(Note: This post consists of text in both Tagalog and English considering that I’ll be talking about Philippine universities)
Normally, when your high school years are about to end, you’d think about what college would be like. But of course, it all starts with passing a test. But before that, dapat alam mo kung ano course kukunin mo.
Sure, nung elementary ka gusto mong maging doctor, gusto mo maging chef. But as time flies, our decisions change. Long ago, I wanted nursing, then HRM, then Tourism, it’s a long never-ending list. Hindi yan maiiwasan: yung marami kang gusto kaya nahihirapan ka pumili ng course. But there are those people who look straight forward with the just one course on their mind. Pag fourthyear, syempre aayusin mo na decisions mo. Pipili ka na talaga ng siguradong course na gusto mo. I can’t say it could be absolutely final because more or less 20% would shift to another course. But that depends on the person.
Minsan yung course mo wala sa school na gusto mo. Dahil dito, may dalawang uri ng tao: Yung pumipili ng course based sa school at yung pumipili ng school based sa course. Ikaw na bahala kung ano mas gusto mong paraan but more or less, no matter what way you choose, you would still end up with one decision. Pressured? Nah. Don’t be. We haven’t got to the part yet.
UP. UST. ADMU. DLSU. Do they sound familiar to you? I guess they do. I believe you’re going to take at least one entrance test from the top four universities? Well, I did the same. Though, I can only narrate to you my experiences in three tests because I wasn’t able to take the DLSUCET after the typhoon.
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University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT).
Ito. Ito yung pinakaunang entrance test na makukuha mo sa simula ng senior year nyo. We took the UPCAT on August 3-4, 2013. Yes, it comes that early so you should brace yourselves.
During your summer break, buy some time to review. In my case, I took UPCAT review classes with Smart Science (formerly St. John Student Development Center) in Marasbaras. The same review center I went to for Philippine Science High School’s test back in Grade 6. They offered a two-week review from Mondays to Fridays. They gave us reviewers and made us do drills and tests. One big advice na pwedeng kong ibigay sa inyo pag magrereview kayo? PAY ATTENTION. Una sa lahat, sulitin mo na yung bayad. Binigyan kayo ng chance magreview para sa college entrance tests, gawin mo na ang lahat. Besides, yung review nyo parang advance study na din nyan para sa senior year nyo. Fourth year ka na. Wag ka nang umasa na may kokopyahan ka sa test. May iba kaming teachers na mabilis magturo. Try your best to catch up. Pag di mo man makuha, you can always come back to that question when you have time. Pag magreview ka ng maayos, siguradong papasa ka. IF the school is meant for you, remember. Kaya wag mong ipagyabang yung fact na nagrereview ka ngayon summer. Review palang yan. The real test still awaits.
Last summer, I didn’t use just one reviewer. Try answering online reviewers and mock tests. Marami kang mahahanap. Most of them come with an answer key and if I were you, don’t cheat. Dati, ginagawa ko yan. Pasimpleng titingin sa answer key habang nagrereview tutal wala naman nagbabantay sakin. Self-review naman to. But it didn’t help, wala akong natutunan. If you plan to review on your own, discipline yourself to not cheat. Because if you do, masasanay ka nyan. Walang papasok na information sa utak mo.
Good news, there are apps, too! Wag mong gamitin phone mo para lang magtext, magTwitter or kung anu-ano pa. Try mong magdownload ng review app. I found one that focuses on the four university tests. And you can choose what section to study: english, science, probability and satistics, etc. If I were you, try mong i-jot down yung mga question na di mo pa alam. It’ll help. Balikan mo lang ng balikan.
Eto na. Yung test. Sabi nila wag daw mag-aral the night before. Pero dahil nagpanic ako, nag-aral pa din ako. Di naman ako namatay haha pero I suggest don’t overwork your brain too much. You’ve studied a lot for the past 13 years and that’s already enough knowledge. Kahit konting refresher lang sa umaga, okay na. Oh yeah, be sure to fill your stomach. Life’s better with food. Just like my sister’s board exam, my mom prepared hotdogs and eggs for breakfast presented nicely to form the number 100. My test schedule was at noon. So I got two full meals: breakfast and lunch. Then we went to the testing center (UP Tacloban) an hour before. My parents brought me to the site and as soon as I got out of the car, I didn’t look and wave facing them anymore. My sister did the same during her board exam years ago. She says it denotes “no looking back” or something like that. The same with wearing something red for luck.
