In León, Guanajuato, more than 500 students took part in the second round of the UNAM entrance examination on Wednesday, with strict security measures in place to ensure fairness. The test was conducted on computers, requiring participants to maintain silence while completing their exams. Over 235 tablets remained unused due to the absence of students from the Bajío region who had been invited for the in-person test following a failed online attempt. The students arrived early, some appearing exhausted after waking up or studying late into the night. Among them were Ilya Martínez, Natalia García, Daniel Estrada, and Santiago Rodríguez, who traveled from Morelia in a vehicle driven by Eduardo García, the father of one of their peers. They expressed confidence in passing the exam, citing high scores from their previous online attempt. Ilya Martínez, applying for the Literature program at the ENES Morelia, admitted feeling nervous. By 4 p.m., a long line of candidates formed outside the hotel, waiting for entry. The queue stretched over 100 meters along the Adolfo López Mateos boulevard, with students shielding themselves from the sun using folders or papers. The temperature reached 28 degrees Celsius under shade. Candidates entered the venue in groups of 21, some smiling while others maintained serious expressions. One young woman shared her nerves with her mother, who comforted her with a hug and a sombrero. Staff members instructed participants to turn off their phones and present their identification before entering the testing area. Most of the applicants were between 17 and 24 years old, accompanied by parents or guardians. Elisa Estrada, for example, encouraged her son as they arrived from Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán. Francisco Ramírez, whose daughter Daniela is pursuing a degree in Earth Sciences, expressed faith in her abilities, noting she had already passed the initial test. He mentioned carrying a medal of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which he believed offered protection. The exam began at 5 p.m., with a three-hour time limit. Some students arrived later due to delays in transportation from Querétaro. Around 32 teaching staff from the UNAM campus served as observers during the process, while more than 50 individuals acted as monitors within the room. Daniel Estrada completed his exam in just 47 minutes, finding the in-person version easier than the online one, which had taken him over an hour and a half. He praised the transparency of this test but criticized the requirement for a second attempt. He noted that the pressure increased due to the presence of supervisors. Rosa Bravo Rivera, another candidate, arrived with her father, a man from the countryside, determined to prove herself. Meanwhile, applicants from various states including Aguascalientes, Durango, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Michoacán, Colima, Jalisco, and Zacatecas participated in the test. Among them was Samantha, from León, Guanajuato, aiming to study Medicine in Mexico City. She had scored 111 points in the online exam, missing six points from the required threshold. She felt confident and calm awaiting results, thanking the university for addressing potential issues in the online test. Perla, another participant, expressed satisfaction with the new opportunity for Alison, who seeks admission to the public dental school in León. Alison could not afford private education, making the public option essential. The university will soon release the number of attendees. At 8:06 p.m., the portable computers used in the selection process were dismantled.
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