A look back at the UPCAT

A ziplock bag full of multi-colored M&M’s ― this is the first mental image I have when I look back on that August morning when I took the UPCAT 4 years ago.

I chose M&Ms as my snack that day, reasoning that chocolate was the perfect mental stimulant to help me cope with a grueling 4-hour exam.

The atmosphere was charged. Students from all over Metro Manila, and much farther out, I suspect, gathered in the lobby of Palma Hall to try their luck at one of the nation’s most competitive exams. The normally white-and-brown lobby was awash in a sea of color.

I was relatively calm that Sunday morning, considering that it was, in retrospect, a very important day for me. My mom and I had visited the hall earlier that week so that I could get an idea of what the venue looked like, where the bathrooms were. I honestly believe that that made me less nervous.

I did not feel the same pressure as I did when I took the entrance exam for Ateneo a few months later. I pictured myself going to Ateneo like my sister did before me. I remember thinking that the odds of being accepted into UP were very slim. I simply strove to do my best that day.

We were shepherded up the building, 4 flights of stairs up to the Palma Hall auditorium. Left-handed students were seated in the leftmost aisle. I was seated somewhere in the middle of the room. I was armed with my ziplock of M&M’s, packed lunch, and two Mongol pencils, ready to take the exam.

Easy test

The test itself was not particularly difficult. The multiple-choice questions asked were mostly those fundamental to English, Math and Science, the basics that you would need to know to progress further in those subjects.

There were no essays at the time, no sections such as abstract or logical reasoning, no general knowledge questions, just a combination of English, Math and Science, with some items worded in Filipino.

I remember not being used to the chairs with the armrests serving as the table. My test paper slipped off my chair once or twice.

We had to be very careful in our shading, not marking the areas around the circles as the machines that were to be used to check the tests were very sensitive.

I left some of the numbers on my test paper blank, as wrong answers would subtract from my overall score.

At one point nearing the end of the exam, I recall needing to use the bathroom, but holding it off for the last possible minute, fearing I would miss too much of the test. True enough, this caused me my ability to answer an entire page of reading comprehension – a source of anxiety for me later on.

I left that day unsure of my performance, but confident that I had tried my very best.

The online results were released months later. The memory of waiting for the results, unsure of what they could be, is ingrained in my mind.

It involved pressing the refresh button multiple times to no avail. The server had difficulty coping with the scores of people trying to access the page.

I will never forget my genuine surprise, though, my feeling of elation in seeing my name in black and white. I immediately ran down the stairs to tell my mom.

The choice to go to UP was not necessarily an easy one to make. The environment was admittedly very different from the one I was used to. It meant being outside of my comfort zone.

When I finally made up my mind, however, I was certain I had made the right choice. And I haven’t regretted my decision ever since.

I never could have guessed what exactly an impact one exam would have on my life. That multiple-choice test did more than assess my knowledge of the basics of English, Math and Science. That flimsy sheet of paper was my ticket to class lectures that have moved me to the core, to friendships, and experiences I would not trade for all the money in the world.

There was no way I could have guessed that August morning — 4 years ago — would be my ticket to an amazing journey. And I can say, with all honesty, I have enjoyed every second of the ride. – Rappler.com