So the first thing we did was line up. There was a long line outside because the first batch didn’t get out yet. So we had to wait. While waiting, be sure to check if you have everything ready. Hold on to your permit. Sharpen your pencils. And your food and water!
Yun! Gumalaw na yung pila! Batch 1 already left the building and they banned us from talking to them before the test. Pagpasok mo sa lobby or whatever, kukunin bag mo tapos bibigyan ka ng number para makuha ulit after. Kaya ilabas mo na kailangan mo and, no phone, btw.
Bago kayo pumasok sa testing area mismo, tatawagin nila yung mga left-handed. After that, dere-derecho na kayo papasok. With the help of the ones in charge, of course.
Nakaupo ka na. Wag ka munang mapressure. There’s enough time to relax. Ididistribute pa nila ung sheets tsaka test booklet kaya chill ka muna dyan. I wont tell you what you’re supposed to do in writing or whatever, though. Common sense lang. Tsaka meron naman magsasabi kung ano sunod nyong gagawin.
Yung UPCAT, right minus wrong. Not completely. Mga one-fourth lang. Sabi nila, leave it blank nalang kasi yung blanko, hindi kasama sa right minus wrong na yan. But I say, make an educated guess. What’s better, have 50 blanks or make 50 guesses with at least 20% of them correct. It depends sayo, actually. Ako, di na ako nagleave ng blank putting in mind na I might have a chance to get at least 50% of my guesses correct. Ikaw bahala. You can balance your guesses and blanks.
Don’t take too much time answering one number. Alam nyo yung feeling na nag-effort ka masyado sa isang bagay pero di mo nakuha. Ganun lang yun haha. If you’re really having a hard time figuring out the answer, skip it. Then get back to it later. I did the same during the test and I was surprised that I got the correct answer when I came back to it. Sometimes it takes minutes for the mind to process so skip mo muna yan. Malay mo, on the way, makahanap ka ng solusyon.
Find an inspiration hahaha. Wag kang mapressure pag kung katabi mo, marami nang nasasagot. Keep in mind that if he can do it, you can, too. Positivity lang kailangan mo to keep you going.
Eto. Problema ng lahat. Time pressure. As long as you know how to budget your time in real life, what more in a test like this? Don’t answer too fast. Don’t answer too slow. Kaya nga may mock test kayo sa review para mapractice nyo na mag-answer in a given time. During the test, may countdown yan na nakalagay sa board. Time left: 16 minutes, etc. Friendly tip, wag na wag kang magpapressure diyan. Kasi pag nagpapanic ka, bigla mo nalang napapansin na di mo na nasasagutan ng maayos. Like what happened to me. I was in reading comprehension, the last part, and there are like 10 more questions left in 4 minutes. Di lang yan tanong, ha. May babasahin pa. Ayun. Nagpanic. Nadisappoint. Nasira yung mood. Umiyak pauwi. We’ll get to that later. Make friends with time. Don’t see it as a threat. Just go on and answering but make sure you speed up even a little bit but don’t make that an excuse to shade the wrong answers. Answer accurately padin.
Sa reading comprehension ng UPCAT, may tagalog, may english. Sa tagalog ako nahirapan kasi ang deep masyado haha. You’ll be reading a lot of selections and trust me, don’t take too much time reading just one. You can read the questions first and scan the selection for the answer. It’s easier that way. If you do, you wont worry about time pressure at the end.
The test was chill at first but at every end, patindi ng patindi. Nafefeel mo na yung “pressure” na yan. But don’t think about that. See pressure as a treasure, not a threat. Tsaka mas maganda nga yan. Mabilis yung oras para makakain na kayo after haha.
It’s weird how I’m putting the most important thing at the last. Idk I felt like putting this here for a save-the-best-for-last feeling. So, yeah. DON’T FORGET TO PRAY. I got my pencils blessed the night before. You can bring a rosary in the testing site. They wont take it away from you. In every challenge you face, put God first and the rest will follow.
Don’t worry about the test. It wont kill you. Sure, you’ll get butterflies in your stomach considering it’s the first university test you’ll be taking but that’s fine. “There’s always a first.” Ahhh yes. I’ve been saying that line the whole night. So I didn’t do my best in some parts of the tests. I guessed a lot. I panicked a lot. I cried at the end. But on the way home, after eating a full Japanese meal in Rai Rai Ken that pleased my stomach as well as my thinking, I realized that what just happened wasn’t ‘just a first’, it was a 'great first’. Don’t worry about getting disappointed in the end. At least you tried your very best. It’s better to end a test with exerting 99.9% of your effort than finishing one without lifting a finger. As long as you did your best, there’s a chance you’ll pass.
