Largest ever batch of examinees takes UPCAT

At least 70,000 high school seniors will take the annual University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) this weekend —possibly the largest ever batch of examinees in the state university's 103-year history, according to its Office of Admissions. Prof. Gerald Franco, UP admissions director, said in an interview with GMA News Online that there are thousands of examinees because UP “has maintained its status as the most attractive destination for students who want to advance to college." Franco said only after the applicants show up Saturday and Sunday at the various testing centers nationwide will UP know the exact number of examinees. "Last year, there were over 65,000 examinees," the university said on its UPCAT website. Only about 13,000 from that batch —or just 20 percent— passed the UPCAT. The UPCAT runs for five hours and has sub-tests on language proficiency, reading comprehension, mathematics and science. The exam is in English and Filipino. Director Franco said the UPCAT “might not even be the most difficult exam, but it is the most competitive because we will accept less than 20 percent of those who take the exam." He explained that the basis of passing the UPCAT “is not the scores but the ranking of the examinees." Applicants from low-income households Franco revealed that about one-third of the applicants may belong to low-income households. These are the aspirants who were exempted from paying the non-refundable application fee of P450 because their declared annual gross family income is less than P100,000. However, the admissions director claimed, “UP cannot verify the income declared by the applicants." Also exempted from paying the exam fee are the top ten graduates or prospective graduates of public high schools. Franco also said about half of the applicants come from public schools while the other half are from private schools. He clarified that most UPCAT takers who end up enrolling in other schools do so because “they can afford to go to other universities." "As the national university, UP is the acknowledged leader in research and education. This explains why UP still attracts high school students nationwide," said UP professor Danilo Arao. "We are also in the process of giving more access to UP education by setting up satellite campuses, the latest of which is UP at the Fort," Arao added. The UP and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority signed last month the "Memorandum of Agreement with Deed of Conveyance" for the construction of the UP Professional Schools on a 4,300-square meter lot within the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The UP Professional School campus would initially include the College of Law, College of Business Administration, College of Engineering, School of Statistics and UP Open University. "Mura ang tuition at may quality branding na globally-recognized," are the possible reasons for the rise in the number of UPCAT examinees, according to CHED Executive Director Julito Vitriolo, via a text message to GMA News Online late Saturday evening. One-third of passers enroll elsewhere Yet, despite the high volume of applicants and high attrition rate, about one-third of those who qualify to study at UP's Diliman campus enroll somewhere else. Of the 13,000 who passed last year, 3,826 qualified for entry into UP Diliman according to an article in the UP Newsletter citing July 2010 freshman data. However, only 2,482 students or 64.9 percent enrolled. The University Registrar surveyed 248 “no-show UP qualifiers" and learned that 25 percent of the 248 were offered scholarships by other schools and 16 percent said “they did not study at the UPD because they were not accepted in their first choice of degree program." “Parents’ decision" was the reason of 8 percent and another 8 percent said the UP Diliman campus is “far from home." The survey also showed that three percent said that the school they enrolled in is “near [their] residence." Cost factors in enrolment shift There has been an enrolment shift from private schools to public schools in the elementary and secondary levels and the reason DepEd officials cited was the rising cost of tuition in the private sector.

