valeria shares, “I’ve taken an English course at UIS, and I really like how they teach. I want to study Biomedical Engineering, a program that just opened at the Floridablanca campus. I want to focus on creating oncology prototypes and, if possible, work in genetics. What excites me most about UIS are its facilities—they’re beautiful. I’ve also had the chance to speak with professors, and it has great international reach, opening doors for me.”
“Vale, since she applied, would say, ‘Mom, I want UIS; I aspire to UIS. I know I need a good score to get in.’ I told her, ‘If that’s your goal, then absolutely.’ When she found out last June that Biomedical Engineering was coming to UIS, it was her biggest joy. She said, ‘This is the career I want, Mom. I have to get in.’ She started researching, studying Biomedical Engineering a lot; she loves it,” Carolina shared.
Valeria is clear about her plans and hopes to stick to them. “Honestly, we know many professionals from there, and the university’s strong reputation is important to us—especially to her. That’s what she values most, advancing with the good name that a university like this brings. Plus, it feels like everything is aligning in our favor, as the program is right here at UIS Floridablanca.”
That Friday, Colegio del Rosario in Floridablanca also woke up to the news. Her teachers, proud yet unsurprised, knew Valeria’s commitment to learning.
“They’re extremely happy at school. They’re not surprised, though; each teacher told me they’ve seen Valeria’s focus in her studies for years. ‘It doesn’t surprise us because that’s Valeria,’ they say. It makes us proud because we know we’re doing things right.”
For Valeria, that score of 495 is more than just a number—it’s the key to her future… “At UIS, that door is open.”
