When I first took the University of the Philippines College Admission test, otherwise known as the UPCAT, I was scared out of my mind. I had studied hard, sure. But when I received my score on my UPCAT Review test, it was far lower than expected. But, with a little help from my mother and my high school mentors, I was able to score higher when I finally took my UPCAT. Here are the tips to change your child's life forever and have him or her get into the premier university.
For most children, they excel in either math or English but not both. Some children may struggle in both areas but it is rare for a child to be equally good in both areas of the test. The logic states that a child can be good in the humanities like English and history but is usually weaker when it comes to math and science.
The best and also free tip is to simply read more! I know this may sound simple, maybe even boring and useless but trust me, it is perhaps the most important and useful thing your child can do to prepare for the UPCAT.
The best things to read are broadsheets or wholesome magazines. If you don't have a subscription, you can have your child read the articles online through their website for free. The New York Times is my best bet. It is an international newspaper that people around the world read. The level of grammar and the type of words used are much stronger and tougher to understand than your ordinary newspaper.
Very often, intelligent readers don't know what certain words mean. That is how you build your vocabulary and understanding of more words. By reading words which don't know their meaning, you can interpret their meaning by interpreting what the sentence is trying to say.
The best piece of advice is to work with your children as they read each sentence of the magazine or newspaper, and make sure they understand what they are reading. If they come across a word you think they don't know or understand, don't let them skip that sentence. Make them try and figure out what that word means and what that sentence is trying to tell the reader.
This is the best way of building your child's vocabulary and helping them do better on the verbal part of the UPCAT.