A similar shift has been taking place at the college level in recent years. Enrolment in public higher education institutions (HEIs) has been growing at a faster pace than enrolment in private universities and colleges, according to latest available data of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). The CHED data showed that public HEI enrolment grew by 3.78 percent in 2006 and 3.80 percent in 2007 then rising by 7.38 percent in 2008 and jumping to 10.23 percent in 2009. In contrast, enrolment in private colleges and universities increased by 5.45 percent in 2006 and only 0.95 percent in 2007, then plunging to negative 5.54 percent in 2008 and recovering by 2.74 percent in 2009. Last June, CHED Executive Director Julito Vitriolo said that rising tuition in private HEIs has kept more high school graduates from pursuing college studies. "Para sa mga kapos na kapos, maaring magkaroon ng problema sa pasukan kasi baka hindi nila matustusan ang kanilang pag-aaral," he said. Cherry Holgado, an UPCAT passer who almost did not get to study in UP, said she learned during freshman orientation that 18 units of subject load costs about P20,000 and when the UP socialized tuition program is applied, given her family’s income bracket, that figure goes down to P7,628. Over at the Ateneo de Manila University, undergraduate college tuition as of 2010 was P103,896.90, according to that university’s website. Add “Basic Fees" amounting to P20,170.80 and P20,634.20 in “Other Fees" plus “additional fees for laboratory use, or for overload, depending on the student’s concentration." Impressions of potential freshmen “Maayos. Hindi naman masyado mahirap (It was okay. It wasn't that difficult)," Quin Ymballa said to GMA News Online moments after stepping out of UP Diliman’s Institute of Chemistry building at the end of the Saturday morning UPCAT exam session. Ymballa is a senior at the high school of the New Era University and a resident of Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal. “Civil engineering ang first choice course ko, kasi iyon ang gusto ng tatay ko at gusto ko rin naman (Civil engineering was my first choice, because my dad wanted it for me and it's what I want too)," Ymballa said. “Unang-una mababa ang tuition. Madaling makapasok sa company. Magaganda ang trabaho ng mga kilala namin na UP graduate (For one thing, the tuition is low. It's easy to get into companies. All the UP graduates we know have nice jobs)," said Ymballa’s mother, Nimfa, explaining why she wants her son to get accepted at UP. Jeanni Yu, a senior at Jubilee Christian Academy, said the UPCAT’s degree of difficulty was what she expected. She said one part of the exam “was hard." Jeanni hopes to take up Interior Design at UP. Her schoolmate, Jameson Shen, claimed the actual exam was easier than the review classes he took to prepare for the UPCAT. “Mas madali lang nang konti kaysa review (It was just slightly easier than the review exam)," Shen said. “Tama lang ‘yung haba ng exam. Mahirap yung isang part na pipili ng best choice from among several good options," Shen added. He wants to study Business Administration at UP. Among the proud fathers who accompanied their kids and waited for them to finish the exam was Jess Ramos, whose son Jiles, is a student at the Quezon City Science High School. Ramos said his son wants to graduate from UP with either a degree in Mathematics or Statistics because “Jiles wants to go into a career in Actuarial Science." Raul Aguilar waited for his son, Raphael, to finish taking the UPCAT. He said he wants Raphael to study at UP because of its “high standard" and the ease UP graduates have in finding work. He said his youngest wants to enroll in either Architecture or Chemical Engineering at UP. “Strength niya nasa math at drawing (His strengths are in math and drawing)," Aguilar said with humble pride. Raphael is a senior at Manila Science High School and aspires to be an astronaut or to some day set foot on the moon. Raphael is also applying for admission at the Ateneo de Manila University. Liza Bautista said Kate Allison, her daughter, eldest among her five kids and a student at the Casimiro Ynares Memorial National High School, wants to study either Chemistry or Applied Physics at UP. “Nasa top 8 si Kate. Gusto niya dito sa UP kasi magaling ang UP (Kate is eighth in her class. She wants to be in UP because of its excellence)," Bautista said. Come early, eat before the exam The UP Diliman Police advised UPCAT examinees to come early to avoid the exam weekend rush hour which comes at 6 a.m. and from 11:30am to 12:30pm. Cpl Romeo Cabrera, second shift desk officer of the UP Diliman Police said traffic volume Saturday was lighter than in previous years. “Marami na kasing testing centers sa ibang lugar," Cabrera explained. Cabrera said traffic advisories were installed all over the campus about two weeks ago. Motorists can enter and exit the campus through University Avenue, the Ylanan gate along Commonwealth Avenue, C.P. Garcia Avenue, and the Katipunan-Magsaysay gate. There were no reports of accidents on campus Saturday, but there was an instance of one examinee collapsing at the Architecture building. UP Infirmary personnel responded to that incident, according to Cabrera. “Ok naman na yung bata. Pinapayuhan namin ang examinees na kumain bago mag-exam," Cabrera said. Meanwhile, Jeepney driver Michael Rencio, who has been plying the UP-Philcoa route for 10 years, said he has gotten used to the heavier-than-usual traffic on UPCAT exam weekend. “Trapik. Puro kotse. Konti naman ang sumasakay sa jeep. Taon-taon ganyan…Palagay ko marami-rami rin ang mayayaman na estudyante sa UP," Rencio said. — TJD, GMA News