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:
Mathematics                                              Angles
                                                         Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
                                                         Triangle Postulates and Theorems
 Arithmetic and Number Sense                               (ASA, SSS, etc.)
 Algebra                                                Quadrilaterals and Other Polygons
                                                         Area and Volume
       Signed Numbers                                   Circles
       Algebraic Expressions
       Equations and Inequalities                 Trigonometry
       Quadratic Equations
       Systems of Equation
                                                         Basic Trigonometric Functions
       Polynomials
                                                         Basic Identities
       Functions and Relations
       Fractions and Rational Functions
       Cartesian Coordinate System                Statictics
         (Graphing)
       Word Problems                                    Measures of Central Tendencies
       Exponents and Logarithms                            (mean, median, mode)
       Radicals                                         Factorials
       Sets and Set Notation                            Counting, Permutation and
       Complex Numbers                                     Combination
       Sequences and Series                             Probability
 Geometry                                        Science
       Reasoning                                  Earth Science and Astronomy
       Definitions, Postulates and Theorems
      Rocks and Minerals                     Vocabulary
      The Layers of the Earth and its
        Composition                                 Word Meanings
      Land Formations and Bodies of Water          Spelling
      Plate Tectonics                              Synonyms
      Earthquakes, Volcanoes                       Antonyms
      Climate, Weather and the Atmosphere          Confusing Words
      Fossils
                                              Grammar
 Biology
                                                    Parts of Speech
      The Ecosystem                                Correct Usage
      Classification/Taxonomy                      Punctuation
      Biogeochemical Cycles                        Capitalization
      Plants and Photosynthesis                    Subject-verb Agreement
      Animal Biology                               Sentence Construction
      Cell Biology                                 Modifiers
      Genetics and Heredity                        Finding Errors/Sentence Correction
      Human Anatomy                                Voice (active and passive)
 Chemistry                                   Reading Comprehension
      Precision and Accuracy                       Essays
      Conversion of Units                          Getting the Main Idea/Topic Sentence
      Elements, Compounds and Mixtures             Appropriate Title of Selection
      States of Matter                             Poetry
      The Periodic Table                           Short stories
      Electronic Configuration and the             Speeches
        Quantum Numbers                             Comic Strips
      Nuclear Reactions                            Figures of Speech (simile, metaphors,
      Chemical Reactions                             etc.)
      Stoichiometry                                Author’s Point of View
      Gas Laws                                     Meaning Through Context Clues
      Redox Reactions                              Drawing Conclusions
      Basic Organic Chemistry                      Inference
                                                    Fact and Opinion
 Physics
                                              Filipino
      Scalar and Vector Quantities
      Laws of Motion                               WastongGamit
      Relative Velocities                          Bahagi ng Pananalita
      Force                                        Sawikain o Idioma
      Work, Energy and Power                       Tayutay
      Fluid Mechanics                              Paksa ng Talata
      Light, Sound and Waves
      Electricity and Magnetism
      Thermodynamics                               (note: The Filipino part is
                                                    integrated with
Language Proficiency
      the Language Proficiency and )