UPCAT COVERAGE BY UPCATINFO.

COM
Mathematics
1. Arithmetic and Number Sense
2. Algebra
3. Signed Numbers
4. Algebraic Expressions
5. Equations and Inequalities
6. Quadratic Equations
7. Systems of Equation
8. Polynomials
9. Functions and Relations
10. Fractions and Rational Functions
11. Cartesian Coordinate System (Graphing)
12. Word Problems
13. Exponents and Logarithms
14. Radicals
15. Sets and Set Notation
16. Complex Numbers
17. Sequences and Series

Geometry
1. Reasoning
2. Definitions, Postulates and Theorems
3. Angles
4. Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
5. Triangle Postulates and Theorems (ASA, SSS, etc.)
6. Quadrilaterals and Other Polygons
7. Area and Volume
8. Circles

Trigonometry
1. Basic Trigonometric Functions
2. Basic Identities

Statictics
1. Measures of Central Tendencies (mean, median, mode)
2. Factorials
3. Counting, Permutation and Combination
4. Probability

Science
Earth Science and Astronomy
Rocks and Minerals
The Layers of the Earth and its Composition
Land Formations and Bodies of Water
Plate Tectonics
Earthquakes, Volcanoes
Climate, Weather and the Atmosphere
Fossils

Biology
The Ecosystem
Classification/Taxonomy
Biogeochemical Cycles
Plants and Photosynthesis
Animal Biology
Cell Biology
Genetics and Heredity
Human Anatomy

Chemistry
Precision and Accuracy
Conversion of Units
Elements, Compounds and Mixtures
States of Matter
The Periodic Table
Electronic Configuration and the Quantum Numbers
Nuclear Reactions
Chemical Reactions
Stoichiometry
Gas Laws
Redox Reactions
Basic Organic Chemistry

Physics
Scalar and Vector Quantities
Laws of Motion
Relative Velocities
Force
Work, Energy and Power
Fluid Mechanics
Light, Sound and Waves
Electricity and Magnetism
Thermodynamics

Language Proficiency
Vocabulary
Word Meanings
Spelling
Synonyms
Antonyms
Confusing Words
Grammar
Parts of Speech
Correct Usage
Punctuation
Capitalization
Subject-verb Agreement
Sentence Construction
Modifiers
Finding Errors/Sentence Correction
Voice (active and passive)

Reading Comprehension
Essays
Getting the Main Idea/Topic Sentence
Appropriate Title of Selection
Poetry
Short stories
Speeches
Comic Strips
Figures of Speech (simile, metaphors, etc.)
Author’s Point of View
Meaning Through Context Clues
Drawing Conclusions
Inference
Fact and Opinion
Filipino
Wastong Gamit
Bahagi ng Pananalita
Sawikain o Idioma
Tayutay
Paksa ng Talata

(note: The Filipino part is integrated with the Language Proficiency and Reading Comprehension
subtests)

Mathematics subtest will cover: basic and intermediate algebra, geometry, and a bit of statistics.
-Science subtest will cover: earth science, biology, basic chemistry, and basic physics.
-Language Proficiency subtest will cover: vocabulary, synonyms and antonyms, spelling, correct
usage and grammar (speech, subject-verb agreement, parallelism)
-Reading Comprehension will cover: context clues, getting the main idea, inferences, drawing
conclusion, figures of speech. It will also have a section on Filipino which will cover: bahagi ng
pananalita, wastong gamit, pagtukoy ng mali sa pangungusap, salawikain, sawikain (idyoma), et
cetera.
UPCAT Facts, Figures and Information
What is the UPCAT
Being the premier State University, the University of the Philippines offers a wide range of
degreeprograms. Most of the programs requirequalification through the UP College Admission
Test, or more popularly known as the UPCAT. Tomaintain its high standard of education and to
maximize its limitedresources, UP has had to limit slots for freshman admission to eachcampus
and to its various degree programs thus a screening process is necessary for UP to distribute
these slots.

If you decide to take the UPCAT you will be among the tens of thousands students who will be
vying for the more or less 13,000 slots for UP. Last year, the number of examinees was more
than 80,000 (there were only over 70,000 examinees in the previous years). As you might have
noticed, the competition in the UPCAT is very tough.

