As a parent, you cannot guide your child in the UPCAT if you don’t know what the UPCAT is all about. This article will answer your questions about the UPCAT and help your child prepare for test day.
1. What is the UPCAT?
The University of the Philippines College Admission Test or UPCAT is the exam taken by students who wish to study at the University of the Philippines. This exam is required for all incoming new freshman.
2. How can my child qualify for UP?
Your child qualifies for UP when his/her UPG (University Predicted Grade) is within the upper limit of the UP Campus where your child wishes to enter. For example, UP Diliman usually has a cut-off of about 2.2, UPLB has a cut-off of about 2.4 and UP Davao has a cut-off of 2.8. The UPG is computed by transmuting your child’s High School Average (about 40%) and adding it to his/her UPCAT score (about 60%).
3. Which UP Campus should your child choose?
The University of the Philippines has 9 independent campuses namely UP Diliman, UP Manila, UP Los Baños, UP Visayas, UP Davao, UP Baguio, UP Iloilo, UP San Fernando and UP Open University. Each campus has its own specialization, for example UP Manila is the center for medical science and UP Iloilo is the center for fisheries. Our advice is for your child to choose the campus that would fit the course that he/she wants to take. However, I would also like to note that UP Diliman and UP Manila has the highest UPG cut-off of all the 9 campuses. For further detail on each campus click here: https://www.upcatreview.com/universities
4. Is it true the UP has free tuition?
Yes, the tuition fee for UP is free. This is because of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act which grants full tuition subsidy for students in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges, and state-run technical-vocational schools.
5. Are there scholarships available?
Yes there are several scholarships available for UP students. One of the most numerous scholarship grant in UP is form the DOST-SEI Scholarship Program. Most scholarship grants are posted the Office of Student Affairs on every UP campus. The STFAP bracket system also ensures that financially challenged students have reduced tuition fees and receive monthly stipends.
6. Is my child required to enroll in a review program before he/she could take the UPCAT?
NO. Several students have been asking whether UP requires students to enroll in a review center or if UP endorses any specific review center. The answer is NO. Students are not required to enroll in any review center before the UPCAT. At the same time, UP does not and will not endorse any review center. I write this because some students have the impression that they won’t be allowed to take the UPCAT if they don’t review. That is just not true. However, we encourage students to study for the UPCAT as they would for any other exam. A review center would facilitate
7. Is the UPCAT right minus wrong?
YES and NO. The UPCAT is right minus a fraction of the wrong answer. The total correct answers that you will get in the UPCAT will be deducted by a portion, usually around one-fourth, of the number of wrong answers that you make.
If you have further questions about the UPCAT, don’t hesitate to contact us. The Review Masters team is ready to address your queries.