UPCAT results to be released at the end of April

Results of the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) will be released at the end of the month, UP Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Dalisay Jr. said on Wednesday.

“There’s no delay,” said Dalisay as quoted in an article on the UP website. "It’s taking time, but we’re making doubly sure that the results are accurate and fair.”

“We acknowledge the great anticipation and anxiety felt by both parents and students at this time of the year but it’s ultimately for their benefit that UP is striving for accuracy in every step of the process,” VP for Public Affairs Jose Dalisay Jr. said. https://t.co/j7uCAc2gQi

— UP System (@upsystem) April 11, 2018

Dalisay explained that the Office of Admissions announced "during the exam, in its website, in its Facebook UPCAT Official posts, and in the UPCAT application portal" that results will be up "sometime in March of April."

The release date was due to the "very large number of applicants" to UPCAT, while the postponement of the examination from August to October was in response to the demand of public schools.

Only 80,000 of more than 103,000 graduating high school students who applied for UPCAT last October took the exam, and only 14,000 (17 percent) will be accepted, distributed among UP's eight campuses.

Dalisay acknowledged the anticipation and anxiety felt by parents and students but asked for their patience while UP assesses each application and validates the applicants' high school grades twice "to ensure consistency and integrity."

"We can’t afford to make mistakes in haste, especially given that entrance to UP is one of the greatest privileges a young Filipino can receive," he said, noting that they adjusted to changes brought about by K-12.

Noting that the UPCAT only makes up 60 percent of an applicant's University Predicted Grade (UPG), Dalisay said 60 staff members are working overtime to put the results out as quickly as possible.

Aware of the deadlines of other universities, Dalisay said, "Unfortunately we have no control over the academic calendars of other schools, and cannot be rushed by those calendars."

"On the other hand, if the students can wait and do get into UP, they can look forward to many years of quality, tuition-free higher education," he continued. —Rie Takumi/KG, GMA News