First Quarter na and, of course, uso ulit ang Entrance Exams. Kalat na kalat na rin sa Facebook. Puro questions like “Any tips on taking the UPCAT?” Hindi ako mag-eendorse ng Review Center, don't worry. Next time na lang. (Sorry, AHEAD :)) This blog will give you tips depending on taking the UPCAT. Plus, I’ll answer the UP FAQs.
Now, siguro you read on my info na I study in UP Diliman and I graduated in Manila Science High School. Actually I’m still a freshie at fresh pa sa akin ang ala-ala ng UP. You must be worrying that I take this from a Scientian (tawag sa mga graduate ng science high schools) point of view. Pero let me tell you that my tips will suit you. Kahit anong school ka pa galing. Just read through the whole blog and I'm sure you'll pick up a lot to help you through your UPCAT experience.
First of all, general tips; tips before and during the exam.
TIP NO 1
WEAR A FUNCTIONAL WRISTWATCH
Walang wall clock sa classrooms ng UP. Meron lang countdown show cards na every 15 minutes pinapalitan except for the last five minutes. Check your watch occasionally if you yourself know na may kabagalan ka magtake ng test.
TIP NO 2
WEAR SOMETHING COMFORTABLE
Yung tipong babagay sa mainit man o malamig na classroom. You’ll never know the temperature till you get there. Plus, may malaking chance na maglalakad ka papunta sa testing building mo dahil sa traffic ng University Avenue (kaya girls, no heels). Ngayon if you’re asking kung may dress code ang UP, proud akong sabihin na wala. Basta decent ka tingnan, okay yan. Karamihan sa mga UP students, nakashorts and shirt pag pumapasok. Don’t forget to bring a jacket, though. Baka bigla kang mapunta sa malamig na room.
TIP NO 3
CONSULT YOUR ATES/KUYAS
Kung may friends or siblings kayo sa higher batches na nag-aaral sa UP, ask them about your testing center. Libre lang magtanong kaya bombard them with all the questions na. For example, the simplest way to a certain building, or landmarks to remember within UP. I assure you, don’t ask and you’ll get lost.
TIP NO 4
BRING SNACKS THAT AREN’T MESSY AND DRINKS
Now the UPCAT takes long, 4 to 5 hours approximately. So I advise you to take breakfast pero if you’re an avid breakfast skipper like me, I advise you to skip breakfast especially kung nasa morning session ka. I got this form experience. You might feel sleepy during the exam if you eat out of your schedule. Bring snacks not the messy or maingay kind. A sandwich is the best snack and a piece of chocolate bar. The chocolate will help you stay awake. Kung you’re antukin naman, and you feel that the cozyness of the room might send you off to dreamland, bring a caffeinated drink, coke or coffee, which ever you prefer.
TIP NO 5
BRING THE WORLD’S BEST PENCILS
Now you’re permit might say that you should bring only two, but it’s better to bring 3 or 4. Sharpen them. But not so sharp that it hurts you already. You’ll end up wasting your time shading the circles. Another tip. If you drop your pencil, IGNORE IT. Pick it up later. You’ll waste approximately half a minute picking it up. You can answer 2 questions in that time span.
TIP NO 6
PACK YOUR BAG THE NIGHT BEFORE
Bring everything. Permit, pencils, other writing materials, snacks, everything that is required for the test. Double check or triple check after packing. Never pack when you’re about to leave. You’ll end up leaving something behind.
TIP NO 7
NEVER FORGET YOUR PERMIT
Yan ang lifeline mo sa UP habang di ka pa nakakapagtest. Hindi ka papapasukin sa gate ni kuya guard pag wala kang permit. No permit. No test. Goodbye UP.
TIP NO 8
NEVER USE THE SHOTGUN METHOD TO ANSWER THE TEST
(Shotgun Method: noun. A testing method wherein the examinee makes a random guess out of unread questions just to finish the test. Frequently used when examinee is running out of time or has left many questions unanswered)
Golden Rule ng UPCAT. Always remember that the UPCAT is RIGHT MINUS ONE-FOURTH WRONG. A stupid guess may cost you your admission. Leave those uncertain numbers and skip to the next question. Pag di mo natapos wag mong sasagutan. Mas masasayang pag nanghula ka.
TIP NO 9
MAGDALA NG MAPA NG UP
Essential lalo na kung sa Diliman ka magtetest. 439 hectares ang campus. Almost half nito, gubat. Ngayon kung ayaw mong maligaw sa kagubatan, magdala ka ng map. Advisable yung top view na map, in Eng’g terms, plan. Kung may map ka na at feeling mo mawawala ka pa rin, lagi lang tandaan. Pag di mo na nakita ang kalsada at nakakita ka na ng mga ilog ilog, mali na ang pinupuntahan mo.
UPCAT TEST COMPONENTS
The UPCAT is made of three tests; Science, Math and English. English is divided into two; Reading Comprehension and Language Proficiency.
* An additional tip, there are Tagalog questions in the test.
