MANILA, Philippines - The number of high school students who will take the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) this year is down to 6,000 compared to 87,000 last year.
The UPCAT would be administered in 25 testing centers today.
The drop in the number of examinees was due to the implementation of the K to 12 program next year, which will add two additional years to basic education.
This means only those who will graduate in schools that have senior high school can take the UPCAT this year and next year.
This year’s batch of UPCAT examinees was the first to have been provided free review materials by the university.
UP also allowed the submission of application forms over the Internet this year. UP president Alfredo Pascual said it is part of the university’s thrust to level the playing field among UPCAT examinees.