Upcat survival guide

CCORDING TO the 2013 Top 300 Asian universities list of the London-based education and career network Quacquarelli Symonds, the University of the Philippines (UP) still holds the crown as the country’s top school.

Being the national university, a UP education is the pot of gold that students all over the country aspire for. But unfortunately, not everyone reaches the end of the rainbow and gets to that pot of gold.

As research shows, most of the nation’s trailblazers and magnates studied in UP. Seven of the country’s 15 presidents graduated from the university, which has also produced 34 of the country’s 57 National Artists and 36 of its 37 National Scientists.

Because of UP’s legacy of excellence, service and honor and its breed of true iskolars ng bayan, it is a top choice among college entrance examinees. You are probably one of thousands of high-school students who will take the UP College Admission Test (Upcat), hoping that this will be your golden ticket to enter the university.

Your heart may be pounding and your knees shaking, but don’t fret. Here are a few tips and tricks for making your Upcat a journey that just might change your life.

Understand, internalize

Understand,

don’t

re- member. Surely, you have done your part in reviewing everything there is to review. But, to remember and simply memorize what you are reviewing will not guarantee retention. It is best to understand and internalize what you are reviewing. Stored knowledge and understanding are what you can really bank on when everything comes down to the wire.

Think out of the box. Find other ways to prepare for the Upcat and to psyche yourself into tiptop shape. You can perform mental exercises, play educational games and talk to your fellow Upcat takers—it’s up to you. But most importantly, never ever doubt yourself.

Happy tummy

Eat. Have a hearty meal before taking the test. Don’t let stress and nerves prevent you from eating your favorite dish. A happy tummy will keep your body awake and improve your overall performance.

Also, test takers are allowed to bring snacks into the room so you should make the most out of it. Bring a few snacks that are easy to munch. Your hungry tummy should not distract you as you take the test. Don’t forget to bring drinking water, too.

Know where to go. Who would want the stress of getting lost on Upcat day, right? To avoid that, do a test run of your route at least the day before, so finding your room will be a breeze on test day itself.

Be early. Don’t arrive at exactly the given time. Give yourself at least half an hour to settle in and breathe. A few instructions might also be given out