The date on the release of results is usually written at the back of your test booklet or in the website. It’s going to be a long wait. But in my case, it came early. December kind of early. Masarap yung feeling pag pumasa ka sa UPCAT. Promise. I underestimated myself, actually. I thought I wouldn’t pass. I thought about us just because I didn’t get one part of the test right? Just because of ONE, my spirits went down? You see. At the end, you’d just laugh about the things you “thought would happen”. Don’t let small things take your happiness. You can do it!
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ATENEO COLLEGE ENTRANCE TEST (ACET)
Sa tatlong entrance test na kinuha ko, ito ata yung pinakamahirap. In my point of view of course. But who knows, it’ll seem like a piece of cake to you.
So we had our test on the 21st of September so there was more time to study. Well, we got busy with schoolwork and didn’t find time to. But, luckily. Our teachers offered review sessions a week before the test.
Again, we went to the venue an hour before. It’s better early than late. Plus, if you’re early, you can get to talk with the people who’ll also be taking the test. Conversing lightens up the mood. You forget about the pressure. Sometimes if feels like you’re just about to take a mid-quarter examination. But of course, those feelings are just temporary. When you get into the room, it’s a different feel.
The moment you get in the venue (ours was in Sacred Heart School, Tacloban City), the first thing you do is check your names and what room you’re supposed to be in. Later on, they’ll raise up placards that show the room number and from there, you form your line, and it’s up to them to direct you to your room. Your seating arrangement’s done in alphabetical order by the way. So you can’t sit anywhere else.
Ngayon, medyo chill ka na. Di ka na first-timer. You already took the UPCAT so I guess nasanay ka na. Sanayan lang yan. The test wont seem new to you anymore kaya wag na magpanic.
There was a wall clock so it was easy to keep track of the time.
ACET was challenging. There were some questions you’ve never encountered before. Just take note of the UPCAT tips. More or less, they also apply with this. Again, no pressure.
Unfortunately, September 21 was not my day. They released the results sometime in January and I didn’t pass heh. But that’s okay. I didn’t do my best then. And so, let this be a lesson. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST. There’s a better chance to pass.
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UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS ENTRANCE TEST (USTET)
Sa tatlong test na kinuha ko, ito yung pinaka-worth it. And I was confident with this.
I didn’t review that much weeks before. But I had a little bit of a refresher the nights before. As always. This was the only test when I actually didn’t feel the pressure. Plus, I was confident that my luck from the day before didn’t wear off. What luck? Well, we had our test on October 5, the day after my birthday. October 5 was a good day
So, the test’s almost the same as ACET. I mean, the process of getting in. You don’t get to pick a seat. It depends on what’s written on the list.
I got the last seat in the room and I always believed in “save the best for last” hahaha. I’m sorry. I had to motivate myself to pass.
Sa test, may ibibigay yan sila na folder ng UST na may prayer. Linagay yan for a reason. Pray mo yan.
The test was fine. It was easy to make guesses and btw, if you find that some questions are the same, kopyahin mo nalang kung ano sinagot mo sa tanong na yan dati haha wag ka nang magsolve ulit. Sayang lang ng oras. Pero wag mong isipin na lahat ng questions identical. Meron iba na parang pareho pero iba pala yung numbers na given. Watch out. Keep your eyes open.
I guess I have nothing else to say about the written test kasi sobrang dali talaga yun. As long as may laman utak mo, ayos na yan. Mapapasa mo yan. All you need to know are the basics and you’re good.
But there’s one thing I’d really like to talk about. The extra test for those who want to take up fine arts and architecture. Akala mo hanggang Test IV ka lang haha may V pa tsaka drawing test. We’re that loved. Kaya nga sulit yung bayad kasi hindi lang written haha. So test V is sort of abstract. Space something. I forgot the term. Both fine arts and archi have to take test V. Let’s just hope your brains aren’t worn out yet. More or less you’d enjoy this test. But the enjoyable part was the drawing test (only for fine arts, though). There are four fine arts courses: Advertising, Interior, Industrial and Painting. I don’t recall what they did for painting but if you’re taking one of the first three, they’d make you draw something. In my case, my first and second choices are advertising arts and interior design, respectively. So I had to take two sheets of paper for the two. Don’t worry. They’ll provide the paper. May header pa kasi na susulatan. Yung sa advertising, dalawa actually yung pinagawa. So it’s like I made 3 (include interior’s test). They might seem many pero kinuha mo yan dahil passion mo yan. Wala naman akong narinig magreklamo about sa drawing test. I guess we’re all contented.
