Planning where to go to college requires thorough decision making. It is important to choose the right school. Fortunately, today going to college is a little bit easier particularly if you choose to enroll in government state colleges and universities. It’s because of the free tertiary education program of the government.
UP or the University of the Philippines is one of the prime universities in the country in which most students dream to go during college. Anyone can enroll in this university as long as you pass the UPCAT.
According to the school administrator, over 100,000 students (high school graduates) are filing the applications for the admission test. But, only 80,000 applicants are given slots to take the test and almost 14,000 are able to pass the UPCAT.
What to do to Pass the UPCAT
Many were having a second thought of taking the UPCAT because they think that it’s difficult to pass. Just like taking any other college admission test, you need to be prepared ahead of time.
Here are some tips that will help you prepare for the UPCAT:
- Earn good grades in high school
If early in your high school you think of going to UP, the best thing to do is to ensure that you’re getting satisfactory grades. It’s because 40% of the UPG or the University Predicted Grade comes from your high school grade. That’s why you must obtain high grades particularly in major subjects such as English, Science, and Math.
Read: ETEEAP – Alternative Education Program for Undergraduate Individuals
However, it does not necessarily mean that if you’re unable to obtain the 40% you’re not qualified to apply for the UPCAT. Of course you are qualified. But, you have to ensure passing the 60% of the UPG. This makes sense preparing for the test months prior to the schedule of UPCAT.
- Study well
If you want to pass the exam, you should be diligent in preparing for the exam. You should study well and never procrastinate. It does not necessarily mean memorizing everything. Instead, you need to absorb the lessons you’ve learned and make some strategies on how you will use it during the exam.
It is important to study ahead of time so that you’ll be able to review all the subjects covered by the UPCAT. Starting early will save you from stress and pressure.
- Try some mock tests
To have an idea about the actual UPCAT, you must try doing a mock test. This will train you how to endure the pressure during the actual examination day. The mock test will challenge you how to answer the test questions while under time pressure. Once you have trained yourself and get used to it, you won’t be experiencing any mental block, anxiety, or nervousness during the exam.
You can use several practice tests and reviewers so that you can master the strategies and concepts.
- Focus on your weaknesses
It is good to study on all the subjects equally. But, it is more important to focus on the subjects that you’re having a hard time. This way, you can ensure that you can balance studying all the subjects. If you think that you’re weak in Science and Math, spend more time reviewing in these subject areas.
- Don’t memorize, internalize it
When preparing for an exam, it is not advisable to memorize everything. The best thing to do is to internalize or master the concepts of the subject areas. Memorizing the formula doesn’t guarantee that you can use them well.
Read: CHED Free Tertiary Education – The Free Tuition Fee Law
To ensure that you will pass the UPCAT, you need to familiarize and understand the concept, strategy, and formula well. You can do mental training through drills and exercises in different subject areas. Understand the concept of the formula and how it is created so that you can use it effectively in answering the test questions.
- Make an educated guess
If you can’t do without making a guess, see to it that it is an educated one. Never make a wild guess in case you’re unable to identify the right answer. Even if you are well prepared, there’s always a chance that you may forget the answer to some particular questions.
Unlike other admission tests, UPCAT has the different system of computing the score, which is right minus ¼ wrong. That’s why if you will make a random guess you will expect that there are great chances of obtaining penalty.
- Stay cool and calm
Taking an exam under time pressure would not keep you calm. But, you should stay cool and calm so that your mind will function well. Keep your mindset focus on passing the exam so that you can pursue your dream of going to UP.
Preparing for the UPCAT does not require you to enroll in review centers. It’s because it does not guarantee you passing the admission test. The review centers will only help you recall previous lessons tackled during high school. They will also give some tips on how to pass the exam. But, you can also learn the lesson that you will learn from review centers at the comfort of your home.
If you will buy reviewers or mock exams, you can find them at bookstores. But, make sure to choose the updated reviewers. You can also find reviewers over the internet.
Preparing for the exam requires a lot of hard work and patience. You should spend more time reviewing and studying your lessons. During the examination day, you should bring water and snacks that you can eat when you get thirsty or hungry. Prior to the exam, you should look for the testing center so that you won’t get lost on the actual examination day.
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