UPCAT 2010 is Finally Over

Finally, the moment that my youngest brother prepared for is over. The UPCAT or the college entrance exam of the University of the Philippines was held last week and it seems like my brother found the exam difficult. He got out of the examination building scratching his head.

Well, I am not thinking that he might fail the exam because of that. I had a bad experience when I took the UPCAT years ago. When I got out of the examination building, my father noticed that I am exhausted and I am silent. I found the exam very difficult. Thank goodness that my power of guessing served me well that day so I passed the UPCAT.
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My youngest brother’s examination building.

My brother was scheduled to take the exam last Saturday. We went to UP Diliman quite early so we will not be late. Well, we came early so we got the time to walk to his examination building, which is the National Institute of Geological Sciences building.

I instantly noticed that the streets of the university are not heavy with traffic. I have also noticed that the front of examination buildings is not crowded with UPCAT takers and their parents. The increase of tuition fee in the university shunned the poor students from taking the UPCAT.

UPCAT 2010 is a far-cry from the year when I took the UPCAT. The university is crowded back then and there are many food booths around the university. UPCAT back then was like a fiesta. Well, tuition by that time is just a third of the current tuition fee.
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Not crowded. Parents waiting for their kids in front of Palma Hall.

I guess that the number of UPCAT takers will continue to dwindle. Too bad those poor but intelligent students opt to not enter the university because of the tuition fee.

Que sera sera. I just hope that my brother pass the UPCAT.
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How to Go to UP Diliman

UPCAT 2010 is less than 2 weeks away and many high school students are studying diligently to pass the exam.

UPCAT will be held on August 7 and 8 in all the campus of the UP System. I remember when I took the UPCAT, I didn’t know where to go. I am lucky that my dad tagged along that why I did not get lost during my exam.

UPCAT examinees should be aware of the heavy traffic during the exams, especially in UP Diliman. Thus, to avoid the hassle of being late, examinees should know how to go to UP Diliman.

UP Diliman is located in the heart of Quezon City, near the Quezon City circle. The campus can be reached in many ways. For people coming from the south, the best way is to ride a jeepney or bus that go to Fairview. Tell the driver or the bus conductor that you will go down at Philcoa.

For those who are coming from the north, riding a jeepney or bus going to Cubao or Quiapo is the best way to reach UP Diliman. You also have to go down at Philcoa.

At Philcoa, you must ride a jeepney that shows “UP Campus” placard. The traveling time to and around the campus will be slow because of number of people crowding the campus for the UPCAT.

As for me, I usually go down Central entrance of UP Diliman. This entrance is near the central temple of the Iglesia ni Cristo. From there, I just walk to my desired destination inside the campus. During the exams, there will be people who hands out the map of the campus to help the examinees.

UP Diliman is not that big and walking is not a problem. If you decide to walk, just be sure to go to UP Diliman early so that you will not be late.

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Tips on Taking UPCAT, ACET, DLSUCET and Other College Entrance Exams

It is just the start of the school year and I observed my youngest brother busy preparing some documents. When I asked him what’s he is so busy about, he said that he is preparing his application for the UPCAT or the University of the Philippines College Admissions Test.

Though, still early, now is the time for senior year high school students to prepare for college. Like what some people say, “it is never early to prepare.” Here are some of my tips for those who are planning to take the UPCAT and other college entrance exams.

1. Study in Group.

About seven years ago, in my senior year in high school, all of my classmates decided to take the UPCAT. Because of that, we decided to prepare for the exam as a whole class. After our shift in school, we had a session to study for the exams. We did this to help each other, especially those who are being left behind. We also asked our teachers to help us in our study. Studying in a group is quite helpful because you will get ideas from your classmates. You also get the chance to share what you know. Sharing your knowledge is a great way of refreshing your mind on the topics that you already learned. I find teaching my fellow classmates, even during my college years, as a good way to review for the exams.

2. Review Daily.

There is saying that says “practice makes things perfect.” This saying is also applicable to reviewing for the exams. Studying everyday and solving math problems is the best way to hone your self so that answering them is easy during the exams. I study everyday after finishing all my assignments to prepare me for the UPCAT. It is helpful because the interference from my classmates is gone. I can concentrate on answering questions for the exam.

Practicing answering the sample questions daily is also a great way to develop a habit of studying daily. This habit is very important once you entered college.

3. Use Review Materials

Review books and pamphlets that are available in the bookstore were helpful for me in reviewing for the UPCAT. The authors of these books already have an insight on what types of exams and questions are being asked for college entrance exams like UPCAT. These insights are valuable so that you will not be surprised during the exams. Answering questions using the review books are the best way to gauge yourself how prepared you are for the exam.

4. Develop a Good Studying Habit.

All of the previous tips I mentioned are really helpful for you to pass college entrance exams. However, those tips rest on the attitude of the student. If you prefer to watch TV or play game rather than studying, then you have a big problem there. You should balance your time for study and your time for recreation. I, for one, devoted more time for review for UPCAT when I discovered that I have more grounds to cover. Having a good studying habit while reviewing for college entrance exams is a good way of developing good studying habit that you will need during your college years.

The tips I gave here are quite helpful for me when I am studying for UPCAT seven years ago. I hope that my tips help you too. If you have more idea or studying tips, then please it with us by leaving a comment.

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