Wag mong madaliin yung drawing test. Yung feeling na gutom ka na kaya binilisan mo nalang pagdrawing mo. Masakit pag malaman mong pasa ka sa lahat ng area, sa drawing test lang bumagsak.
Just like the UPCAT, masaya yung feeling pag makapasa ka sa USTET. Lagi naman ganun. Actually, sa lahat ng test, ganun. Especially pag pinaghirapan mo. And you know what’s better, when you pass the school you really want to go to. UST was my first of all the first choices after all.
The results can be checked online. Don’t lose your permit. You’ll need your applicant’s number to check the results. Unlike sa UPCAT at ACET na name lang malalaman mo na agad, the online USTET results can only be accessed with the applicant’s number. But there’s a long list in the campus with all the full names. Well, let’s just say I lost every single admission material because of the typhoon so I had to guess my applicant’s number. Luckily, my classmate still has hers so I based it from there. I still remember our seating arrangement anyway. And the number was based on our seats (and surnames).
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Actually, the tips above apply to any entrance test. I just chose to specify what I used them for. But no worries, you can use this anytime.
Three tests worth three thousand memories. Bat andami kong tinake na test? Tatlo lang naman to haha. Madami na ba? Well, we were told na magtake lang ng magtake hanggat kaya namin. After we get the results for all, dun na pipili ng school. Why don’t you do the same? It actually helps. Don’t worry about the university and the tuition first. It all starts with the test (and your graduation lol) Sa huli ka na pumili kung ano gusto mo. Ito pa. Wala akong stable na target. I chose to do this para hindi ako masaktan pag di ako pumasa. It’s not bad to have a 'first choice’ school. Sure, it keeps you motivated but just don’t expect too much. Don’t keep your target in one place yet. Worry about that after the test. After you’ve passed the test. There’s time for everything.
What if you chose the wrong course? Well, there’s no such thing as a wrong course. All of your choices are right. Just because the course is not meant for you doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Minsan pinili mo yan dahil gusto mo pero di ka magaling. Hindi magaling? I heard that from everyone but at the end, sila din naman yung magaling. That’s why we study. To explore ourselves. To develop. Choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. Choose a course you love. Wag mong hayaan na pilitin ka pumili ng course na di mo kaya. I chose fine arts because, well, I love art and it’s my passion. Ikaw? “Wala nang choice e.” Anong walang choice? You’re human. You’re breathing. And as long as you’re still on Earth, you do have a choice. Put your heart and mind together and MAKE. THE. BEST. CHOICE. Something you wont regret. Something you think you can handle. Something you believe you can pass.
What if hindi pumasa? Well, yung tanong, mamamatay ka na ba nyan? Hindi diba. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, I’ve been told. Wag mo yan iyakan, girl. Sabi pa nga ng friend ko. Di ka pumasa sa gusto mong school, ayos lang yan. Marami pang paraan. Pwede ka naman magtransfer. Pwede ka naman magpa-reconsider. I heard of one who was only reconsidered but topped her batch at the end. I’m talking about cum laude kind of top. See? Hope. Sure, sometimes the school’s not meant for you. But there’s always a reason behind that. If you don’t get what you want, it doesn’t mean everything’s over. Don’t blame God for that. He didn’t make you pass because he believes that there’s something better for you. Something BEST for you. Don’t feel bad about failure. There’s nothing wrong about it. Test palang yan! Marami ka pang mararanasan na ganyan. Sanayan nalang yan. The reason why there’s failure is for us to realize that there are times we can succeed. It’s just like saying, you can’t see the beauty of something unless it’s tampered or gone. There are a lot more schools out there.
Before I end this post, let me be the one to tell you FOLLOW YOUR HEART and make the best choice. STUDY HARD to pass all the tests. DON’T LET FEAR TAKE OVER YOU, move on and start again. PUT GOD FIRST and the rest will follow.
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Remember, before you go to the end, you have to go through it. And it all begins now. Your first step to college. The test. Treat it well. Pass it. Never regret. I didn’t experience all this just for my sake. I wanted to share what helped me pass, too, because I know, someday, somehow, this will help you, too. Good Luck and God Bless!