ENGLISH:
Fair. Okay lang. As long as you read the selections well and you master your Subject Verb Agreement and the Rules of Pronouns. Beware though, many of my schoolmates failed because of English. So be careful. Read with understanding. *
SCIENCE:
A jampacked test filled with Geology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Biotechnology, Genetics and quite a few advanced questions in Chemistry and Physics. Know your scientific methods and laboratory equipment well. If you haven’t taken up your Chemistry and Physics yet, I suggest you go through the basic concepts. Chemistry questions may involve converting to moles and the empirical formulas. Physics may involve about sound, waves, energy, radioactivity and other concepts. *
MATHEMATICS:
Unfortunately, this will be the hardest part of the test. The Mathematics test has many components; Algebra (Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced), Basic Geometry, Trigonometry, Finite Mathematics, Analytical Geometry and Calculus. Most questions come from Trigonometry, Finite Mathematics and Algebra (all three). If you haven’t taken up Trigonometry yet, I strongly suggest that you study the unit circle and, unfortunately, memorize it. Bawal mag calculator sa exam.*
UPCAT FAQs
1. Saan po ang SOLAIR?
Walang kamatayang tanong ng testers. Ito ang isa sa pinakamalaking testing centers. SOLAIR stands for School of Labor and Industrial Relations. Malapit siya sa mismong entrance ng UP, not past Quezon Hall. If you’re walking form UnivAve, Pass E. Jacinto St. a.k.a. Sydney Opera St. (Mukha kasing Sydney Opera house yung waiting shed.), left side; Dire diretso lang, beside ISSI. Kung mag jee-jeep ka naman, Take UP Ikot or Toki (yellow roofed jeep).
2. Saan po ang College of Social Sciences and Philosophy?
Ang CSSP ay nasa Palma Hall. It is along the Academic Oval, beside the College of Arts and Letters. Kung may plano kayong magtour ng UP before the exam, ride the MRT Pantranco, PhilCoA or SM North jeep. Kung maglalakad ka lang, paikot at trip mo magtanong, don’t be surprised na “AS” ang isasagot sa iyo ng mga students.
3. Saan po ang College of Engineering?
Ang Eng ay ang mirror image ng CSSP (Palma Hall a.k.a. AS). Kung maglalakad ka ng Acad Oval, from CSSP may street sa tapat called Betaway, tahakin ang Betaway at makararating ka na sa Eng or Melchor Hall. Kung jeep naman ang trip mo, Toki lamang ang dumadaan dun.
4. Saan po ang Math Building?
Para sa testing center na ito, pinaka-advisable na maglakad, 10 minutes lang naman e. Mula sa AcadOval, magtungo ka sa gitna ng CAL at CSSP. Walk up, away from the parking, go straight ahead. Dire diretso lang hanggang sa makita mo ang National Institute of Geographical Sciences. Stay on the left side of the road. Go na dun sa zigzag road, sa may gubat. Dire diretso lang at makikita mo na ang Math. Pag naligaw ka, magtanong ka na. J
5. Totoo po bang may color coding yung mga jeep na paikot ikot sa UP Diliman?
Oyes. Tunay na tunay. Ang yellow na jeep ay either UP Ikot o Toki, and green ay MRT Pantranco, ang Red ay Katipunan Aurora, at ang blue ay SM North TriNoma. Ang green at blue roofs ay siguradong dadaan ng PhilCoA. Ang yellow naman, ay hindi lumalabas ng campus.
6. Saan po pedeng kumain sa loob ng UP?
Yiee. Excited. Kung naisipan mong pumunta ng maagang maaga prior to your sched at inabutan ka ng lunch time sa campus, wag mag-alala! Namumukadkad ng kainan ang campus at siguradong afford na afford ang mga ito. Lahat halos ng building at colleges sa UP Diliman ay may canteen. Kung di ka naman makakita ng canteen in sight, itry mo rin sa mga kiosk na malapit sa mga building.
7. Malaki daw po ang Palma Hall, paano po yung room numbering doon?
Good question. Buti na lang naitanong mo dahil siguradong sabaw ka pag naligaw ka sa AS, pawis at pagod ang makukuha mo. Laging tandaan na pag nakaharap sa AS, ang nasa kanan ay even at ang kaliwa ay odd.
8. Pwede po bang puntahan yung testing center before the exam?
Yes. Open na open ang UP sa visitors. Pwede mo nang tuntunin kung saan ang building mo at pag-aralan ang pinakamabilis na route papunta dito. However, hindi mo pede silipin yung room dahil kailangan mo ng UP ID para makapasok sa lahat ng buildings maliban sa OUR.
Tip lang tester:
Kung trip mong bisitahin ang testing center mo, magsuot ka ng civilian para medyo belong ka sa crowd ng mga PeyUps. Pero kung proud na proud ka sa uniform mo, no problem. J
FOR MORE QUESTIONS, e-mail ka lang sa akin at itsasunnyshinyday@gmail.com o kaya naman ay magtext sa 0927 392 5303.
Pakilala ka na lang, whichever way kang magtatanong, by stating your name, and school at I’ll help you with your UPCAT wonders. :D
