UP hopefuls nervous, excited as they take UPCAT

A long line of hopeful boys and girls showed up early on Saturday at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City for the first day of the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT).

According to Vonne Aquino's report on GMA News TV's Balitanghali, the exams were scheduled from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. but the crowd outside testing areas Palma and Malcolm Halls in UP Diliman began to thicken even before the break of dawn.

A special traffic brigade had been directing traffic outside the testing centers in UP Diliman.

Over 167,000 were expected to take the UPCAT in all campuses of the state university this year.

Many students trying to get into their dream school confessed to having the jitters before the exam.

"Proper review lang and pray. Kinakabahan po. Ang dami po eh. Ang daming magte-take. Siyempre, bilang lang po 'yung papasa," a student hopeful said.

"Kabado ako. At the same time, excited din po," said another.

The two-day UPCAT was originally scheduled on September 15 and 16, until it was moved to a later date due to Typhoon Ompong. —Margaret Claire Layug/KG, GMA News