Coverage of the UPCAT

The UPCAT consists of 4 subtests: Language Proficiency, Science,Mathematics and Reading
Comprehension. Each subject covers most of the topics that you have taken during your high
school years. Here are the subtopics that are included in the test:

UPG Computation
The University Predicted Grade (UPG) is the basis used by UP in ranking all of the applicants.
UP combines several factors such as UPCAT test scores, high school grades, geographical
location with respect to campus applied for, nature of high school attended, etc. A rating of 1.000
(highest) to 5.000 (lowest) is then given to a student.
But the UPG, simply put, is just comprised of the following:

UPCAT test scores which amounts to about 60% of the UPG

1st year to 3rd year high school grades, which is roughly about 40% of the UPG.
To obtain the final UPG, other factors are integrated by either adding or subtracting a fraction of
a point from the initially computed UPG.

Qualifying for a Campus

When you fill up your application form, you need to choose two campuses from among ten other
campuses (Diliman, Manila, Los Baños, Cebu, Baguio, Iloilo, Mindanao, Pampanga, Tacloban
and Open University). You will then be ranked based on your UPGs and then be screened based
on your choice of campus.
In the previous years, the cut-offs for the different UP campuses are as follows:

UP Manila 2.1-2.2
UP Diliman about 2.2
UP Los Baños 2.3-2.4
UP Baguio 2.6-2.7
UP Tacloban about 2.7
UP Cebu about 2.7
UP Iloilo about 2.7
UP Mindanao about 2.75
Thus, campuses with high UPG cut-offs are harder to get into than campuses with lower UPG
cut-offs. You should be wise on what you put on your campus choices in your application as this
plays a major factor in your probability of passing the UPCAT.

Qualifying for a Degree Program

Aside from having to choose two campuses, you are also to choose two degree programs per
campus as part of the application.
After qualifying for a campus, you are then screened for acceptance into one of the degree
programs you chose. Each degree programuses a different grade predictor which uses the
UPCAT subtest scores, depending on the focus subject of the program. Campus qualifiers are
ranked according to the degree program predictor. Top-ranking qualifiers are accepted according
to the number of slots available for a program. Thus the number of applicants for the degree
program and the program quota matters.

As an illustration, admission to Engineering programs would require a high math and science
subtest score. In contrast, Mass Communications degree will require a high subtest score in
Language and Reading Comprehension.

If you make it to the quota for your first choice program, you will nolonger be screened for your
second choice. If you don’t make it to yourfirst choice of degree program, you will undergo the
same screeningprocess for your second choice. If you still do not make it, you willremain
qualified for that campus but must then find a degree programthat can accommodate you.

Truths & Myths About Non-quota Courses

Myth: Choosing a Non-Quota course will make it easier for you to enter UP.
Truth: You have to qualify first for a CAMPUS before you are screened for the degree program.
Your UPG should first make the cut-off for a particular UP campus that you applied for before
you are considered for a degree program. If your UPG doesn’t make it to the campus cut-off,
then there’s no point to screen you for the program. Thus, CHOOSE YOUR CAMPUS WISELY
first; the course is secondary.

As previously discussed in qualifying for a degree program, if you made it to a campus but did
not make it to the program cut-off, you will get a result of “Degree Program with Available Slot
(DPWAS or DPAS). The campus you qualified into will find a program that can accommodate
you.

Under Represented Areas

In its efforts to provide slots for underrepresented areas, UP implemented the Excellence-Equity
Admissions System (EEAS). One of the ways UP did this is to allot only 70% of the slots to
those who qualified based entirely on their UPG ranking. The remaining 30% is then allotted to
underrepresented areas in the country.
Here’s an example: If the cut-off for UP Diliman is 2.2, the campus allots 70% of the slots to
those who have above that UPG. UP Diliman then uses a deep selection parameter of 0.1. The
absolute cut-off will then be 2.3 and this will be the cut-off used for students from
underprivileged high schools and underrepresented areas.

Pabigat & Palugit

The UP admissions system includes several bonuses and penalties on the UPG:
Palugit: A bonus of 0.05 is given to the UPG of applicants coming from public barangay, public
vocational and public general high schools, excluding those administered by state universities
and colleges and science high schools. A palugit of the same amount is also given to applicants
who are legitimate members of cultural minorities.

Pabigat: A penalty of 0.05 is given to the UPG of applicants who apply for regional campuses
not within their geographical area as his second choice campus. One example is a student from
Luzon choosing UP Cebu as his second choice campus. If that student chose UP Cebu as his first
choice, although coming from Luzon, he will not have a pabigat.

Is the Test Right Minus Wrong?

The UPCAT differs from the other entrance test because it deducts 0.25 or ¼ of a point if you
answered an item incorrectly. In a way, you are slightly penalized for a wrong answer. Note
however that you do not get a deduction if you leave an item blank.

The question now is do you guess or do you leave an item blank if you don’t know the answer?

It would be better if you can eliminate a wrong answer before guessing so that your chance of
getting the correct answer is increased.