The University of the Philippines (UP) College Admission Test concluded its second and final day Sunday, marking the end of a grueling testing period for hundreds of thousands of high school applicants nationwide.

Roughly 153,000 applicants took the entrance exam across various testing centers, aiming to secure a spot as a state scholar for the 2027 academic year.

Outside Palma Hall at the university's main Diliman campus in Quezon City, several examinees shared how they prepared for one of the country's most competitive college entrance tests.

“My preparation for the UPCAT was just three weeks of answering mock tests, no review center or at least, just doing a little reading,” said a student from Rizal National Science High School. “I think I did well.”

Others relied on a repetitive cycle of practice exams to spot their weaknesses and improve their results.

“The preparation I had prior to the UPCAT was taking mock tests,” said a student from Dee Hwa Liong Academy in Pasig. “After taking the mock tests, we would get our scores and review the mistakes we made. And then, we would take another mock test until we got a score that we were very satisfied with.”

His schoolmate added that he expanded his review by taking practice tests across multiple online platforms.

While some applicants opted for independent study, others relied on formal prep courses over the summer break before switching back to self-guided review.

“My preparation for the UPCAT, since it was vacation, was reviewing,” said a student from Christian Ecclesiastical School in Bulacan. “I also enrolled in a review center, and then when classes started this year, I just did self-study.”

The university has not yet announced when the results of the entrance examination will be released.

Meantime, the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity distributed free pencils and snacks to examinees taking the UPCAT along Roxas Avenue in UP Diliman, Quezon City, as part of its annual service initiative.

"Even though it is a small way of conducting service, we still believe it can still do a big impact on the community," the fraternity's UPCAT Operations Head said in an exclusive interview with the DAILY TRIBUNE on Sunday.

Upsilon Sigma Phi, the oldest student organization at the University of the Philippines, said it remains committed to its tradition of public service.

"As much as possible, we try to keep it as a service-oriented fraternity," the operations head said.

"We do that by honoring our motto of 'gathering light to scatter,'" the spokesperson added.

The fraternity said it distributed more than 700 pencils to examinees at Palma Hall on the first day of the UPCAT.

According to the group, providing pencils and other essentials may seem like a small gesture, but it can make a meaningful difference for aspiring UP students.

"Yes, this has definitely been the tradition [every UPCAT]," the fraternity spokesperson said when asked about the annual initiative.

The fraternity was joined by its partners, Sting and Varraco, in this year's two-day UPCAT operations.