Students line up for the UP College Admission Test on June 3, 2023. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — This weekend, thousands of students will troop to testing centers nationwide to take one of the toughest entrance exams in the country.

This year's University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) is set for August 10 to 11. This is the second time UPCAT will be conducted since the COVID pandemic in 2020.

READ: 'No way but UP': This UP graduate once failed UPCAT but she fought for her dreams

UPCAT 2025 taker Vera Marie Lascano says she feels pressured as she has "very little preparation" for the exams. 

"It is still difficult for me even now, especially in Math and Science," she said.

To help UPCAT takers like Lascano, previous passers gave tips on how to ace the exams.

* Make sure to review well and be confident in yourself.

* Practice and know how to manage time. Take mock exams to practice answering questions quickly.

* Get plenty of sleep before the exam. Many UPCAT questions require you to read carefully and process information accurately. If you’re sleepy, you won’t be able to focus.

* Relax and don't be too pressured. It is normal to be nervous but try to relax. It’s also good if you bring things that may comfort you.

Meanwhile, review centers gave the following tips. 

* Visit the test center before the UPCAT so you won't get lost on test day.

* Don't study the night before the UPCAT.

* Make sure you bring snacks and eat during the exam. Avoid chips to prevent oily hands.

* Always read the instructions first.

* Answer the easy items first. You can always go back to the more difficult ones.

* Answer practice exams for 20 minutes every day.

* For Language Proficiency, read the choices first before reading the item that needs analysis. Master the subject-verb agreement as this will help answer the majority of the Language Proficiency subtest.

* For Mathematics and Science, master the fundamentals. It's better to understand the concept rather than memorize the formula. This helps you tackle problems even if you're unfamiliar with the formula. If you know the concept, no problem is difficult.

* Know the concept, then practice, then repeat.

* Make sure to eliminate choices. If you can eliminate two choices, you can guess. If not, do not attempt.

Filipinos tend to believe superstitions or pamahiin to pass exams — these beliefs have been passed through generations and have never been lost among Filipinos.

UPCAT passers Myreen Loto and Mark Jhodenz Buan shared their experiences with various superstitions they once followed. 

Among these are sleeping with a reviewer or a book under one’s pillow, wearing red underwear for good luck, putting coins inside shoes, and not looking back after taking the examination.

A review center also highlighted some common myths such as having one's pencil sharpened by an intelligent person, avoiding photos with UP’s Oblation statue, and the misconception about the test's scoring system.

Passers said they did these practices not because they strongly believed in them but because there was nothing wrong with doing them.

"It may not have contributed to how I passed the UPCAT, but it added confidence and a positive mindset, which is a good thing when taking the test," Buan said.

There might be nothing to lose from these beliefs, but perseverance and enough preparation are always the keys to passing any exam.

Before proceeding to your assigned testing centers, make sure to bring all the requirements needed including a printed test permit, and the applicant’s recent school ID or any government-issued ID with a photo. 

For more tips and information visit Tenten's Academy and Review Masters.

To know your designated testing venues, see the complete list here: 114 UPCAT 2025 testing venues.